Battlefield Command

After following her for an hour, Tang Yan was already dozens of li outside the city. Just as he was about to give up, he suddenly sensed his target up ahead come to a halt.

"You've been sneaking after me through the city all this time. Did you think I hadn't noticed?" The woman's icy voice rang out, shaking Tang Yan to his core. Just how strong was she? He had gone to such lengths to conceal himself, yet she had still discovered him?

Shaking his head with a few bitter chuckles, Tang Yan stepped out.

"Hehehe... Miss Zi, your strength truly is astonishing. You found me despite how well I concealed myself." Tang Yan had only just taken a step when a gray figure came hurtling into view.

There was someone else? And his strength was just as unfathomable!

Tang Yan grew increasingly stunned. What had been happening lately in a place as small as Cloud City? How had two experts suddenly appeared? Judging by their auras, both had to be at least Earth Tier experts.

The gray-robed man was as thin as a bamboo pole. His features were not particularly ugly, but a lecherous gleam flashed in his eyes from time to time. One glance was enough to tell that he was a man with a crooked heart.

"Oh? Someone else?" When Tang Yan emerged, the middle-aged man in gray exclaimed in surprise. After sizing him up, he burst out laughing. "I was wondering why Miss Zi Yun dared show herself after being afflicted with the fire evil poison I administered. So you brought a helper. But this lover of yours is just a silver-plated spearhead made of pewter-he won't withstand a single blow."

The White-Clothed Woman also looked at Tang Yan in surprise. When had this fellow started following her? Why hadn't she noticed?

Taking in their expressions, Tang Yan was so frustrated he could have spat blood. So neither of them had noticed me? I only blundered into revealing myself when she called out?

"Hahaha, I was just passing by. Carry on, carry on!" Tang Yan hastily waved his hands and turned to leave.

"Trying to leave? Hehehe, how could I let you? I've long heard that Miss Zi Yun has a kind heart and won't stand by while someone dies. With you here, she'll have to divide her attention to protect you. Now that she's poisoned, her strength is at most on par with mine. Keeping you here gives me better odds of winning!" The gray-robed man snickered, making no attempt to conceal his intentions.

"Bai Qing, you're overthinking things. This stranger followed me all the way here, so he must be another jackal from the same den as you. If you want to kill him, go ahead! But you won't escape today! Even if it costs me my life, I, Zi Yun, will kill you!" the White-Clothed Woman snapped.

"Hmph, then let me put that to the test! Little brat, give me your life!" With a sinister laugh, Bai Qing sprang toward Tang Yan, reaching out to seize him.

Tang Yan blanched in shock. This rat could actually tread on empty air! That was the hallmark of a Heaven Tier expert!

Though he had little confidence that he could evade the attack, Tang Yan still retreated at top speed.

"How dare you, scoundrel!" Zi Yun flicked her longsword and flew through the air as well.

Tang Yan regretted it so deeply that his guts nearly turned green. What madness had possessed him to follow her? Either of these two towering powers could kill him with the slightest twitch of a finger!

Clang! At the last possible instant, the White-Clothed Woman's longsword finally blocked the attack in front of Tang Yan. He let out a long breath of relief and felt his back. His clothes were completely soaked with sweat.

"Hehehe, so this brat really is your lover. You can barely protect yourself, yet you're still shielding him!" Bai Qing was viciously cunning, relentlessly hurling insults at Zi Yun. "To cure the fire evil poison, you must consummate a union with a man. Why not obediently submit to me? Once I kill this pretty boy, we can ascend Mount Wu together and revel in its clouds and rain."

"Shameless! Even if I die, I'll kill you!" Compared with Bai Qing, Zi Yun was far more thin-skinned.

As the two fought, Tang Yan watched carefully from the sidelines. The gray-robed man wielded a flexible sword, which moved like a silver snake in his hands, attacking Zi Yun with nimble, treacherous strikes.

Zi Yun's actual strength should have surpassed Bai Qing's, but his constant abuse and occasional attempts to ambush Tang Yan badly distracted her, especially since she was already injured. Within a few exchanges, she was beset by danger.

Boundless fury rose in Tang Yan's heart. Damn it, I never provoked you, yet you still want to kill me! If the tiger doesn't meow, you think it's at death's door! Since you're this shameless, I'll teach you not to fucking underestimate anyone!

Tang Yan rapidly retreated, putting distance between himself and the two fighters. His eyes locked onto Bai Qing's sword movements as he began breaking down his techniques step by step.

At the same time, Tang Yan never stopped talking. He shouted abuse at the top of his lungs. "Hey, whatever-your-name-is, Bai Qing! Look at that shoehorn face of yours! Did your father thrust too hard and squash it crooked? You look like a ghost. Pretending to be human all these years must've been exhausting, huh? What are you staring at? I'm not your father..."

That machine-gun barrage of insults enraged Bai Qing until smoke practically poured from all seven of his facial orifices.

"Brat, I'll slaughter you!" Driving Zi Yun back with all his strength, Bai Qing roared and prepared to charge at Tang Yan.

Tang Yan had been watching Bai Qing the entire time. Seeing him move, his gaze sharpened, and he said quietly, "Miss Zi, thrust straight with your longsword, three fen to the left. Seventy percent strength!"

That position happened to be a blind spot Bai Qing could not cover.

Battlefield command begins! A cruel smile curled Tang Yan's lips.

Hearing Tang Yan's words, Zi Yun instinctively looked to her left. Sure enough, there was a small but unmistakable opening. Delight surged through her, and her longsword shot toward it like roaring thunder.

In a clash between experts, an error of a hair's breadth could send one a thousand miles astray.

Bai Qing had held the upper hand and been pressing her relentlessly, but now he sensed an immense threat from Zi Yun's strike. Unable to spare Tang Yan any further attention, he hastily turned to block, switching from attack to defense.

"Nine inches to the right. Slash horizontally at his lower three ribs! Seventy percent strength!" Tang Yan's voice rang out again.

The instant Tang Yan finished speaking, Zi Yun spotted the position he had indicated.

An opening! Another opening!

And because she had held some strength in reserve during her previous strike, this attack flowed into the last with remarkable ease!

Her longsword swept forth with the force of a rainbow spanning the sky. Accompanied by the whistle of cleaved air, it slashed straight at Bai Qing's waist without the slightest flourish.

Bai Qing was so frustrated he could have spat blood. He had thought the brat would help him by becoming a burden to Zi Yun. Instead, the situation had been completely reversed in a matter of breaths.

Once I defeat Zi Yun, I'll slice you to death piece by piece! Bai Qing thought venomously.

Although Tang Yan did not know what Bai Qing was thinking, his own thoughts were much the same-kill the other man!

Bai Qing had no time to dwell on it. Zi Yun's longsword was far too fierce. He had no chance to dodge and could only meet it head-on.

Every time Zi Yun used seventy percent of her strength, Bai Qing had to expend all of his to resist, leaving him utterly on the defensive.

Before Bai Qing could catch his breath, Tang Yan's voice rang out again like a summons to death. "Spin your body! Full strength! Use the force of your rotation. Nine inches right, horizontal slash, at his upper two ribs!"

After Tang Yan had correctly identified weaknesses twice in succession, Zi Yun began to trust his instructions.

Her body spun swiftly through a full circle in midair like a wheel. Borrowing the momentum of her rotation, her longsword surged toward Bai Qing, carrying an overwhelming tide of sword force.