Shangguan Shenhao stared at Chu Xisheng with a cold expression, offering no response for a long time.
Within a hundred zhang of the Taste-Knowing Pavilion, the atmosphere was thick with murderous tension.
The surrounding area was silent as death; a falling pin could have been heard.
The Shangguan Clan soldiers breathed heavily, gripping their weapons tightly.
The young and able-bodied men aboard the large ships on the river were also somewhat nervous.
At this moment, however, more ships converged from upstream and downstream, joining the fleet one after another. In fewer than a hundred breaths, another twelve large ships had arrived.
A great many dock laborers and towmen had also gathered near the docks. They numbered a full three thousand, each carrying a weapon.
This brought a flush to the faces of the many young men aboard the ships. Their spirits surged, their morale soaring like a rainbow.
Tie Kuangren, meanwhile, had remained perfectly composed throughout.
The mockery in his eyes grew even stronger.
The longer this dragged on, the greater his chances of victory became, and the less likely the Shangguan Clan was to choose battle.
"Well?" Tie Kuangren looked down sidelong at the fifteen hundred Shangguan Clan soldiers. "Allow me to remind you, Clan Head: my Iron Banner Gang's seven warships and twelve hundred members, along with my armor, the Iron Futu, are only fifteen li away. If you don't act soon, your Shangguan Clan will have even less chance of winning."
Shangguan Shenhao's cheeks bulged slightly as he clenched his back teeth, as though he meant to grind his teeth to pieces.
Just as he exhaled a long, turbid breath and prepared to speak, a figure suddenly swept through the air from afar.
"Stop!"
The voice was deep and overbearing, rolling across dozens of li of river