Siege

Chuzhou City.

On the tall and majestic city wall stands a massive three-story tower with upturned eaves. From the top floor, one can see for dozens of miles around.

In the lobby on the top floor, a middle-aged man leaned on a knife and sat on a large chair draped with a tiger skin.

He wore heavy armor forged from refined steel, a scarlet cloak, and had a pair of narrow, sharp phoenix eyes. His features were quite handsome, and he bore a resemblance to Emperor Yuanjing.

This man possesses both the battlefield prowess of a military general and the awe-inspiring arrogance of a nobleman. He is the kind of person born to hold a high position and wield power, with an extraordinary presence.

The Great Feng Zhenbei King.

This prince's life story is nothing short of legendary. From a young age, he possessed immense strength, capable of tearing apart tigers and leopards with his bare hands, but he was by no means a brute. On the contrary, the Prince of Huai was exceptionally intelligent, far surpassing his brothers and sisters.

The Prince of Huai was fond of killing and obsessed with Martial Dao. The late emperor once said that the seventh prince was a divinely appointed guardian general of the Great Feng Dynasty. Therefore, the throne was not passed to him.

The Prince of Huai himself didn't care. To him, as long as he could reach the pinnacle of Martial Dao, power would naturally follow. His status as a prince was merely an aid on his Martial Dao to the top.

In this world, some people are obsessed with beauty, some with money, some with power, and some with spiritual practice.

The Prince of Huai took command of the army at the age of fifteen, became invincible in the capital at the age of twenty, and took charge of the north at the age of twenty-five. Now, sixteen years have passed.

His most glorious moment was twenty years ago when he accompanied Wei Yuan on a campaign, serving as his deputy general and wielding the Zhenguo Sword to slay countless experts from the northern and southern barbarian tribes.

He was hailed in historical records as the second most meritorious contributor to the Battle of Shanhai Pass.

"Report!"

A black-robed secret agent, head bowed, strode into the hall, knelt on both knees, and held a stack of secret letters in his hands.

The Prince of Zhenbei reached out his hand, and the secret letter flew into his palm automatically. He unfolded the letter and read it one by one.

The first secret letter was a letter of apology. Despite the spies' best efforts and extensive search along the border, they still could not find the queen or the four barbarian leaders who had abducted her.

The second secret letter concerns Zheng Buzhengshi, who escaped during the massacre. The letter states that the heroine Li Miaozhen successfully made contact with Zheng Buzhengshi. During the interception by the Heavenly Secret Agents, they encountered the obstruction of Buddhist School masters, which unfortunately allowed Li Miaozhen to escape.

The third and fourth secret letters contained military intelligence: the Qingyan tribe's 20,000 cavalry had mobilized in full force, without any baggage, and were marching at breakneck speed towards Chuzhou City.

Zhu Jiu, the leader of the northern Demon Race, led his Demon Race south, heading straight for Chuzhou City.

They did not plunder civilians or attempt to attack other cities along the way; their purpose was clearly to rush towards Chuzhou City. Chuzhou City was already very close to the border, and before dusk, the cavalry of the Qingyan tribe and the Demon Race under Zhulong's command would be at the city's gates.

The secret letter in the Prince of Zhenbei's hand turned to dust. He waved away the spies, rose from his chair, gazed at the empty hall, and said in a deep voice:

"They still found out."

"This was expected. Many people know about Mu Nanzhi's extraordinary abilities. Countless eyes are on you, waiting for your cultivation to improve so you can seize her spiritual essence. Even though you've been keeping a low profile all these years, there are still quite a few people who can estimate your cultivation level. Our massacre of Chuzhou City, which we concealed for nearly a month, was already a very successful plan."

A voice rang out in the hall, responding to the Prince of Zhenbei.

"How much longer until we're done?" Prince Huai gazed ahead, his expression calm.

"Three hours."

The voice chuckled softly, "Don't rush. You should know that the life essence of mortals is useless to you. You must refine them into Blood Pills. Ha, 380,000 people, naturally it will take a lot of time and effort. Of course, if it weren't for the need to refine Soul Pills, the Blood Pills could have been refined ten days ago."

After a pause, the voice continued, "Without Mu Nanzhi, even if you take the Blood Pill, you won't be able to advance to the second rank."

The Prince of Zhenbei said calmly, "We've already thought of ways to make amends, haven't we? Don't worry, I won't go back on my word."

The voice let out a hoarse laugh, "Cooperation benefits both sides. Someone's coming."

At the gate, a figure moved about. The one-eyed Duke of Protectorate, Que Yongxiu, with a long sword at his waist and one hand on the hilt, strode in.

"Prince Huai, there is still no trace of Zheng Xinghuai," Que Yongxiu said in a deep voice.

"If I advance to the second rank after this battle, I won't need to care about his life or death. If I lose, I also have ways to protect you, so there's no need to worry," the Prince of Zhenbei said calmly.

Duke Que Yongxiu, the Protector of the Nation, breathed a sigh of relief and asked, "Are you confident of victory in this battle?"

The Prince of Zhenbei nodded slowly.

Que Yongxiu immediately smiled, sat down in the chair with an air of authority, and laughed:

"Our Great Feng should produce a second-rank official as well. In recent years, the northern barbarians and Demon Race have been arrogant and domineering, not taking us seriously at all. After this battle, we will flatten Mount Natuo, and then skin and desecrate Zhu Jiu to make soup for our soldiers."

A smile appeared on the usually stern face of the Prince of Zhenbei.

Que Yongxiu was his childhood study companion, and later they led troops together, from the Battle of Shanhai Pass to the northern border. They fought side by side for nearly twenty years, and their bond was even deeper than that of blood brothers.

Otherwise, the task of massacring the city wouldn't have been entrusted to him.

As the sun gradually moved westward, the soldiers standing on the city wall squinted and saw a cloud of dust rising on the horizon, and countless cavalrymen galloping towards them. Behind the cavalrymen was a blue giant, two zhang (six meters) tall.

They've arrived.

"Knock knock knock!"

The drums sounded, echoing across the land, and the soldiers on the city walls immediately sprang into action, methodically preparing defensive equipment such as rolling stones, oil, and logs.

News of the barbarian army's impending attack on the city had already reached Chuzhou, but neither officers nor low-ranking soldiers panicked.

Amidst the clanging of armor, the Prince of Zhenbei, sword in hand, strode out and stood on the watchtower of the city tower, gazing at the leader of the Qingyan tribe.

The two third-rank experts faced each other across the vast plain, clearly seeing each other's expressions and eyes. Jili Zhigu grinned ferociously, while Zhenbei Wang raised the corner of his mouth with a hint of sneer and disdain.

After a brief eye contact, Jili Zhigu suddenly lowered his head, swung his arms, and began to run wildly.

Boom boom boom.

The earth trembled, as if a cannonball had exploded, and the blue giant turned into a blur, seemingly trying to smash his head against the city wall.

"Fire!"

"Protector of the Nation, Que Yongxiu, roared."

The large ballistae and cannons on the city walls were all aimed at the blue giant.

The bowstring of the ballista was drawn by four soldiers working together. As the bowstring was slowly drawn back, the incantations branded on the ballista's frame lit up one by one. The faint light emitted by the incantations flowed like water and converged on the two-meter-long heavy arrow.

As the bowstring was fully drawn, all the faint light focused on the heavy arrow, and the two-meter-long arrow burst into a dazzling light, as if it were composed of pure light.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Two-meter-long heavy arrows whistled out, like streaks of light, shooting towards the blue giant.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

At the same time, the cannons, also enhanced by the formation, fired off burning fireballs, like dazzling meteors.

The Great Feng army is inferior to the barbarians in individual combat strength; it is outnumbered by the Witch God Cult, which can manipulate corpses; it is less agile than the cunning and troublesome Gu Clan army; and its mid-to-high-level combat strength is inferior to that of the Buddhist Kingdom.

However, the reason why the Great Feng was able to occupy the Central Plains and dominate the nine provinces was because of Confucian School. When Confucian School dominated the court, positions such as commander-in-chief and general were usually held by Confucian School scholars.

Historically, most famous Confucian generals were graduates of the Cloud Deer Academy.

These scholar-generals were not only well-versed in military strategy and skilled in warfare, but they could also personally engage in combat, and their boasts could cause the heavens and earth to collapse.

After the decline of Confucian School, the magical Law Artifact of the Bureau of Astronomy took on a heavy responsibility. Heavy Law Artifact and firearms were the foundation upon which the Great Feng relied for survival. Especially when defending a city, they were veritable meat grinders.

Heavy arrows emitting blinding light and fireballs resembling meteors bombarded the blue giant relentlessly.

Jili Zhigu withstood the heavy arrows and cannon fire that could easily kill a sixth-rank martial artist; with each boom, his body would tremble.

But he did not dodge; instead, he took the initiative to face the barrage of heavy arrows and cannon fire, wielding his greatsword to scatter the terrifying arrows and meteors. These attacks posed little problem for him, but would bring annihilation to the cavalry behind him.

Even so, after one round of bombardment, more than a hundred elite cavalrymen were still killed.

When he was less than two hundred meters from Chuzhou City, Jili Zhigu's knees suddenly sank, and as the ground collapsed, his body tilted and crashed into the city wall.

A strong wind howled in, and the two-zhang-tall blue figure, carrying an overwhelming aura, seemed capable of crushing a mountain.

No, it could indeed knock down a mountain.

At this moment, the Prince of Zhenbei on the city tower moved. With a bang, he soared into the sky amidst the shattering bricks, his scarlet cloak billowing wildly. When he reached the highest point, he drew his long sword.

Raise it high.

Immediately afterwards, the Prince of Zhenbei swooped down and slashed out with his long sword.

Although he was alone, he gave people a sense of overwhelming pressure.

The blue giant had to stop his charge, steady himself, and swung his greatsword back sharply, striking the Northern King in the sky.

Boom!

The earth resounded with a deafening roar, like the grandest bells.

The surging energy, like ocean waves, rippled in a circular pattern, resembling the detonation of dozens of cannons, with shockwaves spreading through the air.

The Qingyan cavalry below narrowly escaped disaster, while incantations lit up on the city wall, forming an invisible barrier that blocked the aftershocks of the energy.

The Prince of Zhenbei took flight again, landing back on the city tower, holding a long sword, his presence as imposing as a deep pool and a towering mountain.

"The Prince of Zhenbei, the God of War!"

Duke Que Yongxiu, the protector of the nation, raised his weapon and roared.

"The Prince of Zhenbei, the God of War."

"The Prince of Zhenbei, the God of War."

On the city wall, the soldiers shouted in unison, united in their resolve, full of faith in the Prince of Zhenbei, and revered him as a god.

At the north gate, on the boundless wilderness outside the city, a colossal creature appeared on the horizon. It was entirely crimson, scaleless, and its single eye on its forehead resembled a golden sun.

The giant crimson serpent slithered along the ground, stirring up a slow cloud of dust.

Behind it was a densely packed army of Demon Race, including dragons, black-scaled giant tigers, one-horned lizards, and monkeys.

Above its head, a massive, dark army of birds swept in at breakneck speed.

The soldiers on the city wall were expressionless, their faces showing neither fear nor tension. They mechanically launched crossbows, cannons, or bent bows to attack the birds circling in the air.

The birds that fell after being shot by arrows were already dead, but during their fall, they suddenly opened their scarlet eyes, flapped their wings again, and pounced on their companions.

The Demon Race army, which had perished from cannon fire and crossbow bolts, rose again, tearing apart their comrades and even the crimson giant python.

Before the Demon Race army even reached the city walls, a small-scale chaos broke out within their ranks.

"Bang bang bang"

Heavy arrows shot out, automatically ignoring the Demon Race army and locking onto the crimson giant python. They did not move in a straight line, but in a curve, and attacked the same target.

The python's seven-inch spot.

Like an invisible hand, it manipulates heavy arrows and cannon fire, directing them to target weaknesses.

The giant python's enormous size, while bringing overwhelming power, also revealed its lack of agility, making it unable to dodge heavy arrows and cannon fire.

Although it wouldn't cause serious injury, the area around the seven-inch mark felt as if steel nails were embedded in the flesh, causing excruciating pain.

"Aww!"

It raised its head, its gaping maw resembling a dark red abyss, and the single eye on its forehead trembled repeatedly before suddenly spitting out a beam of golden light that crashed against the city wall.

The patterns on the wall lit up, and an invisible barrier appeared in response.

The golden light struck the barrier, stirring up fine glints of light. The wall cracked repeatedly, splitting into countless tiny fissures.

Since the Battle of Shanhai Pass, the northern border has ushered in its first major battle. There are three third-rank masters participating in the battle, as well as one unknown master hiding in the shadows.

Inside Chuzhou City, martial arts practitioners rushed out of inns and houses, looking in astonishment toward the city gate.

The booming of cannons, the clear twang of ballistae, the clatter of horses' hooves, the roars of the city wall guards, and the terrifying fluctuations of energy emanating from the clash of high-level experts.

These words were clearly heard and perceived by the martial arts figures in the city, inevitably instilling fear in them, making them want to hide under their beds and tremble with fear.

"What's going on? The barbarians have invaded Chuzhou City!"

"Damn it, these barbarians actually dared to attack Chuzhou City! Do they want to start a full-scale war with the Great Feng?"

"Let's go to the city wall and defend it together."

At the entrance of the largest restaurant in Chuzhou City, several martial arts figures were jumping up and down, cursing angrily. At this moment, they saw the innkeeper and waiter walk out of the inn with blank expressions.

I saw local residents walking out of the houses along the street, their faces pale, their eyes empty, lacking Spiritual Qi, like walking corpses.

More and more people came out of their houses and onto the streets, staring blankly at the sky.

Above their heads, streaks of blood-red light spilled out, drifted into the sky, and then converged into a huge blood sphere.

Within them, dark shadows were pulled out and sank into the ground, struggling and wailing as they did so.

"So I'm already dead."

"I'm dead? I'm dead!!"

"I'm not reconciled, I'm not reconciled!"

Throughout the city, civilians and martial arts practitioners who entered Chuzhou City after the massacre witnessed this horrific scene, their hearts filled with chilling dread.

Are all the people in Chuzhou City dead?

Who did they talk to, who did they chat with, and who did they spend over a month with?

It turns out we had been living in a ghost town for over a month.

A tremendous fear exploded in the hearts of the few remaining survivors.

Inside the post station.

The delegation members arrived on the street with trepidation, staring blankly at the pale human figures, looking up at the sky.

Streams of Blood Qi were drawn from their heads and surged into the air; streaks of black shadow were peeled from their bodies and swept into the ground.

Yang Yan murmured, "So, the location of the massacre that lasted for three thousand miles was Chuzhou City."

"Brute!"

Suddenly, a roar erupted, and the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review knelt on the ground, tears streaming down his face.

"Chuzhou has a population of 380,000, and 380,000 vengeful spirits. In the entire 600-year history of the Great Feng, no one has ever committed such an atrocity. I, I must return to the capital and impeach the Prince of Huai, until my death."

He clenched his fist and pounded the ground, letting out a loud "Ah!" before bursting into tears.

Imperial Censor Liu's lips trembled. "How dare he? How dare he? As the Prince of Great Feng, he is loved and supported by the people of the North. How could he lay a hand on these innocent people? The Prince of Huai deserves to die, deserves to die!"

Officer Chen's eyes were bloodshot, and his hand gripping the knife trembled incessantly.

Yang Yan looked at them, slightly moved.

These civil officials were cunning and treacherous, and loved to scheme against each other, but they were not completely morally depraved; they still retained the sentiments instilled by the teachings of sages and worthies.

Both bad and good.

Officer Chen gritted his teeth and asked, "What exactly does the Prince of Huai want to do?"

Yang Yan pondered for a moment and said, "I'm guessing he might be promoted to the second rank."

The promotion of the second-rank Dali Temple Assistant Minister, the two censors, and Constable Chen was a surprise.

If, if the Prince of Huai really did use this to gain a promotion to the second rank, then even if they exposed the matter and submitted a memorial impeaching him, would the Emperor punish them?

Are you gentlemen capable of dealing with the Prince of Huai?

What does it mean to be a second-rank martial artist? The Great Feng hasn't produced a second-rank martial artist in three hundred years.

Looking across the entire land, second-rank martial artists have become extinct; at least, the northern barbarians and Demon Race have none of them.

If the Prince of Huai is promoted to the second rank, would massacring the city still be a crime? Even if it is, who has the power to punish him?

I'm afraid Your Majesty and the officials will have no choice but to accept it reluctantly. And once Your Majesty and the officials compromise, even the supervisor will have to prioritize the overall situation.

Is it worth sacrificing the lives of 380,000 people for a second-rank official?

Excellent value.

Imperial Censor Liu took a deep breath, "If the Prince of Huai is promoted to the second rank, I will spill my blood in the Golden Palace to prove my loyalty with my death."

Head Constable Chen said in a deep voice, "Is there no one who can stop him? Who in the Northern Border can stop the Prince of Zhenbei?"

Yang Yan shook his head. "In the Northern Territory, who is stronger than the Prince of Zhenbei?"

there is none left.

No one can stop the Prince of Zhenbei; no one in Chuzhou can become a stumbling block to his promotion.

No one would do it—not the delegation, not even the martial arts practitioners. They could only watch helplessly as the Prince of Zhenbei was promoted.

Officer Chen suddenly said, "I suddenly regret that Xu Qi'an's strength is insufficient."

When everyone looked at him, he said self-deprecatingly, "I used to be jealous of his fame in the Buddhist School magic duel. I was jealous of his overwhelming victory over the Daoist School Daoist disciple in the battle between Celestial Person, which made him the center of attention. But now, I only regret that his cultivation is not high enough."

"Because if it were him, he would never sit idly by; in fact, he would have already drawn his sword against the Prince of Huai. Right, Yang Jinluo?"

Everyone turned to look at Yang Yan.

Yang Yan seemed somewhat dazed, as if recalling something. He sighed and said, "Duke Wei once said that his greatest flaw was his Blood Qi courage. Whether it was when he beheaded his superior or when he single-handedly held off the rebel army in Yunzhou."

Yes, that man is a tough nut to crack, a rock in a latrine, both smelly and stubborn.

The civil servants who hated him often said, "Sooner or later, he will pay the price for his temper."

However, sometimes, it is precisely these kinds of people who become their "saviors," the ones they hope will raise their voices at certain times.

Imperial Censor Liu murmured, "The late emperor was wrong. If the Great Feng truly had a guardian general, I believe it would be Xu Qi'an, not the Prince of Huai."

Unfortunately, he is still young and has not yet matured.

The Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review revealed a vicious expression. "My only wish now is for the barbarians to breach the city and behead the Prince of Zhenbei. If no one in the Great Feng can stop them, then let the barbarians come."

PS: Thanks to the leader of "Akhil_Leung" for the reward. Thanks to the leader of "Lu Erqi" for the reward.