"Keep a close eye on them, and stop joking around!"
Bai Lie was immediately troubled by his group of soldiers. Their strength had increased too quickly, and they also had many shortcomings. Each of them was bursting with confidence.
You have to understand, just ten years ago, a master of the first or second rank was a high-ranking official in the imperial court, at least at the level of an earl. Even a nobody with no connections would at least be a Fourth Rank official.
In the past, this was a level that many soldiers could never reach in their entire lives, but after only a few years in Jiangnan, most of these young soldiers have already achieved this level of skill.
During their holidays, they often sparred with each other, indulging in the thrill of being masters, leaping around in the mountains. It seemed like they'd be doing a disservice to their skills if they didn't find some opponents to practice against.
Moreover, they were all arrogant and looked down on almost everyone except their own Fighter Army. They didn't even respect the city's defense forces, let alone the so-called Southern Barbarians outside.
In their view, it would be best if something went wrong. If someone caused trouble, it would be a good opportunity to practice their skills; they'd been itching to get involved for a while.
So, faced with Old White's warning, many soldiers were not nervous at all; in fact, they almost wanted to laugh.
Looking at the grinning faces below, Bai Lie was too lazy to continue. He waved his hand impatiently and said, "Open the city gates!"
The general's face still had to be respected. Although his men were all smiles and jokes, they still put on a show of force. After the city gates were opened, the soldiers lined up and marched out in formation with meticulous care, showing that the military formation was not neglected.
"Hmph," Bai Lie snorted coldly. These brats haven't gone too far yet, otherwise they would have gotten a good beating tonight!
In truth, he didn't think anything would happen. After all, he wasn't afraid of the entire Southern Barbarians lands; what could possibly go wrong?
"Thank you, sir!"
As the army began to guide children and women into the city in an orderly manner, countless Southern Barbarians people were moved to tears. Although young and strong men could not enter yet, they were already very satisfied that their women and children could survive. In previous years, they had heard about life under Chen Qing's rule, and how the people lived a very comfortable life.
Even if the children of the Southern Barbarians don't receive the same treatment as the people of the Central Plains, at least it's better than being treated like livestock in the Southern Barbarians Kingdom now, right?
As for whether I can survive, so be it. I didn't have much hope anyway. Besides, if my child and wife can go in, who knows, I might have a chance in the future. Even if the hope is slim, it's better than having no hope at all now, isn't it?
Of course, there were also some who were crying desperately, because many of their children were taller than the wheels of a cart. The women were desperately kowtowing, trying to bring their children inside, but under the soldiers' cold faces, they still dared not force their way in.
And so, amidst the chaotic crowd, there were those who were grateful, those who were pleading, and those who were resentful. Unbeknownst to them, the soldiers who came out to meet them became more and more scattered. After all, they were dealing with a million people, and sorting them out would be quite troublesome.
But for some reason, Bai Lie, who had been feeling quite relaxed, suddenly felt a sense of unease welling up inside him.
He had fought alongside Tian Heng through countless battles, and always trusted his intuition. Almost without hesitation, he used his faith to issue the command, "All soldiers, abandon your children and form ranks!!"
The soldiers who were sorting through the crowd outside were stunned. They turned back to look at their general in the distance, somewhat incredulously. What was going on at this point?
And they even abandoned their child?
Nowadays, a soldier is usually followed by four or five children. If they get lost now, how much effort will it take to find them later?
The main question is, what suddenly happened to the general? They looked around but didn't sense any threat or invasion, nor did they sense any demonic aura.
"What are you all standing there for?" Bai Lie roared angrily.
Even if it was just a misperception, he accepted it. He didn't care if it caused an embarrassment or led to ridicule. He was stationed at the border, a heavy responsibility that he couldn't afford to make the slightest mistake.
Unfortunately, the moment the soldiers were puzzled, they had already alerted those hiding in the shadows.
"Do it!"
A chilling aura emanated from all directions within the crowd, and the terrifying pressure instantly made even Transcendent expert like Bai Lie feel breathless.
My whole body tensed up instantly, and I knew I was in trouble.
This kind of oppressive force is probably from someone of the same caliber as my superior, and not just one. The fact that such a high-level expert is hidden among this group of Southern Barbarians —this was all a setup from the very beginning!
If the army cannot form a battle formation immediately, a major disaster will occur if the enemy breaks into the southeast of the pass!
He suddenly unleashed the energy within his body, and as soon as his powerful qi and blood rose, he felt a tightness all over his body, as if something was stuck in his throat, causing his face to turn red and making him extremely uncomfortable!
"The energy is quite pure, but unfortunately, you lack experience. Power isn't used like that; being too hasty will prematurely expose your weaknesses."
A piercing and icy sound came from the side, making Bai Lie feel as if he had entered an ice cellar.
It wasn't just the mood that was like this; the physical sensations throughout the body were also like this.
"General!!"
The soldiers in the distance, their eyes bloodshot with rage, rushed forward desperately, ignoring the children behind them.
Bai Lie opened his mouth as if to shout "No!", but he could no longer make a sound.
Only then did he realize that the reason his whole body was ice cold was that his heart meridian had been pierced at some point. Moreover, his heart was located on the right side, which was a secret, but the other party seemed to have seen through this difference at a glance and accurately pierced the center where his blood and qi gathered, leaving him unable to exert any strength and only able to slowly wait for death, unable to even stop the soldiers from rushing back!
"Demons who cultivate their bodies prepare several tricks. Although it's troublesome to practice, they have multiple burrows. Humans really haven't grown enough. The heart is responsible for supplying blood and triggering qi and blood the fastest, so you just keep cultivating your heart without considering anything else. Little do you know that this kind of behavior is tantamount to suicide in the outer heavens!"
"You—" Bai Lie watched the soldiers rushing towards him frantically, and a wave of despair washed over him.
Faced with such a master, the soldiers must form a battle formation to have any chance of resisting. Moreover, there is definitely more than one master around. If they fail to form a battle formation in time, the soldiers who are scattered will only be slaughtered!
I have failed General Tian and my lord!
"Oh?" The other party seemed to sense Bai Lie's struggle. Powerful blood and energy continuously tried to break free, but with his heart already paralyzed by his special ability, no matter how hard he tried, it was all in vain.
"Not bad. In terms of tenacity and willpower, you're no less than those troublesome monsters from beyond the heavens. Considering the human lifespan, you've done quite well."
"Remember my name! I am Kui Mulang, one of the Twenty-Eight Constellations!!"