Yongshan City, Dragon Shadow branch.

“Jiu’er, I’d guess Lei Shenbao has already gotten the news by now.” Xing Zizhou said.

“Good.” Feng Jiu’er nodded. “Once we finish this meal, we’re going to go meet him.”

It was shortly after sunrise, and everyone had gathered together for breakfast.

Winter had begun, and the weather grew colder by the day—everyone had added an extra layer of clothing.

With help from Dragon Shadow’s brothers and Cai Liantang’s people from Lianxi Town, it wouldn’t be easy for Lei Shenbao to break through.

“Finally, we get to counterattack.” Qiao Mu raised an eyebrow and grabbed a chicken leg.

“Right, with Sister Hua and the Longwu Army here, we’ll definitely round up Lei Shenbao completely.” Xiao Yingtao said, smiling brightly too.

“Eat quickly! There’s work to do once we’re done.”

“Jiu’er, do you think my mom and dad will come?” Yue Qinchun set down her spoon and looked at Feng Jiu’er.

“Missing them?” Feng Jiu’er placed a bun on Yue Qinchun’s plate.

“Thank you.” Yue Qinchun pressed her lips together and nodded. “A little. I wonder if they miss me too.”

“Of course they do.” Feng Jiu’er bit into her own bun.

“Sister Hua sent me a letter privately saying she wants to come too—probably worried I’ve spirited her daughter off to who knows where.”

Feng Jiu’er gave Yue Qinchun a smile and turned her attention back to Xing Zizhou.

“Xing Zizhou, remember—we need to tighten the checks on people entering the city, and keep outsiders out as much as possible.”

“We don’t even know how much poison Lei Shenbao has on hand. He certainly won’t give up so easily.”

“Using poison is only a matter of time.”

“I know, it’s already been arranged, but I’ll personally oversee it as well.”

“Mm.” Feng Jiu’er nodded. “Having everyone gathered together today—who knows when we’ll all be able to do this again.”

“No matter what happens, staying alive matters most, understood?”

“Understood.” Xiao Yingtao’s lips curved up. “Only with your life can you enjoy good fortune. Jiu’er’s words are all words of wisdom.”

“It’s also just true.” Qiao Mu took her man’s hand on the table.

From now on, she’d never need to envy Jiu’er for having Di Wuya, or Xiao Yingtao for having Xing Zizhou.

She, too, had someone of her own now.

This life—it was good!

Feng Jiang squeezed Qiao Mu’s hand back, meeting her gaze with a faint smile.

“From now on, no more recklessness!”

“Mister Jiang, are you talking about yourself?” Qiao Mu rolled her eyes.

“These past few days, if it weren’t for Jiu’er, would your body have recovered this fast?”

“Same goes for me.” Feng Jiang replied indulgently.

“Everyone’s worked hard.” Feng Jiu’er lifted her teacup. “Come, let’s toast with tea in place of wine!”

“Here’s to the success of this battle—may we in the Feng Clan no longer need to hide in the shadows!”

“Yes! To the success of the battle!”

“To the success of the battle!”

“Beat Lei Shenbao till he cries for his mother!”

“Cheers!”

Everyone raised their cups and clinked them together.

After breakfast, everyone set out, heading off in different directions.

Once Lei Shenbao received word of the attack from the south, he ultimately decided to press the assault on the city after all.

To the south were Yue Jianfei’s forces.

To the west were not only Yongshan City’s own troops, but also Dragon Shadow and the local forces of Cai Liantang and Qin Anzhuo from Lianxi Town.

And to the east, without Lei Shenbao’s knowledge, the Longwu Army led by the Twelve Flying Dragon Riders had already broken into the city.

One force in the east, one in the west—Lei Shenbao had not yet received word from the eastern front.

The moment the twenty thousand troops summoned from the south arrived, Lei Shenbao couldn’t wait to attack.

His woman was still waiting for him inside the city. How could he let her down… let her down?

Even though Lei Shenbao knew it was Feng Jiu’er who had killed Langyu, he wasn’t angry about it.

His woman liked strong men.

And he was the strongest man of all.

Lei Shenbao gathered over thirty thousand troops, ready to assault the city, when the soldiers atop the walls suddenly vanished from sight.

This left the Li City guards advancing with ladders feeling a flicker of fear.

“What are you doing? Forward!”

At their commander’s order, the guards summoned their courage once more and charged ahead.

In an instant, the sound of drums and horns rang out across the walls of Yongshan City, inside and out.

Suddenly, the vanished soldiers reappeared, bows in hand.

Someone shouted, and all the archers loosed flaming arrows at the advancing enemy.

In a flash, the sky was filled with streaks of fire.

Two waves of archers atop the wall alternated, sending a steady stream of flaming arrows.

Soon, the ladders the enemy had prepared for the assault were all burned to ash.

The more than thirty thousand Li City guards were not so easily dealt with, however.

Without ladders, they desperately formed human pyramids at the base of the wall, stacking themselves higher and higher.

Not far off, Li City’s archers had readied themselves as well.

They took aim at the soldiers atop the wall, picking them off one by one.

The human towers atop the wall grew taller and taller, nearly reaching the highest point.

At that critical moment, a dragon and a phoenix suddenly appeared in the sky.

The sight seemed somewhat blurred, but Lei Shenbao, standing on a high platform with a telescope raised, could still make it out clearly.

This dragon and phoenix seemed to come from nowhere, as if conjured out of thin air.

Like a dragon and phoenix at play, wherever they passed, the guards below were swept up by fierce winds.

In no time, more than twenty human towers collapsed entirely, every single person falling to the ground without exception.

“What in the world is that?” Lei Shenbao couldn’t believe his own eyes.

He dropped his telescope, rubbed his eyes, and leapt down from the thirty-foot platform, landing steadily on the back of a horse.

Lei Shenbao rode his horse toward the battlefield, and Sun Yishi wheeled his own mount around to follow immediately.

“My lord, the situation up ahead is uncertain, you mustn’t go there.”

“My lord, the situation up ahead is uncertain, you mustn’t go there!”

“My lord…”

No matter how Sun Yishi called out, Lei Shenbao refused to stop.

Sun Yishi had just been discussing matters with the guards and hadn’t known the situation at the front.

But with his lord rushing toward the front lines, he didn’t dare delay for a moment.

Sun Yishi gathered several men, and together they rushed after Lei Shenbao.

The dragon and phoenix had already swept up at least a thousand guards.

The assault had not yet stopped—the dragon and phoenix continued their attack on the advancing Li City guards.

In an instant, the sky was filled with falling bodies, terrifying so many of the guards that they lost their nerve and dared advance no further.

Suddenly, the city gates opened, and a figure led a great army charging out.

Ahead of the army rode two horses, one black and one white, both powerful and magnificent, full of vigor and grace.

By the time Lei Shenbao arrived, he happened to see two beams of light converge at the city gate.

As the light faded, two figures now sat atop the two magnificent steeds.

A man and a woman, utterly imposing!

The moment he saw her, Lei Shenbao recognized Feng Jiu’er.

He simply hadn’t expected that his own woman possessed such divine skill.

Only now did Lei Shenbao understand why he had never been able to sense Feng Jiu’er’s internal energy.

It turned out her internal power far surpassed his own, so much so that he couldn’t sense it at all!

Lei Shenbao watched the scene before him, and his desire to win Feng Jiu’er’s heart grew only stronger.