The fierce long wind swept across the entire main street, blowing with deathly chill from the direction of the underworld, lifting the fluttering edges of the young men’s clothes, sweeping through their black, billowing long hair, wings ready to take flight, like moths unflinchingly rushing into fire to die. In the sky where clouds gathered in layers, black giant birds flew overhead, their wings flapping as they shuttled through the snow that looked like cotton being pulled apart, emitting long, shrill cries. The breath of the warhorses instantly frosted and across the main street of Jiu Wai, bloodthirsty beasts of slaughter charged like wild animals. Long blades flashed with cold, bright radiance, like broken moonlight and stars, reflecting the blood-red glow of torches, resembling ferocious beasts of ancient times.

The Yan Bei Iron Guards, who had left their homeland to protect their young master, gradually fell amid the arrows that flew like locusts. Yan Seventeen, his shoulder stained with blood, vigorously slashed away a flying arrow and turned back, shouting: “Protect the young lord and breakthrough!”

Several Iron Guards responded with a roar, their battle knives dancing like full moons, protecting Yan Xun in the middle. A burly man shouted fiercely: “Seventeen, we’ll meet at Lou Qiao!”

With a thunderous boom, small catapults were brought to the front lines, and giant stones hurtled through the air. With just one hit, they shattered the protective circle formed by the Yan guards’ bodies. The warriors of Yan Bei spurted blood wildly, their bodies being knocked away like willow catkins, falling to the ground and raising large clouds of snowy mist.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Yan Xun grabbed the child who was trying to charge out of the crowd. The child held only a crossbow, her small frame appearing so thin and non-threatening. The young man nervously protected her at his side, angrily shouting: “Do you not value your life?”

“Let me go!” The child struggled, her eyes anxiously scanning back and forth among the opposing crowd, trying hard to break free from Yan Xun’s grasp.

Yan Xun was furious. He slashed away a flying arrow with his sword, his sword-like eyebrows standing up as he said solemnly: “You’re going to your death! I won’t let you go.”

“Breaking through now still offers a glimmer of hope,” Chu Qiao turned back, her expression somewhat angry as she said fiercely: “Or would you rather stay here and wait to die with you?”

The young man was stunned. Even at such a critical moment, hearing this, he still couldn’t help but tremble slightly. He nodded, his eyes appearing somewhat gloomy in the firelight, his voice deep, even with a hint of childish sulking: “Rest assured, even if I were to die here today, I would never implicate you.”

Chu Qiao raised an eyebrow, realizing he had misunderstood. Slightly annoyed, but unwilling to explain, she merely turned her head and snorted softly.

“Thirteen and Seventeen,” Yan Xun said, “in the chaos, escort this child to break through. Make sure to take her to a safe place, understood?”

“Young lord!”

Yan Thirteen frowned, objecting: “Our mission is to protect you!”

“Your mission is to follow my orders!”

Chu Qiao frowned, glancing at them. Seeing Yan Xun wasn’t paying attention, she gave a tug and escaped from his grasp. Small in stature, mounted on horseback, she proved remarkably agile, instantly breaking out of the encirclement.

“You!” Yan Xun was greatly alarmed, shouting fiercely. In an instant, all eyes from both sides focused on this small child.

Chu Qiao’s horsemanship was superb, like a fierce tiger released from its cage. Passing by two Yan guards, her technique reached the pinnacle of skill as she effortlessly drew two sharp battle knives. Her body moved from side to side, holding a small crossbow, shooting from various positions beside and below the horse. In the insufficient light of night, those flying arrows somehow didn’t hurt her at all.

“Quick! Cover her!” Yan Xun held his bow and shot, with a whoosh piercing the skull of an archer. His archery was outstanding, his martial skills exquisite.

With the sound of hoofbeats, she approached the front troops of the enemy forces. Though the child’s strength was small, the angles of her attacks were extremely tricky. Quick-eyed and nimble-handed, though anyone could see she hadn’t studied any martial arts, she won through her boldness and meticulousness. For a time, she managed to charge into the crowd. The child swung her knife, overturning two people, then threw a flying knife that, though launched later, arrived first, stabbing into the throat of a Wei soldier before he could attack.

Seeing such a small child being so fierce, the Yan guards’ morale surged. Yan Seventeen, seeing that there was hope, shouted loudly and fiercely: “Charge with me!”

“A cornered beast’s struggle, not knowing life from death!” Wei Shouyou snorted coldly, raising his crossbow, quickly bending the bow, and nocking an arrow. In an instant, the silver arrow shot forth like a meteor.

The wind whistled, and by the time the child noticed, it was too late. As the child turned her head, the arrow flashed in her eyes. In just a moment, the child’s face was hit by an arrow, her body tilted, and she fell violently from her horse!

“Girl!” Yan Xun’s eyes were bloodshot, crying out in shock, turning his head to look at Wei Shouyou, his gaze burning with fire that could scorch people.

Wei Shouyou smiled coldly and said loudly: “The Prince of Yan has defied imperial orders. All commanders, listen to the command: capture him, regardless of whether he lives or dies!”

The Wei troops let out a great shout, charging forward with the soldiers of the Xiao Qi Camp, instantly transforming from an arrow formation to close-quarter combat. Yan Xun kicked away a burly man and unsheathed his three-foot green sword, and two enemies who pounced on him immediately met their end.

“Yan Xun, are you trying to rebel?” Zhuge Huai did not join the battle but led the Zhuge family soldiers to stand outside the battle circle to observe. Seeing the situation, he shouted.

“When one wishes to condemn, pretexts are never lacking. Yan Xun never thought of rebellion. The Wei clan relies on the Council of Elders to frame loyal subjects, but the men of Yan Bei are not pigs to be slaughtered at will!”

“Arrogant youth,” Wei Shouyou snorted coldly, riding forward and waving his hand, saying: “If that’s the case, don’t blame me for disregarding our former classmate friendship.”

Just as he was about to order a full-scale attack, a sharp sound suddenly rang out in his ear. Wei Shouyou was stunned and turned his head, just in time to see the corpse of the junior general of the Xiao Qi Camp’s North Court thunderously falling from his horse. The man’s eyes were wide open, his forehead pierced by an arrow, his mouth still gaping in disbelief, as if wanting to say something, but ultimately unable to utter a word.

He and the Xiao Qi Camp junior general had been standing beyond arrow range; how could this arrow have reached them?

A violent sense of crisis instantly surged in his heart. Wei Shouyou violently turned his horse’s head, about to gallop forward, but at that moment, the warhorse suddenly let out a mournful cry. Its two front legs were heavily struck, and with a thud, it kneeled to the ground. Wei Shouyou inevitably fell from his horse. Before he could get up, a sharp, cold dagger was tightly pressed against his neck, and the child’s voice coldly sounded in his ear, with faint mockery and teasing: “Young Master Wei, isn’t this exciting?”

“Everyone stop!”

The long wind reversed, snow flying, as the child suddenly raised her thin, small face and fiercely shouted: “Or I’ll kill him!”