Almost immediately after the shout rang out, torchlight blazed forth.

A brown-clothed man swept over from a tent, his footwork extremely swift – like a great eagle soaring upward, then making a powerful turn in mid-air, flying over like a shooting star.

Qin Chang Ge watched his movement technique, vaguely feeling it was somewhat familiar, yet definitely not Bai Yuan.

The man landed without any greeting, raising his hand to strike while coldly shouting: “So you really came!”

Qin Chang Ge smiled, her soft sword at her waist springing forth with brilliant light as she parried his strike. Suddenly she noticed Chu Feihuan swaying – he was at the edge of the sword energy but hadn’t dodged away, the fierce sword wind nearly grazing his chest.

Qin Chang Ge was alarmed and hurriedly reached out to pull him back, but Chu Feihuan didn’t retreat but advanced instead. His body slid to the opposite side and without looking back, he thrust his sword backward, directly stabbing at the man’s back.

Qin Chang Ge immediately coordinated perfectly with a sword strike toward the man’s front.

With two great masters attacking from front and back, the sword winds were fierce. Though the man’s martial arts were not low, he was definitely no match for the two. He was about to die under their swords.

The man suddenly roared angrily and threw himself diagonally backward, directly colliding with Chu Feihuan’s flying fish sword.

With a thud, the clear sound of a blade piercing shoulder bone rang distinctly in the quiet night. As blood gushed forth, the man sneered coldly and charged forward violently, forcibly pulling his shoulder free from the blade. With a sliding step, he had already slipped outside zhang away, trailing a line of bright blood drops.

“Good!”

“Good!”

Two shouts of approval rang out simultaneously.

The first was from Qin Chang Ge, her gaze full of admiration. Though the opponent’s martial arts weren’t too high, his adaptability and decision-making were excellent. In that hasty moment, he saw that Chu Feihuan had been injured recently with one side of his body slightly less flexible, so he chose to crash into his sword. This person’s willpower was also truly extraordinary – deliberately colliding with a blade point, having his body pierced without changing expression – truly brave and fierce.

The second shout came from Wanyan Chunzhen.

She had already arrived with her subordinates.

She had originally wanted to quietly ambush them, but unfortunately Qin Chang Ge’s elite troops were too sharp – they discovered enemy traces almost the moment her subordinates approached. She hadn’t even had time to arrange formations when the suicide squad, burning with hatred for the Wei-Yan allied forces, had already pounced forward. Slashing with sabers, hacking with swords, stabbing with spears, lashing with whips – soundless yet filled with deadly intent, they fell upon Wanyan Chunzhen’s forces like hungry tigers.

Because Xiao Jue was fiercely attacking the city, not letting any city gate rest, with left and right wing cavalry supporting each other and reinforcing wherever movement was detected, Wanyan Chunzhen absolutely dared not lead a great army out through the city gates. Otherwise Xiao Jue would definitely engage immediately, not only delaying their arrival at the embankment but possibly suffering losses under Xiao Jue’s hands.

Wanyan Chunzhen brought her own subordinates – not many in number, but each was a master. They had exited through the west gate and rushed here using lightness skills.

The suicide squad didn’t care who came – anyone not a colleague was an enemy. Battle cries rang out almost instantly. This narrow embankment area was forested beyond with only a long strip of open space for camping. There was no way to ambush or arrange formations, and even the battlefield couldn’t be spread out over a large area. People could only fight packed together, body against body. As awakened embankment guards joined the fray, it became even more chaotic. This actually prevented the masters Wanyan brought from immediately deploying their skills, swept up in the crowd and forced to engage in the same bloody hand-to-hand combat using flesh and blood.

Severed flesh and heads constantly flew through the air. Arms and limbs burst from the crowd, then were ground to powder by flashing blades. Blood rain splashed heads and faces. No time to wipe it away, they let those bits of flesh stick to eyelashes and eyelids, continuing their tragic slaughter through the swaying red vision.

The suicide squad had only one belief in their hearts: Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill these beasts whose hands were stained with the blood of four hundred thousand Xiliang elders! Kill without regard for sacrifice! If using their own gouged eyes could exchange for digging out an enemy’s heart – gouge them! If using their own severed arms could exchange for pulling out an enemy’s intestines – sever them!

The Xiliang army’s fierce desperate fighting spirit had already shocked the Wei-Yan allied forces. When spirit was blocked, will would be seized. Some began retreating, and retreat meant tripping, throat-slitting, dying in chains.

The soldiers tangled into a pot of red boiling porridge, with even the splashing foam being blood mist.

Yet there was a small patch of heaven and earth as quiet as death, eerily calm.

The opposing commanders leisurely examined and assessed each other.

Wanyan Chunzhen clapped her hands gracefully and laughed charmingly: “Yi City, General Yi – excellent courage, truly worthy of being National Teacher Bai’s foremost beloved general.”

Yi City snorted coldly and turned his head away. Toward this demonic woman, like the Northern Wei army in general, he preferred to keep a respectful distance.

Wanyan Chunzhen wasn’t angered either, her gaze flowing as she looked at Qin Chang Ge: “When you and I parted in my Wei nation’s Du City that day, today we meet again here in Xiliang’s Yunzhou. Life’s encounters are truly miraculous.”

Qin Chang Ge smiled sweetly: “That day in Du City, Pure Consort Your Ladyship drilled underground tunnels, suffered ambushes, fled in panic for hundreds of li before escaping back to the Wei capital. Today in Yunzhou, what does Pure Consort Your Ladyship plan to drill? The embankment? River channels? Did you bring water skis? If not, I’ll lend you some.”

“You’d better keep them for yourself. Oh no, I see you won’t need them. I have good things to give you.” Wanyan Chunzhen beckoned, and someone behind her handed over a case. Wanyan Chunzhen caressed the exquisitely carved case lid, smiling with infinite tenderness: “Recently I’ve been practicing a new skill – breaking hearts with sound. Last night I tested it in Yunzhou City – quite effective. I wonder if Grand Tutor’s heart breaks the same way as Yunzhou’s common people?”

“Recently I also learned a new skill my son taught me,” Qin Chang Ge methodically put on gloves with ten fingertips in ten colors, their light glowing dimly in the dark night. “Grabbing Wave Dragon Claw Hand – also ‘quite’ good. I wonder if Pure Consort Your Ladyship’s waves, when grabbed and kicked around like balls, would feel very satisfying?”

“What waves?” Wanyan Chunzhen paused in confusion. “You—”

“BOOM!”

Ahead beyond the embankment, explosion sounds suddenly erupted, wave after wave continuously without cease.

Wanyan Chunzhen’s expression changed. Qin Chang Ge already smiled leisurely: “Improved thunderbolt pellets are truly wonderful things.”

Wanyan Chunzhen raised her hand toward her waist.

A blue shadow flashed – Chu Feihuan was instantly behind Wanyan Chunzhen, his palm force jade-blue like rising blue sea water covering a thousand qing, thunderously enveloping Wanyan Chunzhen.

Behind him, Yi City disregarded his severe shoulder wound and raised his sword to strike fiercely!

Qin Chang Ge immediately darted out like lightning, flicking her hand to send a black light into the ground while twisting her waist to launch sword light like white silk toward Wanyan Chunzhen’s crown.

After launching the sword light, she didn’t even look, spinning greatly in mid-air as one palm struck toward Yi City.

With a hiss, black light suddenly pierced up from underground beneath Yi City’s feet, bringing spurting blood as it shot skyward.

With a muffled grunt, Yi City couldn’t stand steady and fell, rolling away quickly while Chu Feihuan’s palm force had already reached Wanyan Chunzhen’s back.

Wanyan Chunzhen bent her body, raising both hands which suddenly magically held a delicate small drum!

Red-colored, like the color of flowing blood, hung with countless finely carved golden bells. Wanyan Chunzhen smiled charmingly, her waist suddenly twisting at an impossible angle like wind swaying withered lotus, rain striking delicate flowers. Her colorful brocade sash danced enchantingly scattered through the air, swaying and turning like a heavenly demon’s dance. She spun faster and faster, more urgently, while countless golden bells rang ding-a-ling-ling, crisp and confusing like a dream on a rainy night jade pillow, carrying the coolness of pearls in its ethereal confusion.

Chu Feihuan’s palm force suddenly slowed as if encountering a glass barrier, while Qin Chang Ge’s sword light strangely turned mid-air, actually turning to shoot toward herself.

Qin Chang Ge dodged sideways. Wanyan Chunzhen laughed charmingly, her voice flowing and seductive like rain-dimmed smoke light. Small pure gold drumsticks suddenly appeared in her palms. She raised her hand and the small drum began beating.

“Thump, thump-thump”

Qin Chang Ge suddenly heard her own heartbeat, so clearly beating beside her ears, so close it was as if her heart had suddenly been pulled out and held to her ear for listening.

Her limbs suddenly went weak, even lifting them feeling difficult.

The Wanyan clan’s sound killing that could break ten thousand troops with one song, dominating the world!

Opposite her, Chu Feihuan, who was very close to the small drum, paled slightly.

His palm force still stagnated before Wanyan Chunzhen. Wanyan Chunzhen raised the drum and danced – bell sounds and drum beats were instantaneous affairs.

The drum sound rang dully, with restless breath hidden in the dullness, as if unknowingly placing a monster in people’s hearts and souls. That monster charged left and right in human hearts, striking everyone’s deepest, most fragile, most painful wounds.

Qin Chang Ge’s face gradually turned blue within its pallor.

…Changle Palace… blood… light and shadow gradually expanding… opening palace doors… that person walking in… eyeballs… fire… mechanisms… smoke and clouds… peeping people… helplessness… despair… struggle… melancholy…

With already complex thoughts and more life struggles than ordinary people, more hidden secret pains in her heart, Qin Chang Ge was the easiest target for the “Soul-Snatching Drum” to break through. Two lifetimes of mortal dust, myriad smoke waves – all were instantly awakened by that haunting, restless drum sound. All her hot blood and true force no longer under control, breaking through painstakingly built heart defense embankments, rushing toward her dantian and blood vessels where cracks and gaps faintly appeared.

Qin Chang Ge retreated urgently, blood already appearing at her mouth corners as she withdrew.

Opposite her, Chu Feihuan’s gaze focused.

His palm that had been slowly lowering suddenly rose again.

Rising extremely slowly, struggling as if going upstream against the current with utmost effort, as if one could hear the friction sounds made by muscles and bones in their fierce collision with the sound killing’s sound waves.

Wanyan Chunzhen’s eyes showed surprise.

Before coming to Xiliang, she had specifically investigated this Grand Tutor of Xiliang, intuiting he was a mysterious and complex figure. Such people of outstanding intelligence, though strong-willed, definitely had many inner secrets. Complex thoughts were most easily exploited by sound killing. This “Soul-Snatching Drum” was specially practiced to deal with this Grand Tutor, and was indeed extremely effective – even more effective than she had imagined.

How many unspeakable secrets did this person have in his heart?

Yet this masked man in blue robes could remain unmoved under direct drum sound, even raising his palm again! Wanyan Chunzhen looked at Chu Feihuan’s gaze and panicked inwardly – such clear eyes! Someone with such eyes must have single-minded focus, simple thoughts, striving for only one thing in life.

Among mortal world people with myriad desires and interests, who wouldn’t inevitably struggle painfully for various reasons? Who wouldn’t inevitably waver under external invasion and torment? How many could truly have rock-steady will and lifelong unwavering determination?

Wanyan Chunzhen was very confident that her Soul-Snatching Drum was practiced specifically against all mortals in the world. As long as you wallowed in mortal dust and struggled in worldly affairs, you would definitely toss and wail, dying under the drum.

You’re just struggling one more moment!

Wanyan Chunzhen sneered coldly, her figure spinning into a golden-purple wind, the small drum in her palms dancing more urgently. Once the Soul-Snatching Drum began beating, all true force merged into it – she couldn’t divide attention to fight enemies. She wasn’t afraid of anything either. Once the drum sounded, who could still move against her?

Chu Feihuan slowly raised his palm.

Every movement weighed a thousand pounds, every increment lifted seemed like lifting a mountain.

His heart was beating chaotically, hot blood running wild throughout his body, ear ringing coming and going in waves. Sometimes the world fell completely silent, sometimes the noise was maddening.

Yet Chu Feihuan’s expression didn’t change. He only pressed his lips together, raising his palm to chest level, then pressing toward the small drum.

He could no longer clearly see Wanyan’s position. Before his eyes, golden-purple light danced like silk. He didn’t know where Wanyan’s vital points were, but that drum – its position could be determined by sound.

He slowly pressed down, no matter how the spinning shadows made one dizzy at a glance. He simply closed his eyes.

Wanyan Chunzhen’s eyes already showed panicked expression, the drum in her hands beating like violent storm.

Chu Feihuan remained expressionless, his palm force finally touching the drum surface.

At that moment, his pupils suddenly became extraordinarily dark.

No one saw that under the mask, his already pale face became even paler.

Wanyan Chunzhen looked up at him in panic, her spinning dance steps already faltering.

Taking a deep breath, Chu Feihuan forcibly endured the nauseating restlessness that made even his heart want to vomit, swallowing hard a mouthful of rising fresh blood.

He could maintain single-minded focus, rarely disturbed by external forces, but…

No, there was no “but.”

Do his utmost, have no regrets.

Suddenly opening his mouth, Chu Feihuan gave a low shout:

“Break!”

His pupils became darker, face whiter again, but the palm pressing forward continued its inexorable descent!

“BOOM!”

A muffled crash.

Palm struck, drum shattered!

Drum sound stopped, golden bells cracked.

Wanyan Chunzhen spat blood that splashed on the broken drum surface, then dripped through the pierced drum body to fall on the ground.

Qin Chang Ge immediately pounced viciously forward.

Still in mid-air, blade light had already reached Wanyan Chunzhen’s face.

Wanyan Chunzhen retreated in panic, opening her mouth to shriek. How could Chu Feihuan give her a chance to speak? He silently waved his sleeve – Wanyan Chunzhen’s breathing immediately choked, no longer able to make sound.

Yet strange sounds still emerged. From her open mouth, her tongue kept flicking, compressed with the soundless breath from her throat, actually producing haunting, soul-stirring strange sounds.

Just much weaker than the drum sounds naturally.

But when Qin Chang Ge had pounced forward just now, she had already stuffed two cotton balls in her ears. Those things couldn’t block drum sounds but were very effective against these much weaker sounds.

She murderously threw herself on Wanyan Chunzhen’s body, staring at her mouth with a fierce smile: “Making you sing! Making you kill! Making you massacre!”

“This old lady doesn’t mind being lesbian again!”

Reaching out with a “crack,” she dislocated Wanyan Chunzhen’s jaw. Qin Chang Ge suddenly brought her mouth close, bit down with her teeth to grip Wanyan Chunzhen’s tongue, and viciously snapped her upper and lower teeth together!

“Ahhhh!”

The agonized scream shook heaven and earth, even drowning out the rumbling explosions on the embankment and the chaotic battle cries all around.

Fresh blood spurted out, splashing entirely on Qin Chang Ge’s face.

Qin Chang Ge sneered coldly, kneeling on the screaming, convulsing Wanyan Chunzhen, her knee pinning her chest as she viciously turned her head to spit the half tongue from her mouth onto the ground.

“Yunzhou sisters, I’ve made her pay back the tongues you bit off!”

Wanyan Chunzhen wailed as she rolled on the ground, blood spraying everywhere, yet still not dead because Qin Chang Ge deliberately didn’t want her to die quickly – she had only bitten off the tongue tip.

Struggling, Wanyan Chunzhen tremblingly tried to press her acupuncture points to stop the bleeding. Qin Chang Ge kicked her hand away with a snap.

Wanyan Chunzhen looked up, her scattered long hair and blood-covered face showing poisonous hatred as she stared at Qin Chang Ge like a snake. Suddenly she inhaled deeply, her abdomen rising and falling slightly.

An extremely distant and profound yet heart-chilling sound arose – like death sheep horn, like long flute, yet like neither. It only made listeners feel infinite desolation and forest coldness.

“You will lose everything, you will die without a complete corpse, you will fall into hell, I await you in the underworld!”

That voice repeated again and again, yet no one knew where it came from.

Soldiers on both sides stopped fighting in confusion.

Qin Chang Ge was somewhat dazed.

Chu Feihuan suddenly said: “Ventriloquism!”

His voice was clear and sharp, cutting through the air like a blade, startling Qin Chang Ge awake. She looked down at Wanyan Chunzhen’s stomach, killing intent flashing in her gaze.

Sneering coldly, she dropped her blade. Qin Chang Ge strode forward and viciously punched Wanyan Chunzhen’s abdomen.

The sound stopped immediately. Wanyan Chunzhen curled into a ball, wounds spurting blood violently again.

Fist pressed against Wanyan Chunzhen’s abdomen, Qin Chang Ge said slowly and coldly: “Your heart for killing and harming people won’t die – how could I bear not to fulfill your wish? Don’t wait for me – four hundred thousand Yunzhou elders are waiting for you. Go slowly kill them one by one again!”

“Ahhh!”

Another agonized scream tore through the sky.

Wei-Yan soldiers turned back in shock to see that blood-covered Grand Tutor with diamond-like hands, splitting open Pure Consort’s chest and abdomen, pulling out that heart, then contemptuously trampling it in the dust.

“Pop” – like the sound of a fish bladder bursting.

Everyone shivered, and when meeting Qin Chang Ge’s eyes burning with rage and killing intent, couldn’t help stepping back.

“BOOM!”

A tremendous crash rolled up towering smoke and dust. The breach in the embankment had finally been gnawed larger and larger. The calm Queshang River water that had hung above ground level like suspended in air was finally enraged, rising like a writhing dragon, roaring forth.

The embankment was broken.

Fifteen hundred suicide troops’ desperate containment had completely tied down ten thousand Wei-Yan allied forces, allowing five hundred Phoenix Alliance guards to focus single-mindedly on swimming underwater to the embankment base and blasting it open.

During the brief battle between Qin Chang Ge’s group and Wanyan Chunzhen, over a thousand of the fifteen hundred suicide troops had died, but they had killed over six thousand enemies.

The ground was covered with corpses tangled together, still maintaining the postures of gouging each other’s eyes and strangling throats even in death.

In the distance, crowds faintly appeared with the leader in pale gold robes racing like lightning.

Bai Yuan.

After treating the queen’s relapsed old illness with true energy, he immediately rushed here without stopping. But Qin Chang Ge’s group had moved too quickly – he was still a moment too late.

Seeing water surging from the embankment in the distance, Bai Yuan looked up and sighed silently.

A flash of melancholy passed, then he waved his hand and hurried back.

Yunzhou was ultimately a Xiliang city, and furthermore, battle reports indicated Xiliang’s great army would arrive first. Keeping the great army trapped here was no longer good strategy. Fortunately, while Wanyan Chunzhen was absent just now, he had quietly replaced Eastern Yan soldiers on the city towers. One hundred thousand Eastern Yan troops exited the city from the north to meet the enemy – a place Xiao Jue relatively couldn’t estimate and where attacks were weaker. From there they could cut a bloody path and reunite with follow-up forces. Losses shouldn’t be too great. Let Northern Wei accompany Yunzhou in being submerged.

Xiao Jue was truly formidable… using formations with fluid mastery like wind generating clouds. Even after losing a quarter of his forces, he still managed to contain the city’s defenders, making it impossible for himself to draw out more forces to desperately defend the embankment despite knowing it might be dangerous, thus missing his own reinforcements.

And Yi City was still there… the only companion who had supported him since childhood, the only life-and-death friend in his lifetime.

But going to rescue Yi City at the embankment now would definitely not allow return to the city before the water arrived.

Heaven’s will… does Heaven’s will ultimately not bless me?

Forcing me to ultimately fail all under Heaven.

Bai Yuan’s sigh scattered in the wind as his returning footsteps grew more hurried.

The queen was still in the city – he must first escort her out!

Queshang River water like an angry dragon continuously roared and crashed against the embankment with its huge breach, viciously striking the gaps as mud and sand on both sides continuously collapsed, the opening growing larger, water flow growing more urgent. The great Shang River with its vast misty waves completely changed from its usual calm, like a demon released from a treasure bottle, continuing with long-suppressed need for venting in fierce uncontrollable manner. Hundred-li river channels rapidly filled, water connecting with sky as muddy waves overwhelmed heaven and earth, rising over zhang high, rushing toward Yunzhou with tremendous roaring like wild beasts released from gates.

The Wei-Yan allied forces guarding the embankment were terrified by that majesty and fled desperately toward higher ground. There were originally small hills nearby – Qin Chang Ge’s group had already scouted the terrain when approaching. Once the embankment was destroyed, they immediately ran toward the mountains. Allied soldiers followed in panic, and Xiliang soldiers cutting across with blades left corpses piled on the mountain paths during just the escape route.

River water ran rampant with unlimited power like a yellow giant dragon rushing into Yunzhou, destroying villages and settlements wherever it passed, sweeping away all things. Qin Chang Ge stood on high ground watching the raging water rushing ahead below her feet, in moments becoming a vast ocean. At most in a few hours, Yunzhou would be submerged along with those hundreds of thousands of allied soldiers.

However, it might not drown Bai Yuan… Though Yunzhou’s terrain was slightly low, it was surrounded by mountains on three sides. As long as Bai Yuan found a way out of the city and ran up the mountains, traveling through Queshang mountain ranges, water couldn’t touch him.

Coming today was Wanyan Chunzhen rather than Bai Yuan, which rather surprised Qin Chang Ge. What matter was important enough to make Bai Yuan, knowing this place concerned the battle’s victory or defeat, still not come rescue the embankment?

While rushing back to camp, Qin Chang Ge observed surrounding terrain, speculating what route Bai Yuan would take if fleeing. Turning back occasionally, she saw the wounded suicide squad following sparsely behind – of two thousand men, only about eight hundred remained. Her heart couldn’t help aching.

Beside her, Chu Feihuan held her hand. Qin Chang Ge suddenly felt his palm was ice cold and said in alarm:

“Feihuan, you—”

“Hurry back, muster troops to pursue Bai Yuan.” Chu Feihuan quickly cut off her words. “This is the best opportunity.”

He pulled Qin Chang Ge racing along. Throughout the journey Qin Chang Ge frequently turned back, but Chu Feihuan gave her no chance to speak. Racing urgently forward in the wind, they soon reached camp where Xiao Jue was furiously cursing Deputy General Tan Shuqing who was responsible for the northern city attack:

“Bastard! Why didn’t you report in time when you discovered the enemy’s feint? Just letting them escape with a diversion like that! That’s the Yan army! Bai Yuan that bastard’s forces!”

Seeing Qin Chang Ge, he joyfully rushed to meet her, ignoring Tan Shuqing kneeling on the ground as he pulled her into the main tent and immediately began feeling her all over.

Qin Chang Ge irritably batted away his hands: “What are you groping for! Muster troops for me – I’m going to pursue Bai Yuan!”

Xiao Jue stared at the blood traces at her mouth corners that hadn’t been wiped clean, heartily using his own sleeve to gently wipe them away: “I’ll go. You’ve fought hard all night – you should rest.”

“I’ll go. Reports just came that Shan Shao’s great army is arriving. You can’t be absent. Support me afterward.” Qin Chang Ge hurried toward the exit, suddenly stopping to look at Chu Feihuan who had sat cross-legged upon entering the tent, head lowered reading military reports.

“You go first. I’ll arrive shortly.” Chu Feihuan looked up at her with a smile, expression normal. “Let me organize the newly arrived intelligence, then I’ll come after you.”

“Good.” Qin Chang Ge smiled. “I’ll wait for you. Together, we’ll cut down Bai Yuan beneath his horse!”