Bai Qingyan rode swiftly on her horse, her sharp eyes focused on the hawk circling high above the valley. She drew an arrow and nocked her bow, aiming at the bird!
The Western Liang elite general lying in ambush pressed his body against the cliff face, hiding beneath the precipice. His cold, sharp eyes swept the area and precisely captured sight of Bai Qingyan on horseback, drawing her bow with heroic bearing.
Seeing that Bai Qingyan was aiming at Yun Poxing’s hawk, he was greatly alarmed. That hawk was Yun Poxing’s symbol. Over the years, except for the Jin nation’s Bai family army, virtually every army that saw this hawk would flee in terror. This hawk represented the Western Liang army’s morale and absolutely could not be shot down! He immediately nocked his bow.
Fine sweat had already appeared at Bai Qingyan’s temples. She steadied her mind and gritted her teeth.
However, before Bai Qingyan could release her arrow, she heard the rapid whistle of an incoming arrow. Her warhorse beneath her let out a piercing whinny, and both she and the horse tumbled out.
“Elder Sister!”
“Young Master!” Xiao Ruohai leaped from his horse and rushed toward Bai Qingyan. “Young Master, catch the spear!”
Xiao Ruohai threw Bai Qingyan’s silver spear to her. She caught the spear and instinctively turned to thrust with all her might, instantly killing a Western Liang soldier.
Xiao Ruohai drew his long sword and stood guard beside Bai Qingyan, while Bai Jinzhi also dismounted and rushed to Bai Qingyan’s side to protect her.
“Xiao Ruohai, go plant the military flag!” Bai Qingyan roared.
“Yes!” Xiao Ruohai received the order.
The Western Liang elite general raised his bow again to aim at Bai Qingyan. Her battlefield-born acute senses allowed her to perceive the approaching danger in advance. She forcefully drove her silver spear into a crack in the ground, pressed down on Bai Jinzhi’s head to push her down and protect her in her arms while crouching to avoid the arrow. The arrow grazed Bai Qingyan’s cheek, instantly drawing blood, but this also allowed her to spot the Western Liang elite general who was shooting at her.
Bai Jinzhi followed Bai Qingyan’s gaze and saw the Western Liang elite general nocking another arrow to aim at Bai Qingyan. She immediately picked up the Sun-Shooting Bow and threw it to Bai Qingyan: “Elder Sister, catch the bow!”
She caught the bow with one hand and drew an arrow with the other, turning to dodge the flying arrow while smoothly drawing the bow and releasing.
That arrow was faster and more explosive than the Western Liang elite general’s, striking directly through his throat—a fatal shot through the neck!
“General!” The Western Liang army cried out in alarm.
The Western Liang army’s main general, most skilled in mounted archery, had been killed with a single arrow through the throat. The morale of the Western Liang forces still fighting on the eastern side of Weng Mountain wavered.
Seeing that Xiao Ruohai was about to lead the flag-bearing soldiers to charge to the edge of the valley cliff—
A riderless warhorse, startled, came galloping toward her. She immediately slung the Sun-Shooting Bow on her back, drew her silver spear, and leaped onto the horse, shouting to Bai Jinzhi: “Xiao Si!”
Bai Jinzhi grabbed the red-tasseled silver spear Bai Qingyan extended to her and used it to mount the horse. As the fierce horse galloped, Bai Jinzhi, sitting behind Bai Qingyan, wielded the spear with one hand to pierce through a Western Liang soldier’s heart and lungs, then pulled out the spear and, with a backhand flick, killed another.
“Take this!” Bai Qingyan handed the red-tasseled silver spear to Bai Jinzhi, gripped the horse’s flanks tightly with her legs, drew an arrow, and nocked her bow. The arrow pointed directly at the hawk circling high above the valley.
The fast horse leaped up, jumping over soldiers engaged in close combat, charging upward.
Precision was never in question for her—she only feared that despite these days of intensive training, her strength might still be insufficient.
She pulled the Sun-Shooting Bow’s wood until it made subtle sounds, still using all her strength to draw the string back. Her entire body was tense, sweat covering her temples.
Aim, release…
The arrow rapidly pierced through the air, carrying a whistling sound as it flew straight toward the living creature high above, penetrating it in an instant.
After a sharp, piercing bird cry from high above, the hawk pierced by the arrow rapidly plummeted from the sky.
Now was the moment!
She gripped the reins tightly, raised her silver spear, and shouted fiercely: “Unfurl the flags!”
Xiao Ruohai gritted his teeth and roared as he used all his strength to plant the Bai family army battle flag into the high ground, shouting: “Unfurl the flags!”
“Unfurl the flags!”
“Unfurl the flags!”
In an instant, over twenty Bai family army banners unfurled one after another in the wind, occupying the high ground above the eastern side of the valley.
Atop the galloping, jolting warhorse, Bai Jinzhi’s ears were filled with roaring wind and battle cries. She gritted her teeth and pulled out a folded military flag from within her chest armor, attaching it to her long-tasseled spear.
As the fast horse had already charged to the cliff edge and Bai Qingyan rapidly reined in the horse, Bai Jinzhi used her silver spear to support herself and flipped sideways off the horse, running ten quick steps to sprint to the very edge of the cliff. She raised high the black sail, red python flag that Bai Qingyan had once used, waving it with tears in her eyes and roaring!
This flag was one Bai Jinzhi had secretly brought. The black sail, red python flag was from when Elder Sister first went to war with Grandfather. The envious sisters had together painted the white python red, with Second Sister saying… Elder Sister was a woman and should be a red-adorned general, so she should use a red python flag!
Later, Second Sister had used this black sail red python flag when she went to war, and Third Sister had also used it when she went to battle!
Bai Jinzhi brought this flag to let all surviving Bai family army soldiers know that even if all the Bai family sons had perished, as long as the Bai family daughters still drew breath, they would never live in disgrace but would share the same fate with all the Bai family army brothers and comrades… sharing fortune and misfortune, life and death!
The sky was already half dark.
Within Weng Mountain valley, the hawk symbolizing Yun Poxing had fallen, followed immediately by the Bai family army banners fluttering proudly as they occupied the eastern side of the valley!
Yun Poxing, protected by Western Liang generals and soldiers in the center, had his expression change drastically. Looking up at the black sail, white python flag that filled him with fear and dread, he roared: “Impossible! This must be the Jin Crown Prince’s treacherous scheme! Where could there still be any Bai family army? This commander already killed off the Bai family bloodline long ago!”
Even the Bai family army within the valley was stunned, not knowing which branch of the Bai family army this was.
The intense, piercing sound of a warhorse’s whinny rang out above the valley…
Cheng Yuanzhi looked up and instantly locked onto the figure sitting on the warhorse, carrying the Sun-Shooting Bow on her back and holding a red-tasseled spear. Seeing Bai Jinzhi vigorously waving the black sail red python flag, Cheng Yuanzhi widened his eyes as blood instantly surged to his head, and he pushed away the soldiers supporting him!
Black sail red python flag, fierce horse silver spear, Sun-Shooting Bow! That was the general Little Commander Bai, who had once fought alongside them as comrades, invincible with an undefeated record!
This dignified seven-foot-tall man, who hadn’t even frowned when pierced through the chest by an arrow, was so excited that tears burst forth as he screamed hoarsely: “Little Commander Bai! Little Commander Bai has returned!”
Cheng Yuanzhi couldn’t help but laugh heartily twice, then roared with full vigor and tears: “Damn you, Yun Poxing! Open your dog’s eyes and see clearly—that is our Marshal’s eldest granddaughter… Little Commander Bai, who once severed the head of the Jin nation’s General Pang Pingguo! Yun Poxing, you bastard, you’re going to die today!”
Seeing the black sail red python flag, Cheng Yuanzhi, who had already been somewhat exhausted, swung his broadsword, pointing toward Yun Poxing’s direction, his entire body surging with fighting spirit: “All Bai family army soldiers! Little Commander Bai has returned… we swear to follow Little Commander Bai to the death in killing enemies! Today we must sever Yun Poxing’s head! Kill!”
Killing cries immediately shook the heavens within the valley.
Atop the high mountain where Weng Mountain and Nine Bend Peak joined, hundreds of Huying Battalion elite soldiers roared as they used ropes to sprint straight down like soaring eagles, their fierce appearance making the Western Liang army’s hearts go numb with fear.