Xun Tianzhang suddenly turned around, and through the heavy rain could only vaguely see the outline of that silver-armored figure in the distance. He saw that slender, upright woman seemingly drawing her bow again…
“Commander, be careful!” Xun Tianzhang’s guard pushed him aside with one motion, and the second arrow embedded straight into the guard’s chest.
The guard spat out a mouthful of fresh blood and immediately collapsed, unable to rise.
Xun Tianzhang was pushed down and crashed into the watchtower, his pupils trembling slightly. He hadn’t expected Bai Qingyan to be so valiant, actually daring to personally lead the charge, bringing Jin soldiers almost to the gates of the Liang camp, and still trying to kill him!
Indeed, he had been careless and fallen into their trap.
Xun Tianzhang’s cold sweat soaked through his clothes. Clutching his chest tightly, his face turned pale from pain, and he couldn’t stand up. Watching the countless arrows flying overhead, almost turning the watchtower into a porcupine, he endured the pain while rapidly calculating in his mind.
His son was no fool. When he led troops to Pingming Road, he would first send scouts to explore where the Jin army was ambushed. If the scouts couldn’t find the Jin army, his son would surely realize they had fallen into a trap.
Xun Tianzhang had kept his son by his side for so many years of instruction. If he couldn’t react to falling into a trap after finding no Jin army, that would be utterly stupid!
Seeing the heavy cavalry break through the Jin army’s black iron heavy shields that gleamed coldly under the rain, a Liang general drew his sword and shouted: “The Jin army’s heavy shield formation is broken! Liang’s elite soldiers! Kill!”
The Liang soldiers followed their mounted valiant general, charging straight down the steep slope, engaging the Jin army in close combat. Shield light and blade shadows flashed, blood sprayed, and severed limbs scattered everywhere.
The sound of heavy rain, clashing weapons, roars, and screams intertwined together. Blood mixed with rainwater, dyeing all the mud on the ground crimson.
The hell of Asura was nothing more than this.
Although Bai Qingyan’s spear skills weren’t as good as before, as long as she didn’t encounter expert fighters, dealing with Liang soldiers wasn’t too strenuous. Moreover, she had a squad of men specially assigned by Liu Hong protecting her tightly, not letting any Liang soldiers near her.
Several times, Bai Qingyan wanted to charge out, but these Jin soldiers protected her firmly. They said… Commander Liu Hong had ordered that if Bai Qingyan lost even a single hair, they would have to present their heads to him.
Xun Tianzhang’s son, who had led troops to Pingming Road, returned faster than Bai Qingyan had anticipated. Shouts of battle came from the distance, angry horses neighing. Zhao Sheng led cavalry charging swiftly into the battle, wielding his crescent moon blade with rainbow-like momentum. Wherever the cold light of the crescent moon blade reached, blood splattered, and heads were severed from bodies.
Surrounded in the center, Bai Qingyan was about to draw an arrow, but her quiver was already empty.
Jin army messengers rode swiftly to relay orders.
“Liang’s army main force flanking from the right! Quickly protect the commander!”
“Liang’s army main force flanking from the right! Quickly protect the commander!”
In the heavy rain, Zhao Sheng revealed the bloodthirsty smile of a victor, charging straight toward the direction of the black sail, white python banner.
On the return journey, General Xun, knowing the Liang camp was under attack, had arranged for Zhao Sheng to bring cavalry from the front while the main force circled to flank from the right. The reason Xun Tianzhang’s son didn’t circle behind the Jin army was to avoid cutting off the Jin army’s retreat route back to the city, allowing the Jin army to retreat to the city… so they could flood the Jin army.
The Liang army intended to force the Jin army back to Longyang City, while the Jin army intended to lure the Liang army into Longyang City. They fought with perfect tacit understanding.
The Jin army fought while retreating, and the Liang army continuously pressed the Jin army toward Longyang City. Originally, thinking that once they drove the Jin army outside Longyang City, the Jin army would surely return to the city. Who knew that upon reaching the city outskirts, the Jin soldiers were still fighting to the death to delay time for their Jin army brothers behind them to enter the city. Xun Tianzhang’s son worried that being seen through by Jin commander Liu Hong and Bai Qingyan would ruin everything. To put on a complete show, he boosted morale and encouraged the Liang army soldiers to charge into the city in one go!
Inside the city.
The Jin army that had already entered the city, upon receiving orders, quickly followed their respective commanders and rapidly exited through the north gate toward Tianlan Mountain.
Bai Qingyan sat on her steed, watching as batches of the Jin army that had retreated into the city quickly evacuated.
In this battle, Bai Qingyan was responsible for the rear guard. Since engaging the Liang army in battle to lure them into the city was the most important link, nothing could go wrong here!
The Liang army was less than one li from the moat drawbridge. Bai Qingyan turned to ask the cavalry beside her: “Do any of you know how to speak the Liang dialect?”
“This subordinate can!” said a Jin soldier at the very back.
“Good!” Bai Qingyan selected ten men and said to that Jin soldier: “You all remove your Jin army armor, ride horses, and relay orders to the Liang army in the Liang dialect: ‘First to kill into the city gets the treasure!’ Just teach them this one phrase!”
“Yes!” The Jin soldier who could speak the Liang dialect clasped his fists in acknowledgment.
Bai Qingyan added, “After you relay the orders, you don’t need to return to the city. Circle the city and ride swiftly straight to Tianlan Mountain!”
“Yes!”
The ten men removed their armor, led their horses out through the city gate, leaped onto their mounts… scattered to both sides, circled to the Liang army’s vanguard, and shouted the orders loudly.
“First to kill into the city gets the treasure!”
“First to kill into the city gets the treasure!”
“First to kill into the city gets the treasure!”
The Liang army, seeing their great victory and with their eyes red from killing, added to knowing that Longyang City contained treasures from the previously captured Chunmu and Puwen cities, and even the mansion and treasures of Xiao Rongyan, the world’s richest merchant.
Wealth moves the heart – who wouldn’t want it?!
Upon hearing this order, the Liang army became even more excited. Liang generals fighting at the front shouted: “Liang army soldiers! Kill into the city, and the wealth will all be ours! Take the treasure back home to marry wives and buy farmland, and the whole family can live well! The first to enter the city can claim the treasure as their own! Kill!”
“Elite soldiers of the Tiger Wolf Battalion! In Chunmu City and Puwen City, others seized the treasure both times. Our Tiger Wolf Battalion contributed the most effort but didn’t get anything! This time, the treasure from both cities and the world’s richest merchant’s treasure are all in Longyang City! Our Tiger Wolf Battalion elite soldiers must be the first to charge in! Take the treasure we deserve!”
Liang generals shouted one after another, and the Liang army became as excited as if they had drunk chicken blood, roaring as they fought desperately. Their momentum had already overwhelmed the Jin army.
“Retreat! Quick retreat!” The Jin army was frightened by the Liang army’s desperate momentum. Seeing the city gate close at hand, they shouted.
The Liang army shouted: “Quick! Don’t let them close the city gate! Quick kill! Charge into the city, and the treasure will be ours!”
Bai Qingyan rode her horse under cavalry guard, standing just inside the city gate. As soon as Jin soldiers entered the city, someone would shout: “Abandon armor and weapons… head straight north through the city! Quick!”
“General Bai! Let’s retreat!” said one of those ordered to protect Bai Qingyan.
Bai Qingyan glanced toward the outside of the city, nodded, and led the cavalry in a swift charge out of the city.
As the Jin army retreated and the Liang army killed their way into the city, they saw the Jin army abandoning their armor and weapons, crying for their fathers and mothers as they fled toward the city gates like homeless dogs. The Liang army, seeing that the situation was decided, had no thought of pursuing the Jin army remnants. Upon entering the city, they could no longer care about the Jin army, and all went to search for treasure.
Indeed, the Liang army poured into the city and began searching and looting everywhere.
Even the Liang army generals rode swiftly into the city like racing horses, charging toward the direction of the most magnificent mansions in Longyang City, all wanting to be first to find the world’s richest merchant’s treasure.