In the Northern Territories!

The tribulation clouds slowly dispersed.

All eighty-one Golden Core tribulation trials had been successfully overcome. Sunlight pierced through the cloud layer, once again illuminating the earth below.

The oppressive aura of the heavenly tribulation vanished completely. Within a hundred-li radius, the surviving creatures collapsed to the ground in exhaustion, as if a great burden had been lifted.

Luo Yuheng stood with her celestial robes fluttering, her lotus crown binding her smooth dark hair. She remained completely unscathed as the Golden Core hovering above her head slowly melted after weathering the nine times nine, eighty-one lightning trials.

The Golden Core dissolved into golden liquid, pouring down over Luo Yuheng’s body.

In that instant, her entire being transformed into a brilliant golden form, radiating boundless golden light.

The Tribulation-Proof Body was finally complete!

From now on, she would be impervious to all techniques, neither dying nor decaying, free to roam between heaven and earth.

Hum!

The divine sword in Luo Yuheng’s hand burst forth with terrifying sword light, eager to join battle immediately.

She turned her gaze toward the blood-soaked Xu Qi’an in the distance, who was struggling to hold on.

“Still not making your move?” The White Emperor’s tone was cold as he said indifferently, “Can’t you see? His strength is severely depleted. This kind of potential-erupting ‘Dao’ – how long can it last? The upper limit can’t exceed the First Rank. If you don’t help him soon, he’s going to die.”

The White Emperor was goading Luo Yuheng into action. As long as she dared to join the battle, she would lose the foundation needed to consolidate her cultivation and face the second phase of the heavenly tribulation.

After experiencing a life-and-death battle, how could she possibly pass the tribulation?

If Luo Yuheng chose to retreat and hide to consolidate her cultivation, that would be ideal – Xu Qi’an and other transcendent beings like Asura would certainly die. He and the Kalachakra Tree wouldn’t let them escape.

“Don’t mind me, complete your tribulation!” Xu Qi’an licked his cracked lips and said in a deep voice, “Stick to the plan, continue with the tribulation!”

Plan? The White Emperor’s eyebrows rose slightly. It wasn’t a mindless beast – hearing these words, it instinctively became wary, analyzing and considering in its mind what trump cards the Great Feng’s transcendent experts might have in reserve.

Forced into such desperate straits, turning the situation around would be impossible with their strength alone. They must have allies, but for this tribulation battle, all of the Nine Provinces’ transcendent beings were watching. Everyone was on the board – it seemed unlikely there would be any surprise reinforcements dropping from the sky.

Hmm, it was also possible this youngster was just bluffing to intimidate it.

Luo Yuheng took a deep breath, took out several pills, and swallowed them. Then, she split into four female avatar manifestations.

They were: an Earth Avatar covered in stone armor, a Fire Avatar burning with intense flames, a Water Avatar shrouded in black mist, and a Wind Avatar composed of air currents.

The surroundings imperceptibly grew dim as tribulation clouds gathered once again, blocking out the sun.

Terrifying pressure swept across the hundred li radius.

The Wind Avatar composed of air currents floated upward, soaring toward the sky.

During this process, gusts of true wind came sweeping in, nearly dispersing it several times.

Boom!

Thick lightning bolts struck down from the tribulation clouds.

The first level of the Four Symbols Tribulation – the Wind and Thunder Tribulation!

Giving up the chance to consolidate her cultivation, actively drawing in tribulation clouds, forcing through the tribulation?

The Kalachakra Tree’s expression grew serious as it looked toward the devastatingly beautiful half-step Terrestrial Immortal.

Where did she, Luo Yuheng, get such confidence from?

…

Through the Universal Mirror, Xu Er Lang aimlessly searched until he caught sight of Qi Guangbo leading Yun Province’s central army gathering at Xun City.

He had already sent men riding hard to deliver intelligence to Xun City, to give the garrison troops stationed there a heads-up.

Then he immediately led his cavalry to rush reinforcements to Xun City.

He vaguely guessed Qi Guangbo’s true objective – a surprise attack on Xun City.

Although the battle line centered on Xun City had been battered to pieces in days of fighting, it didn’t mean the Great Feng army had abandoned the defensive line. There were still many mobile cavalry units camped near the line, dispatching scouts on patrol.

If the city walls were destroyed, then forget the walls – switch to field battles instead.

The defensive line wouldn’t retreat just because it lost its city fortifications, because Yong City lay behind it, along with countless civilians along the way.

The military formations on the defensive line were complex, with elite troops led by Yang Yan and others, irregular forces led by rebel armies under Chu Yuanren and others, as well as disciples of the Martial Arts Alliance.

Due to the varying quality of troops, there were wins and losses on both sides. For example, Xu Xinnian led elite cavalry and, with the power of the Universal Mirror, achieved victory after victory, successfully holding the defensive line he was responsible for.

But Yang Qianhuan, Li Lingsu, and some of the Martial Arts Alliance’s forces – these irregular troops would have their heads chopped off by Yun Province’s elite cavalry no matter how many they had once they encountered them.

Worth mentioning, the reason Yang Yan remained in Yong Province was because Luo Yuheng was undergoing tribulation in the Northern Territories, able to deter the barbarians and demons.

Although the northern barbarians and demons were currently allies with Great Feng, they were also ancient enemies. Besides, there are no absolute friends in the world, only absolute interests – Great Feng couldn’t possibly be completely unguarded against the barbarians and demons.

Just as the two Golden Gong bearers Jiang Luzhong and Zhang Kaitai had already returned to Yuyang Pass, garrisoning the northeastern border to prevent the Witch God Cult’s army from invading while Central Plains was in turmoil.

As the defensive side, Great Feng was relatively passive, often being led by the nose by Yun Province’s army.

Yang Gong had also tried using the Universal Mirror to launch surprise attacks against Yun Province’s main forces.

But Yun Province’s main forces had both vanguard camps scouting ahead and outer layer patrols, plus Phoenix Army surveillance in the sky.

It was almost impossible for the main force to successfully launch surprise attacks. Rather, it was easier for people like Li Miaozhen who used sorcerers’ teleportation arrays to burn granaries to get things done without anyone knowing.

But Yun Province’s army hadn’t given them this opportunity.

Li Miaozhen and Xu Er Lang walked to the riverside. The former crouched down and said:

“After riding hard all this way, we need at least a quarter hour’s rest, otherwise even if we reach Xun City we’ll just be an exhausted army. Xun City’s defenses are strict – if Qi Guangbo wants to take it quickly, he can forget about it.”

“As long as Yang Gong holds out until reinforcements arrive, Yun Province’s army will naturally withdraw.”

Xu Xinnian nodded slightly.

This situation wasn’t rare in Qing Province. He had experienced it himself when Mountain Song County was surrounded by Yun Province’s army, nearly reaching the point where they ran out of ammunition and supplies.

If they held out, reinforcements would naturally come.

Now he was playing the role of those reinforcements.

Xu Er Lang took out a handkerchief, wiped the dust from his face, and then carefully washed the handkerchief clean.

He said with some worry:

“We only discovered the central army led by Qi Guangbo early thanks to the convenience of the Universal Mirror. Yang Yan and the Martial Arts Alliance probably won’t react so quickly. And they’re likely to encounter interception by Yun Province’s cavalry.”

Qi Guangbo wanted to exploit this timing difference to take Xun City in one move. Once he took Xun City, he could split Yong Province with the Great Feng army, pushing the war to the next stage – fighting for Yong City.

So in this Yun Province commander-in-chief’s plan, there must be detailed deployments, with troops assigned to tie down Great Feng forces at various points along the defensive line.

As he spoke, Xu Xinnian turned his head to look and saw Li Miaozhen sprawled by the riverside, gulping down water with loud “glug glug” sounds, then scooping up water with both hands and forcefully splashing it on her face.

The cold water wet her beautiful face, soaked her temples, and dampened the armor on her chest.

The gallant Flying Swallow Heroine.

Wait, aren’t you concerned about hygiene? Drinking raw water will make you sick… oh right, you’re a Fourth Rank expert, never mind… Xu Xinnian silently withdrew his gaze, quietly hiding his handkerchief, and also scooped up water to splash his face, showing his ruggedness.

Li Miaozhen glanced at him sideways, squinting as she smiled:

“Use your Universal Mirror to observe along the way. Given Qi Guangbo’s methods, if other army groups have enemy forces tying them down, there’s no reason we wouldn’t have any ourselves.”

When she smiled she looked both handsome and unrestrained.

Xu Er Lang nodded slightly. His gaze swept over the young men in the army who were secretly watching the Flying Swallow Heroine, and he smiled:

“By the way, where did you find these experts?”

Li Miaozhen’s private army had extremely high combat strength, all possessed cultivation, and were mostly young people.

“All old companions.” Li Miaozhen spoke with a jianghu person’s tone: “Did Xu Ning Yan ever tell you? I used to suppress bandits in Yun Province and built my private army. The members were friends I made from all over or people who came because of my reputation.”

“All righteous heroes.”

More like they were attracted to your beauty… Xu Er Lang muttered internally.

Speaking of which, Li Miaozhen and Big Brother seemed to have an unusual relationship. He wasn’t sure if they were close friends or romantic companions.

Xu Er Lang had strong opinions about his big brother’s philandering ways – romantic debts hurt both others and oneself.

As for Xu Er Lang himself, he was very devoted, only liking Wang Simu. What? The courtesan quarter? When scholars visit courtesan quarters, they only discuss romance, not feelings.

Xu Xinnian pondered for a moment, then lowered his voice to ask:

“What does Daoist Li think? Does my big brother have any chance of winning the tribulation battle in the Northern Territories?”

Li Miaozhen frowned.

Xu Xinnian said:

“Though my rank is low, I know how great the power gap is between both sides. You could even say there’s no chance of victory at all.”

Li Miaozhen was silent for a moment, then slowly nodded:

“What you say is correct. Under normal circumstances, there would be no chance of victory.”

“But problems you can see, Xu Ning Yan can also see, as can transcendent experts like Asura and Zhao Shou.”

“What I can tell you is that before Luo Yuheng’s tribulation, these transcendent experts gathered together and had deep discussions for a day and night.”

“Trust in their wisdom and wait for the results. Though even I haven’t guessed their method for breaking through this situation.”

Xu Xinnian nodded slightly.

At this moment, a young man suddenly walked over, forcefully inserting himself between Xu Xinnian and Li Miaozhen, saying coldly:

“Excuse me, Lord Xu!”

As he spoke, regardless of Xu Xinnian’s reaction, he pushed him aside with moderate force.

This young man was called Li Shilin. He was born in the martial arts holy land of Sword Province, had been an orphan since childhood, and was taken in by a third-rate sect called the “True Qi Sect”. Currently, he was in the Qi Condensation realm.

In his sect, he was considered quite an outstanding young talent.

Influenced by Sword Province’s strong jianghu atmosphere, Li Shilin had dreamed of being a chivalrous hero since childhood, eager to eliminate evil and become a great hero.

His ideal partner would be an equally righteous immortal maiden.

After meeting Li Miaozhen, Li Shilin confirmed that his ideal immortal maiden had appeared.

But while his master taught him martial arts and qi cultivation, he hadn’t taught him how to pursue a woman he admired. This might have been related to his master being single himself, unable to teach such advanced knowledge.

Additionally, Li Shilin was introverted. Usually just saying a few extra words to the Flying Swallow Heroine would make his heart race and leave him stammering, so he had never revealed his feelings.

So he followed in the Flying Swallow Heroine’s footsteps, going with her to Yun Province, living each day on the knife’s edge, accompanying his ideal immortal maiden in silence, fighting for justice together with her.

Li Shilin wasn’t good at hiding his feelings. Back in Yun Province, his brothers in the army would tease him saying:

The Flying Swallow Heroine must be the only one who doesn’t know how you feel. Such a fine young man, but you had to fall for a block of wood.

But Li Shilin felt that even if he never revealed his feelings for his whole life, it was fine. Just being able to follow the Flying Swallow Heroine, roaming jianghu, and fighting evil together was good enough.

Good enough.

So when Li Miaozhen disbanded the army back then, he was depressed for a long time.

Recently when Li Miaozhen recruited old subordinates and organized an army again, after receiving the news, he bid farewell to his sect without hesitation and rushed thousands of li from Sword Province to Yong Province.

Many of the brothers from the original Yun Province army came too, all because of a single word from the Flying Swallow Heroine.

Li Shilin loved this kind of jianghu loyalty.

Just as Silver Gong Xu wrote in that poem: “Hearts linked, hair bristling, in conversation life and death are one, a promise worth a thousand gold.”

Back to the point – recently, encouraged by several brothers who had fought bandits together with him in Yun Province, Li Shilin finally gathered his courage and decided to confess to Li Miaozhen.

This wasn’t because Li Shilin had finally become enlightened, but because he had detected a threat.

The threat came from Xu Xinnian.

Li Shilin couldn’t be blamed for becoming vigilant. It was because Lord Xu was too handsome, and judging by the Flying Swallow Heroine’s attitude, she seemed quite familiar with him, chatting and laughing together.

How could this be allowed?

Although he had always comforted himself that just being by the Flying Swallow Heroine’s side was good enough, that was because Li Miaozhen was chivalrous and righteous, having no interest in romance, and there hadn’t been any worthy “enemies” around her.

Ever since Xu Xinnian appeared, Li Shilin had been filled with a sense of crisis.

So under the instigation of Zhao Bailong and Gui Tongfu, he decided to confess his feelings to the Flying Swallow Heroine.

After pushing Xu Xinnian aside, Li Shilin looked at Li Miaozhen’s flawless profile, wanting to speak but hesitating. The words he had been cultivating in his heart for so long just wouldn’t come out, and he could only woodenly wash his face and hands.

Li Miaozhen said:

“I’ll go check on the provisions.”

Ah, this… Li Shilin watched her back, making a reaching gesture to hold her back in his heart.

Xu Xinnian also watched Li Miaozhen’s departing figure, glanced at the discourteous Li Shilin and the two brutes beside him, then said indifferently:

“You all like her, don’t you?”

“Cough cough cough…”

The two men behind seemed to choke on their saliva, their faces turning red as they coughed violently.

Li Shilin turned back in shock, staring at them intently, his gaze full of confusion and wariness, having lost trust between people.

Those two were Zhao Bailong and Gui Tongfu.

…

After a quarter hour’s rest, the army packed up their luggage and supplies, ready to depart.

Xu Xinnian and Li Miaozhen decided to leave the infantry to guard the heavy equipment, taking only the faster cavalry to move ahead first. This way they could fully utilize the cavalry’s mobility to rush support to Xun City.

“Daoist Li, message delivery takes time. In the current situation, the sooner reinforcements arrive, the better chance Xun City has of surviving this crisis. You can fly on your sword – go notify Yang Yan and the Martial Arts Alliance experts.”

“Let these Fourth Rank experts support Xun City first,” Xu Xinnian shouted as he galloped, one hand holding the reins, the other using his sleeve to block the oncoming wind.

Li Miaozhen nodded, agreeing with Xu Er Lang’s suggestion. Even the fastest cavalry couldn’t match Fourth Rank experts’ speed, and these experts leaving their troops to support Xun City would be more covert, effectively concealing their movements from enemy forces.

“First check where they are,” Li Miaozhen said.

Xu Er Lang immediately took out the Universal Mirror from his chest and observed the positions of Yang Yan, Fu Jingmen, Xiao Yuenu, and other experts one by one.

He had marked not only enemy forces but friendly forces as well.

Li Miaozhen silently memorized the Fourth Rank experts’ positions. From the scabbard on her back, her flying sword rang out as it left its sheath, dancing in the air.

She was about to leap onto the sword’s spine to depart when suddenly she heard Xu Xinnian cry out:

“Stop!”

He quickly took out a flag from his saddlebag and waved out the command for “halt march.”

With a chorus of “whoa,” the entire cavalry force reined in their horses urgently but without chaos, coming to a stop.

Li Miaozhen frowned:

“What’s wrong?”

Xu Xinnian spoke very quickly:

“Enemy forces spotted fifteen lie ahead, about two thousand in number.”

If it’s just two thousand, that’s not a big problem… Just as Li Miaozhen’s heart began to relax, she heard Xu Er Lang add with a grim expression:

“Part of them are heavy cavalry!”

Li Miaozhen’s expression changed slightly. On land battlefields, heavy cavalry had always been an unstoppable killing machine, crushing all enemies under iron hooves.

Only heavy artillery, renowned for turning everything within range to scorched earth, could counter heavy cavalry.

Xu Xinnian said in a deep voice:

“You predicted correctly – Qi Guangbo indeed deployed forces along the route to Xun City.”

Screech!

A sharp cry came from the sky as an eagle glided at low altitude. It had discovered this Great Feng cavalry force and cried out in warning.

Li Miaozhen raised an eyebrow, her fingers pointing like a sword toward the soaring eagle.

The flying sword whistled as it shot forth, piercing the eagle.

Xu Xinnian immediately looked at the Universal Mirror and his heart tightened – in the image, the enemy light cavalry suddenly accelerated, charging toward their position.

“They’re coming!”

Xu Xinnian quickly thought through countermeasures. In this situation, the best response would be to deploy artillery for a head-on strike.

But their ten artillery pieces had been left with the infantry along with the heavy equipment.

Li Miaozhen recalled her flying sword and spoke rapidly:

“Er Lang, take the two thousand cavalry and go first. The Flying Swallow Army will cover the rear. Supporting Xun City is crucial – don’t exhaust our forces here.”

Xu Xinnian was a decisive person, not indecisive, and he trusted Li Miaozhen’s abilities. He immediately nodded:

“Alright, take care, Daoist Li!”

He waved flag signals, turned his horse around, and led his cavalry galloping across the wasteland to the right.

The Flying Swallow Army’s elite cavalry numbered fifteen hundred, most of them veterans from the bandit-suppression days in Yun Province, composed of jianghu warriors like Li Shilin.

This cavalry force could be called outstanding in both individual and group combat strength.

Li Miaozhen dared to stay behind to cover the retreat because she had confidence – she might even be able to swallow this enemy force encountered at the crossroads in one bite.

Just tens of breaths after Xu Xinnian left, tremors came through the ground. The chaotic sound of hoofbeats came from far to near as about fifteen hundred cavalry appeared in view.

The two forces faced each other from a distance, but that thousand cavalry suddenly reined to a halt, stopping in a hurried but not chaotic manner.

“Li Miaozhen!”

The leading general held a great halberd, wore dark gold armor, had bronze-colored skin, and had cold, hard facial features.

The Flying Swallow Heroine in her silver armor and red robes stared for a moment:

“What rat is this?”

Wang Chui, wielding the great halberd, grew furious at these words and said harshly:

“Last time you and Xu Xinnian chased me for thirty li. Today I’m here for revenge.”

He was after all the commander of the Valiant Cavalry Camp, a mighty Fourth Rank martial artist – in Li Miaozhen’s eyes, was he just an insignificant nobody?

Li Miaozhen made an “oh” sound:

“So you’re a defeated general.”

She had killed too many people on the battlefield and rarely remembered enemies’ faces.

However, the Flying Swallow Heroine’s reputation in the Yun Province army was no less than Xu Er Lang’s. Her Flying Swallow Army was brave and fierce, with outstanding combat strength. Even the elite cavalry in the Yun Province army would feel nervous when encountering the Flying Swallow Army.

In contrast, the rabble led by Li Lingsu, Chu Yuanren, and Yang Qianhuan usually just helped the Flying Swallow Army with minor tasks, responsible for picking up the pieces.

It wasn’t that the Heaven and Earth Society members were incompetent, but that elite troops were fed with heads one by one.

A hundred battles make a veteran.

Great Halberd Wang Chui gave a cold laugh:

“But today someone special has come to deal with you.”

As his words fell, tremors came through the ground again as loud, chaotic hoofbeats approached.

A cavalry force wearing dark iron heavy armor appeared in the Flying Swallow Army’s view. The warhorses under this heavy cavalry were far larger and stronger than ordinary horses, covered in thick armor plates.

The riders on horseback were armed to the teeth, wearing dark iron armor with face-covering visors, and holding horse-cutting sabers.

These were the sabers said to be able to cleave both horse and rider in a single stroke.

Wang Chui raised his left hand and waved it forcefully. The fifteen hundred light cavalry he led split into two groups and spread out, moving to encircle the Flying Swallow Army from left and right – this was a very typical heavy and light cavalry cooperation tactic.

Light cavalry had superior speed to heavy cavalry – if the former wanted to escape, the latter could only watch helplessly.

To make up for this lack of mobility, any sizeable heavy cavalry force must be equipped with an even larger number of light cavalry for support.

Just like now – the light cavalry led by Wang Chui was responsible for encirclement, pursuit, and harassment of enemy forces.

“Do you know what enemy you’re facing?”

Wang Chui held his sky-piercing halberd, already showing a victorious bearing:

“This is the Black Tortoise Heavy Cavalry!”

“The Imperial Advisor’s personally trained elite force, like the Vermilion Bird Army, are elite among elites, an invincible army meant to crush Great Feng’s last breath.”

Wang Chui’s confidence was justified, not blind arrogance.

The Imperial Advisor had two major forces under his command – one was the “Heaven’s Mechanism Palace” mainly responsible for gathering intelligence, and the other was the Twenty-Eight Constellations – Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise.

The White Tiger was the secret guard, responsible for protecting Yun Province’s high-level figures, originally led by the great demon White Tiger.

However, it was said that a great demon had died in the Martial Arts Alliance of Sword Province several months ago.

The Vermilion Bird was the flying cavalry, swift as the wind – it had already proven its might and terror through actual battle achievements.

The Azure Dragon was the navy, not yet put to use.

Finally, there was this invincible land warfare force, the Black Tortoise Heavy Cavalry. Oh right, these five hundred heavy cavalry were just one battalion of the Black Tortoise Iron Cavalry.

The Black Tortoise Heavy Cavalry numbered five thousand, their armor and horse-cutting sabers all magical weapons. Ten of their riders could crush fifty elite light cavalry in a head-on battle. Maintaining such a large heavy cavalry force wasn’t easy – the military expenses were all borne by the Imperial Advisor himself.

Over the past twenty years, the Imperial Advisor had eroded Great Feng’s national strength through pawns like Vice Minister of Revenue Zhou Xianping, seizing money, grain, and iron mines. Part of this was used to forge this heavy cavalry force.

During the Qing Province campaign, the Black Tortoise Heavy Cavalry had kept their swords sheathed, being “preserved” by General Qi Guangbo as one of his trump cards.

Now, among the Black Tortoise Heavy Cavalry, the lead rider raised his horse-cutting saber and gave a deep roar.

Five hundred heavy cavalry all raised their battle sabers, shouting in response.

The Black Tortoise Heavy Cavalry began their charge, attacking the Flying Swallow Army.

Seeing this, Wang Chui shouted:

“Bows and crossbows ready!”

Fifteen hundred cavalry all took up their military crossbows, aiming at the Flying Swallow Army moving to meet the Black Tortoise Heavy Cavalry.

“Fire!”

Over a thousand bowstrings sounded simultaneously with a “twang” that made people’s hearts tremble.

Li Miaozhen slapped her palm on her horse’s back and flew up gracefully, her flying sword automatically supporting her feet.

The Flying Swallow Heroine’s pupils became transparent, her face expressionless, showing a kind of coldness.

She extended both arms to the sides and suddenly gripped.

In an instant, arrows betrayed their trajectories, some veering left, some drifting right, some floating up, some sinking, perfectly avoiding the Flying Swallow Army.

During this process, the Flying Swallow Army and Black Tortoise Heavy Cavalry had already engaged in close combat.

Bang!

Dozens of horses in the front ranks of the Flying Swallow Army were instantly killed by the heavy cavalry’s charge, horses and riders falling.

The dismounted riders tumbled forward, but being skilled fighters, they rolled and stabilized themselves.

The Black Tortoise Heavy Cavalry behind swung their horse-cutting sabers, heads flying as they cut down these dismounted Flying Swallow Army riders on the spot.

Only a few Spirit Condensation realm experts who had sensed the danger early avoided the powerful slashes.

The dark iron heavy cavalry was like a great awl, drilling into the Flying Swallow Army’s formation. The sound of impacts was endless – savage and violent collisions were the heavy cavalry’s art.

Even without the enhancement of armor and weapons, the Black Tortoise Heavy Cavalry’s combat strength might not be inferior to the Flying Swallow Army. A force that could be considered a trump card by Qi Guangbo must be elite among elites.

Flying Swallow cavalry continued to be cut down or lose their mounts. In the continued impacts of such dense cavalry formations, those who fell from their horses often couldn’t even hope to slow the Black Tortoise Heavy Cavalry’s charge. The Black Tortoise Heavy Cavalry swung their horse-cutting sabers, easily harvesting heads.

In the first clash alone, the Flying Swallow Army lost over a hundred men.

After the two armies engaged in their charge, the Yun Province cavalry on the left and right stopped shooting.

Li Miaozhen slapped the fragrant pouch at her waist, and several black command flags flew out, planting themselves in the ground. The surrounding temperature instantly grew colder.

At the same time, wailing spirits floated out from the fragrant pouch, pouncing toward the Black Tortoise Heavy Cavalry.

Streams of spirits dissolved on the Black Tortoise Iron Cavalry’s armor, vaporized into green smoke by the power of their magical equipment, but they also brought negative effects like full-body stiffness and headaches to some of the weaker heavy cavalry.

Ghost raising was a minor way, considered an odd skill in the Dao School.

Because spirits’ attack power was too weak – even a high-quality spirit couldn’t handle a low-grade cultivator.

Dao School cultivators didn’t raise ghosts for attacking people, but for commanding them.

Li Miaozhen didn’t expect the incomplete spirits she had just collected in the past few days to be able to handle this cavalry with their overwhelming blood energy and deep killing intent – her purpose was only to interfere.

Battle souls were the most useless on the battlefield. After death, a person’s heaven and earth souls would leave the body but be extremely fragile, easily scattered by the battlefield’s killing energy and murderous intent.

Even if preserved, they would be incomplete – such souls were completely puppet-like.

With the spirits’ suicide attacks, the Flying Swallow Army slightly recovered from their disadvantage. Taking advantage of their numerical superiority, they charged on horseback and cut down more than ten stiffened heavy cavalry.

Li Miaozhen made sword seals with both hands and gave a light whistle.

The flying sword hummed as it transformed into a white rainbow, whistling forth to pierce through one black-armored heavy cavalryman after another.

Clang!

After piercing through eight armored warriors in one breath, the flying sword was deflected by a heavy cavalryman’s sword strike.

This heavy cavalryman’s horse-cutting saber was stained with fresh blood, its blade filled with the energy of distorted air.

The leader of the five hundred Black Tortoise Heavy Cavalry.

A martial artist of considerable cultivation.

He raised his head, wearing an iron face mask, coldly gazing at the gallant female general, then violently spurred his horse forward, charging toward the Flying Swallow Heroine.

Li Miaozhen seized a fallen battle saber, commanding it to rise into the air. Then, her spirit avatar floated out from above her head and dove down.

It was well known that one shouldn’t engage in close combat with martial artists, but Dao School spirit avatars were an exception.

Martial artists lacked methods to deal with spirit avatars, while spirit avatars could deliver heavy blows to their primordial spirits. Of course, at such times, Li Miaozhen’s physical body became vulnerable.

That’s why she flew using the sword, keeping her physical body at a relatively safe distance.

Li Miaozhen’s spirit avatar passed through the Black Tortoise Heavy Cavalry leader’s body without resistance, emerging from behind him while gripping the neck of his primordial spirit, trying to drag it from his body.

This martial artist’s primordial spirit had its upper half pulled from its body, while the lower half stubbornly refused to emerge.

Being able to have half his primordial spirit easily pulled out meant this leader was Fifth Rank, one rank below Li Miaozhen.

At this moment, Wang Chui’s leg muscles exploded with power. His foot pressed against the stirrup, causing his warhorse to kneel with a cry of pain. He rose with the wind, passing over the battling cavalry, his great halberd viciously chopping toward Li Miaozhen.

Whoosh!

The flying sword shot forth, deflecting the halberd’s edge.

Li Miaozhen decisively gave up wrestling with the Advanced Force martial artist’s primordial spirit, spread her five fingers toward his physical body, and suddenly pulled.

The physical body “rode the sword” as it flew toward her.

She swept toward the body like a gust of wind, her spirit avatar returning to its place.

She swept her gaze over the intense cavalry battle, determination flashing in her eyes as her primordial spirit burned fiercely.

…

Clang!

Li Shilin swung his sword, heavily striking a heavy cavalryman’s armor, sparks flying, yet failing to pierce the armor.

He had put full power into that strike, but it only left a white mark on the opponent’s armor. Keep in mind that ordinary iron couldn’t withstand his strikes.

What kind of monster… Li Shilin cursed internally, then immediately flew up with a kick, knocking that Black Tortoise heavy cavalryman from his horse.

Behind him, Zhao Bailong and Gui Tongfu galloped past, working together to cut down that dismounted Black Tortoise cavalryman.

Li Shilin had just begun to cheer when another Black Tortoise heavy cavalryman crashed into him from the side, using their weight difference to brutally kill Li Shilin’s mount.

What it meant to lose one’s horse during a cavalry charge – Li Shilin, being battle-hardened, knew all too well.

“Get up!”

Zhao Bailong strongly spurred his horse, catching up from behind, reaching out his hand to Li Shilin.

Li Shilin grabbed his hand, swinging up onto the horse’s back. There was no time to catch his breath, no time for words – they had to continue charging and fighting.

“Whoosh!”

The bright flying sword punched a gap through the heavy cavalry as Li Miaozhen’s voice rang across the sky:

“Breakthrough, retreat!”

She was immediately engaged by Wang Chui but still stubbornly refused to recall her flying sword, helping the Flying Swallow Army kill enemies.

The fifteen hundred cavalry that had been encircling from both wings had gathered at some point, assembling fifty zhang ahead of the Flying Swallow Army’s front.

This light cavalry force with excellent physical condition would take over from the Black Tortoise Heavy Cavalry, launching a second wave of charges.

But when the Flying Swallow Army, now fewer than a thousand riders, finally broke through the Black Tortoise Heavy Cavalry, they faced the Yun Province light cavalry head-on, who had reached their peak speed.

One side had just experienced brutal combat, their speed and momentum declining, while the other was at their peak, momentum like a rainbow.

The Flying Swallow Army had no chance to catch their breath.

Can’t even retreat… the Flying Swallow Army members’ hearts tightened.

Li Shilin, who since childhood had been praised by his master for having a strong fate, gripped his blood-stained sword tightly. His gaze swept over his companions around him, their faces fierce but eyes desperate, then over the approaching Yun Province light cavalry.

Finally, he couldn’t help but look back at Li Miaozhen, who was pressing into the Black Tortoise Heavy Cavalry while holding off Wang Chui’s pressure, and saw the grief in her eyes.

At this life-or-death moment, Li Shilin’s mind wandered, inexplicably recalling their first meeting. It was a sunny afternoon when a girl who had been in jianghu for barely a year but was already famous throughout leaned on her sword, gallant and heroic, smiling as she said:

“You want to follow me? Alright, but I, Li Miaozhen, have my rules.”

“Remember this: Do good deeds, ask not about the future!”

Li Shilin came back to himself, his eyes bursting with high fighting spirit as he roared:

“Kill!”

“Kill!”

The Flying Swallow Army roared in unison.

Do good deeds, and ask not about the future.

…

Yong City.

At the courier station, Li Lingsu, face pale, holding a bowl of medicine, pushed open Master Hengyuan’s door.

Chu Yuanren was also in the room, sitting cross-legged on another couch, breathing exercises to heal his injuries.

Hengyuan, wrapped in white cloth, sat leaning against the headboard, his face ashen.

That he could survive being beaten by multiple Fourth Rank experts under concentrated fire from firearms and military crossbows, then actively taking a cannon shot to save Li Lingsu, proved Master Hengyuan was indeed tough.

A truly solid monk.

Li Lingsu felt grateful, and these past few days while serving the master tea and water, he felt the master was truly the kindest and most honest person in the Heaven and Earth Society.

Master Hengyuan finished his medicine, then swallowed a pill left by Yang Qianhuan, letting out a long breath:

“Speaking of which, Fellow Daoist Li Miaozhen was also seriously injured and shouldn’t continue fighting. This poor monk is rather worried about her.”

Li Lingsu sighed helplessly:

“She’s just like that, can’t be stopped. I’ve always felt she was born into the wrong sect, coming to our Celestial Sect.”

Seeing Master Hengyuan and Chu Yuanren both look at him after he spoke…

Li Lingsu defended himself:

“I form broad emotional connections for the sake of Supreme Emotional Detachment.”

Chu Yuanren said:

“Isn’t it just philandering?”

Li Lingsu said solemnly:

“How can the affairs of Celestial Sect disciples be called philandering? It’s worldly heart-questioning.”

“Sigh, Master rest well, I’ll bring you medicine again before the evening meal.”

He picked up the empty bowl and stood to leave.

Li Lingsu walked to the door, opened the latticed door, and then froze for a moment, unhurriedly closing the door while facing away from it.

Chu Yuanren asked:

“Anything else?”

Li Lingsu said quietly:

“Must be I opened the door wrong, let me try again.”

He turned around, reopened the door, was silent for several seconds, then closed it again, his face pale, looking like disaster had struck.

“Fellow Daoist Li?”

Master Hengyuan poked his head out from the bed and asked.

Li Lingsu took a deep breath, gritted his teeth and steeled his heart, opened the door again, and before the two people outside could speak, he dropped into a tiger-falling-to-ground kneel, hugging one person’s leg while wailing:

“Master, your disciple has missed you so much!”

“In three years of traveling the world, your disciple has thought of you day and night!”

Daoist Xuancheng and the Ice Remnant Immortal looked down at him expressionlessly.

Chu Yuanren poked his head out to look, then quietly withdrew.

Had Li Lingsu spent so long in jianghu that he’d forgotten the correct way to greet people in their sect?

Better not get involved.

Master Hengyuan had similar thoughts, quietly withdrawing his head back to bed, and closing his eyes. Sleep, sleep.

…

Li Miaozhen shook her flying sword, shaking off a streak of crimson blood.

Behind her were the remaining two hundred cavalry of the Flying Swallow Army, ahead were four hundred Black Tortoise cavalry, and on the left and right were the Yun Province light cavalry who had lost exactly half their numbers.

They had overestimated themselves and underestimated the Flying Swallow Army.

Although the cavalry under Wang Chui was elite, compared to trump card troops like the Black Tortoise Heavy Cavalry with their superior equipment and individual combat strength, they were like clouds and mud.

It was understandable that the Flying Swallow Army suffered greatly at the hands of the Black Tortoise Heavy Cavalry, but a lean camel is still bigger than a horse – even with the Yun Province light cavalry having every advantage, they still lost half their forces to the Flying Swallow Army.

Now fewer than eight hundred riders remained.

Zhao Bailong drew close, his eyes red, saying softly:

“Miaozhen, Li Shilin is dead.”

He glanced at Li Miaozhen’s expressionless face, hesitated, then said:

“That kid always had something he wanted to tell you, but he was too shy to say it. I figure since he’s gone now, as his brother, I should say it for him.”

Li Miaozhen said quietly:

“I know. I always knew.”

Zhao Bailong, whose eyes had only been red before, a full-grown man of seven feet, was suddenly overcome with grief, his face covered in tears:

“Good… good… it was worth it…”

At this moment, the Black Tortoise Heavy Cavalry adjusted their formation, slowly turning to move to the Flying Swallow Army’s left flank.

Because between the Black Tortoise Heavy Cavalry and the Flying Swallow Army, corpses of men and horses lay everywhere.

The terrain was no longer suitable for charges.

Li Miaozhen withdrew her gaze and looked back at her old soldiers who had followed her suppressing bandits in Yun Province. She clasped her hands and said:

“I’m sorry. Li Miaozhen has brought harm to you all.”

A Spirit Condensation realm martial artist smiled:

“This return to the battlefield was for home and country. To die following the Flying Swallow Heroine – no regrets!”

Another spoke:

“Once on the battlefield, we were prepared to be wrapped in horsehide for burial. Pity we won’t see the final victory.”

“When the court defeats the Yun Province rebels in the future, Miaozhen, remember to tell us.”

Li Miaozhen bit her lip until it bled. She had tried her best, had burned her primordial spirit to the limit, but still couldn’t save them.

Li Miaozhen swept her gaze over everyone and smiled:

“I won’t let you brothers die lonely.”

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The Black Tortoise Heavy Cavalry began their charge.

Wang Chui raised his great halberd high and shouted:

“Release arrows!”

Amid bowstring twangs, arrows fell like rain toward the Flying Swallow Army.

Li Miaozhen leaped up gracefully, using Celestial Sect heart techniques to alter the arrows’ trajectories, protecting the remaining two hundred Flying Swallow Army members.

Zhao Bailong spurred his horse and roared:

“Kill these bastards!”

Two hundred riders charged forth, never to return.

Li Miaozhen didn’t watch the Flying Swallow Army’s end. She stepped onto a battle saber and soared skyward, spreading her palm toward Wang Chui who was charging in with his great halberd.

In an instant, Wang Chui’s armor, clothes, and shoes all betrayed him, joining the enemy, either trying to entangle him or strangle him to please their new master.

Only his great halberd, infused with his energy, continued supporting its master as always.

“With your current battle strength, I alone can kill you!”

Wang Chui’s energy burst forth, tearing apart his armor and clothes.

In their previous exchanges, he had gladly discovered Li Miaozhen’s injuries hadn’t healed. The last time when Li Miaozhen hunted him, she could even control his weapons.

After breaking free, Wang Chui ran wildly through the air, each step exploding with energy, letting him move as if on solid ground.

He threw a punch through the air.

Li Miaozhen, standing on a battle saber, controlled her flying sword to block in front of her, both sword and person flying backward.

She used the momentum to crash into the Black Tortoise Heavy Cavalry, her flying sword like a silk ribbon weaving through their ranks, breaking armor and killing enemies.

The Black Tortoise Heavy Cavalry’s armor was sufficiently hard – each heavy cavalryman she killed cost her a portion of strength.

A Dao School cultivator’s spiritual power couldn’t be compared to a martial artist’s physical strength.

Especially since she was injured.

Fortunately, the Flying Swallow Army had eliminated most of the Black Tortoise Heavy Cavalry, greatly reducing her pressure. Otherwise, facing five hundred heavy cavalry with excellent magical equipment, even if she sacrificed her life, she would have struggled to match them.

“Clang!”

The flying sword struck that Black Tortoise Heavy Cavalry leader, penetrating the armor three parts deep, but was immediately firmly grabbed by his hands. This Fifth Rank Advanced Force martial artist, relying on his copper-skinned iron-boned body and the enhancement of his armor’s magical properties, briefly restrained the flying sword.

When the Flying Swallow Army was present, they still couldn’t defeat the enemy. Now alone, how could she handle the remaining three hundred Black Tortoise cavalry, plus the light cavalry with a Fourth Rank martial artist?

But she wouldn’t leave!

She wouldn’t let her brothers walk lonely in the underworld. Having promised, how could she go back on her word?

All jianghu knew the Flying Swallow Heroine was righteous and just, the Flying Swallow Heroine… kept her word like gold!

A fierce light flashed in Li Miaozhen’s eyes as she spat out a mist of blood, dipping her fingertip in it to draw a twisted symbol on her forehead.

Her face rapidly withered, but her primordial spirit instantly returned to its peak!

“Strike!”

That flying sword which had penetrated three parts into the armor but couldn’t move suddenly erupted with killing intent reaching the heavens.

One sword through the heart!

That Black Tortoise Heavy Cavalry leader’s chest exploded in a mist of blood as he crashed to the ground.

Meanwhile, as Li Miaozhen exerted herself to strike down an enemy, Wang Chui silently closed in. He couldn’t let this opportunity pass, especially seeing Li Miaozhen recklessly squeezing out her potential, her presence greatly increasing.

Wang Chui indeed abandoned his halberd to avoid weapon backlash.

Tap tap tap… Wang Chui’s feet touched the ground as he became an afterimage, successfully closing in, throwing a heavy punch at Li Miaozhen’s back.

The excitement of revenge flashed in his eyes – this punch might not kill Li Miaozhen, but having successfully closed in, he could ensure she died without burial.

But just one second before his fist could brutally strike Li Miaozhen’s back – yes, one second before – Li Miaozhen raised her head and released a piercing scream.

Wang Chui’s head buzzed, his primordial spirit shaking as he fell into momentary dizziness.

Li Miaozhen was thrown by the punch’s momentum, her internal organs rupturing as she vomited great mouthfuls of blood.

During this process, her flying sword swept back and forth, momentum like a rainbow, harvesting the lives of one Black Tortoise Heavy Cavalryman after another.

Blood for blood, tooth for tooth!

Only eighty Black Tortoise Heavy Cavalry remained.

Li Miaozhen’s primordial spirit was near collapse.

Wang Chui’s primordial spirit quickly stabilized. With his Fourth Rank physique, he didn’t fear Li Miaozhen’s flying sword attacks, but seeing the heavy losses of the Black Tortoise Heavy Cavalry, he was both shocked and furious.

With five hundred Black Tortoise Heavy Cavalry suffering nearly 90% casualties, even if he took Li Miaozhen’s head, the Great General would likely make him pay.

“Since you, Li Miaozhen, seek death, I’ll grant your wish!”

Wang Chui’s face twisted.

Li Miaozhen stood in the air on her flying blade, her pupils suddenly becoming transparent as she coldly looked down at him:

“I have one sword left!”

Her hair bun exploded, each strand spreading upward and outward, clearly distinct.

Her primordial spirit burned fiercely, each second consuming life, rushing toward death.

The flying sword came of its own accord, hovering before her.

Li Miaozhen spat a mouthful of essence blood onto the sword’s body, making this magical weapon inherited from her sect glow with a tragic red light.

“Go!”

She said softly.

The flying sword whistled forth, but Li Miaozhen closed her eyes, not watching the result.

Because it didn’t matter anymore.

She only regretted that she could only do this much, and couldn’t eliminate all enemy forces.

At the very end, she didn’t open her eyes but turned her face toward the north.

A child of jianghu dies in jianghu – no need for sentimental farewells.

Wang Chui’s eyes widened as a martial artist’s danger sense frantically warned him to flee.

This was the Celestial Sect Holy Maiden’s life-burning sword strike, her final brilliance.

Wang Chui retreated, again and again, the flying sword following all the way.

When he had retreated a hundred zhang, the flying sword caught up to him.

Wang Chui frantically mobilized his energy, muscles bulging beneath his copper skin as he forcefully clapped his palms together, catching the flying sword.

Clang!

The flying sword wasn’t as unstoppable as imagined, easily caught by the Fourth Rank martial artist’s strength, unable to advance an inch.

However, the sword tip sprayed out a mist of blood, touching Wang Chui’s forehead.

Valiant Cavalry Camp Commander Wang Chui’s body suddenly stiffened, standing motionless.

He was dead.

His physical body was intact, but his primordial spirit scattered.

The remaining eighty Black Tortoise Heavy Cavalry and eight hundred light cavalry were terrified.

They didn’t even dare to check Li Miaozhen’s condition, abandoning the corpses strewn across the ground and their leader’s body, spurring their horses to flee, afraid that if they were late by one step, that terrible flying sword would come alive again and kill them all.

…

Li Lingsu, crying, stood on his flying sword, obediently following behind his master and Ice Remnant Uncle-Master as they flew toward Xun City.

He knew which part of the defensive line Xu Xinnian and Li Miaozhen were responsible for, and quickly found the infantry left by the riverside.

After inquiring, he learned from the infantry that Xu Xinnian and Li Miaozhen had led the cavalry ahead to support Xun City.

So Daoist Xuancheng and the Ice Remnant Immortal, bringing Li Lingsu, pursued.

Soon, the three saw the bloody, brutal battlefield, saw the corpses strewn everywhere, and saw how human and horse blood had dyed the earth dark red.

The Flying Swallow Army was annihilated… Li Lingsu’s face instantly turned pale.

On this battlefield where brutal cavalry combat had occurred, only two people were standing.

One was Li Miaozhen with her loose black hair, one was Wang Chui maintaining his sword-catching pose.

But Li Lingsu knew both were gone.

He couldn’t sense any primordial spirit fluctuations.

Li Lingsu’s body swayed, almost unable to ride his sword. He rode toward Li Miaozhen like a madman.

Before his flying sword had steadied, he leaped down, stumbling to Li Miaozhen’s front, staring blankly for several seconds before suddenly his knees went weak. He fell prostrate, his head against the ground as he began to wail.

“Miaozhen, Miaozhen! Senior Brother came too late, Senior Brother came too late…”

He neurotically beat the ground, crying until his voice was hoarse.

Li Lingsu and Li Miaozhen had grown up together, and due to their outstanding talents, had been named Holy Son and Holy Daughter before coming of age.

They had cultivated together, recited ancient classics together, practiced techniques together, and accompanied each other through childhood and youth.

Li Lingsu, such a romantic person, had no thoughts about his beautiful junior sister – he truly saw her as a real sister.

When he saw the Flying Swallow Army was destroyed, he had anticipated Li Miaozhen’s fate.

With all her brothers-in-arms who had lived and died together left on the battlefield, with her personality, only mutual destruction remained.

She wouldn’t flee.

Ice Remnant Immortal stepped to her disciple’s front, coldly examining for a moment before saying:

“The Celestial Lord foresaw her death tribulation. Unexpected it would come true so quickly.”

Her tone was calm, as if the dead were a stranger, not her disciple.

Ice Remnant Immortal pondered for a moment, making a single-handed seal as she muttered incantations.

Shortly after, the wind stopped but grew colder as broken military souls appeared.

Among these remnant souls, Ice Remnant Immortal saw Li Miaozhen, her expression wooden as she silently stayed with the other military souls.

“She burned away her Earth Soul.”

Daoist Xuancheng shook his head expressionlessly.

In the Dao School realm, this was considered soul scattering. Missing one soul, even if they wanted to piece her back together, they couldn’t.

Li Lingsu, eyes red, looked at Li Miaozhen’s remnant soul.

When Li Miaozhen died in battle, she used forbidden techniques, paying the price of soul scattering to increase her cultivation.

“She can still be saved.”

Ice Remnant Immortal drew Li Miaozhen’s Heaven Soul and flicked it into her physical body.

Then, she took out a porcelain bottle from her sleeve and pulled out the wooden stopper.

A strange fragrance wafted out, filling the air. Although Li Lingsu was grief-stricken, smelling this fragrance still made him uncontrollably feel “hungry” – a hunger from his primordial spirit.

“Purple Gold Pill!”

Daoist Xuancheng said expressionlessly, his tone indifferent: “This was your pill for advancing to Second Rank. This is your last mortal attachment?”

If Supreme Emotional Detachment was divided into “early, middle, and late” stages, they at Third Rank were in the early stage.

At this stage, Celestial Sect Yang Spirits would retain a tiny portion of mortal attachment, whether to a Dao partner, children, or disciples.

Li Lingsu was both shocked and overjoyed, hurriedly wiping away his snot and tears.

At the same time, he glanced at his master – if Ice Remnant Uncle-Master’s mortal attachment was to Li Miaozhen, then was his master’s mortal attachment to him?

Following his survival instinct, he didn’t dare ask this question out loud.

Ice Remnant Immortal’s face remained cold as she didn’t answer Daoist Xuancheng, instead prying open Li Miaozhen’s mouth to put in the Purple Gold Pill.

The Purple Gold Pill was for nourishing Yang Spirits, another name for minor completion Yin Spirits.

If even Yang Spirits could benefit, how much more so for Yin Spirits?

Using a Purple Gold Pill to repair souls was indeed overkill, but it was the only way to save Li Miaozhen.