As the roar echoed through the skies, the guards on the city walls were stunned.
Soldiers and militiamen transporting wood and crossbow bolts on the horse path dropped their tasks and rushed to the parapets without hesitation.
Xu Qi’an was going to break through the enemy lines?
Even though the soldiers revered Xu Qi’an as a deity, they knew that over 70,000 enemy troops with fierce momentum couldn’t be killed even in three days and nights. Unlike the common folk, these battle-hardened men knew the limits of human capability. How could a mortal single-handedly hold off more than 70,000 men?
Even if the enemy stood still to be slaughtered, one’s arms would tire and strength would fail, let alone facing elite enemy troops.
“Don’t poke your heads out, do you want to die?” a commander roared in anger. “Defend the city! That’s your task. Fire the cannons, all of you fire the damn cannons! Don’t just stand there. Xu Qi’an is breaking through to ease our pressure. Even if you die, you must hold this position.”
“Yes, sir!” came the thunderous response.
The soldiers’ eyes reddened, their teeth clenched. To die defending the homeland alongside Xu Qi’an would be an honor.
In ancient times, emperors guarded the national gates; today, Xu Qi’an alone breaks through enemy lines. Both are heroic deeds worthy of historical records.
The army’s morale had never been more united.
…
“Boom!”
That figure, radiating golden light, crashed down at the foot of the city wall with brutal, unreasonable force. The earth trembled violently, and the shock wave turned enemy soldiers within a dozen meters into chunks of flesh.
Broken armor and shattered blades floated in the air.
Xu Qi’an pressed down with his left hand, his qi enveloping the armor and blade fragments. He glanced at the enemy soldiers charging from both sides and the front, swinging their steel sabers. With a forceful wave of his sleeve, the armor, sabers, and spears shot out in all directions.
The heads of soldiers charging at the front exploded, arms snapped with a bang, chest cavities the size of fists appeared… each death was unique.
But this couldn’t intimidate the enemy troops, who still charged forward recklessly.
Initially, Xu Qi’an swung out blade auras, slaughtering the enemies surging from all directions like cutting melons and vegetables. No one could get close.
Soon he changed his strategy. Conserving his qi, he relied on his Vajra-body physique, the martial arts of a Fifth-rank Expert, and the sharpness of the Taiping Blade to engage in close combat with the enemy troops.
Surrounded by enemies, he needed to conserve every bit of qi he could. Even a Fifth-rank cultivator was human, and humans have limits.
To break through tens of thousands of enemy troops single-handedly, his primary concern wasn’t the enemy’s strength, but his stamina.
Wei Yuan had once told him that in the Battle of Shanhai Pass, most high-rank martial artists died from exhaustion.
As his tactics changed, dozens of steel sabers slashed at him from all directions in an instant. A martial artist’s sense of danger allowed Xu Qi’an to perceive every enemy soldier’s movements, yet he had nowhere to dodge.
This was the reality of the battlefield, where even experts could fall to a chaotic barrage of blades.
With thrusts, parries, chops, and swings, Xu Qi’an harvested the lives of enemy soldiers one after another.
Clang!
An enemy soldier leaped up, his steel saber smashing down on Xu Qi’an’s head. The finely forged blade instantly curled. Xu Qi’an swung the Taiping Blade backward, cleaving the soldier in two at the waist.
He didn’t look back, resolutely advancing, relying on his martial artist’s physique to withstand swords, spears, and halberds.
After two or three hundred men died, the enemy soldiers fought on fearlessly, one falling as another took his place.
After five or six hundred died, the enemy soldiers’ eyes turned bloodshot, their ferocity provoked.
After seven or eight hundred fell, gradually, some began to employ hit-and-run tactics, entangling him in combat, taking out their military crossbows to shoot instead of charging in with sabers.
“Get out of the way!”
The commander of the artillery unit flew into a rage, shoving aside a gunner and kicking the gun carriage, turning the heavy cannon weighing several hundred catties.
The commander personally loaded the cannon, aimed, and lit the fuse.
A series of twisting runes lit up along the cannon’s body, spreading from the barrel to the muzzle. As it finished charging, with a thunderous “boom,” the entire heavy cannon recoiled.
The cannonball shot out, tearing through the bodies of soldiers along its path.
Xu Qi’an sensed the danger in advance but didn’t dodge. Instead, he swung the Taiping Blade to slash at the cannonball.
In the deafening explosion, the soldiers surrounding Xu Qi’an were torn to pieces by the terrifying blast wave.
Amidst the billowing dust, the blood-stained blue-robed Constable of Great Sui stood unwavering. Apart from scorch marks covering his robe, he was unscathed.
Holding his blade, he slowly advanced. The enemy soldiers ahead showed fear on their faces, hesitating to approach.
They parted, not daring to block his path.
Xu Qi’an shook the blood off his blade and laughed wildly, “Cowards of Kang and Yan, is there not a single man among you?”
On the city walls, the Great Sui soldiers’ blood boiled. They roared in response, shouting until their faces turned red and their veins bulged.
The morale surged like a rainbow, as they frantically dropped wooden blocks, shot arrows, bed crossbows, and fired cannons. Compared to yesterday, with Xu Qi’an alone breaking through enemy lines, the defenders’ pressure had indeed lessened. So far, casualties have been minimal.
In the distance, Nurhaci frowned as he watched from horseback. With a tough brute breaking through below the city and artillery and archery support from the walls, in less than a quarter of an hour, his side’s casualties had exceeded his expectations.
Attacking a city was already a bitter task, trading ten lives for one. Letting this guy continue his slaughter would not only result in heavy losses, but the soldiers might also lose their nerve, which would be a major setback.
How many trump cards does he still have… Nurhaci looked around and shouted, “Warriors of Yan and Kang, who will go and take this scoundrel’s head?”
“The Second Battalion of the Assault Corps is willing to kill the enemy!” a commander from the infantry ranks roared.
This commander wore jet-black heavy armor and wielded an eighty-catty Modao, a weapon favored by Kang country’s commanders.
Nurhaci asked, “What is your name?”
“Alibai!” the commander shouted.
“Good. You are permitted to lead two battalions. Bring me that scoundrel’s head,” Nurhaci proclaimed.
Commander Alibai spurred his horse forward, turned to face his soldiers, and bellowed:
“Are you all cowards?”
The Kang soldiers, who had witnessed Xu Qi’an’s ferocity firsthand and inevitably felt fear, had their eyes ignite with anger upon hearing this challenge.
Men on the battlefield never lack hot blood.
Alibai, wielding his Modao, continued to roar:
“Our great general died on the city walls. If we don’t take this city, death awaits us upon our return. But if we break through and behead this arrogant Sui dog, we’ll be promoted and ennobled!”
The soldiers’ enthusiasm was instantly ignited.
Still not satisfied, Alibai shouted, “Our great general died by this scoundrel’s hand. It’s a great shame, a blood debt that must be repaid!”
The two thousand infantry let out an earth-shaking roar:
“A great shame that must be avenged!”
Seeing this, Alibai said no more. He spurred his horse and charged!
Two thousand infantry followed closely behind, their momentum formidable, their fearlessness born from a mix of hatred and the promise of military merit.
On the city walls, Zhang Kaitai and other commanders’ expressions changed slightly, unable to suppress their worry.
“I must go help him. We can’t let him break through alone,” Zhang Kaitai said as he moved to climb the city wall.
His concern was justified.
The military rank system of the Wushen Cult army was not much different from that of the Great Sui. Ten men formed a squad, with the squad leader at the Body Refining realm. Ten squads formed a company, with the company commander at the Qi Condensation realm. Ten companies formed a battalion, and the battalion commander’s rank varied depending on the type of unit and military achievements.
For units like the artillery, where leading from the front wasn’t necessary, a battalion commander at the Spirit Refining realm was usually sufficient, at most with a body as tough as copper and iron.
It was the high-ranking officers of the cavalry and infantry who emphasized cultivation, leading from the front and most likely to be sacrificed.
Among them, the infantry was the most dangerous.
Therefore, although Alibai was a battalion commander, his cultivation was a solid Fifth-rank Expert.
One can imagine the kind of encirclement Xu Qi’an would face, the group of experts he would confront.
Moreover, the first wave of attacking soldiers around him, who had been frightened by his killing, would surely take this opportunity to counterattack, vying for his head and military achievements.
“You can’t go!” Li Mianzhen frowned, stopping the impulsive warrior. She shook her head and said:
“If you go, what about Nurhaci leading his experts to attack the city? Without my Golden Core, I can’t restrain him. You’d have to come back to save us eventually.
“Besides, the enemy still has three formations of ten thousand infantry that haven’t moved. The cavalry hasn’t moved either. If you go down, even if Nurhaci suffers heavy losses to behead you, he’d still come out ahead.”
Xu Qi’an breaking through alone was already a suicidal act.
The Yan-Kang allied forces would be delighted if Great Sui’s experts came down from the city. They couldn’t ask for anything better. It would save them the trouble of attacking the city.
Li Mianzhen continued, “Why did Xu Qi’an choose to break through alone? Was it to make you come down? He’s doing it to pin down the enemy below, to reduce your pressure and casualties. Nurhaci, wary of his trump cards, will try to exhaust his strength with his troops, forcing him to use his trump cards.
“His breakthrough is what makes the enemy wary, understand? He’s using his safety to reduce your casualties. Don’t act on impulse.”
After a pause, Li Mianzhen said softly, “Right now, the defenders believe he’s invincible, and morale is high. If you go down now, it would be seen as a rescue mission. In the defenders’ eyes, Xu Qi’an’s invincible image would crumble.”
Hearing this, the commanders who had rushed over from afar stopped in their tracks, abandoning their impulse to follow Zhang Kaitai down to assist. Every word Li Mianzhen said hit the nail on the head.
Li Mianzhen looked around at the commanders: “You just focus on defending the city. When he’s exhausted, he’ll naturally return. That’s when we’ll rely on you to deal with Nurhaci and the other experts.”
Zhang Kaitai fell silent, slowly scanning the surrounding soldiers. Their faces were excited, their fighting spirit high, their blood boiling to fight alongside the man below the city.
Once this sense of invincibility was broken, it would be as difficult as ascending to heaven to re-establish it.
Zhang Kaitai was convinced by Li Mianzhen.
You must come back… Several commanders suddenly turned their heads, looking towards that figure glowing with golden light, alone, charging towards tens of thousands of troops.
…
As he charged, Xu Qi’an flung out the Taiping Blade. The dark golden blade light transformed into a line, slicing through eighteen armored soldiers in one go before finally being deflected by a Spirit Refining realm company commander’s saber.
The Taiping Blade whirled in a circle before finally returning to Xu Qi’an’s hand. He charged forward dozens of steps, suddenly leaped up, and transformed into a spiraling blade of light, like a drill, to meet these two thousand soldiers.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Soldiers holding heavy shields had their bodies, along with their iron shields, shredded. Xu Qi’an, with his brutal and unreasonable stance, cleared a bloody path, cutting into the enemy’s belly.
Then he spun, swinging his blade in a circle. Ripple-like blade light spread out, annihilating one flesh-and-blood body after another, once again clearing an area devoid of people.
The Kang country soldiers quickly scattered.
Alibai turned his horse, charging forward on his warhorse. The blade of his Modao pointed downward, using the momentum of the horse’s charge to viciously sweep upward.
Clang!
In a crisp sound, the Modao split in two, half of the blade flying high into the sky.
Two company commanders rushed in to kill. One thrust a long spear at Xu Qi’an’s back, while the other charged from the front, swinging his blade at Xu Qi’an’s eyes.
The angles were tricky.
Even with a body as tough as copper and iron, it wasn’t truly invulnerable. There were always spots where the defense was slightly weaker.
Xu Qi’an stomped down on the spear tip, using it as a pivot. He spun, kicking the head off one company commander’s neck, then used the spinning momentum to forcefully chop out with the Taiping Blade.
The blade Qi flashed and disappeared.
That company commander’s body suddenly split in two, intestines and internal organs spilling onto the ground.
Behind him, several soldiers’ bodies split open simultaneously.
Soldiers swarmed up like a tide, hacking wildly with their blades. Golden light flashed, and crisp sounds rang out continuously.
Three squad leaders, hidden among ordinary soldiers, fearlessly pounced on Xu Qi’an as he was catching his breath. One grabbed his legs, one hugged his body, and one seized his right arm holding the blade.
At this moment, the martial artist’s danger sense seemed to fail, for there was too much danger. Hundreds of blades, dozens of spears, and a volley of cold arrows – within inches, all were enemies.
The endless danger prevented Xu Qi’an from predicting the three squad leaders’ actions, and he was instantly grabbed.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
More than a dozen soldiers swung ropes, throwing them at Xu Qi’an, looping around his neck and hands.
More soldiers swung ropes, ensnaring Xu Qi’an.
These ropes were woven from extremely tough materials, mainly used for pulling siege engines and hauling cannons up city walls.
For martial artists below the Fifth-rank Expert level, it was almost impossible to break them by brute force.
Even a Fifth-rank Expert couldn’t break more than a dozen such ropes.
Moreover, Xu Qi’an now had his neck and both hands ensnared.
“Taiping!” Xu Qi’an let go of his hand.
The Taiping Blade howled as it flew, attempting to cut the ropes, but was immediately pounced on by a squad leader. Then a second, third, fourth… a series of soldiers used their flesh and blood to pin down this peerless divine weapon.
“Wring his head off!” a company commander shouted.
Soldiers abandoned their blades, working together to pull the ropes. Each rope had dozens of fierce soldiers pulling.
These battle-hardened infantry were experienced in how to surround and kill a high-ranking martial artist.
Xu Qi’an’s neck inevitably tilted back, muscles bulging, his neck thickening by a circle.
He stirred his qi, arms straining to clasp together. On the other end of the ropes were dozens of strong soldiers, gritting their teeth as they wrestled with him.
At this moment, Xu Qi’an was wrestling against over a hundred strong soldiers on three lines.
The soldiers gritted their teeth, veins bulging on their faces, exerting all their strength. But even so, their feet were slowly sliding forward.
Too terrifying.
This man’s strength was too terrifying.
Alibai seized a saber, infusing it with surging qi. Staring at the Great Sui Constable wrestling with the soldiers, he sneered:
“You dog, killing so many of my brothers. You Xu, Marquis Wei’s confidant, wearing blue robes like him? I’ll use this blade to castrate you now, break your golden body, and make you a seedless eunuch dog like him.”
Xu Qi’an’s eyes instantly turned blood-red.
He let out a deep roar, his neck thickening another circle, his body’s muscles swelling with it, stretching his blue robe. Surging qi poured out.
Snap! Snap! Snap! Three ropes were forcibly snapped. Soldiers tumbled in all directions, falling in swathes.
A figure in blue robes gripped Alibai and smashed out of the infantry’s encirclement. Bodies flew through the air.
Alibai’s face showed terror as he swung a fist at Xu Qi’an’s face while kicking out, struggling desperately.
But to his dismay, his opponent’s golden body was indestructible.
“You dare insult him?” Xu Qi’an tore off his head, holding it in his hand.
Alibai’s eyes were wide open, his lips slightly parting. In his final moment, he seemed to want to beg for mercy, or perhaps curse, but Xu Qi’an didn’t give him the chance.
Assault Corps Commander Alibai, killed in action!
The Assault Corps soldiers, having suffered heavy casualties, were in disarray, fleeing in panic, all fighting spirit gone.
Xu Qi’an leaned on his sword, breathing heavily.
Behind him, on the city walls, came the cheers of the Great Sui soldiers.
“Constable Xu, invincible!”
“Constable Xu, invincible!”
“Constable Xu, invincible…”
When they had seen Xu Qi’an entangled by ropes, their hearts had clenched. Now they felt as elated as they had been anxious before.
As expected of Constable Xu, as expected of Great Sui’s hero, he truly was invincible.
At this moment on the city walls, except for a few places where enemy troops had climbed up and broken through the defense lines, most areas were holding steady.
Vaguely, a sort of “tacit understanding” seemed to form between Xu Qi’an and the defending forces. As long as the man breaking through at the front didn’t fall, those behind would stand as firm as a mountain.
Even in death, they would hold steady.
If Constable Xu could face the great army alone, what reason did they have to fear death?
…
“Good!”
The commanders, while directing the city’s defense, showed genuine, admiring smiles.
Both at the fourth rank, if it were me after such prolonged fighting to break through, my qi would be nearly depleted… Zhang Kaitai mused inwardly, then started. He was a veteran Fourth-rank, yet this was his thought.
“He should come back, he should come back now,” Zhang Kaitai said in a low, urgent voice.
Even if Xu Qi’an was exceptionally gifted and couldn’t be viewed as an ordinary Fourth-rank, no matter how talented, his qi reserves couldn’t be that much stronger than a veteran Fourth-rank’s.
In other words, Xu Qi’an’s qi was now more than half depleted. He should return, or else, if surrounded by Nurhaci’s army and experts, he would be ground down to death.
At the front lines, Nurhaci’s face suddenly darkened.
Fourth-rank. If he wasn’t mistaken, that young man had reached the fourth rank.
The fifth rank couldn’t break those ropes, and their qi couldn’t be so abundant. He had fought with Xu Qi’an before and had some grasp of this legendary figure’s strength.
Reaching the fourth rank overnight, what extraordinary talent this was.
Whether as a sovereign or as a peak Fourth-rank cultivator in both systems, Nurhaci had always held pride in being second to none below the Third-rank. Now, for the first time, he felt envy towards this rising star of Great Sui.
Reputation at its zenith, an indestructible golden body, and talent so extraordinary it was terrifying.
If this man wasn’t killed, in ten or twenty years, he would surely become a grave threat to the Wushen Cult. Perhaps he truly would give Great Sui another Wei Yuan.
Nurhaci narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing the heaving chest of Xu Qi’an, and couldn’t help but smile grimly.
Breaking through alone, how much qi could you, Xu Qi’an, have left to boil?
Below the third rank, all were mortals, and mortals had limits.
Once the soldiers ground down this spirit, it would be his time to die.
Nurhaci had rich battlefield experience. In his view, the key now wasn’t attacking the city, but surrounding and killing Xu Qi’an.
The Great Sui defenders’ morale was high, fighting to the death, largely because the Xu fellow remained standing.
Killing Xu Qi’an would be like crushing the faith and fighting spirit of the Great Sui defenders, just as Alibai’s death had sent the remaining Assault Corps infantry fleeing in panic, all will fight gone.
Just as yesterday, when Su Gudu’s Red Bear died, the Kang army nearly fell into chaos.
Nurhaci took a deep breath and thundered: “Whoever can take Xu Qi’an’s head, a reward of a thousand taels of gold and an enfeoffment of a thousand households. For his limbs, a hundred taels of gold and a hundred households.”
Boom!
The sound waves surged like a tide, and the allied armies of the two countries boiled with excitement.
A thousand taels of gold, enough to last eight lifetimes.
An enfeoffment of a thousand households meant being titled a Thousand Household Marquis. In Yan country, this was a great title second only to the Ten Thousand Household Marquis. It meant glory and wealth for generations to come.
Great rewards breed brave men.
“The Vanguard requests to attack.”
“The Cavalry requests to attack.”
“The Modao Army requests to attack.”
“…”
The allied armies of the two countries were bursting with fighting spirit, eager to try. That martial artist leaning on his sword now seemed like a fish on a chopping block. One bite would mean glory and wealth for generations.
Even if they couldn’t get the head, an arm would be enough.
Nurhaci’s face was grave as he waved his hand: “Granted!”
The clamoring army suddenly hesitated, unsure for a moment of the Yan Emperor’s intention. Which unit was to attack?
Suddenly, the Cavalry commander roared: “Follow me, charge!”
He galloped off alone.
As he moved, the cavalry behind him immediately followed. The human tide surged on horseback, their momentum fierce.
The Modao Army commander panicked: “What are you all stunned for? Follow me and charge!”
The Modao Army soldiers quickly understood, following their commander out of formation.
The next moment, the units that had requested to attack poured out in full force, vying to be first, fearing others would steal their military merit.
Those units that hadn’t requested to attack were both angry and anxious as if their wives had been snatched away.
“A full twenty thousand troops, let’s see if you can survive this,” a commander spat in frustration, full of regret. The Xu fellow from Great Sui was destined to die a gruesome death. Why hadn’t he been quick-witted enough to request an attack earlier? Now these dog-born bastards would reap all the benefits.
On the city walls, Zhang Kaitai and the other commanders’ expressions changed drastically. Looking down from their high vantage point, they saw a sea of black, like a swarm of rats or a tide, with dust rolling.
At the forefront of these tens of thousands of troops was a blood-stained blue robe.
This scene made the scalps of the commanders on the walls tingle.
Gulp… A guard’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he said anxiously, “Can… can Constable Xu hold them off? Shouldn’t we… shouldn’t we go down to rescue him?”
“Constable Xu will retreat…”
“If we open the city gates now, the enemy below will swarm in. We won’t be able to save anyone.”
A soldier shouted, “But we can’t just watch Constable Xu in danger without doing anything! He needs reinforcements, he needs reinforcements…”
It seemed that Constable Xu’s unstoppable heroic image had thoroughly enraged the enemy, causing them to seek his death at any cost.
The guards saw that among the charging troops were invincible cavalry; Modao troops who could shatter man and horse with a single blow; and vanguard troops holding shields and wearing heavy armor…
All were elite forces of the highest caliber.
These elites were not skilled in siege warfare, so they were targeting Constable Xu.
Even Constable Xu couldn’t defeat so many elite troops, could he… The guards were uneasy. No matter how much they admired Xu Qi’an, they couldn’t help but worry for him now, their hearts in their throats.
While a group of people behind him worried, Xu Qi’an himself stood motionless, seemingly waiting for the enemy’s arrival.
Xu Qi’an has lost his head… Including Zhang Kaitai, the martial artists all had this thought simultaneously.
This wasn’t an isolated case. Unlike other systems, as martial artists’ cultivation increased, their mindset became more and more “lawless.” Those who were overly cautious could never become high-ranking martial artists.
For this reason, when killing enemies on the battlefield, it was easy to get caught up in the bloodlust, disregarding everything. Many martial artists would find themselves deep in enemy territory with no way back.
Zhang Kaitai’s heart suddenly sank, anxiety and worry surging within him. Disregarding the need to maintain Xu Qi’an’s invincible image to boost morale, he turned to the other commanders:
“You stay here and defend. I’ll go rescue Xu Qi’an.”
“Commander, we’ll go with you,” several high-ranking officers disagreed with him going alone.
Zhang Kaitai shook his head:
“You must stay here. If we all go down, the watchful Nurhaci will surely make his move. I’ll go rescue Xu Qi’an. I’ll go. He’s my junior from the Night Watchmen’s Office. I must protect him for Marquis Wei.”
This time, Li Mianzhen didn’t stop him. Her eyes brimming with tears, she gazed at Xu Qi’an’s back. Her Golden Core told her that he still had strength left, enough to hold on until Zhang Kaitai came to his rescue.
…
The enemy surged forward like a swarm of rats, the distance between them constantly shrinking.
A hundred zhang, eighty zhang, fifty zhang, thirty zhang… The commanders leading the charge wore fierce expressions. Cavalrymen swung ropes, Modao troops raised their heavy military sabers, and vanguard troops lifted their shields, accelerating their charge.
No one saw the purple powder scattering from between Xu Qi’an’s fingers, drifting with the wind.
The artifact given to him by the Supervisor to shield his fate had been crushed by his hand.
Nothing could block his surging fate anymore, nor could anything influence his ability to absorb the power of the masses.
Xu Qi’an slowly sheathed his sword, collapsing all his qi, suppressing all emotions.
Using the method of nurturing sword intent taught by Chu Yuanzhen, he mobilized the power of the masses, a profound principle he had comprehended during his battle with the Buddhist sect.
The core was to borrow the intent of the masses to nurture his blade intent.
The invincible spirit condensed by the more than ten thousand Great Sui soldiers behind him now all converged within Xu Qi’an.
Did you think I, Xu Qi’an, was a fish on a chopping block?
At a certain moment, Xu Qi’an opened his eyes.
Clang!
Heaven and Earth Slash!
Dark golden blade light swept across heaven and earth.
The charging cavalry lost their lower bodies, their heads rolling along with those of their warhorses.
Shield-bearing infantry fell uncontrollably, then collided with their still-advancing lower halves, both tumbling down.
The Modao troops said to be able to shatter man and horse with a single blow, were themselves shattered by a single blow.
Of the twenty thousand elites, this one strike directly eliminated a third.
One slash and seven thousand war souls were added to heaven and earth.
Though it was a battlefield of tens of thousands, at this moment, it fell into dead silence, briefly without a sound.
A few seconds later, the sound of reining in horses rose in waves. The surviving cavalry, Modao troops, and vanguard infantry all stopped their charge at once and then fled in panic.
A thousand taels of gold, the title of Thousand Household Marquis or Hundred Household Marquis, all became like dream bubbles at this moment.
The power of that one slash terrified them to their core, fear exploding in their hearts.
Further back, the enemy troops behind Nurhaci stirred.
The first push is the strongest, the second weaker, and the third exhausted. Fighting until now, the collapse of the two countries’ allied forces’ morale was inevitable, scattered by a single Great Sui martial artist.
Third-rank, Third-rank?! He did have a trump card after all… Nurhaci’s pupils contracted repeatedly, his heart pounding violently. There was fear, heartache, and a burning rage.
This slash had cut down elites that would take the two countries years, even decades, to cultivate.
Nurhaci’s face darkened as he moved his fingers.
Not just the allied forces of Kang and Yan, but even the Great Sui soldiers on the city walls stared wide-eyed at this scene.
There were no cheers, no applause. Everyone seemed to have lost the ability to speak, immersed in extreme shock.
Li Mianzhen’s beautiful eyes widened, somewhat dazed.
Zhang Kaitai, standing in the gap between the battlements, maintained a posture ready to leap down the wall, but at this moment had turned into a statue.
Suddenly, Zhang Kaitai snapped out of his daze, his expression changing dramatically. He let out a low roar: “Quick, save him!”
He remembered. He remembered Xu Qi’an’s ultimate move.
Heaven and Earth Slash.
With one slash, the enemy dies, and we are crippled.
Li Mianzhen’s body shook, finally feeling fear and terror. She screamed, “Go save him!”
…
At the front, Nurhaci stopped moving his fingers.
The divination showed great fortune.
He immediately summoned the phantom of a giant bird, which hooked onto his shoulders, lifting him into the air.
The Yan Emperor’s hair and beard fluttered as he roared from mid-air: “Xu Qi’an, today I will crush your bones and scatter your ashes to sacrifice to the fallen soldiers.”
Looking down from above, he saw the blue-robed figure’s aura rapidly weakening, his eyes dim and lifeless.
At this moment, the Yan Emperor was certain that his opponent had exhausted all his trump cards.
The martial artist’s danger sense gave no feedback, and the divination showed great fortune.
With his cultivation, nearly invincible below the third rank, slaying this young Great Sui Constable was all but assured.
The pressure of his overwhelming qi descended from the sky. Even before the Yan Emperor arrived, the terrifying air pressure was already making Xu Qi’an unsteady.
Xu Qi’an raised his head, looking at the dual-system peak Fourth-rank expert wrapped in killing intent and anger. He smiled.
Did you think my breaking through the lines was simply to buy time?
Hiss… As the last page burned, a clear energy enveloped him. Xu Qi’an said softly:
“My condition… restored to peak.”
In an instant, like a withered tree encountering spring, powerful qi was born from this exhausted body.
Xu Qi’an sheathed his blade, collapsing all his qi, suppressing all emotions. It was as if there was a vortex within him.
Danger! Danger! Danger!
The Yan Emperor’s expression changed drastically. The martial artist’s danger sense gave feedback, every cell screaming danger, every nerve urging him to flee for his life.
At this moment, the Yan Emperor felt himself locked on by a thought, firmly fixed.
My divination clearly showed great fortune, why would the Spirit Refining realm’s danger sense give such feedback… The Yan Emperor couldn’t understand the reason, as the two were in contradiction.
This was an unprecedented situation, at least, it had never happened with martial artists before.
The phantom of the giant bird dissipated, seamlessly replaced by the image of a Buddhist monk. The Yan Emperor stretched out his arms, his palms facing Xu Qi’an.
“Lay down your butcher’s knife.”
Buddhist Precept.
“Die!”
Death Curse.
A faint golden light rippled over Xu Qi’an’s body, causing the two spells to dissipate like mud oxen entering the sea.
The Yan Emperor’s face turned pale. He knew why the divination had shown great fortune – because Xu Qi’an had a Daoist Golden Core within him. A single Golden Core could break ten thousand laws; divination couldn’t calculate targets possessing a Golden Core.
The Death Curse and Buddhist Precept were equally ineffective against a Golden Core.
The monk’s image dissipated, seamlessly replaced by the giant bird’s phantom, which hooked onto Nurhaci to retreat.
Flee, quickly flee.
A bit higher, fly a bit higher. Crude martial artists couldn’t stay airborne for long. Once in the sky, he’d be safe…
Xu Qi’an looked up. In the blue sky, far in the distance, an eagle spread its wings and soared.
Marquis Wei, the path you were meant to walk has ended.
But my path is just beginning.
I will spread my wings and soar like an eagle, slaying all enemies… I have nowhere left to retreat.
At this moment, the Taiping Blade, Heaven and Earth Slash, Heart Sword, Lion’s Roar, and Nurturing Intent all fused into one.
Clang!
An ear-splitting lion’s roar erupted.
An extremely brilliant blade light soared into the sky, flashing for an instant.
High in the sky, that vanished blade light suddenly appeared, cleaving Nurhaci in two at the waist. His remnants fell helplessly before the eyes of the allied armies.
Both primordial spirit and physical body were slain.
This slash cut through sixty years of a monarch’s life, honor, and disgrace; the ultimate cultivation of a nearly invincible expert below the Third-rank.
Blood mist exploded around Xu Qi’an, his golden body shattering. A horrific wound appeared, nearly bisecting him at the waist.
Intent named: Jade Shatters!
A man at his limit, with nowhere to retreat.
This intent, born from the heart, expressed through the blade, was only for shattering jade, not for preserving tiles intact.
Harming others and oneself.
Marquis Wei, I’ve entered the Fourth-rank. I name this slash “Jade Shatters.” It’s a pity you can no longer see it… Xu Qi’an gazed towards the northeast, silent.
Then, leaning on his sword to stand firm, he looked down upon the enemy army and laughed wildly:
“Cowards of Yan and Kang, not a single man among you. Am I wrong?”
The armies of Yan and Kang scattered, fleeing in panic, their defeat like a collapsing mountain.
Zhang Kaitai finally arrived, reaching out to catch the young man as he fell backward.
He grinned, his mouth full of blood, saying unhappily: “Why is it you? Where’s Li Mianzhen? Why didn’t that stinking woman come to catch me?”
Zhang Kaitai opened his mouth but said nothing.
He then frowned: “So noisy…”
Zhang Kaitai tightly covered his wound, forcing a smile: “It’s the cheers of the soldiers. They’re cheering for you, crying and shouting. Heh, I’ve never seen them like this before.”
Xu Qi’an was silent for a moment, then asked, “I didn’t disgrace Marquis Wei, did I?”
Zhang Kaitai, who had held back his tears of grief after Wei Yuan’s death, suddenly found his vision blurring, unable to hold back his sobs.
Marquis Wei, this is your legacy.