Seeing Qilin’s arrival and suffering serious injuries himself, He Lian Peng knew he couldn’t gain any advantage today. Throwing down a command to retreat, he flew away from the mountain ravine, abandoning the lives of those he brought with him. With Qilin joining the fight, these men were naturally dealt with easily by everyone.

Qin Feng looked in the direction He Lian Peng fled, saying with some regret, “It’s a pity He Lian Peng got away.”

Lin Han, following behind him, glanced at the dead and wounded Northern Rong soldiers and said, “He Lian Peng is ruthless indeed, sending so many men to their deaths without hesitation.” From the dozens of men a few days ago to over a hundred today, He Lian Peng showed no remorse in sacrificing them. These weren’t ordinary Northern Rong soldiers – each had undergone special training for extended periods. Even He Lian Peng couldn’t have too many such skilled fighters at his disposal. This showed the stark difference between how Ye Li and He Lian Peng treated their subordinates. Since its establishment several years ago, Qilin had lost just over a hundred men, while He Lian Peng casually sacrificed that many in just one or two operations. Clearly, he didn’t view these men as elite assets or even as his subordinates – at most, they were merely high-grade cannon fodder.

Zhuo Jing, who had been closest to the action, naturally saw everything most clearly. He said solemnly, “Even if we couldn’t kill him, He Lian Peng probably won’t be able to cause trouble for a month or two. Princess, should we send someone to…”

Ye Li shook her head and said, “He Lian Peng’s martial arts are formidable. Even if he’s not as strong as the Prince, he shouldn’t be inferior to Ren Qi Ning. Moreover, as a Northern Rong general, now that he’s injured, he’ll certainly have guards protecting him. There’s no need to send people to their deaths needlessly. Let’s head to Mount Lingxiu first.”

“Yes, Princess,” everyone responded. Some stayed behind to clean up the battlefield while the rest escorted Ye Li toward Mount Lingxiu.

News of He Lian Peng’s ambush of Ye Li naturally couldn’t be kept from Mo Xiu Yao. Although Ye Li wasn’t injured, Mo Xiu Yao’s expression was extremely dark. Even the usually talkative Feng Zhi Yao and Han Ming Shi didn’t dare speak up, fearing they might provoke Mo Xiu Yao and bring trouble upon themselves. They watched as Mo Xiu Yao, face gloomy, let out a cold snort and left the main camp carrying his Fenming Sword. Feng Zhi Yao and the others were stunned. After a while, Han Ming Shi asked bewilderedly, “Where… where is he going?”

Feng Zhi Yao blinked and joked, “Surely he’s not going to kill He Lian Peng?”

Han Ming Yue, sitting beside Han Ming Shi, nodded and said, “He is indeed going to kill He Lian Peng, and possibly Ye Lu Ye and He Lian Zhen too.” Although Feng Zhi Yao no longer trusted Han Ming Yue, he still had some confidence in his abilities and cunning. If it weren’t for Su Zui Die back then, how would Han Ming Yue have ended up like this? Hearing this, Feng Zhi Yao immediately jumped up, exclaiming, “Has he gone mad? That’s an army of hundreds of thousands! If one person could slaughter the entire Northern Rong army, what are we fighting for?”

Human strength has its limits. Even if Mo Xiu Yao had the best martial arts in the world and could fight ten or a hundred men alone, could he fight a thousand or ten thousand? To directly charge into the military camp to kill He Lian Peng and Ye Lu Ye, Feng Zhi Yao had only two words for him: suicide!

After a moment of shock, Feng Zhi Yao finally leaped up and rushed out while shouting, “Mo Xiu Yao, I must have owed you in my past life. Guards! Gather the troops!”

In the tent, only the Han Ming Shi and Han Ming Yue brothers remained. Han Ming Shi looked at Han Ming Yue, asking somewhat disbelievingly, “Big brother, is Mo Xiu Yao planning to kill He Lian Peng?” Even if he wanted to kill him, there was no need to storm the Northern Rong camp. With Mo Xiu Yao’s martial arts, he could kill several He Lian Pengs if he waited for him to be alone or leave the camp.

Han Ming Yue gave a bitter smile and said, “How could Prince Ding not think of what you can think of?”

Han Ming Shi was puzzled, “Then why is he doing this?”

“After today, as long as Mo Xiu Yao doesn’t die, I fear no one in the world will dare to set their sights on Ye Li again,” Han Ming Yue sighed. Once he thought his love for Su Zui Die was profound, even secretly feeling that Mo Xiu Yao didn’t understand love. Only now did he understand that Mo Xiu Yao wasn’t incapable of love – he simply hadn’t met the right person. What Mo Xiu Yao did for Ye Li, Han Ming Yue admitted he couldn’t do himself. He patted his somewhat dazed brother and walked out.

In the tent, Han Ming Shi remained silent for a long time before finally giving a bitter smile, a hint of resignation flashing across his brow. What Mo Xiu Yao could do, he could never accomplish. It wasn’t about ability, but character. He could never do such things for one person, even if he… loved her…

This day would be unforgettable for all Northern Rong soldiers. Of course, that’s if they lived to remember it.

Because neither army had engaged in battle these past few days, there was a rare peace inside and outside the Northern Rong camp. It was in this tranquility that the soldiers guarding the camp entrance watched as a white-robed, silver-haired man floated toward them like a white cloud. Before the guards at the gate could react to this sudden appearance, they felt a flash at their necks – the man’s cold, crimson eyes were the last thing they saw in this world.

Mo Xiu Yao burst into the camp, taking advantage of the Northern Rong soldiers’ delayed reaction to charge toward the main commander’s tent. His lightness skill was exceptional, and his Fenming Sword’s energy claimed countless lives along the way. Even the unfortunate souls who became his stepping stones died with blood flowing from their seven apertures due to the force of his steps. Chaos immediately erupted in the camp. Countless soldiers rushed toward Mo Xiu Yao’s position. Soldiers who had recovered their wits hurriedly shot arrows at him, but ordinary arrows couldn’t touch Mo Xiu Yao. Moreover, while he was in the air it was fine, but once he landed, it was uncertain whether the arrows would hit Mo Xiu Yao or their men.

For a time, the white figure moved freely through the military camp, leaving rivers of blood wherever he went. None survived under the Fenming Sword, each swing inevitably bringing forth a spray of blood. Such might made even the Northern Rong soldiers, known for their bravery, feel terrified. They feared that even the slightest contact meant certain death.

How could Ye Lu Ye, sitting in the central command tent, not know about such a great disturbance in the camp? Ye Lu Ye was already furious about He Lian Peng returning wounded when he heard the commotion and sounds of weapons outside. He was greatly angered. Just then, soldiers came to report in panic that someone had invaded the camp. Ye Lu Ye coldly smiled, “This king wants to see who is so bold as to dare invade the Northern Rong camp.” Leading He Lian Zhen and the freshly bandaged He Lian Peng out, they saw Mo Xiu Yao approaching in white robes, sword in hand. The somewhat dark and ancient treasure sword now gleamed with blood, emanating killing intent.

“Mo Xiu Yao!?”

Ye Lu Ye was both shocked and angry, momentarily unable to understand what this harbinger of death was doing in the Northern Rong military camp. Did Mo Xiu Yao suddenly think he could resolve this war by killing him?

Anyone with a bit of sense should know that wars between nations absolutely cannot be resolved by the death of one or two commanding officers. Moreover, assassinating an army commander was incredibly difficult. Even if Mo Xiu Yao killed him, Ye Lu Ye, how could he guarantee his escape?

Mo Xiu Yao, amid his slaughter, also saw the three men. He smiled coldly, swung his long sword, and charged toward Ye Lu Ye.

Seeing the sword gleaming with bloody blue light, Ye Lu Ye’s expression changed slightly. “The Fenming Sword?!”

Beside him, He Lian Zhen’s face had already turned pitch black. To have Mo Xiu Yao charge single-handedly into the Northern Rong camp – if they let him escape, the Northern Rong’s face would be completely lost. With a cold snort, He Lian Zhen swung and thrust his long blade toward Mo Xiu Yao. Ye Lu Ye shared He Lian Zhen’s thoughts; seeing He Lian Zhen attack, he also drew his sword without hesitation and pounced forward. Since Mo Xiu Yao had come himself, if they could keep him here, it would naturally be a great thing for Northern Rong. More importantly, if they could kill Mo Xiu Yao… his position in the Northern Rong royal court would be unshakeable.

“Mo Xiu Yao, you’re so audacious, truly seeing no one in your eyes!” Ye Lu Ye said coldly. Seeing the two attack, Mo Xiu Yao didn’t respond, only smiled coldly, his sword moving like flowing light through the air, blooming with cold sword energy.

He Lian Peng, already wounded, stood watching from the side. As soon as He Lian Zhen and Ye Lu Ye engaged Mo Xiu Yao, he knew the two had no chance of victory – Mo Xiu Yao’s martial arts were far beyond these two. They weren’t even qualified to be mentioned in the same breath as him, let alone compete. Looking down at his bandaged arm, then thinking of that woman with the gentle countenance like a snow mountain holy maiden in white robes, a cold light flashed through He Lian Peng’s eyes. He raised his hand to summon a guard beside him and gave some quiet instructions. The guard nodded and turned away.

Watching He Lian Zhen and Ye Lu Ye struggling under his sword, Mo Xiu Yao revealed a mocking smile. His gaze turned to He Lian Zhen as he swung his sword without hesitation, showing no intention of mercy. He Lian Zhen saw the overwhelming force coming and knew he couldn’t block it. But Mo Xiu Yao had abandoned Ye Lu Ye to focus solely on him. He had nowhere to dodge. He could only desperately raise his long blade to block Mo Xiu Yao’s strike.

With a bang, the long blade forged from fine iron and weighing over a hundred jin shattered. Mo Xiu Yao’s Fenming Sword continued without pause toward He Lian Zhen’s forehead. He Lian Zhen, a famous Northern Rong general who had fallen to Mo Xiu Yao eighteen years ago and had finally regrouped to attempt a comeback, was about to become a ghost under the sword before achieving anything. Watching He Lian Zhen’s eyes suddenly widen with fear and shock, a cold, bloodthirsty smile flashed in Mo Xiu Yao’s eyes.

“Die!”

“Bang—”

What seemed very slow happened in the blink of an eye. Another long blade blocked Mo Xiu Yao’s thunderous strike, and He Lian Zhen was pulled aside by Ye Lu Ye in the process. Although he escaped death, everyone present was still shaken.

They saw He Lian Peng holding a large blade with a faint golden glow. However, the blade was now broken in two, and He Lian Peng’s hand holding it trembled unceasingly. Even the wound on his other arm, which had been bandaged, had reopened. His desperate block to save He Lian Zhen had caused his internal energy to surge so violently that it burst open his wound.

Mo Xiu Yao lowered his gaze, looking indifferently at the Fenming Sword in his hand. After a while, he looked up at He Lian Peng and said, “Good martial arts. Mu Rong Xiong’s disciple?” If He Lian Peng hadn’t said anything, Ye Li wouldn’t have known his background. But Mo Xiu Yao could see He Lian Peng’s martial arts style after just one exchange. He smiled coldly and said, “It seems killing Mu Rong Xiong back then wasn’t wrong after all.”

He Lian Peng was not interested in his identity as the killer of his master. Gripping the short blade in his hand, he said solemnly, “Not as good as Prince Ding. What is Prince Ding’s intention today?”

“What intention?” Mo Xiu Yao looked at him with a somewhat strange smile and said, “Don’t you know what my intention is?”

Ye Lu Ye released his hand supporting He Lian Zhen and stood beside He Lian Peng, saying solemnly, “Mo Xiu Yao, don’t think this king fears you just because your martial arts are superior. This king doesn’t believe that you alone can do anything to this king in an army of hundreds of thousands!”

Mo Xiu Yao gave a cold laugh and said, “If you don’t know, I’ll tell you – dare to set your sights on A Li, and you’ll all die!” The Fenming Sword released a dangerous light, and Mo Xiu Yao casually swung it. The flag standing in the distance within the camp fell instantly.

A muscle twitched at the corner of He Lian Peng’s eye as he casually wiped away a trace of blood from his lips, smiling coldly, “I would like to see just how formidable Prince Ding truly is!” With a wave of his hand, countless black-clad figures surged from every corner of the camp toward Mo Xiu Yao. These men were all personally trained by He Lian Peng, their skills not far inferior to Qilin’s. The Northern Rong people were bloodthirsty by nature, and now, with Mo Xiu Yao turning the entire camp into rivers of blood, their murderous intent was further inflamed. They charged at Mo Xiu Yao without hesitation, truly fearless in the face of death.

Then Mo Xiu Yao let out a long cry, his white-robed figure transforming into a white rainbow as he shot toward the crowd. Wherever he passed, blood sprayed, and severed limbs flew countless.

Though the Xiangji temporarily confined Mo Xiu Yao, the expressions of Ye Lu Ye, He Lian Zhen, and others watching from the side grew even darker. He Lian Zhen, already having lost too much blood and now suffering internal injuries from Mo Xiu Yao’s strike, looked particularly pale, his eyes filled with gloom.

Although He Lian Peng didn’t cherish these specially trained subordinates as Ye Li did, these men were still different from ordinary soldiers. Even He Lian Peng only had about a thousand such men. Earlier, losing over a hundred men to Ye Li had at least revealed some of her capabilities. But now, in just an instant, nearly a hundred had fallen to Mo Xiu Yao. How could He Lian Peng’s expression not be grim?

He Lian Zhen said coldly, “Today, we absolutely cannot let Mo Xiu Yao leave this place!”

The threat Mo Xiu Yao posed was too great. If eighteen years ago, when Mo Xiu Yao was still a youth, He Lian Zhen had felt his defeat was due to carelessness and harbored regret, today’s encounter completely overturned his long-held beliefs. The current Mo Xiu Yao was not someone he could handle. That brush with death just now, he hadn’t experienced even eighteen years ago. Since they couldn’t defeat Mo Xiu Yao, they had to kill him by any means necessary!

The Northern Rong soldiers watching from the sidelines were also terrified by this bloody scene. The current situation was more impactful than a battlefield – in battle, everyone fought for their lives, and no one had time to pay attention to the gruesome surroundings. But now, they watched helplessly as what could only be described as a one-sided massacre unfolded. Those black-clad warriors who normally seemed so formidable to ordinary soldiers were as fragile as clay chickens and pottery dogs before this white-haired man in white. Snow fell like rain on Mo Xiu Yao’s snow-white robes, adding more killing intent to his cold, bloodthirsty visage. He seemed like a blood-bathed Asura emerged from hell.

“Ah… kill this demon!” Finally, someone’s mind snapped, and they recklessly charged at the blood-stained white figure with their weapon. Unfortunately, before they could even touch the edge of his robe, they were split in two by the incoming sword energy.

“Archers, shoot!” Ye Lu Ye commanded solemnly. These black-clad Xiangji might be able to contain Mo Xiu Yao, perhaps even exhaust his internal energy and eventually kill him. But that was assuming Mo Xiu Yao didn’t want to escape. More importantly, even if Mo Xiu Yao didn’t flee, no one knew how many Xiangji lives it would take to exhaust his internal energy and stamina – perhaps two or three thousand? They didn’t have that many men, and they feared that after the last black-clad warrior fell, they would be next to test the Fenming Sword’s edge.

In an instant, arrows fell like torrential rain. Though aimed at Mo Xiu Yao, many black-clad warriors were too close to him. Moreover, with Mo Xiu Yao’s figure flickering unpredictably, it became indiscriminate killing. Mo Xiu Yao laughed coldly, grabbed a black-clad warrior, and casually threw him, instantly turning him into a porcupine of arrows. Turning around, he sent out his sword energy, causing the incoming arrows to seemingly hit an invisible barrier and reverse course toward those who had shot them.

“Ye Lu Ye, you’re seeking death!” Mo Xiu Yao said gravely.

“Protect the Seventh Prince!” Everyone cried in alarm as dozens of men front and back threw themselves before Ye Lu Ye, barely blocking Mo Xiu Yao’s furious strike. Of those dozen or so who blocked the sword, only three or four remained protecting Ye Lu Ye. Fortunately, Mo Xiu Yao’s attention was quickly drawn back by arrows attacking from behind, or Ye Lu Ye’s life would have truly been in danger. Though he survived, Ye Lu Ye’s face had turned pale. Looking at He Lian Zhen who had similarly escaped death, he couldn’t help but show a bitter smile, no longer daring to give rash commands.

“Mo Xiu Yao’s martial arts… just how high are they?” Watching the white-haired man in white, Ye Lu Ye couldn’t help but murmur.

He Lian Peng, covering his wound and leaning against the tent entrance, his uncontrolled bleeding making him pale and slightly dizzy, said, “The current Mo Xiu Yao could probably be called the world’s finest. Over two years ago, he needed to team up with Lei Zhen Ting and Ling Tie Han to kill my master. Now… even my master at his peak might not be his match.” There are people called geniuses who seem to need neither hard practice nor tempering, naturally destined to stand above others. Such geniuses even make the heavens jealous. And Mo Xiu Yao was such a person.

Just as the entire Northern Rong camp was being terrorized by Mo Xiu Yao, more commotion came from outside the gates.

Two figures, one red and one white, streaked in from outside like wild geese, heading toward Mo Xiu Yao’s direction.

“Mo Xiu Yao!” Feng Zhi Yao’s voice was exasperated. Fortunately, he called out first, or he might have suffered the same fate as those miserable Northern Rong black-clad warriors who had tasted Mo Xiu Yao’s sword.

Mo Xiu Yao stayed his sword, displeasedly scanning Feng Zhi Yao and Han Ming Yue who had landed before him, saying, “Who asked you to meddle?” Han Ming Yue smiled without speaking – he was just following Feng Zhi Yao to help, and knowing Mo Xiu Yao wouldn’t appreciate his concern, he said nothing.

Feng Zhi Yao was so angry he nearly exploded, grabbing Mo Xiu Yao and saying, “Let’s go unless you want to die here?!” Normally, Feng Zhi Yao absolutely couldn’t grab Mo Xiu Yao, but after this massacre, Mo Xiu Yao’s anger and violence had dissipated somewhat, and he was feeling slightly fatigued. Even if Mo Xiu Yao was truly the world’s finest martial artist, he had killed hundreds of Northern Rong experts today, so he naturally couldn’t be completely unfatigued. He had only intended to vent his anger on the Northern Rong people and give them a warning, not sacrifice his life. Even if Feng Zhi Yao and Han Ming Yue hadn’t come, he would have left soon anyway.

Now caught by Feng Zhi Yao, he didn’t linger further. Casting a contemptuous glance at Ye Lu Ye, he said, “Let’s go.”

He took the lead, using his lightness skill to head toward the gates.

“Mo Xiu Yao?!” Ye Lu Ye, provoked by that contemptuous look, instantly exploded in rage, roaring, “Kill them!”

Han Ming Yue, bringing up the rear, sighed helplessly, deflecting incoming arrows with his sword before leaping up to fly after them.

Feng Zhi Yao daring to charge into the Northern Rong camp with Han Ming Yue naturally hadn’t come unprepared. Even after leaving the camp, the three were still pursued relentlessly by the Northern Rong army. However, after just two or three li, they saw the Mo Family Army’s Black Cloud Cavalry waiting in formation ahead. The three men landed among the Mo Family troops and turned to face the pursuing Northern Rong army as the two forces faced off.

“Mo Xiu Yao, one day, this king will make you die horribly!” Looking at the blood-stained white-robed Mo Xiu Yao sitting on horseback opposite them, Ye Lu Ye raged. Mo Xiu Yao snorted lightly, pointing his sword at Ye Lu Ye and smiling coldly, “Those are exactly the words I have for you. Today was a lesson for you a lot. If there’s a next time, I will take your dog’s life! Return to camp!”

Watching Mo Xiu Yao leisurely leave surrounded by the Mo Family Army, Ye Lu Ye’s face turned iron-gray. “Return!”

When Ye Lu Ye’s group returned to camp, Mo Xiu Yao’s rampage had left over two hundred ordinary soldiers dead or wounded, and of He Lian Zhen and He Lian Peng’s specially trained Xiangji, as many as four or five hundred were dead or wounded. The Fenming Sword cut through iron like mud – forget about vital spots, even just touching its sword energy meant severe injury or half-death. Those wounded soldiers were a little different from dead ones, never able to return to the battlefield. Yet this wasn’t even the worst of it – compared to an army of over a million, the loss of a few hundred men was practically negligible. But the psychological shadow this massacre cast over the Northern Rong soldiers was the most serious matter. With just one man, Prince Ding had moved freely through a camp of hundreds of thousands, creating rivers of blood with none able to stop him. This added tenfold to the Northern Rong soldiers’ fear of Prince Ding’s name when they were already pressured by the Mo Family Army’s reputation.

“Seventh Highness.” In the tent, He Lian Peng knelt on the ground. The recent severe injury without proper rest had added traces of haggardness and weakness to his stern face. Ye Lu Ye stared at him coldly and said, “What do you have to say?” Today’s events, ultimately, were caused by He Lian Peng’s attempt to deal with Ye Li. Originally, Ye Lu Ye had disagreed with He Lian Peng’s actions – not because he didn’t want to deal with Ye Li, but because as Prince Ding’s wife, she would certainly have countless experts protecting her, making the chances of success too low. Moreover, the fate of those who had previously moved against Ye Li still stood as an example.

Sure enough, He Lian Peng’s plan failed and drew Mo Xiu Yao’s insane revenge. This time, their loss wasn’t just the lives of those few hundred soldiers, but the morale of the entire Northern Rong army. Such a situation probably couldn’t be recovered without several shocking major victories.

He Lian Peng remained silent, lowering his head and saying, “This general has nothing to say, please punish me, Your Highness.”

Ye Lu Ye stared at He Lian Peng for a long while before finally sighing, “Forget it, you’re also severely wounded, rise. We’ll discuss this after your wounds are healed.” Although Ye Lu Ye was very displeased with He Lian Peng for bringing this disaster, he wouldn’t do something as self-defeating as punishing him at this time. He waved his hand, signaling He Lian Peng to rise, and He Lian Peng thanked him and stood.

Ye Lu Ye looked toward He Lian Zhen sitting to the side and asked, “Uncle, do you have any thoughts?”

He Lian Zhen had been silent since returning, and only when Ye Lu Ye asked did he sigh and say, “I never expected that in just over ten years, Mo Xiu Yao’s transformation would be so shocking. Your Highness, if Mo Xiu Yao isn’t eliminated, he will certainly become a deadly threat to our Northern Rong.”

Ye Lu Ye frowned and said, “Uncle’s words are correct. But in this world, countless people want to eliminate Mo Xiu Yao, yet who has succeeded? Today’s Mo Xiu Yao is not the Mo Xiu Yao of years past.” Back then, Prince Ding’s mansion was still constrained by the Great Chu royal family, which gave them room to maneuver and deliver a fatal strike to Prince Ding’s mansion. Unfortunately, the great serpent didn’t die, allowing Mo Xiu Yao to grow into Northern Rong’s greatest enemy today. And now Prince Ding’s mansion had long since broken away from Great Chu, with Mo Xiu Yao in sole command. Moreover, with Prince Ding’s mansion united in purpose, there were no vulnerabilities to exploit.

He Lian Zhen lowered his eyes and said, “Looking at today’s events, Prince Ding’s only weakness is his Princess.”

“Uncle! Absolutely not!” Ye Lu Ye said sharply.

He Lian Zhen was startled, looking at Ye Lu Ye in confusion. Ye Lu Ye smiled bitterly and said, “Uncle, haven’t you understood today’s events yet? There’s no need to plot against Ye Li anymore. Unless Mo Xiu Yao dies, no one can touch Ye Li again.” Mo Xiu Yao’s actions today told everyone that whoever dared to move against Ye Li, he would kill them even at the cost of his own life. Fortunately, today’s incident could be considered a warning – if Mo Xiu Yao had truly decided to kill them today, even if he died from exhaustion afterward, likely none of the three of them would have escaped before his death.

Those in power always like to say they’ll pay any price, but that price never includes themselves. Now that life itself was at stake, what good would killing Mo Xiu Yao do? What benefit would destroying Prince Ding’s mansion bring? Wouldn’t the benefits just go to others?

He Lian Zhen pondered for a long while before finally sighing, “Who would have thought Prince Ding’s mansion would produce such a romantic?”

He Lian Peng stood and said to Ye Lu Ye, “Your Highness, this general requests to go to Mount Lingxiu’s main camp.”

Ye Lu Ye frowned and said, “You still want to deal with Ye Li?”

He Lian Peng said, “This general will not move against the Princess again. But with the Princess now commanding Mount Lingxiu’s main camp, our army needs someone to guard against her. The Princess is clever and resourceful, and I fear those stationed there…”

Ye Lu Ye thought for a moment before nodding, “Very well, go once your wounds are healed. Don’t provoke Ye Li again.” In the end, Ye Lu Ye couldn’t help but warn him. He Lian Peng nodded and said, “This general understands. My wounds aren’t serious, I can depart tomorrow.”

“You may go,” Ye Lu Ye waved his hand, saying nothing more.

In the Mo Family Army camp, the Third Young Master Feng was imposing, his handsome face filled with anger as he glared at someone methodically bandaging wounds in the main seat, his words so cutting that ordinary people would have committed suicide from shame just hearing them.

But the Prince of Ding, fresh from his slaughter, was clearly in an excellent mood and paid no attention to Third Young Master Feng’s angry cursing. He didn’t even let others help, just casually grabbing bandages from the side to wrap his arm wound, completely ignoring other minor injuries.

“Feng San, when did you become an old woman? Aren’t you tired of nagging?” After finishing with his wound, Mo Xiu Yao finally raised his eyes to glance coolly at Third Young Master Feng.

Feng San choked, his anger rising even further as he roared, “Mo Xiu Yao if you want to die, don’t drag all of Prince Ding’s mansion to death with you! Charging into the Northern Rong camp alone – so you’re Prince Ding with the world’s finest martial arts, you’re amazing, why don’t you just go kill Ye Lu Ye, the Northern Rong King, Lei Zhen Ting, and Mo Jing Li? Kill them all and there’ll be peace under heaven. Of course, don’t forget to slit your own throat with a sword in the end.” By the end, Feng San was laughing from extreme anger, giving Mo Xiu Yao a maliciously mocking smile.

“Noisy,” Mo Xiu Yao said flatly.

Feng Zhi Yao was speechless with rage. He grabbed something nearby and threw it at Mo Xiu Yao, then slammed the table and said, “Go ahead and die if you want, I quit!” He stormed out angrily. Fortunately, only the Han Ming Yue and Han Ming Shi brothers were in the tent – if the Mo Family Army generals had seen this, Feng Zhi Yao would certainly have been charged with insubordination.

Mo Xiu Yao frowned slightly, casually catching what Feng Zhi Yao threw, “Stop. Where are you going?”

“I’m going to Mount Lingxiu!”

“Dare to go find A Li, and I’ll break your legs,” Mo Xiu Yao said sinisterly. “Enough, I know what I’m doing today. It was just giving Ye Lu Ye a lesson, it won’t happen again. You’re all tired, go rest.” With that, Prince Ding waved his hand and floated out of the tent, leaving behind a deeply affected Feng Zhi Yao sitting there in a daze. After a long while, he finally reacted, “Mo Xiu Yao! I saved your life and you want to break my legs?!” What does it mean to forget friendship for romance? This was it. What does it mean to stab your brother twice for your wife? Just look at Prince Ding.

Han Ming Yue and Han Ming Shi exchanged glances, sympathetically patted Feng Zhi Yao’s shoulder, and also walked out.

What happened in the Mo Family Army camp naturally wouldn’t reach Ye Li’s ears under Prince Ding’s stern, almost threatening orders. Ye Li led Qin Feng and others to Mount Lingxiu’s main camp that night. Since Mount Lingxiu wasn’t the main battlefield and had Flying Hong Pass as support, Prince Ding’s mansion, already short on troops, naturally wouldn’t station too many soldiers here. Only Zhou Min, originally a deputy general under Zhang Qi Lan, led fifty thousand Mo Family troops plus fifty thousand original Great Chu troops guarding this place.

When Ye Li’s group arrived, they hadn’t given advance notice, so naturally, no one came out to welcome them. But what they saw on the army’s outskirts made Ye Li frown deeply. It was already deep night, when normally Mo Family soldiers except for patrols and guards should have been asleep. But before Ye Li’s group even approached the main camp, they heard a commotion from inside. This wasn’t the sound of some military incident, but rather soldiers drinking and making merry. Ye Li’s beautiful face immediately darkened.

Zhuo Jing and others, originally from the secret guard and having barely served in the army, and Qin Feng, originally from the Black Cloud Cavalry whose discipline was even stricter than the regular Mo Family Army, had never seen such a situation, and their expressions turned ugly. Only Yun Ting and Chen Yun, who had come from the army, understood. Yun Ting coughed lightly and said quietly, “Princess, these should not be Mo Family soldiers, but rather the various local Great Chu troops we gathered after reclaiming lost territory.” Yun Ting had served in the Great Chu army, and although Mu Rong Shen could be considered strict with military discipline, there was still some passive resistance. He had heard of many cases of lax discipline. These Great Chu troops had been scattered by the Northern Rong, and if the Mo Family Army hadn’t gathered them, they would have been a little different from bandits. Yun Ting wasn’t surprised at all by this situation.

Ye Li quickly understood the key point – Mount Lingxiu’s main camp was divided between the Mo Family and Great Chu troops. These remnant Great Chu troops naturally couldn’t match the Mo Family Army in combat ability or other aspects, and some might have given up completely. Zhou Min had just taken command, and probably couldn’t control them well.

Suppressing her anger, Ye Li said calmly, “Let’s go in and see.”

When their group appeared at the main gate, the guards who had been playing drinking games finally remembered their duty and hurriedly stood up, asking sternly, “Who goes there?”

Ye Li asked solemnly, “Where is General Zhou?”

Seeing a young and beautiful woman among the arrivals, the guard felt some contempt. He waved his hand and said, “This is a military camp, how dare a mere woman ask questions? Leave quickly.”

“Insolent!” Qin Feng said sternly. “Princess Ding has arrived, quickly tell General Zhou to come to receive her.”

The guards were stunned, looked Ye Li’s group up and down, and burst out laughing, “You say she’s Princess Ding? A frail young girl daring to impersonate Princess Ding, how audacious! I think you must be Northern Rong spies!” Princess Ding’s reputation was too great, but few had seen Ye Li. And Ye Li’s appearance was quite deceptive – in the night, she did look like a delicate young lady from a noble family.

“If she’s Princess Ding, wouldn’t that make me Prince Ding?” one guard said proudly.

“Insolent!” Qin Feng’s expression changed violently. Before the guards could see how he moved, he had already grabbed the one who had just spoken and thrown him hard against the gate. The man immediately spat out blood. He looked up in horror to find a gleaming sword at his throat. Qin Feng smiled coldly and said, “Quite bold, do you want to die?”

The others were also frightened by this sudden change, immediately crying out in alarm, forgetting even the enemy attack signals and war drums. Ye Li’s group frowned even more deeply at this sight.

Soon the camp became even more lively. Many soldiers hurried over, but they were all in disarray. Seeing that it wasn’t enemy troops at the main gate but rather several outstanding-looking men and women, they were all at a loss for what to do. Until a drunken officer-like person walked over, the gate guards hurriedly went forward to report, “General, these people are impersonating Princess Ding and trying to force their way into camp…”

“Wh-what? How dare they…” Just as the officer was about to rage, a piece of black jade was held before his eyes. Zhuo Jing said coldly, “Look carefully.”

The officer suddenly widened his eyes, looking at the imposing character of “Ding” on the black jade tablet. His legs went weak, “Pr-Princess Ding?”

Ye Li stepped forward, looking at him calmly, and said, “Who are you? State your name clearly. Where is General Zhou?”

The officer hurriedly said, “This general… was originally the Commander of Great Chu’s Luo Prefecture, Sun Yao Wu. Zhou Min… General Zhou’s main camp is still ten li from here.” It turned out that since Zhou Min and Sun Yao Wu had been ordered to guard this place together, the Mo Family Army and these Great Chu remnant troops had never gotten along. These remnant troops had been beaten terribly by the Northern Rong and were almost useless on the battlefield. If not for concerns about them causing trouble for civilians if left to wander, they would have been dismissed from service long ago.

Zhou Min had just taken independent command and lacked authority. The Mo Family Army’s strict discipline was manageable, but he couldn’t control these Great Chu remnant troops. Having no choice, Zhou Min gave up expecting anything from them and just had them camp ten li behind the battlefield, while he led fifty thousand Mo Family soldiers to guard the front against the Northern Rong. Being close to Flying Hong Pass, where Yuan Pei had over two hundred thousand troops stationed, it wasn’t too difficult.

Even Ye Li was quite angry at this situation. If she hadn’t insisted on coming to Mount Lingxiu, this place might have been the first to cause problems when the armies engaged.

“This general didn’t know of the Princess’s arrival and couldn’t welcome you from afar, please forgive me. Please rest in the camp first, this general will immediately send someone to summon General Zhou.” Sun Yao Wu’s fighting ability was unknown, but his skill at flattery was quite practiced. Ye Li was displeased and was about to refuse and head to Zhou Min’s camp when the sound of orderly hoofbeats came from afar. In moments, a middle-aged man led on horseback, stopped at the gate, dismounted, and approached Ye Li. Lifting his battle robe, he knelt on one knee, “This general Zhou Min greets the Princess.”