Corpses piled into mounds, daring to match the city’s height.

The barbarians trampled upon the mountain of corpses of common people from the thirteen provinces, carrying earth bags, climbing ever higher under cover of dense rain of arrows, then using eagle-claw hooks to scale upward.

The ropes twisted from iron wire were difficult to sever at once. Combined with sharp hooked blades embedded in the city wall from the barbarian scaling ladders, the Yongzhou army atop the wall fell into chaos, caught unprepared.

Battering rams struck the city gate again and again. Yongzhou infantry in the barbican struggled to hold them back.

War drums and horns transmitted distantly from the front. Endless earth-shaking shouts continued. The city’s common people had all been settled at the very rear of the city. Medicinal soup bubbled continuously on stoves.

Qin Jixun had left one squadron as a final defensive line—both to protect the city’s common people and to prevent civilians from causing unrest through panic.

“Young Lady Ni, these are all the lanterns from my shop.” The lantern shop proprietor wiped sweat from his brow, pointing to the handcart behind him.

Beside him stood proprietors selling incense candles and coffins. They had also used handcarts to bring all the inventory from their shops.

“Thank you all.”

Ni Su stepped forward, bowing to them, then took out a stack of paper money.

“At a time like this, when we don’t even know if we’ll live, what use are these notes…” The incense shop proprietor shook his head with a bitter smile. “Young Lady Ni, it’s not necessary.”

“They’re useful.”

Ni Su pressed the paper money into their hands. “We must believe in the soldiers defending our city. They won’t admit defeat, so neither should we.”

The sounds of slaughter from ahead made this section of streets and lanes seem even more deathly quiet. The clan leaders of the Qin and Wei families both sat silently beneath eaves, leaning on their canes. Hearing these words, both simultaneously raised their eyes to look at that woman in the distance.

No one knew what she wanted these things for at such a time.

They only saw her and the youth who often followed her—one person carrying lanterns, one carrying incense candles. Then they sat on the ground and used fire starters to light candles.

Most of the lanterns Ni Su requested were sky lanterns. After she and Qingqiong lit one, they supported it as they stood. Cold wind blew her veil. Her short hair tangled at her temples. She and Qingqiong released their hands simultaneously. A sky lantern followed the wind, slowly ascending.

“Miss Ni.”

Qingqiong watched the lantern drift forward with the wind toward Yongzhou’s city gate. “At least today the wind is helping us.”

“Yes.”

Ni Su looked up at that lamp.

She couldn’t follow Xu Hexue to the front. This meant he would inevitably suffer again from the prohibitions.

But even so,

She was unwilling to let herself become his punishment.

“Young Lady Ni, are you lighting sky lanterns to pray for blessings?” Zhong Niangzi’s husband was helping soldiers move objects at the front to block roads. She was extremely worried. “Can I join you?”

Ni Su nodded. “But I’ll light the candles.”

Nearly all the young men in the city were absent. The clan leaders of the Qin and Wei families had called them to defend the city alongside the Yongzhou army. For a time, civilians worrying about relatives and feeling anxious in their hearts all came forward to release sky lanterns without prior arrangement.

Their hearts had nowhere to rest hopes except in a single lamp, allowing heavenly deities to see, allowing heavenly deities to show mercy.

Above the city tower, sky lanterns filled the firmament.

The city gate was breached by the barbarians’ battering ram. Danqiu cavalry rushed into the barbican. Yongzhou soldiers stationed in tunnels beneath the barbican quickly emerged. Both sides worked together to pull up horse barriers buried beneath the dust. The barbarian cavalry charging at the front tumbled with men and horses overturned. Soldiers atop the barbican wall seized the opportunity to fire crossbows. Iron arrows flew out with sounds like crows, piercing through barbarian chests.

The Yongzhou army’s fifteen-hundred-pace crossbows had become an enormous deterrent to the barbarians. But after defending the city for twenty days, the Yongzhou army had few iron arrows remaining. The barbican’s soldiers couldn’t hold out long before barbarians broke through the barbican gate.

“My Danqiu warriors! Rush in and kill all the Qi people!” Tuoda held a golden blade, shouting loudly as he led troops charging into the city. Looking inside, he saw the broad street blocked and piled mountain-high with heavy objects made from complicated wooden and stone materials—corridor pillars, rockery, stone lions, even furniture like tables and chairs.

With the forward path blocked, Tuoda cursed and looked toward the long lanes on both sides of the road. He immediately directed soldiers: “Quickly, scatter and take detours!”

Unable to move those heavy objects for the moment, the barbarians had no choice but to ride horses into the lanes. Leading a cavalry force, Tuoda had just entered a lane opening when he unexpectedly came face-to-face with a Yongzhou force.

Tuoda assessed them—merely several dozen in number. The Qi soldier at the very front held an armor-piercing spear. Behind him were left and right squads. The Qi soldiers at the front of each flank held shields. Those behind either held armor-piercing spears or crossbows. At the very rear were people holding trident-forks.

Tuoda sneered coldly. Could such few people hope to block them?

“Kill!”

He directed cavalry to charge forward.

“Scatter!”

At Duan Rong’s shout, soldiers on both flanks immediately pressed against the brick walls on both sides of the lane, leaving no gaps.

The barbarian crossbow bolts fired in unison. The Yongzhou soldiers at the very front immediately used long shields for cover while crouching and moving forward several steps. The soldiers behind them holding crossbows immediately collected the barbarian arrows. When the barbarian arrow rain settled, the front soldiers moved their long shields aside. They raised crossbows and shot toward the barbarians’ war horses.

They targeted only horse legs and bellies, shooting continuously.

Most barbarian war horses were injured, neighing as they either knelt down or fell sideways. Tuoda had no choice but to order cavalry to retreat and send infantry forward instead.

As soon as infantry approached, the Yongzhou crossbowmen immediately stopped shooting and retreated several steps. Soldiers wielding armor-piercing spears stepped forward, coordinating with shield bearers to thrust spears forward through gaps.

Simultaneously, soldiers in the rear holding trident-forks watched for opportunities, extending their weapons to parry enemy weapons.

Seeing his infantry unable to advance even an inch—even having weapons hooked away by Qi trident-forks and bodies pierced by armor-piercing spears—Tuoda again ordered archers to shoot. But Duan Rong reacted promptly, ordering all soldiers to crouch. Long shields pressed heavily against the ground, fitting seamlessly together to block incoming arrows.

Seeing them half-crouching and advancing step by step, the barbarian infantry momentarily hesitated, retreating one step, then another.

“Don’t retreat!”

Tuoda roared angrily. With one swing of his golden blade, he severed the head of a soldier near him who had retreated several steps. The barbarian soldiers immediately dared not retreat further, fighting desperately forward.

But the lane was truly difficult for maneuvering. With just several dozen Yongzhou soldiers arranged in such a formation, they blocked the road tight. Though barbarians made several attempts to break through, they never got close. Instead they suffered considerable losses.

Several dozen men actually consumed several hundred of Tuoda’s forces.

Duan Rong led his soldiers maintaining their formation, driving Tuoda and his men out of the lane opening. Yet they didn’t take advantage to push forward and fight—instead they retreated back into the lane to continue holding firm.

All usable rafters, boulders, even household items from civilians’ homes throughout the city—any heavy objects—had been used to seal streets tightly.

Barbarian soldiers who rushed into the city could only advance through the lanes leading in all directions. Yelu Zhen hadn’t anticipated that after breaking through Yongzhou’s city gate, he would be passively trapped in lane warfare.

“The Qi people are divinely skilled! We can’t advance an inch, General!”

Some barbarian soldiers lost their composure.

Yelu Zhen’s brow furrowed tightly. His gaze swept around. Nearly all lanes had been arranged by Qi people into that strange formation. They sometimes concealed themselves. When Danqiu warriors rushed forward, they would suddenly charge from the lane’s end, catching people off guard.

“General, what should we do? Please give orders!” At this moment Tuoda had also lost the smugness he’d shown upon first entering the city. Having been repelled by Duan Rong several times, he now returned to Yelu Zhen’s side.

“Nothing but death throes!” Yelu Zhen snorted coldly, shouting loudly, “Leave one group of warriors to clear obstacles! As long as you clear one street, that’s enough! Everyone else, continue the charge with me!”

Shen Tongchuan held his precious sword, protected by personal guards, standing atop a tall building looking down at the activity ahead from afar. Only now did he finally understand why Young Master Ni said that even with the city broken, every street and lane was still a battlefield.

Using such few men in lane warfare formations actually had the miraculous effect of consuming many enemies.

The Yongzhou defenders fought barbarians in lane warfare for an entire day, consuming nearly ten thousand of the barbarian forces. But as barbarians cleared obstacles from one street clean, they ultimately had to engage in direct confrontation.

“Warriors of the Yongzhou army!”

Qin Jixun held his pine-pattern precious blade, arrayed at the front. “We can retreat no further! Behind us are our common people! Among them are your parents, wives, and children! If we fear battle, no one will protect those elderly, weak women and children! In battle—don’t fear the enemy, don’t fear death! Sons, follow me and kill!”

“Kill!”

Wei Dechang waved his blade and roared.

The Yongzhou army erupted in earth-shaking shouts, engaging in chaotic combat with the oncoming Danqiu barbarians.

Yang Tianzhe gripped his blade tightly, hacking away. Fresh blood splattered on his armor. His eyes nearly turned red with killing fury. Meanwhile Qin Jixun encountered Yelu Zhen astride his horse amid the chaos. Spears clashed. The two fought desperately on horseback.

Countless barbarians surged forward fiercely. Xu Hexue sat on Shuangge’s back, raising his sword to strike down several barbarian soldiers from their horses. He pulled the reins and Shuangge reared and galloped forward.

Yelu Zhen’s subordinate general Tuoda seized a mounted archer’s crossbow, aimed at Sun Yanli fighting desperately amid the formation, and shot an arrow that pierced through Sun Yanli’s back.

“Yanli!”

Yang Tianzhe watched helplessly as Sun Yanli fell heavily, eyes wide open, motionless. Yang Tianzhe’s eyes nearly split with rage. He roared, his horizontal blade severing the head of the barbarian soldier before him, then charged toward Tuoda.

Tuoda’s crossbow aimed at Yang Tianzhe. One arrow missed. Just as he prepared to shoot again, he saw cold light flash and hoofbeats approach. That young man in white robes with face covered by a long scarf swung his long sword. Tuoda hastily leaned back but was pierced in the waist, falling from his horse.

Yang Tianzhe happened to charge forward at that moment. His long blade raised, Tuoda hastily drew his blade upward to block.

The Yongzhou army still maintained formation at the front. Soldiers lying in ambush atop city buildings poured fierce fire oil down, then threw torches. Flames and thick smoke erupted, burning barbarians amid endless screams. Fear grew momentarily and they retreated continuously.

“Don’t retreat! Cowards will be dealt with by military law! They’re at the end of their strength! Today we will take this city!” Yelu Zhen responded to Qin Jixun’s offensive while issuing military orders.

His voice was resonant and composed, forcing panicked barbarian soldiers to barely steady their hearts and launch fierce attacks on the Yongzhou army once more.

This battle continued for a long while. Both sides suffered enormous losses. The Yongzhou army’s arrows were exhausted. They gradually proved no match, retreating step by step. Wei Dechang was bathed entirely in blood, both arms wounded by barbarian golden blades, yet he still used all his strength to grip his blade tightly, unwilling to relax for a moment. “Elder Brother, what do we do? We…”

Sons of the Wei family army died before him one by one. Yet he couldn’t shed tears—he still had to force himself to keep up his spirits, gritting his teeth to fight desperately.

“As long as we have one breath left, Dechang, we cannot retreat.”

Qin Jixun’s hand gripping the blade was already trembling. His stalemate with Yelu Zhen had continued endlessly. At this moment he was nearly exhausted, his face almost entirely covered in bloodstains.

After defending the city for twenty days, they had exhausted all methods. Now they had finally reached a dead end.

This was truly despairing.

All the common people could hear the sounds of slaughter from ahead growing closer and closer. They supported each other to stand, embracing family members—both frightened and sorrowful. Many couldn’t help sobbing.

No one had any more heart to release lanterns, except Ni Su and Qingqiong. The two of them looked at the pitch-black firmament. The round moon hung at the horizon, scattering silvery-white radiance.

The soldiers protecting the common people stood with stiff spines, stern and ready.

On the street not far away was a trench dug by civilian laborers working together. It held water, blocking the great sheets of flame spreading continuously along buildings from ahead.

“Miss Ni, are you afraid of death?”

Firelight reflected in Qingqiong’s pitch-black pupils.

“Are you afraid?”

But Ni Su asked him instead.

“I know where people go after death. I know my father and mother are there. I’m not afraid of anything.” Cold wind blew Qingqiong’s headscarf loose. His bald head that he most feared people staring at was exposed. He didn’t hurry to adjust his headscarf as usual. “Actually, living also has many good things for me. I’ve seen the Underworld, so I still prefer the mortal world’s alternating day and night, steaming hot food, the rotating four seasons. My father taught me that if you can live, you must cherish life. No matter for what reason, you must treasure your own life. But if I must die, I’m actually quite happy, because for me, death is a rare reunion.”

Rolling thick smoke drifted over. Though wounded, Tuoda still moved like a fierce beast. Seeing the Yongzhou army retreating in panic, Tuoda laughed proudly several times, leading vanguard troops in a fierce charge.

—”BANG.”

Continuous roaring explosions suddenly rang out, detonating without warning amid the barbarian cavalry.

“It’s thunderbolt bombs!”

Some barbarian soldiers shouted in panic.

They had thought the Yongzhou army had no weapons left to use. Who knew they still had thunderbolt bombs—such fire weapons. One barbarian soldier after another caught fire, screaming endlessly as they burned.

Tuoda also caught fire, unable to extinguish it for the moment. Yang Tianzhe seized this opportunity, leading troops to turn back, tearing open a gap in Tuoda’s vanguard army from the side, scattering them.

With one blade stroke, Yang Tianzhe knocked Tuoda from horseback. With another stroke, he severed his throat.

Yelu Zhen painfully lost his subordinate general, yet stood somewhat dazed. Surveying all the Yongzhou army’s various formations today, his heart suddenly shuddered. He increasingly felt this manner of fighting resembled one person.

That person he’d only engaged once in combat, yet whose name he’d continuously heard from other royal court military commanders.

Amid firelight and thick smoke, Yelu Zhen saw that young man riding a white horse, wielding a long sword. Their gazes met. Yelu Zhen made as if to press his horse’s flanks and charge forward.

Did the Yongzhou army still have more tricks?

Yelu Zhen wasn’t certain, but he absolutely couldn’t retreat. He had to lead his warriors to seize this city, kill all the Yongzhou army, kill all the Qi people in this city.

He absolutely wouldn’t be like sixteen years ago when he’d entered the city only to be forcibly driven out by Miao Tianning.

He wanted to avenge his past humiliation.

“General! The Qi reinforcements have approached Yongzhou City!” A barbarian scout came galloping on horseback, shouting continuously as he ran. “The Qi reinforcements have approached Yongzhou City!”

Yelu Zhen’s mind roared.

He almost thought he’d heard wrong. He turned abruptly, roaring angrily, “What did you say?!”

“The Qi reinforcements are approaching Yongzhou City! We saw the Qi army’s banners! Continuous sheets like mountain ranges, General!” The scout’s face was nearly bloodless.

“What about the Nanyan tribe’s reinforcements!” Yelu Zhen grabbed his collar with one hand.

“I don’t know! We only saw the Qi army!”

For a moment, nearby barbarian soldiers who heard this all began panicking, their momentum suddenly weakening.

Yelu Zhen gripped the reins tightly with one hand. Looking back again, amid that firelight, the Yongzhou army was scattered and ragged, no longer presenting any threat. Unwillingness and resentment surged through his chest, yet he had no choice but to grit his teeth and order: “Withdraw!”

Yelu Zhen didn’t want to give up this Yongzhou City. This was his first battle after being reemployed after many years. This place was also his place of shame. He urgently wanted to grasp this Yongzhou City firmly in his hands. After besieging the city for twenty days, he’d finally broken through the city gate. Now he had no choice but to let go.

How could he not hate in his heart?

But there was no help for it. He had lost.

Yongzhou had waited for their reinforcements, while he, Yelu Zhen, hadn’t waited for Nanyan tribal reinforcements. But he also wasn’t afraid of failure. Right now, he had to first preserve his strength to break through the encirclement, hoping to fight again another day.

Yelu Zhen’s military order reached the front. The barbarian army suddenly restrained their offensive, turned direction, and fled rapidly toward the city gate. This brought Qin Jixun back to his senses—the reinforcements they’d desperately awaited for twenty days had arrived!

“Reinforcements have arrived! Reinforcements have arrived!” Wei Dechang’s voice was hoarse with exertion.

The Yongzhou army soldiers’ spirits lifted. One by one they shed their defeatist demeanor. Under Wei Dechang’s leadership, they pursued the Danqiu barbarians.

Outside, Tan Guangwen had already arrived with reinforcements, engaging in chaotic combat with barbarians rushing from the city gate. Xu Hexue rode out of the city on horseback, just seeing Yelu Zhen under protection of barbarian soldiers, leading a group of men tearing open a gap on the right side of Tan Guangwen’s battle formation, about to break through.

At the base of the city wall stood that piled mountain of corpses.

Those were common people from the thirteen provinces. Xu Hexue saw Yelu Zhen using remaining Qi slave laborers as hostages, forcing back a Qi squadron.

He pressed his horse’s flanks and charged forward with his sword.

Duan Rong led a force of troops, following close behind.

In the pitch-black firmament dotted with sky lantern after sky lantern like wandering celestial stars, beneath the sky hooves trampled the plains, dust and sand rising with the wind.

Xu Hexue retrieved the crossbow from his saddle. Shuangge reared. Like a warrior it galloped forward rapidly. Xu Hexue leaned slightly sideways on horseback and shot an arrow that pierced through a barbarian soldier’s chest.

Yelu Zhen immediately turned back.

In the cold night wind that made the long scarf on that white-robed young man’s face flutter, he heard such a frigid voice: “You barbarians—return our people.”

Duan Rong and the soldiers following behind heard it. Seeing those Qi slave laborers being dragged by ropes by the barbarians, the ground nearly marked by long blood trails, they desperately chased forward, roaring angrily: “You barbarians—return our people!”

“Return our people!”

“Return our people!”