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Liang City, Lord's Mansion.
Fan Zeng sat firmly on the ground, examining the Bamboo Slip on the Table, his brow furrowed, his eyes slightly red and swollen, filled with bloodshot veins, and he was coughing heavily. The small finger of his right hand was in a state of decay, with visible white bone, rendering it completely useless.
"Uh..."
After a low sigh, Fan Zeng raised his head and said softly, "Guard, come here and give me your dagger."
"My lord, what are you—?"
The guard was surprised but still obeyed Fan Zeng, raising his hand to pass over the short sword at his waist.
Fan Zeng suddenly drew the short sword and swung it swiftly. With a sharp "crack," the entire small finger was severed, blood gushing forth in a gruesome sight.
"My lord!!"
The guard gasped in horror and hurried forward to take out a piece of cloth to bandage Fan Zeng's wound, speaking solemnly, "My lord, why must you do this? A few days ago, you borrowed the power of Star Arts. Could it be that you truly intend to harm yourself?"
Fan Zeng forced a smile and trembled as he replied, "The power of the stars is the mandate of heaven and earth; how can mortals misuse it? I have invoked Star Arts, and moreover, I have killed so many innocent civilians. I have already provoked the wrath of heaven and earth. To pay with just one finger is truly too lenient for me. Alas, everything is for Yuer. If he can achieve great things and save countless lives from suffering, then what does it matter if my old bones are cast into the wilderness?"
The guard lowered his head and clasped his fists, saying, "My lord, it is indeed a great fortune for General Xiang to have your assistance!"
Fan Zeng nodded with a smile and asked, "Has there been any news from Overlord Cavalry? What movements are there from Ye Yang in the direction of Yanmen County?"
The guard shook his head.
A hint of anxiety appeared in Fan Zeng's eyes.
At that moment, a rider suddenly arrived in haste. The messenger dismounted and rushed into the lord's mansion, kneeling on one knee and speaking softly, "My lord, we have received reports from Yanmen County. Fifty thousand troops from Hengshan County are camped outside the city with no movements. However, three thousand Vermilion Bird Knights have mysteriously vanished without a trace."
Fan Zeng immediately stood up and said, "What about the direction of the Azure Cloud Mountain Range? I sent scouts; have they seen Ye Yang's army passing through there?"
The messenger shook his head. "No, until noon, there were still no Qi Land troops passing through the valleys our scouts were monitoring. This indicates that Ye Yang's thirty thousand Vermilion Bird Iron Cavalry have entered the Azure Cloud Mountain Range area."
"What?!"
Fan Zeng was shocked. He calculated with his fingers, and his murky eyes were filled with rage as he shouted, "It's over; those five thousand Overlord Cavalry are doomed. Quickly! Assemble the troops and gather forces to rescue Ji Bu and the others at Yanmen County!"
"Yes!"
Before the guard could leave, Fan Zeng shook his head again. "Forget it; it's already too late. Immediately order people to build fortifications ten miles in front of the camp, dig traps and deer horns, and send a thousand defected Qin Army soldiers to guard. Prepare for a retreat; Liang City is likely beyond saving..."
The guard's face turned pale as he tentatively asked, "Lord Fan, our five thousand Overlord Cavalry are commanded by General Ji Bu, known for his Divine Weapon. How could such an elite force just vanish? General Ji Bu is a peerless expert with Starry Sky Level Two strength..."
Fan Zeng gritted his teeth, his beard bristling, filled with Starlight Power, and said angrily, "Even if Ji Bu is a Starry Sky Expert, Ye Yang was able to defeat Wei Kingdom's Peng Yue. Moreover, he has Zhang Tianhe from Beast God Valley and Yun Xiaoxi from Serene Gate by his side. Such strength is simply beyond what Ji Bu can withstand. We must prepare to retreat; whether General Ji Bu survives depends on his luck..."
"Yes, my lord, we will retreat immediately!"
...
In Qingshui Town Gorge, a brutal battle was underway. The sounds of horses neighing and soldiers' cries merged into one, filling the air with a bloody scent.
"Whoosh whoosh whoosh..."
Arrows rained down as dense iron arrows pierced through the bodies of Overlord Cavalry warriors. Although most arrows were deflected by their thick Armor, at the joints of the Armor, leather clothing could not withstand the penetrating force of the arrows. A large number of Overlord Cavalry soldiers suddenly bled profusely and fell into pools of blood along with their warhorses.
"Clang!"
Ye Yang drew the Sharp Sword, pointing it forward, and said in a deep voice, "Suppress them with a rain of arrows, shoot all the iron arrows from your quivers, do not hold back!"
Thirty thousand Vermilion Bird Knights shouted in unison, the sound of arrows leaving their bows rang out continuously. The powerful crossbows seemed almost bent as they unleashed a barrage of firepower. A group of Overlord Cavalry had no chance to fight back, only able to raise their shields to defend themselves, yet they continued to fall one after another!
"Heavenly Kill's Ye Yang, how dare you kill my Overlord Cavalry! General Xiang Yu will surely take your life!"
With a roar, Ji Bu raised his long-handled Battle Blade high above the crowd. Countless Azure Cyclones danced around him. As a Starry Sky Second-Stage General, his power was indeed astonishing. Countless Wind Elemental Star Powers gathered on the Battle Blade. Ji Bu suddenly threw the long blade, and it sliced through the crowd with a massive cyclone, Breaking Wind cleaving a bloody path down the Main Street!
Boom!
The energy from the long blade shattered dozens of Vermilion Bird Knights into pieces before crashing heavily onto the mountainside, with the blade almost entirely embedded in the rock. This incredible force left a group of Vermilion Bird Knights dumbfounded.
Ji Bu's imposing figure soared past like an arrow shot at the rocks. With a loud "crack," he single-handedly pulled the blade out and shouted, "Overlord Cavalry, follow me and carve out a bloody path!"
The mighty Starry Sky Warriors tore open a corner of Ye Yang's encirclement with a single strike; such power was indeed invaluable in war.
Unfortunately, Ji Bu was thinking too optimistically.
...
"Swish!"
A shadow shot forward, crashing against the rock in front of Ji Bu with a loud bang, shattering a boulder the size of a small hill. The black shadow was a spinning Warhammer, Zhang Tianhe's weapon. The handle of the Warhammer pulsed with starry gravitational forces as it suddenly lifted off the ground and returned to Zhang Tianhe's hand.
Standing majestically in mid-air, Zhang Tianhe wore a fierce Qin General's Battle Armor, his blood-red Cloak billowing behind him. He looked down and said in a low voice, "Ji Bu, do you still wish to leave here alive?"
Ji Bu roared back, "Zhang Tianhe, come and fight!"
The long sword surged forward as Ji Bu urged True Qi, delivering a powerful strike. Zhang Tianhe, not to be outdone, unleashed the energy of Pangu's Earth Splitter with a sudden, forceful blow from above using his Warhammer.
"Clang!"
Sparks flew, and the outcome was immediately clear. Ji Bu was forced back to the ground, his long sword trembling slightly in his grip, his arms numb from the impact. The energy contained within Zhang Tianhe's Warhammer, infused with the essence of Beast God Valley Ultimate Technique, had violently disrupted much of Ji Bu's True Qi, preventing him from quickly regaining his strength.
"General, we will hold these people off for you. You must leave quickly; as long as the green hills remain, we need not worry about firewood!" Several Overlord Cavalry members positioned themselves in front of Ji Bu.
With a fierce battle spirit, Ji Bu disregarded their warnings and shouted as he launched another attack. After exchanging blows with Zhang Tianhe in mid-air for seven consecutive strikes, even Zhang Tianhe was panting heavily. However, Ji Bu was in a far worse state; his arms were lacerated from the force of Beast Soul power. Zhang Tianhe activated Beast King Armor, creating a thorny vortex around him that inflicted significant damage on Ji Bu.
"Thud..."
Ji Bu stumbled to the ground and looked back at the nearly thousand remaining Overlord Cavalry members behind him, his eyes filled with rage. He shouted, "Brothers, it is my incompetence that has let you down and betrayed Brother Xiang Jie’s trust!"
A group of bloodied Overlord Cavalry members shouted in unison, "To follow the general is our greatest fortune in this life!"
Ji Bu raised his War Blade and chuckled, "Then... let us fight to the death together!"
"Fight to the death!" The Overlord Cavalry brandished their Battle Blades high.
...
At that moment, the ground trembled slightly, and the sky darkened. Suddenly, dust and debris swirled around as strange energies surged from beneath the earth, wrapping around Ji Bu's body. In an instant, Ji Bu had completely sunk into the ground and vanished!
"What... what was that?" Ye Yang exclaimed in shock.
Zhao Yun took a deep breath and said, "I have heard Elder Qingxuan mention it before; that is Qimen Dunjia from Star Arts. It must be that old thief Fan Zeng used earth escape to save Ji Bu. Truly despicable!"
Ye Yang clenched his iron fist and said calmly, "We lost a Ji Bu, but it's nothing. Hand me the sword; let’s wipe out this group of Overlord Cavalry! Fan Zeng will be like a beast without its claws after losing the Overlord Cavalry, and he is not to be feared!"
"Clang Clang Clang..."
The Vermilion Bird Knights drew their blades and charged forward without hesitation, launching a massacre against the already battered Overlord Cavalry. However, the bloodthirsty nature of the Overlord Cavalry was not to be underestimated; they fought back fiercely, causing significant damage to the Vermilion Bird Knights even as they continued to cut down their foes.
...
The cries of the wounded gradually ceased. Finally, after nearly an hour of battle, all five thousand Overlord Cavalry lay dead in the valley.
Ye Yang wiped the blood from the Azure Soul Sword and asked, "Wang Lie, have you counted the casualties?"
Wang Lie nodded. "In this battle, we killed 5,089 Overlord Cavalry. We lost 347 Vermilion Bird Knights, which is less than one-tenth of their losses. This counts as a great victory!"
Ye Yang nodded. "Good. Clean up the battlefield and return to Yanmen County. We will set off tonight to attack Fan Zeng's army at Liang City!"
"Yes!"
...
On a dark and windy night, the cold wind howled through the air like the wails of ghosts.
The iron hooves of warhorses were wrapped in thick cloth as Ye Yang rode his Crimson Flame Horse, leading fifty thousand Vermilion Bird Knights in a night raid on Liang City. Zhang Tianhe urged the supply troops carrying siege equipment such as catapults and ladders to follow behind with two thousand infantry for protection. Ye Yang's strategy was simple: use cavalry to clear out any living forces around the enemy's city before beginning the siege, then use Starry Sky Warriors to assist in climbing the walls with ladders for an efficient attack.
"Wait!"
Wang Lie suddenly raised his hand and looked ahead. "My lord, there are Chu Army fortifications over there!"
Ye Yang smiled lightly, and Blade pointed with a finger, saying in a low voice, "Liang City, Ye Yang commands eighty thousand troops to pass through here. You all should surrender quickly, otherwise, there will be no mercy!"
As a result, a group of Qin Soldiers who were building defensive fortifications knelt down, shouting, "Hero, spare our lives! We are just here to make a living; please let us go, and we are willing to surrender!"
Wang Lie was astonished, his mouth agape.
Ye Yang merely smiled faintly. He understood very well that at this moment, with Zhang Han defeated, the forty thousand troops he commanded were the most elite forces of the Qin State. Since even Zhang Han had been defeated, the remaining forces of the Qin State naturally had no will to fight. These soldiers had previously surrendered to Fan Zeng and showed no loyalty; now that Ye Yang's army was pressing down on them, they had even less reason to resist.
Having incorporated the former Qin Soldiers into the Firehead Army, Ye Yang did not dare to let these fearful individuals serve as combat troops. However, they could be useful for cooking. People naturally have their preferences; some enjoy the thrill of bloody battles while others prefer the comfort of cooking. Each has their own expertise...
When the army arrived at Liang City, they found the Governor already outside the city with the seal in hand, kneeling on the ground and loudly proclaiming, "General Ye Yang, please see! I am merely a city official and have never committed any heinous acts for the court. The gold and silver treasures in Liang City have already been swept away by Fan Zeng. What I can offer you is only this city of Liang..."
Ye Yang raised an eyebrow. "Fan Zeng has fled?"
"Yes, five hours ago, Fan Zeng led most of the Chu Army away, including fifteen thousand troops from this city. I hope you understand..."
Ye Yang nodded. "You will remain as Governor."
"Thank you very much!"
This time, Ye Yang took over Liang City but did not dare to let his army garrison inside; after all, he had learned from past experiences that Fan Zeng had gone to great lengths to defeat him and he could not be fooled again.
Leaving two thousand troops to guard Liang City, Ye Yang, Zhang Tianhe, Zhao Yun, and others split into five routes and led the Vermilion Bird Knights to launch a night raid on Yanmen County's outlying forts and cities such as Datong, Shan Yin, and Huairen. In one night, they nearly conquered all of Yanmen County. As a result, apart from Bright Moon Platform, Yanmen County had essentially fallen into Ye Yang's hands.
In the early morning hours, after a brief rest for the army, Ye Yang gathered fifty thousand Vermilion Bird Knights and marched eastward to attack Bright Moon Platform!
……
Bright Moon Platform.
"General, it's bad, it's bad..."
Messenger rushed in to report: "Ye Yang has led eighty thousand Iron Cavalry and breached our city gates. County City has fallen. As expected, Ye Yang will attack Bright Moon Platform at any moment!"
In the great hall, a martial general dressed in armor held a stunning beauty in his arms. With one hand gripping a Blade and the other lightly caressing the Beauty's soft and fragrant leg, he raised an eyebrow and shouted, "What is there to panic about? Bright Moon Platform is forged from solid Azure Steel, incredibly sturdy. I have provisions for a million and ten thousand elite soldiers guarding it. There is no need for concern!"
Messenger retreated with a nod.
……
On the other side, Chu Army Jagged Plains Camp.
"Report!"
A messenger rushed into the main camp and shouted, "I report to the general that Lord Fan Zeng has returned!"
"Oh?!"
Xiang Yu suddenly stood up, pressing his hand on the hilt of his sword as he stepped out of the camp. In the distance, he saw Fan Zeng kneeling on the ground with his hands bound, looking remorseful.
"Father Ya, what is the matter?"
"Yuer, Father Ya is incompetent. I fell for Ye Yang's scheme and lost five thousand Overlord Cavalry. I almost caused General Ji Bu to lose his life at Yanmen County!
"What?" Xiang Yu widened his eyes. "Even... even the strategies of Father Yafu have been defeated by Ye Yang?"
Fan Zeng nodded and said, "Yuer, Old Man is incompetent..."
Xiang Yu hurriedly helped Fan Zeng up and smiled, "Why does Father Yafu speak like this? Victory and defeat are common in warfare. Hmph, this afternoon, Zhang Han will open the city to surrender. By then, I will gain another two hundred thousand elite soldiers. With our forces pressing down, why should we fear a mere Ye Yang? Moreover, we still have a piece on the board that can balance against Ye Yang."
"Oh, a piece?" Fan Zeng was astonished.
Xiang Yu nodded and said, "Bring that disciple from Azure Scale Mountain here!"
...
Suddenly, the tent opened, and nearly a hundred soldiers carried in a massive stone about ten meters wide. On top of the stone sat a beautiful young girl entwined among green vines. She was unable to move as the vines grew from the stone peaks, binding her tightly.
Fan Zeng was taken aback. "This is... the Star-Collecting Formation I left for you?"
Xiang Yu nodded. "Yes, this girl is acquainted with Ye Yang and came to disrupt our army, even trying to persuade me to abandon my plans for slaughter. Hmph, thanks to the Star-Collecting Formation left by Father Yafu, otherwise it would have taken considerable effort to capture her!"
Fan Zeng's gaze turned cold. "Then let her be the bait to lure Ye Yang into our trap!"
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