The death of the three scholars from the noble families didn't attract much attention. On the city walls, both sides were locked in a fierce battle, the sound of blades clashing, the ringing of weapons, all relentless. Moreover, Ning Zhao's intervention was swift—almost in the blink of an eye, she ended the fight with ease, as if it were a mere brushstroke, a fleeting touch. Enhanced by spiritual energy, Ning Zhao had entered the realm of a grandmaster martial artist. Even though her control over spiritual energy wasn't perfect, she could effortlessly slay second-rate warriors.
Yue's eyes widened in shock. How strong! Sister Ning Zhao had become too strong! Stronger even than the average grandmaster. If it had been her, she would have barely been able to block a single strike from Ning Zhao. Ni Yu's face flushed crimson, gripping her umbrella tightly, her eyes wide with disbelief. Wow, amazing!
Lu Fan sat in his wheelchair, his face expressionless. It was his first time witnessing a death, and he wasn't quite used to it... but he knew he would have to get used to it. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Living in a chaotic world meant accepting its rules.
"Young Master, if you don't want to see the bloodshed, just cover your eyes," Ning Zhao whispered softly in Lu Fan's ear, her long hair falling gracefully around her face.
Lu Fan paused, then smiled faintly. "Your young master is not that fragile."
"Ning Jie, take me to the city walls."
"Yue, open the city gates."
Lu Fan gently tapped the wool blanket draped over his knees. "Yes, Young Master." Ning Zhao replied with a gentle smile.
Yue's eyes glinted with sharpness as she flicked her whip. With a surge of energy, she sprang over the pile of corpses. Lu Fan turned his head, catching Ni Yu's eyes as she glared at him. He clapped his hands and chuckled.
"Little Ni, hold the umbrella steady."
"Your Young Master's uncontainable handsomeness cannot be exposed to the sun."
Ning Zhao, pushing the wheelchair, froze for a moment. Ni Yu rolled her eyes. "Young Master... how shameless."
To ascend the city walls from the ground below, there was no gentle slope for a wheelchair—only a narrow staircase wide enough for one person. At that moment, the stairs were littered with corpses.
"Young Master, hold on tight," Ning Zhao reminded.
Lu Fan raised an eyebrow. The next moment, Ning Zhao's delicate hand smacked the back of the wheelchair, her small foot stepping forward. The flowing white silk skirt billowed as she effortlessly lifted the wheelchair, ascending the steps as if levitating.
In just a few steps, they reached the top of the wall. Ni Yu hurriedly closed the umbrella and grumbled, crawling up the steps behind them. She was exhausted, swearing to herself that after today, she would definitely work harder at martial arts.
The sound of the wooden wheels hitting the ancient bricks of the city wall echoed as they reached the top. By now, the battle on the wall was nearly over. Neither side had gained a clear advantage and was locked in a standoff. Lu Chang Kong's trusted general, Luo Yue, led the city's defenders, while the three noble families' forces stood in their own formation on the wall. Ning Zhao brought Lu Fan up, and as they emerged from the ladder, they found themselves directly in the middle of the tense standoff, positioned near the three noble families' troops.
Their appearance, though inadvertent, immediately drew the attention of everyone present. The atmosphere turned awkward and strange, thick with the scent of blood and the tension of drawn swords.
"Ah, Young Master, Ning Jie... wait up, Little Ni!" Ni Yu huffed, her face red from the effort, clutching the umbrella with one hand as she scrambled to catch up.
Once atop the wall, she leaned on the umbrella, her hands on her waist, trying to catch her breath. Climbing the several dozen steps to the top had left her utterly winded.
"Master!" A chilling scream suddenly rang out. Ni Yu nearly dropped her umbrella in fright, as the sound reverberated across the battlefield.
A blood-soaked sword was raised by one of Lu Chang Kong's trusted generals, who screamed in terror. They all recognized Lu Fan—the son of Lu Chang Kong, their Young Master. However, this Young Master, paralyzed and unable to walk, had appeared on the city wall. The city wall was a deadly battleground now, and his presence there was akin to a sheep walking into a den of tigers!
Meanwhile, the forces of the three noble families also reacted in shock and elation.
"Isn't that Lu Chang Kong's crippled son, the one from the Lu family?"
"Hahaha! If we capture him, control of Beilu City will be ours!"
"Be careful, the maid assigned to him by Lu Chang Kong is a first-rate martial artist!"
Within the ranks of the three noble families, several scholars and warriors exchanged glances, their eyes gleaming with greed.
Boom!
But this uproar lasted only a moment. On the city wall, the air was thick with bloodlust as warriors from the three families darted toward Lu Fan. But on the other side, Lu Chang Kong's loyal warriors surged forward to protect him.
Lu Fan, now the target of both sides, remained calm. Though the pressure from the oncoming energy caused his face to flush slightly, he wasn't panicking. The composure expected of him remained intact.
"Little Ni, hold the umbrella."
Lu Fan leaned back slightly, one hand resting on his chin, the other lightly holding the wool blanket draped across his knees.
Ni Yu hastily raised the umbrella, holding it firmly as her legs trembled, trying her best to shield Lu Fan from the sun.
"The three noble families have colluded with the enemy. Their crime is worthy of death."
"Cut off their heads and hang them on the city walls as a warning."
Lu Fan stared at the approaching warriors and spoke in a cold voice.
Ning Zhao's gaze sharpened like a hawk's, her movements instantaneous. With a flick of her wrist, her sword—thin as a cicada's wing—shot out of its scabbard again.
"A mere half-paralyzed cripple trying to put on airs!"
The first-rate warrior charging from the three noble families scoffed. He was none other than Chen He, the head of the Chen family, a man who had once studied Confucianism under the national teacher. On ordinary days, he appeared as a scholar, but today, he looked terrifying.
Ning Zhao remained as cold as ice, her movements swift and graceful, her sword flashing like a streak of lightning. Chen He didn't loosen his grip, as he knew Ning Zhao was the first-rate martial artist assigned to protect Lu Fan.
Ning Zhao and Chen He were both first-rate warriors, but as a man, Chen He had the advantage. However, he underestimated Ning Zhao's speed. The two met with a clash—an explosive shock resonated, and Ning Zhao's power surged. Her sword struck with the force of a thousand-pound hammer, shattering Chen He's grip. His sword flew from his hand, and before he could even scream, Ning Zhao's sword severed his head.
His head flew into the air, landing at Luo Yue's feet like a ball. Chen He's body, meanwhile, was kicked aside by Ning Zhao as if he were a discarded rag.
With a single strike, Ning Zhao had killed a first-rate martial artist. It seemed almost trivial to her.
Her delicate steps resounded on the city wall, her lithe body moving with the grace of a lotus in bloom, as her sword hummed with power, aiming for the other two heads of the noble families.
"Grandmaster martial artist?!"
"A madman! Lu Chang Kong is insane!"
"To have a grandmaster as a maid? Lu Chang Kong, you old trickster!"
The sudden death of the Chen family's head shocked the others. Fear and anger spread through their ranks. The other two family heads turned to flee. From the speed and power of Ning Zhao's strike, it was clear she wasn't just an ordinary grandmaster!
Holding her thin sword, Ning Zhao's eyes gleamed coldly.
"Young Master has sentenced you to death today."
"Now, go ahead and die."
In the next moment, a surge of light blue spiritual energy coursed through her, propelling her toward the fleeing family heads.
Pshhh!
A fountain of blood erupted into the air as Ning Zhao's sword lightly brushed the two heads off. Like Chen He's head, the severed heads rolled to Luo Yue's feet, perfectly aligned.
Their bodies crumpled helplessly to the ground.
On the city wall, Ning Zhao stood tall, holding her sword, her silk dress fluttering in the wind, her black hair cascading down like a waterfall. The warriors and soldiers on the wall were left in stunned silence.
Luo Yue stood in disbelief, staring at the neatly arranged heads at his feet. "This girl… did she take some kind of medicine? How is she this strong?"
At that moment, below the city walls…
Creek!
The deafening sound of the city gates opening rang out.
Yue had managed to pry open the massive gates, though the weight was heavy. Still, as a second-rate martial artist, her energy poured into the gates, prying them open just wide enough.
Outside, Lu Chang Kong, atop his horse, saw the gap in the gates and his eyes flashed with delight.
"My son is safe! I am going to crush the three noble families!"
"Attack! All units, forward!"
Lu Chang Kong ordered with a cold smile.