Boom. BOOM!
The thunderous rhythm of two thousand five hundred marching boots echoed through the terrain as the army sped toward the Qi clan's northern gates.
"Faster! We must move faster!" bellowed Huayen, his face a mask of strained pain. He knew his men were trapped at the northern gate, caught between advancing and retreating.
BOOM! BOOM!
Spurred by his command,the army quickened its pace, determination etched on every soldier's face.
The northern gates drew closer with each step, but they were not the only ones in a race against time.
---
PATRIARCH!
A familiar guard rushed into the hall, his expression flustered and grave.
"Speak," Qi Lantian commanded, his voice like grinding metal.
"The spies surveilling the enemy army report they are now advancing on the northern gates with great speed and fanfare."
"Hmmmmmm." A low, thoughtful hum escaped Qi Lantian's lips. "So, their patience has finally run out," he whispered, the words for his ears alone.
After a moment of intense thought, he declared, "There will be a change of plans."
"Understood, Patriarch. I await your command," the guard responded with solemn respect.
"How many of our hunters have returned from pursuing the scattered Sword Spirit Sect disciples?"
"About one hundred, no more," the guard reported heavily.
"Order the remaining forces to converge on the northern gate instead of returning here. If they sight the enemy, they are to follow at a distance and report their movements regularly."
"Understood."
"The garrison awaiting at the border is to inch closer to the northern gates," Qi Lantian ordered, his tone heavy.
"But, Patriarch... if our garrison moves so slowly, we will be late! The enemy will breach our borders and slaughter Qi Mo's men and our citizens! Surely their panic is a lesser concern than their lives?" The guard's question was difficult, beads of sweat tracing paths down his forehead.
"They will not be late," Qi Lantian said quietly. "If it were only Fen Jeuchen and Huayen, there would be a ninety percent chance you are correct. But there is an uncommon factor we can use to our advantage: Sword Spirit Sect Master Hua Piao."
"What does the Patriarch mean?"
"Hua Piao is a calm, benevolent man, consumed by his pursuit of the sword. He would not allow guilt to cloud his judgment so easily, nor would he sacrifice so many of his men without an immense incentive. Fen Jeuchen must have offered him something powerful enough to justify this attack."
"A chance... at a breakthrough?" the guard whispered, his pupils shrinking to pinpricks.
"Precisely. A chance at a breakthrough. That is the bait Fen Jeuchen used."
"But Patriarch, how does this help us in the war?" the guard asked, confused.
"It will be of great use, even after they have crossed our border."
"Why?"
"Burdened by the guilt for his lost disciples, Hua Piao will not allow a full assault to begin until he sees me. He will demand to state his case, to give a reason for this bloodshed. In his heart, the only way to atone is to spare lives and prevent a massacre. So, we will not be late. They will be waiting for us."
"The Patriarch's wisdom is profound," the guard said, his voice filled with admiration for his leader's insight.
"Go. Complete your tasks." Qi Lantian waved a dismissive hand.
"Understood!" The guard bowed deeply and swiftly left the hall.
---
Boom. BOOM!
The sound of marching boots intensified as the army closed the final distance to the Qi clan's northern gates.
"Faster!" Huayen shouted, sweat streaming down his brow, his body wracked with a pain he desperately tried to conceal.
BOOM! BOOM!
They pushed forward,driven by urgency.
Though Huayen had steeled himself for the potential loss of his five hundred Beast Flame Sect disciples, that did not mean he wished for their deaths. No sane commander would casually throw away five hundred lives. He was pouring every ounce of his strength into reaching them in time.
"Relax, Huayen. The Qi clan forces will not reach the gate before us," Fen Jeuchen said, attempting to calm the agitated commander.
"How can you be so sure?" Huayen snapped.
Fen Jeuchen's eyes flickered toward Hua Piao. "I am certain the old fox Qi Lantian has already received word of our approach. But I am equally sure he is waiting for us to arrive first."
Hua Piao's trademark calm had vanished, replaced by a furrowed brow and a silent, internal war between duty and guilt. If Qi Lantian had deduced Hua Piao's state of mind, so too had the cunning Fen Jeuchen.
Huayen grunted in dissatisfaction at the non-answer. "Hmph!"
BOOM! BOOM!
Finally, after hours of relentless marching, the open northern gates loomed before them, the dark entrance yawning wide as if in mock welcome.
Seeing the relief army, Qi Mo rasped out a tired sigh and slumped to the ground, utterly exhausted.
Fen Jeuchen's gaze swept over the five hundred Beast Flame Sect disciples with cold indifference, noting only one was heavily injured. He then turned his attention to the weary Qi Mo, his expression darkening.
"Don't rest. I still have a use for you."
Qi Mo's face twisted in ugly defiance. "What do you mean? I've already betrayed the clan I served for decades! I've killed brothers who trusted me, my best friends! I opened the gates as we agreed! What more could you possibly want?"
Fen Jeuchen's face darkened like the bottom of a pot. He moved in a blur, a gust of wind scattering the disciples supporting Qi Mo. A hand clamped around Qi Mo's throat, lifting him high into the air.
"You have lost the right to disagree, Qi Mo," Fen Jeuchen hissed, his eyes boring into the other man's, which were wide with shock and fear. "I did not force you to betray your clan. Do you think your life is your own now? Do you believe you can scurry back to the Qi clan like a dog returning to its vomit? Do you think Qi Lantian would spare the rat who caused a massacre within his walls? He would cleanse his house of a disloyal cur the moment he had the chance."
He tightened his grip, making the bones in Qi Mo's neck pop. "So, 'Elder' Qi Mo of the soon-to-be-destroyed clan, I ask again: do you think you have any choice? You are nothing but a tool for my use, a doll for my amusement. You will follow my orders. Do you understand?!"
Fen Jeuchen's shout was accompanied by a bloodthirsty aura he had long suppressed. Dense killing intent flooded the area, so palpable it forced everyone present to take an involuntary step back.
"Ughh... Ughhh..." Qi Mo choked, the air in his lungs depleted. His face turned a deep shade of purple, veins bulging on his forehead like snakes. His body shuddered violently under the intimate terror of imminent death.
"P-p...le...ase..." he rasped, his vision darkening, his struggles ceasing as unconsciousness beckoned.
"Tsk." Fen Jeuchen snorted derisively and threw Qi Mo hard to the ground, turning his back as he reined in his murderous aura.
"Cough! Cough-cough!" Qi Mo gasped, blood-tinged spittle flying from his lips as he rubbed his bruised throat, his entire body trembling uncontrollably.
"You will stay here with the Beast Flame Sect men," Fen Jeuchen commanded coldly, not even bothering to look back. "Act as if you are still on their side, bravely holding us back. Your current... condition... is very convincing. When Qi Lantian's army attacks, you will turn on them from within. Sow confusion in their ranks, and we will secure an easy victory. Understood?"
Silence.
Fen Jeuchen slowly turned, his brow furrowed. "I said... UNDERSTAND?!"
"Y-y-yes!" Qi Mo stammered, his voice raw with terror.
"Good." A sinister smile finally cracked Fen Jeuchen's stony features.
"Wait, why are we waiting for Qi Lantian's army?" Huayen interjected angrily, the armor grating on both his body and spirit with every passing second. "We have the advantage now!"
"Why don't you ask your friend?" Fen Jeuchen nodded toward Hua Piao, who stood quietly, his brow furrowed as if he had witnessed nothing of the preceding violence.
"Hua Piao!" Huayen's shout jolted the Sect Master from his thoughts.
He looked around, seeming to notice their location for the first time. "Oh... we've arrived."
"Yes, some time ago! What are you doing, drifting off in the middle of a war?" Huayen's voice was, as ever, incapable of being quiet.
"I was thinking... perhaps we should not attack first. It is best to wait for Qi Lantian to come to us. We can force him to surrender the Pure Eagle Core and prevent mass casualties on both sides." Hua Piao's gaze lingered on his depleted Sword Spirit Sect disciples. "Qi Lantian is a smart man. I am sure he will know how to yield when the odds are against him."
Huayen looked from Fen Jeuchen back to Hua Piao in confusion. "Hua Piao, you're one of the wisest men I know. You, of all people, should know Qi Lantian would rather die than yield! The two of you competed fiercely in your youth!"
"That was then, Huayen. People change. Qi Lantian now carries the weight of thousands of clan members' lives. I doubt he would risk them all for pride alone." Hua Piao seemed to be trying to convince himself as much as his friend.
"People do not change so easily, Hua Piao. I urge you to reconsider."
"My mind is made up. I am obstinate on this matter."
"Haaaah..." Huayen sighed in defeat, yielding as he always did to his best friend, the weight of his owed favor heavy upon him. "I guess it's decided, then."
Fen Jeuchen watched the exchange with a satisfied glint in his eyes. Huayen would have argued for hours, but Hua Piao needed only a word.
"So, it is decided. We wait. Qi Mo, Beast Flame Sect men, hold your positions!" Fen Jeuchen commanded, standing with his hands clasped behind his back, an imposing figure exuding an aura of inevitable victory.
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