"Understood."
Xu Bin accepted the order and lit the giant torch that had been prepared in advance atop the city wall. A burst of flame shot into the sky.
After finishing, Xu Bin frowned in doubt. "Old Xu, are you sure this was Lord Chen's order?"
"Of course it was the lord's instruction."
Xu Wencai shook his feather fan with a scholarly air and said seriously, "You must follow the plan exactly. Any mistake will be punished under military law."
"Stop pretending. Where the hell did you even get that fan?"
Zhu Tong snatched the fan away. "Tell me—what exactly did Shitou say to you?"
Now, only Zhu Tong still called him Shitou. No matter how many times Chen Sanshi corrected him, it stuck—making Zhu Tong the only one who still did.
"I picked it up off the ground when the gentry left the city! Give it back!"
Xu Wencai stretched his hand to grab it but couldn't reach. "Old Zhu, are you looking to face military punishment?!"
"Hmph!"
Zhu Tong returned the fan reluctantly. "Why the hell would Shitou give you this much authority?"
"Mr. Xu."
Sun Li's calm and cool voice cut through. "Are you sure this bluff will work? I still have to lead fifty cavalry outside the walls. There are 6,000 barbarians out there. We can defend the city, yes, but taking the initiative to attack—isn't that too risky?"
All day, everything had felt strange.
First, Xiang Tingchun had died mysteriously outside the city.
Then, the prefect, magistrate, and even Chen Sanshi himself had disappeared without a trace. It felt like something huge was about to happen—but they were all left in the dark.
Only Xu Wencai had stepped forward, invoking his "little senior brother's" name and calmly assigning tasks one after another.
His commands were so smooth and precise, it was frightening—like he'd practiced this countless times in his head and was only now getting to carry it out for real.
"Miss Sun, I trust the lord—and I ask that you do too."
Xu Wencai's expression was steady and confident. "Just follow my instructions exactly. With the lord backing us, tonight will be Poyang's greatest—and only—true victory since the war began.
"The lives of tens of thousands of people in this city depend on it."
…
Inside the barbarian camp.
U Muer read the secret letter that had just been delivered to him, his expression dark and heavy.
The deputy beside him asked, "My lord, has something gone wrong?"
"The Witch God Sect was attacked. Many of them are dead. But it doesn't matter—there will still be Transforming Strength experts accompanying the main army. They'll reach Poyang in two or three days."
U Muer set the letter aside. "The fall of Poyang City is only a matter of time."
"My lord, do you know what the Witch God Sect is planning?"
The deputy looked curious. "I heard that whenever a city falls, the Witch God Sect collects living people's heart blood. They act all mysterious about it—what use could heart blood possibly have?"
"Questions you shouldn't ask—don't ask."
U Muer's tone grew cold. "Our task is only to take Poyang."
Honestly, the willpower of the Sheng people was terrifying.
After more than a month of fighting, the number of defenders hadn't fallen—it had actually increased. The barbarians' own losses had been so heavy they couldn't keep assaulting the walls, forced instead to wait for reinforcements.
The funny thing was—they'd started killing each other.
U Muer looked down at several corpses lying in the center of the camp, his gaze full of mockery.
They'd been found earlier near the city gate. Judging by their strength, every one of them had reached the tempering organs stage.
And with the scouts reporting that their commander Xiang Tingchun had vanished, it meant that Poyang City probably didn't even have a single tempering organs expert left.
"Everyone says the Sheng court is plagued by factional strife—rival parties tearing at each other endlessly. I never believed it before, but now… it's worse than I imagined!"
The deputy nodded in agreement. "You're right, my lord. The Great Sheng Dynasty's fate is running out. Sooner or later, we, the people of Heaven, will take over the rich lands of the Central Plains."
As they spoke, a commotion erupted outside.
"Report!"
A soldier burst into the tent. "My lord! The Poyang defenders are attacking our camp!"
"Attacking the camp?!"
U Muer snorted and grabbed his curved saber. "They've lost their tempering organs masters—what could they possibly attack with?"
He rushed outside and glanced toward the west gate. A chaotic scene met his eyes. He saw at once that it wasn't soldiers—it was a mob of city rabble. "Where did they get the guts for this? Are they tired of living?
"Pass my order! Transfer all the cavalry from the east gate—crush them flat!"
The orders went out instantly, cavalry mobilizing to intercept.
U Muer had been about to ride out personally—when suddenly, fire flared to the east, and the sound of shouting thundered through the night.
"Report!"
Another rider came charging in. "My lord, bad news! Reinforcements from Hengkang Prefecture have arrived!"
"What?"
U Muer frowned. "Did you see clearly?"
A few days ago, some people had escaped the siege heading toward Hengkang Prefecture. He had guessed even then they were seeking reinforcements.
But by distance, Hengkang's troops should have needed another four days to arrive—just behind his own main force. How could they be here already? And all on horseback?
"I saw it clearly!"
The soldier's voice trembled. "Dust everywhere, shouting so loud it shakes the ground, and countless banners and torches across the mountains. At least 2,000 riders, minimum!"
"Hmm… Hengkang Prefecture could have sent about that many…"
U Muer turned to his deputy. "You stay here. Don't panic. I'll go see for myself."
In situations like this, he had to confirm it personally.
If morale wavered, the entire army could collapse.
…
"Kill—!"
"Kill—!"
On the eastern side of the city, Sun Buqi and his men followed Xu Wencai's orders. They left the city in small groups, gathered 200 fresh recruits, used tattered cloth to fake banners, and lit countless torches all over the hillsides. Then they began beating drums and shouting war cries.
Sun Buqi frowned. "That old scholar's got us under Chen Sanshi's name, doing this bluff nonsense—what's even the point?"
"If it's the lord's command, we follow it."
Wang Li said while flinging handfuls of ash into the air, shouting hoarsely, "Kill! Kill! Kill—!"
"They're coming!"
Sun Buqi gripped his spear tightly. "All cavalry—and that one in the center looks like U Muer! What did Xu Wencai say we should do next?!"
"Run up the mountain, hide, and wait for the signal arrow. Once it fires, light the fires and charge back in!"
Wang Li turned and bolted uphill.
"Go!"
Sun Buqi followed right behind.
…
"What the hell?!"
U Muer finally caught up, reining in his horse at the edge of the hill. The open slope before him was empty. "This is what you called the Hengkang Prefecture reinforcements?!"
"My lord, it's too dark—we couldn't see clearly."
The soldier who had reported earlier was terrified of being punished. "Should we… ride up the mountain and check?"
"Cavalry riding up a mountain? Use your damn brain before you speak!"
U Muer thought for a moment, then waved his hand. "Withdraw! It's probably just a bluff—not worth worrying about."
Whsshhh—!
As they turned their horses to retreat, the sudden hiss of an arrow made U Muer's heart jolt. His curved saber slashed out like a streak of silver, striking the arrow in midair and splitting it cleanly in two. Then came a second, a third…
"You?!"
In the darkness ahead, a familiar figure sat astride a white horse.
Of course he recognized him.
Over a month ago—this very youth had taken the Ninth Prince away right under his nose.
If not for the fact that the war had just begun and strong men were still needed, U Muer's head would have long since rolled. Even now, he suspected he'd be punished after the campaign.
"What fast arrows!"
He focused all his attention on defending against the incoming barrage. "Surround him!" he barked coldly.
No matter how fast his arrows were, he was still only one man. If the others distracted him, U Muer could close the distance and finish him personally.
"Senior Sister Sun!"
Chen Sanshi shouted.
Sun Li arrived just in time. Fifty cavalry split into ten small Chariot Suspension Formations, charging straight into the barbarian ranks. The formation tore through the enemy, cutting off any attempt to surround Chen Sanshi. Each rider fought several opponents at once—Sun Li herself took on two Hundred-Household officers at the tempering bone stage.
When she saw where her junior brother's arrows were aimed, she finally understood the plan.
Chen Sanshi was drawing U Muer out from his heavily guarded central camp—repeating the feat he had once achieved on the grasslands. But this time, he wasn't capturing a useless prince—he was going to slay a tempering organs general and throw the enemy army into chaos.
"Junior Brother, be careful!"
Sun Li's voice carried through the din as she fought surrounded by cavalry. "I'll buy you as much time as I can!"
She wasn't the only one who realized it—U Muer had as well.
The boy wanted to kill him—the last surviving general of the Xi River tribe.
By doing so, he would shatter the army's morale and crush their command structure.
But U Muer wasn't foolish. He knew exactly how vital he was.
The only reason he dared bring 500 riders out to investigate was because all known tempering organs experts inside Poyang City had already died in internal strife.
And this boy—he was just a mere Hundred-Household!
If he'd truly had the strength to kill him, he wouldn't have left that fat fool Wang Zhi alive on the plains, nor gone after the Ninth Prince himself.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
"The ones from the west gate—that's your doing too, isn't it?"
U Muer sneered, deflecting the storm of arrows. "I'm not going to chase you. Your arrows can't kill me. I'll just hold you here—for less than the time of one incense stick, and your west-gate mob will all be crushed and slaughtered!
"And that pretty girl leading the fifty riders behind you—she'll be captured alive. Such a beauty, once her cultivation's crippled, would make a fine slave!
"Then, when your arrows run out—I'll kill you."
At this point, it was clear that the only threat this boy posed came from his bow.
All U Muer had to do was stay cautious and drag this out—and victory would be his.
'Smarter than Luo Dongquan,' Chen Sanshi thought coldly.
'He knows to stay wary of my Archery and doesn't rush in.'
'If this were a one-on-one fight, I could outlast him. But he's got 500 cavalry behind him.'
'Wang Zhi and Sun Li's people won't hold out long.'
'So…'
Chen Sanshi abruptly put away his bow and raised his spear. "I never planned to drag this out anyway!"
"You dare charge me head-on?"
U Muer gripped his saber tightly. "I want to see how much you've improved in just over a month!"
Clang—!
Their horses crossed paths, and saber met spear for the first time.
Chen Sanshi felt the shock through his weapon. His qi and blood surged wildly, but he steadied his stance.
Normally, he would have fought patiently, wearing the opponent down.
But tonight—he had to end it fast.
He changed his style completely. The Undying Golden Serpent Spear burst forth with the fury of the Mad Python Breaks the Formation Spear, each strike violent and fierce. Even though his raw power was weaker than U Muer's tempering organs strength, he didn't retreat or defend—he pressed forward relentlessly.
But an all-out offense always left openings.
"Full of holes!"
U Muer saw his chance. His curved saber flashed down like a falling black moon, tearing through the air toward Chen Sanshi's face.
He expected the youth to block, to dodge—but instead, Chen Sanshi didn't even flinch. He thrust his spear forward, full of reckless intent.
'What—is this brat trying to prove his skull is harder than my blade?!'
'Then die!'
The saber split open Chen Sanshi's iron helmet and came down squarely on his head.
Schrrkk—!
But the gush of blood U Muer expected never came. Instead, the blade screeched against flesh with a metallic ring, sparks flashing faintly where it struck.
"The Body of Vajra?!"
U Muer's eyes widened in shock.
After the Ninth Prince's capture, he had investigated Chen Sanshi thoroughly—a prodigy with the Nine-Dragon Body, a chosen warrior from the Grand Commander's Office. But a Vajra Body? Impossible!
The blood in his veins surged wildly as he forced his saber back just in time to block the counterthrusting spear.
Clang!
In that instant at close range, a cold light flashed from Chen Sanshi's waist—a sword's gleam, slicing through the dark like lightning across the sky.
"The Ninth Prince's sword…"
U Muer recognized it instantly.
Then the ground rose up to meet his eyes. His vision spun, his body still sitting upright on horseback—until darkness swallowed everything.