"Eighteen Nether Thunder Formation—!"
The shout cut through the roar of the storm, echoing straight into every soldier's mind.
The Black Armored Armored Army—Great Sheng's most elite force—stood ready.
They were trained to adapt even in the chaos of battle; discipline was their second nature. Across the entire Great Sheng Dynasty, there were only 50,000 Black Armored Armored soldiers—an accumulation of fifty years since the 20th year of the Longqing Era. Every single one of them had been trained from childhood; every officer had been personally mentored by seasoned generals.
Once the command from the main general spread out, it passed down the chain—from Thousand-Commander to Five-Hundred Commander, then Hundred Commander, and finally the Squad Leaders.
With the Backbone of the Army trait reinforcing morale, even under torrential rain and pitch-black skies, their movements remained precise and steady. Within moments, they had completed their formation. Perfect order—unyielding and iron-willed.
That alone already placed them above seventy percent of all armies under heaven.
Eighteen Nether Thunder Formation!
The "Eighteen Nether Pillars" represented the mountains between Heaven and Earth. "Rolling Thunder" symbolized the divine power of the skies. Under this stormy midnight downpour, the conditions were ideal—perfect for summoning heaven's wrath.
"Kill—!"
Thunder rumbled. The rain poured endlessly.
Lightning flashed—and Heaven's soldiers seemed to descend upon the earth.
That sheer display of power alone was enough to send terror through the Southern Xu army.
"What kind of formation is this?!"
Fan Jiaxiao forced himself to stay calm. "Don't panic! Whatever formation they're using, it doesn't matter! They only have 3,000 men! Form ranks—Heaven and Earth Three Talents Formation!"
"Move, quickly!"
Despite the chaos, the Southern Xu soldiers managed to form up—not fast, but not slow either.
"Crack!"
At that instant—lightning split the sky apart.
The Black Armored Army charged.
[How Can One Say There Are No Clothes: Together with you, I wear the same armor. Formation power increases by 30%.]
Under an ordinary formation, that bonus might have been subtle.
But now—
This was a Heavenly Book Formation!
Just one wave of assault shattered the Southern Xu's rear guard completely.
Screams, the clash of metal, the roar of thunder, the pounding of hooves, the crash of armor—it all blended into chaos.
The rain poured down like a waterfall. Anyone who slowed for even a breath found their vision drowned under sheets of water. In the pitch-black night, they couldn't see a thing. Only when lightning flashed did they catch glimpses of unstoppable cavalry descending from the heavens.
They charged from above—unstoppable, divine.
"How many are there?!"
"Ten thousand? Twenty thousand? A hundred thousand?!"
"Retreat!"
"Run, quickly!"
"Don't panic!"
Fan Jiaxiao drew his sword and cut down a soldier who tried to flee, roaring, "Hold the formation and break through! Even if they really have 30,000, we can still get half our men out alive!"
He was right.
Even if Great Sheng somehow conjured 30,000 soldiers out of thin air, their own 10,000, if united, could still carve a path out. They wouldn't all die here.
"If you want to live—"
"Then obey orders!"
"All Thousand-Commanders, Five-Hundred Commanders, steady your men!"
"Don't be afraid! They're only using the storm to scare you! You are the elite of Great Xu—what's there to fear?!"
A true general's duty was to steady hearts in crisis.
Those words brought the Southern Xu soldiers back from the brink of panic.
Yes, they'd been ambushed—but their goal wasn't to fight to the death. They only needed to break through. If all 10,000 moved as one, their chance to survive was real.
And more importantly—Fourteenth Highness was right.
They were elites too!
Both sides were human.
Under Fan Jiaxiao's furious effort to maintain order, the army slowly regrouped. At last, they chose to break southwest.
And just then—
The darkness split again with blinding light.
A web of blue lightning tore across the heavens like cracks in glass, illuminating the vast battlefield below. Mud glistened, and the silhouettes of countless troops filled the horizon.
For one breath, the world seemed frozen in place—every motion slowed, every drop of rain suspended in midair.
Then the thunder veins across the sky spread wider, wrapping half the heavens before fading—except for one bolt that refused to vanish.
It fell.
"Crack—!"
A massive bolt of azure lightning—thick as a giant python—slammed down upon Silver Pine Gorge.
The cliffs exploded apart. Boulders rained from above, crashing into the battlefield below, shattering the momentary stillness.
"Heaven helps me!"
At the peak—
Where lightning struck—
A white-robed figure stood tall, silver spear raised to the heavens. His voice rolled like thunder, shaking earth and sky. "Southern Xu traitors! How dare you defy Heaven itself?!"
The formation the Southern Xu army had just stabilized collapsed once more into terror.
At last, they realized why they'd been suppressed from the very start.
The Black Armored Army's formation wasn't merely tactical—it resonated with the power of Heaven and Earth!
They didn't understand the principles behind it, but they could feel it.
Only by standing within that formation could they grasp its terrifying precision—every movement of the Black Armored soldiers aligned perfectly with the rhythm of the storm and the crackle of lightning above.
That was why they had no chance to fight back. Their only option was to run.
And when that white-robed general's shout came, followed by the heavenly thunder itself—their fear turned to despair.
This was no mortal army. This was the army of the heavens!
"The Red Brows Army!"
A lieutenant suddenly remembered. "Do you still recall how General Liang Jinian of the Red Brows once held a Heavenly Book granted by an immortal? That book—it's in Chen's hands now!"
"Otherwise, how could he summon thunder?!"
The Army of Heaven!
A weapon of immortals!
"Heaven aids them!"
"Great Sheng has Heaven's blessing!"
"The White Robe wields divine power!"
"Run! Run for your lives!"
"Superstitious fools!"
Fan Jiaxiao's roar cracked through the storm. "It's just thunder striking a mountain! A coincidence! What does it have to do with him?! Lightning hitting peaks during storms is normal! Are you all idiots?! If he truly had that power, why strike mountains? Why not strike us?!"
Almost the very instant he shouted that—another bolt fell.
This time—
It struck people.
A column of lightning as thick as a tree trunk slammed straight down, ripping through the curtain of rain and exploding in the center of the Southern Xu formation.
In the blink of an eye, more than a dozen riders and their horses turned to charred corpses.
That strike—
Broke the last thread of morale.
Lightning summoning!
The army of Great Sheng could summon heavenly thunder!
How could they possibly fight that?
What were they supposed to do—fight the heavens themselves?!
"Save us…"
"Run! Run!"
In that instant—
The collapse of the Southern Xu army could no longer be stopped. The hard-won breakout formation shattered within just a few breaths, scattering like terrified beasts fleeing through the storm. Even the few commanders who tried to rally their men were ignored completely—their voices drowned in the chaos. The entire army fell into uncontrollable panic.
"Brothers!"
Xia Cong raised his spear high, shouting excitedly through the rain, "Do you see it?! Heaven favors us! Kill—!"
"Kill—!"
The soldiers of the Black Armored Army roared in unison. Their morale and killing intent soared to the limit. They felt as if endless comrades stood behind them, as if Heaven and Earth themselves lent them strength. They forgot that they numbered only 1,500 men and charged as if they were an invincible army of 150,000.
When one side rises, the other must fall.
How could Southern Xu not collapse? How could they not be crushed?
"Kill!"
"Slash—!"
The sound of blades cutting through flesh echoed again and again.
Southern Xu cavalry fell one after another. Not a single one dared to fight back. They flung their weapons aside, tore off their armor to lighten their load, and spurred their horses madly through the downpour, desperate only to escape faster.
In the distance, Chen Sanshi felt the faint pulse of the Mystic Pearl within his robes.
Even he was surprised.
He hadn't expected the formation from the Heavenly Book of Divine Military Arts, when combined with the white mystic qi stored in the Pearl, could not only align with Heaven and Earth but also draw upon their power. This was truly a treasure worthy of the immortals.
From observation, the power of the formation depended entirely on how much white mystic qi had been accumulated within the Pearl.
Those two bolts of lightning just now—
Had consumed a full 30% of it.
The lightning itself couldn't be controlled. The point of impact was completely random—though, thankfully, it never struck their own side.
But that was more than enough.
On the battlefield, if you could summon lightning to strike men from the heavens—even once—it was enough to shatter the courage of ten thousand troops.
At the moment, with the remaining mystic qi, he could still call down a few more bolts. But there was no need.
That white mystic qi had taken nearly half a year to accumulate. Using it all in one battle against a mere 10,000 men would be pure waste.
Especially since the real enemy—the main Southern Xu army—still numbered 100,000.
Besides, their goal was already achieved.
This 10,000-man force was finished.
The thunder continued to rumble through the heavens. Every roll of lightning made the Southern Xu soldiers' hearts tremble. Some lost their footing and fell from their horses, rolling in the mud. The men who had earlier surrounded the two Profound Manifestation generals now completely broke down, throwing their weapons and screaming as they tried to flee.
For a general of the Profound Manifestation Realm, this chaos had turned into pure slaughter.
Two of the Southern Xu Meridian-Connecting lieutenants tried to flee.
Deng Feng, clad in Great Sheng armor, seized a nearby warhorse, mounted it, and charged. After a short sprint, he suddenly leapt high, stepping on his horse's spine. The horse's back snapped under the force, and Deng Feng used the recoil to propel himself forward over 20 zhang.
He landed right between the two fleeing lieutenants, grabbing one in each hand and smashing them together with all his gang qi.
The two Meridian-Connecting lieutenants were instantly pulverized into blood and bone.
Then, Deng Feng seized two more warhorses by the neck, wielding them like clubs. Every swing crushed several soldiers at once. He rampaged across the battlefield like a human beast, unstoppable and terrifying, driving the already broken Southern Xu troops into even deeper despair.
Even Fan Jiaxiao himself could no longer suppress his fear. He kicked his blue roan horse hard, sending it surging forward at full speed. Ignoring his men, he fled alone into the night.
"Where do you think you're going—!"
Deng Feng kept tearing through the enemy ranks, but even a Profound Manifestation expert couldn't match a galloping horse's burst speed for long. The blue roan accelerated like a flash, and Deng Feng could only watch as the prince disappeared into the darkness.
"Does the general fancy that horse?"
Chen Sanshi appeared beside him, eyes following the fleeing Fourteenth Prince's path. "Then I'll give it to you today!"
"Hyah—!"
"Neigh—!"
With a sharp cry, Qianxun bolted through the downpour. The mud beneath her hooves couldn't even slow her down. Within moments, she was closing in fast, teeth bared, almost upon the fleeing blue roan.
"Damn it! Damn it all!"
"Faster! Faster!"
Fan Jiaxiao lashed at his horse desperately.
But the blue roan's greatest strength was its explosive power, not endurance. Its stamina—though better than most steeds, able to cover 2,000 li a day—was still far inferior to that of Chen Sanshi's White Swan horse.
The distance shrank with every heartbeat. Fan Jiaxiao knew he couldn't get away. Gritting his teeth, he spun his mount around, raising shield and sword. He charged straight toward the white-robed general.
"Chen! You can't possibly be beyond Minor Achievement in Meridian-Connecting! How dare you chase me alone?!"
"Die—!"
"Clang—!"
Spear met sword, their clash booming through the storm, scattering sheets of rain. The two horses crossed paths, turned sharply, and faced each other again.
Fan Jiaxiao felt the tremor in his sword arm—the vibration that told him just how heavy the blow had been. His face darkened.
The strength behind that strike was not a bit weaker than his own.
Impossible.
"How… how is that possible?!"
He roared in disbelief. "You haven't even opened the Eight Extraordinary Meridians! I can feel your qi and blood fluctuating when you strike! You're not my equal!"
"Because you train one technique—"
"I train a hundred!"
"Clang!"
Chen Sanshi and Qianxun moved as one. The Five Tiger Soul-Breaking Spear coiled through the rain like a sea dragon, each strike heavier and fiercer than the last.
Fan Jiaxiao was no fool. He was a prodigy among his generation—one realm higher, armed with a Black Armored shield. Yet even with that advantage, he couldn't last ten rounds.
"Boom!"
Another clash—
Fan Jiaxiao's arm went numb. His shield slipped from his grasp. His body flew backward through the air. Before he could even hit the mud, a silver spear thrust forward, piercing through his wrist.
"Ahhh!"
He screamed and tried to grab the shaft, but the spear withdrew and stabbed again before he could react. He felt cold—so cold—and then pain blossomed everywhere. It took several breaths before the agony caught up to him. By then, his body was riddled with holes.
He had no strength left to resist. As the effects of his Exploding Blood state faded, darkness swallowed his mind, and he collapsed unconscious.
Chen Sanshi looked down at him.
'This one's still useful,' he thought. 'A captured prince can't just be killed.'
With Fan Jiaxiao subdued, Chen Sanshi turned toward the blue roan that had tried to flee.
"Neigh—!"
The beast, fierce even in defeat, bared its teeth and lunged to attack.
Chen Sanshi almost thrust his spear straight through the beast's skull but stopped himself just in time. Even though he held back, his attacks—meant to restrain rather than kill—only angered the blue roan. The horse still struggled wildly, seizing every chance to break free.
Spirit beasts were all like this.
They had intelligence. Once they recognized a master, they would never serve another—unless ordered to by the one they had pledged to.
"Tap, tap!"
Just then, Qianxun trotted over.
"You want to handle it?"
Chen Sanshi raised an eyebrow, uncertain, but finally loosened his grip and stepped aside to watch quietly.
"Neigh—!"
The blue roan bared its teeth and neighed furiously at the White Swan horse. But when Qianxun drew closer, the beast suddenly lowered its head, eyes wide, retreating step by step in submission.
Qianxun circled the blue roan once.
Chen Sanshi couldn't understand what passed between the two beasts.
But in the end, Qianxun kicked the blue roan over with one powerful strike. When the horse stood up again, it was utterly subdued.
It obediently trotted over to Chen Sanshi's side.
Chen Sanshi chuckled and patted Qianxun's neck. "You really are something."
Qianxun nodded proudly.
"When the war's over," Chen Sanshi said, "I'll feed you well."
"Clop, clop, clop—"
The sound of hooves echoed behind him.
Xia Cong and the others arrived, bringing word that the main battle was done.
"General!"
"We've slain 6,000 enemies!"
"Captured 3,000 prisoners!"
"Our losses total only 20 men!"
"There are still about 1,000 fleeing southwest. How many should we send after them?"
"Let them go," Chen Sanshi ordered calmly. "Clean up the battlefield. We move back to Hulao Pass before dawn!"
Fear spreads like fire.
Those 1,000 survivors who witnessed the heavenly thunder firsthand would return to the Southern Xu camp in terror. Their panic would spread faster and cut deeper than any sword—crippling their morale far better than slaughter ever could.
"Yes, sir!"
Xia Cong saluted and galloped off to relay the order.
"General Deng," Chen Sanshi said, pulling the reins of the blue roan. "I noticed you had no suitable mount in battle. That won't do. Take this one as a gift from me—try it and see if it suits you."
"Many thanks for the horse, Commander Chen!"
Deng Feng did not hesitate.
He strode up to the beast.
The blue roan, though recently subdued, still stepped back instinctively at his approach. But Deng Feng grabbed the reins firmly and mounted in one smooth motion.
The horse reared but soon quieted under his strength.
Deng Feng's eyes lit up with delight. "Excellent! With this horse, I guarantee that in our next battle, I'll bring you the head of at least one Profound Manifestation expert—Minor Achievement or higher!"
"Good. Take care of it," Chen Sanshi said. "We'll both get some rest. We march soon."
[Skill: Commanding Troops (Minor Achievement)]
[Progress: 1,955 / 2,000]
His Commanding Troops skill was just a hair away from breaking through.
Even with just traits like How Can One Say There Are No Clothes and the aid of the Mystic Pearl, the improvement in battlefield strength was remarkable. Upon reaching Major Achievement, the effect would be even greater.
The rain had finally stopped.
The dawn sky slowly brightened, washing the wilderness in pale light.
There were no 30,000 troops on this battlefield—only straw soldiers and straw horses scattered across the muddy plains.
Truth and illusion intertwined, unpredictable as mist.
This was the Dao of Deception.
Oftentimes, the number of men under your command didn't matter. What mattered was how many your enemy believed you commanded.
——
In the Southern Xu army's central camp.
"What?!"
"The Silver Pine Cliff detachment—completely routed? 10,000 men wiped out?!"
"And my Fourteenth Brother is missing?!"
Fan Shuzhen sprang to his feet.
"30,000 troops?! From where would Hulao Pass get 30,000 troops?!"
A group of Hundred Commanders, recently returned from the front, knelt trembling before him, their voices thick with panic.
"It's true, Lord Eighth!"
"We were there—at Silver Pine Cliff! We were supposed to surround them, but they surrounded us!"
"They were everywhere, sir! The whole field was full of men!"
"It was Fang Qingyun's plan! That Phoenix Chick tricked us all!"
"And the generals—there were more than just that Sha Wenlong!"
"There was another—almost a Martial Saint! He fought barehanded, ripped men in half like paper, unstoppable!"
"And that Chen Sanshi!"
"He holds the Heavenly Book taken from the Red Brows Army in Mingzhou!"
"He can summon heavenly thunder!"
"Thousands of lightning bolts fell from the sky!"
"They killed thousands!"
"Enough!!!"
Fan Shuzhen's face went pale even as he shouted.
If what these men said was true, then Hulao Pass might hold not 30,000—but far more.
Impossible!
And that barehanded warrior—who could that be?
One of the Great Sheng capital's hidden champions? That was plausible—there were always powerful generals buried in the capital's ranks.
But the lightning…
That was absurd.
If someone could command heavenly thunder at will, what was the point of war? They might as well withdraw and surrender now!
"Strategist!"
Fan Shuzhen turned anxiously to Ran Jingxuan. "How much of what they're saying can we believe?"
"The Heavenly Book…" Ran Jingxuan said quietly, his expression grave. "That's what we overlooked."
"You mean—it's all true?!" Fan Shuzhen snapped. "Chen Sanshi really struck down thousands with lightning? How do we fight that?!"
"Thousands? No," Ran Jingxuan replied, frowning in thought. "At most, a few hundred. And even that likely requires a thunderstorm to trigger. It must have strict conditions. Otherwise, they'd have marched straight here by now."
"In summary—Hulao Pass has more high-ranking generals than we were told, and their troop count may exceed 3,000. I'd estimate at least 8,000 men."
Fan Shuzhen let out a cold snort. "So Li Gong was lying to us from the start."
"Don't be rash," Ran Jingxuan warned. "Send word to Li Gong again. And if we still have spies inside Yongle Prefecture, get them to verify the truth—how many men are actually stationed in Hulao Pass."
"And my Fourteenth Brother?" Fan Shuzhen's voice cracked. "He's missing—most likely captured! What should we do?!"
The Fourteenth Prince, Fan Jiaxiao, wasn't the strongest cultivator.
But his mother's family held immense influence.
Fan Shuzhen's own ambitions for future power relied heavily on their support. If the prince died under his command, it would cripple his political standing.
"Strategist!" he roared. "We can't just sit here and wait!"
Ran Jingxuan thought carefully for a while before finally deciding. "The situation in Laizhou is already stable," he said. "We've absorbed more than 20,000 troops from the Qing Kingdom. Altogether, we still command 110,000 soldiers and four Profound Manifestation generals. Even if Hulao Pass really has 5,000 men and two generals inside, we still hold the advantage on paper. As long as we proceed steadily, the impact will not be significant."
He didn't believe in any so-called Heavenly Book.
Even if it existed, it must have limits.
It couldn't scare him.
If it were truly that powerful, the Red Brows Army wouldn't have lost last year to barely over a thousand men.
Still…
It was indeed troublesome.
All that meant was that they would have to move more cautiously from now on.
"Eighth Highness, send the order," Ran Jingxuan continued. "Have General Peng test their strength first. If possible, try to rescue the Fourteenth Prince. You and I will immediately prepare the formations. We'll lead 100,000 troops to press directly on Hulao Pass. We must not give them another chance."
——
In Yongle Prefecture.
"Good!"
Meng Quji slammed the table in delight after reading the latest report. "Outside Hulao Pass, General Fang and Deputy Commander Chen joined forces—1,500 men crushed over 10,000 enemies and captured the Southern Xu's Fourteenth Prince, Fan Jiaxiao, alive!
"This alone will buy us at least ten more days!"
"Yes," Zhan Taiming agreed, though his tone carried concern. "Who would've thought that those two senior and junior brothers together could deliver such results? But the situation is still far from safe.
"These small victories came only because Fan Shuzhen and Li Gong were busy scheming against each other for control of Lingzhou. Their forward army was simply camping, with no great general in command.
"In truth, it was just internal strife.
"But now that Lingzhou fully belongs to Southern Xu, their infighting is over.
"That means their four Profound Manifestation generals will soon march together. When that happens, even with Deng Feng, we won't be able to hold for long."
"You're right," Meng Quji said as he tore off a piece of roasted beast meat and shoved it into his mouth. "So we need to act faster. Prepare more golden sap for me—add more poison to it. Tonight we'll continue the siege! Even if we can't kill Li Gong, I'll disgust him to death!"
"Yes, sir!"
——
"Meng Quji!"
Li Gong stormed down from the city wall, face twisted in fury. His armor was smeared with a foul, gold-colored substance that reeked so badly soldiers had to step aside to breathe.
That bastard!
He'd risked injury just to break through Li Gong's protective qi, then dumped a whole bucket of golden sap over him. Even with Black Armored armor, the stench alone was unbearable.
"When I catch him," Li Gong growled, "I'll twist off his head and use it as a piss pot!"
Deputy General Liu Huanrong instinctively stepped back a few paces. "My lord, news from the front—Southern Xu's vanguard was defeated near Silver Pine Cliff. The Fourteenth Prince, Fan Jiaxiao, has been captured alive…"
"Useless trash!"
Li Gong slammed his fist against the wall. "I told them not to focus solely on Lingzhou! Now Fang Qingyun found an opening!"
"Yes," Liu Huanrong nodded nervously. "The losses aren't too severe, though. We've already reinforced them with 20,000 men. That brings their total back to 110,000."
He hesitated, then asked, "But where did their other Profound Manifestation–level general come from? The one who reached Major Achievement?"
"Hell if I know!" Li Gong scowled. "Probably someone the Great Sheng Crown Prince secretly sent to the border. But there's no way he's actually at Major Achievement in Profound Manifestation.
"The number of generals at that level is clearly accounted for. Every one of them holds an assigned post. If they've all been transferred east, then what about the south, north, and west?
"No—whoever that is, have Fan Shuzhen send scouts to test him. We'll know the truth soon enough."
He paused, then added coldly, "As for troop numbers… there are really only 3,000 men!
"Fang Qingyun is just playing his usual tricks—spreading illusions and false reports. And they dare accuse me of lying about the numbers? Ridiculous!"
"Yes," Liu Huanrong said with a troubled sigh. "Still, there's already tension between us. Even if we explain, it'll be hard to regain their trust."
"Then send my son!"
Li Gong's voice grew sharp. "I only have one son. If I send him personally, they'll have to trust me, won't they?!"
His eldest son was currently serving as an official in the western prefecture of Yaozhou.
"Tell them—if they don't attack the city soon, they'll miss their chance!"
——
At Hulao Pass.
"What?!"
"You're telling me last night 1,500 of you beat over 10,000 enemies?!"
"And Heaven itself sent thunder to help?"
"Exactly! I saw it myself! One moment, that bearded brute was glaring at me, and the next—he was a lump of charcoal!"
"Looks like Heaven truly favors Great Sheng's Black Armored Army!"
"Of course! It's a formation straight out of the Heavenly Book!"
Inside the fortress, the Black Armored soldiers retold the night's battle in vivid detail. Their morale soared with every story.
"So satisfying!"
Even Sha Wenlong was beaming. "General Fang truly lives up to his name!"
"Yes, Senior Brother," Chen Sanshi said with a faint smile. "That storm of yours must have scared the life out of them."
"Don't flatter me, Junior Brother," Fang Qingyun replied calmly. "It's pointless. Instead, let's discuss what comes next. After those two losses, the Southern Xu generals will surely take the field themselves.
"There are four Profound Manifestation experts—two of them at Major Achievement.
"Junior Brother, I'm curious. Tell me, what's your plan to defeat them this time? I'd like to learn from you."
"Senior Brother, you flatter me. You'll make me nervous at this rate."
"Enough jokes," Fang Qingyun said with a small laugh. "Let's get serious.
"According to your plan, we were to make Southern Xu and Qing forces distrust each other—to keep them guessing about how many troops we actually have, thus delaying their assault. But as for actually breaking the enemy's formation, I admit I'm still unsure."
After all, this was 100,000 troops they faced.
Their earlier victory had shaken morale, but that alone wouldn't hold off such a force for long.
"Mutual suspicion isn't enough," Chen Sanshi said slowly. "I'm certain Prince Tang, Li Gong, will soon try to win back Southern Xu's trust. That means their combined army will come for the city. So we'll strike again—this time harder.
"We'll slaughter them so thoroughly they not only doubt each other but begin to fear Hulao Pass itself. Only then will they reveal a true, fatal flaw."
He turned to his officers. "Pass down my orders.
"1. The 2,000 men assigned to grazing horses must continue daily without interruption.
"2. Senior Brother, I need you to record every celestial pattern for the next half month.
"3. All other troops must drill the Heavenly Book formations day and night—no one slacks off!"
For several days straight, the soldiers of Hulao Pass trained outside the fortress walls, synchronizing their movements with the shifting heavens above.
Finally—
The long-lost Commanding Troops interface appeared once again before Chen Sanshi's eyes.
[Skill: Commanding Troops (Major Achievement)]
[Progress: 0]
[Effect: War Frenzy — Commanding methods that dominate the world. After training, all troops under command can transform into a pack of tigers and wolves. Once blood is spilled, their frenzy multiplies endlessly, stacking power until they become unstoppable.]
In simpler terms, once battle begins—if the army holds any advantage—it will continue to grow stronger, momentum compounding until every soldier becomes a rampaging war machine, fighting without rest until the battle ends.
A full-army rampage.
When an entire army enters a state of fearless madness, when every thought is consumed by only two words—kill enemy—they cease to be men and become pure instruments of war.
Add to that an unshakable commander to keep the formation from collapsing, the How Can One Say There Are No Clothes effect to strengthen coordination and formation stability, and the synergy between the Heavenly Book and the Mystic Pearl.
As long as the opposing army lacks a high-realm cultivator capable of crushing them outright, then under equal conditions—it will be pure domination.
A one-sided sweep.
And that was precisely the problem.
The enemy had two Profound Manifestation generals at Major Achievement.
That meant the third stage of the plan—to break through an army of 100,000—had to succeed.
Before the final decisive battle, his Sword Qi Technique also needed to reach Minor Achievement.
He had enough incense power. What he lacked was time.
"Report!"
Zhao Kang rushed up the steps. "Sir! The Southern Xu army has arrived in full strength! Their main camp is 50 li away. They claim to have 200,000 men and four Profound Manifestation generals. One of them—a General Peng—is now commanding the vanguard himself. He's leading over 200 cavalry to the gates, demanding a duel!"
"Peng?"
Chen Sanshi's eyes narrowed. He remembered the name.
Peng Yunheng.
Profound Manifestation Realm, Major Achievement.
One of Southern Xu's fiercest generals.
"Follow me—to the wall!"
——
In the Southern Xu camp.
"Good!"
Fan Shuzhen finally made up his mind after looking at the Provincial Governor of Yaozhou standing before him. "Strategist, Lord You—Li Gong has even sent his only son here to assist us. And the spies in Laizhou have confirmed it: the forces inside Hulao Pass number no more than 3,000, at most 5,000. That mysterious general from a few nights ago might've been sent by the Great Sheng Crown Prince, but there's definitely no third Profound Manifestation expert. We can proceed with the assault."
It wasn't truly "assistance."
It was a hostage.
For Li Gong to send his only son as collateral—it proved he wasn't lying.
"No need to rush," Ran Jingxuan said calmly. "I've already sent General Peng to Hulao Pass to issue a challenge. Peng Yunheng is at Major Achievement in the Profound Manifestation Realm. Sha Wenlong is no match for him. They'll have to send out that barehanded brute to fight instead. Once Peng tests him, we'll know their strength. Then, we attack when the time is right."
"What if…" You Jingzhi asked, "they refuse to come out?"
"That would be even better."
Ran Jingxuan smiled faintly. "If they don't come out, it means they're afraid. And if they're afraid, then our soldiers will regain the confidence lost in the earlier defeat. Once their bluff is exposed, the truth will crush their morale."
"Excellent," Fan Shuzhen agreed. "But above all—we must ensure my Fourteenth Brother's safety."
——
Outside Hulao Pass.
Peng Yunheng rode at the head of 200 cavalrymen, shouting insults toward the city walls.
"You cowards inside the walls!
"You have no more than 3,000 troops and two generals!
"Your earlier victories were nothing but cheap tricks and petty schemes!
"Now my army stands at your gates—why hide like frightened turtles?
"Return the Fourteenth Prince, and I might spare your lives!"
"Bullshit!"
Sha Wenlong stood atop the battlements, yelling back just as Chen Sanshi had instructed. "Inside this city are 30,000 men and three Profound Manifestation generals! What do we have to fear from the likes of you?!"
"Three Profound Manifestation generals…"
Peng Yunheng frowned.
Sha Wenlong, the barehanded monster… and a third?
"Don't play dumb!"
Peng Yunheng hefted his massive mountain-splitting axe. "Anyone can brag! I could claim there are 200 Martial Saints in my camp—doesn't make it true!
"If you've really got the guts, send 200 of your men out!
"Two hundred against two hundred—fight us head-on!
"If I win, you release the Fourteenth Prince!
"Well? Do you dare or not?!"
Sha Wenlong clenched his jaw, unable to respond.
There was no way they could accept.
Peng Yunheng was a Profound Manifestation Major Achievement expert.
Even if they somehow won, what then?
The Southern Xu camp still had three other Profound Manifestation generals ready to move. Going out now would be suicide. Better to hold the gates and keep delaying.
A month of delay already achieved.
Two more months, and Yongle Prefecture would fall.
That would be their true victory.
Silence from the walls emboldened the Southern Xu cavalry. Their jeers grew louder, each more vulgar than the last.
For the attackers, taunting the defenders into rash action was ideal.
"Unbearable!"
Deng Feng stood on the wall, his face dark with fury. He was itching to leap down and slaughter the lot of them. But without orders, he could only endure—unable even to shout back for fear of exposing himself. The humiliation was maddening.
"General Deng."
Chen Sanshi arrived, eyes calm as he surveyed the scene below. "That man, Peng Yunheng—he's one of Southern Xu's fiercest. What's your opinion?"
"I know him well!"
Deng Feng growled. "He's just an old fool—nowhere near as impressive as they say. He started with poor resources, leaving flaws in his foundation. On the martial path, one small misstep leads to a lifetime of weakness. I don't mean to boast, but he's definitely not my equal. How much weaker, we'll find out once we cross weapons."
"Oh?"
Chen Sanshi smiled faintly. "In that case, General—would you dare leave the city with me? The two of us, together, straight into their camp—to cut him down?"
"You mean that?!"
Deng Feng's face lit up with excitement at first, but then he froze and frowned. "Commander Chen, aren't you bullying me a bit too much?" he said unhappily. "You won't let me use my blade, won't let me wear armor, and the opponent's a Profound Manifestation at Major Achievement! How am I supposed to fight barehanded?"
"No need to hold back anymore."
Chen Sanshi gazed down at the Southern Xu cavalry taunting outside the walls. "General Deng, it's time to let your blade shine. Once you do, Southern Xu's 100,000 troops will tremble like startled birds. Their morale will crumble, and when that happens, I'll crush them with a single move."
"If I can serve such a purpose," Deng Feng laughed loudly, "then I'll die without regret! So, just the two of us?"
"That's right," Chen Sanshi replied. "Only you and me."
He took the bow and arrows Zhao Kang handed him and began to fasten his armor. "Not only that—we'll be surrounded and chased by tens of thousands. Are you afraid, General Deng?"
"Afraid?"
Deng Feng roared with laughter. "I've said it before, haven't I? Below the Martial Saint realm, I may not always win—but I will never lose! Let them bring 100,000 men. Aside from Fan Shuzhen himself, the rest are nothing but drunken fools in my eyes!"
"Good!"
"General Deng Feng—hear my command!"
Chen Sanshi's voice rang like iron. "Follow me out of the city. Together, we'll take the enemy general's head!"
——
Outside the walls.
Peng Yunheng had spent the entire morning shouting insults until his throat was dry and his voice cracked.
"Enough!" he barked finally. "We're wasting time. There are only 200 of us, and they still don't dare to come out. That means their garrison is weak. Even that barehanded general can't be a true Profound Manifestation Major Achievement—otherwise, why hide?"
He waved his arm. "We're done here! Back to camp! Tell the Eighth Prince we'll attack the city in three days with 100,000 troops!"
He turned his horse around, leading his 200 cavalry back toward camp. But when they were just a dozen li away, he suddenly heard the faint rhythm of hooves behind him.
He turned to look.
Across the open plain, a white horse was thundering toward them.
"Peng, you old fool!"
Chen Sanshi's voice boomed like rolling thunder. "I took a short nap, and when I woke up, I heard you'd been barking outside my walls like a mangy dog. So here I am—come to find you! Why are you running? Bring me your head and save me the trouble of chasing you!"
"You're Chen Sanshi?!"
Peng Yunheng squinted his eyes. "You've got guts—charging out here alone! Now die!"
He jerked his reins, spinning his mount sharply as he raised his massive mountain-splitting axe high overhead.
At that moment, another horse burst from a nearby slope—a red-brown stallion soaring through the air, its rider tall and broad-shouldered, clad in Qing Kingdom armor.
"Excellent timing!"
Peng Yunheng grinned, assuming this must be the barehanded general from the rumors. But when he looked closer, his grin faltered—the man wielded a Green Dragon Crescent Blade, completely unlike the fighter he'd been told about.
"Who are you?!"
"I am Deng Feng!"
"Deng Feng?!"
Peng Yunheng's heart skipped a beat. He knew that name—everyone did. "You're from Laizhou! Why are you standing beside a Sheng commander?!"
So this was the third Profound Manifestation general that Sha Wenlong had mentioned?
But that didn't make sense.
By all accounts, as long as Laizhou had even a sliver of hope, Deng Feng would never have surrendered.
Could it be…
"Li Gong is finished!" Deng Feng shouted. "The Qing Kingdom has lost all honor! I pledged myself long ago to Commander Chen. Now, old dog—prepare to die!"
"Boom!"
Their weapons clashed in a single thunderous strike. Peng Yunheng immediately felt the force behind the blow and his face changed. It was truly Deng Feng.
He realized things had gone terribly wrong.
The purpose of his mission had only been to test whether Hulao Pass truly held a Major Achievement Profound Manifestation—and how many.
Never had he expected to meet Deng Feng himself.
There was no point in fighting this monster to the death.
He turned his horse to flee—only to find he couldn't.
Because Deng Feng's mount was none other than Fan Shuzhen's own blue roan.
Both of them were riding spirit beasts.
Ordinary horses couldn't possibly outrun them.
With no choice left, Peng Yunheng gritted his teeth and fought back.
Desperation turned to fury, fury to recklessness.
"Chen Sanshi! Deng Feng!" he shouted. "You think I'm afraid of you?!"
"You dare chase me here?!"
"Just twenty li ahead lies my army of 100,000! You'll both die here today!"
"Whistle—!"
Peng Yunheng's men fired a volley of signal arrows into the sky.
In the distance, the Southern Xu army stirred.
Tens of thousands of soldiers surged into motion.
Fan Shuzhen, You Jingzhi, and Ran Jingxuan—all three Profound Manifestation generals—led their forces out in full strength. In less than half an hour, their vast host would arrive to crush the two men.
Even from 20 li away, Chen Sanshi could already feel the rumbling beneath his feet. "General Deng," he said calmly, "are you afraid now?"
"Afraid? Of what?!" Deng Feng shouted back between strikes.
"Good!"
Chen Sanshi drew his bow again, arrows flying like streaks of lightning. "Then whether we can shatter this army of 100,000 depends entirely on this third move we're making today!"
He didn't speak the rest aloud—he only thought it.
Instead, he kept firing, each arrow killing a rider, his aim steady and merciless. Those with shields lost their horses first.
He had no intention of staying outside Hulao Pass.
His target was the enemy camp itself.
Qianxun galloped across the wasteland, both flanks laden with quivers heavy as mountains.
Once, Chen Sanshi had avoided direct confrontations—afraid that Profound Manifestation experts could overwhelm him in close combat.
But today was different.
Today, he had General Deng Feng at his side.
Two peerless warhorses beneath them.
Countless enemies before them.
What was there to fear?
This third move—
Would be known as:
"Strike fear into Southern Xu's hundred thousand, make them falter, and seal their defeat!"