Chapter 20: Worry and Bloody Battle
On the battlefield, a cold glint flickered in Lu Yuan’s eyes.
If anyone could see it, they would notice the men behind him faintly shimmering with a transparent luster, a light that converged on him, following the lines of the Arrowhead Array.
In that moment, Lu Yuan and his men became a single arrow. He was the razor-sharp tip, and his strength, Defense Power, and speed were all massively amplified.
As he closed in on the Iron Kite Centurion, Lu Yuan, who already possessed the strength to match a Tendon Refining expert, unleashed a burst of incredible power.
SWOOSH!
His blade cut through the air, chopping vertically downward, its cold glint flashing under the moonlight.
The sound of it cleaving the air made one’s eardrums vibrate.
The Iron Kite Centurion tilted his head to the side, dodging the fatal blow.
SHHIIINNG!
But the descending blade caught him on the shoulder, tearing through his Fine Copper Armor and shearing off a chunk of flesh.
In a single exchange, he had already fallen into a disadvantage.
As they passed each other, a look of shock appeared in the Centurion’s eyes. Lu Yuan paid it no mind. His blade continued forward, and the other oncoming Iron Kites were not as lucky as their leader.
Lu Yuan’s mastery of the Arrowhead Array had grown, allowing him to channel even more power.
An Iron Kite opposite him had just raised his weapon when Lu Yuan, with blinding speed, pierced the man’s neck with the tip of his blade. Blood sprayed out, splattering across the face of Wei Yong, who was following close behind.
But Wei Yong didn’t dare to let his focus waver for even a second.
He swung his Jujube Nail Hammer horizontally, and empowered by the Military Array, it smashed into an Iron Kite’s eye socket.
The man’s eyeball was crushed, and the top of his skull was torn off.
He fell stiffly from his horse.
In the instant the two cavalry units passed through each other, one of Lu Yuan’s men, who was already injured, fell from his horse and was impaled by a spear.
On the Iron Kites’ side, five men were cut down.
Their Centurion didn’t even glance at his own wound. He stared grimly at Lu Yuan and his men. "A Military Array at the Perfection level... I haven’t seen one of those in a long time."
His voice was low, all traces of his earlier condescension gone.
In the chaos of battle, a Military Array’s effect was immense, sometimes even trumping individual strength.
He hadn’t encountered a Perfection-level Military Array in a very, very long time.
’The Dayong Centurion I fought today was strong,’ he thought, ’but he was nowhere near as difficult to deal as this man before me.’
’If that kid’s squad was the same size as mine, I’d turn and run without a second thought. I wouldn’t get tangled up with them at all.’
Lu Yuan licked his chapped lips. There was only resolve in his eyes. He had no path of retreat. To get back safely today, he had no choice but to fight to the death.
Inside Icefield City, Zhou Hongling and Zhou Ming were sitting together, eating a meal.
The candlelight flickered across their faces, casting shifting shadows that highlighted their solemn expressions.
"How are Yun Mo’s injuries?"
Zhou Hongling asked in a low voice as she shoveled food into her mouth.
Though a woman, she had a formidable physique. She was nearly one-point-nine meters tall, and while still a young lady, she was exceptionally buxom, giving her a very mature appearance.
That, combined with her delicate and slightly heroic features...
...created a strange sense of contrast. But no one could deny she was a beauty—just one with a rugged build, which was by no means a flaw.
"They’re quite severe, but he should be fine after a period of rest," Zhou Ming said with a sigh after taking a sip of wine.
He had high hopes for this disciple of his.
It was a good thing he made it back this time. If he had died out there, it would have been a heart-wrenching loss.
"Third Uncle, I want to select a hundred-man squad to go out and wipe out that unit of Iron Kites. Do you think there’s any chance of success?"
"No chance. Even Yun Mo was defeated. Who among the people in Icefield City do you think can stand against them? The only way would be if the Night Patrol took action, but you know that’s impossible right now. The family can’t spare them. They have more important missions, scouting deep within the Northern Barbarians’ territory."
Zhou Ming stated bluntly.
He refilled his cup and drained it in one gulp.
He continued, "Don’t issue any missions for a while. Have your men halt all outside excursions. That Iron Kite unit will probably leave after some time. They’re here to earn merits. If there are no merits to be had, there’s no point for them to stay."
"But that would be a huge blow to morale! A major Sai City like this one, scared into hiding by a few dozen Iron Kites? We’d be a laughingstock if word gets out! How am I supposed to lead my troops after that?" Zhou Hongling’s voice rose involuntarily.
The mountains on her chest rose and fell.
She wasn’t wearing armor today, just a red dress with a white bearskin Great Cloak draped over her shoulders. The entire effect was one of voluptuousness and nobility.
"We are currently in a standoff with the Northern Barbarians. You mustn’t be rash. We can only engage in small-scale skirmishes. A force of over a hundred men could trigger a full-scale war. That’s not something you can handle. Even the entire family couldn’t cover for you," Zhou Ming said gravely.
Looking at his niece, his expression was more serious than ever before.
This time, Zhou Hongling didn’t argue. She just obediently poured her old uncle a cup of wine and said, "Third Uncle, this situation is a result of me having too few talented people under my command. Why don’t you pick someone and teach them?
That Lu Yuan I mentioned last time is really good. Please, just reconsider."
Having such a big girl acting cute in front of him made Zhou Ming’s scalp tingle. He waved his hands repeatedly at his niece. "You know my personality. Once I’ve made a decision, I don’t bring it up again.
Besides, didn’t you already add him to your own roster a couple of days ago? He’s your man now. What would it look like for him to take me as a master? Let’s just leave it at that.
Besides, you’re a Captain now. You can recruit talented individuals to your own faction. This uncle won’t fight you over people."
Hearing Zhou Ming say this, Zhou Hongling could only give up in resignation.
But inside, she felt increasingly frustrated.
’I wonder when this unit of Iron Kites will finally leave,’ she thought.
And just as the uncle and niece were worrying...
...Lu Yuan had already been fighting the Iron Kites for over an hour.
Despite his immense stamina, he was now drenched in sweat, and the warhorse beneath him was panting heavily.
His leather armor was riddled with damage—some from sword cuts, others from glancing blows by a Wolf-toothed Club.
He was covered in blood, some his own, some the enemy’s.
The blade of his saber was now chipped in two places.
If not for his Golden Bell Shield being at the Perfection level, he feared he would have been severely wounded by now.
Of the warriors who had followed him, only five remained. Wei Yong’s abdomen had been pierced, and his intestines were spilling out. He had used a strap to tie his tunic tightly around the wound, but blood still trickled down intermittently.
Old Huang was in a sorry state, but it had to be said that these old veterans of the Northern Border all had their own ways of staying alive. Though he was injured, his wounds weren’t fatal.
Zhang Gun was in better condition. During the recent melee, Wei Yong had blocked a blow for him.
The last remaining warrior, Zhang He, also had good talent, similar to Zhang Gun, and was close to reaching Entry Level. He had taken a slash to the shoulder but could still hold on.
The Iron Kites opposite them were in an equally miserable state. Their Centurion had three long, bone-deep gashes on his body from Lu Yuan’s saber. If his cultivation wasn’t already at the Tendon Refining stage, he probably would have collapsed by now.
Behind him were seven or eight elite Iron Kites. Some were still at the Bone Forging Realm, but without exception, all of them were wounded.
This was the terrifying power of a Military Array. As long as Lu Yuan did not fall, the protection it offered the warriors behind him was immense.
At this point, both sides seemed to have reached a state of exhaustion.
They were holding on through sheer willpower alone.
Neither side made a move, both tacitly trying their best to recover their stamina.
And at that very moment, a message popped up in Lu Yuan’s mind.
[Golden Bell Shield (30,134 / 30,000 Perfection, breakthrough?)]
The continuous, grueling battle had played a huge role in advancing Lu Yuan’s Cultivation Technique.
His Golden Bell Shield, in particular, had experienced unprecedented growth.
Now, it had actually reached the breakthrough stage.
’Breakthrough,’ Lu Yuan thought.
Lu Yuan glanced at the enemy. Seeing that the Iron Kites showed no sign of attacking again any time soon, he immediately chose to break through.
’As long as my strength increases, I’ll have this in the bag.’