I Can Strengthen Infinitely

They were dressed in black night raid attire, their faces covered with black cloth—these were the elite soldiers sent out by Huo Ping for the nighttime assault.

When they reached the base of the wall, they did not attract anyone’s attention. The leader took out a pair of hooked gloves, strapped them on, and began to slowly crawl up the surface of the city wall.

Upon reaching the top of the wall, he immediately reached for a rope-attached iron hook at his waist, hooked it onto the inner side of the city wall, and untied the rope. Instantly, a thin rope more than ten zhang long hung down.

The vanguard post was set. The impatient elite soldiers promptly leaped up to grab the rope, climbing upward one after another. Once the time was ripe, the leader vaulted onto the wall, drew his curved blade, and charged at the nearest defending soldier.

The soldier clearly hadn’t imagined an enemy would appear like this at this hour. He had no time to react and was instantly struck at the throat by the blade—his neck snapped on the spot.

The man led the way, slaying every defending soldier in sight. The rest of the elite scrambled up the wall and drew their weapons; soon, a savage massacre erupted upon that section of rampart.

The slain might not have managed much resistance, but their dying wails sounded an alarm: moments later, a flood of footsteps rose from below the wall—the reinforcements of the defending force had arrived.

"Kill! Everyone, charge together down to the city, we must open the gate!"

The squad leader of this elite force raised his blade and roared, plunging ahead himself through blood and iron, commanding his squad as he fought onward with outer forging prowess.

The group quickly neared the wall’s stairway; as long as they reached the gate and threw it open, Huo Ping’s vanguard would take Shunqing City tonight and win a great merit.

But they had gravely underestimated the old general Bao Tianhua. With enemy camps set beyond the city, he was on high alert; the instant he heard commotion atop the wall, he personally led his officers and men, hustling up toward the ramparts.

"General Bao, the enemy sent men for a night raid, killed plenty of ours—they’re rushing toward the gate!" A young captain clutched his arm, dashing up in haste.

Bao Tianhua broke into cold sweat at once. He had not expected the enemy to be so bold: war had barely begun for a day, and they already opted for a night assault—betting he’d left his defenses slack.

And Huo Ping, in fact, had bet right—Bao Tianhua truly had not guarded strictly.

"Surround them! Encircle them! Don’t let those men open the gate!" Bao Tianhua bellowed.

...

Qian Jie was a boy who grew up in Chang’an, and had never left Chang’an in his life. The world outside was utterly strange and marvelously new to him.

After coming of age, unable to afford a wife, he worked at his uncle’s inn as a hired hand.

Life had always been plain and unremarkable—until half a month ago, when he encountered a mysterious guest.

"B-Brother, I’ve been traveling for days nonstop... there’s a city ahead, can I go in and rest a while?" Qian Jie said, exhausted.

If outsiders saw this, they would surely wonder why this guy was talking to himself.

"Fine, just rest for the night," Qin Yuesheng’s voice sounded from within Qian Jie.

Qian Jie instantly relaxed inside, and hurried toward the city. He was far too weary, and truly needed a break.

Originally an ordinary man, once possessed by Qin Yuesheng with the roaming immortal technique, Qian Jie’s physical abilities leapt several tiers higher.

Whether speed or stamina, both increased dramatically.

As Qian Jie drew closer to the city in his sights, he suddenly heard a clamor erupting—coming from within the city itself.

He saw flames blazing atop the city wall—so bright, so fierce. Clearly, battle and slaughter were underway.

Qian Jie felt deeply troubled and already harbored thoughts of retreat. But Qin Yuesheng refused to allow him to falter at such a moment, commanding, "Get up there and see."

Qian Jie had no choice but to obey, climbing slowly along the city wall.

When Qian Jie poked his head over the outer wall, he found chaos atop the ramparts—corpses strewn everywhere, blood washing across the stones.

Qian Jie shuddered all over, his arms and legs weakening, a dizzy spell gripping his head.

"The rebels are heading for the gate! The rebels are heading for the gate! Block them fast at the gate!"

A crowd of soldiers bellowed frantically. Qin Yuesheng issued Qian Jie a direct order: "Go check the gate."

"Huh?" Qian Jie was stunned—wasn’t this sending him to his death?

"Afraid of what? I’m guarding you—do you really think you could die?" Qin Yuesheng replied with iron resolve, "Go see at the gate."

Qian Jie was helpless. He could only leap up onto the wall and race toward the stairway.

The instant commotion broke inside the city, Huo Ping, prepared for just this, led his troops at once toward the gate.

The elite soldiers dispatched by Huo Ping squeezed into the doorway with martial skill, trying to lower the locking bar and unbolt the gate.

But what none of them expected—the gate of Shunqing City operated by turning gears; there was no locking bar at all.

Only by constantly turning the gears could someone open this massive gate.

This discovery struck the elite soldiers with a glimmer of despair—could so few men really force the gate open?

Despair or not, none would give up even a sliver of hope. They straightaway seized the gears and pushed, the cogs creaking, turning with agonizing slowness.

Far too heavy, far too heavy.

Outside the city gate, Huo Ping waited anxiously, but as the gate stayed shut, he was helpless.

A thick layer of iron plating covered Shunqing’s gates—no blade or sword could scratch it.

"How’s the gate still not open? Don’t tell me something’s gone wrong." Huo Ping muttered, frowning.

The elite force inside had already split in two: one group working the gears, the other fighting off the defenders.

Fighting was brutal; luckily, the martial artists with outer forging skill held off with brute flesh, but the defenders’ weapons were formidable too—even an outer forging Martial Artist would bear many wounds.

Qian Jie crouched down peering over the wall, all the struggle between defenders and elite soldiers displayed before his eyes.

"For the King of Jiangnan—even if we die, brothers, we must open this gate!"

As more soldiers fell, the elite squad’s captain suddenly let out a roar, charging into the fray with his broad blade.

In his hand, the blade became a weapon of death—soldiers fell one after another, but more pressed forward to attack him, unafraid of dying.

"King of Jiangnan?!" On hearing this, Qin Yuesheng’s attention snapped to alert.

King of Jiangnan—there was only one such title under heaven. Qin Yuesheng was astounded to find Sanhuang’s men here, but now was not the time to think deeply.

Qin Yuesheng ordered, "Move, go help those men in black."

"W-What? You want me down there fighting?" Qian Jie’s face paled with shock. With so many down below, if he fell in, he’d be torn limb from limb.

Qian Jie’s physical fitness had improved greatly, but his courage and wits were still those of a petty commoner. Qin Yuesheng’s command couldn’t outweigh his fears; it was normal to hesitate.

Qin Yuesheng paid it no mind—he forcefully seized control of Qian Jie’s body and made him leap headlong into the seething crowd below.

"Ah!!!"