End of Chapter 44

As soon as the cavalry moved, the Six-Fingered Black Hero also leaped into the air, his stance both formidable and graceful.

“I’ll hold off Xuan Jian and the others. The rest of you, attack the carriage together,” ordered the leader. Everyone, including Yan Dan, nodded and gripped their swords tightly.

“This isn’t good! Fall back!” Remembering the terror of the carriage, Yan Fei no longer cared about saving face.

One by one, everyone soared forward to strike, but the heroine Fei Yan hurriedly retreated!

“Miss Fei!” Gao Jianli sighed softly. So all that courage and valor she’d displayed before had been nothing but an act!

The beauty was afraid! Yan Dan shook his head and no longer spared her a thought. The most important thing now was to kill the Northern King and his men; with more than a hundred thousand cavalry only a few hundred meters away, their time was running out!

Oh, Your Majesty! Xuan Jian forced a bitter smile, realizing he too was immobilized! It seemed there was no hope of breaking free—so much for finally meeting a worthy opponent!

“What’s going on?”

“What’s happening?”

The Six-Fingered Black Hero, who had been moving as swiftly as lightning, was now frozen ten meters above the ground, still holding his sword in a dashing pose.

It wasn’t just them. The hundred heavily armored cavalrymen near the carriage also stopped in their tracks, as if caught in thought, their halberds raised high.

“Master, what’s this?” It’s over! Yan Dan looked at the leader in despair. He hadn’t thought the leader would be this unreliable—if you don’t have the strength, don’t bluff! Now look at the mess they were in—left dangling in midair, utterly humiliated!

Gao Jianli gave a bitter laugh and closed his eyes. When had he, the ever-graceful swordsman, ever been so wretched?

“Please, Northern King, let me go. I, Jing Ke, will leave Liaodong at once!”

He was merely a bystander in this affair; his junior sister was still waiting for him, and if he died, how would that little beauty ever make it back to Wei?

The other minor characters could barely speak up, for Lin Shu didn’t know them anyway.

“Alas, just as I expected,” Dongjun couldn’t even find words, closing her eyes in sorrow and awaiting the same fate as before. Yet why did she feel a trace of happiness in her despair? How hateful!

Despite their differences, even the Moon Goddess felt a pang for her elder sister, left to hang exposed to the sun.

“Hmph, Your Majesty, why are you detaining her?”

Jing Ni frowned. “Husband, we’re all family—please let Yan Fei go!”

Lin Shu nodded; he had no intention of making things difficult for his sister-in-law. By modern terms, he’d have to call Yan Fei “big sister.”

As soon as Yan Fei landed on the carriage, she showed no gratitude, only a face full of complaint and resignation.

The Moon Goddess, understanding her sister’s grievances, pulled her over to stand beside Jing Ni, lest she provoke the king further.

What? How could this be?

Seeing Fei Yan standing with the others, Yan Dan instantly understood. The beauty who had won his favor was actually one of them! Her previous identity might not even have been real!

“How could Lady Fei Yan…?” Gao Jianli was even more incredulous. They, these heroes, had gathered in Liaodong to resist their enemies, and it was the heroine Fei Yan who had initiated it all!

Now, their leader might have deliberately led them into a trap!

Dongjun’s face flushed red, and she couldn’t help but speak: “Brothers, heroes, Fei Yan was originally from the Yin-Yang Clan! As for the Moon Goddess and the others, they left the clan long ago!”

It was useless to keep hiding it now—the plan to approach Yan Dan had utterly failed. Observing the Northern King’s mood, she knew he wouldn’t let her go easily this time.

“So that’s how it is.” Yan Dan’s eyes darkened as he understood. To think that, for all his cunning, he had still been deceived! With his status, he was never short of beauties, but he could never let his guard down against those who might lurk at his side. Yan Fei, outstanding in wit, martial skill, and beauty, had been his ideal crown princess. Alas, she had been acting with ulterior motives all along.

The Six-Fingered Black Hero frantically circulated his inner energy, only to find it draining rapidly. In his haste to withdraw it, he injured himself further! He couldn’t even manage any parting threats.

“Northern King, will you let me go? In two months’ time, I, Jing Ke, will return to face your judgment.”

Even the Moist School leader was coughing blood and on the brink of collapse—Jing Ke really couldn’t die here, not before ensuring his junior sister’s safety.

Gao Jianli understood Jing Ke’s predicament. If not for him, Jing Ke wouldn’t have become embroiled in this at all.

Glancing at Jing Ke, whose attire and hair were carelessly arranged, Lin Shu nodded. “I’ll spare you this once. But if there’s a next time, you’ll serve me.”

He knew it would be difficult to win over this drunkard, and he didn’t wish to force him.

The wind howls cold by the Yi River; the brave who go do not return. This was a true hero indeed.

Released from the spell, Jing Ke dropped to the ground.

“Thank you, Your Majesty. Could you spare my friend as well? Within two months, I will return to Liaodong and accept whatever fate you decide.”

Gao Jianli’s heart ached, and he spoke up at once, but Lin Shu immediately had Xin Ying knock him out.

“Very well. Jing Ke, take him and go.”

Gao Jianli, unconscious, was placed on the war chariot, and Jing Ke bowed deeply before driving away.

At that moment, General Qing Qin atop the city wall ordered the gates opened, and three thousand armored riders charged forth.

“Attack! Rescue the crown prince!”

“Attack—!”

A thunderous roar, and a mechanical white tiger of the Moists sprang out, quickly overtaking the leading cavalry.

“Good, good! It’s the mechanical white tiger!” Yan Dan was overjoyed—perhaps rescue was at hand.

Lin Shu said nothing, but ordered Harong to take action.

He wasn’t afraid of these Liaodong cavalrymen, but didn’t wish to make mortal enemies of the Yan people—he would need both Liaodong and Liaoxi for the empire’s future.

The resilient descendants of the Yellow Emperor could not be subdued by slaughter alone!

“At your command,” came the reply in his mind, and Harong immediately gave his orders.

“Lei Ming, the rest of you, stand by for the king and hold the line—do not act without orders.”

The northern army began to move, but too slowly. The Moists’ mechanical beast had already reached the dragon horses.

“Release the leader at once!” the Moists’ disciples shouted in anger.

A formless force struck out, sending over a hundred heavy cavalry and their mounts crashing into the oncoming riders.

The leaping mechanical white tiger didn’t fare much better; two Moist disciples were flung aside.

“It’s over!” Yan Dan felt another wave of helplessness. The white tiger was finished, and the iron cavalry wouldn’t reach them in time—already, the northern army’s cavalry was charging in!

Lin Shu was quite curious about the Moists’ mechanical beasts. He hadn’t even given the order when the main controller, Xin Ying, spirited the white tiger away.

What! The white tiger had disappeared! The Black Hero spat another mouthful of blood.

There were precious few such beasts even in the Moists’ arsenal, but their true value lay in the secret core within—a rare and priceless spirit-gathering array, the greatest secret of the Moists’ mechanical arts! The Moists would rather destroy the white tiger than let it fall into enemy hands.

Three thousand iron riders charged in, but after being struck by over a hundred heavy cavalry, the front lines fell and the formation was thrown into chaos.

“Defeat, utter defeat!” Wu Yangjing sighed bitterly. The strength of the Yin-Yang Clan and the Net was truly as formidable as their reputation.

Boom, boom, boom—a formless ripple shattered the air in concentric waves.

Lin Shu had no desire to toy with the Liaodong cavalry. After several waves of force exploded forth, another thousand iron riders fell to the ground.

Before they could even get close, half of them had collapsed. Even the bravest knights began to lose heart.

“Go! All of you, escape while you can!” Yan Dan shouted hoarsely, utterly despairing. This time, he was truly finished.

Rumbling thunder—twenty thousand northern cavalry had arrived, a continuous tide of iron riders like a surging sea.

Panic-stricken, the Yan general immediately wheeled his horse about—there was no saving the crown prince now; to sacrifice every man would be pointless.

The northern cavalry held fire and did not give full chase, otherwise the Liaodong riders would have no hope of escape.

“Stop.”

At the king’s command, twenty thousand cavalrymen slowed and halted behind the carriage.

They stopped? Could it be…?

Yan Dan was baffled—why had the northern army not seized such an opportunity to slaughter them?

He had just opened his mouth to speak when he fainted dead away. The Six-Fingered Black Hero and the others were then locked away in the lowest level of the residential quarters.

All ten were confined to a single large room, furnished only with a single lavatory—so clean it lacked even a mattress.

Lei Ming also ordered several thousand cavalrymen to dismount and carry away the wounded soldiers and horses.