Ling Ziyue guessed his identity and gave a slight nod of thanks.
Gao Dazhuang lifted his chin, exuding an air of arrogance.
An Jiu’s gaze had been fixed on Ling Ziyue the entire time, so she naturally noticed the subtle exchange between the two. She thought to herself that Gao Dazhuang had finally done something decent, yet he still managed to be so insufferable.
Just as she was thinking this, her peripheral vision suddenly caught two Liao cavalrymen raising their bows!
An Jiu’s heart skipped a beat, and she immediately drew the Dragon Subduing Bow.
Judging by the distance, the Liao archer on the left was closer to Gao Dazhuang, meaning there was a chance for rescue. Even if it was too late, Ling Ziyue had the ability to defend himself. So, she focused all her attention on the archer on the right.
Wind speed, humidity, distance, midpoint, target—every external factor that could affect the arrow’s trajectory had already run through her mind multiple times.
As she rapidly calculated, she saw the archer make the subtle preparatory motion of releasing the bowstring.
Whoosh!
An Jiu’s dark eyes seemed devoid of everything, reflecting only that glint of cold light approaching from afar. To her, everything around her slowed down, the arrowhead magnified infinitely in her vision.
Her fingers loosened.
The vibrating string of the Dragon Subduing Bow hummed softly as the arrow, carrying a fierce gale, shot toward that glint of cold light.
The tense standoff between the two sides was hardly noticeable in the chaotic battlefield, but some still saw the arrows the Liao army had fired at Ling Ziyue.
Gao Dazhuang swung his whip, lashing it through the air to snatch the arrow that was closer to him.
But the other arrow had no one to stop it.
“General, watch out!” The warning came too late.
Yet, the expected outcome did not happen.
Ling Ziyue had no time to dodge and had already raised his sword when, suddenly, an arrow shot out from the darkness behind him, tearing through the air with such force that it collided perfectly with the Liao army’s sneak attack.
With a sharp clang, the two arrows struck each other. The arrow from the darkness did not stop there—it split the Liao arrow in half, seemingly unaffected by the resistance, and with its overwhelming killing intent, it pierced straight through the Liao archer in their ranks!
This astonishing scene happened in the blink of an eye.
A faint stir rippled through the Liao army.
Ling Ziyue also witnessed this miraculous shot. His instincts told him it came from that cold female shadow unit member.
However, no matter how astonishing, it was still just one arrow. It couldn’t change the tide of the entire battle.
Ling Ziyue quickly snapped out of his thoughts and refocused all his attention on the battle ahead.
With Lou Mingyue, Sui Yunzhu, and Qiu Yunxiao joining Li Qingzhi’s side, their combat strength surged instantly. They often fought side by side, and their synergy amplified their combined power exponentially. However, the situation on the deputy general’s side was far less optimistic. Surrounded by over a dozen Liao martial arts masters, he was already showing signs of defeat, suffering several grievous wounds that bled profusely, staining his armor a dark crimson.
In such a large-scale chaotic battle, no one could afford to be distracted. All they could do was kill the enemy—no one could save anyone else. Only those standing right beside each other had a chance to block an attack.
“Hold the line! We have a hundred thousand troops—how can we fear a mere ten thousand?!” the deputy general roared with all his might.
Outnumbering the enemy ten to one, with the War God Ling Ziyue leading them—this was the reason many soldiers kept fighting. Because there was hope. Hope of victory, worth risking their lives for.Ling Ziyue's eyes were bloodshot, his gaze following the deputy general for a few moments. Seeing the man's pallid face smeared with blood, he suddenly looked away.
Just two days ago, that young man had complained to him about not listening to his mother and studying hard, how he struggled desperately yet was still looked down upon, and had followed behind him cheerfully to hear him mock the scholars... Today, he had to watch helplessly as this person died before his eyes, unable to charge forward to save him!
No matter the circumstances, Ling Ziyue could never forget his duty, nor could he forget that he was the pillar of his army.
When his gaze returned, the deputy general was already out of sight.
Ling Ziyue felt as though a sharp sword had pierced his heart, the pain numbing him.
"Let them in," Ling Ziyue whispered, his voice barely audible.
The officer beside him heard and shouted, "Fall back temporarily!"
The sound of retreat rang out, and the Song army swiftly withdrew.
The Liao Iron Cavalry had encountered the most stubborn resistance since crossing the border. Seeing the Song forces retreat after the death of their leading general, they suspected no trick and pursued relentlessly, while all the Martial Arts Masters charged straight for Ling Ziyue!
Many of these masters were not under the control of the Liao court. Their fervor in battle was solely for Ling Ziyue's head.
The Liao court had set a bounty: anyone who could take Ling Ziyue's head would receive two hundred thousand taels of gold, be enfeoffed as the King of the Border, and granted three prefectures as hereditary fiefdom!
Though the Liao territory was vast, few cities were large enough to be called "prefectures." Three prefectures meant a substantial domain.
Ling Ziyue led his troops in a rapid retreat, soon reaching the edge of the forest where An Jiu was stationed.
The Liao Martial Arts Masters pursued closely, unwilling to let go of the wealth and glory within their grasp!
As Ling Ziyue halted, Song crossbowmen suddenly emerged from the grass around them, unleashing a Rain of Arrows that swept toward the Liao masters.
No matter how skilled their Martial Arts, none could withstand such a dense volley. Even those Inner Cultivators who could hold their ground momentarily found their warhorses unable to endure.
Horses neighed in panic, their survival instincts driving them to flee in all directions, but they soon collapsed.
In the brief span of half a cup of tea, over half of the leading masters were dead or wounded.
A dozen Ninth-Order Martial Masters broke through the arrow storm, closing in on Ling Ziyue.
An Jiu swiftly pulled out a vial of Poison Pill and drenched a feathered arrow with it. Drawing her bow, she loosed the arrow at the foremost master.
At such close range, she couldn’t possibly miss. Her movements flowed seamlessly, without the slightest pause.
The master saw the arrow and sneered, raising his blade to deflect it. His Protective Energy-infused weapon struck the arrowhead with a sharp, grating sound. But he had underestimated the arrow’s force—using seventy percent of his strength barely diverted it by less than a foot. By then, the arrowhead was too close, and it was too late to repel it completely!
He unleashed a burst of Protective Energy around his body, forming a shield similar to Chu Dingjiang’s. The arrow was deflected by the energy, narrowly grazing past his neck without even touching his armor. Yet he failed to notice a single drop of liquid landing on his shoulder, mingling with the blood on his armor and seeping into the gaps.
It was the remnants of the Poison Pill An Jiu had frantically doused on the arrowhead—Residual Night.This was not part of An Jiu's plan, and it completely took Ling Ziyue by surprise! He watched helplessly as the ferocious figure leaped into the air, suddenly letting out a savage roar before thick black smoke erupted from the armor. The empty suit of armor then dropped onto the grass with a hollow thud.
The other martial arts masters froze for an instant, but the relentless rain of arrows around them left no room for hesitation. (To be continued...)
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