Mo Li

In the dead of night, a group of agile figures clad in black silently infiltrated the Mo Family Army’s camp. Although this was not the main camp where Prince Ding personally commanded, it was only about twenty miles away from the headquarters, forming a strategic support with it. Moreover, this location stored the largest amount of provisions, serving as the frontline supply depot for the Mo Family Army. The tightness of its defense went without saying. Yet these intruders managed to slip in without alerting anyone, a testament to their exceptional skills.

The silent camp was asleep, save for the patrolling soldiers. The occasional caw of night crows in the darkness lent an uneasy air.

The leader raised a hand, halting the group behind him. He scanned the surroundings warily before whispering urgently, “We’ve been spotted. Retreat!”

The others were startled, but before they could react, a silver rain of arrows pierced through the night.

“Fall back!” The black-clad intruders, all highly skilled, scattered instantly. The camp erupted into activity as torches flared to life. From the shadows emerged a man in black, a cold smirk playing on his lips. “Since you’ve come, don’t think about leaving. Pursue them!”

From hidden positions throughout the camp, countless dark figures darted out, chasing after the fleeing intruders.

Instead of fleeing directly, the infiltrators split up, with many heading toward the supply storage areas, clearly aiming to destroy the Mo Family Army’s provisions. As the saying goes, “An army marches on its stomach.” In this era, beyond combat strength and strategy, warfare hinged on supplies. Without provisions, even the mightiest army would starve to death.

Their plan was well-laid, but the Mo Family Army, with centuries of experience, had naturally anticipated such tactics. The moment they breached the supply storage, they found themselves surrounded by an equally enigmatic group of black-clad figures. Without a word, both sides engaged in combat.

Not far from the camp, on a concealed high ground, Xu Qingfeng stood at the cliff’s edge, clad in black, his expression grim as he observed the camp below. Beside him were the usually carefree Han Mingxi and the poised Han Mingyue, with a group of black-clad figures standing behind them, all watching the flickering torches in the distance with predatory intensity.

“What a fine place,” Han Mingxi remarked cheerfully to Xu Qingfeng. Originally, he and Han Mingyue had been tasked with escorting supplies, but they hadn’t expected to witness such a spectacle.

Han Mingyue mused thoughtfully, “These people seem to operate similarly to the Qilin.”

Xu Qingfeng scoffed arrogantly, “They’re just imitators. ‘One may paint a tiger’s skin, but not its bones.’ For the Bei Rong people to achieve this level is commendable. Since they’ve provoked us first, it’s only fair to teach them a lesson. Men!”

“Commander,” a black-clad figure stepped forward, bowing to receive orders.

Xu Qingfeng said, “Sixty miles from here lies a Bei Rong camp. Go and have some fun there.”

“As you command,” the man replied firmly, then waved his hand, leading dozens of black-clad figures into the night.The others said no more, looking down at the camp below from their vantage point. The place appeared unremarkable at first glance, but standing atop the cliff allowed them to survey the entire camp at once. This way, even if the Bei Rong people had heaven-defying abilities, they wouldn't escape the Qilin's watchful eyes.

"They're retreating," someone observed. The Bei Rong soldiers below clearly realized their mission was futile. After all, they had merely been sent to test the waters. Burning the Mo Family Army's provisions would have been ideal, but failure was also acceptable. Seeing they couldn't gain the upper hand, they immediately prepared to withdraw.

Xu Qingfeng stroked his chin and smiled. "Since they were sent to probe us, letting one return is enough. Kill all the others." Standing nearby, Han Mingxi couldn't help but twitch his lips. Allowing just one to return was more humiliating to the Bei Rong than letting none escape at all. It was a blatant message: You sent scouts to test us? Fine, I'll leave one alive to report back—we're not afraid of your probing. He had originally thought Xu Qingfeng was the most kind-hearted among the Xu brothers, but it seemed this one was no saint either.

As the Bei Rong soldiers fled, the Qilin forces deliberately let them break through—not to spare them, but to shift the battlefield outside the camp. The original group of over twenty black-clad fighters was soon split apart, each fighting alone. In less than half an hour, the once brightly lit camp returned to silence.

In the darkness, three black-clad figures frantically sprinted toward the Northern Rong Camp. On this moonless night, the scattered starlight provided little illumination for their path. The trio dashed through the forest in panic, eventually losing their way.

Pausing to glance back and confirming no pursuers were following, they sighed in relief. One couldn't help but mutter, "I never expected these Central Plains people to be so formidable!" They were elite warriors personally trained by Helian Zhen and He Lianpeng over recent years, far superior to ordinary Bei Rong soldiers. Among the Bei Rong, strength commanded respect, and these Yazi warriors often looked down on regular soldiers, let alone the "weak" Central Plains people they despised. Yet tonight marked Yazi's debut battle—not only could they not fight multiple opponents, but even one-on-one, they struggled, even seeming at a disadvantage.

"That's just the Central Plains people being cunning, ambushing us in advance!" another retorted stubbornly. His skills surpassed the others', and he hadn't been bested in combat against the Mo Family Army—they'd only retreated due to being outnumbered. Naturally, he refused to admit defeat.

The third frowned. "We seem lost. We should hurry back to camp."

The other two nodded in agreement. After running through the forest for over an hour without finding their way out, it was clear they were disoriented.

"The mighty Yazi elites of the Bei Rong, getting lost? How laughable!" A hearty chuckle echoed from the shadows, its source elusive and impossible to pinpoint.

The three men paled. "Who's there?!"

"How do you know about Yazi?!" Yazi was Helian Zhen's secret trump card—unknown even to the King of Northern Rong and Yelv Ye beforehand. Yet their identity had been exposed with a single remark.The newcomer laughed, "Any barbarian daring to set foot in the Central Plains is surely known to our Mo Family Army."

"Qilin?!" the three men exclaimed in unison, their eyes wary as they stared into the darkness.

"Indeed, Qilin. Weren’t you all eager to witness the might of Qilin? Why the sudden retreat?" the figure in the shadows chuckled.

The leader of the black-clad men snarled, "If you have the guts, come out and fight! Do you Central Plains folk only know how to skulk and hide?" The man in the darkness sneered, "Just about to deal with you!" A shadow shot forward like a streak of light. Before the three Northern Rong men could even discern the figure's appearance, the leader felt a chill on his neck. A cold hand clamped around his throat, and with a slight squeeze, the Northern Rong man gurgled before collapsing lifelessly to the ground.

The remaining two Northern Rong men roared in fury and lunged at the shadow. With a soft hum, a flash of cold light split the air—a gleaming flexible sword dancing in the night, weaving dazzling patterns. In moments, another man fell. The last Northern Rong man was nearly paralyzed with fear. All men fear death. Though the Northern Rong might be braver than the Central Plains folk, it didn’t mean they feared death any less. On the battlefield, they might disregard life and death in the heat of battle, but here in the pitch-black night, facing this enigmatic shadow with the corpses of his comrades beside him, the Northern Rong man—already exhausted from over an hour of fleeing—finally broke. With a desperate roar, he charged wildly at the shadow, heedless of tactics or the odds. The shadow sneered, spinning behind the man and delivering a precise strike to the back of his neck. The frenzied Northern Rong man crumpled to the ground, and silence once again enveloped the forest.

The black-clad man sheathed his flexible sword and strode out of the woods. Outside, Xu Qingfeng, Han Mingxi, and the others were already waiting. Emerging from the dark forest, his handsome face was revealed under the starlight—none other than Zhuo Jing.

Han Mingxi leaned against a tree trunk, yawning lazily. "Just three fleeing petty thieves. Was it really necessary for Princess Ding’s most trusted aide to handle this personally? Seems like overkill."

Ignoring Han Mingxi’s sarcasm, Zhuo Jing replied calmly, "Her Highness merely wished to gauge their true strength."

Xu Qingfeng asked curiously, "And?" They had observed the entire fight and could tell these men weren’t far behind Qilin in skill—testament to the years of effort and resources Helian Zhen had poured into their training.

Zhuo Jing smiled. "Their combat skills are decent, but they fall short in other areas." In Qilin’s training, individual prowess was important, but not absolute. Some members were only slightly better than ordinary soldiers but excelled in unique specialties. Moreover, Qilin specialized in coordinated teamwork. Once surrounded, even the world’s top masters would find escape difficult. Additionally, they underwent rigorous training in practical skills—unlike the Northern Rong men who got lost in the woods tonight, such a thing would never happen to Qilin.Moreover, the psychological resilience of these Bei Rong people was far inferior to the exceptional excellence of the Qilin members. Over the years, under the leadership of Qin Feng and others, Qilin had gradually developed a standardized system. Every formally selected member had emerged from various dire situations, becoming stronger when faced with greater challenges. In perilous circumstances, they remained calm rather than descending into meaningless frenzy.

Xu Qingfeng nodded and said, "That's good. Let's head back as well."

At dawn, when the sky was just beginning to lighten, He Lianpeng and Yelv Ye sat in the main tent, awaiting news. Yelv Ye frowned slightly, his heart unsettled. Ever since the war with the Mo Family Army began, he had harbored a lingering concern about Ye Li's Qilin. Although Qilin had remained inactive, their reputation for striking with unerring precision cast a shadow of unease over him. If He Lianpeng's Yazi could counter Qilin, his military strategies would naturally involve fewer worries.

Gazing at the half-lit sky outside, Yelv Ye sighed in disappointment and said, "It seems it didn't work."

He Lianpeng, however, showed no signs of anxiety and replied calmly, "Your Highness need not worry. Their failure was expected. If the Mo Family Army couldn't handle such a minor setback, they would be far too weak. This time, I merely wanted to gauge the true strength of the Mo Family Army's Qilin."

Hearing this, Yelv Ye relaxed and said, "As long as you have a plan, He Lian. Ye Li may be a woman, but she is no less formidable than Mo Xiuyao. You must be very careful."

"Oh?" He Lianpeng looked at Yelv Ye in surprise, taken aback by the prince's high regard for Ye Li. Even without Yelv Ye's warning, he would never have underestimated her.

Yelv Ye smiled wryly and shook his head. "It's only in the past couple of days that I've come to understand. Ren Qining's defeat at Ye Li's hands... I suspect she had already begun plotting against him the moment he arrived in Li Cheng. These were matters Mo Xiuyao and Xu Qingchen couldn't interfere with. And back when Ye Li defeated Lei Zhenting in the northwest, many dismissed it as a fluke. But as the Central Plains saying goes, when multiple 'flukes' pile up, they are no longer accidents but premeditated schemes."

He Lianpeng nodded in agreement. "Your Highness speaks wisely. Over the past two years, I've studied the details of Ye Li's victory over Lei Zhenting. It was clear she feigned weakness to lure Lei Zhenting's army deep into her territory, then cut off their supply lines from behind. She even sacrificed Xinyang City to annihilate the Western Mausoleum Army's elite forces. Lei Zhenting's defeat was well-deserved. Princess Ding, though a woman, lacks nothing in vision, cunning, decisiveness, or courage. Were it not for her gender, the struggle for supremacy in the Central Plains would have another contender."

Both men fell silent, reflecting on the current situation and sighing at the realization that the Central Plains truly bred extraordinary talents. Conquering it would be an arduous path for Northern Rong.

"Your Highness, General He Lian, the troops sent out last night have returned," a guard reported from outside the tent.

Yelv Ye stood up and asked, "How many have returned?"

The guard hesitated before answering, "Your Highness... only one.""Only one?" Not only Yelv Ye, but even He Lianpeng was stunned. Although they had anticipated Yazi's inevitable defeat tonight—intending it as a lesson for their arrogant subordinates—He Lianpeng had never expected only one survivor to return. He had assumed that even if these men couldn't defeat the Mo Family Army or complete their mission, at least most would escape alive.

"Bring him in!" He Lianpeng ordered coldly.

Soon after, a disheveled man in black staggered in, his expression dull and lifeless. He knelt before Yelv Ye and He Lianpeng. "This subordinate greets the Prince and the General."

He Lianpeng frowned and demanded sternly, "What happened?"

The man recounted the events of the previous night in detail. It turned out he was the last one Zhuo Jing had knocked unconscious in the forest. Zhuo Jing hadn't struck too hard, so the man regained consciousness not long after. Stumbling out of the woods, he returned to the Northern Rong Camp just as dawn was breaking.

He Lianpeng and Yelv Ye's expressions darkened further. This wasn't merely a case of one survivor escaping—it was clear the Mo Family Army had deliberately let this last man go as a message. Once the man finished speaking, He Lianpeng stood up and, in one swift motion, slit his throat with his blade. The man's eyes widened in shock before he collapsed to the ground, dead with unseeing eyes. He hadn't died at the hands of the enemy but by the blade of the very man who had trained him.

Wiping the blood from his knife indifferently, He Lianpeng said coldly, "Since you were the only one left, there was no need for you to return." While he had intended to humble his subordinates' arrogance, such a crushing defeat would only demoralize them completely. If this man had been allowed back into Yazi's ranks, the story would spread, instilling an innate fear of the Mo Family Army and Qilin among their forces—something disastrous for their campaign. The Central Plains people had a saying: ignorance breeds fearlessness.

"Your Highness, General Ye He has sent word that his camp was attacked last night. Two granaries were burned!" A soldier rushed in to report.

Yelv Ye's face twisted with fury. "Qilin!"

He Lianpeng lowered his gaze and said grimly, "To retaliate so swiftly—truly worthy of the Mo Family Army."

Yelv Ye's voice was icy. "He Lian, I don't care what methods you use—you must eliminate Qilin as quickly as possible! Otherwise, they will become a thorn in my side!" Compared to the Mo Family Army, provisions were far more critical for the Northern Rong forces. Even if the Mo Family Army lost their supplies, they could still procure more from elsewhere. Prince Ding's Estate now controlled vast territories spanning the former lands of Great Chu and Western Liang—an area not much smaller than Great Chu itself. Even excluding the fertile southern regions once known as Great Chu's breadbasket, gathering enough grain for hundreds of thousands of troops would be effortless.

But for the Northern Rong army, the situation was dire. The Northern Rong royal court was thousands of miles from Great Chu, and their homeland produced little grain. They relied on plundering the people within the borders, but upon their initial invasion, they had slaughtered most of the northern populace. After two years, barely one in ten civilians remained—where could they find enough food to loot now? Though only two small granaries had been lost, Yelv Ye was still enraged beyond measure.Helian Peng responded, "Seventh Prince, rest assured."

"I hope you won't disappoint me," Yelv Ye said solemnly.

In the Mo Family Army's camp, Ye Li couldn't help but smile after hearing Zhuo Jing's report. "This Helian Peng is quite interesting."

Mo Xiuyao snorted disapprovingly, "What's so interesting about him? If I had spent that much effort on superficial things without understanding their purpose, I could have trained hundreds of thousands of elite soldiers by now." This era had no concept of special forces operations, and apart from Ye Li, no one could systematically summarize independent combat directions, theories, practices, and training methods. In Mo Xiuyao's view, Helian Peng's so-called Yazi unit might not even compare to the original shadow guards of Prince Ding's Estate. Most importantly, Helian Peng had no clear idea of what Yazi was truly meant for. It now seemed like it was merely created to oppose the Qilin, yet they were no match for the Qilin. It was as if Helian Zhen and Helian Peng had wasted their efforts for nothing.

Ye Li chuckled lightly, "Since Helian Peng has such ideas, he's clearly targeting me. Let me handle this rising star general of Northern Rong."

After a moment of contemplation, Mo Xiuyao nodded. "Very well. Once He Su arrives, have him continue serving under you. Additionally, Yun Ting and Chen Yun, you will also follow Wang Fei."

"Yes, Wang Ye," Yun Ting and Chen Yun stepped forward from the crowd and bowed in acknowledgment. Yun Ting had originally been brought into the Mo Family Army by Ye Li during her time in Yonglin under Murong Shen's command, while Chen Yun held great admiration for the young Wang Fei. Naturally, both were delighted to accept Mo Xiuyao's orders.

Ye Li nodded in agreement. The generals below exchanged glances, gaining a deeper understanding of Ye Li's status. He Su was originally a shadow guard by Wang Fei's side and now commanded an army of 300,000, rivaling even the veteran generals of Prince Ding's Estate. Despite having just pacified the northern border with Wang Fei, Wang Ye still assigned He Su to her, clearly intending to place both He Su and his troops entirely under her command—making them her personal forces in name and deed. In these turbulent times, what mattered most was military power. That Wang Ye was willing to share even this with Wang Fei spoke volumes about what else he might grant her.

Now that Prince Ding's Estate was in full-scale war with Northern Rong, the battlefield stretched from beyond Flying Goose Pass all the way to the outskirts of Chu Jing. The front line covered more than half of what was once the northern territory of Great Chu, making it impossible to focus on a single location. The Mo Family Army was similarly divided into left, center, and right routes. The right route was commanded by Ye Li, stationed near Vulture Peak Mountain close to Flying Goose Pass. The left route was led by Lyu Jinxian, occupying Liang City, a hundred li from Chu Jing. Meanwhile, Mo Xiuyao commanded the central army, holding the main camp. Thus, Ye Li, having just returned from the northern border, had to depart again after only a few days of rest.If Ye Li wished, she could naturally stay in the camp with Mo Xiuyao. Even if she never lifted a finger again, no one in the Mo Family Army would ever voice the slightest complaint about their Wang Fei. But Ye Li had no desire for such an arrangement—her galloping across battlefields had never been about seeking the army's approval, but simply because she enjoyed it. Even after a lifetime, the heroic spirit ingrained in her bones from being born into a military family had never faded. Thus, while the world saw Princess Ding as the epitome of a refined and scholarly lady, her actions spoke more of a general's descendant.

Outside the Mo Family Army camp, Zhuo Jing, Qin Feng, and the others stood at a distance, their eyes fixed anywhere but on their illustrious, world-revered Prince Ding nearby.

Lin Han looked up at the sky, rubbed his nose, and signaled Qin Feng with his eyes: Are we leaving or not? It's almost dark.

Qin Feng rubbed his nose and rolled his eyes: How should I know?

Zhuo Jing kept his eyes downcast, feigning indifference: If we can't leave today, we'll go tomorrow. Since neither His Highness nor Her Highness is in a hurry, why should we be?

Feng Zhiyao, who had come to see them off, glanced awkwardly at a certain someone and decisively decided that his relationship with Qin Feng and the others was better than with Princess Ding. So, he opted to bid them farewell instead. The four men exchanged blank stares, their faces expressionless, but inwardly, they were all lamenting: What sins did we commit in our past lives to be enslaved by such a person for most of our lives? If outsiders saw this, even our dignity would be utterly lost.

On the other side, Ye Li sighed helplessly as she looked at the pitiful gaze of a certain someone. "Xiu Yao, I really must go now."

Mo Xiuyao replied with a hint of melancholy, "A Li just returned. Can't you stay at the central camp with me? I can just send Marquis Nan to Vulture Peak Mountain instead."

Ye Li said gently, "We already agreed on this earlier."

"Agreements can be broken. This prince has changed his mind," Mo Xiuyao declared shamelessly. "I'll order Marquis Nan and his son to head to Vulture Peak Mountain immediately."

Ye Li rolled her eyes skyward. What was with this habit of acting spoiled at every turn? She had never seen him behave so unreasonably in front of others. "Are you as old as Xiao Bao now? Even Xiao Bao doesn’t go back on his word like you do. Be good… Once we defeat the Northern Rong, everything will be fine."

Mo Xiuyao pulled her into his embrace and muttered gloomily, "A Li, you're lying to me. After the Northern Rong, there’s still Lei Zhenting, and maybe even Mo Jingli. Why won’t they just die already?" A faint crimson glint flashed in his eyes as he buried his face in her shoulder, his voice dark and brooding. Ye Li sighed softly. "They will die. Stop fussing—I really must go."

After much coaxing, Mo Xiuyao finally released Ye Li, watching with a sullen expression as she mounted her horse and rode away. Feng Zhiyao, standing nearby, couldn’t help but chuckle under his breath. "Your Highness, it’s not like this is the first time the princess has gone out. Must you be so reluctant to part?" More importantly, you’re casually overturning your usual image like this—not only is it hard for your subordinates to accept, but even for a childhood friend like me, it’s difficult to process.

"Hmph! Instead of joking around, why don’t you hurry up and kill Yelv Ye for me?" Mo Xiuyao shot Feng Zhiyao a cold glance, snorted, and strode off with a flick of his sleeve. There was not a trace left of the harmless demeanor he had shown Ye Li moments ago.

Feng Zhiyao grunted, clutching his chest as he shook his head with a bitter smile. Truly, friendship paled before love. There was no need to vent his frustrations on an innocent bystander like him. If you didn’t want the princess to leave, you shouldn’t have agreed in the first place. Feng Zhiyao silently cursed in his heart but had no choice but to follow. After all, who asked him to be unlucky enough to befriend such a person?

Ye Li and her party left the Mo Family Army camp and rode swiftly toward the Vulture Peak Mountain camp. This location was not only the closest to Flying Goose Pass but also the nearest to the territory controlled by Lei Zhenting. Lei Zhenting had stationed hundreds of thousands of troops along the border. Although Western Liang was currently preoccupied with its own affairs, no one could say for certain whether Lei Zhenting might take advantage of the Mo Family Army’s fierce battle with the Northern Rong to intervene. The reason Ye Li personally took charge here was to ensure they could respond swiftly in case of any unexpected developments.Vulture Peak Mountain was over two hundred li from the Mo Family Army's central camp. Even riding at full speed, Ye Li and her party wouldn't arrive until evening. However, with guards stationed at the camp and veteran General Yuan Pei holding Flying Goose Pass, they weren't in any particular hurry.

The group rode at a steady pace toward Vulture Peak Mountain. When they reached a mountain stream, Qin Feng suddenly pulled on his reins. His galloping horse reared up with a whinny, circling several steps before coming to a stop. Ye Li and the others naturally halted behind him.

"Friends ahead, please show yourselves," Qin Feng called out, his voice echoing strangely through the mountain pass.

"Haha... Princess Ding, I've long admired your reputation. Seeing you today, the tales don't disappoint." A young man clad in battle armor emerged from the mountain path ahead, holding a long saber with an air of martial prowess. He laughed heartily as he cupped his hands in salute to Ye Li. Ye Li slightly furrowed her brows before urging her horse forward with a calm smile. "General He Lianpeng, what a pleasant surprise."

He Lianpeng's smile faded slightly. "Princess Ding has sharp eyes."

Ye Li replied mildly, "Who else but General He Lianpeng would dare lead troops to block our path within Mo Family Army territory? Did you bring your Yazi warriors with you today?" At her words, a muscle twitched near He Lianpeng's eye. Last time, he had underestimated the Mo Family Army's strength, resulting in the complete annihilation of the dozens of men he'd sent—merely a probing force, yet their total defeat was hardly a glorious military record.

"I did bring my Yazi," he said solemnly. "But it seems the Princess hasn't brought her Qilin. What a pity. Does the Princess believe that because this is Mo Family Army territory, there's no danger whatsoever, allowing you to move about freely?"

"How could I possibly think that? Even sitting quietly at home, misfortune may come knocking. But surely I can't stop leaving my house altogether because of that? Wouldn't that be like giving up eating for fear of choking?" Ye Li countered with a smile.

He Lianpeng studied the white-clad woman thoughtfully. Compared to Northern Rong women, Central Plains women typically appeared more youthful. By Northern Rong standards, Ye Li looked no more than seventeen or eighteen. Dressed in simple snow-white robes, her jet-black hair casually tied up, her sleeves fluttering and hair dancing in the breeze, she resembled the Holy Maidens from ancient mountain legends.

"Since I'm here today, I'd like to invite the Princess to visit our Northern Rong camp. I hope you'll honor me with your presence," He Lianpeng said gravely.

At this, the gazes Qin Feng, Zhuo Jing and the others directed at He Lianpeng grew several degrees darker and more hostile. They urged their horses forward to shield Ye Li. Unfazed, He Lianpeng laughed loudly and waved his hand. A group of black-clad warriors emerged along the mountain path—easily over a hundred at first glance.

"Please honor me with your presence," He Lianpeng repeated earnestly to Ye Li.

Qin Feng sneered. "With just this handful of men, you think you can take the Princess? You overestimate yourself.""Oh?" He Lianpeng raised an eyebrow, his gaze sweeping over Qin Feng and the others. "May I ask who these gentlemen are?" He could naturally tell that the aura around Qin Feng and his companions was far from that of ordinary guards. Unfortunately, the intelligence of the Bei Rong people was far less precise than that of the Mo Family Army, failing even to recognize the most trusted individuals by Ye Li's side.

Qin Feng replied indifferently, "Nameless nobodies, unworthy of General He Lian's inquiry. However, if the General wishes to invite Wang Fei as a guest, you must first get past us."

He Lianpeng grinned and said, "Is that so? In that case... attack!"

The black-clad men behind him immediately moved to encircle Ye Li and her group upon receiving the order. Qin Feng, Lin Han, and the others charged forward, while Zhuo Jing retreated to stand by Ye Li's side without engaging. The entourage Ye Li had brought, including Qin Feng, Yun Ting, and Chen Yun, numbered no more than a dozen. Facing off against He Lianpeng's hundred-strong force, they were naturally at a disadvantage. Yet, these men were the elite of the elite, handpicked from hundreds, and managed to hold their ground against overwhelming numbers without faltering.

Witnessing this, even He Lianpeng couldn't help but show a flicker of surprise. He wondered whether these men had been specially assigned by Mo Xiuyao to protect Ye Li or if the entire Mo Family Army possessed such formidable combat prowess. If it were the latter, the fate of the Bei Rong army might indeed be dire.

"Truly the elite of the Mo Family Army—your skills are extraordinary," He Lianpeng praised loudly. "Wang Fei, even if your men are exceptional, they cannot withstand my numbers. Why sacrifice them needlessly? I sincerely invite you to Bei Rong as my guest. Won't you honor me with your presence?" He Lianpeng's features were not particularly handsome, but he exuded a fierce, martial aura uncommon among Central Plains men. Yet, his overly refined speech created an eerie dissonance.

Ye Li smiled faintly. "General He Lian seems quite interested in my Qilin?"

He Lianpeng grinned. "I must admit, I am indeed intrigued. For Wang Fei to train such a mysterious force, whose combat prowess even surpasses the Mo Family Army's elite Black Cloud Cavalry—how could I not admire it? I was hoping to learn from you."

Ye Li nodded. "In that case, I shall show you... how the Qilin should be used." Before her words faded, she flicked her wrist. A sharp whistle pierced the air as an emerald streak shot skyward, bursting into a verdant firework. Moments later, two more green flares rose simultaneously from nearby locations.

He Lianpeng's expression darkened. "How could the Qilin be here? Did Wang Fei foresee my ambush?" Those flares were clearly responses from the Mo Family Army to Ye Li's signal—likely the Qilin's doing.

Ye Li shook her head with a smile. "Do you truly believe I possess foresight? The essence of the Qilin is this: omnipresent, at all times. Since this is still a battlefield, how could they be absent?"He Lianpeng sneered coldly. Compared to the Qilin, his Yazi subordinates were indeed somewhat lacking. But it didn’t matter... “Then let the Wang Fei see whether they can make it in time to save you!” With that, He Lianpeng leaped forward, charging straight at Ye Li on the opposite side. Surprisingly, unlike most Bei Rong people who only valued external martial arts, He Lianpeng had also cultivated Central Plains internal energy—and it seemed his skills were not shallow. At the very least, even Ye Li’s discerning eyes couldn’t gauge his true depth.

Zhuo Jing, standing beside Ye Li, sprang into action, intercepting him mid-air. The two exchanged over a dozen blows before landing back on the ground. Zhuo Jing’s expression darkened—He Lianpeng’s martial prowess was far beyond his expectations. Under normal circumstances, joining forces with Qin Feng and Lin Han might have given them a chance, but now that was impossible.

He Lianpeng was confident in his own skills. Having clashed with the Mo Family Army several times without meeting a worthy opponent—though Mo Xiuyao had never personally intervened—he hadn’t expected to be halted by an unremarkable guard. With a cold laugh, he praised, “Impressive skill.”

Zhuo Jing remained silent, his gaze steady and fixed on He Lianpeng.

He Lianpeng snorted lightly and smirked. “A pity it’s still not enough.” Without another glance at Zhuo Jing, he lunged toward Ye Li once more. Zhuo Jing, of course, wouldn’t let him succeed and swiftly moved to block him again. Meanwhile, Ye Li dismounted in the same instant, a short blade flashing in her hand as she thrust toward He Lianpeng’s chest.

He Lianpeng let out a surprised sound and reached to grab her wrist, only for Ye Li to twist her hand and slash at his arm with the blade. In that brief moment, He Lianpeng caught a clear glimpse of her weapon—it wasn’t an ordinary dagger but a triangular spike, sharp as a needle and grooved for bloodletting. A single stab from such a weapon would either be fatal or leave one half-dead.

He Lianpeng retreated with a laugh. “Princess Ding has quite the ruthless hand.”

Though a woman, Ye Li feared no one in close combat. The only drawback was her late start in cultivating internal energy, preventing her from mastering it fully. But in such a melee, internal energy mattered little. No matter how formidable He Lianpeng was, he was far from achieving effortless control over his movements.

Zhuo Jing naturally wouldn’t leave Ye Li to fight alone. He closed in with a longsword, its blade weaving a deadly web of sharp energy. The two coordinated seamlessly—one engaging from afar, the other up close—leaving He Lianpeng momentarily at a loss.

He Lianpeng knew that capturing Ye Li required eliminating Zhuo Jing first. But with Ye Li constantly pressing him, he couldn’t spare the effort to deal with Zhuo Jing, who was no pushover either. Thus, he had no choice but to focus solely on Ye Li—if he could injure her first, he would then have the freedom to handle Zhuo Jing.Having made up his mind, He Lianpeng drew his long blade, swiftly creating distance between himself and Ye Li. The blade danced fiercely through the air, aimed straight at Ye Li. Knowing her strength was no match for He Lianpeng's, Ye Li chose not to engage and instead leaped backward. Zhuo Jing stepped forward, intercepting He Lianpeng's blade, while Ye Li reappeared behind him, thrusting her dagger toward He Lianpeng.

This was exactly what He Lianpeng had been waiting for. With a powerful swing of his blade, even Zhuo Jing was forced back by the sheer force of his strike. Yet, contrary to expectations, Ye Li—who should have suffered worse injuries than Zhuo Jing—seemed unaffected by the blade's energy and pressed forward relentlessly.

Ye Li moved with lightning speed. In an instant, her dagger pierced He Lianpeng’s body. Before he could even register his shock at her ability to withstand his force, excruciating pain contorted his face. Zhuo Jing, having retreated to the side, flicked his long whip, pulling Ye Li back to safety.

Steadying himself, He Lianpeng glanced at his wound and gasped. Though he had dodged swiftly enough to avoid a fatal strike, the dagger had still impaled his arm. It was clear that this arm would be useless for the next two or three months. Had the blade struck his torso, even if it missed vital points, no amount of inner energy could have saved him from death.

"Wang Fei is truly formidable," He Lianpeng said, his expression shifting unpredictably as he stared at Ye Li.

Ye Li remained composed. "You flatter me, General He Lian. Your martial prowess is rare even among the Bei Rong people."

He Lianpeng didn’t hide the truth. "Indeed, my skills were taught to me by a master from the Central Plains." Tearing off a strip of cloth, he wrapped his bleeding wound while chuckling.

"May I ask which master? I happen to know a few experts from the Central Plains."

He Lianpeng smiled wryly. "A shameful admission—my master… was killed by Prince Ding."

Ye Li frowned slightly, pondering for a moment. "Murong Xiong." The only one capable of training such a skilled disciple, and who had died at Mo Xiuyao’s hands, was likely Murong Xiong. Moreover, He Lianpeng’s fighting style bore some resemblance to Murong Xiong’s.

He Lianpeng neither confirmed nor denied, merely smiling in silence.

Unfazed, Ye Li said coolly, "General He Lian, you should hurry back. A bleeding arm can still kill a man."

Though He Lianpeng had bandaged his wound, the bleeding showed no signs of stopping. Soon, the entire cloth strip was soaked crimson. With a bitter laugh, he pressed several acupoints to stem the flow. Just as he was about to speak, several cold glints flashed from the distant woods—arrows streaked toward them. A few black-clad men nearby fell, struck down.

He Lianpeng’s expression darkened. "They’re here already! Retreat!"

Author’s Note:

Massive update! Throw all your votes into the bowl~

P.S.: A Li used a triangular bayonet—truly the undisputed king of bloodletting. Our army is mighty!