Mo Li

"Wang Ye?"

Mo Xiuyao waved his hand, casually wiping the blood from the corner of his lips. "Ling Tiehan truly lives up to his reputation." Although it seemed he had the upper hand, someone of Mo Xiuyao's insight could easily tell Ling Tiehan had deliberately feigned weakness. Moreover, while Ling Tiehan was severely injured, Mo Xiuyao's internal injuries were no lighter. As Ling Tiehan had said, if either of them had fought with their full strength, the outcome would likely have been a matter of who died more miserably. Mo Xiuyao had no intention of perishing together with Ling Tiehan.

"Wang Ye, should we...?" The guard beside him whispered. The King of Hell Pavilion was nearly destroyed, and Ling Tiehan was heavily injured. They could easily send men to pursue and eliminate Ling Tiehan and his group.

Mo Xiuyao shook his head. "Forget it. We'll deal with it later." He believed Leng Liuyue's claim that Ling Tiehan had shown mercy to A Li. At their level of skill, if one truly intended to ambush another, only someone of equal strength could hope to escape unscathed. Of course, Mo Xiuyao had also calculated that Ling Tiehan would never oppose Prince Ding's Estate for Lei Zhenting's sake. Yet, he hadn't expected Ling Tiehan to still take action. Even if A Li hadn't been injured, he couldn't simply pretend nothing had happened.

"Ling Tiehan still has his uses. Later, deliver a letter to him on my behalf," Mo Xiuyao ordered.

"Yes."

"Wang Ye, a secret letter from Commander Mo." A shadow guard appeared before Mo Xiuyao, presenting a letter with both hands. Mo Xiuyao raised an eyebrow, took the letter, and opened it—only for his expression to darken instantly. "Mo Jingli, I will make sure you suffer a fate worse than death!"

The two shadow guards beside him subtly retreated a step, silently praying for whoever had provoked their prince.

Mo Xiuyao stared at the letter in his hand, his gaze icy. Wanting to make A Li his empress? Then I'll make sure you never become emperor. Let's see how you'll crown anyone then!

"Someone!" After a long silence, Mo Xiuyao crushed the letter into powder and scattered it with a flick of his hand.

"Wang Ye, your orders?" A black-clad shadow guard appeared behind him, bowing in wait. Mo Xiuyao said coolly, "Have Mo Hua personally take my token to Nanjing. Tell the Empress Dowager that the emperor of Great Chu can be replaced. I guarantee Mo Jingli won't return to trouble her."

"Understood." The shadow guard glanced at Mo Xiuyao's grim expression and swiftly departed. When the prince was in a foul mood, anyone who crossed his path would regret it.

Three days after Lei Zhenting left Flying Goose Pass, the flames of war, having barely subsided, were reignited. Perhaps because they had confirmed Mo Xiuyao's death, the Western Mausoleum Army no longer cautiously probed and maneuvered as they had when facing him before. Instead, they advanced in full force, charging straight for Flying Goose Pass. Meanwhile, the reinforcements Mo Jingli had originally intended to send to Hangu Pass bypassed it entirely, taking a detour through Yuming Pass and swiftly moving northwest. They cut off the only major route connecting Chu Jing and Hangu Pass to Flying Goose Pass, seizing Liyang City in Yunzhou.Liyang was the only route from Chu Jing to Flying Goose Pass and also the original location of the prominent Xu Family of Yunzhou. After the Xu Family relocated en masse to the northwest a decade ago, the current leading noble family in Liyang became the Chu Family, who were related to the Xu Family by marriage. Unfortunately, although Mo Jingli was the emperor of Great Chu, his arrival was not welcomed by the people of Yunzhou and Liyang. Even the noble families of Yunzhou shut their doors tightly, paying no attention to Mo Jingli. This left the once-proud emperor utterly humiliated. If not for a shred of remaining rationality, he might have already ordered the extermination of these noble families.

On the other hand, Lei Zhenting’s Western Mausoleum Army was also facing difficulties. The Mo Family Army, led by renowned generals like Murong Shen, infiltrated in small groups, causing trouble for the Western Mausoleum Army at every turn. Though Murong Shen and Marquis Nan were no match for Lei Zhenting in terms of military strategy or troop strength, they had no trouble harassing and delaying the enemy’s advance. This was especially true after they left Flying Goose Pass, where they had just received Princess Ding’s personal instruction on the sixteen-word mantra: "When the enemy advances, we retreat; when the enemy retreats, we pursue; when the enemy camps, we harass; when the enemy tires, we strike." These seasoned veterans quickly mastered the tactic, leaving Lei Zhenting as frustrated as if he had swallowed a fly—unable to spit it out or digest it comfortably.

In the Western Mausoleum Army’s camp, Lei Zhenting glared coldly at the map before him. The news of Mo Xiuyao’s death and the impending victory over the Mo Family Army no longer brought him any joy. He glanced at Lei Tengfeng, who entered in full battle attire, looking weary, and asked sternly, "How many more days until we reach Flying Goose Pass?"

Lei Tengfeng replied, "Originally, our army would have arrived within three days. But now... it will take at least half a month. Father, now that Mo Xiuyao is dead, there’s no need for us to rush. Shouldn’t we deal with these nuisances first?" With Mo Xiuyao gone, the Mo Family Army was leaderless. Given enough time, the Western Mausoleum Army would inevitably prevail. That was why Lei Tengfeng couldn’t understand why his father was in such a hurry, even with the lingering threats from Murong Shen and Marquis Nan.

Lei Zhenting shook his head. "We don’t have time."

"Father?" Lei Tengfeng frowned in confusion. Lei Zhenting sighed bitterly. "Mo Xiuyao’s death is good news for Western Liang. But... for Zhennan Wang’s Estate, this moment may not be so favorable."

"I don’t understand," Lei Tengfeng admitted, bowing his head.

Lei Zhenting sighed again. "Teng Feng, Zhennan Wang’s Estate is not part of the Western Liang imperial bloodline. In Ancheng, there is still an emperor." The Xiling Emperor might not be particularly capable, but he was no fool. All these years, he had merely been feigning madness.

Lei Tengfeng frowned. "The emperor? What can he do? Western Liang is under your control."

Lei Zhenting shook his head. "Back then, how powerful was Prince Ding’s Estate? Yet it was nearly wiped out by Mo Jingli, whom even you look down upon. Isn’t that lesson enough?"

"What do you mean, Father?!" Lei Tengfeng exclaimed in surprise.Lei Zhenting gave a bitter smile. With Mo Xiuyao as a formidable enemy, the Xiling Emperor had naturally been cautious. Who said the Xiling Emperor was entirely incompetent? Over the years, Lei Zhenting had shouldered all major and minor affairs of Western Liang, exhausting himself. Yet the one who rightfully sat high above as the undisputed ruler of Xiling remained the Xiling Emperor. Now, with Mo Xiuyao dead and Lei Zhenting away on campaign, it was the perfect opportunity for the Xiling Emperor to seize power.

Lei Tengfeng frowned. He had never held much regard for his uncle sitting on the throne. Yet he also understood that for the Xiling Emperor—despite his incompetence—to remain securely on the throne all these years was in itself a testament to his cunning. After all, the Zhennan Wang's Estate was not like the former Prince Ding's Estate, which had wholeheartedly supported the imperial family. However, if they were not careful, the fate of Prince Ding's Estate would become a cautionary tale for the Zhennan Wang's Estate.

"Your son has been thoughtless. I beg for Father's punishment," Lei Tengfeng bowed in apology.

Lei Zhenting waved his hand and smiled. "Enough. I know you've been unsettled by Murong Shen and the others these past few days. But you're not wrong—this situation cannot continue. I will leave you with 200,000 troops. Can you cover our retreat?"

Lei Tengfeng straightened, his spirits lifting as he responded firmly, "Your son will not disappoint you."

Lei Zhenting nodded. "I trust you. However... be extremely cautious. Your task is only to hold them off—do not rush to annihilate the enemy. The Mo Family Army's sudden change in tactics must have been guided by a mastermind behind the scenes."

Lei Tengfeng frowned. "A mastermind? Aside from Mo Xiuyao, is there really someone in the Mo Family Army even Father cannot handle swiftly?"

Lei Zhenting pondered for a moment before sighing with a complicated expression. "If my prediction is correct, it must be Ye Li. Aside from her, every general in the Mo Family Army has risen from the battlefield—none would employ such unconventional tactics." As for Ye Li, Lei Zhenting still did not know how to evaluate her. In his eyes, she could hardly be called a peerless military genius. Yet this very woman had repeatedly achieved astonishing victories that defied expectations. Only after studying her tactics did Lei Zhenting realize that every one of her strategies could be summed up in one phrase: "unpredictable." Because they were unpredictable, they could not be replicated. Such methods required boundless imagination and extraordinary daring. Of course, Lei Zhenting would never guess that Ye Li's tactics were not born of some wild creativity or eccentric genius, but rather from knowledge and military expertise spanning a thousand years beyond their time. A true prodigy would forge a unique path and establish their own domain—Ye Li was still far from reaching such heights.

Lei Tengfeng nodded solemnly. "Father need not worry. Teng Feng will not act recklessly." Now in his thirties, Lei Tengfeng had long outgrown youthful impulsiveness and understood the importance of prudence. He would never jeopardize his father's grand strategy for momentary glory.

Lei Zhenting nodded. "I have full confidence in you. Very well, go and prepare. Tonight, I will lead the troops and depart under cover of darkness."

"Yes, Father, take care. Teng Feng takes his leave."

Flying Goose Pass"Reporting to Wang Fei, Zhennan Wang Lei Zhenting is leading seven hundred thousand troops in two divisions toward Flying Goose Pass." In the general's residence, Ye Li and Han Mingyue paused their chess game. Ye Li smiled faintly and said, "They've finally arrived?"

Han Mingyue leisurely collected the chess pieces into a box beside them, chuckling, "Wang Fei doesn't seem the least bit nervous."

Ye Li smiled, "Nervousness only leads to poor judgment and has no other benefits. Besides, this was something we've long anticipated, wasn't it?"

Han Mingyue raised his sword-like brows with an amused silence. He had always been curious about Ye Li's limits, yet it seemed nothing could truly break her composure or instill fear in her. "Wang Fei's mental fortitude puts even men to shame."

Ye Li shook her head with a smile, "In truth, women's endurance and resilience far surpass men's. It's just..." It's just that women of this era had long been shackled by societal norms, sheltered in boudoirs untouched by hardship, causing them to scream, weep, or faint at the slightest adversity.

Han Mingyue laughed, "Seeing Wang Fei, I believe that now."

Ye Li gave a helpless smile—wasn't she forced into this? If even she lost her composure now, Flying Goose Pass would descend into chaos. Observing Ye Li's serene and poised demeanor, Han Mingyue asked, "In no more than two days, Lei Zhenting's army will likely be at our gates. What are Wang Fei's plans?"

"Plans?" Ye Li arched a brow with a light smile. "How about sending him a grand gift first before discussing plans?"

"I look forward to it," Han Mingyue replied with a grin.

Two days later, less than ten li from Flying Goose Pass, the Western Liang Army marched with high morale, unstoppable along their path. As the pass came into distant view, Lei Zhenting, leading the vanguard, finally allowed himself a faint smile. Once Flying Goose Pass fell, the northwest would be left defenseless. Without Mo Xiuyao and with key commanders dispatched, the Mo Family Army would be leaderless. By then... Ye Li, would you regret your choices?

"Wang Ye, we're less than ten li from Flying Goose Pass. Shall we make camp here?" A scout general rode back and reported with a salute. Lei Zhenting raised his brows, surveying the terrain ahead. The land was open and flat, with only a solitary mountain to the southwest. Though not ideal for defense, the same flatness made surprise attacks nearly impossible. While Lei Zhenting doubted Ye Li could spare forces for an ambush, caution was warranted.

Nodding, Lei Zhenting ordered, "Make camp here. We attack at dawn tomorrow."

"As you command!" The deputy general acknowledged and relayed the order for the army to set up camp.

On that very solitary mountain not far away, Ye Li stood with Feng Zhiyao and others in a hidden spot on the cliff, watching the Western Liang Army below. Observing the dense, orderly ranks of soldiers, Han Mingxi couldn't help sighing repeatedly, "There must be seven or eight hundred thousand of them. Are we really going to defend Flying Goose Pass to the death?" After all, the pass had fewer than three hundred thousand defenders.Feng Zhiyao glanced at him and said, "Unless the Wind and Moon noble can think of a place more easily defended than Flying Goose Pass." Once the Western Mausoleum Army entered Flying Goose Pass, there would be no need to defend anymore. The path all the way to Li Cheng was flat, and even Li Cheng itself could not be called impregnable. Li Cheng was originally just a moderately sized city in the northwest that had been renovated. Although ten years had passed, its defenses were still far inferior compared to the Western Mausoleum Imperial City and Chu Jing.

Han Mingxi shrugged indifferently. After all, he knew nothing about battlefield matters and was merely venting idle complaints.

"Wang Fei, what are we here to see? To observe how many troops Lei Zhenting has brought?" Feng Zhiyao was also curious. Wang Fei had mentioned preparing a grand gift for Lei Zhenting's army, but he truly had no idea what she had prepared that required them to come here to witness it.

Ye Li looked down at the Western Mausoleum Army setting up camp below and sighed helplessly, "This really isn’t an ideal location, but we have no choice. Qin Feng, are you ready?"

Qin Feng, standing behind Ye Li, nodded. "Wang Fei, rest assured. Everything has long been prepared."

"Good, proceed. Lei Zhenting will likely send men up the mountain soon," Ye Li said with a nod.

"Yes." Qin Feng waved his hand, and over a hundred Black Cloud Cavalry appeared at the cliff's edge, bows in hand, aimed at the camp below.

Feng Zhiyao couldn’t help but roll his eyes. "Wang Fei, you’re not planning to greet Lei Zhenting with just these hundred men, are you?" Leaving aside whether they could hit anything at such a distance—or how much force the arrows would retain even if they did—a hundred men against eight hundred thousand? These Black Cloud Cavalry could shoot until they were foaming at the mouth and still barely make a dent.

Ye Li smiled faintly. "Just watch. Loose arrows!"

Whoosh—whoosh—!

Black-feathered arrows shot toward the Western Mausoleum camp. The Western Mausoleum soldiers were elites as well; the moment they heard the whistling of arrows, they reacted instantly. "Enemy attack!"

In moments, the entire army was on high alert. But no matter how fast their reaction, it couldn’t outpace arrows already in flight. Soon, however, they realized the black arrows weren’t aimed at them—they struck empty ground, haystacks, or tents. Just as the soldiers were puzzling over this, Lei Zhenting, a veteran of countless battles, instinctively sensed danger and barked, "Retreat!"

"Boom!" Before his voice faded, an earth-shattering explosion erupted, followed by a chain of deafening blasts accompanied by thick, acrid smoke, all amid the half-pitched camp. The explosions mingled with the agonized screams of countless soldiers.

The relentless detonations lasted nearly half a quarter-hour before gradually subsiding. Smoke from the explosions lingered heavily. Lei Zhenting, covered in dust, rose to his feet and took in the scene before him: severed limbs, utter chaos. Many soldiers had been blown apart on the spot, the unluckiest torn to pieces. Even more lay grievously wounded, missing arms or legs, writhing in pain. Those fortunate enough to escape injury were still badly shaken, some collapsing to the ground, wailing for their parents.It wasn’t that the Western Liang soldiers were too careless, but no one had ever witnessed such terrifying power before. If anyone had paid close attention to the details of the Mo Family Army’s assault on Chu Jing back then, they might have been somewhat prepared. However, during that battle, the Mo Family Army had used very little explosives, causing minimal casualties. Moreover, the details were tightly sealed afterward, with even their own soldiers knowing little, let alone the people of Western Liang.

On the cliff, the group stood dumbfounded at the scene before them. After a long pause, Feng Zhiyao finally managed to croak out, “Incredible…” He had witnessed such things during the battle in Chu Jing, but he hadn’t been particularly impressed at the time. The devices were cumbersome to transport, bulky, and their lethality wasn’t particularly remarkable. But this time, the impact was enough to leave him utterly shocked.

Ye Li gazed silently at the devastation below, her eyes downcast.

“Ye Li?!” Below, Lei Zhenting roared in fury as he took in the carnage before him. His sharp gaze swept toward the group on the cliff, pinpointing Ye Li’s location. Lei Zhenting was seething—this single explosion had killed or severely wounded tens of thousands of Western Liang soldiers. Though this was a negligible loss for his army of over seven hundred thousand, the fact that the Mo Family Army had inflicted such heavy damage without suffering a single casualty meant the consequences and psychological impact on the Western Liang forces went far beyond mere numbers.

Lei Zhenting leaped into the air, charging toward Ye Li and the others. Mid-flight, his sword unleashed a fierce blade of energy aimed directly at her.

Han Mingyue and Feng Zhiyao stepped forward simultaneously, intercepting the attack. At the same time, hundreds of Black Cloud Cavalry archers drew their bows in unison, loosing a volley of arrows at Lei Zhenting. With no footing in midair, Lei Zhenting had no choice but to abandon his assault on Ye Li and retreat—unless he wanted to be turned into a pincushion.

But in his rage, Lei Zhenting swung his sword, deflecting all the arrows in a single sweep, and his blade’s momentum barely faltered as it continued toward Ye Li.

Undeterred by the failed first attempt, the Black Cloud Cavalry nocked another round of arrows.

Feng Zhiyao, Qin Feng, Han Mingyue, and the others instinctively positioned themselves in front of Ye Li, ready to act if the cavalry failed to stop Lei Zhenting. The only one who couldn’t intervene, Han Mingxi, stood beside Ye Li and noticed her retrieving a strangely shaped object from her sleeve. After adjusting it briefly, she raised it forward and commanded coolly, “Feng San, move aside.”

Feng Zhiyao, standing in front of her, froze for a moment before reflexively stepping aside. A deafening bang followed. Feng Zhiyao felt a gust of wind whip past him as Lei Zhenting, who had been midair moments ago, suddenly stiffened before slowly dropping to the ground. Feng Zhiyao clearly saw a bloom of blood on Lei Zhenting’s shoulder—yet there was no arrow lodged in him. In fact, Feng Zhiyao was certain no arrow had struck him at all.Everyone turned back in shock to look at the white-clad woman behind them. Ye Li was still holding up that object—an extremely peculiar thing with a small, dark hole at its end. Yet even someone as worldly as Feng Zhiyao or Han Mingxi couldn't identify what kind of hidden weapon it was. Though its shape wasn't particularly appealing, there was an oddly elegant lethality to the way Ye Li gripped it.

More importantly, it was this unremarkable object that had wounded Lei Zhenting, the Zhennan Wang of Western Liang and one of the four greatest martial artists in the world.

"What... what is this?"

Ye Li frowned and sighed helplessly. Looking at the pistol in her hand, she lamented, "I actually missed." Unfortunately, this was already the best pistol that could be made at present, and it couldn't even be mass-produced. It was a single-shot pistol with an effective range of only within 150 meters. Lei Zhenting's Light Body Skill was too formidable—she didn't even get a chance to use a rifle. However, compared to the last version she had seen, at least its lethality and stability had significantly improved, and it was no longer just a comical-looking toy.

"What would have happened if you hadn't missed?" In Han Mingxi's eyes, the fact that hundreds of Black Cloud Cavalry soldiers had failed to hit Lei Zhenting, only for Ye Li to take him down in one shot, was already an incredible achievement.

Ye Li smiled faintly. "I originally thought it should have been a guaranteed headshot."

"You wanted to shoot through Lei Zhenting's head?!" Everyone shuddered.

Ye Li shook her head. "This gun doesn't have strong penetration power. At this distance, it wouldn't go all the way through."

Even not penetrating was terrifying enough. Just imagining a master like Lei Zhenting with a hole blasted through his head made everyone look at Ye Li with sheer horror. No—rather, they were staring at the object in her hand. This was undoubtedly the number one hidden weapon in the world.

－－－－－－Author's Note－－－－－－

Dear readers, don't set your expectations too high for bombs and guns and such. First of all, these things aren't something you can just make just because you have blueprints and materials. The industrial foundation of ancient times inherently limits the production of overly advanced gadgets. If it were modern times, I believe A Li could make guns, bombs, and the like herself. But A Li is a soldier, not a physicist, chemist, or some high-level industrial expert. So, the highest-level gun available right now is the Mauser pistol—about the same level as the famous box cannon seen in anti-Japanese war films.