Chapter 866 The Wrath of Xuanyuan! (Two Updates)

Gu Jiao was wearing Jin army armor, so the other party was probably just asking a normal question.

Gu Jiao gently patted the back of Black Wind King's horse. Black Wind King suppressed his kingly aura, drooped his head, and looked like he was about to get very tired.

In terms of acting skills, no one can compare to Gu Jiao's cringeworthy performance.

Except for... Xuanyuan Qi.

The cavalryman quickened his pace and galloped towards Gu Jiao, stopping about six feet away from her. He looked her up and down and asked, "Which battalion are you from? Whose command are you under?"

These few phrases just happened to be in the Jin dialect I was learning.

Gu Jiao answered his second question without changing her expression: "I am under General Liu's command."

She didn't know which battalion it was, and what she feared most was him asking which General Liu it was.

The cavalryman looked at Gu Jiao suspiciously: "Are you under General Liu Wei's command? I've never seen you before."

Gu Jiao said, "I was just transferred from General Min Hongyi's unit. General Min was murdered."

The key point is the second sentence.

As expected, the other party's expression immediately changed upon hearing the news: "What? General Min has been murdered?"

Min Hongyi was murdered the night before last; it seems the news hasn't reached Xincheng yet.

Gu Jiao: "Yes."

The cavalryman asked, "How were you killed?"

Gu Jiao said aloofly, "I cannot say more." Mainly because her hastily learned Jin dialect was not enough and would give her away.

This was a seasoned cavalryman, clearly not so easily fooled. He frowned again and looked at Gu Jiao: "Then what are you doing here? Are you here to catch the murderer?"

If I say I'm going to capture the murderer, wouldn't all ten thousand of you be required to join in the capture?

How am I supposed to get back to Quyang City then?

Gu Jiao, a woman of few words, replied: "It's a secret order; I can't say more."

Once something is associated with secrecy, it takes on a sacred and inviolable aura.

Given Gu Jiao's completely open and honest demeanor, showing no sign of guilt, the cavalry believed her.

Just as he was about to say, "Then you can leave," another cavalryman came along.

Judging from the red tassels on his armor, he was a minor leader.

“What happened?” he asked.

The cavalryman bowed to him and said, "Reporting to Deputy General Zhang, he is a soldier under General Min. After General Min was killed, he was transferred to General Liu's command and is now out of the city carrying out a secret order."

Deputy General Zhang's eyes turned cold: "Secret orders are always carried out by at least two people!"

Is there such a saying?

Your Jin army has set up something this advanced?

As luck would have it, Xuanyuan Qi and Tang Yueshan arrived.

Xuanyuan Qi's aura made people feel that strangers should not approach. He coldly glanced at the two Jin soldiers, and the two of them immediately felt as if Mount Tai was pressing down on them.

"General Liu!" Gu Jiao bowed to Xuan Yuanqi.

The veil on Xuanyuan Qi's helmet was lowered, obscuring his face, but given their status, neither of them dared to look directly at General Liu's appearance.

The two also bowed with their hands clasped in greeting.

Xuanyuan Qi simply said two words: "I'm leaving."

Gu Jiao quickly and tacitly replied, "Yes!"

The three then returned the way they came.

The two cavalrymen were completely baffled, but they didn't dare to leave them behind.

The two men rode back to rejoin the main force and reported the situation to General Di, who was leading the troops.

General Di noticed two key points: Min Hongyi had run into trouble, and his subordinates had been taken away by General Liu Wei.

“That’s impossible!” General Di said.

The two of them were taken aback.

General Di frowned and said, "Liu Wei is from the scout camp, specializing in intelligence gathering. He's General Gongsun's eyes and ears. What does he need Min Hongyi's men for?"

Min Hongyi's soldiers were meant for fighting, not for professional scouts, so Liu Wei would have no use for them.

Most importantly, why would Liu Wei come to Quyang City in person? What secret order is he carrying out?

They were coming straight at him, but after encountering his cavalry, they turned around and left?

I have a feeling something's fishy.

"Are you sure that person is General Liu Wei?" General Di asked.

“This…” The two exchanged a glance.

Deputy General Zhang thought back carefully: "He was wearing a helmet and had his mask down, so we couldn't see his face clearly... However... he did seem to be more robust than General Liu Wei."

Subordinates dare not easily question their superiors, but since General Di was of the same rank as Liu Wei, it was he who questioned him that made Deputy General Zhang dare to point out such a slight oddity.

General Di said, "Something's not right... Zhang Ren, lead the cavalry to give chase!"

"yes!"

Deputy General Zhang immediately led 500 cavalrymen to take the lead, flanking the enemy from the main road and side roads.

Hearing the sound of horses' hooves behind them, the three realized that their identities had probably been exposed. Unfortunately, there were no woods to hide in along this stretch of road, only a few scattered villages.

Gu Jiao gripped the reins tightly: "We can't go to the village."

The Jin army is no pushover; they're capable of anything!

Tang Yueshan said, "We can't keep going forward like this, or we'll end up back in Pucheng! If we're attacked from both sides then, we're finished!"

Gu Jiao understood this principle as well; the current situation was extremely unfavorable for the three of them.

Nearly a thousand lives are waiting for reinforcements inside the tunnel; every second of delay increases their danger.

They finally made it this far, are they going to be forced back by these 10,000 Jin soldiers?

Gu Jiao tightened the reins: "We can't go any further!"

There's no way to leave now.

Their horses had been traveling all day and were exhausted; it was only a matter of time before the Jin army's well-rested cavalry caught up.

All three stopped their warhorses.

The sound of galloping hooves came from both the front and the sides. The Jin army split into two groups, blocking their retreat routes.

They were left with only one choice—

Break through the encirclement!

The situation on the battlefield can change in an instant, and any perfect plan can be subject to unforeseen circumstances, which is exactly the case right now.

The imperial army was mobilized in full force, leaving no spare troops in the city; they had to rely on themselves!

But can three people really fight their way out of a force of ten thousand?

Tang Yueshan joined the army at the age of twelve and fought countless battles throughout his life. He had never fought a battle with such a difficult situation. This was not two thousand against twenty thousand, but three against ten thousand.

Gu Jiao gripped the red-tasseled spear: "We don't need to annihilate them, we just need to break out. Once we get into the city, they won't be able to do anything to us."

That being said, this will undoubtedly be a fierce battle!

The sound of horses' hooves drew near, an endless surge of murderous intent rose, and the setting sun disappeared into the clouds, leaving only a gray-blue sky in sight.

Xuanyuan Qi looked at the Jin cavalry charging towards him and the dark mass of Jin infantry behind them, spurred his horse a few steps, and stood in front of Gu Jiao.

Gu Jiao was always used to being at the forefront, and she was slightly taken aback when someone suddenly took her place in this extremely dangerous position.

Xuanyuan Qi drew his long sword from his waist. The three-foot-long blade gleamed coldly in the twilight, like a dragon emerging from the sea, eager to devour the enemy's bones and blood.

"Who goes there? Dismount immediately and follow me—"

Before the cavalryman could finish speaking, Xuanyuan Qi charged forward and beheaded him with a single sword stroke!

This scene came so suddenly that the cavalry behind them didn't have time to change course. Their hooves trampled over the rolling head, splattering out the brains.

Xuanyuan Qi raised his knife and struck with ruthless force, carving a path for Gu Jiao with the speed of thunder.

"Count me in!" Tang Yueshan reached out and took the large bow from his back, drew arrows from the quiver, and fired three arrows at once, all hitting their targets!

Taking advantage of the situation, Gu Jiao rushed forward with Black Wind King.

The Jin cavalry were routed, with men and horses falling to the ground. If all five hundred cavalry had been here, they might not have succeeded so easily. But instead, they split half of their forces and went to the side of the official road.

The three did not linger in the fight.

After breaking through the cavalry's encirclement, they continued their journey towards Quyang City without stopping.

Compared to the two hundred or so cavalrymen, the more than nine thousand troops ahead were the real challenge they faced.

Xuanyuan Qi took the lead, clearing the way, with Tang Yueshan and Gu Jiao forming the left and right wings respectively, and charged into the densely packed Jin army.

Just as Gu Jiao said, their goal was not to defeat them, but to simply break through their defenses.

"Form ranks!" General Di shouted sternly.

The well-trained Jin army, armed with shields, quickly formed impenetrable iron walls.

"Release the arrows!"

With a sharp shout from General Di, the archers behind the shields stood up and unleashed a deadly rain of arrows at the three of them!

Xuanyuan Qi pulled on the reins, changed direction, and galloped from diagonally in front of Gu Jiao to directly in front of her.

He used his longsword to cut off all the incoming arrows, building a wall for Gu Jiao that no weapon could penetrate.

Tang Yueshan also drew his longsword and swiftly twirled it.

Xuanyuan Qi, his killing intent like thunder, arrived in front of the first formation. His fierce killing move, accompanied by powerful internal force, shattered the shields of the Jin army with a single sword strike, and the Jin soldiers fell to the ground in a clatter.

Xuanyuan Qi leaped on his horse, soaring high above the heads of all the Jin soldiers.

A powerful warhorse can make its master even more powerful, and similarly, a powerful master can enable a warhorse to unleash incredible fighting power!

Standing proudly among its peers, like a ferocious beast from the abyss, it boldly strode into the Jin army's camp under the control of Xuanyuan Qi.

The Jin army was terrified, as if they had seen an ancient god of war!

But this great killing god alone was not enough; a little killing god followed behind, cutting through thorns and brambles all the way. Wherever he went, the Jin army was in utter chaos, with men and horses falling and blood splattering everywhere!

Tang Yueshan also fought with great gusto!

"That was awesome! Hahahaha! Come on, kill your grandpa! Come on, all of you!"

He clamored to attract more troops to attack him, so as to relieve some pressure on Gu Jiao and Xuan Yuanqi.

"This general has come to meet you!" General Di drew his broadsword and spurred his horse toward Tang Yueshan!

Tang Yueshan and General Di of the Jin Kingdom engaged in fierce combat.

General Di was also a fierce general of the Jin Kingdom, with superb martial arts skills. Tang Yueshan initially underestimated him, but after a few moves, he realized that his opponent was a tough nut to crack.

Tang Yueshan was forced to take it seriously.

Meanwhile, Xuanyuan Qi and Gu Jiao also encountered a full-scale encirclement and annihilation by the Jin army.

They learned from their previous defeat, abandoned their defensive formation and switched to an offensive one, which suddenly made the situation even more dire.

Everyone's physical strength was waning, but the difference was that the Jin army always had a constant influx of fresh blood, while Gu Jiao and Xuan Yuanqi were losing strength little by little.

Gu Jiao was blinded by rage.

It will be soon.

They're about to rush out...

"Go to hell!" Tang Yueshan narrowly escaped a knife wound to the back. He swung his sword back and stabbed General Di through the waist and abdomen.

He leaned back on his horse, curled up, and twisted his legs around General Di's head, giving him a sharp twist.

With a sharp crack, General Di fell to the ground with a scream!

A Jin soldier's face paled instantly: "General Di—General Di—"

Tang Yueshan gritted his teeth and sat back on his horse. Who had just ambushed him? He'd been hit in the thigh by a dart!

He pulled out the dart and threw it away, then hacked and slashed his way up to catch up with Gu Jiao and Xuan Yuanqi, the three of them racing side by side.

Gu Jiao immediately noticed the bloodstains on his leg: "You're injured."

Tang Yueshan said, "It's a minor injury, nothing serious!"

General Di's fall momentarily dampened the morale of the Jin army, presenting them with a golden opportunity to break through the encirclement!

However, at that moment, a terrifying killing intent suddenly came from behind!

Gu Jiao's heart skipped a beat!

Clang!

It was Xuanyuan Qi who raised his arrow and cut down that sharp arrow!

This was no ordinary arrow. The moment it broke, it suddenly burst forth with countless poisoned needles. In the blink of an eye, Xuanyuan Qi swung his longsword, using it as a shield to block all the poisoned needles.

A woman's silvery laughter came from behind: "Hehehe... Amazing... Truly amazing..."

That sound...

Liu Yuefeihua Yue Liuyi is the only female general under Gongsun Yu, skilled in hidden weapons and formations.

She is the same age as Gu Jiao, sixteen this year.

Unexpectedly, she submitted to Gongsun Yu's command so early.

She was a Turk, with beautiful light brown eyes, a bright and lovely appearance, and a youthful innocence.

She was dressed in a beautiful pink dress, with a slender waist and a graceful figure, reminiscent of a butterfly spirit among flowers in a misty forest.

She rode a beautiful white horse; the horse and the rider were a sight to behold, a stark contrast to the blood-soaked battlefield.

“Miss Yue!” A Jin soldier recognized her.

At this time, Yue Liuyi was not yet a general of the imperial court, but merely a skilled fighter recruited by Gongsun Yu to his residence.

But just because she isn't doesn't mean the other person isn't either.

A burly man riding a tall, fine horse caught up and said in a rough voice, "Little Liu, this is where men fight. You'd better step aside so you don't get hurt. If the lord blames me, I can't take the consequences!"

Yue Liuyi said nonchalantly, "Heh, the lord is blaming you, not me, so I don't care!"

An excited soldier from Jin exclaimed, "General Zhu! It's General Zhu!"

That's right, this person is none other than Zhu Zhangkuang, another fierce general under Gongsun Yu, who is known as Iron Palm!

His position in the army was much higher than that of General Di, and his arrival undoubtedly boosted the morale of the Jin army.

Yue Liuyi smiled and looked at one of the three men, saying, "That fat guy! Yes! It's you! You've been hit by my poisoned dart. Without the antidote, you'll die in less than half an hour!"

Tang Yueshan was furious: "Go to hell, you fatso!"

He's incredibly strong! As strong as a yak!

The arrival of Zhu Zhangkuang and Yue Liuyi reignited the Jin army's fighting spirit, and they rushed forward to surround Gu Jiao and the other two.

If this continues, all three of them will be worn down to death...

Xuanyuan Qi looked ahead and saw that the official road ended at a narrow pass. After passing through the pass, he could see the city gate of Quyang City.

"Stop fighting, full speed ahead, escape," he said.

"Yes!" Gu Jiao nodded. "Boss!"

Black Wind King ran at a speed it had never seen before, and countless swords and blades struck its body, but it did not hesitate for a moment, carrying Gu Jiao all the way to the pass.

Zhu Zhangkuang led his troops in pursuit, while Yue Liuyi assisted with hidden weapons.

Xuanyuan Qi's warhorse was struck by a poisoned dart; the poison invaded its internal organs, rendering it unable to run.

Gu Jiao stretched out her hand to Xuan Yuanqi: "Mount up!"

Xuanyuan Qi reached out to Gu Jiao, but not to take her hand. Instead, he slapped Black Wind King with his palm, and the immense internal force sent Black Wind King and Gu Jiao flying forward!

Gu Jiao frowned and turned to look at him: "Xuan Yuanqi!"

Xuanyuan Qi sent Tang Yueshan and his warhorse flying with another palm strike.

He didn't do this because he lost his mount; he had already made the decision in his heart the moment he gave the order to charge toward the pass.

His life was nearing its end, yet he remained unaware of his mission.

He often thought that he might not be able to wait any longer.

Yue Liuyi scoffed, "Hmph! You think you can stop my Jin army of ten thousand men all by yourself? Dream on!"

She leaped into the air, wielding a folding fan, and slashed fiercely at Xuan Yuanqi!

The silver needles, like flying flowers, shot towards Xuan Yuanqi, whose figure flashed and disappeared before Yue Liuyi's eyes.

"Such speed!" Yue Liuyi's expression changed, and a chill ran down her spine. She hurriedly turned around to defend herself, but it was too late. Xuan Yuanqi stabbed her right wrist with his sword!

"Ah—" A sharp pain shot through her wrist, blood gushed out, and her weapon, the folding fan, fell to the ground. Her face paled.

"What kind of skill is it to bully a little girl! If you've got the guts, fight this general!" Zhu Zhangkuang slashed at Xuan Yuanqi with a palm!

His palm strike actually forced Xuanyuan Qi back several steps.

Zhu Zhang sneered arrogantly, "This general doesn't kill nameless nobodies! Who are you? State your name!"

Xuanyuan Qi said coldly, "You are all lowly rats, unworthy of my attention!"

He appeared to be forced back, but it was actually a feint; this distance was more suitable for him to unleash the Ghost Mountain Sword Qi.

Zhu Zhangkuang was cleaved away by his sword and fell heavily to the ground, immediately spitting out a mouthful of blood!

Yue Liuyi said fiercely, "Attack together!"

Zhu Zhangkuang ordered, "Don't just stand there! Kill them! Whoever can break through today will be rewarded with a thousand taels of gold!"

With such a generous reward, the Jin soldiers charged madly toward the pass.

Holding a three-foot-long sword, Xuanyuan Qi domineeringly and forcefully guarded the pass, making him an impregnable stronghold!

The poison spread through Tang Yueshan's body, and he collapsed on his horse, vomiting blood, unable to fight.

The sounds of fighting came from behind.

Black Wind King did not turn back; it exhausted all its strength and charged forward recklessly, disregarding its own safety.

Gu Jiao gripped the reins tightly: "Xuanyuan Qi... hold on... the Black Wind Riders are coming soon..."

"The Jin army is coming!" On the watchtower of the city tower, a garrison soldier spotted figures rushing towards the city gate. "Wait! It doesn't seem to be..."

"Open the city gates!" Gu Jiao shouted.

General Ji was guarding the east gate today. He recognized Gu Jiao's voice: "Commander Xiao! Commander Xiao is back! Open the gate quickly!"

"Black Wind Riders—" Gu Jiao shouted again.

What happened?

Why the sudden call for the Black Wind Riders?

Could it be—

"General Ji! Look!" A garrison soldier pointed to the pass in the distance. The pass was not directly facing the city gate, but rather one had to turn right.

The mountain blocked most of the Jin army, as well as Xuanyuan Qi's figure, but the number of Jin troops behind the mountain was decreasing.

They rushed into the pass, but none of them came out; it was as if... they were all swallowed up by the pass.

General Ji said, "Notify the Black Wind Cavalry to engage in battle!"

The garrison commander said with difficulty, "The Black Wind Cavalry only has its reserve battalion capable of fighting..."

General Ji said, "They went to the reserve camp not because they were weak, but because there are some things that must be done. Don't underestimate any soldier."

"yes!"

200 meters... 150 meters... 100 meters...

I'm almost in town...

The winch on the city gate tower made a rumbling sound as it turned. The two gates inside the city gate were opened one by one, and the last city gate was slowly raised.

Bang!

Tang Yueshan's Black Wind Cavalry fell.

The man and the horse fell heavily to the ground.

Gu Jiao gritted her teeth and ran quickly toward the city gate without pausing for a moment.

Xuanyuan Qi...

Hold on...

You have to hold on...

Xuanyuan Qi stood guard in the center of the pass, covered in blood. Blood dripped from his Qingfeng sword, and his strength and life were rapidly slipping away.

Yue Liuyi said, "Their city gates are open! There are less than 10,000 soldiers in Quyang City who can fight! Why don't we take this opportunity to storm in!"

Zhu Zhangkuang clutched his chest and exclaimed, "But this guy isn't dead yet!"

Yue Liuyi wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth and looked at Xuan Yuanqi, whose arm had been slashed by a Jin soldier due to exhaustion, and said, "I think he's almost worn out too. Once we enter the city, we'll kill that kid first, then kill their city commander! This is the perfect opportunity to take Quyang City; Heaven is on our side!"

Zhu Zhangkuang also thought the idea was feasible, and he attacked Xuanyuan Qi again. However, he never expected that Xuanyuan Qi, who was exhausted, could still send him flying with a single sword strike!

He gritted his teeth: "Damn it!"

Yue Liuyi said breathlessly, "I've done the calculations, and we have to finish him off within ten moves, or we won't make it in time."

Zhu Zhangkuang said with lingering fear, "But with our combined strength, let alone ten moves, we wouldn't be able to do anything to him even within twenty moves!"

Yue Liuyi was so angry she almost vomited blood: "What a monster!"

No wonder Yue Liuyi said that. That guy was neither afraid of death nor pain. He was like a living dead person who crawled out of the ground. He couldn't be beaten down or killed!

Yue Liuyi clenched her fists, glanced coldly at Zhu Zhangkuang who was showing signs of backing down, and snorted, "Go ahead and hide if you want! I'm not hiding! Today, only one of us can live!"

Having said that, she drew the soft sword from her waist and used her lightness skill to stab at Xuan Yuanqi!

Her soft sword entangled with Xuan Yuanqi's Qingfeng sword. With a smirk, she flicked her fingers and released a poisoned needle, aiming straight for Xuan Yuanqi's vital point!

Xuanyuan Qi pulled back his longsword, and the sword energy sent Yue Liuyi flying, shattering her silver needles as well!

Yue Liuyi crashed into the stone wall behind her, bounced back by the enormous force, and fell awkwardly at Xuan Yuanqi's feet.

Xuanyuan Qi thrust his sword towards Yue Liuyi's brow!

"Ah—" Yue Liuyi was so frightened that she closed her eyes and turned her face away.

She heard the sound of a sharp blade piercing her flesh, but the excruciating pain she had imagined did not come.

A drop of scalding blood landed on her face. She opened her eyes and saw that Xuan Yuanqi's longsword was stopped between her eyebrows, just half an inch away from piercing her.

Her gaze moved upwards.

Xuanyuan Qi was pierced through the chest by a long spear that gleamed with cold light.

That spear looks familiar...

She turned around, and in the low-hanging night, a man dressed in white brocade rode a majestic dark brown warhorse.

The man possessed an aura unmatched in the world, with a calm and collected gaze.

Yue Liuyi's eyes lit up: "My lord!"

Zhu Zhangkuang also hurriedly bowed and greeted him: "My lord!"

Gongsun Yu raised his hand indifferently.

Yue Liuyi kicked Xuan Yuanqi over: "You think you're so tough! Try being tough with me again!"

Blood dripped from Xuanyuan Qi's chest. He gripped his longsword tightly and slowly stood up, supporting his body.

The well-trained archers behind him drew their longbows in unison and aimed them at Xuanyuan Qi.

A spear was stuck in Xuanyuan Qi's body. He didn't bother to pull it out, but instead dragged his longsword step by step toward Gongsun Yu.

The longsword made a piercing sound as it struck the cold, hard rock.

Black Wind King leaped into the city gate!

Gu Jiao did not turn around.

Her heart was pounding uncontrollably, and her hands, gripping the reins tightly, began to tremble.

"Commander Xiao!"

Zhao Dengfeng called out to her from horseback.

She seemed not to hear.

She released her already stiff hands, dismounted, and calmly walked up to the city wall.

Only Wenren Chong noticed that her whole body was trembling slightly.

A Jin soldier was about to attack Xuanyuan Qi, but Gongsun Yu raised his hand to stop him.

Xuanyuan Qi's vision was blurred by the blood. He had overexerted himself, his dantian had already exploded, his bones were broken, and blood was flowing from his seven orifices.

The excruciating pain gnawed at his body.

He walked toward Gongsun Yu with difficulty but with a firm will.

Yue Liuyi stood beside Gongsun Yu's horse, looking up at him in confusion: "My lord..."

"Let him come over," Gongsun Yu said.

The short distance of a dozen steps felt like an eternity to Xuanyuan Qi.

With the last of his strength, Xuanyuan Qi raised his Qingfeng sword and launched a final attack on Gongsun Yu.

*Pfft*

The long sword pierced his body.

It is Gongsun Yu's sword.

Bang!

The city gates were closed.

Gu Jiao stood atop the majestic city tower, her hands gripping the wall tightly, leaving large bloody welts: "Unfurl the flag!"

"What flag? What flag?" General Ji was taken aback.

Wenren rushed up, lightly touched the ground with his toes, leaped onto the city wall, and unfurled the Flying Eagle Flag in his hand!

The banners of the Great Yan and the banners of Commander Xuanyuan fluttered in the west wind!

Xuanyuan Qi knelt helplessly on the ground, gazing into the distance towards the city tower.

Is that the banner of the Xuanyuan family?

I was able to see it even before I died...

very nice……

No regrets...

Zheng'er, forgive your father... I won't be able to wait for the day we can reunite.

...

Lord of Shadows...

Xuanyuan Qi... His mission is complete.

Goodbye in the next life.

"father--"

A heart-wrenching cry came from the official road behind.

Xuanyuan Qi closed his eyes and let his arms hang down.

(End of this chapter)