Chapter 104: Fierce Generals of the Tiger Army

Old Dragon Pass was a true natural barrier. To cross Old Dragon Mountain, soldiers had to traverse a narrow, sheep-trail path one by one. A single misstep meant plunging into the mountain ravine. With hundreds of soldiers guarding the pass, even a warrior of the Pillar-State level would struggle to break through.

However, the soldiers of the Dazhao Kingdom in the camp never expected the Wolf Cavalry to appear here. Moreover, the Wolf Cavalry moved with terrifying speed, and it was currently the darkest hour before dawn. By the time they caught sight of the riders, Qiu Jiecha had already taken the lead, leaping over the camp wall.

What unfolded before Wen Rong and the others was another one-sided slaughter. Ordinary conscripts were no match for the charge of the Wolf Cavalry. However, when they encountered warriors wearing the Tiger-Head Army uniform, the Wolf Cavalry showed mercy, merely wounding them.

"Why are they covering their faces?" Shen Miao asked, puzzled. All the Wolf Cavalry had their faces wrapped in black cloth, looking very much like a band of marauding bandits.

"Because they need to shield one of their own," Ye Xin said with a smile.

Conscripts were running in all directions, desperately seeking a way to survive. Some shrieked as they charged toward Ye Xin’s position, and Wen Rong and the others, fearing for his safety, rushed forward to intercept them.

In the initial skirmish, Wen Rong and her companions were cautious. Wen Rong, having visited Tianyuan City often, had gained some experience in combat, while Shen Miao and Shao Xue were complete novices. Yet, their fighting styles were evolving rapidly.

Shen Miao wielded a snowflake saber. She was the first to strike; a conscript charging at her was decapitated in a single blow, blood spraying everywhere. Shen Miao was momentarily rattled, seemingly surprised by the sharpness of her blade and the fragility of the hulking soldier. Her body instinctively recoiled, and her Borderless Sky Wolf, misinterpreting her movement as a sign that its master had encountered a terrifying attack, immediately skidded to a halt and lunged toward an empty space. The sudden, violent turn nearly threw Shen Miao off.

After downing three more conscripts, however, Shen Miao’s confidence surged. She began launching short-range charges, her snowflake saber dancing through the air. The blade was peculiar—the light it cast seemed to solidify in the air for a moment before slowly dissipating. From a distance, Shen Miao was surrounded by a flurry of saber light, and paired with her charming yet intensely serious expression and graceful movements, it was quite a sight to behold.

In contrast, Shao Xue was far more ruthless. Her weapon was even more unique: she wielded a slender silver chain over ten meters long in both hands, tipped with a silver-mesh net adorned with a dozen half-foot-long barbed blades. As Shao Xue swung the chain, the blades sliced through the air with a thunderous roar. Conscripts within a seven or eight-meter radius were mowed down in droves, their power shocking. Even more terrifying was the unfolding silver mesh; once it ensnared a soldier, a light tug from her would leave them torn to pieces.

Of course, Shao Xue was just as overwhelmed as Shen Miao at the start. Especially when she pulled the mesh back and countless fragments of flesh and blood spiraled toward her along with the silver light, she let out an angry cry, though it was unclear whether she was trying to intimidate the shattered corpse or bolster her own courage.

Wen Rong appeared far more mature. Her swordsmanship resembled Xie En’s, though it lacked his speed. She typically dispatched an enemy with a single strike, unlike Shen Miao, who would land a second or third blow even after an enemy had suffered a fatal wound, ensuring they were completely still.

"Blood-Droppers..." Ye Xin clicked his tongue, his gaze fixed on Shao Xue.

"Brother, what are Blood-Droppers?" Ye Ling asked curiously.

"A specialized weapon of the Imperial Guards," Ye Xin laughed. "Why don't you go and have some fun?"

"I know you're watching them right now, worried they might get into trouble. If I run off, I'm afraid you won't be able to keep an eye on everyone," Ye Ling replied.

Just then, a roar erupted from behind the camp, followed by a violent surge of vital energy.

The camp was not large, and everyone’s gaze immediately shifted toward the source of the disturbance.

A young man wielding a long-handled battle spear charged out. He seemed to have an injury on his leg, and though he moved with a limp, his spear danced like a whirlwind. A Wolf Cavalryman tried to approach from the rear, but the young man didn't even look; he backhanded his spear, striking the soldier’s weapon. The Wolf Cavalryman’s spear was instantly twisted and mangled, yet the young man’s momentum remained unchecked.

Fortunately, the Wolf Cavalryman reacted with lightning speed, shrinking his body while his mount, the Borderless Sky Wolf, slid sideways. The beast possessed high intelligence and knew its master could not dodge the strike by crouching alone. However, the momentum of the charge was so great that, despite the slide, inertia dragged the man and wolf toward the youth.

"Bold!" Fu Shang roared. He charged in from the young man’s flank; his brother was in danger, and he had to intervene. His shout was also intended to distract the enemy commander.

The young man sneered, hooking his spear onto Fu Shang’s long staff and pressing down with force. Fu Shang’s strength was clearly inferior, and his staff was driven into the mud. As Fu Shang lunged, his weapon being pinned caused him to be launched into the air, flailing as he flew toward the youth, his staff slipping from his grasp.

Xie En flashed forward, suddenly dismounting from his wolf and appearing beside the young man. His blade glimmered like lightning, striking toward the youth’s neck. The young man reacted swiftly, twisting to the side as his spear struck out like a dragon toward Xie En’s chest. Xie En dodged again, appearing behind the youth, his blade thrusting toward his heart without pause.

In the Heaven’s Sin Battalion, Xie En’s "Flash Sword" was notoriously elusive and fast. The young man knew his leg injury hampered his movement, leaving him unable to dodge, so a fierce look crossed his eyes, and he merely shifted his body slightly.

*Pfft...* Xie En’s sword pierced through the young man’s shoulder, exiting from the front.

The young man suddenly roared, turning violently, using his own flesh and blood to lock Xie En’s blade in place. Simultaneously, the butt of his spear slammed backward into Xie En’s chest. Xie En had never expected such a savage fighting style. In his eyes, Zhuang Shanyuan was merely a "second-generation official" with a good family background, lacking the tempering of the battlefield. Seeing the spear butt closing in, he had no choice but to abandon his sword and drift backward, landing on his mount.

The young man recognized Xie En’s formidable movement techniques and did not pursue, instead pointing his spear at Fu Shang, who was just jumping back to his feet. He thrust the spear with all his might, and the light radiating from it condensed into a pouncing saber-toothed tiger, engulfing Fu Shang.

"No wonder..." Ye Xin’s eyebrows twitched.

At that moment, Hao Fei intercepted the spear strike. His blade light appeared dim, but the roaring tiger-shaped aura was dispersed by his strike. Hao Fei only swayed slightly, his mount charging to the side to prepare for another assault, while the young man stumbled back a dozen steps, nearly collapsing. Hao Fei held no advantage in combat power; rather, his mount had gained the upper hand, and the young man’s leg injury made it difficult for him to withstand such a violent collision.

"A fine spear... even Hao Fei’s 'Iron-Cutter' couldn't snap it?" Ye Xin smiled, slowly raising his God-Slaying Blade.

"Brother, Instructor Xie is in danger!" Ye Ling cried out.

Xie En was sweeping toward the young man again, his face turning ashen. He had clearly landed the first strike and should have won, yet he had lost his sword to his opponent—a massive blow to his pride.

Ye Xin dragged his blade as he rode, his Borderless Sky Wolf accelerating instantly, shooting straight toward the young man.

Seeing Ye Xin enter the fray, Xie En immediately retreated, Hao Fei moved away from the skirmish, and Fu Shang, deathly pale, leaped back onto his mount and steered clear.

When Zhao Yunjü had assessed Zhuang Shanyuan, he had been skeptical, but after witnessing the fight, he finally understood the young man’s true strength. No wonder Xiao Yu'er had repeatedly emphasized that if these individuals were not eliminated early, they would inevitably become a grave threat to the Great Wei Kingdom.

Seeing Xie En and Hao Fei backing away, the young man sensed something. He turned to face the approaching Ye Xin, and a violent surge of vital energy erupted from him.

"Ye Xin!" Wen Rong gasped. Fearing for his safety, she had been keeping a close watch on him. She had been momentarily distracted by the appearance of the formidable enemy commander, but now, seeing Ye Xin charging toward such a terrifying opponent, her blood ran cold. She immediately spurred her wolf to intercept him.

However, her speed was far inferior to Ye Xin’s. Shen Miao and Shao Xue, though they saw Ye Xin’s suicidal charge, were too far away to do anything.

Ye Xin’s mount had become a bolt of lightning, skimming across the grass. He had pushed the concept of a "charge" to its absolute limit. All the Wolf Cavalry, including the stunned Shen Miao and Shao Xue, and the desperate Wen Rong, felt their resolve faltering. But no matter how good their horsemanship was, it could not bridge the gap in raw power.

The young man’s eyes flickered, and a trace of fear appeared. Warriors who had survived countless battles developed a sense that ordinary people could never touch. In that moment, he instinctively knew he was no match. Then, he saw the long blade radiating a cyan luster.

The God-Slaying Blade? The Heaven’s Sin God-Slayer?!

In that instant, the young man suddenly understood many things. He let out a roar and braced his spear to meet Ye Xin, but while his previous shout had been filled with anger, this one was heavy with sorrow.

"Ye—" Wen Rong cried out again, then froze. She suddenly noticed something peculiar: why were all the Wolf Cavalry standing still? Did they want to watch Ye Xin die?