Chapter 47: Someone Must Always Lead the Way

Everyone was struck with horror.

How could an unnamed commander of the Great Wind Army be this ferocious?

What they did not know was that for over a hundred years, the Zhong family's military doctrine emphasized being "swift as the wind and aggressive as fire," using a thunderous strike to suppress the enemy first, making it easier to methodically carve them up later.

Nian Songyu's facial muscles contorted in pain as he cried out, "It can attack physical bodies! It's because of the water—the pond water!"

By merely dipping into the pond water, these vengeful spirits could perform physical attacks?

Hearing this, He Lingchuan snatched the Soul-Fixing Banner from his attendant Bai Shan's hands, leaped two steps to the edge of the pond, and thrust the white cloth flag directly into the water.

The white banner instantly soaked up the bloody water, but fortunately, the runes upon it did not fade.

Immediately after, he raised the banner and shook it violently toward his companions.

Water droplets sprayed across everyone's faces.

However, no one dodged; instead, they looked on with gratitude.

At that moment, the ghost soldiers once again spurred their horses and charged.

Zeng Feixiong wiped his face fiercely, grabbed his waist saber, and performed a leaping slash. "Brothers, charge!"

*Clang!* The sound of metal clashing rang out.

His great saber struck the tip of the opponent's spear and was deflected away; neither side gained the upper hand.

Yet, everyone else rejoiced.

It had worked. They were finally no longer being passively poked and... stabbed.

Although the opponents were cavalry, their own side had ten times the manpower. Could they not win a ten-to-one fight?

Their spirits surged, and they drew their weapons to engage the enemy.

As long as they could actually land a hit! They were all elites; the gap shouldn't be that large.

Situ Han did not forget to flatter He Lingchuan: "Young Master He, a single move turned the tide!" But he remained silent regarding Nian Songyu's initial discovery of the pond water's peculiarity.

Thinking about it, it made sense. This pool of bloody water connected the realms of the living and the dead, so it should be effective against both living people and soul bodies. But... didn't the vengeful spirits emerge from the well in the first place? Why couldn't they harm physical bodies when they first emerged?

He Lingchuan stared at that Great Wind Army commander who was slaughtering with abandon, feeling that this was exactly the scene the enemy wanted.

They preferred flesh and blood flying through the air over a bloodless kill.

In just a few blinks of an eye, this commander had picked off two people and assisted in the death of another. For a moment, even Zeng Feixiong dared not approach.

He gave a bitter smile to He Chunhua. "Father, we don't have enough men."

While the two sides seemed locked in a stalemate, He Lingchuan felt that his side would likely struggle to win.

One vengeful spirit killed three enemies before being dragged from its horse by several soldiers working together; Nian Songyu then dipped his blade in the water and rushed forward to decapitate it.

The enemy finally suffered casualties.

However, the Great Wind Army commander noticed this as well. He raised his hand, and a cold light shot forth like lightning.

This time, the thrown spear targeted He Chunhua!

Previously, when the illusory barrier shattered, the beast head on the staff had spat out a dim, cracked sphere. Then, Sun Fuping reached out toward He Chunhua: "The State Decree!"

The latter immediately handed over the Kite Coin, which represented the office of the Prefect.

The light from the Kite Coin was gentle, and it unexpectedly drew the commander's attention first, allowing the killing blow to arrive.

The heroic spirits of Dragon-Coiled City would undoubtedly loathe a foreign State Decree appearing on this land.

At this moment, Sun Fuping was secretly channeling magic, Nian Songyu was far away, and Zeng Feixiong and the others were fighting the enemy; He Chunhua's protection was effectively non-existent.

Fortunately, He Lingchuan was standing beside his father. Seeing the cold light flying toward them, he didn't think twice and instinctively swung his saber to parry.

With a loud *clang*, the hundred-refined saber snapped in two, and He Lingchuan was sent flying directly by the force of the spear.

He felt as if he had been struck in the chest by a massive hammer. He couldn't help but spray a mouthful of blood, and then—

He flew a distance of ten feet and fell directly into the pond.

Logically, the pond water should have been only a thin layer, not even reaching the ankles, but his fall was as if he had dropped into a deep abyss. With a *thud*, he vanished without a trace!

However, his interception had worked; the commander's spear was deflected, grazing past He Chunhua's armpit.

A mere inch or two was the difference between a pierced heart and safety.

He Chunhua was greatly alarmed and rushed to the edge of the pond. "Chuan'er!"

No matter how he peered into the water, it remained shallow, with only the surface rippling incessantly.

Nian Songyu arrived, fearing he might jump in after his son, but Governor He immediately turned around and swiftly shoved the State Decree into Sun Fuping's hands.

"Is Chuan'er alive?"

"We will know soon." Sun Fuping looked around and pointed to the nearest sand bandit. "You, come here!"

"Me?" The man walked over as ordered.

Sun Fuping led him to the edge of the pond, took out a candle, and reached out to grab something from the man's shoulder. He actually snatched away the pale blue life-fire and pressed it onto the candle wick.

The candle lit up, its flame a pale blue.

The sand bandit was momentarily stunned. "This...?"

"This is your life-fire. As long as the fire burns, the person lives; when the candle goes out, the person dies." Sun Fuping nodded. "Go." With that, he gave a sudden push.

The strength was not that of a sixty-year-old man.

Before the sand bandit could react, he was pushed backward into the pond, following in He Lingchuan's footsteps.

"Hey!" Situ Han turned around just in time to see this. Dodging a thrust from the Great Wind Army, he rushed back. "What are you doing!"

They were willing to die for the officials, but they were not willing to be "sent to their deaths"!

"Shh!" Sun Fuping waved his hand, using a surge of force to push Situ Han back two steps, while he himself kept his eyes fixed on the candle flame. "Someone has to scout the way."

Since He Lingchuan's entry into the pond had been too sudden, he had no choice but to send another person to test it.

At this time, He Chunhua's subordinates surged forward, trying their best to entangle the Great Wind Army commander.

Ten breaths passed.

Twenty breaths passed.

The blue candle flame burned steadily.

"He is still alive." As soon as Sun Fuping confirmed it, He Chunhua let out a long sigh of relief. The fact that the sand bandit was still alive meant there was air beneath the water, so He Lingchuan was likely still alive as well.

"There is even better news," Sun Fuping smiled. "No more vengeful spirits are emerging."

Only then did He Chunhua remember that since those dozen or so Great Wind Army soldiers, no new vengeful spirits had appeared in the pond.

In other words—

Sun Fuping gave Nian Songyu a meaningful look. Understanding the intent, the latter flipped his body and leaped into the pond.

He, too, vanished.

"This is the necessary path to seizing the Great Square Pot." Although their own casualties were mounting, Sun Fuping was in a good mood. He stuffed He Chunhua's Kite Coin into the beast's mouth on the staff, and the monster immediately bit down on it.

"Return to the formation! Quickly, return to the formation to defend!" Sun Fuping struck the ground with his staff three times in succession. "I need you all to work together and boost morale!"

The entire team immediately contracted toward the talisman formation on the ground.

In this short interval, twenty percent of their own troops had been killed or wounded, while the opposing Great Wind Army had only lost four men.

These things fought with a ferocity that was not human—well, they weren't human to begin with. Once they realized they were too heavily wounded, they would immediately attempt to take the enemy down with them. If they could kill one, they would; if they could drag down two, they would. One cavalryman had been knocked down by the collective effort of the group; even after having both hands severed and its chest pierced, everyone thought it would no longer be able to fight back. Little did they know that before its death, it lunged upward, baring a mouth of white teeth, and bit through a sand bandit's throat!