Chapter 20: Zhang Yuan, the Great Qin Soldier, is here. Who dares to kill me?

Chapter 20: Zhang Yuan, the Qin Soldier, is Here—Who Shall Kill Me?

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No wonder the Yan army had ceased their siege; it turned out the Western Pacification Army had arrived.

Ouyang Ming, the son of the Western Pacification Army Commander Ouyang Shucai, had fallen here, slain by Yu Lin, the Commander of the Crimson Scale Army.

Below the city, a troop of warhorses advanced slowly, their black banners snapping loudly in the wind.

The leading general appeared to be no more than thirty years old, possessing a burly physique. He held the reins in one hand and a war spear in the other, his dark blue-black armor covered in intricate patterns.

"Yu Lin, come face me—"

As the voice rang out, the surging energy caused the clouds to churn.

The Xiantian Realm.

Zhang Yuan gripped his long saber. Zhao Changming reached out to grab his arm, but Zhang Yuan raised a hand to stop him.

"Vice Commander Zhao, he is looking for me."

Zhang Yuan strode forward until he stood at the edge of the city wall's parapet.

Zhao Changming clenched his fists, gritting his teeth as he stared intently ahead.

"My name is Ouyang Xu, the elder brother of Ouyang Ming."

"Yu Lin, surrender yourself and walk out of the city. I will take your head back to report."

Pointing his spear forward, Ouyang Xu’s aura rippled, his killing intent manifesting as something almost tangible.

"You do not have to leave the city."

"If my Western Pacification Army breaks through, the soldiers by your side will be slaughtered to the last man."

"Yu Lin, they have done their best. I, Ouyang Xu, respect them. If you consider them your brothers, then take responsibility for your own actions."

"I can let them leave."

Upon the city walls, the soldiers of the Crimson Scale Army looked up one after another toward Zhang Yuan.

"Commander, we have no regrets in dying!"

"Commander, we have already killed enough to pay our debts!"

One soldier after another gripped their weapons, letting out low roars.

Zhang Yuan waved his hand, his gaze falling upon the leading general below.

"Are your words binding?" Zhang Yuan’s voice rang out.

The sound caused the soldiers on the wall to freeze in shock.

That voice was not their Commander's voice at all!

Below, a Xiantian Realm expert accompanying Ouyang Xu frowned. Just as he prepared to speak up and warn him, Ouyang Xu raised a hand to silence him.

"I, Ouyang Xu, am ranked three hundred on the Yongtian Continent's List of Heroes and a Fifth-Rank Lieutenant General of the Western Pacification Army. Since I have spoken, my words are naturally binding."

Zhang Yuan nodded and turned to look at Zhao Changming.

"Vice Commander Zhao, lead the brothers out of the city."

Zhao Changming stood frozen, his facial muscles twitching.

"Zhao Changming, do you intend to defy military orders?" Zhang Yuan shouted.

Zhao Changming’s shoulders trembled as he cupped his hands in a salute.

"Understood!"

On the city walls, the soldiers stared blankly at Zhang Yuan standing there.

Zhao Changming paced the wall with gritted teeth. A moment later, he and the others supported one another as they descended from the battlements.

The sealed city gates slowly creaked open. Fewer than four hundred remnants of the army—some supporting others, some carrying the wounded on their backs—slowly marched out.

Ouyang Xu raised a hand, and the surrounding military formation parted to create a path.

Leading the way, Zhao Changming turned back to look at the city wall.

All the soldiers exiting the city turned around, looking at the solitary figure of the red-armored general standing atop the wall.

Zhao Changming raised his hand and bowed deeply toward the wall.

One by one, the departing soldiers straightened their backs and bowed toward the battlements.

Their Commander was using his own life to trade for theirs.

Standing atop the wall, Zhang Yuan slowly lifted his faceplate and removed his helmet, revealing his countenance.

He cupped his hands and let out a loud cry: "Brothers, take care of yourselves!"

Below the city, Zhao Changming led the four hundred remnants, their eyes fixed on Zhang Yuan as if trying to etch his face into their memories.

It was not until they had passed through the Yan army's formation and reached the distant cliffs that Ouyang Xu, seated upon his warhorse, finally turned back to look at Zhang Yuan.

The Xiantian expert beside him said in a low voice, "Young Commander, he is not Yu Lin."

Having fought the siege for so long, how could they not recognize Yu Lin?

Ouyang Xu said indifferently, "I know."

"Three years ago, my Western Pacification Army clashed with the Crimson Scale Army."

"Whether he is Yu Lin is no longer important. I will take his head to report, and you shall take this Fengtian County to complete your mission."

"The Crimson Scale Iron Cavalry is already within dozens of miles; we do not have much time left."

His gaze fell upon Zhang Yuan, and Ouyang Xu shouted, "I have fulfilled my word. What about you?"

Zhang Yuan reached out and gripped his long saber, leaping from the city wall. His blood essence surged, and with a heavy stomp against the wall, he descended in two bounds.

Standing outside the city gates, he pointed his saber diagonally downward and let out a long laugh.

"Zhang Yuan promised to hold Fengtian County for the Commander."

"The Great Qin only has lost cities; it has never had abandoned territories."

"Kill me, and this city shall be yours."

The last defender of Fengtian County: Zhang Yuan.

Seated on his horse, Ouyang Xu watched him.

Zhang Yuan’s face was too young—so young that it moved him.

Taking a deep breath, Ouyang Xu raised his hand and waved.

"Fine."

"This general will grant you the dignity of a warrior."

A troop of black-armored cavalry spurred their horses, charging toward Zhang Yuan.

Before the city gates, Zhang Yuan’s palm rubbed the hilt of his saber, his hand tightening around the wrapped hemp cord.

Since this was the final battle of his life, he would fight to his heart's content!

"Chaos, assist the combat!"

With a low shout, countless phantom lines and light shadows interlaced before him. Zhang Yuan dragged his long saber low and charged toward the galloping riders.

Eight cavalrymen, with four spears and four sabers, formed an arc to intercept him from both sides.

These were the elite of the army; even with only eight riders, they had effectively locked down his path.

Infantry against cavalry.

With the help of his combat assistance, Zhang Yuan had calculated the exact time and force required for the eight riders to reach him.

"Kill—!"

As the long saber moved, a bead of blood essence exploded in Zhang Yuan's mind, and a bead of Xiantian True Essence shattered.

Taking three steps forward, he raised the saber with both hands and slashed against the wind.

The Cloak Saber Technique: Wind-Facing Slash!

The blade fell, its edge as bright as a ribbon of silk.

Saber Qi!

He possessed no Xiantian energy, yet he possessed Saber Qi!

Ouyang Xu, seated upon his warhorse, shuddered. He sat up straight, his grip tightening on his long spear.

*BOOM—!*

The lead cavalryman who reached Zhang Yuan first was struck. The horse's armored body was split open, the rider's curved saber shattered, and half of his torso was cleaved by Zhang Yuan's blade.

A single strike against the wind.

To meet the cavalry with a single blow—Zhang Yuan used the most uncompromising method of the battlefield: infantry slaying riders!

Crimson blood sprayed, drenching Zhang Yuan's face and head, his entire body steaming with heat.

The blood was scalding!

"Kill—!"

Holding the saber with both hands, Zhang Yuan did not stop. He lowered his center of gravity, pressed the hilt against his waist, and swung the blade horizontally.

The dark edge collided with the charging horse.

The galloping cavalry possessed thousands of pounds of momentum, but Zhang Yuan's horizontal sweep reached two thousand pounds of force.

A total of three thousand pounds of force collided at a single point.

The long saber instantly tore through the horse's chest and abdomen, severed the soldier's legs, and ripped through the heavy horse armor.

*Screeeech—!*

The piercing sound of metal grinding against metal rang out.

The charging horse collapsed with a heavy thud, blood spraying everywhere. The rider tumbled off, his neck snapped and his spine crushed.

Zhang Yuan did not stop.

He pressed his body low, his legs coiling and then snapping outward, holding the saber horizontally and upward.

Converting fist techniques into saber techniques.

The Mountain Fist Technique: Moving Mountains!

The front legs of the oncoming cavalry hit empty air as the horse's belly slammed into the hilt of Zhang Yuan's raised saber.

"Rise—!"

With a low roar, Zhang Yuan flipped the charging horse directly into the air!

*BOOM—!*

The overturned horse was slammed into by the cavalry charging from behind. The two horses tumbled over seven or eight yards away, the soldiers rolling out, their lives uncertain.

Of the eight riders in the formation, four had been slain by Zhang Yuan's infantry combat. The remaining four veered into an arc, turning their horses around.

Holding his saber horizontally, Zhang Yuan looked up, his battle intent surging.

"Zhang Yuan, the Qin soldier, is here—who shall kill me?"

(End of Chapter)