Chapter 63: Huo Yuanba

Clang!

Huo Yuanba's tiger mouth went numb, and he secretly marveled: this kid looks scrawny, but his strength is not small!

He roared angrily, and the ghost-head blade came down again.

Jiang Xiaomu did not retreat but advanced, shaking his spear, using the momentum to deflect Huo Yuanba's attack.

At the same time, his footwork shifted, moving to Huo Yuanba's flank.

Courting death!

Huo Yuanba sensed Jiang Xiaomu's intent, roared, and backhanded a sweeping slash.

Jiang Xiaomu flickered, reappearing before Huo Yuanba, thrusting his spear straight at the latter's throat.

Not bad, kid, you've got some skill!

Huo Yuanba gave a feral grin, then swung his ghost-head blade again, charging forward.

For a moment, neither could gain the upper hand.

On the city tower, Xiong Kuohai and the others watched, hearts pounding.

"Sir, you're amazing!" a soldier couldn't help exclaiming.

Xiong Kuohai, however, furrowed his brows, a vague worry stirring in his heart.

On the battlefield, both exerted their full strength, each move vicious, each hoping to end the fight quickly.

"Kid, your strength is not bad, but it's a shame you met me!"

Huo Yuanba gave a feral grin, his blade growing even more vicious.

"Come on, let me see just how strong you really are!"

Jiang Xiaomu said coldly.

This time, Huo Yuanba's ghost-head blade was knocked aside by Jiang Xiaomu's spear, and he was shoved back several steps.

How is that possible?

Huo Yuanba stared at Jiang Xiaomu in astonishment, never expecting the kid's strength to be so formidable.

Jiang Xiaomu gave him no chance to breathe, attacking again.

Damn it!

Huo Yuanba cursed inwardly, his eyes darting as a plan formed.

"Kid, you're strong; I admit I'm no match for you."

Huo Yuanba suddenly halted, feigning surrender.

Jiang Xiaomu smirked inwardly, knowing Huo Yuanba was full of tricks and surely harbored ill intent.

"What, scared?" Huo Yuanba muttered, seeing Jiang Xiaomu not fall for it, cursing under his breath.

"Cut the talk—fight or get lost!" Jiang Xiaomu said coldly.

Huo Yuanba's face changed; he suddenly produced a hidden weapon from his bosom and shot it at Jiang Xiaomu.

"Despicable!" Jiang Xiaomu shouted, swinging his spear to knock the projectile away.

However, at that moment, Huo Yuanba snatched a handful of sand from the ground and flung it at Jiang Xiaomu.

"Ah!" Jiang Xiaomu, caught off guard, had sand blown into his eyes.

Go die!

Huo Yuanba gave a feral grin, lifted his ghost-head blade high, and brought it down hard on Jiang Xiaomu.

At that critical moment, a black shadow swooped down from the city tower and interposed itself before Jiang Xiaomu.

"Bang!" With a loud crash, Huo Yuanba stared— a burly figure blocked Jiang Xiaomu: it was Xiong Kuohai!

Xiong Kuohai's iron club barely blocked Huo Yuanba's lethal blow, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, yet he remained firmly in front of Jiang Xiaomu.

The sand gradually settled, Jiang Xiaomu regained his sight, and seeing this scene, a surge of anger rose from his heart.

Xiong Kuohai!

Jiang Xiaomu let out a low growl, his voice trembling.

"Sir, I'm fine!" Xiong Kuohai spat out a bloody mouthful and grinned.

Thick-skinned and sturdy, this little wound is nothing.

Seeing his sneak attack fail, Huo Yuanba cursed inwardly, then burst out laughing:

"What a loyal dog! Too bad—today you two will both die!"

Die? I think you're the one who'll die!

Jiang Xiaomu's voice was icy and bone-chilling; he waved his hand, signaling Xiong Kuohai to retreat behind him.

He suddenly stepped forward, thrusting his spear fiercely at Huo Yuanba.

Huo Yuanba hurriedly raised his blade to block, yet this time he felt an unprecedented pressure.

His mind reeled: how had this kid's strength suddenly surged so much?

He felt like a tiny boat in a vast sea, liable to be swallowed by a wave at any moment.

Jiang Xiaomu's attacks grew faster and fiercer, and Huo Yuanba began to struggle to parry them.

Damn it! Is this kid a monster?

Huo Yuanba cursed, beginning to regret provoking this plague star.

Go die!

Jiang Xiaomu roared, his spear flashing like lightning as he thrust straight for Huo Yuanba's throat.

Huo Yuanba's pupils contracted; he had no time to dodge.

"Pfft!" a soft sound, the spear pierced Huo Yuanba's throat, blood spurting out.

Huo Yuanba's eyes widened; he never imagined he would die at the hands of an unknown nobody.

"Bang!" He fell heavily to the ground, and his breath was gone.

The guards on the city tower, seeing this, immediately burst into earth-shaking cheers.

"Lord, mighty!"

"Lord, godly brave!"

Xiong Kuohai also let out a sigh of relief, he covered his chest, walked up to Jiang Xiaomu, and knelt on one knee:

"Sir, I was late in escorting you; please punish me!"

Jiang Xiaomu helped Xiong Kuohai up, patted his shoulder, and said in a deep voice:

"You did well; if it weren't for you, I would probably be dead."

Xiong Kuohai laughed honestly: "Protecting the lord is my duty."

Jiang Xiaomu nodded; although they won this battle, they also paid a heavy price.

"Clean the battlefield, bury the fallen soldiers with honor, and burn the rest."

Jiang Xiaomu gave the order.

"Yes!" Xiong Kuohai received the command and left.

Suddenly, Jiang Xiaomu felt a wave of dizziness, his vision went dark, and he almost fell over.

"Lord!"

Seeing this, Xiong Kuohai hurried forward to support Jiang Xiaomu.

"I'm fine."

Jiang Xiaomu waved his hand, enduring the discomfort, and said, "Maybe I'm just too tired."

"Sir, you should rest a bit first." Xiong Kuohai said concernedly.

Jiang Xiaomu nodded, and with Xiong Kuohai's support, walked into the city tower.

However, at that moment, a cold voice from the system suddenly sounded in Jiang Xiaomu's mind:

【Congratulations, host, for completing the hidden mission and receiving the reward: two hundred mandate points.】

"Sir, your complexion looks bad; you should rest a bit first."

Xiong Kuohai said worriedly.

Jiang Xiaomu waved his hand, forced himself to walk to an old wooden table and sat down, rubbing his temples.

"It's nothing, just a bit of weakness."

"Go, summon all the doctors in the city."

Xiong Kuohai received the command and left; Jiang Xiaomu sat alone on the city tower, this war had just begun, Huo Yuanba's death was merely a small victory, greater challenges still lay ahead.

At the same time, in Li Zhen's camp dozens of li away, a soldier drenched in blood stumbled in.

"Report… report to the general! Ho… Ho General… he…"

The soldier was out of breath, his words halting.

"What happened to Huo Yuanba? Stop stuttering, what kind of decorum is this!"

Li Zhen furrowed his brows, somewhat impatient.

"General Ho… died in battle!"

The soldier finally said these words, his voice filled with fear.

The other commanders in the tent were also shocked; Huo Yuanba was the bravest commander in their army, yet he just died like that?