Chapter 418: The City Falls

Li Xun pointed at the person retreating with a blade and said, "This is my guard, Zhao Feng. Please forgive the intrusion."

Looking at the attire of the person before him, and coupled with the token Li Xun revealed to prove his identity,

The County Lieutenant understood. Suppressing his discomfort, he cupped his hands and said, "Many thanks to Lord Li for stepping in to save me, but I have urgent matters to attend to now. Please forgive my offense."

Having said this, he prepared to leave; the situation at the city wall made the County Lieutenant very anxious.

Li Xun stepped forward to block him and asked, "Is the County Lieutenant planning to head to the city gate to provide support?"

The County Lieutenant looked back: "Exactly. May I ask what advice you have?"

Li Xun's expression turned bitter: "There is no need to go. We just came from the city gate. The sounds of battle outside are shaking the heavens; it is likely the Red Lotus Sect has already attacked."

The County Lieutenant looked puzzled, and Li Xun explained: "This is news obtained through my family's channels. Logically, your Qingxi County should have received this news as well, right?"

The County Lieutenant shook his head: "I have indeed not received any news regarding a Red Lotus Sect attack."

The County Lieutenant's brows were tightly locked as he pondered to himself where the lapse in communication had occurred, but now was not the time to investigate this.

He said in a deep voice: "Lord Li, the situation is critical. If the city gate falls, Qingxi County will fall into peril. I must go; no matter what, I must fulfill my duty to defend this land."

Upon hearing this, a flash of approval crossed Li Xun's eyes. He cupped his hands and said, "The County Lieutenant is righteous, and I admire you. However, I believe that rushing over now will only lead to being surrounded by the enemy. It would be better to plan this carefully."

The County Lieutenant shook his head, his attitude resolute: "I appreciate Lord Li's good intentions, but as the Qingxi County Lieutenant, how could I flee in the face of battle?"

Seeing this, Li Xun knew it would be difficult to dissuade him, so he said: "Since that is the case, I am willing to lend the County Lieutenant a hand. I will escort you. There is no time to lose; let us head out immediately."

Zhao Feng stood with his blade, hesitating as he tried to stop him: "My Lord?!"

Li Xun shook his head slightly, signaling him to follow.

The County Lieutenant, who should have received relevant news, was actually kept in the dark and even targeted for assassination.

If no one had come to help, it would certainly have ended in a miserable death.

With the county soldiers leaderless, the city gate would not be able to hold for long.

With everything interconnected, someone must be intimately familiar with Qingxi County.

Relying on their own skills, the two of them could certainly escape before the chaotic army entered the city.

But if there were deeper discoveries to be made, it would surely be of great benefit to his future.

Thinking of his family's recent situation, Li Xun made up his mind.

The County Lieutenant looked at Li Xun gratefully and nodded: "Many thanks, Lord Li. Afterward, I will certainly report to the Imperial Court to request a reward for you."

Having said this, the two no longer delayed and hurried toward the city gate.

Along the way, the commoners in the market were fleeing in panic; cries and shouts rose one after another, and everything was in a state of chaos.

"Everyone is thinking of fleeing!"

The County Lieutenant sighed to himself. Qingxi County was usually peaceful and serene, but now it was suffering this disaster.

Before long, the three of them arrived near the city gate.

They saw that the city gate was ablaze with fire, and the sounds of battle were deafening.

The city gate had been breached by battering rams, creating two large holes, and the followers of the Red Lotus Sect were pouring in like a tide.

The Qingxi County soldiers were resisting with their lives, but it was clearly beyond their strength.

The disparity in numbers was vast, and they were relying entirely on the city gate to resist.

Once the strategic advantage was lost, the fall of the city would not be far off.

Seeing this, the County Lieutenant's eyes widened, and he roared: "Damn it all, we must not let the Red Lotus Sect step one foot into Qingxi County! Close the gate!!!" Having said this, he was the first to charge forward.

For a time, the sounds of killing at the city gate shook the heavens; blades and swords flashed, and flesh and blood flew.

The County Lieutenant was at the forefront, fighting bravely, his figure appearing exceptionally heroic in the firelight.

Even a wounded Bone Refining martial artist was an overwhelming existence when facing ordinary soldiers.

And the appearance of the County Lieutenant also boosted the spirits of the surrounding county soldiers.

This was the effect of leading by example.

However, the Red Lotus Sect was powerful, and the Qingxi County soldiers gradually fell into a bitter struggle.

Li Xun grabbed Zhao Feng, who was about to charge into the fray, and whispered urgently: "Zhao Feng, in this situation, fighting head-on is not the best strategy. Look, the city gate has been breached, and the county soldiers' defeat is evident. Even if we join, we can hardly turn the tide."

Zhao Feng's brows were tightly knit. His gaze swept across the battlefield; though he was unwilling, he knew what Li Xun said was true. He nodded and said in a low voice: "My Lord, then what should we do?"

A flash of resolve crossed Li Xun's eyes. He quickly took a set of commoner's clothes from his robes, handed one to Zhao Feng, and began to change quickly himself: "We will change into these clothes and blend in with the commoners to hide first. The Red Lotus Sect is powerful and must have an ulterior motive. We will observe from the shadows; perhaps we can discover more clues, which will be beneficial for dealing with them in the future."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Feng did not hesitate and quickly changed his clothes. After they were changed, Li Xun gave a few more low-voiced instructions, and the two quietly blended into the panicked, fleeing crowd.

At the city gate, the sounds of battle became increasingly tragic, and the firelight reflected off the sky, illuminating the entire Qingxi County as if it were broad daylight.

The followers of the Red Lotus Sect were like a surging tide, crashing against the Qingxi County defense line wave after wave.

Although the county soldiers had the advantage of armor and weapons and resisted with their lives, the disparity in numbers, combined with the breached gate and the loss of strategic advantage, meant their defeat was certain.

The old, weak, sick, and disabled had already been largely depleted when the enemy reached the city walls.

By this time, the attackers were already mixed with some Red Lotus Sect soldiers.

The County Lieutenant faced these people in the fray, fighting bravely with agile movements, but even so, he could hardly withstand the Red Lotus Sect's fierce offensive.

He understood in his heart that Qingxi County would likely not be saved, but as the County Lieutenant, he swore to live and die with the city.

The situation actually showed signs of a stalemate under the County Lieutenant's frantic, leading charge.

Li Xun and Zhao Feng were mixed in with the commoners, their eyes fixed on the battlefield, pondering to themselves.

The outcome of this battle was already destined, and all they could do was find out if a deeper conspiracy was hidden behind this disaster.

Just then, a burst of rapid hoofbeats arrived, and a fast horse was seen galloping from the Red Lotus Sect's defense line toward the city gate.

The person in battle armor rode the fast horse, charging toward the city gate like a bolt of lightning.

The long halberd in his hand shimmered with a cold light in the fire, appearing awe-inspiring.

When the Red Lotus Sect followers saw him, they cleared a path one after another, clearly showing great awe for his identity and strength.

The County Lieutenant also noticed this fast horse and the armored person in the fray, and his heart sank.

At this moment, he was already deep in the battlefield with no time to attend to anything else, and could only continue to fight the enemy with all his might.

The person in battle armor rode a horse to the vicinity of the city gate, but did not immediately join the battle; instead, he pulled on the reins and coldly scanned the battlefield.

His gaze finally landed on County Lieutenant Li, and a hint of amusement flashed in his eyes.

"The County Lieutenant of Qingxi County actually has some guts." The person in battle armor whispered to himself, then shouted aloud, "Listen well, all of you! I am Han Lei, Vanguard Officer of the Red Lotus Sect, and I have come today specifically to take Qingxi County!"

His voice was loud and powerful, piercing through the sounds of shouting and killing, and clearly reaching the ears of everyone. Upon hearing this, the followers of the Red Lotus Sect were greatly encouraged, and their attacks became even more ferocious. Meanwhile, the defenders and guards of Qingxi County felt their hearts sink, and their morale suffered a blow.