Chapter 403

Your spear is good, but your spear technique sucks.

Wu Tie threw his immortal sword, which turned into a hundred-zhang-long fire dragon hovering in midair, forcibly blocking the dozens of Black Phoenix Army officers behind Pei Feng.

He drew the six-refined immortal spear gifted by Mr. Li, shook the spear, bringing up specks of cold light to block the spear Pei Feng thrust at him.

Continuous booming sounds came; Wu Tie's every thrust struck Pei Feng's spear shaft precisely, shaking her spear violently, her hands' movement instantly turned sluggish, and her face turned extremely grim.

Pei Feng's spear technique is also the ancestral battlefield slaughter spear art of the Feng family; she has practiced it since childhood, considering herself highly skilled, combined with her youthful encounter, during campaigns with her father she obtained an ancient legacy divine art secret technique in a mountain cave, making her combat power astonishing.

At least over ten years since she took command of the Black Phoenix Army, she has fought many with higher cultivation than hers, suffering little loss and instead gaining many victories.

The Huo Xiong before her, whose cultivation is only half-step Embryonic Treasury and who is much shorter than her, yet each of his thrusts strikes her spear shaft precisely with mighty force, numbing her arms; clearly, as he said, her spear technique is inferior by a large margin.

Wu Tie felt a bit excited; his spear speed grew faster and faster, his force grew stronger and stronger.

Lao Tie's spear technique is indeed fierce; his exposition on the Dao of the spear far surpasses Pei Feng's spear art. Especially since Wu Tie has broken through all the heavenly dao layers, gaining insight into all the grand dao mysteries, his understanding and use of the spear have left Pei Feng several major levels behind.

No matter how Pei Feng wields her spear entwined with black flame, swift as a windmill, wildly unpredictable like a dragon soaring and a phoenix dancing, Wu Tie always finds the seven-inch point of her spear and strikes it with unerring precision at its most lethal point.

After thousands of thrusts, Pei Feng's spear never came within one zhang of Wu Tie's body, while his spear had already grazed her face several times.

If Wu Tie were truly ruthless, he would have already blasted a large hole in Pei Feng's face with a single thrust.

But although she is stunningly beautiful and heroic, she has yet to harm him; instead, Wu Tie has made her subordinates suffer, and he has not dealt her a heavy blow.

Pei Feng wields a nine-refined immortal weapon, while Wu Tie holds only a six-refined immortal weapon; the spears differ by one tier, and their auras differ accordingly. Pei Feng's spear is like a coiling black dragon, whereas Wu Tie's is merely a dancing white python.

But gradually, the evidently inferior white python twisted aloft, forcibly pressing down the black dragon until its aura vanished, leaving it able only to writhe within six chi of Pei Feng.

For a spear about a zhang long, this is rather awkward.

Pei Feng only felt her spear continually trembling, growing heavier, and gradually she could not wield it smoothly; each time she swung, her spear shaft was struck, causing it to violently rebound.

With a swish, Wu Tie's spear, taking advantage of the moment Pei Feng was forced to retract hers, grazed her scalp.

Pei Feng's hair bun was pierced, the blood-red cord binding her hair shattered into fragments, and her jet‑black, luxuriant hair, like a waterfall bearing a faint glow, cascaded from her head and shook heavily behind her a few times.

The Black Phoenix Army officers behind Pei Feng were terrified out of their wits, shouting angrily and brandishing their weapons to hack wildly at Wu Tie's summoned sword.

These Black Phoenix Army officers are rather impoverished; the best weapons they possess are merely a few three-refined immortal arms. When their weapons clash with Wu Tie's six-refined immortal sword, the sword remains unscathed while theirs wail and are flung back.

"Kid, you dare harm a single hair of our commander? Our Black Phoenix Army's million brothers will surely kill you and your whole family!" The three‑meter‑tall, pitch‑black Ma Dashu roared, his body erupting in dark spiritual light like a frenzied black ox as he charged at Wu Tie's immortal sword.

Wu Tie flicked his finger; among the immortal weapons gifted by Mr. Li, the sole nine‑refined immortal item—a binding immortal rope—shot silently from his sleeve, turning into a golden flash that tightly coiled around Pei Feng's feet.

Then the binding immortal rope swiftly wound upward along her body, and in a few turns she was trussed up tight like a zongzi.

Pei Feng grunted, her body shuddered, her entire mana suddenly congealed like stone, her soul felt suffocated, and she could no longer muster any strength, collapsing headfirst to the ground.

Fortunately, these days Wu Tie has been leading laborers to level the foundations of Great Marsh City, turning the ground into rock; the leveled base stands two zhang higher than the outside, and although it has been raining these days, the surface is clean, with only a thin layer of water.

Pei Feng fell to the ground, but it wasn't too embarrassing.

If it were the former muddy mire…… the water‑logged sludge could reach over a person's knees…… heh, that scene is simply unimaginable.

"I wouldn't dare move a single hair of hers." Wu Tie, quick‑eyed and quick‑handed, grabbed Pei Feng off the ground with one hand, seized her neck with his left, and held her in front of him as a shield.

"But go ahead, try moving—see if I dare to touch her!" Wu Tie's hand slipped, the spear shaft slid back a considerable distance; he gripped the front half of the spear, pressing its tip against Pei Feng's neck.

Her blood‑red lips, jet‑black hair, snow‑white complexion, and exquisite beauty… the gleaming white spear exhaled a cold, sharp aura that illuminated Pei Feng's cheeks, inexplicably giving a sense of tragic beauty.

But Wu Tie didn't notice this lovely scene, and from that angle he couldn't see her face.

He looked at the dozens of Black Phoenix Army officers stomping their feet in rage, then at the thousands of Black Phoenix Army soldiers unable to advance or retreat, and smiled, saying, "Go ahead, bet—see if I dare to move against your commander!"

After a chuckle, Wu Tie whistled and asked softly, "Hey, lass, what's your name?"

Pei Feng gritted her teeth, remained silent, and her delicate pale face grew ever paler.

Defeated……

She lost to a third‑rank officer whose cultivation is far inferior to hers.

And the weapon he used is also far inferior to hers.

For the first time in her life, Pei Feng was defeated by someone weaker than herself; her pride took a heavy blow, her eyes grew a little sore, yet she kept her face taut with pride.

The Black Phoenix Army officers stood helplessly several hundred zhang away, while Wu Tie's six‑refined immortal sword transformed into a fire dragon hovering before them, baring its fangs and constantly spewing scorching flames.

"We… perhaps we should… talk."

From the side came Qian San's weak voice.

After being slapped by Wu Tie, Qian San was severely wounded; Pei Feng sent two people to feed him emergency elixirs, restoring a bit of strength, but upon seeing her commander captured alive by Wu Tie, Qian San shuddered to his feet and took two steps toward Wu Tie.

The Black Phoenix Army as a whole still has a few who understand some management and strategy; aside from the Black Phoenix Army chief Bo beside Pei Feng, only Qian San possesses such ability.

That is why Qian San was left in charge of Great Marsh City, overseeing all its affairs.

Although Great Marsh City is somewhat remote, it is now the Black Phoenix Army's largest logistics supply base; Pei Feng has no shortage of fighting men, but lacks talent capable of managing her finances and logistics, ensuring the army's food and clothing.

Therefore, after Pei Feng was captured alive, those fighting men would only shout and curse at Wu Tie like enraged gorillas, threatening him with vulgar language.

Meanwhile, Qian San endured the intense pain in his body, forcing a grin onto his gaunt, vigorous face as he stepped toward Wu Tie.

"General Huo Xiong, we can have a proper talk." Qian San spread his hands, trembling as he said, "We acknowledge that Great Marsh Prefecture is your domain… our Black Phoenix Army is merely a guest force there, and we can conduct everything according to the rules."

"Rules?" Wu Tie replied coldly, "If there are rules, tell me how the previous prefects and prefectural commanders of Great Marsh Prefecture died."

"They deserved it." Qian San said solemnly, "They tried to strangle our Black Phoenix Army's neck, to force us to die, so they died."

Wu Tie's left hand fingers twitched, his face turning slightly odd.

"Choking the Black Phoenix Army's neck?"

"Sorry, he's currently gripping the Black Phoenix Army commander's neck……"

"However, Wu Tie's fingers moved slightly; this girl's neck is slender and upright, filling his hand just right, feeling quite nice?"

"Eh, eh, where did my thoughts wander?"

Wu Tie unconsciously eased the pressure on his fingers, then said in a low voice, "They deserved to die; what about me?"

Qian San coughed, spat a mouthful of blood, and solemnly asked Wu Tie, "Are you a follower of Sima Lang?"

Wu Tie stared blankly at Qian San: "Who is Sima Lang?"

Qian San, the dozens of Black Phoenix Army officers, and Pei Feng, whose face Wu Tie held, all subtly changed expression, as if each had let out a breath of relief.

Wu Tie, Great Marsh Prefecture, Qian San, Sima Lang

Wu Tie, Great Marsh Prefecture, Prefect, Prefectural Military Commander

Wu Tie's eyes shifted; there's this possibility!

He silently recited the names of Sima Xin, Sima Yu, and others, and in his mental little ledger he crossed out their names heavily, again and again.

Wu Tie, Black Phoenix Army, Divine Might Army, active military camp

Wu Tie gave a dry laugh: "It's true I've offended people, but there are also those who look favorably on me and are willing to sponsor me—so what?"

Pei Feng, Sima Lang

Wu Tie said in a low voice: "I really am not."

Pei Feng took a deep breath: "Since you're not with Sima Lang, we can talk properly. As long as you don't help him oppose our Black Phoenix Army, then our Black Phoenix Army can coexist peacefully with you."

Harmonious Coexistence

Wu Tie furrowed his brows; the premise of peaceful coexistence is that everyone possesses comparable strength.

But there is no doubt that the power Wu Tie now wields could never coexist peacefully with the Black Phoenix Army.

Wu Tie captured Pei Feng alive because Pei Feng was too arrogant, coming alone to fight him.

If the Black Phoenix Army's murderous-looking generals came to besiege Wu Tie, heh, who knows what the outcome would be—let alone the Black Phoenix Army's huge forces. Once the Black Phoenix Army deploys its battle formation, coordinating with some killing arrays within the army, ten or a hundred Wu Tie would be beaten to a bloody mess.

"Hmm..." Wu Tie fell silent, pondering.

In the high sky, a bright light suddenly flashed, and everyone instinctively looked toward the distant heavens.

Great Marsh City, teleportation portal, light curtain

With a 'puff' sound, a 700-zhang-long tower ship slowly emerged from the light curtain, and then the light curtain spewed out a dozen or so medium and small tower ships, each about 200 zhang in length, in single file.

These medium and small tower ships resembled a pack of sharks, escorting the whale-like 700-zhang flagship, forming a standard protective circular formation, and swiftly flew toward Daze City.

The tower ships flew swiftly toward this side while slowly lowering their altitude.

teleportation portal, prefectural city, commandery city, Great Jin Divine State, enemy

Given the distance of roughly a thousand li, and considering that the tower ships cannot maintain top speed when bursting out of the transmission gate, it would take them more than a quarter of an hour to reach the skies over Zhou City.

In the span of a quarter hour, if those tower ships were enemy warships, it would be enough time for Zhou City and the commandery city to activate their grand defensive formations.

Just the present Daze City... heh, that kind of grand defensive formation...

Wu Tie and the others could only watch helplessly as that small fleet came flying toward them.

Great Jin, large warship

700-zhang-long flagship warship, third- or second-rank military general, prefect-level civil official

The Black Phoenix Army's troops on site all changed color; seeing the banners fluttering on those tower ships, they muttered curses: "They're Sima Lang's men, they're his people!"

Wu Tie heard the name "Sima Lang" once again.

He also remained silent, just quietly watching that small fleet swiftly approach, then gradually lowering its altitude, finally stopping at a height of 300 zhang directly above Daze City.

vermilion robe, flowing clouds, flagship warship

warship, Sensing Mystery Realm, Chonglou Realm, Life Pond Realm, soldiers

soldiers, single-horned rhinoceros-like heavy mounts

The man in the vermilion long robe slowly landed on the ground, glanced at the standoff between Wu Tie and the Black Phoenix Army troops, and suddenly burst out laughing.

Zhang Xibai, Great Marsh Prefecture, Prefect, this official

Zhang Xibo was born with a dignified, imposing appearance, but beneath that dignified exterior, Wu Tie always felt something extremely uncomfortable.

So Wu Tie, being impolite, shot back: "Fighting, didn't you see?"