Chapter 266: First Test of the Blade's Edge

On the mountain ridge, the newly established Chen army's great camp lay like a crouching black beast, silently watching the battlefield below.

The camp's fortifications were still being reinforced, but a sharp killing intent had already taken shape.

Chen Wen stood on the watchtower at the camp gate, his gaze like an icy blade, sweeping over the Northern Han allied forces' fortifications.

What he was looking at was not the ordinary Northern Han scouts who were noisy and trying to provoke.

His gaze pierced the distance, locking firmly onto the enemy camp's flank—a cavalry unit that had just sallied out, attempting to circle behind the mountain ridge for reconnaissance.

This cavalry numbered about five hundred.

Both men and horses wore light armor; the riders were agile, skilled in horsemanship, and even while sallying, the unit retained a tight arrowhead formation.

The banner they bore was the mark of the Northern Han Emperor Liu Jun's personal guard, the 'Wolf Cavalry'.

Whether in equipment, bearing, or that battle-hardened valor forged from a hundred fights, they were far beyond ordinary Northern Han troops.

They were true elite.

They were the Northern Han's spearhead for storming cities and tearing open defenses.

At this moment, they clearly regarded the Chen army that had just arrived on the mountain ridge and was still unsteady as a soft persimmon to be squeezed at will.

They intended to advance for reconnaissance, even to seize an opportunity to harass and undermine the Chen army's morale.

"Your Majesty, it is the Northern Han's 'Wolf Cavalry'."

Li Wu said softly beside him, his tone grave.

"It's a hard bone."

Chen Wen did not speak.

He merely watched silently as the cavalry drew nearer, observing the expression on their faces—a mix of arrogance and cruelty.

Within him, the thirty-twofold efficiency granted him perception that let him clearly 'hear' the tremor of their horse hooves striking the ground and 'smell' the bloodlust and killing aura emanating from them.

At the same time, he felt countless gazes from behind in the camp directed at him.

There was anticipation, tension, and a hint of fatigue from days of marching that had not yet fully dissipated.

He knew he needed a victory.

Not a pyrrhic victory, not a stalemate.

But a clean, swift victory that would crush the enemy like dry weeds.

With the enemy's blood and bones, he would tell everyone, tell the garrison staring longingly from the walls of Jin Prefecture, and also tell that cold will across the way—

He has arrived.

Coming with crushing power.

"Li Wu."

"Here, sir!" Li Wu's spirit lifted.

"Detail three hundred imperial guard cavalry."

Chen Wen's voice was calm and unperturbed.

"You will lead them yourself."

"Three hundred?" Li Wu blinked.

The enemy has five hundred, and they are one of the Northern Han's strongest 'Wolf Cavalry' units; three hundred versus five hundred, still cavalry versus cavalry...

This...

"Exactly, three hundred."

Chen Wen turned his head to look at Li Wu; his eyes held no ripple, only absolute confidence.

"I, personally, will grant you a 'blessing'."

Li Wu's whole body shuddered, and he instantly understood!

The Emperor's 'grace'!

A power capable of turning decay into marvel!

"I will obey, sir!"

He harbored no more doubt; his eyes blazed with fervent fighting spirit as he turned and dashed down the watchtower like a leopard.

Soon, three hundred elite imperial guard cavalry had assembled on the drill ground.

They were picked from the best of the best among the twenty thousand palace troops, already battle-hardened elites.

Although they were outnumbered, not a trace of fear showed on any face; only absolute trust in the Emperor and a killing urge about to erupt.

Chen Wen descended from the watchtower and came before the ranks.

He said little, merely letting his gaze sweep slowly over these three hundred resolute faces.

Then he closed his eyes.

His mind focused intensely, and the vast power within him began to circulate and diverge along some mysterious trajectory.

An invisible, scorching energy field erupted from him, instantly engulfing the three hundred cavalry and their mounts.

Conferred focus—sixteenfold efficiency!

Hum!

The air seemed to emit a groan of being overburdened!

The three hundred cavalry, Li Wu included, simultaneously shuddered!

An unprecedented explosive force, like a bursting flood, instantly filled every inch of their muscles and every bone!

Vision became extraordinarily clear, the patterns on the enemy cavalry's armor far away visible in sharp detail;

Hearing became acutely sensitive, able to discern every whisper of noise on the wind;

Touch grew more sensitive, even feeling the warhorses' muscles bulging powerfully beneath the skin!

The weapons in their hands seemed to lose weight, light as nothing, yet feeling capable of cleaving anything!

A powerful feeling of being able to control life and death and destroy everything swept through everyone's hearts!

For His Majesty!

Li Wu felt his whole body's blood burning; he suddenly drew his broadsword, blade pointing to the heavens, and let out a roar like that of an ancient primordial beast!

Long live!

Three hundred bright sabers were drawn simultaneously; the cold blades reflected the morning light, gathering into a chilling forest of death!

The three hundred men's roars actually drowned out the thunder of the five hundred Wolf Riders' galloping hooves opposite!

Open the camp gate!

Chen Wen suddenly opened his eyes; a sharp gleam flashed in his pupils and vanished.

He, having expended tremendous mental power, had a slightly pale complexion, but his posture remained straight as a pine.

Boom—

The camp gate burst open!

Kill!

Li Wu took the lead on horseback, like an arrow leaving the bow, and charged ahead first!

Three hundred cavalrymen who had undergone the baptism of grace closely followed behind!

They had no complex formation changes, no fancy tactical maneuvers.

It was simply the simplest, most direct, most violent spearhead charge!

Like a red-hot spear, bearing an unstoppable, crushing momentum, it thrust straight into the five hundred Northern Han Wolf Riders!

Are they crazy?!

Three hundred dare to charge the formation?

Meet them! Crush them!

The commander of the Northern Han Wolf Riders was first stunned, then enraged by the Chen Army's near-suicidal charge.

He roared, ordering the troops to accelerate, likewise forming a spearhead formation and crashing head-on!

He wanted to let these oblivious Chen Army troops see what a true steppe eagle is!

The distance between the two sides rapidly closed!

Three hundred paces!

Two hundred paces!

One hundred paces!

They could already clearly see the opposing side's ferocious faces and waving sabers!

Just at the very moment when the two cavalry torrents were about to collide——

Suddenly, an anomaly arose!

Li Wu and the three hundred guards behind him suddenly surged beyond their limits, speed spiking up another notch!

Their movements were so fast they left afterimages!

The sabers in their hands waved, seeming to turn into hundreds of silver lightning bolts tearing the air!

Boom!!!

The two cavalry forces slammed together hard!

There was no imagined stalemate or grueling grind of evenly matched forces.

Only a one-sided, jaw-dropping slaughter!

Crack! Splatter! Ah!

The sounds of breaking bones, blades piercing flesh, and dying screams instantly merged into a cacophony!

Li Wu took the lead on horseback; his broadsword turned into a bolt of silk, directly cleaving a charging Wolf Rider centurion—man and horse—into two halves!

Blood and entrails splattered forth like a downpour!

The guards behind him likewise turned into terrifying killing machines!

Their strength was so great that a single stroke could cleave both person and armor!

Their speed was so great that before the Northern Han cavalry's sabers could fall, their own sabers had already slit the opponents' throats!

Their reactions were so keen that they could always dodge deadly attacks by a hair's breadth and retaliate at a more lethal angle!

The battlefield turned into a Shura field!

Three hundred versus five hundred.

Though the Chen Army's guards were at an absolute numerical disadvantage, they projected the momentum of ten thousand troops!

They were like tigers among a flock of sheep; wherever they passed, men and horses were overturned, limbs and arms flying everywhere!

The Northern Han Wolf Riders' pitiful valor and skill, under a sixteenfold overwhelming suppression, appeared laughable and pallid!

Just one encounter!

Only a single encounter!

The Northern Han Wolf Riders' spearhead formation was completely pierced and shattered!

More than one-third of the Wolf Riders turned into corpses on the ground in the first clash!

The remaining cavalry had their gall and courage shattered, their fighting spirit collapsing instantly!

They looked in terror at the Chen Army cavalry, as if possessed by demons, at their icy gazes and blood-dripping sabers, unable to muster any thought of resistance.

Devils! They are devils!

Run!

No one knows who shouted first, but the remnants of the Northern Han Wolf Riders completely lost formation, like headless flies, desperately turning their horses and fleeing for their lives along the way they came!

Pursue! Not a single one left!

Li Wu killed with growing excitement, his body drenched in blood, like a killing god returned from hell, he waved his blade at the fleeing backs.

The three hundred guards sent up a earth-shaking roar, like a wolf pack hunting prey, and without hesitation launched the pursuit!

Blades swept past, and heads shot up into the sky!

This chase lasted less than a quarter of an hour.

When Li Wu led the three hundred guards, escorting several dozen captives whose faces were ashen, dragging the two hundred-plus captured sound warhorses, he returned to the main camp like a triumphant lion.

The entire battlefield fell into deadly silence.

In the direction of the Northern Han allied army's main camp, the previous clamor and cursing vanished.

In its place came an indescribable terror and oppression.

On the walls of Jin Prefecture, a shout rose like a mountain's cry and a sea's roar—though faint, it was clearly audible.

Chen Wen remained standing on the watchtower, his complexion paler by a shade, yet the corner of his mouth curled into a cold arc.

He slowly raised his hand, lightly waving in the direction of Jin Prefecture's city.

First testing the edge, the sharp blade drew blood.

This, is only the beginning.