Chapter 70

Deep within the mountains.

A hundred barbarian beasts formed two formations, advancing slowly.

The Daoist array techniques embody the Five Elements and Eight Trigrams; without prior study, breaking the array would be impossible.

The only possibility was to crush it with overwhelming power.

Even if Master Lingxiao had a special talent for arrays, under his injuries, the temporary array flags could not possibly hold back over a hundred barbarian beasts.

Not to mention the enemy had formed a solid formation, advancing step by step.

On the northern side of the array.

Master Lingxiao frowned, “Miscalculation. I thought we could hold for an hour, but now it seems we can only last half an hour. Prepare for battle—the Xiao Wangwu Array is about to collapse!”

Song Ce snapped, “Where’s Marquis Wenguan? He said he’d be back in half an hour! I told you this was hopeless—told you to leave, but you wouldn’t listen. Now you’re all going to die here.”

“Shut your dog mouth!”

Wang Teng growled, “Even if Marquis Wenguan is strong, he’s already drawn away the three strongest barbarian fighters. Half an hour? He’ll never make it back!”

Master Lingxiao sighed helplessly:

“If Marquis Wenguan doesn’t return, we have two choices: one, fight to the death—our chances of victory are slim; two, scatter and flee—but we’ll be picked off one by one, and those without combat strength will surely die!”

“What’s there to fear?”

Luo Sha flicked her whip and said, “Fight them! Maybe Marquis Wenguan will return soon.”

Since witnessing Lu Fang defeat Lian Yi, she had full confidence in him—the Golden-Haired Demon Ape had indeed gained ancient divine arts, but hadn’t Lu Fang gained them too?

Since he had made a promise before leaving, she believed Lu Fang wasn’t speaking lightly.

With one Luo Sha saying this, everyone else naturally chose to fight to the death!

“Surrender at once!” sneered the lead brown bear demon. “When the Golden-Haired Demon Ape and the other three kill the Prophecy Man and return, you won’t even have time to beg for mercy!”

At that moment,

The mist around them thinned, then vanished entirely.

The lead barbarian was a man with a third hand growing from his belly; he bellowed, “Kill all these humans!”

The battle erupted instantly.

“Just in time!”

A low voice rang out.

Everyone turned instinctively—and saw Lu Fang standing midair, smiling.

The three-handed barbarian gasped, “His Blood-Slaying Curse is so intense… could it be…”

“I killed them all.”

Lu Fang grinned, channeling the power of two souls into the Azure Dragon Crescent Blade and slashed downward—the blade’s light cleaved over a dozen barbarian beasts in half!

“Marquis Wenguan’s back! Charge!”

Pei Kuang roared, leading the charge into the scattered, fleeing barbarian ranks.

With Lu Fang holding the line, everyone except the wounded who had lost all combat ability surged forward, their battle spirit soaring.

In contrast, though the barbarians outnumbered them, they were terrified by Lu Fang’s slaughter of the Golden-Haired Demon Ape and others—losing all will to fight, they became a disorganized mob and scattered in panic!

“That’s satisfying!”

Wei Chaochun watched the barbarians fleeing in disarray, swung his uninjured arm fiercely, wishing he could join the fight himself.

The battle ended quickly.

Only a dozen barbarians escaped; nearly all were annihilated. Lu Fang’s side won a decisive victory—with only a few wounded, not a single loss.

Seeing the unclaimed aura rising from each fallen enemy,

Song Ce eagerly gathered them into his Aura Stone, delighted—even if he only picked up the small ones others missed, who’d turn down free gains?

Wang Teng searched the barbarians’ storage pouches nearby, glanced at Song Ce’s greedy grin, and shot back:

“You’re enjoying yourself, aren’t you? When we needed to strengthen the clan’s aura-kun, you ran faster than anyone—now that Marquis Wenguan’s back, you’re all smiles?”

Song Ce’s voice faltered: “I never said anything against Marquis Wenguan! We’re all clearing the battlefield—I’m just helping!”

Wang Teng shook his head and ignored him, joyfully sorting through the spoils—because of the bubble barrier, every barbarian’s storage pouch held abundant rare treasures; they’d struck it rich.

…

The northern border of the Great Zhou.

Zhenbei Military Camp.

Minister Xie Yifan sat in his chair, his expression grim.

He had expected the barbarians to raid southward in late autumn—but before winter even arrived, they had already assembled a 300,000-strong army and marched south.

The Zhenbei Army was divided: should they fight or retreat?

General Zheng Kuang frowned, “There’s no more ground to give—we must fight! Earlier, we followed your advice and retreated repeatedly. Now, nearly all our officers have jointly petitioned me to fight!”

Minister Xie Yifan sighed deeply, “General, calm yourself. I understand the soldiers’ spirit, but fighting within the Barbarian Miasma Zone puts us at a disadvantage even before the battle begins…”

General Zheng Kuang’s voice rose with passion, “The Zhenbei Army guards the northern border to protect the people of Great Zhou behind us! If we ignore barbarian invasions, why even join the army?”

Minister Xie Yifan paused, then nodded, “We must fight—but our goal is to delay. Once heavy snow falls and the land freezes, the barbarians’ 300,000 troops will retreat!”

“As long as you agree to ‘fight,’ that’s enough!”

General Zheng Kuang smiled.

At that moment,

Minister Xie Yifan and General Zheng Kuang both froze, locking eyes—each saw uncertainty in the other’s.

“The Barbarian Miasma Zone is retreating?”

“I felt it too!”

They stepped out of the tent together, gazing northward—the distant Barbarian Miasma Zone rapidly receding toward the north…

“Heaven aids us!”

General Zheng Kuang was ecstatic, ready to lead the charge.

Minister Xie Yifan hurriedly said, “No more delay—launch a full offensive! Crush the fleeing enemy! The barbarians dared invade Great Zhou—they must pay a terrible price!”

“Yes, yes, yes!”

General Zheng Kuang laughed aloud and departed.

…

The barbarians’ 300,000-strong army, just ordered to surge south, had barely begun their advance when they discovered the Barbarian Miasma Zone had suddenly retreated.

“Great Barbarian Heaven, why is this happening?!”

“Have we been abandoned by the Barbarian Heaven?!”

“Do we still press south?!”

As the barbarians stood bewildered, the Zhenbei Army’s 600,000 troops advanced upon them.

Front: orders to charge south. Back: the Barbarian Miasma Zone vanished unexpectedly.

Some barbarian commanders insisted on obeying orders and fighting to the death; others argued that without the Miasma Zone’s support, retreat was the only option.

Already outnumbered, and now divided in purpose, their morale collapsed—while the Zhenbei Army swept northward in relentless triumph, victory after victory.

The few barbarian kings stationed in the rear barely escaped with their lives—if they’d been slower, they’d have perished on the northern border.

When this battle report reached Great Zhou, it electrified everyone, washing away the humiliation of the barbarian invasion and the Zhenbei Army’s earlier retreat without fighting.