In the snowy night, amidst the biting wind.
Lin Zhao punched with all his might. As one fist exploded the head of a ghoul, his body twisted and he swiftly appeared behind Old Fish Head. He swept a punch, knocking away a ghoul soldier who had already raised his steel saber. He quickly moved forward and stomped heavily on the soldier’s head, crushing it. Everyone was stunned. Lin Zhao, on his first battlefield, showed no trace of fear, his attacks swift and fierce, all killing blows.
In fact, though Lin Zhao was young and naive, he had understood some things from the conversations of the town elders during their leisure. Things his mother was unwilling to speak of, others would. After the Qilin Fire Seal appeared on him at the age of five, his father had gone down the mountain and never returned. When he did, he was a bloody corpse.
The elders didn’t explicitly state it, but Lin Zhao understood that his father had either died at the hands of the demons or the ghouls.
Because of this, Lin Zhao’s hatred for the Four Northern Tribes was almost innate. Coupled with the frequent deaths of townsfolk, he was immersed in it from a young age. At nine years old, he had personally witnessed a ghoul soldier sneak into town and gnaw off half the head of the uncle who often told him monster stories. This was a hatred that could not be shared!
...
"Hmph!"
Not far from Lin Zhao, Commander Zhang Yanping sneered and said, "Hey, that kid… your punches are fierce, but your true energy is depleting too quickly. Save some strength. If the demon and ghoul attacks continue until dawn, you’ll be out of energy early, and all your martial arts will be useless, leaving you to await death."
Although he was reprimanded, it was like a thunderclap to Lin Zhao. He was right. The battlefield situation was constantly changing, and he had indeed been blinded by hatred during the recent fight.
...
In the central army formation.
The Death Defying Battalion had engaged, and the cavalry charged headlong, scattering a group of demon soldiers. Then, sharp sword light swept through, like cutting wheat.
Chu Huaixi stood on the observation platform, with Huang Tingyu beside him. Huang Tingyu was like a sharp blade sheathed, only drawing his sword once before returning to Chu Huaixi’s side. Behind them, formation masters clad in grey cloaks stood ready, holding talismans. They were like ghosts on the battlefield, awaiting Chu Huaixi’s command to unleash the hidden Dragon Lying in the Abyss formation. Great Wind Novel Network.
However, to Chu Huaixi’s disappointment, the battle had lasted less than an hour when hurried horn calls echoed from the north. The demons and ghouls then abandoned a large number of corpses and retreated.
Before dawn, the Iron Stride Battalion began clearing the battlefield.
Large numbers of demon and ghoul corpses were buried on the spot, while the remains of the fallen soldiers of the Heavenly Lake Army were wrapped in horsehide. Rows of corpses were laid out in the camp. Roughly counting, the number of casualties exceeded one hundred. The Iron Stride Battalion was not a complete unit to begin with, so it was likely that there were less than seven hundred men remaining.
Lin Zhao returned to the camp and entered his tent for a brief rest.
A while later, Old Fish Head returned with a group of people. Four of the nine men under his command had died, leaving him with a grim expression. However, he carried a pot of meat soup and two military ration cakes, saying, "Eat it while it's hot. Last night was just a probing attack. Who knows what schemes the demons and ghouls have in mind."
"Thanks."
Lin Zhao wolfed it down.
A middle-aged soldier smiled slightly and said, "The military merit registry has been tallied. Lin Zhao killed eighty-four enemies by himself last night. If he hadn't held back slightly later, he probably would have broken a hundred."
"Heh heh…"
Old Fish Head chuckled, "Young man, you don't know how to conceal your strength. If you keep killing like this, Commander Zhang Yanping will have to give you his position in a few days…"
Lin Zhao gave an embarrassed smile, "Really?"
"You brat, you really want to be a commander?!" Old Fish Head cursed with a laugh.
Lin Zhao said, "I haven't thought about it. I just want to kill more demons and ghouls."
"Don't worry, you'll have your chance."
After eating, Old Fish Head lay down with his helmet as a pillow. "Sleep, sleep. Get some more rest. Perhaps there will be more tasks assigned to us during the day. We must be well-rested."
"Yes!"
Everyone rolled up their sleeping bags and drifted off to dreamland.
...
He didn't know how long he slept. Lin Zhao woke up to a cacophony of noise. Old Fish Head and the others also got up. Someone lifted the tent flap, his eyes squinting through the cold wind and flying snow as he looked inside, calling out, "Old Fish Head?"
"Here!"
Old Fish Head immediately stood up, knowing the person was a messenger. "What is it?"
"You have a mission."
The messenger handed over a bronze token and said, "Not long ago, our supply camp in the rear right was attacked by scattered demon forces. You are ordered to lead your subordinates to reinforce it immediately. Remember, the supply officer is a captain from the Great Shang Dynasty. Everyone else can die, but you must escort this captain back alive at all costs, otherwise, the Great Shang Dynasty might have another handle to grasp."
Old Fish Head frowned, "Just us?"
"Not just you."
The messenger said, "A total of twenty tokens have been issued, with a combined force of at least one hundred men. Some have already departed. In short, hurry up and go reinforce them."
"Understood!"
Old Fish Head flipped over and roared, "You all heard that! Put on your armor and grab your weapons immediately! Head to the right flank supply camp for reinforcement!"
"Yes!"
The six of them donned their armor, packed some dry rations, and then glided into the snow curtain. Led by Old Fish Head, they sped away. The soldiers were quite exhausted. Last night’s battle had drained everyone’s strength. Now, after little rest, they had to rush to the battlefield again, their fatigue evident on their faces. Only Lin Zhao in the group was full of spirit. The physical strength of a third-realm warrior was inherently strong, and within his meridians, the power of the Fire Qilin seemed to lead the vast true energy flow unstoppably, filling him with power.
...
In the afternoon, amidst the flying snow, a supply camp appeared in their sight.
"Stop!"
From behind a tree, Old Fish Head suddenly raised his hand, ordering everyone to halt. The group immediately and skillfully lay down in the snow, motionless. Old Fish Head squinted and sniffed, "Hmph, they intend to ambush us?"
He then turned back to look at Lin Zhao and asked, "Do you smell it?"
"Yes."
As a third-realm warrior, Lin Zhao’s senses were sharper. "There's one on the left, and two on the right. The one on the left is stronger, but the two on the right have crossbows, making them more dangerous. This is the only path to the supply camp. We can't flank or bypass, so we have to force our way through."
"Right!"
Old Fish Head's eyes lit up, and he laughed, "Good lad, you've got some skill."
A young soldier squinted and pointed to the right, whispering, "Look over there."
In the direction he pointed, two corpses lay in the snow, covered in blood. They were both wearing the armor of the Heavenly Lake Army's Death Defying Battalion. Their fatal wounds were in their throats, and two feathers swaying in the wind had killed them. In the distance, ownerless warhorses roamed the snowy terrain. Clearly, the reinforcements from the Death Defying Battalion had been shot and killed by the demons.
"Be careful."
Old Fish Head frowned. "Demons are inherently cruel, and their physical strength is immense. They can often kill cultivators of higher realms than themselves. In past battles, it was common for fourth-realm demons to kill fifth-realm humans, and sixth-realm demons to kill seventh-realm humans. The strongest demon ambushing on the left is at least fourth-realm. The two on the right are weaker, about second-realm. Should… should we wait?"
"No more waiting."
Lin Zhao pricked up his ears. He heard the sound of horse hooves in the distance. Demons generally didn't have cavalry, so it was most likely people from the Death Defying Battalion or the Wind Riding Battalion. He frowned. "If we don't act, our reinforcements will continue to be slaughtered. Since that's the case, Old Fish Head, I'll go around alone to the left and attack that fourth-realm demon. You and the remaining men, using the advantage of the heavy shield soldiers, will go around to the right and attack the two demons with crossbows. This way, we might have a chance."
"A third-realm warrior fighting a fourth-realm demon cultivator, can you do it?"
Old Fish Head was filled with worry. "Lin Zhao, you have a bright future. You might even become a commander in the future. It would be too much of a waste to die here."
Lin Zhao smiled, "Don't worry, my life is very tough. I won't die. If I do die, it won't be anyone's fault but my own."
"Alright!"
Old Fish Head said sternly, "After Lin Zhao departs, we will also begin our detour. The enemy might have already discovered us, or they might not have. In any case… be careful."
"Yes!"
...
Lin Zhao nodded, directly put down his shield and long sword, wearing only his armor. He crouched low and disappeared into the snow curtain in a flash, his speed extreme. Using the cover of a patch of bushes, Lin Zhao slowly approached. When he was about a hundred meters away, he could see clearly. The fourth-realm demon had transformed into the appearance of a middle-aged man, holding a wolf-tooth mace. The mace was covered in minced meat and blood, presumably having already killed many Heavenly Lake Army soldiers.
He squinted, looking in the direction of Old Fish Head and the others, and sneered, "A few useless ants, thinking they can contend with us?"
Lin Zhao frowned, not thinking further. He suddenly drew a breath of pure true energy and, with a "whoosh," rushed out of the bushes, becoming a blur in the snow. He charged towards the opponent at the fastest speed. Fighting a fourth-realm being as a third-realm warrior was indeed absurd, especially against a demon. Lin Zhao was not entirely confident, but he had to try. Otherwise, Old Fish Head and the others would undoubtedly be slaughtered without suspense!
"Huh?!"
The demon cultivator suddenly turned, couldn't help but sneer, "Seeking death!?"
He swept out with his mace, spiritual energy surging. But the moment he swung, Lin Zhao activated the "Fierce Wind Through Reeds" stance of the Farmer's Three Punches. The flow of his aura and fist intent suddenly increased, his body sinking low. He avoided the mace with a slide on the snow, and simultaneously delivered a heavy punch to the demon's ankle.
"Bang!"
After his foot was struck hard, even a powerful demon cultivator let out a groan and fell to the ground. Before he could even land, Lin Zhao delivered his second punch. "Bang!" The punch landed on the demon cultivator's face, smashing his nasal bone and causing blood to spurt. As the demon rolled away, Lin Zhao leaped up and delivered another heavy punch to his throat.
True energy erupted, fist intent flowed. At this moment, Lin Zhao was like a small fierce beast in the sea of snow. Once it bit onto the opponent's vital point, it would never let go. The fourth punch was delivered, directly blasting the opponent flying out, breaking a pine tree as thick as a bowl. Before he could land, Lin Zhao arrived like the wind, gently hooking him with the toe of his foot, and thrusting out his right fist. The fifth punch directly caved in the opponent's face.
At this moment, Lin Zhao also felt a bit of secret relief.
Fortunately, this demon was a spirit cultivator and couldn't withstand much damage. If it were a martial warrior among the demons, the outcome might have been different.
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