Chapter Thirty-One: The Brutality of War
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Under normal circumstances, Ji Huai would certainly have been unable to resist his daughter’s pleading, but this was a time of war. Thus, he put on a stern expression and rebuked her severely. “Nonsense. War is not a child’s game. The slightest mistake can cost you your life.”
The young man retorted indignantly, “We are adults already. The sons and daughters of commoners are fighting and bleeding on the front lines—how can the offspring of nobles sit back and enjoy the fruits of others’ labor? I refuse to be a coward. I will lead the charge. What does it matter if a true man dies? I will fight to the death on the battlefield.”
Hearing such words, Ji Huai was greatly gratified, and his gaze toward his younger son softened considerably.
“Your elder brother is overweight and inconvenient in his movements. He remains in the rear, overseeing the overall strategy and coordinating the transport of grain, weapons, and supplies. It is no easy task. Why do you not help your elder brother more?”
Whenever he spoke of his eldest son, Ji Huai was filled with pride. With the father fighting abroad and the son guarding the home front, he had no worries behind him. It made for a truly satisfying war.
“Royal Father, please order us to lead the troops into battle.” The brother and sister were resolute in their request.
“Good! My young tigers should finally bare their fangs. What kind of nonsense is it to remain house cats forever? Ha-ha-ha!” Ji Huai burst into hearty laughter.
Before long, however, a messenger bearing military news entered the tent.
“Report, General! Commander Meng Yi requests an audience with His Majesty and begs forgiveness.”
Upon hearing that Meng Yi had arrived, the Ji siblings wore awkward expressions.
“Quickly, invite Commander Meng Yi in,” Ji Huai ordered.
Soon, the sound of armor clanking from the tower-like man outside reached the tent. Meng Yi did not enter, however. Instead, he knelt on one knee outside the tent, clasping his fists toward the interior.
“Your Majesty, this subordinate is guilty. I beg Your Majesty to punish me severely. I am willing to lead my soldiers and redeem myself through meritorious service. I humbly ask Your Majesty to grant my request.”
“You two bastards can wait until later,” Ji Huai said hurriedly, stepping outside to help Meng Yi to his feet. He consoled him, “Meng Yi, what fault is yours? This is entirely the fault of these two bastards. Do not blame yourself. Rise quickly.”
“I still beg Your Majesty to grant my request.” Meng Yi stubbornly refused to stand.
“I have agreed. Now rise.”
Only after Ji Huai gave his permission did Meng Yi slowly get to his feet.
Ji Huai then ordered, “Ji You and Ji Yuxuan, step forward and receive your orders. I command the two of you to follow Commander Meng Yi and charge through the enemy lines with the cavalry.”
After receiving their orders, Ji You and Ji Yuxuan left the tent and followed behind Meng Yi with solemn expressions.
At that moment, cultivators battled in the sky while soldiers fought upon the earth.
Strange phenomena appeared one after another overhead. First, a rain of fire descended from the heavens and crashed toward the city, only to be blocked by a watery barrier.
“Old Fire Demon, your flames are nothing special. All thunder and no rain—you cannot break through my water barrier at all.”
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“Is that so? Then try this move, Old Man Withered Wood.”
A fireball rapidly expanded to an inconceivable size, then compressed at astonishing speed until it was no larger than a palm.
The Old Fire Demon hurled the fireball from his hand. The enormous curtain of water was pierced effortlessly.
Seeing the fireball approaching, Old Man Withered Wood did not panic. He suddenly threw out the cane in his hand, transforming it into a black fish that opened its mouth and swallowed the fireball whole.
“Good, very good. You truly have some skill. But the city gate has already been breached. Is there any need for us to continue fighting? Old Man Withered Wood, we are both acting for profit. There is no need to fight to the death—it is not worth it. You have surely heard of my king’s reputation for benevolence and righteousness. He is a wise ruler destined to ascend the imperial throne.”
The Old Fire Demon’s words moved Old Man Withered Wood. His cultivation had long since reached a bottleneck, and without some great stroke of fortune, he could do nothing but wait for death.
After only a brief period of thought, Old Man Withered Wood said, “I am willing to submit to the King of Yan. Fellow Daoist, I ask that you recommend me to him.”
The Old Fire Demon threw back his head and laughed, and even the flames above his head rose slightly higher.
Before long, the Old Fire Demon departed with Old Man Withered Wood, bringing the battle in the sky to an end.
The battlefield below was also nearing its conclusion.
“Soldiers, charge with me!” Ji You cried excitedly as he led the way into the city.
At that moment, Liu An and Jian Yi were also fighting fiercely on the battlefield. Lin Yiyi, being a physician, had been given special consideration and remained in the rear to tend to the wounded.
“Senior Brother, the battle in the sky is over. Let’s find a chance to slip away. If necessary, we can even pretend to be dead,” Liu An suggested as he killed enemies beside Jian Yi.
Jian Yi felt extremely uncomfortable. He normally used a sword, but the weapons distributed on the battlefield were sabers.
Jian Yi felled one enemy with every stroke. At first, Liu An’s hands had trembled after killing his first man, and he had been stunned when blood splashed across his face. Jian Yi had saved him once then. After that, however, Liu An’s attacks became ruthless and decisive.
Liu An understood that on a battlefield, only one side could live. Though the two of them had been forced into the conflict, they were now at the heart of the war. If they wanted to survive, they had no choice but to keep swinging their blades, hacking down their enemies.
“Junior Brother, do not lose your reason. Control your bloodlust. You are already losing yourself to it,” Jian Yi warned.
“Senior Brother, I’m fine. Let’s fight our way out. If we continue like this, we will eventually exhaust ourselves.”
“Very well. Junior Brother, we will head southeast. That is the edge of the battlefield. Once we reach it, I will forcibly cast Earth Escape. After that, it will be up to you.”
Liu An acknowledged him, and together he and Jian Yi hacked out a bloody path toward their destination.
Perhaps because they were covered from head to toe in blood, the soldiers who tried to stop them afterward instinctively moved aside and let them pass.
“Junior Brother, take my hand.”
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The earth beneath Jian Yi’s feet suddenly became as fluid as water and swallowed the two of them whole.
“Did you see that? Those two suddenly disappeared.”
“Yes, yes, I saw it too.”
As the two soldiers turned to look at each other over the same strange phenomenon, they immediately realized that the person before them was an enemy. The two of them drew their blades at the same time and fell to the ground in bitter, unwilling defeat.
Jian Yi’s Earth Escape had not carried them very far—only about a hundred paces.
But that distance was enough to take Liu An and Jian Yi beyond the battlefield.
The moment they emerged from the earth, Jian Yi immediately lost consciousness and collapsed.
Liu An dragged him behind a large tree, then pulled a gourd from his ear.
In the blink of an eye, the gourd grew larger. Liu An grasped it in his hand and opened it.
He drank deeply from the liquid inside. The instant it entered his stomach, all his fatigue vanished, and his entire body filled with strength. The wounds covering him began to heal.
Having sensed the liquid’s miraculous effects, Liu An did not hesitate in the slightest. He opened Jian Yi’s mouth and poured some into it as well.
The pallor of Jian Yi’s face slowly gave way to color.
No one knew how much time had passed.
“Cough, cough… Junior Brother…” Jian Yi called weakly.
Liu An, who had nearly fallen asleep, instantly became alert and happily helped Jian Yi sit up.
“Senior Brother, how do you feel?”
“Junior Brother, I am fine now. I do not know why, but I thought I would sleep for three or four days before waking.”
“Senior Brother, stop talking. Quickly, drink some more of the liquid from this gourd.”
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