Volume One – The Frontier of Chen Nation, The Rebel Marquis’s Immortal Path Chapter 7: Battle for the Skies

For a full month, chaos reigned, and of the eighteen Black Wind strongholds, eleven were destroyed in the conflict. Corpses littered the mountains, blood dyed vast swathes of forest a ghastly red, and as the rain washed down, the Green Woods River ran crimson, sending chills down the spines of all who beheld it.

Though Leng Ying Stronghold and their two allies appeared to have gained the upper hand, the clashes had cost them dearly as well. At this moment, more than twenty disheveled figures knelt outside Skyward Fortress; these were the survivors from the remaining strongholds.

“What brings you all here?” Li Ke asked, feigning ignorance though he knew their intentions well.

“Fortress Master Li, we are all that’s left of the Black Wind Eighteen Strongholds. We beg you to take us in,” one of them pleaded.

Li Ke put on a troubled expression. “I am grieved by your misfortune, but what can we do with our own limited strength...”

“Fortress Master Li, do you really think you can remain uninvolved? I once thought the same, but look at me now. Aren’t we all in the same boat? One day, you’ll be no different.”

Li Ke’s face grew darker, and the brothers behind him became visibly irritable and anxious.

“The ambitions of Leng Qianwan and his ilk are clear as day. Fortress Master, you cannot escape this,” they urged. “You must either submit or resist—there is no third way.”

“Hahaha, you see things quite clearly,” a booming voice suddenly echoed from the base of the mountain.

“It’s Leng Qiandao, that scoundrel!” someone exclaimed.

Li Ke’s expression hardened.

“Fortress Master, what should we do now?” his men asked anxiously.

“Hmph. Bar the gates and prepare to defend,” Li Ke commanded without hesitation.

“But what about them...?” someone asked, glancing at those outside.

“Pay them no mind. With the advantage of our terrain, we still have a chance,” Li Ke replied in a low voice.

Those outside, seeing Li Ke made no move to open the gates, grew uneasy and shouted, “Fortress Master Li, open the gates! Let us fight together!”

“My apologies,” Li Ke answered bluntly. “The enemy is fierce, and I cannot let my guard down.”

Li Ke’s brothers now understood his caution—he feared there might be traitors among the newcomers. Letting them inside at such a moment could spell disaster.

Yet even with these precautions, the people of Skyward Fortress were ill at ease.

“Fortress Master, can we really withstand this?” one asked.

“Don’t worry. We’ll be fine. Only they will fail,” Li Ke said with confidence.

The others were surprised by his certainty, but upon reflection, believed he was merely trying to reassure himself.

Soon, under the leadership of Leng Qiandao, Hu Wanshan, and Madam Wang, several hundred men assembled outside Skyward Fortress.

“Li Ke, come out and surrender at once or we will raze your stronghold to the ground, leaving bodies strewn everywhere,” Hu Wanshan shouted coldly.

“Chief Hu, it’s our own incompetence. Li Ke is not falling for it,” complained those who had just begged Li Ke for help outside the gate.

“No matter. Skyward Fortress is already in our grasp. No matter what tricks he has, he cannot escape our clutches,” Hu Wanshan laughed.

Li Ke and his men broke out in a cold sweat at this, cursing, “Shameless!”

“Hmph. Shameless? Our trade is robbery and murder—did you expect honor and virtue from us?” came the retort.

“You—!” the defenders were furious, ready to hurl more insults, but Li Ke stopped them.

“Chief Hu, what is it you want? Can you not spare us a path to survival?” Li Ke asked.

“Only we can remain in Black Wind Pass. Submit or die,” Hu Wanshan replied coldly, leaving no room for negotiation.

“Fortress Master, let’s fight them! Better to die than surrender!” someone shouted from within, though there were those who quaked in fear and dreaded a futile death.

Li Ke gripped his long blade tightly and shouted, “You want our submission? Ridiculous! I may be an outlaw, but I am ashamed to count myself among the likes of you.”

“Well said, Fortress Master! At worst, we die—what’s there to fear?” the braver men echoed.

“So be it. Since you’ve chosen, don’t blame us for being ruthless,” roared Hu Wanshan and his companions. “Attack!”

“Kill!” Li Ke shouted, glancing toward the inner courtyard, his heart filled with hope. Over the past month, he had been thoroughly impressed by his ally’s strategies.

In a flash, arrows flew, blades clashed, and cries echoed—battle erupted, blood soaking the ground.

But Li Ke could never have foreseen what happened next. As the two sides clashed fiercely, two cold flashes swept by the gate, claiming lives in an instant.

“Second Chief, don’t—!” the defenders cried in agony.

“Guo Bai, what are you doing?” Li Ke’s eyes were wild with shock, yet he could not help but shout.

“Li Ke, the tide has turned. Why persist in your stubbornness and lead our brothers to their deaths?” Guo Bai bellowed. “If we surrender, we may yet live. Resist, and we’ll die with no burial.”

His words were honeyed, but he and his men showed no mercy as their blades fell upon their own brothers.

“Guo Bai, you court death!” Li Ke shouted angrily, leaping to confront him—yet from behind, a cold wind swept past, and he was struck down by a heavy blow.

“You too, Third Brother...?” Li Ke could hardly believe it; betrayed by two brothers in a single day.

“Li Ke, it ends here,” came the reply.

“Haha! Well done, Third Brother! Let me open the gates now,” Guo Bai sneered. “You two, get out of my way!”

Guo Bai’s blade swept down, but just as he thought his victim would be cut down, the other caught the blow with a single block.

Guo Bai’s face darkened and he quickly retreated. “You’re... Tian Ying? I didn’t expect you to be this skilled. I underestimated you.”

“Tian Ying,” Li Ke said, his heart settling somewhat at the sight, “I won’t let you open this gate,” Tian Ying declared grimly.

“You alone?” Guo Bai sneered, watching his opponent warily.

Seeing Tian Ying appear, Li Ke’s heart calmed. He called out, “Second, Third, if you truly repent, I can let the past go.”

“Haha, Li Ke, you still don’t see the situation clearly. Do you think Tian Ying alone can stop me?” Guo Bai mocked, pressing his attack.

As the two fought fiercely, suddenly, signal arrows rained down from above the fortress. At the same time, short bolts shot from both sides of the road, felling dozens of outlaws in an instant.

Hu Wanshan and his companions frowned, inwardly alarmed. Was this an ambush?

Li Ke saw this and knew at once that Chen Yu and the others had finally made their move. His heart was instantly at ease.