Chapter 721: Long Spear Points

On the Lantern Festival of Xiangfu’s second year, in Changcheng City, the provincial capital of Youzhou in Beiliang Road, lanterns glowed and fireworks glittered as night fell. The entire city celebrated together. Red lanterns hung at the entrance of every household, and the bustling marketplace was filled with dazzling acrobatics: sword swallowing, tongue cutting, drawing rivers on the ground, and even growing melons from wells, all of which greatly broadened the horizons of the common folk who came out to enjoy the lanterns. The "Yellow Dragon Transformation" was particularly eye-catching, with gigantic whales transforming into dragons and water-people and fish-bugs covering the ground, resembling a fairyland that captivated the soul. Among the crowd was a middle-aged man in a scholar's robe, accompanied by his family, enjoying the spectacle.

This man was inconspicuous in Youzhou's officialdom, holding only the rank of a fifth-grade civilian official. Youzhou was teeming with military families; Tang Wenzhen was merely an assistant official from a humble background. His superior, Hong Xinjia, on the other hand, had gained Gu Jiantang's favor, allowing him to enter the central government of Liyang, particularly the Ministry of War, in recent years. As for Tang Wenzhen, few in Youzhou had probably even heard of him. However, Tang Wenzhen's significance to Youzhou, especially its border military importance, could not be underestimated. The Wubao fortress system in the Hulukou area, reputed to be capable of burying 150,000 to 160,000 northern barbarians, owed much to his immense contributions. It was he who, accompanying Hong Xinjia, meticulously surveyed every inch of Hulukou, participating in the entire process from geographical mapping and site selection for the fortresses to groundbreaking and construction. One could even say that Tang Wenzhen possessed the most meticulous and comprehensive military map in his mind. Should war break out in Youzhou, the effectiveness of the Wubao system in Hulukou would be significantly diminished without Hong Xinjia and him. Years of exposure to the elements outdoors had darkened the skin of this civil official, whose name coincidentally carried a good omen. His beautiful, fair-skinned wife, married from Rouge County, made him appear even more like a lump of charcoal by contrast.

Tang Wenzhen had returned to Changcheng City from the border to report detailed military intelligence to Huangfu Ping, the Youzhou General. His decision to enjoy the Lantern Festival with his wife and children afterward was not due to leisure but because he feared that missing this family reunion might mean eternal separation. Although Tang Wenzhen was a civilian official, eight or nine out of ten Beiliang civil officials were proficient in archery and horseback riding, capable of killing enemies. Rouge County had long been famous for its beautiful women. Unofficial histories even recount a popular tale of a "seductress" from Rouge County who led to the downfall of the Great Qin Dynasty in its second generation. Thus, there was a humorous saying among Beiliang people: "Marry a rich girl from Lingzhou, take a concubine from Rouge County." Tang Wenzhen had married a woman from Rouge County and had no concubines; they had lived harmoniously for many years. The only slight imperfection was that they had two daughters and no son. However, Tang Wenzhen felt no regret, doting on his daughters. His wife, on the other hand, often felt she had failed the old Tang family. Tang Wenzhen frequently joked, consoling her by saying that the Wubao fortresses and beacon towers in Hulukou were his sons. If raising a child from infancy is a testament to parental hardship, then Tang Wenzhen, who managed all the trivial matters, could indeed be called the true parent of the Hulukou defense line.

Tang Wenzhen possessed some solid martial arts skills; killing three or four northern barbarians would not be difficult for him. However, military combat techniques were mostly meaningful in conjunction with battle formations and would naturally be insufficient against top martial arts masters. At heart, Tang Wenzhen was a scholar with aspirations of governing and bringing peace, and he had no intention of engaging in duels with masters in this lifetime. Therefore, Tang Wenzhen was unaware that amidst the crowded streets, no fewer than ten pairs of eyes were discreetly observing him. These gazes were fleeting, like a dragonfly touching the water, highly experienced, and not even enough to trigger any intuition in Tang Wenzhen. At most, he simply mistook them for lechers admiring his wife. Tang Wenzhen and his wife each held a daughter's hand. He was inevitably somewhat distracted, his thoughts preoccupied with Hulukou, pondering which Wubao fort needed its walls reinforced, which beacon tower required more personnel, and which post road or pass needed scouts dispatched for reconnaissance.

In the Beiliang army, frontier officials of the younger generation, such as Hong Xinjia and Tang Wenzhen, along with the newly appointed General Honglu Cao Xiaojiao, were forcibly categorized into the "Chen faction." Besides being in their prime, these border officials were largely influenced by the former Beiliang Grand Protector Chen Zhibao, subtly promoting the idea that details determined the outcome of battles. Their understanding and execution of warfare differed significantly from veteran generals like Yan Wenluan and Chen Yunchui. When Beiliang changed its ruler, with a new emperor came new officials, and many worried about suppression and purges. Fortunately, after Xu Fengnian ascended, he never crossed the line with this group of core figures. On the contrary, many of them received promotions to varying degrees. Cao Xiaojiao, the foremost troublemaker in Youzhou, was undoubtedly a typical example. In return, they adopted a positive and affirmative attitude towards the eight-character policy of "stabilizing the frontier army and mobilizing the provincial army," which Xu Fengnian tacitly approved and Xu Beizhi and Chen Xiliang were responsible for implementing. Tang Wenzhen had no strong feelings about the Beiliang King, neither admiration nor aversion. As long as the king did not interfere recklessly with the Hulukou defense line in Youzhou, Tang Wenzhen would continue his diligent work without complaint.

Tang Wenzhen suddenly smiled, a hint of pride in his eyes. It was true that Hulukou had consumed a massive amount of Beiliang's military provisions, but he and General Hong were trading those stones for the lives of northern barbarians. No matter how one calculated, Beiliang would not lose out on this deal.

The former Liyang Emperor Zhao Dun governed with an enlightened hand; although he and the Empress lived frugally, he did not restrict the use of cosmetics and elaborate clothing for women across the realm. Beiliang, being far from the imperial court, was even more ignorant of what constituted "usurpation." While the common people were poor, military families were not. During festivals, wealthy women competed to display their beauty and attire; as long as they had money and dared to wear it, even women donning phoenix coronets and ornate robes faced no restrictions. At that moment, amidst the crowd, there was a graceful young woman wearing a "Tianbao style" makeup, mimicking that of former Southern Tang court ladies. She was accompanied by a personal maid with a barbarian-style coiled bun. The two women, one plump and one slender, complemented each other beautifully, drawing many eyes. Many idlers, eager to take advantage of the situation, swarmed towards them. To shield her young mistress, the maid lost several exquisite small combs of gold, silver, rhinoceros horn, and jade from her coiled bun. Still, it was impossible to guard against everything. The young lady's delicate buttocks could not escape, receiving a light pat—and a pinch—from a nimble, yellow-toothed scoundrel, clearly an old hand at such acts. Startled, the young lady's face paled, and she scurried away in a series of small, rapid steps, her high shoes clattering. This scene happened to catch the eye of Tang Wenzhen's wife. Besides feeling sympathy and annoyance, she also harbored a touch of feminine envy, quietly remarking to her husband, "Dressing so ostentatiously without strong servants or guards to protect her, isn't she just inviting trouble? Who else is there to blame?"

Tang Wenzhen paid little mind to such trivial matters, nodding absentmindedly, with no intention of playing the hero. Women from Liang were mostly fierce and tough inside, no less than men. Despite their seemingly gentle and timid appearance, if truly angered, they could roll up their sleeves and fight fiercely, scratching blood blossoms on others' faces. Wasn't his own wife, after marrying into the provincial capital from a small place in Rouge County, given a scoundrel a vicious groin kick on her first visit to the lantern market?

Not far away, a tall old man in a felt hat tossed a string of copper coins as a tip to a dwarf performing fire-breathing.

Simultaneously, in the sea of people, a wandering monk, increasingly common in Beiliang, carried a bamboo frame laden with scriptures on his back.

A pair of unremarkable young couples, dressed in coarse linen, were buying a string of candied hawthorns from a vendor for their child.

In the northeast corner of the bustling market stood Dongfu Temple, a place of flourishing incense. From the top of its bell tower, one could overlook half of the marketplace. Luxuriously dressed young gentlemen and beautiful ladies chatted and laughed, impoverished scholars scratched their heads, pondering what to recite, and elderly people, moved by the scene, pondered in silence. On the outer corridor of the pavilion, a short Taoist priest holding a horse-tail whisk glanced at the area where Tang Wenzhen stood. He then pulled out a small booklet from his sleeve, wet his finger with saliva, and opened the booklet. Under the lamplight, almost as bright as daylight, he saw the three characters "Tang Wenzhen." He chuckled softly, "Wenzhen, what a grand name. I hear that in your Central Plains court, only a rare few high-ranking court officials can receive such an esteemed posthumous title. Young man, be more careful with your name next life."

In the blink of an eye, just as the Taoist priest with the whisk finished his murmuring, a series of imperceptible anomalies began to unfold in the bustling market.

The "Tianbao style" young lady, who had been molested by the scoundrel, fled with downcast eyes to within a few steps of Tang Wenzhen. Her waist swayed, and even in her disheveled state, she exuded a natural charm. The maid with the barbarian-style coiled bun had, at some unknown moment, removed a small silver hairpin from her head. Originally, she would have flicked her wrist and, with a swift upward motion as her mistress swayed her waist to the left, plunged the hairpin precisely towards Tang Wenzhen's heart, grazing the woman's right waist. But at that very moment, her wrist was firmly gripped by the scoundrel, who looked no different from an ordinary ruffian. The maid feigned panic, flipping her left elbow outwards, attempting to strike the temple of the person blocking her. However, in an instant, her body went limp.

The scoundrel, who appeared merely lewd, after firmly grasping the maid's wrist with one hand, suddenly exerted force with his other hand in the short foot-long space between himself and the woman's back. This was the "Mountain-Splitting Cannon Fist," a specialty of the Liu clan, a prominent outer martial arts school in Beiliang. This single strike directly broke the slender woman's spine. He then hoisted the maid onto his shoulder, loudly shouting, "Time to take a wife home!" and sprinted off. The surrounding crowd roared with laughter, merely assuming they had encountered a lust-crazed fellow who dared to flirt openly on the street and would undoubtedly end up eating prison food in the provincial yamen afterward.

The scoundrel running with the woman on his shoulder wore a lewd grin, but his eyes were actually incredibly profound. As a direct disciple of the Liu clan, renowned as "Beiliang's foremost outer martial arts school," though his name wasn't on their family register, his skills and disposition were naturally top-tier. In fact, he was a Class A operative of the Fushui Chamber who had been deeply embedded in Changcheng City, Youzhou, for many years. Though barely in his early twenties, he was already a third-grade master, skilled in both internal and external martial arts. The "maid" he had struck down was also no simple character; she was a "Pole-Handling Butterfly Catcher" from Beimang's Spiderweb. After successfully completing his strike, the scoundrel made no superfluous moves, directly withdrawing from this unconventional "battlefield." He vividly recalled that when he first joined, the Fushui Chamber senior who guided him taught him a seemingly simple truth: the line between killing and being killed is razor-thin. After saying this, the senior, with a smile, asked him if he understood. Before he could nod, he was sent flying backward, confined to bed for two months before he could walk again. Then, he somewhat understood. In the Fushui Chamber, established by Chu Lushan, rules were paramount: when and where to kill, the fastest method of killing, and when and where to withdraw—everything had to be executed flawlessly. Should there be an unforeseen circumstance, others would discreetly rectify it. No one was ever allowed to act on their own initiative; the Fushui Chamber strictly forbade self-importance. Anyone who dared to break the rules would find that Head Chu Lushan had a myriad of ways to teach them discipline. Consequently, over the years, assassinations carried out by Fushui Chamber spies and assassins were clean from start to finish, without any loose ends. In time, "accidents" became rare.

The felt-hatted old man who had earlier given a string of copper coins to the dwarf acrobat, after seeing the Butterfly Catcher carried away, intentionally or unintentionally blocked the path of the coarse-clothed couple, preventing them from approaching Tang Wenzhen and his wife further. The old man stepped forward with a smile, greeting them as if they were junior acquaintances from a long-standing family connection. In a flash, he exchanged six moves with the young man. Ultimately, the "kind-faced" old man embraced the latter's shoulder, and a poisoned dagger was plunged into the waist of this Beimang Dragon-fly Catcher, then swiftly pulled out and stabbed in again! The young woman disguised as a Butterfly Catcher watched everything with an unperturbed expression. Even when the felt-hatted old man quickly led her "husband" away from her, she remained motionless, but a slight smirk played on her lips. By the time the felt-hatted old man realized something was amiss, his head felt as if it had been violently struck. He leaned backward, and in his dying moments, as blood seeped from his forehead, he saw a child standing not far away, with a tender face but sinister eyes. The seemingly innocent child tilted his head and lightly spat out a second hawthorn pit.

Then, the felt-hatted old man, his vision blurred, smiled. The Butterfly Catcher hastily slipped into the crowd and vanished instantly, but the "child" whose true age was impossible to guess was left behind forever, a wooden skewer, originally for candied hawthorns, protruding from his forehead. The honest old vendor, hawking candied hawthorns on the street, picked up the child and quickly walked to the side of the mink-hatted old man, who was about to fall backward. He plunged the wooden stick, laden with candied hawthorns, into the ground, freeing a hand to support his old friend and the Dragon-fly Catcher, who was already dead.

The felt-hatted old man could no longer speak. Looking at his old friend, with whom he had bickered for half a lifetime, his lips trembled, but no words came out.

The latter, with red eyes, first wiped the blood from his friend's forehead, then pulled down his felt hat to cover it, and whispered hoarsely, "Old Rong, I'll definitely bring you that good wine Boss Chu gave me last year, when Qingming Festival comes around. Rest easy."

The felt-hatted old man leaned back against the candied hawthorn stick and slowly closed his eyes.

A dozen steps to Tang Wenzhen's right, a Wutong Courtyard Eagle Soldier, who held a position comparable to a Fushui Chamber Falcon, and a Beimang Dragon-fly Catcher perished together. Both had used short knives hidden in their sleeves to inflict fatal wounds on each other. They sat side by side on the ground, like good brothers, arm in arm, after a drunken revelry.

The young woman in "Tianbao style" was indifferent to the changes around her; her sole target was Tang Wenzhen.

The Spiderweb meticulously built by Li Mibi consisted of one Cocoon, six Pole-Handlers, three hundred Dragon-fly Catchers, and eighty Butterfly Catchers. She was the cream of the Butterfly Catchers, even having the potential to become Beimang's first female Pole-Handler.

The prerequisite was that she had to kill Tang Wenzhen tonight. The sixteen Youzhou officials she had personally killed before combined were not as valuable as Tang Wenzhen alone.

Therefore, the deaths in battle of those Butterfly Catchers and Dragon-fly Catchers were all worthwhile.

One step.

Only one step remained to the unsuspecting Tang Wenzhen.

Suddenly, the inconspicuous young woman next to Tang Wenzhen crashed into her embrace.

On the outer corridor of the bell tower, a robust, sword-wielding youth now stood beside the short Taoist priest. Leaning against the railing with his elbow, he squinted at the unfolding, hidden skirmishes in the bustling market and grimaced, "A failure at the last moment."

The elderly Taoist, with a seemingly reluctant expression, withdrew his gaze and put away his booklet, his fly whisk resting on his arm. In a Liyang official dialect that sounded extremely awkward, he calmly stated, "Blame your Spiderweb's faulty intelligence. You couldn't even discover that Tang Wenzhen's wife is a Beiliang spy."

The sword-wielding youth's Liyang accent was much more pleasant to the ear, sounding exactly like someone from the Central Plains. He casually retorted, "I'm just a Pole-Handler doing dirty work, not an immortal. Frankly, it's you, the Grand True Man of Discipline from the Daoist Sect, who's rumored to be an immortal."

The old Grand True Man did not get angry. "There are 135 targets on this list, and only 37 have been killed so far. Not to mention the insignificant roles like our dynasty's martial arts assassins and Beiliang's scouts and rangers, but your Spiderweb alone has already lost one Pole-Handler, twelve Butterfly Catchers, and thirty-one Dragon-fly Catchers. Isn't that an unfavorable trade-off?"

The Beimang Pole-Handler remained silent.

The Grand True Man of Discipline from the Daoist Sect frowned. "On this trip to Changcheng City, we have no backup plans. Do you really think you and I, working together, can kill Huangfu Ping, the Youzhou General, who is heavily guarded?"

The swordsman, who appeared young but whose hands were covered in age spots, sneered upon hearing this. "Besides you, Cui Wazi from the Daoist Sect, who came along to watch the show, the Yin-Yang Faced one from Princess Tomb, the Grand Conductor from Chess and Sword Music Mansion, and two from the Demonic Arts masters list have all not appeared. Aren't you curious where they are? Why have your five top masters barely made a move along the way? You should know that on the Hulukou front line, Beiliang hasn't been idle; half of the Tingchao Pavilion's masters, who were sent out in full force, are actually hiding there, waiting for prey."

The immortal figure, remarkably senior in the Daoist Sect, was highly skilled in spiritual cultivation but utterly clueless when it came to these underhanded schemes. However, Cui Wazi, though renowned outside the Daoist Sect, had a mediocre reputation within the sect itself. His talent was ordinary; he couldn't even compare to the sect leader, Yuan Qingshan, who had achieved enlightenment and ascended, let alone his senior brother who had spent twenty years in a small building in Xijing, accompanying a dormant dragon in a jar. However, this time, Empress Wu assigned tasks to the major sects, and the Daoist Sect, unable to shirk its responsibility, had no choice but to put forth him, their Grand True Man of Discipline. Cui Wazi also knew his limitations. The Spiderweb Pole-Handler beside him, despite not openly showing a Zhi Xuan (Profound Finger) realm, and it being unclear if he had even reached the Vajra realm, would undoubtedly kill Cui Wazi, a genuine Zhi Xuan master of the Daoist sect, if they were to truly fight without holding back. Thus, of the five first-rank martial arts experts, the other four clearly disdained Cui Wazi. He was therefore reduced to acting as a mere bookkeeper.

The old Grand True Man tentatively asked, "Could it be that National Master Li was targeting Huangfu Ping from the very beginning?"

The old man quickly added, "Or perhaps Hu Kui, the Youzhou Governor, who has even greater prestige among the Beiliang border army?"

The Spiderweb Pole-Handler, skilled in disguise, couldn't help but roll his eyes and say, "Preaching to a brick wall."

Cui Wazi tightened his grip on the fly whisk handle and said grimly, "This humble Taoist respects National Master Li, not you! Don't push your luck!"

But the sword-wielding Pole-Handler completely ignored the venerable Grand True Man of Discipline. Instead, he turned around and stared intently at a delicate woman who had previously accompanied a richly dressed young master, feigning elegance.

At the Youzhou General's residence, Huangfu Ping, clad in official robes, sat imperiously in a Zitan armchair. In the grand hall, only an elderly swordsman stood, eyes closed in contemplation, bearing a heavy sword box. This was Mi Fengjie, the Master of Sunken Sword Cave, a Zhi Xuan expert personally recruited by the Beiliang King.

Compared to Cui Wazi, the Taoist Zhi Xuan expert on the bell tower, Mi Fengjie's Zhi Xuan realm was achieved through the way of the sword. The latter could truly be called a top martial artist in the world.

Huangfu Ping tapped the table with one bent finger while using a tea lid to gently fan the mist rising from the strong tea in his cup. This powerful general had a mixed reputation in Beiliang, but no one could deny that he was a top favorite and trusted figure of the Beiliang King. Within Youzhou, perhaps only Huangfu Ping could truly be called a "confidant." Huangfu Ping could drink alcohol but did not enjoy it, and he only drank strong tea so bitter it made one's mouth pucker. Huangfu Ping remained silent. According to the combined intelligence reports from both the Wutong Courtyard and the Fushui Chamber, Beimang's Spiderweb and martial arts forces had infiltrated the heart of Youzhou. After an initial widespread assault that exhausted both the covert Eagle Soldiers and Falcons and the overt local garrison, causing heavy casualties, these desperate individuals later chose a central southward route. Then, with a sudden turn and under the cover of large-scale assassinations on both flanks, they headed directly for Changcheng City, the capital of Youzhou. Their assassination target was clear: either him, the Youzhou General, or Governor Hu Kui.

Besides Mi Fengjie, whose identity was concealed, guarding the Youzhou General's residence in Changcheng City, Governor Hu's mansion also had numerous second-rank masters protecting Hu Kui.

And the madwoman Fan Xiaochai was also lurking within the city.

It seemed perfectly reasonable for Beimang to "put chopsticks down" in heavily guarded but tempting Changcheng City, as the lives of Huangfu Ping and Hu Kui could indeed influence the overall situation in Youzhou.

Huangfu Ping abruptly slammed the tea cup lid shut and said gravely, "Something's wrong!"

Meanwhile, on the bell tower's outer corridor, the Beimang Pole-Handler, realizing his cover was blown, leaped away without hesitation, leaving the Daoist Sect's Grand True Man of Discipline to face the deeply hidden dangerous woman alone. He burst into laughter, "Cui Wazi, it's time for you to sacrifice yourself for the country! Once our Spiderweb successfully takes down Yan Wenluan, I will personally deliver the compensation granted by His Majesty to the Daoist Sect."

Grand General Yan Wenluan's main tent was not in the heart of Youzhou but only about 150 li from Hulukou. Initially, after hearing of the large-scale infiltration by Beimang assassins, the Youzhou border army dispatched twenty units of fifty scouts each across a hundred-li radius centered around the main tent. Gu Dazu, unlike Chen Yunchui who was also a deputy commander of the infantry but stationed within Youzhou, oversaw the general situation on the Liangzhou border. Concerned for the commander's safety, he even requested three units of the most elite mobile crossbowmen from Zhou Kang, the cavalry deputy commander, sending them to the old general despite Yan Wenluan's objections, as a precaution against the unforeseen. As intelligence reports were rapidly transmitted, indicating the continued southward movement of Beimang assassins, especially after Deputy Commander Chen Yunchui's infantry camp had suffered a fierce night raid, resulting in heavy casualties for the Youzhou army, the consequences would have been unimaginable had there not been a sufficient number of third-rank masters and minor grandmasters ambushed beforehand. Although the vigilance around Yan Wenluan's main tent had not lessened, everyone was visibly relieved.

This day, coincidentally, was when Beimang's iron cavalry poured wildly into Hulukou, and beacon smoke signals began to rise everywhere.

Yan Wenluan led a thousand personal cavalry quickly to the front line.

Surrounding the thousand cavalry, the three units of white-horse mobile crossbowmen and elite Youzhou infantry scouts moved cautiously and skillfully, performing reconnaissance.

The more vigilant they were, the more uneasy Yan Wenluan's guard commander felt when ten individuals, like a mantis trying to stop a chariot, blocked the path of the thousand cavalry.

At the end of the road, the central figure leading them was a woman whose face was half-covered by a white veil.

Beside her stood a middle-aged Confucian scholar with narrow eyes and a long beard. He wore a carefree scarf on his head and had a dark purple bamboo flute tied to his waist, exuding an elegant and uninhibited air.

They were Princess Tomb and Little Nian Tou.

Chess and Sword Music Mansion, Grand Conductor.

Behind these two were two of Beimang's top ten demonic arts magnates: a dwarf squatting on a giant's shoulder, forming a bizarre image.

The Beimang martial arts world only knew their nicknames: "Iron Cavalry" and "Thirsty Kid." The latter was particularly infamous, similar to Xie Ling, another demonic figure on the same list who enjoyed eating human hearts and livers, but with a preference for sucking fresh blood from living people.

At the very back, appearing most out of place, a white-haired old woman coughed heavily, a vibrant flower, out of season, stuck in her hair.

The remaining five were all exceptional first-rate masters of the Beimang martial arts world.

Yan Wenluan raised his arm, and the thousand cavalry abruptly halted. The old general chuckled, "The northern barbarians have quite an appetite this time."

The cavalry general commanding the personal guard was worried. He spurred his horse to Yan Wenluan's side, but before he could speak, Yan Wenluan smiled and said, "Don't rush. This isn't our fight today; just enjoy the show. After all, there are truly those who can face ten thousand enemies alone in this world. As generals who rely on the might of our armies, we have no choice but to concede."

As the cavalry general remained confused, a single rider silently emerged from the cavalry ranks.

The man holding a long spear removed his helmet.

This man, whom even the renowned general Yan Wenluan had hailed as one who could face ten thousand enemies, began to slowly gallop forward after emerging from the formation.

Many years ago, in the era when Sword God Li Chungang dominated the martial arts world, there was a Beiliang man who, with a single horse and a single spear, repeatedly traversed the Beimang grasslands as if no one were there.

His name was Wang Xiu, the Spear Immortal.

Afterward, the world only knew that Wang Xiu had trained a disciple, Chen Zhibao in white, who surpassed him.

However, even the people of Beiliang, and even the Beiliang King Xu Fengnian, did not know why Chen Zhibao, after killing his master Wang Xiu back then, ultimately failed to take the famous spear "Chana."

It was someone who, with an ordinary wooden spear, blocked Chen Zhibao, who was wielding the "Plum Green" spear.

Gazing at the seemingly unremarkable spear charge of that lone rider, the Grand Conductor, standing at the forefront of the group, let out a helpless sigh, "It's Xu Yanbing. Our previous arrangements have all become a joke."

A strong gust of wind swept past him and Princess Tomb and Little Nian Tou.

The Grand Conductor became even more helpless. "Seeking death."

They saw the robust Iron Cavalry dash past them like thunder, while the dwarf cackled.

When the two sides were about fifty paces apart, Thirsty Kid forcefully pushed off the giant's shoulders with his legs, launching himself forward.

The trajectory of that small, slender figure in the air was eerily flashy.

The result was merely a brush-past.

The thousand cavalry behind Yan Wenluan did not see how the spearman made his move; they only saw the fiendish dwarf explode into a mist of blood in mid-air. Then, the robust giant turned and fled desperately. They still didn't see how the spearman on horseback manipulated his spear, yet the enemies dared not run in a straight line, circling and turning, looking utterly disheveled. The next scene was even more unbelievable. The Beimang demonic master, nicknamed Iron Cavalry, seemed inexplicably forced into a desperate situation. He turned back and charged directly towards the lone rider.

Finally, like a fool committing suicide, he charged straight onto the spearhead, allowing the long spear to pierce through his skull.

Xu Yanbing lightly flicked his wrist, flinging the massive corpse away.

He continued his charge.

It wasn't that the demonic chieftains Thirsty Kid and Iron Cavalry were too weak to withstand a single blow, but rather that when the opponent they had chosen wielded his spear, there was no possibility of both sides surviving.

This was precisely the reason why Wang Xiu, one of the Four Grandmasters of his time, rarely encountered an opponent he couldn't defeat in a single move, even if many of them were not far from his level.

Xu Yanbing had already far surpassed Wang Xiu's peak realm.

Even more so!

This meant that the future battle between Xu Yanbing and Chen Zhibao was destined to be decided with a single spear strike.