Chapter 866: When the Little New Year Was Still Young

The front line at Mount Laodu in Guangling Road was the main direction of attack for the Southern Border army, and a key defensive area for one of Western Chu's main forces, consisting of 40,000 troops. Therefore, Wu Zhongxuan dispatched Wang Tongshan, the foremost figure in the Southern Border army, to oversee the battles there, to prevent any trouble from the Western Chu rebel forces led by Pei Sui. Although Wang Tongshan was at a disadvantage in terms of troop numbers, with only 20,000 pure infantry, large-scale cavalry units were not common in the mountainous Southern Border region. While Wu Zhongxuan did possess a heavily invested cavalry unit, it had previously been tricked away by Zhao Zhu, the Crown Prince of Yan Chi, effectively stolen without repayment. Wu Zhongxuan, who had defected from the Southern Border to align with the imperial court, did not "fuss" over this. Wang Tongshan's 20,000 infantry were the most elite foot soldiers under Wu Zhongxuan, apart from his 6,000 personal guards. They included many Southern Barbarian tribesmen, known for their absolute fearlessness in battle. It was precisely because of Wang Tongshan's unparalleled bravery and his subordinates' fighting prowess and willingness to die that Wu Zhongxuan, who valued military discipline above all else, did not directly prosecute Wang Tongshan, who disregarded military laws, but instead allowed this fierce general to redeem himself on the Mount Laodu battlefield.

Inside the commander's tent, a burly, mountain-like middle-aged man sat bare-chested, pouring wine from a flask directly into his mouth. "Drinking" barely described his audacious manner; the wine splashed and flowed all over him. A naked woman lay beneath his feet, and a crimson Halberd was thrust into the ground beside him. Drinking alcohol and women accompanying the army were two ironclad rules in virtually any military force of the Liyang Dynasty, yet this man clearly paid no heed, indulging in wine and women as he pleased. However, whenever there was a battle, he would always lead from the front, not to win favor, but for a simpler reason: he loved killing. This obsession was so extreme that as a former Southern General, he had to be personally banished by King Yan Chi to serve under Wu Zhongxuan in the Northern Border. In Nalan Youci's words, if he were allowed to continue killing, the Southern Barbarian tribes would be wiped out within three years.

In the Southern Border, he was undoubtedly a legendary figure with a fearsome reputation. Though illiterate and extremely vulgar, he enjoyed feigning refinement, and had invited—or, more accurately, kidnapped—several scholars to serve as his unorthodox strategists. He even absurdly styled himself "General Joyful," for he found no joy without women, no joy without wine and meat, and certainly no joy without people dying. His two favorite catchphrases were: "That fatty Chu from Beiliang is only half a villain compared to me," and "Cheng Baishuang and Ji Liuan are only half-masters compared to me." The first statement was debatable, as one was in Beiliang and the other in the Southern Border, but the second was beyond doubt, not mere self-aggrandizement. He once directly carried his Halberd to the entrance of Dragon Palace, now one of the Ten Great Sects of the world, loudly demanding that Palace Master Ji Liuan hand over the woman Lin Hongyuan to serve him for three nights, or he would butcher everyone in Dragon Palace. In fact, Lin Hongyuan's departure from the Southern Border, disguised to attend the martial arts convention at KuaiXue Villa by Chun Shen Lake, was largely to escape his relentless harassment. Had it not been for Cheng Baishuang, the recognized top martial arts master of the Southern Border, passing by Dragon Palace, even with Ji Liuan and Dragon Palace's benefactor Nalan Youci, they would have hardly escaped that ordeal.

This man was Wang Tongshan, the foremost Halberd user of his time, and the Southern Border's fiercest general.

In front of Wang Tongshan, who was drinking heartily with his head thrown back, stood a frail, elderly scholar, compelled to wear iron armor. He gazed straight ahead, not daring to let his peripheral vision fall upon the woman beneath Wang Tongshan's feet. He cautiously reported the latest battlefield situation to his commander: "We just received a secret report from Western Chu's capital. The source is highly reliable, a personal letter from a Left Assistant Minister of Rites. The letter states that Xie Xichui has secretly arrived at the Mount Laodu front line, though he seems to have brought only two or three hundred cavalry. Your subordinate suspects he's here to stabilize morale, as his presence is still needed to maintain control at Xilei Wall. With the General here, it's only a matter of time before Western Chu loses Mount Laodu. Instead of wasting his forces here, Xie Xichui would naturally do better to defend Xilei Wall to the death."

Wang Tongshan was unmoved by Xie Xichui's movements or his strategist's flattery. He lifted his foot and stepped on the unfortunate woman's pale back, then asked with a smile, "Old Zhang, if I said I'd give you this lovely woman, would you accept her?"

The elderly scholar quickly bowed, "Your subordinate dares not, dares not by a thousand deaths!"

Wang Tongshan grinned, "Oh, I didn't realize you were such a gentleman, Old Zhang. Don't you scholars often say a gentleman doesn't take what others desire? I see you're a true gentleman. It's truly comforting to have a strategist like you."

The strategist, surnamed Zhang, turned pale, bowed even lower, and babbled in extreme fear, "General, how could your subordinate be a gentleman? Your subordinate... is merely an infamous old man known for 'bedding his daughter-in-law,' harming the General's reputation. Your subordinate deserves to die, deserves to die..."

Wang Tongshan burst into laughter, "Hahaha, very good, what an 'old man known for bedding his daughter-in-law'! You're a hundred thousand miles behind my General Joyful, but serving under me, it's just barely acceptable. Speaking of which, not even sparing your own daughter-in-law, you *should* die. But you old scoundrel are lucky to have met a general as generous to his subordinates as I am."

Although the elderly strategist kept his head bowed, constantly flattering and agreeing, there was not a trace of resentment or indignation on his face.

It was Wang Tongshan who forced him to become that infamous 'old man known for bedding his daughter-in-law' in the Southern Border. Otherwise, all sixty members of his family, young and old, would have become arrow targets on the training grounds. He dared not die, and even his tragically fated daughter-in-law dared not commit suicide. That woman eventually went mad, having been driven insane by her own hand.

Wang Tongshan's eyes turned sinister, revealing a hint of murderous intent. After a moment of hesitation, he curled his lip and laughed, "Since you don't want her, and I'm tired of playing with this woman anyway, then die."

With a casual remark, Wang Tongshan seemingly stepped lightly, yet he broke the spine of the woman beneath his foot. Her body slumped to the ground.

For that woman, who had once worn simple clothes and wooden hairpins, and who had once cared for her husband and raised children, death was probably better than life.

Wang Tongshan did not even glance at the corpse. Staring at the elderly scholar's sweat-soaked back, Wang Tongshan felt deeply satisfied. He then took another deep swig of strong liquor, shook his flask, and realized it was empty. With a flick of his wrist, the leather flask smashed heavily onto the elderly man's head. Seeing the poor wretch still dazed on the ground, Wang Tongshan sneered inwardly, "Aren't you scholars the leaders of the Southern Border literary circles? Aren't you supposed to be unyielding? Didn't you used to gossip about me, Wang Tongshan, behind my back? Didn't some of you think that by fleeing to Jianzhou, north of the Southern Border, you could openly curse me? I'm going to make you realize that our Southern Border isn't Beiliang Road under that cripple Xu. And I, Wang Tongshan, am not that old cripple who loses all ambition with age. Scholars who dare to wag their tongues near my ears will wish they were dead! That little brat Zhao Zhu has wanted to kill me for a long time, and what happened? Didn't I just change locations and continue being my General Joyful? That kid even dared to personally ambush and assassinate me, and what was the result? Didn't he have to rely on Nalan Youci losing over twenty elite assassins to protect him and help him escape?"

Wang Tongshan ordered the old man, whose spirit was more broken than the dead woman at his feet, to get out. Then, he leaned back in the large chair, eyes narrowed in thought.

Wu Zhongxuan defecting to the imperial court was a good thing. Wang Tongshan himself might be able to make a name for himself in this Guangling campaign, rising from the desolate Southern Border to the Taian City court. Becoming a "General of Conquest" would definitely not be a pipe dream in the future.

Wang Tongshan chuckled. However, the most important thing right now was to break through the Mount Laodu defenses, drive deep into Guangling Road, and attack Western Chu's capital in one swift blow. "I don't care if Wu Zhongxuan will intercede with Emperor Zhao; that beautiful woman from the Rouge Rankings, surnamed Jiang, I, Wang Tongshan, will have her first! Then I'll establish my own power base completely. You, Wu Zhongxuan, can become Minister of War through connections, and I'm not stupid either. I can temporarily humble myself and flatter a bit. As long as I make that young Emperor happy, and with the primary credit for conquering the cities and suppressing the rebellion in Guangling Road as a foundation, the title of 'General of Pacification' will surely be mine for the taking."

Wang Tongshan's smile widened. Thinking of that little rumor made him even happier.

Jiang Si, not only the Empress of Western Chu in dragon robes, but also rumored to be the woman admired by the King of Northern Liang?

Wang Tongshan let out a heavy snort of disdain, reaching for the Halberd beside him. "What 'Four Great Grandmasters'? Ji Liuan, at the Zhixuan realm, is only a three-halberd affair. Giving thirty halberd strikes to that Xu fellow should be more than enough, shouldn't it?"

Just then, an armored cavalry commander strode into the tent. Wang Tongshan flew into a rage, but before he could erupt, the middle-aged commander, who was usually good at reading expressions, clasped his fists and reported, "General, three scout teams have reported in succession, all saying a young man is approaching our army's encampment."

Wang Tongshan lazily squinted, "Oh? How many troops did he bring? Five thousand?"

The commander's expression was odd. "Reporting, General, there is only one person. Our scouts have thoroughly checked the surroundings, and there are no ambushes."

Wang Tongshan glared, "Are those scout teams all soft in the head? Is one head not military merit?! Did they all suddenly become kind-hearted, starting to care if that fellow is a commoner?"

The commander's face grew even more peculiar. He swallowed hard. "General, that young man keeps saying he wants to see the General, even daring to call you by name. Our scouts were worried he might be an old acquaintance of the General..."

Since this commander was a trusted aide, someone who, if not glorious, had certainly endured hardships, Wang Tongshan did not wantonly kill him. He merely scoffed, "I have no damn old acquaintances!"

The commander seemed to recall something and quickly said, "General, it's reported that the young man has two sabers at his waist. One of them strongly resembles a Beiliang Saber, but it differs from the 'Xu's Five Sabers' we're familiar with. Our scouts aren't sure."

Wang Tongshan finally showed some interest, straightening slightly. "Oh? Could it be the Xu family's sixth generation battle saber? Let me think, are there any 'friends' connected to Beiliang, and crucially, are still very young..."

The commander had wanted to add that the scouts also mentioned the man "looked very handsome," but after some hesitation, he simply dared not add anything superfluous.

Suddenly, a thunderous roar reverberated throughout the army encampment.

"Wang Tongshan."

This direct address, from an unknown source and speaker, was enough to make the 6,000 troops stationed nearby feel as if "thunder was ringing in their ears."

Most terrifying was the speaker's distinctly bland tone, like a casual, neither light nor heavy, greeting to an acquaintance on the street. Yet, at this moment, those three words subtly echoed.

Wang Tongshan subconsciously tightened his grip on the Halberd, meticulously crafted over many years by a Southern Border master. His face took on a rare, grim pallor.

Wang Tongshan released his Halberd and said calmly, "It's about two li away. Send orders for 300 elite troops to go and test him. The one who beheads him will be rewarded with ten thousand taels of silver and three ranks of promotion."

The commander acknowledged the order and turned to leave. Just as he was about to reach the tent flap, he heard Wang Tongshan further command, "The 600 cavalry earmarked for future pursuit of Mount Laodu's routed forces should also be deployed, positioned behind the infantry."

The commander cautiously asked, "General, how should the camp itself be specifically arranged?"

Wang Tongshan sneered in response, "Is that necessary?"

The commander, realizing he had made a terrible blunder, quickly left the tent.

Wang Tongshan slowly rose to his feet. Once standing, he resembled a small mountain even more. This unparalleled general of the Southern Border, a master of breaking enemy lines, muttered to himself, "The virtuous do not come, and those who come are not virtuous. But who could this young man connected to Beiliang be? Xu Yanbing? His age doesn't quite fit. Yuan Baixiong would definitely lead the Great Snow Dragon Cavalry. Could it be that young princely king, surnamed Xu? There's no reason or logic to it. Why would he ignore Xu Gong's and Yuan Tingshan's armies? Could it be that this fellow really has a connection to the Western Chu Empress? Was that young woman truly brought to Beiliang by the old cripple under false pretenses in her early years?"

Wang Tongshan's face was filled with disbelief, and he burst into a self-deprecating laugh, "Or, could it be that just because of a few words I said on the battlefield, you, Xu Fengnian, came here alone to cause trouble for me, Wang Tongshan?!"

Wang Tongshan continued to sneer. "Fine, killing you, the King of Northern Liang who seeks death, would be a tremendous merit! I believe it would be more satisfying in the young Emperor's heart in Taian City than slaying a hundred thousand Western Chu rebels."

Wang Tongshan drew his Halberd and strode towards the tent flap.

But he suddenly stopped, turned around, and donned his iron armor.

This man, an unparalleled foe on the battlefield, told himself it was simply a matter of "caution ensures smooth sailing for ten thousand years."

A mile and a half south of the military camp, a young man with two sabers at his waist walked unhurriedly, from south to north.

He came in a straight line.

Three hundred strong infantry, armored and arrayed, blocked his path. At the main entrance of the encampment, Wang Tongshan sat atop a tall horse, his Halberd held diagonally, his expression grim.

Half an incense stick later, a scout corporal rode back swiftly, his face ashen, as if he had seen a ghost in broad daylight. He dismounted and knelt on the ground. "General, that man... that man is a martial arts master, truly... He just slowly walked straight towards our infantry formation, without drawing a saber or striking. All blades and spears that approached him automatically bounced off. The more force was used, the stronger they rebounded. Dozens of iron spears even snapped on the spot! General, our infantry couldn't even get close to him..."

"Useless!" Wang Tongshan roared, thrusting his Halberd into the scout's chest. The Halberd lifted the instantly lifeless body high, then flung it far away, where it hit the ground with a heavy thud.

About half an incense stick later, this time several cavalry scouts frantically retreated from the front line. A man who looked like a captain, at least twenty paces from Wang Tongshan, said tremblingly, "General, the 600 cavalry also couldn't get close. Seven or eight riders charged head-on in a desperate attempt, but both men and horses were shattered, reduced to mangled flesh, leaving no intact bodies. Afterward, the cavalry withdrew some distance, from eighty to thirty paces, and arrows rained down. Yet, those arrows simply shattered as if they had hit a wall..."

Before the captain could finish speaking, Wang Tongshan spurred his horse forward. The captain scrambled to dodge, but just then, Wang Tongshan reined in his warhorse sharply, causing it to rear up and stomp its hooves directly onto the man's chest.

The mountain-like Wang Tongshan, combined with the sheer weight of the tall horse, had its two heavy hooves instantly pierce through the captain's chest!

The God of Slaughter, Wang Tongshan, was furious, his fighting spirit surging.

A display of power.

This was a demonstration of power aimed at him, Wang Tongshan.

The most straightforward method, yet precisely the most shocking.

Wang Tongshan lifted his Halberd, turned, and pointed twice at a commander. "Have two thousand infantry form a front line. If he's capable, let him walk all the way through. I want to see just how strong this bastard truly is!"

When Wang Tongshan's personal infantry guards formed ranks to resist the enemy, only half a li separated the two sides.

The young man had, in fact, already clearly seen the face of the tall martial general.

Wang Tongshan also clearly saw the young man's appearance.

Almost immediately, Wang Tongshan confirmed his identity.

Xu Fengnian, the King of Northern Liang.

Wang Tongshan's breathing began to quicken.

Two thousand Southern Border iron-clad soldiers deliberately reduced their width and increased their depth.

Xu Fengnian, who had been walking slowly, began to quicken his pace, and then accelerated even more.

Many years ago, Master Liu Hao from Taian City used this unique method to crash into that city, almost severely injuring Luoyang, who was then at the peak of martial arts.

In the blink of an eye, Wang Tongshan saw the young princely king standing less than ten paces in front of him.

Behind him lay a shocking, bloody path. The infantry formation had been directly split in two, a path two zhang wide cleaved through it.

Like an immortal splitting a mountain with a single sword.

Alone, in a straight line, he carved open the formation.

There wasn't even a trace of blood on him!

At this moment, the young man didn't even touch his saber hilt. He merely asked calmly, "Are you afraid?"

Wang Tongshan held his breath and focused, not rushing to strike, nor foolishly opening his mouth to answer the young madman's question.

At its core, a contest between masters is a contest of spirit (qi).

The internal circulation of qi over eight hundred li in an instant was a realm coveted by all martial arts grandmasters. It was said that in the past century of the martial world, before Xu Fengnian, and before Deng Tai'a's return from seeking immortals and Cao Changqing's transition from Confucianism to hegemonism, only the Sword God Li Chungang from sixty years prior and Wang Xianzhi afterward could easily achieve it, with even the potential to challenge the legend of nine hundred li in a single breath. It should be noted that the legendary Wudang Ancestor Lü, recognized as the undisputed number one figure in the past millennium, once uttered the prophecy: "The length of one's qi does not exceed a thousand li." And Gao Shulu, who established the four realms of the first rank, also concluded, "A human whose qi extends a thousand li is a Celestial."

Xu Fengnian said, "I heard you, Wang Tongshan, are a foe of ten thousand on the battlefield, so I presume you're not afraid. If it were me, it would be quite tiring to kill ten thousand people standing still."

The commanders and captains in the distance didn't dare to breathe.

*Is this the demeanor of a Grandmaster, one of the four in the martial ranking?*

Even though they were in the opposing camp, they felt a heartfelt sentiment: *This young King of Northern Liang is truly arrogant and domineering!*

The heavily armored fierce general Wang Tongshan suddenly dropped. His mount could not bear the weight after he settled his qi in his dan tian.

Almost simultaneously, Wang Tongshan swept his Halberd horizontally, and a strange sound, like silk being rapidly torn, echoed in the air.

Xu Fengnian did not draw his saber to confront him. Instead, at some unknown moment, he had removed his saber's sheath, inverted the still-sheathed 'Crossing River Rook' saber, and held it vertically on his left shoulder.

The Halberd struck the saber sheath, but the sheath, which appeared insignificant compared to the Halberd, remained perfectly still.

The Halberd, however, bent into an arc.

Wang Tongshan twisted his body, and the Halberd arced, this time sweeping towards Xu Fengnian's waist, whistling like wind. The two closest subordinates to Wang Tongshan suddenly felt a stinging pain at their waists. Unseen, the Halberd's powerful qi had actually ripped through their iron armor, creating a bloody gash. Not only these two who were caught in the crossfire, but everyone else turned and fled. It wasn't that no one dared to fight Xu Fengnian to the death; rather, with Wang Tongshan on the battlefield, these Southern Border soldiers, who were willing to die nobly in battle, did not want to become a burden to their commander. Moreover, not everyone believed Wang Tongshan was incapable of defeating Xu Fengnian. Xu Fengnian, holding only the sheath of the 'Crossing River Rook' saber in his left hand, his wrist slightly lowered, still kept it vertical in the path of the sweeping Halberd. He leisurely continued speaking, "I heard you recently went to the battlefield west of Xilei Wall, entered the formation for several hundred paces, and were quite impressive. And that you, Wang Tongshan, have two Halberds?"

Wang Tongshan remained silent. He took a step forward, thrusting his Halberd like a spear straight towards the young Grandmaster's abdomen, then intended to perform a "mountain-lifting" strike to disembowel this arrogant fellow.

Xu Fengnian lightly lifted the saber sheath, then gently tapped it down, striking the top of the Halberd with precision. He then said, expressionless, a joke that would only send shivers down the listener's spine, "Your 'great Halberd,' is it this one in your hand? Why are you like a woman? What, are you reluctant to use lethal force? No need, I can take it. To be honest, compared to Tuoba Pusa, who doesn't use weapons, you, this so-called 'foe of ten thousand,' are a bit disappointing. If this is all the brute strength you have, then I can only say you're really lucky you've never been to the Central Plains, let alone our Northwest. Otherwise, someone would have already beaten you back into your mother's womb. At that point, your 'foe of ten thousand' title would instantly become 'foe of a hundred,' even 'foe of a thousand' would be a stretch..."

Wang Tongshan remained silent, his feet moving like wind, raising dust. The Halberd in his hand swung with dizzying speed, so fast that it appeared as if a large bundle of Halberds were piled up in front of Xu Fengnian.

Xu Fengnian, who never drew his saber, walked leisurely, as if merely pointing and gesturing with the sheath.

It appeared effortless and relaxed, but each "point" produced a deafening sound. Previously, some elite infantry had attempted to charge and fight, but as soon as they came within a hundred paces, they suddenly bled from all seven orifices, their eardrums, in particular, bursting.

"Halberd King Wang Tongshan, are you tired? Do you want to rest for a bit? I can wait."

After saying this, Xu Fengnian indeed darted back more than ten paces, precisely gauging the moment when Wang Tongshan would need to catch his breath or risk internal injury.

Only at this moment did all of Wang Tongshan's subordinates have to admit a fact: this duel was not a peak battle between two grandmasters, but rather one person walking a dog.

Wang Tongshan did not use this opportunity to take a fresh breath. His offense remained like a surging tide. Wherever his Halberd passed, it became silent, yet this only highlighted the greater danger.

Xu Fengnian finally showed a hint of emotion, pressing his thumb on the hilt of the 'Crossing River Rook' saber. He sneered, "As expected of the 'foe of ten thousand' from your Southern Border. It seems you truly don't need a break. In that case, I won't hold back, will I?"

Wang Tongshan, his heart reeling, retreated without hesitation, dragging his Halberd.

He saw Xu Fengnian, who showed no ripple of qi, lift his feet slightly from the ground, spin once, his long sleeves fluttering, and a dazzling flash of saber light exploded before his eyes.

Wang Tongshan instinctively raised his Halberd with both hands to block in front of him.

With one impact.

Wang Tongshan, whose innate physique was far more robust than ordinary men, found his arms bent inwards. He stumbled backward, carrying the Halberd with him.

Giving Wang Tongshan no chance to reposition his Halberd, Xu Fengnian's second saber strike, identical in trajectory and force, directly chopped down.

Wang Tongshan had to retreat again.

Saber strike after saber strike landed on the same spot on the Halberd.

But with each retreat, Wang Tongshan's steps became longer.

Wang Tongshan's hands were forced to slide towards the ends of the Halberd. Blood from his palms began to smear the already crimson weapon.

Xu Fengnian was like a child with only brute strength, chopping firewood with a kindling knife, feeling no boredom at all.

Wang Tongshan, with only a sliver of parrying strength left, retreated over 140 paces.

Wang Tongshan, his forehead drenched in sweat, vaguely saw a young face filled with rage through the dazzling saber light, followed by a torrent of words utterly unbecoming of a young Grandmaster.

"You dare bully *my* woman?!"

"You, Wang Tongshan, can reign supreme within your small corner of the Southern Border when the gates are closed, but knowing I've already brought ten thousand iron cavalry to the Central Plains, you dare to recklessly stir up trouble there, taking advantage of the fact that I haven't gone to her yet?!"

"What are you doing if not courting death?! Just because your surname is Wang, you think you're Wang Xianzhi?"

"Halberd? I'll Halberd your face!"

During this time, Wang Tongshan's subordinates, finding the scene unbearable, finally couldn't hold back. They were determined to risk their lives to mitigate their commander's suffering. Led by a sturdy commander, over a dozen men charged forward, drawing their spears and sabers.

Then the young princely king merely uttered a single word: "Scram!" All dozen-plus men simultaneously flew backward.

All the bodies were covered in deep, bone-revealing gashes, a more horrifying sight than Wang Tongshan's struggling form.

The second wave of Southern Border death-defying soldiers, numbering over a hundred, donned an extra layer of iron armor whenever possible, urged on by another commander's loud shouts.

"You bastards, how many innocent commoners have you harmed on your way north? Beiliang fought on three fronts against Beimang, with over a hundred thousand casualties! After so many deaths, the hard-won peace for the Central Plains has been ruined by your turmoil!"

In Xu Fengnian's rage, almost all one hundred men were instantly cut in half.

The instant Xu Fengnian's 'Crossing River Rook' saber severed others, Wang Tongshan tried to seize this fleeting opportunity.

Xu Fengnian sneered, "You have two Halberds, do you? Today, I'll make you have three!"

The moment Wang Tongshan thought he could finally take a breath.

A saber strike, infinitely more ferocious than before, chopped down directly.

Wang Tongshan, leaning backward, spat out a mouthful of blood. His Halberd was astonishingly cut into two pieces by a single strike!

Wang Tongshan knelt on one knee, holding a broken piece of the Halberd in each hand.

Blood flowed from the corner of the Southern Border's fiercest general's mouth. He didn't even dare to wipe it away.

"Do you think having hard fists is all there is to 'reason'? If that's truly the case, then I, Xu Fengnian, will explain it to you properly today!"

Xu Fengnian darted forward and kicked Wang Tongshan on the forehead. The burly general fell to the ground, sliding backward over twenty zhang.

Wang Tongshan, gritting his teeth, endured the kick, his physique severely damaged, but he miraculously managed to take a fresh breath.

Revitalized, Wang Tongshan gripped the broken pieces of his Halberd with both hands, the corners of his blood-stained mouth curving upward.

He bent his elbow and slammed it onto the ground, preparing to rise again.

Unexpectedly, at that very moment, Wang Tongshan, who had just managed to revive like a withered tree in spring, was kicked back to the ground. His iron armor instantly shattered, and many fragments even cut into his skin.

A mocking voice rang out above him, "Did you think you had a chance to fight again? Fool, I did it on purpose!"

Wang Tongshan was at a crucial moment when a fresh surge of qi was circulating throughout his body. This kick not only crushed his iron armor but also dispersed the qi within Wang Tongshan, causing his internal qi and blood to surge like a bursting dam. Had Wang Tongshan not possessed a physique closer to the Buddhist Immovable Vajra realm than an ordinary warrior's Vajra body, similar in principle to Murong Baoding's Vase Body from Beimang, he would likely have exploded from the inside out at that very moment.

Wang Tongshan hoarsely roared, "If you want to kill me, then kill me!"

Xu Fengnian asked, "If I don't kill you, am I here to acknowledge you as my grandson?"

Wang Tongshan strained to shout, "Son of a bitch, then kill me!"

Xu Fengnian suddenly narrowed his eyes and chuckled, "Aren't I patiently waiting for you to use your broken Halberd to sever my Achilles tendons?"

Although his intention was seen through, Wang Tongshan still unhesitatingly used the two broken pieces of his Halberd to swipe horizontally at Xu Fengnian's ankle.

At the same time, over twenty foot-operated crossbows brought forth by Wang Tongshan's troops also fired in unison.

But those powerful, heavy arrows, which should have shot straight at the young princely king's body, inexplicably curved to strike their own commander, Wang Tongshan, one by one embedding themselves in his limbs.

Xu Fengnian, meanwhile, stood near Wang Tongshan's head, placed the 'Crossing River Rook' back into its sheath, then slowly drew the Beiliang Saber that had never left its scabbard. He bent down to look at the furious, wide-eyed Southern Border general.

After drawing the Liang Saber, Xu Fengnian placed the tip near Wang Tongshan's ear and said calmly, "Back in the Central Plains, Xu Xiao killed many people like you with the Xu family's saber."

Wang Tongshan, his face already covered in blood, struggled to twitch the corners of his mouth. His face appeared even more grotesque and terrifying as he muttered, "A dead cripple."

Xu Fengnian's Liang Saber slowly slid across Wang Tongshan's neck, inch by inch, until it severed his entire head. Only then did he calmly say, "I forgot to tell you something: you called my father a dead cripple, and I'm not saying you're wrong; he was indeed a cripple, and then he died north of the Central Plains. However, the only person in the world who can call him a dead cripple is me, his unfilial son."

After the young princely king casually selected a warhorse and rode away, even though he was already more than ten li distant, the entire military camp remained in utter silence. No one rose to pursue, no one clamored for revenge for their commander.

Instead, the elderly scholar, whom Southern Border literati scorned as a 'tiger's accomplice,' that infamous 'old man known for bedding his daughter-in-law,' silently turned and walked into the grand camp after personally witnessing Wang Tongshan's decapitation. He found a large bucket of water, hastily bathed and changed, and even had the presence of mind to find a battle saber he had never touched before, using it to meticulously shave the stubble from his gaunt cheeks.

The old man sat behind a small table in his small tent, trembling as he laid the saber horizontally on the table. After a moment's thought, he rose again and retrieved a yellowed classical text by a Confucian sage from a corner satchel. Once seated, he casually opened the book to a random page, not bothering to look at the contents.

The old man suddenly chuckled, "Years ago, the Xu family's iron cavalry caused my Zhang clan of Linyang to lose twelve official positions, four thousand mu of fertile land, and forty-six cherished copies of engraved classics. That's why my Zhang clan, from old to young, cursed you Beiliang and the Xu family for twenty years. Who would have thought that in the end, it would be my Zhang clan who owed your Xu family more."

The old man glanced at the cherished book, which he had kept for many years, and smiled, "I've read sagely texts my whole life, but what have I truly learned?"

The old man answered his own question: "I don't know. But I am rather curious, what books did the sages who wrote these sagely texts read? Still, I don't know."

The old man extended his withered hand.

His wrist had trembled when he put down the battle saber earlier, but this time, when he picked up the saber, it didn't shake at all.

If one cannot live purely, one should at least try to die cleanly.

Finally, he could die.

When a lone rider appeared within sight of Western Chu's capital city walls, the rider finally stopped his horse.

After dismounting, the young man patted the warhorse's back, signaling it to leave on its own.

This young man, named Xu Fengnian, squatted by the roadside and picked up a handful of dirt.

From north to south, from south to north.

He had traveled many places, seen many sights.

The boy once called Xiaonian had grown up, little by little.

As he grew, many people around him had left, unable to be kept.

Just as when he roamed the martial world, in the scenic Jiangnan Road, he had told his elder sister they would return home together.

And like when he returned home, in the house with the loquat tree outside its gate, he held an old man's hand, unable to speak.

Xu Fengnian released his fingers and stood up.

He began to enter the city.

He wanted to tell the woman with dimples in that city.

"Xu Fengnian likes you. He liked you at first sight, and he's never thought of not liking you. Perhaps you didn't know before, so I've come here to tell you myself."