"Hmph!!!"
Thud!
With a furious snarl, a grotesque wine cup, crafted from an infant's skull, smashed against the head of the kneeling middle-aged general.
"Elder Brother, calm yourself! Over a hundred Body Refining experts and four early-stage Qi Refining cultivators... With a lineup like that, it's no surprise they fought their way back."
An elder cloaked in earthy yellow spiritual light swiftly stepped in to block the red-haired old man. The latter narrowed his eyes but said nothing, clearly brooding. Indeed, such forces were beyond what a mere ten thousand vanguard could handle. Even their own tribe had no answer to four Qi Refining cultivators aside from themselves.
"No wonder the Queen had ordered them to attack Yongzhou. Her intentions were far from pure."
"Even so," the red-haired elder growled, voice like grinding stone, "we cannot retreat. Not now. Even if they're hiding a peak-stage Qi Refining cultivator, our hand is forced. With an army of a million behind us, even a small delay would spiral out of control."
"Enough. Tomorrow, we attack together and breach Yongzhou's walls in one sweep. A million troops need supplies—if this drags on for a month or two, we'll be the ones cornered."
"Get out."
The red-haired elder waved the commander away. Given that kind of enemy formation, it wasn't his subordinate's fault. Without enough elite cultivators to suppress them, such a group could easily sow chaos in the ranks. But now, the two of them would have to step in personally. If the army stalled again, the entire campaign could collapse.
"Sigh. The Great Wei truly hides dragons and crouching tigers. No wonder the Emperor struggles to maintain control."
The numbers alone were alarming. They had held the advantage of striking first, yet if given a few decades, the Great Wei might have become unstoppable.
"Elder Brother, our strategy must change. Once we seize the Eight Prefectures of Prince Yong, we need to avoid unnecessary slaughter. If the world turns against us, we'll never gain a stable foothold."
The elder in yellow frowned. They were powerful enough to stand unafraid even if surrounded by hundreds, but ruling was another matter entirely. Relying on brute force alone would only invite rebellion.
What they didn't know was that if not for the Qi-Inducing Pill in Prince Yong's possession, the number of cultivators he could have gathered would've been half that, at best. Most came not only for the pills but also for the chance to curry favor with the alchemist behind him.
These were men of the martial world, and they understood the value of such pills. In truth, Prince Yong had been right: if Su Min uttered a single command, half of them would obey without question. Even the two old men dared not act recklessly. They were powerful, yes, but there were only two of them. If they angered the cultivators of the martial world, peace would become nothing more than a dream.
The Next Morning – At Daybreak
A long, deep warhorn echoed across the land. Outside Yongzhou, a sea of soldiers stretched to the horizon, the earth trembling beneath their march.
"Black clouds loom, the city trembles." Su Min observed from the shadows. The poetry doesn't do this justice.
From her perch on the wall, she watched as the massive army advanced. The sheer number of troops made their formation look less chaotic than it truly was; quantity alone inspired dread.
"You four must lure out those two old monsters," she said sharply. "You're carrying weapons I personally forged. Victory isn't the goal, but lasting a few moves will do. Leave the rest to me."
Across from her stood four Qi Refining cultivators—Sect Master Mo and three under Prince Yong's command. Though each held high status, all stood respectfully before her.
Those two old men had placed their command banners in plain sight, as if daring them to attack. Just as she suspected, both were peak Qi Refining cultivators. If they had a single Foundation Establishment Pill between them, they might have already advanced.
"Their command banners are right there for everyone to see. Bold, but predictable," she said quietly. "Both are at the peak of Qi Refining. A single Foundation Establishment Pill could've pushed them over the threshold."
Hiss—
Her casual remark sent chills down their spines. Had those two reached Foundation Establishment, this war would've been unwinnable. The higher one cultivated, the vaster the gaps between stages became.
"Move out. Stay alert. Even at peak Qi Refining, they can't kill you instantly."
"Yes!" The four leapt from the walls, followed by a wave of Body Refining cultivators.
Meanwhile, below the gates, the two elders met each other's gaze. Both saw the same unease reflected in the other's eyes.
"That Queen withheld critical intelligence. Something's not right with these defenders."
"They're not retreating even after sensing our auras. Do they really think four early-stage Qi Refiners can stop us?"
"No matter. Slaughter them first, then crush the gates. Charge!"
Boom!
Twin streaks of crimson and ochre light shot into the battlefield. The oppressive aura that followed rolled over the defenders like a storm.
"A duel before the walls?"
Su Min chuckled softly. Her amusement, however, was not shared by the four cultivators trembling under that pressure. For the first time, they truly felt the chasm between early and peak Qi Refining. Su Min had never gone all out against them. She had merely been toying with them before.
"No chance for ambush now. Pity— Wait, what?"
Her eyebrows shot up as the four leapt from the ramparts.
"Idiots."
With a sigh, Su Min stepped forward. In a melee, stealth might have worked, but in a formal duel like this, there was no room for such tricks.
"My lady, what are their odds?" Prince Yong called out nervously, "how likely are they to win?"
The battle had already begun, and at first glance it seemed balanced.
"Not a chance," Su Min said flatly. "Those two old foxes were startled by the weapons. They're testing their strength right now. Once they figure it out, the result's already decided."
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
Even as the words left her lips, four figures were sent flying, blood spraying midair as they slammed into the city wall with bone-jarring force.
"Time to intervene."
Su Min flicked out a porcelain vial and stepped forward. Her aura exploded outward like a storm, equal in might to the two elders below.
Then—
Whoosh!
A pressure rivaling the elders' erupted as she descended.