---
Elder Qi Mo, leading the five hundred Beast Flame Sect disciples disguised in the uniforms of fallen Qi clan soldiers, saw dark smoke billowing from the western gate. The battle had clearly reached a fever pitch.
He turned to the contingent behind him. "Increase your pace! If we do not move faster, the battle will be over before we arrive!"
A unified, grunting acknowledgment was his only answer. They offered him no respect, only obedience to their sect master's orders.
As they hurried on, the smoke grew thicker. A foul wind carried the stench of the battlefield to them—the metallic tang of blood mixed with the grotesque aroma of burning flesh.
The wave of putrid air hit them like a physical blow. Faces turned green; several disciples stumbled, fighting the urge to vomit. Even Qi Mo gagged, his stomach lurching. He saw their pace falter as they battled their nausea.
"Steel yourselves!" he barked sharply. "We are almost there! Suppress your beast blood auras completely! We cannot afford any suspicion!"
Shaken by his command, the disciples mastered their revolted senses, their speed returning as they forced themselves to acclimate to the horror ahead.
Qi Mo looked toward the raging battle, his expression grim. Sword Spirit Sect, he thought, hold on just a little longer. We are coming.
He increased his speed, forcing the disciples to push themselves to keep up.
Soon, the major outline of the battle became clear: a sea of fire and silver clashing together. They also saw the damaged west gate in the distance. The sight of the breach made their hearts leap; the Sword Spirit Sect had done their job well.
"We're almost there! Rush forth with full speed!" Qi Mo shouted, turning back.
They grunted in agreement, their excitement growing at the sight of their entry point.
As they drew closer, they spotted the ridge that was their rendezvous point. They changed direction, moving directly behind it. Qi Mo raised his palm, signaling a halt.
"We wait here," he said, his tone brooking no argument.
Another grunt of agreement echoed as they sat down to regain their strength after hours of hard sprinting.
Once they were settled, Qi Mo rushed to the side of the ridge and activated his sound transmission talisman.
"What is the battle situation now, Wi Gue? We have arrived at the ridge and await your orders to move out and infiltrate."
He waited. The only sounds from the talisman were distant war cries and screams of despair.
"Elder Wi Gue!" Qi Mo shouted again, growing impatient.
Just as he was about to deactivate the talisman and scout the battle himself, an exhausted groan sounded from the other end.
"Elder Qi Mo…" a weak, rasping voice replied, interrupted by wet coughs. "Good… good thing you're close… We couldn't have held much longer… The northern gate is already free. We're facing that army now… Everything is prepared for you… Infiltrate quickly… We will be retreating."
"Understood," Qi Mo said curtly before cutting the connection.
He turned to the meditating disciples. "On your feet! We have no time to waste. The Sword Spirit Sect cannot hold any longer. We infiltrate now! Remember, hide your beast blood auras. Any mistake will be fatal!"
The disciples looked up in surprise—their rest had been brief—but they buried their complaints. They stood and focused, restraining their auras with utmost intensity. Within a minute, they were ready.
"Are you done?" Qi Mo asked.
They grunted lazily in confirmation.
Hmph. Qi Mo scoffed at their disrespect but ignored it. He looked toward the battlefield and rushed forward, his disguised army following close behind.
As they neared the chaotic fray, both the Sword Spirit Sect and Qi Clan forces spotted them. The Qi clan soldiers, seeing the familiar crimson armor, felt their morale soar, believing reinforcements had arrived. They fought with renewed vigor.
But as the contingent sped past the front lines without engaging, confusion spread. The Qi clan commander moved to challenge them, but his voice was cut off by a tyrannical shout from Qi Mo.
"Steel yourselves and fight! We are the wall to defend the northern gates, as ordered by the Patriarch!"
The explanation was enough. Qi Mo's legendary loyalty to the clan was beyond question. The Qi clan soldiers relaxed and refocused on their enemies, relieved that the northern front was being reinforced.
The Beast Flame Sect disciples streamed through the damaged west gate unimpeded, their fleeting figures the last thing seen at the breach.
Watching them disappear into the city, Wi Gue, from his vantage point, breathed a tired sigh of relief and closed his eyes. "Success."
Then, he raised his voice, projecting it across the battlefield. "Brave warriors of the Sword Spirit Sect! You have poured your heart and soul into this war! You have thrown away your lives to ensure our sect's rise! Our dead brothers will forever be remembered as pioneers! Be proud!"
"But a wise man knows when to hide and fight another day! We must retreat! For even if we are cowards today, we will live to fight again tomorrow!"
"THE COMMANDER IS WISE!" they shouted in unison, understanding the plan.
They broke from their opponents, kicking up a cloud of dust as they scattered in every direction to maximize their chances of escape.
The Qi clan stood dumbfounded for a moment at the sudden, organized retreat.
"What are you waiting for?" their general roared. "Kill as many of these Sword Spirit rats as you can!"
With a proud war cry, the Qi clan gave chase. Some of the fleeing disciples escaped, while the less fortunate were cut down, their survival until the end made cruelly meaningless.
---
Inside the Qi Clans meeting hall
A guard clad in imposing scarlet armor knelt in the doorway of the hall room. "Patriarch."
"Speak," Qi Lantian ordered, his voice raspy.
"Patriarch, the new garrison reinforcing the west gate has won. They are now slaughtering the fleeing Sword Spirit Sect," the guard reported proudly.
"Is that so," Qi Lantian said, his tone calm, devoid of excitement.
"Patriarch, should we send the garrison back to defend the now-unguarded northern gates?"
"No. They are injured and exhausted from battle. They would be mere cannon fodder if the enemy attacked now. Send them to rest. Take those with minor injuries and add them to the new forces you are rallying," Qi Lantian ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument.
"Understood. I will follow your instructions diligently." The guard bowed and turned to leave, but was stopped by the chime of his sound transmission talisman.
He answered it immediately; in these dire times, any transmission could contain critical news.
"Report!" he barked into the talisman.
"Commander!" a voice trembled with excitement on the other end. "We have confirmed that Elder Qi Mo has rallied nearly five hundred soldiers and is hurrying to reinforce the empty nothern gates!"
"What? Are you certain? How could he rally so many so quickly?" the guard asked, his composure breaking.
"The news is confirmed, but the source of the troops is still unknown," the voice replied, equally puzzled.
The guard was ready to deactivate the talisman when Qi Lantian, who had overheard, breathed a heavy sigh of relief.
"Tell them to redirect the new forces they are rallying to the western gates. The northern gates are to be ignored for now."
"Understood!" the guard relayed the order and cut the connection. He bowed, awaiting further instructions.
"There is nothing more for now. You may leave," Qi Lantian said. "And we must ensure Elder Qi Mo is rewarded after this is over. He has made a major contribution."
"Understood." The guard bowed again and left with quickened steps.
Qi Lantian relaxed into his seat, exhaling a deep sigh of relief. He did not know that the man he had just praised would soon be the knife to cruelly stab him in the back.