Finally, the vanguard forces arrived at the sub-city of the Fujin Domain, beneath the walls of Zijin City.
Inside the military camp of Zijin City.
“Brother…” The girl in white gently stroked the face of a young man, her voice tinged with timidity. “There’s so much commotion outside. Are enemies coming?”
The young man addressed as ‘Brother’ was none other than Ron, the heir of Count Baruch.
He frowned slightly and comforted her, “Don’t be afraid, Isabella. I’m here. Wait for me to come back.”
Ron began donning his armor, his movements steady and practiced. With each tightened strap, it was as though he injected a bit more resolve into the battle to come.
“Isabella, hide in the tent. No matter what happens, don’t come out.” Ron spoke as he picked up his sword, the cold gleam of the blade reflecting his stern features.
“Brother, I’m scared!” Isabella’s eyes brimmed with tears, her voice trembling with sobs as she clung to Ron, who was about to leave.
Ron paused, his heart aching for his sister. “Wait for me to return…”
He turned and kissed the girl’s forehead, then left without looking back…
Ron mounted his horse in one swift motion and galloped away, hooves kicking up a cloud of dust. “Isabella… Brother will come back. I’ll protect you for a lifetime. That’s the promise between us as siblings!”
He sped all the way to the top of the city walls. Gazing at the densely packed enemy forces below, his eyes instantly sharpened like an eagle’s.
At that moment, he locked eyes with a young noble below the wall.
The young noble sat atop a Battle Wagon, surrounded by beautiful female warriors clad in violet light armor. He held the waist of a white-haired noblewoman wearing an exquisite mask, making for a striking and dangerous sight.
“Who exactly are you? This is a war between us and the Weir Family!” Ron demanded loudly again, his voice carrying an undeniable authority.
The young noble curled his lips into a contemptuous smile, gently brushing off the hand the white-haired noblewoman placed on his chest. He stepped forward. “Who I am doesn’t matter. What matters is that you’ve met me… and that means there’s only death ahead for you!”
“Such arrogant words!” Ron leapt down from the city wall, landing perfectly astride a warhorse. He raised his spear. “All troops, charge with me! I’ll make sure you invaders never return!”
At that moment, he was like a valiant general. As the heir of the Fujin Domain, he was different from those pampered wastrels. Since childhood, he’d undergone the harshest military training—his riding and spear skills were both first-rate.
Ron squeezed his legs around the horse’s belly. The warhorse neighed and charged toward Yinan like an arrow released from a bow.
He was confident he could take Yinan’s head, and he’d already seen that Yinan was the commander of this army.
The soldiers behind him, inspired by Ron’s bold charge, felt their morale soar. They shouted and followed closely, their roars shaking the very heavens, as if to shatter the gloomy sky overhead.
However, the surrounding enemies quickly converged, encircling Ron so tightly not even water could seep through.
Yinan, who had wiped out the Storm Domain, was pushed to the commander’s position by a group of useless nobles. Meanwhile, Nif needed someone to take the blame.
If they won, it was Nif’s credit; if they lost, it was Yinan’s incompetence!
Within the encirclement, Ron fought with all his might. The spear in his hand swept about like a tiger’s tail, felling enemies with each swing amid screams of pain.
Yinan, still seated firmly on the Battle Wagon amid the Violet Watch Legion, kept one arm wrapped around Ailinxue’s slender waist while toying with a dagger in his other hand. His gaze was mocking. “My lady… What do you think of this internal slaughter among the humans?”
Ailinxue leaned gently against Yinan, her gaze icy as she watched Ron struggle amidst the siege. “Master… Thank you for letting me witness this scene myself. It’s even more exhilarating than I imagined!”
Yinan, hearing Ailinxue’s words, smiled with deep meaning…
“You bastard.” Ron fought on, drenched in blood, spear pointed at Yinan. “If you have guts, come down here and fight me to the death!”
Yinan’s smile only grew wider at Ron’s challenge. He hugged the exotic noblewoman Ailinxue even tighter and beckoned Ron with a crook of his finger, provoking him further.
Rage filled Ron’s eyes—they were bloodshot, and the fury in his heart threatened to consume him!
“Young Count…” The Retinue Knight at Ron’s side saw his burning anger and hurried to remind him, “We must retreat!”
Ron clenched his teeth, staring at Yinan before him, his heart full of unwillingness.
He wanted nothing more than to charge in and fight Yinan to the death, but thinking of his sister and his duty to defend the city, he could only lead his troops to retreat slowly.
As he rode, he turned and drew his bow, intending to end this arrogant bastard with a single arrow!
“Take your life!” Ron shouted, pouring all his strength into drawing the bowstring until it formed a perfect full moon.
This arrow contained his rage, his unwillingness, and his unwavering resolve to defend Zijin City.
Yet Yinan, still flirting with Ailinxue beside him, lifted her chin and kissed her…
“Whoosh!”
The arrow, filled with Ron’s anger and resolve, shot forth like a black lightning bolt, tearing through the air straight toward Yinan.
But Luoling blocked it with flawless precision, her sword striking the arrow with a crisp “clang,” sending sparks flying as the arrowhead fell to the ground.
She unleashed a violet Sword Energy directly at Ron. “Take it back!”
Ron’s pupils contracted. He could sense the deadly threat within that Sword Energy.
At the critical moment, Ron twisted his body, trying to dodge the fierce attack.
But the Sword Energy was too fast. It still grazed his shoulder, slicing through his armor and leaving a deep wound. Blood immediately soaked through his clothes.
When Ron returned to the tent, Isabella, her eyes red from crying, dressed his wound. “Brother… how did you get hurt so badly? If anything happens to you, I couldn’t live on!”
“Isabella, don’t say such things!” Ron looked at his sister’s tear-streaked face, his heart aching, but he forced himself to appear calm. “Brother promised you I’d protect you for life, and I will. This injury is nothing.”
“Mm! I believe you!” Isabella cupped Ron’s face in her hands. “My brother is a great hero. You’ll definitely protect our home.”
She tried to force a smile, though tears still shone in her eyes. Yet her gaze was filled with trust and reliance on Ron.
Ron gently held Isabella’s hand. “Isabella, you must promise me as well—no matter what happens, you must live on.”
Meanwhile, Yinan had also returned to his tent, where the nobles were discussing the battle in heated tones.
A fat, piggish nobleman said anxiously, “Lord Yinan, today’s battle doesn’t look good… We didn’t bring much rations with us…”
Yinan only sent other families’ soldiers into the fight, while his own huddled together and refused to take the field. This had already caused dissatisfaction among the assembled nobles!
So, they decided to put this bastard in his place and make him contribute too!