Slave Empire [Complete] - 8

Volume 4, Chapter 41: A Storm is Brewing
- Jubao Town, Lichun Pavilion.
Xue Qianqian did not resist Hua Yinghong's large hand reaching out to embrace her slender waist, and obediently nestled her alluring body into his arms. The inexhaustible, vital energy
within Hua Yinghong's body, representing life and vitality, seemed to be the nemesis of Peach Blossom Energy. Even after they were connected in the peach pit, it was no exception, always stimulating the energy within her body to stir and yearn for fusion and joy. If she could stay with this young lover forever, it should be a very pleasant thing—Xue Qianqian's body and intuition clearly told her this. But while she could do anything on a whim, she dared not forget the words of her mentor and elder sister, the Holy Maiden, when entrusting Peach Blossom Palace to her: "When the peach blossoms bloom, the Holy Sect will be revived." The Holy Sect's uprising was imminent, and even though she disliked the "amorous young master" Xu Xiaoyao's character a thousand times over, she could not ignore the important matter of the Holy Sect.
"Sister Qian, do you really have to leave?" Hua Yinghong's deep, wild gaze was fixed on Xue Qianqian's beautiful eyes, as if trying to see into her heart.
"Brother Hong, I have no choice." Xue Qianqian closed her beautiful eyes, her lips kissing Hua Yinghong's Adam's apple, inhaling his captivating masculine scent. At this moment, she completely lacked the demeanor expected of a Saint-level expert and the mistress of a palace, resembling instead a gentle and lovely little girl needing her lover's tenderness. If he were to look at her a few more times and ask her to stay, she feared she might soften her heart and agree to stay.
"If Sister Qian insists on leaving, be careful in everything. As soon as Sister Qian sends a message, I will immediately send troops to Lingbao Pass to provide support and containment. If things don't go well, Sister Qian must return as soon as possible." Hua Yinghong added, "With the peach blossoms in full bloom, the Holy Sect is reviving. We don't necessarily have to rely on the Yinming Sect."
Xue Qianqian said, "The Yinming Sect and Peach Blossom Palace are of the same ilk. According to the Holy Sect's doctrine, even if we know things are hopeless, we should still help each other." She paused, then continued, "Very well, the main reason I sent you here is to tell you that the three-month agreement doesn't need to be kept anymore." Clearly, she wasn't very optimistic about the Demonic Sect's uprising. If she were still in charge, she might have some confidence. But if it were that "amorous young master" Xu Xiaoyao, whose heart was nine-nine percent devoted to women, the Holy Sect might not have a chance of winning this time.
"Let's not talk about these things. Our time together is short, and parting is bittersweet. Sister Qian..." Hua Yinghong pressed his lips to Xue Qianqian's warm, soft, alluring red lips, kissing, sucking, licking, and gently biting them, using passionate kisses to replace his words.
Xue Qianqian let Hua Yinghong do as he pleased. His strong lips sucked into her flower-like soft lips, his nimble tongue roaming every inch of her mouth. This skillful, teasing, and flirtatious technique made her, a woman accustomed to romance but never having experienced it with a man, unable to resist. Her cherry lips parted slightly. Hua Yinghong seized the opportunity to suck the beautiful woman's delicate lips into his mouth, his tongue licking them incessantly. Xue Qianqian subconsciously met his small, fragrant, pink tongue with hers, beginning to entwine and suckle.
The soft, warm, and smooth tongue entered her mouth, Xue Qianqian's unique fragrance seeping into Hua Yinghong's lungs and flowing to his limbs. Xue Qianqian's cherry lips were red and luscious, her jade-like face flushed, her beautiful eyes filled with deep affection and shy charm, arousing a primal need in him…
His nimble fingers gently parted Xue Qianqian's silk robe, slipping inside from the collar, softly kneading her tender, full breasts. His warm palms caressed her snow-capped peaks, making them dance between his fingers, the cherries ripening in his palms, their red buds rising—
the robe was removed, and Xue Qianqian, lost in passion by the hot kiss and the surging primordial energy, was weak all over except for soft moans, her icy skin and holy body presented to her young lover.
Hua Yinghong had been intimate with Xue Qianqian after being poisoned by the aphrodisiac snake, but this was the first time he had enjoyed her tenderness so clearly. Xue Qianqian possessed an unparalleled and peerless elegance. Her skin was smooth and supple, her waist slender enough to be grasped in one hand, her abdomen flat and smooth. Her high, firm breasts trembled and swayed, their snow-white flesh like cream, with two delicate red nipples standing proudly erect…
Unconsciously, they had moved to the fragrant bed filled with Xue Qianqian's scent. Hua Yinghong gently laid her beautiful body flat, lowered his head and took one full, soft, tender, and firm breast into his mouth, gently licking the most sensitive bud. His right hand grasped the other full, firm, and elastic breast, gently kneading and stroking it…
Xue Qianqian's entire body felt a tingling, itchy sensation, her heart filled with infinite shyness. A blush rose on her incomparably beautiful face, her cherry lips exhaled hot breath, her body burning hot, wave after wave of pleasure emanating from her chest. The electric-like stimulation from the front coursed through her entire body, penetrating deep into her mind and soul, causing her sensitive and shy flower bud to spasm in waves, involuntarily moaning softly, "Mmm...mmm...ah..." With each delicate, melodious, and plaintive moan, sometimes short and sometimes clear, a warm, slippery, shameful nectar soaked her peach blossom paradise—
she shyly closed her beautiful eyes, which had seen countless romances, when suddenly she felt a chill all over her body, and the last bit of clothing on her body was removed—
Hua Yinghong's mind was deeply immersed in the flawless and proud body of the peerless beauty before him. Her snow-white skin was delicate and smooth, and beneath her flawless, jade-like skin, there seemed to be a faint luster flowing, and it was so elastic to the touch, exuding a charming and alluring charm. What's even more alluring is the mysterious valley hidden beneath the lush grass. With her jade-like legs unconsciously opening and closing, the petals of her peach blossom garden, barely concealed, gradually overflow with the gentle flow of spring water…
Compared to Liu Yufei and Miao Youlan, whose bodies were equally peerless but slightly immature, Xue Qianqian possessed a more mature and voluptuous sensuality, yet without a trace of obesity.
"Mmm!—" Xue Qianqian felt a pair of lips slide down her lower abdomen, a nimble and fiery tongue… She was instantly struck dumb, as if her entire internal organs had become unbearably numb… Her heart trembled uncontrollably—in the millennia-old tradition of male supremacy on the Hua Long Continent, even the most promiscuous men only enjoyed the service of women, rarely doing something so undignified for a woman as her young lover had done. This young lover from another world was truly an anomaly…
His nimble lips and tongue moved faster and faster, and Peach Blossom Fairy felt an unbearable tingling sensation all over her body, as if insects were crawling on her. A blissful pleasure mixed with shame flooded her mind, and an unbearable, hot, and stifling sensation made it difficult for her to breathe. Her soft panting gradually became wild, interspersed with soul-stirring and captivating moans…
“Ah…” She didn’t know how much time had passed, whether it was an instant or ten thousand years… Xue Qianqian finally couldn’t resist the ecstatic pleasure that made her mind and spirit tremble. With a scream, her beautiful body trembled violently, her flower buds bloomed, and her primordial yin and peach blossom true energy surged out. She was completely limp, her mind blank…
Hua Yinghong was blessed with good fortune and used the “Dual Cultivation of Spirit and Desire” technique to absorb all the primordial yin and peach blossom true energy. In a flash, he guided it to the Taiji sphere in her lower dantian, transformed it into primordial true energy, and then returned it to Xue Qianqian’s jade body. He straightened up, intending to insert his already steel-hard member into that alluring peach blossom paradise—
"Brother Hong, let Sister Qian do it..." Xue Qianqian rose, her jade hands lightly clenched, unleashing the Nine Revolutions Peach Blossom Charm Technique, her cherry-red lips parted slightly...
"Mmm... Ah...!" Hua Yinghong felt as if struck by lightning, experiencing a blissful, almost unbearable pleasure. Xue Qianqian's charm technique was perfected, and his member entered without any resistance... enveloped by the warm, moist soft flesh... a jade hand gently squeezed, causing Hua Yinghong to feel waves of intense pleasure surging through his body, a pleasure that was both ecstatic and unbearable... his consciousness trembled as if it would explode at any moment...
Xue Qianqian's captivating lips revealed a charming smile, and she finally lay down on the fragrant bed, guiding the swollen, fiery member smoothly inside—although it was only their second time making love, her experience in practicing the Nine Revolutions Peach Blossom Charm Technique and the experience gained from observing Ruotong, Xinru, and the other "Five Peach Blossom Women" serving men thousands of times made her feel as if she were an expert at this new path.
Hua Yinghong looked at the stunning beauty with her head tilted back, her pretty face filled with a holy glow, her rosy lips slightly parted, and her cloud-like hair cascading over her fragrant shoulders. He couldn't help but lean down and kiss her cherry-like lips, then embrace her slender waist and thrust rapidly...
The Primordial True Qi and the Peach Blossom True Qi blended together seamlessly, continuously forming a grand cycle through their junction and inseparable lips, exchanging and transforming endlessly... With each cycle, the Tai Chi sphere within Hua Yinghong's body would become more condensed, while the peach pit within Xue Qianqian's body would grow larger at an imperceptible speed—the secret spiritual and physical dual cultivation method of the Peach Blossom Palace, when the minds and spirits of the practitioners are completely in harmony, is the only way to increase power and improve cultivation!
Xue Qianqian kept her beautiful eyes tightly closed, but her body kept responding. Her consciousness began to soar, and her mind went blank...
Suddenly, Hua Yinghong's whole body trembled violently. He roared like a tiger, and his fiery essence and primordial true energy shot out with his body's spasms... Xue Qianqian quietly endured it... This method of directly absorbing essence without refining it outside the body with peach blossom true energy, this incomparably fragrant and beautiful method of spiritual and sexual dual cultivation, deeply intoxicated her, making her unable to extricate herself...
The endless stream of primordial true energy, full of infinite vitality, flowed into Xue Qianqian's body. The strange true energy that Hua Yinghong's consciousness could not understand had a far greater effect on Xue Qianqian's dantian peach pit than a thousand-year-old ginseng king or a ten-thousand-year-old lingzhi. It stimulated the peach pit to grow continuously, constantly generating a torrent of peach blossom true energy, which was then flowed back into her lover's body... This unique cultivation method was ten or even a hundred times faster than her cultivation alone!
Both felt that wondrous sensation, remaining in that strange posture, their consciousness immersed in it, yin and yang in harmony, heaven and man in communion, cultivating both spirit and desire, their divine thoughts seemingly detaching from their bodies, probing into the endless void…
**** ********
Jade Dragon Royal Court.
Regarding the responsibility for the Treasure Division's loss of troops and territory, Jade Dragon King Sima Yuan did not submit it to court discussion again, but directly issued an edict—Treasure Division Commander Qiu Haoran was demoted one rank and fined one year's salary, but was allowed to act as division commander and atone for his crimes through meritorious service; Qiu Lei was responsible for underestimating the enemy and making reckless advances, and should have been severely punished, but since he had already died in battle, he was exempted from prosecution; all fallen soldiers were to be compensated according to custom; the Qiu family was to bear half of the 1.2 million in taxes lost in Xigang; the Treasure Division and the navy were to be rebuilt with conscripted soldiers, with the costs and equipment borne by the imperial court.
It was obvious to anyone with discerning eyes that after summoning the Seventh Prince's consort, Qiu Shuiyun, to the palace yesterday, the Jade Dragon King's initial fury vanished without a trace, and his punishment of the Qiu family was utterly ineffective. Qiu Haoran's annual salary was only 120 gold coins, a considerable sum for an ordinary person, but for a regional division commander and a core figure in the Qiu family, it was a drop in the ocean. As for 600,000 gold coins, for the Qiu family, which controlled vast industries in the East and Treasure Island, with annual overt profits conservatively estimated at two to three million gold coins, not counting their hidden income, it was merely a minor loss. Moreover, the costs of purchasing 35 warships and equipment, warhorses, and the resettlement and equipment expenses for recruiting 26,000 men likely exceeded that amount.
The courtiers knew perfectly well that the peerless beauty Qiu Shuiyun had played a crucial role in influencing the Jade Dragon King; otherwise, he wouldn't have dealt with the matter so succinctly.
Ding Zili, the Minister of Personnel and representative of the Ding family who strongly advocated for a severe investigation into the defeat, thought he could at least bring down an important figure from the Qiu family, and that the Qiu family had incurred a great expense. Although dissatisfied, he was helpless. Once the Jade Dragon King spoke, he would not tolerate any dissent from his subjects.
Following a proposal from Sima Cheng, the Minister of War and "Duke Protector of the Nation," the Jade Dragon Royal Court decided to annihilate the Free Army. The Eastern Legion would draw its full-strength Second Division and the Second and Third Regiments of the First Division, totaling 60,000 men, and, with the support of the First Regiment of the Special Naval Division and the remaining twenty warships of the Beigang Naval Regiment, land at Pearl Bay, first capture Jubao Town, then divide its forces to occupy the Yingchou Ridge line, advancing from east to west towards the port, annihilating the Free Army and recovering lost territory. The defense of Tenglong Port, after the Second Division of the Eastern Legion was withdrawn, would be temporarily taken over by two regiments from the Eastern Legion's directly subordinate divisions. The First Division of the Northern Legion would be transferred from Jianghan Prefecture to Nanjiang Prefecture to support the Eastern Legion's defenses and prevent the Great Liang Kingdom from taking advantage of the situation.
The terrain between Xigang on Zhenbao Island and Jubao Town is complex, with only one official road. Furthermore, the Free Army's masterminds are cunning and treacherous, making the Ministry of War's operational plan extremely cautious and comprehensive. Given the Free Army's ability to annihilate 26,000 elite troops, regardless of any element of luck or cunning involved, the Jade Dragon Kingdom dared not underestimate them. Besides securing absolute military superiority, they also placed great emphasis on logistics and supplies. While most provisions could be transported by ship from Beigang, all kinds of long-range assault and defensive weaponry were required to be carried, preparing for a tough and protracted war, leaving no opportunity for the Free Army to exploit.
This, however, would significantly delay operations. Even just preparing the entire army for departure and troop rotation at the division level, plus the need to mobilize a large number of transport ships for transporting Jade Dragon soldiers and supplies, would take a full ten days from the date the order was issued until preparations for departure were complete. This battle is crucial for the Jade Dragon Kingdom; victory is the only option. Another defeat would not only bolster the Free Army's prestige but could also lead to the complete loss of control over the northwest region of Treasure Island, potentially even impacting the central Sun and Moon Plains and the eastern region! Worse still, it could disrupt the entire kingdom's defenses, providing opportunities for its powerful neighbors and potentially leading to its downfall! Therefore, the Jade Dragon Kingdom must be fully prepared. This, however, gives the Free Army valuable time.
Ten days is enough for many significant events to occur that will influence the course of the battle!

Keelung City, Treasure Island.
Since the Jade Dragon King's decree was issued, Qiu Haoran has been busy replenishing the lost Treasure Division. The complete annihilation of the Treasure Division as a regiment is unprecedented in over a decade. The Third Regiment cannot be restored in the short term, so it is simply retained by its designation and not yet restored. The 6,000 men lost by the Second Regiment and the 3,000 men lost by the First Regiment were directly replaced by guards, with capable officers selected from the regular army undergoing intensive training in hopes of quickly forming combat capability. As for the Beigang Navy, which was directly under the command of a special naval division, the replacement of its lost warships would not be a quick task.
In recent days, he had sensed an impending storm—the military's intelligence system and reports from Yulong's secret agents indicated that the Demonic Cult was active, with a large number of Demonic Cult experts infiltrating the island under various identities, operating in Sun Moon City, Keelung City, and nearby towns. Even the townspeople and farmers, who had previously been submissive under Yulong's oppressive policies, were showing signs of instability.
A few days ago, the second batch of equipment—swords, guns, bows, crossbows, armor, etc.—transported from the Keelung armory to Sun Moon City to replenish the Second Regiment for 3,000 men, escorted by a small squad of Yulong regular army and a small squad of guards, was attacked on the banks of the Jinsha River, 30 miles outside Keelung City. Upon receiving the emergency signal, the First Regiment of Keelung hastily assembled over a thousand elite cavalry, arriving at the battlefield in less than an hour. However, they found only corpses left by the Jade Dragon Army after a fierce battle, dozens of cartloads of equipment vanished without a trace, and not a single enemy body remained.
Besides reporting to the Eastern Legion headquarters, Qiu Haoran ordered all his units to concentrate their forces, firmly defend key locations, and refrain from any rash actions. For the first time ever, the military intelligence system cooperated with Jade Dragon's secret agents, exchanging information and closely monitoring brothels, gambling dens, and other strongholds of the demonic sects, as well as unusual gatherings of civilians and farmers. Simultaneously, he summoned the leaders of major forces in Keelung City, issuing strict orders against any misconduct, threatening that the Jade Dragon Army would eradicate them completely and jeopardize all industries within the Jade Dragon Kingdom's control!
A storm was brewing. In Keelung City, a major town on Treasure Island with a population of over two hundred thousand, even the most ordinary people felt the tension…

Within Keelung City, Wanhua District, at the Lichun Brothel.
The Demonic Cult is deeply entrenched, with overt and covert forces present in various countries and regions of the Hua Long Continent. While the saying "Where there are brothels, there is Peach Blossom" might be an exaggeration, it's undeniable that the Peach Blossom Palace, ruled by the Peach Blossom Fairy, has a presence in many important and strategically important brothels across the Hua Long Continent. The secret arts derived from the Peach Blossom Seduction Technique have made the brothels affiliated with the Peach Blossom Palace renowned and unparalleled within the industry. Even some noble ladies from aristocratic families, in order to please their husbands and avoid losing favor, secretly purchase or seek instruction in these arts. The "Charming Maiden Technique," which Qiu Shuiyun practiced and bewitched the Jade Dragon King, is a secret art evolved from the Peach Blossom Seduction Technique.
The Keelung Li Chun Courtyard is the location of the Peach Blossom Palace's branch office responsible for affairs on Treasure Island. After her poignant farewell to Hua Yinghong, Xue Qianqian, along with the "Five Peach Blossom Women" and a group of demonic sect masters, traveled by sea and landed in a small bay near Beigang. Three days later, at dusk, they quietly returned to the Lichun Brothel. The
"Amorous Young Master" Xu Xiaoyao, who had been waiting at the Keelung branch of the Yinming Sect for many days, rushed over upon hearing the news, only to be refused entry by Xue Qianqian, who claimed to be tired from her journey.
Early the next morning, Xu Xiaoyao requested an audience again. Xue Qianqian could no longer refuse. She had already inquired with Guan Yaru, the leader of the Keelung branch, the previous night and learned of the current situation. The Holy Sect's uprising was imminent, and close cooperation was indeed necessary. Therefore, she asked her to wait in the reception room and only emerged leisurely after washing up.
Xu Xiaoyao was dressed extremely lavishly, wearing a yellow robe of a somewhat taboo color. His robe was painted and embroidered, and his ornaments were extremely exquisite. In particular, the sword hanging at his waist had a hilt made of gold, and the scabbard was inlaid with a row of twelve luminous pearls that emitted a faint, clear light. Any one of these pearls could be sold and would be enough for an ordinary family to live on for several years. He had delicate features and looked very handsome and refined. However, due to his cultivation of the "Yinming Demon Art," his skin was crystal white with a hint of blue. His long, narrow, sharp eyes, which seemed to be constantly peering into the secrets of others, flashed with a lustful light, giving him a bone-chillingly lewd aura, yet also a strange and inexplicable charm that was hard to describe.
"Qianmei! I've missed you so much!" The radiant and peerless Xue Qianqian, dressed in a pink gown, entered the reception hall with graceful steps. Xu Xiaoyao, pretending to admire the calligraphy and paintings, was immediately captivated. The entire hall came alive because of this stunning beauty. He exclaimed urgently, rushing forward and involuntarily reaching out to grasp Xue Qianqian's jade-white hand.
"Young Master Xu, please take a seat." Xue Qianqian subtly shifted her graceful figure, her hand slightly withdrawing, avoiding the charming young man's grasp, and sat down in the main seat of the hall.
The Yinming Sect and the Peach Blossom Palace had cooperated for many years, maintaining a very close relationship. The two branches joined forces, supporting each other, becoming one of the strongest forces in the Holy Sect. On the surface, Xue Qianqian had to maintain a facade of politeness with Xu Xiaoyao. Since the incident in Jubao Town, Xue Qianqian had compared Hua and Xu, and was even less impressed with Xu Xiaoyao—for a woman possessing both wisdom and beauty, a man's handsome face alone was far from enough.
The amorous young master Xu Xiaoyao was slightly startled: A month ago, at the Holy Sect gathering to plot something important, his skill was still a notch above Xue Qianqian's. This time, because of his upcoming trip to Treasure Island to plan something significant, his father, "Yinming Divine Fist" Xu Ling, spared no effort to help him break through the eleventh level of the "Yinming Divine Skill," bringing him to a new level of prowess. He had thought that his seemingly slow but actually swift grasp would grant him a chance to kiss the beauty, but Xue Qianqian had so easily dodged it, suggesting that her skill had greatly improved in a short time.
As the young master of a faction, Xu Xiaoyao smiled awkwardly and subtly sat down on the other chair. His sharp eyes, like lightning, landed on the beautiful face of Peach Blossom Fairy Xue Qianqian. Her eyebrows were like distant mountains, curved gracefully, and her beautiful eyes were like shimmering autumn water. Beneath her flawless, snow-white skin, a subtle, otherworldly brilliance shone, emanating an aura of inviolable purity. The faint hint of spring in her eyes from before had vanished; clearly, her Nine Revolutions Peach Blossom Seduction Technique had reached its peak.
Xu Xiaoyao's heart trembled, and he blurted out sharply, "Qianqian, who is he?!"

Volume 4, A Matter of Life and Death, Chapter 42: The Cornerstone of Freedom.
After seeing off Peach Blossom Fairy Xue Qianqian, Hua Yinghong was once again immersed in busy military and political affairs.
The afternoon meeting continued, arranging the high-ranking personnel of the Free Army—
Lu Jingwei was appointed as the director of the Internal Affairs Department. Wang Yuxi, courtesy name Shouren, is the Director of the Department of Rites and Etiquette. He is an old friend of Lü Jingwei, a veteran of the Restoration Society, a great Confucian scholar of the time, and extremely loyal to the Liu family's orthodoxy. He is currently in Yuezhou and can be invited through the Restoration Society's communication channels. Lü Jingwei will temporarily concurrently serve as the Director of the Department of Personnel and the Department of Criminal Law. Surprisingly, Liu Ju will serve as
the Director of the Department of Household Registration. Liu Ju has always been responsible for managing the Restoration Society's finances, making her an excellent candidate for the position of head of the organization. Hua Yinghong will serve as the Director of the Military Affairs Department. Hua Yinghong will also concurrently serve as the Director of the Department of Military Affairs. Lu Shenggong is the most suitable candidate for the position of Director of the Department of Industrial Equipment. Mo Yan will serve as the Director of the
Department of Military Intelligence. Hua Yinghong will serve as the commander of the Free Army Corps. The subordinate Free Army generals are arranged as follows:
Hai Tianqing will serve as the division commander of the regular division, Ye Zhiqi will serve as the deputy division commander and the commander of the directly subordinate regiment; Pang Yi, Zhang Qunfeng, and Mu Shanzhu will serve as the commanders of the first, second, and third regiments, respectively. Chang Shengqiu, Li Tianhao, Wei Buqun, and Ye Shouxin, four former Free Army company commanders, were appointed as the first battalion commanders of the four regiments. Gao Baisheng and Yang Rongbin were appointed as the second and third battalion commanders of the directly subordinate regiments. Cui Zhongxiu, a deputy company commander with outstanding combat performance, was appointed as the second battalion commander of the first regiment. The battalion commanders of each regiment were temporarily concurrently held by the regimental commanders.
In the reserve division, Lin Zhi was appointed as the division commander, Liu Litao as the deputy division commander and commander of the directly subordinate regiments, and Qin Zhong, Helian Shu, and Xiao Zhanfeng were appointed as the first, second, and third regimental commanders, respectively. Mei Jian, Yuan Sitong, Linghu Yong, and Lu Dafu, four former Free Army deputy company commanders, were appointed as the first battalion commanders of the four regiments of the reserve division. The battalion commanders of each regiment were also temporarily concurrently held by the regimental commanders.
Ba Tian was appointed as the regimental commander of the special operations regiment, and Gu Tianfang, Qu Qingbo, and Zeng Guozhong, three special operations company commanders with outstanding performance in the Jubao Battle, were promoted to the first, second, and third special operations battalion commanders, respectively.
The female soldiers' regiment was commanded by Liu Lan. Based on Liu Lan's suggestion, Feng Yanran, Zhao Qingsi, and Cheng Junyi were appointed as the first, second, and third commanders, respectively.
The special naval regiment was commanded by Hai Tianqing concurrently. Yun Shalang, due to his outstanding performance in capturing naval warships and repelling Lingye's navy, was promoted to the naval reserve regiment commander position.
There were five remaining second and third commander positions in the regular army and reserves, and eight company commanders each in the naval regiment and naval reserve regiment, as well as officers of all ranks below company commander. Unable to find suitable candidates, Hua Yinghong realized the importance of training officers at all levels in army building. Hai Tianqing and other officers who had originally intended to expand the army to full strength now understood that expanding the army was not as simple as they had imagined, as evidenced by the severe shortage of key officers at all levels.
Finally, it was decided that each regimental commander would organize their squad leaders, platoon leaders, and other officers to openly compete for the vacant positions of battalion commander. The selection would primarily focus on martial arts skills and military training, with priority given to those who were literate and those with naval experience. Those below the rank of company commander would be directly selected by the regimental commander, with the final decision made by reporting to the Military Affairs Department. Due to the large-scale expansion, almost all officers in the Free Army, whether remaining in the regular army or joining the reserves, received promotions, some even skipping ranks. Many veterans who had fought since the Iron Mine Battalion were promoted to squad leaders or higher, forming the backbone of the new Free Army.
Qin Tiezhu and others, known as the "Forty-Eight Arrows of the High Mountains," were hired as instructors, specifically responsible for teaching the archery techniques and secrets passed down through generations of the High Mountain tribe. Qin Tiezhu and his team initially hesitated, as the secret "Sun-Shooting Archery Technique" and its techniques were unique to the High Mountain elders' council, designed to counterbalance the High Mountain royal family, prevent their tyranny, and protect the continuation of the High Mountain tribe. However, Miao Youlan persuaded them with the analogy of "if the skin is gone, where will the hair attach?" Furthermore, the Free Army imparted the Blazing Sun Technique, the Heaven and Earth Technique, and the Void-Breaking Technique equally to the Gaoshan warriors and their people. Once their skill level reached a certain point, they could request the next level of technique from Miao Youlan, demonstrating an incredibly generous and magnanimous approach. This made Qin Tiezhu and the others no longer hesitate.
The meeting also decided to implement a military pay system for the Free Army: ordinary soldiers would receive five silver coins per month, squad leaders six silver coins, platoon leaders seven silver coins, sentry leaders eight silver coins, squad leaders one gold coin, and each rank above company commander would receive an additional five silver coins, up to Hua Yinghong, who, as legion commander, would receive three and a half gold coins per month. Reserve officers above the rank of squad leader would receive the same pay as the regular army, while those below the rank of squad leader would receive half the pay of the regular army.
Compared to the Jade Dragon Army, the Free Army's ordinary soldiers and officers at all levels received significantly less pay. However, when this was later communicated to the army, it still received widespread support from the Free Army soldiers, who had been transformed from slaves—they were already quite content to have gained human freedom and dignity. Now, for the first time, they possessed their own property, and could finally establish a family business, even marry, have children, and continue their lineage… Those veterans of the Free Army who had heard Hua Yinghong's "I Have a Dream" speech were moved to tears, and they all became propagandists and instructors, sharing his words and deeds.
The Ministry of the Interior, following the standards of Lu Jingwei and Hua Yinghong, categorized its personnel into ranks, determined their salaries, and openly recruited from all walks of life, hiring only those with the best abilities after assessment.
After the meeting, everything proceeded busily and efficiently.
Hua Yinghong, Hai Tianqing, and Lin Zhi were responsible for the transfer and allocation of personnel in the Free Army; Lü Jingwei and Liu Ju were responsible for the freeing of slaves and the establishment of the internal affairs department in Xigang; Liu Yufei and Miao Youlan were responsible for directing the transportation of urgently needed supplies to the Alang Mountains and gathering able-bodied people to move out first to build a new settlement for the Gaoshan people; Mo Yan received a special fund of 100,000 gold coins and was ordered to build a military intelligence network and communication network that covered Zhenbao Island and even extended to the Hualong Continent; Lu Shenggong was responsible for organizing people to rush to make the improved crossbow that Hua Yinghong named "Shenji Crossbow"... After working day and night for three days, all matters began to have some initial clues and progress.
The Free Army was reorganized: 52,000 able-bodied men released from government slavery in Sihanoukville and surrounding towns voluntarily joined the Free Army; 93,000 male and female slaves were purchased and released, of whom the Free Army selected only 21,000 able-bodied men who volunteered for military service; at the strong request of Mu Shanzhu and the Gaoshan people who had migrated, over 6,000 able-bodied Gaoshan men were recruited into Mu Shanzhu's Third Regiment; plus over 23,000 former Free Army soldiers and Gaoshan soldiers who had participated in major battles such as Jubao Ferry, Yingchou Ridge, Sihanoukville, and Panlong Ridge, there were still over 23,000 soldiers. The regular army and reserve army totaled 103,000 men, plus Liu Lan's female soldiers' regiment, for a total of 106,000 men.
Each unit of the Free Army consisted of a mix of veterans and new recruits. The selection and appointment of officers at all levels in the regular army and reserves were largely carried out by veterans who had experienced several battles. Given the severe shortage of officers during this expansion, Hua Yinghong ordered that every officer from company commander upwards be assigned a quick-witted, literate deputy or staff officer as a backup – a decision that later proved to be incredibly wise.
Hua Yinghong and Liu Yufei's painstakingly co-authored works, *Hua Zi's Art of War* and *Hua Zi's Military Training Manual*, were copied over a hundred times, classified as confidential, and distributed to officers from battalion commander upwards. Hua Yinghong conducted a special training session, spending half a day and evening explaining the fundamental principles of military strategy. He began with the famous quote, "War is a matter of vital importance to the state; a matter of life and death, a road to survival or ruin. Hence it is a subject of inquiry which can on no account be neglected." He then meticulously explained each of the thirteen chapters: "Initial Planning," "Warfare," "Strategic Attack," "Military Formations," "Military Momentum," "Weaknesses and Strengths," "Military Maneuvering," "Military Administration," "Nine Variations," "Terrain," "Nine Grounds," "Fire Attack," and "Espionage." He incorporated fictional battles from other eras, as well as several battles fought by the Free Army since the Iron Mine Camp uprising, to impart the essential principles of military strategy to the participants.
Although time was limited, and it was impossible to cover more or allow everyone to benefit more, the generals listened with rapt attention. They had long been accustomed to following Hua Yinghong's orders, knowing only that victory would be achieved, but not understanding the reasons or the subtleties of the victory. Hua Yinghong's short training course was like a lightning bolt, opening a door to the art of war for them and inspiring them to contemplate the art of warfare.
Hua Yinghong noticed that the three female battalion commanders with Liu Lan frequently cast admiring glances their way. Among them, a young woman named Feng Yanran, whose beauty rivaled that of Liu Yufei and Miao Youlan, possessed a hidden, resolute glint of hatred in her eyes. Though clearly not directed at Hua Yinghong, it stirred something within him.
Based on the current situation, Hua Yinghong decided that the regular division would be led by Ye Zhiqi, the special forces by Ba Tian, and the female soldier regiment by Liu Lan, all training in Jubao Town. The reserve division's third and fourth regiments, led by the newly selected regimental commanders He Lianshu and Xiao Zhanfeng respectively, would also train and participate in construction in Jubao Town. With an army of over 60,000, the South Gate camp could only accommodate 15,000 for lodging and training, far from meeting the needs. Fortunately, the copper mine and coal mine camps could each house nearly 10,000, and the pearl farm and the area vacated by freed slaves in the city could each house 5,000. The remaining 15,000 reserve troops settled in the newly established settlement of the Gaoshan people, east of Kunlongtan, where rows of simple houses were being built, allowing them to train while helping with housing construction.
Following Hua Yinghong's orders, five armed escort ships from the Xigang naval fleet were purchased at 3,000 gold coins each, slightly above market price, and twenty large transport ships were purchased and converted at 2,000 gold coins each, bringing the total to sixty warships. Fifty of these were used by Hai Tianqing and his naval regiment for various naval battle tactics training. Yun Shalang's reserve regiment could only use ten of the converted ships for adaptation training. Lin Zhi led the reserve division's direct regiment and the First Regiment to also garrison Xigang, training and participating in local construction.
Wherever they went, the morale of the Free Army was incredibly high. Their glorious victories, bright future, and the unparalleled martial arts they could continuously improve through hard work… everything deeply stimulated and tempted them to train, practice, train, and refine themselves relentlessly…
Lü Jingwei displayed astonishing abilities in domestic affairs: the myriad domestic matters that had given Hua Yinghong such a headache were quickly and methodically resolved in his hands. The Ministry of the Interior, disregarding past grievances, absorbed a large number of officials who had been sidelined during the Jade Dragon Army's occupation, as well as scholars and merchants' sons who were usually frustrated in their official careers within the Jade Dragon government. Among them, a young man named Su Zihan, after a long talk with Lü Jingwei and with the consent of the other four, was appointed acting director of the Department of Criminal Law, effectively taking on the main responsibilities of the department.
Liu Ju also displayed remarkable talent in finance: The various household registration and financial records left by the Yulong government, along with the military and administrative expenditures of the Free Army, were meticulously clarified within three days by the household registration office, primarily staffed by merchants recruited by her. A new tax policy was announced based on the tax rates promulgated in Jubao Town, and the first month's taxes collected in Xigang totaled 100,000 gold coins. Routine expenses and resource allocation were also handled smoothly.
The Gaoshan people received relief supplies and regained their vitality. Except for a very few elderly people unwilling to leave the mountains, they gradually moved out and settled in newly built settlements. In just over three days, more than 10,000 people had moved out, beginning to fill the manpower shortages left by the freed slaves in various industries. Although the Gaoshan people were unfamiliar with some jobs, they were hardworking, diligent, and willing to learn, which satisfied their employers. Given the Free Army's concise yet strict new policies, these employers dared not beat or mistreat the Gaoshan people anymore, and consequently treated their former civilian laborers much better.
The Free Army's massive military procurement and construction efforts have temporarily mitigated the impact of the Jade Dragon Kingdom's blockade policy. All sectors are stimulated, ramping up production. As long as it's profitable, the gold coins of the Jade Dragon Kingdom and the Free Army are indistinguishable, especially in the eyes of merchants—
the only two shipyards in West Port are overwhelmed with orders—the Free Army has placed an order for 100 warships worth 300,000 gold coins, with a 100,000 gold coin deposit, hoping for delivery within six months. A shipyard can only build a maximum of ten warships simultaneously, and it would take at least three months to launch; raw materials are also a major issue. Fortunately, the owners of the two shipyards are wealthy and powerful shipping guilds, and for the profit of nearly 100,000 gold coins, they still accepted the order.

The foundation of the Free Army's regime is thus gradually being strengthened. Everything depends on the Free Army's battles on the front lines—the more victories they achieve, the more forces will join the Free Alliance's cause for profit.
Meanwhile, in Keelung City, over two hundred miles away, an unexpected event occurred...

Volume 4, Chapter 43: Burning in the Furnace. The
"Amorous Young Master" Xu Xiaoyao was furious, and the consequences were severe.
As the young master of the Holy Sect's Yinming Sect, which boasted hundreds of thousands of disciples and was the heir to tens of millions of gold coins, and even with the possibility that his father, Xu Ling, would become the long-vacant leader of the Holy Sect if this great undertaking succeeded, Xu Xiaoyao would be the obvious successor. Looking in the mirror: "This young master is young, handsome, and dashing. For years, I've been infatuated with the Peach Blossom Fairy, Xue Qianqian, never laying a hand on her, not even touching her. I've done my best—but even such flattery hasn't won me over. Instead, Xue Qianqian has been beaten to the punch by that 'Son of Freedom' Hua Yinghong, who led a slave rebellion—how could Xu Xiaoyao swallow this insult?"
The meeting between the "Amorous Young Master" Xu Xiaoyao and the "Peach Blossom Fairy" Xue Qianqian ended unhappily. With his extensive experience in love and his understanding of the Nine Revolutions Peach Blossom Seductive Art, he could tell that the springtime radiance on Xue Qianqian's jade-like face had faded, indicating she had reached the realm of dual cultivation of spirit and desire, and the refinement of Qi into spirit. For years, he had been devoted to her, trying his best to win the heart of this peerless beauty, not only for Xue Qianqian's beauty, but also because if he could combine his own "Yinming Divine Art" with the Nine Revolutions Peach Blossom Seductive Art of a virgin, he could more easily and safely break through the twelfth level and enter the ranks of top masters. In the past twenty years, only two women in the Peach Blossom Palace lineage of the Holy Sect had achieved the Nine Revolutions of the Seductive Art while remaining virgins: one was the Holy Maiden Ji Xiuqing, and the other was the Peach Blossom Fairy Xue Qianqian!
Xu Xiaoyao was truly furious! He disregarded the fact that they were on the territory of the Peach Blossom Palace in the Lichun Courtyard, and that he and Xue Qianqian had no official relationship whatsoever—he even shamelessly called her "Qianmei" before—and openly questioned Xue Qianqian about "him." Xue Qianqian already disliked him, and disregarding the reputation of the Yinming Sect and "Yinming Divine Fist" Xu Ling, she was utterly disdainful and refused to respond to his accusations. Instead, she bluntly accused him of acting rashly, alerting the enemy, causing the Jade Dragon Army and spies to significantly increase their vigilance and closely monitor the activities of the Lichun Courtyard and the Holy Sect disciples, posing a serious threat to their uprising plan!
On the banks of the Jinsha River, Xu Xiaoyao cleanly and decisively annihilated a small squad of the so-called elite Jade Dragon Army, acquiring enough superior weaponry to equip over three thousand men. His own followers suffered only a few dozen casualties. This was a proud achievement for Xu Xiaoyao, intended to showcase his strategic brilliance and competence to Xue Qianqian. However, Xue Qianqian utterly disparaged him, calling it a disastrous blunder! Xu Xiaoyao was even more embarrassed, tearing off his veil of tenderness in front of Xue Qianqian for the first time, and stormed off!
His unrequited love for Xue Qianqian fueled his jealousy, almost driving him mad—he needed release, and a stunningly beautiful woman conveniently appeared before him. So, even in broad daylight, he closed the door and began to have sex with the beauty…
Xu Xiaoyao thrust with all his might, rapidly moving within the voluptuous, snow-white-skinned, breathtakingly beautiful woman, as if she were the very peach blossom fairy Xue Qianqian, whom he both loved and hated. It was this report from a key pawn planted by the Yinming Sect beside Xue Qianqian that revealed her close relationship with the nameless nobody known as the "Son of Freedom," Hua Yinghong, in Jubao Town. They were cooperating to attack the Jade Dragon Army, and before leaving,
Hua Yinghong even spent an hour alone in Xue Qianqian's boudoir! "If I can't have your heart, I'll have your body!" As the beauty beneath him cried out and moaned, the "Amorous Young Master" Xu Xiaoyao hatched a wicked plan, thrusting even harder, driving the woman to a state of blissful ecstasy…

As dusk settled, the Lichun Courtyard was at its most lively, filled with the sounds of singing and dancing. Keelung City, as the capital of Zhenbao Island, was economically developed, attracting many wealthy patrons. Especially those who came to Zhenbao Island for business, most of whom had endured days at sea and were feeling restless; the Lichun Courtyard was the perfect place for them.
The backyard, specially prepared for the temporary lodging of high-ranking members of Peach Blossom Palace, was extremely quiet. The bustling activity and lively chatter of the front yard seemed irrelevant here.
Xue Qianqian leaned against the fragrant bed, holding a plain silk scroll as a messenger, lost in thought—
a letter sent to Lichun Tower in Jubao Town to report her safety. She had quickly received a reply, along with the scroll, on which was written a poem in a crooked hand, lacking any finesse:
"Oh Heaven! I wish to be with you forever, through thick and thin. Unless the mountains crumble, the rivers run dry, winter thunder roars, summer snow falls, and heaven and earth unite, only then will I part from you!"
This was her young lover's favorite love poem, a poem brimming with extraordinary wisdom beyond this world. He must be incredibly busy with military and political affairs at this moment, yet he still took the time to personally write this poem and send it to Aunt Zhang at Lichun Tower. Its sincerity and earnestness far surpassed the sweet words of the "Amorous Young Master" Xu Xiaoyao. Even the crooked, illegible handwriting seemed incredibly endearing.
"Liwen, what is it?" After her cultivation had greatly improved, Xue Qianqian's spiritual senses were even more acute. She clearly heard the extremely faint, almost inaudible footsteps outside the door. Simultaneously, Liwen's alluring figure, beautiful face, and captivating eyes appeared in her mind.
"Fairy, this is the white fungus soup you requested." Liwen carried a jade plate containing a small, steaming jade bowl. She entered and casually closed the door behind her.
"Put it on the table; I'll drink it later." Xue Qianqian was still immersed in the love poem on the silk scroll, contemplating her lover's strangely charming eyes and strong, powerful body, and… a blush rose on her peerless face, making her even more radiant under the lamplight. "
Fairy, white fungus is cooling; it's best to drink it while it's hot," Liwen said softly, placing the jade plate before Xue Qianqian's bedside. Over the years, Xue Qianqian had treated the "Five Peach Blossom Girls" like sisters, and their friendship was very good.
"Alright, I'll finish mine first so you can take it." Xue Qianqian took the jade bowl, parted her red lips slightly, took a small sip, and held it in her mouth. Her delicate brows furrowed slightly as she glanced at it.
A fleeting hint of nervousness flashed in Liwen's eyes, and she quickly asked, "Does the fairy find the taste unpleasant? I've noticed you've been overworked lately, so I instructed the kitchen to add some tonics. It will be good for your health."
"It's kind of you to go to such lengths." Xue Qianqian glanced at Liwen again, opened her mouth, and finished the entire bowl of white fungus soup. She handed it back to the plate, saying, "Go ahead, I need to rest."
"Yes!" Liwen obediently withdrew from the room. As she rounded a corner in the front yard, a hand swiftly reached out and pulled her into the shadows—it was none other than the "Amorous Young Master" Xu Xiaoyao!
"Young Master, after you get what you want, don't forget me." Liwen said sweetly, hugging Xu Xiaoyao and giving him a kiss. She continued, "I saw with my own eyes that the fairy drank all the white fungus soup."
"Good!" Xu Xiaoyao's handsome face was full of lustful intent. His mind raced, and he thought fiercely, "Two doses of Yinming Hehuan Powder and Muscle Softening Powder. This time, I will definitely let this bitch taste the bitterness of betraying me!"
**** ********
South Gate Camp of Jubao Town.
Hua Yinghong focused his mind and gathered his energy. He demonstrated the "Three Forms of Breaking the Heavens" with the Dragon Roar Blade at a speed that was difficult to see with the naked eye. Since being poisoned by the Iron Wire Viper and being saved by Liu Yufei and the other five women, especially after absorbing the virgin yin essence of Liu Ju, Liu Lan, Miao Youlan, and Xue Qianqian, he only knew that his power had greatly increased, but he didn't know to what extent. No matter how busy he was these days, he would practice his sword every morning and evening, and immerse himself in the sword intent of the "Three Forms of Breaking the Heavens" whenever he had free time. The essence of the "Sword of Startling Wind and Weeping Rain" and "Peach Blossom Splendor," derived from the spiritual fusion of Liu Yufei and Xue Qianqian, had unknowingly been integrated into the "Three Forms of Breaking the Heavens."
Hua Yinghong beckoned for Fang Shiling and the other eighteen guards to come forward and examine the humanoid stone before them. To Fang Shiling and the others, there were only three simple cuts, but the stone's head, shoulders, left waist, and chest each had thirty-six neat, evenly spaced, and uniformly deep cuts. Judging from the direction of the cuts, they appeared to be from various angles and directions, meaning that Hua Yinghong had actually stabbed the stone one hundred and eight times with the "Three Forms of Breaking the Heavens"!
One of the guards curiously touched the humanoid stone with his finger. Hua Yinghong did not stop him and smiled wryly. At the point where the finger touched, fine stone powder, as fine as sea sand, slowly fell from the hard stone, instantly turning into a pile of fine stone powder, startling all the guards!
Hua Yinghong was fairly satisfied with these three moves; their effect was only slightly inferior to Lü Jingwei's Blazing Sun Palm Force. He never dreamed that since receiving the skills from Guan Shanyue and Lang Qingyun, he would have such a series of fortuitous encounters. Under the pressure of intense battles and a series of fortuitous events, he had unexpectedly benefited from misfortune, achieving a level of martial arts that others might never reach in a lifetime within just over ten days.
Of course, he was still far from reaching the level of Guan Shanyue and Lang Qingyun, which allowed them to shatter the void. Martial arts are easy at first but difficult later; from the ninth rank to the saintly rank, from the saintly rank to the divine rank, and finally to shattering the void, each leap is a threshold that millions of people cannot cross in their entire lives.
However, such progress in martial arts is unimaginable for ordinary people. There must be shortcuts and patterns to follow in martial arts—if everyone needed to practice until their beard turned white to become a bald "top" master, wouldn't the ranking of martial arts masters be based on age?
Anything is possible. Leading the Free Army in battle, facing constant danger and pressure, he believed he could reach that level.
"Commander, what superb swordsmanship!" Fang Shiling and the others cheered in unison, their eyes filled with admiration and fervor—Hua Yinghong had only received the two gods' techniques for a little over ten days, yet he had already reached such a high level of skill; it could only be described as miraculous! These guards believed that as long as they studied diligently and practiced hard, they too would one day achieve such a level!
"The Way has no fixed Way, the Law has no fixed Law. Practicing martial arts and swordsmanship requires both arduous practice and skillful practice, as well as enlightenment." Hua Yinghong casually said, "Everything in the world is like this. Once you understand it, you will understand one method and all methods, achieving twice the result with half the effort. Otherwise, no matter how hard you work, the results will be minimal."
"Thank you for your guidance, Commander!" Fang Shiling and the others looked at the Commander, who was even younger than themselves, and wondered why he spoke and acted like an elder.
"Pfft!" A soft laugh came from outside the courtyard gate, followed by a female voice that seemed to be talking to someone: "Brother Hua is like that, sometimes he talks like an old man."
"Lanmei, aren't you going to invite our distinguished guests in?" Hua Yinghong knew that the clever and playful Liu Lan and a woman were hiding outside the door peeking but not coming into the courtyard, so he called out to them.

Volume 4 A Matter of Life and Death Chapter 44 Parting Ways
Liwen and Xu Xiaoyao carefully entered Xue Qianqian's room. At this time, two quarters of an hour had passed since Xue Qianqian drank the white fungus soup, and the effects of the medicine must have already taken hold. Even with Xue Qianqian's exceptional skill, she should have lost the ability to resist at this moment. Especially since the "Muscle
-Weakening Powder" was a unique secret medicine, specifically designed to counteract the true energy of experts. Those afflicted would unknowingly lose their true energy, their limbs becoming weak, leaving them completely at their mercy. On the fragrant bed, the Peach Blossom Fairy Xue Qianqian, clad in a pink dress, reclined gracefully, her alluring curves fully revealed. A captivating blush rose on her stunningly beautiful face, and the passion that had been hidden beneath her radiant complexion reappeared, making her even more radiant. Her beautiful eyes shone with a fiery, seductive light, her full breasts heaving as she stared intently at Xu Xiaoyao and Li Wen, seemingly suppressing her inner excitement… Judging from
her appearance, she was clearly bewitched by the aphrodisiac and had lost her senses.
"You slut! You don't know what's good for you! I'll make you taste the bitterness of betraying me later!" Xu Xiaoyao's handsome face revealed a vicious and lewd expression as he relaxed his guard. The effects of the double dose of the "Muscle-Weakening Powder" were enough to render Xue Qianqian limp and powerless, posing no threat whatsoever. He reached out and embraced Liwen's slender waist, wildly kissing her rosy lips. One hand kneaded her fragrant buttocks from behind, while the other tore open her silk robe from the front, grasping a plump, tender mound of flesh and squeezing it forcefully. Soon, his hand slid down to her smooth, jade-like lower abdomen, teasing her vulva right before Xue Qianqian's eyes…
He already considered Xue Qianqian his possession, but he would not easily satisfy her desires. He wanted to perform a live sex show before her, ultimately using the double dose of the "Yin-Yang Harmony Powder" to transform the peerless Peach Blossom Fairy Xue Qianqian into a true harlot, a subservient slave to him, groveling and humiliating her at his mercy. This was the best revenge for Xue Qianqian's betrayal!
"Liwen, I have never treated you badly, why did you betray me?" Xue Qianqian seemed to still have a sliver of clarity. Her voice, like a nightingale singing in a valley, was full of spring passion and seduction. Her question also revealed a hint of suppressed desire. Her seductive skills were so profound that they could drive any man crazy!
Liwen, aroused by Xu Xiaoyao's teasing, gasped softly, replying, "Fairy, I've always been the young master's maid, secretly sent to infiltrate Peach Blossom Palace. It's not a betrayal... um..." Liwen couldn't finish her sentence—the lustful Xu Xiaoyao had already forced her down to kneel...
Xue Qianqian seemed stimulated by their lewd act, her pretty face flushing even more, her pink tongue lightly licking her alluring lips, as if yearning...
Xu Xiaoyao could no longer resist, suddenly swaying his ugly member as he walked towards Xue Qianqian on the bed. He wanted to immediately conquer this peerless beauty, to ravage, trample, and humiliate her... by any means necessary—
"Young master, be careful!" Still unsatisfied, Liwen saw a sharp, cold glint flash in Xue Qianqian's lustful eyes, a murderous intent suddenly appearing, and hurriedly warned her—
but it happened in a flash! A beam of white light shot out from Xue Qianqian's rosy lips, aiming straight for Xu Xiaoyao's left chest and heart, moving with lightning speed, almost invisible to the naked eye.
Xu Xiaoyao, who was less than half a zhang from the bedside, heard the warning and immediately sensed the intense killing intent emanating from Xue Qianqian. Reacting with incredible speed, he unleashed a full-force "Yinming Mountain-Splitting Fist," retreating swiftly!
The "Yinming Mountain-Splitting Fist" was the masterpiece of Xu Ling, the "Yinming Divine Fist"! As the name suggests, it is said that if mastered to a high level, the highly condensed fist force, upon impact, could shatter a small mountain! Xu Xiaoyao had received its true teachings, and although its power was not as great as his father's, this punch was still extraordinary. If Xue Qianqian were struck, she would likely be instantly shattered into pieces, and this boudoir would not escape destruction.
The white light was actually a pure white peach blossom, no bigger than a ring finger, which suddenly spread out, like a peach umbrella silently dissipating all the force of the "Yinming Mountain-Splitting Fist." After a brief pause, it transformed back into a finger-sized blossom and shot towards Xu Xiaoyao! In that single opening and closing motion, Xu Xiaoyao clearly saw that the peach blossom was clearly formed from true energy mixed with countless white fungus and soup!
Xue Qianqian's incomparably graceful body floated up like a ghost, her two long ribbons billowing out thousands of pure white, colorful peach blossoms, descending upon Xu Xiaoyao, who was caught off guard by the sudden attack!
The moment Xue Qianqian tasted the small bowl of white fungus soup, she knew something was amiss—if it came to aphrodisiacs and lustful drugs, if Peach Blossom Palace was willing to be second, then probably no one in the world would dare to claim first place! Seeing the unusual hint of panic in Liwen's eyes, Xue Qianqian knew that Liwen was conspiring with others to plot against her. She calmly drank the white fungus soup, secretly concealing it with her pure inner energy. When she saw Xu Xiaoyao and Liwen staging a farce, intending to humiliate her in every way, she was enraged and decided to kill him. She deliberately lured Xu Xiaoyao to lower his guard, hoping to strike him deadly.
Ironically, Xu Xiaoyao, usually so shrewd, in his burning hatred, anger, and jealousy, secretly added the "Yinming Hehuan Powder" to the soup. His cleverness backfired, and Xue Qianqian immediately discovered it, leading to his death. If only the mild, colorless, and odorless "Softening Tendon Powder" had been added, Xue Qianqian, preoccupied with Hua Yinghong's love poems, might have been easily manipulated. It seems fate had intervened.
"Young Master, run!" Liwen rushed forward without hesitation, her hands conjuring up a shower of pink peach blossoms. These blossoms collided with Xue Qianqian's shimmering white peach blossom net. Her skill was far inferior; she only managed a slight resistance before being severely injured and thrown behind the door, unconscious.
Taking advantage of this moment of distraction, Xu Xiaoyao unleashed another "Yinming Mountain-Splitting Fist," using the momentum to escape the peach blossom net. He slammed his way through the doorway, creating a human-shaped impact, and flew back into the courtyard, shouting, "Protect me!"
The white peach blossom once again shattered the fist's force, continuing its relentless pursuit, though its size was now that of a fist, and its power greatly diminished. Xue Qianqian's ghostly figure followed closely, her fantastical and wondrous "Peach Blossom Spread" technique relentlessly pursuing Xu Xiaoyao!
"Palace Mistress Xue, please show mercy!" Two figures, one fat and one thin, slashed through the air, blocking Xue Qianqian's path. Four bursts of "Yinming Mountain-Splitting Fist" energy met the colorful peach blossoms head-on. The fist power was deep, powerful, and unadorned, completely dissipating the peach blossom net. Xue Qianqian clashed head-on with the two figures, their strength evenly matched, and simultaneously used the force to retreat! The
turbulent true energy lost control after the collision, rushing towards the ground with a loud "boom," blasting a large crater more than ten feet in diameter and one and a half feet deep in the center of the courtyard, demonstrating the power of this attack!
"The Amorous Young Master" Xu Xiaoyao's cultivation was not to be underestimated. Caught off guard by Xue Qianqian's sudden attack, he managed to block the incomparably beautiful and powerful crystal-white peach blossoms with two "Yinming Mountain-Splitting Fist" strikes, suffering only minor injuries. His true skill lay in his swordsmanship. At this moment, the "Tengshe Sword," one of the ten divine weapons and the treasured artifact of the Yinming Sect, flashed from its sheath at his waist. With a "transferring flowers and grafting trees" technique, he redirected the intensely murderous, crystal-white peach blossom towards the courtyard wall. With another deafening boom, a section of the wall, two zhang wide, was blasted apart, bricks and tiles flying everywhere, before collapsing with a deafening roar!
Xue Qianqian had intended to kill Xu Xiaoyao with a single blow, but was warned by Liwen and momentarily blocked. Xu Xiaoyao escaped into the courtyard, where two elders of the Yinming Sect appeared, thwarting her plan. Condensing that peach blossom and fighting the two elders had consumed a great deal of her true energy. She fully activated her Peach Blossom Charm Technique, drawing in the vital energy of heaven and earth from all parts of her body. Transformed through the peach pit, this energy rapidly replenished her depleted true energy, leaving her feeling incredibly refreshed.
Facing three opponents alone! The Yinming Elders' Yinming Demonic Arts were unfathomably powerful, and with Xu Xiaoyao, whose skill was nearly equal to her own, Xue Qianqian wasn't confident she could hold them off, but she was still confident she wouldn't be defeated. If she could just stall for a moment, experts from the Peach Blossom Palace within the Lichun Courtyard would come to her aid. The atmosphere in the courtyard was extremely tense. The four experts faced each other at a distance of more than two zhang, their concentrated energy creating a powerful aura capable of crushing anything that fell into it!
A series of hurried footsteps approached from afar. Xinru and the other four Peach Blossom Palace women, along with the experts from the Peach Blossom Palace within the Lichun Courtyard, rushed towards them!
"Mubai, let's go down!" A voice as ethereal as a divine decree emanated from the ten-zhang-tall "Tree King," about twenty zhang outside the courtyard. With just this one sentence, one could imagine the beauty of the speaker without even seeing her.
A man in white, embracing a woman in white by the slender waist, rose two zhang from the top of the "Tree King" crown, seemingly floating gently. In a flash, he traversed over twenty zhang, landing at the center of the auras of Xue Qianqian, the Yinming Elders, and Xu Xiaoyao. Without any apparent movement, a gentle aura emanated from the two, dissipating the aura formed by the four opposing experts.
"Qianqian, congratulations!" The woman, dressed in simple clothes and without makeup, appeared to be about the same age as Xue Qianqian, equally beautiful and elegant. Her noble and holy aura flowed naturally, inspiring a sense of closeness. The man, around thirty years old, radiant and naturally possessing an air of dominance, calmly embraced the woman's slender waist, his expression intimate, as if nothing in the world could faze him.
"Master!" Xue Qianqian bowed deeply. The woman was none other than Ji Xiuqing, the Holy Maiden of the Holy Sect—Xue Qianqian's savior and mentor. Ten years ago, after entrusting Peach Blossom Palace to the then fifteen-year-old Xue Qianqian, he went on a journey and had not seen her since. Upon seeing her again, Xue Qianqian was overjoyed! As for the man, Xue Qianqian, being exceptionally intelligent, knew he must be the legendary successor of the Sword God—the Sword Saint Hou Mubai—who was rumored to be entangled in a love affair with the Holy Maiden.
"Greetings, Holy Maiden!" The Yinming Elders and Xu Xiaoyao bowed respectfully. Although the Holy Maiden held no real power within the Holy Sect, her status was extremely revered, second only to the Sect Leader. Moreover, the martial arts displayed by Ji Xiuqing and Hou Mubai were far beyond their reach, so the Yinming Elders and Xu Xiaoyao dared not be negligent. Fortunately, Xu Xiaoyao had quickly tidied his clothes, avoiding any embarrassment.
Ji Xiuqing said to the Yinming Elders and Xu Xiaoyao, "I, on behalf of Qianqian, will let tonight's events pass. From now on, the actions of the Yinming Sect are unrelated to the Peach Blossom Palace. Each should pursue their own path in the revival of the Holy Sect. You may leave."
The Yinming Elders and Xu Xiaoyao dared not disobey, bowed respectfully, and departed.
Ji Xiuqing then said to Xue Qianqian, "Qianqian, you've worked hard these past years. My child, 'When the peach blossoms bloom, the Holy Sect will be revived' doesn't necessarily have to be attributed to the Yinming Sect. Why be so fixated on it?"
Xue Qianqian's heart was stirred, and she almost wept. She respectfully replied, "Qianqian will remember your teachings." Her joy was truly indescribable. For ten years, she had been cautious in everything, forced to feign compliance with the Yinming Sect and the disliked Xu Xiaoyao, fearing the stigma of splitting the Holy Sect and failing Ji Xiuqing's trust. Now, that burden was lifted, she could act freely. The biggest obstacle between her and her lover was also resolved. How could she not be overjoyed?
"Brother Hua is a prodigy, favored by both Master Guan and Hero Lang; he is no ordinary person. If Peach Blossom Palace can revive the Holy Sect in the future, it will surely be thanks to Brother Hua. Please give my regards, Qianqian. Also, please take good care of Fei'er." Hou Mubai unusually offered his advice.
"Alright! My disciple, how could you not trust me?" Ji Xiuqing playfully pinched Hou Mubai's waist and said, "Mubai and I will retire to the Dao from now on. Qianqian, take care of yourself."
"Master!" Xue Qianqian hadn't said much to Ji Xiuqing before they had to part again. Reluctant, she tried to stop them, but then she saw two white-clad figures fly up hand in hand, disappearing dozens of feet away in an instant, like immortals.
"Fairy! Are you alright?" Xinru, Yilin, Ruotong, Jiaxin, and dozens of experts from Peach Blossom Palace were forced to their feet by an invisible force just two zhang outside the courtyard gate. By the time Ji Xiuqing and Hou Mubai managed to rush into the courtyard, they saw Xue Qianqian standing there, lost in thought, two lines of tears streaming down her beautiful eyes.
"I'm fine. Issue my Supreme Peach Blossom Decree. Activate the first-level emergency plan for all members of Peach Blossom Palace... Liwen, in collusion with others, intends to harm this palace. Cripple her martial arts and expel her from the sect."
"Yes!" everyone responded in unison.
The long-standing cooperation between Peach Blossom Palace and Yinming Sect was thus severed, but for the newly formed Free Alliance, it unexpectedly added a tremendous boost!

Volume 4, Chapter 45: The Orphan Yanran
Liu Lan's voice came from outside the courtyard gate: "Brother Hua seems to know everything. It's not fun at all. Sister Yanran, come in quickly!"
A faint fragrance wafted into the courtyard, and Liu Lan pulled a beautiful young woman dressed in military uniform into the room. Hua Yinghong and Fang Shiling's eyes lit up. The young woman was incomparably beautiful, with delicate features. Her youthful beauty seemed to surpass even Liu Lanshang's, and she was comparable to Liu Yufei and Miao Youlan. Her military uniform perfectly showcased her lithe figure, exuding a heroic and spirited air. However, her expression was cold and stern, and her bright, star-like eyes held a cold glint of hatred.
Hua Yinghong had seen the girl in the military strategy training course and recognized her as Feng Yanran, the first battalion commander of the female soldiers' regiment. He had originally intended to find out more about the source of her deep-seated hatred, but unexpectedly, Liu Lan, that crazy girl, had brought her here first. He wondered what her purpose was.
"You can go! The Three Clans of Breaking the Heavens emphasize the intent of the sword, the intent lies in the preemptive strike, the strike disperses but the intent remains, the form disperses but the spirit gathers." Hua Yinghong told Fang Shiling and the others to go and understand.
"Commander Liu, what brings you here?" Hua Yinghong asked as he led the two women into the room and sat them down. He was extremely fond of the straightforward and charming Liu Lan, and given their already intimate relationship, he casually emphasized the words "regimental commander" in a joke.
"Regimental Commander of Huada Army!" Liu Lan retorted without hesitation, "I resigned from my post to come here. All those military strategies and training methods you talked about have left me dizzy; I've relied entirely on Sister Yanran for help. She's much better than me; she should be the regimental commander." "Regimental Commander, don't
listen to Sister Lan, I..." Beneath Feng Yanran's cold, jade-like face lay a hint of nervousness, as if she hoped to find a place to use her skills, yet also seemed reluctant to take Liu Lan's position.
"Oh..." Hua Yinghong remained noncommittal and asked Liu Lan, "Tell me your reasons. You're not trying to back out, are you? You made a pledge to preserve the women's camp that day."
Liu Lan said anxiously, "Brother Hua, I can't beat Sister Yanran's 'Nine Strike of Wind' spear technique. Her military strategy and training are far superior to mine. Aren't these reasons enough? Also, Sister Yanran is very pitiful. She has a blood feud—"
"Sister Lan!" Feng Yanran hurriedly stopped Liu Lan from continuing.
Hua Yinghong said solemnly, "Little Sister Feng, the Free Army was not established for revenge. Of course, if someone's crime is unforgivable, the Free Army will eliminate them to uphold justice. If you trust me, tell me the whole story, and then we can discuss it further."
Feng Yanran's beautiful eyes reddened, and she said, "If I didn't trust you, I wouldn't have tried to join the Free Army, nor would I have told Sister Liu Lan about this. I am the granddaughter of Feng Jilie, the head of the Feng family of Nanhu in the Later Tang Dynasty..." The Feng
family was one of the major families in Nanhu of the Later Tang Dynasty, residing in Nanhu County, Huzhou. The Feng family led the Nanhu Legion of the Later Tang Empire in several battles against the Northern Legion led by the Ding family of the Jade Dragon Kingdom, with both sides experiencing victories and defeats. Three years ago, Liu Qinghe, the seventh princess most beloved by Emperor Liu Piaoxu of the Later Tang Dynasty, visited Nanhu County and intended to travel to Zhufeng County on the way. Unexpectedly, within the territory of Nanhu, a small team of elite Imperial Guards and fifty skilled Imperial Bodyguards responsible for escorting the princess were all killed. The Seventh Princess Liu Shuanghe, ranked second on the continent's "Top Ten Beauties" list, was hacked to pieces, her face unrecognizable, almost reduced to minced meat—a truly horrific sight! The secret investigation by the Later Tang Empire's intelligence organization, the "Blood-Clad Guards," pointed directly at the Feng family, claiming that no one else besides the Feng family possessed such power within Nanhu. Furthermore, a Feng family crest, "accidentally" left behind by the perpetrators in a hidden location, was found at the scene as evidence.
Feng Yanran only learned of these things later. She only remembered that terrible night when thousands of Blood-Clad Guards and Imperial Guards suddenly surrounded the Feng Manor, which housed nearly a thousand people, and began indiscriminately slaughtering them. Although the Feng Manor had its servants, guards, and Feng clan soldiers who put up a fierce resistance, they were no match for the numerous and highly skilled Blood-Clad Guards. Nearly a thousand Feng family members, along with their servants and guards, were all killed. Only Feng Yanran and her younger brother, Feng Qingyang, escaped by hiding in a secret room.
That same night, the ancestral halls of the larger branches of the Feng clan suffered the same fate, and all Feng clan members serving in the South Lake Army were also purged by secret imperial decree. Overnight, thousands of Feng clan members were slaughtered, and the vast Feng clan was almost completely eradicated. In the following days, tens of thousands of Feng clan members and their retainers were killed by the Blood-Clad Guards and Imperial Guards in South Lake County, to the point that from then on, no one dared to say they were surnamed Feng!
The exact cause of the Feng family's demise remains unclear to Feng Yanran. Various rumors circulate on the mainland: some say that spies from the Jade Dragon Kingdom colluded with the Ding family to frame the Feng family for the Seventh Princess's tragic death; others claim the Feng family commanded the Nanhu Army of 200,000 soldiers and the Nanhu elite navy of 80,000, and that the four prefectures of Nanhu were prosperous areas with a population exceeding ten million. The Feng family was also known for its philanthropy, leading the people to know only of the Feng family and not the emperor, thus raising suspicions of disloyalty and resulting in their downfall; still others say the Seventh Princess, dissatisfied with the Later Tang emperor's arranged marriage to the Golden Dragon Kingdom's crown prince, plotted her escape; and even more exaggerated rumors claim that the Later Tang emperor, Liu Piaoxu, dreamt of "willows falling in the wind," superstitiously believing the Feng family would replace the Liu family, and therefore orchestrated the extermination of the Feng clan. These are just a few of the many rumors.
The Feng family's demise remains an unsolved mystery, the true reasons perhaps only known to the Blood-Clad Guards or the Later Tang emperor, Liu Piaoxu.
As Feng Yanran finished speaking, her beautiful eyes reddened, and tears streamed down her face, stirring pity in Hua Yinghong, who handed her a handkerchief to wipe her tears.
Liu Lan, though seemingly fierce, was kind-hearted; even though she had heard Feng Yanran recount these events, she couldn't help but weep along with her.
"How then did Sister Feng escape the Blood-Clad Guards' pursuit, and how did she end up on Treasure Island and join the Free Army?" Although Hua Yinghong sympathized with Feng Yanran's plight, the matter was of utmost importance, and he had to carefully inquire. Normally, without other help, Feng Yanran could not have escaped the powerful Blood-Clad Guards, whose influence was no less than that of the Jade Dragon Secret Service, for three years. Moreover, it was a coincidence that she managed to infiltrate the Free Army's female soldiers' camp while releasing slaves in Jubao Town.
Feng Yanran wasn't surprised. She knew that with her unusual background and experiences, coupled with her outstanding performance upon joining the Free Army, it would be abnormal if she didn't arouse suspicion. The clearer Hua Yinghong's questions were, the more he wanted to truly accept her. He replied immediately, “To tell you the truth, after Yanran and my younger brother Qingyang escaped the massacre of our family, we secretly sought out my uncle Nangong Bo, with whom my father had a life-or-death bond, and received his help. Yanran was secretly sent to Baoyue Tower in Jubao Town, where she lived in anonymity, diligently studying her family's martial arts and military strategies, waiting for an opportunity to take revenge in the future. A few days ago, I heard from my uncle Nangong Wang that the Free Army had defeated the Jade Dragon Army and cleverly captured Jubao Town, so I took advantage of the opportunity of freeing slaves to join the Free Army. Yanran has no other wish than to one day personally lead an army to conquer Zhongdu, kill the dog emperor Liu Piaoxu, and avenge the blood feud that wiped out our clan.”
Hua Yinghong’s heart stirred upon hearing the names “Nangong Bo” and “Nangong Wang”. The Nangong family has been merchants for generations, possessing immense wealth. In this chaotic world, their ability to establish themselves as a merchant family speaks volumes about their potential power. He had heard the Sword God Guan Shanyue and the Sword God Lang Qingyun mention the Nangong family on Lonely Star Island. A family mentioned by these two gods could hardly be ordinary. A few days ago, after presiding over the slave-freeing meeting in Jubao Town, Lü Jingwei also mentioned that Nangong Wang, the owner of Baoyue Tower, was the first to respond. If he could seize this opportunity to establish a relationship with the Nangong family, it would be a great asset in the future.
"If we immediately appoint Feng Xiaomei as the captain, I'm afraid her qualifications and prestige won't be enough to convince the masses," Hua Yinghong said slowly, having made up his mind.
"Brother Hua!" Liu Lan exclaimed impatiently, almost in a sweet voice, "Don't we believe in meritocracy? Anyone who disagrees can have a go at Sister Yanran! Our regimental commanders might not be able to beat her."
Hua Yinghong saw a hint of disappointment in Feng Yanran's eyes, but no resentment, and secretly praised her. He continued, "Sister Lan, don't be impatient. My idea is to let Sister Feng serve as the deputy regimental commander of the female soldiers first. She can manage the female soldiers' regiment in your place and be responsible for all affairs. You will only have the title. In addition, let Sister Feng also serve as the chief instructor of spear fighting in the Free Army. Her rank is the same as that of the regimental commander, but it will be hard work for her. What do you think?" With her spear fighting skills, Liu Lan was convinced, so there was no need to test Feng Yanran's martial arts. The Free Army had already received instruction in swordsmanship, saber fighting, and archery, but spear fighting and spearmen were their weaknesses. Feng Yanran's appearance was a perfect complement to the Free Army.
"Thank you, Commander!" Feng Yanran was overjoyed! Although only a deputy regimental commander, she wielded real power, allowing her to fully display her talents. Furthermore, the position of chief marksmanship instructor would help her establish her standing and prestige within the Free Army. Hua Yinghong's exceptional promotion of her far exceeded her expectations.
With Feng Yanran's discerning eye, she could naturally see the boundless potential of the Free Alliance and the Free Army—Hua Yinghong had managed to inflict a crushing defeat on the elite Jade Dragon Army with a motley crew of slaves, demonstrating unparalleled military tactical genius. Given time, this Free Army, where everyone could master the techniques of the Sword God and Saber God, would possess individual combat strength no weaker than any other army. If they further refined their battle formations… who in the world could rival them?
"The title of Legion Commander is just a code name," Hua Yinghong said calmly. "Yanran, you might as well call me Big Brother like Lanmei does. As long as you use your strengths, you'll definitely have a place in the Free Army, and the Feng family will be revived under your leadership."
Hua Yinghong felt an inexplicable pity for this pitiful orphan—wasn't he, alone in this strange world, a kindred spirit in his plight?
"Thank you, Big Brother Hua!" Liu Lan jumped up happily, grabbing Hua Yinghong's left hand and shaking it vigorously, saying in a sickeningly sweet voice, "Yanran, aren't you going to thank Big Brother Hua? I knew Big Brother Hua was the best." Her actions and words unconsciously revealed an extremely intimate relationship.
Hua Yinghong felt Liu Lan's small hand was warm, soft, and smooth, and for a moment forgot that Feng Yanran was beside him. He unconsciously tightened his grip, teasingly asking, "Then how will you thank me?"
Even the naive Feng Yanran understood the ambiguous meaning in Hua Yinghong's words, and her pretty face flushed with embarrassment. Liu Lan broke free from Feng Yanran's grasp, pouting, "Thank you my foot! Sister Yanran, we're leaving!..." She grabbed Feng Yanran and ran off as if fleeing.
"Lan-mei, wait a minute!" Hua Yinghong called out loudly.
"Sister Yanran and I are going to the women's soldiers' camp." Unfortunately, Liu Lan was already far away when her voice reached them, having run so fast with Feng Yanran.
Everyone had been incredibly busy these past few days. Hua Yinghong hadn't had a proper intimate moment with the women for several days. Seeing Liu Lan run away, he felt a pang of melancholy when suddenly a heavenly voice drifted from afar, "Lan'er, why are you running so fast?..."
It was Liu Yufei's voice. Hua Yinghong was overjoyed—

Volume 4, Chapter 46 ,
"The Wind Blows and the Grass": "Sword Saint Hou Mubai and Demonic Sect Saintess Ji Xiuqing have appeared at the Lichun Courtyard?" Upon hearing the report, Qiu Haoran exchanged glances with Cao Leshui, the Jade Dragon Spy and Commander-in-Chief of Keelung, and couldn't help but scoff inwardly—Sword Saint Hou Mubai and Demonic Sect Saintess Ji Xiuqing, masters of their caliber, could wreak havoc on Keelung City with just one of them, let alone both of them!
The biggest difference between martial arts masters and the army is that martial arts masters move freely and swiftly. Even a master of Sword Saint Hou Mubai's caliber, no matter how high his martial arts skills, wouldn't dare fight an army in the open. If surrounded by an elite army, the relentless ranged and melee attacks would prevent even the most skilled martial artist from recovering their energy, ultimately leading to their exhaustion and death! This is a major reason why martial arts sects typically avoid engaging in combat with armies. However, within the intricate network of houses and complex terrain of a city, the elusive and swift movements of martial arts masters can be a major headache even for elite armies! Unless they are joined by a team of equally skilled or slightly less skilled individuals, or if a deadly trap is set, chaos and unrest are inevitable!
Cao Leshui has a thin face, a slender build, and an ordinary appearance, resembling an unremarkable old man on the street. Only those who know his background understand that beneath his kind eyes lies a deadly killing intent, capable of unleashing a sharp, eagle-like gaze in an instant.
The wise find joy in mountains, the benevolent in water. Cao Leshui, the powerful and influential head of a secret intelligence agency, outwardly appears as a philanthropic and benevolent wealthy man. He owns several large mansions in Keelung City, which serve as secret bases for his espionage activities.
The deaths of the Five Elders of the Dragon Clan are a major blow to the powerful and highly skilled Jade Dragon intelligence agency. The Keelung headquarters' assassination attempts on Hua Yinghong, led by "Laughing Monk" Xiao Wufa and "Lustful Snake" Ouyang Bin, have failed. Xiao Wufa's right hand is crippled, and his martial arts are halved; Ouyang Bin's two Iron Wire Lustful Snakes are destroyed, leaving him severely injured and temporarily unable to fight. It was initially thought that Hua Yinghong, the leader of the Free Army, was also seriously injured and poisoned by the extremely potent Lustful Snakes, making him unlikely to survive. Unexpectedly, he recovered in less than half a day and even led the Free Army to a great victory with clean and brilliant marks! All of this made Cao Leshui, who was not on good terms with the military, feel threatened, and he took the initiative to contact Qiu Haoran, the commander of the Treasure Division, to negotiate cooperation.
In the Jade Dragon Kingdom, the Jade Dragon Spy Force was an existence that no one dared to underestimate. King Sima Yuan of Jade Dragon granted the Jade Dragon Spy Force the special responsibilities of intelligence gathering, monitoring officials, and suppressing the martial arts world. The Spy Force trained or recruited countless martial arts masters and extraordinary talents. Even the major families that held heavy military power did not dare to offend them easily.
Qiu Haoran originally disliked the Jade Dragon Spy Force. To the Qiu family and the Eastern Army under their control, the Spy Force was like an elusive shadow, or a venomous snake hiding in the shadows waiting to bite, wishing he could seize the opportunity and gradually replace them. However, the complete failure of Operation "Fishnet" left Qiu Haoran, the division commander stationed on Zhenbao Island, feeling insecure. Even the definitive news of the annihilation of all the advancing forces came from spies hidden in Xigang. The inadequacy of the military intelligence system was obvious, and with such heavy losses, cooperation with spies was inevitable.
"Brother Qiu, there's no need to worry," Cao Leshui said. He had long been engaged in espionage and was skilled in analysis. "Reports indicate that Xue Qianqian, the Peach Blossom Fairy of Lichun Courtyard, engaged in a fierce battle with Xu Xiaoyao, the young master of the Yinming Sect, and the two elders of Yinming. Only the appearance of Hou Mubai and Ji Xiuqing prevented the situation from escalating to a life-or-death struggle. Clearly, the two factions have developed a major divergence, even becoming enemies. This is definitely good news for us. Hou Mubai and Ji Xiuqing may not participate in the Demonic Sect's uprising. We will surely receive more news later."
Before he finished speaking, the person monitoring Lichun Courtyard... The head of the secret service rushed in to report: "Commander-in-Chief, Lord Qiu, after Hou Mubai and Ji Xiuqing left, Lichun Courtyard expelled all the nearly one thousand Yinming Sect members it had taken in over the past few days and closed its doors. The other branches of Peach Blossom Palace in various districts have taken the same action."
Qiu Haoran and Cao Leshui breathed a sigh of relief—according to the intelligence they had, the Demonic Sect was determined to succeed this time. The Yinming Sect alone had infiltrated with several hundred experts of the seventh and eighth ranks or higher, and several thousand more core disciples of the sixth rank and below. These people were highly mobile, and with various secret hideouts, encircling and suppressing them within the city was extremely difficult. Therefore, the military and the secret service dared not act rashly, only monitoring them, intending to use the military's superior weaponry, powerful bows and crossbows, and battle formations to surround and kill them when they gathered to launch an uprising.
The First Battalion of the First Regiment of the Treasure Division is currently stationed in Shunhe Town, seventy li east of Keelung, while the Second Battalion is stationed in Baonan Town, sixty li south of Keelung City. Both important towns have various mines, rich in gold, copper, and iron. Baonan Town is also rich in high-quality ironwood, essential for building warships. Strategically and economically, these towns are extremely important to the Jade Dragon Kingdom and cannot be lost; therefore, they are essentially unable to return to Keelung.
The Treasure Division has its most elite direct-command regiment of 10,000 men, the First Regiment's direct-command battalion of 1,000 men, and the newly supplemented Third Battalion of the First Regiment of 3,000 men stationed in Keelung City. There are also 15,000 local guards. While this force of nearly 30,000 men seems strong, the truly decisive fighting force consists of only 11,000 regular troops, plus the 1,000-odd highly skilled spies available to Jade Dragon's intelligence. The remaining newly formed battalions and guards will be of limited use if the Jade Dragon army gains the upper hand, but will have very limited effectiveness if the battle goes against them. Within the city of Keelung, with a population of over 200,000, the Demonic Sect, especially the Peach Blossom Palace, had cultivated its influence for many years, concealing a vast amount of power. Even the Jade Dragon spies only knew of the few hundred experts on the surface; the number hidden in the shadows was unknown.
The falling out between the Peach Blossom Palace and the Yinming Sect greatly pleased Qiu Haoran and Cao Leshui: without the Peach Blossom Palace's assistance, the Yinming Sect, despite its formidable strength, would be much easier to deal with. More importantly, the fact that Hou Mubai and Ji Xiuqing, two Saint-level experts, had clearly stated they would not intervene in the Demonic Sect's current uprising greatly reassured them. After all, if they disregarded the "unspoken rules" of Saint-level and above experts and directly intervened in the war, neither the Treasure Trove nor the spies
would have any confidence in dealing with them. The so-called "unspoken rules" of Saint-level and above experts refer to the fact that Saint-level, especially Divine-level, experts on the Hua Long Continent typically do not directly intervene in general wars and conflicts between major forces. Otherwise, these super experts could easily change the course of a battle or even a campaign simply by assassinating the leaders or a group of high-ranking generals. Unless surrounded by numerous masters of similar skill, in complex terrain and places where concealment is easy, sheer numbers have limited effect on these super masters.
Of course, if someone violates the "unwritten rules," masters of the same level from other factions will certainly retaliate accordingly, or break the usual one-on-one duel between top masters to fight the violator with numbers. Even divine-grade masters like Sword God Lang Qingyun and Knife God Guan Shanyue cannot withstand the siege of several saint-grade masters, and most can only flee in disarray, trying to defeat them one by one. But if a master of similar level intervenes, there is also the possibility of being surrounded and killed!
Fortunately, the number of masters who can advance to the innate saint-grade level or above on the Hua Long Continent is always limited, only about one or two out of every thousand martial arts masters. Furthermore, these individuals, regardless of their righteousness or allegiance, typically focus on enhancing their own martial arts skills. While many masters of the same level engage in combat and discussions, they are not particularly enthusiastic about directly participating in worldly conflicts, existing only as a potential deterrent. Moreover, if they were to participate in military campaigns, even Saint-level masters would find it difficult to escape the overwhelming tide of armies—in large-scale warfare, escape is not permitted! In the past decade, there have been those who violated these "unwritten rules," but they are extremely rare.
Even with the unparalleled martial arts of Guan Shanyue and Lang Qingyun, they did not easily intervene in the situation on the Hua Long Continent. Instead, they entrusted the Heaven and Earth and Void-Breaking Techniques to Hua Yinghong, aiming to purify the corrupt and promote the pure. This was partly due to their pursuit of the Dao, leaving them no time for other matters; and partly due to the influence of these "unwritten rules." Hua Long is vast, and countless extraordinary individuals live in seclusion, seeking neither fame nor fortune. To rashly provoke a conflict between super masters could be a disaster for the entire Hua Long Continent. If the super experts were to engage in excessive infighting, giving the Ouba and Meisi Continents an opportunity to exploit, it would truly be a blessing for the Hualong Continent.
These principles are beyond the comprehension of ordinary people. The common understanding of experts above the Innate Saint level is like an ant's understanding of unattainable humans; their perspectives are simply not on the same level!
"Focus on monitoring the movements of the Yinming Sect, and don't relax your monitoring of the Peach Blossom Palace either." Having understood this, Cao Leshui ordered the head of the secret service.
"If the subordinates of the Peach Blossom Palace wish to leave the city, don't stop them; let them go." Qiu Haoran also ordered the military messengers. The Peach Blossom Palace had expelled the Yinming Sect members and closed its doors to guests, clearly indicating that it had no intention of being an enemy of the Jade Dragon side, at least for the time being. With its military strength greatly depleted and surrounded by crises, it was really not worth making another powerful enemy.
What was needed most now was to buy time; if the Qiu family's reinforcements arrived, the Demonic Sect would be no threat!

Dawn was breaking, and the morning air was fresh and pleasant.
Hua Yinghong awoke with satisfaction. On either side of him lay two exquisitely beautiful, naked, and alluring bodies, each as white as jade, pressed tightly against him. To his left was Liu Yufei, and to his right, Miao Youlan. The alluring sleeping postures of these beauties stirred a powerful desire
within him once more. Last night, Liu Yufei and Miao Youlan, unable to resist Hua Yinghong's persistence, and finding themselves alone and unable to withstand his vigorous advances, had shyly shared the bed. These two normally dignified beauties, under Hua Yinghong's varied sexual techniques and skillful teasing with his internal energy, seemed to transform into wanton women, tirelessly and frantically responding, repeatedly reaching the peak of ecstasy, lost in a daze, unsure whether they were awake or dreaming…
With the support of his Primordial Chaos True Qi, Hua Yinghong reached the blissful realm three times in one night within the bodies of the two beauties. Under the wondrous cultivation of both spirit and desire, in that exhilarating pleasure, his Primordial Chaos True Qi merged seamlessly with Liu Yufei's transformed Heaven and Earth True Qi (from her cultivation of the Heaven and Earth Technique) and Miao Youlan's Profound Heaven True Qi, making him feel that his power had greatly improved. This method of cultivation was truly wonderful, and he enjoyed it immensely. He recalled his past encounters with "Fei'er" from another world, where, despite his youth and strength, he could only enjoy himself twice at most, and even then, "Fei'er" needed to stimulate him with a special method similar to what Xue Qianqian had used that day.
He enjoyed that special feeling, but he wouldn't force it on Liu Yufei and Miao Youlan. Bedroom pleasure requires mutual passion and willingness; deliberate coercion would only make both parties unhappy and damage their otherwise excellent relationship.
Thinking of "Fei'er," Hua Yinghong couldn't help but glance at Liu Yufei in his left arm. The same pretty face, yet different temperaments and personalities—all of which he found extremely endearing. Miao Youlan, Xue Qianqian, Liu Lan, and Liu Ju—had all formed a bond with him under special circumstances, thus incurring a sense of responsibility. Each of these women was a peerless beauty, unique in her own way, with distinct personalities, yet each evoked a genuine love in him. Perhaps indiscriminate lust was simply a man's nature, only unrestrained in this strange world?
Liu and Miao slept soundly, and Hua Yinghong dared not move, afraid of waking them. In truth, both Liu and Miao had pitiful pasts; it was rare for them to have such a peaceful and restful sleep.
Extremely faint footsteps came from ten feet away outside the door. Hua Yinghong's mind conjured the handsome face of the guard captain, Fang Shiling. This was a mysterious feeling, a state of mind reached when one's skill had reached a certain level, where one no longer relied on sight but could perceive external objects directly with divine sense, judging with an accuracy even greater than sight itself, without the slightest error.
Fang Shiling stopped at the door, hesitant, neither knocking nor speaking. Hua Yinghong knew something important was amiss and asked telepathically, "What is it?"
"Master Zhang of Lichun Tower has sent an urgent message from Fairy Xue." After the battle at Jubao Ferry and recent guidance from Hua Yinghong, Fang Shiling's skill had advanced rapidly, breaking through the fifth level of the Heaven and Earth Technique. However, he still lacked the ability to focus sound into a line, so he could only answer softly from outside the door.
Liu Yufei and Miao Youlan opened their beautiful eyes almost simultaneously, their tender gazes fixed on their lovers' faces, their breath sweet as orchids, their delicate fragrance intoxicating.
Hua Yinghong smiled apologetically and
said to the outsiders, "Please wait in the outer hall, I'll be there shortly." The news from Xue Qianqian was as good as it could be for Hua Yinghong!

Volume 4, Chapter 47: The Demonic Cult Uprising
. September 7th, 994 AD, a day worthy of being recorded in the history of the Hua Long Continent.
Under Xu Xiaoyao's leadership, the Yinming Sect did not give Qiu Haoran any more time to wait for reinforcements from his family.
At dawn that day, the Yinming Sect of the Demonic Cult launched a massive uprising in the northeastern region of Zhenbao Island, centered on Keelung City. The Demonic Cult uprising itself is not worth mentioning, but because of the extraordinary chain reaction it caused, later historians designated this day as the day the "war between nations" began on the Hua Long Continent. The
"Amorous Young Master" Xu Xiaoyao's attempt to seize Xue Qianqian failed, instead causing the Peach Blossom Palace to part ways with the Yinming Sect, greatly weakening its strength. Many core disciples and ordinary followers of the Holy Sect developed by the Peach Blossom Palace also deserted the Yinming Sect. During Xue Qianqian's tenure, the original organizational structure and uprising plans were disrupted. Furthermore, without the Peach Blossom Palace's overt and covert communication channels, the Yinming Sect was also unclear about the movements of the Jade Dragon Army and Jade Dragon spies.
Xu Xiaoyao's impulsive actions led to a major disaster, which had already been secretly reported to "Yinming Divine Fist" Xu Ling. Xu Ling, who had always doted on his only son, unusually wrote a personal letter reprimanding Xu Xiaoyao, ordering him to atone for his crime and to find a way to repair relations with the Peach Blossom Palace.
The current leader of the Demonic Sect, Ren Tianxing, has been missing for eight years since his defeat in battle against Sword God Lang Qingyun, causing the powerful Demonic Sect to split into more than ten large and small factions, each acting independently. The Yinming Sect's recent rise to the top position within the sect is inextricably linked to the support of the Peach Blossom Palace. Although the Peach Blossom Camp doesn't have many outstanding experts—ranking only fourth or fifth in terms of martial prowess—its extensive intelligence network and unique seductive techniques are extremely powerful allies for the Yinming Sect in controlling the world and attracting followers.
Next August 15th will be the day the Holy Sect elects its new leader. The elders, protectors, and the two envoys will vote based on the power and achievements of each sect, as well as the reputation and martial arts of their respective leaders, to select candidates for the new leader. A martial arts duel will then determine the leader and vice-leader. Although Xue Qianqian's martial arts are not high, as the Palace Master of Peach Blossom Palace and one of the five elders, coupled with the unparalleled influence of her master, the "Holy Maiden" Ji Xiuqing, within the Holy Sect, her departure at this crucial moment puts Xu Ling and the Yinming Sect in a very passive position. No wonder Xu Ling, with his high cultivation and deep affection for his son, would be so furious!
Xu Xiaoyao, having endured a severe scolding, found his jealousy dissipated and, in his clear-headed state, indeed displayed some talent. In just five days, with the help of his subordinates, he reorganized the Yinming Sect's organizational structure and launched an uprising at dawn on the seventh day of the ninth lunar month—
"The Azure Heaven is dead, the Yellow Heaven shall rise; Light shall reappear, and the world shall be blessed!"
"The Church of Light" was the official name of the Demonic Sect. Officials and righteous martial arts circles of various countries on the Hualong Continent referred to it as the Demonic Sect, while its members considered themselves the Holy Sect. The Yinming Sect's uprising used the pretext of light dispelling darkness to rally its followers and even ordinary people.
At the turn of the day, smoke signals were simultaneously raised in the four major districts of Keelung City: Wanhua, Wensong, Da'an, and Ping'an. Countless Demonic Sect members, wielding various weapons—bows, crossbows, even iron bars and kitchen knives—and with conspicuous yellow scarves wrapped around their left arms, surged into the streets, torches in hand, scattering patrolling guards, and shouting slogans as they charged towards their pre-determined targets!
Keelung City is divided into inner and outer cities, both roughly square in shape. The outer city walls are six zhang high and wide enough for four riders to gallop abreast, with each side wall stretching about ten li, protecting a large area of the city. The inner city, the old city, has walls only three and a half zhang high and each side about three and a half li long, but it is the core and most important area of Keelung City. The headquarters of the Treasure Trove, the Keelung City Guard, and all the key departments managing daily affairs such as finances and provisions are concentrated inside, making its loss unacceptable.
More than 40,000 members of the Demonic Cult quickly gathered on the main streets of the outer city. Among them, 20,000 attacked the four gates of the inner city in four routes, while the remaining 20,000 were divided into four groups to guard the main roads leading to the inner city, preventing the Jade Dragon garrison from the four districts from reinforcing the inner city.
Xu Xiaoyao's plan was strategically impeccable—once the inner city was captured, it would be like seizing the snake's vital spot, eliminating the command center of the Treasure Trove, at which point the forces could be concentrated to attack one side and capture one of the outer city gates. According to the original plan, the demonic cult members who had started uprisings in the eight surrounding towns could swarm into the city and annihilate the Treasure Trove with overwhelming numbers. The entire northeastern and even central regions of Treasure Island would quickly fall into the hands of the Jade Dragon Kingdom before it could react!
Within a radius of fifteen to thirty miles in eight directions around Keelung City, there were eight small towns, along with surrounding villages. Each town had a population of only about 20,000, and virtually no city walls or defensible positions. The Jade Dragon military, including its spies, hadn't paid enough attention to these towns, stationing only two squads, or at most a company, of guards in each. The spies had only a few informants in each town, only recently increasing the number due to heightened tensions. The Yinming Sect, however, had been working diligently in these towns in recent years. Each town had a secret liaison point, developing a core group of disciples and a large number of ordinary followers attracted by the demonic cult's doctrines.
As the signal was raised in Keelung City, signals were also raised in the eight towns. Countless peasants, civilians, and serfs, pre-arranged and armed with various weapons, converged on the towns. Some of the guards offered only minimal resistance before surrendering; others, seeing the overwhelming strength of the Demonic Cult, simply abandoned their weapons and fled; still others, infiltrated by the Demonic Cult, turned against them on the spot; and the few who fought desperately were no match for the Demonic Cult's highly skilled core disciples and large numbers of followers… In no time at all, the eight towns had fallen to the Demonic Cult.
Nearly 50,000 members of the Demonic Cult from these eight towns, led by core disciples of the Yinming Sect, marched towards Keelung City from eight directions!
**** ********
In recent days, the military and Jade Dragon's secret agents have intensified their surveillance of the Demonic Cult's activities. The once bustling Peach Blossom Palace's Lichun Courtyard and its various branches are now eerily quiet. Officially, everyone has left Keelung City under various pretexts, and even Xue Qianqian's whereabouts are unknown.
Qiu Haoran and Cao Leshui have made thorough assessments of the Demonic Cult's uprising within the city, even guessing their plans with a high degree of accuracy, and have made corresponding deployments. However, their assessment of the Demonic Cult's potential power still contains some errors—
the Jade Dragon Kingdom's years of predatory management of Treasure Island have provided the kingdom with a vast amount of resources and wealth, but within Treasure Island, apart from the industries controlled by the government, aristocratic families, and powerful sects, the vast majority of commoners live in poverty and hunger year-round, not to mention the lowest-ranking government slaves and private slaves. The resentment accumulated over the years has had nowhere to vent due to the Jade Dragon Army's formidable strength, and with the Demonic Cult's instigation, it has become uncontrollable. In Keelung City, with a population of over 200,000, nearly 40,000 participated in the Demonic Cult's uprising. Adding to this the thousands of core disciples who had infiltrated the city, the sheer scale of the rebellion exceeded Qiu Haoran and Cao Leshui's expectations!
Qiu Haoran and Cao Leshui's deployment involved placing one or two regular army squads and one guard company at each of the four outer city gates to guard them; in the garrisons of the remaining four districts, each district had a battalion commander leading two regular army companies and two guard companies; the inner city was defended by the remaining 3,000-plus regular army soldiers and three guard companies.
Over 1,000 elite Jade Dragon spies were divided into several groups, specifically responsible for protecting the Jade Dragon army's commanders and preventing assassination attempts. Once the Demonic Cult launched its siege of the inner city, the garrisons of the four districts would mobilize, using a large number of powerful crossbows and bows, along with high-impact cavalry, to launch a rear attack, annihilating the main force of the Demonic Cult's uprising in one fell swoop.
Both sides' strategic plans were virtually flawless; the key to victory lay in the inner city, in the fighting strength and tactics of both sides!
Before the inner city walls, over 20,000 people surged towards the city gates and walls from all directions like a tidal wave. Under the close surveillance of the Jade Dragon Army and spies, the Demonic Cult lacked sufficient siege equipment, relying only on makeshift wooden ladders, doors, tables, and chairs salvaged from shops, and their own flesh and blood to launch an assault on the inner city!
Hundreds of stone projectiles and thousands of deadly crossbow bolts and arrows rained down on the densely packed Demonic Cult followers. No aiming was needed; amidst deafening screams, the first attack claimed hundreds of lives!
The fanatical Demonic Cult followers remained unmoved, continuing their fierce charge. A second and third volley of arrows followed… After nearly two thousand Demonic Cult members were killed or wounded, they reached the walls under the cover of doors and makeshift shields, commencing their assault. Some highly skilled core disciples leaped directly onto the three-zhang-high walls, charging into the ranks of the defending Jade Dragon Army!
Guarding the inner city were two squads from the First Battalion of the Treasure Division's Direct Regiment and the First Battalion of the First Regiment, elite troops among elites. Each soldier possessed at least second or third-rank martial arts skills and was proficient in combined attacks. Those demonic cult masters who scaled the city walls solely through brute force and superior martial arts, except for a few fifth or sixth-rank experts, were mostly quickly surrounded and killed, their bodies lying on the city walls!
However, the demonic cult was ultimately numerous and powerful, with countless experts. As more and more people scaled the walls, the casualties among the guards and the Jade Dragon Army increased significantly! The deaths of two or three members of the Demonic Cult were always exchanged for the deaths of one member of the Jade Dragon Army. Seeing the situation growing increasingly critical—
"Kill!" The Jade Dragon Army's unified battle cries echoed from the four main streets outside the city. On the East and West streets, a thousand lancers each charged in five-horse formations abreast towards the Demonic Cult members ordered to intercept them. Following them, a thousand regular Jade Dragon infantry and two thousand guards from each side formed a rearguard, advancing towards the inner city from the parallel side streets. From the south and north, two thousand regular infantry and two thousand guards also held their ground, advancing towards the inner city from the main streets and parallel side streets. The infantry's powerful bows and crossbows relentlessly rained down deadly arrows upon the Demonic Cult members!
On the flat, wide street, the Jade Dragon Army's lancers, charging with the momentum of their horses, became the embodiment of death—the front rank only needed to charge straight with their lances, relentlessly piercing the bodies of the demonic cult members in their path, sending corpses flying, while the lancers on the flanks, channeling their power, swept their lances diagonally, using the momentum of their galloping horses to kill most of the demonic cult members!
This was an unequal massacre! The well-trained Jade Dragon elite cavalry charging on flat ground was something that flesh and blood could not withstand. The riders used the momentum of their horses, and the horses aided the riders. When a group of third-rank masters charged wildly, even sixth- or seventh-rank masters could only retreat—they might be able to kill one or two cavalrymen with their powerful internal energy, but they would be no match for the relentless onslaught that followed, and would be trampled into mincemeat!
Those core disciples of the demonic cult, relying on their superior martial arts, leaped into the air, attempting to kill and seize horses, but were forced to parry and deflect attacks mid-air by several skillfully coordinated lances, retreating in a disheveled manner!
However, the Demonic Cult members were not entirely without a chance to fight back. Taking advantage of occupying the rooftops and shops on both sides of the street, the Demonic Cult members, positioned on higher ground, dismantled roof beams and various heavy objects, smashing them down on the heads of the Jade Dragon Army cavalry! The few divine crossbows and bows and arrows they possessed also retaliated against the Jade Dragon Army!
The rain of swords, spears, and arrows continuously created crimson blood, but it neither deterred the powerful Jade Dragon Army nor frightened the fanatical Demonic Cult members!
On the four main streets and parallel streets of Keelung City, in the east, west, south, and north, everywhere were the sounds of clashing swords and spears, screams, and groans... Corpses lay everywhere, and blood flowed like rivers—this night was a night of bloodshed and madness...

Volume 4, Chapter 48: The Fall of Keelung
On the east and west main streets, which were more than six zhang wide, the densely packed Demonic Cult members were forcibly cut through by the Jade Dragon cavalry, creating a bloody path more than three zhang wide. More than three thousand people lost their lives in the fierce battle, and the blood stained the streets like mud on a rainy day. More than a hundred Jade Dragon Army lancers also fell from their horses and died in the desperate counterattack of the Demonic Cult members.
Those Demonic Cult members were fanatical; even pierced by spears, they would throw their weapons with all their might before dying, trying to injure as many as possible! Those seriously wounded by spears would still try to slash at the horses' legs before being trampled to death… The Jade Dragon Army underestimated such a ferocious enemy, and casualties were inevitable.
The two lancer cavalry groups continued their unstoppable advance, but just as they were about to break through the intersection of the East and West Streets and reach the wide open space outside the inner city walls, they encountered a real obstacle—countless beams, planks, and tiles imbued with the true energy of masters flew out from the shops and rooftops on both sides of the street, directly hitting the lancer vanguard or piling up more than ten feet ahead. Then, flammable materials such as oil, straw, sheets, and cloth were also thrown out, ignited by hundreds of fire arrows and torches, and the raging fire completely blocked the Jade Dragon lancer cavalry's advance!
Within the Demonic Sect, there were also clever and resourceful individuals. They had at least seven-tenths of the tactics the Free Army used against the Jade Dragon Army were similar! However, their audacity in setting fire to and destroying streets within the densely populated city was a testament to the Demonic Sect's courage, or perhaps their "demonic aura"—the Demonic
Sect acted with such recklessness; otherwise, how could they be called "demonic"? "Halt!" Leading the cavalry charge on the east and west streets were Qiu Changling, the battalion commander of the Treasure Division's direct regiment, and Qiu Changhe, the first regiment commander, both ninth-rank experts and fierce generals. Unlike Qiu Lei, the third regiment commander, who had risen to the high position of battalion commander in the direct division through his status as a direct descendant of the Qiu family and a bit of cleverness, his reputation as a "rising star" was somewhat undeserved. Qiu Changling and Qiu Changhe were both collateral descendants of the Qiu family, rising to the position of regimental commander through exceptional martial arts and accumulated military merits—not by chance.
"The central army will split into two groups and turn onto the side streets!" The two regimental commanders gathered their inner energy, their voices resounding through the sky, issuing almost identical orders. The well-trained lancers reined in their horses, their lances sweeping away the demonic cult members who were taking advantage of the situation to attack, and split into two groups to continue their charge into the inner city via the side streets.
In this stop-and-go movement, the horses slowed down, and the momentum they had built up was hindered. The Jade Dragon lancers still had the advantage on horseback, with their high ground and lances still held, but the side streets were only two or three zhang wide, allowing only three riders to pass side by side. The demonic cult members were no longer as helpless as before, and with experts assisting them from the rooftops on both sides, the lancers suffered heavy casualties, and their advance slowed considerably.
Xu Xiaoyao, the "Amorous Young Master," was also wary of the Jade Dragon Cavalry's strength. From the Yinming Sect followers Xue Qianqian brought back from Jubao Town, he learned how to stop the Jade Dragon Cavalry with fire. Ignoring the danger of potentially causing a massive fire within the city, after sacrificing two or three thousand followers, he successfully halted two thousand elite cavalrymen on the streets, rendering them ineffective and forcing them into a chaotic battle with the Demonic Sect followers. His tactics were tactically successful. He was ruthless in
pursuing his goals, regardless of the means. In this respect, Xu Xiaoyao was even more ruthless than Hua Yinghong—if it were Hua Yinghong, he would never have sacrificed so many Free Army soldiers to achieve his goal of annihilating the enemy; he would have devised another method. But Xu Xiaoyao could remain indifferent, partly due to his ruthless nature, but also related to the Demonic Sect's doctrine of facing death without fear and seeking enlightenment.
"Cavalry, attack!" Qiu Haoran, from the east gate of the inner city, had already seen the cavalry charging towards the street corner, only to be stopped by the fire and forced to change course. Outside the city walls, swarms of demonic cult members thronged, constantly scaling the walls. The battle was fierce, forcing the planned countermeasures to be activated prematurely—
the east gate of the city wall burst open, and four hundred longsword cavalrymen—Qiu Haoran's elite personal guard—rushed out like a whirlwind, attacking the demonic cult members outside the walls! Leading the charge was a rider in white helmet and armor, exceptionally valiant—Qiu Haoran's eldest son, "Jade-Faced Tiger" Qiu Shuitao, one of the "Four Tigers of the Qiu Clan." His longsword unleashed the "Autumn Wind Falling Leaves Sword Technique," its wide, sweeping strokes and powerful strikes leaving no one within four zhang (approximately 10 meters) unscathed; they were either severed at the waist or sent flying, coughing up blood!
Each member of Qiu Haoran's personal guard was a carefully selected, unwaveringly loyal expert, taught the "Autumn Wind Technique" by the Qiu Clan's elders, practicing the Autumn Wind Falling Leaves Sword Technique and battle formations. Even a single member possessed a skill level of at least the fifth rank. This sudden attack caused the Demonic Sect to falter, abruptly halting the continuous flow of people surging towards the city walls! The Jade Dragon Army on the walls suddenly had a chance to catch their breath, regaining the upper hand and forcing the Demonic Sect members who had stormed the walls to retreat!
"Iron Guard, move out!" Xu Xiaoyao also revealed his trump card—three hundred tall and powerful men rushed towards Qiu Shuitao and his personal guard cavalry, who were indiscriminately slaughtering the Demonic Sect members. The "Yinming Iron Guard" was one of Xu Ling's trump cards, selected from the most talented disciples of the sect and taught the "Yinming Demonic Art." Although numbering only one thousand, each member possessed cultivation levels no less than the sixth rank or higher, making them extremely powerful. They were one of the powerful forces that prevented the Jade Dragon Kingdom from easily launching a siege, even though they knew the location of the Yinming Sect's headquarters. Xu Ling, the "Yinming," concerned for his only son and determined to seize control of the Treasure Island uprising, assigned three hundred men from his elite force to the "Amorous Young Master" Xu Xiaoyao—this was also why Xu Xiaoyao dared to openly seize control from Xue Qianqian, the Peach Blossom Fairy—whoever is stronger has a louder voice: in the eyes of Xu Ling and Xu Xiaoyao, the Peach Blossom Palace was always just a useful appendage.
When Qiu Shuitao, the "Jade-Faced Tiger," was engrossed in his killing spree, the leader of the "Yinming Iron Guard" leaped into the air, completely unfazed by Qiu Shuitao's charging momentum. From three zhang away, he merged body and blade, his unparalleled blade force carrying terrifying killing intent slashing through the air. Even before the blade arrived, the killing intent shook Qiu Shuitao's mind!
Shi Heng, the "Corpse-Strewn" leader! Although ranked last among the three commanders of the "Yinming Iron Guard," Shi Heng had killed far more people than the combined total of the other two commanders. The number of Jade Dragon spies and soldiers who died directly at Shi Heng's hands, including those who led the Jade Dragon army to attack the Yinming Sect's headquarters, was at least eight hundred, if not a thousand! The domineering power of the "Yinming Demonic Art" combined with the annihilating sword techniques honed in bloody battles could not be truly appreciated without experiencing it firsthand. Qiu Shuitao
channeled his "Autumn Wind Technique" to its peak, his longsword slashing fiercely between the thick-backed swords that were flashing like lightning—"Boom!" The two swords clashed, and Qiu Shuitao's tiger's mouth was torn open by the powerful force, sending him flying backward! He quickly channeled the "Autumn Wind Technique" in mid-air, barely managing to neutralize the "Yinming True Qi" that was attacking his meridians from his arm! His warhorse was shattered into pieces of flesh and blood, scattering everywhere! Shi Heng, however, merely used the momentum to retreat a few feet; within a single move, the difference in skill was immediately apparent! With
their commander suffering a setback, the four hundred elite Jade Dragon Army guards also faced a powerful attack from the "Yinming Iron Guard," whose strength far surpassed their own. Relying solely on their superior cavalry and excellent teamwork, they barely managed to maintain their undefeated status, yet men were constantly being cleaved in two, horse and all, by the exceptional experts of the "Yinming Iron Guard"!
"Light returns, the world is blessed!" Seeing the Jade Dragon Army's invincible and arrogant elite cavalry being utterly defeated, the Demonic Sect members' morale soared, and they charged fiercely towards the inner city walls again, shouting slogans!
"Brother Qiu, take charge! Secret agents, follow me!" Cao Leshui, the head of the secret agents beside Qiu Haoran, leaped ten zhang into the air, rushing towards the "corpse-strewn" Shi Heng. His sword flashed in mid-air, the "Flowing Water" sword technique unleashing a net of swords that enveloped Shi Heng. Seeing the Yinming Sect's elite "Iron Guard" appear, Cao Leshui knew he had no choice but to fight. If he didn't act now, Qiu Shuitao would surely perish under Shi Heng's blade, and the Jade Dragon Army would be doomed. If the Jade Dragon Army were to suffer a complete defeat in Keelung City and even on Zhenbao Island, his position as the Jade Dragon Spy Chief on Zhenbao Island would be over.
One hundred and fifty spies of rank six or higher, originally intended to pursue and annihilate the Demonic Cult's leaders, also leaped off the city walls following Cao Leshui's actions, joining Qiu Haoran's personal guard to barely withstand the powerful offensive of the "Yinming Iron Guard."
A chaotic battle erupted throughout the city's streets, rooftops, and houses within a two-to-three-mile radius of the inner city walls. Both Qiu Haoran and Xu Xiaoyao had somewhat underestimated the enemy's strength; their planned annihilation battles had turned into a protracted war, with neither side willing to back down. Except for the East Gate, Qiu Haoran ordered the Jade Dragon Army and guards responsible for guarding the other three outer city gates to join the battle, leaving only a small guard squad to defend the gates. He also issued an order that after this battle, the entire guard unit would be converted to regular army organization to boost morale. At this point, there was no time to worry about anything else; being able to drive the Demonic Cult out of Keelung City was already a stroke of luck.
The shouts, neighing of horses, screams, and the clanging of metal echoed across the skies above Keelung City, as did the shouts of over 20,000 Jade Dragon Army soldiers and guards, and nearly 40,000 members of the Demonic Cult
. The "Yinming Iron Guard" was simply too powerful; with only a little over 100 experts of the eighth rank or higher, the Jade Dragon spies and the Treasure Legion couldn't muster enough men to match them. The Demonic Cult members, in both numbers and the number of experts, far surpassed the combined forces of the Jade Dragon Army and the spies. In open field battles, the Treasure Legion might not have been afraid, but within the narrow streets of the city, the Jade Dragon Army's battle formations and charging techniques were greatly diminished, and they gradually fell into a disadvantageous position.
More than an hour passed, and dawn was approaching. Many of the guards had already secretly fled or hidden in houses and shops, and the Jade Dragon Army was showing signs of further weakness. A large number of members of the Demonic Cult had stormed the inner city walls. More importantly, after the West Gate was attacked by thousands of members from the surrounding towns, the remaining guard squad lost their will to fight and scattered when the Demonic Cult experts climbed the walls to seize the gate. After capturing the West Gate, the thousands of members then captured the South and North Gates. Subsequently, more than 30,000 members joined the battle inside the city!
The tide had turned! Qiu Haoran sighed and ordered more than a dozen carrier pigeons to be released, signaling the Jade Dragon Army to advance towards the East Gate of the outer city and retreat to the central area!
Amid the chaos in the city, apart from Qiu Haoran, the earth-shattering news of the Demonic Cult's capture of Keelung City was spread far and wide by various lurking forces using carrier pigeons—
******** ****
Treasure Strait, the wind was gentle and the sun shone brightly, the sea and sky blended into one.
Three hundred transport ships, fully loaded with 60,000 Yulong troops from the Second Division and the Second and Third Regiments of the First Division of the Yulong Eastern Army Corps, along with supplies, set sail at Chenshi (7-9 AM) on the seventh day of the ninth lunar month, following the orders of the Yulong King, towards Jubao Town.
At noon, two "Thousand-Mile Shadow"
carrier pigeons landed on the bow of the ship of Qiu Shuibo, the overall commander of the campaign and commander of the Second Division. Qiu Shuibo was twenty-seven years old, tall, straight, and well-proportioned, with handsome features. Despite commanding a large army, he dressed like a scholar, which made him appear even more refined and elegant, possessing both wisdom and courage. He waved a folding fan, exuding an air of unparalleled elegance and carefree grace. What was most attractive about him was not only the gentle look in his sharp eyes that could melt a woman's heart, but also the thick, elegant black mustache on his lips, which seemed to always give his masculine face a faint smile. He seemed approachable, yet always maintained an insurmountable distance from others. All of these combined to form his extraordinary and captivating charisma.
As the second son of Qiu Haoyu, the head of the Qiu family, Qiu Shuibo was remarkably low-key. He rarely displayed his martial arts skills, preferring instead to read, play the zither, and fish. This expedition to Treasure Island, if not for the inescapable decree of the Jade Dragon King, he would have preferred to let his elder brother, Qiu Shuiba, the First Division Commander, go instead. Qiu Shuiba and his third brother, Qiu Shuiliu, openly and covertly fought for the family headship, while Qiu Shuibo remained aloof, not out of a lack of ambition, but out of restraint.
Because he did not contend, no one could contend. In the struggle for the family headship, the first to act was not necessarily the ultimate victor. Qiu Shuibo was waiting for the perfect opportunity.
Qiu Shuiba was extremely dissatisfied with the fact that two of his subordinate regiments had been drawn into the battle while he himself had not been appointed commander. Only Qiu Shuibo knew in his heart that this battle would be difficult. Sure enough, just half a day after the ship set sail, they received an urgent message from Qiu Haoran delivered via two "Thousand-Mile Shadows."
"Notify the navy to turn towards the northern port!" Qiu Shuibo decisively ordered. Without waiting for orders from the Eastern Legion or decrees from the Jade Dragon Royal Court, Qiu Shuibo revealed a resolute and decisive side beneath his gentle exterior. The importance of the central, northeastern, and northwestern regions of Treasure Island was self-evident. If they proceeded as planned to annihilate the Free Army, regardless of whether a complete victory was achieved, even if the 60,000 Jade Dragon troops were to wipe them out unscathed, it would give the Demonic Sect ample time to seize vast areas of the central and northeastern regions, putting the Qiu family and even the entire Jade Dragon Kingdom at a complete disadvantage!
The Demonic Sect's uprising was tantamount to handing the Free Army a huge gift and doing them a great favor!

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