[Fantasy] A Eunuch Breaks into the Inner Palace (Complete) - 17

In Chapter 3 of Episode 5, at

dusk, after bathing and changing, Li Xiaomin went to Consort Qin's tent to treat her illness.
Before going, he had already hidden Hong Sanniang and her daughter in his own tent, guarded by ghost guards to prevent them from committing suicide. The ordinary soldiers, completely unaware that their general was keeping a mistress in his tent, had unwittingly taken advantage of the enemy leader. Inside
Consort Qin's tent, Consort Qin sat solemnly on her couch, her jade-like face serene. Li Xiaomin stood behind her, his hand resting on her fragrant shoulder, his expression grave as he carefully channeled his magical energy to treat her cold.
The immortal energy circulated within her body, and after a full cycle, Consort Qin gradually felt her illness subside. She opened her eyes and smiled, "Little Minzi, you've really worked hard."
Li Xiaomin hurriedly replied, "Your Majesty has shown me the greatest kindness, and it is only right that I do this!"
Consort Qin smiled, pulled him to her side, and gently stroked his hair, thinking with emotion, "What a filial child! Having him by my side makes me feel much warmer, even when I'm away from home!"
Her movements suddenly aggravated the wound on her chest, causing her to pale slightly as she frowned and endured the pain.
Li Xiaomin nestled in her warm embrace, feeling her jade-like breasts rubbing against his body. Just as his mind was racing, he suddenly felt her body tremble slightly. Looking up at her expression, he exclaimed in surprise, "Your Majesty, is it your injury...?"
Consort Qin nodded and sighed, "Yes, it's not serious, but it's quite bothersome."
Li Xiaomin, quick-witted, smiled and said, "Your Majesty, I can actually heal injuries, but I need to see the wound itself... this..."
Consort Qin hesitated, then, remembering the need to remove her clothes and reveal her breasts to him, she blushed and turned away from his gaze, saying lightly, "We'll talk about it later."
Li Xiaomin, feeling bored, chuckled dryly and didn't bring it up again.
Seeing that it was getting late and dinner time had arrived, their next task was to attend the victory celebration banquet.
The two entered the main tent one after the other, only to find all the generals kneeling on the ground, respectfully saying, "Welcome, Marshal!"
Hearing their sincere words, Consort Qin knew that her recent victories had earned the genuine respect of these officers. She was delighted and told them to rise. She then led Li Xiaomin to the main seat, where she drank and laughed with the generals.
Outside, the soldiers were also drinking and eating heartily, their laughter echoing throughout the camp.
Li Xiaomin drank freely, joining the generals in a hearty feast until late at night, when most were drunk and passed out, leaving only a few still struggling to
stay awake. Li Xiaomin, his vision blurred with alcohol, looked back and saw Consort Qin, who had also drunk a few cups, her cheeks flushed, swaying unsteadily at the table, displaying the charming, drunken beauty of a noblewoman. He was immediately captivated, went over, took her soft hand, and said playfully, "Your Majesty is drunk; this humble servant will escort Your Majesty back."
Consort Qin, still drunk, followed him. Inside and outside the tent, all the soldiers were drunk, and no one noticed their intimate actions.
As darkness fell, Li Xiaomin walked through the camp, supporting Qin Guifei's jade-like arm, gently stroking her warm hand, and reaching into her sleeve to caress her arm, finding it smooth and delicate, her snow-white skin incredibly alluring.
Qin Guifei, having drunk several cups, didn't seem offended, giggling as she leaned against the much shorter young man, and together they walked towards their tent.
The female soldiers, who hadn't drunk, were startled to see them return drunk and hurriedly went to serve them. Qin Guifei, however, rebuked them, ordering them to remain outside the tent and not enter.
The female soldiers initially dared not obey, but seeing Qin Guifei's drunken glances at them, seemingly filled with murderous intent, they were terrified and fled. Anyway, although Vice Commander Li was a general, he was a eunuch, so there wouldn't be any trouble if they were together. The female soldiers just needed to listen carefully outside the tent and be on guard. As soon as
they left the tent, Li Xiaomin mentally instructed Yue Niang to set up a spell to block out sound and prevent anyone from entering the tent.
Turning around, he saw Consort Qin sitting on a low chair in the tent, leaning against a table, her phoenix eyes slightly narrowed, seemingly drunk. Li Xiaomin's heart was stirred. He walked over from behind with a grin, reached out and hugged her delicate body, his thieving hands grasping her breasts and gently kneading them.
In the early morning, the chirping of birds broke the silence, slowly waking the sleeping beauty in the bedchamber.
She opened her eyes blankly, feeling something warm in her arms. Looking down, she saw a naked young man sleeping soundly in her arms.
A look of shock appeared on the woman's beautiful face, and her soft body stiffened.
She stared blankly at the young man's handsome face, desperately trying to recall the details of the passionate night before, which gradually returned to her mind.
Suddenly, her face turned panicked. She struggled to sit up, crawled between the young man's legs, and examined his genitals, her expression one of utter shock.
Speechless with astonishment, the beauty climbed on top of the young man, grabbed his ear, and whispered, "Xiao Minzi, don't pretend to be asleep, get up!"
Li Xiaomin opened his eyes, chuckled, and suddenly reached out to embrace her naked, sexy body. Ignoring her feeble resistance, he pushed her down onto the bed and once again penetrated her.
Intense pleasure engulfed Consort Qin once more. She moaned in a daze, gradually realizing that her body had told her the right choice. Whether for the sake of her family's interests or her own needs, she could no longer leave Xiao Minzi.
In the command tent, the army commander, Consort Qin, sat upright, her jade-like face solemn and imposing without anger.
The officers below all bowed their heads in awe, not daring to look directly at her dignified face.
Li Xiaomin stood below, his face calm and respectful, and bowed his head, saying respectfully, "Reporting to the Marshal, scouts at the front report that infighting has broken out within the rebel army. Most of their troops have now retreated to Jushan to prepare to resist our attack."
Consort Qin looked coldly at his handsome face, but a hint of emotion secretly rose in her eyes. She tried to speak in a cold voice, "Oh? What are the details of the infighting?"
Li Xiaomin respectfully repeated the report from the document: "According to reports, Jushan's strategist, the wise gorilla You Yong, and the earth-dragging king Gai Chao were ambushed and killed by the sorcerer Gongsun Bubai during their confrontation with Chuyunlong. It turns out that Chuyunlong Gongsun Bubai, who originally sat in the fourth golden chair, has successfully become the master of Jushan. He now sits in the first golden chair and, along with his confidants, controls the power of the stronghold." Consort
Qin asked curiously, "They fought each other, and Hong San... " "Where has Mother gone again? Why hasn't she returned to Jushan to handle this matter?"
Li Xiaomin hesitated, then lowered his head and replied, "After Hong Sanniang's defeat and escape, she disappeared and hasn't shown herself since. From what I can tell, she's probably afraid of the laws of our Great Tang and the military might of the Marshal, so she's hiding and dares not show herself."
Consort Qin was still somewhat surprised. Thinking that Hong Sanniang might have already died in the chaos of battle, she stopped thinking about it and raised her head to shout to the generals below, "Generals, heed my command!"
Li Xiaomin and Qin Yifu led their generals, bowing respectfully and solemnly saying in unison, "Please give the order, Marshal!"
Consort Qin stood up, supporting herself on the table, and declared loudly, "The army shall set off immediately, marching towards Jushan, determined to wipe out the Jushan bandits in one fell swoop, leaving no hidden danger!"
Led by Li Xiaomin, the generals bowed respectfully and replied, "Yes, we obey the Marshal's orders!"
Li Xiaomin bowed to Consort Qin while stealing glances at the beautiful woman he had just spent the night with. Seeing her standing proudly in the command tent, her body seemingly weak from the night's passion, yet still radiating a powerful and imposing aura, he couldn't help but be captivated. The thought of his own superior prowess, of being able to subdue this heroine and bring her to her knees, leaving her moaning and weeping, filled him with a surge of pride.
The army set off, slowly heading south, and by dusk, they camped in the wilderness.
Late at night, in Li Xiaomin's tent, the rich scent of perfume mingled with soft, panting sobs.
Li Xiaomin lay naked on his large bed, breathing heavily, feeling utterly satisfied. Of all the days he had been on campaign, only these few had brought him such pleasure.
Beside him, a pair of beautiful women embraced, weeping. Their appearances were remarkably similar, yet they seemed to be more than ten years apart in age; they were a mother and daughter, Hong Sanniang and Song Xixi.
Neither of them wore a single garment, their snow-white bodies bare, bearing faint scratches and teeth marks, their skin slightly flushed—traces left from intense lovemaking.
That night, Li Xiaomin wanted to stay in Consort Qin's tent, but she pleaded softly, saying she was too tired from the previous night and needed a good rest. Li Xiaomin couldn't bear to force this Consort, who had always cared for and loved him, to have sex with him, so he returned to his tent and favored these two beautiful women he had captured.
According to wartime rules, since this mother and daughter had been captured, it was only right that they be his slaves. However, their background was too powerful; hiding them for his own enjoyment without reporting to his superiors was a grave crime. Therefore, Li Xiaomin had to keep it a secret, hiding them in his carriage or tent every day, telling Hong Sanniang that it was to protect their lives.
Hong Sanniang was aware of his scheme, but for the sake of her and her daughter's lives, she had no choice but to obey his arrangements. She hid herself, afraid to face anyone, and at night, enduring shame and humiliation, served Li Xiaomin alongside her daughter. Her and her daughter's powers had long been sealed by Li Xiaomin's magic, rendering them unable to use them freely. Moreover, even if she resisted, it would be futile; it would only intensify the abuse they suffered.
However, this did not mean she willingly accepted Li Xiaomin's torment. Even though being with Li Xiaomin was indeed passionate and intense, the thrill of it overwhelming, she still couldn't bear to let her daughter share her pleasure with her. Raising her head, she embraced and comforted her daughter while angrily berating her, "You dog of a eunuch, how dare you force yourselves to rape us, mother and daughter!"
Li Xiaomin lay beside them, his hand caressing their soft breasts and skin, lazily saying, "What are you saying? Your Great Shun army, wherever you pass, you plunder and rape. You've probably done far worse than me, haven't you?"
Hong Sanniang retorted angrily, "Even if that's true, you're simultaneously possessing both of us, mother and daughter! Where is your humanity?
" Hearing her righteous and indignant rebuke, Li Xiaomin also became serious. He sat cross-legged on the bed, reached out and pulled Song Xixi from her arms, holding her close. He stroked the girl's smooth and slender body, and said solemnly, "The ethics of your era... are different from where I come from, so there's nothing to say."
Hong Sanniang gritted her teeth and said, "Nonsense! Human ethics and morality are universal. Did you come from some barbaric land?"
Li Xiaomin shook his head and said, "No way! The place I came from is much more civilized than here. Everything is done according to the law—at least that's what they say on the surface, although no one believes it." He took a breath, his fingers lightly caressing Song Xixi's breasts as she wept silently, lost in memories of the past: "
I remember many years ago, I saw a case in the newspaper: an old man who married a widow when he was young, divorced her years later, but fell in love with her long-lost daughter, got a marriage certificate, and became a legal couple."
Although Hong Sanniang didn't understand some of the technical terms he used, she roughly understood and covered her face angrily, saying, "Who is this person, daring to do such a beastly thing! Are we just going to let him do this?"
Li Xiaomin shook his head, "Of course not! After this matter spread, the public had a lot of complaints, saying that..." "It's 'taking both the mother and the daughter,' which is immoral, so someone went to court to say what they were doing was wrong."
He sighed, his fingers slowly entering the girl's narrow, moist forbidden area, and continued his discussion with her beautiful mother: "But the court said that the man and his new wife have no blood relation, and the girl is not his adopted daughter. Doing so does not violate the law, therefore it is a legal marriage. And the newspaper commentary also approves of this, which means that taking both the mother and the daughter is reasonable and legal in our area, and is strongly encouraged and promoted!"
Although he exaggerated a little, most of what he said was true. Hong Sanniang ignored the dialect in his words and understood his meaning. Covering her face, she angrily rebuked him, "What a barbaric land, a land of beasts! They actually promote incest as the right thing to do! How can such a depraved country not perish!"
Such absurd remarks naturally filled the patriotic youth Li Xiaomin with righteous indignation. He pressed her onto the bed, straddled her body, and roared, "How dare you insult my glorious and great motherland like this! Let me tell you the truth, you and your daughter have no blood relation to me. She is not my adopted daughter, and you are not my adoptive mother. This society is a polygamous society. You are both slaves I captured. By reason and law, I should take you all in. This is the legal act! Today, I will exercise my legal rights as the master!"
Under the bright sun, the army slowly advanced.
In the army, Li Xiaomin, fully armored and dressed in his armor, rode his warhorse through the ranks, secretly yawning. Suddenly, he heard the sounds of shouting and killing coming from afar and was slightly startled.
A messenger galloped up to him, knelt before his horse, and reported, "Reporting to the deputy commander, the marshal is engaged in battle with the enemy ahead. Please go and oversee the fighting."
Li Xiaomin quickly instructed his deputy to lead the troops, then spurred his horse forward to see for himself.
Reaching the front of the army, he looked around and saw towering mountains, rising majestically into the clouds. Between two mountains lay a pass, appearing extremely treacherous.
This pass was none other than Jialing Pass, a famous and formidable pass of the Southern Tang Dynasty. The government troops heading to Jushan to suppress the bandits would inevitably have to pass through this crucial route.
Jialing Pass was originally built by the small kingdom of Yue to defend against the Southern Tang army. Later, the garrison commander surrendered, Yue was destroyed, and the pass lost its function, except for a garrison stationed there for future use.
When the Da Shun army rebelled, they launched a surprise attack from behind Jialing Pass in the south, capturing it in one fell swoop and fortifying it to protect the Jushan Mountain stronghold.
The imperial army set up camp below Jialing Pass, preparing to attack.
At the very front of the army stood a burly, dark-skinned man leading a band of rebels, wielding two broadswords. He roared, "You government troops coming from the front, do you have the guts to send your commander out to fight us?"
Consort Qin, leading her army at Jialing Pass, her face grim, surveyed the formidable pass, easily defended yet difficult to attack. Hearing the burly man's words, she felt a surge of anger, spurred her horse, brandished her sword, and charged out from the ranks, pointing at the burly man and shouting, "Who are you, bandit general? State your name and face death!"
The burly man looked up and saw a female general approaching. She was fully armored, her body perfectly clad, riding a powerful warhorse, wielding a sharp and heavy broadsword. She possessed striking beauty, with white teeth and red lips, radiating a fierce and powerful aura. Combined with her beautiful face and the exquisite figure that her armor could not conceal, she possessed an indescribable and strange beauty.
The burly man, however, was a crude fellow and had no idea how to appreciate such a stunning beauty. He raised his
axe and laughed loudly, "Women who came from the front, get back here and tell your marshal to come and meet me! Tell him that my real name is Li Gui, also known in the martial arts world as Black Hemp!" Consort Qin was furious at his rude words. Without saying anything more, she spurred her horse and brandished her sword. Her steed galloped across the battlefield, heading straight for Li Gui.
Seeing the horse's rapid advance, and the gleaming, sharp broadsword slashing down with unparalleled force, Li Gui dared not be careless. He raised his axe to block, bracing himself with both arms, and shouted, "Break!"
As a foot soldier, he firmly planted his feet on the ground. The sword and axe clashed, the two powerful forces collided with a deafening roar that shook the soldiers on both sides.
The galloping horse passed Li Gui. Li Gui raised his axe, examined it before him, and suddenly exclaimed, "Impressive! I never imagined there were such formidable women in the world! I think they're no less powerful than Hong San Niang!"
He didn't care if such a shout would disrupt the morale of his troops; he simply let it out loud. His feet were already slightly embedded in the ground, a result of the immense force of Qin Guifei's blow.
Qin Guifei turned her horse around, swung her sword again, and fiercely slashed at Li Gui. Her momentum was heavy and fierce, enough to make anyone who witnessed it tremble. The soldiers watched as her eyebrows shot up, wielding a heavy, sharp broadsword to fiercely strike down the enemy general.
Her heroic spirit far surpassed that of any man; she was indeed the most valiant and fierce female general of the dynasty, and they were all filled with awe and admiration. Li Gui, strong as he was, was not about to be outdone by a woman. He immediately swung his axe, roared loudly, and engaged Qin Guifei in a fierce battle.
Both were formidable generals, attacking each other with relentless force. The clang of their weapons clashing echoed continuously, dust billowing across the battlefield. The sight of these two fierce warriors, their imposing presence and intense combat leaving the soldiers dazzled and amazed.
In the past, Qin Guifei would likely have succumbed to exhaustion and been defeated. However, recently, due to his nightly dual cultivation with Li Xiaomin, his physique had greatly improved after repeated practice. During his fierce battle with Li Gui, he felt an inexhaustible source of power flowing from within his body. In his dantian, there seemed to be a powerful force field that could generate strength, which secretly pleased him. With his spirits greatly invigorated, his moves became increasingly fierce, and his heavy, sharp broadsword swept wildly, enveloping Li Gui.
Li Gui struggled more and more as the battle progressed, and in shock, he cried out, "Where did you come from, you woman? Even Hong Sanniang couldn't beat me, how are you stronger than her!"
Consort Qin was overjoyed upon hearing this, knowing that Xiaomin had been a great help to her. Now her martial arts were far superior to that of the defeated and fleeing Hong Sanniang. Her heart was filled with gratitude towards him, and her broadsword moves became even more ferocious, causing Li Gui's arms to go numb and gradually making him fearful.
He roared, swinging his axe repeatedly, forcing Consort Qin back. He yelled, "You wretched woman, you're too strong! I'm not fighting you anymore!"
With that, he turned and fled towards the gate.
Consort Qin wasn't about to let him go. Seeing that this dark-skinned man was a reckless fool, probably inexperienced in battle and unaware that his horse was faster than him, she immediately spurred her horse after him, swinging her axe.
Li Gui, however, had been watching her movements closely. Hearing the wind rush past his ears, he suddenly rolled away, dodging the axe aimed at his head. His heavy body rolled on the ground, using a ground-rolling axe technique, he rolled close to the horse and swung his axe at its legs.
Since her ambush by Hong San Niang, Consort Qin had become more cautious in battle, already on guard against his feigned defeat. She immediately swung her axe, deflecting his axe with a clang, and her horse galloped away.
Consort Qin pulled on the reins, and the horse turned, charging towards Li Gui again. Li Gui had just gotten to his feet when suddenly a large sword, carrying the force to cleave the heavens and split the earth, came crashing down from the sky. He hastily raised his axe to defend, but his arms were already weak from the previous battle, and he was no match for the immense strength Qin Guifei possessed after their dual cultivation. With a deafening roar, his axe and a large black head flew into the air together. Blood from the black man's neck gushed into the air like a fountain, reaching over a foot high—a truly horrifying sight.
Warhorses galloped past the black man's corpse, their steel blades dripping with blood. The beautiful and valiant female general, however, was spotless. She spurred her horse past the pass, her beautiful eyes gleaming, coldly staring at the guards. Her gaze chilled them to the bone, forcing them to lower their heads, unable to meet the eyes of this ruthless female killer.
Li Gui's soldiers, seeing their commander dead, trembled with fear. Seeing Consort Qin still charging across the battlefield, sword in hand, they dared not even retrieve her corpse, scrambling to flee towards Jialing Pass, slamming the gate shut and refusing to come out.
The government troops behind, witnessing their marshal's display of might, slaying the enemy general with a single stroke, erupted in cheers. Led by Qin Yifu, they charged towards Jialing Pass with renewed vigor, launching a fierce attack. However, the enemy forces at the pass unleashed a hail of arrows, rolling logs, and stones, driving them back.
Consort Qin, having slain Li Gui, felt no fatigue and continued to command her troops. Seeing the fierce resistance at the pass, and realizing that a direct assault would be futile, she raised her hand and ordered her troops to return to camp and rest, to fight again another day.
Sitting in the central command tent, her generals came to congratulate her, saying that with the marshal's decisive victory, the enemy soldiers would surely be terrified and demoralized, making future attacks much easier.
Qin Yifu frowned slightly, cupped his hands, and said, "Marshal, Jialing Pass is easy to defend but difficult to attack. If our army forces an attack, I'm afraid it will be very difficult to take it. A prolonged stalemate here might also delay our advance. What should we do?"
Consort Qin frowned slightly, glancing at the generals. Seeing their troubled expressions, she knew they had no brilliant ideas
. She turned to Li Xiaomin, hoping this cunning young man might have a better plan. Her beautiful eyes swept over him, only to see that beneath Li Xiaomin's respectful exterior lay a sinister smile, his eyes gleaming as he appraised her body with ill intent.
Consort Qin blushed, knowing he must have a plan but was unwilling to reveal it, hoping to use it to demand something in return.
She coughed lightly, suppressing her embarrassment and striving to maintain her composure, and said in a deep voice, "Generals, you may leave for now. We can discuss this tomorrow."
Seeing that their marshal had no good solution, the generals bowed and withdrew, their hearts slightly troubled.
Inside the tent, only the two marshals remained, silently exchanging glances. Seeing Li Xiaomin's smile deepen, Consort Qin couldn't help but blush and gracefully turned away, leaving behind the tent without meeting his gaze.
Li Xiaomin chuckled inwardly and followed. Seeing the beautiful woman in armor enter her own tent, he strode confidently past the guards, adopting the air of a deputy marshal, and casually set up a barrier to block out sound from inside. Inside
the main tent, Consort Qin stood before a square table, her hands resting on it, intently studying the military map. Hearing familiar footsteps behind her, she didn't turn around, pretending not to hear, but her jade-like cheeks flushed crimson, a secret shyness welling up within her.
Li Xiaomin entered the tent and saw the captivatingly beautiful woman standing with her back to him at the table, studying a map. Even in her golden armor, her slender and alluring figure was undeniable. He chuckled and walked over.
Inside the tent, the female marshal and the young deputy commander of the imperial army, both clad in armor, were examining the marching map on the table. Bathed in sunlight, their gold and silver armor gleamed, inspiring a sense of awe.
Consort Qin whispered, "What plan do you have to take Jialing Pass?"
"I heard there's a small path in the mountains next to Jialing Pass. Is that true?"
Consort Qin's spirits lifted. She looked down at the map and excitedly said, "If it's true, we only need to send a surprise force to cross Jialing Pass from the mountains, circle around to the rear, and launch a surprise attack. We can achieve a great victory!"
Then, she frowned and said, "But we don't know where this path is yet, and we can't put all our hopes on it."
"Don't worry, such a big mountain, how could there not be a small path? It's just a little hidden, making it difficult to find. Don't worry, leave this to me. I will definitely find that path for you!"

(Episode 5, Chapter 4: Blue-Faced Yaksha)

On the mountain path, an army was carefully climbing the rocks, making difficult progress on this treacherous mountain path.
Leading the way was Li Xiaomin, the deputy commander of the government troops. As he easily climbed the cliffs, he secretly recalled the beautiful scenery of the previous day, smugly thinking that in the end, Consort Qin would be driven to tears by his powerful physique, forced to kneel between his legs on the bed, begging him to stop. At that moment, Li Xiaomin once again felt the ecstatic joy of his dream coming true.
To comfort Consort Qin, Li Xiaomin held her body and slept with her, allowing her to catch her sleep. He then used his magic to replenish her strength so she would have enough power to fight, lest the beauty harbor resentment towards him after her humiliation.
Now, he had come out to fight for her, determined to capture Jialing Pass as a reward for her diligent service.
After a day of arduous travel, Li Xiaomin's two thousand elite soldiers finally arrived at the rear of Jialing Pass. Hearing the distant shouts of the government troops attacking the pass from the north, Li Xiaomin gestured, and a group of elite soldiers dressed in the mixed uniforms of the enemy quietly dispersed to unfurl the prepared enemy flags, preparing to impersonate the enemy and sneak into the pass.
North of Jialing Pass, Consort Qin personally led the charge, urging her soldiers to fiercely attack the pass, her beautiful eyes anxiously fixed on the city walls, awaiting the arrival of the anticipated surprise attack.
Just as the battle grew increasingly fierce, a sudden roar of battle cries came from behind the pass. The defending troops on the pass were thrown into chaos, turning to look inside, their faces filled with terror.
Taking advantage of their confusion, the government troops below the pass surged forward, slaughtering the fleeing defenders.
Inside the pass, an elite force also unleashed a frenzied slaughter, killing countless enemy soldiers and advancing all the way to the pass's summit.
The leading young general, though handsome, possessed a fierce and murderous aura. A bloodied head hung at his waist, and he wielded a gleaming steel blade, hacking at anyone in sight. His body was covered in blood, yet he continued his relentless slaughter of enemy soldiers.
When he stepped onto the city wall and beheaded the last enemy soldier standing in his way, the cheers of the government troops above and below the gate shook the heavens and the earth.
Li Xiaomin strode onto the city wall, standing high atop the solid wall. He raised the head he had personally severed, and in the fierce wind sweeping across the pass, he roared, "The head of the traitorous general is here! Why do the traitorous soldiers not surrender now!" The
traitorous soldiers, fighting fiercely with the government troops all around the pass, heard this roar from afar. They looked up and saw the head, covered in blood, yet the face was still vaguely recognizable—it was the head of Lu Xing, the commander of Jialing Pass. Their faces turned ashen, and their fighting spirit vanished. Seeing this, their only options were to flee or surrender.
The gates of Jialing Pass slowly opened. The majority of the government troops below rushed in, quickly seizing control of strategic locations throughout Jialing Pass, rendering the remaining rebel forces powerless to resist.
Consort Qin stood on horseback before the pass, gazing at the awe-inspiring figure of the young man atop it. A tender feeling welled up within her strong heart.
Li Xiaomin's gaze swept over the soldiers below, passing over the many eyes filled with admiration and awe, and landed on the face of the beautiful female general who stood out like a crane among chickens. A wicked smile crept onto his lips.
Consort Qin's face suddenly flushed. Looking at Li Xiaomin's burning eyes, she sighed inwardly, knowing that tonight, staying inside Jialing Pass, she would face another sleepless night.
Jushan Mountain Stronghold, located on a huge island surrounded by eight hundred li of water, was a strategically important and easily defensible location. Therefore, despite repeated attacks by surrounding government troops over many years, they were unable to eradicate the Jushan bandits completely.
In resisting the government forces' attacks, Zhang, the bandit leader known as "Black Stripe in the Waves," played a crucial role.
In the first battle of the government forces' attack on Jushan, Yuezhou Commander He Jiong led a large fleet of ships carrying thousands of armored soldiers across the lake, intending to wipe out the Jushan bandits in one fell swoop. He aimed to nip the threat in the bud when their power was still weak. However, his ambitions were thwarted. Before they could even reach Jushan Island, Zhang, leading a large group of skilled divers, sank almost all the ships underwater, causing many government soldiers to fall into the water and die before they could even engage in battle.
He Jiong was even more unlucky. Although he fought bravely against the attacking rebel general Zhu Shun on the ship, his ship leaked, and he panicked, allowing Zhu Shun to slash him with his sword. After being captured, he was brutally tortured and killed with eighty-one cuts. His body was thrown into the water, where it was devoured by fish and shrimp, leaving no trace.
The army led by Consort Qin stopped at the edge of Jushan Marsh, set up camp, and began gathering ships to attack Jushan Island. However, intimidated by Zhang Ni's reputation, they dared not act rashly.
While the generals of each camp were secretly worried about whether their soldiers would be sent to the front lines and whether they would be sunk and drowned by Zhang Ni's large group of water monsters, they thought of asking the marshals for advice on how to deal with the threat of Zhang Ni and his water monsters.
But just when they needed the two marshals' decision most, both vanished without a trace, leaving them utterly bewildered. They couldn't tell if the marshals had a brilliant plan in hand, or if they were simply helpless and hiding, afraid to face anyone.
At this moment, their revered commander-in-chief lay alone on his large bed in his tent, his snow-white body naked beneath the brocade quilt, his beautiful eyes glazed over, emitting low, ecstatic moans.
Meanwhile, their devoted deputy commander, Li Xiaomin, emerged triumphantly from Consort Qin's bedchamber, humming a popular song from an bygone era. Without a single soldier in tow, he left the camp alone, quietly disappearing into the night towards the water.
On the water, hidden in a dense grove of trees, lay a small boat, which Li Xiaomin had ordered his men to find for him.
Li Xiaomin jumped onto the boat, disregarding everything else, immediately closing his eyes and sitting cross-legged to practice his martial arts. From a ethereal, ethereal place, a tiny ghost guard flew out, landed on the boat, picked up the oar, and steered the boat towards the deeper waters.
Countless small islands of varying sizes dotted the waters. The boat quickly reached a small, rocky islet, barely ten feet in size.
Li Xiaomin circulated his immortal energy within his body for several cycles, then slowly opened his eyes, stood up from the boat, and leaped onto the islet. He looked around; all he saw was a vast expanse of water, shrouded in night mist, stretching as far as the eye could see.
On the rocky islet, Li Xiaomin stood proudly, his hands forming a hand seal, his eyes slightly closed, and he murmured an incantation. A powerful force surged from his body, flowing into the water beneath his feet.
Ripples gradually spread across the water below the islet, the waves spreading outwards.
As Li Xiaomin chanted the mantra, the tremors on the water's surface gradually intensified, eventually becoming like a boiling pot, with water spraying upwards and bubbles surging and covering the surface.
In the distance, large areas of water were also shaking violently, and the fish and shrimp beneath the surface, unable to withstand the tremors, scrambled to escape.
Just as water was splashing and churning everywhere Li Xiaomin could see, a gigantic figure suddenly emerged from the water, its face ferocious, dripping wet, brandishing a trident and roaring, "Where did this brat come from, daring to disturb my rest?"
Li Xiaomin opened his eyes and stared intently, only to see that the figure that had emerged was at least twice his height, incredibly tall and robust. It wielded a three-pronged fork with nine steel rings attached; with every movement, water splashed everywhere, creating a deafening sound. His face was even more hideous and terrifying, his entire face a deep, deathly blue-gray, his eyes bloodshot, his fangs bared, glaring fiercely at Li Xiaomin, his teeth clenched as if he wanted to devour him.
Before his question had even finished, a loud splashing sound came from underwater, and from the bubbles rising to the surface, tiny heads emerged everywhere, equally hideous and terrifying. They quickly floated to the surface, each one dripping wet, their bodies swaying precariously, yet they were all little water ghosts, displaying various grotesque and malevolent forms, surrounding the monster from before, hissing and screaming, bolstering the momentum of his question.
In an instant, the water surface was teeming with water ghosts, their hissing and howling echoing through the night.
Facing such a terrifying opponent, Li Xiaomin remained calm as ever, cupping his hands and saying, "Your Majesty, please accept my greetings! I am Li Xiaomin. I apologize for disturbing Your Majesty's rest. I have come in haste and have not prepared any gifts, only a small token. Please accept this humble offering!"
The small boat had already been filled with sacrificial offerings by the soldiers; although the boat was small, the contents likely weighed several hundred pounds.
Seeing so many generous gifts, the leading ghost's expression softened slightly, and he nodded, saying, "Not bad, not bad, these things are enough to fill my teeth!"
Li Xiaomin smiled faintly, but inwardly he felt a surge of anger: "This guy has such a big appetite; this deal might not be easy to negotiate!"
Before coming, he had already sent his ghost guards to investigate among the local vengeful spirits. The one occupying this area of water was a sea patrol yaksha from the sea, whose name he didn't know. He was usually called something like Blue-Faced Yaksha. It was said that he had committed some crime in the East Sea and, fearing punishment from the Dragon King, fled the East Sea, defeating his pursuers and eventually arriving here, where he gathered a large number of water ghosts and became king. The local Dragon King, being a weak dragon, was far less powerful than the Dragon King of the East Sea. He spent his days drinking and living a carefree life, hiding in the deep waters and not bothering with anything. He was also secretly afraid of the Blue-Faced Yaksha's power, which was why the Blue-Faced Yaksha was able to gather such a large force in the waters.
This time, Li Xiaomin came alone to negotiate a deal. He deliberately came near the man's residence, using his magic to shake the water's surface, forcing him to reveal himself so they
could have a proper talk. To ensure his success, Li Xiaomin smiled and said, "Your Majesty need not worry. My Great Tang Dynasty is wealthy and powerful. This Jiangnan region belongs entirely to my Great Tang Dynasty. No matter how many offerings Your Majesty desires, it will not be difficult."
The Blue-Faced Yaksha, hearing this, was tempted and raised his head, laughing, "Gifts are always accompanied by requests. Speak, what brings you here?"
Li Xiaomin bowed respectfully and said, "The bandits of Jushan have raised an army and wreaked havoc on the people. Countless families have been wiped out, countless villages have been destroyed, leaving no one alive. Women and children have been captured, raped, and sold. They have committed countless atrocities. How can such a group be called a rebel army? Today, my imperial army has arrived to eliminate these villains and restore order..." The people of Jiangnan enjoy a peaceful and prosperous world! However, the rebel navy is numerous, and Zhang Ni and his henchmen are blocking the waters, preventing our army from crossing the marshland and attacking Jushan Island. We beg Your Majesty's permission to lend us several hundred water ghosts. If we can defeat Zhang Ni's navy, our army can advance unimpeded and annihilate the Jushan rebels. Your Majesty will then be greatly honored, and the court will surely reward you. A temple will be built for Your Majesty to reside in, where you will receive offerings from the people. Even Your Majesty's subordinates will be able to have monks sent by the court to perform rituals for them, or live permanently under Your Majesty's command, receiving offerings from the people. Wouldn't that be a win-win situation?" Upon
hearing this, before the Blue-Faced Yaksha could react, his ghostly subordinates were already excited, their faces showing excitement as they whispered among themselves, thrilled by this unexpected windfall.
After Li Xiaomin finished speaking, he calmly looked at the group of ghosts. They were all looking at the Blue-Faced Yaksha with eager eyes, clearly following his lead. If he nodded, the matter would be settled.
The Blue-Faced Yaksha's eyes flickered, but he coldly sneered, "You little brat, you dare to scheme against me! You think you can trick me into risking my life for you with such a small thing? You're too naive!"
The water ghosts' expressions changed, shock, regret, and dejection appearing on their faces. Lamentations and sobs emanated from some of the smaller ghosts, quietly rippling across the water's surface.
Li Xiaomin was also slightly surprised. He cupped his hands and asked, "Since Your Majesty feels this is not good, then may I ask what conditions Your Majesty desires to lend a helping hand? Please just tell me, and with the full power of the Tang Dynasty, we will surely be able to meet Your Majesty's request."
The Blue-Faced Yaksha laughed loudly, "I don't want anything! I'm living so well here now, with food and drink, why would I want to disrupt the current situation? Besides, Gongsun Bubai is an old friend of mine. With his help, I can live here peacefully, and I often receive gifts from him that he throws into the water—cattle and sheep, and sometimes people even give me food! As for the temple, Gongsun Bubai has also promised to build it for me. You tell me, I can get all this without doing anything, why should I listen to you, a junior, and fight and risk my life for you?"
Some of his water ghosts were given to him by Gongsun Bubai to eat. When they heard him talk about this, their faces showed indignation. However, intimidated by his power, they only dared to be angry in secret and dared not show it. When he saw this, they all lowered their heads.
Among the ghosts, a burly, malevolent ghost emerged, floating on the water before the Blue-Faced Yaksha. He bowed deeply on the water and hissed, "Your Majesty! The Giant Mountain bandits have committed countless evil deeds. My subordinate, He Jiong, and thousands of my brothers were killed by them. I beg Your Majesty to remember my unwavering loyalty and allow me to lead my brothers who were killed to aid the imperial army in a final battle against these villains!"
Li Xiaomin looked up and saw that the ghost was covered in blood, with countless wounds that reached deep into his lungs. It was indeed Commander He Jiong, who had been slashed eighty-one times. His appearance was extremely tragic and terrifying.
Upon hearing this, the Blue-Faced Yaksha flew into a rage and said, "How dare you, He Jiong! What are you to make demands of me! Get back now, or I might beat you to a pulp in my anger, and then you'll regret it!"
He Jiong looked up at the Blue-Faced Yaksha with anger on his face, but he was so furious that he couldn't speak for a moment.
Seeing his appearance, the blue-faced yaksha was enraged. He brandished his steel fork and shouted, "What? Do you dare to disobey my judgment?"
Li Xiaomin, fearing that He Jiong would be pierced by his fork and he would lose a helper, quickly cupped his hands and smiled, "Please, Your Majesty, calm down. I suddenly remembered that before the expedition, I passed by Commander He's house and, on behalf of the court, offered my condolences. His wife and children entrusted me to deliver a letter to them, which I was to burn by the water. Since we have met here, I beg Your Majesty to have mercy and allow me to deliver the letter to Commander He. I will certainly repay this favor in the future and offer three times the amount of sacrificial offerings to Your Majesty."
The blue-faced yaksha glared at him, but for the sake of the offerings, he decided to spare He Jiong's life for the time being. He lowered his head and shouted at He Jiong's wronged spirit, "Hurry up!"
Impatient with He Jiong's slow flight, he immediately kicked him, sending He Jiong's spirit flying towards the reef island amidst a spray of water.
He Jiong's ghost, riding the wind, rushed to the rocky island, knelt before Li Xiaomin, and choked out, "This humble official is incompetent; I failed to quell the bandits of Jushan, and instead caused the deaths of thousands of soldiers here. Now that you have come, General, I have no face to see you!"
Li Xiaomin hurriedly stepped forward to return the greeting, saying, "Commander He, please rise! There is a message from home; please listen!"
He brought his mouth close to He Jiong's ghostly ear, using his divine voice to whisper into the ghost's ear: "Commander He, to be honest, there is no letter from home. However, I need your assistance to completely eradicate the Jushan bandits. If you and your men achieve great merit, I will find a way to allow you to leave this place." "Bound by this land, I can return home to see my wife, children, and elderly mother, and have my entire family bestowed with imperial honors. Commander He will then be spared from eternal suffering here!"
He Jiong looked up in shock at Li Xiaomin's sincere face, feeling the surging immortal power within him. He began to believe it: "This general possesses such powerful magic. It's possible that he can free me from my water ghost status and escape the bondage of death. Moreover, although his military uniform doesn't reveal his rank, it indicates he's a general with a high position and power in the army. Helping my family would be a simple matter for him."
Thinking of his elderly mother and his helpless wife and children, He Jiong felt a pang of sorrow, and two lines of ghost tears slowly flowed from his ghostly eyes.
The blue-faced yaksha, seeing him sobbing and wailing, felt contemptuous and impatient. He shouted, "Are you done? He Jiong, get back here! Don't act like a woman and embarrass me!"
Li Xiaomin, however, cupped his hands and smiled, "Your Majesty, I almost forgot. On my way here, I obtained a priceless treasure, which I have come to present to Your Majesty. Please accept it!"
The blue-faced yaksha snorted and said disdainfully, "Trying to bribe me with something? I'm afraid you can't!"
Li Xiaomin pulled a small box from his robes, opened it, and exclaimed in amazement, "Such a fine magic weapon is truly unparalleled! If it weren't for my reverence for Your Majesty's majesty, I truly wouldn't be willing to give it away!"
The Blue-Faced Yaksha, seeing his vivid description, couldn't help but become curious. His massive body moved across the water, striding onto the rocky island, and he said in a muffled voice, "What good thing is it? Let me see!" He had already decided to seize it.
His heavy footsteps caused the rocky island to tremble violently, as if it were about to sink underwater. Li Xiaomin was secretly alarmed. Before the Yaksha could reach him and snatch it, he reached into the box and took out a huge black pearl, holding it up to the Blue-Faced Yaksha, and laughed, "This is it!" The
Blue-Faced Yaksha, curious, craned his neck to look, and just as he was about to take it, the black pearl suddenly burst forth with a beam of black light, carrying immense spiritual power, and shot straight towards him!
The blue-faced yaksha was shocked and was about to dodge when the black light, like lightning, slammed into his right hand. With a loud bang, the black light pierced through his hairy right palm, causing him to scream in agony.
The black light, having pierced his giant hand, didn't stop, slamming heavily into his right shoulder, sending him flying. His entire body was shrouded in black mist, his massive form curled into a ball, seemingly in extreme pain.
After expending a great deal of spiritual power, Li Xiaomin's face was slightly pale. He took a few breaths and then chanted the incantation again, preparing to activate the Underworld Pearl, unleashing black light to attack the blue-faced yaksha.
Through long-term exploration and practice, Li Xiaomin gradually began to master the method of using the Underworld Pearl to make it even more powerful. This time, he was determined to kill the Blue-Faced Yaksha in one fell swoop to prevent him from ruining his grand plan. As he chanted the incantation, his immortal power surged through his body, disregarding his own consumption; eliminating the Blue-Faced Yaksha was his top priority.
On the ground, the Blue-Faced Yaksha, shrouded in black mist, suddenly roared, forcefully breaking free of his restraints and leaping up. With a wild roar to the sky, his clothes tore open, revealing his strong muscles. A powerful burst of spiritual energy erupted from his body, instantly shattering the black mist, which dissipated into the wind.
Glaring at Li Xiaomin, the Blue-Faced Yaksha roared, "You brat, how dare you ambush your grandfather! Die!"
He gripped the three-pronged heaven-supporting trident tightly in his left hand, the tips pointing downwards, and with all his might, he thrust it towards the top of Li Xiaomin's head!
Before the trident even arrived, black mist had already permeated the area around Li Xiaomin's body. Spiritual energy once again radiated from the black bead in Li Xiaomin's hand, a terrifying black light surging out wildly, shooting rapidly towards the Blue-Faced Yaksha's chest!
The moment the spiritual energy was unleashed, the Blue-Faced Yaksha, who had just suffered a loss, knew something was wrong. Forgetting about injuring Li Xiaomin further, he flipped backward, rapidly releasing his own spiritual energy to protect himself from the black light piercing his chest and killing him instantly.
The black light, however, wouldn't let him go, breaking through his protective spiritual energy and slamming heavily into his chest. The Blue-Faced Yaksha screamed and was sent flying a considerable distance, his massive body crashing heavily at the point where the reef met the water, splashing water ten paces away with a deafening roar.
Li Xiaomin, panting, his face even paler, raised the Underworld Pearl high and sneered, "Blue-Faced Yaksha, tell me, will you surrender or not?"
Though he asked this, he was secretly gathering immortal power, silently reciting incantations, preparing to activate the Underworld Pearl's power again to kill the Blue-Faced Yaksha.
The Blue-Faced Yaksha gritted his teeth and said, "I won't surrender!" With a flip, he rolled into the water.
He wasn't reckless; seeing the situation turning against him, he wanted to slip away and retreat into the water to rest and recover. Since Li Xiaomin was currently on the island, unless he could fly away, his water ghost subordinates would surely kill him if he tried to leave by boat!
Seeing the blue-faced yaksha trying to escape, Li Xiaomin's expression suddenly changed. The immortal power gathered around him instantly turned icy cold. He quickened his pace, chanting incantations and urging his immortal energy to gather around him.
Suddenly, Li Xiaomin knelt on one knee, his right hand outstretched, palm slamming heavily onto the ground, shouting, "Heaven and Earth Freeze, Ten Thousand Feet of Frozen Ice!"
With this roar, the entire reef island instantly turned snow-white, and the water around the island quickly froze, shimmering with a cold luster.
Li Xiaomin gritted his teeth, channeling all his immortal power into the ground, chanting the Frozen Ice Incantation. As far as the eye could see, the water surface rapidly froze into ice, which continued to spread into the distance.
The blue-faced yaksha was tumbling and sinking into the water. His body had only sunk halfway when the surface froze, trapping most of his body beneath, leaving only his head and left half above water.
The blue-faced yaksha was terrified and was about to struggle free when his expression suddenly changed. He looked up at the sky and saw countless vengeful spirits suddenly emerge from the dark void, wielding swords, spears, and halberds, howling wildly as they charged downwards!
The swords and spears were like a forest, chilling and menacing; their killing intent was violent, crisscrossing the heavens and earth. Every blade was aimed directly at his head. The blue-faced yaksha was terrified, his heart pounding with fear. He hurriedly raised his left hand, roared, and swung his trident upwards to meet the attack!
Countless vengeful spirits, having waited for this moment to launch their attack, had been lurking in the air for a long time, gathering their strength to the fullest. With a frenzied howl, a forest of sharp spears and blades pierced heavily into the Blue-Faced Yaksha's body. Even with his thick skin and flesh, he was riddled with holes, his screams of excruciating pain echoing in all directions, sounding extremely shrill and terrifying in the dark night.
In his agony, he desperately swung his steel fork, resisting the sharp spiritual blades piercing down from the sky. Blood flowed from the countless wounds on his massive body, splashing onto the ice, staining the snow-white surface crimson.
The ghost guards, ordered to ambush him here, had long been eager to take his life, and they were not about to let this wounded and powerful enemy go. Their swords and blades lashed down like the wind, breaking through the Blue-Faced Yaksha's protective immortal aura, relentlessly slashing at his body. If the Blue-Faced Yaksha had not possessed immense spiritual power, he would have already been cut into pieces.
With his life hanging in the balance, the Blue-Faced Yaksha dared not hold back any longer. A giant bracelet on his left wrist suddenly emitted a blinding white light, so intense it dazzled and terrifying, illuminating the world. The surrounding ghosts screamed, their spiritual power rapidly diminishing as the dazzling white light shone upon them. Their spirits, as if struck by a heavy blow, instantly weakened.
Not only were Li Xiaomin's ghost guards affected, but even the water ghosts under the Blue-Faced Yaksha's command were caught in the crossfire, screaming in agony.
Li Xiaomin's ice-freezing technique was originally intended only for the Blue-Faced Yaksha; as a demon, he could be frozen solid. The water ghosts, being spirits, were unaffected by the ice. Caught off guard by the sudden turn of events, they were stunned and speechless, watching in disbelief. Suddenly struck by the white light, they felt their spiritual power vanish, suffering excruciating pain. Several newly recruited water ghosts, unable to withstand the intense spiritual light, screamed in agony as their souls scattered, never to exist again.
A large number of ghost guards in the air, though they had cultivated for many years, could not withstand the white light and retreated, covering their faces in terror.
The Blue-Faced Yaksha, having exhausted all his immortal power and activated the Giant Spirit Bracelet, seized the opportunity to catch his breath. Without pausing, he immediately swung his left fist, slamming it with all his might onto the ice!
The giant fist, accompanied by a whistling wind, crashed heavily onto the ice with immense force, producing a deafening roar. Even the hard, frozen ice trembled violently!
The snow-white, hard ice shattered, breaking three feet below the surface. The Blue-Faced Yaksha, using his last remaining strength, scrambled to his feet. His body was covered in shards of ice, half-covered in blood. Standing amidst the ice, his burly frame pointed at Li Xiaomin and roared, "You coward! You only dare to attack from the shadows! You're no hero!"
Li Xiaomin, his face deathly pale, had exhausted all his magical power. For him, the most difficult thing wasn't defeating the Blue-Faced Yaksha, but preventing his escape. If he escaped back into the water, catching him would be much harder. He himself was unskilled in water combat, and few of his ghost guards were also adept at swimming. Although he could use a water-avoidance spell to search for him, in the Blue-Faced Yaksha's territory, if a real fight broke out, he feared he might not be the one to lose.
Therefore, he could only use all his immortal power to unleash this vast ice-freezing spell to prevent the Blue-Faced Yaksha from escaping back into the water. Although the ice-freezing spell was only a minor immortal technique, freezing such a wide expanse of water still exhausted all his immortal power. He was now swaying and had no strength left to fight.
However, he could also see that the Blue-Faced Yaksha's situation was not much better than his own. The giant bracelet on his wrist, although possessing immense magical power, consumed a great deal of spiritual energy. He feared that activating it had already depleted most of his spiritual energy.
Li Xiaomin breathed heavily, not answering the Blue-Faced Yaksha's words, but mentally commanding the ghost guards to surround him and not let him escape.
The ghost guards, who had fled in terror, were now summoned by their master and immediately roused themselves, brandishing their weapons and surrounding the Blue-Faced Yaksha. They roared fiercely and slashed wildly at the Blue-Faced Yaksha with their swords, spears, and halberds.
The gigantic, blue-faced yaksha, covered in blood, brandished his trident and fiercely resisted the onslaught. His sheer ferocity allowed him to fight the numerous ghost guards to a standstill, who, despite their superior numbers, were unable to defeat him.
Although confident in his strength and disdaining to ask for help, the yaksha, faced with this unfavorable situation, had no choice but to shout, "Where are my men? Come out and help me!"
The water ghosts, who had been cowering to the sidelines, watching the battle with shock and fear, heard his cry and knew that their usually all-powerful king was about to collapse, hence his shameless plea for help.
Immediately, one of his loyal henchmen drew his spirit sword and roared, "Minions, follow me! Help the king kill these scoundrels!"
A group of water ghosts, not particularly afraid of death, charged forward. The others, however, only dared to shout encouragement from the sidelines, or merely went through the motions, slowly raising their swords and attacking, their eyes darting around, afraid of being injured in the melee.
The leading water ghost raised his spirit blade and slashed heavily at one of the outer ghost guards. The guard turned to defend, and the blades clashed with a resounding hiss.
The leading water ghost raised his blade to fight again, when suddenly his ghostly body trembled violently. A spirit blade came from behind and slashed heavily at his waist, severing his spirit body in two.
Pain etched on the water ghost's face. Turning back to face He Jiong, who stood behind him, brandishing his sword and glaring angrily, he groaned through gritted teeth, "Why, you traitorous wretch..."
He Jiong, his face contorted with rage, wielded his spirit sword with the ferocity of the wind, slashing horizontally and vertically in a flurry of eight strikes in mid-air, cleaving the water ghost into pieces. He gritted his teeth and said, "The bandits of Jushan killed my brothers! I will never forgive them! If I cannot wipe them out in life, I will become a vengeful ghost in death, devouring their souls!"
He looked up at the sky and roared, "My fellow soldiers, we have died at the hands of these bandits, suffering in this place. Is there no end to this? Today, the general has come to save us from this sea of suffering. Why not come with me, slay the Blue-Faced Yaksha who aided and abetted the bandits, and then help the imperial army to slaughter all the bandits and vent our hatred!"
The water ghosts were stunned by his actions. The thousand-odd soldiers who had followed him to the bandits, their wronged souls scattered across the waters, were under the control and coercion of the Blue-Faced Yaksha, unable to capture any of the waterborne bandits to avenge their grievances. Now, a hundred or so of his former subordinates, hearing their old commander's orders, howled fiercely, their faces contorted with rage, brandishing their demonic blades and claws, wishing they could seize some bandits on the spot and kill them to vent their anger.
The Blue-Faced Yaksha's loyal subordinates, however, roared and cursed He Jiong, accusing him of betraying his king and declaring that when the king displayed his divine power, he would surely annihilate him, leaving not a trace of his soul!
Before the ghost guards could attack, these water ghosts had already begun to fight amongst themselves. He Jiong led his hundred-odd men in a fierce battle against the Blue-Faced Yaksha's loyal ghosts, the cries of ghosts and demons echoing across the frozen surface.
On the rocky island, Li Xiaomin, having caught his breath, saw the chaotic scene and shouted, "I am Li Xiaomin, the deputy commander of the imperial army, with a large force at my command. If you loyal souls are willing to help me quell the bandits, I will certainly petition the court to grant you a proper release from the dead, so you will not be eternally water ghosts, suffering in the water every day! As for your families, if any are still alive, I will definitely send people to take care of them and ensure they do not go hungry!"
Upon hearing this, the situation among the water ghosts immediately became even more chaotic. Among these water ghosts were many government soldiers who had been killed in the water during previous bandit suppression campaigns. Although they were not He Jiong's subordinates, they still had some familial ties, but were afraid of the lingering power of the Blue-Faced Yaksha and dared not openly rebel. Hearing Li Xiaomin's words, and thinking of their miserable, ghostly lives, even if they fought desperately, they would only be scattered to the winds. Being able to help their families survive in this chaotic world was already a great fortune.
Once the decision was made, a large number of water ghosts howled and brandished their claws, joining the battle. They attacked from behind or surrounded the water ghosts loyal to the Blue-Faced Yaksha, howling and biting fiercely.
The Blue-Faced Yaksha had intended to call for reinforcements, but unexpectedly, his call only resulted in a surge of enemy ghosts. Enraged, he saw the dire situation and dared not linger. He stomped his feet hard on the ice, propelling his massive body into the air. He frantically swung his trident, knocking away several ghost guards blocking his way. Despite being slashed by weapons from all directions, sustaining dozens of wounds, he shot straight into the sky.
In the dark sky, a giant hammer suddenly appeared, crashing down on the Blue-Faced Yaksha's head, intending to shatter it on the spot, scattering countless peach blossoms across the vast ice surface!
Startled by the powerful spiritual energy, the Blue-Faced Yaksha raised his fork to defend himself, but the immense force slammed him down on the tip of the fork. Weakened and injured, the Blue-Faced Yaksha could not withstand the onslaught and his massive body plummeted downwards, crashing heavily onto the ice. Shards of ice scattered everywhere, the white ice temporarily obscuring the vision of the other ghosts.
In the sky, General Sha led his ambush of fierce ghosts, swooping down and swinging his giant hammer at the Blue-Faced Yaksha. The
Blue-Faced Yaksha leaped up with all his might, raising his fork to defend, but he could only parry and could not launch an attack.
Meanwhile, the infighting among the water ghosts was nearing its end. Under Li Xiaomin's orders, a group of ghost guards joined the battle, slaughtering the water ghosts loyal to the Blue-Faced Yaksha. The water ghosts who had been watching, seeing the situation drastically change, also changed their tune, surrounding the dwindling minority and howling pitifully as they tore their former comrades to pieces, letting their souls dissipate unwillingly between heaven and earth.
He Jiong, having cleaved a water ghost leader in two with a single stroke, watched as he was overwhelmed and torn apart by the surging horde of water ghosts. His anger still burning, he raised his sword and roared, "Men, follow me! Help Commander Li slay the Blue-Faced Yaksha! This entire area of water will be our territory from now on!" The water ghosts, who had
barely survived the Blue-Faced Yaksha's formidable power, roared excitedly, following He Jiong as they charged towards their former master, who was being besieged by the ghost guards!
The blue-faced yaksha's eyes were already bloodshot. While wielding his fork to deflect the barrage of spirit blades and swords slashing down at him, he glared at Li Xiaomin, who stood with his hands behind his back, and roared angrily, "You scoundrel! You're utterly despicable, shameless, and vile! You've resorted to sneak attacks, ganging up on me—you'd do anything to get away with this!"
Li Xiaomin looked at his opponent, who was now in dire straits, and sneered, "I didn't come here to compete with you. As long as I defeat you, why should I care about anything else? The motto of us young people in the new century is: 'It doesn't matter if the cat is black or white, as long as it catches you, it's a good cat!' As for benevolence, morality, dignity, and justice, do you think our teachers taught us any of that in class?"
He waved his right hand, pointing at the blue-faced yaksha, and coldly said, "Beat him up!"
The ghost guards rallied their spirits and fiercely attacked the blue-faced yaksha from all sides, but they also secretly remembered Li Xiaomin's teachings: they must be careful to protect themselves and not let the blue-faced yaksha destroy their souls, thus weakening their own forces. Therefore, the ghost guards supported each other, carefully preventing their comrades from dying. Even if a ghost was injured, it was immediately carried off the battlefield and treated by its companions. They would feed it fragments of enemy water ghosts, and before long, it had replenished some of its spiritual power and regained some strength.
At this moment, He Jiong led a large group of water ghosts to charge forward. With fierce roars, countless spirit blades and ghost claws slashed and clawed at their former master.
Seeing that the water ghosts dared to rebel, the Blue-Faced Yaksha was enraged. He fiercely pierced through the spirits of several water ghosts eager to make a name for themselves with his fork, and with a powerful swing, he shattered several water ghosts into dust, which then dissipated into the wind.
He swung his sword with gusto, but a hammer slammed down from behind, striking his spine with a resounding thud.
The Blue-Faced Yaksha screamed and collapsed to the ground. Countless spirit blades seized the opportunity to swiftly slash, instantly severing his left hand. Both legs were also struck by spirit blades, the wounds reaching deep into the bone marrow, causing him to scream in agony.
The water ghosts, having suffered so much at his hands, seeing their once invincible water king wounded and fallen, were eager to avenge themselves. They followed He Jiong, frantically pouncing on the Blue-Faced Yaksha, biting and clawing wildly. Although Li Xiaomin shouted loudly, urging them to keep the Blue-Faced Yaksha's remains to see if they could still be used, by the time the ghost guards dispersed the water ghosts, all that remained on the ice was a pile of bones and bloody, rotting flesh.
Even though they were enemies, seeing the Blue-Faced Yaksha's gruesome state made Li Xiaomin shudder. He turned away, not wanting to look at him again.
He Jiong was panting heavily, and it took him a long time to calm down. He rummaged through the pile of rotten flesh and finally found the huge bracelet. However, fearing the terrifying magic power on it, he dared not touch it. He bowed to Li Xiaomin and said, "Lord Li, the Blue-Faced Yaksha left behind a magical treasure. This lowly ghost dares not keep it without permission. Please accept it, sir."
Li Xiaomin was curious and forced himself to walk to the corpse. He drew his sword from his waist, picked up the bloody bracelet, and saw that it was as big as a watermelon. He thought to himself, "Is this still a bracelet? If I want to use it, I can't put it on my wrist. I'll have to put it on my thigh!"
Although he didn't know how to use it, Li Xiaomin still accepted the magical treasure with a smile, intending to keep it to study later. He gave He Jiong a few more instructions, telling him to summon the water ghosts from the nearby marshes to come and listen to his lecture. Then, he used his knife to pick up the giant bracelet and walked away on the ice, intending to find a place where the freezing spell hadn't reached to wash the bracelet properly, so he wouldn't bring back this disgusting mess and keep him up at night.

Episode 5, Chapter 5: A Fierce Naval Battle .

The government army's large ship slowly sailed on the water, heading towards Giant Mountain Island.
Li Xiaomin, dressed in the uniform of a naval commander, stood proudly at the bow, his hand on his sword hilt, feeling extremely proud and exhilarated.
Around this large ship were numerous small boats, all filled with government soldiers, each holding swords and spears, nervously watching the water.
It was no wonder they were worried; the Giant Mountain bandits were skilled in naval warfare, and who knew how many government soldiers had drowned in these marshes. Remembering the fate of their comrades, the government soldiers couldn't help but feel terrified.
Li Xiaomin wasn't worried at all. He had volunteered to serve as the commander-in-chief of the naval attack after requesting permission from Consort Qin, showing he was absolutely confident. He was even secretly hoping the enemy navy would appear so they could finish the battle quickly and call it a day.
Looking down at the splashing water beneath the boat, Li Xiaomin sighed inwardly. It was a pity the waterway was too vast, and his Ice-Freezing Spell only lasted half an hour. Otherwise, once he cast the spell, the water would be as flat as ice, and he could simply lead his troops across on the ice. Why would he care about the enemy navy?
Just then, a loud gong sounded on the water. Li Xiaomin looked up and saw a naval force approaching from a side channel in small boats. The leader, a man in his thirties or forties with a full beard, wearing leather armor, tall and muscular, pointed at Li Xiaomin and laughed loudly, "Vice Commander Li, you've come in person! I'm so sorry for not greeting you properly!" Some
soldiers nearby recognized him and exclaimed, "It's Zhu Shun! Zhu Shun, the commander of the bandit navy!"
Li Xiaomin glanced at Zhu Shun, too lazy to say anything more, and waved his hand. The government troops then sailed their boats, large and small, towards Zhu Shun's navy.
Zhu Shun laughed heartily but did not engage in battle. He turned around and gestured for his navy to head straight for the side channel.
Seeing the bandits retreat, the government troops were greatly encouraged, loudly cursing Zhu Shun for being a coward who dared not engage in battle, and for fleeing at the mere sight of the imperial army.
Li Xiaomin, however, knew that Zhu Shun was simply trying to lure him into pursuit. Seeing that Zhu Shun had gone to such lengths to set a trap, he couldn't refuse his enthusiasm, so he lazily waved his hand and said listlessly, "Pursue!" Upon
hearing the word "pursue," the government troops, receiving the order, loudly agreed and quickly rowed their boats in the direction the enemy had fled.
Standing at the bow, watching the enemy flee further and further away, Li Xiaomin was not in a hurry. He simply ordered his ships to stay close together, lest the enemy seize the opportunity to attack and cut them off.
The water ahead became increasingly narrow, making it difficult for the large ships to move. Li Xiaomin then ordered the large ships to stop, lazily saying, "Since the bandits have already fled, let's go back and rest!"
The government troops were surprised to hear this. Why were they going back before even engaging in battle? But since the general had given the order, they had no choice but to obey. They turned their boats around and rowed backward.
Just as they were retreating, a gong suddenly sounded, echoing across the water. Several fleets of boats emerged from the nearby channels, carrying the bandits of Jushan. They shouted, "You dog of an official, where do you think you're going to run?"
The government troops, realizing they had been ambushed, panicked and shouted. Li Xiaomin turned and glared at them, yelling, "What's the panic? Shoot them with arrows!"
The government troops snapped to attention and hastily raised their bows to shoot, but because of the distance, the arrows fell into the water before reaching the target, drawing laughter from the bandits rowing their boats.
Li Xiaomin sighed. He thought that this government army was newly led and he hadn't properly trained them. Moreover, most of them were new to naval warfare, so this was already quite good. He then summoned messengers and ordered them to wave flags and use signal sermons to give orders to the captains of each boat.
Under the command of their generals, the officers and soldiers on each ship raised their powerful crossbows, aimed at the distant enemy vessels, and unleashed a rapid volley of arrows.
The bandits on the bows, who had been loudly mocking the approaching arrows, were terrified. Before they could react, they were struck by the arrows, blood spurting out. Several bandits collapsed onto their ships or plunged into the water, staining it crimson.
Seeing the long range of the government troops' crossbows, the bandits panicked. They steered their ships closer to the government ships, seeking engagement, while simultaneously firing arrows at the government vessels from afar.
The officers and soldiers on the ships, mostly archers handpicked by Li Xiaomin from the army, were not afraid of exchanging fire with the bandits. While their shield bearers raised their shields for protection, they drew their bows and fired arrows at the distant bandit ships.
Arrows filled the sky as the two naval forces exchanged fire, gradually closing in. Amidst the fierce exchange of arrows, wounded soldiers frequently screamed as they tumbled overboard. The rebel army, however, suffered far greater casualties.
A government soldier's shield bearer, shielding his comrades behind him, glanced down and caught a glimpse of a shadow flashing underwater. Startled, he cried out, "Water ghosts! The rebels have sent water ghosts to sabotage our ships!"
The government soldiers were all terrified. The Jushan bandits had always been able to withstand government encirclements without fear, largely due to their exceptional swimming skills. Now, the enemy had used this tactic; how could the government troops, lacking diving soldiers, possibly resist?
On the other side, Li Xiaomin stood at the bow of the large ship, frowning in astonishment: "How come there's such a talent among my officers and soldiers? He can even see the water ghosts I sent out? Oh, I know, they call combat divers 'water ghosts.' Zhang Ni's unit is the Giant Mountain Water Ghost Force
. Now, water ghosts against water ghosts, this is going to be a good show!" Below the surface, Zhang Ni, the leader of the Da Shun navy, concentrated and swam vigorously towards the government ship.
Even underwater, he stared intently, seeing clearly through the clear river water.
Having lived in the water for a long time, his swimming skills were unbelievably good. He spent most of his time in the water every day, often single-handedly lifting a large fish ashore, astonishing his subordinates and the leaders of the mountain stronghold.
His arms swam vigorously underwater, the government ship right in front of him, completely clear except for the water.
A surge of intense excitement and pride welled up within him. Underwater, he was the true powerhouse; no one could defeat him here. The naval leader of Jushan Mountain Stronghold—"Black Stripe in the Waves," Zhang Ni!
Whenever government troops attacked, this eight-hundred-mile stretch of water became his battlefield. Each time, he routed the government forces, countless soldiers sinking his ships, floundering in panic, and ultimately drowning in the despair. His five hundred sailors, who followed him in sinking countless government vessels, were feared by the government troops as "water ghosts," their very name striking fear into their hearts.
Now, that inexperienced government deputy commander, personally leading his troops to attack, was about to become his next victim, adding another heavy stroke to his long and illustrious record of dominating the waters!
Lost in these excited thoughts, he suddenly realized he had swum to the front of the government ship.
Looking up, through the flowing river, Zhang Ni, with his excellent eyesight, vaguely saw a young enemy general in silver armor and a white robe standing at the bow of a ship, gazing into the distance, perhaps secretly worried about the battle situation.
Zhang Ni smiled coldly, mentally condemning the arrogant youth to death. He was about to swim over and scuttle the large ship, sending its entire crew to feed the turtles when he unexpectedly saw the young general, as if sensing his gaze, lower his head and give him a meaningful smile.
Zhang Ni was startled; this was the first time he had been seen by an enemy general while hiding underwater. He wondered if he had imagined it, or if the enemy general was simply grinning foolishly at the surface.
Thinking this, he didn't stop, reaching for a hammer and chisel at his waist, swimming to the bottom of the ship to begin work.
Several sailors behind him also took out their chisels, ready to join him in breaching the ship's hull.
Zhang Ni, underwater, reached out and touched the bottom of the boat. Suddenly, his vision blurred, and a figure slowly emerged before him
. He could make out a face, staring at him with a sinister, cold smile. Caught off guard, Zhang Ni almost choked on water. He frantically pushed off the bottom of the boat and swam backward, looking around in panic at the figure, wondering where it had come from.
The figure didn't pursue him, remaining where it was. Its form gradually emerged, revealing a general covered in blood. The terrifying smile made the sailors tremble with fear.
Zhang Ni stared blankly at him, feeling his heart pounding wildly, as if it would leap out of his mouth. He scrutinized the blood-covered face for a long time, then suddenly screamed out the man's name.
But underwater, his voice couldn't travel, and water choked him, causing him to cough violently.
The terrifying ghostly figure smiled sinisterly and said softly, "Chief Zhang, you've recognized me now, haven't you?"
In his panic and fear, Zhang Ni gulped down water, coughed violently, and swung his arms upwards with extreme terror.
His head shot out of the water, splashing up a large spray. His wet face was filled with extreme terror. He opened his mouth and let out a shrill scream: "He Jiong!"
The soldiers on the official boat were startled to see a head suddenly emerge from the water. Upon closer inspection, one of the soldiers, who had been conscripted from the local county government and knew Zhang the rebel, exclaimed, "It's Zhang the Black Stripe of the Waves! He's here to sabotage our boat!"
Li Xiaomin smiled, watching the terrified bandit with amusement. He noticed the man's black hair, dark face, and skin as black as shoe polish, and couldn't help but find it amusing. He chuckled to himself, "Indeed, the Black Stripe of the Waves lives up to his name!"
The soldiers on the official boat, intimidated by his reputation, were terrified and drew their bows, shooting arrows at the coughing, panting black man on the surface. The black-faced, black-bodied man, seeing the rain of arrows coming, hurriedly swam underwater, causing the arrows to miss their mark.
Having just dodged the rain of arrows, Li Xiaomin remained vigilant underwater when a blood-stained man appeared before him, snarling, "Chief Zhang, what are you afraid of? Are you afraid of me, the incompetent general you killed?"
Zhang Ni was utterly terrified. He had once feared the vengeful water ghosts, but the then-fourth leader, Gongsun Bubai, had reassured him, saying he possessed magical powers and that suppressing these little ghosts was easy. In recent years, not a single water ghost had come seeking revenge, which had reassured him considerably, making him even more valiant in battle, turning countless soldiers into water ghosts. Who would have thought that He Jiong's sudden appearance would leave him so terrified?
Nearby, the sounds of fierce fighting erupted. Zhang Ni involuntarily looked in that direction, only to see his men surrounded by swarms of dark figures, their necks gripped, claws tearing at their flesh, pieces being thrown into the water. Some vengeful ghosts dressed in military uniforms, their faces filled with grief and rage, opened their blood-red maws and viciously bit the bodies of the underwater heroes, devouring their flesh and blood. The underwater heroes writhed and struggled in agony, trying to scream, but no sound came out; they could only whimper and cough, choking on the water and nearly dying.
Seeing this horrific scene, Zhang Ni was terrified and bewildered, but had no time to ask questions. He threw down his hammer, reached into his waistband, and pulled out an Emei dagger from his waistband. With unparalleled speed and force, he thrust it fiercely at He Jiong before him!
Seeing the Emei dagger pierce through the water, He Jiong neither dodged nor flinched, letting Zhang Ni pierce his body. His eyes, however, remained coldly fixed on Zhang Ni, filled with mockery.
His hand was already on Zhang Ni's shoulder. With a slight jerk, ten sharp fingernails shot out from his fingertips, slicing downwards and tearing open Zhang Ni's wet armor. Large chunks of flesh were torn open between the sharp claws, a gruesome and horrifying sight.
The blood instantly mingled with the water, turning into a red mist that submerged Zhang Ni's entire body. He Jiong's ghostly claws, like a lover's gentle touch, caressed Zhang Ni's right hand, grasping the Emei dagger in his hand. With a gentle squeeze, Zhang Ni opened his mouth in agony, whimpering. His right hand had been crushed to pieces.
He Jiong smiled coldly, bringing his blood-covered mask close to Zhang Ni's ear, and whispered, "Chief Zhang, I owe you a debt of gratitude from many years ago, and I will repay it today. Rest assured, although I will tear your flesh to shreds, I will not kill you outright. I want you, the leader of the water spirits, to drown in the marshland you have roamed for so many years, forever a tormented water ghost! Thanks to my master's great kindness in casting a spell for me, I am now freed from my water ghost status. I can leave the marshland, go home to visit my mother, wife, and children, and then return to his command. However, if possible, I will return every year to visit and help the brothers who remain here, and to take good care of you, my famous underwater hero!"
On the water, the fierce battle continued.
Several small boats along the riverbank had already boarded the government troops' ships, and the heroes raised their swords and spears, fiercely fighting with the government soldiers on board.
The government soldiers mostly used long spears, which they extended from the water, piercing through enemy soldiers and throwing them underwater.
The sailors of Jushan, engaged in battle, were filled with astonishment. Why hadn't their comrades underwater sunk the enemy ships this time, resulting in so many casualties on their side?
As they pondered this, the rising corpses caught their attention, and a heart-wrenching scream rang out: "Brother, how could you die so tragically!"
The hero plunged into the water, disregarding the depth, and swam desperately to a body clad in wetsuits. He embraced his mangled comrade, weeping bitterly, his voice so poignant it moved all who heard it to tears.
This scream drew the attention of both sides. Many of the pirates recognized familiar comrades among the surfacing corpses, crying out in horror, bewildered as to how their once invincible pirate force had fallen into such a state.
Amidst the cheers of the government troops, shouts of unbelievable joy filled the air: "The water ghosts are finished! All the water ghosts from the Giant Mountain bandits have died in the water!"
On the large ship, Li Xiaomin smiled serenely, thinking to himself: "What kind of water ghosts are they? When fake water ghosts meet real water ghosts, they'll really become water ghosts from now on!"
The bandits, terrified, knew they were doomed, though they didn't know what had happened. They rowed desperately, fleeing towards a distant waterway.
Suddenly, they discovered water in their boats, submerging their wounded comrades. Someone cried out, "It's over! The boat's leaking!"
The bandits frantically grabbed tools to plug the holes. But to their despair, violent tremors came from beneath the boat, and more and more holes appeared in the hull, so large that many of their men's feet sank into them. It felt as if someone underwater was gripping their ankles, preventing them from pulling out.
Panic quickly spread across the surface. The bandits screamed in terror, watching boat after boat sink rapidly, until they themselves were dragged down, swallowed by an invisible maw, leaving no trace on the water's surface.
At this moment, Zhu Shun had already led his men, piloting the largest boat, to attack Li Xiaomin's ship. Seeing this, Li Xiaomin was terrified, knowing there was a powerful enemy underwater and he couldn't escape by boat. The trap he and Zhang Ni had used against the government troops had now fallen on his own head!
Without hesitation, he pushed off the deck with both feet, leaping onto the large ship's deck. With a flying kick, he knocked over a government soldier in front of him, brandishing his gleaming steel blade, and charged straight at Li Xiaomin, determined to capture the leader first!
Seeing the bandit general's ferocious expression and his charging sword, Li Xiaomin remained calm. A strange smile appeared on his face as he drew his precious sword and slashed fiercely, knocking the blade of Zhu Shun's sword into the air, leaving only the hilt. Zhu Shun stared in astonishment.
His body, propelled by inertia, couldn't stop and continued to crash into Li Xiaomin. Li Xiaomin raised his foot and delivered a powerful kick to Zhu Shun's chest. A muffled groan escaped Zhu Shun's lips as his large body was sent flying, crashing into a bandit climbing onto the official boat behind him, rolling in a heap.
Seeing their deputy commander display such prowess, defeating the infamous bandit leader Zhu Shun in a single exchange, the government troops behind him were greatly encouraged. They pounced on Zhu Shun, pinning him down and binding him tightly. Many more government soldiers, swords drawn, rushed to the bow of the boat, engaging the bandits desperately trying to climb aboard in a fierce battle.
Seeing their commander captured, the loyal heroes, their eyes red with rage, surged towards the official boat along the ramp between the two ships. However, the resistance from the government troops was equally fierce. Many heroes, crammed onto the bow and ramps of their own boats, could only watch helplessly as their comrades fought the enemy, unable to advance an inch.
Suddenly, all the heroes had a simultaneous sensation: the official ship opposite them seemed to have grown taller and was rising steadily, giving them an overwhelming sense of powerlessness!
The icy river water rushed to their feet, revealing the cause of their illusion: their own ship was rapidly sinking!
Panic screams erupted from their mouths. The heroes on the platform, due to the significant height difference between the two ships, tilted and fell into the water one by one, struggling desperately.
The ship continued to sink. Standing in waist-deep water, the heroes watched helplessly as the water rose past their waists, chests, and necks, finally understanding the feeling of those drowned soldiers during the massacre of the government troops!
The entire ship, carrying a mountain of heroes, sank rapidly underwater. Countless water ghosts roared and swarmed forward, seizing the enemy soldiers who had killed them, tearing them to shreds, and sprays of blood rose to the surface, staining the lake crimson.
The people near Jushan Marsh were all spreading the news in astonishment: the heroes of Jushan Marsh had been defeated by the government army that had come from afar!
It was said that the best swimmer in the world, "Black Stripe in the Waves," had been drowned by the government troops, along with all his skilled swimmers.
Another naval leader, Zhu Shun, had been captured by the government army's deputy commander, who, without reporting it, imprisoned him in a secret room. When people saw him again, his body had been slashed hundreds of times, riddled with wounds, and his corpse was unrecognizable. Hearing
this shocking news, the people dared not leave their homes, hiding there in fear, watching the winds and rains, and dared not send any news to the heroes of Jushan Island. After all, the nearby water heroes had been wiped out by the government army in the past few days, and even if they wanted to send a message, they would find no one to report it to.
"A rabbit doesn't eat the grass near its burrow," the heroes, though fond of plundering, did not rob the nearby people; sometimes they even gave them some benefits in exchange for their safety. The government troops, however, were quite different. Given the opportunity to plunder, they wouldn't let it pass. Several wealthy families in the vicinity were raided by the government troops, their valuables confiscated.
Fortunately, this time the leader was Consort Qin, daughter of General Qin. Her strict discipline kept the government troops in check, preventing them from going too far and limiting their loot to small amounts.
After several days of sweeping, Li Xiaomin had led his troops to clear out the surrounding pirates, collected a large number of ships, and transported a large army to Jushan Island.
Jushan Island was indeed a vast island. On its southwest side, a massive mountain soared into the clouds, majestic and magnificent—the world-famous Jushan Mountain.
Standing at the foot of the towering mountain, gazing at the magnificent scenery, the beautiful woman in armor, possessing unparalleled elegance, sighed, "Such beautiful scenery, yet it's occupied by bandits, what a pity!"
Her closest palace attendant, Li Xiaomin, the deputy commander of the army, rode a white horse respectfully behind her. Seeing that the other attendants were protecting her from a distance, he spurred his horse forward, approached her, and whispered with a smile, "Since Your Majesty likes it, let's build a palace here, amidst this beautiful landscape, and live a life of blissful happiness, like lovers who envy no immortals. What do you say, Your Majesty?"
A smile appeared on Consort Qin's beautiful face. Duo Hongyun wanted to lightly slap him, but fearing the guards would see her frivolous behavior, she could only raise her hand to cover her blushing face and whisper, "Keep your voice down. If anyone hears you, I won't let you sleep in my bed tonight!"
Li Xiaomin chuckled, unconcerned by her threat, thinking smugly to himself, "How dare you speak to your husband like that! Tonight, I'll definitely kill you!"
Consort Qin, struggling to suppress her pounding heart, looked up at the flags faintly waving on the mountain and sighed, "This mountain is so treacherous; a direct assault would likely result in heavy casualties. Xiaomin, do you have any good ideas?"
Li Xiaomin scratched his head... He smiled and said, "Not yet. But maybe I'll come up with something in a few days. However, I need Your Highness's help to come up with this idea, don't you agree?"
Consort Qin blushed, biting her cherry lips, and said resentfully, "You always say that! I've done all the embarrassing things for you, what kind of crazy idea have you come up with now?"
Li Xiaomin smiled and said, "Nothing much, just thought of a very interesting position. Tonight, I must try it with Your Highness!"
Consort Qin was so embarrassed by his words that she ignored him, spurred her horse, and galloped to the front of the army, shouting, "Qin Yifu, are you ready to attack the mountain?"
Qin Yifu came out from the army to greet him... He bowed respectfully to his most respected aunt, saying, "Aunt, I am fully prepared. At your command, we will attack Jushan."
Li Xiaomin rode up behind Consort Qin, laughing, "General Qin is indeed capable! To prepare in such a short time is truly admirable!"
Qin Yifu hurriedly replied with a smile, "Vice Commander Li, you flatter me. I am unworthy of such praise. My cleverness is nothing compared to your wisdom, courage, and numerous merits, which are truly admirable!"
Li Xiaomin smiled modestly, but in his heart he thought, "We are all relatives. Forget official titles; just call me Uncle-in-law, wouldn't that be better?"
Qin Yifu never imagined that his revered aunt had an affair with this young man. She still respectfully asked Qin Yifu for orders, and upon her command, led a large army to attack Jushan.
Li Xiaomin, not skilled in mountain or city assaults, was happy to stay far behind and watch Qin Yifu tackle this tough challenge.
The siege equipment was ready, and just as the army was about to approach Jushan, war drums suddenly sounded, the mountain gates opened, and an army descended from the mountain, forming ranks before them. Dozens of leaders stood at the front, brandishing weapons and shouting insults at the government troops.
Qin Yifu led his troops to the front lines. Seeing the bandits so arrogant, even after being forced down the mountain by the government army, they still dared to lead their troops to meet them, Qin Yifu was astonished. He led his troops closer to the enemy, spurred
his horse forward, and shouted, "You bandits of Jushan, seeing the imperial army arrive, why don't you kneel down and surrender to save your lives?" The Jushan leaders all cursed upon hearing this. But a Taoist priest stopped cursing, spurred his horse to the front lines, and coldly shouted, "You brat, how dare you speak so arrogantly! Today, I, this humble Taoist, will show you how high the sky is and how thick the earth is!"
Qin Yifu saw this Taoist priest from afar and was slightly startled. He knew that this Taoist priest was none other than Chuyunlong Gongsun Bubai, who had killed Zhi Xingxing and the other two and seized the first seat in the mountain stronghold fight the other day. Gazing at his face, he saw that he was tall and thin, about forty or fifty years old, with an old face, wearing a Taoist robe, and his long beard fluttered in front of his chest, giving him an air of otherworldly elegance.
Gongsun Bubai sneered a few times, turned around and shouted at a leader, "Song Wu, you go forward and behead that brat!"
The leader, wearing a tiger-skin coat, rode his horse to the front of the formation with a majestic air, laughed loudly, "When I was thirteen, I climbed a high mountain and killed a fierce tiger with three punches and two kicks. Look at this tiger skin, still on my body. You brat, seeing my divine might, won't you kneel down and beg for mercy?"
Li Xiaomin, accompanying his beauty, watched the battle from a distance in the rear. Although he was quite far away, because of his sharp ears and eyes, he vaguely heard the man's words and couldn't help but chuckle to himself, "A tiger-skin coat from thirteen years ago, still worn now? This hero is too poor! Killing a tiger for no reason, if the animal protection bureau found out back in our time, they might have to pay with their lives!"
Qin Yifu, seeing that this man was tall and strong, did not dare to be negligent. To boost the morale of his troops, he spurred his horse forward, circled around, and engaged Song Wu in battle.
Born into a family of military generals, he had practiced martial arts since childhood and was a seasoned veteran. After exchanging blows with Song Wu for dozens of rounds, he feigned an opening, luring Song Wu to attack. Seizing the opportunity, he struck Song Wu hard, knocking him off his horse and killing him on the spot. He laughed loudly, "Is this all the skill of a tiger-slaying hero? I never imagined that the bandits of Jushan were just big talkers!"
Gongsun Bubai, seeing his beloved general killed, was furious and shouted, "Young man, stop your arrogance! Behold the power of my immortal magic!"
He looked up at the sky, chanting incantations, and suddenly stretched out his hand, pointing high into the sky, and shouted, "Heaven and earth are boundless, the universe lends its power! Heavenly soldiers and generals, aid my divine might! Soldiers, come!!!"
With this shout, dark clouds suddenly filled the sky, and a fierce wind raged, causing the opposing government troops to stagger and fall, their hearts filled with shock.
Gongsun Bubai smiled coldly, pointed at Qin Yifu opposite him, and said grimly, "Young man, you've met your end at my hands today. You can only blame your bad luck for running into a reclusive master like me!"
He pointed to the sky again and shouted, "Why aren't the divine soldiers descending to earth? What are they waiting for!"
In the sky, the wind howled, and as the soldiers covered their faces to avoid the sandstorm, they could vaguely see a large number of troops flying in from afar, rushing towards the imperial army with a ferocious killing intent that filled the air.
The imperial soldiers were all terrified and at a loss. They saw that the soldiers flying in from the sky were all wearing armor, all in earthen yellow, with expressionless faces and skin as yellow as paper. They all rode yellow horses, neighing fiercely, and charged straight at the imperial army!
Suddenly seeing such heavenly soldiers, the soldiers were terrified and turned to flee. Those who were slow to escape were caught up by the heavenly soldiers, hacked to the ground with wild blows, their screams echoing.
Qin Yifu was terrified, knowing that human strength could not contend with the heavenly soldiers. His subordinates had already fled, and he dared not remain, so he led his army in a retreat.
The rebel soldiers behind them cheered loudly. Gongsun Bubai pointed his whisk, and the rebels rushed after the government troops, routing them and sending them fleeing in disarray.
Li Xiaomin, standing at the rear, saw the army collapsing like a mountain, unable to stop it. He hurriedly ordered his guards to protect Consort Qin and flee to the rear, while he himself remained standing, facing the approaching heavenly soldiers alone.
As the heavenly soldiers charged towards him, Li Xiaomin drew his gleaming blade and slashed fiercely, engaging the approaching heavenly soldiers in battle. The celestial soldiers, however, were not very skilled in martial arts. With a single, powerful sword strike, one of the soldiers was sent flying, landing on the ground as a paper effigy cut from yellow paper. Another sword strike killed his warhorse, which then fell to the ground as a paper horse cut from talismanic paper.
Li Xiaomin understood. Watching the old Taoist priest brandishing his sword and shouting wildly among the troops, directing the rebels to pursue the government soldiers, Li Xiaomin, though wanting to break his magic, lacked the strength.
He could only fight the talismanic soldiers and horses while fleeing on horseback. Not wanting to expose his strength to the public, he didn't summon any ghost guards, simply fleeing on his own. In any case, these talismanic figures and horses would soon disappear on their own under the sun. If the Taoist priest's magic was powerful, he could hold out a little longer, but once the old priest's immortal power was exhausted, the talismanic figures and horses would have nothing to rely on and could no longer fight. Sure
enough, within half an hour, the talismanic figures and horses disappeared into the air. Qin Yifu felt a slight sense of relief. He led his loyal elite troops to establish a firm footing and resist the enemy soldiers. After a brief but fruitless attack, the enemy soldiers retreated to their camp, returning triumphantly to celebrate their victory.
In the northern part of Jushan Island, within the main camp of the government army, Consort Qin sat on her command throne, her face ashen, staring silently at her generals below.
The officers hung their heads, ashamed of their earlier retreat, and dared not raise their heads in the face of their imposing marshal's wrath. But could they possibly withstand such a terrifying, seemingly invincible army with human strength?
Qin Yifu suppressed her anger, secretly awaiting Xiaominzi's return. Facing an enemy general who possessed demonic magic, she could only hope that Xiaominzi's strength could overcome the demonic power.
The generals waited anxiously, hoping that Vice Commander Li would return soon and point out a clear path. They hoped he could use his past experience in quelling the ghosts and monsters of Jinling to defeat the sorcerers and quell the bandits, allowing all the generals present to achieve great merit.
After a long while, Li Xiaomin finally appeared before the eagerly awaiting crowd, much like his belated little brother had arrived long ago.
The generals' expressions upon seeing him were the same as when he saw his reborn little brother. They surrounded him, forgetting to bow, and asked, "Vice Commander! Do you have a brilliant plan?"
Li Xiaomin, beaming, held a quiver of arrows and smiled at the generals, "Generals, don't worry, I have prepared magical treasures here, enough to deal with the enemy's sorcery!"
The generals looked and saw that the arrowheads were slightly stained red, and there seemed to be one or two bright red talismans tied to them, their purpose unknown.
Li Xiaomin offered no explanation, only a smile: "There are many more arrows like these. I'm preparing a sufficient supply. Generals, you can take these arrows back. If you see any sorcerers using magic on the battlefield, shoot them with these arrows, and you'll defeat them in one strike. Then our army can charge out and victory is assured!"
Although the generals didn't understand, they felt reassured, placing their hopes on Li Xiaomin's miraculous magic. They bowed and withdrew, secretly pleased, to wait for Li Xiaomin to send more arrows.
After the generals left, Li Xiaomin dismissed his personal guards, leaving only him and Consort Qin in the spacious tent.
The two marshals gazed at each other intently, slowly walked together, embraced, and shared a deep kiss, intimately connected.
Consort Qin, her body burning with desire from Li Xiaomin's roguish hands, slumped into his arms, whispering, "Xiaomin, what secrets are hidden in those arrows?"
Li Xiaomin didn't hide anything from her, laughing, "They're all dyed with black dog blood, which can break magic. But you mustn't tell anyone. If everyone knows, I'm afraid my magic might not work in the future."
Actually, he knew that many cultivators already knew this secret, so it wasn't a big deal. To secure victory with magic in battle, he needed to practice more and rack his brains to come up with novel tactics.
His subordinates were searching everywhere for black dogs, secretly making dog blood arrows, ready to distribute them to the generals. Li Xiaomin told Consort Qin about this, putting her at ease and making her smile with joy.
After finishing his business, Li Xiaomin prepared to do something fun to lift his spirits, striving to balance work and leisure.
His hands, unrestrained, slipped inside the marshal's armor and uniform, caressing her alluring waist and full breasts, chuckling softly. He lifted the mature beauty, taller than himself, and pressed her onto the table at the marshal's seat, skillfully removing her lower garments. Unfettered, in this forbidden area revered by countless soldiers, he and his deeply admired beautiful marshal engaged in passionate lovemaking.
The next day, the government army returned to the foot of the giant mountain, engaging in a war of words and provocation.
Gongsun Bubai personally led his army down the mountain, setting up his battle formation, determined to teach these ignorant fools a lesson, ideally crushing them in one fell swoop, driving them into the water, and utterly annihilating this expeditionary force!
For today's battle, he had cultivated all night, circulating his immortal power throughout his body. With this immortal power protecting him, his talisman soldiers and talisman horses could fight for over an hour, delivering a fatal blow to the government army!
Qin Yifu once again launched a taunting attack, and Gongsun Bubai, too lazy to send another subordinate leader to duel him, summoned his talisman soldiers, who marched in a
mighty army through the air towards the government troops. Upon seeing the heavenly soldiers approaching, the government troops immediately turned and fled at breakneck speed.
The heroes of Jushan, eager to vent their anger on the government troops, immediately led their army in pursuit, like beating a drowning dog, determined to utterly crush the enemy before the heavenly soldiers retreated!
The government troops fled for several miles, entering the space between two small mountain peaks, and continued their retreat.
The heroes, driven mad by the pursuit, refused to stop, shouting wildly as they followed the charging heavenly soldiers.
Suddenly, commands rang out from the two peaks, and a large number of archers rose up on the summit, drawing their bows and unleashing a hail of arrows upon the heavenly soldiers!
The arrows struck the celestial soldiers, and blue smoke rose from where they were hit. The soldiers swayed, blown away by the wind, and fell to the ground, only to become human and horse-shaped figures cut from paper talismans, no longer possessing their previous awe-inspiring appearance.
The bandits were shocked, staring blankly, not knowing how things had turned out this way. Gongsun Bubai's expression changed drastically, and he pounded his chest and sighed, "There are such masters among the government troops! Oh well, I misjudged him. I should have guessed that something had happened to Blue-Faced Yaksha when he disappeared for so long!"
In a panic, the government troops roared and attacked from all directions. Qin Yifu's defeated troops also turned back and attacked, slaughtering the demoralized mountain bandits until their corpses piled up like mountains, and blood stained the wilderness.
Gongsun Bubai sighed to the heavens, regretting that he had poured all his immortal power into the talismanic weapon. The blood-stained arrow that struck the weapon had also severely injured his own body. Now, with his immortal power not yet restored and the enemy already
at the gates, he could only lament his helplessness! Despite being surrounded, the leaders displayed heroic spirit, brandishing their swords and spears to protect Gongsun Bubai. They fought their way through the chaos, fleeing back the way they had come. They paid no heed
to the screams of their remaining men, leaving behind a trail of corpses. The leaders fled back to their stronghold, tightly shutting the gates, refusing to engage in battle. They ignored the shouts and curses of the government troops outside, pretending not to hear.
Qin Yifu, left with no other option, led his troops to attack. However, the stronghold was built against the mountain, its terrain treacherous. The government troops suffered heavy casualties on their advance, yet were repeatedly driven back by the valiant leaders. Both sides suffered countless losses in the ensuing battles.
Although the bandits on the mountain were surrounded, and each death reduced their numbers, Consort Qin was still displeased with the number of casualties her army suffered. She lacked enthusiasm when serving Xiaominzi in bed, leaving him unhappy about the lack of quality service. He could only vent his frustration back in his own camp on the mother and daughter bandit leaders.
He had considered having Hong Sanniang, the former leader of the mountain stronghold, write a letter to persuade her former subordinates to surrender, but Hong Sanniang was incredibly stubborn. Even when he made her gasp and moan, even when her eyes rolled back and she was barely breathing, she refused to order her men to come down the mountain and surrender. Truly a heroine, such intense torture could not shake her unwavering resolve.
Moreover, Li Xiaomin had heard that Gongsun Bubai had conducted a major purge in the stronghold; any disobedient leaders were either killed or imprisoned, leaving only his loyal followers. Even if Hong Sanniang did write a letter, he feared there would be no one to read it.
The protracted war, besides causing heavy casualties on both sides, also brought collateral damage to the civilians on Jushan Island who had good relations with the heroes. Many soldiers, under the guise of searching for bandits, broke into their homes and confiscated their valuables, which were essentially taken by the soldiers themselves, allowing many to make a small fortune.
This situation greatly frustrated Li Xiaomin. He had originally imagined establishing a people's revolutionary armed force that wouldn't rob the people, like those time-traveling pioneers, but once he started, he discovered the gap between dreams and reality. In this era where soldiers were essentially bandits, building such an armed force was harder than climbing to heaven. Furthermore, Li Xiaomin hadn't truly studied politics in that era, especially failing to understand the importance of ideological and political education in otherworldly life. Now, he was completely lost and helpless, only able to sigh at the sight of the army. Aside from using strict military discipline to prevent the soldiers from going too far, he had no solution to the miserable plight of the civilians who colluded with the bandits.
Watching soldiers on both sides die tragically, seeing the people ravaged by his greedy subordinates, and witnessing Hong Sanniang, whom he had painstakingly captured, prove utterly useless in persuading the mountain stronghold's leaders to surrender, Li Xiaomin was deeply dissatisfied with the reality of the situation. Therefore, in utter despair, Li Xiaomin could only express his anguish and sorrow for his country and its people by violently pleasuring the former beautiful leader and her increasingly mature and charming daughter at the foot of the Jushan Mountain stronghold.

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