Xing Yuanguo made a surprising decision.
It was surprising because it was something no one had expected or would have thought of. It wasn't complicated at all and could be expressed in two words.
And that was…
"Move away!"
"Move away!"
"Move…"
The Mountain Breaking Army, who was charging toward the capital gates moved aside, taking a few steps towards the sides of the gates. A "wide path" leading toward the Northern Barbarians Army was opened.
Of course, the one who was most surprised was Fang Zhengzhi.
"What? It's really opening?!" Fang Zhengzhi had never once felt his words were so powerful. With one sentence, he had moved a few thousand soldiers of the Mountain Breaking Army.
Were they that obedient?
A moment ago, he screamed what he truly felt because he couldn't see the situation at the capital gates. He didn't know that there was an ongoing battle right there.
But now…
He could see it very clearly!
The Northern Barbarians Army were blocking the capital gates, while Su Qing stood above them on top of the capital walls. Why, then, did Xing Yuanguo ordered them to move away?
Shouldn't Xing Yuanguo order the Mountain Breaking Army to save him? Or would he be saving him by himself? He should have taken down Su Qing while he wasn't paying attention!
Move away?
No way!
Obviously, Xing Yuanguo wanted Fang Zhengzhi to step within the formation of Northern Barbarians Army by himself.
If there was a choice, Fang Zhengzhi would never allow himself to be such a situation. But he had no other option. He could already feel the aura behind him.
King Xieluo was very close to him…
Turn in a different direction?
Impossible.
Because a straight line would always be shorter than a crooked one.
Without any other options, and without hesitation, raising his Near-Life Gate high above, he entered the tight formation of the Northern Barbarians Army.
"My Lord, please convey my greetings to your sister!" Fang Zhengzhi shouted angrily, then he slammed the Near-Life Gate toward the Northern Barbarians Army.
"Sure!" Xing Yuanguo looked at the Near-Life Gate, then curled his lips in a smile: "Using the Near-Life Gate to open a path? Not bad!"
"Boom!"
As Xing Yuanguo finished his sentence, a deafening sound rang in the night sky. One that was powerful enough to shake the earth.
At the same time, a giant crack appeared on the ground.
"Ah!"
"Ah…"
Countless painful groans filled the air.
As the most valuable treasure of the Holy Barbarians Empire…
The Near-Life Gate had been in existence for many, many years. And all these while, the Near-Life Gate was unmoved, like a gate which linked the heaven and earth.
The reason was simple: no one could move it.
Hence, we could imagine the sheer weight of the Near-Life Gate.
This remained for a very long time until someone appeared and moved the Near-Life Gate. Not only moved but kept it for his own use.
Until now…
With the unification of the Holy Barbarians, a great Holy Barbarians Empire was built.
It could be said that the Near-Life Gate played a key role for the Holy Barbarians Empire of today, or that the Holy Barbarians Empire spread the name of the Near-Life Gate far and wide.
So, how could the Northern Barbarians Army block it with their pikes? Well, they knew that the Near-Life Gate could never be damaged.
But it was also because they couldn't bring themselves to use their pikes against their most divine treasure. Hence, they could only dodge it.
And of course, there were some who didn't succeed.
So as the Near-Life Gate slammed on the ground, the soldiers with their thick armors were smashed too. They fell in the huge crack upon the Gate's impact and were moaning in excruciating pain.
The Holy Barbarians had a "wolf" as a totem, and they addressed their most elite team of soldiers as lycanthropes.
Fang Zhengzhi had run into a "pack of wolves" with the Near-Life Gate by himself.
He should only have been a sheep.
But he held the "alpha wolf's tooth", the most valuable treasure of the Holy Barbarian Empire – the Near-Life Gate. And this was quite surprising.
And of course…
Fang Zhengzhi didn't know anything about these.
All he felt was it was very easy to enter, and the tight circular formation had magically broken after he had slammed the Near-Life Gate.
He made a gap in the formation.
And he was very excited.
At this moment, he was beginning to feel hopeful. He could see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Then he raised the Near-Life Gate again, nonchalantly carrying it on his shoulder. It was as though he was carrying a "giant weapon".
Awe and shock filled the air.
The Northern Barbarians Army stared at Fang Zhengzhi. They feared not Fang Zhengzhi's power, but the Near-Life Gate on in hands.
And at this time, a purple ray of light appeared from behind Fang Zhengzhi.
A human figured wrapped in purple light.
It was crazy fast!
Stepping on the heads of the Northern Barbarians soldiers, he charged up the capital walls like a meteor, while grabbing their pikes and shooting it out.
"Whoosh!"
"Whoosh!"
The sounds of the pikes piercing the air.
"Your Excellency Fang has done a great job. I'll convey your greetings to my sister!" said the purple ray, which had fused with the pikes in his collection.
What's despicableness?
What Xing Yuanguo had done was a great example!
He made Fang Zhengzhi open the path, then seized this chance for his own credit.
If he had known that Xing Yuanguo was such an opportunistic person, he wouldn't have given him any chance, and instead, smashed the Near-Life Gate on his purple head.
To let him know what flowers could be green too.
Specifically, the verdigris of patina.
Of course, Fang Zhengzhi didn't bother much about whatever credit. His most urgent concern was to escape, though Xing Yuanguo wanted to do the great task of capturing the leader of the opponent.
Then, he could do the easy task of escaping the capital without much pressure.
But he thought of Xing Yuanguo's age and felt a chill in his heart. "I've changed my mind. My Lord, it's better to convey my greetings to your daughter!"
Xing Yuanguo didn't bother replying to him.
Because he had reached in front of Su Qing. A long sword appeared on his hand, and with that, he pointed it at Su Qing's chest.
It was mentioned in ancient texts that a valiant leader could capture the chief of his opponent among ten thousand troops. And Xing Yuanguo was indubitably one example.
Su Qing was stunned pale.
He knew he had made a small mistake, but he hadn't expected it would result in such serious consequences. And never would he think that Xing Yuanguo would immediately seize the window of opportunity to order for the Mountain Breaking Army to open a path for Fang Zhengzhi.
But he had miscalculated everything.
Whether in the Imperial Halls or in political arguments, he was always confident that he could manage the situation. But in a war, Xing Yuanguo was so much more decisive.
When something had changed in battle, his first thought was to stop it, his second was to defend.
But Xing Yuanguo?
He could see through the nature of the battle and the hearts of the soldiers. He had used the Northern Barbarians Army's innate fear of the Near-Life Gate to open a path for Fang Zhengzhi, then used Fang Zhengzhi to break a gap in their formation.
That was not all.
In the instant the gap was opened, he could seize the opponent commander.
His superb control and strategy on the battlefield and his decisive bravery opened Su Qing's eyes to his might as the leader of Thirteen Constabularies, the pillar of the Great Xia Dynasty.
"Protect His Excellency!"
"Back off!"
A few masked warriors beside Su Qing moved. In the instant they saw Xing Yuanguo charged towards Su Qing, they had moved forward to shield Su Qing from the attack.
Their swords were unsheathed and flew towards the pikes that Xing Yuanguo had shot out.
"Cling, clang!"
It was a battle between the swords and the pikes. It was only through such a fight where the winner could emerge.
But…
It was when their swords touched the pikes that they were shocked. It was sheer unrelenting, merciless force that inspired fear and panic in their souls.
They stepped back involuntarily.
"No!"
These masked warriors had the same thought in their minds: they never expected the pikes that Xing Yuanguo simply threw out could possess such a terrifying force.
They were shielding in front of Su Qing, but in the end, they were split up by the force of the pikes?
They wanted to rush forward, but it was too late.
Because Xing Yuanguo had reached.
And Su Qing was standing before Xing Yuanguo in all his vulnerability.
Under the moonlight, the sword gleamed with coldness.
Su Qing did not dodge. He simply couldn't. His eyes were wide with disbelief.
But the sword arrived anyway.
And unmistakably pierced his chest.
Xing Yuanguo's eyes lit up. He knew the importance of such an opportunity, and that if he had missed it, it was near impossible that he would encounter it again.
So…
His sword showed no mercy.
Without hesitation or reservation.
But when a "clink" sound rang in his ear, his expressions changed for the worst. The biggest reason why he did not deliver the sword into Su Qing's throat was that he guessed Su Qing had already reached the Supernatural State.
If he had pierced Su Qing's throat…
Su Qing had a fifty percent chance of surviving.
But piercing his heart was different. His chance of survival would be less than ten percent, and Xing Yuanguo didn't intend to let him live.
So, his heart was the best choice.
But anything still had a chance of an accident. And now it has happened.
It was rare for Xing Yuanguo to regret his actions, but now he did. He should have guessed that…
Su Qing wasn't someone of a powerful state.
It was exactly opposite…
In terms of his power, Su Qing wasn't someone distinguished. So, as an important figure in the outer regions, how would he not have something to protect himself?
"Pshh!" Su Qing spurted a mouthful of blood.
His body flew backward like a comet and hit against a side of the thick capital walls with a loud boom. A crater was formed on the said wall.
"Xing Yuanguo, you're finished!"
"Don't let him escape!"
"Charge!"
The few masked warriors heard the noise and snapped back to reality. They didn't allow Xing Yuanguo a second chance.
In a moment, they had surrounded Xing Yuanguo.
And behind them, Su Qing was in a half-kneel, his face sickly pale.
Although he was wearing a protective treasure, he could not withstand this blow from Xing Yuanguo, for it was way too forceful.
"Cough, cough… Marquis Xing of the Stabilization Constabulary, you live up to your powerful reputation as I have experienced it!" Su Qing said as he coughed up mouthfuls of blood. His forehead was sweating profusely. "But you are now surrounded, how will you escape this?"
"Lord!"
The Mountain Breaking Army, too, saw Xing Yuanguo surrounded by masked warriors, who seemed very nervous.
They had witnessed clearly what happened a moment ago.
Although Xing Yuanguo's forceful pikes made them step back, these masked warriors were not injured. And they could adapt to the situation so quickly.
From this point alone, one could tell the state of their abilities.
Rebirth State!
They had, minimally, reached the intermediate stage of the Rebirth State!
"Ah!"
"No!"
When everyone had their eyes on Xing Yuanguo, a few cries could be heard from the castle gates. This added tension to the scene.
"Shit. Quick, stop Fang Zhengzhi now! Cough… Don't let him near the Four Appearances … Ancient… Formation…" When Su Qing heard the screams from below, his body froze.
He should have ordered as such long ago.
But it was delayed by Xing Yuanguo's sudden strike.
And now…
It was obviously too late.
Su Qing wanted so badly to stand up, but he was so seriously injured he didn't have the strength to do so. He could only half-kneel, raise his head and look at the figure who had suddenly appeared on top of the castle gates.
Did he rush here with Xing Yuanguo?
Or did he rush here while the Northern Barbarians Army was distracted by Xing Yuanguo?
Su Qing couldn't be certain.
But all of these were not important anymore.
Because Fang Zhengzhi had reached the top of the Four Appearances Ancient Formation, with his black imperial attire waving in the night breeze.