: Defeating the Jianghuai Army, a Great Achievement; Li Lie, the Fiery Cloud Spear; Shang

Chapter 78: Defeating the Jianghuai Army, a Great Achievement; Li Lie, the Fiery Cloud Spear; Shang Xiuxun's Thoughts; Troop Deployment Token [Seeking Admission]

On the high slope outside the northern city, Shang Xiuxun had a clear view of the fierce battle on the city wall. When she saw Su Yang unleash a two-zhang-long blade of energy, devouring Yuwen Zhuo's life-long power with his Ice Profound Palm and cleaving him in two, her fingers gripping the riding whip tightened suddenly, her pretty face filled with shock.

What shocked her even more was that Su Yang had managed to kill all four Ice Fiend Guards in the blink of an eye during the fierce battle!

"Such formidable combat power, such swift movements—"

She muttered to herself, a glint of shrewdness flashing in her eyes.

She was well aware of the Yuwen clan's prestige and Yuwen Zhuo's strength, yet the latter was utterly powerless against Su Yang. Previously, she had only been observing and not taking Su Yang seriously when she rushed to Jingling's aid, but now all her contempt had vanished, replaced by genuine approval.

"This Commander Su is no ordinary man; with him in Jingling, the situation may be stabilized."

Shang Xiuxun smiled, and Liu Zongdao, who was standing beside her, asked in a low voice, "Master, do you think Commander Su—"

"They are worth befriending and cultivating relationships with."

Shang Xiuxun stated frankly, her gaze fixed on Su Yang, "For Pegasus Ranch to establish itself in Jianghuai, it needs to forge strong alliances. Su Yang is powerful, decisive, and has unlimited potential."

She said firmly, "Keep a close eye on Su Yang's movements. After the battle, prepare a generous gift and secretly send it to his camp as a gesture of goodwill. Don't rush to visit him yet; first, let's gauge his intentions to avoid alarming General Fang and causing unnecessary trouble."

Liu Zongdao's heart skipped a beat, and he bowed in agreement, "Your subordinate understands!"

Shang Xiuxun gripped the riding whip again, gazing at the city tower with eyes full of anticipation.

Yuwen Zhuo's body, split in two, slammed against the city wall bricks, his eyes still filled with terror.

Su Yang bent down and touched the corpse, finding a secret letter in its arms. Just as he was about to open it, he suddenly smelled a strong burnt smell.

"wrong!"

He looked up abruptly. The night sky to the west of the northern city was already stained red by firelight, with thick smoke swirling like a black dragon, mixed with the cries of the people and the sounds of houses collapsing.

What made his heart sink even more was that a large dark shadow surged in from the horizon like a tide, with shouts of battle and the sound of horses' hooves shaking the heavens—clearly an enemy night attack!

"Working together from within and without, colluding with each other?"

Su Yang's expression changed drastically.

At this time.

Qiao Fenghai arrived with his personal guards: "Commander! A fire has broken out in the west of the north city, and a large army is pressing in from outside the city; they appear to be the Jianghuai army!"

The scouts on the city wall scrambled to the front, their armor stained with blood and their voices hoarse: "Commander Su! The Jianghuai army is almost at the moat! The fire in the western part of the north city has spread to the vicinity of the granary!"

With the military situation urgent, Su Yang quickly clarified the key points.

The city gates are the lifeline; they must not be breached!

He tucked the secret letter into his robes, drew his Cold Abyss Blade, its blade gleaming coldly in the firelight: "Qiao Fenghai! Lead the main force to defend the north city to the death! Set up crossbows and rolling stones, and deploy ballistae to guard both sides of the city gate! You must hold off the first wave of attack. I will help you stabilize the city!"

"yes!"

Qiao Fenghai readily agreed.

Yuwen Zhuo's unusual movements had already alerted the troops, who were fully clothed and ready for battle. At this moment, arrows and darts were piled high on the city walls, ballistae were in position, and swordsmen and shieldmen stood in formation, ready for battle. Qiao Fenghai turned and roared orders, his morale soaring.

Having stabilized the main force, Su Yang immediately ordered: "Chen Shun and Sun Wang, come to the city wall immediately!"

The two men had already assembled upon hearing the news and immediately went upstairs to await orders.

"Chen Shun! Lead all auxiliary troops to the fire scene and prioritize protecting the granary! Kill any arsonists or spies you encounter on the spot, and do not kill innocent people indiscriminately!" Su Yang spoke very quickly.

"Understood, sir!"

"Sun Wang! Take twenty elite soldiers to protect Chen Shun's flank and thoroughly investigate any spies! Anyone seen wearing Ruifeng Battalion uniforms, behaving suspiciously, or carrying arson tools, be executed on the spot! Track down any leads!"

"Your subordinate obeys!"

The two immediately led their troops out, with auxiliary soldiers carrying fire-fighting equipment and heading straight for the fire, while personal guards stood watch on the flanks with weapons.

Su Yang leaped onto the city wall, his gaze sweeping over the city like that of a hawk.

The Jianghuai Army had reached the outside of the moat, surrounded by ladders and battering rams to build a pontoon bridge. The vanguard was menacing, and the shouts of battle were deafening.

As soon as the pontoon bridge and cloud ladder were erected, a red figure, shrouded in murderous intent, stepped onto the cloud ladder and rushed straight to the top of the city wall.

He was clad in black armor, wielding a fiery spear with a crimson shaft, his steps steady, and the powerful aura emanating from him was overwhelming.

Along the way, the soldiers guarding the city were all shaken away by the force of his spear. Two soldiers who tried to block him with their swords were swept away by his spear.

In the blink of an eye.

This man stepped onto the battlements, his fiery spear sweeping across the crowd, and roared, "You scoundrels! Surrender the city at once!"

Otherwise, after the city falls, not a single chicken or dog will be spared!

"This person—his aura is no less than that of Yuwen Wudi!"

Su Yang was secretly alarmed upon seeing this.

However, compared to Yuwen Wudi's domineering and fierce nature, he was more impetuous and aggressive, which made him slightly inferior. He knew that this person was a formidable warrior and must be the enemy's commander. He immediately stepped forward and drew his Cold Abyss Blade instantly.

"Stop your arrogance, you thief! State your name!"

Su Yang's tone was icy.

The newcomer saw that Su Yang was dressed in commander's armor, exuded a calm aura, and had a blade that gleamed with a chilling light. Although he knew Su Yang was the commander of the garrison, he still held a hint of disdain because he did not recognize him. He coldly snorted, "I am the ninth adopted son of the Grand Marshal of the Jianghuai Army, Mo."

"General Li Lie! You, the commander of the Northern City, are nothing but a nobody, yet you dare to block my way!"

Li Lie's voice was like a booming bell, making the eardrums of the soldiers on the city wall vibrate. The Fire Cloud Spear in his hand faintly emitted a scorching heat, making the surrounding soldiers feel extremely oppressed.

"Li Lie, the Crimson Sun Fiery Cloud Spear?"

Upon hearing this, Su Yang's heart stirred, recalling what General Fang had said: the 30,000-strong main force of the Jianghuai Army was led by this Li Lie! He immediately stepped forward, his Cold Abyss Blade instantly unsheathed, and at the same time, he activated the Bright Moon Heart Technique. A chilling aura spread from his body, instantly neutralizing the scorching heat of the Fire Cloud Spear.

"Those who block my way shall die!!"

Seeing that Su Yang remained silent, Li Lie assumed he was intimidated by Su Yang's reputation. He immediately shouted and thrust his spear straight at Su Yang's heart, the spear shaft carrying a fiery momentum, determined to kill the enemy with a single blow.

Su Yang's eyes sharpened, and he dodged to the side like a ghost. His Cold Abyss Blade, carrying an icy aura, slashed straight at Li Lie's wrist holding the gun.

Upon seeing this, Li Lie quickly sheathed his gun and parried.

"clang!"

With a loud bang, sparks flew everywhere, and the collision of icy cold and scorching heat created a cloud of white mist.

"What terrifying icy energy!"

Li Lie felt a numbness in his wrist, a chilling cold that pierced his bones. He was horrified to discover that his opponent's blade possessed such a strange, icy power that could actually counter his Fiery Cloud Spear!

Before he could react, Su Yang had already pressed forward again, fully activating the Bright Moon Heart Technique. The Cold Abyss Blade's moves were unpredictable, each strike carrying a bone-chilling cold, sometimes wide and sweeping, sometimes cunning and unpredictable, each move aimed directly at Li Lie's vitals.

Upon seeing this, Dugu Feng immediately signaled to the two guards: "Hold the western wall and prevent other enemy troops from scaling the city!"

'

The three immediately became alert and killed the Jianghuai soldiers who tried to follow Li Lie to the city.

Su Yang seized the opening, and the Cold Abyss Blade suddenly changed its move, dodging the Fire Cloud Spear's block, and slashed straight at Li Lie's left shoulder.

"laugh!"

Blood gushed out, and a large gash was cleaved in Li Lie's black armor!

Even more fatally, the icy energy of the Bright Moon Heart Sutra penetrated into Li Lie's body through the wound, instantly sealing off the meridians through which Li Lie could circulate his pure Yang internal energy!

The cultivation technique he practiced was inherently yang in nature, which directly countered the icy power of the Bright Moon Heart Sutra. Once his internal energy was sealed, all his strength receded like a receding tide, leaving him without even the strength to lift his hand. The excruciating pain mixed with the bone-chilling cold caused Li Lie to scream and fall to his knees, the Fire Cloud Spear in his hand clattering to the ground.

Su Yang's figure flashed, and the Cold Abyss Blade in his hand was placed against Li Lie's neck. The icy aura continuously penetrated into Li Lie's body through the blade, making Li Lie feel cold all over and his teeth chatter, but he still stubbornly refused to lower his head.

"Li Lie, surrender to me, and I'll spare your life!"

Su Yang said coldly.

Li Lie's eyes were bloodshot as he stared intently at Su Yang, cursing loudly. He spat out, "Don't even think about it!"

"I am a general of the Jianghuai Army, and I would rather die than surrender! Do with me as you please!"

Su Yang's eyes narrowed, seeing that his attitude was resolute, but he had no intention of killing him.

During their exchange, he had already sensed that Li Lie's internal energy was of the extreme yang attribute, which was exactly the opposite of his own Bright Moon Icy Internal Energy.

He has now cultivated three dantian and three qi seas. If he can get his hands on this supreme yang internal energy cultivation method, he may be able to break through to the fourth qi sea. At that time, yin and yang will complement each other, and his internal energy cultivation will surely reach another level!

Thinking of this, Su Yang once again channeled ten streams of Bright Moon True Qi to seal his meridians, and ordered his personal guards, "Men! Tie him up tightly and take him back to the city dungeon! Keep him under strict guard and forbid anyone from contacting him. He will be interrogated after the war has subsided!"

Two guards immediately stepped forward, fetched sturdy ropes, and bound Li Lie tightly.

Li Lie struggled fiercely, his eyes wide with rage as he roared, "You snot-nosed brat! How dare you imprison me! The main force of my Jianghuai Army will surely come and raze Jingling City to the ground, tearing you to pieces!"

Ignoring his shouts, the guards grabbed his arms and forcibly dragged him down from the city wall toward the dungeon.

The scene of Li Lie being captured alive and taken away was clearly witnessed by the Jianghuai army below the city. With their commander captured, the Jianghuai soldiers instantly fell into chaos. The pace of the siege abruptly halted, and they then scattered like a tidal wave, abandoning their armor and weapons, and running wildly towards their distant camp.

"The enemy commander has been captured! Brothers, charge!"

"The Jianghuai Army has been defeated! Kill them!"

Qiao Fenghai seized the opportunity and roared loudly.

The soldiers on the city wall were in high spirits, and crossbow bolts and rolling stones rained down like a storm, causing heavy casualties among the Jianghuai army below the city.

Su Yang's eyes sharpened; he knew this was a golden opportunity to rout the Jianghuai army. He immediately shouted to Qiao Fenghai, "Qiao Fenghai! I'll lead a hundred elite personal guards to pursue the scattered enemy and completely disrupt their formation! You hold the northern city and closely monitor the movements outside. If anything unusual happens, sound the alarm immediately!"

"Rest assured, Commander! Leave the North City to us; we will ensure its safety!"

Qiao Fenghai readily agreed.

"Commander Su, rest assured in your pursuit! Now that we have a cooperative agreement, you help me deal with the Yuwen Clan, and I will do everything in my power to defend this city. With us guarding the western city wall, there will be no mishap!"

"good!"

Su Yang nodded, then ordered his elite personal guards, "Follow me in pursuit! Attack only, don't chase too far. Once we reach the enemy's forward camp, retreat immediately. Make sure your own safety is guaranteed!"

Having said that, he mounted his horse, slung the Cold Abyss Blade diagonally behind his back, and led a hundred elite personal guards out of the side gate of the city, charging toward the routed Jianghuai army.

After Su Yang led his troops in pursuit, Dugu Feng immediately turned back and, together with two retainers, reinforced the western defense line.

at this time.

From the high slope on the outskirts of the northern city, Shang Xiuxun took in all of this.

Seeing that the commander of the Jianghuai army had been captured alive and his troops had scattered, and noticing that Su Yang was personally leading his elite troops in pursuit, she immediately ordered her personal guards: "The time has come! Send two detachments of light cavalry to flank the enemy and assist General Su in intercepting the fleeing enemy! Remember, only intercept, do not penetrate too deeply, avoid being ambushed, and do not reveal our identities!"

The guard responded loudly, "Yes!"

Two light cavalry units immediately spurred their horses into a gallop, their hooves kicking up clouds of dust, flanking the fleeing Jianghuai army. This coordinated with Su Yang's elite pursuing forces, cutting the scattered Jianghuai troops into several segments and further expanding their gains. Shang Xiuxun's beautiful face remained frosty, her eyes fixed on the battlefield, ready to respond to any unexpected situation.

Su Yang led over a hundred elite troops out of the city. Seeing that the enemy army, though in disarray, still had some units regrouping, he immediately roared and drew his Cold Abyss Blade. Two snow-white, icy blade energies swept out like two bolts of lightning! Wherever the blade energies passed, the Jianghuai army soldiers screamed in agony, falling to their deaths. Some were directly cleaved in two, while others were frozen solid by the icy aura within the blade energies. Those who stood in its way were utterly routed!

Su Yang rode ahead, constantly wielding the Cold Abyss Blade, white blade energy rising and falling, his figure as unstoppable as a war god!

Elite personal guards followed closely behind, each one agile and swift like tigers descending a mountain, instantly charging into the scattered Jianghuai army and echoing Su Yang's sword energy.

The Jianghuai army, which had been trying to regroup, completely collapsed under such overwhelming offensive. They cried out for their parents, abandoned their armor and weapons, and fled towards their temporary camp in a rout.

Su Yang's eyes sharpened, and he led his troops straight to the enemy's front camp.

During the night attack, the Jianghuai army had already set up temporary military tents as strongholds, and at this moment only a small number of soldiers remained in the tents.

"Set them on fire! Burn their tents!"

Su Yang gave the order in a deep voice, and his personal guards immediately took out fire tinder and lit the firewood outside the tent.

The night wind fueled the fire, and in an instant, dozens of military tents were engulfed in flames. The remaining soldiers scattered and fled under the cover of night.

A quarter of an hour later, seeing that the enemy forces had completely disintegrated and could no longer regroup, Su Yang did not continue the pursuit. Night fighting limited visibility, and pursuing a cornered enemy could lead to an ambush; moreover, the defense of the northern city still required elite troops. He raised his hand to signal a retreat: "Objective achieved, withdraw!"

Upon hearing the commotion, a hundred personal guards immediately assembled and escorted the captured supplies and some prisoners back to the north city with Su Yang in an orderly manner.

"Commander Su! Sweeping through the Jianghuai Army! Mighty!"

"Commander Su is invincible!"

"6

'

Su Yang led his troops back to the north city, and the elite soldiers on the city wall let out a thunderous shout, greatly boosting their morale!

He did not rush to respond to the cheers. First, he quickly inspected the city wall to confirm that the fortifications were intact and that the soldiers on duty were performing their duties. Then he instructed Qiao Fenghai to count the casualties, organize the supplies, and comfort the frightened soldiers.

Just as the arrangements were finalized, the sound of rapid hoofbeats came from afar.

The leader was dressed in a brocade robe and wore a token at his waist. Behind him were dozens of elite guards. The banner was embroidered with the character "方" (fang). He was none other than Wang Yanzhang, a trusted and important minister sent by Fang Zetao, the lord of Jingling City.

Following closely behind were three groups of men: a lieutenant under the garrison commander of the East City, the personal guard commander of the garrison commander of the South City, and the military advisor of the garrison commander of the West City. They were clearly sent by the various cities to verify the battle situation after they learned of the news.

Wang Yanzhang dismounted and strode forward. His gaze swept over the battle scars on the city walls, the prisoners and supplies below, his eyes filled with shock. He then bowed and clasped his hands, saying, "Commander Su, the City Lord was worried about the safety of the North City and originally intended to come personally. However, because he needed to oversee the overall situation from the City Lord's Mansion, he ordered me to rush to the aid first. I never expected that Commander Su would have already achieved such a great victory, capturing the enemy general alive and defeating the enemy's main force. Truly, your divine might is unparalleled!"

"Commander Su is truly remarkable! I had only heard of your strict military discipline, but I never knew your martial arts skills were so outstanding! You managed to defeat the main force of the Jianghuai Army led by Li Lie in one fell swoop. Such a feat is truly admirable!"

"Commander Su, you're too strong! Li Lie, the Fiery Cloud Spear, is ranked among the top five of his thirty-odd adopted sons, yet you captured him alive!"

"Capturing the enemy general alive and inflicting a crushing defeat on the Jianghuai army, Commander Su has achieved an unparalleled feat this time!"

"6

""

The deputy general from the east city and the people from the other two cities also stepped forward to echo him, and their gazes toward Su Yang changed from initial probing and suspicion to complete awe.

They had heard that the northern city had been attacked by a large army at night and were worried that the fall of the northern city would affect them. They came here to verify the situation and were prepared to rush to the aid at any time. However, they did not expect that Su Yang could win a great victory with fewer troops. Their opinion of Su Yang’s strength has been completely changed.

Su Yang stepped forward to return the greeting and said calmly, "It is my duty to defend the northern city. This great victory is entirely due to the bravery of my soldiers and the secret assistance of the Pegasus Ranch. I dare not claim all the credit."

"Commander Su is too modest!"

Wang Yanzhang waved his hand, then took out a letter and a token from his robes, solemnly saying, "Commander Su is a man of great integrity, not greedy for personal glory, and values ​​his soldiers highly, as the city lord has long heard. The city lord now orders that Commander Su's contribution to the great victory at Beicheng is immense, and he is hereby awarded five hundred taels of gold and three thousand shi of grain, to be sent to the Beicheng camp immediately! Furthermore, the city lord has bestowed upon him a troop deployment token; if Beicheng needs support from the other three cities, Commander Su can use this token to issue orders directly, and all cities must cooperate fully! The city lord also said that once the fighting has subsided somewhat, he will personally come to Beicheng to celebrate the victory for Commander Su and his soldiers!"

The visitors from the other three cities were even more shocked upon seeing this.

Fang Zetao valued Su Yang so much that he not only rewarded him handsomely but also directly granted him a troop mobilization token, essentially entrusting the defense of the North City entirely to Su Yang.

They immediately pledged to allocate additional supplies to support Beicheng upon their return, and to respond promptly should any fighting break out.

Su Yang accepted the letter and token with both hands, and clasped his hands in a fist salute again: "Thank you for your generous reward, City Lord! Please inform the City Lord that although we have won in the North City, the remnants of the Jianghuai Army have not been wiped out, and the hidden dangers remain. This humble general will be on high alert, and will send out more scouts to investigate, ensuring that nothing goes wrong in the North City!"

Wang Yanzhang nodded in agreement, exchanged a few more pleasantries with Su Yang, inquired carefully about the details of the battle and the casualties of the soldiers, gave a few words of encouragement to the troops, and then turned and left with his men.

The representatives from the other three cities also took their leave and returned to report.

Their trip not only verified the battle situation, but also witnessed Su Yang's strength and Fang Zetao's high regard for him. They had already secretly listed Su Yang as an important force that Jingling City could not ignore.

After everyone left, Qiao Fenghai strode forward, unable to hide his excitement, and said, "Commander! The city lord has bestowed a generous reward and a troop mobilization token, which gives us in the North City even more confidence! The other three cities will never dare to underestimate us again!"

The soldiers on the city wall cheered again, their morale reaching its peak.

This cheer was not only due to the jubilation of the great victory, but also to the sense of security that Commander Su had built with his strength.

Previously, the fear he had felt towards the Jianghuai Army had been completely dispelled by his divine might in one battle.

Su Yang raised his hand to signal everyone to be quiet, and said in a deep voice, "The rewards are the city lord's commendation for all the soldiers, while the tokens represent a heavy responsibility. Issue the order: immediately take stock of the rewards, and after keeping enough for the military camp, distribute half of the remaining grain and fodder to the disaster-stricken people in the west city. Strengthen the defenses on the city walls, and expand the scouts' reconnaissance area threefold, focusing on monitoring the movements of the remnants of the Jianghuai Army. In addition, strictly seal off the dungeon, and increase the number of guards by a thousand to watch over Li Lie. No one is allowed to approach him. I will personally interrogate him after I have finished dealing with the current matters!"

"yes!"

His soldiers responded in unison, their voices resounding through the sky, filled with the exhilaration of a great victory and their absolute faith in Su Yang.

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