Chapter 72: Reversal

The battle atop the city walls raged fiercely. South Liang soldiers continually climbed up, while the men of Eastern Zhou fought desperately to repel them. Fire oil bombs rained down without pause, turning the land outside the city into a sea of flames. Thick black smoke, mingled with the stench of burning flesh and hair, transformed the bright day into darkness, and the world into a hellish inferno.

The great halberd whistled through the air, each strike aimed at vital spots. A single successful blow could kill Emperor Luo Xi. The spear blocked and parried in quick succession, occasionally thrusting in counterattack. Though Luo Xi was no match for Shangguan Wei, he managed to evade the deadly strikes.

“Shangguan, you old scoundrel! What are you thinking? You’re not fighting with all your strength!” Luo Xi swung his spear, knocking aside the halberd and stabbing back. “Are you wondering where Long Cheng'en has gone? Is he lurking in the shadows, waiting to ambush, or is there some other scheme at play?”

Luo Xi could sense Shangguan Wei was holding back, always on guard. “A venerable general from the Five Tigers, afraid of a eunuch? Ha! What a joke!” Luo Xi mocked mercilessly.

Shangguan Wei roared, “I have never feared him! He’s just cunning and full of tricks!” With that, he brought his halberd down in anger.

As the battle on the ramparts reached its peak, the fire oil bombs inside the city suddenly multiplied. Where once a hundred were fired at a time, now over three hundred soared skyward, flames and smoke blotting out the sun as if the heavens had collapsed.

Shangguan Wei watched the fire bombs arc overhead, his heart torn as if by knives. Even if they took Linjiang and Diao Yu cities, the Tianwei Legion would be annihilated. The bombs landed, and the Tianwei Legion was burned to charred corpses, a sight too horrific to bear.

“Witch!” Shangguan Wei no longer held back, nor did he guard against Long Chen now. Hatred consumed him; he sought revenge.

Luo Xi felt the mounting pressure and could only defend.

Xuan Yi and Qing Yue were locked in battle against Shangguan Liang and Shangguan Yi. Shangguan Liang wielded a massive broadsword, his body fat and strong, making it impossible for Xuan Yi, who held a longsword, to get close.

“Little lady, you look quite nice, just a pity your swordplay is lacking!” Shangguan Liang leered, obscene thoughts stirring as he sought to capture Xuan Yi alive for his own amusement.

“Shameless!” Xuan Yi spat, furious.

“Shameless? I am shameless!” Shangguan Liang laughed. “I can be even more shameless! Want to find out?”

Xuan Yi attacked in anger, her longsword slashing fiercely, but she could not match the strength of the broadsword and was forced to retreat. Not far away, Qing Yue was engaged with Shangguan Yi.

Qing Yue wielded a longsword, while Shangguan Yi fought with a golden mace. His strength was formidable.

Generals who used whips or maces—blunt weapons—were always strong. The reason was simple: sharp blades could pierce flesh easily, but blunt instruments relied on sheer force to kill. Without great strength, a blow was merely a bruise, with no real effect.

Shangguan Yi’s golden mace was deadly, and Qing Yue was forced to retreat again and again.

Both Shangguan Yi and Shangguan Liang pressed their attacks, while Qing Yue and Xuan Yi fell back, drawing closer to one another.

“Don’t harm them. Capture them alive, so we can enjoy them together!” Shangguan Liang laughed obscenely.

Shangguan Yi was no better, laughing, “Good idea! Twice the pleasure!”

Xuan Yi and Qing Yue flushed with rage, cursing the two as shameless perverts. Their insults only excited the men further.

Finally, Qing Yue and Xuan Yi stood back to back, with nowhere left to retreat.

“Surren—” Shangguan Liang began, but Xuan Yi suddenly grabbed Qing Yue’s leg. Qing Yue, seizing the moment, leapt over Shangguan Liang’s head. Shangguan Liang, startled, raised his hand to block, but Xuan Yi’s sword was already thrusting forward. Forced to defend with his broadsword, he was left vulnerable. Qing Yue landed behind him, her sword stabbing into the back of his neck, severing his spine.

Qing Yue touched down, and Xuan Yi immediately darted forward, her sword slashing across Shangguan Liang’s neck.

A spray of blood burst forth. Shangguan Liang collapsed, groaning in pain, his limbs utterly paralyzed.

His spinal cord had been severed—high paraplegia.

Just a moment before, these two retainers had been fantasizing about abusing beauties; the next, they were slain.

Shangguan Liang died unable to believe he had been outwitted. How could this have happened?

Shangguan Yi stared at Shangguan Liang’s fallen body, feeling an absurd sense of disbelief.

These two women were not skilled in martial arts—how could they kill him? How could it happen again?

“Shangguan Liang was strong, but all his brute force was concentrated in his arms. His legs were sluggish, especially slow to turn. That was your fatal weakness!” Qing Yue said coldly.

Shangguan Yi was even more shocked, pointing at Qing Yue and demanding, “How did you know?”

Xuan Yi sneered, “Know yourself and your enemy, and you’ll win a hundred battles. Didn’t you ever inquire about our special moves?”

Shangguan Yi felt his mind jam, as if something was wrong, but he couldn’t figure out what. The words sounded familiar, as if someone else had said them—but who?

“Kill him!” Qing Yue and Xuan Yi pressed the attack with their swords. Shangguan Yi had no time to think, and was thrown into a desperate struggle.

One alone could not defeat Shangguan Yi, but two together were more than enough.

Shangguan Li and Shangguan Feng were attacking Li Xiannian, but suddenly saw Shangguan Liang slain, ambushed from behind.

Shangguan Feng paid little heed, but Shangguan Li noticed something was off—the move was clearly aimed at Shangguan Liang’s sluggish legs.

Someone was directing them—Long Chen!

Shangguan Li was convinced Long Cheng'en was actually Long Chen, beyond any doubt.

The realization made every hair on his body stand on end.

Long Chen was alive, and in Eastern Zhou. That meant Linjiang still had a martial emperor among its defenders.

No wonder Shangguan Mu was killed, and Shangguan Xiu crippled—because Long Cheng'en was Long Chen, a martial emperor.

Fear gripped him, and his twin blades slowed. Li Xiannian spotted the opening and knocked one blade aside with a hammer blow. Shangguan Li, startled, retreated in haste.

As Shangguan Li fell back, Shangguan Feng was caught off guard. Li Xiannian kicked him square in the chest.

Bang! Splurt!

Shangguan Feng smashed against the wall, blood spurting from his mouth.

Li Xiannian’s strength was overwhelming. Shangguan Feng was severely wounded, unable to continue.

Seizing the opportunity, Li Xiannian rushed forward and brought his hammer down, smashing Shangguan Feng’s head to pieces—utterly shattered.

“Wonderful!” Li Xiannian laughed, hammer in hand, and chased after Shangguan Li.

Shangguan Li dreaded Long Chen, convinced he was lurking in the shadows, watching every move. Fear robbed him of courage, and he ran from Li Xiannian.

Emperor Luo Xi saw two retainers slain and laughed, “Old scoundrel, your men are all dead!”

Shangguan Wei glanced over, seeing Shangguan Liang dead and Shangguan Feng’s head crushed beyond recognition.

“How could this be?” Shangguan Wei’s face remained composed, but his heart was shaken.

Four against three, with the advantage on their side—how had they suffered defeat?

When planning the siege, Shangguan Wei expected heavy losses among the soldiers, but anticipated victory among the champions.

But now, two were dead, one fled, and one was besieged—the situation had taken a sudden downward turn.

Emperor Luo Xi laughed, “You didn’t expect this, did you? You’ve lost!”

Shangguan Wei roared, “Even if Linjiang cannot be taken today, you will die!”

His confidence rested on Murong Xiao; once Diao Yu city was secured, Linjiang would become an isolated fortress, and Emperor Luo Xi’s fate would be sealed.

Clinging to this belief, Shangguan Wei made his final, desperate stand.