Chapter 80: The Great Hunt of Wanli

  For two consecutive days, the martial arts arena was filled with intense battles, and a large number of skilled martial artists were selected. However, no one knew what Chu Li was thinking, as he seemed to be unaware of the current situation, despite having the opportunity to defeat the Southern Barbarian at this moment, but instead remained still, without any intention of engaging in battle.

  All parties gathered in Beiyuan, the initial sense of urgency gradually wore off, and they spent their days competing fiercely on the martial arts field. Several days passed with constant friction, and there were several times when they almost lost their lives.

  Qing Xia told Chu Li everything he had heard that night, word for word, but to his surprise, Chu Li didn't show any signs of shock. This confirmed Qing Xia's suspicions - everything was under Chu Li's control, and he was just waiting for the perfect moment to strike. But now, it seemed that moment hadn't arrived yet.

  She resolutely gave up her original idea of contacting the Li family, and for now, although it seemed calm on the surface, the situation inside was impossible to fathom except for a few people. In a situation where there were crises everywhere, she could only choose to unconditionally trust Chu Li completely, after all, the two people's fate had already been tied together, if something happened to Chu Li, she would absolutely not be able to leave Nan Chu alive.

  He raised a high level of vigilance, Qing Xia rectified the protective measures of the Black Guard, everything was carried out according to the security specifications of the national leaders at that time. For Chuli's residence, daily route, martial arts field, hunting ground, large-scale inspection and protection work were carried out, and on average, every ten meters, a hidden stakeout was set up to monitor all suspicious activities in the entire camp, secretly setting up a net in various corners of Xiangyuan County, and every evening, various intelligence files poured in like snowflakes, Qing Xia sat upright on the soft couch, analyzing various data and intelligence.

  Chu Li was greatly shocked by this, such a high level of security was something he had never seen before. It was secretive and quiet, not like the usual crowds that gathered every time they entered or exited, but it was even more thorough. Watching Qing Xia arrange the personnel in an orderly manner, Chu Li couldn't help but be amazed, but he didn't ask any questions, and instead gradually handed over the leadership position of the black-clad guards to Qing Xia to arrange.

  The day Chu Li handed over the Black Guard to Qing Xia in the central military camp, Qing Xia was indeed moved. Chu Li could hand over the Black Guard completely to himself, which basically meant handing his own life into someone else's hands. With Chu Li's personality, if it wasn't for 100% trust, he wouldn't make such a decision.

  Fortunately, several leaders of the Black Guard knew Qing Xia's previous identity, and other soldiers admired Qing Xia's agile movements, so there were no twists and turns. Qing Xia almost effortlessly took over the first security team in South Chu. After a few days of training and reform, Qing Xia was confident in dealing with various assassinations and sneak attacks that might exist in this era.

  But today, Qing Xia had to admit his mistake. The Black Guard was brave, but it was impossible to deal with the large-scale massacre on the open plains. Looking at the secret report that Le Song had just handed over, Qing Xia's face changed instantly.

  The news of the sudden appearance of the King of Huainan among the rebel forces in the southern border had indeed caught Chu Li's attention. Qing Xia was still an hour ahead of Chu Li in knowing this news, but at that time she was inspecting the terrain west of Huan Village, and according to her thinking, with Chu Li's intelligence, he shouldn't have fallen into such a shallow trap. However, she had underestimated the position of Huainan Wang Chuzheng in Chu Li's heart. When she returned to the main camp, Chu Li had already led the elite forces of various major families to hunt in the central part of the Xihuang Desert, and they departed exactly an hour ago.

  Qing Xia's head suddenly grew bigger, no matter what kind of idea Chu Li was thinking of, this trip required taking a huge risk, and if not careful, it would cost his life. Without time to consider further, he quickly gathered the black-clad guards, Qing Xia put on his green armor, and mounted his warhorse.

  "Miss!" Le Song called out anxiously: "His Majesty has ordered you to stay in the camp and wait for his return."

  "No," Qing Xia shook her head firmly, unwilling to waste any more time on this topic. She said in a low voice, "After I leave, you must do as I say. If there is even the slightest deviation, Nan Chu will definitely be thrown into chaos. Remember?"

  In just a few days, Qing Xia had already established a strong deterrent force in the Black Guard. Le Song, who had followed Chu Li for many years and was very senior, still showed great respect to Qing Xia. Seeing her serious expression, he nodded and responded with a "yes".

  "Let's go!" Qing Xia turned back and shouted at the black-clad guards, then galloped away on horseback.

  At this time, the situation at the foot of Cangmu Mountain was chaotic. Chu Li looked carefully and saw that the people on both sides of the sandy beach were in an uproar, their formations disorganized. The Imperial Guard, Qi Lang, rushed to his front, angrily saying: "Your Majesty, there is a large army of unknown origin guarding the east side, less than 100 miles from Shadan Beach. Inside, there are many archers and White Wolf cavalrymen. It seems that the South Border White Wolf tribe and the Lu Dan people have formed an alliance. Unexpectedly, the South Border people would form an alliance with the White Wolf tribe. The intentions of these visitors are not good, we must make early preparations!"

  Xu Quan led a group of panicked patriarchs from the various aristocratic families to his front, saying in a deep voice: "The western frontier stretches for thousands of miles, and it's all filled with crazed beasts from the southern wilderness. It seems like someone is secretly controlling them. Although these beasts are individually weak, there are tens of thousands of them charging forward together. If we confront them head-on, we'll definitely be trampled into meat paste. They're really not easy to deal with."

  Chu Li was taken aback, a cold glint flashing in his eyes, and then he smiled faintly. As expected, that person's meticulous plan couldn't let others take advantage of it. However, he didn't expect the White Wolf Corps to be involved as well. The White Wolves of South Jiang were skilled at taming beasts, with a fierce folk culture, coming and going like the wind, never under the control of South Chu. They also didn't get along with the Elders' Council of South Jiang. This time, unexpectedly, he was able to invite the warriors of the White Wolf tribe; it seemed that dealing with these people would require some trouble.

  To the south, there were high mountains blocking the way; to the north, the Red River was an obstacle; to the east, there were enemy troops with unknown origins and formidable strength; to the west, there were countless ferocious beast battalions. Now it was absolutely the most perilous moment he had ever encountered. At this time, looking at the surrounding family heads who usually acted haughtily and proudly staring at him, Chu Li couldn't help but smile coldly.

  The mantis stalks the cicada, but behind it lurks a yellow sparrow; who will win and who will lose is still too early to say.

  "Now, the order is given: 'The Southern Border, known as the South Chu's military horse farm, has enough equipment to arm the entire imperial army, and the White Wolf tribe is even more cunning. They are waiting for us to fall into their trap, surrounding the sandy terrain, leaving us no way out. Instead of letting them chase us all over the mountains, why not turn our heads around and charge at them with a big hunt?'"

  Xilin family led by Xilin Rong, after listening to Chuli's words, he thought for a moment and calmly said in a low voice: "Although the young master's plan is risky, it is also an unexpected method. The fierce beast will disperse automatically once it has been frustrated. This is better than staying in place and being used as a living target."

  Everyone was stunned, never having had such a bold idea before. The beast group that had been provoked to madness by the direct confrontation thought it was no different from seeking death in the eyes of ordinary people. At first, they still thought Chu Li was joking, but now looking at his serious expression, they couldn't help but think seriously about it.

  "Your Majesty, I think it's unwise!"

  Li Yuan stepped forward and said, "The White Wolf tribe is skilled at riding beasts and launching surprise attacks on the beast groups. It's too dangerous. Why not hold off against General Nan and wait for the support of our main army?"

  As soon as the words fell, others also agreed in unison. No normal person would be willing to charge into a frenzied beast group, let alone the Northern Camp's army was stationed eighty miles away, and as long as they could drag it out for half a day, they could gain some buffer time.

  "But someone has to hold back the beast group, otherwise when the time comes, they will be ambushed by the beast group from behind and have no chance of survival." Chu Li frowned slightly and said in a low voice.

  As soon as the words fell, there was an instant silence below, and everyone lowered their heads, afraid of being sent by Chu Li to be a daredevil, not even daring to take a breath.

  A faint smile flashed across Chu Li's face, but he quickly covered up his expression and sighed, saying in a low voice: "Since that's the case, please ask each of the family heads to go and hold off General Nan, while I lead the Black Guard to slow down the beast group's footsteps. Hopefully we can gain some time until the main army arrives and fight for a chance at survival."

  "How can this be?" The other officials also visibly breathed a sigh of relief, but still loudly and hypocritically shouted: "How can we let Your Majesty take risks?"

  "My mind is made up, there's no need for further discussion." Chu Li furrowed his brow and said: "Everyone here is my elder, I was able to ascend to the throne thanks to all of your support and guidance. Southern Chu can only contend with the other three nations with the backing of many vassal states, let us decide thus."

  Just as he was about to ride away, the eldest son of the Xi Lin family suddenly rushed forward, frowning and saying: "Your Highness, I am willing to follow Your Majesty to the Western Expedition to drive beasts, my Xi Lin family also knows a little about driving beasts. Please grant your permission."

  Chu Li was taken aback for a moment, then nodded and said, "Alright, follow me."

  He then led the Black Guards and the Xilin family army towards the vast western region.

  Each family head wiped the sweat, secretly calling out "good luck", one by one turning their horses' heads, slowly and steadily heading towards the Southern Garrison. They each brought with them the elite troops of their families, even if they couldn't win, they could drag it out for a day or two, by that time the Northern Camp's soldiers would have arrived. Watching Chu Li's figure gradually disappear into the west, they smiled to themselves, a thread of desire for power quietly rising, the Chu family had been on the throne for too long, the fat meat on the imperial throne, everyone had been eyeing it for a very long time.

  At this time, far to the east, a general in green clothes with armor had just heard the scout's report and learned that Chu Li was rushing towards the west. He nodded slowly, as if he had expected it.

  The old man beside him said respectfully: "This young Nan Chuyi is indeed a stunning talent, Your Highness's guess was not wrong. He has already figured everything out, but he still fell for it willingly."

  The general wore a suit of armor, with a large green cloak draped behind him. His long eyebrows were straight, his face was slightly pale, but his back was straight as a pen. He gazed into the distance with deep eyes and said slowly: "He and I have already understood each other's intentions. The people of Nanjiang are blaming me for not opening up the border, wanting to defect to Xichuan Yanhui. How can I cater to their wishes? The military power of Nanjiang has been exhausted, and it is also time to find someone to clean them up. I need to find someone to deal with the disaster of Nanjiang, he needs to recover his scattered royal power, eliminate the main forces of various aristocratic families. This mutually beneficial transaction, how can he refuse? I have planned for so long, now that he has made some effort, it is also what should be done. Taifu, how far is the Nanjiang army from here now?

  "Less than thirty miles."

  "Good," the light-armored man nodded, "Lure them here, then we'll sit back and watch the tigers fight, let the southern barbarians and the elite of the seven great families of Southern Chu slaughter each other."

  "Yes!" The old man nodded and immediately gave orders.

  "Taifu," the man suddenly turned his head, slightly pensive for a moment, still quietly asked: "Has it been confirmed that Zhuang's daughter is in the Nan Chu army camp?"

  "Yes!" The old man said in a low voice: "It has been confirmed that three days ago, Zhuang's young lady defeated Xilin's Rainy Miss on the stage, and recently became Chu Li's personal bodyguard, responsible for the safety of the Black Guard. She is highly trusted by Emperor Chu and often appears in public, otherwise our scouts would not have been able to investigate so easily."

  "Can someone like Chu Li believe in others?" The man hesitated for a moment, and finally smiled wryly, "After all, they are husband and wife."

  The sky was layered with thick clouds, and a man in green robes rode on his warhorse, gazing far into the southern sky. He said softly, "Since that's the case, inform Lian Teng not to attack the Northern Camp of Southern Chu. Once the Southern Border Army arrives, we'll head west together to find Chulidi, who just escaped from the beast group and is taking advantage of the fire to loot."

  "Roger."

  At this moment, Chu Li led Xu Quan, Qi Lang and other trusted subordinates, surrounding the foot of Cangmu Mountain, discussing in a low voice.

  "Your Majesty, will the Qin army really attack each of our vassals?" Xu Quan asked with a furrowed brow, full of doubt.

  Chu Li looked at the topographic map on the ground and said in a low voice: "Of course not."

  Qilang followed Chuli for the longest time. When Chuli was sent to Dongqi as a hostage, he was one of Chuli's personal guards. He had a straightforward personality and loudly exclaimed: "Then aren't we just busy for nothing?"

  "The Qin army will not return, but the Southern Border Army will definitely go."

  "What? The Southern Army is really on the sandy beach?"

  "En," Chu Li nodded, pointing to the Red Water area, and said in a low voice: "The leader of the Lu Dan people was killed by Qin Zhiyan, the Dong Qi people defected to me on the battlefield, and they were defeated by me again at the West Hei Yuan a few days ago. The southern border is sealed off, the weather is getting colder, and they have nowhere to go. Now the only way out is to rely on Xichuan."

  Xu Quan shook his head and said: "Does Xichuan dare to accept the rebel army of Nanjiang? I think the great emperor of Xichuan doesn't have this courage."

  "Xikawa doesn't have the guts, but Yan Hui does." Chu Li sneered and said: "Qin Zhiyan has been planning for so long, how can he let Xikawa take advantage of it? So he will definitely take action to eliminate the powerful rebel army in Nanjiang. The best candidate is me, the soldier of South Chu. It just so happens that I also need to deal with the seven major families that are too big to handle. If I'm not mistaken, the Nanjiang army should be within thirty miles now. Qin Zhiyan is the war god of Daqin, naturally he has the ability to make them fight each other. Let's just let them bite each other."

  "But why should the Northern Camp Army stay in their camp and wait for us to come to them? Wouldn't it be better if they came out to meet us?"

  Chu Li coldly snorted and said, "As soon as the Southern Border Army arrives, Qin Zhiyan will definitely go to the Northern Camp to take advantage of the fire and loot, annihilating the main force of Southern Chu. The Northern Camp army is waiting in strict formation, and they will surely end up with a miserable defeat."

  "Your Majesty is wise!" Several people said in unison, Chu Li stood up, waved his hand, and the crowd mounted their war horses and rushed towards the surging beast group.

  Under the strange coincidence of fate, they swarmed in, and under the calculation of you and me, no one expected that some unpredictable things were quietly changing.

  On the western wilderness, where herds of beasts were galloping wildly, three troops of cavalry were rushing over from east, west and south. Amidst the chaotic wind and rain of blood, the first encounter in a world of chaos was unfolding in the darkness.

  Only the sound of thunder from the west came, rumbling and shaking people's hearts. Someone exclaimed: "The beast is near!" Everyone was nervous and anxious, shouting loudly and whipping their horses to gallop quickly. It felt like all around was dark, in this vast wilderness, without any shelter or obstruction, a pitch-black expanse, adding an eerie and murderous atmosphere.

  Suddenly, a loud and chaotic noise filled the sky. Qing Xia looked up to see a flock of millions of flame birds flying towards them like a dark cloud covering the entire sky. These flame birds were extremely ferocious with wingspans of over ten meters long and powerful legs. They had a strong desire to hunt in groups on the plains. At this moment, it was as if they had been driven by something, and upon seeing Qing Xia and the others rushing towards them, the flock of flame birds suddenly became enraged and charged forward, diving down at the crowd.

  Qing Xia had long expected them to launch an attack, and with a swift motion, he grabbed the bow and arrow by his side, which was burning with flowing fire. With a rapid swing of his right arm, a fierce and powerful wave of flame suddenly burst out, leaving a long, eye-searing mark in the midst of the fiery birds filling the sky, like a bolt of lightning splitting the air. A loud boom shook the air as the flock of flaming birds was thrown into disarray, with several of them plummeting straight down, letting out ear-piercing screeches, their flesh charred and red, emitting waves of burnt meat fragrance.

  Qing Xia gave the order and everyone shot out the rockets they had prepared earlier, the long spears on their bodies were also set on fire, and they charged towards the beast group.

  "Brush brush brush" arrows shot out like a swarm of locusts in the sky, and people also followed suit, with some continuously throwing large pieces of wooden fireballs into the air. In the sea of flames, giant birds with massive bodies kept crashing down heavily onto the plain, only to be trampled into minced meat by the army of over a million beasts in the blink of an eye.

  But there were too many flame birds, and they couldn't be killed off. Qing Xia wielded her war knife with a flourish, opening up a bloody path of slaughter. The flock of birds feared her ferocity and flew far away from the sky above her. Suddenly, a sharp, long cry pierced the air, and the flame birds seemed to have received some sort of signal, collectively charging towards the center of the crowd.

  "Boom!" A massive explosion shook the air, and Qing Xia's warhorse suddenly stood up on its hind legs. Only the beastly roars and angry howls could be heard from the front, as if a strong gust of wind had swept through the air in an instant. The green grass was blown away, the horses neighed loudly, and the bloody smell filled the sky, piercing the heart and lungs.

  Qing Xia's eyebrows rose, having experienced countless wars big and small throughout his life, he had never seen such a formation. He drew his longbow, nocked an arrow, and fired five arrows in quick succession. The powerful force sent the Flamebirds into chaos, their formations collapsing instantly. Countless Flamebirds fled in all directions, panicked and disoriented.

  Qing Xia snorted, a group of stupid birds, they really deserved to be unlucky. He sneered and his silver spear suddenly surged with energy, the long gun danced with water splashing everywhere, dark energy fluttered about, colorful lights flashing, in mid-air a dazzling light wall suddenly rose up, emitting an eerie coldness that chilled people's hearts.

  "Boom, boom" sounds echoed one after another, mournful cries rose in succession, blood spurted out, fiery feathers scattered everywhere, and in the blink of an eye, dozens of Flame Birds crashed into that bloodthirsty light shadow, just like crashing into a steel wall with iron arms, their heads shattered and they died instantly.

  Qing Xia's killing intent surged, and he drew out the hook lock from his waist. With a swift motion, he began to spin it in mid-air. In an instant, his power soared, and the shadows danced across the sky, dazzling everyone's eyes. The flames engulfed the birds, which fell from the sky one after another, their mournful cries echoing through the air. In the blink of an eye, hundreds of bird carcasses piled up on the plain, with blood flowing freely and a foul stench filling the air. A bloody rain continued to pour down from the sky, casting an eerie glow over the scene.

  "Good girl! Good move!" The black-clad guard shouted in praise.

  Before the birds had completely dispersed, a herd of beasts approached the crowd from the front, shaking the earth with their hooves, and filling the air with roars, wails, whistles, and thunderous applause. The noise was deafening, and the dust flew everywhere, rolling in waves like breakers on the shore.

  Qing Xia had always been one to become stronger when faced with a strong opponent, never backing down. Thinking of Chu Li possibly being among the beast group at this moment, his brow furrowed in anger, and with a loud shout, he charged forward first. The many black-clothed guards finally showed off their formidable fighting strength, each person like an inexhaustible machine, following closely behind Qing Xia as they bravely charged into battle.

  With a swift and deadly motion, the battle was fierce and intense, morale soared, charging forward with courage. For a time, invincibility reigned supreme, all opponents were vanquished.

  But these ferocious beasts, as if stimulated by something, suddenly went wild and mad, rushing towards them in a frenzy. The earth shook, the sound was deafening, countless ferocious and powerful beasts let out a collective roar, their voices surging, piercing through the clouds, charging from all directions. The winds howled, dust flew everywhere, and the grey misty air carried the bloody stench of the beasts' carnivorous breath, making one's stomach churn. The sound of the wind filled the entire battlefield, the atmosphere was thick with bloodlust and killing intent, the raging waves of their roars seemed to be about to engulf them like a tsunami.

  Qing Xia had always been strong, and in this war of attrition, she even more embodied the super-strong physique of a special forces soldier. Although she was a woman, her advantage was that both hands could simultaneously use weapons, and every part of her body was a deadly instrument. Listening to the beast's roar, she felt that all the blood in her body had already reached a boiling point, surging from her limbs into her brain, with intense killing intent rushing into her mind.

  In the dark path of my heart, this nine-heaven cave mansion, a thousand-zhang underground hole, no matter what ghosts and monsters lie ahead, dare to block my way, no matter heaven or earth, moving mountains and seas, I will pursue and kill them!

  Right in front of the vast and endless summer, a desolate wilderness stretched out, with rolling smoke and dust. Chu Li and others were galloping at top speed across the open plains. They charged forward with unstoppable momentum, and tens of thousands of ferocious beasts surrounded them like ants, only to be struck down by lightning-fast attacks and retreat, before charging again in an endless cycle. The sky was completely shrouded in a thick layer of smoke and dust, blocking out all sunlight except for a faint glow on the horizon. Chu Li couldn't hear anything around him, as wave after wave of beasts surged forward, countless numbers being trampled into pulp, filling the air with the stench of blood. With his sharp features set and his body covered in fresh blood, he looked like a demon from hell.

  Suddenly a loud and clear whistle pierced the sky, the sound was turbulent, like breaking metal and stone. Chu Li's heart was greatly stirred, thinking that after today, he would never be restrained by the eight great families again, and burst out laughing loudly.

  His hands grasped the long gun, stirring up a mighty wave of energy. A massive killing intent surged through his chest, and countless blood flowers condensed into a stream of blood light in mid-air, as he advanced with great strides, cleaving and slashing with abandon. The beast at the forefront was met with a frenzied slash, sending it flying into the air. For an instant, it seemed as if a massive wave had risen from the sea, sending countless beasts that had been cut in two soaring high into the air, their blood misting everywhere, their internal organs bursting forth, and fresh blood spraying wildly. The beast pack was thrown into disarray, their formation collapsing in chaos as they hastily retreated to either side. The beasts on both sides trampled each other, several giant elephants tumbling down with a deafening crash, only to be instantly trampled to death by the other ferocious beasts, their mournful cries echoing through the air. Chu Li led the crowd in a charge, seizing the opportunity to kill his way into the fray. With a swift draw of his battle knife, he began to cleave and slash with abandon, cutting a bloody path through the beast pack. The crowd shouted loudly, calling out Chu Li's name as they followed him fearlessly into the heart of the beast pack.

  Chu Li was fighting while focusing his mind, the crowd was brave, but this beast group was endless, if they continued like this, they would either be killed by the beasts or die from exhaustion. He was trying to think of a way to escape, when he saw that every time the beast group was about to collapse, a white bird would fly out from the center of the group, chirping and flying around as if transmitting some information. Chu Li concentrated and thought carefully, gradually understanding that this beast group was just a bunch of animals without intelligence, how could they launch such an organized attack with a degree of impact, and after being defeated, instead of retreating, they became even more brave and fought again. It must be that there was someone inside giving orders, rather than continuing to kill the beasts endlessly, it would be better to kill the mastermind and let the beast group disperse automatically. Thinking of this, he carefully observed the direction of the center of the beast group, which further confirmed his idea.

  Suddenly, Chu Li slapped the war horse's head violently and shouted loudly: "Capture the thief first capture the king!"

  "Capture the king first!" As if their minds were connected, almost at the same time, a clear and lovely voice rang out.

  Chu Li was shocked and lost color, he looked up and saw that the originally ferocious beast group suddenly became chaotic, as if someone had inserted themselves into the back of the beast group.

  In a flash of blood light, a woman's tender voice rose high in the sky amidst the bloody pollution. A hook lock with a body full of blood swung through the air and hooked around the neck of a bird. With a "whoosh" sound, the bird let out a sharp cry and fell to the ground.

  A petite woman in a suit of azure armor sat atop a warhorse, her cloak fluttering and long hair streaming behind her. Her entire being radiated an aura of unbridled majesty. One hand grasped the reins while the other rested on her head, with icy hooks crossing above it. Her sharp eyebrows and eyes gazed fiercely in this direction.

  "Chu Li!" Qing Xia's eyes met Chu Li, and his blood-stained face flashed a joyful light. He opened his mouth and shouted loudly: "Are you okay?!"

  A surge of immense joy suddenly rose in his heart, the original shock and worry vanished instantly when he saw Qing Xia's smile, Chu Li suddenly burst into a hearty laugh, his deep voice echoing across the vast wilderness, intertwined with the thunderous roar of the fierce beast.

  In a few ups and downs, they rushed to the center of the beast group. Qing Xia suddenly jumped onto the back of an unmanned war horse, with hook locks flying in the sky, slashing fiercely, huge waves surging, and blood splashing everywhere.

  A huge ferocious beast was instantly cut in half by Chu Li, and the fresh blood on his knife flowed out thread by thread. Without any obstruction, Chu Li charged in with an even more astonishing momentum.

  "Chu Li! Let's go together!" Qing Xia shouted loudly and rushed forward.

  The snow-white Snowbird suddenly became chaotic, and a group of them flew out in all directions, flying between the various beast groups. The beasts immediately stopped attacking, turned their bodies around, and rushed towards the center. However, this surrounding area was already densely packed with wild animals, and such a sudden squeeze made the ferocious beasts even more chaotic. The Snowbird frantically fluttered about in mid-air, emitting sharp cries.

  Qing Xia's eyebrows furrowed, and the flying knife in her hand shot out instantly, knocking the Snow Bird to the ground in an instant. The wild beasts lost their command and could only stupidly run around, scattered like sand.

  "Whoosh!" The crescent moon-like war blade shot out instantly, and the beast surrounding it fell to the ground with a loud thud. Chu Li's war blade sat on the warhorse, ferocious and swift, as if entering a realm without people. Suddenly, a shrill long cry echoed through the air, and an old man in a feathered cloak jumped out from among the beasts. His bones were refined, his skeleton was elegant, and he had a proud demeanor. His expression also concealed a cold and excited tone. However, as he looked at Chu Li with a cold gaze, he smiled obsequiously and said: "I truly didn't expect that South Chu would have someone like you. May I ask for your esteemed name, please enlighten me."

  Chu Li's expression turned cold as he smiled, his voice low and even: "I never bother to waste words on people who are neither friends nor foes. Moreover, apart from being a beast tamer, you don't have any other notable abilities. Today, you've caused me so much trouble; shouldn't we take the time to consider how to settle this?"

  Without the control of the old man in feathered clothes, those beasts scattered and fled for a while, coming quickly and going quickly, and soon disappeared without a trace, scattering in all directions.

  The old man's face turned cold, a glint of icy light flashed in his eyes, and suddenly a strand of colored thread appeared out of thin air, his palm flipped over, and a burst of energy shot out, unleashing a powerful lightning bolt that struck down from above.

  With a loud crash, Qing Xia's hook locked onto the old man's jaw and pulled with a burst of force.

  Chu Li also raised his battle knife and chopped down towards the old man.

  Just as he was about to kill the mastermind behind the scenes, a loud rumbling sound suddenly came from afar, and countless armies rushed in, overwhelming the land. Chu Li's eyebrows rose, and she didn't expect Qin Zhiyan to abandon his attack on the northern camp headquarters and rush here to make things difficult for her.

  A sharp whizzing sound pierced the air, followed by a loud clang as it struck Qing Xia's hook lock and Chu Li's war knife, instantly resolving the old man's crisis with lightning speed.

  In an instant, a large number of soldiers rushed to the front, Qing Xia and Chu Li gazed intently, only to see a light-armored general standing proudly on his warhorse, behind him were rows of iron-blooded guards, on the high-flying banner above, a black dragon coiled menacingly, as if about to break free.

  Qing Xia's eyes widened in shock, her mouth agape as she stared blankly ahead. Finally, she couldn't help but shout out loud: "Qin Zhiyan!"

  Qin's flames were stunned, his face turned even paler, looking at the woman covered in blood standing beside Chu Li, whose original face could no longer be discerned. After a while, he said incredulously: "Yima?"

  Chu's eyebrows rose slightly, her face sank, and she gazed coldly at Qin Zhiyan. After a long while, she spoke in a low voice: "Do you know each other?"