Lord of Puluo

"Tufang has attacked! The Demon Lord has brought an army of a hundred thousand to the Suihuang Plains!" "Where's the Suihuang Iron Cavalry? How come we haven't seen a single one of them?" "They've all marched outside the city to fight!" "Why didn't they stay behind to defend the city? Wouldn't holding the city walls be easier than fighting in the open?" "Are you an idiot? If they holed up here, wouldn't we be dragged into the disaster with them? Once Tufang breached the walls, they'd slaughter every last one of us!" "Even if they didn't breach the walls, what would we eat if they laid siege?" "The Suihuang Iron Cavalry at least has a conscience. Win or lose, they won't make us suffer along with them!" A crowd in a teahouse was loudly debating the war when the old stable hand from the back courtyard approached the proprietor. "My body's aching something terrible today. I'd like to take the day off." The proprietor frowned. "Aching? Are you sick? You were bouncing around full of life this morning. How'd you fall sick all of a sudden?" The old man gave a genial chuckle. "Old age catching up with me, you know. Good one moment, bad the next. Don't worry about paying me today's wages—just let me rest for the day, eh?" "You still had the nerve to ask for wages?" the proprietor snapped angrily. "Why should I give you a copper! No work, no pay! If you really want to leave, fine—don't bother coming back!" The old man gritted his teeth, slapped the table, and turned to walk out. "If I'm not coming back, then I'm not coming back! Who cares about your pitiful scraps anyway!" A waiter who had just finished clearing a table headed toward the kitchen, noticing the proprietor standing there with a dark expression, staring out the front door. The waiter asked, "What happened?" The proprietor snorted. "The stable hand quit!" The waiter was new and couldn't quite place who tended the horses. "What was his name again?" Another grunt came from the proprietor. "Who knows what he's called? He's just a stable hand!" The waiter had no idea why the proprietor was so worked up. "Then if he's gone, he's gone." The proprietor clicked the abacus beads. "He told me he was sick. He was lying through his teeth! If he were really sick, would I withhold his pay?" The waiter chuckled. "A fellow like that is nothing but a useless bum. Why let yourself get so worked up over him?" The proprietor slammed the abacus against the waiter's chest. "Who are you calling a useless bum? He's a true hero!" The waiter hurriedly caught the abacus. "Then what's gotten into him...?" The proprietor clutched the abacus beads so hard they creaked under his grip. "Why did he have to lie to me? What does he think he's doing going there? What good could an old man like him possibly do there!" The more the waiter listened, the more confused he became. "Where on earth did he go?" *** Outside the city, the old stable hand followed the hoofprints in the snow, walking a full fifty li. Ahead lay a stretch of terrain known as Mayang Slope. Come spring and summer, the hillside would be covered with stone-knocking grass. Stone-knocking grass was a peculiar pasture plant. Its leaves were succulent and lush, but if ordinary cattle or sheep grazed on it for even a single meal, within a few hours they would seek out a boulder and begin smashing their foreheads against it. They would not stop until their skulls shattered and their brains spilled out dry. Only the pockmarked sheep native to the Suihuang Plains could eat stone-knocking grass. These sheep had sparse, patchy fleece and bodies covered in pockmarks and craters that looked like open sores. They loved stone-knocking grass above all else, growing fatter the more they grazed, suffering no harm no matter how much they consumed. Thus, the place was named Mayang Slope. At present, there was not a pockmarked sheep or blade of stone-knocking grass in sight. Before him lay only an expanse of snow, upon which stood two battle formations. One column was led by Yao Xin. These were the Suihuang Iron Cavalry—the legendary army composed of iron-boned men. Zhao Xiaowan stood among their ranks. The other column was led by a young woman, commanding a ragtag force cobbled together from the Chu family, the Lu family, and the Hundred Flowers Sect. She wore a student uniform and carried a shy, timid demeanor, looking in every way unlike someone destined for the battlefield. The old stable hand gazed into the distance. After looking for a long while, he still saw no figures, but he could faintly make out the rumble of drums. *Boom! Boom!* Because they were still far off, the drums didn't sound overwhelmingly loud, yet every beat felt like a hammer striking directly against the heart, sending chills down one's spine. The old stable hand recognized those drums. He knew the people of Tufang had arrived. Around Yao Xin, the cavalrymen gripped their reins tightly. Perhaps due to the freezing weather, many were sniffling loudly. A battalion officer beside Yao Xin sneezed, then broke into a coughing fit. Yao Xin asked, "Did you catch a chill?" The officer rubbed his face briskly. "It's nothing, General. I'll be fine in a moment." Yao Xin lowered his voice. "How about you fall back a bit?" The officer shook his head. "No need to worry about me, sir. It's just a couple of sneezes. It won't get in the way of fighting." Yao Xin looked into the distance. A mass of figures had emerged across the snowy plain. The Tufang army had arrived. Yao Xin took a swig from his wineskin. He had meant to crack a joke or two to bolster morale, but all around him, the sound of coughing rose and fell in an unbroken wave. *** Nian Shangyou presented a battle report to Qiao Yi. "The Demon Lord of Tufang has dispatched his troops to assault Huangtu Town, but Li Qi is still locked in fierce combat out on the plains." As Qiao Yi scanned the report, the smile on his face grew increasingly pronounced. Nian Shangyou asked, "My Lord, Tufang is urging us to advance. Is this move not a bit reckless? The outcome between Li Qi and his foes has yet to be decided. We might as well wait until the dust settles before deploying our forces." Qiao Yi shook his head. "The outcome was decided long ago. Waiting any longer will only cause us to miss our window of opportunity. "The Suihuang Iron Cavalry trained by Yao Xin is entirely incapable of fighting a real battle. As for the stragglers and wanderers Li Qi brought along, they have no real ties to the Suihuang Plains in the first place. If the people of the Suihuang Plains won't fight for themselves, for whom would those local factions and sects bleed? How long could Li Qi possibly hold out? "The Demon Lord claimed he would take over Huangtu Town, which proves he possesses the certainty to seize it without shedding a drop of blood. Once Huangtu Town falls and Li Qi is plunged into despair, he might lead his people back to Wuyouping, or he might reinforce Qunying Mountain. At that point, he would only provide reinforcements to the peddler, placing our army at a disadvantage. Right now, while Li Qi is still bogged down in slaughter on the Suihuang Plains, caught between advancing and retreating—this is the prime moment for our army to strike." Nian Shangyou showered him with praise. "My Lord's calculations leave nothing to chance. You are truly divine!" Qiao Yi instructed Nian Shangyou to transmit the military order: "The entire army sets out for Qunying Mountain." In the end, he had still chosen Qunying Mountain. Yet Nian Shangyou was unfamiliar with the terrain. "My Lord, once we reach Qunying Mountain, where should our troops march?" Qiao Yi frowned. "Why ask such a thing?" *Why ask?* What kind of question was that to throw at him! Nian Shangyou was supposed to lead the troops, and he didn't even know the route. How could his lord ask why he needed to know? "Subordinate has never set foot on Qunying Mountain and knows nothing of the terrain. If My Lord does not give clear instructions, I will not know how to advance." Qiao Yi fetched a map and pointed out a few key details. "This is Wulao Valley. To the east, west, and north stand sheer precipices. There is only a single exit to the south. "At the base of the northern cliff of Wulao Valley lies a cavern. Inside that cavern is a passage connecting to Sage Peak. Normally, this route remains sealed, but it has now been opened. Do you understand now?" That was straightforward enough. Qiao Yi meant that one could travel directly from Sage Peak to Wulao Valley on Qunying Mountain, and from there find a way to break out of the valley. Yet did the peddler know about this path between Sage Peak and Wulao Valley? If he did, traversing it would hardly be simple. Nian Shangyou asked, "Could the enemy have entered this passage in advance to set a trap?" Qiao Yi shook his head. "The enemy cannot enter that passage." Nian Shangyou understood—only the Heirloom Seal could unlock that path. "My Lord, wasn't the Heirloom Seal of the Realm left behind in Zhenxun? We are currently at Sage Peak!" Qiao Yi glared at Nian Shangyou. "Is that for you to question?" Nian Shangyou dared not ask further about the Heirloom Seal, but certain operational details had to be verified. "My Lord, after entering Wulao Valley from the north, must we push all the way through and exit from the south?" Qiao Yi nodded. "That will be the most arduous part of this campaign. The peddler will lead the old remnants of the Suihuang Iron Cavalry to intercept our army in the valley, while Eighteen Wheels will lead various overlords to pursue us from behind." Nian Shangyou felt the situation sounded extraordinarily perilous. "Then how should this battle be fought?" Qiao Yi drew a line across the map. "Defeat the peddler, break out of Wulao Valley, and use the advantage of the terrain to trap Eighteen Wheels' forces inside the gorge until they perish." Nian Shangyou had never seen Wulao Valley. Defeating the peddler and breaking out of the gorge was something he could visualize. Trapping Eighteen Wheels and his men inside Wulao Valley, however, struck him as baffling. How could they trap them? Given the combat strength of Eighteen Wheels' faction, they would surely possess countless ways to breach such a gorge. Qiao Yi smiled. "Once you arrive at Qunying Mountain, you will witness the methods employed there. Order the entire army to march. Above all, remember: within two days, you must defeat the peddler and the veterans of the Suihuang Iron Cavalry, and lead the army out of Wulao Valley. Otherwise, unforeseen variables will arise in the battle." As Nian Shangyou set out at the head of the main army, the peddler observed every movement clearly from atop Qunying Mountain. He immediately sent word to Eighteen Wheels: "Qiao Yi has made his move. Lead your men in pursuit at once." Eighteen Wheels gathered all his forces and confirmed the battlefield with the peddler once more: "We're still fighting at Wulao Valley, right? The location hasn't changed?" "It hasn't changed," the peddler replied. "I've already established a life covenant in Wulao Valley. You should know how to fight this battle." Hearing the words *life covenant*, Eighteen Wheels' heart tightened. "I know how to fight it. But can you hold out?" "I can hold." "Can those old iron-bone breeds up on the mountain hold?" "They can hold. Give them weapons and they'll fight!" The peddler looked toward the Suihuang Plains. *** The Tufang army halted on Mayang Slope. The two forces were still a fair distance apart, but the Demon Lord possessed exceptional eyesight. As his gaze swept over the battle formation of the Suihuang Iron Cavalry, his middle head couldn't help letting out a laugh. "I knew their quality was poor, but I never imagined it would be this pathetic." The Demon Lord sighed and turned toward the herald beside him. "In the Second Puluo War, our ancestors failed to conquer this land. That lingering regret has hovered above our empire ever since, never truly dispersing. "Today, we shall remedy the regrets of our forebears. Grant them the span of three drum rolls to kneel before me and repent for their sins. Such is our benevolence. I only hope they do not squander my goodwill; otherwise, over the next three days, I shall slaughter every living soul in Huangtu Town." The herald relayed the order to a colossal bear. Resting on the ground, the bear measured seven or eight meters tall. It strode to the front of the formation and bellowed at the Suihuang Iron Cavalry, "Surrender within three rolls of the drum, and you shall live! Resist past the three rolls, and the city shall be put to the sword for three days—not even chickens or dogs will be spared!" Its accent was heavy, yet every syllable was delivered with crystal clarity. The message was blunt and succinct. Everyone understood what it meant. Within the ranks of the Suihuang Iron Cavalry, a battalion officer's mount swayed so violently it nearly threw its rider from the saddle. Yao Xin glanced at the officer, speaking with a touch of teasing, "Are you thinking of surrendering?" The officer shook his head frantically. "How could I surrender? Am I some spineless coward? We stepped onto this battlefield prepared to lay our lives on the line. Dying in battle leaves me with no regrets!" The warhorse let out a shrill whinny, and the officer nearly tumbled off once more. Once he managed to steady himself, he hastily explained, "General, I'm not afraid in the slightest. It's my horse that's spooked." Yao Xin let out a sigh. "Loosen your grip on the reins. You're pulling them so hard the horse's mouth is bleeding." Seeing that the Suihuang Iron Cavalry showed no sign of surrender, the Demon Lord ordered the drums struck. Two water buffaloes, bearing drums over ten meters tall upon their backs, were led to the front of the lines. Two giant bears gripped enormous drumsticks and took turns pounding them. *Boom! Boom!* With that single resonance, everyone's ears rang violently for a long time. It was this very drumming that had induced fits of coughing, sneezing, and shortness of breath among the Suihuang Iron Cavalry moments earlier. Now, as the drums thundered again, Yao Xin looked back to find a large number of his cavalrymen trembling uncontrollably in their saddles to the rhythm of the beats. Fifth Miss glanced over at the riders and repeatedly shook her head at Zhao Xiaowan. All iron-boned men were of the iron-bone breed, but not all of the iron-bone breed were true heroes. What the Suihuang Iron Cavalry feared most was cowards. Out of five hundred iron-boned men, if even three or five cowards appeared, the entire formation would collapse into a rout. Yao Xin had trained a total of ten thousand men for the Suihuang Iron Cavalry. In terms of bloodline, they all belonged to the iron-bone breed. Yet judging by their current state, virtually all ten thousand had lost their nerve. Not a single stouthearted soul could be spotted among them for the time being. Chu Er realized something was amiss. She gathered the Chu family members to the front of the formation. "No use waiting on these useless wretches. Let's charge in ourselves!" Xiang Fenglan was just about to lead the charge when Fifth Miss barked, "Miss Chu, do not act on your own! I am the one commanding today!" "What difference does it make who's commanding now?" Chu Huaiyuan rolled her eyes up at Fifth Miss. "Just watching the enemy charge at us—aren't we just waiting for death anyway?" Fifth Miss locked eyes with Chu Er for a brief moment before Lu Chunying stepped forward to mediate. "Sister Huaiyuan, don't forget what Seventh Brother said. She knows how to wage war; we have to follow her lead." Xiao Yeci chimed in from the side, "That's right! Benefactor said we must obey military orders!" Zhang Xiuling also urged her, "Huaiyuan, don't act recklessly." Fifth Miss explained, "If this were an ambush, I would have sent you in. If neither side were prepared, I would have sent you in as well. "Right now, both armies have drawn their battle lines. They are a thoroughly trained, disciplined army. If you charge in, you'll simply be throwing your lives away—and your deaths won't achieve a single thing!" Chu Huaiyuan demanded, "Then why bring me out here in the first place?" Fifth Miss looked toward the Suihuang Iron Cavalry. "Because we, too, have a disciplined army!" Chu Huaiyuan scoffed. "You call *this* an army?" While they spoke, the first drum roll had already concluded. Watching the shivering Suihuang Iron Cavalry, all three of the Demon Lord's heads laughed in unison. "I had originally intended to leave them a shred of dignity. Now it appears there is no need. "Pass down my order: if they still do not surrender after the third drum roll, grant them no further chance to survive. Trample them directly into meat paste!" A thunderous roar of assent rang through the Tufang ranks. That shout alone was enough to spook dozens more horses within the Suihuang Iron Cavalry. Yao Xin looked toward Zhao Xiaowan with deep shame. "Marshal, these are the soldiers I trained with my own hands. They are iron-boned men. Their bloodline is genuine, and their spirits are sound—they have grit in them. "I already replaced those few spineless battalion officers. I truly don't know what has come over them today..." "Don't panic. I know they have fire in their blood. Today is their first true battle, and they've been frightened out of their wits." Back when Zhao Xiaowan had trained the iron-bone breed, she had always used veterans to temper the new recruits. Now, in their very first engagement, they were facing the elite forces of Tufang, not to mention the Demon Lord himself. Their courage had simply evaporated. How could they summon that courage back? "Can you find ten men?" Zhao Xiaowan asked Yao Xin. "If ten iron-boned men lead the charge at the fore, the rest will find the nerve to follow." Ten iron-boned men could form the most fundamental battle formation. As long as there wasn't a single coward among them, Zhao Xiaowan was confident she could spearhead the assault. "I can!" Yao Xin replied with full conviction. He rode through the ranks several times, but his confidence gradually drained away. Fear was contagious. At present, the entire army was paralyzed by dread. Pan Dehai let out a sigh beside them. He possessed the ability to read the hearts of men. Among all the iron-bone breeds present, those who hadn't succumbed to fear did not exceed five—and that included Yao Xin himself. *Boom! Boom!* The Demon Lord ordered the second drum roll. Pan Dehai looked helplessly at the Suihuang Iron Cavalry beside him. If they couldn't even scrounge up ten stouthearted men, he genuinely feared the entire army would break and flee in terror under the pounding of the drums. He glanced into the distance and sensed a faint spark of courage. "Old Yao, what are the origins of those men of virtue over there?" Pan Dehai pointed toward the old stable hand and the group of men gathered beside him. Yao Xin remained silent, turning his eyes toward Zhao Xiaowan. Zhao Xiaowan lowered her head, biting her lip hard. "I have wronged them..." Urging her warhorse forward, she slowly rode out from the formation. Yao Xin gasped, "Marshal, what are you doing—" Zhao Xiaowan raised a hand, signaling Yao Xin to say no more. Standing before the battle lines, she began to sing the war song of years past: *In spring the green grass grows, and coats of war are sewn.* *In summer red flowers bloom, and horns and war drums groan.* *In autumn yellow leaves fall, as enemy heads are claimed.* *In winter white snows fly, as blood anoints the slain.* *Whoosh—* A bitter gale swept across Mayang Slope. Amid the howling wind, the deafening war drums thundered, yet even so, the lady's singing remained distinctly audible. Every soldier heard every single word with utter clarity. It was the most beautiful song they had ever heard. Hearing it, fear still lingered in their chests, but at the very least, they were no longer trembling. The old stable hand looked in Zhao Xiaowan's direction. He was some distance from the battle formation, and the glare of the snow was somewhat blinding, preventing him from clearly making out her face. Yet he knew the voice of Huang Yuxian. Old Liu the carriage driver walked over, squatted down beside the old stable hand, and said with a grin, "Hey, what do you say, are we doing this or what?" The old stable hand glanced at Old Liu. "What are you on about?" "What do you think I'm on about?" "If you little bastard won't spit it out, how am I supposed to know?" "Quit bullshitting with me. You know damn well what we're doing—I've even brought the horses!" Old Liu pointed toward some thirty horses standing in the distance. The old stable hand swept his gaze over them and shook his head. "These horses aren't even the right breed!" Old Liu retorted, "Who cares if the breed is right? These beasts run like the wind! Don't believe me? Mount up and see for yourself!" For the Suihuang Iron Cavalry, a man never parted from his horse. The old stable hand didn't reply. Chen Yongnian, the restaurant owner from the Underground City, strode over, accompanied by about thirty men. He unstrapped a massive wooden trunk from his back. "I brought the sabers too. Sharpened them fresh last night." He threw open the trunk. Nobody knew what kind of mechanism was hidden inside, but it somehow contained over thirty cavalry sabers alongside over thirty suits of armor. For the Suihuang Iron Cavalry, a man never parted from his blade. "May your ancestors be damned!" The old stable hand picked up a cavalry saber. "Are you trying to get me killed?" "If you were scared of dying, what the hell did you come all the way out here for?" Old Liu gripped a saber and slipped into his armor. "I'm just asking: are we doing this or not?" The old stable hand held the saber, running his fingers along the edge before looking around at the men. "Back in the day, that peddler gave me a pile of silver. I spent half of it, and the rest is buried under my floorboards. "Once the fighting's done, whichever of you little bastards makes it out alive can take a hoe, dig it up, and split it down the middle. Don't go spouting nonsense later claiming I shortchanged you!" Tan Jinxiao chuckled. "What the hell are you blabbering about? As if anyone needs you to worry about money! Every penny I've earned over the years belongs to the brothers here. Once the fighting's over, spend it however you damn well please! "Just say the word—are we fucking them up or what?" The second drum roll had concluded. The Demon Lord commanded his soldiers to ready their weapons. His imperial order had been issued: once the third roll ended, show no mercy and trample them all into meat paste. The old stable hand strapped on his armor, mounted his warhorse, and raised his saber. Gripping the reins, he wheeled his horse around to face the men and roared at the top of his lungs, "If anyone's got cold feet, speak up now!" His voice cracked from the strain, yet among the thirty-odd men, not a single one uttered a peep. He wheeled his mount back around, stared toward the Tufang lines, and bellowed once more, "If nobody's chickening out, then charge with me!" The sabers were rusted, but their edges gleamed. The horses were of a different breed, but they ran fast. Their hair had turned white, tucked beneath iron helms and dusted with windblown snowflakes, barely noticeable. They had grown old. Yet they charged at the very front. Following Huang Yuxian, they charged at the absolute vanguard. Lu Chunying stared at their retreating backs and asked, "Who are they?" Chu Er wore her fedora, pulling the brim down low in imitation of Li Banfeng. Xiao Yeci wiped the windblown snow from her face, not knowing how to answer Lu Chunying's question. Zhang Xiuling ordered the Hundred Flowers Sect to prepare for battle. She too gazed at the backs of those men, murmuring under her breath, "They are the people of Puluo Province. They are the masters of Puluo!" The Demon Lord frowned, failing to understand why those thirty-odd men were rushing forward just to throw their lives away. Yet Yao Xin understood. Fear was contagious, but so was valor—especially among the iron-bone breed. With those thirty-odd iron-boned veterans spearheading the charge, the ten thousand iron-bone breeds behind them felt fear no longer. "Suihuang Iron Cavalry! Follow me—charge!" Yao Xin hurled his wineskin into the air, unleashing a mist of wine. Buoyed by the scent of alcohol, over ten thousand horsemen surged toward the Tufang lines. This time, the Demon Lord wasn't smiling. "Prepare for battle! Ready yourselves at once!" He had never expected the enemy to launch a countercharge. The Tufang cavalry spurred forward as well, mounted on steam-powered beasts, clad in armor covering them down to their fingertips, wielding weapons capable of slicing through iron like clay. In the first clash between the two sides, the Suihuang Iron Cavalry yielded no ground, slamming headlong into the Tufang ranks. Their physiques were less robust than the Tufang soldiers, and their equipment was far inferior, yet in that bloody struggle, not a single iron-bone breed retreated. Fifth Miss barked orders to the Chu family, the Lu family, and the Hundred Flowers Sect: "Split into three routes! Follow me to strike down their commanders!" After a fierce skirmish, Chu Er, Xiang Fenglan, Lu Chunying, Lu Yuanxin, and Tan Fucheng plunged into the enemy formation together, slaying two generals on the right flank. The right wing of the Tufang army showed signs of collapsing. Sensing trouble, the Demon Lord hastily dispatched three senior generals to reinforce the right flank. Fifth Miss was completely engrossed in the slaughter. She had been gritting her teeth and restraining herself, holding back for a long time, but finally she could suppress it no longer. Those three generals looked remarkably like wild boars, each plumper and sturdier than the last. Zhao Xiaowan had cautioned Fifth Miss before: eating to one's heart's content at home was fine, but out in the world, one had to show some restraint and propriety. Yet Fifth Miss couldn't care less about propriety now—she craved their flesh! She leapt straight onto one of the generals and began gnawing voraciously! Xiao Yeci shuddered all over. "Good heavens, she's eating people!" Chu Er tipped up the brim of her hat and stared for so long that she didn't even notice a stray arrow whistling behind her. Xiang Fenglan grabbed Chu Er from behind and darted into the distance. "What are you daydreaming for? Do you want to die!" Chu Er looked at Fifth Miss and swallowed hard. "I think she's more ruthless than I am!" Of the three senior generals, two were devoured by Fifth Miss, while the remaining one was besieged and slain by the Chu and Lu families. Chaos erupted among the Tufang ranks, and the Suihuang Iron Cavalry capitalized on the momentum to shatter their right flank entirely. The Demon Lord hurriedly reassigned officers to the right, allowing Zhang Xiuling to seize the opportunity and push deep into the left flank. Commanders high and low were worn ragged trying to respond, while the rank-and-file soldiers were whittled down piece by piece. The Demon Lord felt as though the battle before him couldn't possibly be real. His left head was even using an investigative artifact to scan the battlefield for illusions. It had to be an illusion! He had anticipated that the enemy wouldn't dare fight at all, that they would surrender Huangtu Town outright. The Demon Lord had brought his troops here merely to take possession of Huangtu Town, yet looking at the situation now, they were actually on the verge of losing the battle. Impossible! The rumbling of the war drums still reverberated in his ears; it was too early to call the outcome. First, they had to subdue the Suihuang Iron Cavalry as quickly as possible. The remaining rabble posed no real threat. Just as the Demon Lord was about to issue a command, he caught the faint sound of singing cutting through the war drums. An elderly general was sweating profusely. "Your Majesty, please withdraw for the moment to avoid her!" "Withdraw?" the Demon Lord snarled. "Avoid whom?" "Huang Yuxian is about to arrive!" "Who is she? Why should I avoid her?" The Demon Lord thought for a moment before recalling Huang Yuxian's identity. "If I recall correctly, she is merely a deceased commander. Don't you have tactics specifically designed against specters?" The veteran general had clashed with Huang Yuxian in the past. "Your Majesty, this is a battlefield! Whenever one encounters Huang Yuxian on the battlefield, one must avoid her at all costs—you cannot afford to act out of pride!" *** Late at night, the Demon Lord fled deep into the wilderness with a remnant force of little more than two thousand men. He should have listened to the old general. If he had withdrawn sooner, things would never have ended like this. His left head had been chewed clean off by Fifth Miss. His right head had listened to a song sung by Zhao Xiaowan. Now, that right head could still draw breath, but it could neither hear nor see. Its throat trembled incessantly, unable to form words. The veteran general who had previously urged the Demon Lord to withdraw was now secretly observing that right head. He suspected that Huang Yuxian had left a mark upon it, but he could not say so openly. What would they do if he spoke up? Have the Demon Lord sever his own head? Yet if that mark remained on the Demon Lord, who knew what consequences it would invite! The middle head was still intact. Having eaten some food, he was conferring with his surviving commanders on their next course of action. Few commanders had made it out alive, and their opinions were divided. "Your Majesty, we should remain stationed on the Suihuang Plains. What we need now are reinforcements." "Your Majesty, I also believe we should stay on the Suihuang Plains. The road connecting the kingdom to the plains remains open. So long as we reorganize our ranks, we still have a chance to turn defeat into victory." "Your Majesty, I believe we must abandon the Suihuang Plains and return to the royal capital immediately! We have lost too many soldiers; if we continue fighting here, instability may break out back home!" "But if we abandon the Suihuang Plains now, wouldn't the blood of our soldiers have been shed in vain?" "I feel the same way. Since you came all the way here, you ought to stay right here along with your men!" A general barked in fury, "Who dares be so insolent? Is that any way to address the sovereign of a nation?" Li Banfeng tugged the brim of his fedora down low and said, "Personally, I think my attitude is pretty damn good."