Chapter 57: The First Reinforcements

Ning Song’s expression turned serious upon seeing the symbol of the Peak of the Peaks. Clearly, Duke Dol, who possessed such a domain, was no ordinary noble, but one who had inherited the core traditions of the werewolves. He likely hadn’t exerted his full strength in his battle against Duke Weiguo; his true combat power far exceeded their previous estimations.

At this moment, Dol had yet to make a move, but he already displayed his domain, signaling that Ning Song was in his sights, and he would not hold back.

Tigr, who was in the distance, glanced over with an expression of surprise and fear. He had challenged Dol’s authority more than once, but he never imagined that the difference in strength between him and Dol was so vast, practically unbridgeable!

Dol completely ignored Tigr’s thoughts. Aiming his short gun at Ning Song’s forehead, a blue sun suddenly rose behind the solitary peak, and with a single shot, it roared out!

Ning Song, with no distractions, focused entirely on defense.

At that moment, a faint black light feather suddenly appeared behind Dol, silently piercing into his back.

The abrupt change caught everyone by surprise, even Dol himself. But his hand remained steady, and he instinctively pulled the trigger. Tigr’s reaction was only a fraction of a second slower, and he saw the light feather pierce Dol’s back.

Dol and Tigr naturally did not forget that there was still a powerful opponent lurking in these ruins. Qian Ye, skilled in stealth and sniping, was hard to pinpoint. They had thought that when Jun Du Zhao and Ning Song were in dire straits, the opponent would have no choice but to intervene, and once they did, they wouldn’t be able to escape the lock-on from the two dukes.

However, all their preconceived tactics seemed to be useless. Neither Dol nor Tigr could imagine that Qian Ye could strike undetected within the range of two dukes fully engaged in battle.

Time seemed to slow down as Tigr slowly turned his head, following the path of the light feather. He finally saw Qian Ye standing at the corner of the street, just thirty meters away, undetected by anyone. Even as Tigr’s eyes fell on him, he felt an odd sensation, as if Qian Ye didn’t exist.

Bloodline Stealth! Tigr instantly recalled this ancient ability of the bloodline. It was a unique talent of the Monroe clan, with an extremely low probability of manifestation, and it required exceptional bloodline power to function.

For years, this talent was said to have only appeared in Night Pupil, and it became a legend after her disappearance. For some reason, Tigr’s mind was filled with the term “bloodline stealth” at that moment.

Dol, unaware of the secrets of the bloodline, fired his shot at Ning Song without caring about the outcome, then immediately turned to face the source of the attack. He locked onto Qian Ye and threw his war axe, aiming straight for Qian Ye’s heart!

This throw was not guided by any special abilities, only by sheer speed and weight, a brutally simple and violent move, typical of a werewolf.

Though Dol had no way to counter Qian Ye’s bloodline stealth, he could rely on his overwhelming strength to directly confront Qian Ye once he was seen.

Qian Ye, with Dongyue in hand, deflected the war axe at the last moment, and then, in an impossibly small space, spun the axe faster and faster, expanding the circle until it was hurled away with a roar.

The power, skill, and decisiveness Qian Ye displayed in that instant were almost unbelievable, seemingly beyond human capabilities. This was the second shock Dol had experienced that day.

But Dol’s axe was too fast and too heavy, even though Qian Ye managed to neutralize half its force with his incredible skills, the remaining force was still too much to bear. Qian Ye’s face paled, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.

On the other side, Ning Song, with his silver spear clutched under his arm, pointed it at the sky, deflecting the primal force bullet fired by Dol. The bullet, though small, was heavier than a mountain, bending the spear deeply, and then it exploded, sending Ning Song flying backward, crashing through several crumbling walls, plowing a deep trench in the ground before stopping.

Ning Song’s previously indistinct figure suddenly dissipated, and he spat out another mouthful of blood. Looking at his silver spear, now twisted beyond recognition, it was clear it was utterly destroyed.

Dol’s attack was extraordinary, injuring both Qian Ye and Ning Song, and the injuries were not minor. The battlefield situation took a sharp turn.

With the opportunity to press his advantage, Dol did not follow up. Instead, he grunted, sweeping his icy gaze across the battlefield. Wherever his eyes fell, mercenaries and Zhao family soldiers trembled, holding back and letting many dark warriors escape.

Dol raised his left hand, drew two circles, and pointed toward their camp. Tigr was stunned—this was an order for a full retreat!

Seeing that Ning Song and Qian Ye were both injured, Tigr, regardless of Dol’s reasons, grew murderous. When Qian Ye appeared, Tigr wanted to kill Jun Du Zhao immediately, but he was surprised to find that Jun Du Zhao was particularly difficult to handle.

Jun Du Zhao’s swordsmanship, while seemingly ordinary, was flawless, and his combat skills were as profound as Qian Ye’s deflection of Dol’s mighty axe.

Though Jun Du Zhao’s primal force cultivation was slightly weaker than Tigr’s, it was exceptionally enduring. Whenever they compared primal forces, Tigr could not suppress Jun Du Zhao unless he used his full strength. After several such encounters, Tigr realized that his bloodline quality was far inferior to the purity of Jun Du Zhao’s Dawn Primal Force, to the point of being incomparable.

Only now did Tigr truly understand why Jun Du Zhao was known as the top young warrior of the empire. He also realized that Dol’s decision to leave Jun Du Zhao to him was not out of genuine desire to share the credit, but because he believed Tigr couldn’t take down Jun Du Zhao. Or perhaps, it would require a price Tigr was unwilling to pay.

If he couldn’t handle Jun Du Zhao, could he not deal with the injured Ning Song and Qian Ye?

Deciding on his target, Tigr leaped towards Ning Song, instinctively avoiding Qian Ye, whose mysterious appearance and reputation made him wary.

As Tigr prepared to retreat, he suddenly felt an intense sense of danger. In that instant, Jun Du Zhao straightened up, a green aura rising, transforming from his previous plain demeanor. His sword, imbued with the intent to challenge the world, pierced the air, unstoppable and unavoidable.

Tigr, with a roar, unleashed his ferocity, choosing to take a hit from Jun Du Zhao’s sword and continue his assault on Ning Song. Killing Ning Song would be enough for him, even if he didn’t participate further.

But as he flew towards Ning Song, Tigr’s vision blurred, and he felt as if Ning Song and the surrounding battlefield were changing. Tigr was shocked; another one who couldn’t be locked onto! How did Dol hit Ning Song? Gritting his teeth, Tigr channeled his bloodline, deciding to use his absolute strength to overpower Ning Song.

Suddenly, Tigr felt a chill. Turning his head, he saw a faint light feather flash. Though it wasn’t the same dark light feather, Tigr didn’t hesitate. He soared into the sky, turning mid-air, and returned to the camp, becoming the first to retreat.

Dol, however, did not rush to leave. He gazed deeply at Qian Ye and asked, “How many more of those shots can you deliver?”

“Guess.”

Dol shook his head, not bothering to guess, and slowly retreated into the sky. Mercenaries and Zhao family soldiers parted to let him pass, allowing many surviving Eternal Night warriors to escape.

Although they knew Dol must be seriously injured, his calmness deterred anyone from approaching. A fierce mercenary aimed his gun, but Qian Ye stopped him, shaking his head. Even Jun Du Zhao did not pursue, instead, he went to check on Ning Song.

As Dol retreated, the sporadic fighting in the city ceased. The soldiers quickly cleaned the battlefield, collecting useful supplies for the next battle. Some slept, others treated their wounds. Almost everyone was injured, except perhaps Jun Du Zhao.

Ning Song and Jun Du Zhao came to Qian Ye. Ning Song asked, “What was the real power of that shot?”

Qian Ye hesitated, “How should I know?”

After his ascension, Qian Ye’s original gun had hit dukes multiple times, and all had reacted the same, fleeing immediately, with no visible injury. Dol was the most composed, indicating his strength surpassed previous opponents, making it even harder to gauge the injury.

Jun Du Zhao asked, “How is your injury?”

“It’s fine. I can still fight.”

Knowing Qian Ye’s endurance, Jun Du Zhao patted his shoulder, “Be careful. Survival is most important.”

“Relax, I don’t want to die,” Qian Ye smiled.

Jun Du Zhao seemed to want to say something but hesitated, “I heard you have a fine gun, related to the Pole King. Let me see.”

Qian Ye handed over the Burying Heart. Jun Du Zhao, after examining it, sighed, “The name Burying Heart fits perfectly.”

After praising it, Jun Du Zhao returned the gun, “Carry it. In battle, you may not have time to retrieve it.”

Taking his advice, Qian Ye slung the Burying Heart behind him.

Their brief conversation was interrupted by the sound of distant fighting. The rear of the Eternal Night army was in disarray. The three took to the sky, observing the situation, their expressions grave.

Ning Song sighed, “It’s her. Truly…”

Jun Du Zhao’s expression changed.

In the distance, a white-clad figure was wreaking havoc, unafraid despite being surrounded by strong enemies. Her aggressive and brutal attacks identified her as White Ao Tu from the Bai Clan. She was here for White City.

No one expected the first reinforcements to be her, and the trio had conflicts with her.

This kind of bold charge was unique to her.

Jun Du Zhao shook his head, “Is she brave or foolish?”

Ning Song replied, “She’s signaling the Empire’s arrival.”

Jun Du Zhao stated, “Dol isn’t a fool.” Despite his lack of fame, his earlier actions showed his strength and strategic acumen.

Qian Ye frowned, “Should we go to her aid?”

“No need,” Ning Song said, smiling at Qian Ye, “She’s not stupid. It’s probably a feint to draw them, and she’ll retreat soon.”