The battle had raged to the point of near-total collapse. Flames devoured every corner of the city, and many powerful warriors, fueled by their anger, took to the skies, engaging in fierce aerial combat. On the ground, ordinary soldiers fought a brutal melee. Two massive war beasts had reached the city gates, held back only by Liu Daoming. Yet it was clear that even he could not hold out long against such formidable attackers.
Qian Ye’s contribution to the fight had been significant; slaying the three knights and eliminating hundreds of iron puppet soldiers. Without his actions, the strength of the three knights would have been enough to confront even a marquis-level opponent head-on. But Qian Ye alone could not turn the tide against the overwhelming forces arrayed against him, including the countless soldiers and an endless stream of powerful adversaries.
Resolutely, Qian Ye changed direction, heading towards the noble district where Su Dingqian was stationed. The flames of war had not yet spread there. However, with the current situation, it was only a matter of time before the fighting reached them. Su Dingqian, preoccupied with his divine general adversary, could hardly offer any assistance. In such a scenario, Qian Ye decided he must return to Yan Ting and Zhu Ji, unwilling to entrust their safety to anyone else.
Outside the small courtyard, Qian Ye suddenly sensed a strange presence within. Who would visit at such a chaotic time? Was there an unforeseen development?
With a loud crash, Qian Ye burst through the gate and rushed into the courtyard.
Inside, Yan Ting sat quietly, reading a book by the light of a lamp. Despite the continuous roar of gunfire, she remained unperturbed and engrossed in her reading.
Seeing Yan Ting unharmed, Qian Ye felt a wave of relief. He then looked around, trying to locate the source of the unfamiliar presence. It wasn’t just paranoia; the subtle but ominous aura made his blood core vibrate, as if sensing a great enemy.
Qian Ye, now bearing the power of an ancient bloodline, could not afford to take such a threat lightly.
“What are you looking for?” Yan Ting asked, putting down her book.
“I sensed another presence here. Has anyone come by recently?”
“No, just me and Zhu Ji. The little one is sleeping inside.”
Qian Ye couldn’t help but feel a bit speechless. Even amidst the chaos, Zhu Ji could still sleep. While the city burned, the two women, one reading and the other sleeping, seemed completely at ease.
Although Yan Ting assured him no one else was there, Qian Ye thoroughly searched the entire courtyard. His efforts yielded nothing; the mysterious presence had vanished without a trace.
“Are you worried I’m hiding someone?” Yan Ting said with a half-smile.
“Of course not,” Qian Ye quickly explained, detailing his sense of the unknown presence.
Yan Ting pondered, “According to our clan’s records, each bloodline has its place in the river of blood. The closer to the first drop of blood, the more powerful the lineage, and the more it suppresses weaker bloodlines. Your bloodline power should be no less than mine, also at the level of an ancestor. For your bloodline to feel threatened, the other party must also possess an ancestral bloodline. But there are only a few true originals in our clan, and apart from those whose awakening is insufficient, it’s just me and Edward.”
“Could there be other originals we don’t know about?”
Yan Ting shook her head. “Impossible. The emergence of each original is a major event for the entire clan. To stabilize an original’s bloodline, several rituals are required, including one that calls upon the river of blood. When this ritual is performed, all originals and dukes or higher would sense it. Thus, there cannot be any unknown originals.”
This explanation was reasonable, but Qian Ye still found the mysterious presence unsettling. However, now was not the time to dwell on it. Glancing towards the horizon, he said, “Pack up. Wake Zhu Ji. We need to retreat.”
“The battle isn’t over yet, is it?”
“It’s almost over, and the outcome is inevitable. Soon, Su Dingqian will order a retreat.”
As if on cue, Su Dingqian’s voice echoed over Linggang City: “The enemy is too strong. Today, we must temporarily withdraw. The city guards will lead the way, and the honored guests will follow. I will personally cover the rear! Brother Daoming, hand the two beasts to me.”
Liu Daoming, already in a dire struggle, responded with a flurry of attacks before flying into the city. With his support, the enemy forces in Linggang were quickly routed, and the city guards regrouped, breaking out to the west.
Various free warriors joined in, coordinating their escape. Qian Ye and Yan Ting were among them, with little Zhu Ji dozing on Yan Ting’s back, half-asleep and ready to drift off at any moment.
After a night of fierce battle, the besieging forces had suffered heavy losses. Seeing the defenders retreating, they did not pursue far, halting a few miles outside the city before returning.
Su Dingqian stood firm in the air, slowly retreating, single-handedly covering the army’s withdrawal. No one dared to challenge him, especially with the absence of their own divine general.
The retreat lasted a day and a night, until they reached a small city two hundred kilometers away, where they paused to rest and reorganize. Only a thousand city guards, all at least second or third-tier warriors, followed Su Dingqian. The tens of thousands of civilians were left behind in Linggang City, awaiting their fate. Generally, whoever controlled the city would use these civilians for labor, rather than slaughter them. The collection of Earth Dragon resources required a large workforce.
During the break, Su Dingqian summoned all the free warriors and commanders.
Once everyone was gathered, he cleared his throat and said, “Fellow warriors, the battle for Linggang City was a setback. Our temporary retreat is a tactical move. What does it matter if we lose a city? As long as the city guards remain loyal and with your support, I, Su Dingqian, will reclaim Linggang City in due time.”
The crowd’s spirits lifted. Qian Ye admired Su Dingqian’s resilience. After the defeat, he put himself last, changing his self-reference from “this seat” to “I, Su Dingqian.” Such humility from a divine general deeply impressed the free warriors, who were known for their independent nature.
Su Dingqian continued, “The enemy appears strong but is actually fraught with internal strife. Their alliance is fragile. For instance, Spider Emperor and Wolf King are rivals, constantly clashing in secret. And the Moonlight White Devils, their reputation speaks for itself—no one would trust them. Therefore, it’s only a matter of time before they fall apart.”
His analysis was convincing. A burly man then asked, “Lord Su, why would they suffer such heavy losses to take Linggang City? It seems like a losing proposition.”
Qian Ye listened intently. The losses from this battle would not be recouped even if they controlled Linggang for years. The iron puppets, which were clearly hard to cultivate, had lost nearly a thousand. Perhaps there was something significant in Linggang City, worth such a sacrifice.
Su Dingqian replied, “For what else, but the Earth Dragons’ blood?”
“But the annual yield from the Earth Dragons doesn’t justify such losses, does it?”
Su Dingqian smiled, “Among us, I can speak freely. The Spider Emperor, Mask, and Wolf King are after the Earth Dragons’ blood.”
“Earth Dragons’ blood!” cries of astonishment filled the room, but many were still confused. The Earth Dragons’ blood sounded like a powerful treasure, but its nature and use were unknown.
As expected, Su Dingqian anticipated their reactions. He stroked his beard, saying, “I suppose none of you know what the Earth Dragons’ blood is, or what the Earth Dragons look like.”
“You’re right. Lord Su, if you’ve seen the Earth Dragons, please enlighten us!”
Su Dingqian laughed, “I released the information about the Earth Dragons’ blood, but I’ve never seen them myself.”
Everyone was surprised. “How could you not know, Lord Su?”
He sighed, “Unfortunately, I tried to explore their lair but found it too perilous. Even with my power, I had to retreat. Over the years, despite some progress, I still lack the courage to venture again.”
The group exchanged looks, realizing that even Su Dingqian, with his power, had not seen the Earth Dragons. It was a futile task for any of them.
Someone asked, “Then who has seen the Earth Dragons?”
Su Dingqian thought for a moment, “Only a Heaven King.”
Even the greediest among them dropped their thoughts. Clearly, Su Dingqian had spread the information with ulterior motives, likely to lure the enemy into a trap. The problem was, it was a cunning plan. Even knowing the risks, how many stuck in their paths would resist the temptation?
Perhaps the Spider Emperor and others had other plans, but even combined, they could not match a Heaven King. Their journey underground would likely end in disaster.
After discussing this, Su Dingqian added, “The battle for Linggang City is over, and you all deserve recognition. I promised to reward you. Bring it in!”
Several men brought in large chests, revealing a trove of black and blood crystals, coins, training materials, and rare items for forging force weapons.
The warriors, recognizing the value, were immediately excited.
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