In a desolate wilderness, massive, withered trees loomed like silent sentinels along the desolate roads.
At the center of the road, an army marched with a brutal pace. Their bodies were grotesque, resembling savage hounds more than men. They stood taller than humans, yet walked upright, gripping large, spiked clubs. Their bloodshot eyes gleamed with an eerie intensity, giving them an air of primal terror. These were the infamous Kewan's "Evil Dog Army," each soldier a formidable Six-tier cultivator—capable of taking on hundreds of ordinary humans with ease.
"General, only thirty miles to go, the capital of Taicang is within reach," one of the Kewan soldiers, panting, called out as he caught up to the heavily armored general at the front.
"Thirty miles?" The general sneered. "Let's rest here for a moment. We'll wait for the Hunter Army's weaklings."
The speaker was none other than the most powerful of the Evil Dog generals. Unlike his gray-furred kin, his fur was a glossy black, a clear sign of his superior status.
The thousand-strong Evil Dog Army immediately settled down, falling into position like real dogs, curling up on the ground and resting in eerie silence. Moments later, a much larger force of soldiers arrived on foot—several times the number of the Evil Dog Army. Among them was another general, who approached the Evil Dog leader and shouted, "General! The Hunter Army's five thousand are ready. We await your orders!"
The Evil Dog general gave a dismissive nod, his brow creased with disdain. "With the Cang Wei army destroyed and the death of Ji Shang, Taicang is like a fish caught on a chopping block. It can only struggle weakly as the knife draws nearer. This human kingdom is ripe for the taking. We need only a thousand of us to flatten them. You lot are just in the way."
The leader of the Hunter Army, his canine head bowed low, flashed a fleeting expression of resentment but dared not speak out.
The Evil Dog general continued, "In the past, we hesitated to invade due to the protection of the Cang Wei and Ji Shang's divine power. We feared that if we stalled, the Crocodile Horn Kingdom to the south would seize the opportunity. But now that Ji Shang is dead, there is no reason to leave Taicang intact. Their lands will be used to breed slaves, their adult population enslaved, and the rest... well, they'll serve as food. After all, with such a bounty, we can survive the coming Dark Suns for at least three cycles without starving."
The Hunter Army leader nodded in agreement, a dark gleam of satisfaction in his eyes. Every Dark Sun cycle, their kind endured hunger, but if Taicang's people were used as a food reserve, they wouldn't have to worry for months.
"General, should we send scouts to assess the defenses of Taicang's capital?" the Hunter Army leader asked cautiously.
"Defenses? What defenses? Aside from the eight thousand Cang Wei soldiers in Taicheng, none of our spies have sent any information. The six thousand Cang Wei in Cangcheng are being tightly watched by the monkeys of the Zhou Qing Kingdom. What else do we need to investigate? Do you think these lowly human cattle can conjure an army?" The Evil Dog general scoffed.
The Hunter Army leader knew that the general wasn't being arrogant but speaking the truth.
"Listen up, all soldiers, march! Let's smash down Taicang's city gates with our claws and feast on everything inside!" The Evil Dog general issued his command, his voice booming like thunder.
"Understood!" The army responded as one, the sound of their footsteps shaking the ground.
——
"Why, then, are we still locking up the officials if the Kewan spies have already been uncovered?" Zhaoqi asked, looking at the prince, who was consulting with General Ji Shaoqing on how to break the enemy's forces.
The others understood that the prince had imprisoned the officials to prevent any infiltrators from causing chaos when the battle began. The situation was urgent, and interrogating them one by one would be too time-consuming.
"Master Zuoqi, can you guarantee that there is only one Kewan spy among these high-ranking officials?" Ji Shaoqing asked coolly, handing over the conversation to the prince.
Prince Ji Xia did not look up from his thoughts. "Can you?"
Ji Shaoqing continued, "As you've seen, the Kewan have access to strange alchemical concoctions—one can change their appearance, while another boosts the strength of even a mere Five-tier Kewan soldier to terrifying levels. We cannot be too cautious."
Ji Xia nodded. "The Kewan do not yet know of the Yin Army's existence. Taicang's only advantage now is surprise. Only a handful of high officials know of my father's death. But within a few hours, the Kewan learned of it. I fear our secrets are leaking. I had no choice but to lock them away. Unexpectedly, this forced the appearance of a Kewan agent. But who can guarantee there aren't more spies? Until the war is over, we must keep them locked up, or our advantage will be exposed."
Ji Shaoqing studied the prince's face for a long while before asking, "Are you really the Windwalker?"
Ji Xia froze, momentarily thrown by the question. "Of course, I am. Otherwise, what would explain the Yin Army's existence?"
Ji Shaoqing shook her head. "I once read about spiritual formations that call forth spirits. Many great kingdoms possess them. At first, I thought you merely mastered a special summoning formation. But now, I'm beginning to believe you are the Windwalker after all."
She looked at Ji Xia thoughtfully. "Only the Windwalker could turn someone so timid into a bold leader, daring enough to imprison Taicang's high officials."
Ji Xia turned his head in contemplation, about to speak when the sound of the great bell—Cháng Cāng—echoed from above. Nine resounding strikes vibrated through the palace, as loud as thunder.
"The Kewan army has reached Qingyang Plains, only ten miles from Taicheng!" a scout shouted from the front.
Ji Shaoqing looked at Ji Xia, awaiting his command.
Taking a deep breath, Ji Xia stepped forward, brandishing the Taicang Royal Seal. He raised his voice, "All soldiers, hear my command!"
The eight thousand Cang Wei soldiers clanged their weapons in unison.
"Left Kun, take two thousand archers to the city walls. Once the Kewan enter range, unleash a barrage of arrows and rocks!"
"Shu Jiao, Meng Yan, each lead one thousand Cang Wei soldiers and position yourselves on the flanks. Ji Shaoqing, General Rong Lu, and I will lead four thousand soldiers to engage them head-on!"
"Understood!" The four generals bowed, and immediately set to work.
Ji Shaoqing raised an eyebrow, her expression a mix of surprise and concern. She even furrowed her brows, clearly questioning the wisdom of Ji Xia's orders.
Without hesitation, she asked, "Your Highness... do you seek death?"
Ji Xia chuckled inwardly, though there was a tinge of helplessness. "Didn't you see how I killed that Kewan dog earlier? Do you think I'm going to die?"
He stopped mid-sentence, surprised by his own casualness. "When did killing a sentient being become so... effortless for me?" he thought, bemused.
Ji Shaoqing rolled her eyes. "That Kewan dog was just fast. Its strength was only at the Five-tier. You have no spiritual energy, and only that strange sword saved you. In a battlefield, where blades and swords fly indiscriminately, even the most powerful cultivators, like the former ruler, dare not step into the thick of it."
She paused and then added, "Trust me, Your Highness, if you step onto the battlefield, you'll be lucky to survive."
Ji Xia was reluctant to fight, of course. He wasn't a hero, nor a saint, and certainly not a character in a story where he overcame impossible odds. War was dangerous, and he had no reason to take unnecessary risks.
But some things, unfortunately, were beyond his control.
With the generals' analysis of the battlefield, and despite the Yin Army's help, victory was still uncertain. Ji Xia's mind raced, calculating every angle, and he made a decision that required immense courage—he would take the risk and strike first, while the Kewan were unprepared.
"If you hadn't told me how those Kewan degenerates torture human royalty—peeling skin, dismembering limbs, it's all just a warm-up for them—I might not be so eager for the battlefield," he said, with a grin. "Now, let's go. We'll march out of the city."
"Yes, Your Highness," Ji Shaoqing replied, as they began walking toward the stairs.
But when Ji Xia turned around, he found Ji Shaoqing had already vanished from the palace.
He stared in surprise, then cursed inwardly, "Did she jump down? It's so high! She'd better not break her neck!"