gli's intelligence. She gave him a look that said, "I'm looking forward to your visit."The woman standing beside Ye Ying watched their interaction and saw a flash of ruthlessness in her eyes.—————Well...362. Night Raid, Total Defeat

The night was filled with the silent entry of a group of agile and black-clad individuals into a military camp on the outskirts of Mo's army. Although this location wasn't personally overseen by Prince Ding, it was only about twenty miles from the main encampment, which served as a mutual support point for the front line. Furthermore, this area housed the largest reserves of grain and provisions, making it akin to a frontline supply warehouse. The security here was undoubtedly stringent. However, these individuals managed to slip in undetected, indicating their exceptional skills.

In the silent military camp, apart from the patrolling soldiers going back and forth, all other troops were asleep. In the dark night, only occasional caws of ravens broke the silence, causing a faint sense of unease.

The leader raised his hand to stop everyone behind him and cautiously observed their surroundings before suddenly whispering urgently, "We've been discovered, retreat!"

Everyone was startled. Before they could react, silver arrows pierced through the night sky towards them.

"Retreat!" The black-clad individuals, all skilled in combat, immediately scattered and fled. Lanterns lit up the military camp instantly. In the darkness, a man dressed in black stepped out with a mocking smile on his lips and said, "Since you've come this far, don't leave now. Chase them down."

From hidden spots across the encampment, numerous figures clad in black darted forth to pursue those escaping.

The infiltrators didn’t flee directly; instead, they scattered and headed towards where supplies were stored, aiming to destroy a significant portion of Mo’s army provisions. It was important to note that without sufficient grain and provisions, even the strongest troops would face defeat due to starvation.

These intruders had planned well, yet with centuries of military experience, Mo's army wasn’t unprepared for such an attack. As they entered the storage area, a group of equally enigmatic black-clad soldiers surrounded them without any prior warning or dialogue.

Nearby on a hidden vantage point overlooking the encampment stood Xu Qingfeng in his black garb, eyes focused and expression grave. Beside him were the carefree Han Mingyi and the elegant Han Mingyue brothers; behind them was a group of vigilant black-clad individuals watching the commotion below.

"What an ideal location," Han Mingyi chuckled, addressing Xu Qingfeng. They were originally tasked with escorting supplies but ended up witnessing an unexpected spectacle.

Han Mingyue seemed thoughtful and said coolly, "These people seem to mimic the actions of Qilin."

Xu Qingfeng replied arrogantly, "They merely emulate others' tactics. While it’s impressive for a northerner to achieve this, if they provoke us first, we cannot let them off without teaching them a lesson. Come."

"Leader," one of the black-clad individuals stepped forward and bowed.

Xu Qingfeng instructed, "Sixty miles from here lies another camp of the Northern Rong; you can go there for some fun."

The man responded loudly, “Understood,” before leading several comrades into the night.

Others remained silent and watched down at the encampment from their high vantage point. Though seemingly unremarkable to the naked eye, its strategic location provided a clear view of the entire camp, leaving nowhere for the Northern Rong to hide from Qilin’s gaze.

"They are retreating," it was evident that the intruders had realized their efforts were futile and decided to withdraw.

Xu Qingfeng stroked his chin with a smile. "Since they came here to spy on us, let one return while we eliminate the rest." Han Mingyi couldn't help but grimace; letting just one escape was even more humiliating than being completely wiped out for the Northern Rong.

The intruders fled as Qilin allowed them to go. But rather than simply releasing them, they continued engaging in skirmishes outside the encampment until all lanterns within dimmed again into silence.

Three black-clad individuals dashed towards their camp under a moonless night, only faint starlight providing minimal illumination as they hurriedly made their way through dense woodland. They soon found themselves hopelessly lost.

Halting briefly to look back and finding no pursuit, the trio heaved sighs of relief. One exclaimed, "We didn’t anticipate these Central Plains soldiers would be so formidable!"

"That’s just because they set traps ahead of time," another retorted stubbornly.

The third man frowned, "I believe we are lost; it's best to head back."

Both his comrades agreed; after an hour and a half in the forest, their route remained unclear, indicating they had wandered off course.

"The elite Yanzi of the Northern Rong actually got lost What a laughing matter!" A hearty laugh echoed from somewhere unseen among the trees.

Startled, the trio shouted, "Who's there"

"How did you know about Yanzi" Yanzi was a secret force under Helian Zhen’s command; even Prince Rong and Ye Liyou were unaware of their existence. Yet this person had instantly identified them.

The intruder laughed, "Any barbarian daring to set foot in the Central Plains isn’t unknown to our Mo army."

"Qilin" The trio chorused, eyes wary as they scanned the dark emptiness.

“Exactly. Since you wish to experience Qilin's might firsthand, why are you fleeing” A voice from the shadows answered.

The leader growled, "If you have guts, show yourself! Are you afraid of us"

The man in darkness sneered and shot forward like a bolt of lightning. The Northern Rong’s commander felt an icy hand close around his throat before he could even see the attacker clearly; as fingers tightened, choking sounds rang out, and the man fell motionless.

The remaining two men from the Beirong side let out a roar and lunged at the shadow. The shadow gave a light hum as a glimmering sword was drawn, dancing in the night air with dazzling brilliance. In just moments, another one of them fell to the ground. The last man was nearly frightened out of his wits. Any human being would be afraid of death. Although Beirong warriors were braver than those from Central Plains, they weren't invincible and fearless like the latter. On a battlefield where two armies clashed, soldiers could put their lives on the line without hesitation, but now that it was dark in the forest with his comrades' bodies lying around him, he finally panicked completely after running for more than an hour earlier. He let out a roar and lunged at the shadow regardless of the odds against him. The shadow gave a cold laugh as he turned and appeared behind the man, delivering a palm strike to the back of his neck. The madman collapsed on the ground while the forest returned to its calmness again.The black-clad man retracted his sword and walked out of the woods. Outside the woods, Xu Qingfeng and Han Mingxi et al had been waiting there all along. When he stepped out from under the shade of the trees into the starlight, a handsome face came into view—none other than Zhuo Jing.Han Mingxi leaned against the tree trunk and yawned in boredom, saying, "Three minor bandits on the run—it was really necessary for Your Highness's most trusted aide to take action personally You are making a mountain out of a molehill."Zhuo Jing ignored Han Mingxi’s mockery and replied coldly, "Your Highness only wanted to know how strong these people were."Xu Qingfeng asked with some curiosity, “How so” They had watched the battle from beginning to end tonight. Naturally, they could see that while these men's abilities weren't far behind the Qilin’s, they would not be able to keep up after training under Helian Zhen for several years.Zhuo Jing smiled and said, "Their skills are pretty good, but in other aspects they fall short." The Qilin’s individual strength was very important, but it wasn’t absolute. Some people's abilities were only slightly better than ordinary soldiers, yet they had unique specialties that others couldn't match. Furthermore, the Qilin excelled at team collaboration. If they surrounded you, even if you were an expert in martial arts, it would be hard to escape. Moreover, there was a wide range of skills training, such as never getting lost like what happened tonight.Also, the psychological quality of these Beirong men couldn't match those from Qilin’s members who had excellent and outstanding qualities. In recent years under Qin Feng's leadership, the Qilin had gradually formed a standardized system where every official member was selected from various extreme situations to emerge victorious. They would only get stronger when faced with challenges and remain calm in perilous situations instead of losing their minds.Xu Qingfeng nodded and said, "That’s good. Let's go back."As dawn approached, Helian Peng and Yelvy were sitting outside the tent waiting for news. Yelvy frowned slightly, feeling anxious as well. Ever since he had been at war with Mo Family Army, he had always secretly worried about Ye Li’s Qilin. Although the Qilin hadn’t made any moves yet, their reputation of never missing a strike always cast an uneasy shadow over his heart. If Helian Peng's Yazi could restrain the Qilin, it would significantly reduce his concerns on the battlefield.Looking at the sky just beginning to brighten, Yelvy let out a sigh in disappointment and said, "It looks like it’s not possible."Helian Peng’s face showed no signs of anxiety. He said calmly, “Your Highness needn’t worry; their failure was expected from the start. If the Mo Family Army couldn't handle such minor incidents, they would be too weak to contend with. I wanted to know how strong the Qilin is.”Yelvy relaxed upon hearing Helian Peng’s words and said, "It's good that you have an idea of what's going on. Although Ye Li is a woman, she’s not easy to deal with. Be extremely cautious.""Really" Helian Peng looked at Yelvy in surprise. He was quite taken aback by how much importance Yelvy placed on Ye Li. Even without Yelvy saying so, he would never take her lightly.Yelvy smiled bitterly and shook his head as he said, "I only realized this recently. Ren Qin Ning fell to Ye Li's hands... at the time when Ren Qin Ning first arrived in Licheng City, Ye Li might have already started planning against him. These were matters that even Mo Xiu Yao and Xu Qingchen couldn’t interfere with. There was also the case of Ye Li’s great defeat over Lei Zhengting in Northwest; many people said it was an accident. But there's a saying in Central Plains: when too many accidents happen, it might not be pure coincidence but rather premeditated."Helian Peng nodded in agreement and said, "Your Highness is right. I've carefully studied the details of Ye Li’s great defeat over Lei Zhengting for these two years. She deliberately showed weakness to draw Lei Zhengting's troops into an ambush and then cut off their supply lines. Furthermore, she abandoned Xinyang city to destroy the most elite force of Western Ling army. Lei Zhengting deserved this defeat. This woman, a mere lady, has unmatched vision, cunning, decision-making skills, and courage. If not for her gender, she might have become another contender in Central Plains."The two fell into silence as they thought about the current situation, marveling at how talented people were in Central Plains. For Beirong to conquer it would indeed be a daunting task."Prince Yelvy and General Helian Peng, the troops we sent out last night have returned," a soldier outside announced.Yelvy couldn't help but stand up and ask, "How many of them"The guard hesitated before answering, “There’s only one person.”"One” Both Yelvy and Helian Peng were stunned. Although they had expected the team to fail based on their discussion earlier tonight, neither anticipated that only a single survivor would return."Bring him in!" Helian Peng ordered sternly.Soon, a black-clad man with disheveled clothes walked in, his expression bleak as he bowed before Yelvy and Helian Peng. "I am here to report to Prince Yelvy and General Helian."Helian Peng frowned and asked coldly, “What happened”The black-clad man recounted last night’s events in detail. He was the last one from Beirong who had been knocked out by Zhuo Jing. Zhuo Jing hadn’t used much force, so he recovered shortly after. By the time he stumbled out of the woods and returned to Beirong camp, it was already dawn.Yelvy and Helian Peng’s faces turned even grimmer. This wasn't just one survivor returning; it looked like someone from Qilin purposely let him go to deliver a message. When the black-clad man finished speaking, Helian Peng rose and slashed his neck with a sword in reverse. The man's eyes widened in shock as he fell to the ground lifeless. He didn’t die at the hands of an enemy but instead perished at the hand that had trained him.Helian Peng wiped blood off his blade coolly and said, “Since there’s only one survivor left, let’s not bother sending him back.” Although he wanted to curb these men's arrogance last night, such a crushing defeat would demoralize them rather than just serve as a lesson. If they returned to Yazi, news of this incident might instill fear towards the Mo Family Army and Qilin, which could be detrimental for future battles. As the saying went, ignorance bred courage."Prince Yelvy, General Ye He reports that his camp was attacked last night; two granaries were burned!" A soldier rushed in to report.Yelvy's face darkened as he gritted his teeth and said, “Qilin!”Helian Peng lowered his eyes and replied solemnly, "So quick to retaliate—indeed worthy of the Mo Family Army."Yelvy spoke coldly, “Helian, regardless of what means you use, I want you to eliminate Qilin as soon as possible. Otherwise, they will become a thorn in my side!” Compared to the Mo Family Army, grain supplies were more crucial for Beirong troops. Even if the Mo Family Army lost their supplies, they could still requisition them elsewhere. With territories under control of the Ding王府 spanning across the former Chu and Ling countries, gathering food for hundreds of thousands was a breeze. However, Beirong’s situation was different. The loss of these two small granaries left Yelvy enraged."Prince Yelvy, General Helian," another soldier reported from outside, "General Ye He has sent word that his camp faced an attack last night; two granaries were burned!"Yelvy's face darkened and he gritted his teeth as he said, “Qilin!”Helian Peng lowered his eyes and replied solemnly, "So quick to retaliate—indeed worthy of the Mo Family Army."Yelvy spoke coldly, “Helian, regardless of what means you use, I want you to eliminate Qilin as soon as possible. Otherwise, they will become a thorn in my side!” For Beirong troops, grain supplies were more crucial than anything else. Even if the Mo Family Army lost their supplies, they could still requisition them elsewhere. With territories under control of the Ding王府 spanning across the former Chu and Ling countries, gathering food for hundreds of thousands was easily achievable. However, with Beirong's vast distance from Chu and its own lack of grain production, it relied on plundering people in the borders which had been greatly reduced by earlier conflicts.Helian Peng responded respectfully, "Your Highness can rest assured.""May you not disappoint me." Yelvy said solemnly.In the Mo Family Army camp, Ye Li smiled upon hearing Zhuo Jing's report. "This Helian Peng is quite intriguing," she remarked.

Moxiu Yao gave a displeased snort. "What’s the point I could use that time to train my soldiers instead of dealing with these things that are just for show and have no real meaning." There was no concept of special forces in this era, so besides Ye Li who had come up with unique combat theories, practices and training methods, no one else did. In Moxiu Yao’s opinion, Helian Peng's Viper Force might not even be as good as the original secret guards of Ding王府. The most important thing was that Helian Peng didn’t have a clear idea of what he wanted to do with his Viper Force. From their current actions, it looked like they were simply trying to oppose Qilin but could not defeat them. So in the end, Helian Zhen and Helian Peng had wasted so much effort.

Ye Li smiled faintly and said, "Since Helian Peng has this idea, he must be targeting me. I’ll deal with this new rising star from Beirong."

Moxiu Yao pondered for a moment before nodding his head. "Alright, once He Su arrives, let him join you as well. Also, Yun Ting and Chen Yun, follow the Duchess."

"Yes, Your Highness," replied Yun Ting and Chen Yun respectfully. Yun Ting had originally been under Ye Li when she served under Murong Shen in Yonglin and was brought to Moxia Army after that. Chen Yun also greatly admired this young duchess and so naturally agreed.

Ye Li nodded her head, acknowledging their words. The generals below exchanged glances and gained a deeper understanding of Ye Li’s status. He Su himself was the secret guard of Ding Wangfei and now commanded thirty thousand troops. Compared to other old generals from Ding王府, he wasn’t worse off at all. This time, he had accompanied Ding Wangfei in pacifying Northern Border and now Moxiu Yao wanted him to still follow Ding Wangfei. Clearly, he was giving full control of the army under He Su’s command to Ye Li as her personal troops. In this era, what was most important Of course it was military power. Even the king would share his military power with his wife, so what else could she not have

Currently, Ding王府 had declared war against Beirong and the battlefield stretched from Fenghong Pass to a place close to Chu Capital. The entire line covered over half of Northern Chu and was naturally very big. Moxia Army was also divided into three routes—the left, middle and right armies. The Right Army was led by Ye Li who guarded Lingjiu Mountain near Fenghong Pass while the Left Army was commanded by Lu Jinxian who occupied Licheng one hundred miles away from Chu Capital. Moxiu Yao himself was in charge of the Central Army stationed at Moxia Army’s headquarters. So, after returning from Northern Border, Ye Li had to leave again almost immediately.

If she wanted to, Ye Li could stay with Moxiu Yao in the camp and no one would say a word against her. But Ye Li didn’t want to do that. She never charged into battle for recognition but simply because she enjoyed it. Even after living another life, the martial spirit ingrained in her bones from being born into a military family had never been erased. So everyone thought Ding Wangfei appeared like an elegant lady with literary talent but acted more like someone from a military background.

Outside Moxia Army’s camp, Zhuo Jing and Qin Feng stood far away looking at the sky instead of their glorious king. Lin Han looked up into the sky and touched his nose, using his eyes to ask Qin Feng: “Are we leaving It’s getting dark.”

Qin Feng scratched his nose and rolled his eyes, “How would I know”

Zhuo Jing watched his nose and thought inwardly, “If we can’t leave today, let’s go tomorrow. The king and duchess aren’t in a hurry so why should we be”

Fei Yao, who had come to see them off, looked awkwardly at Zhuo Jing before deciding that his relationship with Qin Feng and the others was better than with Ding Wangfei and decided to still send them off. The four of them just stared at each other expressionlessly in mutual disbelief: “What sin did our master commit in a past life for him to be enslaved by such people He would even lose face if anyone else saw it.”

Meanwhile, Ye Li helplessly looked at the person looking at her with longing eyes and sighed. "Xiu Yao, I should go."

Moxiu Yao sounded somewhat aggrieved as he said, “Lily just came back, can’t she stay in the middle camp to be with me Can’t you send Nan Hou there instead”

Ye Li replied softly. "We had already agreed on this."

"Agreeing doesn’t mean it’s set in stone. I’m reversing my decision," Moxiu Yao said, completely justified. "I’ll order the Nan Hou father-son duo to go there immediately."

Ye Li rolled her eyes at the sky, annoyed by his tendency to whine whenever he wanted something. “You’re not as young as Mo Xiaobao. Even Mo Xiaobao doesn’t act this way. Be good… Win against the Beirong army and everything will be fine.”

Moxiu Yao pulled her into his arms, sulking as he said, "Lily is lying to me. After defeating Beirong army, there’s still Leizhenting and maybe Mo Jingli too. Why don’t they just die” Eyes hidden in Ye Li’s shoulder revealed a flicker of dark red light as Moxiu Yao muttered gloomily.

Ye Li sighed softly, “They will… Stop acting like this, I really need to leave.”

Moxiu Yao reluctantly let go of her and glared at her riding away. Fei Yao couldn’t help but chuckle quietly: "Your Highness, it’s not your duchess’ first time leaving the camp. Why are you acting so heartbroken" Most importantly, he wouldn’t be able to accept this kind of behavior even as a friend since childhood.

"Hmph! Rather than talking about such things, why don’t you quickly kill Yelvye instead!" Moxiu Yao gave Fei Yao a cold glance before leaving with a huff. He didn’t look at all like the harmless person he was in front of Ye Li.

Fei Yao grunted and shook his head helplessly, holding his chest as he laughed bitterly. Truly selfish! If you have something against me, why take it out on someone who has nothing to do with your problems Fei Yao silently criticized him but could only follow behind him because of their friendship.

Ye Li and her entourage left Moxia Army’s headquarters riding fast towards Lingjiu Mountain. This place was not only the closest to Fenghong Pass, it was also the closest to the area controlled by Leizhenting. Leizhenting had stationed over a hundred thousand troops at the border and while Western Liang might be busy now, who knew if he would take advantage of Moxia Army’s preoccupation with Beirong army That was why Ye Li personally guarded this place so that she could quickly react to any unexpected developments.

Lingjiu Mountain was two hundred miles away from Moxia Army headquarters and even riding fast, they wouldn’t arrive until evening. However, there were troops stationed here and General Yuan Pei was also at Fenghong Pass, so Ye Li wasn’t in a rush.

On the road to Lingjiu Mountain, the four of them rode their horses leisurely. When they reached a mountain stream, Qin Feng pulled on his horse’s reins first. The galloping steed suddenly halted with a neigh as it reared up and circled in place before finally stopping. Of course, Ye Li and the others behind him stopped too.

“Who are you Please come forward.” Qin Feng called out loudly, his voice strangely echoing around the mountain stream.

"Haha… I’ve heard so much about your name, Ding Wangfei. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you in person," said a young man clad in armor and carrying a long saber who appeared from the path ahead of them. He laughed heartily as he bowed respectfully at Ye Li.

Ye Li frowned slightly before riding up to him with an indifferent smile, "General Helian."

"Ding Wangfei has sharp eyes," Helian Peng said, his smile fading a little.

“Who else would dare to lead troops and block the way in Moxia Army-controlled territory but General Helian And did you also bring your Viper today” Ye Li asked with a faint smile.

Helian Peng’s eye muscles twitched slightly at her words. Last time he underestimated Moxia Army’s strength, resulting in his entire team being wiped out by them. Although it was only a few people sent as reconnaissance this time, losing an entire team wasn’t exactly a proud achievement. He replied solemnly, “I indeed brought the Viper with me today, but it seems that you didn’t bring the Qilin. It’s very regrettable. Don’t you think that just because this place is controlled by Moxia Army means there are no dangers to worry about”

"Of course I wouldn’t think such a thing… Even if one stays at home, they can still encounter trouble," Ye Li said with a smile.

Helian Peng looked thoughtfully at the white-robed woman in front of him. Compared to women from Northern Rong, Central Plains women usually didn’t look old. If she were in Northern Rong, Ye Li would appear no more than seventeen or eighteen years old. Her simple snow-white outfit and loosely tied black hair gave her an ethereal appearance, like a Snow Mountain goddess in ancient legends.

“Since I’ve come here, I invite Wangfei to visit the Northern Rong army today,” Helian Peng said solemnly.

Hearing this, Qin Feng and Zhuo Jing shot Helian Peng more resentful glances. The three of them rode forward to stand in front of Ye Li. Helian Peng didn’t mind their actions; instead he laughed loudly and waved his hand, causing a group of black-clad men to appear on the path ahead—over a hundred people altogether.

Helian Peng looked at Ye Li earnestly and said again, “Please accept my invitation.”

"With just these few people, you think you can take Wangfei away You’re overestimating yourself,” Qin Feng sneered.

"Oh" Helian Peng raised his eyebrows, his gaze sweeping over Qin Feng and the others. "Who are these people to dare such behavior" He naturally noticed that the aura exuded by Qin Feng and the others was far from that of ordinary guards. Unfortunately, intelligence gathered by the Northern Rong people fell short of the accuracy of the Black Family Army’s. They were unable to recognize even the few people whom Ye Li trusted most.

Qin Feng said coolly, "Unremarkable individuals. No need for General Helian to concern himself with them. However, if he wishes for this Wangfei [Imperial Concubine] to be his guest, he must first ask us."

Helian Peng grinned and said, "Is that so In that case… come at me!"

The black-clad men behind him immediately surrounded Ye Li and the others upon receiving orders. Qin Feng, Lin Han, and the rest charged forward while Zhuo Jing retreated to Ye Li’s side without making any move. The people Ye Li brought along with her included Qin Feng, Yun Ting, Chen Yun, and a few others, totaling no more than ten individuals. Fighting against Helian Peng’s hundred men was indeed strenuous for them. However, these were the best of the best from among the Black Family Army soldiers—how could they not hold their own against a mere hundred men

Seeing this situation, even Helian Peng couldn’t help but change his expression slightly. He didn’t know whether these people were specially sent by Mo Xiuyao to protect Ye Li or if all members of the Black Family Army had such formidable strength. If it was the latter case, then the Northern Rong army’s prospects would indeed be bleak.

"True elites from the Black Family Army; their skills are truly extraordinary," Helian Peng praised loudly. "Wangfei, even if your people are so powerful, how could they match my numbers Why not let them make a futile sacrifice for you I sincerely invite you to be our guest in Northern Rong—why don’t you give us the honor of your presence" Although Helian Peng’s appearance wasn’t handsome, he had an air about him that was uncommon among Central Plains men—an aura of ferocity. However, his words were refined, which gave people a strange sense of dissonance.

Ye Li smiled coolly and said, "Does General Helian find my Qilins interesting"

Helian Peng raised an eyebrow and laughed, "I’m ashamed to admit it, but I do. Wangfei being able to train such a mysterious army with combat strength surpassing the Black Family Army’s elite black cavalry is enough to earn me great admiration. May I ask about their use"

Ye Li nodded and said, "If that’s so, then let me tell you how to employ Qilins." As she spoke, her hand shot out with a sharp whistle piercing the air, a flash of green shooting toward the sky where it instantly blossomed into emerald fire. Moments later, two more such flashes appeared not far away.

Helian Peng’s expression darkened as he coldly said, "How could there be Qilins here Did you predict that I would be waiting for you" It was clear from these emerald fires that the Black Family Army had responded to Ye Li’s summons. Those who employed such methods were most likely the Qilin warriors.

Ye Li shook her head and laughed, "Does General Helian think this Wangfei can see into the future The use of Qilins is: they are always there when needed. This place is still a battlefield—how could they be lacking"

Helian Peng sneered. Compared to the Qilin warriors, his Yazi soldiers were far inferior. Nevertheless… "Then let’s see if your Qilins will arrive in time to save you!" With that said, Helian Peng leapt into action and charged at Ye Li on the opposite side. What surprised him was that unlike most Northern Rong people who valued external martial arts skills, he himself also practiced Central Plains’ internal kung fu techniques—quite proficiently so as far as Ye Li could tell.

Zhuo Jing leapt up to intercept Helian Peng in the air. The two exchanged blows instantly, landing after just a few exchanges. Zhuo Jing’s expression darkened; he had not expected Helian Peng’s martial arts skills to be so high. While there might have been a chance of victory when fighting together with Qin Feng and Lin Han on an ordinary day, that was no longer the case now.

Helian Peng had great confidence in his own abilities—never having met an opponent in several battles against the Black Family Army despite Mo Xiuyao not intervening. Yet he had been stopped by a seemingly insignificant guard this time. Smirking coldly, Helian Peng praised, "Great skills."

Zhuo Jing remained silent as he stared intently at Helian Peng.

Helian Peng snorted and said with a smile, "A pity it’s still lacking." With that, he flew toward Ye Li again without waiting for Zhuo Jing to make a move. How could Zhuo Jing let him get away with such behavior He leapt up to block Helian Peng once more.

Ye Li also dismounted her horse and brandished her short blade at Helian Peng’s chest. Helian Peng was taken aback as he raised his hand to grab Ye Li’s wrist, only for her to twist it and slash her blade horizontally at his arm instead. In an instant, Helian Peng realized that Ye Li wielded a three-sided dagger with blood grooves rather than a regular knife—a weapon capable of inflicting fatal wounds.

Helian Peng stepped back and said with a smile, "Lady Wangfei, you have sharp hands."

Though a woman, if it came to close combat, Ye Li wouldn’t fear anyone. She simply hadn’t practiced internal kung fu techniques early enough to master them. Now that they were fighting at such close quarters, internal kung fu wasn’t of much use—Helian Peng’s skill level was still far from being able to control everything.

Zhuo Jing wouldn’t let Ye Li fight alone either; he leaped up with a sword that left a trail behind him. With the two working together—one fighting at close quarters and one at a distance—they managed to keep Helian Peng at bay for quite some time.

Helian Peng knew if he wanted to take Ye Li away, he first had to deal with Zhuo Jing. Yet with Ye Li there, he couldn’t spare the hands needed to do so—Zhuo Jing wasn’t someone who could be easily defeated either. So he focused all his efforts on attacking Ye Li, hoping that once she was injured, he’d have a free hand to take care of Zhuo Jing.

Made up his mind, Helian Peng wielded his long sword to keep Ye Li at bay as it spun wildly in the air. Knowing he wasn’t as strong as Helian Peng, Ye Li leapt backward instead of meeting his attack head-on. Zhuo Jing stepped forward to intercept Helian Peng’s sword while Ye Li reappeared from behind and thrust her short blade toward him. Helian Peng had been waiting for this moment; with a mighty swing, even Zhuo Jing was forced back by the power behind it. However, instead of being injured like Zhuo Jing, Ye Li seemed unaffected as she charged forward.

Ye Li moved swiftly and in an instant her blade pierced Helian Peng’s body. Before he could react to her ability to withstand his strength, a sharp pain gripped him, twisting his features. Zhuo Jing whirled around with his whip to pull Ye Li back.

Holding himself steady, Helian Peng examined the wound on his arm and sucked in breath—though he had dodged quickly enough to avoid being pierced entirely, the blade still cut through his flesh. He would likely be unable to use that hand for two or three months. If it had been his body instead of just his arm, even with all his internal kung fu power behind him, there would only be one outcome: death.

"Wangfei’s methods are indeed formidable," Helian Peng said as he watched Ye Li and her expression changed several times.

Ye Li remained calm and replied coolly, "General Helian is too kind with his praise. Your martial arts skills are truly rare among the Northern Rong."

Helian Peng didn’t hide this fact but instead smiled, saying, "True enough; my kung fu was taught to me by a Central Plains master." He tore off a long piece of cloth and bandaged his wound as he spoke.

"Not just any high-ranking individual—this Wangfei knows several."

Helian Peng chuckled, "Unfortunately you’re still short in one area." Then without waiting for Zhuo Jing’s response, he lunged toward Ye Li again. How could Zhuo Jing let him get away with it He leapt up to intercept once more.

On the other side, Ye Li also dismounted and brandished her dagger at Helian Peng’s chest. Startled by her actions, Helian Peng reached for her wrist only for her to twist it and slash horizontally across his arm with a blade designed to inflict serious injury if used properly.

Helian Peng stepped back and said with a smile, "Lady Wangfei has sharp hands."

Though a woman, Ye Li wasn’t afraid of anyone in close combat. She simply hadn’t practiced internal kung fu techniques early enough to master them. In this situation where the blades met, internal kung fu wasn’t very useful; even Helian Peng couldn’t control everything.

Zhuo Jing wouldn’t let Ye Li fight alone either—leaping up with a sword that left a trail behind him, he worked in tandem to keep Helian Peng at bay for quite some time.

Helian Peng knew if he wanted to take Ye Li away, he first had to deal with Zhuo Jing. Yet with Ye Li there, he couldn’t spare the hands needed to do so—Zhuo Jing wasn’t someone who could be easily defeated either. So he focused all his efforts on attacking Ye Li, hoping that once she was injured, he’d have a free hand to take care of Zhuo Jing.

Made up his mind, Helian Peng wielded his long sword to keep Ye Li at bay as it spun wildly in the air. Knowing he wasn’t as strong as Helian Peng, Ye Li leapt backward instead of meeting his attack head-on. Zhuo Jing stepped forward to intercept Helian Peng’s sword while Ye Li reappeared from behind and thrust her short blade toward him. Helian Peng had been waiting for this moment; with a mighty swing, even Zhuo Jing was forced back by the power behind it. However, instead of being injured like Zhuo Jing, Ye Li seemed unaffected as she charged forward.

Ye Li moved swiftly and in an instant her blade pierced Helian Peng’s body. Before he could react to her ability to withstand his strength, a sharp pain gripped him, twisting his features. Zhuo Jing whirled around with his whip to pull Ye Li back.

Holding himself steady, Helian Peng examined the wound on his arm and sucked in breath—though he had dodged quickly enough to avoid being pierced entirely, the blade still cut through his flesh. He would likely be unable to use that hand for two or three months. If it had been his body instead of just his arm, even with all his internal kung fu power behind him, there would only be one outcome: death.

"Wangfei’s methods are indeed formidable," Helian Peng said as he watched Ye Li and her expression changed several times.

Ye Li remained calm and replied coolly, "General Helian is too kind with his praise. Your martial arts skills are truly rare among the Northern Rong."

Holding himself steady, Helian Peng examined the wound on his arm and sucked in breath—though he had dodged quickly enough to avoid being pierced entirely, the blade still cut through his flesh. He would likely be unable to use that hand for two or three months. If it had been his body instead of just his arm, even with all his internal kung fu power behind him, there would only be one outcome: death.

"Lady Wangfei’s methods are indeed formidable," Helian Peng said as he watched Ye Li and her expression changed several times.

Ye Li remained calm and replied coolly, "General Helian is too kind with his praise. Your martial arts skills are truly rare among the Northern Rong."

Helian鵬也不隱瞞，笑道：“不錯，在下的武功的確是中原高手傳授的。”隨手扯下一塊長條步巾，赫連鵬一邊包紮不停流血的傷口，一邊笑道。

“不隻是哪位高人，中原高手本妃倒也認識幾位。”

赫連鵬笑道：“說來慚愧，家師…正好還是死在定王手裡的。”

葉璃微微皺眉，沉吟片刻，“慕容雄。”死在墨修堯手上，能教出如此高手的人，大概也隻有慕容雄了。而且，赫連鵬的武功路數確實跟慕容雄有兩分相似。

赫連鵬笑而不語，既不承認也不否認。

葉璃也不在意，淡淡道：“赫連將軍最好還是趕快回去，手臂流血一樣是可以死人的。”

赫連鵬雖然包紮了手臂傷的上，但是卻顯然並不能止住血。不一會兒，整條布巾便被染成了血紅色。赫連鵬苦笑一聲，抬手又點了幾處穴道，剛要說話，隻見遠處樹林中幾道寒光閃過，幾支羽箭朝著這邊疾射而來。身邊不遠處幾個黑衣人中箭倒地。赫連鵬臉色一變，“來得好快！撤！”

－－－－－－題外話－－－－－－and said, "That's not what I meant. Have you considered how you will handle this situation after giving birth What about your future life Even if you raise the child alone with enough money to support...