hness feel about that""Third Sister! You…" Ye Ying looked somewhat uneasy as she glanced at Mo Jingli and plaintively called out to Ye Li.Ye Li sneered inwardly. Over the years, Lady Wang had secretly...408. A Life-and-Death Blood Battle

408。 A Life-and-Death Blood Battle

"I'll take people to rescue them!" Leng Haoyu said anxiously.

Ye Li turned her head and looked at him coolly, "To rescue Sacrifice another five ten-thousand soldiers for these five hundred men"

Leng Haoyu was speechless. A chill suddenly ran down his spine but more than that he felt ashamed and guilty. Qilin had been established and trained by Ye Li personally. Although the Princess Consort of Dingwang could command the entire Black Cloud Cavalry, in reality, Ye Li rarely interfered with the affairs concerning them. Qilin was created by the Princess Consort herself and were also most loyal to her as personal guards. Unless it was absolutely necessary, how would she send these men out knowing they would surely die

In war, a commander carries an immense burden that ordinary people cannot bear. A single word or action can decide the life and death of thousands of soldiers. At this moment, decision-making becomes extremely important. The choice made may determine the outcome of a battle or even the rise and fall of a nation. Hence the saying, "Those who show mercy should not command armies, those who show righteousness should not manage finances." Ye Li had clearly become an adept commander. Such choices might be harsh but there was no other option.

"The Princess Consort is magnanimous," Old General Yuan Pei said quietly as he gazed at the distant shadow that was gradually being swallowed by the Western Capital army.

A faint smile curled at Ye Li's lips and she sighed softly, "A general’s success is built on countless bones…" A transparent tear silently fell from her clear eyes before vanishing in an instant.

"A general's success is built on countless bones…" Leng Haoyu murmured softly, suddenly letting out a long howl as he leaped off the city wall and charged into the chaos below. "Kill! Defend Feihong Pass to death!" Several figures quickly fell from the city wall, joining him in the fray. On the city wall, only Yuan Pei, Ye Li, and Zhuo Jing remained.

Within a short moment, five hundred Qilin soldiers were swallowed by over 500 thousand Western Capital troops and disappeared without trace. Amongst the black-clad Qilin warriors who were engaged in close combat with the Golden Robe Guards came a sharp whistle. After the last Golden Robe Guard fell to their swords, all the Qilin soldiers simultaneously performed a unique military salute towards Ye Li on the city wall, then moved en masse toward where the five hundred Qilin had disappeared. The comrades' unfinished task would be continued by them.

On the battlefield, an even larger black arrow shot swiftly and unexpectedly into the rear of the Western Capital army. Seeing their actions, someone in the Black Cloud Cavalry below suddenly shouted out loud: "Black Cloud Cavalry! Clear a path for Qilin’s brothers!"

"Ink Army! Move up!

A multitude of cavalry and infantry in white began charging into the Xiling army with a single-minded determination. The Black Cloud Cavalry’s iron horses charged like a white tornado through the ranks, clearing a path for the Qilins who followed behind them. The Mohist infantry immediately pounced forward to fight against the disorganized and scattered soldiers of Xiling. At this moment, it was no longer just about defending the city walls. Originally, offense was the best form of defense. However, due to the huge disparity in numbers between the Mohist army and that of Xiling, they could only resort to stubbornly holding their ground. But once everyone had killed until their eyes turned red with rage, nobody would care whether it was about defending or attacking. In their eyes, there was only one word - die alongside the enemy! If I can’t live, you must die too!

From a distance, anyone watching would see an unusual sight: the all-white Mohist army and Black Cloud Cavalry protecting a small group of black Qilins as they charged forward in Xiling’s ranks, pressing on towards the location of their banners and royal standard. They were unstoppable. Nobody cared about the increasing number of Xiling soldiers behind them or how increasingly difficult it was to advance. As long as there was still breath left, they would keep going.

"These guys have gone mad!" Le Tengfeng stood in shock at the rear of the Xiling army, watching the battlefield which had turned chaotic before him. Who could imagine that in this head-on confrontation, an army of several hundred thousand from Xiling would be suppressed by less than twenty thousand Mohists No matter what happened today, the battle was already lost to Xiling. Morale is such that when one side is strong and the other weak, it works the opposite way around too. Once morale had been broken, there was no hope of breaking through Feihong Pass.

Le Zhengting let out a slight breath, his voice solemn as he said, "The Mohist army… Black Cloud Cavalry… Qilins—no wonder they are renowned across the land as battle-hardened elite troops…"

"Father, you should retreat," Le Tengfeng worriedly suggested.

Le Zhengting shook his head. "No, I must eliminate all of those Qilins and Black Cloud Cavalry! Beat the drums!"

Le Tengfeng was helpless and could only order for the war drums to be sounded. The deafening drumbeats echoed across the battlefield. The soldiers of Xiling were roused, their momentary confusion caused by the sudden charge from the Mohist army clearing up as they returned to battle.

On the city wall of Feihong Pass, Ye Li stood before a large war drum taller than she was. She picked up the mallets beside her and struck them heavily down.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!" The sound of the drums grew more intense and quickly drowned out the drumbeats from Xiling’s army. Many hurriedly looked back, seeing a slender white-robed woman on the high city wall, wielding the mallets to strike the large war drum. Each beat seemed to hit everyone’s hearts. Amidst the sounds of warfare, there was an underlying resonance of clashing metal.

"Thank you all! Qilins, let’s move!" Qin Feng shouted amidst the chaos as he led the charge. Lin Han and Wei Lin jumped up at his side; the Qilins who had been sandwiched between Black Cloud Cavalry and Mohist infantry split into three groups, moving faster than before towards the rear of Xiling's army. The Black Cloud Cavalry and Mohist soldiers had completed their mission; to move further back would mean certain death.

The leader of the Black Cloud Cavalry casually cut down a sneaking soldier from Xiling, silently wishing them well as they retreated in the direction where the Qilins were moving. He raised his longsword and shouted, "Return to defend Feihong Pass!"

Once again, the Black Cloud Cavalry led the charge while the remaining troops turned back towards the outer layers of Xiling's army.

Qin Feng and Lin Han, Wei Lian each led a group of Qilins charging towards Lei Zhen Ting's direction, leaving numerous fallen soldiers in their wake. No one had the time to take care of them as they charged forward. Everyone’s black clothes were almost soaked with blood. They appeared like a bunch of evil ghosts from hell, causing many Western Expeditionary Army soldiers to involuntarily retreat without even engaging them. However, they soon became corpses under the blades.

What started off as over a thousand Qilins had dwindled down to less than three hundred when they reached near the rear of the Western Expeditionary Army forces. But these remaining three hundred made all the soldiers feel fear. Qin Feng gave signals to Lin Han and Wei Lian, both of whom nodded in response. When the Western Expeditionary Army thought that these three hundred would fight to their deaths to assassinate Prince Southern Command, they started to tighten up defenses. However, Qin Feng continued charging forward towards Prince Southern Command and Lei Tengfeng while Lin Han and Wei Lian charged left and right respectively at where the generals of the two flanks were stationed.

"Not good!" Lei Tengfeng exclaimed in alarm, "Quickly release arrows! No prisoners taken!"

Unfortunately for him, his realization was too late. Before their feathered arrows could be released, these black-clothed Qilins had already charged into the army. From afar, Lei Tengfeng saw Lin Han giving a mocking smile in his direction while simultaneously cutting off the head of the left flank general with his sword.

Lei Zhen Ting’s face turned ashen. With hundreds of thousands of soldiers, they could not stop one thousand Qilins… "Sound retreat!" Even if Lei Zhen Ting was unwilling to admit it, this battle had been lost by the Western Expeditionary Army. They lost more than just a chance and record; their morale was destroyed. From then on, unless the Western Expeditionary Army could achieve even better results in defeating the Black Warriors, they would become nightmares in the minds of all Western Expeditionary soldiers.

This battle saw no victor.

Lei Zhen Ting’s plan to capture Feihong Pass as quickly as possible was shattered. The morale of the Western Expeditionary Army troops plummeted. The Imperial Guard was wiped out entirely, and two generals died in battle while five deputy generals were killed. The Black Warriors once again defended Feihong Pass but suffered heavy losses; their originally twenty thousand strong army had been reduced by half. Among the Qilins with the strongest combat power of the Black Warriors, fewer than a hundred returned, six small squad leaders perished or were seriously injured, and Qin Feng and Wei Lian only received minor injuries while Lin Han was severely wounded.

However, this battle truly made the name "Qilin" renowned. According to post-battle statistics by the Western Expeditionary Army, over twenty-seven thousand of their troops had been directly killed by Qilins in this battle, including five thousand elite Imperial Guards and seventy or more officers above the rank of captain. A large number of generals were either dead or injured. Previously, the reputation of the Qilin was mostly associated with ambushes, assassinations, intelligence gathering, and other covert operations; now they had proven on a battlefield that one could indeed face ten opponents. With just a thousand soldiers, a group of Qilins could wipe out two thousand elite troops from the Western Expeditionary Army. From then on, everyone referred to them as "Blood Qilin."

This battle saw both sides suffering heavy losses and was temporarily put on hold. The battlefield outside Feihong Pass returned to its usual quietness, but the thick smell of blood lingered in the air.

Outside a small courtyard within Feihong Pass, Ye Li stood at the gate hesitating. Qin Feng followed her and worriedly called out softly, "My Lady, shall we return and rest" Everyone was mentally and physically exhausted from today's battle, and My Lady had not rested well these days either. Ye Li shook her head and asked, "Did Xiao Bao leave already"

Qin Feng nodded and said, "He left early this morning, I estimate that the little crown prince should arrive in Licheng by tomorrow morning."

Ye Li nodded, "Alright then. You stay here; I will go take a look." This was just an inconspicuous small courtyard originally meant for soldiers guarding Feihong Pass to live in. But now it housed the surviving Qilins who had recently retreated from battle.

Upon entering the small courtyard, she saw many people lying haphazardly under the eaves of the houses. Many were too rushed to change clothes and had merely bandaged their wounds before sitting on the ground and falling asleep. Shen Yang was directing his subordinates to help everyone with their injuries. The Mo Army suffered severe casualties as well; all the army doctors were busy taking care of them, so Shen Yang came personally.

Seeing Ye Li enter, Shen Yang hurriedly stood up to greet her. Ye Li shook her head and gestured that he need not be overly polite. Shen Yang then turned around to continue treating a wounded soldier near him.

Not wanting to disturb the injured soldiers' rest, Ye Li walked with Shen Yang into an inner room for their conversation. She asked, "Mr. Shen, are their injuries serious" Shen Yang shook his head and said, "Only a few have been severely injured and may not fully recover in the future, but everyone else will be fine after some time to recuperate."

Ye Li breathed a sigh of relief, nodded, and said, "Then I'll trouble Mr. Shen. If you need anything, just send someone to tell Zhuo Jing."

Shen Yang solemnly nodded, saying, "Your Highness, please rest assured; their injuries will be fine. These people… are truly the pillars of society." Although Shen Yang did not witness the battle himself, he knew what had happened on the battlefield. Even as a doctor, Shen Yang could not help but admire these soldiers who fearlessly sacrificed themselves.

"What about Lin Han" Ye Li asked again; she noticed that Lin Han was carried back wounded when they returned from battle. Shen Yang sighed and said, "Wei Lun and Qin Feng only suffered minor injuries, but Lin Han's wounds are severe. I suggest transferring him to a quieter place for rest after he wakes up. He shouldn't leave any major issues behind, but his martial arts skills… might…"

Ye Li was silent for a while before nodding and saying, "I understand. Mr. Shen, you may proceed with the arrangements. I still have matters to attend to; I'll take my leave now." Shen Yang looked at Ye Li and sighed, saying, "Your Highness doesn't look well either. Please take care of yourself. This is not Your Highness's fault."

Ye Li smiled faintly but her smile carried a hint of bitterness. She nodded slightly and said, "Thank you, Mr. Shen."

As he watched Ye Li leave, Shen Yang shook his head and sighed helplessly before returning to work. Such immense pressure was something even a man might struggle to bear, let alone a woman. In reality, the princess was merely a young woman in her twenties. If she hadn't married into the Ding王府, she might have just been an elegant maiden living comfortably at home. Now, however, she had to shoulder the responsibility for the survival of tens of thousands of soldiers and even the entire Mo Army and the Ding王府. Was such a life really good for a woman

Upon returning to the General’s Manor, Ye Li dismissed her attendants and sat alone in her study. Staring at the books before her, she closed her eyes as a single tear dropped onto the paper, quickly blurring the inked words. She hastily wiped away the tear and added another character beside an already blurred name on the list of soldiers — this was the roster for the Qilin Army, but now many were no longer there. Ye Li would never forget that they did not die while fulfilling their duties; from the beginning, it had been a doomed mission and those people she left behind were mere pawns. As a commander, she knew her actions were correct. But as a soldier, she could never forgive herself for abandoning them.

After a long silence, Ye Li took out blank paper and began to carefully rewrite the names on the list; only those marked in black ink represented death.

The atmosphere inside the Western Capital’s military camp was heavy. The generals looked at the empty spaces beside their comrades and felt an icy chill in their hearts. In the morning, they had been discussing the war with excitement alongside colleagues who either were friendly or had conflicts; now, half of them were gone — all because of a thousand-strong Qilin Army.

"They're not human! They’re devils!" A young officer muttered pale-faced.

The others were not necessarily calmer either. Everyone seemed to have lost their souls, sitting there dazed and staring blankly.

"Enough!" Lei Zhenting coldly looked at the generals in front of him and heaved a deep sigh. Over a thousand Qilins... less than one third of the Xiling army had managed to beat back several hundred thousand Xiling troops, leaving them disoriented. In the short term, the Xiling army would likely be hesitant when facing off against Mo’s forces.

"Your Highness..." A general stood up and hesitated before saying, "Your Highness, we’ve been attacking Feihong Pass for over half an hour now but it seems unlikely that we’ll break through. That Mo Xiya is bringing several hundred thousand troops to reinforce his position. Should we retreat first"

Lei Zhenting sneered and asked, "Retreat Do you think we can still do so now"

Their advance had been too deep into the north. Now that they wanted to withdraw it was already too late; otherwise they would be caught off guard by Mo Xiya on their way back. The general’s face paled as he thought of the approaching troops behind them. Apart from breaking through Feihong Pass and taking a northwest route back to Xiling territory, there were no other options. Yet who knew if this was even possible.

Lei Zhenting sighed and said, "Mo’s army suffered heavy losses today. The number of Mo’s forces on top of Feihong Pass definitely won’t exceed ten thousand."

"But what if they still have Qilins..." Someone whispered. Nobody knew how many troops the Qilin had. Over the years their presence could be seen in various places, yet none managed to truly find any trace of them. Many were very curious about this group of troops; only now did they finally get a chance to see for themselves, but what it brought was endless nightmares.

"There aren’t any left. At this point neither side would hold anything back. Today’s battle Leaf璃has certainly put in her all," Lei Zhenting said solemnly.

Lei Tengfeng asked, "Father, what you mean is… if we fight again now we could capture Feihong Pass But our troops…" The morale and spirit of the Xiling soldiers had been crushed by Mo’s forces. In short term they might only be able to display half their actual abilities on the battlefield. Lei Zhenting waved his hand and said, "I have my own plan."

"Reporting! Urgent message from the front!" A man in armor rushed into the tent and reported loudly.

"Come in!" A man dressed in military attire hurried in and presented a secret letter. Lei Zhenting’s face changed when he opened it, but soon recovered and said, "Everyone can go rest; prepare the troops."

"This subordinate withdraws!

"Father, what happened" Now that only father and son were left in the tent, Le Tengfeng finally asked without any reservations. When Father saw the secret letter earlier, Le Tengfeng clearly saw his hand tremble. Something major must have happened. Le Zhen霆 fell back into his chair, his face ashen pale, with a trace of blood seeping through his clothes and staining his yellow battle robe crimson red. "Father!"

After a long while, Le Zhen霆 raised his eyes to look at Le Tengfeng: "Tengfeng, take Feng Li, Zhang Yi, and Shang Qing northward back to Xiling."

"What" Le Tengfeng was taken aback. He didn't quite understand this sudden order from Le Zhen霆. Picking up the letter on the table with a puzzled expression, Le Tengfeng's face turned even grimmer: "South Chu has abolished Mo Jingli and allied with Dingwang How is that possible" Le Zhen霆 sighed bitterly, saying: "What’s impossible about it There are no eternal enemies in this world. Besides, to the people of South Chu… we are truly their true enemy." In this world, there were not many who thought like Mo Jingqi and Mo Jingli. As Le Tengfeng read through the content of the secret letter: "Eight hundred thousand Chu soldiers have submitted to Dingwang, while thirty thousand Chu soldiers crossed Yunlan River…"

"I’ve always wondered where Meng Shen and Nan Hou went when they suddenly left the battlefield. Now I understand… they must be in South Chu." Le Zhen霆 sighed heavily, looking somewhat dejected. As renowned generals of Great Chu, it was natural for them to lead the thirty thousand soldiers sent by South Chu. The only question was what exactly Mo Xiuyao had offered to South Chu that would make them decide so unexpectedly to abolish Mo Jingli and send troops in support of Dingwang.

"Father, let's go together!" said Le Tengfeng. He could already see the current situation clearly: once Mo Xiuyao’s army arrived, Father might even with his godlike power not be able to escape.

Le Zhen霆 calmly shook his head and said: "I won't leave; I can’t anymore. Tengfeng, you take three generals and depart tonight. Don’t bring any other soldiers besides your bodyguards. Feng, Zhang, and Shang are the most promising people in Xiling both in age and ability. As long as you control them, Xiling will still have a future to look forward to. When you get back… do what needs to be done." He was injured and unable to travel long distances anyway; how could he face his subjects and people of Xiling now It would be better if he died in accordance with the situation than living on as an embarrassment.

"No, Father…" Le Tengfeng pleaded anxiously: "Father, please… Your son is incapable and unable to shoulder the burden of Xiling. I am willing to stay behind to ensure your safe departure; please let those generals leave with you."

“Tengfeng!” Le Zhen霆 sternly said: “Remember this from now on—Xiling belongs to you! A mere woman, Ye Li could shoulder the entire Mo Army. Are you telling me that you are even less capable than a woman”

"Father…"

Le Zhen霆 closed his eyes and patted Le Tengfeng’s shoulder: "It is all because your father restricted you too much in the past. From now on, it will be up to you. Remember… don’t confront Mo Army head-on; secure Xiling first. There will always come a day when we rise again." This sounded like a final testament to Le Tengfeng’s ears. In reality, Le Tengfeng knew that if he left today, this would indeed likely be the last time his father gave him instructions. Tears streamed down his face: "Father… Your son… understands!"

Le Zhen霆 patted him heavily and turned away without looking back: “Go now; take my token and order those people to leave immediately. Don’t waste any time.”

"Your son obeys the order! Father, take care of yourself!" Le Tengfeng’s eyes were red as he prostrated himself on the ground and kowtowed three times heavily. Getting up, he cast one last look at his father's somewhat old and forlorn back figure before leaving resolutely.though still beautiful, no longer a young maiden. Her appearance seemed less pitifully sweet and more contrived. Princess Anxi frowned slightly as she pointed to the chair beside her: "Why are you her...