The saying goes, “When people number ten thousand, they are boundless and limitless.”

Indeed, a mere five thousand individuals, spread out, could fill one’s entire field of vision, exerting an immense pressure.

The army Shi Jing led bore the banner of Rizhao County, requisitioned directly from the county yamen’s stores. The main flag was embroidered with the character “Song,” while the secondary flag bore only “Shi.” This flattery was so thorough it bordered on the extreme, making it practically the family flag of Song Guang. Of course, this was also because the red flag with the carp pattern, representing Jiacheng, was now in Jiang Wang’s possession.

Over fifty years old, he had become a city lord solely by recognizing his father and mother. Once power was in hand, his orders were absolute. Holding command over this great army, approaching the city, Shi Jing naturally felt a measure of smugness.

“Little brat surnamed Jiang!” he bellowed, gathering his qi from afar, “A greenhorn, still wet behind the ears, dares to tear my city yamen’s official document! Do you comprehend the gravity of the situation now that the King’s army has arrived from the west?”

“Quickly bind yourself and surrender, hand over all your money, grain, and possessions! This city lord might yet spare your life!”

Sometimes, a misjudgment wasn’t due to the opponent’s brilliance, but because some individuals were simply impossible to predict with conventional logic. Take Shi Jing, for example. By all normal reasoning, he should have been organizing disaster relief, confronting the sudden rat plague. Or he should have been gathering his troops, preparing to fight and save the country, or to sacrifice himself for it.

To lead troops to rob money?

Truly, it was utterly unexpected. Jiang Wang’s preparations, establishing defenses in Qingyang Town, were primarily to guard against the chaos and rogue soldiers that might arise should the state power collapse. At this moment, the war between Yang Qi had yet to even commence, and Shi Jing, utterly bewildered, brought his men to attack Qingyang Town. No one could have foreseen this.

The saying “a chaotic fist kills the old master” doesn’t mean the old master of fists was fragile, but rather that the seasoned master, accustomed to all manner of routines, every move and style meticulously planned, would be easily caught off guard by a newcomer who fought without method or reason.

Though Jiang Wang inwardly disdained this man, he could not disregard the military formation arrayed outside the town. The Xi family had governed Jiacheng for centuries, and many were, in one way or another, connected to them. Among these five thousand soldiers, due to the Xi family’s complete withdrawal, the proportion of superhuman cultivators was not high. However, the art of military array technique emphasized precisely the gathering of momentum and the unification of force. A well-trained army, even without many superhuman powers, possessed combat strength that was absolutely not to be underestimated.

And the warriors within Qingyang Town’s yamen numbered only three hundred, and lacked the assistance of a military array, offering truly little advantage in battle.

Despite his caution, Jiang Wang displayed an air of utter arrogance. He unfurled the carp-patterned red flag, its bloody hue fluttering, and with a single hand, planted it directly before the town gate! This was a tremendous blow to the morale of the Jiacheng city guard army. This carp-patterned red flag was not merely a magic tool, nor could it solely amplify the war array; it was the repository of their spirit and will. And this flag was now in the hands of the enemy.

In contrast, the three hundred warriors of Qingyang Town felt their spirits surge, their resolve and physical strength amplified. Zhang Hai, Xiang Qian, Zhu Biqiong, including the four superhuman cultivators of the Four Seas Merchant Alliance and ten ordinary warriors, were all incorporated into the ranks. It was only a pity that Jiang Wang did not master military array techniques, otherwise, with seven superhuman cultivators as nodes, he could have completely linked these three hundred individuals.

Seeing Jiang Wang plant the flag in response, Shi Jing was instantly enraged, no longer speaking.

“Raise the array!”

As the main general of this battle, his single command saw the city guard army quickly form their formation. Killing aura soared to the heavens.

Earlier, Jiang Wang had asked Zhu Biqiong to set up many illusion arrays outside Qingyang Town, fearing that in chaotic circumstances, the weak defense would be unable to protect everything. But at this moment, with the surge of the army’s killing aura, these simple illusion arrays unexpectedly shattered without attack.

Outside Qingyang Town, the condensed killing aura of the soldiers took form. Two massive, strange fish, one black and one white, swam forth. At times they surged to the heavens, scattering the wandering clouds. At other times, their giant tails smashed the ground, emitting rumbling thunder. These swimming fish were the Yin Yang Fish, and this military array was named the Yin Yang Swimming Kill Array.

Amidst this powerful momentum, Shi Jing bellowed: “Listen, everyone in Qingyang Town! Attack and kill the brat surnamed Jiang with me now, and all your crimes will be forgiven! If you remain stubborn and unenlightened, when the town is breached, you will surely be killed without mercy!”

These words held no sway over the warriors of Qingyang Town. They were keenly aware of Shi Jing’s purpose. If the materials within the warehouse were plundered, what would they, their relatives, and friends eat, use, and rely on to live? They knew precisely for whom they fought, and though they felt panic and unease, not a single one wavered. And the people from the Four Seas Merchant Alliance were scattered among the ranks, influenced by the surrounding emotions; even if they wished to retreat, there was no possibility. The only one who could make a decision for them, Manager Qian, was currently kept by Jiang Wang’s side.

The military array advanced. The giant Yin Yang Fish swam in mid-air.

“You dare not attack the Qi army, yet you dare to plunder and kill your own people. Are these the soldiers of the Yang country?” Jiang Wang, channeling his Dao Yuan, questioned in a stern voice.

These words truly struck at their hearts. No professional soldier, at the outset, was not instilled with the belief of protecting home and guarding the country. But with the Qi army clearly arrayed at the border, they dared not engage in battle. This deep-seated shame and cowardice had never truly been erased. Shi Jing had brought them to attack Qingyang Town, promising vast sums of gold and silver. With a hardened heart, they had simply charged forward with their weapons. But when directly questioned, asked why they dared not turn their blades on the Qi army but only against their countrymen, how could they remain unmoved?

One could clearly sense a momentary sluggishness in the operation of the Yin Yang Swimming Kill Array. It was at this precise moment that Jiang Wang, borrowing the power of the carp-patterned red flag, rolled forth a sea of blood. The blood qi surged against the soldiers’ killing aura. Using the flag of Jiacheng to press the army of Jiacheng was indeed its perfect use.

Jiang Wang, hovering in the air, again spread forth a sea of flame flowers. The illusionary flowers were shattered by the soldiers’ killing aura, the very fresh flowers of the flower sea that condensed and released illusionary poison were stirred apart, and the flame flowers mixed among them exploded one after another. Even with the suppression of the carp-patterned red flag, the pre-set battlefield, the sea of flame flowers responding to the siege, almost collapsed upon a single touch.

And at this moment, Long Xiang Si cried out as it was drawn from its sheath! Sun, moon, and stars, mountains and rivers, the vast human sea. Jiang Wang’s sword connected one strike after another, successively colliding with the white giant fish, almost chopping this group of soldier killing aura into fine fragments. Broken limbs scattered in all directions, fresh blood splattered. Those were the soldiers who had died under these several sword strikes.

However, the black giant fish instantly swam forth, its tail swinging! Jiang Wang returned his sword to block, but even with his sword and person, he was struck flying by this single blow! What was even more shocking was not just this, but that after the black giant fish struck Jiang Wang flying, it suddenly opened its mouth and spat out a small white fish, which swelled at a speed visible to the naked eye. The entire Yin Yang Swimming Kill Array instantly returned to its original state. This was the ferocity of a military path kill array!

If it were a one-on-one fight, Jiang Wang was confident he could chop Shi Jing to death within three swords. However, the reality was that Shi Jing, holding command over a great army, struck him flying upon their very first encounter.

Floating in mid-air, he coughed up a mouthful of fresh blood. Jiang Wang twisted his body and fell back to the town gate, his hand instantly seizing Manager Qian’s shoulder: “Do as you are doing, and when the town is breached, you will surely bear the brunt first! Manager Qian, are you still not entering the array with me?” Keeping Manager Qian by his side was, of course, to prevent him from holding back in the town hall team, and it was also for this moment. After all, that person was a expert in the Tenglong realm; his power could always be put to use.

Though only a hasty sentence, he had already made the severe consequences clear. Manager Qian gritted his teeth and said, “It is as it should be!” And then he felt his body lighten, as Jiang Wang grabbed his entire person and directly flung him out, treating him like a javelin, projecting him towards the military array outside the town.

“I…!”

Manager Qian swallowed a belly full of curses, having to directly face the approaching black giant fish. His Dao Yuan exploded with full force; at this moment, he could no longer feign clumsiness. Out of thin air, he conjured a shiny gold ingot before his body. “Wealth can pierce the heavens! Please allow me passage!”

That gold ingot instantly collided with the black giant fish, melting into it. The black giant fish, surprisingly disregarding the will of the main array, swung its tail in the air, allowing Manager Qian’s figure to pass. And at the same time, the slightly recuperated Jiang Wang again arrived, his sword pointing at the white giant fish condensed from the soldiers’ killing aura!