Chapter 429: Chapter 429

Zheng Fan was repeatedly thrown to the ground.

This made Li Fusheng somewhat surprised, and he couldn’t help but ask, "Chief Zheng, your household general’s martial skills..."

He meant that he had witnessed Fanli’s prowess. Provided Fanli didn’t use his vital energy, even a battlefield veteran like Li Fusheng was no match for him. However, the person who had taught Fanli was himself now...

Zheng Fan climbed to his feet and replied, "He just has superb talent."

Upon hearing this, Li Fusheng recalled how Fanli could often anticipate his moves during their spars, and he couldn’t help but nod. "He must be a martial arts prodigy then."

"My Lord, there is something I do not understand."

"Speak." ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs, ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴠɪsɪᴛ novel⟡fire.net

Li Fusheng squatted down like an old farmer, untied his water pouch, and took a sip.

"I have been stuck at the Eighth Rank Martial Cultivator realm for a while now."

"Two months? Oh no, a little over a month."

Li Fusheng shook his head. "That’s not long."

Moreover, it was already considered very fast.

"When did you begin your martial training?"

"To answer my Lord, I began martial training after joining the army."

"And you’ve reached the Eighth Rank so quickly?"

Li Fusheng stood up, walked over to Zheng Fan, and grabbed his wrist. Instantly, a surge of vital energy flowed into Zheng Fan’s body, and the vital energy within Zheng Fan immediately responded.

"So, you didn’t advance by consuming elixirs, haha."

Originally, upon hearing that Zheng Fan had entered the Eighth Rank so rapidly, Li Fusheng had assumed he had relied on elixirs, similar to how Prince Fu had forcibly stimulated his way to the Sixth Rank.

"Indeed, you’ve progressed very quickly."

Li Fusheng was now somewhat convinced that Fanli had been trained by Zheng Fan. Although Li Fusheng didn’t consider himself a genius, he believed that true geniuses existed in the world, like... Qingshuang.

Few outsiders knew that Qingshuang, the only one among the Seven Great Generals who could officially use a surname other than "Li," was actually the one with the highest personal martial skill among them. Therefore, Qingshuang often accompanied the Lord. This was because, similarly, not many knew that while the Lord was a Martial Cultivator, his rank wasn’t high; sometimes, even putting on his armor was a strain. It was said that the Lord had displayed extraordinary martial talent as a child, but a later accident resulted in a severe injury, leading to the decline of his vital energy.

"The Ninth Rank involves sensing and controlling the flow of vital energy. The Eighth Rank is the external release of vital energy. The Seventh Rank is the ability to project vital energy outside the body. I’m not a martial arts prodigy. In my opinion, the path of vital energy is all about nurturing."

"Itching?" Zheng Fan asked.

"Yes, nurturing," Li Fusheng affirmed.

"Daoists and Qi Refiners walk similar paths. They absorb the Qi of Heaven and Earth into themselves, hoping to resonate with them and borrow their power. We Martial Cultivators, however, use our own bodies as furnaces. This body is our Heaven and Earth, and vital energy is the elemental force within it. In my personal experience, when a Martial Cultivator nurtures Qi, especially a soldier, the most suitable method is to cultivate Killing Qi! Because there are enemies, because there are battlefields, because there is slaughter—only amidst slaughter can one gain enlightenment, only on the battlefield can one achieve a breakthrough."

Zheng Fan nodded. So that’s what nurturing Qi meant. He also understood. Li Fusheng’s suggested cultivation method, in short, was: Fight! Fight to the death! And add a prefix: Don’t stop!

"You are a genius; I am a fool."

"But intelligent people often look for shortcuts, always believing there’s an easy way for everything under heaven, yet they tend to overlook the importance of being down-to-earth. As soldiers, we must possess a soldier’s fearless spirit. That, Chief Zheng, is something I have not seen in you."

Zheng Fan shivered. This was almost like Li Fusheng saying he was somewhat afraid of death.

"I once heard Qingshuang advising others, saying that a martial artist should possess an indomitable spirit. Confucians nurture righteous Qi, Daoists nurture the Qi of Heaven and Earth, and sorcerers cultivate transcendent Qi. It all seems like Qi, but it’s actually about different states of mind when viewing the world."

"That was... said by Lord Qingshuang?"

"Yes, I’m merely repeating his words. I don’t know if they’ll be of any use to you, but since you are both geniuses, there should be some common ground."

Zheng Fan knelt on one knee before Li Fusheng, cupped his hands, and said, "Thank you for your guidance, Counselor Guo!"

He didn’t address him as Li Fusheng but used his birth name, a mark of respect, as Li Fusheng’s advice had forged a bond akin to that of a partial mentor.

"Actually, in my opinion, it’s more comfortable being a Martial Cultivator. You don’t have to think too much or worry about too many things. The only thing you need to focus on is how to eliminate your opponent. People with fewer thoughts are like horses with lighter loads; they can run faster and farther."

"I have learned much, my Lord!"

"Alright, get up. Enough with the kneeling. Don’t be like those scholars with all their excessive formalities. Li Bao has been acting like a madman lately. Sigh, I really feel I’ve wronged that old brother."

For several days, Li Bao had led his troops into battle repeatedly. The fighting grew fiercer, their encirclement deepened, and losses mounted. Instead of leveraging their initial flexibility, Li Bao had actively led them into what seemed like a trap of the enemy’s design. Of course, by doing so, Li Bao drew the attention of the majority of Qian State’s forces in the capital city region.

Although he had been cursing, although he was undoubtedly frustrated, he still chose to cooperate after seeing through Li Fusheng’s plan.

This was what it meant to be a soldier; this was the spirit of the Army of the Earl of North Border during this era. They shared a common goal, a vow made when the first Earl of North Border established the army.

Even Zheng Fan, upon learning of Li Bao’s situation from Li Fusheng, couldn’t help but be secretly astounded.

Compared to these generals of the Army of the Earl of North Border, I genuinely feel my perspective is so small, so sullied... They never considered preserving their own strength; they would even willingly sacrifice their own interests for the greater good. There’s nothing more precious to these military leaders than the lives of the men under their command.

"Sigh, sometimes I actually feel quite fortunate that I was the one who brought you to my side. Otherwise, you probably would have ended up with that fool Li Bao."

Capturing Chuzhou City, future benefits aside, meant that military supplies were now more than abundant; Chuzhou itself was Qian State’s major supply base for the three border regions. Aside from the battle against Zu Dongcheng, Li Fusheng’s contingent had been relatively inactive until now.

"Lord Li Bao is truly magnanimous and principled," Zheng Fan said with genuine admiration.

Li Fusheng smiled. "We can’t let that fool Li Bao really lose all his men, otherwise it’ll be truly awkward to face him later. The time is about right. Let’s make our move too."

Li Fusheng licked his lips, the familiar bloodthirsty glint in his eyes flickering once again. "At all costs, we charge to the imperial capital! We will ask Emperor Zhao of Qian State... if he is well!"

In ancient times, aside from a few choke points where "one man could hold off ten thousand," the common image of a city completely halting an enemy’s advance unless directly conquered was largely a myth. Reality, after all, isn’t like a video game with some kind of pass system. The perception that cities were impassable barriers, forcing enemies into deadly sieges, stemmed from the risks of bypassing them: exposing one’s rear to attacks from the city’s garrison, severed supply lines, or even a pincer movement. It was for military prudence that ancient warfare often saw large armies locked in struggles around a single city.

In Zheng Fan’s historical knowledge from his past life, it wasn’t actually difficult for northern nomadic tribes to invade southward. Once a Central Plains dynasty weakened and lost its capacity for open field warfare or frontier patrols, the vast Great Wall could be breached anywhere.

Just like now, the stretch of land between Li Fusheng’s current position and Qian State’s imperial capital meant that all cities, military camps, and checkpoints along this route could be completely disregarded!

Either you come out and face us in open battle, or cower inside your walls while we press deeper!

So, strictly speaking, if one was willing to abandon their line of retreat and their hometown, no city was truly unbypassable.

Li Fusheng personally beheaded three Qian army prisoners. He ordered three knights to mount the severed heads on long spears and parade them throughout the army.

Then, Li Fusheng drew his saber, pointing south towards the imperial capital!

A massive raid, no less audacious than the previous Yan cavalry penetration of Qian State’s three border defenses, was unfolding once more!

Because Li Bao had been so effective at drawing the bulk of the enemy’s firepower—with Qian State’s generals seemingly intent on annihilating his forces entirely—a huge opening had been created for the hitherto low-key Li Fusheng!

For three days, they force-marched. Any Qian troops daring to obstruct their path were swiftly crushed by detached units, while the main force maintained its rapid advance. This was an all-or-nothing gamble, a desperate advance that risked their entire army, echoing Li Bao’s own sacrificial gambit!

「Finally, three days later,」

The iron hooves of the Yan Army arrived at the banks of the Bian River!

This was originally a ferry crossing. However, the frozen river surface made boat passage temporarily impossible. Nevertheless, towns typically flanked such crossings, meaning a considerable population resided here. Furthermore, with the war raging at the front, this place also served as a crucial hub for supply transfers.

The thunderous sound of iron hooves shattered the dawn’s tranquility, followed by the terrified screams of the Qian people. Across the river, chaos erupted.

The Yan people are here! The Yan barbarians are here! The Yan bastards are here!!!

Riding his horse, Zheng Fan suddenly had a childish impulse. He cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted towards the opposite bank, "Run for your lives! The Yan bastards are here!"