Chapter 238 First Battle
Chaoge City, this ancient city that was once extremely prosperous and crowded with merchants, is now surrounded by the army led by Wen Zhong.

Outside the city walls was a huge army, like a dark cloud covering the city, encircling the entire city. The residents in the city, who once lived a comfortable life, now had to spend every day in fear.

On the city wall, the defenders of Chaoge City patrolled nervously, their eyes revealing determination and anxiety.

The soldiers' faces were stained with dust and traces of war, and the spears and shields in their hands gleamed coldly in the sun.

On the battlements, archers held their bows tightly, their arrows like the scythe of the god of death, ready to reap the lives of the invading enemies at any time.

Outside the city, the enemy's tents were endless, and the bonfires were swaying in the night wind, like countless flashing eyes, spying on everything on the city wall.

The war horses paced restlessly in the camp, and their occasional neighing echoed in the night sky, adding a bit of tension to the atmosphere.

The enemy soldiers were either standing, sitting, or sharpening their swords in preparation for the upcoming battle.

The two armies faced off, and the atmosphere on the battlefield was tense and heavy.

The flag of Chaoge City fluttered in the wind, while the enemy's flag was also flying not far away. The flags of the two sides intertwined in mid-air, seeming to foreshadow an impending conflict.

The sound of war drums rumbled like a horn before a battle, and every beat of the drum made the soldiers' hearts beat faster.

At the junction of the two armies is an empty battlefield. This used to be a field where farmers cultivated, but now it has become a place for fighting.

The soil was stained red with blood, the dry grass was trampled into mud, and the hoof prints of war horses and the footsteps of soldiers intertwined a picture of war on this land.

As the sun rose, the commanders of the two armies began to mobilize their troops and deploy their battle formations.

The army of Chaoge City relied on the city walls and arranged a strict defensive formation. Archers, spearmen, and shieldmen were stacked in layers to form an indestructible line of defense.

The enemy army used cavalry as the vanguard, followed by infantry, preparing to launch a charge.

The battle is about to begin, and the residents of Chaoge City pray silently in the city, hoping that their guardians can resist the invasion of foreign enemies.

The soldiers on the city wall held their weapons tightly, ready to face the upcoming life-and-death battle. The air was filled with tension and anxiety, but also determination and courage.

With an order, the enemy cavalry began to charge, the sound of horse hooves roared like thunder, shaking the earth.

The archers of Chaoge City immediately released their arrows, and the rain of arrows streaked across the sky like meteors, shooting at the enemy. The enemy cavalry fell in the rain of arrows, but more cavalry still marched forward bravely.

The battle horn has sounded, and soldiers from both armies are fighting on the battlefield. The sounds of swords clashing, horses neighing, and soldiers shouting are intertwined to form a symphony of war.

Although the soldiers of Chaoge City were small in number, they relied on the advantage of the city walls to tenaciously resist the enemy's attack.

As the battle progressed, more and more blood appeared on the city wall, and the corpses piled up higher and higher under the wall.

Although the soldiers of Chaoge City were brave, their advantage was gradually weakened under the heavy pressure of the enemy. However, they did not give up, because they knew that as long as the city wall did not fall, Chaoge City would have hope.

The battle lasted a whole day until night fell, when the enemy temporarily retreated.

The soldiers of Chaoge City were exhausted, but there was still an unyielding light in their eyes.

This battle is just the beginning of the defense of Chaoge City. They will face more challenges in the days to come.

The night was as dark as ink, and the stars were sparse. Zhang Guifang walked heavily into the general's tent. The candlelight in the tent was swaying, and the light and shadow were intertwined. Wen Zhong, the Grand Tutor, sat at the desk, staring at the person who came in with a sharp gaze like lightning.

"Grand Master, in today's battle, although our army failed to break through Chaoge City, we have destroyed several enemy fortifications and killed two enemy generals." Zhang Guifang's voice was steady, but his words could not hide his fatigue.

Wen Zhong frowned, brushed off the battle map on the table, and asked in a deep voice: "What about the loss?"

"Our army suffered heavy losses, especially the cavalry. After several unsuccessful charges, more than half of our troops were killed or wounded." Zhang Guifang looked solemn. He knew that this was not what the Grand Tutor wanted.

"what!"

Wen Zhong slammed the table and stood up, angrily, "Although Chaoge City is strong, it is not an iron wall. How could our army get to this point?"

Zhang Guifang lowered his head, knowing that the Grand Master's anger was not directed at him, but at the unfavorable progress of the war. He raised his head with a firm look: "Tomorrow, I would like to go out in person to challenge the enemy generals, first break their spirit, and then concentrate our forces to break through the city gates."

Wen Zhong's anger seemed to be slightly calmed by these words. He looked at Zhang Guifang, as if measuring his determination and ability.

After a moment, a smile appeared on the Grand Tutor's face: "Great! What a great Zhang Guifang! Tomorrow, I will personally support you and see how you defeat the enemy!"

Zhang Guifang's heart was lifted. He knew that this was the trust and expectation of the Grand Master, but also a kind of pressure. He bowed deeply and said, "Grand Master, rest assured. I will live up to your trust and swear to wipe out all the enemies in Chaoge City!"

The atmosphere in the commander's tent became heated. Wen Zhong sat down again, pointed at the battle map on the table, and began to discuss the tactical arrangements for the next day with Zhang Guifang.

It was late at night, but the lights in the general's tent were still bright. The shadows of the two men stretched out on the tent wall, as if telling of the upcoming fierce battle.

Inside and outside the city of Chaoge, countless soldiers were resting or on guard under the starlight, waiting for the arrival of dawn and the horn of battle for a new day.

The next day, as the sun rose, golden light spread over the battlefield, and the world seemed to be immersed in a heavy atmosphere.

Zhang Guifang stood in front of the battle formation and ordered the soldiers to beat the war drums. The sound was like morning bells and evening drums, echoing in everyone's heart.

On the city wall, Kong Xuan's eyes were determined. He ordered the elite troops led by Zhang Kui and his wife to go out of the city to fight.

Zhang Kui and Gao Lanying were dressed in armor and looked heroic. The soldiers they led poured out of the city gate like a torrent and quickly formed a battle formation outside the city.

Zhang Guifang rode forward with his horse erect, shouting in a voice that shook the whole area: "You betrayed the court and colluded with the traitors. Today is the day of your destruction!"

In the opposite formation, Zhang Kui rode a one-horned black smoke beast. The horse was as black as ink except for the one horn on its forehead which was dazzlingly white.

Gao Lanying followed closely behind and reminded Zhang Kui: "My husband, be careful. This person is a disciple of a master of Jiejiao. He is very powerful. Don't be careless."

Zhang Kui nodded to show that he understood. He held a long-handled knife, the blade of which shone coldly. Zhang Guifang held a mortar-shaped spear, the tip of which flashed a cold light in the sun.

The two men faced each other in the center of the battlefield. Zhang Kui said in a deep voice, "Zhang Guifang, you traitor still dare to bark here. Today, I, Zhang Kui, will eliminate this scoundrel for the people!"

Zhang Guifang sneered: "Zhang Kui, you are the traitor who killed the king. Today, I will enforce justice on the behalf of heaven and chop off your head!"

Then, the two men raised their weapons. For a moment, war horses neighed, swords and spears clashed, and the battle officially broke out.

Zhang Kui's long-handled sword was like a violent storm, and every blow was powerful, while Zhang Guifang's mortar-to-soil spear was as agile as a dragon emerging from the sea, and every point on the spear tip was fatal.

The two men went back and forth on the battlefield, attacking and defending in a spectacular manner.

The surrounding soldiers were also attracted by the fierce battle. They stopped fighting and watched the duel between the two masters intently.

The sword flashed, the gun shadow was like a dragon, and the fight between the two became more and more intense in the morning light, with dust flying and fighting spirit high.

The sound of swords clashing rang out on the battlefield, and the battle between Zhang Guifang and Zhang Kui became more and more intense. Each attack was full of power and murderous intent, and both sides were looking for the other's flaws, hoping to kill with one blow.

In the distance, Wen Zhong rode on a black unicorn, watching the battle from a high vantage point. The black unicorn's hooves were full of wind, and its black scales were shining with a mysterious luster in the sun.

Wen Zhong's eyes were as cold as ice, and his gaze was fixed on the two generals on the battlefield, as if he wanted to see through their every move.

On the city wall, Kong Xuan was also watching the battlefield nervously.

His hands were clenched tightly around the stonework of the wall, his knuckles turning white from the strain. He knew the outcome of this battle was of great importance.

If we lose, our morale will surely plummet, and if the enemy takes the opportunity to attack the city, we will most likely not be able to hold it.

Once you win, you can take advantage of the opportunity to attack and repel the enemy as much as possible before the opponent stabilizes his position.

At this time in the center of the battlefield, the battle between Zhang Guifang and Zhang Kui had reached a fever pitch.

Every time Zhang Kui swung his long-handled sword, it created a gust of wind, while Zhang Guifang's mortar-wielding spear drew sharp tracks in the air. The two men's offensive and defensive transitions were so fast that the watching soldiers were dazzled.

Suddenly, Zhang Guifang shouted loudly, and her voice contained a powerful inner force, shaking the air around her. Zhang Kui only felt as if there was a thunderous explosion in his ears, and felt dizzy for a moment.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Zhang Guifang suddenly accelerated his offensive. His series of spear strikes were so sharp that it became increasingly difficult for Zhang Kui to defend himself.

Just when Zhang Kui had not yet completely recovered from the deafening state, Zhang Guifang shouted again: "Zhang Kui, when will you fall from your horse!"

The one-horned black smoke beast let out a horrified roar, and Zhang Kui was caught off guard. He fell uncontrollably from the horse's back and fell heavily to the ground, raising a cloud of dust.

The surrounding soldiers exclaimed when they saw this.

The soldiers of Chaoge City felt depressed, but the morale of the enemy troops surrounding the city was greatly boosted.

When Wen Zhong saw this scene, a hint of pride flashed in his eyes, while Kong Xuan clenched his fists, with worry and anger flashing in his eyes.

"The art of calling out names to bring down a horse?"

Seeing this, Li Jing couldn't help but frown.

Kong Xuan glanced at him, and the latter quickly explained: "This is a spell that can capture the soul and spirit. It specifically targets the soul. As long as you know the opponent's name, you can use it. It is the most vicious when used on the battlefield."

On the battlefield, Zhang Guifang rode over on horseback, aiming the mortar spear in his hand at the fallen Zhang Kui, wanting to take the opportunity to take his life.

Just when Zhang Guifang's mortar spear was about to pierce Zhang Kui, a dazzling light burst out from the red gourd in Gao Lanying's hand.

Forty-nine Sun God Needles attacked Zhang Guifang like arrows shot from a bow, instantly filling the space around him with dazzling golden light.

Zhang Guifang suddenly felt a sharp pain and he instinctively closed his eyes, and the gun in his hand stagnated.

The originally fatal blow lost its direction because the sight was taken away, and pierced the ground, stirring up a cloud of dust.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Zhang Kui quickly came to his senses. He knew very well that he could not confront Zhang Guifang head-on on the ground, so he rolled over suddenly, and his whole body seemed to melt into the earth and disappeared.

Zhang Guifang opened her eyes and saw the golden light gradually dissipating, while Zhang Kui's figure had disappeared.

He was shocked and realized that the other party was using the earth escape technique.

"Hmph, you want to ambush underground? Not that easy!" Zhang Guifang said in his heart, but he was extremely panicked inside.

He quickly moved his body, searching everywhere, while being alert to any unusual movement on the ground.

However, Zhang Kui was like a ghost, moving quickly underground and constantly changing his position, making it impossible for Zhang Guifang to capture his specific location.

On the battlefield, the soldiers were shocked to see this scene. The soldiers from Chaoge City applauded Zhang Kui's wit, while the enemy looked at each other, not knowing what to do.

Suddenly, the ground exploded violently, and Zhang Kui rushed out from the ground like a flash of ochre-colored lightning. The long-handled knife in his hand carried rolling mud and sharp knife wind, and rushed straight towards Zhang Guifang.

Zhang Guifang was startled by the sudden attack. He quickly waved his gun to block it, but he was already at a loss as to what to do.

Zhang Kui's sword moves were as dense as a rainstorm, and each strike carried an extremely heavy force, forcing Zhang Guifang to retreat continuously.

During the underground chase, Zhang Kui had found Zhang Guifang's weakness. His attacks became more and more fierce, and every swing of his knife put Zhang Guifang in a tough fight.

Finally, under a fierce attack, Zhang Guifang finally couldn't hold on, stumbled, and was forced to retreat. Zhang Kui took advantage of the victory and rushed out from the ground, like a beast out of the ground, and launched a crazy attack on Zhang Guifang.

Under his fierce attack, Zhang Guifang had to defend desperately and was at a disadvantage for a while.

On the battlefield, the soldiers' fight was temporarily stopped because of the contest between the two generals, and everyone's attention was focused on this life-and-death duel.

Wen Zhong, who was far away, frowned. He didn't expect that Zhang Guifang would be suppressed to such an extent by Zhang Kui.

"Mo Liqing!" Wen Zhong's voice was like a loud bell, spreading throughout the battlefield.

Mo Liqing, the leader of the four generals of the Mo family, was shocked, and he stood up, walking like the wind. The green sword in his hand was flashing with a strange light, and the symbols on the sword seemed to come alive, emitting a heart-pounding power.

"Earth, water, fire, and wind."

These are the four symbols on the sword. As Mo Liqing murmured these four words, the symbols on the sword seemed to be activated and began to emit different lights.

This sword is a magical weapon condensed from Mo Liqing's years of practice, absorbing the four elements of earth, water, fire and wind between heaven and earth.

Its power is extraordinary.

Especially the black wind symbol on the sword. Once activated, the wind will sweep up thousands of spears and swords, and everything will be turned into nothingness wherever it passes.

Zhang Kui was attacking Zhang Guifang fiercely and seemed sure of victory, but he had not expected Mo Liqing to intervene.

Mo Liqing suddenly took a step forward and instantly arrived at the center of the battlefield. His appearance was like a huge rock thrown into the lake, immediately causing huge waves.

He gently swung the green sword in his hand, and where the tip of the sword pointed, a gust of black wind suddenly blew up. The spears and swords in the wind were like will-o'-the-wisp fire in the dark night, flashing the light of death.

Zhang Kui only felt a strong wind coming, and his long-handled sword seemed extremely fragile in this black wind and was almost blown away.

He was startled, knowing that the opponent's sword was extraordinary, and quickly put away the sword to protect himself, but the black wind seemed to have life, and it bypassed the blade and rushed straight to his limbs.

Zhang Kui had no choice but to turn over and retreat, but he felt as if the air around him had solidified and his movements became unusually slow.

A hint of coldness flashed in Mo Liqing's eyes, and he swung his Qingfeng sword again. This time, his target was directly at Zhang Kui.

"Retreat!" Mo Liqing shouted in a low voice. Wherever the sword passed, the black wind became more violent, and the spears and halberds were as dense as rain, almost drowning Zhang Kui.

Zhang Kui felt a huge pressure, he knew if he didn't retreat he would really die here. He gritted his teeth, performed the earth escape technique, and sank into the ground instantly, avoiding the fatal blow.

Although Mo Liqing's attack did not hit Zhang Kui, it successfully forced him back, giving Zhang Guifang a chance to catch his breath.

The soldiers on the battlefield were all shocked by Mo Liqing's strength when they saw this scene. A trace of despair surged in the hearts of the soldiers in Chaoge City, while the morale of the enemy was greatly boosted.

With the help of Mo Liqing, Zhang Guifang regained his footing. He glanced at Mo Liqing and a hint of gratitude flashed in his eyes.

Wen Zhong's brows relaxed slightly.

Mo Liqing stood in the center of the battlefield, his green sword flashing coldly in the sunlight, and the soldiers around him all felt a chill.

He shouted loudly, his voice like rolling thunder, spreading across the entire battlefield: "Who dares to fight me?"

On the city wall, Kong Xuan's eyes swept over his generals and asked in a deep voice, "Who is willing to fight?"

There was a hint of urgency in his voice. After all, Mo Liqing's strength was extraordinary, and there were not many people who could fight him.

Li Jing was wearing armor and holding a spear. He stood tall and straight with a determined look in his eyes. He stepped forward without hesitation and said, "Marshal, I am willing to go."

His voice was full of confidence, as if he had seen the dawn of victory.

Yin Shiniang stood beside Li Jing, her eyes revealing a hint of worry, but she knew Li Jing's strength, and also knew that the current battle situation required a strong man to take action.

She whispered to Li Jing, "You have to be careful. I will support you from behind."

Li Jing nodded, mounted a horse, held a spear in his hand, galloped down from the city wall, and rushed towards Mo Liqing in the center of the battlefield.

When Mo Liqing saw someone accepting the challenge, a sneer appeared on the corner of his mouth, and a hint of fighting spirit flashed in his eyes.

He stood firmly in place, waiting for Li Jing's arrival.

The two war horses were approaching each other rapidly on the battlefield, and Li Jing's spear and Mo Liqing's Qingfeng sword were about to collide in the center of the battlefield.

Li Jing's spear was like a dragon emerging from the sea, piercing straight into Mo Liqing's chest. Mo Liqing swung his sword, the sword light was like water, flowing unsteadily, and easily blocked Li Jing's attack.

The two men's horses passed each other, and in an instant they were facing each other again.

Li Jing's eyes were cold. He knew that Mo Liqing's strength should not be underestimated, and he had to concentrate fully every time they fought.

His horse galloped and his spear thrust out again. This time his attack was more fierce, and the tip of the spear made a whistling sound.

Mo Liqing was not afraid of Li Jing's attack. His sword danced in the air like a dragon, and the symbol on the tip of the sword emitted a dazzling light.

The fight between the two on the battlefield became more and more intense. Every attack and defense made the surrounding soldiers hold their breath. They knew that the outcome of this battle would directly affect the entire war situation.

Yin Shiniang stood on the city wall, her eyes fixed on the battlefield, the magic weapon in her hand ready to be used at any time to provide support to Li Jing.

War horses galloped, weapons clashed, and the battle between Li Jing and Mo Liqing was like two meteors streaking across the sky, shining brightly and shocking everyone.

The flame symbol on the tip of Mo Liqing's sword suddenly lit up, and a hot breath quickly spread across the battlefield.

He swung his sword and it seemed as if a golden snake wrapped in flames appeared in the air and attacked Li Jing.

In an instant, black smoke rose up all over the ground, and flames shot out in the smoke. The raging flames were like red-hot iron chains, penetrating every hole and leaving no room for obstruction.

The soldiers retreated one after another to avoid being engulfed by the raging flames.

However, facing this purgatory-like attack, Li Jing's expression remained unchanged. He muttered something, and the spear in his hand suddenly emitted circles of cool light.

This is one of the Five Elements spells that he is best at - the Fire-Repelling Technique.

As Li Jing cast his spell, the flames around him seemed to have encountered their natural enemies and began to retreat. Even the black smoke approaching him formed a hole around him.

The flames and smoke seemed to be isolated by an invisible force and could not harm him at all.

When Mo Liqing saw this, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, but it quickly turned into a sneer.

He knew that a single fire attack would not pose a threat to Li Jing, so the wind and flame symbol began to flicker on the tip of his sword.

An even more violent wind began to rage on the battlefield, mixed with sharp wind blades, like countless swords flying in the air, raising dust and shattering rocks wherever it went.

Seeing this, Li Jing knew that resisting such a storm head-on would be tantamount to seeking death, so he immediately changed his strategy.

He chanted a spell silently and thrust the spear in his hand into the ground. His body seemed to merge into the earth and he quickly drilled into the ground, using the earth escape technique to avoid the attack of the strong wind.

On the ground, Mo Liqing's storm was raging, but there was a hint of uneasiness in his eyes. He knew that Li Jing's earth escape technique was extremely advanced, and once he hid underground, it would be difficult to track him down.

The soldiers on the battlefield witnessed all this, and they were all shocked by Li Jing's wit and Mo Liqing's strength.

The generals of both sides displayed their respective unique skills in this high-intensity confrontation, making this battle not only a contest of military strength, but also a competition of wisdom and strategy.

On the city wall, Yin Shiniang held the magic weapon tightly, her eyes full of concern. She knew that although Li Jing had temporarily avoided Mo Liqing's attack, the battle was far from over, and the next battle would be more intense.

On the other side of the battlefield, a trace of fear flashed in Wen Zhong's eyes. He knew that Li Jing was not an easy person to deal with, and the outcome of this battle would have a significant impact on the entire war situation.

Seeing that the battle situation was at a stalemate, Wen Zhong's eyes flashed with determination. He nodded slightly, signaling Mo Lihai beside him to help.

Mo Lihai is tall, dressed in green, with a jade pipa on his back. The four strings on the pipa represent the four elements of 'earth, water, fire, and wind', which are the result of his many years of practice.

He walked forward slowly, holding the pipa in his hand, and gently plucked the strings.

As the strings of the zither vibrated, waves of strange sound spread across the battlefield, and the devilish sound pierced the ears and went straight to the heart.

The sound waves vibrated the air as if it were real, and even the ground seemed to be shaking.

Li Jing felt the invasion of this sound wave underground, and his expression suddenly changed.

He originally thought that he could use the earth escape technique to avoid Mo Liqing's attack, but he didn't expect that Mo Lihai's pipa sound could penetrate the soil and interfere with his mind.

The sound of the piano was like a sharp blade, piercing into his mind, making him feel extremely painful and unable to concentrate. The difficulty of maintaining the earth escape technique suddenly increased.

He could only endure the pain, crawl out of the soil, and reappear on the ground.

Seeing this, Mo Liqing curled up a sneer at the corner of his mouth. He swung the Qingfeng sword in his hand again. The sword light flashed, and the tip of the sword carried a violent force, and went straight for Li Jing's head.

At this critical moment, Yin Shiniang saw Li Jing in danger and shouted, "Draw your sword!"

The flying sword behind her instantly unsheathed, transformed into streams of light, and shot towards Mo Liqing.

The flying swords were extremely fast, each of them contained powerful magic power, and flew straight towards Mo Liqing. Although Mo Liqing was very powerful, he had to put away his sword to deal with the sudden attack of the flying sword.

His green sword danced in the air, and the sword light was like a mirror, reflecting the light of the flying sword.

But Yin Shiniang's flying sword seemed to have its own will. It turned flexibly in the air, bypassing Mo Liqing's sword light and continued to attack him.

Mo Liqing frowned. He had to pay more attention to resisting these flying swords, which gave Li Jing precious time to catch his breath.

Li Jing adjusted his breathing and suppressed the pain in his heart. He knew that this battle was far from over and he needed to stay in the best condition to cope with the more intense battles to come.

The atmosphere on the battlefield became more tense. The soldiers' eyes moved back and forth between Li Jing and Mo Liqing. They were all waiting for the next confrontation to break out.

On the battlefield, the sound of Mo Lihai's pipa was still echoing, but Li Jing was ready. He took a deep breath, fixed his eyes firmly on Mo Liqing and Mo Lihai, ready to face the next round of challenges.

On the city wall, a hint of admiration flashed in Kong Xuan's eyes.

He was very satisfied with the performance of Li Jing and Yin Shiniang.

With Li Jing and his wife around, Chaoge City will become even more indestructible.

Zhang Kui and his wife on the side also praised them secretly, and they already recognized the strength of Li Jing and his wife.

Wen Zhong sat on the black unicorn and looked at the situation on the battlefield with a serious expression.

The four generals of the Mo family were his capable generals. Now he sent two of them in a row and they failed to win, which really surprised and shocked him.

He had heard of Li Jing and his wife before, but he never thought they were so powerful.

(End of this chapter)