Chapter 4

It was deep into the night. Not even half an hour had passed since the last battle, and the Huns were once again advancing with a clamor.

Under the cover of a rain of arrows as dense as flying locusts, the first few hundred Huns quickly approached the wall, setting up their crudely made ladders.

The Jin soldiers above hurled bricks and stones, immediately knocking down dozens of men. The Huns, however, were incredibly resilient and did not retreat. In no time, they had climbed up the wall from several directions, engaging in fierce combat. The Jin army's formation was thrown into disarray.

"The Huns are truly reckless!" Xue Tong sneered and lunged forward. He swung his saber with the speed of lightning, breaking through the defense of two wolf-tooth clubs and slashing into the chest of the Hun in front of him. He then kicked the corpse down. The area below the wall was densely packed with Hun warriors, and the impact of the falling body caused a large number of them to tumble over.

Beside him, Wang Wei struggled to parry a thrusting spear and gritted his teeth, saying, "Today, I'll show them the might of an old man!" Before he could finish his sentence, he let out a cry of pain. A moment's distraction had cost him a large piece of flesh from his left side, blood spurting out. But he took advantage of the opportunity to close in and stab his opponent to death.

Although the fort was sturdy, it could not compare to the large cities. The width of the wall was at most enough for two or three people to walk side by side. Both sides engaged in a brutal, inch-by-inch battle in this narrow space. In just the time it took to burn an incense stick, the ground was covered with the bodies of both sides, and the blood made the ground slippery.

On the left side of the wall, Lu Yao and his over a hundred soldiers held their position steadily. Most of these soldiers used long spears, often attacking in groups of three or four against one enemy. Even the most skilled Huns could not withstand the disciplined Jin soldiers, who thrust their spears like a heavy rain from several directions. After a few parries, the Huns would scream in pain, their chests, ribs, and abdomens pierced with several bloody holes.

On the other side, the fierce and brave Xue Tong charged at the front line. His long saber was almost invincible, but the Huns, stepping over their fallen comrades, continued their relentless attack. In a short while, he had several wounds. This close-quarters combat was the most dangerous. After cutting down six enemies in succession, Xue Tong felt his strength waning and dared not stay in the fight, retreating quickly. At that moment, a burly man with a beard, wielding a massive battle-axe like a spinning wheel, charged forward. The wind from his axe was already hitting Xue Tong's face before he even got close. The axe was as large as a door and must have weighed dozens of pounds, but the man wielded it as if it were a light reed, showing he was an extraordinary warrior.

Xue Tong recognized this man as one of the most ferocious among the Huns besieging the fort. The blade of his axe had already been stained with the blood of many of his comrades! Xue Tong knew that none of the soldiers behind him could match this axe-wielding giant. With the devastating power of such a heavy weapon, if he broke through their formation, the casualties would be severe. Several thoughts flashed through his mind, and Xue Tong pushed off the ground with both feet, charging back like a fierce tiger descending a mountain!

With a deafening clang, everyone around felt a sharp pain in their ears. Xue Tong had blocked the giant axe with his saber, clashing with the axe-wielding giant! This was a pure test of strength, with no room for trickery. Xue Tong rolled back to his original position, while the giant was thrown several feet away, blood seeping from his face.

This giant was named Helou Ke, a renowned warrior in his tribe. He was born with superhuman strength, capable of fighting wild beasts, and had even received martial arts training from a mysterious master. However, he had been bested by Xue Tong.

The warriors from the grasslands had a resilience that grew stronger in the face of adversity. Helou Ke took a step back and then rushed forward again. His body was as robust as a bear or a tiger, but his movements were as agile as a monkey. In an instant, he charged forward with a powerful gust of wind.

Another deafening clang echoed as the two exchanged blows, each retreating three steps.

A bitter taste rose in Xue Tong's throat, and he almost spat out a large mouthful of blood. His strength was waning, and he had taken a significant hit.

Helou Ke roared and swung his axe again, even more fiercely than before!

Xue Tong knew he could not withstand this blow and inwardly cursed.

Suddenly, he heard Lu Yao shout, "Brother Xue, I'll help you!" He felt a weight on his left shoulder, and the sound of a splitting wind filled the air.

Lu Yao had noticed the danger and rushed to assist. Because the wall was too narrow for a third person, he leaped up, using Xue Tong's shoulder as a stepping stone. He wielded his sixteen-foot silver spear and launched a fierce counterattack against Helou Ke!

Lu Yao, using Xue Tong's shoulder for leverage, was more than seven feet above Helou Ke. His silver spear moved with divine unpredictability, and the spear shadows descended from above like a thunderbolt, aiming directly at Helou Ke.

Helou Ke, despite his old age, managed to pull back his axe with a loud shout. Sparks flew, and the sound of metal clashing filled the air. Lu Yao's spear thrusts were all blocked by Helou Ke. Lu Yao smirked, used his foot to push off Xue Tong's shoulder, and leaped into the air, his wrist moving rapidly, creating a sharp whistling sound. Although the spear was not the best weapon for close combat, Lu Yao's spear technique was exceptional, and he moved with ease. Helou Ke, caught off guard, was left floundering, struggling to defend himself.

After a few more exchanges, Helou Ke could no longer stand his ground and staggered backward. At that moment, a long sword silently pierced his lower abdomen. Helou Ke, fully focused on defending against the attacks, had not noticed Yang Yi sneaking up behind him and striking.

Although Yang Yi was a civil official, his sword skills were quite formidable. He was very strategic, always staying among the soldiers until the right moment to strike. He was overjoyed when his attack succeeded. However, Helou Ke's body was like steel, and the pain caused his muscles to tense. The sword only penetrated an inch into his abdominal muscles and then slid along his side.

"Despicable!" Helou Ke roared in rage, swinging his axe like a mountain collapsing towards Yang Yi. Yang Yi, not a seasoned warrior, was completely unprepared for the strength of the Hun giant and was momentarily stunned.

Just as Yang Yi was about to be split in two by the axe, another figure charged forward, swinging a saber at Helou Ke's head. This was a desperate move to force Helou Ke to defend, and it was Wang Wei, who had been struggling to break free from other Hun warriors, who finally managed to reach in time.

With no choice, Helou Ke swung his axe at Wang Wei and kicked Yang Yi. Wang Wei, whose skills were inferior, was immediately thrown back, his saber bent like a ruler, and his right hand bleeding profusely. Yang Yi was even worse off; Helou Ke's furious kick sent him flying several yards, breaking several ribs, and causing him excruciating pain.

After repelling the two, Helou Ke lost his balance and stumbled to the ground. Several Jin soldiers saw their chance and rushed forward, swinging their weapons at him.

"Be careful!" Xue Tong shouted.

But it was too late! In the next instant, limbs flew, and blood splattered. The massive axe was most effective in close combat. Helou Ke, covered in blood, looked like a demon. His axe spun and danced, and with each strike, a soldier was reduced to a pile of flesh.

Another soldier charged forward, his steps unsteady, clearly unskilled. Helou Ke sneered, used his left hand to push himself up, and swung his axe horizontally, severing the soldier's leg.

Unexpectedly, the wounded soldier did not slow down. He spread his arms and tightly embraced Helou Ke's right arm, shouting, "Brothers, attack!"

Helou Ke tried to pull his arm free but could not. He swung his left fist, causing him to roll over again. The soldier, hit by the powerful blow, suffered broken bones but used his last bit of strength to hold on, still shouting, "Brothers, attack!"

A flash of light appeared.

The sixteen-foot-long spear, like a dragon, pierced through the air.

Helou Ke tried to twist his body to dodge, but the spear had already pierced his chest.

Helou Ke's face was full of disbelief. He looked down at the spear embedded in his left chest, the steel tip more than a foot long, completely buried in his body, blood gushing out along the spear's tassel.

"Southern barbarian..." he muttered, his eyes losing their light.

A fierce light flashed in Lu Yao's eyes, and without any visible movement, the spear returned to his side as if it had a life of its own. Helou Ke's massive body collapsed to the ground.

The Huns' morale immediately waned, and they lost the will to fight, retreating in a hurry.

Xue Tong rushed forward, lifting the soldier who had held onto Helou Ke. The soldier was still warm, but he was no longer breathing. Xue Tong tightly embraced his body and slowly knelt down.

Footsteps approached, and Lu Yao came to his side, saying softly, "A brave man!"

Xue Tong nodded, "A brave man!"

Not far away, Yang Yi struggled to stand but could not, lying on his back and turning his head to look at Wang Wei, who was leaning against the wall, panting heavily. "Brother Wang, thank you for saving my life. I will never forget this."

"Go to hell," Wang Wei replied, still not in a good mood.