Chapter 74

"Kill! Kill! Kill!"

Lin Sha rode his warhorse, his long spear darting like a dragon emerging from the sea, unpredictable and striking from all directions. It was like a torrential rain of pear blossoms enveloping him from all sides, the sound of air explosions never ceasing, and a subtle, hidden force could be faintly felt.

Surrounded by enemies, he remained calm, his battle robe stained with blood, growing more courageous as the fight continued. Every time he swung his spear, a spray of blood and flesh and a chorus of agonized screams followed.

Suppressing the rebellion, suppressing the rebellion, suppressing the rebellion, fighting, fighting, fighting...

This was Lin Sha's life in western Yunnan. He was either on the march or in a state of rest, or engaged in fierce battles with the chieftain rebels.

At first, he only fought small groups of chieftain rebels, winning battle after battle, which finally boosted the morale of his troops. Then came the prolonged entanglements with the main forces of the chieftain rebels.

In dense forests, gentle valleys, remote towns, and rural fields, there were traces of the fierce battles between Lin Sha's Yunnan troops and the chieftain rebels.

There were victories and defeats. When he won, it was a complete victory; when he lost, the losses were minimal, and he always managed to retreat safely. Through cautious and brave methods of suppressing the rebellion, he gradually reduced the numerical disadvantage against the chieftain rebels.

With these methods, he gradually won the hearts of his troops and brought glory to General Hu. In just half a year, his rank was promoted by half a grade, officially placing him among the middle and upper-level military officers of the Yunnan army.

Unlike the capital, promotions were not easy. Every step forward required a great deal of effort, especially since he was part of the Yunnan army, which faced secret exclusion and suppression from the court.

He often led the charge, frequently facing attacks from several times the number of rebels, who were mostly the bravest among the rebels. Even though Lin Sha's spear skills had become increasingly proficient, and his boxing and spear techniques had reached the peak of Ming Strength, he still suffered injuries frequently. A breakthrough to Dark Strength was just a matter of a sudden enlightenment or a small opportunity.

There was no choice. As the top warrior in the Yunnan army suppressing the rebellion, he had to set an example, especially when his troops were demoralized after a crushing defeat!

Through the trials of blood and fire, he could clearly feel that he was about to break through to the Dark Strength level!

Especially after he became famous, every time he faced the rebels, he was confronted by their most elite warriors. Once, he fought five at once, receiving five cuts, but he also killed all five of them.

To be honest, the Miao knife techniques were indeed ruthless and deadly. The skilled practitioners wielded them with ease, changing the weight and force at will, giving him the illusion of the subtle changes between Ming and Dark Strength.

Fighting such knife wielders was incredibly rewarding!

The suppression of the rebellion lasted from late summer of the previous year to late spring of the following year. Now, it was the final battle against the main forces of the chieftain rebels. Both the Yunnan troops and the chieftain rebels were exhausted, hoping that this year-long conflict would end as soon as possible!

After a year of fighting, Lin Sha had become a seasoned veteran. His spear skills were honed to perfection, his body full of energy and endurance, and his boxing skills had reached a peak bottleneck. He truly needed some quiet time to consolidate and break through to a higher level of internal martial arts!

Although he rode a small Yunnan horse, which lacked the grandeur of a warhorse, he still led the charge as the spearhead of the Yunnan army. His spear danced like a flower, cutting through the rebel ranks like a wave.

In no time, his body was covered in blood, all of it from the rebels!

With such a fierce general leading the charge, the Yunnan troops fought with high morale, relying on their well-practiced formations and the killing skills honed through repeated battles, reaping the lives of the rebels one by one.

In a real battlefield, relying solely on personal bravery was useless. Even the mighty Xiang Yu committed suicide at the Wu River.

Therefore, when the Yunnan army unleashed their true strength, their training and discipline far surpassed the disorganized chieftain rebels.

As a result, the battle had barely lasted half an hour before the chieftain rebels showed signs of collapse, being pushed back by the Yunnan troops of equal numbers, putting them in a difficult position.

The war drums thundered, and the banners fluttered...

The rebel chieftain's eyes were bloodshot, waving his arms and shouting in a dialect that Lin Sha couldn't understand, apparently trying to boost morale, but with little effect.

Lin Sha's spear moved like a dragon, the points of pear blossoms like cold light enveloping a 180-degree arc in front of him. Any rebel who entered his range, no matter how fearless, could not escape being impaled.

After nearly a year of continuous combat, Lin Sha had become thoroughly familiar with the Miao knife techniques. He could perform a few moves that would impress many.

Because of his familiarity, ordinary Miao knife experts found it hard to last more than ten rounds against him. Only the most famous warriors under the chieftain had the right to face him.

Seeing the Yunnan army's victory almost certain, Lin Sha no longer charged forward with his spear. He slowed his attack and joined his bodyguards, circling in a 300-meter radius, waiting for the main force to catch up and deliver the final, fatal blow to the collapsing chieftain rebels.

His mind was no longer on the battlefield but on his own state. He had a strong feeling that if he returned and devoted himself to intensive training, breaking through to the Dark Strength level of internal martial arts would be effortless.

A year of high-intensity combat had allowed Lin Sha to reach the peak of his current physical capabilities in both boxing and spear skills. To improve further, he needed to focus on the internal energy, mastering deeper Dark Strength techniques, and then using Dark Strength to enhance his physical abilities to a new level!

He had long looked forward to this day. With the battle against the chieftain rebels almost won, his thoughts were already wandering, waiting for the chieftain's army to completely collapse or be annihilated!

Roar!

Just as he was distracted, a roar like that of an injured beast suddenly pierced his ears, shaking him so much that he almost lost his grip on his spear. By the time he realized the danger, a small figure from the chieftain's army had already leaped into the air. With a light touch on the shoulders of his comrades, he covered a dozen meters in the blink of an eye. The strange weapon in his hand, gleaming with a cold light, aimed straight for Lin Sha's throat!

An expert!

Lin Sha's pupils contracted sharply. He hadn't expected a martial arts expert to be hiding among the chieftain rebels. He leaned back sharply on his horse, and his spear shot out just in time.

Clang, clang, clang...

A series of clear and pleasant sounds of weapons clashing rang out. Lin Sha was thrown off his horse by the shockwave from his spear, while the martial arts expert from the chieftain's army, mid-air, suddenly halted his fierce advance...