A little earlier, when Tngri retracted his soul fragment, Lady Three and Huangfu Yongxian were already engaged in their most arduous battle.0

During the past few days of marching, their forces had been harassed by Chi Li, who exploited the cover of sandstorms to launch ghostly, unpredictable assaults. Cui Yuanyong, Situ Xiao, and others led patrols at the front and rear, ensuring stability in the ranks. Chi Li attempted several ambushes but failed each time.0

Chi Li had never encountered Situ Xiao before. This man ranked slightly lower than Cui Yuanyong and was rumored to be a heavy drinker, which betrayed an apparent weakness in military vigilance. At first, Chi Li thought this would make him an easier target. However, after testing him with a few probing attacks from different angles, Chi Li quickly decided he would rather face Cui Yuanyong before every breakfast than lay eyes on Situ Xiao’s unkempt, bearded face again.0

What did it mean to be an immovable fortress? A wall of iron and steel?0

The fact that Zhao Changhe’s company was able to hold out against Tngri for so long was in no small part owing to Situ Xiao’s master, who played a crucial role with his formidable defensive prowess and perfectly complemented Zhao Changhe’s strategic needs. That same impregnable defense, applied to a conventional battlefield, was even more overwhelming. Just one Situ Xiao was enough to block off an entire army, shrugging off blades, spears, and arrows without a single mark left on his skin.0

It was outright cheating.0

Fortunately, whether or not the harassing attacks succeeded did not actually matter.0

Just as Huangfu Yongxian had anticipated, after several days of the Black Tortoise’s protective influence, the surrounding terrain had turned into a waterlogged, swamp-like barrier. The once-firm ground was now thick with mud, making it nearly impossible for Chi Li to maneuver on horseback. Thus, even the harassing attacks ceased. Whatever they...0