Jun Mo Xie raised his wine bowl, closed his eyes, and drank it all down in one gulp! Suddenly recalling a poem, he couldn't help but shout: "What does it matter if my head is severed today? A life of hardship and countless battles! I shall go to the underworld now and summon my old troops—a hundred thousand banners to slay the King of Hell!"

With a sharp "smack," he carelessly flung the wine bowl onto the ground, and Jun Mo Xie launched himself onto the back of a horse. Standing tall, he bellowed, "Gentlemen, at this moment, no more words are necessary! From this day forward, the families of you three hundred men are entrusted to the Jun family! Be it birth, old age, sickness, death, marriage, or funerals—everything will be provided for. As long as the Jun family exists in this world, as long as I, Jun Mo Xie, still draw breath, I will not allow them to suffer the slightest grievance!"

"Thank you, Third Young Master! Third Young Master's great virtue. The Jun family's profound kindness—allow us to repay you in our next lives!" Gratitude washed over all three hundred faces simultaneously. The reason they accepted this decisive battle was twofold: first, they were moved by Jun Wu Yi’s heroic spirit; second, this was military law! Should they show cowardice and refuse to fight, their own heads would roll immediately, but worse, their parents, brothers, wives, and children would be forever tainted by the shame of a coward's kin, making it impossible to hold their heads high. No matter the hardship, there was no room to refuse.

But people are inherently afraid of death. Throughout history, every great hero, every stalwart figure, every master swordsman might have accepted death with magnanimity, even dying without regret, yet none truly wished to die! These soldiers were exactly the same.

But now, hearing Jun Mo Xie's solemn pledge, a feeling of "a scholar dies for one who truly understands him" arose in everyone! Knowing it was a battle unto death, the very family they served had not uttered a single word, yet it was the one they usually looked down upon who offered the promise that put their hearts most at ease.

What does a man strive for in his life? What is the purpose of a lifetime of toil? What is the meaning of fighting through blood and fire? In the final analysis, it is nothing more than one's parents, wife, and children. Especially at the moment of death, all worldly honors, riches, gold, and silver are cast aside!

The only thing that made them uneasy about departing this world was their family! And now, Jun Mo Xie had made the most solemn commitment! Although they did not know that Jun Mo Xie made this decision entirely out of a sliver of guilt in his heart, whatever the reason, they could now set their minds at ease and march toward death!

The three hundred men knelt down simultaneously without a prior agreement, raised their wine bowls, drank them dry, then cast one deep glance at Jun Mo Xie. One by one, they rose to their full height, walked out without looking back, never to glance behind them again!

"I shall go to the underworld now and summon my old troops—a hundred thousand banners to slay the King of Hell." Jun Wu Yi laughed heartily, "A fine poem! Indeed, many of my good brothers are waiting for me there!"

He roared with a deep voice, "Go!"

At that moment, the twenty thousand armored cavalry on either side simultaneously dismounted and knelt on the ground, chanting in unison, "We respectfully see off the Marshal! May the Marshal achieve victory with unfurled banners and return in triumph!"

Hearing the eight words, "achieve victory with unfurled banners and return in triumph," Jun Wu Yi's body stiffened. But in the end, he did not look back. The three brothers of Dongfang Wen Qing stood tall and straight as spears, pushing Jun Wu Yi steadily forward.

Behind them came faint sobs; the twenty thousand troops lay prostrate on the ground.

On the ramparts of Tiannan City, banners flapped wildly in the wind!

Four thousand soldiers were already lined up silently before the city gate. Jun Wu Yi sat in his wheelchair, his face perfectly calm. Whether living or dying, at this moment, he had already cast life and death entirely aside!

Among the ranks, Xiao Han and others also stood in formation, looking at Jun Wu Yi with only the smug, triumphant expressions of petty schemers whose plot had succeeded. They were certain that this thorn in their side would surely perish today! Finally, using the most legitimate means, without having to dirty their own hands, they had cornered him onto a path of no return.

Not far away, Li Jue Tian, Ying Bo Kong, Lei Wu Bei, Shi Chang Xiao, and Feng Juan Yun stood on a high vantage point, gazing toward this scene. Li Teng Yun and the members of the great families stood behind them, observing the battle. Everyone's expression was varied, clearly lost in their own thoughts.

"What are the chances of victory in today's battle?" Feng Juan Yun, clad in black robes, black hair, and carrying a black sword, stood like a javelin. Looking at the composed Jun Wu Yi facing the array in the distance, a sense of regret welled up in his heart. Such an outstanding general, such a fine man, was about to lose his life right before his eyes! And yet, he was utterly unable to offer aid!

"Not even a sliver of a chance," Ying Bo Kong said grimly, a suppressed fury burning in his eyes, clearly hovering on the verge of explosion. The look he gave Li Jue Tian had long lost that touch of respect and admiration from the past. It was obvious that his dissatisfaction with today's events had reached its absolute limit. On this matter, Ying Bo Kong and Feng Juan Yun, rivals for half their lives, surprisingly shared identical views.

Shi Chang Xiao on the side also wore a displeased expression. Lei Wu Bei, however, remained expressionless. Li Jue Tian stood with his hands behind his back, his face placid, but his core brimming with an arrogant sense of supreme self-importance!

To the habitually overbearing Li Jue Tian, the opinions of others were utterly irrelevant. Whether his actions were glorious or not was his own business; whoever disagreed, he would beat them into submission! Even if you were a Supreme Being of equal renown, if you dared to speak up, he dared to discipline you—might makes right!

Feng Juan Yun sighed deeply.

Feng Juan Yun suddenly felt an indescribable weariness toward the position of Supreme Being that he had always pursued.

Looking at Li Jue Tian's conduct before him, where was the demeanor that the publicly acknowledged Second Supreme Being of the world ought to possess? Arrogant and protective of his own, tyrannical and domineering! Apart from his sect's 'Abyssal Divine Art,' what single commendable quality did that brute possess? He was utterly despicable!

As for the joint actions of the Blood Soul Manor and the Snow Wind Silver City, Feng Juan Yun found them even more intolerable. How could personal grudges be settled at such a critical juncture concerning the continent's interests regarding Xuan Masters and the Heavenly Punishment Forest? To conspire and frame a general leading reinforcements at such a crucial juncture—where was their conscience? Where was their morality!

Moreover, if humanity unfortunately suffered defeat after this battle, the powerful Li Jue Tian and the Snow Wind Silver City faction could certainly manage to retreat unscathed on their own. But if the Xuan Beasts took the opportunity to invade the interior, it would involve the lives and safety of tens of millions of ordinary citizens! That would be a truly world-shattering catastrophe. Could Li Jue Tian and these Supreme Beings and Divine Xuan Masters not see this? Even though Snow Wind Silver City was situated amidst the snow mountains, far removed from worldly affairs, could they truly remain aloof forever?

Although Feng Juan Yun was merely a solitary swordsman, he possessed a cold exterior but a warm heart, filled with righteous chivalry. He could not stand such insidious schemes, especially treating a respectable hero with contempt, bullying the weak, using power to suppress others with the most vile and shameless conspiracy.

With such a disposition, what good was being a Supreme Being? If failure led to a devastating calamity across the Southern Border, could he truly escape the eternal infamy? Even a Supreme Being—could he bear that burden?

"Don't I know that this battle has no chance of winning? Heh heh, just sending these four thousand men out to fight—is that fighting or sending them to their deaths? Do they think we are here to watch a show?"

Feng Juan Yun sneered loudly, "This Feng came from afar to aid Tiannan for the sake of the common people of the world; I did not come here to be a lackey for the Blood Soul Manor! Why am I forbidden from fighting now? Just sending out some Heavenly Xuan and Earth Xuan masters—what is the true purpose?" He was inherently a proud man, and he had already tolerated much regarding today's events. Now, with the great battle imminent, he could endure it no longer. Even if the Heavenly King himself were present, he would speak his mind plainly.

"What the true purpose is—that is not for you, Feng Juan Yun, to judge! And my Blood Soul Manor cannot afford a high-level lackey like you!" Li Jue Tian stood with his hands behind his back, still not turning around, and said faintly, "If Brother Feng truly finds things displeasing, or feels there is no opportunity to display your skills, you are welcome to leave on your own. Of course... if Brother Feng believes I have done something wrong and wishes to offer some guidance, I also welcome it infinitely."

"To guide the Supreme Being Li Jue Tian? I still know my place; I do not believe I possess that capability," Feng Juan Yun replied coldly. "It is not that I am unwilling to offer guidance"—the implication was clear: If I could beat you, I would have already beaten you until you were crawling on the ground searching for your teeth.

"Feng Juan Yun, I respect you as one of the elders, but don't push your luck. Who do you think you are? Where do you think you are? How dare you speak rudely to my father? You have a great deal of nerve!" From behind, Li Teng Yun jumped up and shrieked.

Feng Juan Yun's face changed, becoming as cold as ice!

"Slap!" Li Teng Yun somersaulted and landed, his face swelling alarmingly.

"You are the one being truly presumptuous, you bastard! Is that a name you can speak of Feng Juan Yun?" Slap, slap! Two figures flashed past. The one who acted was Ying Bo Kong; among those present, only Ying Bo Kong’s speed could outpace Feng Juan Yun. They realized Feng Juan Yun was about to move his hand down just as Ying Bo Kong rushed forward, slapping Li Teng Yun away first. Just as he finished the slap, Feng Juan Yun’s hand had already paused over the hilt of his sword.

Who was Feng Juan Yun? How could a junior like Li Teng Yun dare insult him? Even if this junior was the Second Supreme Being's son, in Feng Juan Yun's eyes, he was merely an ant-like life form! If Jun Mo Xie were to describe Feng Juan Yun, only one ancient poem would suffice: He kills one man in ten steps, leaving no trace for a thousand miles!

If Feng Juan Yun's hand had reached his sword hilt before Ying Bo Kong moved, then no one under the heavens could have saved Li Teng Yun! Not even Li Jue Tian intervening personally! The Mad Wind Sword God, Feng Juan Yun, with his sword in hand, was a top-tier figure who sat as an equal with the Eight Supreme Beings. Dealing with a mere Li Teng Yun required no second strike!

Ying Bo Kong striking and reprimanding Li Teng Yun, in terms of outcome, saved Li Teng Yun's life, but it also saved Feng Juan Yun. After all, if Feng Juan Yun had killed Li Teng Yun, he would inevitably face a death pursuit from Li Jue Tian, and in that scenario, Feng Juan Yun would be finished.

To risk the life of the Mad Wind Sword God for such a worthless brat as Li Teng Yun was simply not worth it! Ying Bo Kong, through decades of battles with Feng Juan Yun, had long developed a deep respect for him. Although they fought every time they met, in their hearts, they considered each other intimate confidantes. Naturally, he had to resolve this crisis for him.

And the other person who acted was Shi Chang Xiao, the Life and Death Supreme Being, much to everyone's surprise. His intentions mirrored Ying Bo Kong’s, and he even thought further ahead. If two Supreme masters were to engage in a life-or-death struggle, it would quickly lead to the collapse of the allied forces, which would not be good for the entire continent. However, Shi Chang Xiao’s movement techniques were indeed inferior to Ying Bo Kong’s, causing him to be a step too late. (To be continued)

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