Volume One: The Monarch’s Command Chapter Twenty-One: Three Heroes Battle Spring and Autumn

Behind him, the assassins from the Blue Plume Army pursued relentlessly. Upon discovering the corpses in front of the weapons shop, Chu Chunqiu led the killers straight ahead—the broad road leading directly to their ultimate target, the Shen family.

Before them stood the city garrison, commanded by Xu Yin, their faces displaying a mixture of shock and wariness as the two groups confronted each other.

“Attack!” Chu Chunqiu swept his arms, two iron fans sliding from his sleeves. These rare weapons, with their peculiar methods of offense and defense, were difficult to counter. The assassins drew their blades and charged forward.

Xu Yin had not expected trouble; just after rounding two corners, he found himself facing a swarm of black-clad killers. He could not contain his fury, thrusting his spear into the stone street. “City Guards, obey! Leave not a single one alive!”

At the heart of the chaos, four young men stood bewildered, struggling to make sense of the conflict. One picked up the Cloudhead Blade and hung it at his waist, then lifted Hu Tianyi’s corpse and placed it on the empty display rack of a nearby shop.

Meanwhile, Liu Xiaoyi had already drawn his sword and engaged the assassins. Initially, the city guards were uncertain about the young men’s identities, but Xu Yin recognized Shen Zhong, having had dealings with the Shen family.

“Protect the Shen family’s young master and these youths! Clear out the assassins!” Xu Yin waved his spear and charged to the front, knocking several foes aside with the spearhead. His warhorse, however, was soon felled by a barrage of blades.

Before Xu Yin could dismount, a spiked iron fan swept toward him. Fortunately, his full armor shielded him from harm, though the helmet’s side guard was cleanly sliced off.

The iron fan’s power was astonishing; its edge rivaled any blade, and in Chu Chunqiu’s hands it spun so swiftly as to leave no openings. Xu Yin did not recognize his adversary but knew well that these assassins belonged to the Crown Prince’s Blue Plume Army—their disciplined formation betrayed professional training.

It was common for nobles to recruit private soldiers, though officially forbidden. With large estates, disputes were inevitable, and the household guards, in time, became private armies.

The most prominent among these was the Crown Prince’s Blue Plume Army, officially eight thousand strong, though the true number in Changle City likely exceeded that.

The city garrison wore heavy armor, but against nimble foes, it was a disadvantage. With numbers roughly equal, both sides struggled, and bodies began to pile up.

Ordinary soldiers lacked martial arts and cultivation, relying only on brute strength. In contrast, the assassins were at least at the third or fourth tier of the Earth Soul realm, rendering the heavy armor insufficient.

True energy could penetrate armor, causing internal injuries. The assassins were clever, concentrating repeated strikes on the same spot. Shield-bearing soldiers collapsed by the dozen after each confrontation.

Xu Yin twirled his spear at his waist, hoping to force Chu Chunqiu back, but his opponent leapt high, landing a foot on Xu Yin’s shoulder and pressing down with the “Thousand-Pound Drop,” sinking his feet three inches into the ground.

In close combat, the iron fan held the advantage. Whenever Xu Yin tried to push back, Chu Chunqiu would cross the fans and block the spear.

Chu Chunqiu fought with all his might, suppressing Xu Yin. If he could stall for time, the city guards would soon be overwhelmed.

Yet, from the corner of his eye, Chu Chunqiu noticed a streak of pink sword energy flickering behind him. Even without touching the blade, falling petals wounded flesh.

What strange technique was this? The assassins avoided it, as swords and blades clashed, the petals shredded their soft chest armor.

Liu Xiaoyi wielded the Peach Blossom Sword with delight. The petals were not the result of swordplay, but a property of the magical sword itself, which emitted peach blossom petals whenever true energy was channeled through it.

Each petal carried sword energy, sweeping over enemies as the blade vibrated.

But the consumption of true energy was swift. After cutting down over a dozen opponents, Liu Xiaoyi was already running out of strength.

Endurance was not his forte; realizing this, he retreated step by step toward Xu Yin, hoping to help defeat the enemy leader and break the siege.

“Brother Hu, Miss Yu, stay back for now. I’ll lend a hand!” Shen Zhong, seeing the worsening situation, drew his steel staff and somersaulted into the fray.

Following Zhongli Xue’s example, he wielded a staff that, when upright, reached his shoulder. It was telescopic; he gripped both ends and pulled, extending it further.

He swung the staff alongside Liu Xiaoyi, startling his ally, who turned to see it was a friend.

“You take the left, I’ll take the right. Let’s finish off that villain quickly.”

Xu Yin was already struggling; his armor was slashed with countless cracks, his spearwork growing chaotic.

“Blame your magistrate for choosing the wrong master!” Chu Chunqiu assumed Nie Xiang’s side had made a mistake, prompting the city guards to intervene.

His twin iron fans struck at Xu Yin’s throat. Xu Yin, unable to parry, had his spear knocked aside, leaving his face exposed. He could only raise his left arm to shield himself.

At that moment, Shen Zhong’s staff intercepted, blocking both fans with a clang. All three staggered back, and Liu Xiaoyi leapt in, sword energy swirling, holding back Chu Chunqiu.

Alone, Liu Xiaoyi was no match for Chu Chunqiu—the Crown Prince’s strategist was a seasoned martial arts master. With the fans opening and closing, he easily kept the sword at bay, offering Liu Xiaoyi no opening.

“Your swordplay shows promise—perhaps in a decade you might best me. But for now, you’re outmatched!”

With both fans moving in tandem, he lunged forward, leaving six bloody marks across Liu Xiaoyi’s chest. A backward somersault barely saved him; a slower retreat would have cost him more than skin.

Shen Zhong shook off the blow, feeling his arms numb. His clumsy skills, impressive among wealthy scions, were woefully insufficient here.

“Brother Liu, let me help you!” he cried, raising his steel staff and swinging at Chu Chunqiu’s head.

“Out of my way!” Chu Chunqiu sidestepped and kicked Shen Zhong, sending him sprawling.

Xu Yin knew things were dire. He took a deep breath, readied his spear, and joined the fray. The three weapons encircled Chu Chunqiu, forming a ring of steel.

Though their cultivation lagged behind Chu Chunqiu’s, the gap was not insurmountable, and soon sweat beaded his brow.

The balance was shattered by a flash of flame streaking across the street.

Just after swatting Shen Zhong aside, a dazzling fiery light came from the flank. Chu Chunqiu hurriedly raised his fan to meet it, but the broad blade twisted and pulled, snatching the iron fan away.

“Damn!” Chu Chunqiu was startled. His grip had just loosened, and now, weaponless, he lost all desire to continue. With a stomp, he leapt more than a yard into the air, escaping the battle and retreating to his ranks.