Chuyue Mountain didn’t even have time to utter a final word before meeting a miserable end, his body utterly mangled.

But the men on both sides, still locked in a chaotic melee, had not yet fully realized this sudden, drastic change.

However, Xu Meng—who just moments ago had been feigning a struggle with Chuyue Mountain and was now spattered with brains and blood—felt a violent shiver, his heart instantly seized by an icy dread.

He stared, dumbfounded, at the unbelievable scene before him, his mind going almost completely blank.

’This... what the hell is going on?!’

’Are the soldiers this ruthless to their own now?’

’Wasn’t Chuyue Mountain supposed to lure Chen Sheng into a deathtrap, and then I was to strike at the opportune moment, killing Wu Kuang’s favorite general in one fell swoop?’ 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

’How, in the blink of an eye, had Chuyue Mountain been the one to be so cleanly dispatched with a single slash?!’

’And he died so easily, so ignominiously.’

’Chuyue Mountain was a genuine Marrow Transformation Realm Martial Master.’

’His body was protected by Force, his Spiritual Sense was keen—even the slightest rustle of grass within a ten-foot radius wouldn’t have escaped his notice. How could he have been killed from behind by a single slash, completely without warning?!’

Xu Meng racked his brains but couldn’t make sense of it. Yet, relying on instincts honed over years of living on the knife’s edge, he instantly understood one thing: they had all been deceived.

This wasn’t some coordinated attack from within and without. It was an elaborately designed counter-ambush, a deadly trap aimed at Chuyue Mountain, and perhaps even at his Black Snake Stronghold.

The fact that the seemingly young Chen Sheng could instantly kill Chuyue Mountain with such ease meant his strength was far beyond their estimations. He was terrifying.

Most importantly, for him to act so brazenly, he must have had backing. He might even have accomplices nearby.

Run!

The thought spread like wildfire through Xu Meng’s mind.

His stronghold, the agreement, gold, treasures—none of it mattered in the face of death. He didn’t even have the courage to probe his opponent’s strength. Without a moment’s hesitation, he turned to flee.

However, the moment he moved, his fleeting fear became reality. A cold, sinister gust of wind shot silently toward his back.

Li Huai Sheng, who had been lying in wait, finally found the perfect moment to strike. Under the cover of night, several Poison Needles, as fine as cow’s hair and coated in deadly poison, shot toward the vital points on Xu Meng’s back without a sound.

But Xu Meng was, after all, a hardened veteran. He was startled but not panicked.

The moment his skin pricked with a slight pain, he knew something was wrong. His formidable vital energy instinctively surged, forcibly ejecting most of the Poison Needles that had pierced his skin.

At the same time, without looking back, he threw a palm strike behind him. It carried a fierce gust of wind as it clashed head-on with the advancing Li Huai Sheng.

BANG!

The two torrents of Fierce Qi collided violently, producing a muffled thud.

Li Huai Sheng was sent flying by the ferocious Palm Force, his own vital energy thrown into turmoil.

Xu Meng, however, used the recoil from the clash to accelerate his retreat. Chen Sheng’s blood-drenched Cold-Intimidating Blade, radiating a bone-chilling killing intent, was already slashing at him like a persistent shadow.

The slash looked simple and unadorned, but it made every hair on Xu Meng’s body stand on end as a sense of mortal peril washed over him.

He didn’t dare block it. Pushing his Body Technique to its absolute limit, he fled for his life into the depths of the Black Snake Stronghold, cursing the eighteen generations of ancestors of Gao Yuanfeng, Chuyue Mountain, and the rest.

’He was also indignant. It was one thing to be ganged up on by two Marrow Transformation experts, but for them to use poison in a sneak attack? Utterly shameless!’

"He’s been hit by a potent poison and won’t get far. I’ll go after him now and will surely return with his head."

Li Huai Sheng steadied himself, a vicious look flashing across his face, then quickly pursued Xu Meng.

He was extremely confident in the poison he’d concocted. Though most of the Poison Needles had been dislodged, trace amounts had still entered Xu Meng’s body. Combined with the hidden Poison Skill he’d used during their palm clash, the dual toxins would work faster the more Xu Meng circulated his vital energy to flee, hastening the poison’s corrosion of his heart’s meridians.

Unless he immediately found a place to purge the poison, he stood no chance of survival.

Chen Sheng’s gaze flickered as he watched Li Huai Sheng’s figure disappear into the night. Then, he turned to the chaotic battlefield, sank his breath into his Dantian, mustered his Force, and his voice thundered across the field:

"The bandit chief Xu Meng is dead! Lay down your arms and surrender, and you may be spared! All who resist will be executed without mercy!"

His roar, infused with the Cultivation of the Marrow Transformation Realm, exploded like a thunderclap over the chaotic battlefield, instantly capturing the attention of everyone in the fray.

The soldiers and water bandits all turned to look. Sure enough, their Village Chief, Xu Meng, was nowhere in sight. Only Chen Sheng stood there proudly, blade in hand. The morale of the Black Snake Stronghold water bandits immediately shattered. What little will to resist they had left crumbled, and they scattered in an instant, cursing their parents for not giving them two more legs.

’Surrender? They didn’t believe for a second the soldiers would keep their promise.’

With the water bandits routed, the tide of battle turned instantly.

The soldiers, who had been panicked by the ambush, felt their morale surge. At the command of their officers, they quickly formed up and began to methodically hunt down and exterminate the remaining bandits.

Chen Sheng, of course, did not remain idle. He moved through the battlefield like a phantom; with every flash of his blade, a water bandit attempting to resist or flee was cut down. This was the kind of fight he appreciated most—one of absolute domination through overwhelming strength.

’As for duels between masters or snatching victory from the jaws of defeat? Far too risky.’

’The path of cultivation is paved with caution.’

Just like this battle, where everything was under his control from start to finish.

There was, of course, a reason why he hadn’t pursued Xu Meng himself.

The Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Evil ability of his Celestial Book had already shown a premonition: his opponent possessed something that could threaten his life!

My name is Chen Sheng. By the time you read this, I am already dead. After I successfully killed Chuyue Mountain, the bandit chief Xu Meng saw the writing on the wall and fled. I pursued him relentlessly, intending to eliminate him completely, but I didn’t expect him to have a Blood Evil Demon Talisman. Seeing my relentless pursuit and with no hope of escape, he activated the Blood Talisman without hesitation, willing to suffer the backlash to take me with him.

In the end, I died... The Blood Talisman was too fast; I couldn’t dodge it. Even though the defense of my Golden Bell Body Refining Technique is incredible, the Blood Evil Qi was like maggots on bone, constantly eroding my Meridians. I couldn’t stop it... And although Xu Meng was also severely wounded by the backlash from using the Blood Evil Talisman, and ultimately died at the hands of Li Huai Sheng, I am still filled with regret. Victory was within my grasp, yet I fell just before the dawn.

If I had known, I wouldn’t have been so impulsive. He was already poisoned and couldn’t escape the stronghold anyway. I just needed to wait a moment, force him into the hidden chamber near the strange rocks.... and I could have killed him at my leisure. A shame that in this world.....

Within moments, the battle was decided.

The soldiers had won a decisive victory. The water bandits were either dead or had surrendered. The few who had escaped into the reed beds would not evade the subsequent cleanup. Only when all hope of escape was gone did the last few water bandits drop their weapons and kneel, begging for mercy.

However, it was too late.

"Kill."

Chen Sheng said the single word coldly, his face expressionless.

Amidst a chorus of desperate curses and wails, the remaining water bandits were all beheaded.

The battlefield gradually fell silent, leaving only the sound of the soldiers’ heavy breathing.

The eyes of the survivors converged on the young commander standing with his blade, filled with a mixture of awe and the exhilaration of having survived. As for Grand Commander Chuyue Mountain, who had just perished... he was all but forgotten.

Chen Sheng’s sharp gaze swept across the field. He broke the silence at the opportune moment, his voice deep and resonant:

"Grand Commander Chu... was ambushed and killed by the bandit chief Xu Meng during the melee. I will now temporarily assume command."

The atmosphere on the field grew tense for a moment.

Yan Ming was the first to react. He immediately dropped to one knee, cupped his fist, and shouted:

"I obey Commander Chen’s orders!"

"We obey Commander Chen’s orders!" The soldiers of the North City Military Camp followed suit, their voices rising in a great wave.

Soon, the sound spread like a tide. After a brief hesitation, the elite troops Chuyue Mountain had brought with him also bowed and echoed the cry:

"We obey Commander Chen’s orders!"