Cultivation Begins with Caring for Sister-in-law-Chapter 503: Chu Ce Falls in Battle

In the first year of Yong’an, on the third day of December, Prince Huai dispatched Grand General Chu Ce to launch a major offensive from Yi County against Huai State.

The Huai Army, bracing against the biting cold wind, breached the gates of Yi County around noon.

Seeing the city gates of Yi County breached, the Huai Army surged into Yi County like a tide.

Chu Ce ordered the vanguard: "Secure the gates and charge inward!"

With that, he led his personal guard, dressed in brocade robes, to approach the gates, and shortly after, Chu Ce led his personal soldiers and vanguard to storm into the city.

The Chen Army within Yi County, seeing the Huai Army storm in, fled in disorder.

Chu Ce noticed the Chen Army’s chaotic retreat, scampering in panic, even dropping their weapons, and immediately ordered a pursuit.

The Huai Army continued to flood into the city like an endless tide, then split a unit to ascend the walls and engage the remaining Chen Army soldiers atop the city’s battlements, aiming to firmly control the city.

Just as the Huai Army believed they had completely secured Yi County.

The situation reversed.

When the vanguard of the Huai Army pursued the fleeing Chen Army to the city’s center.

The windows on the second floors of the surrounding residential buildings flung open, and crossbows protruded from the windows.

The Huai Army soldiers, upon seeing this, turned pale.

In the next second.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..."

Countless crossbow arrows swiftly flew toward the Huai Army.

These crossbows were all Divine Arm Crossbows, and the iron armor worn by the Huai Army soldiers seemed as fragile as paper, directly pierced by the crossbow arrows, with the force hurling men backward to collapse motionless on the ground, blood pooling beneath them.

The crossbow arrows continued to shoot out rapidly, and in an instant, the Huai Army fell in swathes, bodies piling like a mountain.

"There’s an ambush!"

"Ah... save me..."

"Retreat quickly, retreat quickly..."

The surviving Huai Army soldiers retreated in panic.

Chu Ce, seeing this scene, also turned pale, realizing they had fallen into a trap.

The city was deliberately allowed by the Chen Army for them to breach.

Sure enough, just as Chu Ce ordered the retreat.

From the rear buildings, a large number of Chen Army soldiers surged out.

They wielded long spears and heavy shields, with the sword and shield soldiers in front forming a shield wall, long spears thrusting out in ranks through the gaps, overwhelming the already disoriented Huai Army, taken by surprise and attacked from the rear, they were instantly knocked to the ground.

Some Huai Army soldiers futilely swung their long spears and great sabers, but they were surrounded by the Chen Army on all sides, even archers above aiming at them; initially struck by an arrow without dying, they were then speared to the ground and had their throats slashed by the advancing sword and shield soldiers, their bodies convulsing before lying still.

The Chen Army marched over their bodies.

The Chen Army, well-trained, well-equipped, and coordinated, caught the Huai Army off guard.

In an instant, the situation reversed.

Even Chu Ce and his personal soldiers found themselves surrounded.

Chu Ce’s face turned paler seeing this, but shortly afterward, a fierce look appeared on his face, and he spat out, saying with steaming breath, "Follow me and fight our way out."

He then moved to personally break through the Chen Army’s shield wall.

At that moment, a voice rang out.

"General Chu Ce, the old man has been awaiting you for a long time."

On the rooftop of a nearby building, an elderly man clad in armor and wielding a horse spear looked down at Chu Ce.

Chu Ce didn’t recognize the elder but felt the imposing presence he exuded, his expression changing slightly: "Upper-Grade Martial Artist?! Who are you?"

"Wu Yanqing of Jiangdong," the elder replied with a smile.

"Wu Yanqing..." Hearing this, Chu Ce’s heart skipped a beat, involuntarily asked, "What are you doing here..."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Chu Ce understood, a wry smile appearing: "So, this was all planned."

Wu Yanqing chuckled without elaborating, instead saying, "Surrender. From the moment you entered the city, the defeat was sealed. If you surrender, I can plead for your life before the Marquis."

However, hearing Wu Yanqing’s words, Chu Ce laughed loudly three times: "Hahaha, you underestimate Chu Ce. You’re dreaming if you think I’d betray the Prince. I, Chu Ce, would rather die in battle than live in shame. Besides, you can’t stop me..."

Chu Ce roared and unleashed Divine Power.

Countless ground fires erupted, engulfing hundreds of Chen Army soldiers in a sea of flames, the scorching heat dispersing the icy chill in the air.

Chu Ce forcibly tore a path through the Chen Army’s encirclement.

"Retreat," Chu Ce shouted to the surrounded Huai Army soldiers, then charged toward Wu Yanqing.

To capture the ringleader first.

Moreover, an old enemy isn’t feared; Wu Yanqing was already elderly, and Chu Ce didn’t fear him.

And indeed, it was just as he expected.

After exchanging less than ten moves, Wu Yanqing was at a disadvantage.

Even caught off guard, Wu Yanqing was struck in the back by a spear, staggering backward several steps and spitting out a mouthful of blood.

Just as Chu Ce intended to capitalize on his advantage, a booming voice resounded: "Wu brother, I’m here to assist you."

As soon as the voice fell, an ice wall appeared in front of Wu Yanqing.

Chu Ce’s spear struck the ice wall, which cracked like a spider web.

Chu Ce quickly turned around to block instead of pursuing.

With a "clang," the blocking spear sparked into showers as a golden mace grazed the spear’s shaft.

After parrying the attack from behind, the ice wall shattered with a "bang," and Wu Yanqing, who had been at a disadvantage, charged out, horse spear aiming for Chu Ce’s head.

Chu Ce’s expression shifted, but rich experience allowed him to instinctively raise his spear in defense.

"Clang..."

The mighty horse spear slammed against the spear shaft, bending it with great force, numbing Chu Ce’s wrists, yet it was within what he could endure.

As Chu Ce gathered strength to counterattack.

A heavy blow struck his abdomen, instantly shattering the protective innate spiritual qi, blood spurting from his mouth as Chu Ce was sent flying backward.

The previously blocked golden mace had heavily struck his abdomen.

"Cough, cough..."

Chu Ce coughed up several mouthfuls of blood, struggled to stand, his spear now lying over ten feet away, he wiped the blood from his mouth, looked up at the figure beside Wu Yanqing, and wryly smiled: "Didn’t expect you’d be here too."

Chu Ce hadn’t seen Wu Yanqing before, but Xiao Jing, he was quite familiar with.

"Surrender. You now lack the strength to fight," Xiao Jing said, holding the golden mace inherited through generations, the Dragon-Slaying Mace bestowed by the Grand Ancestor Emperor, capable of striking tyrants above and traitors below, forged from meteorite iron, a divine weapon.

The only response Xiao Jing received was Chu Ce’s bellowed "Kill."

Struggling to rise, Chu Ce charged at Xiao Jing barehanded.

Chu Ce died, on the third day of December in the first year of Yong’an, perished in Yi County.

Even in death, he did not surrender.