Translator: Silavin An army of steel composed of twenty thousand men. They were like a sharp sword, directly cut through the million-strong army at its waist! It was unprecedented. “How is this possible!?” Yi Qunlin and Qian Wengang simultaneously exclaimed, their eyes filled with shock. They discovered that this small unit of twenty thousand people seemingly had not lost any soldiers. Even those who were wounded were protected in the middle of the formation. “What kind of equipment are they wearing!?” Yi Qunlin wondered. He could see that the weapons in that small unit’s hands could easily break their soldiers’ weapons and easily pierce through their sturdy armour. Yet, their soldiers could hardly leave a mark on the enemies’ armour. Even when injured, it was only from the force of impact. The gap in equipment between the two sides was comparable to Heaven and Earth! “Great!” Having broken through the enemy army with almost no resistance, Li Yuanba could not help but roar. He was also somewhat envious of the equipment his allies were wearing, “Brothers! Follow me for another charge! We will break them!” He was caught up in the thrill of battle. He raised his giant hammer without even checking to see them follow him, and just charged forward! The twenty thousand soldiers, who had tasted the sweetness of their equipment, rushed one after another, after those words fell. They were competing to be first. Yi Qunlin and Qian Wengang could only watch helplessly. They had already tried their best to dispatch men to block them, but the result was the same – they were quickly torn apart like paper. [This is too terrifying!] “Where did that bastard Xia Zelei get such an army from!?” Qian Wengang had cursed Li Zhengping’s Mother countless times in his heart. [You bastard, how dare you set us up!? Are you trying to kill us!?] If they charged forward, the Carefree Prince, Xia Zelei, was blocking the pass. Meanwhile, behind them, that twenty-thousand-man strong calvary was charging ahead like a sharp sword, continuously piercing through the belly of their million-strong army. There was no sight more terrifying than this. For an army, this was simply a disaster! “Charge!” Just as Yi Qunlin and Qian Wengang were hesitating about whether to continue attacking or to temporarily retreat, the Carefree Prince at the pass made his move! With his loud roar, a hundred thousand troops charged out, a mix of those stationed at the pass and the reinforcements. “This is bad!” Yi Qunlin and Qian Wengang could only reluctantly press on. They were dealing with the Carefree Prince, after all! His reputation was not built on others’ praise, but on his own strength! Although he only had a hundred thousand men behind him, the moment they clashed, they easily tore open the allied army’s vanguard and charged directly toward Yi Qunlin and Qian Wengang. “Retreat!” Yi Qunlin and Qian Wengang both lost their composure. With the commanders in disarray, the million-strong army immediately fell into chaos. After all, the soldiers from the two countries were not very familiar with each other and were only held together by their commanders’ control. Now, with the heads in chaos, thousands were trampled to death by their own people, and those injured were countless. The million-strong army was thrown into complete disarray by just over a hundred thousand troops! In the end, Li Zhengping never appeared. At this moment, Yi Qunlin and Qian Wengang finally realised they might have truly been played! With the enemy army in retreat, Xia Zelei chose not to pursue. It was still a million-strong army, after all. Rashly pursuing them would spell trouble for their defending army. Worse would be if the allied army managed to stabilize their formation. “Damn it, that wasn’t nearly enough!” Li Yuanba spat at the retreating million-strong army, his face full of lingering excitement. At this time, he was covered in blood, unclear whether it was his own or the enemy’s, looking quite fearsome standing there like a Demon God from Hell. In the eyes of the Ancient Mountain Pass soldiers, he was a true ‘God’! A ‘War God’! “No, it’s enough!” Xia Zelei looked at the somewhat tired soldiers and ordered them back to Ancient Mountain Pass. Before he could catch his breath, he saw a special messenger. He recognized this messenger as a Martial King Realm Royal Guard, who was regularly beside the Emperor! Therefore, upon seeing this Royal Guard, Xia Zelei’s heart surged with an ominous premonition. He knew something must have happened within the Grand Empire. “What!? Li Zhengping is forcing his way into the Imperial Palace!?” Xia Zelei, who had just sat down, immediately stood up, his fists tightly clenched. He had always believed that the Li Family might do some things unfavourable to Xia Zeling or Qin Yichen, but he had never imagined the Li Family would be so bold as to threaten the Royal Family. “Seems like that kid’s speculation was spot on!” Originally, when Qin Yichen told him to watch the Li Family’s movements within the army, Xia Zelei did not take it too seriously. It was now apparent that Qin Yichen was right. But it was too late for regrets now! The Li Family would certainly install the Second Prince before he returned, and by then, even he, as the Carefree Prince, would be powerless against the Li Family. “Has there been no reaction from the palace’s rear compound?” Xia Zelei frowned and asked the Royal Guard. He was referring to, of course, to the Royal Ancestors who had withdrawn from worldly affairs to cultivate in the palace’s rear compound. The Royal Guard shook his head helplessly. Xia Zelei fell silent. “We are returning to the Royal City!” Soon after, Xia Zelei led his twenty thousand black cavalry on the journey back. When Li Yuanba heard there would be another battle, he eagerly followed behind him, carrying his great hammers, ready for a big fight. “Kid, you must hold on until I return!” Xia Zelei could only hope that Qin Yichen would be able to turn the tide and remain safe. … In Twilight City. Li Zhengping had never imagined that the Second Prince would be so brainless as to go to Alchemy Central to cause trouble for Qin Yichen. “Why didn’t you stop the Second Prince!?” Li Zhengping kicked the messenger, who came to report, flying out of the tent. Who could possibly feel more bitter than him!? He had schemed for so many years just to support the Second Prince’s ascension to the throne, and just when it was about to succeed, Qin Yichen appeared. In just a few short months, his years of planning had completely gone to waste. And now, he was practically risking extermination of his whole Family by bringing troops to the city gates. He was just one step away from success… and the Second Prince? He foolishly delivered himself as a hostage to the enemy! Could there be anything more absurd than this!? Li Zhengping was no longer just angry, he felt tragic. [Will the great Li Family be destroyed by my hands!?] He collapsed into the commander’s seat in the tent, his eyes lifeless. Although he looked glorious and mighty now leading troops to the city gates, he knew clearly that his actions had completely offended the Emperor! This was no joking matter. He was now walking a tightrope – even the slightest mistake would leave him and his Family dead with no burial ground! “Should we go rescue the Second Prince?” Beside him, a Li Family Elder tentatively asked. “How do we rescue him? By tearing down Alchemy Central!?” Suddenly, Li Zhengping burst into a roar, slamming his palm on the wooden table in front of him, instantly reducing the entire table to powder.