Chapter 8, Encounter with the Taiping Sect

Previously, Ye Zhao had also undergone rapid march training, but the distance was certainly not as far as this, and at that time, he was only wearing bronze armor, in addition to being able to carry the broadsword on his back. Today, the rapid march of over 100 miles is undoubtedly an extreme challenge for Ding Li and the others

Kill! Ye Zhao drew his sword and slowly uttered a word. He could naturally see that these were nothing more than ordinary commoners, but so what? Since the other party had already shown malice, there was no reason to let his own reluctance put him in danger.

Ye Zhao, amidst the protection of the crowd, cast his gaze towards the awkward man who slowly approached on a nag. The situation was unclear, and he did not hasten to reveal his identity, but instead furrowed his brow and said: "I wonder what reason this... brave man has for surrounding us?"

"Leave the city!" Ye Zhao furrowed her brow, realizing that the situation was more serious than she had imagined. She immediately turned with the others and prepared to depart.

Before they could turn around, they saw that the city gate behind them had already been blocked by a crowd of commoners. Deep in the street, a group of horsemen was also charging towards them under the leadership of a man.

Ding Li instinctively raised his knife to block, and with a dull clang, he was jolted back, staggering. He saw his opponent swing the familiar bronze staff again, but his arms felt weak and numb, rendering him unable to gather strength. He silently cursed himself for the predicament, when suddenly he felt a weight on his shoulder; it was Ye Zhao, who took the opportunity to step on his shoulder and lunged towards the man, forcing him to change his tactics on the spot. He crossed the familiar bronze staff to block Ye Zhao's sword.

"Thief, release our commander!" At the city gate, a rider on a swift horse split through the crowd, galloping out and catching up to the others, pointing at Ye Zhao and shouting sternly.

Bang

"Qu Shua?" Ye Zhao's heart stirred as she turned to look at the man she had captured, and said in a deep voice: "Are you a member of the Taiping Sect?"

A low cheer arose from the crowd, and Ye Zhao turned to look. A group of guards immediately shrank their necks and fell silent. The current Ye Zhao was no longer just their benefactor; after such a long period of training, they had developed an instinctive sense of awe towards Ye Zhao deep within their bones

"Have your people step aside, we are leaving the city." Ye Zhao snorted coldly, supporting the commander as they slowly retreated towards the city gate.

With a muffled sound, Ye Zhao's sword left a deep mark on the copper staff, while his legs clamped down on the horse's neck, allowing him to slide down smoothly.

Humph! Guan Hai did not respond, but simply turned his head away, refusing to look at Ye Zhao

Kill! A crowd of common people around raised various weapons in their hands and charged towards everyone

The shame on Ding Li's face gradually transformed into a ferocious expression as he roared like a tiger, wildly swinging his battle knife. Four or five militia members who had surrounded him were brutally slain by Ding Li.

My lord, these... looking at these emaciated individuals, it is evident that they are merely an army composed of impoverished people. Ding Li cast a sympathetic glance at Ye Zhao

A group of people entered Jixian, and within the vast city, there were hardly any pedestrians. Occasionally, a few would turn and leave upon seeing the crowd, as if they were some kind of demons.

"Die!" The seasoned copper rod swung in a circle on the horse's back, striking down towards Ding Li's head.

clang

The boy's head was cleaved open by Ye Zhao's sword. Ye Zhao quickly pulled Ding Li behind him and, with a swift motion, killed the burly man who attempted to advance at that moment. Turning to Ding Li, he angrily shouted, "Do you want to die? Since they have already attacked us, they are our enemies. What should we do with enemies? Do I need to teach you this again?"

Take it down! The burly man said little, holding a familiar bronze rod. He glanced at the group of guards in front of Ye Zhao, his gaze turned cold as he shouted sternly

Prepare for battle!" Ding Li's expression changed dramatically as he crossed his sword in front of his chest. With a loud shout, twenty-five guards quickly formed groups of three to protect Ye Zhao in front of him

"My lord, something is amiss. With such a large city, how can there be no soldiers guarding it?" Ding Li leaned closer to Ye Zhao and whispered.

Just during this moment of hesitation, another strong man saw this and brought the wooden stick down hard on Ding Li's head

Just because he does not want to cause trouble does not mean that trouble will not find him. Before the group could search for an inn, they heard a series of hurried footsteps approaching from this direction

Ye Zhao turned over and dismounted, using the momentum to pull the strong man down from his horse. Without giving him any chance to react, she drew her sword and placed it against his neck, her gaze scanning the surroundings

It seems so. Although no answer was obtained, the fleeting panic in the other person's eyes had already conveyed to Ye Zhao that these ancient people were indeed simple-minded. However, has the Taiping Sect really developed to this extent? In such a large Jixian County, it is surprising that they are all followers of the Taiping Sect

The burly man had just blocked Ye Zhao's sword, leaving himself wide open. When he saw Ye Zhao suddenly leap onto his horse's back, he was momentarily at a loss for how to respond. In that fleeting moment of distraction, Ye Zhao had already seized his neck, applying pressure with his fingers. The burly man felt a tingling sensation in his spine, and in an instant, he was rendered powerless, the familiar bronze staff in his hand clattering to the ground.

"My lord, ahead is Jixian." In the evening, as the sun had not yet completely set behind the mountains, the figures of Ye Zhao and others appeared outside the city of Jixian. Ding Li, panting, ran to Ye Zhao's side. After a day of intense marching, wearing heavy bronze armor, carrying dozens of pounds of swords, and with their packs on their backs, even though they had undergone Ye Zhao's rigorous training, they were still somewhat overwhelmed. The specially crafted chopping sword in their hands was becoming difficult to hold steady, and the bronze armor on their bodies, combined with the packs on their backs, felt like a mountain pressing down on them, making it hard to breathe.

"Where can that horn be found in this city?" Ye Zhao turned to Qu Shuai and asked sharply

Puff ~ ''

"No way!" the strong man snorted angrily.

Ding Li was momentarily stunned, staggering back two steps, but the young man had already thrust the wooden stick, which had been shortened by Ding Li, towards Ding Li's throat.

"Not bad!" The burly man, held by Ye Zhao, sneered and said, "Since you know it is us, why not release me and kneel down to surrender? Let me see what skills you possess, and I can plead for you with the great virtuous teacher."

Nonsense! With a slap on the opponent's forehead, Ye Zhao gathered with Ding Li and others, and said in a deep voice: How are the casualties?

After speaking, he led his men, taking Guan Hai with him, leaving without looking back. The commander of the Taiping Sect hurriedly pursued with his men, but Ye Zhao's guards were all seasoned warriors. Even though they were exhausted, they still ran swiftly. How could a group of militia, resembling refugees, catch up? Moreover, as the sky gradually darkened, it wasn't long before Ye Zhao and his party disappeared from sight. Seeing this, the Taiping Sect commander became anxious and had no choice but to return to Jixian to report the matter to Zhang Jiao.

"You have no say in this!" Ye Zhao sneered, grabbing his hair and dragging him out of the city amidst the other party's screams. The surrounding militia unconsciously parted to make way; they were not regular troops and had not received any training. Faced with Ye Zhao and his group, they were already dispirited. If it were not for their numbers, they might not have even had the courage to approach. Now that their leader had been captured, they had no desire to continue fighting. Under the furious gaze of their commander, Ye Zhao and his companions brazenly exited the city, surrounded by countless followers of the Taiping sect.

"My lord, three brothers have been injured." Ding Li stepped forward, brandishing his sword protectively beside Ye Zhao, his face still bearing a fierce murderous intent

"Do not meddle in unnecessary matters; first, find an inn to stay in before discussing anything further." Ye Zhao shook his head; what happened in Ji County was of no concern to him. After all, he would be leaving early tomorrow morning, and he was not the local magistrate, so he did not wish to complicate matters.

The man who killed me still wants to leave! On horseback, the burly man resembling a leader flashed a fierce expression upon seeing this. He urged his horse forward and charged towards Ding Li, who was killing the most fiercely, wielding a familiar bronze club.

Hmph! The other party let out a muffled grunt but did not respond

These refugees generally wield the most rudimentary weapons in the hands of their militia, lacking armor. Although Ye Zhao and his companions are also wearing bronze armor, its defensive capability is insufficient for a real battle, and it is quite cumbersome, putting them at a disadvantage on the battlefield. However, when facing weapons such as hoes and wooden sticks, as long as they are careful to protect their heads, it is generally difficult to breach their defenses. In contrast, Ye Zhao's specially customized battle knives have a large cutting surface and significant lethality. Once these guards adapt to the act of killing, their power gradually manifests. In just a short moment, dozens of approaching militia members have already been slain.

The sword's edge easily pierced the chest of a middle-aged man. Observing the look of fear spreading across the opponent's face, Ye Zhao felt no pity whatsoever. Since the attack had been initiated, one should not blame the enemy for being ruthless.

"You want me to let him go? Fine, let Zhang Jiao come to Hedong to gather people. The Wei family of Hedong cannot be allowed to be provoked by you all!" Ye Zhao's heart stirred, and with a cold laugh, he said: "Let's go back to Hedong! You all have taken over the city without permission; I will report this matter to the court. Great virtuous teacher? Just wait to be punished by the imperial army."

Commander Qu! Many militia members around were astonished to see their leader captured so easily. Gasps of surprise echoed through the crowd; some wanted to rush forward to rescue the commander, while others, witnessing the leader's capture and seeing the ferocity of this group, which was markedly different from the soldiers they were accustomed to, sought to flee. In an instant, chaos ensued.

Compared to Ye Zhao's ruthlessness and coldness, Ding Li, who was facing killing for the first time, clearly could not match the terror of Ye Zhao. When Ding Li severed a young man's hoe with a single stroke, he couldn't help but be taken aback by the fear and pleading reflected in the other person's eyes, and for a moment, the knife that was originally aimed at him hesitated.

It seems that Zhang Jiao's scheme this time is not trivial! Ye Zhao furrowed his brows slightly; he had no intention of getting involved in the Yellow Turban Rebellion, yet unexpectedly found himself caught up in it.

"Why do you want to attack us?" Ye Zhao furrowed his brows and looked at Guan Hai. He vaguely remembered this name, but the specific events had already faded from his memory. However, the fact that a person who appeared in history was still remembered by him suggested that this individual was likely not without merit.

"Do not linger in battle, retreat through the city gates!" Ye Zhao glanced at the terrified enemies they had slain, who were fleeing in all directions, yet he had no intention of pursuing them. Leading his group, he fought while retreating, advancing towards the direction from which they had come.

"What is there to fear?" the other party coldly snorted and said: "This family does not change its name, nor does it alter its surname; under the great virtuous teacher, Guan Hai is indeed from this family!"

"Upon entering the city, first find an inn to settle down." Ye Zhao was equally fatigued, but compared to these men who were undergoing such training for the first time, his spirits were much better. He had endured far worse environments; had it not been for his previously frail physique, the arduous task of carrying a heavy load over a long distance would have been child's play for him.

"Qu Shua?" Ye Zhao looked at the astonished strong man and asked in a deep voice, "Dare you to reveal your name?"