Green Mountain
Chapter 332 - 272, Not a Step Back

Chapter 332: 272, Not a Step Back

The Tiance Army Armor Soldier looked up at the person with the Broadsword at the top of the stairs, assuming he was also from the Yulin Army, and charged up the stairs with his sword.

On the narrow staircase, the Tiance Army Armor Soldier swung his sword from below upwards, aiming at Chen Ji’s knees.

Chen Ji gently parried with his sword, deflecting the blade of the Tiance Army Armor Soldier back toward himself. In a blur, the soldier felt as if his sword was sucked away, circling back and striking his own left arm.

He looked up in shock, momentarily unable to comprehend what had happened.

As the Tiance Army Armor Soldier pulled the Broadsword out from his left arm, his face flushed red with rage and he roared, swinging his sword again at Chen Ji. But just as he was raising his arm, Chen Ji’s five and a half feet long Whale Blade, like a spear, pierced his neck.

The Whale Blade slowly retracted, blood spraying from the Tiance Army Armor Soldier’s neck, flowing down the wooden stairs, and his body rolled downwards.

Chen Ji stood at the top of the stairs holding the inverted Whale Blade, remaining silent.

A moment later, the Tiance Army Armor Soldiers fearlessly rushed up the stairs again.

Because the stairs were too narrow for more than one person to fight, two of the Tiance Army Armor Soldiers leaped lightly, stepping on the stair railings one to the left and one to the right, attacking Chen Ji from both sides like walking on a tightrope.

The wooden stair railings were only as wide as a palm, but they walked steadily as if on flat ground.

One man on the stairs and two on the railings, the three moved like a sharp arrow.

Just as they were about to reach Chen Ji, the soldier on the left railing leaped several feet high, slashing downwards; the soldier on the right railing lunged forward, swinging at Chen Ji’s chest; the one on the stairs crouched and slashed horizontally, striking at Chen Ji’s ankles.

The deadly triangle formation was revealed, urging Chen Ji to retreat from the stair entrance. Regardless of whether this strike succeeded or failed, their comrades behind would follow, and Chen Ji would no longer be able to defend this narrow staircase.

But in that instant, Chen Ji stepped on the horizontal sword that was low stricken, pinning it firmly underfoot. The stair soldier, unable to pull out his sword, instinctively looked up, but Chen Ji, not even sparing him a glance, had already swung the Whale Blade horizontally.

A twin crisp clinking sound was heard, the Broadswords of the two soldiers on the railing broke. Chen Ji, not ceasing his sword’s momentum, used the strength of his arms to twist the blade and cleave forcefully, slicing the two soldiers mid-air.

With the release of Chen Ji’s foot, the struggling soldier suddenly fell backwards, tumbling down.

With two splashes, the bodies of the attacking soldiers fell, blood spurting from their bodies, flowing down the stairs.

Chen Ji swung his sword and shattered the staircase railing, turning the narrow staircase into a precarious single-log bridge.

In the main hall, a tower-like armored soldier was wiping his heavy sword, silently looking up the staircase. He saw Chen Ji’s long blood-dripping Whale Blade, steadfast without retreat.

"So, there’s actually a tough nut in the Dandy Army?" said the tower-like soldier with only a glance, then bent down to wipe his sword again, casually adding, "A hundred taels of reward silver for the one who slays this man, ennoblement for the one who captures the Crown Prince of the Ning Dynasty alive!"

The Tiance Army Armor Soldiers looked at each other and then rushed up like madmen, ready to sacrifice themselves to take down Chen Ji.

...

...

In their ground-floor room, Zhang Xia and Xiao Man peeked out the window crack, only to see Zaozao uneasy in the stable, stomping his hooves as a dense crowd of Tiance Army Armor Soldiers charged towards the inn.

Zhang Xia focused her gaze in the distance, seeking a slim chance of survival, but the Iron Cavalry of the Tiance Army rampaged through the city, harvesting the lives of border soldiers and civilians like mere weeds, with no sign of reinforcements in sight.

Chen Liqin paced back and forth in the room. After struggling for a long time, he finally rolled up a bedsheet, threw it over the beam, tied a death knot, and then looked at Mrs. Liang, "If the Jing Dynasty villains storm in later, you..."

Mrs. Liang plaintively said: "My lord, is there really no other way? Must we resort to this?"

Chen Liqin remained silent momentarily: "At the time of the city’s fall, being able to die with dignity is already a great fortune."

Mrs. Liang wept: "Lord Zhang previously advised you not to come to Guyuan, but you simply wouldn’t listen, what can we do now?"

Chen Wenxiao tremblingly said to Chen Liqin: "Father, they want to capture the Crown Prince alive, not to kill; perhaps you could reveal your identity..."

Chen Wenzong furiously said: "One can lose their life, but never their honor; how could you even consider surrendering to the Jing Dynasty? When did the Chen family produce such a disloyal and disgraceful wretch like you?"

Chen Wenxiao retorted with a flushed face: "It’s better to live a bad life than die a good death. Brother, you and father have studied poetry and books for decades; would you really be content to be slaughtered like animals in this borderland?"

Chen Wenzong angrily replied: "The Jing Dynasty villains haven’t even broken in yet, and you’re already panicking like this?"

Wenxiao urgently said, "There are so many Tiance Army Armor Soldiers downstairs, how can Ji possibly hold them off alone? It’s only a matter of time before they come charging up..."

At this point, everyone in the room realized something was amiss.

They originally believed the Heavenly Strategy Army would storm in quickly. After anxiously waiting for a long time, the continuous cries of battle remained outside the door, as if a massive army was staving off attackers, sheltering them from the storm.

So much time had passed, yet not a single Tiance Army soldier had made their way up!

Chen Liqin’s eyes lit up, "Could it be that Lord Li is leading the Yulin Army back here, fighting these Jing Dynasty traitors together?"

He quickly walked a few steps, opened the door, and was shocked to see Ji blocking the Tiance Army Armor Soldiers, wave after wave.

From the beginning to the end, it was only Ji alone at the staircase.

Mrs. Liang looked at Ji’s silhouette, astonished and confused, "This..."

Chen Liqin had a complicated expression as he watched Ji, then looked at Wenxiao, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

Gathering his spirit, he said to Wenzong, "Look for something handy to help Ji."

Zhang Xia stood by the window, without turning back said, "Mr. Chen, don’t add to the chaos, there’s no need to panic. Today, if Ji can stop the Tiance Army, we can survive; if he cannot, we may well die together."

...

...

At this moment, in the Imperial Suite, the Crown Prince stood by the window, staring at the distant setting sun, fingers tightly gripping the wooden windowsill, his knuckles turning white.

He saw the Yulin Army engaging the Heavenly Strategy Army at Xuwei Lane. Despite being led by several executive officers, they were still being pushed back by the Heavenly Strategy Army.

Fortunately, Li Xuan was watching over them, preventing an immediate breach through their lines by the Heavenly Strategy Army.

The Crown Prince sighed, "The Yulin Army, pampered and privileged in the capital, have become lax."

Vice Envoy Qi immediately felt ashamed and bowed, "Your Highness, the Yulin Army has failed to fully protect you, I am willing to die a thousand deaths."

The Crown Prince turned to him and smiled, "Vice Envoy Qi, blame yourself not. It seems that my fate is thin, unable to bear the heavy responsibility of the dynasty. Please help me with a cup of tea; I need to take my medicine."

As he spoke, he took out a white porcelain bottle from his sleeve and poured out a black elixir.

Qi Zhenzhuo was stunned, "Your Highness, this is..."

The Crown Prince waxed philosophical, "Now that the Jing Dynasty traitors have heard the news and want to capture me alive, I cannot allow myself to be captured like a pig or a dog, right? Wouldn’t I then become a laughingstock for ages, tarnishing the honor of Ning Dynasty along with me? As the National Reserves, how could I allow such disgrace?"

Qi Zhenzhuo hesitated for a moment, "Your Highness, isn’t there still one more..."

The Crown Prince shook his head, "No matter how powerful he is, can he overcome tens of thousands of Tiance Army soldiers? There’s no escape."

Qi Zhenzhuo said solemnly, "Your Highness must not think of suicide, I will definitely protect you completely here."

The Crown Prince chuckled, "Vice Envoy Qi, if we really make it back alive, you might need to change some of your ways."

Qi Zhenzhuo bowed his head in shame.

However, just then, he suddenly looked up, "No, Your Highness, the Tiance Army should have attacked by now, but the cries of battle have not ceased until now, and not one Jing Dynasty traitor has shown themselves on the third floor. Could there be some expert hidden in this inn, holding back the Jing Dynasty’s assault?"

The Crown Prince’s expression changed, and he immediately walked out of the room, "Let’s check it out!"

He hurried downstairs to check.

But the next moment, both the Crown Prince and Qi Zhenzhuo froze on the stairs, with Qi Zhenzhuo whispering in surprise, "Ji?"

Seeing Ji swing his blade like rain, preventing the Tiance Army Armor Soldiers’ blades from penetrating. Bodies lay across the stairs, with blood dripping down from both sides like curtains.

The cries of the Tiance Army shook the heavens.