Chapter 50
After honoring the fallen messenger, General Xu Jian took a deep breath.
The grief in his eyes disappeared, replaced by unwavering resolve.
He looked at the officers gathered inside the command tent.
"There is no time left."
"The enemy will arrive soon."
He immediately began issuing orders.
"First."
"Evacuate every wounded soldier."
"They are to be escorted to the eastern sector immediately."
He looked at a captain.
"Assign an escort unit."
"Even if you must sacrifice yourselves, ensure the wounded leave this battlefield safely."
The captain saluted.
"Yes, General!"
Xu Jian then turned to another officer.
"You."
"Take several fast riders."
"Report everything that has happened here to the eastern command and to Grand General Jin Zhou."
"Tell them this sector has collapsed."
"The enemy is advancing toward our command camp."
The officer cupped his fists.
"This subordinate understands!"
Xu Jian nodded.
"Go now."
The officers immediately rushed out of the tent to carry out their orders.
Soon, the once orderly camp became a flurry of activity.
Military physicians carefully loaded the wounded onto horse-drawn wagons.
Some soldiers, despite their injuries, protested.
"General!"
"We can still fight!"
Xu Jian shook his head.
"No."
"You have already fulfilled your duty."
"Live."
"That is your mission now."
The wounded soldiers clenched their fists before reluctantly boarding the wagons.
At the same time, several cavalry messengers galloped out of the camp at full speed, carrying urgent reports toward the empire's other defensive sectors.
Xu Jian watched them disappear into the distance.
He silently prayed that at least one messenger would reach Grand General Jin Zhou.
Only then did he turn toward the remaining soldiers.
There were no wounded among them.
Only warriors prepared to fight to the death.
Xu Jian slowly drew his sword and pointed it toward the approaching enemy.
"Men of the Crimson Empire."
"Today..."
"We stand as the final shield protecting those behind us."
A roar answered him.
"We swear to defend the Empire to the death!"
The soldiers tightened their grips on their weapons as the sound of countless marching footsteps echoed ever closer.
General Xu Jian turn to the officer beside him.
"Report."
"How many talismans do we have remaining?"
The officer immediately checked the inventory records before replying with a grim expression.
"General..."
He hesitated for a moment.
"We only have one hundred talismans left."
Xu Jian frowned.
"Only one hundred..."
The officer nodded.
"Yes."
"The previous battles consumed most of our stock."
"The explosive talismans and body-enhancement talismans have nearly been exhausted."
One hundred talismans.
It sounded like a large number.
But for an army defending against thousands of enemy soldiers and rogue cultivators...
It was barely enough.
Xu Jian let out a long sigh.
He looked toward the approaching enemy.
"Distribute them."
"Give them only to the most experienced soldiers."
"We cannot afford to waste even a single talisman."
The officer cupped his fists.
"Yes, General!"
As the officer hurried away, Xu Jian tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword.
His gaze remained fixed on the horizon, where clouds of dust rose as the Northern Alliance army steadily approached.
Several hours passed.
The earth began to tremble.
From the horizon, countless banners of the Northern Alliance came into view.
The sound of war drums echoed across the battlefield.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
General Xu Jian stood atop the defensive wall, his gaze fixed on the approaching army.
He slowly raised his sword.
"Prepare for battle!"
The Crimson Empire's soldiers tightened their grips on their weapons.
Every man knew there would be no retreat.
Moments later—
The Northern Alliance's commander swung his saber forward.
"Charge!"
Thousands of infantry surged toward the imperial defenses like a raging tide.
Their battle cries shook the heavens.
The first wave had begun.
Xu Jian remained calm.
"Activate the body-enhancement talismans!"
At his command, the elite soldiers tore the talismans attached to their armor.
Golden light enveloped their bodies.
Their muscles swelled with newfound strength.
Their movements became faster and more powerful.
Although they remained ordinary mortals unable to circulate spiritual energy...
Their physical abilities had been temporarily raised to a level comparable to a Qi Refinement Realm cultivator.
It was the masterpiece left behind by Founding Emperor Hong Se.
"Hold the line!"
The first enemy soldiers reached the defensive wall.
Steel clashed against steel.
Clang!
Slash!
Boom!
The battlefield instantly descended into chaos.
An imperial soldier swung his spear with tremendous force, sending an enemy infantryman flying several meters away.
Another soldier shattered a shield with a single strike before cutting down the man behind it.
The body-enhancement talismans had transformed ordinary soldiers into warriors capable of matching low-level cultivators in physical strength.
However...
They still possessed one critical weakness.
They were mortals.
They could not manipulate spiritual energy.
Nor could they use cultivation techniques.
Once the talisman's power expired...
They would return to ordinary human limits.
General Xu Jian knew this better than anyone.
He watched the fierce battle unfold below and silently counted the passing time.
"We must hold until then."
"If the messengers I dispatched reach the other sectors..."
"They will have enough time to strengthen their defenses."
Suddenly.
A panicked voice rang out from the front lines.
"General!"
"A cultivator!"
Xu Jian's expression changed.
He immediately looked toward the source of the commotion.
A figure wearing black robes leaped over the enemy soldiers.
The man landed in the middle of the imperial ranks.
His spiritual energy erupted.
A Qi Refinement Realm cultivator.
With a casual swing of his sword, several imperial soldiers were sent flying.
Another strike followed.
Blood splattered across the battlefield as more soldiers fell.
Ordinary soldiers, even with body-enhancement talismans, could barely withstand the techniques of a true cultivator.
The formation immediately descended into chaos.
"Damn it..."
Xu Jian clenched his fists.
"If we let him continue, our casualties will only increase."
Before Xu Jian could move.
His subordinate officer stepped forward.
The officer drew the talisman attached to his armor and activated it.
A powerful aura burst from his body.
He looked back at Xu Jian and cupped his fist.
"Commander."
"Leave this cultivator to me."
Xu Jian hesitated for a brief moment before nodding.
"Be careful."
The officer smiled.
"I'll buy as much time as I can."
With that, he charged toward the Qi Refinement cultivator.
The two figures collided in the center of the battlefield.
Boom!
Their clash sent a shockwave through the surrounding soldiers.
The officer knew he could not use spiritual energy.
Nor could he employ cultivation techniques.
But with the body-enhancement talisman and years of battlefield experience...
He intended to hold the enemy cultivator back.
Even if it cost him his life.
General Xu Jian's eyes remained fixed on the battlefield.
The officer and the Qi Refinement cultivator exchanged blow after blow.
Steel clashed repeatedly.
Clang!
Clang!
The officer relied solely on the strength granted by the body-enhancement talisman and his years of battlefield experience.
The cultivator, however, possessed spiritual energy and cultivation techniques.
The difference gradually became apparent.
Suddenly.
The cultivator seized an opening.
He thrust his sword forward.
Slash!
The blade pierced straight through the officer's chest.
Blood sprayed into the air.
Several nearby soldiers cried out.
The cultivator smirked coldly.
"A mere mortal dares challenge a immortal?"
He attempted to withdraw his sword.
But...
The officer smiled.
A grim, fearless smile.
With his remaining strength, he grabbed the cultivator's wrist.
"You..."
"...aren't leaving."
The cultivator's expression changed.
"What?"
Before he could react, the officer reached into his armor and pulled out an explosive talisman.
He slapped it directly onto the cultivator's chest.
The talisman instantly lit up.
The cultivator's eyes widened in horror.
"No!"
BOOM!
A deafening explosion shook the battlefield.
Dust and smoke billowed into the sky.
When the smoke cleared...
The Qi Refinement cultivator had completely disappeared.
Not even a corpse remained.
Only scorched earth marked where he had stood.
The officer, however, was thrown dozens of meters away by the blast.
He crashed heavily onto the ground.
His armor was shattered.
His chest was still pierced by the sword wound.
His entire body was covered in blood.
Military physicians and nearby soldiers rushed toward him.
General Xu Jian silently watched the scene.
The Qi Refinement cultivator had been eliminated.
But the price was one of the empire's finest officers.
Xu Jian slowly lowered his head.
Another brave soldier had exchanged his life...
...for the lives of countless comrades behind him.
The battlefield fell silent for a brief moment after the death of the Qi Refinement cultivator.
Then.
A deep voice echoed across the battlefield.
"A brave soldier."
"I respect such courage."
The voice was calm, yet it carried overwhelming pressure.
"But..."
"This is your last chance."
"Surrender."
"Lay down your weapons, and I may spare your lives."
The soldiers instinctively looked toward the sky.
A middle-aged man floated high above the battlefield with his hands clasped behind his back.
His robes fluttered in the wind.
A terrifying aura radiated from his body, pressing down upon everyone below.
The surrounding spiritual energy trembled.
The soldiers' faces immediately turned pale.
Even breathing became difficult.
Panic spread through the imperial ranks.
General Xu Jian looked up at the man.
The moment he sensed the cultivator's aura, his expression became extremely solemn.
"He's dangerous..."
"Far stronger than the Qi Refinement cultivator."
He knew very well...
If this man entered the battlefield, the entire defensive line would collapse within minutes.
Xu Jian slowly reached into his storage pouch.
Inside were only a handful of body-enhancement talismans.
His hand stopped on one bundle.
Seven talismans.
He looked at them silently.
Using a single talisman already placed tremendous strain on an ordinary mortal's body.
No one had ever attempted to activate seven at once.
It was no different from courting death.
Xu Jian took a deep breath.
"If one isn't enough..."
"Then I'll use all seven."
Without hesitation, he attached the seven body-enhancement talismans to himself.
The surrounding officers widened their eyes.
"Commander!"
"Don't!"
Xu Jian ignored their cries.
He activated every talisman simultaneously.
Boom!
A violent surge of power exploded from his body.
His muscles bulged.
His veins turned crimson.
Bones cracked throughout his body.
The overwhelming strength coursing through him far exceeded what a mortal body could endure.
Xu Jian gritted his teeth.
Blood seeped from the corners of his mouth.
His skin began to split under the immense pressure.
Every fiber of his body screamed in agony.
Yet...
He did not take a single step back.
His eyes remained fixed on the Golden Core cultivator floating in the sky.
"Even if this body breaks apart..."
"I must eliminate this threat."
With unwavering determination, General Xu Jian raised his sword and pointed it toward the enemy cultivator.
Without the slightest hesitation, General Xu Jian moved.
Boom!
The ground beneath his feet exploded into a massive crater.
His figure vanished.
The sheer speed stunned everyone on the battlefield.
In the blink of an eye—
Xu Jian appeared directly before the Golden Core cultivator.
The cultivator's eyes widened.
"So fas—"
Before he could finish his sentence.
Xu Jian swung his sword downward with all his might.
SLASH!
The blade cleaved through the cultivator from shoulder to waist, nearly splitting his body in half.
Blood rained from the sky.
The Northern Alliance soldiers looked on in disbelief.
"He... he injured a Golden Core cultivator?"
The Crimson Empire soldiers also stood frozen.
No one had expected a mere mortal to land a direct hit on such a powerful cultivator.
However...
The Golden Core cultivator did not die.
His body, sustained by his cultivation, remained barely intact.
He retreated several hundred meters, blood pouring from the horrifying wound.
Looking at his nearly severed body, he began circulating his spiritual energy to stop the bleeding.
His eyes no longer held contempt.
Instead...
They were filled with shock.
Then, a smile slowly spread across his face.
"What an incredible talisman."
"A mere mortal..."
"...actually managed to wound a Golden Core cultivator."
His gaze locked onto Xu Jian.
The greed in his eyes was unmistakable.
"Hand over that talisman."
"I'll even grant you a painless death."
Xu Jian remained silent.
Blood continued to pour from every pore of his body.
The seven body-enhancement talismans had pushed his mortal body far beyond its limits.
His muscles were tearing apart.
His bones were beginning to fracture.
Yet he tightened his grip on his sword.
He had only one thought left.
"If one strike wasn't enough..."
"Then I'll strike again."
Ignoring the unbearable pain coursing through his body, he launched himself forward once more.
Boom!
His figure disappeared again.
In an instant, he appeared in front of the Golden Core cultivator.
The two clashed fiercely in the battlefield.
Clang!
Clang!
Boom!
Sword after sword collided.
Shockwaves rippled across the battlefield.
The Golden Core cultivator's expression gradually changed from confidence to disbelief.
"Impossible..."
"He's only a mortal!"
"How can he fight me head-on?"
Each exchange left both of them with fresh wounds.
Xu Jian's body was covered in blood, while the cultivator's robes had been stained by blood.
The Golden Core cultivator finally lost his composure.
"Damn you!"
He gathered spiritual energy into his palm and unleashed a powerful strike.
A torrent of spiritual power crashed into Xu Jian.
Xu Jian did not dodge.
Instead.
He charged straight through the attack.
Blood sprayed from his mouth as the spiritual energy tore through his body.
Yet his sword never stopped.
Thrust!
The blade pierced deeply into the Golden Core cultivator's chest.
The cultivator let out a scream of pain.
"You lunatic!"
"What the hell are you doing?!"
"Are you trying to get yourself killed?!"
Before Xu Jian could answer—
A cold killing intent erupted behind him.
Another figure descended from the sky.
A second Golden Core cultivator.
Without hesitation, he thrust his sword into Xu Jian's back.
The blade pierced straight through his body.
The surrounding soldiers cried out in horror.
"General Xu Jian!"
The second cultivator sneered.
"It's over."
But...
Xu Jian remained standing.
The second cultivator's smile froze.
Xu Jian slowly turned his head.
Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth as he revealed a fearless grin.
"So..."
"You finally came out, bastard."
Before the cultivator could retreat, Xu Jian's left hand shot out and seized him firmly by the throat.
The second cultivator's eyes widened.
"Let go!"
He desperately drew his sword from Xu Jian's body and slashed again and again.
Slash!
Slash!
Each strike carved new wounds across Xu Jian's body.
His armor, already pushed beyond its limits by the seven enhancement talismans, finally shattered into countless fragments.
Then.
The two Golden Core cultivators noticed something attached to his entire body.
Several talismans.
Their pupils contracted.
"Those are—"
A brilliant light erupted from Xu Jian's chest.
The explosive talismans had been activated.
Fear appeared on the faces of the two cultivators.
"No!"
Xu Jian laughed despite the blood filling his mouth.
"Who's going to die now..."
"...bastards?"
BOOM!!
A deafening explosion engulfed the battlefield.
A pillar of fire shot into the sky.
The terrifying blast swept across the surrounding area, forcing soldiers from both armies to retreat.
When the dust finally settled...
A terrifying huge crater appeared.
And nothing remained at the center of the explosion.
General Xu Jian...
The first Golden Core cultivator...
And the second Golden Core cultivator...
Had all vanished.
The battlefield fell into complete silence.
Friend and foe alike stared at the scorched crater in disbelief.
A mortal commander had exchanged his own life...
...to drag down two Golden Core cultivators with him.
His final stand would forever be remembered by the soldiers who witnessed it.