Women disguised as men went to the battlefield and the emperor bowed down in submission.

At the hour of Yin (3-5 AM), at the East Gate.

Xuanyuan Yu and a hundred elite soldiers leaped onto the city wall, silently killing two soldiers before entering Huaiding City.

The city was deathly silent; there wasn't a single living creature in sight.

One hundred elite troops dispersed to search in various directions.

Xuanyuan Yu scaled walls and rooftops to arrive at a wealthy family's house, where the courtyard was filled with corpses, leaving no survivors.

He came to a secluded courtyard where there was a faint flickering candlelight.

Xuanyuan Yu lay on the roof, picked up a piece of rubble, and looked down. A Gu-wielding man was attacking a brother and sister.

The younger brother's neck had been bitten by the Gu man, and the older sister's throat had been choked.

Xuanyuan Yu quickly jumped off the roof and rushed into the house to rescue the people. He struck the Gu man in the back with a palm strike, and the countless Gu worms on the Gu man's body fell to the ground.

Tiny insects darted quickly across the ground. Xuan Yuan Yu stepped on one, and a Gu worm burrowed into his boot.

The sorcerer released the boy and slammed the woman to the ground.

He turned and charged toward Xuan Yuan Yu, who gathered his immense inner strength and unleashed it like a raging torrent, striking the Gu man directly.

The Gu man was thrown out of the window by the immense force, and layers of Gu worms fell from his body. The Gu worms were densely packed and fled in all directions.

Xuanyuan Yu chased after the creature to investigate and saw that the Gu-wielding man seemed oblivious to pain as he lunged at him again. Xuanyuan Yu struck out with his palm once more, unleashing his full power.

The Gu-wielding man was instantly pulverized.

The woman in the room awoke from her unconsciousness. The Gu worms had already crawled onto her body, but she was completely unaware of it. She staggered to her feet, and leaning against the doorframe, she saw Xuan Yuan Yu.

Xuanyuan Yu walked over and asked, "What's going on with these Gu people? Why have so many people died in this mansion?"

The woman said in a hoarse voice, "Two days ago, reinforcements from Longquan Kingdom entered the city and released the Gu people. Those in the city who were bitten either died or became Gu people themselves." As she said this, the woman trembled with fear and began to sob.

"Why would they do this?" Xuanyuan Yu asked.

"It is said that Crown Prince Baili Heng is the true Son of Heaven, and those who do not surrender will be punished by Heaven. Therefore, most of the people in the city want to submit to the Crown Prince."

They repeatedly disrespected the reinforcements from Longquan Kingdom, and were thus severely punished, with the entire city suffering the consequences.

My brother and I beg for a living, hiding here and now. But tonight we were discovered by the Gu people. My brother…” The woman trembled, tears streaming down her face.

"So, Huai Ding City is now practically a dead city?" Xuan Yuan Yu's eyes were deep as he gazed into the distance.

Suddenly, another Gu-wielding person roared and attacked.

Xuanyuan Yu dodged, and the Gu man lunged at the woman, biting off her neck in one bite.

Xuanyuan Yu leaped onto the roof, and several more Gu people rushed toward him from a distance.

He scaled the walls and rooftops to reach a tall tower that overlooked the entire city of Huaiding, which was shrouded in darkness.

The autumn wind was biting and mournful. Xuanyuan Yu closed his eyes and mourned for the people of this city.

He thought to himself, "Two million people in one city, how could you, Ouyang Huaide, bring yourself to do this? You deserve to die a thousand deaths!"

Xuanyuan Yu took out his hidden flute and blew it. Only the elite Xuanyuan Army soldiers who also possessed hidden flutes could hear the sound of the flute.

Within the time it takes to drink two cups of tea, the elite troops who had been scattered to investigate in various places had regrouped and brought back the same news as Xuanyuan Yu.

The elite troops from the west reported: "Your Highness, the situation in the west is slightly different. There are approximately 300,000 Gu people at the west city gate."

Presumably, all the people who have been transformed into Gu people are being held captive in one place; they probably intend to use these Gu people against our army.

Xuan Yuan Yu exuded a chilling aura as he said, "Take ten men and immediately relay this message back."

"Your subordinate obeys!" The elite soldier accepted the order and left.

"Let's all go to the West City together and take a look," Xuan Yuan Yu ordered.

With a few swift leaps, Xuanyuan Yu and the elite pedestrians arrived at the rooftop of a two-story building in the western city.

Xuanyuan Yu concealed his figure and looked down. The Gu people were lined up from the west gate and all the way to the south gate.

Xuanyuan Yu roughly counted that there were at least 330,000 Gu people. If they were to face the enemy head-on, he didn't know how many people would die in the number one army under heaven.

Xuanyuan Yu was glad they had come; otherwise, if war had broken out, it would have been a brutal battle.

He gestured to the elite troops, signaling them to retreat. Unexpectedly, a man with an air of otherworldly wisdom suddenly appeared behind Xuanyuan Yu.

Xuanyuan Yu sensed a strong killing intent and turned around to see a Taoist priest. The priest was wearing a black Taoist robe, on which clouds and a undulating Milky Way were embroidered with silver thread.

He wore a crescent-shaped jade ornament on his forehead, and his snow-white hair was neatly coiled into a Taoist bun.

Seeing his movements on the rooftop, Xuanyuan Yu knew he was exceptionally skilled and must be a master.

The Taoist priest said, "You must be King Xuanyuan Yu of the Chishui Kingdom, right? Why didn't you give us a heads-up? If I had known you were coming, I would have prepared some wine to welcome you."

Xuan Yuan Yu coldly said, "Enough with the nonsense, who are you?"

The Taoist priest smiled and said, "I am Wu Daozi, the national teacher of Longquan Kingdom. Today I am honored to meet the God of War, King Chu, and I would like to learn a thing or two from him."

Xuanyuan Yu said, "Make your move!"

After saying this, the two began to fight. Wu Daozi was highly skilled in martial arts but was no match for Xuan Yuan Yu. He shamelessly summoned countless Gu people, who relentlessly attacked Xuan Yuan Yu and his companions.

A fierce battle raged for a long time. Xuan Yuan Yu was covered in wounds, and most of his hundred elite troops were killed or wounded.

As the Gu people fell one after another, another group appeared. While Wu Daozi and Xuanyuan Yu were constantly fighting, Wu Daozi also sent Gu people to ambush Xuanyuan Yu from behind.

In this way, Xuanyuan Yu's internal energy was gradually depleted, and he lost more and more blood, eventually losing all his strength.

The golden sunrise illuminates the horizon, and all things on earth awaken under its warm sunlight.

Lin Ruoshui waited all night ten miles east of the city. When dawn broke, she seemed to have reached the limit of her forbearance.

Xiuyi grabbed her arm and said, "Wait a little longer, there will be news."

Lin Ruoshui took a step forward and said, "Didn't the ten people who came back say that all the people in the city are dead, and there are 300,000 Gu people?"

"The city must be fraught with danger. Why hasn't he come out yet? I need to go take a look. Xiuyi, please take me up there."

Xiu Yi said, "It's too dangerous. I believe Xuan Yuan Yu wouldn't want you to take such a risk for him."

Lin Ruoshui continued to plead, but unexpectedly, five people jumped down from the city wall.

Lin Ruoshui was extremely excited.

She rushed forward without a care in the world. Xiuyi caught up with her, held her in her arms, and helped her leap forward.

"It's the Prince!" Lin Ruoshui exclaimed in surprise.

Xuanyuan Yu was already unconscious, and the four people carrying him were also seriously injured.

Tears instantly blurred Lin Ruoshui's vision as she rushed over and hugged Xuan Yuan Yu.

"We shouldn't stay here any longer, let's retreat quickly," said one of the elite soldiers.

Before the words were even finished, the soldiers on the city wall began to fire arrows.

Xiu Yi used her internal energy to form a barrier, protecting them as they left Dongcheng.

Inside the No. 1 military camp, Xuan Yuan Yu lay on the bed with his eyes closed, his eye sockets sunken, his face ashen, and his breath weak.

Xiu Yi was taking his pulse, while Lin Ruoshui remained silent, neither crying nor making a fuss, sitting quietly by the bedside.

Xuanyuan Yu forced his eyes open and said, "Yingying!"

Lin Ruoshui was overjoyed. She hugged Xuan Yuan Yu, who was covered in blood, and said, "You're awake. Does it hurt? You'll be alright."

With his last bit of strength, Xuanyuan Yu raised his hand and touched Lin Ruoshui's face, saying, "I'm going to die, but you can't die. You must live well for me, otherwise I won't be at peace even as a ghost."

Xiuyi is a good person. Please accept him. He will protect you. This is my last wish. I'm begging you.

Lin Ruoshui shook her head desperately and said, "If we're going to die, we'll die together. If you die, I'll come and join you right away."

Xuanyuan Yu felt a mouthful of blood rise in his stomach, which he swallowed back, but a trickle of bright red blood flowed from the corner of his mouth.

His mouth was full of blood when he opened it, and he said excitedly, "Promise me, promise me, do you want me to die with my eyes open?"

After he finished speaking, he began to vomit blood continuously.

Lin Ruoshui kept wiping the blood from his face with her sleeve.

Xuan Yuan Yu shouted in a hoarse voice, "Promise me!"

Lin Ruoshui said, "I agree. I'll agree to whatever you say. Please don't get agitated."

Xuanyuan Yu closed his eyes contentedly, recalling the scenes since they met.

Half an hour later, Xiu Yi released Xuan Yuan Yu's wrist and said, "There is no cure."

Before Lin Ruoshui could speak, tears streamed down her face. She asked, "It's impossible, is it really beyond saving?"

Xiu Yi said, "No."

Lin Ruoshui felt a heartache so intense she could hardly breathe. Suddenly remembering something, she pulled Xiu Yi and said, "Come on, let's go find my brother now. He saved me from such serious injuries, so he can definitely save Xuanyuan Yu."

Xiu Yi embraced her and said, "You can't go! The person is already dead, beyond saving! Now that Huai Ding City is in this state, if they launch an attack, then the number one army in the world will be in danger."

Tears still welled up in Lin Ruoshui's eyes. She said listlessly, "I... all I ever wanted was for him to be safe."

Xiu Yi said, "If he knew in the afterlife that the Xuanyuan Army had been completely wiped out, how heartbroken he would be."

That was an iron-blooded legion he had painstakingly built up over the years, the core strength of the Chishui Kingdom.

For his sake, for Chu Xiao's sake, and for the people of Chishui Kingdom, you must pull yourself together.

In other words, if the world's number one army is destroyed, what will you use to avenge him?

Lin Ruoshui's face turned deathly pale. She still refused to accept reality. She said, "Isn't there any other way? Xiuyi, please help me think of another way!"

Xiu Yi hugged her tightly and said, "There is no other way. You have to accept reality. He is dead, but you cannot die. You have to avenge him, lead the Xuanyuan Army well, and live well for him."

Lin Ruoshui's tears, which she had been holding back, finally burst forth. She screamed at the top of her lungs, "Revenge! Xuan Yuan Yu, I will avenge you!"

After shouting, Lin Ruoshui fainted.

Xiu Yi carried Lin Ruoshui into the mountains, where he had prepared a warm tent.

He removed Lin Ruoshui's outer robe, and Lin Ruoshui woke up groggily, not knowing where she was.

She turned her head and saw that it was Xuanyuan Yu cultivating with her. He was helping her to slowly regulate her breathing and guide the Qi in her dantian to circulate throughout her body.

Lin Ruoshui turned around, thinking that everything that had happened during the day was just a dream.

During her cultivation, Lin Ruoshui felt comfortable all over, and her drowsy mind, which had been foggy from crying, began to clear.

After finishing her cultivation, she turned around and saw Xuan Yuan Yu. She happily hugged Xuan Yuan Yu and said, "I had a dream that you died. I was almost scared to death by you."