The Power of Cuihua

Time ticked away, and the situation on the battlefield began to shift. Though the soldiers of the Elite Guard fought valiantly, their stamina was limited. After a prolonged battle, exhaustion set in, and injuries began to mount. Meanwhile, the enemy forces continued to swell in number. If this stalemate persisted, it could lead to the complete annihilation of Ronald's troops.

Ronald watched helplessly as the enemy pressed in from the front, making it impossible to break through to the city gates. Just as he hesitated over whether to send Cuihua to assist Aqiang in breaking the blockade, the distant sound of galloping hooves echoed through the air.

"Rebels, do not be reckless! Zhao An is here!"

The voice reached them before its owner did. Ronald looked up to see a troop of cavalry charging towards them, leading the charge was a general clad in radiant armor, wielding a massive cleaver—Zhao An.

A jolt of alarm shot through Ronald. Zhao An had reached the third level of body refining; if he were allowed to rampage through their ranks, the consequences would be dire.

Without hesitation, Ronald shouted, "Liu Long! You go assist Cuihua and stop Zhao An! Zhang Tie, join Aqiang and break through the enemy lines!"

"Yes!"

The two men shouted in response. Liu Long pierced an enemy soldier's chest with his sword before racing toward the backline, while Zhang Tie dispatched his opponent with a furious roar and charged forward to fight alongside Aqiang.

Zhao An rode swiftly, closing the distance in an instant. He collided with a bloodied soldier from the Elite Guard, and without a moment's pause, he swung his sword.

With a resounding clang of iron on iron, the soldier was swept aside by the sheer force of Zhao An's blow, tumbling through four or five men before crashing to the ground, gravely wounded and unable to rise again.

Zhao An was momentarily taken aback. The soldier, who should have been cleaved in two, had surprisingly survived his strike. He glanced at his cleaver, noticing a notch in the otherwise flawless weapon.

Furrowing his brow, he thought, The rumors about the Red Cedar Army's ferocity are true, indeed. What a pity.

Before he could finish his lament, a flash of light caught his eye from the side. Zhao An's heart raced as he hurriedly raised his weapon to block. A sharp crack resounded, and an immense force jolted through his arm, sending him tumbling from his horse.

Stabilizing himself, he looked up to see a woman clad in bloodstained red armor, her expression cold as she regarded him. She appeared to be in her twenties, and despite the blood splattered across her beautiful face, she resembled a Valkyrie of the battlefield.

"How dare you ambush me, rebel! Prepare to face my blade!" Zhao An bellowed.

They immediately engaged in combat. However, as the fight progressed, Zhao An grew increasingly astonished. He quickly deduced that this woman was at the second level of body refining, a notch below his own level. He expected to dispatch her within ten moves, yet her strength proved formidable—only slightly beneath his own. Her reactions and keen insight set her apart, making it difficult for him to gain the upper hand.

Cuihua had taken a genetic enhancement serum from the Ring World, boosting her physical capabilities by 40% compared to an ordinary person. Although she couldn't defeat opponents of a higher level, she was more than capable of holding her ground.

After exchanging over a dozen blows, Liu Long arrived to join the fray. The two of them fought against Zhao An, gradually gaining the upper hand and forcing him into a defensive stance, with little chance to retaliate.