A journey through ancient times, a journey of exquisite divine skills

Chapter 197 The Perilous City Gate

Shui'er glanced at the strategist Wu Sha, then she exerted a little force, the blade deepening the dangerous mark on Wu Bailie's delicate skin.

A trickle of blood slid slowly down the blade, dripping onto the snow and instantly congealing into a bewitching red lotus.

Shui'er's lips curled into a cold smile as she forcefully restrained Wu Bailie, her gaze sharp as torches.

"Are you leaving or not? If you don't leave, I'll kill you with my sword."

Don't even think about using the people of Ling Kingdom to blackmail me. I'm not easily intimidated.

If you dare to let Gu Xuanchao invade again, I will go to your Gu Xuanchao territory and slaughter every last one of them!

Upon hearing this, the strategist Wusha's expression changed drastically. He knew that the woman before him was resolute and ruthless, and that she was not bluffing.

He hurriedly waved his hand, repeatedly dissuading her: "No, no, no, young lady, please don't be impulsive. Everything can be discussed. Don't let a moment of anger lead to a disaster!"

His eyes held a hint of pleading, as he tried to persuade the dancer on the tip of the sword with reason.

Shui'er snorted coldly, and the sword in her hand trembled slightly again, as if warning against any possible rash actions.

"Get all your people out of Jiaxian County now! Don't dawdle, or don't blame me for killing your eldest prince."

Seeing this, Usa knew that delaying would be pointless, so he could only nod in agreement with a hint of compromise in his tone.

"Alright, alright, young lady, please rest assured, we will leave immediately. We only ask that you show mercy and not harm my eldest prince."

His voice trembled slightly, clearly indicating his deep concern for Wu Bailie's safety.

Upon hearing this, Shui'er lowered the tip of her sword slightly, but the vigilance in her eyes did not relax in the slightest: "Let's go!"

She uttered a single, forceful word, and then, together with Xiao He, escorted Wu Bailie towards the direction of Jiaxian City.

The journey was fraught with wind and snow, making the three or four-mile stretch on the snow-covered ground exceptionally difficult.

Each step was deeply embedded in the snow, and when pulled out, it brought out large snowflakes, as if even time slowed down in this silver-clad landscape.

Although Shui'er and Xiao He are both highly skilled martial arts masters, they inevitably feel powerless in such harsh conditions.

But their eyes remained firm, and their steps never faltered, for they knew that the eldest prince, Wu Bailie, was now the turning point in the war between the two countries.

The man and the ten Lesser Yuan Realm martial artists maintained a distance that was neither too close nor too far from Shui'er and Xiao He.

Their gazes were as sharp as hawks', fixed intently on Shui'er and her companion, creating an atmosphere so tense it was almost suffocating.

Time seemed to freeze at that moment. After an unknown amount of time, the group finally crossed the wind and snow and stepped into the solid walls of Jiaxian County.

Shui'er stood beneath the city gate, her voice clear, cold, and resolute.

"Have your men immediately withdraw fifty li from Jiaxian County, and do it now!"

Her tone was unquestionable, as if every word contained immense power.

The generals of the Spirit Kingdom and a group of high-ranking officials from the Five Spirit Stars were all standing on either side of Shui'er. Their eyes showed both their recognition of Shui'er's abilities and their concern for the future of the situation.

Upon hearing this, the strategist Wusha frowned, his gaze towards Shui'er filled with both pleading and doubt.

“Girl, we can retreat, but you must release our eldest prince first.”

Shui'er snorted coldly, the tip of her sword trembling slightly, as if to tell them that if they did not do as she said, she would kill their eldest prince.

"Stop talking nonsense, just do as I say, and I will naturally ensure his safety." Her tone revealed an unyielding determination.

Wu Sha still looked at Wu Bailie with unease, but the latter responded with extraordinary calmness.

"Do as she says, and the entire army retreats."

With Wu Bailie's order, Gu Xuanchao's soldiers quickly and orderly withdrew from Jiaxian County, gradually moving further and further away until they disappeared into the vast snowfield.

Shui'er and the others escorted Wu Bailie to the city gate.

At this moment, the area outside the city gate was empty, with only a few dozen soldiers from the Gu Xuan Dynasty, a few generals, and eleven martial artists quietly waiting.

Meanwhile, on the Ling Kingdom's side, the five spirit stars, generals, Daya, and others closely followed behind Shui'er, forming a solid defensive line.

Shui'er's eyes were sharp as she scanned the crowd opposite her: "And you all, get back somewhere else."

Her voice was soft, yet it carried an irresistible power.

However, the other party did not act immediately, and the atmosphere became tense again.

Shui'er's long sword swayed slightly, the cold light flashing at the tip like the smile of death.

She raised her voice again: "Are you backing out or not?!"

This shout resounded like a thunderclap in the crowd.

Upon seeing this, the strategist Wusha quickly waved his hand, signaling, "Retreat, we retreat, young lady, please don't make a move."

At his command, Gu Xuanchao's men retreated until they were more than a hundred feet away.

At this moment, only the strategist Wusha and the expert man remained on the field.

Shui'er's voice rang out again.

"Xiaohe, Sister Daya, you should all go into the city first." Her tone was full of trust and comfort.

Upon hearing this, Da Ya was extremely anxious, but she had to suppress her worries.

"No, how can I leave you alone?"

Her voice trembled slightly, clearly showing her deep concern for Shui'er's safety.

Shui'er did not turn around to respond; her gaze remained fixed on the skilled man in front of her.

"Big Sister, you all go in first. Just leave an opening in the city gate for me to get in, trust me."

Every word she uttered sounded like a vow from the bottom of her heart, making it impossible for anyone to refuse.

She sensed that everyone behind her was unmoved, so she shouted again, "Just back up when I tell you to! What are you dragging your feet for?"

Xiao He glanced at Shui'er: "Shui'er, be careful. We'll keep an eye on you from the city wall. You must be careful."

Shui'er urged, "Hurry up, I have a way to leave safely."

After hearing this, Xiao He slowly removed the sword from Wu Bailie's neck.

She stared warily at Wusha and the man, then, with a hint of reluctance and trust, gradually retreated to Daya's side.

"Big Sister Ya, let's go to the city wall first. We must trust Shui'er."

Xiao He spoke softly to Daya, her tone revealing both worry about the unknown and unwavering trust in Shui'er's abilities.

Then she turned to the generals of the Ling Kingdom and instructed them, "Generals, let's retreat back into the city and wait."

As everyone evacuated in an orderly fashion, the area outside the city gate gradually became empty, leaving only Shui'er, Wu Bailie, the strategist Wu Sha, and the mysterious expert standing facing each other.

Seeing this, the strategist Wusha, though unwilling, could only force a smile and said to Shui'er, "Miss, we have all done as you instructed. Could you please be merciful and release our eldest prince?"

Shui'er smiled gently, a sly glint in her eyes: "Why are you in such a hurry? I didn't say I wouldn't let him go."

As she spoke, she grabbed Wu Bailie by the back and half-dragged him towards the city gate, her movements carrying an undeniable forcefulness.

Seeing this, Wusha became even more uneasy.

"Young lady, it's not good to break your promise."

Shui'er stopped and glanced back at him, a playful smile playing on her lips.

"Who said I didn't keep my word? I'll release your eldest prince in a little while."

As Shui'er spoke, she and Wu Bailie retreated to the side of the city gate.

She suddenly took a deep breath and shouted at Usa, who was not far away.

"I'll release your eldest prince right now, so catch him!"

Before she could finish speaking, Shui'er suddenly struck Wu Bailie on the back with a palm strike.

Wu Bailie felt a tremendous force surge towards him, and his whole body flew forward involuntarily, tracing a long parabola before finally crashing heavily into the snow.

Upon seeing this, a cold glint flashed in the man's eyes, but he ignored Wu Bailie, who had fallen in the snow, and instead flashed to Shui'er's side.

However, Shui'er was already prepared. She had a hidden weapon in her hand at some point and threw it at the man without hesitation.

The man reacted extremely quickly, swinging his broadsword to narrowly block the hidden weapon.

Taking this opportunity, Shui'er used her lightness skill to gracefully retreat back into the city.

Upon seeing this, the eight soldiers inside the city gate quickly joined forces to close the gate, making a heavy thud.

The man watched Shui'er's disappearing figure, a flash of anger in his eyes, but he could only helplessly come to Wu Bailie's side.

The strategist Wu Sha was holding Wu Bailie, who was vomiting blood. His face was as pale as paper, and his heart was filled with fear and anxiety.

The man checked Wu Bailie's injuries; although serious, they were not life-threatening.

He sighed softly and said to Wusha, "Let's go back first. The eldest prince needs treatment as soon as possible."

Upon hearing this, Usa could only nod in agreement.

The two picked up Wu Bailie and turned to leave, secretly relieved that although the eldest prince had been captured and injured, he was still alive.