At the hour of Mao, the horns of war blared across the garrison.
Soldiers, under the tearful farewells of their families, marched toward the camp.
Sun Li and her younger brother, Sun Buqi, donned their armor and took up their weapons as well.
"Sanshi!"
Sun Buqi caught up quickly. "I checked into that grassland matter for you. That Thousand-Household surnamed Luo—his subordinates said he never left the camp alone. Could it be that Tang Ruoshan messed up and exposed everything himself?"
"Maybe."
Chen Sanshi didn't argue. He didn't even bother to.
People from the Grand Commander's Office acted based on evidence.
He didn't need to.
Sun Li added, "Don't worry, little junior brother. We'll keep an eye on him."
When they arrived at the camp, Xiang Tingchun gave a long, rousing speech. Afterward, all the soldiers began stationing themselves at the Great Wall.
From now on, they would live there day and night—eating, drinking, sleeping, and relieving themselves inside the wall's fortifications. Anyone who needed to leave would require direct approval.
Each Hundred-Household was assigned responsibility for two watchtowers, roughly 20 li apart.
The 200 martial hall disciples and the 200-plus newly recruited soldiers were scattered among them for balance.
As for the common folk, they were tasked with boiling pitch, moving logs, boulders, and hauling arrows and supplies.
Xiang Tingchun, Luo Dongquan, and Shan Yuanzhi—the three tempering organs experts—personally patrolled day and night.
Every night, a squad of Night-Scouts would leave the walls for reconnaissance.
That duty, however, didn't fall to Chen Sanshi this time.
All that was left to do now was wait.
After three days, Chen Sanshi's swordsmanship had advanced rapidly to beginner level in the tempering bone stage. His performance in combat would no longer drag behind his spearwork.
"My lord, we're finished!"
Xu Wencai, who had been busy for days, had built a simple sand table. Despite its crude materials, its accuracy rivaled that of the one in the command tent.
He pointed at it with a wooden stick, frowning deeply. "We're finished!"
It was mealtime.
Everyone sat inside the beacon tower, eating beast meat that Chen Sanshi had brought. They all heard him loud and clear.
"Finished, my ass!"
Zhu Tong kicked him hard. "When the barbarians come, I'll throw you off the wall first—let's see who's finished then!"
"I'm serious!"
Xu Wencai looked solemn.
Xu Bin leaned closer and stretched his neck to see. "Old Xu, I've read some war manuals too. Sure, we don't have many men, but we're defending the city. We've got supplies, and the commoners are helping. It's not impossible to hold out."
"That's not what I meant."
Xu Wencai turned toward Chen Sanshi. "You don't get it, but my lord surely does. The way the Xi River tribe has been reinforcing their troops is strange—really strange. And Anding Prefecture hasn't made a move at all. It's too quiet… something's off.
"Unfortunately, we don't have enough intelligence. I can't see the full picture. I can't figure out what exactly the barbarians are planning.
"But from what I can tell, their formation shows one thing—they're dead set on taking Poyang, even if it defies reason!"
"Hmm."
Chen Sanshi nodded, letting the others know he agreed.
It was strange.
Even if this was about the so-called immortal treasure, their approach didn't make sense.
Shouldn't something like this be done in secret?
They could've just sent a few Witch God Sect experts—some tempering organs or even Transforming Strength cultivators.
Why bring a full army to the gates?
Even if it was a carpet search, this wasn't how one searched.
Of course, if it was only 6,000 troops, the problem wasn't too bad. At worst, they'd withdraw to the county city, strengthen defenses, and hold the higher, stronger walls.
But what came next—no one could say for sure.
Like Xu Wencai, Chen Sanshi had a bad feeling about this.
They weren't immortals—they could only take things one step at a time.
"My lord, what if we just head for the mountains?"
Zhuang Yi suggested for the second time, "Take a hundred men, vanish deep into the forests, and start fresh. You'd be the king there. Build a stronghold, gather troops, and live freely."
Zhu Tong clapped his hands. "Yeah! Let's make our own little kingdom!"
"Have you two lost your minds?!"
Xu Bin quickly stopped them.
Xu Wencai, however, started seriously analyzing the idea.
In the end, he concluded that without high-level techniques or resources, such a move would only lead to death once they grew too big.
Of course, everyone was just joking around.
Defending the city for so long had been mind-numbingly dull.
Chen Sanshi didn't join their banter. After resting and regaining strength, he continued practicing both spear and sword.
Two more days passed in a flash.
[Technique: Undying Golden Serpent Spear (Upper Scroll) (Minor Achievement)]
[Progress: 308/2000]
His swordsmanship had caught up with his realm as well.
[Technique: Dian Cang Sword Technique (Tempering Bone) (Minor Achievement)]
[Progress: 0/2000]
The proficiency cap had multiplied several dozen times.
As expected, once reaching the martial body stage, shortcuts no longer worked.
From here on, spear training would have to remain his focus.
"Speaking of which," Chen Sanshi muttered to himself, "it's been over ten days since the grassland campaign ended. My capture of the Yu Wen tribe's Ninth Prince should've reached the capital by now. I wonder if they'll send anything my way."
He wasn't hoping for titles or ranks—only cultivation resources.
The Condensed Dew Body-Refining Decoction still helped with tempering bone minor achievement, but it wasn't enough. He wanted to reach tempering bone perfection soon, so that when facing tempering organs opponents, he wouldn't be helpless.
"Enemy attack—!"
"Enemy attack!"
Beacon fires flared atop the Great Wall.
Across the 200 li stretch, every soldier who'd been on edge for days sprang to action, seizing their weapons and rushing to their assigned stations.
Chen Sanshi grabbed his spear, slung his sword at his waist, and ascended the wall.
Boom, boom, boom—!
Woooooom—!
As thunderous war drums roared and battle horns echoed, dark shadows began emerging from the slopes ten li away—dense, endless, and advancing.
The barbarian army had arrived.
The barbarian army formed their battle lines, erecting lookout towers and siege wagons as they faced the Great Sheng troops across the open field.
"Hyah—!"
A lone black-armored rider galloped forward, stopping about two hundred steps from the Great Wall. He began shouting across the plains.
"Soldiers of the Sheng Dynasty inside the city, hear me!"
"Surrender early, and you shall be spared death!"
"You have one hour!"
"One hour! If you don't open your gates within one hour, our Heavenly Tribe cavalry will trample Poyang into dust!"
To wage war with strategy—attack the mind before attacking the city.
Even when two races were destined to fight to the death, words could still be used to build momentum and morale.
And morale—that was often what decided victory or defeat.
"Sheng soldiers on the wall, listen up!"
"If you don't surrender—"
Whiz—!
Thump!
An arrow suddenly shot through the charging barbarian's face, the shaft bursting from the back of his skull. Both horse and rider collapsed into the dirt, raising a cloud of dust.
Chen Sanshi slowly lowered his bow.
Two hundred steps—one arrow, one kill.
"Nice shot!"
"Lord Chen is mighty!"
"Mighty!"
Hundreds of voices roared together, shaking the wall.
"Excellent!"
From the fortress atop the gate tower, Xiang Tingchun shouted, "Good! What archery! You've raised the prestige of the Great Sheng Army!"
Though only one barbarian had died, everyone felt as if they had won a major victory.
Even the dense ranks of enemies beyond the wall suddenly seemed smaller. The soldiers' spirits soared.
This—was morale!
…
Ten li away, atop a tall siege tower, the barbarian Thousand-Household officer U Muer's face darkened.
He had planned to intimidate the Sheng troops before launching an assault, but it had completely backfired.
"We of the Heavenly Tribe have made our name by bow and horse—how can we lose to these Sheng dogs in archery?!"
He turned to his subordinates. "Who among you is most skilled with the bow?"
"I have General Qi Muge!"
Another Thousand-Household officer, Ji Rentai, stepped forward. "He wields a Five-Stone Bow. Within three arrows, he can pierce a leaf at a hundred paces!"
"Good!"
U Muer barked an order. "Send Qi Muge forward. Tell him—whoever shoots down that arrowman from earlier will receive twenty taels of gold, five hundred taels of silver, and three hundred head of cattle and sheep!"
…
"They're coming again!"
Xu Wencai lay flat on the ground, peering over the battlements as another barbarian rode forth, exuding arrogance.
"Sheng soldiers! If you've got any guts, don't rely on numbers or rain arrows down on me!"
Qi Muge carried no other weapon—only a longbow in his hand. His voice was deep and resonant. "Send out the archer from before! I challenge him! Let's decide life and death by our bows!"
"I'm right here."
Chen Sanshi stood atop the wall, calm and unmoving, as Qi Muge approached within one hundred steps.
"So arrogant?!"
Gnashing his teeth, Qi Muge drew his bow and loosed an arrow.
Before the crowd's eyes, Chen Sanshi neither dodged nor flinched. He raised his own bow, stringed an arrow, and released it like a thunderclap.
Clang!
A sharp, ringing sound echoed.
The two arrows collided midair—perfectly—deflecting each other before clattering harmlessly to the ground.
"What?!"
Qi Muge's eyes widened in disbelief.
From the top of the wall, Chen Sanshi looked down at him. "Again."
"Fine!"
Qi Muge steadied his breath, focused, and loosed three arrows in rapid succession.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Each one was cleanly intercepted—without a single miss.
"Batulu!"
Qi Muge's eyes bulged as if he'd seen a ghost. He froze in place, then suddenly screamed in horror, "First Batulu! The First Batulu!"
To block arrows with arrows—such divine skill could only belong to the First Hero of the Grasslands!
How could such a figure exist in a small place like Poyang County?!
Qi Muge no longer dared continue. He turned to flee.
But it was already too late.
Whiz—!
A shovel-tipped Qi Mei Arrow struck his horse squarely, sending both rider and beast crashing to the ground.
Before he could rise, a willow-leaf arrow pierced his thigh.
Then another hit his other leg, another his right hand, and another his left.
"Ahhhh!"
Qi Muge screamed in agony, writhing helplessly at the foot of the wall—unable to live, unable to die.
"Divine Archer!"
"Lord Chen—such archery is unmatched under heaven!"
"With Lord Chen here, how could the barbarians ever take our Great Wall?!"
"…"
Across the two hundred li of the Great Wall, the news spread like wildfire. Every fortress, every watchtower repeated the story, each retelling more exaggerated than the last.
The soldiers' morale soared to its peak.
…
"Trash!"
U Muer roared, slamming his fist on the wooden railing. "Ji Rentai! Is this the 'divine archer' you spoke of?!"
Ji Rentai said nothing.
Qi Muge had at least reached minor achievement in tempering bone.
Yet he'd been crushed utterly—without a chance to fight back.
"Withdraw and rest," U Muer growled. "We'll discuss the siege again in two days."
Two straight defeats.
Attacking now would only waste lives and morale.
They had no choice but to delay—let the enemy's spirits burn themselves out.
What else could they do?
They couldn't possibly step forward themselves.
If they did, they'd face a storm of arrows—and no one would talk about 'honor' then.
…
"My lord, brilliant work!"
Xu Wencai was in awe. "With this, the barbarians' morale will plummet. They won't dare attack again for some time!"
Inside and outside the Great Wall, calm returned.
Until the dawn of the third day, when the war drums thundered once more.
Countless dark figures surged toward the Great Wall—the barbarian army had begun their assault in earnest.