But Peter Xue's impulsive urge to personally lead troops was quickly checked by his subordinates. As the master of five provinces, it would be beneath his status to attack a mere Frostmarch himself.
"Who’s guarding Frostmarch?"
Peter Xue asked.
Someone replied, "Reporting to the general, it’s Song Yan—Ian Song, courtesy name Ziyu. He’s the disciple of Valeguard’s renowned scholar Zachary Cai, and currently the Third-Rank Graduate!"
"So it’s actually a civil official?"
Peter Xue was genuinely surprised, and felt all the more that Ethan Yu deserved to die.
In the end, Peter Xue decided to send his second brother, Charles Xue, to lead fifty thousand troops to attack Frostmarch, including ten thousand cavalry.
Cavalry are hard to train—Peter Xue’s rebel host now numbers over half a million, but he has fewer than thirty thousand cavalry.
Before Charles left, Peter Xue personally instructed him, "Don’t kill Ian Song—I want him alive!"
"Don’t worry, big brother!"
Charles Xue nodded firmly.
Two days later, fifty thousand rebel troops arrived outside Frostmarch City.
"Master, your servant requests permission to lead ten thousand troops to meet them in battle!"
Lily White volunteered for battle.
But Ian Song just shook his head and led everyone up to the city wall.
The Xue Family Army had risen with the times, and all three Xue brothers were bearers of tremendous Qi Luck.
He activated his Luck-Sight Golden Eyes and looked straight at Charles Xue.
"Well, well!"
He hadn’t expected Charles Xue’s Qi Luck to reach 130,000, and his cultivation to be late-Grandmaster.
So Lily White wouldn’t stand a chance against him.
"Bring me a bow and arrow!"
Ian Song reached out, and a heavy bow was immediately handed to him.
He nocked the arrow and fired.
"Whoosh!"
The black iron arrow shot out like a streak of darkness, swift as a falling star.
"Thunk!"
The iron arrow pierced straight through Charles Xue’s brow, shot out the back of his skull, and skewered more than ten others before finally coming to a stop.
"Second General!"
Seeing Charles Xue collapse, the other officers rushed to his side.
Order Lily White to lead all our troops in a full attack.
Ian Song said coolly.
The next moment, the city gates swung open and the army charged at the Xue Family Army.
With their commander dead, the Xue Family Army lost all morale—the other officers were left utterly helpless.
No one had the heart to fight anymore.
Lily White, a Grandmaster-level general, led her ten thousand iron cavalry and quickly cut through the fifty thousand troops, throwing the Xue Family Army into chaos.
The infantry seized the opportunity to slaughter them—the Xue Family Army couldn’t mount any resistance.
"Run!"
"I don’t want to die!"
Just then, Ian Song’s voice rang out in Lily White’s ear.
Immediately, she ordered her men to shout with her: "Charles Xue is dead! Lay down your weapons and surrender, and you will not be killed!"
The shouts of ten thousand soldiers instantly swept across the battlefield; countless Xue Family Army troops dropped their weapons and knelt in surrender.
Two hours later.
The battle was over.
Of the fifty thousand troops, only three thousand managed to escape.
Of the remaining forty-seven thousand, five thousand were slain outright; the other forty-two thousand surrendered. It was a complete victory.
One day later.
News of Charles Xue’s death and the army’s total defeat reached Peter Xue.
Peter Xue nearly fainted with rage at the news. The three brothers had always been close since childhood—now, both his younger brothers were gone.
This time,
Peter Xue ignored all attempts to restrain him and immediately assembled 120,000 troops to march on Frostmarch.
The 120,000 troops moved slowly; it took three full days before Peter Xue arrived with his army.
Twenty thousand cavalry, one hundred thousand infantry—this was the entirety of Peter Xue’s elite forces.
"Who is Ian Song? Ian Ziyu, come out and speak with this general!"
Peter Xue rode to the front of the army and called out in a deep voice toward the city walls.
"Greetings, General Xue!"
Ian Song’s voice rang out from the city wall: "You really shouldn’t have come to Frostmarch."
"Ian Ziyu, this general will give you a chance: if you open the gates and surrender, I will spare your life!"
Peter Xue narrowed his eyes. This was advice from his subordinates: Ian Song had killed his second brother, but if he could put aside the grudge and accept Ian’s surrender, his reputation would soar.
At first, he was against it, but in the end, he let himself be persuaded.
Ian Song smiled. "General Xue, I appreciate your offer. But I’ll give you a chance too: if you lead your men in surrender, I’ll spare your life as well. What do you say?"
"Ian Ziyu, don’t be so ungrateful!" A youth dressed as a scholar stepped forward and shouted, "My general respects your talent—that’s why he’s willing to spare your life!"
"Is that so?"
Ian Song smiled, then strode out, directly stepping off the city wall—strangely, he didn’t fall from midair.
He kept moving forward.
Step by step, he approached Peter Xue’s army.
In that instant, over a hundred thousand Xue Family Army soldiers stared wide-eyed at Ian Song floating in the sky, unable to believe what they were seeing.
"Ian Ziyu must be a reincarnated immortal!"
"Who would dare oppose a reincarnated immortal? There’s no good end in that!"
"No wonder the Second General was killed—he must have offended a reincarnated immortal!"
A wave of discussion swept through the Xue Family Army.
"Archers, fire!"
Hearing the talk behind him, Peter Xue grew furious; his face twisted with rage as he immediately ordered his men to shoot Ian Song.
Just then,
Ian Song turned to look at Peter Xue.
He raised a hand and pointed.
A flash of light shot out like lightning, striking Peter Xue’s chest. With a miserable cry, he collapsed to the ground, lifeless.
"Peter Xue is dead! Why haven’t you surrendered yet?"
Ian Song’s voice boomed out, like thunder exploding—everyone’s eardrums rang, and his words carried an overwhelming authority.
"Avenge the general! Archers, fire—ah!"
One officer tried to order the archers to shoot Ian Song, but was instantly killed by a single finger strike—he toppled from his horse, dead.