After thinking for a long time, Ling Xiao said, “Fine, since my foundation is not stable yet and none of you listen to me, but death penalty can be spared, living punishment is hard to avoid. Zhang Yufei shook the army’s morale and contradicted his superior, punish him with a heavy beating of one hundred military sticks!”
This one hundred military sticks were not ordinary military sticks.
Because the military sticks used to beat martial artists were all treasures, even spiritual weapons.
This time, the one used to beat Zhang Yufei was an immortal-grade treasure.
Even though Zhang Yufei was a strong expert at the Ten Directions Heaven cultivation level, facing this immortal-grade treasure with a heavy beating of one hundred times, he would probably faint from the pain.
Upon hearing this, everyone hurriedly pleaded again.
Ling Xiao simply drew his sword, slashed the table in front of him into two halves with one strike, and roared, “If you think this commander is wrong, then kill this commander now, to avoid this commander feeling upset after the Black Crow Army slaughters North Desert City!”
Everyone was speechless and could only shake their heads and sigh.
Emotionally, they sympathized with Zhang Yufei.
But rationally, they felt Ling Xiao had not done wrong, so naturally they would not kill Ling Xiao over such a matter.
Thus, in front of everyone, Zhang Yufei was stripped of his upper clothes, and the punishment was carried out by the Dark Thorn members.
After only sixty strikes with the military stick, Zhang Yufei had already fainted.
The strikes were really ruthless.
“We cannot continue, if we beat more, it will cost his life.”
Qin Huo hurriedly knelt down to plead.
“Please show mercy, Commander.”
A group of generals also hurriedly begged bitterly.
“Humph, considering you are the great general’s right-hand man, the remaining forty military sticks will be settled after the battle.”
Ling Xiao snorted coldly and walked out of the council hall.
These sixty military sticks beat Zhang Yufei quite miserably, his skin split and flesh bloomed, blood spurted, and he fainted several times in a row.
When other generals came to visit, Zhang Yufei only cursed Ling Xiao loudly, complaining endlessly, and Li Rugang, Qin Huo, and Zhuge Ming could not persuade him.
Fortunately, Ling Xiao was busy with external matters at this time, so he did not know about these.
In the army, there was a deputy commander named Cai Yun.
He usually had a good relationship with Zhang Yufei, but no one knew that he was actually a spy from the Black Crow Empire in North Desert City.
He was also the one who provoked the battle in front of North Desert Pass before.
Cai Yun specially came to visit Zhang Yufei, but closed the door and drove away the guards at the entrance.
After some probing, Cai Yun confirmed that Zhang Yufei truly had the intention to defect to the Black Crow Empire, so he revealed his true identity.
He also said that as long as Zhang Yufei was willing, tonight he could find an opportunity to open the gates of North Desert City, shut down all defensive formations, and let the army enter the city.
“How can I believe you?”
Zhang Yufei frowned and said, “What if you are sent by that kid Ling Xiao to test me?”
“This is simple, later I will find a way to take you out of the city to meet the little prince, once you see him, you will believe.”
Cai Yun said with a smile.
“Good!”
After the discussion was settled, Cai Yun sent a secret letter to Jiumo Zhiyan through special channels, agreeing to meet near North Desert City.
Then Cai Yun and Zhang Yufei disguised themselves as scouts probing for information and left North Desert City.
Since this was not the first time, Cai Yun was familiar with it, and surprisingly no one suspected.
Although Zhang Yufei was skin split and flesh bloomed, he was after all a martial artist, temporarily unable to fight, but walking was still no problem.
On the other side, after receiving the letter, Jiumo Zhiyan asked Mu Tu what to do.
Mu Tu smiled and said, “On the surface, Zhang Yufei fell out with Ling Xiao because his beloved subordinate was killed, and was beaten by Ling Xiao until skin split and flesh bloomed, this should be internal strife.
But we still need to be careful, guard against that kid playing any tricks.”
“Great minds think alike, Master, so should I go this time or not?”
“Of course go, and you should go alone, if Ling Xiao and Zhang Yufei falling out is just a pretense, then they absolutely will not miss this great opportunity to kill you, but this matter may be very dangerous, perhaps the little prince you really get killed by that Ling Xiao, do you dare to go?”
Mu Tu asked with a smile.
“Why not dare? Without entering the tiger’s den, how to get the tiger cub!”
Jiumo Zhiyan nodded.
Afterwards, Jiumo Zhiyan met with Zhang Yufei outside North Desert City, right under Ling Xiao’s nose, and discussed the matter of opening the city at night.
Zhang Yufei appeared tense, as if afraid of being discovered by Ling Xiao.
If this was fake, his acting skills were too good.
Zhang Yufei’s performance, plus Jiumo Zhiyan safely returning to the camp, both proved that Ling Xiao and Zhang Yufei had truly fallen out.
But Jiumo Zhiyan still had doubts, at night, he first pretended to send a team of troops, among them two people disguised as him and Mu Tu to enter the city.
Seeing no abnormality, he then completely believed Zhang Yufei’s words.
Taking advantage of the night, the Black Crow Empire army quietly entered North Desert City.
On the city walls, one could vaguely see several fallen black shadows, these should have been dealt with in advance by Zhang Yufei and Cai Yun.
Although the city was quiet, from time to time snoring sounds came, and some places had candlelight.
Seeing this scene, Jiumo Zhiyan and Tiemu’er Mu Tu both relaxed.
“Pass my order, quickly eliminate the guards in the city, leave none alive! That Ling Xiao, I want him alive!”
Jiumo Zhiyan sneered, and issued the order in a very low voice, afraid of alarming the resting guards in the city.
Although even if alarmed at this time, with their numerical advantage, they could easily crush them.
But Jiumo Zhiyan did not want to lose a single soldier, wanted to take North Desert City easily.
In this way, his achievements would spread back to the Black Crow Empire, and no one would dare to underestimate him anymore.
“Master, let’s go see that Ling Xiao, now that things have come to this, he has to surrender whether he wants to or not.”
After issuing the order, Jiumo Zhiyan then looked at Tiemu’er Mu Tu and said.
“Hmm, that kid is still too green after all, just grasped power, dared to strike at an old general like Zhang Yufei, really doesn’t know the severity, but this battle, won too easily, no fun at all.”
Mu Tu said with lingering dissatisfaction.
“Why say that, Master, after occupying North Desert City, we can march south, directly press on the imperial city of the Divine Phoenix Empire, your wish for a great battle will naturally be realized.”
While speaking, the two stepped into the city lord’s mansion.
There were no guards in the mansion, only the candlelight in the bedroom was on, and one could vaguely see several figures.
“This kid is quite bold, dares not to set guards, not afraid of being assassinated.”
Mu Tu said with a smile.
“He probably thinks North Desert City is still an impregnable fortress, pity though.”
Jiumo Zhiyan felt some excitement in his heart.
Leading the army on expedition for the first time, able to capture North Desert City, this was absolutely a huge achievement for him.
If he could continue south, expand the battle results, then his voice would be greater, even possibly rival the Queen Majesty.
There is one point Ling Xiao said very right, although his mother seemed to love him very much, but regarding the inheritance of imperial power, it was extremely cruel.
So what if biological son?
Still kill!
