“I wonder how Ji Ning, Qin Huo and the others are faring. Everyone listen, speed up. If attacked, no need to ask me, strike directly, kill without mercy!”
Ling Xiao sensed the gravity of the situation.
It was very likely that Ji Ning, Qin Huo and the others had already been captured.
The group pressed on, moving faster, and raised the banner of the North Desert City’s Dark Thorn special forces.
Courtesy before force, Ling Xiao did not want to give the enemy any excuse to accuse him.
An hour later, the outlines of North Desert City and North Desert Pass came into view.
In Ling Xiao’s Tai Chi Eye, everything around was taken in.
Sure enough, there were ambushes, and plenty of them.
“Listen all, I am Ling Xiao, the Emperor’s appointed overseer, captain of the North Desert Army’s Dark Thorn special forces!”
Ling Xiao shouted loudly while accelerating, flashing his waist token.
Yet there was no response.
In his Tai Chi Eye, Ling Xiao even saw mocking smiles on faces.
Though he had suspected this before, seeing it still pained his heart.
The Divine Phoenix Empire treated meritorious ministers this way, it was truly chilling.
He said no more, but sped up, since there were people here to assassinate him, Ji Ning, Qin Huo, Lü Chenglong, Li Ruguang, Zhang Yufei, Zhuge Ming and others were probably already imprisoned.
As for Feng Qingyan, his status was special, unless the Emperor wanted to completely fall out with the Fire Phoenix Clan, he should still be safe for now.
He had to make it in time!
Ling Xiao was anxious inside.
The moment over a thousand warriors entered the ambush circle, a “buzzing” sound suddenly rang out in the sky.
Thousands of feathered arrows whistled through the air.
Ling Xiao did nothing, still riding the demon wolf and charging forward.
Xie Li had already leaped into the air, pressing down with both palms, the arrows in flight reversed direction, followed by continuous screams.
Ling Xiao had no need to act.
One Xie Li was enough to handle those trash, what they needed now was to save time!
For those killed, Ling Xiao felt no sympathy.
He had already declared his identity, the enemy did not come out to verify but shot arrows directly.
He was not so pedantic, since you shoot, you are my enemy, killing you is no fault of mine.
“Leave one alive!”
Ji Mingkong suddenly spoke.
Xie Li flung a person over, landing in Ji Mingkong’s hands.
This man wore Divine Phoenix Empire armour, his rank not low, at least a centurion.
“Who ordered you to set this ambush?”
Ji Mingkong asked coldly.
“Don’t know!”
The man was tough, turning his head away.
Ji Mingkong sneered, her sword piercing his throat.
In that instant, the centurion clearly showed regret.
He thought they would interrogate and offer benefits, but they were so decisive.
Yet Ji Mingkong did not care, there were ambushes all along the way, if one did not speak, if two did not, she refused to believe none would.
Xie Li continued the slaughter.
Ji Mingkong kept questioning.
Those who did not answer were killed directly, without mercy.
This was the battlefield, not a game, pity and sympathy for enemies could lead to one’s own death or that of friends.
Approaching North Desert City, Ling Xiao instructed Xie Li to wait outside for support, he brought Yue Nu and the Dark Thorn members to the city gates.
All along the way, no survivors were left, Ling Xiao was certain, so the garrison in North Desert City would not know their true strength.
Leaving Xie Li and nearly a thousand Scorpion Tribe members outside was the best choice, if anything happened, they could seize the initiative.
“Open the gates!”
Standing below the walls, Ling Xiao shouted at the soldiers above.
General Jia was nowhere to be seen, nor Jia Yun, only unfamiliar faces remained.
“Who goes there?”
“Ling Xiao!”
Ling Xiao announced himself.
“So it is Overseer Ling, we have been waiting, open the gates!”
The commander atop the wall curled a cold smile, then opened the gates.
Ling Xiao and the others entered, the gates closed behind them.
The moment they entered North Desert City, Ling Xiao found themselves surrounded, about ten thousand garrison troops in the city, all now encircling them.
Archers on the walls.
Cavalry and infantry ringed them tightly.
“What do you think you are doing?”
Ling Xiao asked coldly.
“By General Jia’s order, we await the traitor Ling Xiao who colluded with the enemy!”
A general slowly descended from the wall.
Early Ten Directions Heaven cultivation.
At this stage, Ling Xiao could hardly defeat him.
Yet today, Ling Xiao paid no heed to Ten Directions Heaven warriors.
“Colluded with the enemy?”
Ling Xiao sneered, “I chased Jiumo Zhiyan and Temur Mutu thousands of li, now return with Temur Mutu’s head, and you say I colluded?”
The general looked, shocked and delighted.
Shocked that Ling Xiao could bring back Temur Mutu’s head, a miracle they had never imagined.
Delighted that he could now claim great merit.
“Ling Xiao, hand over the head, this general can grant you a quick death for surrendering, otherwise, you will die without a burial!”
The general sneered.
“Impossible!” Ling Xiao shook his head.
“Heh, give or not, you die, attack, protect Temur Mutu’s head, the rest, kill without mercy!”
The general issued the order, a cold smile on his face.
He began fantasising, bringing back Ling Xiao and Temur Mutu’s heads for reward, surely great honours.
High office, vast wealth, anything he wanted.
At his command, arrows whistled from the walls, dense as locusts towards Ling Xiao and the dozens of Dark Thorn members.
This was just the first wave.
Their strongest were the follow-up cavalry and infantry.
“Court death!”
Ling Xiao snorted, leaping up, the Golden Crow Sword in hand spitting crimson-gold light, a massive Golden Crow dozens of times larger than before descended upon North Desert City.
Golden Crow Ling Ri!
Blazing fire burned the city, Golden Crow slaughtered!
In one move, the arrows turned to ash, countless archers pierced by scorching sword qi, flames igniting as they fell from the walls.
This scene made all Divine Phoenix troops tremble.
The intelligence was wrong, how could Ling Xiao be so terrifying!
Such power, how could a Sixth Art Heaven warrior release it.
Screams rose endlessly, fear and despair on faces lit by fire.
In an instant, over two or three hundred archers died directly, over a thousand burned alive or fell to death.
The fire spread unchecked.
It was winter, north wind howling, the blaze could not be extinguished.
Yet strangely, around Ling Xiao and the Dark Thorn, it became a flame-free zone.
