The Qi arrows swiftly pierced through the night sky, leaving behind faint trails of Qi that burned like the stars. To the spectators, it appeared akin to a scarcely seen meteor shower.

The circle of sabre ray around Tang Hong disappeared and those four points became even more brilliant. It was abandoning defence for attack, exposing herself completely to the rain of Qi arrows. If Xiahou Jie could withstand the terrifying Colossal Tiger Sabre, then it would be Tang Hong that would be in great peril.

But much less the world-renowned technique that is half the foundation of Mount Longhu, even the sabre itself could be considered among the top weapons of history, with monstrous strength and an endless list of experts who once wielded it.

Tang Hong held the Colossal Tiger Sabre in her, but Xiahou Jie only had an ordinary bow she had gotten from the Thirteenth Prince’s manor. How can she withstand it?

With the sound akin to a Zhangu (戰鼓 - War Drum), the bow fell from Xiahou Jie’s right hand onto the platform, splintering into countless parts.

Xiahou Jie’s left hand, like a soldier following the order of its general, quickly retrieved the sword by her waist.

Thrusting the weapon into the ground before her, there was a muffled bang as the hard rock fragmented. The sword entered the earth and seemed did not seem in the slightest unstable. It was as though it was impossible for the weapon to relinquish its position.

The tyrannical and terrifying Colossal Tiger Sabre chopped at the sword.

Compared to the Colossal Tiger Sabre, the sword was very long, giving off a sturdy feeling. It was constructed entirely of metal, yet did not dent or bend in the slightest when receiving that attack.

This raised platform was naturally barren to allow martial artists to bring out their full potential.

This also made the sword appear completely alone other than the four ribbons attached to it.

In this world, a general would always have four flags to signify their ranking.

The steel was the armour and the ribbons the flags.

This sword was the Xiahou family’s family heirloom and had a reputation equal to the Colossal Tiger Sabre.

This sword did not have a name throughout history, but since the Xiahou family obtained it five hundred years ago, it had always been called the General’s Sword.

After so many years and countless battles, it has not tarnished in the slightest. Even the ribbons have not changed since it was first attached to the sword.

It was a general’s weapon. If one had not experienced countless battles, it would be impossible to use it.

But Xiahou Jie could. In fact, other than her father, perhaps only she could use this artifact to its fullest extent.

Because she was the daughter of the Xiahou family.

She was a natural-born general.

A solemn light, akin to the advance of an army, approached Tang Hong’s direction.

The two powerful Qi clashed, illuminating the entirety of the Thirteenth Prince’s manor, as well as brightening each other’s eyes.

Xiahou Jie looked at Tang Hong with a calm expression, silent and powerful.

The General’s Sword had blocked the Colossal Tiger Sabre, but what of the Qi arrows?

Whistling through the night sky, a rain of light fell onto Tang Hong.

Since Xiahou Jie could withstand the Colossal Tiger Sabre, then it’s naturally Tang Hong that is in great peril. How could she avoid the shower of light?

Then, a truly unimaginable scene took place.

Tang Hong’s two hands intertwined on the sabre separated. The left continued to resist against the General’s Sword, while the right hand manifested a tiger palm and defended against the Qi arrows.

As seen earlier, Xiahou Jie held the sword with her left hand, so she was left-handed.

But it turned out Tang Hong was also left-handed.

The Thirteenth Prince’s manor had never before seen such a sight. Not even when the army of the Great Zhu marched into Lin’an had it been so overflowing with light and overwhelmed with howls.

This was a truly extraordinary battle. Of course, it could not compete with the heaven-shaking battle outside the capital on the day of the Prime Minister’s death. However, that battle had only three witnesses still alive, while the Thirteenth Prince’s manor was filled with martial artists and even scholars who have joined the sides.

As the rumours say, in terms of cultivation or will, the two were extremely similar. Both were even left-handed. Just like they imagined, once a Xiahou and a North Sea person meet, they battle. Once a sword and a sabre meet, they battle.

But who will obtain the final victory?

If there was indeed such a thing as destiny, then the two were predestined rivals. Anyone watching the battle would undoubtedly come to this conclusion.

If there were no one to see such a battle, then the entire world would be regretful.

Fortunately, there were many spectators at this moment; even scholar from the palace has began recording the battle.

But within so many people, they all seemed to express shock and admiration.

Other than a few, none of them had seen such powerful innate talent and battle prowess.

And undoubtedly, none of them had seen it within anyone so young.

The Qi arrows faced off against the tiger palm. The Colossal Tiger Sabre grappled with the General’s Sword. Once again, the battle on the platform had entered a stalemate.

It was a matter of who would hold out in the end.

Yang Heng knew this very well, so he stood up.

He had dedicated himself to watching over Xiahou Jie. If the girl was dead, what was left to protect?

Yet he could feel Jing Wen’s attention on him. It was as cold as snow and ice.

Jing Wen had always been a ‘fair’ person, but he did not stop Yang Heng for this matter. He understood that Xiahou Jie was a proud person. Before the fatal moment, neither of the girls would allow anyone to intervene.

Yang Heng was one of the few that knew Jing Wen had defeated Liu Shan. In the end, he returned to his seat.

The raised platform continued to glow with brilliance. It came from the sparks created by the Qi arrows and the tiger palm. It came from the clash of Qi between the Colossal Tiger Sabre and the General’s Sword.

Between the sparks and stream of light, Xiahou Jie’s immature and delicate face seemed to grow brighter and calmer. This signified her self-confidence.

A sudden surge of Qi arose from her blue dress, lighting up the night sky.

Xiahou Jie’s eyes were still dull, but they grew more severe, more focused, and crueler.

Suddenly, a piercing shout emerged from her lips.

The shout was full of youth and immaturity, and yet it was filled with immeasurable cruelty. This signified her ruthlessness to her enemies and herself.

She had always been a ‘tiger’ - the king of beasts.

Without a sound, a puddle of blood formed on her hands, smearing the hilt of her sabre and sinking into the tiger palm.

Her blood was darker than the blood of most people. It appeared almost black and contained a strange, alluring beauty.

The blood, akin to a tiger approaching its prey, slowly and silently enveloped Tang Hong’s hands and the hilt of her sabre. Then, the blood began to burn fiercely on her Colossal Tiger Sabre.

In a flash, the body of the General’s Sword began to burn, which in the next second turned the cold steel burning red.

The place where the sword met ground began to fiercely shudder. The sword was unwilling to give way, so the floor can take in the impact, forming several cracks.

Is this the blood ritual of the Northern Sea tribes? Xiahou Jie silently wondered.

Then, her brows slightly creased.

It was not out of weariness or unease. It was not even due to fear. Instead, it was because she preemptively feared pain.

From her earlier nosebleed, she had learned that bleeding was rather painful.

She had seldomly experienced pain, so she did not like this kind of battle.

But since Tang Hong had always done so, she had no intention of backing down, because she disliked losing and dying even more.

Because of the pain, Xiahou Jie’s brows knitted closer and closer, causing her to appear rather pitiful. However, her eyes continued to grow increasingly bright, and her expression grew increasingly calm.

The bloody colour on the sword’s ribbons slowly lost its vibrance.

At the same time, a drop of blood flowed out of her finger and fell onto the ribbon, deepening its colour once more.

The ribbon was the army the general led, and the endless blood they shed. It was akin to the ocean, so deep and cold.

Another set of flames appeared on the General’s Sword. However, the fire was unexpectedly cold!

Immediately, the body of the sword returned to its cold and solemn appearance.

---

The Northern Sea tribes had long believed in the divinity of blood.

If rumoured are to be believed, the blood in Tang Hong was the purest and most divine blood of the khan. This was the blood of rulers and conquerors, standing atop countless, without true friends or foes. This sort of blood contained inexhaustible energy within it, capable of burning down the world.

The brightly coloured blood flowed down the sabre, then fell onto the General’s Sword. Any ordinary person would have died immediately at the moment before, but Xiahou Jie did not. She was not burned by Tang Hong’s blood or overwhelmed by her energy. This was because she was a natural-born general, the only existence that could rival a king.

The battle in the Thirteenth Prince’s manor had reached its climax, and Xiahou Jie and Tang Hong had begun their contest through innate talent. In their previous clashes, whether it be the level of cultivation, the strength of willpower and perception, or the quality of their weapon and technique, their abilities were almost equal. Now, they could only look at whose blood would dominate the other.

Generals were subservient to kings; logically, Tang Hong would definitely be the final victor in this contest of innate talent. However, throughout history, it could not be forgotten that countless generals had overthrown their sovereign, picking up the crown themself.

A king could be a general, and a general could become a king; the line between the two had always been rather blurry. In the end, the greatest difference has always been a matter of will and temperament.

On the raised platform, two imperative yet utterly different blood mixed together. The two flames that varied between white and black were also mixed. Behind the light of the flames and the gleam of the sabre and sword, Xiahou Jie and Tang Hong’s eyes met. Faintly, they were linked mentally.

At that moment, Xiahou Jie saw many images. The vast fields and frozen lakes of the Northern Sea, the scenery within Mount Longhu and the growth of the little monster.

Conversely, the images Tang Hong saw were very few. She only saw the garden of the Xiahou family and the guests that came and went.

Tang Hong did not cover up anything. She was cold and proud, uncaring for her reputation or scared of revealing weakness - even if a mortal enemy like Xiahou Jie saw her inner self. For some reason, intentionally or not, Xiahou Jie, who should have led a far brighter life, concealed in her mind the countless images of her learning.

“What a hypocritical girl. You actually lived such a petty life and still want to stand atop the world? Why don’t you go to the underworld instead!”

Xiahou Jie did not follow up, speaking calmly, “You want to perish with me?”

Tang Hong replied with an indifferent expression, “I am a person that should not have been born to begin with. Why would I be afraid of death? If we perish together, the one first to go would be you.”

Xiahou Jie and Tang Hong’s blood continued to flow, smearing over the sword and sabre hilts. Afterwards, it fell on the platform between the two, causing the tough granite to melt at a swift speed.

Then, the entire courtyard began to burn. No matter if it was bright, imperial flames or the cold, bloodied flame; they were all true fire, as if they were capable of burning even the spirit.

A wave of light rushed out in all directions from Xiahou Jie and Tang Hong’s bodies, illuminating beyond to the manor walls. The streets of Lin’an began to brighten up, startling the drowsy inhabitants of the city. The grass and trees also began to burn. The hidden experts within the Imperial Palace felt the waves of light from the Thirteenth Prince’s courtyard, and quickly rose to inform the imperial court.

At this moment, the entire capital was startled awake by the two incomparably powerful and noble auras. It seems no one noticed the piece of Daoist robes rushing through the manor.