TNIBFT -Chapter 292 Heavenly Thunder and Earthly Fire

Because of the cannons, Lin Xianzhong was already agitated. Now, with so many soldiers blown to pieces and countless others trampled in the chaos, the losses were severe.

The siege hadn’t even begun, yet they had already suffered heavy casualties.

Seeing Jiang Yunxi’s domineering attitude again only fueled Lin Xianzhong’s rage. He snatched the whip from her hand and slammed it hard onto the ground.

“You—” Jiang Yunxi refused to back down, her beautiful eyes widening in anger. But when she met Lin Xianzhong’s murderous gaze, she let out a cold snort and turned away.

She stopped pretending.

She had already hinted at the Empress’s decree—Lin Xianzhong wouldn’t dare touch her because of it.

Below the city walls, screams echoed endlessly.

The atmosphere was tense and filled with terror.

All eyes fell on Lin Xianzhong. Today, his brows were tightly furrowed, his gaze full of resentment, yet he still hadn’t come up with a solution.

“General?” a deputy beside him reminded softly.

Lin Xianzhong snapped back to his senses, narrowing his eyes as he looked at the pitch-black objects on the city wall.

“You—take a unit and cover the vanguard. Go see what exactly those things are.”

“No matter how powerful a divine weapon is, it must have its limits.”

The deputy looked troubled.

He regretted speaking up earlier. Looking at the scorched craters in the ground, the severed limbs scattered nearby—some even with exposed entrails—this was a death like the worst kind of curse. He didn’t dare go.

“General, I… I…”

He stammered.

Seeing his fear, Lin Xianzhong grew furious. Turning to the other deputies and trusted aides, he demanded, “You! Which of you is willing to lead troops forward?”

Silence fell.

Everyone lowered their heads in fear. Some soldiers were so terrified they cried out for their parents. Morale had collapsed—this battle could no longer be fought.

“I… I won’t go! My wife is newly pregnant—I don’t want to die!”

“There’s something evil about Sifang City! This place is cursed—who knows when the ground beneath our feet will explode?”

“Exactly! I’m not going!”

The soldiers all retreated. Not a single one stepped forward.

Human joys and sorrows are never the same.

On the city wall, there was laughter and celebration. Below it, wails of despair.

Hearing the mockery, Lin Xianzhong clenched his teeth. He cast one last deep look at the city wall and shouted loudly:

“Sound the gong—withdraw the troops!”

“Retreat!”

They needed to figure out what those black lumps were before they could take Sifang City.

Lin Xianzhong spurred his horse forward. The main force split into two groups, following behind him in orderly fashion as they withdrew from the battlefield.

From atop the wall, Ye Tian looked down at the retreating army. They were clearly afraid—now pulling back.

Faced with something beyond one’s understanding, fear was only natural.

“City Lord, they don’t dare move anymore!”

“So the people of Great Zhou aren’t as fearless as we imagined—they can be deserters too…”

“Hahaha… come on! Come again—we’ll just blow them up again!”

“City Lord, should we press the advantage and pursue?”

Someone asked Ye Tian. Morale was soaring, and the garrison soldiers were eager to fight.

Ye Tian glanced at them. It wasn’t that he wanted to discourage them—but this group of thin, underfed troops, like scrawny wild dogs, would only be slaughtered if they chased Lin Xianzhong’s elite forces.

He waved his hand. “No need.”

“Today, aside from those guarding the city, everyone else is to return and rest.”

After giving his orders, Ye Tian left with Duan Qingshan and returned to the hotpot restaurant.

Watching Ye Tian’s retreating figure, Feng Jiaojiao stood in a corner of the city wall, her eyes filled with worry as she looked down below. At that moment, her legs felt weak—this was the first time she had personally witnessed such a brutal siege.

Erniu… is he alright?

Feng Jiaojiao was deeply worried, yet she understood that when two armies clash, there is only victory or defeat—there is no room for sentiment.

Besides, it was Lin Erniu who had intended to kill Ye Tian first!

At this time, the sky was pitch black, so dark one couldn’t see their own hand. Coupled with the slippery roads of Sifang City, Lin Xianzhong’s pace was slow. The main force trailed behind him like stray dogs, retreating in disgrace.

The entire army, like startled birds, ran over a dozen li in one breath.

The soldiers were exhausted and thirsty.

Just as Lin Xianzhong and his men were about to rest on the spot, faint sounds seemed to emerge from the darkness.

“Not good, it’s an ambush!”

“Stay alert!”

Someone shouted in alarm.

Out of the darkness, a large cavalry force charged forward, the sound of hooves pounding like dense raindrops.

What followed was the flash of blades and the clash of weapons. These mysterious attackers were highly skilled—ordinary soldiers were no match for them. They were undoubtedly elite fighters planted here by Ye Tian. Lin Xianzhong fled with his trusted aides, while the main force behind him was cut off.

By the time they reacted, Nanfeng was already waiting ahead. With a single move, Lin Xianzhong had no choice but to surrender.

No one knew how long the horses galloped across the snowy plains.

The violent jolting left Lin Xianzhong’s stomach in agony. His hands and feet were bound, and he was in a miserable state, muffled groans escaping his mouth.

“Whoa!”

Nanfeng pulled the reins tight. The horse neighed and circled in place.

Lin Xianzhong was thrown off the horse. Glancing around, he saw tents set up here, heavily guarded—it was clearly a military encampment.

And the insignia on the banners… did not belong to Sifang City!

His eyes turned wary.

Nanfeng said coldly, “Get in.”

Lin Xianzhong didn’t dare resist. The aura here was deep and imposing—the one in command was certainly no ordinary person. He followed the black-armored soldiers into the tent.

Inside, the firelight flickered. Lin Xianzhong didn’t dare raise his head.

A voice barked, “Kneel!”

Unwilling, he hesitated—but someone stepped forward and kicked the back of his knee. His legs gave out, and as he raised his head fiercely—

He met a pair of eyes.

Cold. Proud. Majestic. Oppressive.

The curses that had reached his lips instantly vanished.

“You…” he frowned, starting to speak.

Qin Fengyi looked at him indifferently and said, “Where is the Empress’s decree?”

Straight to the point. Her voice was icy.

Lin Xianzhong was suspicious. Who exactly was this woman? How did she know about the Empress’s decree? And what kind of force was stationed here?

He sized her up carefully. She wore simple, fitted attire, her long hair tied high. Though breathtakingly beautiful, her aura was cold and domineering—no one would dare look at her twice. Sitting in the main seat, she lacked neither the subtlety of a woman nor the boldness of a man. Simply by sitting there, she exuded the authority to command armies.

If he claimed ignorance, Lin Xianzhong had no doubt his head would fall in the next instant.

He glanced around, then lowered his head. “I carry it on me. May I ask… are you all subjects of Great Zhou?”

“The Empress’s decree was a mission personally assigned to me,” he continued. “But Sifang City is no longer what it used to be. The city lord, Ye Tian… I don’t know what kind of sorcery he uses—he can actually summon heavenly thunder and earthly fire.”

Seeing no reaction from the others, Lin Xianzhong had no choice but to take out the bright yellow decree from his robes and hand it to Nanfeng.

Nanfeng stepped forward, took it, glanced at it expressionlessly, then passed it to Qin Fengyi.

The imperial seal.

The decree was written on specially made fabric, and even the handwriting was familiar. Qin Fengyi frowned slightly, then took out the seal from her sleeve to compare. The small seal was intricately carved with complex characters, stained with vermilion paste. It was crystal clear, with a bright tassel hanging from it.

Lin Xianzhong stole a glance—and a thought suddenly struck him.

His eyes widened in shock, and he immediately threw himself flat onto the ground.