Chapter 1440: Boiling Blood

"Fang Zhe, are you going to make an enemy of our Four Great Families?" Changsun Yi’an snapped his folding fan shut with a threatening tone.

"I just don’t want to be complicit with you, that’s a disgrace to a swordsman, and a disgrace to my Fang Family." Having said this, Fang Zhe led the charge leaping off the city wall.

One by one, disciples of the Fang Family followed closely behind, and among the crowd, a few young people with slightly different attire jumped down as well.

"Changsun Feiyun, Song Mingcheng, Mo Jing, what are you doing?" Changsun Wuji, with keen eyes, immediately recognized the two and sharply questioned.

The gaze of other Young Masters simultaneously turned, realizing that besides the ones called out, Changsun Feiyun, Song Yucheng, and Mo Jing, there were dozens of their own family disciples quietly mingling in the Fang Family’s ranks.

"Sorry, Young Masters, we’ve come to Lu’an City by family decree to make a name, not to be cowards. While you plot and scheme, we just want to fight the Exotic Beasts wholeheartedly." Changsun Feiyun turned his head and said.

"Besides scheming and deceit, what else can you do? Even if I die on the battlefield, I’ve no interest in being involved with you anymore." Song Mingcheng spat out a mouthful of saliva, jumping down with Changsun Feiyun.

If Mu Hanyan were present, she would undoubtedly recognize them as the two she had greeted on the city wall that day.

The scores of noble family’s sons glanced at their Young Masters, saying nothing, only shaking their heads in disappointment before leaping forward.

"You... you..." Changsun Yi’an and Mo Yanhong were left humiliated and angry, scolded until they couldn’t utter a word.

"Lord Tantai, Young Masters, I am taking three hundred personal soldiers to reinforce Beining Pass. Please hold Qingyang Pass for us, farewell." General Chen looked at Fang Zhe and the others with admiration, suddenly turning to Lord Tantai and the others.

"General Chen, you..." This time, it was Lord Tantai’s turn to be too enraged to speak.

"Kill!" General Chen, impatient to say more, led three hundred personal soldiers leaping down from the ramparts. With such bloodlust, he wished to take all the soldiers out the pass, yet duty prevented him.

Lord Tantai, Changsun Yi’an, and others turned red with anger, though only seven or eight hundred people left, just a third, but the remaining disciples and soldiers viewed them with strange glances — disappointment, mockery, and disdain.

"Fine, fine, I want to see what help they can be, just heading to their own deaths." Lord Tantai exclaimed with embarrassed anger.

As thousands of Exotic Beasts charged out of the canyon towards Beining Pass, suddenly, a troop of hundreds dashed down from Qingyang Pass to collide head-on with the Exotic Beasts.

"It’s General Chen, they’ve finally gone to battle!" The Fifth Prince said with surprise, the other soldiers and Shi Family disciples brightened.

But soon their expressions darkened again.

Only over seven hundred, if this vital army reached Beining Pass, it could turn the tide decisively, but facing the Exotic Beasts in an unguarded field, there’s absolutely no chance of victory; it’s tantamount to suicide.

Mu Hanyan’s heart also trembled slightly; she hadn’t expected Qingyang Pass to dispatch reinforcements. However, seeing that aside from the three hundred Qingyang Pass garrison, the rest were largely Fang Family members, she realized why and their intentions.

Mu Hanyan was deeply moved by the Fang Family and the three hundred garrison’s noble act but knew even if all seven hundred died on the battlefield, it wouldn’t make a big enough impact nor buy time to vanquish the Exotic Beasts beneath the pass — they were doomed!

In the canyon, the sound of battle shook the skies, Fang Zhe and others charged into the dark mass of beasts with high spirits, fearless and regretless.

On Beining Pass, the horn sounded again, so tragic yet so bleak.

The Fifth Prince’s eyes watered, Qu Fengting’s eyes watered, everyone’s eyes watered!

"Howl!" A wolf’s howl suddenly echoed through the canyon.

Could there be other Exotic Beasts? Everyone was taken aback, but soon they realized they were wrong, faces breaking into joy.

A stern-faced young man rode in on a Wind Wolf comparable to a Seventh Rank Sword Master, with nearly a hundred cultivators on various Exotic Beasts following closely.

Mu Cheng! Mu Hanyan exclaimed.

The foremost youth was Mu Cheng, who had stayed cultivating in Fang Town, and his mount was the Sword Pet Wind Wolf that Mu Hanyan helped him tame.

Behind him, the hundred cultivators astride various Sword Pets were guards of Nanyan Commerce and Fang Family disciples.

Mu Hanyan’s surprise was not over, as shadows rushed in behind them, though not riding Sword Pets, the Red Charcoal Cloud Smoke Beasts beneath were majestic.

Could it be reinforcements from Anyun? Mu Hanyan wondered while slashing beasts, realizing quickly she was mistaken.

The troop dressed variedly, waving assorted banners, yet these were not military flags but those of various Anyun chambers of commerce. If she remembered correctly, most were the ones she’d met last time in Fang Town, among them, Nanyan Commerce’s flag was notably conspicuous.

Then, Mu Hanyan saw familiar faces: Mu Family’s Great Elder from Heishi City, Yuan Family Master of Yuan Family, Wu Qiuyun, Young Master of Wu Family, now the top South Smoke Chamber sect of Nanxi County, Nie Fangsheng, head of Sword Casting Hall of Long Yan Academy, Gan Qiyi, head of Array Dao Hall, Tan Yu, Gu Linfeng, Gu Yushu, along with a group of Academy Disciples...

Mu Hanyan’s lips finally revealed a relieved smile.

"Master, we are here; these beasts in the canyon are ours." Fang Family shouted, with a distant point of their longsword.

Amidst cries, Nanyan Commerce’s guards and Fang Family disciples charged the beast herd, even though their strength wasn’t formidable, yet protected by Sword Pets, their combat power was enhanced tremendously, keeping them out of immediate danger.

"President Mu, don’t worry, with us here, these Exotic Beasts stand no chance encroaching Beining Pass even a bit." A chamber’s steward roared boldly, various commerce experts joining the fray.

Never underestimate these chambers, while their martial might cannot match the families, their financial power often surpasses them. As the saying goes, with rich rewards comes courage; with immense financial backing, even fallen families are at their disposal.

Moreover, many chambers boast long and rich histories, their heritage not necessarily inferior to those families, when united, their strength might even compel royal families to tread carefully.

Fortunately, this time, their opponents were Exotic Beasts.