16: Chapter 0016 Indulging in Excessive Spending

On the ramparts of Stone Fortress, two tall women were gazing at the Dead Soldier Battalion heading out of the city.

One woman wore a veil, wrapped up tightly; it was Xiao Qingxuan.

Beside her was the masked Leng Bingyan.

"Qingxuan, you aren't hoping to see that swindler here, are you?"

Leng Bingyan was in a bad mood; if Xiao Qingxuan hadn't begged her, she wouldn't have come out!

Not only would being seen cause trouble, but more importantly, what was there to wait for with that swindler? It would be better to quickly find a way to slip out of the city and save their lives!

"Leng Bingyan, I've told you many times, Lin Xiao is not a swindler."

Xiao Qingxuan didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "He didn't tell you the truth, most likely because he was too embarrassed to say it."

"He is a swindler! Just a small soldier in the Border Army, marrying you, the Empress of Western Shu—if that's not marriage fraud, what is!?"

The more Leng Bingyan thought about it, the more she felt aggrieved for her good friend; this marriage was too shabby!

"He didn't deceive me. If I hadn't been willing, could he have forced me to go through the wedding ceremony?"

"Besides, do you think an ordinary soldier in the Border Army could write poetry like this?"

In Xiao Qingxuan's hand, she clutched a few crumpled, rough sheets of rice paper.

These were things she had found under the bed while cleaning.

They were all in Lin Xiao's handwriting, with some poems scribbled messily, seemingly written in his spare time...

When Xiao Qingxuan first saw them, the shock in her heart was beyond measure!

"A hundred battles on the field shatter iron armor, the north of the city is already surrounded by layers of siege."

"Charging the camp to shoot dead the Northern Barbarian general, alone leading the remnants and a thousand cavalry back..."

Xiao Qingxuan recited softly, a hint of admiration showing in her eyes.

"What literary talent, what spirit, what ambition is this?"

"What my husband lacks... is merely an opportunity to achieve great things!"

Leng Bingyan's willow-leaf brows knitted together. Although her mastery of poetry was not as good as Xiao Qingxuan's, she could still tell that this was indeed a first-class masterpiece!

"Hmph, let him come back alive first! Once the Dead Soldier Battalion goes to provoke them, the Northern Barbarian Army will definitely launch a fierce attack."

"If the city gates are about to be breached, I will take you away, even if I have to knock you unconscious!"

Xiao Qingxuan bit her flower-petal lips. Although she was the Empress of Western Shu, at heart, she was a very traditional woman.

Now that she had given her body to Lin Xiao, her heart was tied to her man.

She only hoped that her man could create a miracle and that they would be reunited as husband and wife...

Meanwhile.

Behind the Northern Barbarian camp, Lin Xiao was hiding behind a bush.

To remain hidden, he had long since let his warhorse go to avoid alerting the enemy.

Anyway, the Northern Barbarians had plenty of cavalry; when he needed one, he could just steal another.

After waiting for a short while, he saw a large group of cavalry charge out of the camp first, led by a chiliarch, and begin to advance toward Stone Fortress!

Behind them, the entire Northern Barbarian Army also began to bustle, preparing to assemble and march out.

Lin Xiao seized the opportunity and moved swiftly toward the Northern Barbarian camp.

Yesterday, Leng Bingyan's arrow had given Lin Xiao an idea—disguise himself as the Barbarian Army!

Since Leng Bingyan couldn't tell, the Barbarian Army soldiers surely wouldn't be able to distinguish him either!

He ran toward the enemy camp from the rear. Although some Barbarian Army soldiers saw him, they didn't think much of it; who would expect an enemy to be in the rear?

They just assumed he was one of their own who had gone out to relieve himself and was returning upon hearing the horn.

Lin Xiao specifically smeared his face until it was dirty, and his skin tone looked similar to that of the Northern Barbarians.

Once inside the camp, Lin Xiao followed the running soldiers and approached the largest tent.

With several thousand Barbarian Army troops, if a real fight broke out, Lin Xiao had no chance of winning.

His goal was only one—decapitation!

The Barbarian Army came from various tribes and was essentially a loose sand.

Once they lacked an absolute leader, they would most likely fall into chaos themselves!

Soon, Lin Xiao saw several generals riding tall horses. The burly man at the lead had a face chiseled like a blade and wore a bear-skin helmet; it was none other than Bate!

[Bate, 35 years old, Northern Barbarian Vanguard General, Aptitude: mystic grade]

[Technique 1: Greedy Wolf Saber Technique (45 years of cultivation), a saber technique of the Northern Barbarian Greedy Wolf Tribe, murderous and brutal, like a starving wolf preying on food. Grade: mystic grade]

[Technique 2: Greedy Wolf Archery (39 years of cultivation), Northern Barbarian Greedy Wolf Tribe archery, generally only passed down among nobles, possessing extremely strong penetrating power. Grade: yellow grade]

[Weapon 1: Skull Ghost-Head Saber (yellow grade)]

Lin Xiao's heart sank. He was worthy of being a great general commanding ten thousand elites!

Not only was his mystic grade aptitude stronger than his own, but his cultivation technique was also more profound than Leng Bingyan's!

Looking at the few people beside Bate, they were either chiliarchs or centurions, and all of them had at least yellow grade aptitude!

Lin Xiao knew he only had one chance; once he was entangled by this group, it would be difficult to kill Bate!

"Bloodlust hasn't been stacked yet; it looks like I'll have to pop some pills..."

Lin Xiao instantly spent 300 Prestige in the mall in one go!

[Ding! Obtained "Overlord Pill", after consuming it, it is like the Overlord possessing you, increasing strength by 30% for a short time. Grade: mystic grade]

[Ding! Obtained "gale pill", transforming into a gale, increasing movement speed by 30% for a short time. Grade: mystic grade]

[Ding! Obtained "Tiangang Pill", with Qi protecting the body, capable of resisting a large amount of damage for a short time. Grade: mystic grade]

Three mystic grade pills were basically the best he could buy right now.

Each one cost a full 100 Prestige!

Although Lin Xiao felt the pinch, there was no other way. To achieve a one-hit kill, he had to invest heavily!

If he didn't spend now, when would he!?

As the three pills entered his body, he instantly felt an endless amount of energy surging through him, and his armor felt increasingly light!

So strong! Indeed, expensive things have no drawbacks other than being expensive!

Before his eyes, three countdowns appeared: 2 minutes, 3 minutes, and 5 minutes respectively!

Clearly, the attack-enhancing pill was the most luxurious, with the shortest duration.

Lin Xiao seized the time and quickened his pace.

Approaching until he was only about ten meters away from Bate, there were no other soldiers in front of him.

"Stop! Which camp are you from? Why are you running around!?"

A centurion saw Lin Xiao leaving his formation and immediately shouted a reprimand.

But Lin Xiao completely ignored him, and instead, suddenly accelerated!

Seeing this scene, Bate and several other Barbarian Army experts immediately reacted!

Although they found it unbelievable—how could an assassin break into an army of thousands to seek death—they still drew their blades at the first opportunity!

"Assassin!!"

"Protect the general!!"

Almost in an instant, the sound of clashing blades rang out. Two centurions simultaneously spurred their horses forward and swung their blades down at Lin Xiao!!

Lin Xiao had already seized the moment, preemptively slashing horizontally, cleaving out a Blood Demon Blade Flame!

"Those who block me shall die!!"

Lin Xiao had now added 30% more strength; this strike went out, and the sound of it tearing through the air was shrill and ear-piercing!