Lin Qing was terrified by Lin Dan’s sudden act of self-harm and froze on the spot. Li Xian, however, was the first to react. He rushed forward, wanting to embrace her, but she knelt firmly on the ground, unmoving, as if she were a thousand pounds heavy.

Ding Mujie also ran over to help, his eyes red as he shouted, “Lin Dan, what are you doing?! Why has it come to this?! The old general and General Lin are watching you from above! They would never blame you! Please, get up! Someone, go call the military doctor, hurry!” He had lived two lifetimes but had never been this panicked before, with an unspeakable fear rising deep in his heart. He was terrified that Lin Dan would leave just like Old General Lin, General Lin, and all the sons of the Lin family before her. While dying in battle sounded glorious, facing it was much harder than speaking of it.

Lin Dan slowly and resolutely pushed Ding Mujie and Li Xian aside, then glanced at the hurriedly arriving military doctor. The doctor was so startled by her bloodthirsty gaze that he backed away, not daring to approach. Only then did she turn to look at Lin Qing and said word by word, “If I die tomorrow, the crime of patricide will be fully atoned for. If I don’t die tomorrow, I will destroy the Xiongnu and avenge the Lin family’s sons and all the fallen soldiers. Will that be enough?”

Lin Qing finally came back to his senses, falling to his knees with a thud. He wept bitterly, crying, “Sister, I was wrong! I was truly wrong! I shouldn’t have lost my temper at you earlier. I was angry at my own incompetence! Please get up and let the military doctor bandage your wounds, I beg you!”

But Lin Dan paid him no mind. She silently knelt before the altar, allowing her blood to flow out in streams. No matter what, she had indeed killed Lin Tie and she deserved to bear this guilt. At the same time, she continued to cultivate her internal energy but found herself touching a solid barrier that, with her current ability, she couldn’t break through. This meant that even if she hadn’t hesitated and continued practicing martial arts, she still wouldn’t have been able to save Lin Tie.

Human strength has its limits. Everything depends on human effort, but ultimately, it is up to fate. Thinking this, Lin Dan finally let go of her last shred of guilt and fell into deep meditation.

Lin Qing continued to plead with her. But every time he shook her, more blood spilled from her abdomen, and he dared not move her again. He sobbed so hard he could hardly breathe, his face wet with tears and snot, like a child lost and without direction. Everything his sister was enduring now should have been his burden to bear. It was his cowardice and avoidance that forced his sister to step forward. The person he should hate most was not his sister but himself— his own incompetence and weakness!

Li Xian shouted with red eyes, “Someone, carry General Lin Dan back!”

Ding Mujie suddenly stepped forward and said hoarsely, “Don’t touch her anymore. If she doesn’t kneel here to atone, she won’t be able to get past the guilt in her heart. That would hurt her more than killing her. Do you understand?” He had once ignored Lin Dan’s feelings, but now, he was willing to stand in her shoes and consider everything from her perspective. If she wanted to atone for her sins, then let her atone. He would accompany her.

With that thought, he lifted the hem of his robe and slowly knelt beside Lin Dan.

Li Xian closed his eyes briefly, a surge of emotion rising in his chest, before he waved his hand to dismiss the surrounding soldiers. The crime of patricide— those four words were so heavy that he couldn’t imagine doing it, nor did he dare to. All he knew was that if he were in Lin Dan’s position, he wouldn’t have survived, let alone knelt there. He would have collapsed long ago on the battlefield and been slaughtered by the Xiongnu.

He stared at Lin Dan’s straight back, his eyes filled with understanding, admiration, and pity. He knew that General Lin had died with a smile on his face, filled with contentment. Because with Lin Dan there, the Lin family would not fall. She could do what others could not, and bear what others could not. Her backbone was harder than steel and she was the new soul of the Lin family’s army.

Once she overcame this hurdle, nothing in the world would be able to defeat her. She would become invincible!

Clearly, the other generals shared the same thought, as they one by one knelt behind Lin Dan, their gazes filled with respect and awe. She was truly worthy! Worthy of the name of the loyal Lin family and worthy of the allegiance of hundreds of thousands of soldiers who had narrowly escaped death!

Had it not been for General Lin’s self-sacrifice and Lin Dan’s decisive actions, there would be no Western Army left there today.

Seeing the generals kneeling, the soldiers gathered around and knelt as well. They looked up at the slender figure kneeling at the front, their gazes growing ever more resolute. General Lin was gone, but they had a new General Lin.

Lin Qing’s sobs gradually ceased. He glanced around at his comrades, then looked back at the sea of soldiers, and a deep sense of shame welled up within him.

———pr


Meanwhile, Xue Zhao lay in his tent, waiting for the military doctor to remove the arrow from his body. Though Lin Dan had severely injured him in yesterday’s competition, he had hidden it out of pride and thus had been quickly shot down on the battlefield. Fortunately, his personal soldiers had followed his orders and carried him to the rear, saving his life.

After returning to camp, he couldn’t swallow his anger and ordered people to spread rumors that Lin Dan was ruthless, even capable of killing her own father. He had also incited Lin Qing to cause trouble for her. Judging by the noise outside, things seemed to have escalated quite a bit.

Just as this thought crossed his mind, one of his trusted subordinates entered and whispered, “General, the military doctor refuses to leave the memorial hall, saying he must watch Lin Dan at all times in case anything happens.”

“What’s wrong with Lin Dan?” Xue Zhao’s heart leaped with joy.

The subordinate sighed, “To atone, she stabbed herself three times, all in the abdomen. If she doesn’t make it through the night, there may be another coffin in the memorial hall. Such a fierce and resolute woman, I have never seen the likes of her. Lin Qing now dares not even breathe loudly, let alone quarrel with her. He’s kneeling behind her, banging his head so hard he’s bleeding, regretting it deeply. Li Xian, Li Zhong, and Fang Zhou are all kneeling behind her as well, completely subdued by her. And the soldiers, when they look at her, it’s like there’s fire in their eyes. They must already be utterly devoted to her. If she survives, the Western Army will still bear the Lin name— Lin Dan’s Lin.”

Xue Zhao was dumbstruck. After a long while, he gritted his teeth and muttered, “How could such a figure suddenly emerge from the Lin family? If only they were all like that coward Lin Qing! Go back and figure out a way to get rid of her, just like before.”

The subordinate quickly stopped him, “General, don’t think about it. Lin Dan slaughters the Xiongnu like slicing melons and cutting vegetables. On the battlefield, let alone ambushing her, even getting close is difficult. Just wait a bit longer. What if she dies tomorrow from excessive blood loss?”

“Very well, we’ll wait another day.” Xue Zhao took a painful breath and added, “Quick, go find the military doctor. I can’t bear this pain anymore.”

That night, the military doctor finally removed the arrow from Xue Zhao, but it was too late. The wound had become infected, and because it was near the heart, it caused a high fever. Despite being given several bowls of strong medicine, nothing could save him. His subordinate’s prediction came true. There was indeed another coffin added to the memorial hall.

———pr


The long night finally passed. Li Xian and Ding Mujie both reached out at the same time to touch Lin Dan, but then froze, eyeing each other warily. It was as if they had only just noticed one another’s presence, their eyes filled with curiosity and a barely detectable hostility.

A loud rumbling sound shattered the morning’s calm. The Xiongnu were beating their war drums again. They had been utterly defeated, and with their commander-in-chief captured, they couldn’t afford to wait a moment longer. They wanted to raise their banners and fight once more.

Lin Dan’s eyes snapped open. She didn’t even glance at the two men beside her, instead tearing off the mourning band from her forehead and wrapping it tightly around her waist. She grabbed her sword and commanded, “Continue the fight!”

“Fight! Avenge the fallen soldiers!” The soldiers kneeling behind her, who had been filled with grief moments before, were suddenly invigorated upon seeing she was fine. They quickly rose to their feet, putting on their still-bloodied armor and returning to formation with precision. Though it was the same army, something fundamental had changed from the day before. They now had a newly forged spirit and backbone.

“Commander-in-chief, it’s time to depart.” Lin Dan said as she held the crippled Mo Li, who had his bones shattered and tendons cut, in her hand.

“Let’s go.” Li Xian briefly glanced at Mo Li whose life hung by a thread and said no more.

Watching Lin Dan’s retreating figure, Ding Mujie was filled with frustration. If he could, he too would stand beside Lin Dan and fight together. He no longer wished to pursue the imperial exam or assist the Ninth Prince. Whoever wanted the throne could have it. All he wanted was to stay by Lin Dan’s side, guarding her and hoping she was safe and sound.

———pr


When they reached the battlefield, Lin Dan repeated Mo Li’s previous actions, but this time, it was he who had his teeth smashed and hung high on a wooden scaffolding. She sneered, “You Xiongnu are nothing but toothless tigers, hardly a threat. Sooner or later, I’ll tear out your claws, wipe out your tribes, and make sure you disappear from these grasslands forever!”

The previously arrogant Xiongnu army now stood in fearful silence. They dared not utter a word as they looked up at Mo Li, now unrecognizable from the torture. Yesterday, Lin Dan had seemed like a grim reaper, mercilessly harvesting Xiongnu lives. Her blood-soaked figure had etched itself into their minds, leaving an indelible mark. If anyone else had spoken such bold words about exterminating the Xiongnu, they would have laughed at the absurdity. But hearing it from Lin Dan, it felt like a prophecy, filling them with a bone-deep chill.

They didn’t realize it yet, but in just one battle, Lin Dan had instilled fear in their hearts.

A Xiongnu scout whispered something into a general’s ear while occasionally glancing at Lin Dan’s bloodied abdomen. The general nodded, said something in their language, and then shouted in Han language, issuing a challenge for a one-on-one duel with Lin Dan. Clearly, they had noticed she was gravely injured and hoped to provoke her into action so they could capture her alive and use her to exchange for their commander-in-chief. It was a familiar tactic, but effective.

Lin Qing was overwhelmed with shame. If this weren’t a battlefield, he would have wished the ground could swallow him up. If it weren’t for his cowardice and misplaced anger, his sister wouldn’t have suffered such grievous wounds. On the battlefield, where swords knew no mercy, she had bled all night and was already weak. If she faltered even slightly today, she could very well be killed. What had he done? If their grandfather and father knew in the afterlife, they would surely be deeply disappointed in him!