Everyone present felt their scalp tighten.

“The commander is in too much danger; it should be entrusted to someone else,” Xiao Jin’s gaze darkened. “Protect yourself.”

Wei Hengzhi couldn’t help but glance sideways.

Xiao Jin’s attitude towards Wen YueSheng seemed to have improved significantly.

But then they heard Wen Yuesheng speak: “No, since they are coming for me, I should be the one to face them.”

The expressions of those around them changed.

Xiao Jin frowned and looked at her.

“The guests have come to our door; how can we let them leave empty-handed?” she said calmly.

Their discussion was not known to others.

Only the change in the formations on the battlefield was visible.

Lu Tingyu and Xiao Jin stood at the forefront, Wei Hengzhi at the rear, with Wen Yuesheng and Zhang Yulin in the middle.

Except for the two of them, everyone else mounted their horses.

The hunting ground was vast, and running on foot would consume considerable stamina.

From a combat perspective, those on horseback had a significant advantage over those on foot.

This was merely a martial contest; neither side intended to deliberately kill anyone, but on the battlefield, swords and spears were blind, and no one knew what might happen.

The battle was about to erupt.

Officials on the high platform, however, looked concerned.

“From the looks of it, is it true that the strength of Young Master Zhang hasn’t fully recovered?”

“The priority of this formation seems to be protecting the two inside… So, it’s almost certain.”

“Another possibility is that they are truly taking a dangerous gamble and have chosen the princess as the commander.”

“That’s too risky!”

It wasn’t that they didn’t trust Zhang Yulin, but his performance in the recent martial contests had been lackluster.

Not to mention comparing him to top warriors like Lu Tingyu, even regular military commanders had outshone him.

He was strong, but lacked technique, and was particularly prone to exhaustion during combat.

Given this situation, who wouldn’t be concerned?

As these people whispered, the martial contest began.

“Bang, bang, bang!” On the opposite high platform, a large war drum stood.

Two drummers grasped their drumsticks tightly and struck the drum.

The soldiers of Hao Zhou rode their warhorses, stomping in time with the intense drumbeats.

As they appeared, they gave a loud battle cry.

“Charge!” The horses raised their hooves, kicking up a storm of dust.

Dozens of warriors moved as one, their presence formidable as if a million men were marching.

They wore unified black armor, marching across the hunting ground, and their fierce aura was felt by everyone on the high platform.

Amidst the thunderous sound of hooves, countless spears and swords were swung toward Da Hui’s side.

As Wen Yuesheng had said, their primary target was to get her out of the game!

Nearly every soldier of Hao Zhou had the same aim: Wen Yuesheng.

The leading Hao Zhou warrior swung his hand, and a silver whip flew toward Wen Yuesheng’s face.

“Your opponent is me!” Lu Tingyu’s general cried out, raising his spear to intercept the whip and engaging with the Hao Zhou warrior.

At the same time, nearly all the Da Hui warriors engaged with their Hao Zhou counterparts.

Swords and spears clashed, and the hunting ground became chaotic.

Yet, Wen Yuesheng and Zhang Yulin never entered the battle.

At that moment, four generals under Yu Shun’s command moved.

The fierce warriors of Hao Zhou, previously seen one by one, now appeared all at once.

This was a rare sight in recent years, even in the wars between Hao Zhou and Da Hui.

Each of these four warriors was highly skilled, and their coordination was flawless.

As they moved, Lu Tingyu immediately galloped forward, blocking two of them by himself.

Xiao Jin followed closely, intending to stop the other two.

However, he was met by the fierce Hao Zhou warrior Jilan, who wielded an unusual weapon: a black iron axe!

Jilan had never appeared in the arena before, but upon showing up now, his iron axe sent Da Hui’s soldiers retreating in panic.

Xiao Jin swung his sword to block it, but in the process, another of Hao Zhou’s fierce warriors broke through the defense and charged directly toward Wen Yuesheng in the center.

Amidst the flying yellow dust and the chaos of battle cries, Wen Yuesheng stood still.

Zhang Yulin sat beside her, two purple-gold hammers lying on the ground.

The sight of them—one standing, the other sitting—seemed out of place against the chaotic battlefield.

It made everyone on the high platform watching the battle feel a pang of anxiety.

A Hao Zhou warrior, charging forward, raised his spear high.

From his horse, he spurred it into a gallop, his hand coiling with strength as he hurled the spear toward Wen Yuesheng and Zhang Yulin.

The spear tore through the air with a loud whistle, heading straight for Zhang Yulin.

Wen Yuesheng spoke: “Catch the spear.”

In the next moment, Zhang Yulin, who seemed to be resting casually, suddenly looked up.

Instead of picking up the hammers on the ground, he reached out with both hands and, just as the spear was about to pierce his face, he stopped it mid-air.

The spear seemed to freeze in his grasp, and the wind around him halted.

Even the high platform fell silent for a brief moment.

During that brief silence, Zhang Yulin remained sitting.

He didn’t stand up, nor did he turn the spear to face its original thrower.

Instead, he threw it with great force, and the spear, propelled by an unprecedented power, tore through the air and struck the warhorse of the attacking Hao Zhou warrior.

The horse screamed in pain and fell to the ground.

The warrior quickly dismounted, but as soon as he landed, a purple-gold hammer came crashing toward him.

Bang!

With a loud sound, the Hao Zhou warrior fell.

“Beep—” The whistle blew, and the soldiers in charge of supervision waved their flags, calling out: “Hao Zhou, one warrior is out!”

There was a brief silence on the high platform, then loud cheers erupted.

The Prince of Wei Yangwang was ecstatic: “This Zhang Yulin, he’s completely different from a few days ago!”

“Yeah, before, he couldn’t even defeat an ordinary warrior, but just now, he took on one of the four generals!”

“Did you notice? Before Zhang Yulin moved, it seemed like the princess spoke to him.”

“I didn’t pay attention.”

“Does that mean he really listens only to the princess’s words, as others have said?”

In less than a quarter of an hour, the enemy had already lost one general.

Da Hui’s momentum surged, and the atmosphere on the battlefield grew even more intense.

But the joy was short-lived, as a major setback followed.

The reason was simple: the Crown Prince of Hao Zhou finally made his move.

He circled the field, leaving a path of destruction in his wake.

His Qinglong spear, wielded with supernatural skill, cut down several of Da Hui’s generals.

As he approached, Wei Hengzhi charged forward to face him, but after only a few moves, Wei Hengzhi was struck down.

The Qinglong spear swung again, and Wei Hengzhi was sent tumbling, coughing up blood as he fell from his horse.

“Brother!” On the high platform, everyone from the Duke of the State’s household changed their expressions.

Wei Lanzhi hurriedly ran down the platform to check on Wei Hengzhi’s injuries.

Wei Hengzhi was carried off the field, and the royal physician diagnosed his injuries as serious.

Upon hearing this, the platform fell into silence.

After learning of Yu Shun’s prowess, many had already prepared themselves, but even so, they didn’t expect him to be this formidable.

With his Qinglong spear out, nearly no one could stop him.

At this moment, Yu Shun rode to the front of Wen Yuesheng and Zhang Yulin.

He sat proudly on his horse, the sunlight reflecting off his cold armor, enhancing his chilling aura.

The moment he appeared, Zhang Yulin stood up.

He picked up the two hammers and looked up at Yu Shun.

Yu Shun curled his lips into a slight smile, nudged his horse forward, and raised his hand to strike.

Boom!

The Qinglong spear clashed with the purple-gold hammer, producing a deafening sound.

Zhang Yulin staggered back three steps, barely regaining his balance.

But before he could react, the Qinglong spear was already upon him.

Yu Shun’s strikes were fast and ruthless, each one aimed to kill.

Zhang Yulin had strength but lacked technique, and within a few moves, he was forced to retreat.

His abdomen, left arm, and right shoulder were all injured.

Each time he swung his purple-gold hammer with force, it missed, and the recoil caused him harm.

His movements slowed, and he found himself falling further into disadvantage.

The officials on the high platform looked grim.

“At this rate, Young Master Zhang is no match for the Prince of Hao Zhou.”

“Not just that,” Duke(Marquis) Zhongyong shook his head, his expression heavy. “The Prince of Hao Zhou hasn’t even used his full strength.”

The others around him felt their hearts sink.

Not even exerting his full strength, Zhan Yulin was already being steadily pushed back.

If he were to use all his power, who in this arena could possibly challenge him?

At that moment, everyone realized just how crucial this marriage alliance was for the Great Hui Empire.

In just a few rounds of martial combat, Hao Zhou had already demonstrated their formidable military strength.

Moreover, there was such a well-rounded prince, skilled in both literature and martial arts.

If the other side ascended the throne in the future, it would be…

Thinking of this, many people felt an increasing sense of heaviness.

They looked towards the arena with burning eyes, hoping for a miracle, or for Zhan Yulin to possibly turn the tide.

However, the gap in strength was still too great.

After another setback, Zhan Yulin was close to exhaustion.

He was like someone pulled from the water, sweat dripping steadily onto the ground.

He wiped his face with his hand, his heartbeat pounding in his chest.

The heavy hammer he was holding dropped to the ground again.

Meanwhile, across from him, Yu Shun sat calmly on his horse, his face indifferent, almost as though he were unaffected by the battle.

Zhan Yulin placed his two heavy hammers on the ground, almost leaning on them to avoid collapsing.

He gasped for air, watching Yu Shun approach step by step.

Just as the Azure Dragon Spear was about to strike again, a soldier on horseback rode up to block Yu Shun.

This soldier was under the command of Lu Tingyu, renowned for his bravery.

He had fought alongside Lu the previous day and achieved victory.

However, in this moment, after only a few dozen exchanges with Yu Shun, he was quickly forced off the field.

By now, seven of the Great Hui’s soldiers had fallen to Yu Shun, one to Jilan’s hand, leaving less than half the number remaining.

Moreover, most of the people on the field were injured.

In contrast, Hao Zhou’s side had only lost four soldiers, and three of the four generals were still standing.

There was also Yu Shun, nearly unmatched by anyone else, in the arena.

The situation seemed entirely one-sided.

The faces of the people on the high platform were extremely grim, and the joyful atmosphere that had been there earlier completely evaporated.

Even the emperor’s expression grew solemn.

Below, Yu Shun was already closing in.

He had no intention of giving Zhan Yulin any chance to catch his breath.

But for some reason, he had not yet moved against Wen Yuesheng.

At this moment, Zhan Yulin heard Wen Yue Sheng speak.

This was the second time she had spoken since the battle began.

Wen Yuesheng said, “Today’s event is a test of endurance.”

Yu Shun suddenly raised his gaze and looked at her.

She stood not far away, unwavering, unaffected by the battle, and her posture remained the same, seemingly undisturbed by anything happening around her.

When Zhan Yulin heard her words, his expression suddenly changed.

“Throw the hammer, use the chain.”

Almost simultaneously, Zhan Yulin drew a thick iron chain from inside his purple-gold hammer.

“Chain out.”

With a clanging sound, he discarded the cumbersome hammer and switched to the chain, suddenly becoming much more agile than before, a sharp contrast to their earlier exchanges where his movements had been sluggish.

Yu Shun continued to counter with ease, but Wen Yuesheng spoke again.

Her voice was calm, without any fluctuation. “Wrap the fist, strike.”

At the next moment, Zhan Yulin wrapped the iron chain around his fist and struck with all his strength at Yu Shun.

Yu Shun reacted swiftly, blocking with the Azure Dragon Spear, but still, he was forced back a half-step.

This was the first time Yu Shun had been at a disadvantage in their combat since it had begun.

Before Yu Shun could consider this further, Wen Yue Sheng spoke again: “Strike low.”

“Head.”

“Shoulder.”

As soon as she spoke, Zhan Yulin acted.

He followed her instructions without hesitation, his movements almost mechanical, executing them as though he was not thinking at all.

With her guidance, the battle shifted in his favor.

Zhan Yulin, who had once been clumsy and reckless in his strikes, now seemed much more controlled.

The chain, lighter and more flexible than the heavy hammer, allowed him to exert pressure that even Yu Shun, despite his strength, found difficult to handle.

Yu Shun was being forced back.

Such a turn of events was unexpected, not just by Yu Shun, but also by the crowd above, who had already prepared for defeat.

Among them, Duke(Marquis) Zhongyong had the most extreme reaction.

He stood by the high wall, staring down, growing increasingly alarmed as he watched.

He shouted, “It’s the princess!”

“The princess is guiding Zhan Yulin.”

The crowd was in an uproar.

The Duke of the State was stunned, and after a long silence, he finally said, “The princess truly is the martial arts instructor of Master Zhan?”

At this point, no one had time to think further.

Zhan Yulin’s every move was now becoming increasingly precise.

At first glance, one couldn’t tell exactly what technique he was using, but each strike seemed to come from an unpredictable angle.

As the battle wore on, Zhan Yulin’s endurance seemed to improve.

His strikes with the chain became more fluid and powerful, pressing Yu Shun back with increasing force.

With every passing moment, the chain became an increasingly formidable weapon, twisting and striking with unrelenting pressure.

Eventually, Zhan Yulin managed to force Yu Shun off his horse, engaging in direct combat.

Yu Shun’s expression darkened.

His movements, which had once been casual, now became as rapid and violent as a storm.

But what was most frightening was that Zhan Yulin was still improving.

“Horizontal strike, slash.” Wen Yuesheng spoke once again, and Zhan Yulin’s chain transformed into a long sword, gleaming with deadly intent as it targeted Yu Shun’s vital spots.

“Wrap and strike, left side.”

With a hiss, the chain wound itself around the Azure Dragon Spear, while Zhan Yulin’s left chain, like an axe, swung toward Yu Shun’s head.

Yu Shun’s face changed dramatically.

He immediately released the Azure Dragon Spear and dodged, but still, the chain struck his arm.

The sound of the heavy blow landing was horrifying to hear.

The warriors of Hao Zhou also changed expression.

“Your Highness!” Jilan called out, attempting to ride forward, but he was blocked by Xiao Jin.

A sword pierced his shoulder blade, making him cry out in pain and fall from the arena.

The signal horn blew again.

“Beep—”

“Hao Zhou, one soldier out.”

The Great Hui side, all the soldiers and officials, were overjoyed.

Yu Shun’s expression turned grim as his gaze shifted to Wen Yuesheng, who was now standing behind Zhan Yulin.

With a sudden burst of strength, he retrieved the Azure Dragon Spear.

Ignoring the dull pain in his arm, he swung the spear and severed the chain in Zhan Yulin’s hands.

He then aimed the spear at Zhan Yulin’s knee.

At the same time, Wen Yuesheng spoke again: “Knee, avoid.”

But the chain had broken, causing Zhan Yulin to slow his response, and he took a direct hit from Yu Shun.

His knee armor shattered, and blood began to flow down.

Zhan Yulin, gritting his teeth from the pain, almost collapsed to the ground.

At this moment, he was only a few feet from the edge of the arena.

Xiao Jin, who had just sent Jilan off the field, saw this and rushed forward to save Zhan Yulin.

However, none of them had anticipated what Yu Shun was truly aiming for.

During the fight, he had gradually moved further from them, towards Wen Yuesheng.

The Azure Dragon Spear flew through the air as Yu Shun leaped forward.

The deadly wind from the spear made Wen Yuesheng’s robe flutter.

The blade flashed with a cold gleam, and with a fierce killing intent, it shot straight for her face.

“Princess!” Someone cried out in alarm.

Xiao Jin’s eyes narrowed.

From a great distance, he tried to intercept the spear with his sword, using it like a spear.

But the sword was no match for the spear, and it was knocked out of his hands.

Yu Shun’s left hand gripped the Azure Dragon Spear, and the cold blade was inching closer to Wen Yuesheng’s face.

The blade was growing larger before her dark, ink-like eyes.

The air around her was filled with a chilling killing intent.

She stood there, unmoving, as the blade drew closer.

Not only did she not flinch, but she showed no expression, just watching as the blade closed in, until the moment it almost touched her.

At that instant, Yu Shun saw her smile.

She had the face of a lotus flower, with eyes that could captivate anyone.

Her smile was subtle, but her charm was unmistakable.

To Yu Shun, however, that smile hid an ocean of killing intent.

It was as if her eyes were a black net, drowning everything in a dark tide of rage.

In that moment, he felt overwhelmed, as if the killing intent would swallow him whole.

Before he could react, the horn sounded again.

“Beep—” The long, drawn-out sound echoed through the entire arena.

“Martial combat concluded, Great Hui wins!”

Yu Shun froze.

He looked up, and through the cold blade, he saw Wen Yuesheng smiling lightly at him.

“Your Highness, thank you for your hospitality.”