Rebirth: The Journey of an Heiress

"Quick! Stones! Stones! Burning oil! Hurry!" the Xiliang soldiers shouted loudly.

Fortunately, Sal Khan had some foresight. When the city was surrounded, he had people prepare and bring up all available means to resist the siege.

Yet, the shield was tilted over several people's heads, not only blocking the arrows from above the wall, but even the stones thrown from the city wall couldn't harm them in the slightest. The stones could only cause the shield to slide down two or three inches, wedging on rivets embedded in the city wall's gaps, and then roll off the inclined surface of the shield.

The soldiers of the Shuoyang Army at Niujiao Mountain coordinated seamlessly, their momentum upwards not aggressive, but steady.

The Xiliang soldiers poured burning oil, and the lit oil fell through the gaps in the shields onto the soldiers' bodies. Some soldiers caught fire and didn't have time to put it out before plummeting from high places, while flowing fire burned through some protective ropes. However, this did not stop the Zhou soldiers' speed in scaling the city walls; instead, it urged them to accelerate. They clenched their jaws tightly, roaring to rush up and fight to the death against these Xiliang troops and the Tianfeng Army.

Bai Jinzhi, riding at the very front, saw the soldiers surging like bamboo shoots after a rain from the base of the city wall, climbing higher and higher, densely occupying half of the city wall. She gritted her teeth and raised her red tassel spear high, her eyes reddened, her voice loud and deafening: "Zhou soldiers! Shuoyang Army brothers have already paved the way for us. We must take Pingdu City within half an hour in this battle! Kill!"

As Bai Jinzhi's voice fell, she rushed out first.

The soldiers raised their swords and shouted loudly.

The Shuoyang Army soldiers at Niujiao Mountain were the first ones to rush to the top of the city wall, engaging in fierce battle with the Xiliang troops and Tianfeng soldiers, before throwing down soft ladders for other charging soldiers to climb the wall.

Ladders were also pushed to the city wall earlier, allowing more and more Zhou soldiers to break into the city.

Bai Jinzhi courageously took the lead to rush towards the city wall, greatly inspiring the soldiers.

Bai Jinzhi knew that the more giant elephants she killed here, the easier it would be for her fifth brother later. She issued an order for the soldiers to break into the city, occupy the high ground of the city wall, and open the gates!

In the slippery areas polished by the soldiers' footing, she prepared a grand gift for the Elephant Army of Tianfeng Kingdom, so when they ascended the city wall, the task was to occupy high ground and force those giant elephants to disperse and drive them out of the city.

Sal Khan did not anticipate the speed of Zhou's siege would be so fast, fast enough that they had no time to prepare.

The speed and cunning manner with which the Shuoyang Army soldiers climbed the city walls was unprecedented for the Tianfeng Kingdom and Xiliang, causing great shock, inevitably planting intentions of retreat in their hearts.

Seeing the Shuoyang Army steadily and swiftly ascending the wall with minimal casualties, and then seeing the bravery of Zhou's Lord of Gaoyi, each Zhou soldier fought as if infused with adrenaline, exceptionally brave. They climbed the walls at all costs to engage in bloodshed with the Tianfeng Kingdom and Xiliang soldiers, soaked in blood... with eyes reddened by fury!

Just as their Emperor said, none of them had a retreat. Behind them were tens of thousands of lives of Zhou's citizens! It was their spouses and children!

If they didn't want the flames of war to spread to the land of Zhou, they had to eliminate the enemy forces on Xiliang's soil!

When their comrades fell beside them, they picked up their comrades' swords and bows to continue the battle, carrying the weight of their comrades' fight, striving to kill a few more enemies before dying, so that in the days to come, fewer citizens of Zhou would perish!

They were the elite soldiers of Zhou, and when faced with danger, they should courageously stand at the forefront for Zhou citizens, using their lives to guard the safety of Zhou citizens, no matter what kind of formidable enemy or giant beast they faced!

They ignited the oil prepared by Tianfeng Kingdom and poured it onto the body of the giant elephants, crossbowmen desperately shot flaming arrows at the Elephant Army. The giant elephants, with their bodies set ablaze, screeched in pain and stumbled about, crashing into houses and sheds on the long streets, spreading the flames everywhere, affecting Tianfeng and Xiliang soldiers rolling everywhere, where the fire touched... it ignited, and the fire within Pingdu City grew larger.

One of the crazed, burning giant elephants rushed madly towards the city gate, crashing open the heavy gates of Pingdu City, then dashed out the gate blazing, falling and rolling wildly in the snow.

Though Pingdu City was large, because of the elephants' aversion to cold, Tianfeng Kingdom had all their treasured Elephant Army brought into the city to shelter from the snow, hence making the city extremely crowded.

It was also because Tianfeng hadn't faced any adversary for a hundred years that in the lands where Tianfeng Kingdom was, there was no winter... no one dared to attack any city with an Elephant Army stationed, so they never considered bringing all the Elephant Army into the city. If faced with a siege, the Elephant Army crowded into the city gates together, not even one could get out, causing the city walls to tremble from impact.

The bone whistle commanding the Elephant Army sounded, but the elephants heavily enveloped in roaring flames were uncontrollable, only those not yet soaked in oil or whose flames had been extinguished obeyed the whistle, following the sound to line up towards Pingdu City's south gate.

The Zhou soldiers only captured the city wall, not descending to battle within the city. They frantically shot arrows and crossbow bolts at the Elephant Army. Previously, Sal Khan had people transport stones and burning oil up the wall for defense... but they instead became tools for Zhou soldiers occupying the city wall to deal with Xiliang soldiers and Tianfeng soldiers forced down the walls, and even became weapons against the Elephant Army, unprepared for retreat.

Sal Khan was greatly surprised, as this was an enemy Tianfeng Kingdom had never encountered before. He had heard that Zhou had a special force, able to scale walls rapidly, impervious to stones and crossbow bolts. He wanted to see it but was dragged by the Great Shaman's disciples onto a giant elephant...

Tianfeng Kingdom's escape route was south of the Danshui River, so now Tianfeng could only charge through the south gate.

The north gate... had already been breached by Zhou!

At the south gate, Tianfeng Kingdom sent out the Elephant Army to engage in combat with the Yan Army guarding Pingdu City's south gate, swearing to carve a bloody path.

Sitting atop the giant elephant, ready at any moment to break through the south gate, Sal Khan clenched his fists tightly, feeling suffocated... angered like never before.

He looked up at the dark night sky sprinkled with tiny snowflakes, desperately wanting to ask God why he treated Tianfeng Kingdom so, as Tianfeng Kingdom was his most loyal believers.

He earnestly wanted to order an assault on Pingyang City next, to capture Bai Qingyan alive, force her to reveal the whereabouts of the jade cicada, then kill all of Zhou's poor citizens in front of Bai Qingyan!

But he dared not...

Tianfeng people feared and revered God deeply, especially since… God cast punishment, allowing the desert to devour Tianfeng Kingdom's land, Tianfeng people's reverence and dread for God reached its peak.