Wu Caiwei paid no heed to his words; the most talkative often died the fastest.
The generals on the Qin King's side cast their gazes at him. They recognized him as the man who had arrived at the camp just yesterday, someone from the Grand Commander's retinue. His tone was extremely arrogant. The opposing side had already lost several great generals, and they were somewhat intimidated, hesitant to advance further. It was a perfect opportunity for them to test this newcomer's strength. All of them unconsciously took a step back.
As if unaware, Wu Caiwei made an inviting gesture. The imperial court's contingent had only intended to mock them and hadn't expected them to take it seriously. Seeing their movements, they wondered if this person was truly a master. They instinctively became more vigilant.
To be safe, they dispatched General Li, the most skilled in martial arts, and kept the archers ready to provide support at any moment.
Wu Caiwei calmly watched the opponent charge forward on horseback. When he drew his long spear, to everyone's astonished dismay, Wu Caiwei swiftly threw her own spear.
The two spears collided with a "bang." Wu Caiwei's spear, struck with great force, bounced back. She caught it effortlessly, while General Li was thrown from his horse by the impact. Before he could even stand, Wu Caiwei's spear was at his throat.
The next moment, she heard the sound of arrows whistling through the air. She quickly ducked, and an arrow grazed her ear, embedding itself in her hand. Wu Caiwei exerted her strength, sending the arrow back the way it came. A cry of pain rang out, followed by a "thump" as someone fell from their horse.
Seeing that the situation was decided, the Qin King's men quickly produced ropes and bound him tightly before dragging him away.
Wu Caiwei circled her horse in place. Seeing them deliberating for a long time without reaching a conclusion, she grew impatient and sarcastically remarked, "You generals, who have fought on countless battlefields, can't even compare me, someone who isn't even considered a general. Besides, what are you afraid of? You captured three of our people, and we only captured one of yours. Let's exchange them. There are still two spots left. Surely you're not afraid of losing?"
"Who's afraid of losing? As you said, you captured three of our people, and we've only captured one of yours. General Li's defeat was too quick, making me suspect you might have used some trickery. Come, let me test you." General Xu, known for his impetuous nature, couldn't stand it. He and General Li were close friends. Seeing his good brother captured, he was determined to retaliate.
The Great General did not intervene. He wanted to probe the opponent's capabilities further. Everything had been developing according to his plan, but unexpectedly, someone like this had intervened. He wondered if there was any room for recovery. Today's morale was bound to be affected.
The Qin King, even more so, could not break this deadlock. He urgently needed Wu Caiwei to capture three more great generals in succession to exchange for his own men. He had not expected this seemingly unreliable person to have actual prowess. He was unsure of the extent of his martial arts skill. Honestly, he had not placed much hope in him earlier. When he walked onto the battlefield, the Qin King was still discussing matters with his subordinates. In the blink of an eye, he had captured an opposing general. It was too fast; who knew if luck played a part? This time, he had to watch closely.
Wu Caiwei calmly watched the opponent charge forward with formidable energy. She quickly raised her long spear, twirled it in a graceful flourish, and knocked the opponent's weapon away. General Xu looked at her in shock. His strength was renowned, yet this slender, small person had effortlessly deflected his spear and sent his weapon flying. Before he could react, the spear struck his waist, knocking him from his horse.
As he was bound and dragged away, he still wore a look of disbelief, unable to comprehend how it was done.
This time, everyone saw clearly. In the military camp, both General Li and General Xu, renowned for their martial prowess, were no match for the opponent. This demonstrated the opponent's extraordinary skill. Even more frightening was that neither of them had lasted even a single round. They dared not contemplate the extent of the opponent's martial arts mastery.
The Qin King, who had been somewhat excited, could no longer smile. If the opponent's skill was only slightly superior to theirs, he could have offered praise and temporarily gained a powerful ally. But his skill was so terrifying; could the court he was determined to destroy truly defeat them? It was an unknown.
Although the Great General was reluctant to admit defeat, after these two battles, morale had plummeted, and further attacks on the city would be pointless. He quickly ordered a retreat.
Wu Caiwei's performance in this engagement astonished the soldiers of both sides. Upon returning to the Qin King's tent, she felt a shift in everyone's attitude towards her, no matter where she went. These martial generals were easily swayed; those seasoned by battle admired strength. The Qin King's complex gaze was understandable. She calmly fanned herself.
Seeing her nonchalant demeanor, the Qin King, to be honest, was afraid at this moment. His intuition told him that the Grand Commander, who had not yet appeared, would be a formidable adversary. If even his subordinate was so formidable, what terror would his own strength possess? Suddenly, he recalled the rumors: the two of them had obtained eighty thousand troops with their bare hands.
When he first heard this rumor, he didn't believe it. How could General Liu readily hand over so many troops? Unless that person was the Escaped Prince. He hadn't heard of any descendants of the Escaped Prince remaining. Furthermore, even if there were, how could the Emperor easily let it slide? Others might not know him, but he knew the Emperor well. The one who dealt with the Escaped Prince was likely his elder brother, who sat on the throne and spoke of benevolence and righteousness.
Now, it seemed possible. Given their terrifying strength, he didn't believe any general could match them. It was understandable for the Escaped Prince's men to defect to them, considering how many blows they had suffered at the border over the years. He had originally planned to contact them after resisting the imperial court for a few years, hoping to gain their support and achieve twice the result with half the effort. He hadn't expected others to be so quick.
Suddenly, the Qin King regretted his haste. He had endured for so many years; enduring a few more would not have mattered. Now, he found himself in a predicament, unable to advance or retreat, forced to commit to this path.
Human joys and sorrows are not interconnected. Wu Caiwei, meanwhile, strolled happily through the Qin King's territory, asking daily where the fun was. She had finally come here, and she didn't want to leave with regrets, not knowing if she would ever have the chance to return.
Initially, the Qin King had his men report Wu Caiwei's whereabouts daily. He hadn't expected her to be so carefree, with battles imminent, yet still having the leisure to eat, drink, and sightsee.
Later, he directly instructed them to report only if there were special circumstances, and otherwise, not to disturb him, as he had a mountain of affairs to handle. Every time he was overwhelmed with work, and then heard of her leisurely pursuits, he couldn't help but feel envious, which worsened his mood. To prolong his own life, it was best to provoke her as little as possible.