Yan Ning knelt on the ground, clutching his knees tightly, his face ashen and full of deep self-reproach.
Since childhood, he had demonstrated a powerful talent for medicine and had studied under the first physician of the Tianqing Kingdom, believing that no one among the younger generation could surpass him in medical skills.
With his medical expertise, if he had examined carefully, he could have definitely detected the poison from the Moro Herb, but he was overconfident and hadn't done any investigation at all. He merely glanced at Zhang Baisheng's wound and concluded there was no poisoning.
If Xiao Yi hadn't showed up in time to stop his foolish actions—
Zhang Baisheng would have died in his sleep.
Now, with the Tianlan Kingdom's army on the verge of laying siege, it's clear how huge an impact Zhang Baisheng's demise, as the commander, would have on the battle.
By dawn tomorrow, Tianlan Kingdom may well have broken through to Heiya City.
He would have become an eternal sinner!
Zhang Baisheng and Hou Sailei, among others, also let out a long sigh of relief.
Zhang Baisheng looked at Xiao Yi with complicated eyes. Before this, he had felt dissatisfied with Xiao Yi, a young man who, despite his tender age, held a higher title than him—a seasoned general who fought many battles and won great honors for his kingdom.
Now however, he was already very much persuaded by Xiao Yi.
"There's no need for Mr. Yan to be !"
Xiao Yi waved his hand, seeing Yan Ning's sincere admittance of guilt, and he didn't continue to make things difficult, "No one is perfect, but doctors are unlike ordinary people. A doctor saves lives, and any negligence could potentially cost someone their life. There absolutely must not be any room for errors!"
"Your Highness the Martial King has taught me well. I'll engrave this lesson in my heart and never make the same mistake again!" Yan Ning said earnestly.
Xiao Yi smiled and nodded, then turned to Zhang Baisheng, "Old General, I've removed the poison from your body, but you shouldn't engage vigorously in battle for a short time."
"Thank you, Your Highness the Martial King, for saving my life!"
Zhang Baisheng clasped his hands gratefully and chuckled bitterly, "Now that the Tianlan Kingdom's army is at our doorstep, and having already clashed with them before, the enemy troops are the elite Tianlan Army this time. In their army, there are two generals at the Golden Elixir Peak, and their commander is none other than Ling Wufengyun, the National Advisor of the Tianlan Kingdom. An old man like me cannot afford to rest, alas!"
Ling Wufengyun, the National Advisor of the Tianlan Kingdom.
She was also the only female among the ten nations of Nanhuang to reach the Tao Tribulation Realm.
Her cultivation had reached the Second Layer of the Tao Tribulation Realm, far surpassing Zhou Yuan, who had forcefully advanced to the Tao Tribulation Realm by using the Martial Dao Divine Fruit.
This was the reason why there were restrictions among the kingdoms that forbid those in the Tao Tribulation Realm from taking direct action in wars.
With just Ling Wufengyun alone, she could forcibly breach Heiya City and lead the Tianlan Kingdom's army to storm through.
Xiao Yi said, "Old General, rest assured. Since I'm here, I won't allow the Tianlan Kingdom's army to advance any further!"
Zhang Baisheng was startled, catching on to Xiao Yi's confidence and said in a deep voice, "Your Highness the Martial King, could it be that you already have a strategy to repel the enemy?"
Hou Sailei and others all turned their attention to him.
The defending army of Heiya City numbered only two hundred thousand, while the Tianlan Kingdom's army had a full million soldiers!
Even General Baisheng, a veteran of countless battles, had no strategy to repel the enemy.
Could Xiao Yi have one?
Hou Sailei said gravely, "Your Highness the Martial King, this concerns the life and death of the Tianqing Kingdom. This is no matter for jokes!"
"Your Highness the Martial King, we respect your martial prowess and medical skills, but in terms of leading troops into battle, any one of us here has more experience than you..." Brigadier General Zheng Le frowned and spoke.
He was a young prodigy too.
He had joined the military at a young age.
Therefore, he had not made it onto the Dragon Tiger List.
But his talent was certainly not weak. At the age of thirty-three, he had already reached the Fifth Layer of the Golden Elixir Realm, achieving great military accomplishments and becoming the youngest general in the Tianqing Kingdom.
Zhang Baisheng, worried that Zheng Le's words would irritate Xiao Yi, hurriedly said, "Your Highness the Martial King, this is Brigadier General Zheng Le from my command. Don't let his youth fool you, he has led ten thousand troops to annihilate thirty thousand of the Tianlan Kingdom's army."
Zheng Le looked proud.
Xiao Yi laughed indifferently, "If it's about going into battle and leading troops in warfare, I naturally cannot compare with all of you. But if everything could only be achieved through the accumulation of experience, what's the point of being a prodigy?"
Everyone was dumbfounded.
Zheng Le's expression also darkened. As a leading figure in the military, and hailed as the successor to Zhang Baisheng, the fact that Xiao Yi dared to mention the word "genius" in front of him was unthinkable. Zheng Le narrowed his eyes and taunted sarcastically, "So, His Highness the Martial King means to say that your talent in leading troops into battle is stronger than mine?"
Xiao Yi responded indifferently, "I wouldn't dare claim my ability to lead troops into battle is stronger than yours, but at least I have a method to defeat the Tianlan Kingdom's army, which you do not!"
Zheng Le's complexion shifted slightly.
Indeed, he had no way to stop the Tianlan Kingdom.
Even before Xiao Yi arrived...
He had been advocating for a retreat to the capital and to negotiate peace with the Tianlan Kingdom!
Xiao Yi claimed he could defeat the Tianlan Kingdom?
Zheng Le sneered, "If you truly can defeat the Tianlan Kingdom's army, I, Zheng Le, am willing to personally hold your horse!"
"A gentleman's word is as good as his bond!"
Xiao Yi smiled faintly and turned to Zhang Baisheng. He gave a respectful bow and said, "Old General, Xiao Yi has a strategy to defeat the Tianlan Kingdom's army, but it will require some sacrifice on your part!"
"What are you talking about, Your Highness the Martial King! If we really can defeat the Tianlan Kingdom, even if it means this old body has to die right now, I'm willing!" Zhang Baisheng hastened to his feet and spoke earnestly.
Xiao Yi nodded and said solemnly, "Then please, Old General, hand over the Tiger Talisman to me first!"
The symbol of military command.
Possessing the Tiger Talisman means one can mobilize the entire army.
"Absolutely not!" Zheng Le protested.
Hou Sailei also looked worried.
Although Xiao Yi was the Martial King of the Nation, he had just arrived and was already asking for the Commander's Seal.
If Xiao Yi's strategy failed, it could very well doom all the soldiers and civilians of Heiya City!
Xiao Yi's demeanor remained calm, the corners of his mouth lifted slightly, wearing a faint smile.
He did not say much more, only quietly looking at Zhang Baisheng.
Waiting for his decision.
After a moment of silence.
Zhang Baisheng took a deep breath, held it for a moment, then slowly exhaled. He took a black Tiger Talisman out from his Storage Ring and handed it solemnly to Xiao Yi, "Your Highness the Martial King, the lives of the hundreds of thousands of Heiya City's soldiers and civilians, and the fate of the Tianqing Kingdom, are now in your hands!"
"Be at ease, General!"
Xiao Yi solemnly accepted the Tiger Talisman and said in a deep voice, "Old General, to carry out my plan, we must kill you first!"
Zhang Baisheng was stunned.
At that moment, Xiao Yi pointed a finger, and a wave of energy rippled wildly from the center of Zhang Baisheng's forehead. With a buzzing sound, Zhang Baisheng spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, his body rigidly falling backward...
"Xiao Yi, you're seeking death!"
Hou Sailei and Zheng Le were beside themselves with rage, wishing they could tear Xiao Yi to pieces.
He actually made a move to kill the old General, Zhang Baisheng?
Was this a grab for power?
The hall was plunged into complete chaos...