Chapter 35: The Fierce Valor of Zhu Zheng, A Sword Strikes Through the Mighty Pass!-Grande Ming: O Levante Jingnan! Eu saqueio cadáveres, mato inimigos e coleto atributos, fiquei invencível(Irmão Yang Voador)

The battlefield at Juyong Pass!

Chen Heng was directing the retreat of the vanguard, whose morale had already collapsed. Thousands of soldiers were falling back toward the rear lines.

But Zhu Zheng dared to be the first to charge.

He rushed out alone, utterly fearless.

"Who is that?"

Qiu Fu spotted Zhu Zheng charging ahead at once and asked with surprise, having noticed the armor of a military commander on him.

"Reporting to the General," Zhang Yu said immediately from the side, "that is Zhu Zheng, the commander of the First Military Battalion of Beiping."

"Zhu Zheng... is he truly so brave and fearless?" Qiu Fu remarked with a hint of astonishment.

"When an officer charges at the front, how could the soldiers feel any fear?" Zhang Yu replied quickly. "However, such an act by Zhu Zheng is indeed rare, as officers and generals usually focus on command."

"In a siege, one must charge with ferocity," Qiu Fu said in a deep voice, his eyes fixed on the situation before the city gate. "In this battle, we have no path of retreat. Zhu Zheng’s actions are enough to inspire the morale of the army. If he can break through Juyong Pass, his will be the greatest merit in this battle."

Zhu Zheng moved with lightning speed, though he did not unleash his full potential. His speed already exceeded that of an ordinary man by sixfold; to go all out would be too bizarre.

"Fire!"

On the ramparts, Wu Jun roared, showing no mercy as he watched the Yan army charging once more. A rain of arrows fell from the pass.

Zhu Zheng, leading the charge, was quickly enveloped by the volley. He raised his shield, the sound of arrows clattering against it ringing out like a constant chime as many were deflected. Simultaneously, he danced his Yitian Sword, easily swatting away any arrows that slipped past his guard.

Dozens of steps behind him, Zhu Gaoxu and Tan Yuan shouted loudly, "Disperse and charge! Do not crowd the ladders; our target is the gate! Once the gate is opened, we will rush inside and fight to the death with the enemy!"

They trusted Zhu Zheng implicitly. The situation made it clear: climbing the walls via ladders was a death sentence with little hope of capturing the pass. Only by breaking the gate was there a chance. While the odds were slim, Zhu Zheng’s immense confidence instilled a desperate hope in them.

Zhu Zheng moved alone, closing in on the gate while dodging the heavy rain of arrows. Finally, he reached the battering ram. Without a moment's hesitation, he consumed a Blood-Burst Pill.

As the elixir entered his body, his strength surged twofold in an instant—a force of over two thousand catties, an unimaginable power.

He pushed the battering ram, cluttered with corpses, and charged forward with a mighty shove. Even the rain of arrows overhead could not hinder his advance.

Boom!

With the sheer force of Zhu Zheng’s push, the battering ram struck the gate like a cannonball! The vanguard of the Yan army had struck the gate many times before without success, hindered by the relentless onslaught from the battlements. But this time, under Zhu Zheng’s impact, the gate shuddered violently, and the sound of breaking wood and snapping bolts echoed out.

Inside the pass, many defenders changed countenance. "Quick, reinforce it with the gate beam! Do not let the rebels break through!"

But at that moment, Zhu Zheng took a long stride, abandoned the battering ram, and gripped his Yitian Sword tightly.

"Power Strike!"

Zhu Zheng was deadly serious. He unleashed a combat technique that focused his entire strength, capable of erupting with double or even triple his normal power in an instant. Combined with the sharpness of the Yitian Sword, the ferocity of this strike was unimaginable.

"Open for me!"

As his full strength converged into his arm and the edge of the blade, he struck without hesitation.

This was a blow of over four thousand catties. It met no resistance; there was no sound of metal clashing against metal. Instead, there was a tearing sound as the blade bit into the gate, sending sparks flying. The heavy gate, as if made of fragile material, was cleaved open by the Yitian Sword.

A single blow! A massive fissure appeared on the gate.

"How is this possible?" The defenders inside stared, dumbfounded, at the huge crack. How could a thick, iron-reinforced gate be sliced open?

But the next moment, Zhu Zheng held his shield high and charged like a cannonball, slamming into the weakened gate.

*CRASH!*

Under his impact, a massive section of the gate collapsed inward. Several defenders were crushed instantly before they could even dodge.

"Enemy soldier killed. Strength +5, Silver +10 taels, Lifespan +10 days."

"Enemy soldier killed. Agility +5..." The system notifications rang in his ears.

"Brothers!" Zhu Zheng roared, his voice carrying immense power. "I have broken the gate! Follow me and kill!"

The portal to the pass was now wide open. Zhu Zheng did not hesitate. Shield in one hand and sword in the other, he stared down the thousands of defenders waiting inside and charged in without a hint of fear.

"Kill him! Block the gate! Do not let the rebels inside!" the defending general shouted, ordering his troops to surround the entrance.

Spearmen and archers moved to intercept, but Zhu Zheng remained fearless.

"Gale Slash!"

As he closed the distance, Zhu Zheng unleashed his most powerful technique—a high-grade Yellow Tier move. With his immense speed and strength, it looked as if a dozen or more strikes were launched simultaneously.

In an instant, Zhu Zheng moved like a ghost. He surged forward, and the seven or eight soldiers before him were swallowed by the sword's edge, falling into pools of blood before they could even react.

"Enemy soldier killed. Strength +5..."

"Enemy soldier killed. Stamina +5..."

As the attribute points from his kills bolstered his body, Zhu Gaoxu and Tan Yuan, watching from outside, were stunned.

"The Commander... he actually did it! He really broke the gate!"

"His strength is no longer human; it is the strength of a hegemon!"

"Excellent!"

The two battalion commanders were ecstatic. They did not think twice.

"Brothers!" Zhu Gaoxu and Tan Yuan roared, raising their shields and sabers. "The Commander leads from the front, invincible and brave, and has breached the gate! Follow the Commander and charge into the city! The merit for this battle belongs to our First Military Battalion! CHARGE!"

"Follow the Commander to the death!"

"KILL!"