37: Chapter 37 The General Who Punishes Rebels, Has Soldiers but No Pay

The wind of the Northern Border is not like wind, but like blades wrapped in iron sand.

Ye Feng stood before the barbican gate of Black Rock City, which was wide enough for horses to gallop through; the golden dragon token in his hand was slightly hot, emitting a low whine similar to that of a wild beast.

This token, brought out from the ruins of the Capital, seemed exceptionally sensitive to the killing intent here.

"Halt."

Two words, heavy as two mountains.

With a command, a forest of steel instantly rose at the previously empty city gate.

Three thousand Black-Armored Iron Cavalry surged out from nowhere and reined in their horses in unison; the sound of hooves stopped abruptly at the same moment, the ground shaking with a muffled thud.

The leader rode an Armored Giant Rhinoceros about a zhang high, clad in heavy armor, with a hideous scar like a centipede across his face.

The Border-Guarding General, Iron Madman. Late Stage of the Divine Sea Realm, just one step away from Core Formation.

Iron Madman stared down at Ye Feng as if looking at a dead man, his voice raspy: "Black Rock City is a strategic military stronghold; it recognizes only the Commander's Seal, not idle people. Even if you hold the golden dragon token, without the Troop-Deployment Tiger Tally issued by the Ministry of War, you'd better get the hell away."

Ye Feng narrowed his eyes, his gaze sweeping over the cold, glinting spears in the hands of the iron cavalry.

This was a show of force.

These people had received news as soon as he left the Capital; it seemed that His Majesty the Emperor, sitting high on his dragon throne, truly couldn't wait a moment longer to see him die.

"Commander's Seal?"

A cold sneer curled at the corner of Ye Feng's mouth; he did not reach for the crumpled Imperial Decree in his robes.

He turned sideways and walked to the two-meter-tall Gate-Guarding Stone Lion on the right side of the city gate.

This thing was carved from North Sea Sinking Iron Stone, weighing five thousand catties, specifically used to suppress the Evil Qi of the ley lines.

Ye Feng raised his leg, as if kicking away a small pebble on the roadside.

"Bang!"

A loud explosion drowned out the whistling wind.

The incredibly hard Sinking Iron stone lion instantly exploded, fragments flying everywhere like cannonballs, shooting out with a piercing sound of breaking air.

One fist-sized fragment flew past the red tassel on Iron Madman's helmet with a "thud" and embedded itself deep into the thick city wall behind him, sinking all the way in.

The red tassel broke and drifted down before the dusty hooves.

The Armored Giant Rhinoceros beneath Iron Madman was startled, pawing the ground uneasily.

The entire field fell silent.

"Now, am I qualified to enter?" Ye Feng brushed the stone dust off his pant legs, his gaze colder than the northern wind.

Iron Madman's eyelids twitched wildly.

Kicking Sinking Iron stone to pieces purely with Physical Body strength—was this kid's body made of a Yao Beast?

Before Iron Madman could lash out, a shrill and feminine voice abruptly broke into the tense standoff.

"The Imperial Decree has arrived—"

A grey-robed Court Secret Envoy appeared on the city wall at some unknown time, holding a bright yellow scroll in his hands; the color was exceptionally jarring in this dusty borderland.

"By the Grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Ye Feng's loyalty and courage are commendable. He is specially appointed as the 'General Who Suppresses Rebels' and is ordered to immediately take charge of the thirty thousand refugees outside Black Rock City to resist the upcoming beast tide. Respect this."

After speaking, the envoy casually tossed the Imperial Decree down.

Ye Feng reached out and caught it.

The Imperial Decree was light, but every word on it reeked of blood.

Refugees.

Not regular troops, but unarmed refugees who couldn't even get enough to eat.

Making him lead this group to block a beast tide was clearly sending him to fill the stomachs of the Yao Beasts.

Ye Feng's thumb rubbed over the bright red seal at the end of the Imperial Decree.

The Chaos Devouring Sword Body suddenly surged with restlessness.

A faint stinging sensation came from his fingertip; the seal ink actually contained an imperceptible trace of corrosive aura.

This wasn't ordinary cinnabar; it was the poisonous blood of a fourth-rank Yao Beast, the 'Bone-Corroding Demon Toad'.

How could there be Demonic Qi in the Emperor's private seal?

Ye Feng He suppressed this strange feeling deep inside without making a sound., tucked the Imperial Decree into his robes, and strode into the city.

This time, no one dared to stop him.

Passing through the barbican, the interior of Black Rock City was even more desolate than the outside.

The shops on both sides of the street were tightly closed, with only a few selling herbs and weapons still open.

Walking into the shadow of a corner, a faint, delicate fragrance suddenly drifted into his nose, diluting the bloody scent in the air.

"Young General, the wind and sand in the Northern Border are strong. Would you like a Wind-Settling Pill?"

An enchanting woman in red blocked his path.

She held a cyan Medicinal Pill in her hand, her eyes like silk and her voice so soft it made one's bones feel weak.

Ye Feng stopped, his gaze falling on the jade plaque hanging at the woman's waist—"Su Xiaoxiao, Manager of Spirit Medicine Pavilion".

"No need," Ye Feng refused coldly and moved to leave.