Time Travel: I'm a Flower Thief

The thunderous roar of iron hooves echoed along the official road, as ten thousand armored soldiers pressed down on the city like a dark cloud, heading straight for Mount Fuyu in the East Sea.

The army stopped midway to rest, and Qin Huaiyu jumped off the carriage to admire the scenery along the way.

Kuang Tie looked up at him, his voice steady and carrying the unique weight of the Northern Frontier War God:

"Eunuch Qin, there is still something on my mind that I would like to ask you to confirm."

"General, please speak freely."

"I've heard you've fought Xie Xiaoyi twice. Just how skilled is he in martial arts?"

Upon hearing this, Qin Huaiyu slowly withdrew her gaze from the scenery, her tone now tinged with approval:

"He is indeed a child prodigy; his progress is astonishing."

Qin Zhong stepped forward and gently handed a leather pouch to his side, whispering, "Godfather, have some water."

Qin Huaiyu nodded slightly, took the water and drank a couple of sips, then handed the leather bag back.

He paused for a moment, then continued, "When he was initially ranked on the Hidden Dragon List of the World Association, he was only at the sixth rank of cultivation."

By the time the news from the assassins of Lingxiao Palace arrived, he had already reached the Ninth Grade Vajra Realm.

When we met him in the East Sea with the Second Prince, he had already reached the Starry Sky Profound Realm, a true Upper Fifth Realm expert.

Kuang Tie's eyes sharpened, and he praised:

"He's leaped through several realms in just six months, his progress is so rapid, Xie Xiaoyi is no ordinary person!"

The deputy general Tu Lie immediately stepped forward, his voice rough and loud: "Why should the general boost the morale of others and diminish our own prestige!"

You have cultivated the Vajra Realm for twenty years, forging an unparalleled physique. Ordinary experts of the Upper Five Realms cannot harm you in the slightest!

Back then, the wolf king of the Northern Wolf Clan, Borchina, was already at the half-step Starry Sky Profound Realm, but he still couldn't withstand three of your strikes.

"No matter how monstrous or genius Xie Xiaoyi is, how could he possibly be your match? At most, he'd only allow you to land a few more blows!"

That's a really nice compliment!

Kuang Tie burst into laughter, his voice filled with heroic spirit:

"Vice General Tu, you flatter me. Since His Majesty has ordered me to apprehend Xie Xiaoyi, I will naturally capture him personally and ensure he has no chance of escape!"

Qin Huaiyu remained calm, ignoring the conversation between the two. He had previously spoken with Wang Shaobo.

That grandmaster himself said that Xie Xiaoyi withstood several of his blows in the forbidden area of ​​the Imperial Ancestral Temple without being defeated.

He was already a master of the Moon Ruins Breaking Dust Realm, and his true energy was far more profound and his foundation more solid than those of other cultivators at the same level.

This Northern Frontier War God, Kuang Tie, is probably intimidated by his own title. He really doesn't know the immensity of heaven and earth!

Tu Lie's arrogance soared upon hearing this, and he let out a lewd laugh, his tone filled with a hint of arrogance:

"General, I've heard that Xie Lingyun, the 'White Shadow of the East Sea,' is known as a beauty who could topple kingdoms and was once the most beautiful woman in the world."

Once we've captured Xie Xiaoyi, we might as well take her with us! Such a beauty, if only we could..."

Before he could finish speaking, he was blasted aside by a burst of energy, and Qin Huaiyu shouted, "Get out of the way!"

At the same instant, an incomparably sharp sword aura blasted a trench in the spot where Tu Lie had just stood.

Immediately afterward, another sword aura struck, and Qin Huaiyu's fist surged with qi, unleashing a powerful punch!

"Bang—!!" The sword energy shattered with a bang, and the shockwave swept around, raising dust in the air.

Qin Huaiyu's gaze was fixed on the dense forest ahead, and he let out a cold shout:

"Xie Xiaoyi! I didn't expect you to come to me on your own initiative before we even went looking for you!"

Footsteps echoed softly in the dense forest.

A figure in black slowly walked out, carrying a giant sword in his hand. Sparks flew as the sword tip scraped against the ground, exuding a murderous aura.

It was Xie Xiaoyi.

After bidding farewell to Ning Yangzi and Ouyang Qing, he intended to return to Fuyu Mountain to see if his aunt might come back.

Halfway there, they suddenly discovered that the official road was lined with armored soldiers, and a large army was advancing towards the East China Sea.

He immediately concealed his aura and hid in the woods to observe from afar. Suddenly, he spotted Qin Huaiyu in the crowd and hid to eavesdrop.

He originally wanted to challenge the Grand Eunuch, but since the other side had more people, he dared not show himself rashly and could only wait and see.

But as soon as Tu Lie uttered those lewd words that insulted Xie Lingyun, he was furious and burst out of hiding!

Xie Xiaoyi's gaze locked onto Tu Lie: "If it weren't for the old eunuch's quick action, I would have cleaved you in two right here!"

"You just wait, I'll settle this with you later. You dare joke about my aunt? You're asking for it!"

Tu Lie struggled to his feet, and looking at the deep trench cleaved by the sword energy beside him, he finally understood—

It turns out that the young man in front of them was the traitor who killed the second prince and stole the national sword.

If Qin Huaiyu hadn't intervened to save him, he probably would have been ambushed by Xie Xiaoyi.

He's so young, yet his sword aura is so domineering; no wonder Eunuch Qin praised him so highly.

Kuang Tie had already realized what was happening. His face darkened, and he ordered sharply, "Form ranks!"

In an instant, the entire army was in an uproar!

At a single command, ten thousand armored soldiers sprang into action, with the front-line heavy infantry quickly raising their shields and forming a battle array.

The giant shields collided, and in an instant, they formed an indestructible iron wall.

The central army's long spears pointed straight ahead, while light cavalry on both flanks flanked them, blocking their retreat in the blink of an eye.

The archers behind them all nocked their arrows and drew their bows, waiting for the order to fire a volley of arrows.

In just a few breaths, a chilling battle formation had already taken shape, with a massive army pressing in with overwhelming momentum.

Kuang Tie stood with his sword drawn, staring at Xie Xiaoyi, and roared:

"I never expected Xie Xiaoyi to be such a greenhorn, daring to block my army all by himself!"

Today, I will show you that before a thousand troops, a warrior is utterly worthless!

"Worthless?"

Xie Xiaoyi sneered, "I'll show you today what it means to face a million men without flinching!"

Though there be millions, I will go.

What an arrogant brat!

Kuang Tie raised his hand and shouted throughout the army: "Vanguard of 100 men, form ranks and capture them!"

As soon as the order was given, more than a hundred heavily armored soldiers stepped forward in unison, pressing down on Xie Xiaoyi like an iron wall.

Seeing this, Tu Lie immediately roared, "Boy, today I'll show you the consequences of angering the imperial army!"

Xie Xiaoyi's eyes turned cold as he mobilized the power of the Qilin Marrow within his body, and a surge of true energy flowed out from the giant sword.

With a sudden jerk of his arm, he slashed vertically with his sword!

A powerful sword aura burst forth from the sword, twisting and unfolding in the air, instantly transforming into a phantom image of a Qilin with its head held high and hooves raised.

This scene, witnessed by Qin Huaiyu, sent a jolt through him—

What powerful internal energy!

The pressure of this sword strike was even more powerful and domineering than when he fought him in the alleys of the Forbidden City!

This is absolutely outrageous!

Even the most exceptional martial arts genius could not possibly raise their cultivation to this level in such a short time, right?

"Give me the town—" Xie Xiaoyi shouted.

The phantom of the Qilin descended from the sky, like a mountain of sword energy pressing down, crashing heavily into the hundred-man heavily armored team!

"boom--!"

The massive iron shields shattered instantly, and the entire hundred-man squad was as if they had been crushed head-on by an invisible force...

Shields shattered, spears broke, and men fell; heavily armored soldiers were thrown about in droves, and the formation instantly collapsed.

Once the dust settled, Xie Xiaoyi leaned on the ground, sword in hand, and let out a long sigh: "I used too much force; I almost suffocated."