The Chi Rong Army moved swiftly, surrounding Huo Jun.
A Chi Rong soldier with a mole on his face swung his curved blade and attacked Huo Jun!
Others followed closely behind!
Huo Jun displayed her prowess, cutting down several of the first attackers!
The Chi Rong soldiers, seeing this, urgently halted their steps, pushing and shoving each other backward, their eyes filled with fear and vigilance.
Qin Zhao lowered his head, observing Huo Jun's every move, having great confidence in her.
Recalling her previous scene of slaying Tu Ge, he still had doubts about her refusal to participate in the recent battles.
With such remarkable skills, why did she wait until today to join the fight?
Now, her reputation within the Northwestern Army was also affected by this.
Once she resolves the crisis and safely returns to the city, he will definitely ask her for an explanation!
The Chi Rong soldiers retreated to a safe distance, tentatively stretching their legs forward and then retracting them.
They frantically probed on the edge of death.
Suddenly, someone shouted, "With so many of us, can't we handle just one person?
Don't hesitate, attack!"
To boost their courage, everyone shouted in unison, "Charge!"
And once again, they rushed towards Huo Jun!
Initially, she held her ground against multiple opponents without any sign of weakness. However, as more and more Chi Rong soldiers surged forward, she gradually felt overwhelmed!
She narrowly avoided being slashed by their curved blades several times!
Qin Zhao clenched his fist until he saw Huo Jun being fiercely attacked by the Chi Rong soldiers, forced to retreat step by step, clearly in a disadvantaged position.
Qin Zhao said to the nearby soldiers, "Bring me a three-stone bow!"
Two soldiers replied, "Yes, Your Highness."
The two exchanged a glance, both expressing astonishment in each other's eyes!
Even ordinary people struggled to lift a three-stone bow, yet this esteemed princess actually intended to use it to shoot down the enemy?!
Who would believe it?
Well, they didn't.
With a curious mindset, they quickly handed over the three-stone bow.
Qin Zhao maintained a composed demeanor while holding the three-stone bow, causing a tempest of shock and awe among the soldiers.
She casually weighed the three-stone bow, thinking to herself: Although this bow is heavy, its range is sufficient.
Ignoring the stunned soldiers around her, she surprised them even more.
Huo Jun, weakened by physical exhaustion, had uncontrollable tremors in her arms.
Nevertheless, the Chi Rong soldiers, who had surrounded her completely, still couldn't harm her in the slightest.
She stepped on the bodies of hundreds of soldiers, gaining a strategic advantage over the Chi Rong soldiers due to her elevated position.
Suddenly, one soldier beneath her feet stirred!
Huo Jun lost her balance and failed to steady herself in time, causing a vulnerability in her defense!
The Chi Rong soldier immediately struck at the exposed area!
At the critical moment of life and death, the three curved blades aiming for Huo Jun suddenly lost their force.
And the three individuals holding the blades had arrows piercing through their heads!
After shooting three arrows, Qin Zhao swiftly loaded three more, continuously providing support to alleviate Huo Jun's burden.
The soldiers of the Northwestern Army witnessing this scene were all stunned!
Where was the delicate and willful princess of noble birth?
What was the meaning of displaying such godlike fighting prowess?
The jaws that had dropped to the ground were picked up, and they continued to watch.
With Qin Zhao's assistance, Huo Jun finally gained a moment to catch her breath, and then, with one vigorous effort, she broke through the encirclement!
She no longer entangled with the Chi Rong Army and returned to the city as the city gate briefly opened.
Qin Zhao descended the stairs to greet her and approached Huo Jun, who was resting with her knees supported.
He said, "Your performance today has been sufficient to qualify you for the position of the Northwestern Army's commander!"
Huo Jun wiped the sweat from her forehead and looked up, asking, "Thank you for your praise, Your Highness, but I feel unworthy. If it weren't for your assistance, I would have died outside the city."
Qin Zhao shook his head. "If your own strength was insufficient, how could you have waited for my help amidst a thousand-person siege? The talent I need doesn't necessarily have to possess formidable strength to single-handedly repel tens of thousands of troops. It's about being able to meet the expectations of the people when they need her."
"You, Huo Jun, undoubtedly achieved that."
Huo Jun's eyes welled up with tears. "To receive such appreciation from Your Highness, I have no regrets in this lifetime!"
Qin Zhao said, "I am also honored to have your assistance. However, there's one thing I don't understand. Why did you delay for two days before engaging in battle with Tu Ge? With your strength, you could have killed him much earlier."
Huo Jun explained, "It's not like that, Your Highness. You were watching the battle from a distance, perhaps unable to see clearly. But in my personal fight against Tu Ge, I came to understand better than anyone else that his strength is not inferior to mine. I was able to defeat him only because of the resentment and anger that accumulated in his heart due to my previous provocations, which he disregarded. When I officially appeared before him, he was eager to kill me. When a person is impatient, they are most prone to losing control and making mistakes. I simply seized the opportunity."
Clap! Clap! Clap!
Qin Zhao couldn't help but applaud her.
He said, "To possess such formidable strength, yet remain level-headed and considerate amidst provocations and ridicule from all sides, and to think so thoroughly about the situation, such a person is rare in the world."
Huo Jun blushed and said, "Your Highness overpraises me. I just performed normally without thinking too much."
Qin Zhao: "..."
Versailles appeared before my eyes?!
After the two finished talking, they noticed that soldiers had gathered around them.
Most of them looked at Qin Zhao and Huo Jun with admiration in their eyes.
However, there were still some who doubted Huo Jun, and their gaze toward her was slightly unfriendly.
Qin Zhao graciously accepted the attention.
Suddenly, his gaze met a cold stare, and Qin Zhao calmly returned the look, causing the person to avert their gaze in guilt.
Afterward, under the gaze of the crowd, the two returned to their respective tents.
After Tu Ge's death, the Chi Rong Army retreated ten li (around 5 kilometers).
For the next half month, they did not launch another attack on Yunzhong City.
During this period, Huo Jun took charge of managing the affairs of the Northwestern Army and was responsible for training the soldiers' combat capabilities.
Under her intense training, the already decent Northwestern Army made leaps and bounds in a short period of time.
June 29th
Under the scorching sun, Huo Jun gathered everyone in a circle.
She walked to the center and said, "In the past ten days, I focused on improving your physical fitness, and now I see that all of you look strong and ready to face the mountains."
"It's time for some practical combat training."
The soldiers were eager and shouted in unison, "Great!!"
Huo Jun randomly selected two individuals and said, "You two, step forward."
The two stood up and walked toward the center.
Huo Jun asked, "What are your names?"
Tall and chubby, the guy replied, "Zhou Yuan."
Short and skinny, the other guy replied, "Qian Huaian."
"Alright, you two can battle, but be mindful of your limits," said Huo Jun.
After speaking, Huo Jun stepped back to give them some space.
Midway through their fight, Qin Zhao approached Huo Jun and said, "You're quite impressive. I've noticed a significant improvement in the soldiers' physique and vigor as I made my way here."
Huo Jun responded, "I've been working hard to ensure that Your Highness won't be disappointed."
Qin Zhao expressed his satisfaction and suddenly remarked, "That tall guy looks somewhat familiar."
"Really? Perhaps you've seen him at the camp."
The contest between Zhou Yuan and Qian Huaian lasted less than the time it takes to brew a cup of tea before a victor emerged.
Zhou Yuan, who possessed a physical advantage, narrowly won.
Qian Huaian picked himself up from the ground and returned to his original position, looking disheveled.
After that, Zhou Yuan defeated seven opponents in a row.
Gradually, no one dared to step forward and challenge him.
Zhou Yuan wore a cold expression, showing contempt for the entire audience.
Suddenly, he turned towards Huo Jun and said, "General Huo, would you be willing to test your skills against me?"
