Qingge was just heaving a sack of grain onto a wagon when she heard the distant horns.

Elder Shi had marched off with her entire force the morning after they had reached the Roaring Thunder Sect, intent on securing a route of retreat. By noon, they had reached the first town to the east.

After two hours of gesturing and half-hearted threats, the town had surrendered without any bloodshed. Qingge suspected that they had only stalled as long so the leadership had time to hide away their valuables; it was a pattern she was familiar with from her work for the Enforcement Hall.

They couldn't have known, of course, that Elder Shi had absolutely no interest in whatever meager cultivation resources they may be hoarding, much less in any of their mortal wealth. What she wanted was to secure a route of retreat, so she only installed a small garrison in the town and purchased a couple of supplies, before marching on.

Qingge was part of the group that was supposed to transfer the supplies back to the encampment. They'd just been in the process of loading them onto some carts they had purchased as well, when the deep, drawn-out sound carried over the plains.

The sack hit the ground with a thud, having slipped from her hands. Those were their sect's horns of war, unmistakably. She'd heard them blown when they set out to sea and again when they made the landing; It had been ceremonial then, but unless the Roaring Thunder Sect had just been taken on the first day of the siege, there was no reason for them to be blown now.

No reason other than something going horribly wrong.

Qingge exchanged a glance with Yang, who seemed equally disturbed. And unlike her, he had plenty of military experience. That settled it: Qingge raised her voice.

"Everyone back here, right now!"

Strictly speaking, she didn't have the authority to command most of the people here, but there was also no one outranking her here at the time and she was these people's general manager back at the sect, so no one seemed willing to challenge her at a time like this. In no time, everyone had gathered around her.

Not hesitating any longer than she had to, Qingge marched the small force out of the town gates. Then she hesitated: Where to now? They could march straight to the army, but if the situation was what she imagined, they wouldn't be of much help by themselves. She turned to Yang.

"Do we march to the army? Or after Elder Shi?"

"If you're asking me, Elder Shi. If the army is under attack, going there alone is a great way to get us all killed."

Qingge nodded, thankful that they were of the same mind.

"After Elder Shi! Make haste!", she exclaimed, leading the army away from the town.

They didn't need to march very far before they met their target. Elder Shi had already turned her force around and was marching it back the way she had come. The look on her face confirmed that she was thinking the same as them, but Qingge still relaxed when they came closer. At least she wouldn't have to make the decisions anymore.

"Qingge. Is that everyone from the town?"

"Yes, Elder!"

"Good, then we don't need to make a detour." She raised her voice: "Everyone, join the formation. We march back to our army. Be ready to enter combat as soon as we arrive there!"

Qingge did as Elder Shi had commanded, grouping up with her squad and letting herself fall to the rear before following the army. As they marched, she thought about how lucky they were that Elder Shi had had them all put on their full gear, even though their planned venture would have hardly required it. The elders' imposed discipline may have saved them from having to fight in a suboptimal state.

…

They marched at a breakneck pace, faster than a mortal army could ever have managed for more than a couple of minutes, especially in the kind of gear they were carrying. By the time they were drawing close to the camp, most of those below the Dao Attunement Realm were drenched in sweat and gasping for air. Only on the last stretch did Elder Shi have them slow down a little, giving them a chance to catch their breath.

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Qingge for her part was exempt from that exhaustion, due to the armor Elder Wei had gifted her. Not only was it lighter than it ought to be, it strengthened her to an absurd degree. Now that she was fully used to it, Qingge had even sparred against Yang a couple of times, though her bodyguard had admitted to holding back.

The march had felt more like a warmup than a workout to her and were she not trembling with tension, she may have had a spring in her steps.

Long before they could see anything happen, sounds of explosions and cracking thunders could be heard. As they reached the foot of the hill their camp was on and began ascending it, these were joined by other sounds of battle – shouts of anger, cries of anguish, trampling of hooves and the grinding of metal on metal.

Elder Shi had taken to the air and was staring at forward with a grim expression. Only when they had reached the hill's crest and marched past their half-built encampment, could she finally see what was happening as well.

Below them was chaos – the army had taken a defensive position halfway at the foot of the hill. Even Qingge's untrained eye could see that they weren't organized well, clearly not having had the time to get into proper formation.

An endless tide of riders on massive black horses was charging them over and over, steadily gaining ground. Arrows were raining on them from above and lightning flashed as it tore into their lines. Worst of all, they were in the process of being flanked and surrounded from the right side.

Above it all, glittering figures clashed in the sky, hurling massive spears of water, wind and lightning at one another. Numerically, the Lunar Peaks Sect seemed to have an advantage, but over half a dozen of them were busy holding off a single, massive man.

"Forward! To the right flank!", Elder Shi commanded, her voice rising above the sounds of the battle without a hint of uncertainty.

Before they were even halfway down the hill, a large detachment of enemy riders moved in to intercept them. They charged up the hill with terrifying speed, while fanning out, as if to surround them from the get-go.

"Frontline stretches out! Ready your spears!", Elder Shi shouted. Under her command, the army moved like flowing water as it assumed the formation. All uncertainty fell away as Qingge followed what they had been training for months now, leading her squad to the left flank.

"Form a line and ready your javelins.", she instructed them with a steady voice. "Focus on the horses."

To their sides, several other squads had assumed the same position. Any rider attempting to flank them would find themselves hit with a barrage of missiles.

As the enemy drew closer, though, it became clear that that wouldn't be necessary, as it seemed that with the prolonged line, they had given up on their flanking maneuver and were instead focusing their power into the charge. They came closer and closer, and Qingge couldn't help but hold her breath.

The horses were only lightly armored – the Roaring Thunder Sect preferred to keep as much mobility as possible – so they weren't well-equipped for head-on charges. But they were massive beasts, seeming to loom over Qingge's people even though they were charging uphill.

Faced with such a charge, holding one's ground was not only a test of strength, but also of courage. Qingge didn't know if she could have done it herself. But their frontline was made up entirely of Dao Attunement Realm cultivators, all of whom had seen their share of battle and survived their share of danger.

The horses crashed into their army. Steel met steel, steel met flesh. The line buckled under the pressure, but it held. Blades clashed briefly, but soon the riders retreated. Then, immediately, they turned and charged again.

"Hold!", Elder Shi shouted.

This time the line didn't buckle. The first couple of horses fell, but the first injured fighters had to retreat from the line as well. The gaps they left were filled by new, fresh ones.

Again the enemy charged, again they endured. Then, on the fourth charge, Elder Shi shouted a different command: "Open!"

This time, when the horses charged forward, the first and second line opened up, letting about a third of them charge through. Instead, the third line met them with raised spears. When they ground to a halt, the first line closed up behind them again, fending off the remaining riders while the second and third descended on them from all sides.

"Now!", Qingge shouted, as this was happening. Her squad swung around the army's sides alongside the others.

"Shoot!"

A hundred javelins were thrown, almost in unison. They rained down upon the enemy, and though few of them managed to get through the riders' heavy armor, many struck the horses with deadly accuracy.

"Combat formation! And forward!"

They charged into the disoriented enemy force. The fight was intense, but short. Less than half of the enemy retreated, this time for real. The others lay dead in the gras, alongside their horses.

Qingge starred at the blood on her blade. She had done it again. Fought again. Killed again.

"Regroup! We need to assist our people!"

Elder Shi's voice drew her from her thoughts before she could dwell on them. Below them, the enemy had completely enveloped their main army's right flank, and they were barely holding out.

Qingge hurried to get her squad back where it was supposed to be. Then, uninterrupted this time, they marched down the hill into battle.

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