Jade Hill Town waited anxiously for the beginning of the decisive battle. The morning siege continued routinely until it was almost midday. Gray and the captains rested after the opening salvos to conserve energy. The remaining defenders took over the task and kept the bandits honest with a constant drizzle of arrows and stones. Grandpa Kapoor was especially impressive with a combination of brute strength as well as exceptional control from years as an experienced blacksmith.

At regular intervals, the bandits moved their tired and wounded to the rear while fresh ones were brought into the trenches. Six of the twelve elders commanded the frontlines from the safety of the second army group. The other six elders as well as the last third of their forces remained at the open-pit mine, protecting their most important assets against a sneak attack.

Alisha stood above the north gate and watched the bandits' progress. Everything was within her control and expectations. The battle plan was hers. The strategy to lure out the final third of the bandit army and free the prisoners was also hers. She was in full command.

She waited until the shift in bandit activity that signified the start of lunchtime. Thin trails of smoke drifted up from the trenches as they started fires to cook their meals.

This was the best time to strike. The bandit army was tired from a long morning and preoccupied with their meal while her army was fed and rested.

Alisha turned behind her and lifted her arms to the east. Below, a guard on horseback saluted and galloped towards the east gate.

“Prepare for battle,” Alisha commanded.

“Yes!”

“It’s starting!” Hari Patel said, gripping his sword until his hands shook.

"Hell yeah!" Zheng Bai growled.

The others were similarly excited. Spiritual energy engulfed the north gate as they all prepared for the upcoming struggle. Gray also showed off his newfound strength at the 9th Level of the Spiritual Strengthening Realm. The aura he gave off was even stronger than those from the captains. Alisha scoffed and did not participate while Anand remained unperturbed.

Everyone was ready. Armor and weapons, body and spirit, they were ready to win the day.

The first sign of change was a dull rumbling noise that came from the east and grew steadily louder. Bandits risked their heads to peer over the trenches, trying to see what was happening and what was causing the large cloud of dust that was expanding fast.

Soon, several rows of mounted warriors appeared. A hundred of the lord's best guards galloped towards the eastern trenches at a steady, almost leisurely pace, their polished armor and weapons gleaming under the sunlight, with billowing flags of the Patel family and the Reddy Clan held high.

“Attack!”

“Incoming!”

The eastern trenches erupted in alarm. A few tried to flee while others shouted rapid commands that conflicted with each other. But overall, the bandits didn't overact or panic just yet.

The Duanmu Clan's first army group numbered one thousand and was separated into two groups, one for each set of trenches. This meant that the eastern side still held five hundred of their own, more than enough to resist a hundred of the lord's guards.

The stronger bandits within the eastern trenches picked up their weapons and readied themselves to meet the oncoming cavalry. Besides the miners and laborers who were the weakest, there were still at least two hundred decent fighters. There were even a few bandit leaders scattered amongst them. They were fully confident in defending against such a puny attack.

However, they were all stunned into silence a few moments later when a much larger group appeared behind the guard cavalry. It was the rest of the guards and militia. They had been hidden in the dust cloud and confusion caused by the initial charge. Once within sight of the trenches, they let out a full-throated battle cry and broke into a sprint.

"Kill the bandits!"

"Defend Jade Hill Town!"

Their voices resounded across the battlefield. They were letting out their anger, frustration, and hatred of the bandits. At the same time, they were rousing themselves for a bloody struggle.

The bandits, from top to bottom, were frozen in place. They were caught completely off guard and didn't know what to do. They were supposed to be the ones attacking!

The eastern side was now evenly matched, a dangerous situation for the bandits who were unprepared for a fight. Those on the western side could not go and help because that meant running across open ground. They could only look on trepidation.

The front ranks of the cavalry pierced through the eastern trenches. Weapons clashed against shields. Bodies collided with bodies. Some dismounted and jumped into the trenches while others plowed over enemies that dared to fight them in the open.

The second group on foot arrived soon after and threw themselves at the enemy. A massive roar rose across the frontline as hundreds of people clashed together desperately. The smell of blood and guts filled the air. It was barely organized chaos. It was brutal and unbridled carnage.

Jade Hill Town's assault was too ferocious. It could not be stopped. The bandits were thrown into the fight in a hurry. Some didn't even have weapons, only the pickaxes and shovels they had been digging with. They were tired, they were hungry. They were disorganized and without leadership. They were simply rolled over like paper.

The bandit army responded. Those on the western side climbed out of their trenches and rushed to the east to support their clansmen. A detachment of around two hundred fighters left the second army and came down as well.

“Fire at will!”

Alisha’s command rang out and the north wall erupted with arrows and stones. Scores of bandits were caught out in the open and cut down mercilessly. They were all cultivators but they were only at the lower stage. They had nowhere to run except forward. There was no cover and nowhere to hide.

“Captains, go!”

“Yes!”

Harsh Patel led the way. He jumped off the wall and landed gracefully. The other five captains followed suit. Together, they charged the center and slammed into the bandit reinforcements streaming across.

Blades left their sheaths and tasted flesh. Blood sprayed like spring rain and pitiful screams erupted all around. There was a sudden chill over the battlefield as six experts at the upper stage of Spiritual Strengthening Realm slaughtered their way through and formed a blockade between the trenches.

“Time to go,” Alisha said to Gray.

“Alright!”

He followed her eastward along the wall. They continued to watch the scene below but this was not their battlefield. The guards and militia were putting their lives on the line but victory still lay in the hands of Alisha, Anand, and Gray. Anand was on the move as well, heading westward.

The bandit elders finally reacted. They rushed out of the comfort of their tents and met the six captains in the center. They brought another two hundred fighters to bolster the eastern trenches and crush the defenders. Given the situation and numbers, this move was fully capable of pushing back the assault on the eastern flank. There were now close to a thousand bandits there facing off against less than five hundred.

The bandits were emboldened and regained their fighting spirit. They halted their retreat and started to push back fiercely. At the same time, the elders dueled the captains to a standstill, bringing their rampage to an end.

The battle was about to turn on its head, about to swing back in favor of the bandits, when Alisha’s second attack arrived.

“Charge!”

"Kill!"

A thundering roar erupted from the west.

A fresh force of defenders appeared, five hundred guards and militia on foot. Fully armed, fully motivated, their combined spirit was like a tempest as they slammed into the western trenches.

The entire bandit army was thrown in chaos once again. They had no idea what was going on. Even the bandit elders were struck speechless.

Jade Hill Town had launched an all-out assault but this was only the sixth day!

The western trenches were depleted of manpower. They weren't a proper fighting force. The strongest ones had already left to support the east. Those that remained barely put up a fight before they gave up and fled for their lives. The entire western front was routed at a shocking pace. The defenders were soon in complete control with barely any losses.

They took advantage of the situation and turned towards the center where the captains and elders were fighting. The captains, seeing this, moved to surround the elders in hopes of trapping them. These old bandits weren't dumb and immediately fled. They were decisive in saving their own lives but this left their eastern army group vulnerable and without leadership.

Before the bandits could reorganize, the captains led the second assault force and smashed into the eastern enemy's rear. It was a thousand verses a thousand. It was even numbers but not an even fight. The townspeople had the initiative, superiority in individual strength, as well as armament. They were fighting for their home and for their family members still imprisoned.

The bandits were hemmed in on two sides. Their elders had fled to safety and left them to die. There was nothing left worth fighting and dying for, just a few ditches in the ground. The strongest and bravest ones tried to make a stand but they were few and far in between. They were outnumbered by farmers and hunters. They were ordinary people, not hardened warriors. Upon seeing those in front of them being slaughtered like chickens before a meal, the rest lost heart and fled.

“Hurry! Run!”

“Save me!”

“Ahhhhh!”

Panicked shouts combined with dying screams as the bandit army dissolved.

“Kill them all!”

“Fight, brothers and sisters!”

The people of Jade Hill Town howled and gave chase. They were not content to let their enemies get away. Too many things had happened between the two towns. Too much bad blood had built up over the last fifteen years. The only way to resolve this was through a complete victory.