I Am Unaware That I Am the Peerless Martial God Chapter 1371: A Situation of Certain Death

The universe stretches on without limit or end.

Far beyond the reach of the starry sky.

Ye City.

A few brief days vanished in an instant.

The era of conscription had long since faded, and the looming conflict erupted exactly as the tension, like an arrow pulled back on a taut bowstring, necessitated. Despite Ye City's sturdy foundations, the coalition of opposing cities posed a threat that could not be dismissed. With the added weight of powerful guest martial artists aiding their ranks, Ye City began to falter, clear signs of defeat creeping into their performance.

Thirty miles...

Twenty miles.

Ten miles!

The enemy forces surged onward, systematically shattering one defensive line after the next. Finally, the massive army encroached, establishing their encampment less than ten miles from the gates of Ye City. The defenders scrambled to piece together a last-stand line at the northern wall, determined to face death rather than yield. The two factions entered a temporary, uneasy stalemate.

As the persistent clang of weaponry failed to cease, terror rippled through the citizenry.

Everyone understood the harsh truth: with multiple cities surrounding them, the defeat of Ye City was merely a matter of time. Even in a war of attrition, time was a luxury Ye City did not possess.

The conclusion of this struggle felt preordained.

In a few days, Ye City would likely be breached. The invading armies would inevitably strike south, leaving a wake of slaughter, injury, and ruin. The fragile existence of the common folk would be rendered lower than ants. A nightmare of blood was unfolding right before their eyes.

In this dire moment of absolute desperation.

The smaller towns bordering Ye City descended into total chaos. The number of people abandoning their homes to flee was endless. Long, desperate lines of refugees clogged the roads; the highways were haunted by countless tragic scenes.

Though Qinghe Town lay hundreds of miles away, the contagion of panic reached them as well. Rumors festered, and the entire population felt the cold grip of mortality.

At dusk.

Inside a sprawling courtyard.

The elderly mayor and several others were seated in rigid, sorrowful silence. Even the patriarch wore a look of profound indecision, a testament to the bitter conflict they had been navigating.

"Brothers, if we simply permit this to continue, we are doomed! I say we follow the lead of the other towns and start evacuating. Let us take everyone and escape!"

"Flee? To where? Our people have resided in Qinghe Town for countless generations, and everything our ancestors built remains here. How can we just discard it all and run?"

"Precisely! Our town possesses few with true Cultivation bases. Most are simply hunters and farmers, and there are so many elderly members among us. How could we possibly outpace the horses and troops of several combined cities?"

"Alas, the world outside is consumed by war. Who could say how many would perish if we attempted to flee?"

"Then tell me, what in the name of the heavens are we to do?!"

...

Although those assembled were highly esteemed elders with a lifetime of hard-earned wisdom, they stood helpless before the prospect of a city-destroying war. Even the old patriarch remained mute, weighed down by the burden of the moment.

Arguments raged without resolution until, stripped of other options, they cast their desperate gazes toward the patriarch.

"Patriarch, give us your counsel!"

"Yes, Patriarch, if you have a shred of a plan, share it with everyone!"

As the only Martial Spirit expert in the vicinity, his authority naturally carried more weight than the mayor's. In this climactic hour, he was the inevitable pillar of their trust.

Ultimately, the strong are always the ones people look to for direction.

Responding to their plea, the patriarch, who had held himself with great posture, lifted his eyes slowly.

His gaze traveled over the expectant faces of the elders and the trembling mayor. He longed to offer an earth-shattering, brilliant strategy to shield the town and secure their peace.

However, the life-and-death realities of military strategy were not concepts to be simplified into a few sentences. Whether judging the shifting tides of battle or resettling a populace, there was a profound complexity at play.

After a long, strained silence, the patriarch could only release a heavy, weary sigh.

"Alas..."

"This old man lacks the talent for military strategy. If this were a simple contest of Cultivation, I might offer a view. But such a massive event is far beyond the grasp of ordinary men. Choosing the right path in today's chaotic tapestry—perhaps only a scholar of immense wisdom could provide a true opinion."

The moment these words left his lips, the room fell into a state of hollow disappointment.

They stared at one another, their eyes reflecting the void of despair.

Qinghe Town was comprised primarily of impoverished hunters. Although a few possessed minor Cultivation, most had barely mastered the simplest characters. They had poured every ounce of their energy into the grit of survival; how could they possibly comprehend complex strategy?

Someone, perhaps overcome by the mounting pressure, muttered a cold observation.

"At a moment as critical as this, where on earth would we summon a scholar?!"

The instant the question was spoken, the expressions of several men shifted, sparked by a sudden realization.

The old mayor stood up abruptly, a sudden light dawning in his eyes.

"A scholar!?"

"Do we not have a perfect scholar already living right here in our village!"

The patriarch was struck by the same thought and slapped his forehead with vigor!

"Indeed!"

"How could my mind have wandered from Master Yi, that man of profound letters? He is well-versed in poetry and philosophy and will undoubtedly have a brilliant perspective. To lose sight of such a capable man at such a crucial hour—my anxiety must have truly clouded my sanity!"

Hope flared in the eyes of everyone present.

Without a moment to waste elsewhere, the two anxious leaders rallied the crowd and departed, heading under the shroud of night toward the mountain-foot schoolhouse with a sense of urgent, grand purpose.

Soon, the air was pierced by frantic knocking!

"Thump thump! Thump thump!"

"Master Yi, are you awake!?"

Yi Feng had been enjoying the moonlight in his courtyard when the sudden intrusion of noise startled him. He rose and hurried to the gate. Upon opening it, he was met by the mayor and the patriarch in person, flanked by all the town's esteemed elders.

What caused such an emergency?

Acting with courtesy, he opened the door to welcome them in.

"Everyone, please, enter."

As the group stepped into the courtyard, the mayor was too frantic to even wait for them to settle, blurting out his question.

"Master Yi, it is said that Ye City will soon be breached—what course should our Qinghe Town take?"

Hearing this, Yi Feng, having barely taken a few steps, halted and turned back.

"Such a weighty affair, why would you come to me for answers?"

The moment his voice faded, the old men surged forward with their pleas, each voice laced with more desperation than the last!

"Master's talent and scholarly brilliance are vast; you must surely have a vision for this!"

"Master, please, do not joke. Most of us are illiterate and have never braved such disasters. Beyond your guidance, we are utterly lost!"

"Truly, Master, your culture is our only hope. You must provide us with a path!"

Looking at the silver-haired elders whose eyes were brimming with genuine peril, Yi Feng felt a stirring of emotion.

The cycle of birth, age, sickness, and death truly formed the tragic tapestry of the mortal world.

Even those with white hair could not evade the fundamental tremors of existence. The common folk merely struggled to survive, lacking any external power to lean on, never afforded the luxury of protection. It was the inherent helplessness of the mortal plane. To the eyes of the world, only the fleeting bloom of seasonal flowers mattered, while the dust and mud that sustained all life were rendered invisible, never granted a second thought.

Caught in the chorus of desperate entreaties, the old patriarch grit his teeth, bowed low to the young man, and laid out the conflict that tore at his spirit, begging for any shred of wisdom.

"Master Yi."

"Ye City stands on the brink of falling. Most of our people wish to flee, yet I know that if the city falls, Qinghe Town will be erased from the earth. Without the larger home, what becomes of the smaller?"

"However, if we send our people to reinforce them, relying only on the meager flesh and blood of our thousand hunters, we may fail to defend the city and simply invite a massacre upon ourselves."

"How do we choose? Please, Master, enlighten us!"

At this moment, the patriarch discarded his pride and sought the truth of the situation.

Though Yi Feng was merely a young man—a potential student in his own mind—in the shadow of life and death, he clung to the idea that this scholar might map out a way forward. Even if the probability of success was thin, they had no choice but to try.

Confronted with the stark, anxious faces that filled his courtyard.

Yi Feng did not offer a direct order. Instead, he phrased his response with careful ambiguity.

"In matters of life and death, following your own heart is the only true answer one can find. As an outsider, it is not my place to interfere. I humbly ask for your forgiveness."

Hearing these words, the men exchanged blank, puzzled glances.

After a few moments of heavy thought, as if struck by a sudden revelation, the mayor and the patriarch bowed their heads in gratitude and led the stunned crowd away.

...

The City Lord's Manor.

The hour was late.

The main hall was crowded with figures. There were commanders encased in war-hardened armor alongside patriarchs of the Martial King level, their auras heavy and impenetrable. A deathly silence reigned as they waited.

The air remained still until the city's foremost general, positioned just below the seat of honor, shattered the silence.

"Everyone."

"You understand the state of Ye City as well as I do; no more needs to be spoken. Any person who can offer a strategy to crush the enemy will be granted rewards beyond measure!"

His voice thundered with authority, promising riches of incredible value.

But even with the promise of gold, courage is often a scarcity!

The defeat of Ye City was effectively a foregone conclusion, and the act of defense itself was an agonizing test of endurance. No soul present held confidence in the ability to turn the tide.

For a long interval, the powerhouses in the hall only exchanged silent, oppressive glances.

The General’s features soured, his gaze sweeping across them as he roared!

"You are the elite of Ye City! At this critical juncture, is there truly not one among you with a plan? Are we simply going to sit idle until they storm the walls, perishing in the rubble alongside everyone else?!"

Prompted by the sharp rebuke, one man finally cupped his fists, speaking with a heavy heart.

"General, forgive us."

"It is not a lack of competence, but that the enemy’s numbers are simply too vast. We lack the collective strength to overcome such odds. If they were merely local soldiers, I could face them alone, but they have recruited reinforcements that have completely dismantled our advantage in high-end power."

"Right now, we are outmatched in every way, from the lowliest soldier to our Martial King combatants. Unless we could convince a reclusive Martial Emperor senior to intervene, Ye City is doomed!"

The finality of the statement cast a shroud of misery over the assembly.

Even the General, who reigned supreme over thousands, appeared to lose his fighting spirit.

Yet, in that fragile moment.

A flash of realization crossed someone’s eyes; he lunged upward, cupping his fists tightly!

"General!"

"Is there not a Martial Emperor senior in Qinghe Town? Could we not petition Master Yi to act?!"

As the words hit the air, the General’s eyes ignited with a fierce, desperate light.

Master Yi?!

It was clear they had long suspected the truth of the Martial Emperor in Qinghe Town, a rumor that had even driven the City Lord himself to make a private pilgrimage to the modest scholar's door.