With the rise of my family, I can summon the Daoist Soldiers' Nest.

Seeing the Frost Wolf Guards rushing towards him, Lin Ye did not hesitate at all. He suddenly swept his spear horizontally, the tip of the spear drawing a sharp arc, forcing the martial artist in front of him who was about to surround him to withdraw his move and retreat, buying him a momentary opening.

Immediately afterwards, he lowered his wrist, pressed the tip of the spear downwards, and raised the butt of the spear, forming a dense curtain of spears in front of him, pointing directly at the approaching Frost Wolf Guards.

"Bang—!"

The two immense forces collided violently in mid-air. The Frost Wolf Guards' charge was accompanied by a bone-chilling cold and brute weight, while Lin Ye's spear barrage countered with skillful force and resilience.

The gun vibrated violently, and the shaft hummed under the continuous impact, as if it might break at any moment.

The immense recoil surged into his body through his arm, causing his blood to boil. He lost his balance on the slippery deck, swayed, and nearly fell.

The Frost Wolf Guards were not about to let this fleeting opportunity slip by. A foul stench filled the air, and they raised their claws once more, growling as they prepared to launch a second attack.

Fortunately, Chen Cheng and his men arrived in time. They unleashed a flurry of swords and blades, their combined winds and energy creating a net that forced the two Frost Wolf Guards back.

The Frost Wolf Guards were forced to retreat repeatedly under the combined attack of several weapons, leaving mottled bloodstains and water stains from melting frost on the deck.

However, an even greater crisis followed.

The top-tier martial artist had already arrived. His gaze was sinister as he locked onto Lin Ye, who was unsteady on his feet due to the recoil.

Seeing that he was swaying and still breathing heavily, the person in the hand suddenly shook the greatsword, the blade cutting through the air with a deep, thunderous whistle, and slashed down with overwhelming force.

Lin Ye mustered his last breath, kicked hard on the slippery deck, spun halfway around, and raised his spear rapidly, attempting to block the thunderous blow with a hard parry.

But this strike was infused with powerful internal energy, and it was both fast and fierce. The moment the blade collided with the spear tip, it produced a deafening roar, and the spear was shaken and hummed wildly.

The immense recoil struck his arm, causing his thumb and forefinger to split open instantly, blood gushing from between his fingers.

He could no longer hold the spear; the shaft flew out of his hand and slammed onto the deck of a ship in the distance with a "thud."

The force of the blade had not yet dissipated, like an invisible hammer blow, throwing him backward and onto the ground, his back slamming heavily onto the deck, the dust and the stench of blood filling the air.

He gritted his teeth and propped himself up, his hands on the ground, ready to roll and dodge.

But the opponent's second strike arrived, the blade slashing straight at his right arm, so fast that it almost blocked all escape routes, the tip of the blade cutting through the air with a sharp whistling sound.

With the support of a first-rate martial artist's internal energy, this strike was both fast and heavy. Lin Ye's body had not yet fully stabilized, so he was unable to dodge it effectively.

At this critical moment, a figure suddenly rushed in front of him and used his body to block the knife.

It's Lin Jing.

He stood protectively in front of Lin Ye without the slightest hesitation.

However, the blade was too fierce, deeply embedding itself in his left arm. Blood gushed out like a fountain, and his entire left arm was severed at the shoulder. The severed arm drew a bloody arc in the air before crashing heavily onto the deck.

Lin Jing let out a suppressed groan, his body trembled violently, and his knees almost hit the ground, but he gritted his teeth and stood firm with his strong will, not falling down, and still stood in front of Lin Ye.

The bandit leader's eyes still gleamed with murderous intent, his blade still aimed at Lin Ye, who lay supine on the ground, as if he wanted to deliver that fatal blow and end his life once more.

However, Liu Zhenghua had already arrived like the wind, his figure blurring as he covered several feet in an instant. A flash of cold light appeared in his longsword, which shot straight at the bandit leader's chest like lightning. This strike was both swift and precise, blocking the bandit's path to deliver the final blow.

The bandit leader had no choice but to withdraw and retreat, hastily wielding his sword to block the attack. In the instant the swords clashed, sparks flew on the deck, and the crisp sound of metal clashing drowned out the noise of the battlefield.

Liu Zhenghua stepped forward, firmly blocking Lin Ye's path. His sword was still pointed at his opponent, completely protecting Lin Ye behind him.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Lin Ye leaped up, enduring the sharp pain from his tiger's mouth, and quickly stepped forward to support the swaying Lin Jing.

Lin Jing's face was pale, his left arm was severed at the shoulder, and blood gushed out from the cut, soaking half of his clothes, but his breathing was still steady and his eyes remained resolute.

At the same time, the other bandits and the two Frost Wolf Guards broke free from the entanglement of their own warriors and quickly gathered around their bandit leader.

For a moment, a brief but tense standoff ensued between the two sides.

At this moment, all three third-rate warriors of the water bandits had been killed, and the two second-rate warriors were also seriously injured under the siege of Sword-Winged Mantis and Chen Cheng and others.

One of the Frost Wolf Guards had its claws hacked to a bloody pulp by Chen Cheng, and its leg was pierced by Liu Yun, bleeding profusely.

The top-tier bandit leader had his left arm hanging limply, unable to exert any force. He had a sword wound on both his chest and left arm, the work of Liu Zhenghua.

On their side, two second-rate guards from the Chen family had grim expressions, their chests ripped open by the Frost Wolf Guards' claws, their battle clothes stained with blood.

Lin Ye's hands were cracked at the base of his thumbs, and blood dripped continuously from his fingertips, making it extremely difficult for him to even grip his weapon.

Chen Cheng, Liu Yun, and the others also wore frosty expressions and their breathing was unstable, clearly indicating that their combat strength had been greatly reduced.

However, the situation on the battlefield is quietly turning around.

Third-rate martial artists from Lin Ye's side continued to arrive from other ships, and having freed themselves up, they were gradually joining the battle. The situation had completely shifted in their favor.

The leader of the bandits glared at Lin Ye, his gaze filled with resentment, before slowly retreating to the side of the boat. He took a deep breath and gritted his teeth, speaking with a slight Northern Xiongnu accent, "Go, retreat!"

Before he finished speaking, he leaped toward another enemy ship. Seeing this, the other pirates followed suit, scrambling to jump aboard and escape.

Although the friendly forces who had rushed over had freed their hands, they dared not rashly intercept them.

The enemy still has two second-rate martial artists and an injured Frost Wolf Guard. A hasty pursuit could result in further casualties.

Lin Ye and Chen Cheng did not order an interception, but simply watched them leave with cold eyes until these martial artists jumped into the water.

As the bandit leader fled, the atmosphere on the battlefield gradually calmed down. Seeing that the situation was hopeless, the remaining bandits' will to resist quickly collapsed, and most of them chose to abandon their weapons and surrender.

Lin Ye sat on the deck, slightly out of breath, with Liu Zhenghua standing guard beside him.

Lin Jing was quickly carried off the ship by the army doctor for emergency treatment. As a third-rate martial artist, he was physically strong. Although the knife severed his arm, it did not hit any vital organs, so his life was not in danger. However, he was destined to be able to act with only one arm from now on.

Chen Cheng led the group to clean up the battlefield.

The ships were littered with dead and wounded, blood and sweat mixed in the wood grain of the deck, and some ships were still emitting black smoke and the fire had not been extinguished.

On the river, the Crocodile Armor Guards carried warriors back and forth, retrieving the bodies of their fallen comrades.

In the distance, Cangyan Qingli, along with several martial artists, kept watch in all directions to prevent the strong smell of blood from attracting lurking monsters.

The number of Crocodile Armor Guards and Azure Rock Carp was significantly less than when they arrived. The bandits also had two snake-shaped Taoist soldiers, who should be the second-rate Taoist soldiers, Xuanlin Water Anacondas, from the Northern Xiongnu Grasslands.

The two sides fought a battle in the water, which ended in a draw. Although five of their own Crocodile Armor Guards and Azure Rock Carp were wiped out, the other side lost a Mysterious Scale Water Anaconda.

The bandit warriors jumped into the water, and the last Xuanlin Water Anaconda they rode was also injured.

If the bandit warriors are delayed any longer, and the last Xuanlin Water Python is killed by their own soldiers, they may not be able to escape without the water-born soldiers carrying them.

This should have been a resounding victory.

Yesterday's raid on Blood Lake Bay wiped out the bandits, and this morning everyone was still full of excitement and hope.

Unexpectedly, the surprise attack from Blackwater Village brought this joy to an abrupt end.

Although they ultimately won, they suffered heavy casualties, with even Lin Jing losing his left arm.

As Lin Ye gazed at the slowly flowing river, the words of Uncle Lin Qiang and the expectant eyes of the local people flashed through his mind, and an indescribable heaviness welled up in his heart.

How should we explain the cost of this battle to them?

The night breeze, carrying the dampness of the river, swept across the deck, and the battlefield gradually fell silent, but Lin Ye's emotions remained unsettled for a long time.