As soon as Chen Ye finished speaking, the hall erupted in chaos. Numerous soldiers glared at him with anger, all clamoring to have him executed. Even the usually calm Commander Shao was visibly annoyed, as Chen Ye's insult targeted his subordinates.
"It seems you have great confidence in your own strength," Commander Shao said coldly, glaring at Chen Ye. "Since he wants to see what you are capable of, show him your skills. Don't let anyone underestimate you!"
Normally, Commander Shao would have immediately ordered Chen Ye's arrest. However, hearing that Chen Ye single-handedly defeated seven Taotie monsters made him more cautious.
Upon Commander Shao's words, nearly all the generals present volunteered to fight.
"Commander, I request to battle!" General Wu of the Tiger Army was the first to speak up.
General Chen of the Eagle Army quickly followed, "Commander, let me handle this insolent man. I'll show him our might."
General Deng of the Deer Army also stood up, "Commander, how can I miss out on this? I request to fight as well!"
Only General Lin Mei of the Crane Army and the strategist remained silent, one because she had an idea of Chen Ye's strength, and the other because he was not a combatant.
The Shadowless Imperial Guard was divided into five units: Deer, Eagle, Tiger, Crane, and Bear. This force included archers (Eagle Army), axemen (Tiger Army), spearmen (Deer Army), infantry (Bear Army), and the Crane Army specialized in close combat and maneuvers. They were the elite forces of the Song Dynasty, with the Bear Army being the main combat unit led by Commander Shao himself.
As the generals eagerly volunteered, Commander Shao turned to Chen Ye, "I hear you can subdue Taotie? Which general would you like to spar with?"
Chen Ye responded calmly, "No need to be so formal. They can all come at once."
The generals exploded in anger at his words.
"Outrageous!"
"How dare you!"
"Foolish child, seeking death!"
"Silence!" Chen Ye shouted, stomping his right foot hard.
Boom! The stone floor shattered under the force, leaving a crater with cracks spreading from it.
"Hiss!"
Many gasped in shock, their faces filled with astonishment. The sheer destructive power of a single stomp was overwhelming.
The previously loud generals now fell silent, uncertainty and fear evident in their eyes. Even Commander Shao, usually composed, looked surprised. General Lin Mei's eyes widened in shock, recalling the captain's words about Chen Ye being a god of war.
Human strength shouldn't be this powerful.
In the military, strength was revered. Chen Ye's display instantly earned him newfound respect from many.
"Impressive skill!" Commander Shao remarked calmly. Then he addressed his subordinates, "Do you still wish to challenge him?"
The generals, their faces flushed with embarrassment, still loudly requested to fight. Fear was not in their nature, having fought Taotie and faced death many times.
Commander Shao nodded, "Then you three, go together and let this warrior teach you."
"At your command!" the three generals responded in unison.
They understood that facing Chen Ye one-on-one would be humiliating. Seeing his strength, they no longer felt it was dishonorable to fight together.
Soon, the three generals took their positions. General Deng wielded a long snake spear, General Wu held a large machete, and General Chen was ready with his bow and arrows.
The onlookers moved aside, clearing the hall's center for the combatants.
"Begin!" Commander Shao ordered.
General Deng attacked first, thrusting his spear at Chen Ye's shoulder, clearly holding back from aiming at vital spots, indicating a sparring intent.
Chen Ye, with agility five times that of a normal person, effortlessly dodged the spear and grabbed the shaft.
At that moment, General Wu leaped from behind Deng, swinging his machete down at Chen Ye. Meanwhile, General Chen had already nocked an arrow, aiming at Chen Ye.
Whoosh! An arrow flew, cutting off Chen Ye's escape route.
The coordination among the three was impeccable, forming an inescapable trap for Chen Ye. General Deng's attack was merely a diversion, creating opportunities for his teammates to corner Chen Ye.
If Chen Ye dodged the machete, he would be hit by the arrow.
Normally, one would instinctively avoid the powerful machete to avoid being split in two.
However, Chen Ye didn't…