The two had average horsemanship, and judging by their aura, their strength was not impressive. Yet as they charged on horseback, there was a distinct ferocity to their presence. The one on the left took the lead, shifted his body, and galloped past William Reed, attempting to use the momentum of his horse to chop off William Reed's head.

But at this moment, William Reed was already a high-level Bronze warrior, no longer a terrified commoner. To put it bluntly, even if Grace Foster stood before him now, William Reed would have the strength and courage to face her head-on, let alone these lowly bandits.

Immediately, he pushed off with his foot, channeling Heavenly Thunder battle energy into his legs. Like a gust of wind and a flash of lightning, he leapt into the air and thrust his sword forward without any flourish, piercing the bandit's throat. Flipping over, he kicked the man off the horse, then landed squarely in the saddle.

Expressionless, he grabbed the reins and gave a gentle tug. The mottled horse neighed loudly, rearing up on its front legs before being forced to a halt by William Reed. As the other rider charged past William Reed, his neck slammed directly into the sharp ice-flame blade, separating his head from his body.

The headless corpse, spraying blood, was carried a long distance by the horse before finally falling off, crashing heavily to the ground.

……

Chapter 9: Emily Harris's Archery

……

This series of events happened in a flash. Before Emily Harris could react, the two ferocious enemies had already been slain. Even though Emily Harris was a very mature and experienced young girl, after witnessing such a brutal and shocking scene, her face turned pale with fright and her legs went weak, unable to move.

William Reed gripped the horse with his legs, bent down, scooped her up by the waist, and settled her behind him, giving a low shout: “Emily, snap out of it, hold onto my waist for dear life.”

Fortunately, Emily Harris was not one of those sheltered noble ladies from the imperial capital. After being shouted at by William Reed, she snapped back to her senses with a shiver. Her arms wrapped tightly around his waist, and she pleaded anxiously, her voice trembling, “Brother Reed, please, save my grandfather.”

“It's my duty.” William Reed's face was already splattered with blood, and he spoke solemnly, exuding a murderous aura. Not to mention that Emily Harris was his lifesaver—even if he simply saw a group of bandits slaughtering a village, as long as it was within his power, he would never stand by and do nothing. His blood was not cold.

As the two spoke, three more bandit riders charged through the thick smoke. Leading them was a man with a scarred face, whose aura was clearly stronger than the two beside him, and he rode a sturdy chestnut horse. When he saw William Reed and the two corpses of his companions, he was momentarily startled. But then his eyes turned blood-red with rage as he roared, “Where did this meddling brat come from, daring to interfere? I'll kill you to avenge my brothers!”

The battle energy radiating from this man suggested he had reached mid-level Black Iron rank, which would make him an elite even among the regular imperial army. He squeezed his horse's flanks, brandishing a giant axe, and charged like a whirlwind. The two riders behind him followed, spurring their horses and flashing bloodstained curved blades.

During the months of being hunted by mercenaries, William Reed had slain more than a dozen elite Black Iron warriors. Against opponents clearly weaker than himself, he felt not the slightest fear. However, on the battlefield, having a higher rank did not guarantee victory. In the ever-changing chaos of battle, anything could happen.

Otherwise, wouldn't it be enough to simply compare battle energy levels to decide the winner? In reality, throughout history, countless high-level warriors have died on the battlefield at the hands of much weaker foes. Even mighty Gold-ranked warriors would never claim to be invincible in battle, for accidents could happen at any time. Or, if a Gold-ranked powerhouse were surrounded by thousands of low-level soldiers and unable to break out, he would be buried alive under their numbers. Such situations have been all too common throughout history.

Therefore, anyone who thinks themselves strong and looks down on others, acting arrogantly and recklessly, will sooner or later die from their own carelessness. These months of hardship had taught William Reed one thing: when facing any enemy, he must be on full alert and never let his guard down. Many of the wounds on his body were left by Black Iron warriors, and some even by nameless foot soldiers.

When two rivals meet on a narrow path, the brave one wins.

The enemy's momentum was fierce, but as a high-level Bronze warrior, William Reed could not show weakness. With a solemn gaze, he said to Emily Harris without turning his head, “Don't be afraid, just hold on tight to me.” With that, he squeezed the horse's flanks, and under William Reed's command and the stimulation of Heavenly Thunder battle energy, the mottled horse beneath him became fierce and fearless, carrying the two of them headlong into the enemy.

The Lei family was founded on martial prowess. Their ancestors had followed the founding emperor of the empire through countless campaigns, earning great merit and being granted a hereditary countship. Though the family had declined and was no longer as glorious as in the past, their education had never been neglected.

Horsemanship was one such skill.