It was at the end of a hot summer, so the entire mainland was enveloped in high temperatures. Although this group of boundless mountains was next to the sea, it could not receive the moisture and coldness the sea wind carried with it because of the terrain. It was humid and hot. That was why the mountain woods had such a strong scent of decay and so many heart-rending dangers.
It appeared to be drier because the meadow at the top of the mountain was directly open to the sky. The dangerous terrain also kept away large predators.
At this moment, it was already noon. The white, brilliant sun poured down the heat, fervently granting most of it to the meadow path. The sunlight was extremely powerful. The original green grassroots were beginning to give off a white light. One could imagine how high the temperature was.
The little animals had already burrowed into the dirt to avoid the head. The birds had already flown to their nests at the middle of the mountain to wait for morning to come out again and search for food.
The entire meadow was silent and peaceful. Only the occasional mountain breeze would lift up green and white waves. The porcelain blue sky and comfortable white clouds softly watched these waves. The entire world was very beautiful.
If there weren’t the two humans and the fresh blood flowing from them, it would have been even more beautiful.
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With a groan, Fan Xian slowly opened his eyes that had been glued shut with sweat and blood. He squinted at the sky and found there seemed to be a spot of light in his eyes he couldn’t get rid of. He didn’t realize that it was a problem caused by being under the blazing sun for too long. Unconsciously, he stretched out his hand to bat at it but found his right hand was very heavy. His hand was still tightly holding the assault rifle.
He then changed to his left hand, but a bone-deep pain made him cry out involuntarily.
The pain woke him up properly. He lowered his eyes slightly and looked in a daze at the arrow on the left side of his chest. The arrow had pierced all the way through. Only the feather was left outside of the body. Fresh blood flowed out endlessly and made the black feather even bloodier.
Bending his left leg slightly, he managed, with great difficulty, to find the black dagger in his shoe with his right hand. Slowly and carefully, he reached below his back and followed the very small crack between his body and the meadow and cut through lightly.
After the stem of the arrow was buried deeply in the mud was broken, his body immediately relaxed a little. However, this slight movement caused a wave of extreme pain from his chest. With a deathly pale expression, he almost cried out again.
Pushing through the pain, he used the dagger to remove most of the arrow stuck in his chest. It left behind only a small head to conveniently remove the arrow later.
After doing all this, the pain had made him sweat bucket loads. The sweat had even washed his face clean of the blood.
He faced the sky and breathed in heavily. His eyes looked absentmindedly at the blue sky and white clouds. He didn’t bother to hide from the eye-piercing sunlight. He felt that there was nothing better in the world than being alive. If he could never see the sun again, he would be very regretful.
Fan Xian’s luck was good. Yan Xiaoyi’s arrow had accurately pierced into the left side of his chest. When the tip of the arrow reached him, Fan Xian had also pulled the trigger. Although the M82A1’s recoil was not very strong, it still forced his body back a little.
It was this instant that caused Yan Xiaoyi’s arrow to slightly miss its original target, avoiding the all-important heart, and instead entered through the left shoulder.
As for whether or not Yan Xiaoyi died, he didn’t want to think about it. He only felt tired and wanted to just lie down on the mountain top’s soft meadow, which separated him from the world, and enjoy a rare rest. Besides, if Yan Xiaoyi didn’t die, given his current condition, he could only be killed.
Since it was so, what point was there in thinking about it?
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But he had to acknowledge it. There were still many things in the world waiting for him to do. A moment later, a weak figure appeared on the suffocating silent meadow. Dragging his injured body along, Fan Xian carried the assault rifle. Step by step, he walked through the meadow toward the patch of blood.
He had thought 300 meters was too close. It was so close, it frightened him to his core. Now, he felt these 300 meters were too far and endless.
By the time he had walked to Yan Xiaoyi’s side, he almost couldn’t stand anymore. His legs shook uncontrollably. The powerful, precious weapon supported his entire body weight. The exquisite barrel of the gun sank deeply into the mud.
Fan Xian didn’t care. No matter how powerful a weapon was, it was actually no different to a cane. If one could not throw aside the cane, perhaps they would never learn to walk alone.
He looked at Yan Xiaoyi lying in the pool of puddle. He narrowed his eyes and furrowed his brows. His emotions were complicated. He didn’t know what he should be feeling.
The fresh blood had finished flowing and seeped into the mud below the green meadow. The top left part of Yan Xiaoyi’s body was completely gone. It had changed into a shapeless mass of flesh. It looked like a tomato that someone had squeezed until it exploded. The red fruit flesh and jam were sprayed all over the ground. It was very terrifying.
Since his youth, Fan Xian had gone with Fei Jie to dig up graves and saw corpses. He had seen countless sinister and horrifying sights. However, looking at the sight in front of him now, he couldn’t help but turn his head away.
It was clear that Fan Xian’s shot had become skewed. However, the mighty power of the weapon’s materials was sufficiently demonstrated at this moment. After being hit by such a powerful attack, even a powerful warrior above the ninth-level still could only pay with his life.
Fan Xian calmed his emotions and turned back his head. He walked to Yan Xiaoyi’s complete and unharmed head. He prepared to stretch out his hand to close the eyes of this warrior, who had died with a grievance.
However, he saw the already opened eyes and stopped his action. It seemed he was still alive.
“Perhaps you can still hear my words.” Fan Xian was silent for a moment. Between his words, there was some uncontrollable coughing. “I know you think this isn’t fair, but there has never been any fairness in the world.”
Yan Xiaoyi did not have any reaction. His eyes remained open, staring at the sky.
Fan Xian was silent for a moment and then said, “I didn’t kill your son. It was Sigu Jian. In the future, I will get revenge for you.”
It is uncertain why Fan Xian would tell such a lie beside Yan Xiaoyi’s body. In reality, his thoughts were simple. He felt that this kind of death was unfair to Yan Xiaoyi. For such a talented warrior, this death was a great wrong. He knew better than others what one would think before death.
He knew what matter weighed heaviest on Yan Xiaoyi’s mind. If Yan Xiaoyi thought that he was the murderer of Yan Shendu but was unable to kill him to avenge his son, this warrior would probably be extremely unhappy.
These words were just to comfort Yan Xiaoyi’s heart. However, Yan Xiaoyi’s eyes still did not close. Fan Xiang laughed self-mockingly and wondered to himself whether he was comforting a dead man or comforting himself.
He quietly said, “They weren’t wrong. You are indeed very powerful. You could even try and challenge those strange old creatures. Thus, I have no way to kill you. The person who killed you also isn’t me.”
After a moment of silence, Fan Xian continued, “This is called a gun. This is the most important essence of a civilization. Although this kind of essence was not good for that civilization.”
Yan Xiaoyi’s eye still had not close. However, a crack came from his neck bone. His head tilted and landed on his own flesh. This ninth-level ace had long died. Although his bones had been shattered by the bullet, it was not until now that it could no longer support the weight of his head. It fell down like a falling leaf.
Fan Xian paused and stared in a daze at the dead man’s deathly pale face. For a long time, he didn’t know what to say. After a while, he raised his head to gaze into the sky. It was as if he was looking for some clue in the blue sky and white clouds.
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“Those who were good at war died by the hand of soldiers. Those who were good at swimming drowned in water. And those who were good at archery died by the arrow.” These were famous sayings that people had concluded. The god-like archer Yan Xiaoyi had eventually died to a Barrett. Regardless of whether this conclusion was fair or the process was absurd, the blood and flesh all over the ground proved the bloodiness and plainness of this logic.
Yan Xiaoyi was the most powerful enemy Fan Xian had killed in his new life. He still felt respect toward the puddle of flesh and blood on the ground. In particular, this one day and one night chase helped him, at the final live and death moment, finally understand something. Without question, this would hugely affect the rest of his life.
He was overly afraid of death. All his actions were always cautious and gloomy. He could kill with decisiveness and be unhindered. He never had Haitang’s open-minded frame of mind or Thirteenth Wang’s obsession and courage. It was not until Yan Xiaoyi had forced him to the edge of the precipice did he truly destroy that smear of darkness in his heart. Bravely, he stood up from the grass and raised the gun in his hand.
From then on, he stood tall.
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Maintaining his respect for Yan Xiaoyi, Fan Xian continued to emotionlessly perform the aftermath work. He took the gold wire longbow beside the body and then worked hard to drag the half missing body to the side of the precipice.
Standing beside the precipice, he estimated the position and slowly crouched down to pick up a stone. He then began to carve up the body. The sun was very high. On the green grass between the blue sky and white clouds, a handsome pale-faced young man held the stone and continuously chopped at the body beside him. Blood sprayed in all directions. The scene looked disgusting.
He pushed Yan Xiaoyi’s half body and the rock off the precipice. For a long time, no sound came back.
After doing all this, he was exhausted. A strong pain in his chest made it difficult for him to stand. Wretchedly, he sat down on the ground with his head spinning slightly.
He knew that he had to rest and tend to his injuries. The remnants of blood and internal organs in the grass would be digested by the creatures in this primitive forests in a few days. However, he still needed to destroy all traces that the assault rifle had left behind.
A cough made the small arrow pierce through his side and tremble slightly. A heart-rending pain spread out, making him grunt involuntarily in pain.
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Not at the same moment, and on the summit of Dong Mountain inside the Qing Temple building, the Emperor, who had been surrounded at Dong Mountain, looked through the window in a daze at the faint and slightly warm morning light outside the window.
“I wonder if that child will be able to return to Jingdou safely.” He spoke slowly. This was probably the first time he had shown such gentleness to Fan Xian in front of outsiders.
Old Eunuch Hong smiled slightly. His deep wrinkles were filled with calm. It was as if there were not 5,000 rebel soldiers at the foot of the mountain or a Great Grandmaster in a straw hat slowly ascending the staircase to heaven.
“Sir Fan junior is naturally talented. Furthermore, there are not many powerful figures outside Dong Mountain,” Eunuch Hong said warmly. “The road shouldn’t be difficult. What is important is after he returns to the capital.”
“It shouldn’t be difficult to handle matters inside Jingdou.” The Qing Emperor smiled slightly. “I am liking this child more and more. This time, it will depend on him again.”
Old Eunuch Hong sighed in his heart, thinking to himself, Since you like you him, why do you suspect and then tempt him? What difference is there to what you did to the Second Prince in the past?”
The Emperor no longer talked about his illegitimate child that had escaped. He turned and gazed at Eunuch Hong and said calmly, “This time, I am depending on you.”
Eunuch Hong continued to keep his body bent. After a moment of silence, he slowly said, “I am a servant of the Qing Kingdom. Ever since the inception of this country, I had always eagerly anticipated the day the Qing court can unify the world. It is my honor to be able to serve the Emperor.”
This was not an expression of loyalty. There was no need for such extra words between the Emperor and the old eunuch. However, with the army surrounding the mountain, Eunuch Hong still slowly said it as if he urgently wanted to tell his thoughts to the Emperor.
The Emperor looked calmly at Hong Siyang. His expression gradually became heavier and heavier. A moment later, he raised both hands and bowed down to Eunuch Hong.
Given the Emperor’s supreme status, bowing to a eunuch was a difficult scenario to believe. Hong Siyang was indifferent. He calmly, and even somewhat coldly, accepted this bow.
The Emperor straightened up. An expression of unswerving determination rose to his face. “What I promised you, what I promised the Qing Kingdom, what I promised the world… In the future, I will show it to you.”
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The day had long brightened, and the thick fog had dissipated long ago. The rebel army camp was on a little mound behind a few rows of green trees at the foot of the great Dong Mountain. The rebel commander, who wore all black clothing, watched the mountain calmly for movements. His calm gaze was filled with peace. There was not a glimmer of excitement or elation.
“Don’t attack anymore. It’s no use,” the black-clothed commander said peacefully to the people beside him. It was as if he was talking about some trivial family matter. His attitude was warm but did not brook any doubts.
Yun Zhilan, with a longsword on his back, glanced at the mysterious figure and furrowed his brows slightly. Although he didn’t approve of the other person’s judgement, he did not speak out in retort. The siege around Dong Mountain this time was like a thunderstorm destined to shake the world. As a great sword master, Yun Zhilan did not wish for himself to influence the larger picture.
The area around the mountain gate was silent. The remaining few hundred Imperial Soldiers had already withdrawn behind the gate. The 5,000 longbowmen of the rebel army attacked a number of times but were completely repelled by the defensive power inside the woods. The team that attacked this time was a powerful group with the Dongyi aces as their nucleus.
Yun Zhilan had great confidence in the strength of the disciples from the Sword Hut. He thought that if he led the bowmen in a powerful attack, even if the Qing Emperor’s most powerful Tiger Guards were hidden in the woods behind the mountain gate, he could still rip open a gap.
Furthermore, the bravest little disciple in the Imperial Army… When he was faced with his peers from Dongyi, would he still continue to act?
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Morning came. The birds rose in fright. With a whoosh, they charged out of the woods and ripped off a few green leaves. One could imagine how shocked the birds, who had rested for a night, were. What startled the birds was the brilliant snow. Each piece was like a merciless, long knife.
Real knives flew through the woods. In a moment, they had completely poured out, invading the usually solid but now very weak woods. They shaved off countless bits of bark and branches and attacked with a clatter. Pieces of the trees fell into the mud with a thud.
Countless grunts and wretched cries rang out in an instant. The blood in the woods flowed without end. Dismembered limbs and broken arms were tossed into the air and fell toward the ground. Unexpectedly, the first battle encounter had progressed miserably. One could see that once these knifemen had been pushed to their end, they finally exploded out with the most valiant strength.
Yun Zhilan’s pupil constricted. He knew that the black-clothed commander’s judgement was indeed correct. He didn’t dare wait any longer. He waved his hand to send out the arrow banner of command.
The aces from Dongyi led the remainder of the rebel guards and managed to retreat out of the woods. Looking at the situation, if they said it was an utter defeat, it may be more appropriate.
This was only a war of prevention in-between breaths. The rebel soldiers who had attacked the mountain gate had suffered 70 percent in injuries and deaths. Even the Dongyi aces had lost five people.
Yun Zhilan’s heart hurt. He didn’t know what to say. Dongyi didn’t have the large number of soldiers that Qing Kingdom and Northern Qi had. The most powerful sword masters trained in the Sword Hut. Even though only five people died, it was still a heavy loss.
He knew that the defensive power at the Emperor’s side was terrifying. But he had not thought that the other party’s mountain guarding power would be strong to this extent.
“It’s the Tiger Guards,” the black-clothed man on the horse gazed at him and said calmly. “Legend says that the seven Tiger Guards at Sir Fan junior’s side could join together and force Haitang to retreat… While on this peaceful Dong Mountain…”
He smiled slightly, “There are 100 Tiger Guards.”