Chapter 001: Departure of the Assassin Qingji

At that moment, the sound of a gold alarm came from the small boat ahead, and someone shouted: "The naval forces of Wu have arrived, the naval forces of Wu have arrived"

Qing Ji could not help but reveal a hint of a satisfied smile at the corners of his mouth: "Good omens are not to be celebrated; I seek revenge and the restoration of my country, relying on them, my elite troops forged through countless battles!"

As Qing Ji looked back, he saw hundreds of warships advancing majestically behind him. On the warships stood armored warriors in solemn formation, their weapons glinting coldly under the moonlight, while the fierce, ghastly faces and sharp fangs on the shields seemed to emit a chilling aura.

Qing Ji turned around, and the sharp blade of the halberd pierced through his back, blood gushing forth near the armor. The generals and soldiers beside him were momentarily stunned in shock.

Lü Qian held up the torch and noticed that Qing Ji's lips were moving, as if he was trying hard to say something. He quickly leaned in to listen closely and heard Qing Ji weakly say: "What kind of dream is this?"

The vanguard warships have engaged in battle with the Wu army's navy, while the ships in the rear are struggling to turn around in the river. Without the command of Qingji, this isolated force has lost its will to fight; the front line collapses at the slightest provocation. Just as Qingji's navy, having finally turned around, has barely made its way upstream, news arrives from the front that King Helu of Wu has actually dispatched warships to block their path.

Qing Ji let out a bitter laugh and nodded, saying: "Indeed, you have severed an arm, and allowed Ji Guang to kill your parents and wife and children. With such a cruel ploy, how could I not believe you?"

With a calm smile, my cheeks twitch slightly: "Yet I have long considered this; I sever one of my own arms and sacrifice the lives of an entire family. If I still cannot earn your trust, then taking your life would be something even heaven cannot overlook."

Lu Qian was greatly shocked and quickly brought the torch closer. Qing Ji's expression was lifelike, yet there was no sign of movement. Just as he thought he was seeing things, he suddenly heard Qing Ji let out a soft moan. Lu Qian's body jolted violently, and he exclaimed in disbelief: "Young Master? The Young Master is not dead, the Young Master is still alive"

Qing Ji held a wine jar in one hand, raised it, and took a hearty gulp. Wiping his mouth, he said in a deep voice: "To leave is one thing; the principal offenders can be punished, but we must not open the floodgates to mass slaughter. Once success is achieved, what is crucial is to stabilize the hearts of the people"

He let out a laugh and sighed, saying: "To part, to part, you are indeed no match for me, yet now I find myself dying at your hands, something I could never have imagined even in my dreams"

Qing Ji smiled faintly; he did not believe in those illusory omens. A true man stands between heaven and earth, and everything must be fought for with his own hands. Omens? Can omens drive He Lu from the throne? Can omens avenge the death of his father for Qing Ji?

What?" Jing Lin exclaimed in shock, scrambling over in a flurry.

Qing Ji hurled the short halberd forward, and with a "thud," it embedded itself into the side of the boat. He knelt, sitting like a tiger, murmuring: "My father died under the Fish Intestine Sword of Zhuan Zhu. Today, I, Qing Ji, see revenge in sight, yet I am to die under the Yao Li Halberd. A petty man achieves his goal, ha! Could it be... this is the fate of my father and me..."

His army has just captured Hanyi, achieving victory in battle, and their momentum is unstoppable. At this moment, they are marching through the night, preparing to deliver a decisive blow to the usurper Gongzi Guang, the current king of Wu, Helu.

The ancient wanderers, who took life and death lightly, valued promises heavily, not for profit, but only to seek a name that would last through the ages. This is the evaluation given to them by the counter-terrorism expert Han Feizi. Now, as one finally achieves their long-desired wish, they cannot help but feel a sense of bewilderment and loss.

He laughed hoarsely three times and looked up to the sky, saying: "In order to gain the trust of Qing Ji, I asked King Wu to kill my parents, wife, and children, and to burn their bodies and scatter their ashes; this is an act of inhumanity. Having gained the trust of Qing Ji and being heavily relied upon, yet I have committed regicide; this is an act of injustice. Now that the great matter is settled, what need is there for a person like me, who is both inhumane and unjust, to continue living in this world?"

Beside Qingji stood a short man, not even reaching Qingji's waist, holding a short halberd in his hand. His right sleeve flapped in the wind, revealing that he had lost an arm. He pointed at the river with a spirited expression and said, "Young Master, the mighty Lord He Lü will have a sleepless night tonight. This time, upon returning to the State of Wu, we shall kill him thoroughly and without mercy"

They rushed forward from both sides, supporting Qingji, and exclaimed in panic: "Young Master!"

Lü Qian was taken aback; the young man's tone was peculiar, and his enunciation even more so, making it impossible to understand what he was saying

As Qingji turned to look back, the man holding the short spear on the edge of the boat suddenly kicked with both legs, using the fierce wind over the great river to launch himself at Qingji, his short spear piercing through Qingji's chest in an instant

The one-armed dwarf Yaoli was about to leave when a pufferfish, startled, suddenly leaped out of the water, making a loud splash as it fell back into the river, sending up a spray of waves. Yaoli, with a quick jump onto the boat's side, laughed heartily and said: "Young master, the river fish leaping is indeed an auspicious sign"

Qing Ji finished speaking, rose to his knees, grasped the spear handle with both hands, let out a loud shout, and forcefully pulled outward, causing a surge of hot blood to spurt out.

Qing Ji is the soul of the three armies. With Qing Ji's death, the morale of the troops has already been thrown into disarray, making it impossible to continue the battle. Furthermore, with the death of this former King of Wu's third son, they have also lost the significance of fighting against the State of Wu. Advancing further would only result in the entire army being sacrificed.

Young Master Qingji stood proudly at the bow of the ship, the wind causing his cloak to flutter and rustle, yet there was a radiant brilliance in his expression.

As long as Young Master Qingji is alive, they still have hope. At this moment, Lü Qian had no time to pay attention to what Young Master Qingji was saying; he could only shout at the top of his lungs: "Abandon ship, abandon ship, hurry to the shore, and take the route through the State of Lu to return to Wei."

Lü Qiandun was instantly speechless, the sounds of battle ringing in his ears, yet they all knew that with the death of Qing Ji, the annihilation of the entire army was not far off

The bravery of Qingji is unparalleled in the world, not only renowned among the feudal lords and states, but also holding great prestige within the State of Wu. As long as he is alive, the stability of Wu's territory is ultimately in jeopardy. Qingji is sharpening his sword in the State of Wei, while King Helu of Wu lives in constant fear, as if he is carrying his own head through life, always on edge. At this moment, he has finally returned.

He had just prepared to turn around to ignite the warship when he suddenly felt that Qingji's body seemed to move slightly

Seeing that the situation was dire, Jing Lin carried Qing Ji's body into the cabin, bowed deeply three times, and tearfully said: "Fire, burn the ship"

Qing Ji, at the age of eighteen, possessed unparalleled courage, renowned as the greatest warrior of the State of Wu. He was the son of King Ji Liao of Wu. Prince Guang (He Lü) sought the throne and, through his retainer Wu Zixu, recruited an assassin named Zhuo Zhu, the most creative assassin in history, who concealed a sword in a fish's belly to assassinate King Ji Liao of Wu

Qing Ji stood proudly at the bow of the boat, while the soldiers on both sides shouted a low chant, rowing in unison with precision, as the river water made a "plop plop" sound

Qing Ji, in a fit of anger, exuded an imposing aura. Even those who were determined to leave with a mindset of certain death could not help but turn pale in fear. Since he had allied himself with Qing Ji, Qing Ji had always regarded him as a brother; this was the first time he had displayed such authority in front of him.

Qing Ji said: "Enough, do not make things difficult for him; this person is also a hero among the world's warriors"

At this point, he suddenly glared with wide eyes and shouted sternly: "However, I have no grievances against you. You are willing to sacrifice your parents, wife, and children for the sake of fame. If I were to act as a beast like you, even the beasts would be ashamed to associate with you"

After Qing Ji finished speaking, he cast a disdainful glance at him and said to his tearful bodyguard: "Do not kill him, let him go, allow him to seek fame and recognition. Regardless, he is still a man... Today... it is enough for a good man to die."

Young Master! All the generals knelt before Qing Ji, tears streaming down their faces. The other ships had already learned of the assassination of their commander. Qing Ji had always treated his subordinates with kindness, and the entire army wept bitterly, while the great river lost its color.

The young master is not dead; the young master is indeed still alive!" Jing Lin pressed against Qing Ji's chest and listened, suddenly bursting into loud exclamations

Qing Ji's deputy, Jing Lin, wiped away his tears and shouted, "Do not panic, convey the order to retreat quickly!"

In the state of Wu, at the city of Han, above the great river, the heavenly winds are vast and mighty

The guards surged forward, and with a few "clinks," several curved blades were crossed against Yali's neck, their sharp edges pressed closely against his slender throat. A single cut would be enough to sever his head. Yali, however, remained unafraid, and a trace of calm joy appeared on his face.

With a loud shout, he pulled his head out of the icy river water, having been submerged three times. The river water choked him, causing him to cough repeatedly. At that moment, his face turned pale, his hair was disheveled, and his small stature appeared utterly disheveled, resembling a little ghost. Yet, he showed no fear at all; instead, he exerted himself to let out a hearty laugh.

Qingji's voice grew fainter, his head slightly bowed, and he became motionless, having already succumbed to death.

Qing Ji glared at Yao Li and suddenly reached out to grab him. Yao Li was only slightly taller than a dwarf, and in front of the towering Qing Ji, the greatest hero of Wu, he had no strength to resist. With a swift motion of his long arms, Qing Ji seized him and held him upside down by the ankle, submerging him in the great river.

The grand army of Qingji, which had come with great momentum, was forced to turn back. Hundreds of warships, following the orders, turned around in succession. The formation, already in disarray, became even more chaotic as they had just been moving downstream, but now had to navigate upstream, making the coordination even more challenging

Yao Li realized that Qing Ji had finally died, and the strength in his eyes immediately dimmed. The soldiers around him had always unwaveringly obeyed Qing Ji's orders; although he was dead, the soldiers still dared not defy him. The sharp Wu hook that had been poised at Yao Li's neck had already been moved away, and all the soldiers wept and bowed down to Qing Ji's corpse. He stood there like a piece of wood, and no one looked at him again.

Qing Ji flicked his wrist and threw him onto the bow of the ship, slowly taking two steps back before stumbling and sitting down on the deck, gasping as he watched him leave. After this series of actions, the bloodstain on his chest became even more pronounced.

Qing Ji's subordinates knelt beside him, weeping inconsolably, and for a moment, no one noticed that the one facing death was also so valiant. When Zhuang Zhu assassinated Wang Liao, he was the only sacrifice, earning him eternal fame. However, when Yali attempted to assassinate Qing Ji, in order to gain his trust, he voluntarily requested that the King of Wu kill his entire family. Although this was even more tragic, such barbaric behavior is something that even historical records are ashamed to mention, and ultimately, Yali's name is unlikely to surpass that of Zhuang Zhu.

Yao Li, with a fierce determination, raised his lone arm and struck down hard at the short spear firmly embedded in the side of the boat. With a "thud," his only left arm was severed at the blade, and blood gushed forth. In agony, Yao Li let out a loud cry, his body lunging forward. He violently tossed his head, and the sharp spear blade sliced through his throat, instantly cutting off his breath. His body collapsed to the ground, and his head drooped limply onto the spear.

At that time, Qingji was fighting against the State of Chu in the distance. Upon receiving the news of his father's assassination and the usurpation of power by Prince Guang, the entire army collapsed, and a thousand horses fell silent. Qingji, realizing that the situation was untenable, made a decisive decision and immediately led his trusted followers to break through the encirclement, fleeing to the State of Wei. In Aicheng of Wei, he recruited soldiers and gathered allies from neighboring states, vowing to avenge his father's death

Ah! Qingji let out a loud cry to the heavens, staggering and stumbling two steps forward. The wine jar shattered with a loud bang on the deck, and the wine was immediately stained red with blood

Deputy General Lü Qian, with a feathered arrow stuck in his shoulder and holding a seized torch in his hand, rushed into the cabin and shouted sternly: "Deputy General Jing, why are you burning the ship?"

Qing Ji laughed heartily: "I never expected that there would be such a brave warrior in the world, daring to come and assassinate me. I never imagined that Ji Guang would send such a cripple to be an assassin!"

Lü Qian slowly walked over, knelt on one knee in front of Qing Ji, remained silent for a moment, then suddenly gritted his teeth and said fiercely: "Burn the ship!"

Before the expedition could achieve success, the hero fell in battle, leaving tears to stain his collar

Jing Lin raised her head with tears in her eyes and said in a hoarse voice: "The young master is dead; do you wish to further humiliate his corpse?"

In the night, arrows and meteors streaked across the sky, the sounds of battle echoed over the great river, the troops of Qingji fought their own battles, and blood flowed in the hold, slicking the soles of their boots