Chapter One, Sharpening the Sword (8)

A chilling aura surged from his feet straight to his head. He could not stand by and watch; he had to rush forward and share life and death with them! His life was saved by them, and he had been a bandit alongside them for several months, sharing food, drink, and all aspects of life together. He even received a share of the profits from selling Khitan heads without having done anything. When they fell in battle, he could not remain a mere spectator. He even received a share of the profits from selling Khitan heads without having done anything. When they fell in battle, he could not remain a mere spectator

***

The third leader, Xu Yuanju, was commanding over a hundred infantry soldiers of the Wagang Army, engaging in a fierce confrontation with the black-clad troops that had pressed forward at an unknown time. Half of his body was already stained red with blood, and it was unclear whether the blood came from the enemy or from himself

Compared to the confrontation of foot soldiers, the cavalry's charge on horseback is undoubtedly more brutal. In just two rounds, the elite forces dispatched by both sides have decreased by thirty percent. The remaining survivors, surprisingly, still refuse to give up, fiercely digging their spurs into their horses' flanks, once again raising their swords against each other.

Charge, charge forward! The gatekeeper, Han Chongyun, clashed fiercely with the cavalry, igniting his blood with fervor. With both legs planted firmly in the saddle, he wielded his treasured sword with all his might.

The Black-clad Army under Han Youding, in terms of weaponry and training, far surpasses the Wuying Army, which is hastily assembled from various green forest heroes. However, in terms of numbers, it does not even reach half of the opponent's strength. Morale is also not necessarily higher than that of the adversary. Therefore, during the brief encounter lasting a little over half a stick of incense, the two sides surprisingly fought to a standstill. The left flank of the Wuying Army was on the verge of collapse under the pressure of the Black-clad Army's vanguard. Meanwhile, the left flank of the Black-clad Army was continuously pushed back by the various green forest battalions dispatched by the Wuying Army.

Open your eyes and see, you should really try to show me. Either become a fool or get through this on your own. Don't expect help from others, even the gods cannot assist you!" While shouting, he searched with his gaze for a few leaders of Wagangzhai, hoping to attract their attention so that he could provide targeted advice to Xiao Fei.

Soon, the figure of the Third Master Xu Yuanju appeared in his line of sight, surrounded almost entirely by men in black, with very few brothers from Wagangzhai. However, the Third Master showed no fear, wielding the iron spine snake spear with both hands, launching attack after attack in all directions

The blade of the "Blade" is slightly curved downward, and each soldier holds a spear in their hand. The reverse side of the blade is uniformly covered with black leather shields. Each leather shield is positioned directly facing Han Pu's commanding flag

Moreover, the first wave of contact between the two sides did not result in the loss of merely the elite forces in their ranks. In this era, the lives of ordinary people are not worth much more than that of a donkey. Today, a batch of soldiers may perish, and another batch can be forcibly conscripted another day. As long as they are whipped and trained for a few months, they can be sent back to the battlefield again

Thus, after a brief adjustment, both sides swiftly commenced the second round of engagement. No longer were they measuring each other's strengths, but rather striving to identify the opponent's weaknesses in order to deliver a decisive blow

"A tie, a tie!" Han Chongyun became increasingly excited, as if he had not noticed the incomplete remains on the ground. "Xiao Fei, from now on, follow me, and we will become cavalry generals together. Galloping into battle, drunkenly lying on the battlefield, do not laugh at me..."

Another squad of elite cavalry rushed over to join him. They then collided with the black-clad cavalry coming head-on, either falling off their horses to their deaths or unseating their opponents, with no third outcome.

Rushing past a pile of corpses and dodging a battle group, he suddenly came to a halt. He bent down to pick up a blood-soaked battle flag from the ground and forcefully draped it over the small figure, covering the shining bright armor. "Run, run as far as you can! Don't worry about us, and don't trust anyone anymore! Hurry, run! You fool, do you hear me? Run!"

He knew that behaving this way would surely bring shame to Wagangzhai. However, he could not escape the thick aura of red surrounding him, nor could he straighten his back and face the bloodshed and death with composure.

The figure of the Fourth Leader was not far from the Third Leader. Several long black feathered arrows were embedded in his back, and he staggered, fighting to the death without retreat. The Sixth and Seventh Leaders were nowhere to be found, and countless bandit leaders he had once known were being killed by the men in black right before his eyes. He saw it all, clearly and distinctly, leaving no one out.

Boom! The sunlight was instantly dimmed, countless flesh and blood flew into the sky, and countless lives fell into the dust

It does not matter if you cannot remember who you are, what your surname is, or who your parents are. What is important is that you must not forget to strive to live well and to work hard to become a true hero of great stature

Wū—wū—wū! Accompanied by the unique rhythm of the northern bullhorn, over one thousand soldiers in black uniforms formed a narrow, blade-like array, slanting towards the left flank of the Wuying army

Several other leaders from Wagangzhai whom he knew, along with their respective loyal subordinates, were engaged in a fierce battle with the Black-clad Army. During the brief moments he was busy "treating" his friend Xiao Fei, the left flank of the Wuying Army unexpectedly collapsed completely. As a result, his father Han Pu had to repeatedly draw forces from the central army just to barely stabilize the situation. Meanwhile, further afield, the right flank of the Wuying Army and the left flank of the Black-clad Army were locked in a deadly struggle, making it impossible to withdraw and provide assistance in a short time. Consequently, his father Han Pu had to repeatedly draw forces from the central army just to barely stabilize the situation. Meanwhile, further afield, the right flank of the Wuying Army and the left flank of the Black-clad Army were locked in a deadly struggle, making it impossible to withdraw and provide assistance in a short time.

The elite troops of both sides stood firm, resembling the two fish eyes in the yin-yang diagram, separated by a distance of approximately 300 paces, facing each other from afar. However, the left and right flanks of both sides quickly broke through the obstruction of the feathered arrows and collided fiercely with one another

Wagang Camp, Daye Camp, Caozhou Camp, and Haozhou Camp, with feathered arrows intercepting. The right wing of each camp, advance three hundred paces! The commander of the Wuying Army, Han Pu, was also unwilling to show weakness and immediately devised a countermeasure. He used several camps close to the central army to attack the rear of the approaching enemy with bows and crossbows. The entire right wing of the formation pressed against the left flank of the opponent, taking advantage of the mountainous terrain.

The warhorses crossed each other, and dozens of cavalrymen had huge gashes cut into their bodies, screaming as they fell to the ground. The survivors quickly turned their mounts around and initiated a second round of charge face to face. The steel blades reflected the rising sun, splashing out dazzling bursts of red light

He saw Wu Ruofu, the leader of Wagangzhai, charging into a group of black-clad cavalry on horseback. With a spear in hand, he thrust left and jabbed right, unstoppable and invincible. A dozen elite warriors from Wagang closely protected the leader's back, valiantly resisting the surprise attacks from behind.

Note 1: The standard Taiji diagram was created by Chen Tuan. However, prior to the Taiji diagram, there were already similar patterns such as the Yin-Yang diagram, the natural diagram, and the double dragon diagram, which were widely circulated. Including ancient Rome, there was also a blue and yellow "double fish" pattern used as the battle flag of a certain legion

In the next moment, Wu Ruofu continued to charge forward on horseback, while the figures in black surrounded them like layers of crows, completely engulfing their presence.

In this regard, the commander of the Black-clad Army, Han Youding, possesses far more experience than Han Pu. With just a little contemplation, he focused the attack on the enemy's left flank. The several battalions there had recently engaged in a firefight, resulting in a significant decline in both their physical strength and morale. More critically, the origins of these battalions were from the Green Forest Bandit strongholds, and their stockpile of feathered arrows could not possibly compare to that of the Black-clad Army. After the previous depletion, it is unlikely that much remains at this moment. More critically, the origins of these battalions were from the Green Forest Bandit strongholds, and their stockpile of feathered arrows could not possibly compare to that of the Black-clad Army. After the previous depletion, it is unlikely that much remains at this moment

"Help! Help! Xiao Fei, Xiao Fei has been struck down by the blood light!" No matter what, he could not stop his companion in his arms from continuing to tremble. Han Chongyun shouted loudly, desperately calling for help

The warriors who had not fallen began the third round of confrontation. Each movement was executed without the slightest hesitation. The distance of over a hundred steps was crossed in an instant. "Bang!" A faint yet resounding explosion echoed. The red mist swirled as steeds leaped from the blood waterfall, carrying the bodies of their masters, letting out mournful cries

The figure of the great leader Wu Ruofu appeared at the forefront of the military formation. Riding an iron steed, he wielded a long spear, skillfully striking down one after another of the black-clad soldiers charging towards him.

Han Chongyun's guess was indeed not wrong; he had never killed anyone, not even a chicken. Whether in the fragmented memories before waking up or in the memories after awakening, he had been well protected by those around him. His skill in wielding an axe was taught by the sixth master, Yu Siwen, and the target for practice was the most common rotten wooden stumps found in the mountains. The first time he ever saw blood was from his own head, not from someone else's body. His skill in wielding an axe was taught by the sixth master, Yu Siwen, and the target for practice was the most common rotten wooden stumps found in the mountains. The first time he ever saw blood was from his own head, not from someone else's body

Han Pu looked down from a high vantage point, observing the movements of the black-clad army clearly. Without hesitation, he dispatched a cavalry unit to confront them, engaging in fierce combat with the black-clad army on the outskirts of the battlefield

"Xiao Fei, Xiao Fei, what is wrong with you? You aren't scared silly, are you!" Han Chongyun was taken aback, quickly jumping down from the saddle and wrapping his arms around the trembling Ning Yanzhang, who was shaking like a sieve. "You, how can you be so useless? You are so tall and strong! You, you haven't even killed a person, have you! You are the chief disciple of the second master of Wagang, Ning!"

Brothers!" Raise the spear high," Ning Yanzhang shouted loudly, imagining himself as a heroic figure, "Follow me!"

This round is once again approaching a stalemate, but the cavalry remaining near the battle group on both sides has dwindled to less than half of what it originally was, making it impossible to continue fulfilling their respective tasks. As if a tacit understanding had developed between them, the leading commanders suddenly turned their mounts and galloped towards their respective central armies, leaving behind the corpses of both their enemies and their own fallen comrades.

Before he had the name Ning Yanzhang, many people in the village regarded him as a fool. However, he firmly believed that he was not. He simply had lost his memories of the past. Uncle Ning had once said that it did not matter if one could not remember who they were.

"My grandfather mentioned before..." Han Chongyun's anxious voice came from behind, but it was quickly drowned out by the surrounding sounds of shouting and killing

I, I, I... Ning Yanzhang firmly propped himself up with the wooden spear in his hand to ensure that he would not immediately collapse. Blood, boundless blood, since the beginning of the battle until now, all he had seen was endless blood. Whether it flowed from the bodies of the black-clad soldiers or from the Wu Ying army, it was all a deep shade of red. So thick that he could not open his eyes to see, nor could he hear the sounds around him, and he could barely breathe normally. Whether it flowed from the bodies of the black-clad soldiers or from the Wu Ying army, it was all a deep shade of red. So thick that he could not open his eyes to see, nor could he hear the sounds around him, and he could barely breathe normally

The last few sentences were deliberately directed at Ning Yanzhang. As a descendant of a military family, inheriting his father's legacy had already been regarded by him as the highest ideal in life. However, the response he received was merely a low sound of teeth clashing. This sound was drowned out by the other cries and wails from the battlefield, and if one did not listen closely, it would be almost imperceptible.

Compassion does not govern the military

Select the sharp edge and break the formation, seize the sloping area four hundred steps to the upper right, and then look for an opportunity to charge straight down! Han Youding was greatly surprised by the resilience of the Green Forest heroes. He decisively dispatched elite cavalry from both units to occupy the advantageous terrain behind the Wuying army, intending to launch an assault using the mountainous terrain.

"Xiao Fei, Xiao Fei, open your eyes, open your eyes!" Han Chongyun, in a state of panic and sweating profusely, shook Ning Yanzhang's left hand vigorously, "If you don't wake up soon, you will completely become a fool! They are all too preoccupied with themselves, and no one will come to save you!"

I am not a fool! It felt as if my heart had been stabbed hard with a needle, and Ning Yanzhang shivered in pain, shouting at the top of his lungs

In the next moment, Wu Ruofu broke through the encirclement himself, both he and his horse stained red with blood. Behind him, not a single brother remained. He urged his horse, raised his spear, turned around, and charged back into the ranks of the men in black, before disappearing once again.

Whether it is Han Pu, who is currently commanding the Green Forest Heroes, or Han Youding, who is leading the Black-clad Army, neither of them is concerned about the three to two hundred subordinates who have just fallen in battle

However, at this moment, very few people around were paying attention to the two young boys, nor was there a skilled physician rushing over to help. As a result, Han Chongyun shouted for quite a while without receiving any response. He had no choice but to lift his knee to support Ning Yanzhang's waist and use his left hand to try to move his friend's head towards the most intense part of the battlefield. "Don't be afraid, open your eyes, look carefully once you have opened them. Evil spirits also fear evil people, and besides, you are definitely still a virgin, your true yang has not been lost, and a hundred demons find it hard to invade!"

Suddenly, Ning Caichen's words echoed in his ears once more. His vision, hearing, sense of smell, and control over his body returned all at once. He made an effort to open his eyes as Han Chongyun had requested, confronting the bloody and chaotic battlefield directly

Li Tieguai tightly held onto Ning Yanzhang's wrist, stumbling along. Anyone who attempted to approach the two of them, regardless of their origin, was swatted away by him with his cane as if swatting flies.

"What the hell!" Suddenly, a bloodied palm struck his face, knocking all his fervor to the ground. The figure of the fifth master, Li Tieguai, appeared at his side like a ghost. With disheveled hair and a frantic demeanor, he exclaimed, "Follow me to rescue the chief. Everyone else is fighting desperately; what right do you have to be lazy?"

Having said that, he paid no attention to the attitudes of those around him. He seized Ning Yanzhang and, taking advantage of the terrain, swiftly charged towards the center of the battlefield

They are all seasoned veterans, accustomed to bloodshed and death. Therefore, once they set their sights on achieving ultimate victory, they no longer concern themselves with the cost incurred.

The condition known as "Luo Hun Zheng" is a type of lethargy that he heard about from his ancestors. It generally occurs in those who are inherently lacking in spirit or are timid as mice. Once they are struck by the blood and souls of the dead on the battlefield, such individuals may lose their ability to move and speak, and there is even a possibility that they could be frightened into madness, never to return to normal for the rest of their lives