Chapter Three: The City of Wind Does Not Return (Part One)

While the two were playfully teasing each other, Xiao Wanshan suddenly became serious and said, "They are coming." Lin Wanyao, whose skills were far inferior to his, took a while longer to discern the faint sound of footsteps amidst the fierce wind.

Lin Wanyao said: "I only feel that the wind has become a bit stronger, but I do not see anything particularly unusual."

Today, the Wind City welcomed new guests. A man and a woman stood firm against the howling gale, which raged like the wrath of heaven, causing their clothes to flap loudly yet failing to budge them even slightly. These two were indeed Xiao Wanshan and Lin Wanyao. Recently, they had just discovered the location of the Huangsha Stronghold when they saw a group of men rushing out from the stronghold, splitting into several paths. The leader of one group happened to pass by their hiding spot. Xiao Wanshan initially intended to capture a minor leader to investigate the true nature of the Huangsha Stronghold, but unexpectedly, upon questioning, they ended up capturing the second son of the Mo family.

Lin Wanyao said: "Brother Shan, do you think those people from Huangsha Village will come?"

As soon as these words were spoken, not only did Xiao Wanshan and the other two gaze intently at Mo Sha, but Mo Dao's brothers also fixed their eyes on their elder brother. They all knew that their elder brother was a man of his word, and they understood that at this moment, he was willing to abandon over a decade of hard work and achievements for the sake of their lives. They exchanged glances, wanting to argue, but were instantly silenced by a glance from Mo Sha.

Xiao Wanshan nodded slightly, but then he saw Mo Sha step forward and say, "In that case, can we trust m.hetushu.com?" Before the words fell, his right hand drew a steel knife from his waist and swiftly passed it around his neck, clearly showing that he was willing to sacrifice his life to save his few brothers, as he sensed Xiao Wanshan's disbelief. Everyone present was taken aback; the Mo brothers, whose martial arts were mediocre, could not stop him, while Lin Wanyao was momentarily stunned and unable to react. Meanwhile, Xiao Wanshan coldly watched without stepping forward to intervene.

At that moment, Mo Chen was filled with rage, and as he rushed forward with his knife, he collided head-on with someone who burst in from outside the hall. Without waiting to see who it was, he swung his knife wildly. Fortunately, Mo Wang, who was nearby, saw this clearly and quickly pulled Mo Chen back, causing the knife to veer and sever the intruder's right arm at the shoulder. Mo Chen realized that the person who had pulled him back was his fourth brother, and he could not lose his temper. Looking again at the person he had collided with, he recognized him as a leader under his second brother, Mo Dao. Just moments ago, he had seen Mo Dao take him out to seek medical help, but for some unknown reason, he had returned in a panic.

Xiao Wanshan originally held no ill feelings towards Mo Shiyan. Upon hearing him say that Lin Wanyao was his wife, and seeing Lin Wanyao's face flush yet remaining silent in rebuttal, he was instantly filled with joy. It should be noted that the two had a deep bond since before joining the sect. Although they had always maintained a respectful distance, their feelings for each other had long been intertwined. At that moment, he was not angered by Mo Shiyan's coarse words and spoke aloud: "I hope you all do not find this amusing. Although we do not possess any remarkable skills, we do not dare to say that we fear any of you. However, we have heard that Huangsha Stronghold has thousands of troops, and our journey is somewhat hindered by our solitary presence. Therefore, we must leave your lives here for the time being."

Xiao Wanshan smiled and said, "Sister Yao, you need not worry; this place does not allow them to disregard the rules. Do you find this Wind City to be different from other places?"

Before the words had left his mouth, Mo Sha interjected: "Thus, the Huangsha Stronghold along with all its possessions will belong to you two." Mo Sha believed that these two were coveting the wealth accumulated over more than a decade at Huangsha Stronghold. To Mo Sha, whether it was Huangsha Stronghold or Heisha Stronghold, no amount of wealth, no matter how vast, could compare to the lives of his few younger brothers.

After leaving Jutinghai and traveling south for about several dozen miles, one arrives at the location known as Wind City. However, Wind City is merely an expanse of boundless rocky desert, devoid of any semblance of a city. This is due to the unique topography of the area, where fierce winds from the north and south converge, making it difficult for both people and livestock to traverse. The locals refer to it as Wind City, signifying that only the wind can reside there

The wind whipped up the gravel, causing pain to the hands and faces of the brothers. Mo Sha raised his eyes to look into the distance, where three figures were faintly visible. Among them, two were standing while one seemed to be lying on the ground. A thought crossed his mind, knowing that the one lying down must be his second brother, Mo Dao. The brothers pressed on with renewed effort and finally approached closely, clearly seeing that the one on the ground was indeed Mo Dao. Mo Chen, with a fiery temperament, saw his second brother lying motionless on the ground and immediately thought that he had been harmed by the scoundrels in front of him. Without regard for the sandstorm hitting his face, he was about to unleash his anger. As the brothers continued to push forward, they finally reached the scene, confirming that the one on the ground was indeed Mo Dao. Mo Chen, with a fiery temperament, saw his second brother lying motionless on the ground and immediately thought that he had been harmed by the scoundrels in front of him. Without regard for the sandstorm hitting his face, he was about to unleash his anger. Xiao Wanshan, seeing that the brothers had indeed come as promised, bent down and tapped twice on Mo Dao's back, who was lying on the ground. Mo Chen, witnessing what he had thought was his second brother's lifeless body slowly rising, was momentarily stunned, and the words "Damn it" were on the tip of his tongue, but he forgot to speak.

Xiao Wanshan was slightly taken aback upon hearing this; he had not expected that Mo Yin had already met his end at his hand. Seeing that Mo Dao was still somewhat courteous in his speech, he spoke aloud: "Xiao has no grievances with you all upon entering your esteemed territory. However, due to the enmity between Master Mo San and your village, a great feud has arisen that cannot be undone. You must understand the principle of eradicating the roots of the problem, which you all are more familiar with than I am."

After Mo Dao got up, he did not look at Xiao Lin and the others, but walked straight towards Mo Sha and his brothers, and Xiao Wan Shan did not stop him. When Mo Sha saw that his second brother had no visible injuries and his color had slightly improved, he looked at his own brothers who were swaying in the fierce wind, appearing unsteady, while the pair of men and women opposite moved with ease, showing no signs of delay. Their martial arts were astonishingly high, and their stability was shocking, making him realize that his brothers were trapped in a sand sea, looking at the sky from a well, unaware of the vastness of the world. Seeing this situation, although no one had made a move, it seemed that the outcome was already decided, truly a case of being the fish on the chopping block. Mo Dao and Mo Sha whispered a few words, and when Mo Dao saw his elder brother Mo Sha merely shaking his head, he understood that his brothers had no chance of winning in terms of martial arts. He had to muster his courage and stepped forward, saying: "A few days ago, my fifth brother recklessly offended your esteemed selves, but since you have already severely injured him, I wonder what deep enmity you have with our Huangsha Stronghold. You have used your strength to capture a mere subordinate and incited my brothers to come here. Are you not trying to kill my brothers to vent your anger?"

Lin Wanyao asked again: "But if they disregard the chivalric code and attack the stronghold, how can the two of us possibly resist?"

To speak of the men of the grasslands who value loyalty above all, one such man had his arm severed by Mo Chen's blade, and he seemed on the verge of fainting from the pain. Yet, gritting his teeth, he pulled out a letter from his bosom and said: "Report to the Great Stronghold Leader, the Second Stronghold Leader led the younger ones out of the stronghold not long ago when they were ambushed. The brothers could not withstand the attack, and Mo Dao's stronghold leader was taken away by a pair of scoundrels. That thief left a letter for me to deliver to the stronghold leader."

Xiao Wanshan and Lin Wanyao exchanged a glance. Lin Wanyao slightly nodded, while Xiao Wanshan shook his head. Lin Wanyao, devoid of any ulterior motives, felt that Mo Sha's suggestion was indeed a mutually beneficial solution. However, Xiao Wanshan was unwilling to easily trust the empty words of the desert bandits known as the Eight Blades of Mobei.

Xiao Wanshan said: "People from the grasslands value loyalty and reputation the most. You and I have agreed to duel against their eight brothers. If they dare not come, then whether this Huangsha Stronghold is 'scattered' or not, it can be considered 'scattered' already"

Xiao Wanshan couldn't help but smile and said, "Sister Yao, Lord Xuan Di has taken great pains to guide us in our arduous training for so many years. We have cultivated both our internal and external skills to a profound level before arriving here. Those who possess only ordinary martial arts skills would find it impossible to even stand up, let alone engage in combat." At that moment, Lin Wanyao realized that Xiao Wanshan had long had his own plans, and she felt foolish for worrying about him, which made her both embarrassed and angry. She reached out to pinch Xiao Wanshan.

Mo Sha, along with Mo Wang, Mo Jiu, and four others, arrived near Feng City just after the hour of Si. Having roamed the desert for many years, they had long heard of the treacherous nature of a place called Feng City, which is why they had never ventured there until today. To their surprise, shortly after they entered, their subordinates could hardly withstand the fierce winds that swept towards them, crying out for help. The six brothers had no choice but to leave their men behind and proceed on foot. Fortunately, the brothers were skilled in martial arts, and as long as they exerted their strength, they could maintain their footing. However, this manner of travel was fraught with anxiety and drained their energy. It was not until noon that they reached the depths of Feng City. Little did they know that the strong winds at the outskirts were already difficult for ordinary people to endure; now, in the deeper areas, the brothers felt the violent winds raging around them, and they sensed that any moment of relaxation could result in being swept away by the gale.

Mo Dao remained silent, fully aware that although he was currently at the mercy of others, he would surely find a way to gather a crowd for revenge once he escaped from his predicament. However, Mo Shi Han was straightforward: "That man, what fear do you have with such great effort from you and your wife?"

Mo Sha observed that one person nodded while the other shook his head. After a brief moment of contemplation, he understood the reason and said: "Are you two perhaps skeptical?"

Mo Sha received the letter and upon opening it, saw that it was written on a blank sheet of paper: "Tomorrow at noon in Wind City, I await the esteemed arrival of Eight Blades."