Chapter 8, tragically murdered

I lunged forward like lightning, and just as a knight behind Gao Jin had drawn his sword halfway, my blade had already pierced through his chest. The other two black-helmeted warriors, sensing the situation was not right, drew their swords and charged at me. I was only afraid that they would raise the alarm, attracting other patrolling warriors. Fortunately, their actions were equally clandestine, and they did not dare to be ostentatious. I let out a cold laugh in my heart, swiftly moving to the right, positioning myself beside the right warrior. I thrust my longsword upward, and with a clang, I deflected his downward strike. My force was extraordinarily fierce, far beyond his expectations, leaving his ribs wide open. The other two black-helmeted warriors, sensing the situation was not right, drew their swords and charged at me. I was only afraid that they would raise the alarm, attracting other patrolling warriors. Fortunately, their actions were equally clandestine, and they did not dare to be ostentatious. I let out a cold laugh in my heart, swiftly moving to the right, positioning myself beside the right warrior. I thrust my longsword upward, and with a clang, I deflected his downward strike. My force was extraordinarily fierce, far beyond his expectations, leaving his ribs wide open. I twisted my wrist, and like a cunning snake, my longsword pierced through his ribs.

I looked around and finally chose a large tree, binding Huaxian to my back before climbing up. Just as I concealed myself among the dense foliage, the sound of hooves and the rumble of a cart began to echo in the distance. I then saw a large group of black-helmeted soldiers pass beneath the tree.

Gao Jin said coldly, "What is it?" I knew that if it weren't for my identity as a Red Ring Guard, he would never have been so polite. I stepped forward and said in a deep voice, "Are you Gao Jin?"

I gently patted her smooth face. Huayin remained unconscious.

The cold wind outside makes one all the more aware of the warmth within the carriage. Suddenly, a moan of "ah" breaks the silence beside me, awakening me from a passionate kiss. I gently push the princess aside and turn to look at Huaxi, who is lying next to me. Her sharply defined but now colorless lips part, continuously emitting moans, her eyelashes fluttering as she hovers between wakefulness and sleep. Overjoyed, I pull her into my embrace. I reach out to gently pat her delicate face and call out, "Huaxi! Huaxi!" Her sharply defined but now colorless lips part, continuously emitting moans, her eyelashes fluttering as she hovers between wakefulness and sleep. Overjoyed, I pull her into my embrace. I reach out to gently pat her delicate face and call out, "Huaxi! Huaxi!"

The scene within the city captivated my attention. Various beautiful buildings, partially concealed by trees and exotic flowers, appeared to blend seamlessly with nature, creating a veritable earthly paradise. The straight streets extended orderly from the city entrance towards the front and both sides, seemingly endless. In the distance to the left, a tall building with a pointed roof emerged, which appeared to be the most mysterious Witch's Hall on earth for the people of the Empire. At the entrance of the hall, there were a dozen dark cylindrical objects, surrounded by white soldiers, facing the entrance. Although I was eager to meet the witch, I could not help but ask the white soldier beside me, "What are these things?"

The other black-helmeted knights were stunned in shock. My sword did not waver in the slightest

I laughed and said, "This is for you." In a flash of sword light, from below to above, it severed Gao Jin's throat, and he did not even have time to scream before he breathed his last

For a moment, the atmosphere felt exceptionally heavy. Under the illumination of the blazing torches, there were six individuals in total, yet there was no sign of Huaxi. However, I quickly discerned a troubling situation; one rider was accompanied by two black-helmeted warriors, with the head of the one in front resting limply against the back, clearly in a state of unconsciousness. It was entirely dependent on the rider behind to support him, who was undoubtedly Huaxi disguised as a black-helmeted warrior. The leading rider shouted, "The Empire blooms!" Upon hearing the voice, I recognized it was Gao Jin, who had been ordered by Feng Ge to capture Huaxi, and my heart filled with joy as I promptly responded, "Red August."

The people of the Witch Castle are also quite different in temperament from those of the Empire. They do not possess the fierce, greedy, and suspicious demeanor of the Empire's people. Both men and women are charming and beautiful. Unfortunately, they are all preoccupied with preparations for war, their faces filled with worry. Otherwise, I would truly like to sit down and have an in-depth conversation with these individuals who are so different from the bellicose people of the Empire.

The sound of screams came from the front of the carriage, followed by a series of startled exclamations. The carriage began to move again, and I knew that the driver had been killed; the carriage had fallen into the hands of the subordinates of Ge Zhan.

I removed Huaxian's helmet, revealing her pale and delicate face before my eyes. What reassured me was the absence of any obvious injuries, and an overwhelming sense of compassion surged within me

Hua Qian was filled with mixed emotions, burying her head in my embrace, her hands wrapping tightly around my waist, as if afraid that the reality before her would melt away like ice and snow at the slightest relaxation

I bent down and pressed my ear to the ground. Before long, the sound of hooves striking the earth could be heard from both the east and the southwest, with at least hundreds of people in each direction. I was alarmed; how could the pursuers arrive so quickly? The warhorse that had carried us had already traveled such a distance and was utterly exhausted, now grazing on the grass. If we were to rely on it to escape, it would likely collapse and perish after barely a mile.

Bai Dan raised his hand, and the dove flew into the sky. The horses and riders galloped once more, and before long, they arrived at the grand square in front of the Witch's Palace, which was surprisingly devoid of any guards, resembling an unprotected royal palace

The warriors of the Witch Kingdom, clad in white armor, are scattered like white dots across the city walls, with banners fluttering in the wind. The people of the Empire refer to the warriors of the Witch Kingdom as "White Soldiers," creating a stark contrast with the Empire's black-helmeted soldiers, delineating a clear division of black and white. Since the establishment of their respective nations, it seems that there has been no possibility of reconciliation between these two countries. The brutal and ruthless nature of the Empire's leader, with a cold and fierce demeanor, stands in stark opposition to the gentle compassion and enchanting beauty of the witch, resembling the extremes of water and fire. Yet, there exists a mysterious and subtle relationship between the two.

I was greatly alarmed; in such a dark night, where could a girl of such noble birth and beauty possibly go? Could the power of jealousy truly be this terrifying? Suddenly, a rustling sound came from all around, as a large group of people approached from all directions.

Hua Qian suddenly struggled violently, crying out: "No! No! I don't know, I don't know."

The bridge was devoid of anything else, and Hua Qian and I looked at Bai Dan in confusion. Bai Dan gazed up at the sky, where a small dot was seen high above, gradually enlarging, accompanied by the sound of flapping wings, coming closer and closer. It turned out to be a messenger pigeon, flying straight to the hand extended by Bai Dan

The princess's guard responded, "Who are you?" A powerful voice laughed heartily and said, "Who else but the people of the Witch Kingdom would dare to confront the Empire? Charge!" A fierce battle ensued

The carriage continued to accelerate. The subordinates sent by the princess this time to escort the princess must be the most elite experts, which is why they were able to overcome the odds and break through to escape despite being at a disadvantage

That night, the sky was overcast with dark clouds, and flashes of lightning occasionally illuminated the heavens, yet the rain did not fall. The cold wind howled, and the princess and I huddled together in the cell, while on the other side lay the unconscious Huaxi. Outside was a scene of indifferent desolation, but inside it was warm and cozy.

I nearly fell from the car, rendered speechless by astonishment. There was no hatred in her tone, only resentment. The princess's delicate voice came again: "Lant! Lant! If you are to leave, you should take me with you. Why have you left me behind? Do you not know of my love for you?" I exclaimed in shock! "What? I am merely your fiancé, but he is your father!"

According to my father, the Grand Leader was not like this at the beginning of the nation's establishment. That is why my father and Qi Bei, such just and skilled individuals, were willing to lend their full support. However, after the nation was established, the Grand Leader's temperament changed drastically, leading to the successive rebellion of two of his trusted subordinates. In front of the moat, there are several long pits filled with black liquid. We need to walk across the long wooden bridge built over the pits. Hua Qian asked, "What is this?"

As soon as I saw the lead maid speaking with a worried expression, I exclaimed inwardly that something was wrong. Bai Dan, being a shrewd person, was taken aback and asked, "Your Highness, what has happened?"

I felt a stir in my heart and exclaimed: "Take me immediately to the Witch Kingdom, I have urgent matters to discuss with Her Highness the Witch."

What flows within me is the blood of valor, originating from the empire where the strong reign supreme

A look of reverence appeared on Bai Dan's face as he said, "This is the method instructed by Her Highness the Witch. The black oil is extracted from the depths of the earth, and once ignited, it transforms into an everlasting sea of fire, capable of repelling the enemy's fierce attacks." I was greatly astonished; the Witch was not only an extraordinary leader but also a strategic expert. This combustible black oil was truly unheard of in the Empire, and the Witch's ability to utilize it was remarkable. No wonder the Supreme Leader was so wary of her. With this thought, I couldn't help but feel a burning anxiety within me. I squeezed my legs against the horse's belly and galloped ahead, calling out, "Hurry! I must see Her Highness the Witch as soon as possible."

With a cold snort, I leaped down from the front of the car. Before the driver could even turn his head, my right foot had already swept him aside, sending his entire body tumbling down from the vehicle

As I relaxed my mood and took a closer look at the other person, I vaguely remembered seeing him enter the witch's tent to report military intelligence. However, now he was dressed in a tight black outfit, which was vastly different from his appearance in armor at that time, so I did not recognize him at first and thought it was the pursuers from the battle of Ge.

A majestic voice resounded: "All I want is the imperial princess, not you. Leave quickly!"

I called out: "Princess! Master Bao!" There was no response

The carriage suddenly came to a halt. I looked up and immediately exclaimed, "Oh no." I saw a group of about fifty people rushing towards us, while the more than twenty remaining guards of the princess were positioned around the carriage, determined to fight to the death to protect their master

My heart tightened for a moment; the princess left without a word last night, which made me very sad and feel quite guilty towards her

The situation is too chaotic, and the troops are solely focused on fighting, compounded by branches and leaves obstructing their view. No one noticed that we descended from the sky

The princess firmly stated: "No! He is not my father. A father would never treat his daughter like that. From childhood to now, he has never even touched me, never shared his thoughts with me, and has never cared about what lies deep within my heart. On the surface, he treats me better than anyone else, but when he looks at me, his cold gaze is like that of someone looking at a lifeless object. He lacks the emotions of a normal person; sometimes I suspect he is a devil. He is definitely not my father, otherwise he would not have caused the death of my entire family before my engagement. " I felt a surge of emotion in my heart. Her sincerity towards me is beyond doubt. Now she has clearly chosen my side between her father and her fiancé. How could I possibly abandon her?

Then came another group of horsemen. I looked at the appearance of the flags and my heart trembled; it turned out to be the princess's entourage. Remembering the conspiracy of the brotherhood, I secretly thought how fortunate it was that I had stumbled upon them by chance.

The carriage continued to gallop across the grassland. It was not until dusk that I chose a small hill to stop. Hua Qian remained unconscious, and I could only wonder what methods the Black Widow had employed. It seems that I would have to find a way to awaken her only after reaching the Witch Kingdom

I held her tightly and exclaimed, "Don't be afraid! I am here! I am here!" A wave of indignation surged through me. The Black Widow must have employed some insidious means against her; otherwise, with her strength, she would never be so terrified.

I pulled the reins sharply, and the strong horse reared up, bringing the carriage to a halt. At the same time, four burly men attacked from both sides.

Gao Jin trembled all over, feeling guilty for his wrongdoing, while at the same time anxiously wanting to hear my words clearly, unconsciously leaning forward.

Hua Xi gently said beside me, "Can I go find the illustrated book for you?" I understood her kindness and goodwill, but I resolutely shook my head and replied, "Let's see the witch first!"

A surge of passion welled up from the depths of my heart, and I resolved to spare no effort in dedicating all my strength to protect the Witch Kingdom

At this time, there were not many pedestrians on the street; apart from the children playing among the trees, men and women were hurrying to transport various supplies to the city walls in preparation for resisting the invasion of the empire

I thought that she must have been drugged, rendering her unable to regain consciousness. At that moment, I felt a severe headache, and it was truly difficult to carry her far, yet the pursuers could arrive at any moment.

This bridge alone demonstrates that the architectural civilization of the Witch Kingdom far surpasses that of the Empire. I recalled what Qi Bei mentioned about Witch Lake, which must refer to this beautiful body of water. The Witch Palace stands tall in sight, its unique spire emerging from the trees, and the entire palace is constructed from strange, gigantic white stones, shimmering brilliantly in the morning sun

I said to Hua Qian, "Let me introduce you to someone." Without raising her head, Hua Qian replied, "Who?"

Gao Jin was taken aback and said, "You..." I would not allow him to continue, and stepped forward two paces to stand beside his horse, looking up. "The commander has already spoken to the Supreme Leader, and Hua Qian will be handed over to me." I particularly lowered my voice when I spoke the last sentence

I helped Huaxie down and lay beside her on the roof of the carriage. At that moment, someone shouted beside the carriage: "First escort the princess out of the jungle!" The carriage immediately began to move, and the shouts of battle around us grew louder and more intense than before. I remained lying there, yet drew my long sword, quietly waiting for the situation to unfold.

Suddenly, we rushed onto a magnificent stone bridge wide enough for eight horses to gallop side by side; at first glance, the stone bridge seemed endless, surrounded on all sides by rippling azure waves. It turned out to be an arched stone bridge spanning a vast lake.

Thoughts aside, my steps did not falter. I managed to catch up just in time and caught Huaxian, who was about to fall off the horse. Unfortunately, the warhorse let out a long neigh and galloped towards the camp. I inwardly cursed, realizing this would attract a large number of pursuers. Without hesitation, I leaped onto one of the warhorses and ran towards the dense forest in the distance to the left. We ran until dawn, finally stopping at the junction of the grassland and the endless mountains. For the moment, it was relatively safe, but I knew this good fortune would not last long. We ran until dawn, finally stopping at the junction of the grassland and the endless mountains. For the moment, it was relatively safe, but I knew this good fortune would not last long.

Witch City may be the greatest city that has ever appeared on earth, more imposing than the Moonlit City and Sunrise City of the empire. Before the continuous high and thick city walls lies a wide moat. From the outside, everything appears calm and peaceful, but I know that within the city, preparations for war are underway. Every individual is determined to fight for their own fate, resisting the tyrant who takes pleasure in the suffering of the people.

I recounted the entire conspiracy of the villain to the princess. The princess gritted her teeth and said, "This detestable villain, how fortunate it is that I encountered you; otherwise! Otherwise, I would not want to be human anymore"

Suddenly, the surroundings darkened, as another warrior, in a state of panic, dropped his torch to the ground. I crouched low and slipped beneath the horse's belly, thrusting my longsword like lightning into this warrior's side. Then, with a reverse motion, I hurled the sword, its force like thunder, piercing through the armor of the warrior who was attempting to escape with Huaxian, striking him in the back. Since my childhood, my father had trained me to strengthen my wrist and waist strength, and only when my sword could penetrate armor was I considered qualified. Those painful exercises that tormented me in the past have now come to fruition. I truly do not understand what material the Grand Commander’s armor is made of, as even my father could not overcome it.

I jumped down from the horse and, along with Huaxian, stepped onto the long stone steps leading into the hall, which were made of white stones. The hall constructed of white stones appeared to be nothing more than an unreal dream.

The Witch Castle, Sunrise Castle, and Moonview Castle are strikingly different from each other, with spacious areas between the houses that are filled with beautiful plants

I then asked him to send someone to search for the princess, and together we traveled through the night. By the dawn of the next day, the Witch Kingdom was already in sight in the distance

There are no traces of human presence on the plain, and it seems that only we remain between heaven and earth. A gentle voice sounded from behind, asking: "Who are you?" My heart trembled, knowing that it was the princess speaking to me through the small window between the carriage and the driver.

However, my primary task is to meet the witch, so I cannot seek her out personally and can only entrust this matter to Bai Dan, but unfortunately, there was no result

Clang! The flames flickered, and several torches were lit around me. The area was filled with people, and under the bright blaze, I was illuminated in every detail.

Bai Dan Dao: "You are in great danger here, as the imperial army has begun to mobilize and may arrive at any moment. We are here to gather intelligence on military affairs, and I had thought you had already reached the seaside."

I extricated myself from Hua Qian's embrace, pushed the door open, and stepped out of the car into the pitch-black darkness outside

Bai Dan took a scroll of paper from a small bamboo tube tied to the pigeon's foot. After reading it, he looked at me and said, "Our people cannot find the princess. If only we had a little more time, but the vanguard of the empire is rapidly approaching, so we have no choice but to abandon the search. Please forgive us"

We gallop on horseback along the spacious avenues of this beautiful city, while the people by the roadside cheer for us and throw freshly picked flowers at us, expressing their gratitude towards the warriors who fight to protect them, which is openly evident. This stands in stark contrast to the fear that the people of the empire have for the black-clad warriors.

With a fierce shout, I unleashed the sword's momentum, and the four men were struck in succession. In the blink of an eye, the princess was already in my grasp. I cracked the whip and called out, turning the horse around, leaving the chaotic crowd behind, and headed towards the Witch Kingdom.

I quietly climbed to the edge of the wide car roof, peering outward. I could see that the driver was a burly man, and there were only four people guarding the car, while the others had gone to confront the black-clad guards accompanying the vehicle

The sky remained dark, and there was still some time before dawn; the activities within the camp had also quieted down.

Hua Qian suddenly opened her eyes wide, looking at me in disbelief. I gently said, "Everything is over, I have rescued you from the hands of the Black Widow."

I left the camp without any surprises or dangers, relying on my identity as a Red Ring Guardian

As blood splattered, the black-helmeted warriors fell one by one. I sighed inwardly, thinking that the moment for me to take action had finally arrived

I turned back to look at the princess; the carriage was empty except for Hua Xi and me. It seems that I had been completely focused on Hua Xi just now, and my emotions were caught in extreme excitement, not noticing that the princess had already left the carriage

Hua Qian followed closely behind, while Bai Dan and a group of other knights also rushed after her. In an instant, more than twenty riders galloped onto the large suspension bridge that spanned the nearly one-hundred-foot-wide artificial moat. The sound of hooves striking the bridge planks echoed thunderously, and the towering city walls loomed over us like a mountain.

The warrior let out a cry of agony and fell from his horse. The warhorse, startled, reared up on its front legs

I shouted in anger, just about to strike. One of the warriors said, "Hark! It turns out to be Young Master Lante! I am Bai Dan from the Witch Kingdom."

I was wearing the armor of the Black Helm Warriors, so she certainly could not recognize me. I lowered my voice and said, "Princess! I am a Red Ring Guard, here to rescue you." The princess sighed softly and said, "Lant! You cannot deceive me; who else possesses such excellent swordsmanship as you do?"

The only method at present is to find a place to hide, hoping to evade the enemy's first round of search. Once Hua Qian wakes up, the chances of escaping into the Witch Kingdom will be much greater. I walked to the warhorse and gave it a heavy slap on the flank; the warhorse neighed loudly and galloped into the dense forest.

Bai Dan rode alongside me while calling out: "They are the guardians of the Witch Kingdom, constructed under the guidance of Her Highness the Witch. We call them 'Thunder Gods'; as long as we load them with 'Thunder Shells', even the strongest enemies cannot withstand the thunderous fire they unleash"

The leading knight saw me blocking the way, pulled on the reins, and came to a stop. The others, following his lead, also reined in their warhorses.

Eight female attendants dressed in white robes stood at the palace gate. The one at the front said to Bai Dan, "General Bai! Marshal Ma and the others are all outside Your Highness's chamber"

The Grand Chancellor has always been too afraid to confront the Witch directly. Back in the day, he sent my father, Lanling, and Qibei to assassinate the Witch and steal the Book of Wisdom. Had it not been for Qibei falling in love with the Witch, which thwarted his scheme, the Witch Kingdom would have long ceased to exist. That conspiracy also sowed the seeds of all the crises we face today. One wonders whether the Grand Chancellor's insidious trap laid with the copy of the Book of Wisdom will succeed this time. The white city gates creaked open, evidently activated by some mechanism. Such facilities demonstrate that the Witch Kingdom has far surpassed the Empire in terms of civilization. It is no wonder that despite the Witch Kingdom's smaller population and weaker strength, it has managed to contend with an Empire that is more than ten times larger in territory and population. The Empire is like a colossal beast, constantly engaging in warfare, devouring tribes and lands near and far, thus expanding its territory every day. In contrast, the Witch Kingdom grows slowly; only when tribes voluntarily submit does its territory increase slightly, reflecting a completely different style from that of the Empire. We rushed into the city like a whirlwind.

The white horse, leading the charge, made a gesture to halt, and the entire troop simultaneously tightened their reins. The warhorses neighed and reared, charging forward for over a hundred feet before coming to a stop

Not far from the camp, I saw several torches moving and approaching in the distance, and I could vaguely make out a few knights. They were galloping back, and I thought to myself that their arrival was timely. I went to meet them, as it would be much more difficult for me to rescue Huaxie if they returned to the camp. I quickly closed the distance between us.

At this moment, the carriage, under the desperate protection of a large group of black-helmeted soldiers, fought while advancing and happened to arrive beneath the tree

This thought was not yet complete, when suddenly the sound of killing filled the air... I saw armed bandits, dressed in plain clothes and masked, suddenly appearing from all directions to attack the horse convoy. They were highly skilled in martial arts and outnumbered us, quickly gaining the upper hand. My blood boiled with rage, as I knew this was a conspiracy orchestrated by Ge Zhan to deal with the princess. A particularly luxurious carriage was approaching rapidly, surrounded by guards who were desperately protecting it; it was the princess's royal carriage. If I had enough rationality, I should have stood by and watched, allowing them to kill each other. However, the princess had once been my fiancée, and despite any faults she may have, she remained innocent. How could I stand idly by?

I took a deep breath, carrying Huaxian, and leaped onto the roof of the carriage. With a thud, we landed on the top of the carriage

My respect for the witch has increased once more; her extraordinary knowledge enables her to stand firm before the powerful empire like a storm, despite her small stature. A little ahead of Baidanling, I turned my horse onto the left avenue, heading straight for the Witch's Palace.

I looked at her tear-filled beautiful eyes and thought to myself that although she was of noble birth, her situation was far from that of Xiqi, who relied on Qibei for survival. Perhaps from this moment on, she could start a new life. The princess leaned her head on my shoulder and said, "Lante! Tell me, do you still love me as you did in the past?" I turned my face towards her and saw her beauty blooming like a fresh flower, and my heart was moved. I kissed her delicate fragrant lips passionately. The princess let out a soft sound, intoxicated by the fervent contact. The princess leaned her head on my shoulder and said, "Lante! Tell me, do you still love me as you did in the past?" I turned my face towards her and saw her beauty blooming like a fresh flower, and my heart was moved. I kissed her delicate fragrant lips passionately. The princess let out a soft sound, intoxicated by the fervent contact.