Chapter 3: The Slaughter in the Valley

Upon hearing this, the young Kazakh let out a loud roar, and with that shout, all the Kazakh warriors behind him erupted in anger. Although they did not possess any internal martial arts, their momentum was formidable, and such a roar could indeed be considered earth-shattering

The Kazakh youth glared at the Mongolian knight, gritting his teeth, his eyes filled with rage. He took a few steps forward and shouted angrily in Kazakh. Li Shuxiu gently said, "Lap, let me speak."

Li Linhong glanced at the eagle again, and the eagle softly said: "I, your humble servant, only follow your majesty's lead."

Suddenly, a cacophony of curses, hoofbeats, and whip cracks echoed from behind the mountain wall. Cang Ying, sensing the commotion, drew his short sword, ready to charge forward and engage in battle. Li Linhong quickly wrapped his arms around him, pleading, "Cang Ying, my ancestor, please spare my elder brother. If you act recklessly like this, even if Old Li were a cat with nine lives, he would surely be harmed by you."

A dozen or so Mongolian-clad knights broke through the mirage-like rock walls, hurriedly looking around, their mouths emitting excited laughter, and then they reined in their horses, standing in unison at the spot. This extreme motion turned into stillness in an instant, becoming statues that did not move a muscle. These Mongolian knights rode magnificent horses, and their equestrian skills were truly astonishing

That Mr. Xuanjing, in his fifties, has a beard that exudes an air of immortality, is of medium build, and possesses deep-set eyes, suggesting profound internal strength. He nodded and said, "This humble Taoist shall comply with your command"

As soon as these words were spoken, Li Shuxiu immediately turned her gaze this way, her eyes filled with astonishment. The eagle, noticing her expression of considerable respect, could not help but feel a sense of pride within.

Li Shuxiu extended her fair and tender palm and gently tapped it three times with Li Linhong. A smile graced her lips, and her expression was quite curious. It seemed that although she was aware of the custom of clapping hands to make a promise in the martial world, today was her first personal experience of it, which left a profound impression on her.

Upon hearing this, Li Linhong felt a deep sense of distress in his heart. He stepped in between the two and, with a forced smile, said: "Li Xiaoge, whatever you have to say, just tell your older brother here. This brother Cangying has been blown dizzy by the wind and is not quite in his right mind."

The falcon stealthily grasped the reins, intending to lift Zhao Sheng onto the horse, when Li Shuxiu suddenly blocked their way and said: "Friends, please delay for a moment; we have some questions to ask."

Li Shuxiu was not the least bit angry and calmly said: "My companions have stated that your ability to dispel the obstacles set by the Almighty and enter this labyrinth of the Naiman must mean that you are divine messengers sent by the Almighty to guide us in our search for treasure. In that case, why don't we travel together and head to the Naiman labyrinth to seek the treasure?"

Zhao Sheng bit his lip tightly, his youthful eyes filled with confusion. After pondering for a while, he said: "These people do not seem to be bad."

Although the valley is calm and peaceful, with beautiful scenery, the occasional cries of birds and beasts can be heard. The foreign people nearby are chattering in an unintelligible language, causing Zhao Sheng to shrink back, hiding behind the eagle, and whispering: "Brother Eagle, let us not get entangled with them, let us leave this place quickly"

The Kazakhs erupted in thunderous applause upon seeing her. Li Linhong and Zhao Sheng were captivated, while the hawk-faced man turned crimson, his expression quite awkward. He thought to himself: This woman possesses remarkable skills, yet she is younger than I am. One day, I must find an opportunity to compete with her.

At that moment, the Azure Eagle was quietly hiding aside, and for some unknown reason, these Mongolian soldiers surprisingly did not notice him. When he rushed out, it was as if a ghost had suddenly emerged from thin air. At that time, the Ninth Princess had just handed over military authority to Master Xuanjing, and in that fleeting moment, the Azure Eagle, in a fit of impulsiveness, recklessly charged forward and astonishingly succeeded in a perilous manner.

Before a word could be finished, the eagle dashed out from the crowd like a mad dog, silently pouncing towards Jiuh and the princess. Jiuh and the princess gasped in surprise, and after a moment of hesitation, Xuanjing remembered that it was her responsibility to give the orders, and quickly shouted: "Shoot the arrows"

At that moment, a strong Kazakh youth stepped out from among the tribe, approached Li Shuxiu, and loudly said in broken Chinese: "Brother Shuxiu, give them a knife, and we will live and die together."

Lap had great respect for her, gripping her shoulder firmly and glaring at the Mongolian Tartars before slowly stepping back. The eagle thought to itself: this woman has deep feelings for this Kazakh man, yet the Kazakh man does not realize she is a woman. Otherwise, according to Kazakh customs, with men present, it would be utterly inappropriate for a woman to show herself.

Princess Jiuhe originally had some reservations in her heart, but upon hearing her words, a smile of secret delight immediately appeared on her face. She said, "Since you refuse to admit it, we have no choice but to arrest all of you and take you back for a thorough interrogation."

The Mongolian people displayed a rather fierce attitude, too lazy to dismount. The group split apart, and from within emerged a fine steed, upon which sat a Mongolian girl dressed in a long robe. She appeared to be around fifteen years of age, with a slender face, stunning beauty, and an air of nobility. There was a bold spirit in her demeanor as she addressed Li Shuxiu, saying: "Mr. Li, you truly are something. If it weren't for your guidance, we would not have found our way in. Now that you are blocking our path, what do you intend to do?"

Yet, in that moment of hesitation, the hawk drew a shield from behind and leaped into the air, curling its entire body behind the shield. However, a sudden barrage of sounds erupted from the shield, as arrows pierced through the sturdy steel shield, embedding themselves into the hawk's arm by a few inches. Nevertheless, the hawk had already landed beside the princess, drawing a short sword and pressing it against her throat, cursing under its breath, with bloodshot eyes and a demeanor akin to that of a madman

Li Linhong rushed over, slapped him on the forehead, and whispered angrily: "Are you a fool? How could you reveal His Majesty's identity"

Li Shuxiu said: "To be honest, there are approximately 15 Mongolian pursuers beyond this mountain wall. Their horses are fatigued, and we have managed to distance ourselves by several dozen zhang, so they did not see how you entered. At this moment, they still do not know how to break into this valley. Among them, there are a few who possess considerable skills, and since we are outnumbered, I fear we may not be able to cope. Therefore, I wish to advance and retreat together with the three friends and engage in a confrontation with these Mongolians."

Li Linhong glanced at Zhao Sheng, and seeing the emperor's look of confusion, sighed and said: "Little brother, we are not here to seek treasure; rather, we are lost in the desert and have inadvertently arrived in this canyon. As for what you say about the messenger of the Almighty, we truly know nothing about it"

The eagle nodded and said: "I shall faithfully obey Your Majesty's command"

Shu Xiu cast a glance at him, her face revealing a gentle expression. She slightly focused her mind, drew a short sword from her waist, and threw it towards Cang Ying. Cang Ying reached out to catch it, but unexpectedly, the short sword suddenly flipped just a foot in front of him, with a crisp sound, it embedded itself into Cang Ying's belt. This concealed weapon technique was truly extraordinary, with an unpredictable transformation, and the precise control of weight and urgency was indeed beyond the comprehension of mere mortals.

Princess Jiu lazily said to the person beside her: "Mr. Xuanjing, I am feeling a bit weary and do not wish to see any more of this killing and bloodshed. Please keep an eye on them for me, and send someone to bind them all. If anyone resists, shoot them with a volley of arrows immediately, sending that person to meet Yan Wang."

The hawk furrowed its brow and said, "Do you really think we are easy to bully? If a fight is what you want, I will accompany you to the end."

The princess trembled all over, trying to appear imposing, yet her body would not obey her commands. The expressions of the Mongolian soldiers were a mix of shock and anger as they raised their crossbows, aiming at the head of the hawk. However, seeing the hawk exuding a fierce killing intent, they hesitated, fearing the consequences of acting rashly.

Cang Ying and Li Linhong exchanged glances, simultaneously retracting their heads and pretending not to have heard the matter. Cang Ying thought: Although Li Shuxiu is quite capable, she can at most entangle with a dozen or so Mongolian soldiers. If the opponent takes out the large shield, long spear, and beast-catching net, she would likely find herself in a predicament. This matter is certainly not something she would do, but if it is not her, then who could it possibly be? It certainly cannot be me displaying great power.

Li Linhong approached Zhao Sheng and whispered, "Your Majesty, what is your opinion"

Li Linhong anxiously shouted, "What are we waiting for? Let's evacuate quickly and find a place to hide in the canyon."

This thought left him speechless with laughter. He pondered: If I possessed such abilities, who in the world could stand against me? The assailants were certainly not a single individual; they were likely a group of exceptionally skilled masters. They struck simultaneously, efficiently and decisively, resolving the battle in an instant, truly capable of killing one person every ten steps, leaving no trace over a thousand miles. But why did they spare my life? Could it be that they truly came to protect the Emperor? Then why do they not reveal themselves to guard him at this moment?

The hawk's heart skipped a beat, and it silently thought that something was amiss. Glancing over at Li Shuxiu, it noticed her hesitant expression, her delicate brows slightly furrowed. After pondering for a moment, she rejoined the argument with her companions

Princess Jiu nodded and said, "What you said is very good, truly delightful, and resonates deeply with me." However, her face soon showed a look of sorrow, and she sighed, saying, "You Kazakhs killed more than 130 of my Mongolian warriors not long ago; how shall we account for this?"

Li Shuxiu shook her head and said: "They killed our companions and stole our treasure map, we are here to settle old scores."

Mr. Xuanjing remained quite composed and said, "This young brother possesses extraordinary martial arts skills and must be a remarkable hero of great stature. Let us speak amicably." In truth, it is difficult for others to assess the prowess of the Cangying style, but his demeanor was rather arrogant, making it evident to anyone that conversing with him at this moment felt akin to addressing an ancestor, where even a slight sound had to be released with utmost caution and care.

Li Shuxiu furrowed her brows and said loudly: "Princess Jiuhe, you have killed our brothers A Te and Mai Da. Hand over the murderer and return the stolen map, and we will consider the matter settled."

Li Shuxiu stated: "To kill is to pay with one's life, to owe is to repay, this is a matter of natural justice."

Li Shuxiu exclaimed loudly: "What a baseless accusation! If we were truly responsible for this matter, we would not be wasting our breath with you at this moment. We would have long since come up to fight you and avenge our kin!" Li Shuxiu, having grown up among the simple-hearted Kazakh people, was completely devoid of guile and did not understand the ways of intimidation and deception, thus revealing his true intentions in an instant

Li Linhong laughed heartily, raised his palms, and said to Li Shuxiu: "It is such a trouble for you, Brother Li. Let us form an alliance and jointly resist the formidable enemy"

The hawk secretly scolded: Although this woman possesses remarkable skills, she is utterly foolish. If she had set an ambush earlier, she would not have to be treated as a live target at this moment

Princess Jiu let out a soft laugh, her enchanting eyes fixed intently on Li Shuxiu. There was no trace of anger in her gaze, only a tenderness filled with admiration. She smiled and said, "On what basis?"

As soon as she finished speaking, the Mongolians behind her simultaneously drew their crossbows, aiming at the people in front. Li Shuxiu took a step back, her eyes filled with a mix of shock and anger, never expecting that these Mongolians would be so brutal. At this moment, with the crossbows aimed at her, although she had ways to protect herself, the Kazakh warriors behind her were bound to suffer heavy casualties.