Chapter 3, The Lone Rider's Night Raid on the Village

There are still three months left, and on his birthday, I will definitely be able to! Once he has celebrated his birthday, he will leave here, and I will never see him again... The girl set such a date for herself

But what use is urgency if one does not encounter an enemy

In my youth, I had never witnessed such a grand scene, feeling both inexplicably nervous and exhilarated. Along the way, we discussed how to slay the enemy and achieve merit, fantasizing about how to leave the battlefield strewn with their corpses, yet only receiving a few perfunctory responses from those who seemed clearly indifferent.

The snow-covered Tian Cang Mountain, where fallen warriors are trapped in the white snow, their blood staining patches of deep crimson, stands in stark contrast and is particularly shocking to behold

Seeing that he appeared to be well-behaved, the captain then called out: "Let's go"

Our village arrived late to begin with, and if we don't hurry, others will have finished early! What are we even going for! We might as well go back and warm ourselves by the fire

"Captain of Wangtian Village, heed the order: depart within half an hour to provide assistance to Tiancang Mountain..."

Suddenly, figures appeared in the wind and snow, and there was more than one!

She should not have been like this, but if she were not like this, she feared she would regret it for a lifetime

Li Tianzhao hoped time and again to discover the enemy's traces, yet he was met with disappointment time and again

If it were not for the leading man clad in leather armor, with a strong physique and the words 'Xuantian' inscribed on his dark red forehead band, one might mistakenly think that this group was merely herbalists who had wandered into this place in search of ice and snow lotuses

The chaotic fragments were originally elusive, leaving only a disordered search throughout the mountains. Although Cangshan Mountain is said to be the domain of the Xuantian Martial King, it is perpetually covered in snow and uninhabited. The nearest village is over sixty miles away from the mountain, and the reinforcements, arriving one after another, can only spread out on the mountain to search for the encroaching enemies.

The wind and snow were considerable, visibility was poor, and many sounds were chaotic. The group from Wangtian Village had been walking on the mountain for more than half an hour, yet they had not encountered anyone else.

In three months, she set a date by which she must muster the courage.

A beautiful figure stood outside Li Tianzhao's door, her delicate fingers hesitating to touch the door panel, only to retract again.

The leading man surveyed the front, not forgetting to remind once again: "Listen carefully—I'll say it one more time! Our objective is to search for the enemy. If we encounter any stragglers, we will engage! If there are many enemies, we will mark our path and wait to join forces with others before taking action!"

Li Tianzhao was exhilarated, as the seer confirmed his mother's words: he was destined to be the fortunate one favored by the power of chaotic fragments

The captain furrowed his brow and said: "Li Tianzhao! Don't listen to his nonsense. To kill ten and be promoted to captain, you would have to kill ten of the regular soldiers under Feng Wuwang. Soldiers like you, who are not yet officially enlisted, wouldn't even be worth one of them, even a hundred of you. If we really encounter the enemy, just stick close to me! If you dare to act on your own today, I will expel you from the Wangtian Village team! And you can forget about getting your identification card when you turn eighteen!" If you dare to act on your own today, I will expel you from the Wangtian Village team! And you can forget about getting your identification card when you turn eighteen!

In such days, stability has been achieved, yet there are no opportunities for notable accomplishments. The achievements accumulated from daily production have made me the best in the village, and in the future, I will be the successor to the village team leader of Wangtian Village

Although the forecasters say that due to the difficulty and lengthy time required to reveal the power of the Thousand Kills, and because it is so rare that few have heard of it, it is insufficient to serve as a basis for recommending him to the Hall of Self-Cultivation

However, she ultimately could not muster the courage

The young eagerly anticipate battle, while the older generation hopes for peace and safety

The captain, fearing an encounter with the enemy, found that a group of young and inexperienced warriors in the village were eager for battle. They anxiously and discontentedly shouted, "Captain, how did you achieve victory and earn your merits in battle back in your day?"

Thus, he did not comfort Li Tianzhao either, but simply said to him: "Whether your parents can be resurrected depends on you. As a descendant of the fighting mandarin ducks, you must rely on your own struggle to enter the Hall of the Martial King! Under the great glory of the Xuantian Martial King, there are only those who bravely move forward and those who stop and slowly decay"

Li Tianzhao—today you must stay close to me! The captain's voice suddenly became serious, the only thing that truly made him uneasy was this one matter

I understand. Li Tianzhao agreed readily, yet the village chief continued to scrutinize him with suspicion, as if he would not relent until he could detect signs of insincerity in his words

Pain is what drives them to fight, to pursue achievements, and to seek the source of power that leads to the Hall of the Martial King

At the age of eighteen, Li Tianzhao was almost constantly in anticipation, to the extent that he did not even notice the increasingly eager gaze of the most beautiful girl in the village

The captain knows their capabilities and is not afraid of those few who dare to act recklessly; should they encounter the enemy, these individuals will immediately understand the severity of the situation. His gaze fell upon a tall figure in the middle of the team

The old man with gray hair in the team opened his mouth, recalling the many young faces from his memories, but then closed his mouth again, knowing that it would be of no use to speak

A group of more than ten people made their way up the mountain along the disordered ice and snow, which had been trampled many times. Among them were individuals with grizzled hair, as well as a tender-looking youth who appeared to be only twelve or thirteen years old

This is actually the situation that the village chief desires the most. The main combat forces on both sides have already engaged in battle, and their presence is merely to make up the numbers. They might take advantage of any isolated enemies who fail to escape, but if they do not encounter any, they can safely return to the village, thus gaining credit for their support without any real effort.

He has grown very tall and is already the strongest and most capable person in the village.

Li Tianzhao walked up to the captain, stretching his neck in search, impatient as if he were about to rush out on his own at any moment

Li Tianzhao had heard his parents say these words before, but only now does he truly understand their depth. It is only by pushing forward with great effort through the pain that one day he may enter the Hall of King Wu and bring his parents back to life

Wangtian Village is a small place where not much has happened for a long time. The responsibility of the village leader is simply to guide everyone in production and to regularly submit the materials produced.

The identity seems to have changed, but in reality, what is being done is still the same as before

One can only hope to avoid encountering the enemy

The biting cold wind cut like a knife, and the sky was filled with large snowflakes falling like goose feathers, obstructing visibility. The captain of Wangtian Village was particularly cautious, moving even more slowly, gradually adopting a pace of stopping with each step, pausing to survey the surroundings.

The girl turned back, carrying a sense of loss, yet also harboring hopes for the future

... ...

"Ten? I will do my best." Li Tianzhao responded quickly, a typical display of youthful exuberance

I will closely follow the captain to defeat the enemy!" Li Tianzhao replied loudly. He held an old, frayed sword in his hand, his starry eyes shining with eager light, clearly yearning for battle

One stayed because a woman did not leave; another stayed because his mother fell ill and needed long-term care; only the big-nosed man, who had a good relationship with Li Tianzhao, went out, but he has been out of touch for two years.

Yet she knows that Li Tianzhao is not someone who can be retained in Wangtian Village; he is destined to be even more formidable than his parents and is bound to be the one who receives the 'blessing' of the Martial King, a notion beyond her wildest dreams

In the village, those who reach the age of eighteen are generally said to be ready to venture out

The most beautiful girl in the village has always believed in his abilities, and she confidently said: "If you kill an enemy, then Tian Zhao Ge will become a seasoned warrior!"

The old carpenter with graying hair did not need his reminders; he understood that the words were meant for those lacking experience, and he walked his own path, seemingly ignoring them.

An avalanche on Mount Tian Cang, accompanied by a brilliant display of colors, is regarded as the chaotic fragments of power breaking through the ice. The Wind Martial King crosses the boundary line, while the Xuantian Martial King, who guards the border, fights fiercely to intercept. The battle between the two sides is brutal and intense.

Eighteen years old, at eighteen I can go out! Father, Mother, wait for me, I will definitely step into the Hall of the Martial King as soon as possible! Li Tianzhao was counting the days, in three months, it will be the true beginning he has been waiting for!

The young and inexperienced are fearless in the face of danger; when speaking to a group of passionate young individuals about the perils of battle and the need for caution, no one is likely to heed such warnings

A group of people continued to tread on the ice and snow, accompanied by the chaotic sound of 'creaking' as they made their way up the mountain

A young warrior in his twenties, jealous of the girl he likes who favors Li Tianzhao, mockingly said: "What great ability does Li Tianzhao have! Killing one is not enough? This time he is sure to slay ten, and as a regular soldier, he might even be promoted to captain"

The person's expression suddenly froze; he never expected Li Tianzhao to be so arrogant. Unable to contain his anger, he suppressed his rage and stared at Li Tianzhao, saying: "Alright, alright, alright! I will wait to count your battle marks!"

Moreover, Li Tianzhao remembered his father saying that he would fulfill his promise to him

The people in the village all say she is beautiful, and all the men like her, yet she has always had feelings for Li Tianzhao

There has been no sighting of the enemy, nor has there been any mobilization of them to any location

It is said that at some point, the strange phenomena in the world are all caused by the power of chaotic fragments

However, Li Tianzhao does not care; even if he can only cultivate in the village, he will definitely persevere!

After the fate prediction, he turned twelve years old and became an auxiliary warrior of Wangtian Village

Li Tianzhao, under his scrutinizing gaze, kept his bright eyes wide open, not blinking at all

Returning empty-handed? He simply cannot accept it

When Li Tianzhao's parents died in battle, their combined merits were still insufficient for him to enter the Hall of Cultivation in the city

The village chief said that it will be fine when I turn eighteen, as I will be able to go out then

After seeing off the forecaster, Chen Pi, a friend of Li Tianzhao's father, suddenly told him with a face full of sorrow: "Your father, eager to achieve merit, went to Beixuan City despite his injuries... and did not return."

Li Tianzhao's father's friends do not understand how to comfort him in his grief over his father's death; their only way of facing death is to accept the pain

Just a moment ago, he was filled with the joy of a seer who was certain he possessed the power to kill a thousand foes, but in this moment, it transformed into the sorrow of losing his father. Li Tianzhao stood in a daze, secretly gritting his teeth, feeling that if his parents had not sent him to the cultivation hall in the city, this would not have happened.

A rider galloped in, suddenly bursting into Wangtian Village, and the urgent sound of orders quickly shattered the tranquility of the night

He felt that encountering such a significant event just before turning eighteen was clearly a rare opportunity for him to achieve merit

This is not the future that the young people in the village desire, nor is it the future envisioned by Li Tianzhao

Li Tianzhao is almost eighteen years old, and everyone in the village knows that he will surely go out into the world

She can only muster the courage, hoping to possess a past that can be cherished in memory, allowing her to occasionally take it out and reminisce in the future

She has watched Li Tianzhao return home and close the door many times, always wanting to muster the courage to go in and unreservedly present herself before Li Tianzhao.

Advance, only advance. He must, and can only, accept the sorrow alone, and continue to move forward