Three, Call the Butterfly

Ahemang received a blow from Hou Ting with an axe, nodding in approval: "Not bad. You have some strength; let us fight again." With a push of his feet, he leaped into the air. Taking advantage of this leap, the iron staff came crashing down on Hou Ting's head like Mount Tai. Wu Yuan, seeing the ferocity of this strike, knew that Hou Ting would find it hard to withstand, and hurriedly thrust his flower spear towards Ahemang's lower abdomen, hoping to force him to retreat and save himself. Ahemang, suspended in mid-air, did not dodge; instead, he kicked the flower spear away with one foot while still bringing down the iron staff. Hou Ting, seeing that there was no way to evade, let out a grunt, gathered his energy in his dantian, and braced himself with the axe, taking the blow head-on. The iron staff struck the mountain-splitting axe with a resounding clash of metal, causing Hou Ting's tiger mouth to split open, blood gushing forth. Ahemang used the momentum to fall back but appeared unfazed. Hou Ting was filled with shock, contemplating: "I usually have few rivals among the brothers in the camp; today, I could only barely withstand one of his strikes. With the strength of this Turkic man, there seems to be no other rival in the Kuizhou army except for that one." Tan and Wu, seeing Hou Ting standing there in a daze, thought he had been injured by Ahemang and rushed over, calling out: "Brother, are you alright!" Tan Hucheng, seeing him in a stupor and not speaking, felt anxious, his eyes reddening as he glared fiercely at Ahemang, saying: "I will fight you!" He shook his spear and charged forward. Hou Ting, noticing Tan Hucheng suddenly attacking, finally came to his senses and shouted: "Elder brother, be careful!" He swung the large axe and rushed forward to flank Ahemang. After a few exchanges, Wu Yuan, fearing for the two of them, raised his flower spear and also charged in from the side, forming a triangular formation to encircle Ahemang.

While they were speaking, a person rushed down the mountain path in a fluster, dressed in a green outfit and a small hat, resembling a servant. Fan Yun recognized him as a family member, Fan Xi. Upon seeing Fan Yun, Fan Xi said anxiously: "Miss, you must not play anymore. Today, there is a military drill in the city, and some Hu people have caused a disturbance, injuring several soldiers. The magistrate has been summoned to the training ground by the governor, and before leaving, he instructed me to ask you to return home." Fan Yun replied: "What kind of person could cause such a commotion? Quickly take me to see my father." After bidding farewell to Xu Guan and Xiao Yan, she said: "I can only discuss this with you both another day." Saying this, she instructed the maid to carry A Bao and hurriedly followed Fan Xi. Seeing that Fan Yun and her party had gone far, Xiao Yan frowned and murmured: "A Hu person causing trouble, could it be the Turks from the Chengdu Baohui..." Xu Guan suddenly said: "If you want to see the troublemaking Turks, then go take a look, but you must not cause any trouble yourself." It turned out that Xu Guan noticed her hesitation and knew that with her temperament, she would want to see what was going on. Xiao Yan, having been understood by him, smiled and said: "Then it seems I must trouble Young Master Xu to exert himself again."

Ahemang clasped his hands before his chest and shouted to the sky, "Is there any brave man willing to step forward and give it a try?" In response to this question, only the sound of several large flags flapping in the wind could be heard, and the thousands of people in the training ground fell utterly silent. Everyone knew that Li Baojin was the best martial artist in Kuizhou, and even he had been injured at the hands of this Turkic man; thus, no one dared to step forward to challenge him. The governor on the platform thought that if he ordered the soldiers to rush forward together, even if the Turkic man was strong, he would not be able to withstand them. However, since he had come alone to challenge, how could the opponent be convinced of victory through sheer numbers? Just as he was hesitating, he suddenly heard a clear voice say, "I will give it a try."

Xu Guan turned around to look, and a woman in her twenties, dressed in flowing garments, gracefully walked over from the shaded path. She wore a light yellow brocade shirt, her appearance was elegant and refined, with an oval face and a pair of phoenix eyes, her complexion exceptionally fair. A Bao rushed over and tugged at the hem of the brocade shirt, saying, "Sister, my butterfly is gone, please give me another one!" The woman in the brocade shirt replied, "A Bao, you naughty child, running around everywhere, you almost got lost." Although her words were scolding, her voice was gentle and charming, making one feel very close to her. A Bao pouted, shaking the woman in the brocade shirt, saying, "No! No! I want a butterfly, sister, please give me another one!" The woman in the brocade shirt shook her head and sighed, "You child, I really can't do anything with you." She took out a flat little silver box from her bosom, opened the lid, and Xu Guan and Xiao Yan caught a faint, delicate fragrance. They saw the woman in the brocade shirt pour some powder into her hand, then walk over to a large stone upwind, lightly leap onto it, clap her hands, and recite something. Xiao Yan whispered in Xu Guan's ear, "This girl has good agility, but I wonder if she can really summon butterflies again." Before long, two butterflies indeed flew over and landed on her hand. A Bao cheered with joy upon seeing this, quickly reaching out to catch the butterflies and cradling them in her palms. Xiao Yan leaned in to take a closer look and saw that these two butterflies had broad tails with tail veins, their wings seemed to be woven from thin silk, with a pale white base adorned with vermilion and black spots, colorful and truly captivating.

Baidi Mountain is a purple hill, not particularly high. Before long, the two climbed to the summit. Facing the wind and gazing into the distance, the water flows towards the sky, and the vast twilight stretches endlessly. Nearby, the cold trees are shrouded in mist, and the mountainside resembles a belt; in the distance, the Kuimen Gorge stands as a natural barrier, majestically positioned between the clouds and the sky. The misty waves on the river are fully visible, and the two exchanged a smile, both feeling a sense of joy and tranquility in their hearts. After observing for a long time, Xu Guan noticed that Xiao Yan had slightly leaned her body, seemingly feeling cold, so he took off his outer garment and draped it over her, saying: "Let us return." Just as the two were about to descend the mountain, a sudden commotion of cries and wails came from behind the mountain.

Ahemang extended his hand and lightly shook it, causing the two short swords to fly back into his sleeves as if they had heard their master's call. He then tossed the iron staff into the air, and with a whoosh, the staff was thrown three to four zhang high, falling back down right in front of him. The onlookers saw that although the staff was deeply embedded in the mud, it buzzed with a lingering energy, leaving everyone astonished.

Amidst the laughter, a dark expression briefly appeared on Ahemang's face, indicating that he was slightly angered. He smiled and said, "Very well. Let us have a contest; if you win, I shall forfeit the fifteen thousand taels of gold." Ahemang snorted and replied, "Miss, fists and feet have no eyes; you should step back quickly." Xiaoyan said, "If you are afraid, it is fine not to compete." Ahemang shook his head, feeling both amused and helpless, and patiently asked, "How does the young lady wish to compete?" Xiaoyan replied, "You have just fought several rounds; if we were to battle, and I were to win, others would say I took advantage of you." Ahemang said, "Then how do you propose we compete?" Xiaoyan suggested, "How about we engage in a literary contest? Let us compare our skills; if you win, I shall forfeit the fifteen thousand taels of gold." Ahemang snorted again and said, "Miss, fists and feet have no eyes; you should step back quickly." Xiaoyan replied, "If you are afraid, it is fine not to compete." Ahemang shook his head, feeling both amused and helpless, and patiently asked, "How does the young lady wish to compete?" Xiaoyan said, "You have just fought several rounds; if we were to battle, and I were to win, others would say I took advantage of you." Ahemang asked, "Then how do you propose we compete?" Xiaoyan suggested, "Let us engage in a literary contest. I will strike you once, and you will strike me once; neither of us may evade. Whoever can still stand after being struck shall be the winner. I will strike first, how does that sound?" Ahemang replied, "Miss, please proceed." Xiaoyan said, "You must be careful; countless heroes have been injured by my fists across the rivers and lakes." After saying this, she took two steps back, closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and pretended to chant incantations, forming her right hand into a small fist, then slowly swung it towards Ahemang's face. Taking a deep breath, she pretended to chant incantations, forming her right hand into a small fist, then slowly swung it towards Ahemang's face.

This sight made Xiao Yan feel an immense envy, and she thought to herself: "There are actually such entertaining tricks. If I could learn this, I could call some butterflies to play with during my leisure time in the future, wouldn't that be wonderful?" She then approached the lady in the brocade dress and greeted her. Upon learning her name, she discovered that this lady was the young mistress of the Kuizhou Prefectural Office, named Fan Yun. Xiao Yan asked, "It is the harsh winter now, how can you summon butterflies, sister?" Fan Yun replied, "When I was nine years old, I fell seriously ill, and my family invited many doctors to treat me, but there was no improvement. Later, we invited a Taoist priest from Maoshan who treated me with acupuncture for a month and taught me martial arts to strengthen my body. It took half a year for me to gradually recover. Since I liked butterflies, this Taoist priest taught me this little method of summoning butterflies during his leisure time." Xiao Yan said, "So that is it." Xu Guan then asked, "Xiao Yan, do you know that Taoist priest from Maoshan?" Xiao Yan replied, "I do not know him, but I have heard that Maoshan is a place where immortals reside, and there are great masters who can summon living beings and command spirits. If this butterfly-summoning technique comes from Maoshan, it would not be surprising." She then inquired, "I saw you applying some powder on your hands when you summoned the butterflies; I wonder if it is some precious fragrant powder?" Fan Yun replied, "It is not some precious fragrant powder; it is merely flower pollen. That Taoist priest once said that those with profound skills can use this summoning technique simply by reciting incantations. However, since my learning is very shallow, I still need to apply some flower pollen on my hands each time I summon butterflies." Xiao Yan clapped her hands and laughed, saying, "If you hadn't mentioned it, I would have thought you were a fairy from the Hundred Flowers descending to the mortal realm; otherwise, how could you summon butterflies in winter?"

Ahemang saw that two military academy students, one tall and one short, had arrived. He said to Tan Huchen, "So you have brought help, you should have come together earlier, why wait until now?" Wu Yuan waved his flower spear and scolded, "You little barbarian, how ungrateful you are! My brothers and I have faced thousands of troops on the battlefield with only three of us. When I beat you until it hurts, don't cry for your father or mother later." Beside him, Hou Ting said little, swinging his mountain axe straight at Ahemang. Ahemang shook the head of his staff and lifted it from below to intercept the axe. He scolded again, "You little barbarian, how ungrateful you are! My brothers and I have faced thousands of troops on the battlefield with only three of us. When I beat you until it hurts, don't cry for your father or mother later." Beside him, Hou Ting remained silent, swinging his mountain axe directly at Ahemang. Ahemang shook the head of his staff and lifted it from below to intercept the axe. With a loud clang, Ahemang stood firm in place, while Hou Ting was forced back a step. Everyone could see clearly that while Hou Ting exerted force with both hands to swing the axe, Ahemang used only one hand to maneuver the iron staff, clearly demonstrating the difference in their martial skills.

Arriving at the foot of Baidi Mountain, Xu Guan finally stopped. Xiao Yan shook off his hand and said, "So you have learned the way of Dao, yet you did not mention it earlier." Xu Guan asked in surprise, "What way of Dao?" Xiao Yan replied, "If you do not know the way of Dao, how can you understand the method of divine movement?" Xu Guan took off the Wave Moon Stone and handed it to Xiao Yan, saying, "This stone was also a gift from that benefactor. Wearing it close to the body is like riding a horse." Xiao Yan took the stone, examined it for a long time but could not discern its origin, and then said, "So you have this fine treasure as well. I did not see you take it out during the treasure competition in Chengdu." Xu Guan replied, "It was a gift from the benefactor; how could I show off in front of others?" He then pointed to the dense trees on the mountain and said, "Baidi City is where Liu Xuande entrusted his son during the Three Kingdoms period. There must be many ancient relics on the mountain. If we want to appreciate them, let us slowly climb up."

The boat sailed downstream and arrived at the territory of Kuizhou. The great river flows eastward, and here it is entirely confined by the Kuimen, with the water surging and roaring like thousands of troops and horses, a sound that is awe-inspiring. To the north and south of Kuimen, two towering mountains pierce the sky, one red and one silver, standing majestically by the river. On the passenger boat, Lu Huai was so captivated by the scenery on both banks that he spoke, "These two mountains, the red one is called Chijia Mountain, and the silver one is called Baiyan Mountain; both are famous scenic spots here." Xiao Yan beside him said, "Sir, since there are such beautiful sights, shall we go and explore them together?" Lu Huai replied, "The mountains and waters of Kuizhou are the most magnificent, but this old man can no longer climb mountains; it is much more comfortable to sell goods and then go to the gambling house for some fun. If you are newcomers, you should indeed take a stroll around." Xiao Yan said, "Gambling is a losing game nine times out of ten; it is better to enjoy the mountains and waters." Suddenly, Lu Huai said, "Brother Xu, last time you helped me retrieve that nanmu box, do you know what is inside the box?" Xu Guan shook his head. Lu Huai took out the wooden box and gently opened it, revealing two ivory dice. He grabbed them in his hand and laughed heartily, "This is my treasure! Gambling is a losing game for others; I have been playing with the merchant brothers since I was four years old, and I truly win more than I lose."

Four men were engaged in a fierce battle, and all the soldiers watching were filled with dread. They could see that their side was outnumbered, yet Ah He Mang moved gracefully through the forest of spears and axes, calm and composed. The four of them fought like a revolving lantern for another seven or eight rounds. Ah He Mang said, "Let’s see who will cry for their father and mother!" He kicked Wu Yuan in the groin, sending him tumbling a yard away. Then there was a crack, and Tan Hu Chen's spear broke into two pieces. In a moment of daze, he felt the tail of Ah He Mang's staff jab into his side, causing a piercing pain that made it impossible for him to straighten his back again. The four continued to fight like a revolving lantern for another seven or eight rounds. Ah He Mang said, "Let’s see who will cry for their father and mother!" He kicked Wu Yuan in the groin, sending him tumbling a yard away. Then there was a crack, and Tan Hu Chen's spear broke into two pieces. In a moment of daze, he felt the tail of Ah He Mang's staff jab into his side, causing a piercing pain that made it impossible for him to straighten his back again. In the arena, only Hou Ting remained to face Ah He Mang. Ah He Mang said, "With an axe, how many more blows can you take from me?" Knowing he was no match, Hou Ting gritted his teeth and took two more blows, leaving his arms numb and his hands covered in blood. As he saw Ah He Mang's iron staff about to come crashing down on his head, he realized he could no longer withstand this blow and was about to close his eyes and await death when he suddenly heard the sound of bells approaching from outside the training ground. Like the wind and lightning, a yellow horse charged to the front of the arena. A person on the horse held a copper whip and extended his arm to block Ah He Mang's strike. The iron staff struck the copper whip, sending sparks flying. Hou Ting looked up and saw the person holding the whip had arrived, and his heart filled with joy. He felt his legs go weak and slowly sat down on the ground. It turned out that the fierce battle had exhausted all his strength, and he had only been holding on with sheer bravery and determination. Now, with his heart feeling relieved, he could no longer hold on.

At that moment, several small schoolboys rushed over and captured Tan, Wu, and Hou. Tan Huchen was the most severely injured, and when he was being moved, he could not help but cry out in pain. Li Baojin caught a glimpse of this, his eyes slightly widening, and he leaped up, wielding his dual whips, transforming into a ball of golden light, and charged towards Ah He Mang. A series of five clashing sounds echoed, sparks flying chaotically, and in an instant, the two weapons collided five times. The iron staff and copper whips were both heavy weapons, yet in their hands, they seemed as light as a feather, with movements that were incredibly agile and swift. The sound of clashing echoed again, resembling the heavy rain of an autumn night, the sound of banana leaves rustling, and akin to several pipa instruments being played chaotically, creating a cacophony that was unending. Both fighters wagered their lifelong skills, engaging in over eighty exchanges without a clear victor. The onlookers, having never witnessed such a fierce battle, were left in a daze. Both fighters wagered their lifelong skills, engaging in over eighty exchanges without a clear victor. The onlookers, having never witnessed such a fierce battle, were left in a daze.

Upon arriving in the city, Lu Huai went to the trading house to conduct business, while Xu Guan and Xiao Yan inquired with the locals and learned that the best place to admire the scenery of Kuimen was Baidi Mountain, located ten miles east of the city. Both of them were young and at an age full of curiosity and playfulness, so they decided to go together. Since Xiao Yan's green donkey could not carry both of them, she was about to ask the innkeeper to borrow a horse when Xu Guan remembered the Wave Moon Stone left by Lu Mengsheng and said, "I also have a means of transportation." Xiao Yan replied, "When did you acquire that? I have never seen you ride it before." Xu Guan wore the Wave Moon Stone close to him and took Xiao Yan's hand, leading her to the street as they hurried eastward. Xiao Yan felt the wind at her feet, and the houses on both sides seemed to fly backward. In a moment, the two had already reached several miles east of the city.

At this moment, two individuals emerged from the crowd and prostrated themselves before the governor. On the right was a tall and lean man who, after singing a vow, reported: "I, a humble servant, share the same life and death bond with General Tan, and I wish to join the battle." On the left stood a man with a short neck and a stout build, who, despite his short stature, appeared robust and was blushing with urgency, unable to speak. The governor of Kuizhou looked down and saw that both men were dressed as military officers, yet he did not recognize them. The commander of the militia hurried forward and said: "These two are the leaders of the battalion within the camp. The man on the right is named Wu Yuan, and the man on the left is named Hou Ting. They are sworn brothers of Deputy Officer Tan and wish to assist in the battle." The governor replied: "It is rare to see such loyalty from you two. The Turkic warriors are quite skilled; you must be cautious as you go to aid in the fight." Having received the order, the two quickly took their weapons and rushed to the battlefield. Seeing that Tan was struggling against the enemy, Wu Yuan shouted from a distance: "Look out for the flying daggers!" In the midst of the fight, Ahemang thought someone was plotting against him, so he stepped back, yet saw no daggers. Tan then found an opening, quickly leaped out of the circle, and upon seeing Wu and Hou, exclaimed: "Brothers, how is it that you have also come?"

The two individuals returned to the city to inquire about the path, took a brief rest, and then hurried to the martial arts training ground outside the North Gate. At this moment, the red sun was setting in the west, and the sky had darkened. Upon arriving at the North Gate, they found the training ground illuminated as if it were daytime by over a hundred torches. The area outside was densely packed with onlookers, while inside, five battalions of soldiers stood in tight formation; in front of the martial arts hall were officials of various ranks, including the governor, the chief clerk, the military advisor, and other officials. Beside the main command platform stood numerous officers, including the militia commander, the deputy general, the captain, and various other leaders. The platform was alive with the fluttering of command flags, the sound of horns resonated, and the three armies stood in order, creating a moment of silence in the training ground where no one dared to speak loudly. In the center of the training ground stood a tall figure, holding an iron staff, with eyes that resembled cold stars and lightning, casting a sidelong glance at the officials on the platform.

Aheng Mang glanced at the small banquet and saw a timidly beautiful young girl. He said, "Little girl, you must be here to watch the excitement. Quickly go home, lest you lose your life in vain." The young girl smiled sweetly and replied, "Thank you very much. However, the big fellow I just fought with owes me money, and as a result of your flying knives, he bled a lot. If something goes wrong, who will I ask for my money? How can I not come out to settle the score with you?" Aheng Mang, seeing her witty remarks, laughed and said, "It turns out I am in the wrong. How much does he owe you? Just put it on my tab." The young girl said, "It's not much, he only owes me fifteen thousand eight hundred and forty taels of gold. Since you are kind enough to pay for him, I won't even ask for the small change; just give me fifteen thousand taels of gold, and that will be enough." After saying this, she extended her hand with a charmingly innocent expression. Aheng Mang was momentarily at a loss for words. The crowd, seeing that Aheng Mang had always held the upper hand, suddenly found themselves laughing heartily as a little girl had managed to corner him with her words. Someone in the crowd shouted, "A deal is a deal, hurry up and bring the gold!" The officials on the stage, who had been worried about the sudden appearance of this woman, couldn't help but smile and stroke their beards.

Xiao Yan rushed ahead towards the noisy area, and Xu Guan followed closely behind. Turning down a mountain path, they saw a little girl, about seven or eight years old, sitting on the ground and crying loudly in a hollow of the mountain. Beside her stood a maid, looking anxious and unsure how to comfort the girl. Upon seeing this, Xiao Yan approached, bent down, and smiled gently at the girl, saying: "Little sister, what is your name? Who brought you here?" The girl looked up at her, her small face covered in tears, and sobbed: "My name is A Bao, my sister brought me here..." Xiao Yan continued, "A Bao, why are you crying?" A Bao rubbed her eyes and replied: "My sister is gone... the butterfly my sister gave me is also gone." Xiao Yan said: "A Bao, dear, where would you find butterflies in winter?" Upon hearing this, A Bao burst into tears again. Just when they were at a loss for what to do, the maid suddenly exclaimed joyfully: "Miss, we have found you!"

The Turks were originally an ancient nomadic tribe residing around the Golden Mountains. They rose to prominence at the end of the Sui Dynasty and by the early Tang Dynasty had controlled vast northern territories, extending east to the Khitan and Shiwei, and west to the Tuyuhun and Gaochang states, all of which were their vassals. In the ninth year of the Wude era, when Emperor Taizong ascended the throne, the Turkic Khagan Qieli advanced his troops to the north of the Weishui River. Emperor Taizong of Tang, along with Fang Xuanling and five others, rode lightly to the Weishui River and confronted them across the water. The main army soon arrived, and upon seeing the Tang army's banners and armor covering the fields, with their military formation strict and orderly, Khagan Qieli then requested peace and a treaty, withdrawing his troops. Although Khagan Qieli made a treaty with the Tang and temporarily retreated, the Turks repeatedly invaded, causing unrest along the borders, which was indeed a significant threat to the Tang. Ahemang claimed to be under the command of Khagan Qieli, and upon hearing this, Tan Hucheng immediately responded sternly: "Since you serve in the Turks and are not accompanying the Khagan in the northern desert, why have you come here to cause trouble?" Ahemang replied: "My lord, the Ashina Brahmin of the Turks lost a precious vase called the Longevity Vase in Chengdu. I have heard that the vase has arrived in Kuizhou. If you can present this vase, I will leave." Upon hearing Ahemang mention the Longevity Vase, Xu Guanhé and Xiao Yan could not help but exchange glances, both thinking: "So this person has come for the Longevity Vase; let us see what else he has to say." Tan Hucheng then said: "If you have lost something, how would I know where it is?" Ahemang replied: "Is it not because your country has many thieves that this precious vase could be lost? If the vase cannot be found, you may also compensate with ten thousand taels of gold." Tan Hucheng angrily retorted: "So you are deliberately toying with us, wanting gold? You will first receive a spear from me." With that, he brandished his spear and lunged at Ahemang.

At the small banquet, Xiao Yan noticed Fan Yun watching intently from the side, her forehead already beaded with sweat. Knowing that she was worried about the safety of her beloved, Xiao Yan smiled slightly and said, "Sister, there is no need to worry. Within fifty moves, Lieutenant Li should be able to defeat that Turkic man." Fan Yun joyfully replied, "Sister, is this true? How do you know?" Xu Guan also inquired, "These two are locked in fierce combat; how can you be so certain that Lieutenant Li will win?" Xiao Yan explained, "If that Turkic man had chosen to rest earlier, he might have had a chance of victory." Xu Guan asked, "Could it be that the Turkic man is already fatigued?" Xiao Yan responded, "In a contest between masters, victory and defeat hinge on a fine line. These two are evenly matched, but with their current style of fighting, relying on brute force without any clever tactics, it ultimately comes down to who has greater stamina. Although the Turkic man won the earlier rounds with ease, he has inevitably exhausted his strength, making it difficult to withstand Lieutenant Li's fresh vigor." As the three were conversing, they indeed heard the sounds of weapons clashing gradually diminish. Ah He Mang no longer used his iron staff to directly block the copper whip but instead began to evade and dodge, clearly falling into a disadvantageous position. The soldiers around them watched, all smiling and cheering. Xu Guan remarked, "Xiao Yan, you were indeed correct; it seems Lieutenant Li is about to win!" However, Xiao Yan furrowed her brow and pondered, "He only has defensive skills; why does he still appear so relaxed..." Suddenly, Ah He Mang stepped back, and as expected, the sounds of weapons clashing grew sparse. He no longer used his iron staff to directly confront the copper whip but instead evaded and dodged, clearly in a losing position. The soldiers around them were all smiling and cheering. Xu Guan said, "Xiao Yan, you were indeed correct; it seems Lieutenant Li is about to win!" Yet Xiao Yan frowned and contemplated, "He only has defensive skills; why does he still appear so relaxed..." Suddenly, Ah He Mang stepped back, shaking his iron staff, and the tail of the staff shot out a burst of green powder that sprayed onto Li Baojin's shoulder. Li Baojin silently exclaimed that it was bad, thinking, "What was shot out must be some kind of poison powder." He hurriedly leaped back, regulating his breath, and felt that his internal energy was flowing smoothly, showing no signs of poisoning. Just as he was about to leap back into the fray, he suddenly saw a flash of green light, and two short swords flew right in front of him!

Xu Guan heard a voice and looked over, startled. He saw a young girl with delicate features and a radiant smile standing lively on the field; it was none other than the little banquet who had just been beside him. He did not know when she had entered the arena. The crowd was taken aback to see a young girl suddenly stepping onto the field to challenge Ah He Mang. After a moment, more than ten people outside the field shouted loudly: "Miss, this is no child's play, hurry back down." "Little girl, don't be foolish!" Suddenly, another figure flashed out from the northwest corner, revealing a broad-nosed, wide-mouthed young man rushing into the arena. This young man was Xu Guan, who anxiously blocked Little Banquet's way and said, "Who told you to stick your neck out? Quickly go back!" Little Banquet glanced at him and after a moment, the crowd outside shouted again: "Miss, this is no child's play, hurry back down." "Little girl, don't be foolish!" Suddenly, another figure flashed out from the northwest corner, revealing a broad-nosed, wide-mouthed young man rushing into the arena. This young man was Xu Guan, who anxiously blocked Little Banquet's way and said, "Who told you to stick your neck out? Quickly go back!" Little Banquet looked at him and smiled, saying, "How about you take a break and watch me fight this guy?" Xu Guan shook his head, unwilling to step aside. Ah He Mang watched from a distance, not knowing what these two were whispering about, and shouted loudly: "You all, get out of the way!" Little Banquet ignored his shouts and softly said to Xu Guan, "If I win, I will come back. Don't you believe me?" Her enchanting eyes fixed on Xu Guan. Xu Guan felt his face flush under her gaze and could only slowly step aside, saying, "You must be careful." Little Banquet nodded, walked up to Ah He Mang, and lightly bowed, saying, "This esteemed gentleman from the Turkic lands, please."

Xu Guan was taken aback upon seeing this person, for he had a leopard head and ringed eyes, a full beard, and wore a copper ring in his ear. This was the man who had stood in front of Prince Ashina at the Baohui in Chengdu and received a whip from him during the small banquet. Xiao Yan leaned close to Xu Guan's ear and whispered, "I am going to find her." Xu Guan thought she meant to seek out the tall man, and was startled, quickly grabbing her hand and saying, "You must not go." Xiao Yan smiled and shook her head, pointing to the northwest corner. Following her finger, Xu Guan then saw Fan Yun standing among the crowd, with Fan Xi holding A Bao following closely behind. The two squeezed their way toward the northwest, and after much effort, they finally reached Fan Yun. Just as they were about to speak, a cannon fired, and the drums sounded in unison as a warhorse galloped out from the southeast gate. As the dust rose, the warhorse had already arrived in front of the main general's platform. A man dismounted and thrust his spear into the ground, declaring loudly to the platform, "I, a humble soldier, wish to compete with this man." The governor on the platform replied, "He has already injured several of my soldiers, so be cautious." The officer received the order and turned to the tall Hu man, saying, "I am Tan Hucheng, the deputy officer of Zhenwei in Kuizhou. May I ask for your esteemed name?" The tall Hu man replied, "I am called A Hemang, a servant of the Turkic Khagan Xieli." His speech was clear and precise, with a pure accent, and he pronounced the words "Turkic Khagan Xieli" distinctly. The officials on the platform were secretly alarmed upon hearing this.

Ahemang slightly tilted his body and said, "If anyone from Kuizhou can defeat me, then this gold is not worth having." He shook the iron staff in his hand and swept it towards Tan Huchen. The iron staff was as thick as a child's arm, with the head shaped like a flame, and when struck, it carried the sound of wind, exuding unmatched might. Tan Huchen hurriedly raised his spear to block, and with a loud clang, the spear and staff collided, sending sparks flying. Tan Huchen felt his hands go numb at the tiger's mouth, nearly losing grip on the spear. Ahemang wielded the staff with his right hand, gesturing as he fought for another five rounds. Tan Huchen was already in a precarious position, only managing to defend with his blocks. Tan Huchen hurriedly raised his spear to block again, and with another loud clang, the spear and staff collided, sending sparks flying. Tan Huchen felt his hands go numb at the tiger's mouth, nearly losing grip on the spear. Ahemang wielded the staff with his right hand, gesturing as he fought for another five rounds. Tan Huchen was already in a precarious position, only managing to defend with his blocks.