Chapter 1, Underflow

The scout was very perceptive and immediately changed his words to say: "Recently, Cao and the fat Cao have been frequently hindered by the court... the false court, therefore, they are eager to capture the six cities of Jiangling to silence the Crown Prince—his elder brother—and to establish a strategy of feinting to the east while attacking in the west, commanding those two great... great northern dogs to lead elite troops to encircle the enemy's formation... No, no, it is the rear of our dynasty, our Great Zhao..."

Li Sheng subdued the person's acupoint and asked, "Who are you?"

I dreamt of things from my childhood... At that time, I did not heed your advice, stubbornly insisting on returning to Jinling, believing that I was capable and had mastered my skills, determined to return to the old capital for revenge. " Xie Yun sat cross-legged on the stone bed, softly saying amidst a waft of fragrant incense, "In fact, I only have a vague impression of the old capital and my parents, and I cannot remember clearly. I should not have such a strong obsession; it must be due to the constant reminders from Lord Wang, who accompanied and cared for me throughout my childhood.

Li Sheng and Wu Chuchu, constrained by their upbringing, forcibly held back their emotions, managing to maintain an expression of nonchalance. However, Li Yan did not care about such matters and was the first to burst into laughter.

Before she could finish her sentence, a shadow in the corner suddenly sprang up. It turned out to be a fish that had slipped through the net. Taking advantage of the distraction, it leaped up and dashed into the depths of the dense forest.

What I say is all true! Young lady! Heroine!" The scout began to scream in agony, "I swear on my dear mother, on my ancestors for eighteen generations!"

Liu Youliang hesitated for a moment, unsure whether it was appropriate for His Highness Prince Duan to clean the cave himself. However, he soon realized that the old monk had something to say to him, so he had no choice but to show his understanding by bowing and retreating backwards.

Xie Yun : `` ... ... ''

Xie Yun raised a finger and shook it, responding with a question: "Birth, aging, illness, and death are indeed the sufferings of mortals, but they are also the path of cultivation. Master, since you do not concern yourself with worldly matters, why do you appear so troubled when witnessing your disciple's practice?"

Before he could finish speaking, Zhou Fei beside him suddenly drew his sword, and a series of meteoric arrows came piercing through the air

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhou Fei had already charged upward against the rain of arrows, fiercely carving out a path through the dense array of arrows. In the blink of an eye, she disappeared into the forest, and several screams echoed around. The rain of cold arrows quickly thinned out, and Li Cheng and the others hurried to follow. In just a moment, Zhou Fei had already taken down half of the assassins in the forest, like autumn winds sweeping away fallen leaves

It was too late for Wu Chuchu to cover the child's eyes again, so in a hurry, she had no choice but to turn around while holding him.

The leaves have already fallen in Jinan, yet the heat of summer still lingers in the land of Chu. The mountain roads are rugged, and along the way, every few miles there are simple tea stalls, providing a resting place for the local farmers and passing travelers, collecting a few copper coins to sustain themselves.

"It means that I am experiencing a moment of clarity before the end." Xie Yun leaned against the nearby stone wall, attempting to stand up

Li Yan asked, "Who is this? Why kill a few farmers? Could it be that they are robbing along the way?"

Chen Junfu's expression darkened as he asked, "Then why did you give him such a ferocious poison?"

Yang Jin glared at her, and Zhou Fei cast him a glance, saying: "Do we need your help?"

Li Sheng took a moment, gazing past the steaming vapor.

Once these words were spoken, both Master Lin and Chen Jun fell silent

At the same time, I find myself somewhat at a loss for words

The turtle dove scouts had been walking for a full two hours through a landscape of mountains and waters, from noon until the golden crow sank in the west. Even for those skilled in martial arts, the endless mountains and waters surrounding them became exhausting. Although Zhou Fei had long since corrected her past habit of getting lost upon setting out, it seemed that her innate sense of direction was still slightly inferior to others. After three years, she once again experienced the bewilderment of not being able to distinguish east from west near Yueyang.

The archer who almost ran away was approximately thirty-five or thirty-six years old, with a dark complexion and a scar on his face. He had not spoken a word, and his eyes were quick to dart around, giving him a very slick appearance. It was evident that he had been pretending to be dead, and only when he heard Li Cheng say, "Search them one by one," was he forced to come out on his own.

As he spoke, he gently felt the iron arrow in his hand and slowly moved forward

This girl is quite difficult to serve

Li Sheng was too lazy to bother with them, leisurely mounting the horse and slowly catching up. Suddenly, Zhou Fei, who was leading the way, abruptly pulled on the reins, causing the horse to take half a step sideways. She leaned slightly forward, frowning as she looked towards the roadside.

At this moment, Yang Jin and Li Sheng, among others, caught up.

Xie Yun, unable to respond, merely blinked at him, her eyes filled with a hint of laughter

However, it unexpectedly met a pair of bright and clear eyes

Zhou Fei tapped the fragment on her leg twice and let out a sneer

Zhou Fei nodded slightly

It turned out that Wu Chuchu was taking care of the child they had picked up, while Li Yan arrived just a moment later.

However, along this journey, apart from hearing some far-fetched rumors, it has been relatively peaceful.

Yang Jin glared at her angrily—these two siblings really took him for a thug

Xie Yun smiled and said: "Master, you are of noble birth. In those years, you even accepted someone like me, a treacherous subject with the surname Zhao. How could I dare to look down upon you in return?"

Xie Yun, feeling quite pleased, reached out to touch his "token of love"—a small box filled with shells. Upon opening it, he found that the neatly arranged shells seemed to have been disturbed by a cat's paw, appearing all jumbled and messy. Meanwhile, Zhou Fei accepted his "good intentions" but did not take them all; she only selected the more attractive ones to take away, leaving behind those that were somewhat misshapen.

Zhou Fei glanced at the corpse beside her, recalling the unusually desolate surroundings, and suddenly felt that something was amiss. She crouched down slightly and asked the child, "Whose child are you? Where have your parents gone?"

I arrived in Jinling, and the Emperor wept bitterly in my embrace. I had previously thought that the entire court was filled with national hatred and personal vendetta, eager to launch a northern expedition to take revenge at the earliest opportunity. However, I later discovered that this was not the case at all; no one wanted to go to war. They simply wished to securely occupy the southern half of the territory and continue living as idle nobility. No one was willing to sacrifice their families and endure hardships to 'restore the country.' The Emperor had no means to deal with them. During that period, he often summoned me to drink together. Whenever he drank, he would inevitably get drunk, and in his drunken state, he would pour out a belly full of grievances. I was already filled with indignation, and seeing this made it even more unbearable. For several consecutive days, I engaged in verbal battles with the peace faction in the court, creating a chaotic atmosphere. Later, in a moment of misguided cleverness, I requested to patrol the borders, lured the northerners with a scheme, falsely reported military intelligence, deceived three thousand guards at the border, and took the opportunity to reclaim three cities. Using this great victory as a pretext, I incited my father's former subordinates and a group of destitute young men to attack the Ministry of War.

Upon hearing this, Master Tongming revealed a hint of warm smile on his rugged face and said: "As long as you know who you are, does it really matter whose son you are or whose descendant you are? Moreover, I, as a monk, exist outside the worldly constraints, drifting like a duckweed, with the four elements being empty. If I were to still concern myself with mundane matters from hundreds of years ago, would not my cultivation in this life be delayed?"

The scout of the turtle dove immediately shouted: "Fool! It's foolish! Our leader is foolish! Young hero, you just need to look at that signal flag to know that it depicts a turtle dove! His Highness the Prince has assigned the turtle dove along with several other teams to the two lords, 'Jumen' and 'Pojun'. Those two lords are indifferent and assign tasks haphazardly. I mean, how can one expect a scout to act as an assassin?"

On that occasion, when the matter was exposed, Emperor Jianyuan was enraged, and the entire court was in an uproar

The girl dressed in red seems as if she is about to break through the paper, and the elegance captured in the brushstrokes illuminates the dim stone cave.

Master Tongming silently recited a Buddhist chant, extending his hand, which resembled a withered tree branch, to rest on Xie Yun's shoulder, and said: "It is fortunate that you do not disdain us three old fellows who are nearing the grave"

With each lap he completed, his complexion appeared somewhat better than before, and his figure became lighter as well

Li Sheng hurriedly interrupted his incessant accusations and asked, "Brother Yang, how did you manage to shake off the disciples of your esteemed sect and come here alone?"

If at that time "as long as the green mountains remain, one need not fear the absence of firewood," with his prestige both in the military and among the people, coupled with the wisdom gained from past experiences, it is uncertain who would ultimately prevail in the end.

It turned out to be a child, probably a few years old, very thin and small, covered in straw.

Li Sheng further remarked: "These individuals are accustomed to using bows and arrows, and it seems they have also trained with long spears, sabers, and other weapons. They are capable of concealment and ambush, and they follow orders strictly... I can't help but feel that they resemble soldiers. Just look at those iron arrows they are using; they are well-made and of a uniform model. Generally, rebellious bandits do not possess such financial resources. Later, we should search each one of them to see if there is anything that can prove their identity."

Xie Yun said softly: "Thank you, Master, and the two uncles."

Do not! Do not! Do not! What would you like to ask, young hero!

Li Sheng : `` ... ... ''

This truly is a case of achieving fame in one battle, tsk tsk, one could say that the Yangtze River's later waves push the earlier ones forward

Little did Yang Jin care about reading people's expressions, he said directly: "Alright, I will see you off for a while"

The person in question is Yang Jin. He launched a surprise attack from a thousand miles away, and when questioned, he showed no signs of guilt. He glared at Zhou Fei and said: "I have challenged you to a duel, yet you have repeatedly pretended to accept the challenge, only to send me off to do your bidding. Once I have completed your task, you go back on your word. You people from the Central Plains..."

The excruciating pain instilled a fear of blindness, rendering the archer immobile, who could only scream like a slaughtered pig.

Xie Yundao: "There is no need to inform her; things that can be encountered but not sought after cannot be rushed. It will be of no use to urge her. When the day comes that I truly cannot hold on any longer, I will tell her to come and see me off then."

At this moment, on the secret island of Penglai, Liu Youliang was sweeping the incense ashes. His iron wrist guard accidentally bumped against the incense table, causing the small furnace to tilt. He hurriedly reached out to straighten it, wiped the sweat that had formed on his forehead due to the heat, and cautiously turned his head to glance at the person who had been in a deep coma.

Zhou Fei: "... ..."

Yang Jin provocatively glanced at Zhou Fei. Zhou Fei did not understand what was worth competing over, so he humbly took a step back and gestured with his hand, indicating "after you." Yang Jin then poked the archer with the tip of his arrow and arrogantly said, "If you don't speak the truth, next time it will be your eyeball that gets blown up. Do you want to give it a try?"

The archer—scout nodded eagerly and said: "Yes, yes, yes, I was ordered to delve deep into the front lines to gather intelligence on the military situation, but unexpectedly..."

Xie Yun casually made a joke, which prompted the old monk to launch into a lengthy discourse. He quickly added, "I was just joking with you, no need to take it so seriously"

The scout then said: "In order to maintain secrecy, we captured and detained all the people who originally lived in the valley. However, a few days ago, several individuals managed to escape. Lord Jumen was furious upon learning this and sent three waves of troops to pursue them. We were ordered to clean up the aftermath, but unexpectedly encountered you all, and for a moment..."

Beside her, Li Yan cooperatively raised her hand to cover her ears

Liu Youliang came to his senses, hurriedly bowed to Xie Yun, got up, and ran away, calling out: "Master, Master Tongming!"

It must be those herbalists from Qingyun Valley who have delayed his cultivation

You do not know this? Have you not heard of Nan Dao? The one from the Forty-Eight Villages of Shu! Young Hero Li is the eldest grandson of Nan Dao Li Zheng

Another man asserted: "Dead! How could it not be dead? I heard that the Iron-faced Demon has three heads and six arms. It was lured into a trap by the young hero of the Li family, and over a hundred people could not stop it. Fortunately, the young hero of Li remained unafraid in the face of danger, directing everyone to encircle and kill it, even personally chopping off the three heads and six arms of the Iron-faced Demon one by one. The strange insects were dead all over the ground. The next day, when they burned it, they heard monstrous roars from inside, shaking the heavens and the earth. Those insects were clearly already crushed, yet in the great fire, a shadow over a person's height could still be seen, with two horns on its head and eyes wide open in fury... What do you think, is it strange or not?"

Li Sheng shook his head and said, "This area is close to the front lines, and the competition is fierce. Today it is under the jurisdiction of the South, and tomorrow it will be under the North. The court will not send official officials here so quickly; it is all military personnel temporarily acting as governors. Once the situation becomes critical, they will have to follow the army and be subject to deployment, and they may not have the inclination to manage the affairs of the people..."

The small tea shed's roof is leaking, and a young boy is rolling up his pant legs to patch it with thatch. Inside the shed, there are three benches and a table, which have already been occupied by others. Other passersby can only buy some drinking water and dry food, standing by to eat or take it away.

Xie Yun then said: "What does it matter, Master Lin? Do you not also lack it?"

The flag depicts a bird, unlike eagles or hawks, with a remarkably graceful form, yet its gaze inexplicably conveys a hint of mysterious ferocity

Later, the Emperor issued an edict granting me the title of Prince, " said Xie Yun, "and then requested the Grand Scholar to draft the decree, stating that on the day of my return to court, I would be officially proclaimed as the Crown Prince, and upon my grand wedding, I would abdicate and return power. Since it has not yet been publicly announced, it should have been a secret decree, but I do not know how the news leaked out, and overnight it spread like wildfire throughout the turbulent city of Jinling.

The child bit down hard on their lip, seeing the long knife in her hand, their pupils shrank to tiny dots in fear, yet they did not dare to make a sound, their small chest heaving like a bellows, trembling violently

The character "战" is missing half of its strokes, the character "擎" is cut in half, the character "邀" is written incorrectly, only "南刀" is mentioned, and Zhou Fei is not mentioned. I wonder if Master Yang does not know how to write the character "翡".

Yang Jin forcefully drew out an iron arrow and swiftly struck the archer's face with it. His aim was exceptionally skillful, landing precisely on the tender flesh of the archer's eyelid, yet he did not harm the archer's eyeball in the slightest.

They traveled through the Huai River, entered the territory of the Southern Dynasties, and then continued westward, soon arriving in the land of Chu

Zhou Fei had not yet had the chance to respond when Li Sheng, in a fit of irritation, exclaimed: "Brother Yang, what time is it! Arrows raining down from the woods, ambushes in the narrow paths, the rhythm of the shots is distinct and well-trained, they are certainly not ordinary bandits... What are you doing, Ah Fei?"

Yang Jin curled her lips and said, "So you mean you are no longer useful?"

Li Sheng raised his hand and flicked half a pill into the scout's mouth

It melted, and there was no time to sharpen it. Ming also tacitly refrained from mentioning it again, only saying, "Your Master Chen said your skills are lacking, and it would be embarrassing to take it out."

Xie Yun then said: "Master, you do not know, I just had a particularly long dream"

Oh, then forget it, said Xie Yun, I will go and consult him again and play another round.

The scout looked at the broken cover in her hand with some trepidation and cautiously said: "Come... come to scout the way, Lord Duan wants..."

She kicked the dove scout with her foot and coldly said, "You are not going to lead us in circles, are you?"

Xie Yun said nonchalantly: "Master Chen, 'Life and death are determined by fate, wealth and honor are in the hands of heaven.' Having been struck by a fatal blow, how many can still live as vibrantly as I do? Even experiencing 'returning light' three times must surely be a first in history. What more is there to be dissatisfied with?"

Li Sheng turned over the palm of a corpse, lowered his head to observe it carefully for a moment, and then reached out to part the person's clothing: "A heart-protecting armor, a command flag... what is this depicted on the flag? I have truly never seen this before."

The scout felt wronged, having condensed ten sentences into one, only to be met with disdain. He showcased the skills of a folk storyteller, his words flying back and forth: "Not long ago, for reasons unknown, the scouts on the front line discovered that small groups of refugees were continuously moving southward. We found it strange, so we captured a group of people, and only then did we learn that there was a secret passage between the Xiang River that led to a remote valley, hidden among the mountains, very secluded, and ordinary people could not find it. Gradually, some began to settle there, living by farming and hunting. Those with relatives and friends in the valley heard about it and brought their families to join them, but they could only find the way if someone from the valley came to guide them. Upon hearing this, Fatty Cao immediately devised a plan, ordering Ju Men and Po Jun to take us along, disguising ourselves as refugees to blend in. The first group went to scout the path, confirming that it was passable and could avoid the eyes of the southern forces. Only then did we proceed in batches, planning to gather forty thousand elite soldiers here to deal with those bandits... Fatty Cao, upon hearing this, immediately conceived a plan, commanding Ju Men and Po Jun to take us along, disguising ourselves as refugees to blend in. The first group went to scout the path, confirming that it was passable and could avoid the eyes of the southern forces. Only then did we proceed in batches, planning to gather forty thousand elite soldiers here to deal with those bandits... the general from the south would launch a pincer attack. "Gentlemen, what I am saying is the truth, truly the truth!"

Zhou Fei's strength was extraordinary, and she heard clearly without missing a word: "It turns out that what Young Hero Li cut down was not 250 Yin Pei, but the Iron-faced Demon with three heads and six arms. My apologies!"

His tone was unremarkable, yet within those few words seemed to be wrapped in tumultuous waves, sending a chill down the listener's spine

Zhou Fei interrupted him expressionlessly: "If you say 'Duke Duan' one more time, I will break your teeth."

Archery requires distance; once a person approaches, it becomes difficult to exert power, especially when there is a significant disparity in military strength between the two sides. The archer, sensing the unfavorable situation, immediately fell into disarray and attempted to flee. Li Cheng quickly exchanged a glance with Yang Jin, and the two of them blocked the escape route of the fleeing soldier, surrounding him from three sides, swiftly encircling the panicked assassin.

Zhou Fei, being bold and daring, naturally was not afraid of death. She immediately dismounted and used a piece of cloth to flip the overturned basket. The "thing" inside shrank back violently, curling up on the ground, fearfully staring at her.

As she spoke, Yang Jin swiftly drew a dagger from her ankle, and with a quick motion, severed a finger from the scout. Li Yan quickly retreated, but still could not evade in time, and a few drops of blood splattered onto her shoe. She screamed, "You barbaric savage!"

The leaked edict resembled a wild fire, igniting the worries and fears of the nobility in the southern capital all at once. They had not anticipated that Zhao Yuan would be so "weak" to this extent, and thus they had no choice but to stake everything on their plan to eliminate the future "tyrant"

Xie Yun smiled and said, "I don't know, perhaps it is fate."

The reasons and consequences behind Xie Yun being struck by the penetrating bone blue that year were known to Master Ming, yet it was the first time he had heard Xie Yun speak of it himself. He chose not to interrupt, simply listening quietly.

The child, whether frightened or for some other reason, suddenly began to struggle in her arms. Miss Wu Chuchu, coming from a distinguished background, was inexperienced in holding children. In her fluster, she accidentally let go, causing the child to fall onto his bottom. He seemed unfazed by the fall, brushed off the dirt, and jumped back up, running straight towards a nearby rock, tiptoeing and reaching out to poke at the stone.

Li Sheng set down a handful of copper coins, then tossed the kettle filled with coarse tea back to Zhou Fei, while he himself slowly sipped hot tea from a broken bowl, hoping to work up a good sweat and take a break. Just as he settled down, he overheard a few men occupying the long bench in the tea shed discussing: "With everyone saying this, I believe that the Iron-faced Demon must indeed be dead."

"Giant Gate" Gu Tianxuan and "Breaking Army" Lu Yaoguang are indeed old rivals from the Forty-Eight Villages. Zhou Fei stood two steps away with her arms crossed over her chest and asked, "What are you following them for?"

Li Sheng replied politely, "We plan to take the southern route to Shu, run an errand for the family, and then return home"

Zhou Fei, caught between laughter and tears, said: "Master Yang, how can you be so careless even in writing a battle letter, leaving so many half-formed characters?"

Li Sheng nearly choked to death on hot water, coughing repeatedly, struggling between life and death, with his eyes reddened from the strain

Zhou Fei raised her head and exchanged a glance with him, both of their expressions somewhat solemn. Although there was currently no order in this place due to the chaos of war, it was still the territory of the Southern Dynasty. It seemed that the soldiers and troops passing through here... were all people of Zhou Yitang.

Xie Yun lay there for a long time, unable to muster any strength. With the help of the old monk's hand, he drank a bowl of medicinal soup. Liu Youliang stood by respectfully, guarding him. The three old men tacitly pressed down on Xie Yun's head, arms, and other areas, channeling their internal energy into his Shaoyang Sanjiao. After a short while, white vapor began to rise from the top of Xie Yun's head, and a hint of color returned to his originally pale face. After about one and a quarter hours, although he was still weak, he had regained enough strength to speak.

Yang Jin's dark face had turned into a piece of charcoal that was black with a hint of red, and he shouted at Zhou Fei: "Draw your sword!"

On this day, a group of people had just arrived in the Jiangling area. It was unclear whether Li Sheng had taken the wrong path or for some other reason, but there was not a single soul in sight nearby. Taking advantage of the early hour, Zhou Fei and the others stopped by the roadside to water their horses. Suddenly, they heard the sound of a fast horse approaching from behind. The rider, eager as if wishing for wings, cracked the whip, creating a loud commotion. Before reaching Zhou Fei's side, the rider had already impatiently drawn his sword, standing up on the horse's back. With the force of a mountain pressing down, he raised the sword above Zhou Fei's back. The sound of the "wild goose wing" blade made a "sizzling" noise, startling the young steed, which lifted its long legs off the ground. The person on the horse then swung the sword downwards, aiming to strike at Zhou Fei.

At such a young age

Li Yan peeked out from behind Zhou Fei and asked, "I heard that your sect originally values pharmacology over martial arts. Clearly, you used force to coerce your way into becoming the leader. After just a few days, you found it bothersome and no longer wanted to do it. Are you a child?"

Master Tongming said: "Amitabha, since ancient times, ailments have come suddenly like a mountain collapsing and departed gradually like pulling silk. After taking the medicine, the illness vanishes as if by a miraculous revelation overnight, something even Master Lü has never witnessed. How can an ordinary person dare to hope for such a thing?"

"To say we can bypass the enemy's formation is to bypass it," Zhou Fei raised an eyebrow and said, "Are you capable of flying through the sky or burrowing underground? If it were that easy, I would have long since taken Cao Zhongkun's head and used it as a ball to kick around"

Liu Youliang was taken aback, but quickly regained his composure and hurriedly stepped forward to kneel down: "Your Highness!"

Master Tongming remained silent, and in the quiet stone cave, only the sound of him turning the prayer beads could be heard. After a long while, he finally spoke softly: "As you wish, take good care of the dragon incense"

Li Yan said: "Jiangling is currently within our Southern Dynasties territory, shouldn't there be someone from the government in charge?"

At that time, I was far away on the front lines, busy with defense and resistance every day, while also trying to find ways to properly settle the civilians affected by the war... I was completely unaware of this matter. " Xie Yun lowered his head, looking at his pale fingertips, swallowing back the somewhat acerbic remark, "After all, I was young and ignorant." He merely spoke in the tone of an outsider, saying, "I suppose Master has heard about what happened later. Our military supplies were deliberately delayed, and the memorial I sent back to Jinling was detained. In desperation, I had no choice but to take risks in military actions. Coincidentally, there were traitors in the army who leaked information, and we were besieged by Cao Ning in a solitary city, while reinforcements were long overdue.

Wu Chuchu pulled the fragmented cover and turned to Zhou Fei, saying: "Hide your knife a little... Don't crowd around him, let me give it a try"

After he finished speaking, he stretched lazily, putting this topic behind him along with yesterday's, and asked: "Master, where did the knife I used to play with several years ago go?"

Li Sheng had a look of disbelief on his face

Over the years, although I have written about the sound of the cold crows and sold 'blood' for travel expenses, I have never truly mentioned this matter to anyone. Xie Yun said, 'I just dreamed about it, every single detail feels like it was yesterday, and suddenly I couldn't help but want to find someone to talk about it.'

"I am wearing armor, what are you staring at?" Zhou Fei reached out to cover the small tear in her outer robe, casting a disdainful glance at the two unsophisticated country bumpkins she had never seen before. She bent down to examine the person they had knocked down to the ground. In the ambush among the trees, all were strong men, their bodies concealed with leaves and bark, hidden among the bushes, each one masked.

Master Tongming asked: "What happened next?"

Zhou Fei was busy trying to find the entrance to the Qi gate, having no mood to entangle with him. She dropped a word "unnecessary" and by the time her voice fell, she was already several zhang away, turning over to mount her horse and galloping off

"Common peasant." Li Sheng turned over the limbs of a corpse and looked at it, then he strangely exclaimed, "Hmm, how odd, the cause of death is a sword wound, or perhaps a single strike to the throat..."

As she spoke, she frowned—feuds and killings in the martial world are not uncommon, but these corpses are all rough and clumsy, with a sallow complexion, loose muscles all over, and the calluses on their palms do not appear to belong to those who have practiced martial arts; they are clearly just ordinary commoners

"No, no, no, let me explain," the scout, who was terrified, surprisingly spoke more fluently, almost without a pause, saying, "To prevent a large number of refugees from heading south, that fat man Cao previously ordered people to spread various rumors about the Southern Dynasty, claiming that they were tyrannical and that any refugees without a pass would be executed as spies, and so on, no matter how tragic, they would fabricate it. Moreover, both sides have been fighting, and the situation here is no better than in the north, which indeed stopped the momentum of the refugees heading south.

The scout was already weak-kneed, and after being kicked down hard by her, he lay on the ground unable to get up for a long time. He had been silenced by Li Sheng, unable to make a sound, and could only shake his head desperately with a face full of fear.

Yang Jin looked enviously at the blade that could cut through iron like mud, feeling that the countless iron swords in the sky seemed as if they were made of clay in front of it. Unable to restrain herself, she asked: "What kind of knife is this? Can I take a look at it?"

Yang Jin impatiently said: "Can't you be more concise?"

As he spoke, he removed the ink-stained soft leather and carefully admired Zhou Fei's masterpiece, asking: "Master, may I go out for a stroll?"

"Don't be a jinx," Zhou Fei first said this, then thought for a moment and weakly added in a low voice, "What if we really end up fighting my father?"

The scout said with a sobbing tone: "That place is very strange; ordinary people easily become disoriented once they enter. Only our 'Diting' of the dove clan is less affected... Oh, 'Diting' refers to the blind, who have trained their hearing. They are skilled at eavesdropping and each of our teams must be accompanied by a Diting to navigate in and out of that sinister valley."

Master Tongming sighed and said: "The aroma of the dragon incense invigorates the spirit, while the 'Three Flavors' prolong life. The two flavors layered together can force out the last bit of vitality from your body, preventing you from fading away silently. However, this only addresses the symptoms, not the root cause. Each time you prolong your life, you lose a cluster of 'true fire.' After experiencing the Three Flavors, if you still cannot find the antidote..."

Master Tongming: "... ..."

Seeing him leave, Xie Yun then asked, "Which Commander Liu?"

Li Sheng asked: "How many people have you come with"

Li Yan rarely had the opportunity to be of use, holding a knife in one hand while waving at Zhou Fei and the others with the other, she called out triumphantly: "Ah Fei, there's another one here!"

The knight leaned back, managing to grasp the reins to steady himself, but the goose-winged saber had already slipped from his grasp.

Oh," Zhou Fei said lightly, "Brother Yang, you may proceed."

"Nonsense, I was tricked into this competition by them!" Yang Jin said, his thick eyebrows standing upright in anger. "Although defeating a bunch of farmers who spend all day farming isn't particularly interesting, since it's a competition, I naturally have to win. No one told me they were selecting the next sect leader! This group... Let's not talk about that—hey, Brother Li, those people are looking for you. Where are you all going?"

The commander of the imperial guards beside Cao Zhongkun is said to be the last "Haitian Yise". Master Tongming said, "Not long ago, he escaped from the old capital and was pursued by Tong Kaiyang and his men. Along the way, he happened to encounter A Fei, who saved him and entrusted him to you, Master Lin."

The leaked edict resembled a wild fire, igniting the worries and fears of the southern nobility all at once.

Xie Yun was suddenly taken aback by this news: "What? Are you saying that I actually caused Cao Zhongkun's death!"

The archer covered his swollen eyes and cried out, "I, I am... I am a 'dove' soldier under the command of the hero... No, young hero! Great hero! Please, esteemed gentlemen, do not hold my minor offenses against me, spare my life.

The turtledove scout was caught off guard and swallowed, choking and rolling its eyes. Li Sheng revealed half of the corpse of the Nirvana mother insect from his pack for the scout to see, and said with a smile: "Hey, eat a Nirvana gu, and lead the way properly."

Xie Yun retracted his hand, stood with his hands behind his back, and sighed: "Master, I feel like I am almost better. Is this three-flavor soup really poison and not a remedy?"

Xie Yun raised his eyebrows in surprise, unsure whether he was astonished that "Zhou Fei was actually able to snatch someone from Tong Kaiyang's subordinates" or puzzled as to why the last "sea and sky were one color" was exposed

Zhou Fei replied nonchalantly: "Of course, you scared me to death!"

On the sparsely populated island, chaos ensued. Master Lin exclaimed, "Ah!" as he jumped up, while Chen Junfu, feeling tense, hastily dropped his fishing net. In contrast, the old monk Tongming seemed to have anticipated this, as he entered calmly, holding a bowl of dark medicinal soup, and said, "I guessed you would be waking up soon."

Tong Mingdao: "Where is A Fei..."

Zhao Yuan used the phrase "the orphan of Prince Yide" to set up a huge target for the pro-war faction, repeatedly claiming that he was prepared to abdicate, causing the deeply entangled old southern party to live in constant fear, worried that the Jinling court would fall into the hands of that young man who was always thinking about revenge and restoring the country.

He spoke as he got up, rolled up the scroll, and put away the letter left for him by Zhou Fei, intending to read it slowly later. He then took a deep breath and slowly walked out of the small cave, calling out to Chen Junfu by the seaside: "Master Chen, do you have any good iron?"

Li Yan ran to a large tree and pointed at a new pit created by someone's foot, saying, "We have been here before, look, I even made a mark!"

As he reached the tenth circle, Xie Yun no longer needed to lean against the wall. His dragging footsteps grew lighter with each step. Suddenly, he flicked his long sleeves open, gathered his strength in his palm, and with a gentle wave, the scroll on the stone table several feet away was precisely unfurled by the force of his palm, spreading out across the entire table.

"Useful, useful!" the scout shouted, "We doves have always had a remarkable memory for the paths we have traversed. Although that place is rather sinister, I... I just need to carefully discern, and I should be able to find it. I, I, I..."

"You slowpokes from the Central Plains," Yang Jin muttered, grabbing the hair of the turtledove scout, "If you make one more mistake, I will chop you once."

Confucius Lin, filled with deep sorrow, was immediately stung by the mocking ridicule of Xie Yun, who showed no respect for his elders. Enraged, he jumped up and down three times, pulling out two strands of his white beard, and then ran off in anger

Xie Yunxin, feeling a lingering fear, raised her hand to touch her face and smiled as she said to Master Lin: "Uncle Master, your lesson is well taken. Next time, I will definitely write it in the letter for her to convey."

It should not be, Zhou Fei said, these few individuals have sustained quite a few minor injuries, and it is unknown how far they have traveled. Moreover, they had hidden the child in a hay basket beforehand, fearing that they were being pursued by someone

"Ah Fei, you..." Li Sheng was about to speak when he suddenly noticed an arrow lodged under Zhou Fei's rib, startling him. "What happened? Wait, don't move!"

Li Sheng half-squatted in front of him, staring into his eyes and asked: "I have heard of the great name of the turtle dove from my uncle, and every profession has its own expertise. Under normal circumstances, who would use top scouts like you as archers to charge into battle? Either your leader is foolish, or you are talking nonsense... Which explanation do you prefer?"

As he spoke, he trembled slightly and gestured with his eyes. The crowd followed his gaze and saw a corpse lying in the corner. Upon turning it over, it was indeed without eyeballs, confirming that it was blind.

Li Yan glared at him

Li Sheng could no longer bear it and fled in a panic, urging Zhou Fei and the others as if he had seen a ghost: "Hurry up, hurry up!"

Strangely enough, he had just been unable to speak a word, but now, after taking a bowl of medicine, although it was quite a struggle, he surprisingly managed to stand unsteadily. Then, Xie Yun tried to take a few steps in place; feeling somewhat better, he spoke in a very cheerful tone, saying: "Last time, after being treated multiple times by all of you uncles, I could barely manage to move around in the stone cave, but this time I feel much better"

Master Tongming said to the nervously standing Liu Youliang: "Liu Tongling, you may go and rest now, as you have worked hard today. Since Anzhi has already awakened, let him clean up the rest himself."

Zhou Fei noncommittally stepped aside to examine the nearby corpses—there were a total of four bodies, three men and one woman, all young and strong, already cold but showing no signs of decay, presumably having died not long ago

Li Sheng angrily said: "If you continue to talk nonsense, you can take the map and leave by yourself"

Master Tongming said: "The ability to withstand the penetrating bone poison relies entirely on the bit of internal strength within him. Once a person weakens, there will be no hope left. I truly lack knowledge and skill; having searched through the Hundred Poisons Classic, I can only come up with such a temporary solution"

However, very soon, Zhou Fei paid the price for her indiscretion, as the foremost charcoal merchant of the southern frontier solemnly rummaged in his bosom, finally producing a crumpled piece of paper. After much effort, he managed to smooth it out and slapped it down in front of Zhou Fei.

Before he could finish speaking, Li Sheng let out a light laugh and interrupted him, saying to Yang Jin: "This person is still not being honest, Brother Yang, let’s pop his eyes out and hear the sound for ourselves"

Zhou Fei, however, remained unperturbed. In an instant, she turned around, and before the dagger could be drawn, she had already parried the incoming strike. Her expression was calm, as if she were entirely unconcerned by such a degree of ambush. With a horizontal block of her sword, she skillfully lifted her opponent upward. Little did she know that the person on horseback was quite stubborn, unwilling to concede, and insisted on resisting her. However, the force transmitted through Zhou Fei's dagger was not substantial, yet it was remarkably subtle. With a gentle motion akin to using four ounces to deflect a thousand pounds, she precisely disrupted the balance between the knight, the horse, and the winged blade. Little did she know that the person on horseback was quite stubborn, unwilling to concede, and insisted on resisting her. However, the force transmitted through Zhou Fei's dagger was not substantial, yet it was remarkably subtle. With a gentle motion akin to using four ounces to deflect a thousand pounds, she precisely disrupted the balance between the knight, the horse, and the winged blade.

Zhou Fei suddenly felt that the valley sounded just like the "Forbidden Land of the Qi Gate" described by Mu Xiao Qiao, difficult to locate and filled with secret passages... it seemed to match perfectly, so she asked: "Where is the valley you mentioned?"

Zhou Fei found the name somewhat familiar, so she signaled to Li Sheng with her eyes—could it be someone from Cao Ning?

Zhou Fei was troubled by her own suspicions, feeling paranoid and uncertain whether to pursue or let go. Hesitatingly, she took a step forward, but before she could rush over, she saw the man in black retreating step by step from the dense forest, a narrow-backed long knife resting against his neck.

Yang Jin, not waiting for her to finish reading, realized that she had embarrassed herself, her face flushed with shame, and she snatched the torn paper away.

Scattered along the roadside were several bodies in tattered clothing, all dressed as ordinary farmers. Beside them was a basket filled with dry grass, in which something seemed to be alive, moving continuously. Startled by the sound of hooves, it trembled violently and froze in place

Master Tongming remained silent for a while before asking: "At that time, there were personal guards who volunteered to be your substitute, leading the troops to divert Lianzheng, Cao Ning, and others, providing cover for your breakout and escape. Why did you refuse?"

Xie Yun raised his voice insistently and said: "Master Uncle, at least I have sent out the token of my affection. If it really doesn't work out for you, why not raise a female cat to alleviate your loneliness?"

Master Ming replaced the burnt dragon incense with a new one, placing it in the incense stand, and then said: "Cao Zhongkun has died"

Master Yang has a dark complexion, and his features are somewhat more pronounced than those of an ordinary person. If one were unaware that he is a foolish fellow who loves to write half-formed characters, just looking at his sinister smile, he indeed resembles those sorcerers from the legends of the Central Plains, who evoke a sense of "unable to seek life, unable to seek death".

Li Sheng did not want to drag along a group of idle people—especially since Yang Jin was as much of a trouble as Zhou Fei. Therefore, from the time and place to the route and destination, not a single detail was genuine. In broad daylight, he openly deceived the naive young man, hoping to make him leave on his own.

The turtledove scout was unable to discern the tricks employed by these rogues, leaving him terrified and trembling. He could only lead the way hesitantly. Li Cheng released the acupoint on his leg and, like walking a dog, tied him with a long rope, instructing him to walk stiffly with his upper body in front. He whispered to Zhou Fei, "I know you want to find the forbidden area of the Qi clan, but if he is telling the truth, it may not be wise for us to intrude. Let us first take a look at the situation, and then we can inform your father later."

Xie Yun stood up excitedly, supporting himself against the wall, and began to walk around the stone bed. The scent of the fragrant incense was so strong that it was somewhat overwhelming. He extended his finger, and the curling white smoke seemed to possess a life of its own, winding around his hand and then burrowing into his seven orifices and every part of his body.

Zhou Fei did not need to look to know who it was, and without raising her head, she said: "Yang Heitan, have you eaten too much again?"

The Prince of Duan is, after all, the "orthodox of Huaxia," yet he nearly met his demise at the hands of his own men on the battlefield. It is said that the students in Jinling wrote blood letters and caused a disturbance, demanding the court to severely punish the "traitors to the nation." The situation escalated, and the old faction in Jiangnan had no choice but to present dozens of scapegoats to quell the unrest. The Imperial Guard galloped through the streets, confiscating property and arresting people. After more than ten years of moving south, Zhao Yuan, for the first time, used this opportunity to firmly drive his stake into the ironclad forces of Jiangnan. This "weak" young emperor, relying on his incredible forbearance, has gradually reached this point.

Li Yan let out a startled cry

"At such a young age, one does not understand the depths of the situation," Xie Yun said with a smile. "In fact, during that time, the Northern Dynasties were indeed strong and powerful, while the South had suffered from two consecutive years of flooding, leading to a dire situation for the people. Moreover, the court was not united in purpose, making it fundamentally an unfavorable time for war. Even the emperor was merely using the conflict between the pro-war and pro-peace factions to maintain a balance between the 'New Party' and the 'Aristocratic Families' in Jinling. Everyone understood this principle, yet I did not comprehend it."

Li Sheng glanced again at the child held by Wu Chuchu. At first glance, the child appeared to be only two or three years old, but upon closer inspection, he was likely a few years older. However, due to the hardships of life during the war, he was particularly thin and small, not having enough to eat or wear. The child must also understand who wants to kill him and who wants to save him, as he nestled quietly in Wu Chuchu's arms, making not a sound.

Master Lin drooped his eyelids and eyebrows, with a comical expression of sorrow on his face, and said: "How can one be content? You have not yet married a wife!"

Master Lin chuckled and said: "Haha, that was taken from your face. Your little lady is truly something else! So mischievous, and as for the rest, forget it. They drew a 'king' on your forehead, and below it, two little mustaches on either side. Isn't that just 'turtle'?"

Li Sheng : `` ... ... ''

Master Lin roared at the cave entrance: "Wretched disciple! Scoundrel!"

The scout hesitated for a moment. Li Sheng did not waste any words; with a single palm strike, he executed a technique that caused the scout to cry out in pain, tears streaming down his face: "Over 20,000, nearly 30,000 troops, and the others are on their way."

Yang Jin beside him gasped in surprise, not expecting that Zhou Fei's martial arts had actually reached the level of "copper skin and iron bones, impervious to swords and spears." He was immediately filled with a deep sense of frustration and resentment, recalling that just a few years ago, they were nearly on par. Why was it that she could advance so far?

After a while, Chen Junfu finally said: "Tongming, what do you mean by this?"

Zhou Fei laughed heartily with the two girls in the carriage

As soon as Yang Jinfu engaged, he felt the gap between himself and Zhou Fei, which made him increasingly irritable. He waved his hand dismissively and said, "I can no longer serve as the leader of Qingyun Valley. I am constantly entangled in trivial matters, such as which medicinal field has grown weeds. Such nonsense requires my judgment, leaving me no time to practice my swordsmanship"

What did you dream about

Though Ming appeared calm, there was no smile on his face. He set the medicine bowl aside and said in a deep voice: "You have already taken the second dose of the 'Three Flavor Soup'. If there is one more, I will have no other recourse left."

The iron used for the legendary divine weapons seems to have some history, yet only "Shattered Veil" is relatively unknown, lacking any mysterious background like the "Heavenly Iron from Beyond." It is merely an ordinary earthly material refined, but it has become extraordinary in the world due to its two previous masters, Master Lü and the Southern Blade.

Xie Yun understood. Since Tong Ming was willing to agree, it indicated that he could remain lively and energetic until the next time they drank the three-flavor soup. After thinking for a moment, he changed his mind and said, "Forget it, I won't go. A month or half a month, I can't go far anyway. It's meaningless. I will stay on the island and keep you company instead."

Yang Jin immediately went after him: "Are you afraid?"

A sharp sound of cold iron clashing echoed

Upon hearing this, Zhou Fei casually lowered her head to take a glance, then reached out to remove the iron arrow. There was not a single drop of blood on the arrowhead; instead, it had been flattened.

The ink on the paper had smudged into a mass, occasionally revealing a few jagged shadows that could be discerned only by squinting closely to catch a glimpse of the Chinese characters. This thing could practically be affixed to the door to ward off evil and protect the home. Zhou Fei stumbled through the reading: "Single book... in the eighth month of the Jiawu year, 'Respectfully' it says... what... oh, Gou, 'Respectfully' it says, the leader of Gou, Yang Jin, 'Requests' a single... a 'Single', to determine a winner..."

Yang Jin coldly said: "We can recognize the places we have been to even without making any marks."

Zhou Fei asked: "Who might these people be?"

Well, Cao Ning has a famous reconnaissance army named 'Banjiao,' Li Sheng said slowly, 'They march extremely quickly and are said to cover a thousand miles in a day even on the most difficult mountain paths, infiltrating everywhere.

As he spoke, his gaze swept into the cave, where he saw a piece of soft leather hanging beneath a bright pearl, covered with a jumble of ink stains, haphazardly drawn into the shape of a ghostly face

The archer blinked, cautiously offering a smile, and said: "Hero, please spare my life! I did not recognize your greatness. Seeing your luxurious carriages and fine attire, I thought to ask for a little pocket money, but that was certainly not... Ouch!"

Chen Junfu listened to this advice, yet his brows did not relax. He gazed deeply at Xie Yun, who calmly looked up and smiled at him. Chen Junfu let out a heavy sigh and left the sweltering cave, choosing to ignore the troubles out of sight.

The three men chatting inexplicably turned to glance at him, and upon seeing that he was a pretty boy, chose to ignore him and continued their discussion: "Which one is Young Hero Li, after all?"