Chapter 2, Fierce Battle in the Forest

In the face of the already unified and militarily powerful Xianbei, it is clearly impossible for her to restore the country relying solely on herself; what she needs now are trustworthy allies

Having taken only a couple of steps, I heard the woman say: "Hey, your martial arts are impressive! Would you mind giving me a ride?"

Zhao Ping cast a casual glance at the curved dagger in Yi Louzhen's hand, yet he was completely unconcerned. With his skills, he could wield any weapon to great effect. Therefore, even though Yi Louzhen held the rare Uzi treasure blade, Zhao Ping did not take it to heart

The Xianbei woman stared with her round, glistening eyes, unabashedly scrutinizing Yue Yao. It seemed she was very curious about Yue Yao, who, despite coming from a family of military generals, exuded an air of elegance and grace, possessing an innate noble demeanor in her every gesture and movement.

The remaining more than ten Xianbei warriors were immediately in an uproar, no longer caring about the woman, as they brandished their weapons and charged at Zhao Ping. Suddenly, the sound of bowstrings echoed, and a flurry of arrows rained down upon these Xianbei warriors, instantly resulting in the deaths of five of them from arrows.

The mountain breeze gently brushed by, lifting a corner of the veil covering Yue Yao's face. Although it was merely a fleeting glimpse, the admiration in the woman's eyes was unmistakable. She suddenly asked, "Are Han women and illustrations as beautiful as you?" After saying this, her bright, sparkling eyes fixed intently on Yue Yao. Even though they were both women, Yue Yao felt a twinge of annoyance under her gaze. Frowning, she was about to reprimand her when she heard the Xianbei woman say, "My name is Yilou Zhen. May I ask what your name is, sister?"

Zhao Ping felt quite embarrassed by her words. Not to mention that the two were strangers, the racial issues between them were enough to make Zhao Ping confront her with hostility. However, seeing that she was all alone and a woman, he could not bring himself to do so.

At this moment, the second wave of arrows descended. Although the remaining few Xianbei warriors were somewhat prepared, they were helpless against Zhao Ping's warriors, all of whom were exceptionally skilled. The arrows they shot were capable of piercing gold and splitting stone. The courage of the Xianbei had already waned; how could they possibly withstand such an onslaught? In the blink of an eye, they were all shot dead.

Yiluzhen finally nodded and said, "You don't seem like a bad person. Alright, I will follow you from now on!" After saying this, he found the body of the Xianbei warrior leader who had been killed by Zhao Ping's finger amidst the numerous corpses on the ground. He picked up a dark, oddly curved scimitar from the leader's hand, glanced at Zhao Ping, raised the scimitar, and said, "Uz scimitar! A true treasure blade! Even among the *Tushu* masters, there are no more than ten of these across the entire grassland!"

Zhao Ping is undoubtedly an excellent choice. Although Yi Lou does not know Zhao Ping well, Zhao Ping's calm and composed demeanor, his beautiful companions like flowers, and the remarkable skills of his retainers all indicate that Zhao Ping comes from an extraordinary family background

Seeing Zhao Ping's indifferent demeanor, Yi Lou hesitated. With his solitary strength, he truly lacked the ability to seek revenge, and as for restoring the nation, that was even more of a delusion.

This is actually a difference between Han and Hu cultures. The foreign ethnic groups, especially the nomadic peoples, are simple and direct, which is reflected in the common traits of their characters: boldness and straightforwardness, akin to an arrow that, once shot, does not turn back. Therefore, this Xianbei woman, seeing that Zhao Ping possesses exceptional martial skills and seems to be a decent person, straightforwardly expressed her intentions.

Yilou truly embodies the straightforward and cheerful nature of the Xianbei people, quickly becoming familiar with Yue Yao. After returning to the official road, the two young girls, Xiao Xi and Xiao Rong, had long been impatiently waiting, stretching their necks in anticipation. Upon seeing Zhao Ping and the others emerge from the forest, they dashed to Yue Yao's side, each taking an arm, chattering incessantly with questions. Yue Yao, indulgently, pulled the two of them close and briefly recounted the events that had transpired in the forest.

Looking at Zhao Ping, Yi Louzhen couldn't help but feel a stir in her heart. If Zhao Ping had shown an eager demeanor, Yi Louzhen would certainly have ignored him. However, Zhao Ping appeared indifferent, neither enthusiastic nor dismissive, which gave Yi Louzhen a glimmer of hope. Burdened by the hatred of a broken nation and a ruined family, she, as a woman, despite possessing courage and experience beyond that of ordinary women, still found herself overwhelmed.

Zhao Ping remained indifferent, shaking his head in silence. Yue Yao smiled and said, "Miss Ilou, let us go." Ilou pouted at Zhao Ping and said, "Is being skilled in martial arts really that impressive? How could he ignore me!" She then flashed a smile at Yue Yao and said, "Sister, please call me Xiao Zhen!" Yue Yao nodded and walked alongside Ilou Zhen, saying as they walked, "My husband is just like this; Xiao Zhen need not take it to heart."

Zhao Ping turned around and saw his wife leading more than ten warriors who had arrived. The warriors drew their bows and nocked arrows, the sharp arrowheads glinting with a chilling light that was captivating.

Zhao Ping remained silent, nodded slightly, and exchanged a glance with his wife. Yue Yao understood the cue; although she felt puzzled, she recognized that this was not the right moment for questions. Suppressing her doubts, Yue Yao took a few steps forward, waved to Yi Lou Zhen, and smiled as she said, "If Miss Yi Lou does not mind, please join us for now."

Apart from Zhao Ping's entourage, only the Xianbei woman remained. Zhao Ping initially intended to deal with her as well, but facing a solitary woman, even though she was Xianbei, he could not bring himself to do so. He could only say, "This place is not suitable for you to stay, please feel free to leave." After saying this, he turned and left with his wife.

At this moment, Yi Louzhen was looking at Zhao Ping with a guarded expression, her gaze cold, as if she wanted to see through Zhao Ping's intentions. After a long pause, she coldly asked Zhao Ping: "What are your intentions?" Zhao Ping smiled slightly and replied calmly: "It cannot be said that I have any ulterior motives; the Tuoba Xianbei have a vendetta against you and your family; I am merely sharing the same enemy as you."

Seeing her husband appear somewhat awkward, Yue Yao turned around and said to the Xianbei woman, "Miss, this place is truly not suitable for a prolonged stay. I kindly ask you to leave quickly! We still have a journey ahead and must take our leave."

Upon hearing the name "Iluobo," Yiluzhen's eyes immediately turned red, her expression darkened, and she struggled to hold back the tears in her eyes as she said in a hoarse voice, "Do you know my father?"

Seeing her innocent and straightforward demeanor, Yue Yao felt a softness in her heart and said gently, "Miss Ilou, this place is truly not suitable for lingering or for reading. We must continue on our journey, so please take care of yourself." After saying this, she steeled her heart and turned to leave. However, she noticed her husband looking thoughtfully at Ilou Zhen, which puzzled her. Just as she was about to ask for clarification, she heard Zhao Ping inquire, "May I ask what the relationship is between Miss Ilou and you?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Ping's footsteps involuntarily paused. He thought to himself that this Xianbei woman was quite straightforward, but she clearly could not distinguish between friend and foe. However, he found himself at a loss for words; he certainly could not directly say, "I apologize, miss, I originally intended to kill you, but considering you are all alone, I will spare you for now. You should leave quickly."

Yiluzhen gave Zhao Ping a thumbs up, saying, "You are truly impressive! The commander of the Golden Wolf Guard of the Xianbei royal court cannot even withstand a single move under your hands! Could it be that you are a first-class master?"

Just as the warrior was about to argue, he saw Zhao Ping already soaring into the air, charging directly at him. His expression changed instantly, and he hurriedly tried to retreat, but there was no way to escape. A surge of energy enveloped him, causing his movements to slow down involuntarily. Zhao Ping pointed at his throat, and he immediately collapsed to the ground like soft mud, realizing that he was not going to survive.

Zhao Ping responded with a faint sound, too lazy to argue with them further, secretly feeling angry: how dare these audacious bandits run rampant in my Huaxia, this is utterly unforgivable! He then said coldly: "Since you all have come, then stay."