Chapter 3, The mantis tries to stop a chariot

The spirit of her ancestors in heaven is no longer unwilling to bless her; it is simply cursing her!

Insufficient preparation, and the performance was a failure.

The temporary executioner guard raised the cleaver, and only then did the refugees behind realize that disaster was imminent. They struggled desperately within the iron bars, crying out in a cacophony.

Gu Tianxuan's gaze darkly swept over the half of the scabbard that had scratched his earlobe, and he spoke, "Since your father is Zhou Cun, if you surrender now, we will spare your life"

Lu Yaoguang felt a sudden dazzle before his eyes, only to see that Zhou Fei, whom he had just deemed "not worthy of her name," suddenly changed her expression while wielding the Broken Snow Blade. With the "Wind" character technique, she managed to scatter the long spear formation of dozens of personal guards within three moves, and at the same time, she was even able to catch Gu Tianxuan's iron fan in the intervals.

"I can't manage it!" Yang Jin shouted at him, "Unless you can spray water, I certainly can't do it. Can you spray?"

At the same time, Gu Tianxuan swung the iron fan in her hand and lunged at Zhou Fei without holding back

Yang Jin : " ... ... "

Li Sheng pressed his buzzing ears firmly and heard someone scream in agony: "A snake! Where did the snake come from!"

The vagrants were whipped several times, leaving them terrified and bewildered as they complied with the demands of the Northern Dynasty guards, standing in a row. The guards immediately stepped forward, selecting ten vagrants, and bound the first batch of unfortunate souls tightly before pushing them out through the iron bars

At this moment, neither of them is willing to make concessions for the other

Although those who followed Li Sheng to hide were in a sorry state, they were still able to hold on for the time being. However, the situation of those who insisted on hiding in the cave was far from pleasant—thinking that once they entered the cave, they could avoid the arrows flying in the sky, they did not expect that a small fireball would land at the cave entrance, quickly igniting the straw and mats that the refugees had laid down themselves

Zhou Fei's tiger mouth split open with a small wound, and she carelessly wiped the blood on the handle of her knife. For the first time in her life, she felt a sense of certainty; holding the long knife, she was unafraid of any opponent she could not defeat. The once boisterous Duan Jiuniang, who had laughed and declared, "I am the trouble," had not seen her pride diminish with the death of that person. Instead, it had been passed down through the violent and withering true energy, deeply embedded in her meridians and blood.

These hands have held a broken knife bought with a few coins, have picked up a shabby sword from the body of a dead man by the roadside, have wielded the "Wangchun Mountain" made by contemporary masters imitating the Southern Knife of Li Zhengpei, ... and have also grasped the last fragment of sorrow left in the world by Master Lü ... The edge of the blade has clashed with countless "legends" big and small in this rivers and lakes, and has carved a bloody path from the most perilous places

"Tell the rest to follow me," Li Sheng said in a deep voice, "It is not yet the time of desperation."

In such a situation, not to mention Li Sheng himself, even if any military strategist from throughout history were to take charge, without capable individuals at their disposal, they would inevitably meet with failure

Zhou Fei let out a "tch" sound, tossed the useless thing aside with a flick of her hand, and then, holding the broken cover, walked towards the valley as if no one were around.

Zhou Fei thought: It is about to end

Li Jinrong once told her, "The spirits exist beyond the six realms, and those who walk in the mortal world are all mere mortals." Zhou Fei always remembered this saying and often used it to encourage herself. It was not until this moment, when she held the shattered veil in her hands, that she truly understood its meaning

Li Sheng suddenly fell silent, listening to the sounds of the wind, arrows, roars, and cries of anguish in the valley. He couldn't help but recall the words of Lady Ni Chang, "With a wave of the arm, the world responds." At that time, amidst his fear, he felt a bit of pride. Now, reflecting on it, he could only manage a bitter smile. Not to mention the "world responding," he couldn't even gather these hundred or so people together.

Li Sheng heard a fierce wind rush past his ear; he had no time to think and quickly sidestepped. Turning his head, he saw an iron arrow being sliced down from mid-air by a broken goose blade, landing precisely where he had just stood. Immediately, the buzzing sound of the bowstring echoed around him like a hornet's nest that had just been disturbed, sending chills down his spine as deadly arrows rained down from all directions like a torrential downpour. The refugee running at the front was pierced through the head by an iron arrow in full view of everyone, directly nailing him to a large stone, staining it with red and white.

The divination of Master Yang is effective for good but not for bad, and Zhou Fei suddenly had an ominous premonition, thinking to herself: If things go awry, I might really be shot to death by a rain of arrows today

The path of gradual exploration in martial arts is shrouded in darkness, where fleeting thoughts resemble suddenly flickering fireworks, illuminating the way ahead in an instant... It allowed her to gain sudden insight and clearly see that her opponent had already fallen half a step behind.

Li Sheng suddenly came to his senses, let out a low shout, and clumsily used his machete to deflect an arrow that was shot across the sky. Indeed, the tips of this batch of arrows from the Northern Army were soaked in oil, and as they flew through the air, flames erupted, resembling shooting stars from beyond the heavens

Speaking of this, Lu Yaoguang unexpectedly disregarded his subordinates and immediately decided to personally step forward to capture Zhou Fei, and the two quickly began to engage in a fierce struggle around the large tent

Zhou Fei stood with her hands gripping the slightly warm handle of the knife, her shoulders relaxed and her elbows hanging down. In that moment, a clear thought emerged in her mind: I may not necessarily lose

He slightly twitched the corner of his mouth and looked at Zhou Fei with a gloomy expression: "Is it just you?"

Thus, they may have misunderstood the concept of "heavenly will"; the four rootless grasses that were taken away were not meant to tell them to stay and save others, but rather to allow them to go as far as they could.

Upon probing deeper, one realizes that the master is at a disadvantage

Li Sheng could not tell if it was just his illusion, but he always felt that he smelled a burnt meat odor, which suddenly made him feel an indescribable nausea in his chest. He desperately suppressed the urge to gag, and tears were almost welling up in his eyes

The wind of the night just happened to blow into the cave, instantly drawing the flames inside. Since the cave had been treated as a natural prison by the Northern Army, it was naturally a dead end. The refugees who had just taken shelter in the cave, in order to save their lives, all huddled at the very back, unable to react in time. Thick smoke billowed up like a storm, and the flames erupted, quickly gaining strength and firmly blocking the entrance of the cave

The three masters engage in combat, and the arena is truly a place of rapid change, where outsiders cannot easily intervene

Zhou Yitang's daughter is here, how could he not know

This matter had already been reported to the central military tent. Upon hearing this, Lu Yaoguang and Gu Tianxuan were greatly alarmed. Before their departure, Prince Cao Ning had specifically and repeatedly instructed the two of them that this military operation was of utmost importance, requiring both speed and confidentiality, and that they must ensure absolute success; otherwise, their lives and fortunes would be at stake. Now, just as they were on the verge of success, it seemed as if heaven had gone mad and was working against them, first allowing several refugees to escape, and then presenting them with such an unexpected guest

A short stretch of road from the entrance to the heart of the valley was soon surrounded by the Northern Army, each soldier appearing as if facing a formidable enemy. Zhou Fei glanced around, feeling a slight heaviness in her heart—she had initially thought that both Lu Yaoguang and Gu Tianxuan, the two "commanders," were incompetent, yet the scene of "a cowardly soldier leading a pack of cowards" surprisingly did not materialize.

The shattered fragments reflected the surrounding flames, blazing and dazzling. Lu Yaoguang could naturally tell that Gu Tianxuan had not held back, and that his iron fan, which had traversed the martial world for decades, was subtly being suppressed by the long knife. Lu Yaoguang was greatly shaken; it was only then that he realized that Zhou Fei had merely intended to delay him, deliberately holding back!

"Pojun, you truly have not made any progress over the decades." Gu Tianxuan sighed softly, then her expression suddenly darkened, "This is a crucial area of the military camp, and we cannot allow any petty disturbances. Hurry up and capture her swiftly!"

Ha," Gu Tianxuan let out a cold laugh, "Interesting, so you came to someone else's doorstep to play the empty city strategy.

People from the south are not accustomed to tying their hair like men from the Central Plains. In the past, having loose hair could still be considered somewhat attractive, but now, with loose hair, it has become a matter of life and death. Yang Jin's hair was singed by the flying rockets, curling alluringly with a burnt fragrance, and there is no need to mention his appearance. Fortunately, his face is dark, so even after being smoked, it is hard to discern any signs.

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

She calmly withdrew her peripheral vision, took a couple of deep breaths, and silently recited the mantra of her internal cultivation technique. The true energy within her seemed like a swirling body of water, sometimes rushing forward, slowly flowing through her meridians, and then being released outward. With a soft "crack" under her feet, the stone steps cracked, resembling a spider web with several fissures. A half-yellow leaf floated gently down beside her, and as it reached mid-air, it suddenly split in two, accelerating sharply towards the ground. One piece plunged into the soil by the roadside, revealing a clean cut as if severed by a sharp blade, pointing sharply and menacingly towards the night sky.

In the night breeze, faint rustling sounds drifted by, discernible only to those with exceptionally keen hearing, who could detect the subtle differences between the sound of the wind brushing against the stones and the footsteps. Zhou Fei's gaze quietly fixed on the valley, while her ears had already picked up the slight movements of Wu Chuchu and Li Yan. She slowly pushed aside the fragmented cover with her thumb, and the cold iron brushed against the scabbard, producing a long, icy sigh that effectively masked the footsteps of the two individuals whose lightness of foot was lacking.

From the moment Zhou Fei revealed her name and stepped into the valley, every aspect began to deviate from their plan

Young Master Li was splashed in the face, and the little hesitation in his heart was simply and brutally torn apart by Yang Jin. He immediately came to his senses, calmed his emotions, and vigorously wiped the dust off his face.

In recent years, Gu Tianxuan has grown a small mustache and holds a folding fan in his hand, appearing increasingly cunning and shrewd

The valley was filled with dark armored cold blades, and a young girl stood amidst them as if nothing were amiss, unaffected by the eight winds—this seemed too strange to Lu Yaoguang, and he was certain there was a trick involved

Zhou Fei was blocked by Gu Tianxuan and Lu Yaoguang in front of the central military tent. At first, she was still concerned about her own life being in danger, but later she had little time to worry about anything else.

He feels like a clumsy shepherd, his voice hoarse from shouting, yet those people simply do not listen to him

If this continues, Gu Tianxuan knows that even with a two-to-one advantage, the one who feels fear will definitely not be Zhou Fei... Because fists fear the young and strong, swords and blades fear... People also fear

Zhou Fei moved with such speed that when she darted across the bare rocky terrain, the guards nearby were left wide-eyed and oblivious, failing to notice her presence. She lightly pushed off from a pile of wood with her toes, causing the leaves to rustle with a soft sound. The guard at the entrance of the valley, startled by the noise, quickly raised his torch and looked towards the source of the sound. However, before he could discern what was happening, his neck was seized by two icy fingers.

Before Li Sheng could catch his breath, Yang Jin suddenly shouted: "Be careful!"

At that moment, as if to corroborate his conjecture, a cold firework suddenly shot up from deep within the dense forest, screaming as it ascended into the sky, exploding and causing the entire valley to resonate with a thunderous roar, painting the heavens like a tree of fire and silver flowers.

With a sound of "buzz," the tip of the knife, slightly bent under the pressure of the iron fan, stubbornly sprang back.

Li Sheng's profile was scorched by the flames, and the ancient tree roots where he was hiding had already caught fire. Sparks collided with the moisture in the wood, quickly resulting in mutual destruction—the trunk was charred in patches, and the flames dimmed. However, soon after, more arrows tipped with incendiary oil came flying in succession.

Lu Yaoguang inexplicably expressed his displeasure, saying: "What are you doing? Just a mere little girl who hasn't even matured yet, I ... ... "

Lu Yaoguang felt a sudden tension in his mind, and upon recalling Zhou Fei's identity, he instinctively glanced towards the thickets surrounding the valley, sensing that there were ambushes from enemies everywhere.

However, Gu Tianxuan and Lu Yaoguang clearly displayed no semblance of a master’s demeanor; not only did they engage in a two-on-one confrontation, but they also summoned a large group of guards to form a blockade at any moment, forcing her to move about in evasion. From the moment Zhou Fei revealed her name and entered the valley, every aspect diverged completely from their plan

Even though tens of thousands of troops surrounded the front of the central military tent, they could only hesitate to act, encircling it without any idea of how to intervene

Yang Heitan, that cursed crow's mouth, usually reeks of sweat and rarely changes his clothes; indeed, the medicine capsule has become damp on him

Lu Yaoguang shouted loudly, and in a moment of panic, could only draw her sword to confront her. Zhou Fei, wary of Gu Tianxuan, who had yet to show herself, divided her attention to remain alert to her surroundings, deliberately holding back a third of her strength. When she was clumsily bumped into, her blade immediately veered off course, and she seemed to stumble slightly as if her strength was failing her, making her smile under the blade appear somewhat forced. Lu Yaoguang, who had always been self-assured, indeed fell into the trap, thinking to herself: This group of useless people from the Southern Dynasty truly lives up to their reputation for being difficult to match; a mere little girl dares to call herself 'Southern Blade'.

The yellow dust spreads everywhere, and it cannot be solely the old heroes. The tribulations of time, the 'nightmare' can no longer escape.

Yang Jin cut off the burnt ends of her hair, leading the way boldly as she charged towards the chaotic central military tent in the valley. The heavy broken goose knife lost several teeth, and the rings on the back of the knife fell off somewhere, no longer able to produce the ostentatious honking sound of a goose

The refugees initially believed that their end was near, but unexpectedly, a turn of events allowed them to regain a glimmer of hope. After staggering to their feet, they instinctively began to run wildly. With such a leader, the imprisoned refugees finally reacted, rushing forward in a frenzy, squeezing through the iron bars. Those behind continuously pushed and urged those in front, even knocking aside the Northern Army guards who attempted to intercept them. The panic surged like a flood that had found its outlet, finally coalescing into a force.

Yang Jin suddenly threw the medicine bomb to the ground. At the same time, Li Sheng, like a giant roc, swiftly soared over the heads of the crowd, pointing his sword directly at the row of executioners, intending to quickly blend in amidst the smoke created by the bomb and find a way to kill his way in and out among the guards. The cooperation between the two was remarkably tacit, yet unexpectedly, at this critical moment, an unforeseen event occurred.

A rocket "thudded" onto the branch he was stepping on, causing the branch to "crackle" loudly, yet he did not even glance at it. His voice, infused with inner strength, made the nearby stones tremble slightly: "Are you born of a father and mother, or are you not human! If you are human, why allow them to be treated like livestock, abused and slaughtered?"

Li Sheng bit his tongue, ignoring the guard's inquiries, and, drenched in cold sweat, immediately took action—if at this moment Yang Jin were to charge out while Li Sheng was hiding in the shadows, Li Sheng would certainly understand that the urgent matter was to "create a diversion" and would never recklessly reveal himself. If the drugged bullets failed, he could first use a hidden arrow to injure someone, relying on his quick actions to create the illusion of an ambush, then release a few signal flares to create an imposing atmosphere, aiming any fire-related items at the grain storage in the valley, making the Northern Army in the valley believe there was a nighttime enemy attack, thus buying some time.

How could Yang Jin, that foolish deer, be capable of "playing tricks"? He is completely unable to adapt; as soon as he sees that the drug pellet has failed and things are not as previously agreed, he immediately feels at a loss and simply gives up, resorting to becoming a thug.

Lu Yaoguang rushed out in a flurry to confront the enemy, but he did not stop. Hearing the chaotic battle between Lu Yaoguang and Zhou Fei outside, he remained seated in the tent, unmoved. At this moment, upon hearing the sentry report that the iron gate was under attack, Gu Tianxuan suddenly raised his eyes with a piercing gaze and asked: "How many of them are there?"

Years ago, Zhou Fei had impressively taken hostage Prince Cao Ning in front of the two armies. Several years later, Lu Yaoguang recognized her at a glance and exclaimed: "It’s you!"

Lu Yaoguang suddenly felt a bit restless, dropped a remark "I will go take a look," and then got up and left the main tent

Suddenly, a shadow flashed before Li Sheng's eyes, and Yang Jin stumbled and fell in front of him

At the very moment the butcher's knife first fell, the two individuals moved simultaneously

Gu Tianxuan's iron fan came crashing down towards her forehead from a high position, while Lu Yaoguang stealthily thrust a knife from behind her, targeting several vital points on her body. Just as Zhou Fei found herself unable to evade, she unexpectedly spun around in the extremely confined space, her shattered veil and the knife sheath crossing in front of her, simultaneously blocking Gu Tianxuan's iron fan and Lu Yaoguang's knife.

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

By the way, there is also Zhou Fei

Their timing was quite unfortunate; the Northern Army had already gathered nearly 90 percent of its forces. From the looks of it, the Northern Army was likely already prepared to exterminate the refugees in this area, to set the valley ablaze, and to rush to the front lines. Not a drop of that oil was wasted; it was all put to use by them

Although Zhou Fei remained calm on the surface, she felt a surge of anxiety within her—Li Sheng and Yang Jin, those unreliable individuals, were up to who knows what. They had originally agreed to release the refugees amidst the billowing smoke, causing the Northern Army to be caught off guard and unable to discern how many people had entered the valley, which would facilitate her own plans of deception.

It was not until this moment that Zhou Fei realized that the term "Southern Blade" was not merely a reference to "ordinary commoners" for her, but rather a "ceremonial attire" passed down through generations. The hem of the garment trailed several zhang in length, adorned with exquisite embroidery and unparalleled beauty, while the grand crown, forged from gold and jade, weighed several dozen jin atop her head. ... With such a ceremonial outfit, no matter how much she liked or yearned for it, it was impossible to wear it all day while drinking tea, eating meals, or working in the fields ... . ... Yet, there would always be one or two occasions where she could don it and catch a distant glimpse of her ancestors' legacy. This ceremonial attire, no matter how much she liked or yearned for it, could not be worn all day while drinking tea, eating meals, or working in the fields ... . ... Yet, there would always be one or two occasions where she could wear it and catch a distant glimpse of her ancestors' legacy.

However, no matter how long the nightmare lasts, there will always be a moment when it is torn apart by the dawn

These northern troops clearly have their own organizations, and the soldiers at the mid-level and below are certainly not the kind of incompetent individuals that outsiders might imagine being blindly commanded. The 40,000-strong army is nominally under the command of the two Northern Dipper masters, but in reality, Lu Yaoguang and Gu Tianxuan are likely more akin to two rather formidable accompanying enforcers.

The fragmented cover suddenly moved, and the blade light, like a shooting star, was presented before Lu Yaoguang.

The spirit of her ancestors in heaven is no longer merely unwilling to bless her; it is practically cursing her!

Then she suddenly smiled and said slowly, "Go and tell your leader, just say that I am Zhou Fei from the Forty-Eighth Village, the third-generation heir of the Broken Snow Blade. Today, I come uninvited to convey my regards to my ancestors, my father, and the fellow disciples who fell at his hands a few years ago, as well as to the two esteemed masters of the Big Dipper. Please relay this message."

Lu Yaoguang was so frightened that he broke out in a cold sweat, and all that remained in his mind was one sentence: "This time it's over"

He turned around and killed a pursuing northern army guard, shouting to the people inside the iron fence: "Come out quickly!"

The sentinel was taken aback, and then hesitantly said: "There are not many people... it seems there are only two or three, but they are all experts. My brothers and I cannot hold them off for a while."

Although Lu Yaoguang resided at the end of the Big Dipper, he was notorious for his fierce reputation. Having never endured such a great humiliation, he was immediately filled with rage, drawing his sword and joining forces with Gu Tianxuan to trap Zhou Fei in the middle

The guard, whose neck was gripped by her, suddenly emitted a foul stench, and he was actually scared to the point of wetting himself

She had previously admitted to Yang Jin that she could not contend alone against the combined forces of Ju Men and Po Jun. However, at this point, there was no room for her to retreat; even if she could not win, she had to face it head-on. Zhou Fei accepted her fate quickly; since she felt that today might be the day of her demise, she simply focused her mind and concentrated fully on the shattered veil in her hands

In a match between experts, distraction is the most undesirable. Upon seeing the flicker in his eyes, Zhou Fei immediately realized that he was startled by this commotion, and Gu Tianxuan had not yet arrived. This opportunity must not be missed

The withered and flourishing true energy that had permeated her meridians for several years awakened in this moment of stalemate, operating at its peak, causing her meridians to ache faintly. Then, Zhou Fei suddenly released her grip, and the magnificent scabbard, unable to bear the burden, broke in mid-air. Remarkably, the force within did not dissipate in the slightest, roaring as it split apart, forcing Gu Tianxuan and Lu Yaoguang to retreat in opposite directions.

However, at this stage, it is too late to say anything further

The tree branch broke off at the root, and Li Sheng lightly touched the ground with his toes, gracefully landing. The machete he picked up collided with an arrow that had fallen from the gap in the large tree, resulting in a "mutual destruction of jade and stone". He then unhesitatingly discarded the broken knife to the side and bent down to pick up a heavy sword that had fallen from a Northern Army soldier.

At this point, it is already too late to run.

The brief bravery of the refugees was soon shattered by the overwhelming army. Li Sheng did not know how many people he had killed; his arms had lost all sensation, and the wound on his waist, grazed by an arrow, burned with searing pain, while a metallic sweetness rose in his throat. At that moment, the Northern army, which had originally been advancing and retreating in an orderly manner, suddenly fell into disarray.

The chaotic crowd of refugees scattered in all directions, with some people frantically darting about, quickly getting pinned down. A group of relatively clever individuals mimicked Li Cheng's actions, dispersing in the valley to hide, squeezing behind various large rocks and trees. Meanwhile, a small handful, in their panic, seemed oblivious to Li Cheng's shouts, and unexpectedly turned back to run into the cave behind the iron bars.

Yang Jin dropped the medicine capsule on the ground with a "puff," and it cracked open without exploding. The small ball coughed a few times with a "puchi puchi" sound, emitted a few wisps of white smoke, rolled a bit, and then became still

The originally dramatic effect of "smoke and dust rolling, divine weapons descending" suddenly turned comical, as the small medicinal bomb struggled to emit white smoke on the ground. Li Sheng stood alone amidst a group of guards, caught off guard as they exchanged bewildered glances. Every hair on Li Sheng's body stood on end, cold sweat pouring down like a waterfall, and his mind was a blank.

Gu Tianxuan suddenly stood up, shedding her long cloak to reveal a set of agile short attire underneath. She commanded, "Have the archers surround them. Since there is a 'hero' determined to save those troublesome beggars, let them share the same fate together."

Li Sheng was forced behind an ancient tree by a rain of arrows. He randomly picked up a machete from the corpses of the enemy soldiers, struggling to fend off the surrounding arrows while shouting loudly: "Split up and run! Find a place to hide, do not gather together, do not look back! Don't go back to that cave! We must not run to the cave!"

Even if today's broken snow knife, which walks the path of impermanence, becomes a final note, it must be a resounding and exhilarating finale

Zhou Fei engaged in a fierce duel with two Beidou warriors, creating a flurry of blades and shadows that made it difficult for onlookers to distinguish between them. The personal guards of Jumen and Pojun dared not advance, and the sentinels who came to report and the generals acting independently also refrained from making decisions on their own. They could only order their soldiers to personally enter the fray, engaging in close combat to intercept the fleeing refugees in the valley

It seems that Lady Nichang has never been one to fuss over trivial matters; perhaps she simply noticed his youthful appearance and came over to casually tease him for fun

After fighting for so long, there is still no outcome. At this moment, unless either Lu Yaoguang or Gu Tianxuan is willing to take a hit to entangle Zhou Fei, allowing the other to retreat from the battle circle, and then find a way to use hidden weapons to launch a surprise attack from a distance for cover, only then can this deadlock be broken

The vagrants who followed him in a chaotic manner were terrified, and everything fell into disarray

Who would have thought that those two would remain completely silent for such a long time, leaving her to perform a solo act

At the entrance of the valley, a large group of guards simultaneously drew their weapons, forming a circle as if facing a formidable enemy, staring at the woman who had suddenly fallen among them

Over the decades, despite Gu Tianxuan's continuous improvement in his skills, the youthful greed and ferocity he once exhibited during the siege of the Southern Blade Li Zheng by the Four Great Beidou are now difficult to replicate. Consequently, when faced with the visage of this junior, a sense of fear unexpectedly arises within him.

Fire! Fire!

Zhou Fei's hands, when viewed from the back, still resemble the delicate and tender hands of a girl, yet the palms have developed hardened lines from calluses and repeated abrasions.

The name "Zhou Fei" is one she is called many times throughout the year, to the point where it has become a familiar sound to her ears. However, when she utters it herself, it always feels strange and awkward. Since descending the mountain, she has rarely introduced herself by name—initially, it was unnecessary, as no one would recognize it anyway. Later, when "Nan Dao" inadvertently gained some notoriety, she suddenly lost the desire to mention it. Sometimes, she feared it would bring trouble to the Forty-Eight Villages; other times, she felt she had never done anything worthy of pride, and thus, the title "Nan Dao Zhou Fei" would be rather shameless. Therefore, she mostly refrained from mentioning it.

She was neither tall nor strong, and when she stood there, it seemed as if she would sway with the wind, like a female ghost suddenly emerging from the depths of the night, exuding an air of eerie mystery. A middle-aged man, resembling a leader, hurried over, scolding the crowd, parting a path through a circle of guards, and glaring at Zhou Fei from five steps away with caution: "Who are you? You have quite the audacity!"

Zhou Fei smiled and said, "Lord Lu, have you been well?"

Li Sheng leaped into the thick smoke, soaring high to the treetops, and shouted, "Do you want to live or not!"

In recent years, Li Sheng has had the most contact with Zhou Yitang, often running errands for his uncle and even personally accompanying the Southern Army to the battlefield. He did not need to hear the sound of bowstrings to know that they had fallen into the worst predicament. Yang Jin's sudden appearance indicates that the three of them are all exposed, with not even a single person available to provide backup.

Li Sheng thought that he was merely a shallow and jealous young man, destined in this life to manage only trivial matters. If he were to become another chief steward like Ma Jili of Xiushan Hall in the future, it would be considered the pinnacle of his achievements. After all, the elder master had once remarked in his youth that he did not possess much talent for martial arts.

Li Sheng turned his head to take a glance, capturing the entire scene of the valley at a glance. He immediately noticed the problem— all the archers and oil were focused on this side of the iron fence, while the Northern Army in the center of the valley appeared somewhat chaotic

Without waiting for Li Sheng to stop him, Yang Jin jumped directly out from his hiding place, brandishing his large knife and shouting "Aow!" as he charged into the ranks of the Northern Army. As a result, when the iron fence was attacked, the nearby Northern Army units immediately gathered in an organized manner, while the sentinels rushed to the central command tent

Although Gu Tianxuan and Lu Yaoguang have worked together for many years and appear to be friendly on the surface, they privately find each other quite displeasing—Gu Tianxuan thinks Lu Yaoguang is impetuous and lacks progress, while Lu Yaoguang considers Gu Tianxuan to be hypocritical and pretentious, believing that his abilities may not be substantial, but he is quite skilled in maneuvering.

Zhou Fei, relying on Lu Yaoguang's foolishness, managed to proceed relatively smoothly. Meanwhile, Li Sheng and Yang Jin quietly approached the iron fence as the atmosphere in the valley grew tense. In just a moment, the list of refugees inside the iron fence had been completely counted. Despite the commotion in the central military tent, these guards did not abandon their posts in the slightest, continuing to prepare methodically to eliminate witnesses.

He spoke as he strode out of the central tent, lifted the curtain, and in a flash, he was before Zhou Fei. He raised his hand to deliver a palm strike, while simultaneously opening a folding fan with a swift motion. The ribs of the fan were made of fine iron, gleaming coldly as they pointed directly at Zhou Fei's brow. Zhou Fei had long been on guard against Gu Tianxuan, and with the "Breaking Snow" technique, she drew a large arc in front of her, deflecting both the palm strike and the fan, landing swiftly three steps away.

The "Beidou" is an unshakable nightmare in the Central Plains martial arts world for twenty years. Among them are top masters like Zhanlang, Wenqu, and Wuqiu, as well as shameless scoundrels skilled in underhanded tactics and treachery, such as Lucun and Lianzhen. There are also cunning individuals like Jumeng and powerful figures like Pojun. As the hunting dogs of the Northern Dynasty, they wield both power and authority. After the fall of several great masters, they have rampaged through the world without restraint, instilling fear in all who hear their name

The refugees trapped behind the iron bars looked at him in terror and fear. Li Sheng felt a surge of anger; he grabbed the nearly beheaded refugee at the entrance of the iron gate, cut the ropes binding him, and then forcefully pushed him forward, shouting: "Run!"

Zhou Fei glanced around, her fingers tightening slightly. The guard leaned back, his throat making a "gurgling" sound, rolling his eyes. She smiled gently and, as if cherishing her voice, said softly: "Call Gu Tianxuan and Lu Yaoguang out, just say an old acquaintance has come to collect a debt"

Li Sheng had no other choice but to forge ahead. He thrust his sword through two Northern soldiers blocking his path, and after finishing, he was too lazy to pull the sword out, directly using one of his swords along with the corpse as a shield. He charged straight to the iron gate, casually tossing it aside. Then, with the remaining sword, he jabbed it into the lock, twisting it, and managed to pry open the hastily locked iron gate of the Northern soldiers.

Upon hearing this, the guards in the central military tent immediately shouted in unison, and dozens of long spears quickly formed a formation, charging down towards Zhou Fei.

Taking advantage of the commotion, Li Sheng let out a long whistle to signal Yang Jin to take action. Yang Jin nodded to him from a distance, reached into his bosom, and pulled out the so-called "medicine bomb" that was said to release powdered medicine. Li Sheng immediately covered his face with a cloth to shield his mouth and nose, gripping the twin swords at his waist tightly

The rain of arrows, tempered by fire, closely followed them, causing the trees and grass in their path to fall, scorching the ground bare. Yang Jin and his companions even managed to direct the flames near the central army tent, and the archers who had shot over their heads were quickly admonished.

Li Sheng shouted hoarsely: "Come out! Hurry out! They will use fire!"

Zhou Fei had a strand of long hair fall from the side of her face, cascading down her cheek. Finding it bothersome, she gently curled it with her long knife and cut it off. Then, as if she could hardly contain her amusement, she smiled faintly with her eyes lowered.

A youth resembling a refugee suddenly dashed out from behind the large rock where he had been hiding, snatched a weapon from a corpse, and placed a helmet that had rolled to the side onto his head, revealing a pair of bloodshot eyes. He shouted loudly and followed Li Cheng. Countless iron arrows soaked in oil finally overcame the lush vegetation, and the black smoke from their hiding place could no longer contain the raging fire. The surviving refugees had no way to escape, and could only struggle desperately to flee.

The sound of the iron bowstring being drawn resonated from all directions, faintly echoing in the valley

At this moment, Gu Tianxuan already regretted engaging in a confrontation with Zhou Fei. He had anticipated that Zhou Fei's martial arts would undoubtedly be superior to what she had initially displayed, but he did not expect her to have reached this level. This was quite normal, as even Zhou Fei herself was unaware before the confrontation that she could actually hold her own against the two major Beidou, and moreover, she had been entangled in the fight for quite some time without showing any signs of defeat.

Lu Yaoguang's expression changed immediately