Two

It is a method of execution used by feudal lords. The young man gestured, "They have a type of torture device that ensnares the limbs and neck with a noose, using the force of a mechanism to stretch the person to the point of almost tearing apart, paraded through the streets for public display. When on the verge of death, the executioner approaches to sever the limbs, first the arms, then the legs, and finally beheading.

Long Ge Zhenhuang shook his head, "I cannot drink, my warriors are dying in battle"

The stars have risen, the night wind sweeps across the grassland, leaving a sense of desolation

If King Jiu, Lü Bao, were to come with the Hu Bao cavalry, no one would be able to stop him. However, we are betting that he does not dare to advance his reinforcements to the battlefield at the Tie Xian River, after all, it is two hundred miles away, and he is unaware of the exact number of troops we have. The young man stared intently at the distant battlefield

Long Ge Zhenhuang drew his sword, slowly guiding his warhorse, as the thousand-strong troop silently followed him forward

The scout nodded again

Is it the Ninth Prince of Qingyang

The fallen have died, and those who remain must continue to live. We should drink and remember the times they shared drinks with us. The young man caressed the wine jar and took a hearty gulp. He drank as if it were water, the strong and spicy barbarian wine burning in his throat, as if a searing knife were scraping against it

Are there many people like you, Tianqu...?

Long Ge Zhenhuang fell silent for a moment and nodded

It is mere nonsense. In fact, it is because of this. The young man revealed his thumb from beneath his fingernail, and on his thumb was a broad iron ring of a bluish-green color, with a faintly visible soaring eagle on its surface

Is this the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry

The last ray of light in the sky was swallowed by the dusk

The two fell silent for a moment

He raised his head and said, "At that time, I was standing in the crowd, witnessing his death with my own eyes. In his final moments, he shouted, saying, 'We will return,' and I knew he was speaking to me"

Long Ge Zhenhuang raised the heavy battle sword and then suddenly pointed it forward. The formidable weapon let out a piercing howl in the night wind. The roar soared into the sky as the old man and the youths raised their long spears, following their lord as they charged towards the vast battlefield

The young man remained silent for a long time and nodded his head

The young man stared blankly at Long Ge Zhen Huang. This pastoral lord of the grasslands gazed at him earnestly, his eyes resembling those of a bewildered child

Then your teacher ... ...

The young man lowered his head, as if lost in thought.

Also died, seven years ago in the State of Chen, was killed by being dragged.

But why is that? We never thought of devouring others!" Long Ge Zhen Huang looked at the young man and pointed at the miscellaneous soldiers behind him, "Although we are a small tribe, does that mean we cannot survive?

Because I enjoy the fine wines of the Zhenyan Department, the young man replied candidly

The barbarian warrior of the common people is Long Ge Zhen Huang, the lord of the Zhen Yan tribe, whom the people of the grasslands respectfully call the "Lion King." Only those who have seen him with their own eyes would believe that he resembles an ordinary herdsman, sturdy and taciturn, who dances and sings after drinking, laughing heartily. He wears only a coarse cotton battle robe, which has already faded, and the mane of the mottled horse he rides is somewhat burnt and sparse, giving him a slightly shabby appearance. The only exception is the half-exposed battle knife on the saddle, ancient and heavy, exuding an air of grimness.

The young man laughed and turned to look at the barbarian warrior, "If the lord of the Zhenyan tribe is not afraid, then I suppose I need not be afraid either"

The waters of the Iron Wire River have been dyed red, and on the battlefield, the Lion Flag and the Leopard Cloud Flag are mixed together, with corpses strewn everywhere. The surviving warriors roar wildly as they wield their battle knives, and in the flash of blades, men fall like grass being cut down. The heavy scent of blood rises to the sky, and carrion-eating vultures circle above, their cries chilling to the bone. The battle began in the evening, as the warriors of the Zhenyan tribe crossed the Iron Wire River under the cover of night, lying in ambush in the trenches they had dug, waiting for the cavalry of the Qingyang tribe to come to the riverbank to graze their warhorses. In a hurry, the warriors of Qingyang had no choice but to draw their sabers and fight on foot, completely suppressed by the fierce assault of the Zhenyan tribe. The battle began in the evening, as the warriors of the Zhenyan tribe crossed the Iron Wire River under the cover of night, lying in ambush in the trenches they had dug, waiting for the cavalry of the Qingyang tribe to come to the riverbank to graze their warhorses. In a hurry, the warriors of Qingyang had no choice but to draw their sabers and fight on foot, completely suppressed by the fierce assault of the Zhenyan tribe. Both sides continuously sent reinforcements to the battlefield, the Qingyang tribe lost its momentum, and the front line was pushed northward by one mile, leaving countless corpses on both sides.

This was the last time Xie Gui saw Long Ge Zhen Huang, and what the Lion King left him was a silhouette in the night. It was the first time he saw Long Ge Zhen Huang roar, like a true lion, never looking back. At the end of the world, dust could be faintly seen rolling up, the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry had finally arrived

Long Ge Zhenhuang smiled and said, "I have always wanted to ask, what is your name?"

The sound of hooves approached

There is no need; now, charging forward will inevitably require crossing the Iron Line River. The river will obstruct us, and if there are still ambushes behind the Qingyang troops, they may take the opportunity to advance and launch a surprise attack while we are crossing the river, with unimaginable consequences.

Thank you for your hard work. Long Ge Zhenhuang nodded.

This is the final calm. Long Ge Zhen Huang took a deep breath and looked at the thousand-strong team behind him. This was the only remaining force he had, an entirely untrained group, consisting of boys aged thirteen or fourteen, as well as elderly men in their fifties and sixties. The last men of the Zhen Yan tribe were all here. They held crude wooden polearms, sitting on the ground in a disordered formation to rest, and at this moment, they all stood up, their gazes focused on him.

"Donglu people, are you not afraid?"

The hearts of the young people seemed to be lifted, and the hand gripping the wine jug trembled involuntarily. Long Ge Zhenhuang stepped forward, and the scout of the Zhenyan tribe on the black horse reined in the warhorse. He was a young warrior, whom the Eastern Land warriors had seen display his skills at the Wolf-Catching Festival. He rode that black horse, which he had grown up with, galloping among the young men, capturing fierce live wolves and the hearts of young maidens, his face not reddening at all, only smiling proudly and quietly.

The brave warrior, unfortunately, I was unable to see him... However, seeing the teacher being killed, are you still willing to accept the ring of the heavenly drive?

The young scout's face revealed an expression of relief. He swayed slightly on horseback, spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, and collapsed into the grass. His back was pierced by three black-feathered arrows, and the blood that had flowed out had long since dried and turned black

The young man suddenly set down the wine jar and looked to the north. The silhouette of a black horse rapidly approached along the grassy slope opposite the Iron Wire River, then leaped into the river. Water splashed from the hooves as the rider recklessly urged the warhorse towards the main camp of the Zhenyan tribe

The image of the teacher disintegrating on the execution rack once again looms before me. A year prior, the barbarian tribes scattered across the northern night finally bowed to the army of the Chen Kingdom. They offered furs, fine horses, and talented young maidens in exchange for the protection of the Chen Kingdom. Behind the teacher's bloodied figure, the impoverished herdsmen did not experience a better life.

"You are insane! I will lead this team to block the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry, you go! Do you see that green star? Follow its direction, head south, cross the Tian Tuo Gorge, and you will reach the Eastern Continent safely. There will still be a chance for you to return in the future! If you die now, everything will be over!" The young man came to his senses and pressed his battle gun against Long Ge Zhen Huang's horse's head to stop him.

Thank you, Gui.

"I have never asked, why do you help us?" Long Ge Zhen Huang caressed the hilt of the sword

Both sides are at the end of their tether; whoever's morale collapses first will lose this battle

On the hillside to the south of the Iron Wire, beneath the banner of the lion, the barbarian warrior stands on horseback, gazing into the distance, alongside him is a young warrior clad in the armor of the Eastern Lands

Long Ge Zhenhuang silently smiled

"This was passed down from my teacher. Those who bear this mark, we call ourselves the Celestial Drivers. My teacher dedicated his life to helping the tribes of the Northern Highlands resist the threats from the Eastern Lords. I merely hope to assist your people in leading a peaceful and free life; any Celestial Driver would do the same."

"Would you like a drink?" The young man unfastened the white copper wine flask from his waist

The scout reported that the cavalry of King Qiyang IX was only two hundred miles away from here yesterday. If he truly comes, how should we deal with it

Tiger and Leopard Cavalry! The white bronze wine jar fell to the ground, and the Eastern Land warrior trembled as he repeated this name, his entire body chilled with fear; he had lost the bet of this war. He was not afraid of death, but what he had wagered were the warriors of the Zhenyan tribe and the women and children in the rear camp. The lord of Beidu City was enraged and finally dispatched the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry, which swept across the entire grassland. He had underestimated "Qingyang's Bow" Lu Baoyin, the prince with the highest military achievements in the Qingyang tribe, who had fought countless times as a vanguard, seizing flags and slaying generals in a single strike, securing victory.

The fiery clouds dimmed, and iron-gray shadows occupied half the sky as night fell

"No... that's not what I meant..." The young man waved his hand vigorously, but that exhausting and despairing thought lingered in his mind, refusing to dissipate

The young man is not a member of the Zhenyan tribe, and Longge Zhenhuang does not even know his name. When he resolved to take action, this young man from the East Land rode a thin horse and wandered to the camp of the Zhenyan tribe, voluntarily offering his services. It was precisely due to his skills in formation that the Zhenyan tribe was able to hold the Tiexian River defense line for an entire month despite being at a disadvantage. However, this was the last line of defense; once they crossed the Tiexian River, there would be no more fortifications to defend on the flat grasslands, and the members of the Zhenyan tribe would become prey under the sabers of the Qingyang cavalry.

It is a pleasure to meet you, Xie Gui. Tianqu ... ... is that correct? The warrior of Tianqu

I cannot escape. My surname is Longge, and I am their leader. They believe that I can lead them to prosperity and strength; wherever I take them, they will follow me. Conversely, it is the same. I fight alongside them. The questions I cannot comprehend shall be left to the great lord of Qingyang. Qingyang is a lion, while we, Zhenyan, are merely insignificant weeds, yet even as weeds, we wish to live on this grassland

I am not afraid of being killed; I only hope to die like he did

In a single day, the grand army of the Nine Kings of Qingyang galloped two hundred miles, and the arrows of the "Qingyang Bow" struck the battlefield at the last moment. The Iron Wire River was finished, and there were no more defenses left; what remained was merely the stage for the Qingyang Iron Cavalry to trample and slaughter.

The scout nodded

Let the last team move up as well

Lash

At this moment, he merely pointed to the north, using all his strength to glare at Long Ge Zhen Huang, without uttering a single word

There have been many, but they have all died

When the young man was about to catch up with him, Long Ge Zhen Huang suddenly turned around and said, "Can you take my daughter to Donglu? Let her live in my place. Tell her that her father loves her very much. Unfortunately, I always found it hard to say it before, how foolish of me"

Can our department win? The barbarian warrior turned to look at the young man

I am not mad, I just do not understand. Long Ge Zhen Huang's voice was calm and gentle. You have told me many stories of the Eastern Land, and I have been thinking ever since, should people in this world love one another, or is it a matter of survival of the fittest? Our barbarian tribe has a song that goes, 'The lion fights the wolf, the wolf eats the elk, the elk eats the grass, and the grass is innocent.' Large animals must eat smaller ones, and even the elk must eat grass, but who shows compassion for the grass? Our barbarian tribe has a song that goes, 'The lion fights the wolf, the wolf eats the elk, the elk eats the grass, and the grass is innocent.' Large animals must eat smaller ones, and even the elk must eat grass, but who shows compassion for the grass? Is it the same for humans, where larger tribes must consume smaller ones, and the smaller ones in turn consume even smaller ones?

The bowstring release aid