Chapter 6, The Assassin

Long Feidu killed six desperate criminals in just a few moves, while the assassins from Jinpeng Fortress silently slaughtered dozens of members of the Gu family. Although the black-clad assassin before us was not directly involved, his skills were not lacking. Both were masters of their craft, yet in the struggle between life and death, their techniques were strikingly simple, consisting merely of slashes and thrusts, akin to the unchanging thrust of the long spear wielded by the old family servant Yang Zheng.

Gu Shen was even more anxious in his heart, eagerly anticipating the victory of the Snow Mountain Swordsman. He had already made up his mind that regardless of how Long Fei would treat the two young men beside him later, he would no longer intervene.

However, at this crossroads dominated by robbers and merchants, the "master" is clearly not a rare commodity. The ropes in the captives' hands have not yet been bitten through when several merchants approach, and without a word, they command their servants to cut the ropes, preparing to take possession of this group of "goods"

Long Feidu held the sword with both hands, the tip of the sword still pointed obliquely towards the ground

Having a keen eye is far rarer than having strong hands

Hehe, it seems you know quite a bit, but you are mistaken. This is not the Compassionate Scatter, therefore, the Lord's oath remains unbroken, and the Golden Roc Fortress is still trustworthy. You must especially believe in the fact that the Golden Roc Fortress never leaves any survivors.

I have long admired you. I am but a nameless minor figure from Jinpeng Fortress, not worth mentioning

The assassin and the swordsman clashed once more; this time, they did not approach slowly, but instead leaped forward like arrows drawn to their full tension and like a tautly muscled leopard, arriving in an instant. The blades collided, producing a piercing sound of friction.

Reluctantly, I have at least learned a few days of combat skills

Gu Shen was dismissive of this statement at the time, but now he believes it

The two individuals holding the flag stopped in place, while a lone knight in black approached. He halted about ten paces away from Long Feidu, dismounted, and carefully set down his longbow. He moved at a leisurely pace, as if preparing to greet an old friend he had unexpectedly encountered

The hope of seeking refuge in the Great Snow Mountain has been shattered, and Gu Shenwei can only return to the path of initial hope. He reaches out to touch the white silk in his arms, wanting to see if it contains the words he most longs to see and the illustrations he wishes to find.

The assassin in black drew his knife, which was unlike the curved blades commonly used by robbers. The knife in his hand was straight and narrow, with a blade no longer than two feet, appearing like an embroidery needle when compared to Long Feidu's long sword.

Gu Shen felt a stir in his heart, thinking that the Snow Mountain Swordsman was about to pursue the enemy and deliver a fatal blow. However, he was mistaken; Long Feidu only took a step before coming to a halt, and both sides fell into a stalemate.

Two years ago, the entire Gu family, consisting of dozens of members, left the Central Plains and was crossing the desert, heading towards the unknown Western Regions. Along the way, they hired many laborers, among whom was a man carrying the Golden Roc flag. He was not the guide, yet he always walked at the front of the group. He was also not a servant, doing no menial tasks, and maintained a distance that was neither too close nor too far from the employers. The grooms and laborers all seemed to have a bit of fear towards him.

He killed a true swordsman, employing despicable means, yet he remains the victor. Therefore, although everyone knows that charging at him could very likely result in his death, all the bandits, regardless of how arrogant they were while plundering people and livestock, now cower like little lambs facing a vicious dog, trembling with fear and lowering their heads submissively

Even with prior preparation, even while watching with wide-open eyes, the onlookers were still taken by surprise, involuntarily leaning back as if the distant swords and blades were aimed at their own vital points

The trading was bustling, and the bloody stench of seven corpses was quickly washed away. As people came and went, Gu Shenwei caught sight of the Snow Mountain Swordsman again through the crowd. The corpses had already fallen, the long sword was nowhere to be found, and several bodies had clearly been looted clean.

The first move seemed to end in a draw. Gu Shenwei felt that the Snow Mountain Swordsman was somewhat stronger, but he was not entirely certain, as he recalled a saying from his father, Gu Lun.

The two individuals opened their mouths to bite the rope on their hands. The captives on the left and right were momentarily stunned, but soon all understood that this group of people was now free, and their "masters"—the six bandits of the Flying Eagle Gang—had become corpses

Is that really it? Gu Shenwei could hardly believe it, eagerly anticipating Long Feidu's counterattack. However, this was merely a youthful fantasy akin to a *picture* book: good people should defeat bad ones, righteousness should prevail over schemes and conspiracies. The Snow Mountain Swordsman should have "realized" this long ago; too many "shoulds" will never become reality.

The snow-capped mountain swordsman is disappointing, the bandits are even more contemptible, and the dawn of revenge has just begun to emerge before fading away.

The white silk is gone

The journey to the Western Regions was tedious and dull, but there was one thing Gu Shenwei remembered clearly: during the nearly one month of travel, they had not encountered any attacks from bandits, which seemed to confirm Lord Gu Lun's assessment of the situation in the Western Regions. In reality, it was due to the protection of Jinpeng Fortress

Gu Shen turned to look back at the cage, where more than ten children were curled up in a pile of weeds, their small, beast-like eyes filled with fear and anxiety as they stared at him, not knowing which one was the person he had just pressed down.

The assassin and the swordsman stood shoulder to shoulder, separated by less than a step, just half a step away from divergence. Yet, they still turned their heads to glare at each other. The killing intent suddenly erupted in full force, transforming from nothing to overwhelming in an instant, as the dagger and the longsword struck simultaneously

Gu Shenwei could not figure out how he could defeat the enemies of Jinpeng Fortress. He had originally thought that mastering the Hehe Jin Su Cheng method would allow him to challenge and eliminate all his foes, but he now realized that the situation was far from simple or easy.

Merchants and bandits, two clearly defined and often opposing groups, have reached a tacit peace on this road. Both sides are waiting for each other, with the bandits taking out the stolen goods and captives, attempting to sell their wares to the passing merchants like novice apprentices. Most of the items they present are ones they themselves cannot even name.

The Snow Mountain Swordsman visiting the territory of Golden Eagle Fortress is indeed a rare occurrence

Gulun has always been very indulgent towards his younger son, never pushing him excessively to practice diligently. However, on one occasion, when Gu Shenwei was commenting on the martial arts skills of others, Gulun rarely became serious. He pointed to his own eyes and then to his hands, saying:

Superficial and insubstantial, this was the evaluation given to him by his father, Gu Lun, with a smile and a shake of the head

I am not a slave

Merchants greatly favor this type of trade, as not only are the prices inexpensive, but with a stroke of luck, they can acquire rare treasures of unknown origin from ill-informed bandits. The most crucial aspect is that the crossroads are safe; even the most ruthless bandits must suppress their inner impulses and dare not lay a finger on merchants carrying gold and silver

It was still the assassin in black who retreated first, and he withdrew even further, until he was ten paces away, his expression tense, as if every hair on his body was standing on end

Compassion is colorless and tasteless, while the middle ground is weak and powerless, causing considerable harm. Fifteen years ago, Wang Li vowed to completely eradicate it and never use it again. Now it has reemerged, indicating that Jinpeng Fortress remains as untrustworthy as before

Gu Shen was filled with a sense of emotion and confusion, while the two young men in front of him had little to ponder. They had just escaped a calamity, and their "savior" turned out to be an assassin from Jinpeng Fortress. Now, they needed to save themselves.

The assassin and the swordsman approached within three steps of each other, neither making a move. Within one step, they still did not act. The two stared at each other, as if they were acquaintances about to pass by, merely nodding in acknowledgment.

Gu Shenwei's heart was in his throat. He had witnessed many martial arts competitions and had participated in a few himself. The combatants would always assume their stances from a distance, approaching while continuously changing their moves. Never had he seen anyone as casual as these two, lacking even a hint of killing intent.

The bearded man sheathed the short knife used for cutting ropes, seized Gu Shenwei by one arm, intending to take him to the car. Gu Shenwei, filled with unexpressed rage, gathered all his strength and kicked the bearded man with one foot.

The man in black urged his horse forward, turning east at the intersection, entering the territory of Jinpeng Fortress. Behind him, two flag bearers closely followed, resembling two lionesses trailing a victorious male lion after defeating an invader. The onlookers to the west of the intersection were merely a group of cowering wild dogs.

Although Gu Shenwei was still young and his martial arts skills were not fully developed, the force behind this kick was considerable. The big bearded man cried out in pain, enraged and humiliated, and retaliated with a punch that struck Gu Shenwei hard in the abdomen

Complete the business and leave immediately; no one is allowed to linger

The assassin in black, while walking towards Long Feidu, spoke as he approached, the sharp tip of his knife pressing against the swordsman's shoulder.

Gu Shenwei shouted at the bearded man rushing towards him, while the two young boys in front were also shouting in another language. Regardless of the language, the result was the same: uproarious laughter.

The assassin in black held the still-dripping narrow blade and turned to face the dozens of bandits.

The knife and sword struck as swiftly as lightning, yet they did not intersect. The black-clad assassin retreated faster than the speed of the blade's strike. In the blink of an eye, he had already withdrawn to a distance of five steps, precisely at the edge of the long sword's attack range

"Leave immediately after the business is done." Gu Shenwei quickly understood the meaning of this phrase and realized that he had also become a commodity

However, there was a living person where he fell. That person let out a scream and kicked Gu Shenwei aside. Gu Shenwei rolled to the side and took a while to regain consciousness, only to find that the caravan had already set off again, heading east in pursuit of the trail of the Golden Peng flag

Merchants have already paid the price for this, as they have delivered protection fees to the largest "bandit" in the Western Regions, Jinpeng Fortress, in exchange for privileges and to avoid harassment from small bands of robbers

In the midst of heavy snowfall, the multi-edged dragon soars high.

The two figures stood facing each other like statues for a long time, leaving the surrounding audience perplexed. No one dared to rashly applaud, for if they chose the wrong side, it could lead to dire consequences.

However, he understood one thing: his father, Master Yang Zheng, and his two elder brothers were not without the ability to fight back; they, like Long Feidu, had also fallen victim to a scheme.

The big-bearded man is going to hit again, a merchant said sternly a few words, roughly meaning to tell him not to kill the slave, as that was just the merchandise that had been "purchased".

"Compassion is scattered, something I should have thought of earlier." Long Feidu suddenly knelt on one leg, his hands still tightly gripping the hilt of the sword, but it was no longer a weapon for killing, merely a support.

The robbers, as if granted a pardon, nodded in agreement one after another

The cage cart is not just one; there is a whole string behind it. The ones pulling the cart are all large, robust bulls with prominent horns, and many fierce-looking Hu knights are following alongside the convoy.

On the contrary, Gu Shen had learned several sets of both fist and sword techniques. When discussing the myriad martial arts schools of the Central Plains, he spoke with great authority, yet he found himself powerless against the most ordinary bandits and robbers.

You swordsmen are always like this, you should have anticipated it, yet you were unprepared. Hmph. The black-clad assassin's tone was filled with disdain, showing not a shred of pity for the defeated opponent

Gu Shenwei's mind buzzed, and he searched his entire body; the white silk was indeed gone, and there was no trace of it in the grass piles around him.

Jinpeng Fortress was once the protector of the Gu family, which further deepened Gu Shenwei's confusion: why did the protector become the slaughterer two years later? He even began to suspect that the bandit Feiying might have made a mistake.

Not long after the killer from Jinpeng Fortress passed by, a group of merchants came walking from the northern mountain pass, forming a long line. Some were riding horses, while others were driving vehicles, dressed in various styles, with a total of several hundred people.

This punch was even more powerful than Gu Shenwei's kick. Gu Shenwei had originally planned a counterattack, but before he could execute it, he was knocked off balance. The bearded man was far more ruthless than the guards of the Gu family.

The two individuals drew closer, and the onlooking crowd held their breath, awaiting the decisive blow that would determine life or death

Gu Shenwei recognized that flag

Long Feidu swung his sword once more and took a large step forward

Gu Shenwei did not know what "Compassionate Scatter" was; he was not the only one completely unaware of it. However, everyone was clear about one thing: the Snow Mountain Swordsman had fallen into a trap

Some people obediently followed the new "master," while others attempted to explain to the merchants

The narrow blade of the black-clad assassin slowly penetrated until the hilt, and Long Feidu offered no resistance, dying with calmness. Only the corpse remained kneeling, propped up by the sword, unwavering. Not far away lay six bandits who had died beneath his sword.

Hey, it is indeed rare for the Jinpeng Fortress killer to dare to fight alone

The dragon's flight does not alter the sword techniques with age, yet it promptly retracts the sword's momentum

The big bearded man, who was kicked, held a grudge. When he opened the wooden door of the cage, he deliberately slammed the boy's head against the wooden bars. Gu Shenwei only felt a wave of dizziness in his head as he was thrown inside.

The assassin's gaze was filled with disdain as he wiped the blood from the blade on Long Fei's body, sheathed the knife, and slowly walked back to his horse. After mounting, he pondered for a moment and coldly said