He sidestepped with his steel knife and swung it with all his might.
A sound boomed like a torrential flood erupting, and a murky water dragon surged skywards, colliding head-on with several brilliant slashes of knife energy.
Li Jincheng, on the small sampan nearby, gazed at the surging water dragon, which resembled a sailboat standing upright, and exclaimed, "Is this the ’Thousand Mile Marsh’?
He had long heard that during the flooding of the Bian River, Ma Liu conceived of a powerful new sword technique. He had pestered Ma Liu several times wanting to see it, but Ma Liu always evasively brushed him off.
Seeing it today, it indeed possessed a majestic aura with the grandeur of a sword reaching its sublime intent!
At that moment, a voice echoed by Li Jincheng’s ear, "Such a fierce sword technique, such a fierce young man!"
Li Jincheng’s eyes were glued to the fierce collision of knife energies, and he asked aloud, "Wang Er, how can you enhance the spirit of others and diminish your own honor..."
Before he could finish the word "honor," he saw a figure fly out backward and heavily crash into the water.
His gaze instantly intensified...
As the water splattered, there stood a figure in embroidered prison garb with a half-iron mask, panting heavily, using his knife as support on a wooden board.
When Li Jincheng managed to see the figure clearly, the figure also looked over towards the small sampan.
Their eyes met.
Li Jincheng awkwardly shifted his gaze away.
...
"Do you recognize this from Lianhuan Fort?"
Yang Ge raised his sword and pointed at the six men in black on the sampan, thundering, "If not, come again!"
Li Jincheng grimly pinched his thigh, biting his back teeth and was about to step forward.
Just then, Wang Er, who had just spoken, stepped forward and blocked him, "In the world of martial artists, a promise is worth its weight in gold. Being defeated by such an upright and noble gentleman like Lord Yang brings no disgrace to Lianhuan Fort!"
Yang Ge held his sword steady and roared again, "Let it be known to you all that Yang Erlang’s decision today not to account for your obstruction and provocation is not because Lianhuan Fort is powerful, but because Lianhuan Fort still has principles among thieves!
"If I again encounter rogues causing trouble on the Bian River, harming the people, regardless of their relation to Lianhuan Fort, I will still act!
"If one day Lianhuan Fort also fails to uphold righteousness, the day the Northern Pacification Commission issues the extermination order will be the day we meet on the battlefield!
"Take heed for yourselves!
Wang Er clasped his fists from a distance, "Lord Yang’s admonition will be deeply etched in the hearts of us at Lianhuan Fort. Hopefully, one day, Lord Yang can visit Lianhuan Fort and give us a chance to offer our modest hospitality."
Yang Ge sheathed his sword, turned, and jumped onto his ship, "Drinking from the same river, why need wine to bond? I wish you all a good beginning and a successful end, safe and smooth... Fang Ke, set sail!"
Wang Er turned back and glanced at the few men in black. The six men in black clasped their fists together and shouted, "Wishing Lord Yang smooth sailing and success!"
The small sampan drifted slowly to the riverbank, and eight Ten Thousand Dan Boats sailed down the river with the current.
"Clang."
A steel knife fell onto the small sampan, and Ma Liu clambered onto it using his hands and feet, his face filled with shame as he clasped his fists towards Li Jincheng, "Young master, I’ve disgraced you!"
Li Jincheng quickly stepped forward to support him, "Uncle Ma Liu, what are you talking about? Your ’Thousand Mile Marsh’ really broadened my horizons!"
Ma Liu, feeling ashamed, looked down, not ready to face the other brothers.
Wang Er stepped forward, forcibly pulled him up, and said, "Ma Liu, there’s no need for self-reproach. That young man has already mastered the three essences of the sword. As long as he doesn’t die young, he will definitely become a great master of the sword. Even if it were any of us, no one could have done better!"
"The three essences of the sword?"
Li Jincheng exclaimed in astonishment, "Was he practicing the sword in his mother’s womb?"
Ma Liu sighed deeply, completely dispirited.
Wang Er glanced at him and spoke softly, "Young master, what do you think is most essential for a martial artist?"
Li Jincheng pondered for a moment and answered, "A great master, high skill, divine weapon!"
Wang Er looked at him, hesitated slightly, but still shook his head, "Not entirely correct."
Li Jincheng, surprised, asked, "Then what is it?"
Wang Er raised his hand and tapped his forehead, then his chest, "It’s the mindset, the breadth of spirit, the breath!"
Li Jincheng was taken aback and suddenly remembered his father had said the same thing.
Ma Liu looked at the fleet of sailing ships disappearing into the distance and murmured softly, "Ten Thousand Dan Boat is my strongest strike, but before the blade even struck, I had a premonition that this strike would not suffice, and indeed it did not... It seems I truly have aged."
"You are not old."
Wang Er also shook his head and sighed, "It’s because he is too young!"
...
This chapt𝒆r is updated by frёewebηovel.cѳm.
The twilight deepened.
Inside the Shanhaiguan Pass, the sounds of the tired soldiers drinking and making merry stretched over ten miles.
Outside the Shanhaiguan Pass, atop a perilous peak, a tattered banner bearing "Heaven’s Justice" fluttered fiercely in the deepening gloom.
Underneath the flag, the three brothers from Lü Mountain stood side by side on horseback, gazing toward the lively flames inside the pass, with hundreds of disheveled and ragged men behind them.
"Big brother, why must we leave?"
Jiang Kui stroked his horse’s smooth mane and whispered softly, "I have been promoted as the General of the Liaodong Metropolitan Commander, and from now on I can independently command troops. Everyone can stay, we can drink lavishly, eat heartily, and my brothers can all strive for a good future... It’s better than continuing outside the pass, tilling with swords and torches, suffering under the barbarians and the scrutiny of the court!"
Liu Meng snorted disdainfully and turned his horse toward the ragged group of men.
Jiang Kui watched him leave, his eyes dimming.
Lei Heng patted his shoulder, smiling warmly, "You’ve known him since the first day; he’s just like that, always has an anger that he can’t seem to vent, and can’t get along with anyone!"
"He doesn’t understand, and I don’t blame him!"
Jiang Kui turned back to look at his brother’s broad face, "But big brother, you should understand. I joined the army, not for wealth or honor, or to secure titles for my wife and children..."
Liu Meng’s piercing sneer didn’t alter his expression.
But as he spoke, his voice suddenly choked up, and he couldn’t continue.
"I understand!"
Lei Heng laughed and rubbed his shoulder hard, trying to make him relax a bit.
But no matter how hard he squeezed, Jiang Kui’s body remained as rigid as a block of stone.
He gave a helpless smile and stopped, "Actually, our fifth brother is well aware, too. Don’t mind his constant grumpy face. You guys were deploying to the Northern Desert, and he was the most concerned, constantly sending people to scout your marching routes, locating your positions... Enough, second brother, this battle alone we’ve cut down several thousand barbarians, it should be enough!"
"Several thousand are not enough!"
Jiang Kui burst into laughter, but there was no hint of mirth in his voice, "We need tens of thousands more to break even!"
Lei Heng sighed softly.
"Big brother, don’t leave!"
Jiang Kui’s smile faded, and he spoke earnestly, "You stick with the brothers here. Whatever life we had before, we can have it again."
Lei Heng looked at him and still shook his head, his tone light yet resolutely, "Everyone has their destiny; yours lies in the barracks, while mine and our fifth brother’s are outside the pass."
Jiang Kui urgently asked, "Why? Isn’t it all for revenge, no matter where we are?"
Lei Heng fell silent for a moment, then suddenly raised his hand and pointed in the direction where the sounds of revelry came from, "Do you really think that Wei has a place for people like us?"
Jiang Kui was taken aback, his expression slowly darkening.
Lei Heng slowly lowered his hand and spoke softly, "Wei is already old, its head rotten, its feet rotten, riddled with bedsores all over."
"Brothers can die on the road to slaughtering the barbarians, or under the barbarians’ curved blades, but they must not die under the oppression of those corrupt officials."
"No matter how hard life outside the pass is, I can’t lead my brothers to death!"
He turned his horse around, and with one last pat on Jiang Kui’s shoulder, "Just go and do what you want to do. If you encounter difficulties, just say the word, and I and our fifth brother will always be waiting for your messages. When you’re tired, weary, unable to fight anymore, come back home. There will always be a warm bed and a meal waiting for you."
With that, he pulled out the "Heaven’s Justice" banner, raising it high and shouting, "Brothers, let’s go home!"
The ragged men, faces dirty and clothes tattered, got up one by one, joyously and sparsely shouting, "Going home..."
Jiang Kui stood alone on the mountaintop, watching that worn-out flag slowly blend into the night.
Turning back to look at Shanhaiguan, all he could see was a faint glimmer of firelight, flickering in the heavy darkness.