“Swish.” With a light sound, both figures flashed and separated simultaneously, dagger and stone fragment both missing their marks.

In the next instant, that person melded into the thick gray mist, moving through the crowd of Kang Long Army titled captains.

Like a fish, like a phantom, like a loach, he swayed and weaved through the mist, light and nimble, already pressed against the back of a titled captain.

That person seemed to sense something. His reaction was also remarkable – rather than turning around, he quickly lunged forward one step while his thin blade stabbed viciously backward.

But it was still too late.

The titled captain’s form had just moved when a line of blood shot from behind his waist, piercing through the gray mist and splashing onto the gray rocks with a whoosh. Grass blades immediately emerged from the stone crevices, as if devouring the blood.

This streak of blood seemed to be a signal. Instantly all those floating shadows sprang into action – their movement was lightning, was flowing light!

Like gray lines shooting horizontally and vertically, they flashed past those titled captains who hadn’t yet had time to turn around, lightly touching then separating. Then, streams of blood flew up!

For a moment the scene in the mist was confusing. Against the gray background, one could only see gray lines and red lines interweaving in space, like a three-dimensional painting taking shape.

The gray mist not only wasn’t scattered by these strange people’s movements, but became even thicker, as if these people themselves emanated mist.

The titled captains, suddenly attacked, reacted superbly. Someone shouted loudly: “Enemies behind us, form back-to-back formation!”

Figures flew about as the titled captains quickly formed ranks, protecting each other’s backs. This should have been an extremely skilled and accurate counterattack, but those shadows only smiled eerily, their forms flowing like gray water, transforming in myriad ways. Their leader seemed quite a character – even in the midst of battle, he could still use whistle signals to command each person’s movements. The shadows’ actions appeared chaotic but actually coordinated with each other extremely cleverly, so cleverly that even these battle-hardened titled captains didn’t notice at first. By the time they realized, it was too late. Each titled captain felt like he was facing countless enemies whose angles were tricky and methods strange and unfathomable. Gradually they were scattered and divided again.

Standing on the mid-mountain where the poisonous mist was relatively thin, Jing Hengbo could see the battle below was clearly unequal. The titled captains were unfamiliar with the terrain, had poor visibility, were constrained by the poisonous mist, and couldn’t adapt to the strange movement techniques their opponents had practiced among valleys and swamps. In the short term, they were completely being slaughtered one-sidedly. But strangely, those ambushing shadows didn’t seem to intend killing blows from the start. Their initial attacks weren’t at vital points, but at waist, ribs, joints and other areas that affected movement.

If they had attacked vital points like the heart or forehead from the beginning, these people would already be dead.

Was this intentional toying, or did they harbor deep hatred and not want their opponents to die quickly, preferring to torment them like cats playing with mice before killing them?

Jing Hengbo’s intuition said it was the latter.

Because clearly she was the most threatening one. That leader hadn’t been able to deal with her on the cliff, yet he didn’t command his subordinates to surround and attack her. Instead he abandoned her and turned to deal with these titled captains. No matter how you looked at it, this seemed unreasonable.

Standing high up, Jing Hengbo squinted her eyes. Observing expert battle formations firsthand was precious experience. More importantly, she could learn to deduce and analyze from it – analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of battle formations, and how she should fight enemies if she were in these formations.

Soon she noticed something suspicious.

Those eerie gray shadows seemed unwilling to approach the rocks. Each time they were about to get close, they quickly dodged away. So many shadows conducting surprise attacks in such a small area, figures moving back and forth, would rather dangerously brush past each other than get close to the rocks.

What mystery did these stones hold?

Jing Hengbo flashed down and saw that in the rock crevices near the mountain base grew a type of dark green plant with thin, small leaves bearing strange patterns like demon faces.

Were these people afraid of the rocks or these plants?

Thinking of how that leader had tumbled down the cliff with her, thinking of his method of pressing flat against the mountain wall, understanding dawned in her heart.

She beckoned with her hand, and a large cluster of that grass was already three feet in front of her.

She didn’t touch it with her hands – she dared not let her skin contact anything in this mountain valley.

In the gray mist, that leader suddenly looked up. Seeing the thing in front of her, his eyes focused and he suddenly let out a low howl, his figure flashing.

However, when he reached where Jing Hengbo had just stood, her figure was already gone. Looking up again, he saw a slender figure high above, looking down at him with a smile. Then, she spread both hands.

The demon-face grass turned into countless fragments, raining down from the sky.

“Retreat!”

That leader let out a harsh, grating voice. The shadows below who were still tormenting their victims immediately froze.

They looked up to see demon-face flower rain all over the sky.

Without needing a second call, these people all made eerie cries and disappeared in a flash.

Coming like phantoms, leaving without a trace – in an instant the valley was empty, even the mist slowly thinning.

Some of the titled captains were still wildly swinging weapons at empty air – their opponents had suddenly vanished, and in the mist shadows seemed to still linger of their terrifying forms.

After a while, they finally realized the enemies were gone. Gasping, they covered their wounds and raised their weapons, looking around in confusion. More people stumbled and fell to the ground – once the tension and fear passed, only then did they feel the pain of their wounds.

“Ghosts! Ghosts!” someone shouted, unable to understand why enemies had suddenly appeared and disappeared, and where enemies could come from in this place called the valley of death.

“Who was that just now!” someone roared in fury, gripping their weapon tightly.

More people looked warily at those beside them – the enemies had come from behind, striking like lightning and departing mysteriously. From start to finish they hadn’t seen their opponents’ faces or forms clearly. And everyone knew Tianhui Valley couldn’t sustain human life, that the valley was uninhabited. So who had attacked them, if not their own comrades?

Almost instantly, an atmosphere of suspicion, fear, tension and unease enveloped these twenty or thirty people. Comrades who had just fought back-to-back suddenly all became demons and monsters hidden in the gray mist, ready to deliver fatal blows to their backs at any moment.

“Old Chang.” Someone said breathlessly, “Why did your blade come at me just now?”

“Bullshit!” Old Chang cursed with a red face and thick neck. “I was aiming at that shadow! He was right behind me!”

“Your back actually has eyes? How strange and wonderful.” Someone sneered coldly.

“Then why did your furious strike at the crown of the head target my head instead!”

“Nonsense! I was clearly striking at a shadow! He was in your direction!”

“Yes, shadows. Who knows whose shadow it was? Maybe mine, maybe his, maybe yours?”

“You’re making false accusations…”

“Oh, drawing your blade now? At whom? Come on if you dare! I’d rather die fighting face to face than be killed from behind!”

“Who are you saying kills from behind!”

…

The arguing grew fiercer, the atmosphere tenser, the killing intent more fierce. The ringing sound of drawn blades started with just one, but after that first one, the clanging of blades became continuous. Human suspicion and fear, nurtured by the gray mist of this dawn valley of death and a group of shadows, were also released silently like gray poisonous mist, drifting to cover everyone’s heads, transforming into death god’s smiling face, grimly looking down.

Bloody internal strife was about to erupt.

But someone above laughed softly.

The laughter was light, but hearing it at this moment struck everyone’s ears like thunder.

“Who!”

There was no answer, but dark green fragments rained down from the mountain wall.

Everyone thought it was a hidden weapon and scattered or swung their weapons, only to discover the fragments were just fragments – harmless. Embarrassed, they gathered together again. Someone looking at the green leaf pieces suddenly cried out in surprise: “These fragments – we’ve seen them before!”

Everyone nodded – some still had fragments from earlier stuck to their faces. In their panic after escaping, they hadn’t noticed, but now reminded by this second shower of fragments, they remembered it seemed like those shadows had disappeared after just such a cluster of grass leaf fragments.

Everyone looked up to see flowing robes fluttering on the mountainside.

“Who are you? What instruction do you have? Please don’t play tricks!” someone shouted loudly.

Jing Hengbo smiled as she looked down at this group.

She could explain how she had just saved them, but what would she gain by saying so now? Just some perfunctory thanks.

When hearts weren’t dead, no amount of forceful pulling would help.

“I came to watch you all seek death.” She laughed from above.

The people below all showed anger, but because of their doubts, none erupted. One person reluctantly cupped his fists: “Please enlighten us, brother – what do you mean by ‘seeking death’?”

“See this grass?” Jing Hengbo pointed at the grass fragments. “These things drove away those assassins just now. But I can save you once, I can’t save you for life. The valley depths are full of dangers. How long can a bunch of cannon fodder live?”

“Are you trying to sow discord?” Those people were displeased, and someone loudly said: “Are you certain those were assassins just now? This valley clearly has no living people!”

“If there are no living people, who could have caused you all so many injuries just now?” Jing Hengbo sneered.

Everyone fell silent. Deep in their hearts, they also didn’t want to believe their comrades had ambushed them.

Thinking this way, everyone’s expressions improved considerably. A tall, sturdy man stepped forward, cupping his fists to thank Jing Hengbo, then said: “Please tell us, brother, why do you say our scouting is seeking death?”

“You tell me first – why would this operation send you people? Titled captains are Kang Long elites, future generals. To send so many at once – is Cheng Gumo sticking you around like scallions?”

“You seem very familiar with Kang Long Army.” The tall man was silent for a while, then said: “You are our lifesaver. I don’t want to hide some things from you. Titled captains are a special existence in Kang Long Army. Once we receive our titles, we belong directly under the State Preceptor’s management, no longer under Governor Cheng’s jurisdiction. In organization, treatment, and even camps, we differ from Kang Long Army. But the State Preceptor handles myriad affairs daily and hasn’t made arrangements for us. We’ve been drifting outside Kang Long Army for a long time, gradually becoming estranged from our original unit. Originally we all expected to be promoted to full captains soon so we could return to Kang Long, but this hasn’t been resolved for a long time. Coming to Tianhui Valley was our voluntary request. Because the Governor said completing this task would allow him to petition the State Preceptor to promote us to full captains.”

“Didn’t you know Tianhui Valley is very dangerous?” Jing Hengbo flicked her fingers. “Though titled captains have a transcendent yet awkward status, waiting a few years would surely bring opportunities for promotion to full captain. That’s better than running to Tianhui Valley and losing your lives, right?”

“What are you saying!” The man frowned. “Though Tianhui Valley is dangerous, it’s just a mountain valley with some poisonous mist and many swamps, at most with some strange beasts. We’ve taken antidotes. With our abilities, can’t we handle such a small valley? Please don’t mention cannon fodder again!”

“Eh.” Jing Hengbo widened her eyes, saying strangely: “Fine, even if the valley was described as not so dangerous, but as titled captains with noble status, you were sent in the first batch to scout, while Cheng Gumo’s direct Seven-Color Battalion soldiers were merely arranged to support you. Don’t you find that strange?”

“That’s because we’re strong and excellent enough!” The man said coldly. “Though we’re grateful for your lifesaving grace, please don’t try to sow discord! The Governor isn’t that kind of person! With our status, he wouldn’t treat us that way!”

Jing Hengbo smiled, propping her chin, thinking Cheng Gumo’s brainwashing was quite effective. But did these people really have no doubts at all? If they had no doubts, why shout so loudly? Were they scolding her or boosting their own morale?

“Fine, fine, you’re all awesome, you’re all excellent, so if they don’t send you to scout, who else would they send?” She smiled pleasantly and waved. “Then continue your awesome scouting. Farewell!”

“Who are you…” The man hadn’t finished shouting when her figure had already disappeared. Everyone looked up with expressions of shock and amazement. Someone murmured: “We were watching the whole time, how did she suddenly disappear? Don’t tell me she’s also a ghost…”

Everyone shivered, looking around at the valley heavy with mist and deep with deathly air. Suddenly they felt this valley might not be as easy to deal with as the Governor had said, and that person’s words might not be entirely unreasonable…

Could it be they’d really been sold out?

“Don’t think so much.” The tall man bandaged his wounds and said heavily: “Don’t forget, when the Governor didn’t want us to come, we insisted on coming and signed military pledges!”

One sentence silenced everyone, and gradually soundless sighs arose.

Yes, they’d signed military pledges – succeed or die trying.

Even if ahead truly was a death trap, they could only steel themselves and make the attempt.

“Let’s go.”

The group had lost their sharp edge and proceeded more carefully into the valley.

A figure flashed as Jing Hengbo appeared behind them, her eyes rolling.

Military pledges?

Excellent!

…

Though those shadows didn’t appear again afterward, the path was extremely difficult to travel, almost every step leading through swamps. Moreover, these swamps were the same color as the mist, making them hard to distinguish. The titled captains spent most of an hour just reaching the valley’s middle section. When crossing a small swamp, due to a special suction force in the swamp, they lost a heavily wounded comrade.

Of course, they also made many discoveries along the way. Indeed, the deeper they went, the richer the deposits. When they reached the middle section, they found a possible soft iron mine cave and made obvious markers there. As for the various strange herbs and plants they saw along the way, they collected them with special tools. Those too valuable to pick casually or that wouldn’t fit in their packs were also marked.

This valley had been uninhabited for years and had particularly rich deposits. Soon everyone was fully loaded and decided to stop collecting, focusing first on finding the legendary important mineral deposits.

Jing Hengbo flashed along behind them all the way, not bothering to collect much, only gathering some particularly urgent things Yélu Qi had told her about. She focused more attention on the changes in those plants.

She discovered that under the rocks grew a type of light blue plant resembling moss, on which grew that demon-face grass that frightened away the ghost shadows, and it grew particularly luxuriantly, far more than elsewhere. Beside these light blue moss-like plants, there was always a type of inconspicuous black grass. Because it was inconspicuous, and because the titled captains were preoccupied and had many hands at work, no one noticed what mysteries lay within.

But Jing Hengbo noticed this area was full of sliding marks everywhere – on rocks, on swamps. It seemed those shadows practiced their strange movement techniques nearby. Their techniques were very miraculous, with standing and reclining at various angles, so marks were inevitable everywhere above and below. But beside the light blue moss, there were no marks at all.

However, the black small grass beside the light blue moss all had their tips neatly cut off.

Enclosed valleys formed independent ecosystems. In such poisonous valleys, there must be extremely much poisonous mist. As the saying goes, all things naturally have mutual generation and restraint – within three steps of poisonous grass, there must be antidotes.

The shadows were clearly people who had survived in this valley. These people must know best the safe and dangerous places in the valley. So were these light blue moss-like plants one of the important sources of the valley’s poisonous mist? And was that black small grass with pinched-off tips the antidote that countered the valley’s poisonous mist?

Jing Hengbo stopped collecting any rare medicines and began focusing on gathering those black small grasses.

The titled captains paid the price of another corpse to find a black steel mine. When they discovered that deposit, they had already begun to weaken. No one cheered anymore, only staring silently at that corpse – that comrade had died from an ambush, but not from those earlier shadows, but from a suddenly appearing claw that smashed his head with one swipe before disappearing. Everyone only saw a colorfully patterned beast shadow whose colors made their hearts tighten, and none had the courage to pursue it.

How many more such strange shadows and strange people were there? What kind of Tianhui Valley were they really facing?

Recalling Governor Cheng’s casual words – “some poisonous mist, possibly fierce beasts, somewhat dangerous, but most of the terror is just rumors” – everyone felt even colder inside.

Worse still, as an hour was about to pass, everyone already felt their strength weakening, heads spinning, steps gradually becoming unsteady. These battle-hardened warriors clearly understood in their hearts: they were poisoned.

The so-called antidote pills were indeed just deception.

But now they were already deep in the valley. In their current condition and strength, returning would also take an hour. They couldn’t support themselves to exit the valley before the poison fully took effect.

They could only go forward.

Those terrifying shadows were enemies, but also an important signal – this wasn’t a dead valley, survival was possible, antidotes existed. As long as they found the antidote, they could live.

But the valley contained hundreds of plant species, most poisonous. Who knew which were antidotes? And the deeper they went, the thicker the poisonous mist, the faster they’d die.

This was a dead end.

These four words flashed through everyone’s minds as they looked up at the increasingly gloomy sky.

This poisonous valley couldn’t even let snow from outside drift in. Dying here, they’d be nothing but rotting corpses and white bones nourishing grass roots.

Warriors who could defeat ten thousand enemies dying silently here was truly an unacceptable shame for soldiers.

“Let’s go.” After burying another comrade’s corpse, the tall man wiped away cold sweat and walked ahead.

“Shouldn’t we look for antidotes…” someone said softly.

“Let’s find the gold mine first. That’s what they value most. Find that, set off fireworks, they’ll rush in to assist us, then we might get antidotes and support to return. Relying on ourselves to find antidotes – nine out of ten will die.” The tall man’s mind was very clear.

“The Governor said once we find the gold mine, Kang Long Army can get one percent of the output, enough to equip brothers with better armor and weapons. We’re also working hard for our comrades – nothing unfair about it.” Someone was boosting the team’s morale.

Everyone followed silently.

Before they’d taken many steps, they heard cheering ahead – a voice high and full of excitement.

“Found it! Found it! Found the gold mine hahaha! Hahaha the first to find it gets one-tenth of the output hahaha!”

The laughter was wild. Everyone recognized the voice as the arrogant beast master – he’d actually found the gold mine first.

But his next words made everyone’s faces change – the first to find the gold mine gets one-tenth? Not the one-hundredth the Governor had promised?

Where had the other nine percent gone?

With slight thought, they understood the deception and trickery involved.

Their idol instantly crumbled.

“Damn it!” A titled captain furiously tore off his gold-wire face mask. “Liars! All liars! What madness possessed us to be deceived into risking our lives!”

“We’ve been tricked! We never should have come to this valley!”

“The Governor deceived us! We’re all military comrades – how could he do this! Acheng, you even saved his life under Pei Shu’s command!”

Despair and rage, like the earlier suspicion and fear, once again quickly enveloped this group of elites.

“Stop talking!” The tall man spoke again, his voice cold and hard. “Instead of wasting time complaining, better hurry and find antidotes! Since people live in this valley, there must be medicinal herbs here. Search carefully!”

Everyone scattered to look for medicine. Someone began muttering: “Where did that kid who seemed to know everything go earlier?”

Before his words faded, they heard a terrible scream.

The scream was equally sharp and bone-chilling, full of terror and despair, not like a human voice.

Everyone couldn’t help shivering, looking at each other in horror – the terrifying thing wasn’t that the scream was frightening, but that it came from the beast master who’d just been laughing!

That fellow’s voice was unpleasant and highly distinctive – everyone could tell it was him.

What happened?

Just moments ago he was overjoyed at finding the gold mine and getting rich, and in the blink of an eye he was making death throes?

Everyone immediately became alert – had those eerie shadows appeared again? They quickly grabbed weapons, staring unblinkingly at the thick mist ahead.

A figure rushed out from the thick mist ahead, hands raised to the sky, blood dripping from his hands, half his body stained with blood, looking fierce and severe!

It was indeed that beast master.

He rushed out only a few steps before panic made him step into a swamp ahead, falling onto the swamp with a bloody hole in his back, spurting blood that instantly dyed the surrounding swamp red.

Everyone watched grimly as he struggled helplessly in the swamp like a giant maggot, covered in bloody mud, finally rolling with less and less strength, heavier and heavier, until he sank.

In that final moment, the beast master’s gaze turned toward the crowd standing frozen opposite – hollow eyes full of shock, despair, regret, and incomprehension…

Those black hole-like eyes were finally slowly swallowed by the mud.

Everyone stood transfixed. Before their eyes, those despairing black hole-like eyes and his earlier wild, joyful laughter kept interweaving and clashing, making everyone’s hearts turn cold.

All eyes turned toward the vast gray mist.

What was hidden behind that seemingly endless, hell’s gate-like gray mist? What had happened?

Behind the gray mist, in the direction the beast master had rushed from, Jing Hengbo was slowly wiping her hands.

Blood stained her hands and her dagger. She used grass leaves to slowly wipe them clean.

The blood was the beast master’s.

A person’s wild joy at success was enough to lower their vigilance. She had flashed down from the cliff then and stabbed into his back with one blade.

He was going to die anyway – the antidote’s effectiveness was almost up.

Blood sprayed out, soaking the fireworks fuse on the ground that the beast master had prepared to notify those outside for assistance.

Jing Hengbo kicked the fireworks into the swamp.

No need to notify the little demons – this valley’s swamps, herbs, and mineral deposits were all contracted by President Jing.

The giant gold-seeking beast and the group of small beasts used for pathfinding had already fled in terror, but gold-seeking beasts had natural instincts – wherever they went, there would definitely be mineral deposits. Jing Hengbo didn’t pursue, only silently noted the direction.

Then she made a marker in this seemingly unremarkable place.

Just as she finished making the marker, she suddenly heard wind behind her. That feeling of stirring air currents was very familiar. Without looking up, her figure flashed straight up the mountain wall.

She stood firm on the mountain wall and looked down. Sure enough, that group of shadows had appeared again.

Earlier was ambush, this time was assassination – they’d come to share the spoils.

When that group of shadows slid past beneath her on the mountain wall, the leader looked up at her. Through the gray mist, she still saw his distinct black and white eyes.

Her heart was slightly surprised – such beautiful eyes!

Even through gray mist and muddy chaos, one could still see those eyes’ clear transparency. A single gaze could be so pure and refined, like moonlight on a lake.

That gaze passed in an instant. The next moment, chaotic shadows flew about as he led his people to attack that group of unfortunate titled captains.

Jing Hengbo bit on a grass root, thinking these people must have some deep grudge. It really had the flavor of fighting to the death.

Below, mist churned violently. The earlier scene replayed – even with preparation, the titled captains at their wit’s end were still no match for these shadows who had the advantages of timing, terrain, and people.

Some learned their lesson and tried scattering that demon-face grass to drive away enemies, but it didn’t work this time. The opponents had smeared a layer of light green, oily mud on themselves and no longer cared about this grass.

Blood once again shot horizontally and vertically like threads. The weapons the shadows used seemed all homemade – extremely hard plant thorns that created very fine wounds, so the blood came out in threads.

Strong winds churned, phantoms danced, roars and blood crashed wave after wave against the rocks, shaking the entire valley center as if it were trembling.

Jing Hengbo hung her legs over the rock edge, swaying back and forth.

She was still waiting. The roars below still had plenty of vigor.

The titled captains were already in despair.

Poisoned by mist, no hope for antidotes, no one coming to assist, used as cannon fodder scouts, enemies like ghosts, the Governor’s deception… All these setbacks, like the gradually accumulating wounds on their bodies, came one after another, each enough to crush their fighting spirit.

They no longer fought separately but had gathered together, back-to-back, preparing for a final desperate struggle with this group of damned shadows.

The tall man swung his blade, sending a shadow flying three zhang. The blade wind split a small swamp ahead, carving a foot-deep mark that flashed like lightning straight to the swamp’s end. With a crack, a boulder requiring two people to embrace at the swamp’s edge shattered.

On the cliff, Jing Hengbo suddenly sat up, her eyes brightening.

A master!

The power displayed in this desperate death struggle was extraordinary!

Roars echoed through the mountain valley.

“Warriors would rather die in a hundred battles than fall into mud to walk with ghosts! Brothers! With death! With blood! Defend our honor!”

“With death! With blood! Defend our honor!”

The roaring seemed to make even the swamps tremble slightly, opening countless fine cracks.

The valley fell silent, then someone laughed wildly.

“Hahahaha… Honor! Kang Long honor! How many years since I’ve heard those two words! It really is you!”

This voice actually came from among that group of shadows. The voice was initially stiff and halting, as if he hadn’t spoken for a long time, but became fluent as he continued. Especially when saying “Kang Long,” it was fierce and severe, full of killing intent.

Listening carefully, this voice was also quite clear and pleasant. The speaker seemed quite young.

When he spoke, those shadows suddenly stopped. In the gray mist, shadowy outlines gradually took shape.

Jing Hengbo gasped.

Only now could she see these people clearly – they no longer looked quite human. Each was thin as paper, skeletal. Their skin was grayish all over, with only their eyes retaining black and white. Their hands and feet were long and thin – clearly a body type created by rolling in swampland for too long.

“Look at you, just like Kang Long Army, seems like titled captains too? Haha, titled captains actually came in to die – I’ve been waiting for this!” The speaker was still that leader. Among everyone, he seemed youngest, with the clearest speech and quickest mental reactions. He laughed as he slid out from the group of shadows, floating lightly to appear before the group of titled captains, raising his hand to point: “Hmm, under Cheng Gumo?”

Though this person had fallen to such a state, his natural bearing and grace still surpassed others. That pointing gesture was casual yet contemptuous, seemingly a deeply ingrained habitual action. The titled captains were also figures who commanded thousands, yet under his pointing they unconsciously stepped back.

Only the tall man didn’t retreat. His gold-wire face mask didn’t move a thread, his hand resting on his blade hilt, his voice sounding muffled: “Who are you, sir? You seem to have grievances with our Kang Long? Regardless of past matters, just attack if you will!”

“Grievances?” That person repeated. “Grievances? Hahahaha.”

He suddenly laughed wildly again. The laughter showed no grief or anger, only cold ferocity. The thick mist on all sides suddenly swirled rapidly, tearing chaotically in great sheets, as if invisible hands were savagely ripping heaven and earth apart. Countless grass fragments mixed with mud flew upward with a whoosh, crashing against rocks on all sides. Just brushing past the titled captains’ cheeks left bloody marks.

His rage seemed to carry the power of heaven and earth. The titled captains stepped back again in shock.

“Grievances? No, no, your Kang Long Army isn’t worthy of having grievances with me.” He slid forward several quick steps, like a great personage pacing in a magnificent hall, head held high. “Cheng Gumo barely counts as one. Does that little bitch Ming Cheng count? Hmm, since she’s a bitch, naturally she doesn’t count. Gong Yin counts as one… Hmm, exactly – Gong Yin!”

Jing Hengbo was shaken.

After all this time, this was the first time she’d heard anyone speak of Gong Yin in such a wild, contemptuous tone.

Gong Yin was Dahuang’s god, enjoying universal reverence. Even Yélu Qi, who stood as his equal, had never belittled him. His enemies might hate or fear him, but never dared insult or despise him, because despising such an opponent would only prove one’s own ignorance.

Was this youth ignorantly young, or did he truly have such confidence?

“Who are you?” The titled captains also seemed shocked by this person’s arrogance, shouting questions loudly.

“Don’t recognize old friends anymore?” He laughed heartily, turning to the shadows behind him: “Look, they don’t recognize us anymore!”

The shadows remained silent, but a heavy, grieved and angry atmosphere quietly spread.

“They actually don’t recognize us anymore!” He was still laughing, his laughter growing higher: “Just a few years, and old acquaintances who fought life-and-death battles don’t recognize us anymore!”

“Old opponents in life-and-death struggles don’t recognize us anymore!”

“This prosperous and wealthy Huangjin tribe doesn’t recognize us anymore!”

“This entire Dahuang doesn’t recognize us anymore!”

“Maybe when we find mirrors to look at ourselves, we won’t recognize ourselves either!”

His laughter grew higher and more desolate. Sharp laughter echoed throughout the mountain valley like swords, piercing out years of accumulated resentment and hatred. Rocks were falling with rustling sounds, and flying snow above the valley was savagely shattered.

Jing Hengbo felt the air tighten, her heart tighten too. That voice held too much unwillingness and hatred, heavy as the ten-thousand-zhang deep mud below, unbearable.

“You don’t remember how my spear harvested so many of your lives back then.” He spread his arms wide, laughing.

“You don’t remember how your Spider Web tried countless times to discover secrets about me back then.” He laughed loudly.

“You don’t remember how your Bee Sting organized thirteen assassination attempts against me back then.” He laughed fiercely.

“You don’t remember how your Moles once dug tunnels right under my command tent back then.”

“You don’t remember how you suffered three consecutive defeats under my command back then, defeated so thoroughly your souls scattered and you fled at the sight of our banners. If Gong Yin hadn’t risked his life to personally supervise the battle from the city walls, you would have lost a fourth battle. You don’t remember.”

“You don’t remember how I once rode with sword through Cheng Gumo’s great camp at night, how thirty-six titled captains formed battle arrays to stop me, eleven died, and I still pierced one man’s chest with my sword, stabbing into Cheng Gumo’s left chest. If traitors hadn’t appeared in the army, if Gong Yin hadn’t used counter-intelligence to make me fail at the crucial moment, I wouldn’t have been betrayed by my own people, captured, had my martial arts crippled, thrown into death row, paraded through streets, torn and bitten by ignorant common people, and imprisoned in Tianhui Valley… All of this, you have all forgotten!”