Just as the sharp arrow shot forth, Bai Yin swiftly pulled Ji Yunshu back to his side.

Protecting her behind him.

Everyone remained vigilant.

Yet they couldn’t discern from which direction the sound of horse hooves was coming.

Until the sound drew closer and closer, they discovered in shock that troops were encircling them from all four sides.

These weren’t Houliao soldiers approaching.

But Great Lin’s troops!

They rapidly surrounded Chu Chengyu’s forces.

At the same time, sharp arrows also aimed at Chu Chengyu and his soldiers.

What was this situation?

Chu Chengyu was astonished, demanding: “Who sent you?”

Those soldiers said nothing, only parting to create a path.

A figure on horseback emerged from among the soldiers!

Eh!

Everyone was shocked.

Ji Yunshu’s pupils also widened, her palms involuntarily clenching, her eyes moistening.

“Elder Brother Lang?”

Lang Bo sat mounted, his face still bearing wounds. He dismounted and walked toward Ji Yunshu, asking: “Miss Ji, are you alright?”

“I’m fine. You… how is it possible?”

“It’s a long story. As long as you’re unharmed.”

“What about Jingrong?” Her voice trembled.

Lang Bo said: “Rest assured, His Highness is also fine. He’s already leading another contingent of troops to rescue Young Master Mo and Third Master.”

At that moment, the heavy stone in Ji Yunshu’s heart finally settled.

“He’s fine… he’s fine… I knew he would be fine.”

Tears of extreme joy!

Lang Bo turned toward Chu Chengyu: “Chu Chengyu, your day of death has arrived!”

Chu Chengyu retreated several steps, looking at the surrounding soldiers, still unwilling to believe: “Impossible. You clearly already fell into that River of Death.”

“You indeed hoped His Highness and I were dead, but heaven opened its eyes.”

“No!”

“You and Ji Huan colluded shamefully, working for a foolish ruler—you should have expected this day would come.”

Chu Chengyu’s brows drew together as he demanded: “Lang Bo, do you intend rebellion?”

“Then I’ll rebel for you to see!” Lang Bo’s face showed fierce determination. He raised his hand. “Release arrows!”

With the command given, a rain of arrows attacked!

Chu Chengyu’s hundred or so men had virtually no resistance.

They fell one by one!

Chu Chengyu desperately resisted until the very end, but struck by numerous arrows, he collapsed to the ground, coughing up fresh blood.

Lang Bo walked before him, looking down at him from above.

Chu Chengyu asked: “Where did you get… so many troops?”

“You want to know? Go ask the King of Hell yourself.”

Finishing his words, Lang Bo raised the sword in his hand and slashed toward Chu Chengyu’s neck.

His head fell to the ground!

Fresh blood splattered across the ground!

…

On the other side.

After these days of warfare, Houliao was already riddled with wounds.

Tens of thousands of Houliao soldiers had been completely defeated.

Third Master and Muruo led the remaining troops, escorting Muzha’er as they fled westward.

Ji Huan led a thousand troops to intercept them.

The two forces again fell into fierce battle.

Muzha’er was gravely wounded.

Third Master still desperately resisted.

Ji Huan faced Muruo alone, saying: “Muruo, if you defeat me, I’ll let you go. After all, you’re also a person of our Great Lin. But if you lose, today you’ll meet your death here!”

Now, Muruo’s armor was stained with blood throughout. Before his eyes, smoke filled the air. His brothers who had faced death together fell one by one in pools of blood, along with those Houliao banners burning with fire. White smoke and ash filled the sky, obscuring people’s vision.

Blood had ultimately stained this grassland red.

He said: “Ji Huan, I’ve always respected you as a true man. Today has truly opened my eyes.”

“If you want to blame someone, blame the late emperor and your good brother. If not for them, how would my eldest brother have died? My father wouldn’t have died either. They brought my Ji family to such a state.”

“So you’ll work for Wei Yi?”

“He can give me everything I lost before!”

The current Ji Huan was completely different from before.

He had become a second Ji Li!

Muruo couldn’t find even half a trace of “conscience” in his eyes!

This battle had to be fought.

“Fine. Today, regardless of who lives or dies, all this should end.” Muruo’s brow tightened.

The two engaged in sword combat.

However, just as Muruo nearly won, a Great Lin deputy general rushed forth and, taking advantage of his unpreparedness, viciously stabbed a sword into his back.

The long sword pierced directly through his back into his chest!

Immediately following, Ji Huan also swung his sword, stabbing toward his heart: “Accept death.”

Two swords pierced his body.

One sword on the left, one sword on the right.

Eh!

Muruo’s eyes widened, his face filled with pain.

He coughed up fresh blood from his mouth.

Ji Huan and that deputy general also pulled out their swords at virtually the same moment.

“Ah!”

Muruo’s body tilted forward, convulsing several times before dropping to one knee, the sword in his hand thrusting into the ground.

Barely supporting his body!

In the distance, Third Master saw this and shouted “Muruo,” then frantically rushed forward.

But heavy layers of soldiers before him blocked his path.

Making it impossible for him to approach Muruo even one step!

Ji Huan walked triumphantly before Muruo, the blood-stained sword in his hand dragging across the grassland, carving a groove.

He said: “Muruo, you’ve lost.”

Despicable!

“Aren’t you deeply bound in brotherhood with Jingrong? He’s already dead now. Why don’t you go down and keep him company?”

Muruo was covered in blood, his face pale, fresh blood continuously overflowing from his mouth.

As Ji Huan swung his sword down, he had no strength to resist.

At this critical moment—

A figure leaped out from somewhere, deflecting the sword from Ji Huan’s hand.

As the sword fell to the ground, horn sounds also came from the surroundings!

Troops from an unknown location had already surrounded them!

Sharp arrows aimed at them!

The soldiers Ji Huan had brought didn’t dare act rashly.

They surrendered one by one, laying down their weapons!

Ji Huan looked in shock at the person who appeared before him.

“Jing… Jingrong?”

Impossible!

Just as he finished speaking, several soldiers restrained him.

Jingrong stood there in full armor, his expression extremely cold and severe, his gaze filled with murderous intent landing heavily on Ji Huan.

But—

He made no move to kill Ji Huan, instead turning and crouching before Muruo.

Tightly grasping Muruo’s arm: “Muruo.”

Muruo struggled to lift his head to look at him, the corners of his mouth suddenly spreading into a smile: “You cold stone… why did you… come so late?”

Jingrong’s brow furrowed deeply, his heart full of guilt: “I’m sorry!”

“At least… I can see you once before I die.”

“Without my permission, I forbid you to die!” He spoke with a commanding tone, yet his voice was filled with extreme anguish.

Muruo’s gaze drooped weakly as he said feebly: “At a time like this, you’re still… maintaining your princely bearing.”

He laughed briefly.

“All my life… I’ve saved countless people, yet I cannot… cannot save myself once. Isn’t that… quite laughable?” His body gradually couldn’t bear it anymore, his vision becoming increasingly blurred.

Jingrong pressed his forehead against Muruo’s forehead, saying word by word: “I forbid you to die, do you hear me!”

Tears fell!

His entire body trembled.

Muruo grasped Jingrong’s hand, the smile at the corner of his mouth disappearing little by little. He said: “Jingrong, you know I… rarely ask favors of others. This time, I ask only one thing of you—please… take good care of A’Si… and my child for me.”

“You must live yourself.” Jingrong’s voice was hoarse and choked.

“I… can’t hold on much longer. This is my only dying wish. You must… must promise me.”

Finishing his words, Muruo’s hand fell powerlessly from the sword thrust into the ground.

His body pitched forward!

Jingrong caught him.

“Muruo!”

He shouted this nearly madly, veins bulging on his face, tears streaming forth.

Muruo’s blood-covered hands used his last bit of strength to grip Jingrong’s hand: “Tell A’Si for me that having her in this life is enough… enough for me!”

As the last word finished, his eyes gradually closed.

His body fell powerlessly into Jingrong’s embrace.

“Muruo!” Jingrong held him tightly.

In the final moment before death, Muruo seemed to see boundless green grass swaying in the warm winter sunlight, cloudless for ten thousand miles.

At that time, there was no war yet, no death, no blood…

He and Tang Si galloped on horseback across the grassland!

Enjoying the comfortable feeling of warm wind brushing across their cheeks.

He looked at the woman on horseback laughing so happily—everything was so beautiful.

Tang Si asked him: “Muruo, will you marry me?”

“…”

“Answer me! Will you marry me or not? Will you?”

He looked at her, her eyes full of expectation, and said: “Yes! In the next life, for all lifetimes to come, I will marry you!”