“Why do I keep feeling this journey seems too quiet?” Helian Zheng on horseback shielded his eyes with his hand, looking into the distance, though he couldn’t make out much—mountains ahead, mountains behind.

This was Hao Mountain near the border between Longbei and Changning, its pale green peaks shrouded in misty vapor on all sides, somber and continuous.

They had been traveling for over half a month. From the grasslands to Xi Liang required passing through Shanbei, Longbei, Changning, and Minnan. Supposedly, with Lu Zhiyan and Hua Qiong providing cover for the latter two routes, there shouldn’t be problems. But although Shanbei and Longbei were remote regions where the Emperor’s reach was limited, they weren’t easy to traverse either. Fortunately, Zong Chen possessed the most detailed maps of the entire realm’s territory, said to be treasures from the former Great Cheng imperial secret archives. This was why Feng Zhiwei had been able to casually point out secret paths through the Changqing Mountains to Jin Siyu back then. In Shanbei and Longbei, which centuries ago had been Fufeng Kingdom territory, the former Great Han Kingdom’s Seventh General had once led armies through mountains during cross-border battles with Fufeng witches, opening mountain paths for surprise attacks and leaving maps afterward. After the grassland transport team’s first pioneering journey, they made full use of these mountain paths. When they absolutely had to pass through cities, they divided the horses into batches, posing as horse merchants, and traveled through.

“What’s wrong with quiet?” Fifth Eagle had already traveled this route twice and it had always been peaceful. He shook his head dismissively: “Great King, this route has always been very quiet.”

Helian Zheng remained silent, his riding crop tapping against the saddle sporadically. He couldn’t say what was wrong—it was more intuition. But precisely because it was intuition, he became even more alert. Having grown up in the grassland royal court where life and death constantly intertwined, he had an almost instinctive response to danger.

Helian Zheng raised his eyes, gazing at the distant misty mountains, and suddenly said: “I remember what’s wrong!”

“What?”

“Hunters!” Helian Zheng said. “We’ve been in the mountains for many days but haven’t seen a single hunter. Although we’re taking mountain paths that outsiders don’t know, hunters who roam the mountains should know them. Why haven’t we encountered any mountain folk?”

“Maybe it’s just coincidence…” Sixth Fox rubbed his bald head, sniffing somewhat hesitantly.

“You don’t deserve to be called Fox!” Helian Zheng cursed, spurring his horse to look around. After thinking, he felt he really couldn’t turn back just for this reason. After hesitating, he sighed: “It’s getting dark, let’s sleep first.”

The group including guards expertly made camp to rest. Helian Zheng lay in his tent with hands pillowing his head, eyes wide open without any sleepiness. One moment thinking that after finishing this trip he’d immediately stop, the next wondering when Zhiwei would make her move, and once she did, which city the Shunyi cavalry should target first and which route to take south. Then he’d think about how the Great Consort had reached Grand Secretary status—nearly twenty-two years old now, had that little peach of the past grown into what was it, a papaya? Thinking these thoughts made his whole body feel hot, tossing and turning unable to sleep. Only near dawn did he drowsily close his eyes.

It seemed his eyes had barely closed when day broke, with people shouting and horses neighing noisily outside. Helian Zheng cursed and crawled up, looking at his bulging pants and sighing with affectionate grievance before stepping bow-legged out of the tent.

As soon as he lifted the tent flap, he saw Third Falcon standing at a distance talking to someone. Hearing his movement, Third Falcon turned back with a smile: “Master, yesterday you said we hadn’t met who we should meet, but here they are!”

Helian Zheng narrowed his eyes and saw the other party was a woman dressed as a mountain woman, wearing a conical hat, carrying a medicine basket on her back, with bound legs and straw sandals. Her entire bearing exuded capability. Her round, healthy face was darkened and reddened by mountain winds. Seeing him look over, she smiled openly and naturally: “You gentlemen are from outside the mountains, right? Want to buy some herbs? There are many poisonous creatures in the mountains—you can’t manage without medicine. We have excellent snake medicine here.” She spoke fluent Longbei dialect.

Helian Zheng examined her up and down, even looking at the calluses between her fingers, then waved his hand, signaling Third Falcon to negotiate with her. After a while, Third Falcon returned carrying a pile of herbs, saying happily: “This woman doesn’t know prices—gave us this much for ten copper coins!”

“Shallow-minded! So happy over a little advantage? Are you even a man?” Helian Zheng cursed absent-mindedly, watching the woman carry her basket down the mountain. Passing by him, she suddenly stumbled over a wooden stump on the ground. Helian Zheng kept his hands in his sleeves, watching her with no intention of helping. Third Falcon looked at his Great King in surprise and instinctively reached out, but Helian Zheng suddenly extended his hand lightning-fast and steadied the woman.

The woman pressed her hand on his hand’s back, immediately stood firm, then blushed and clumsily thanked him repeatedly. Helian Zheng waved his hand, watching her leave. Third Falcon scratched his head in puzzlement: “Great King, you didn’t help at first, so why later…”

“Fool!” Helian Zheng glared at him angrily, flicking his hand as he entered the tent. He carefully examined his hand’s back but saw nothing unusual, couldn’t help but laugh at himself, feeling his inexplicable unease was making him overly suspicious.

This was just an unremarkable minor incident. The group spurred their horses onward. After several days they exited the mountains and entered Changning territory. This time their speed increased considerably. All cities and checkpoints in Changning had already received the Young Prince’s instructions and let them pass. They no longer needed to hide in the mountains, and within days successfully exited Changning’s borders, heading straight for Minnan.

On this day, looking up ahead, the checkpoint city gate’s golden characters blazed before their eyes: “Mayu Pass.”

“That gate guard Old You is General Hua’s trusted aide.” Fourth Wolf smiled. “Last time I delivered horses here, I even drank with him—what capacity!”

“Let’s wait until nightfall to enter.” Helian Zheng waved his hand. “Don’t make it difficult for people by going in broad daylight with such a large group.”

Since they had to wait until night, the group first hid the horses in a nearby mountain hollow. The Seven Hawks looked at the constant stream of people at the city gate, including many horse traders, and laughed: “They say Minnan is poor mountains and bad waters, but looking now, there are quite a few people who know business.”

“Fools, Minnan people may not know business, but merchants from other places do,” Helian Zheng tapped his head. “It’s humid and hot here with many mines—dyes, iron goods and such are all good, so naturally people come for trade.”

He had originally been casually instructing Third Falcon, but suddenly his heart stirred, as if some phrase just now had touched the unease that had been lingering in his heart. But that thought was like a spark, gone in an instant, and no matter how he tried, he couldn’t recall it.

“Drink! Drink!” Behind him the Seven Hawks grew restless and began a drinking competition.

“Save some room, or if Old You drinks you under the table, don’t bother returning to the grasslands!”

“Ptui! As if!”

Behind him came noisy commotion. Helian Zheng suddenly felt irritable inside, his heart burning, but didn’t want to ruin the Seven Hawks’ mood. Seeing the sky darkening, he climbed to the hilltop to watch the checkpoint city gate.

It looked no different from any other checkpoint, with scattered lights floating above the gate tower. Soon he would just take the passage token over, and would naturally be let through the checkpoint, just like many times before.

He turned in another direction, looking toward the Imperial Capital. Zhiwei had been sending letters regularly and continuously, talking about miscellaneous Imperial Capital matters, occasionally telling him about someone’s schemes and plots. She wasn’t just reporting good news and hiding bad, naturally just like always. Yet he still felt that the more normal this seemed, the more abnormal it was—Feng Zhiwei was born to attract trouble. Shocking waves constantly surrounded her; it wasn’t possible for things to be this peaceful for so long.

What was she hiding from him again?

Before him mountains layered upon mountains, the royal capital and she both out of sight. She had placed her status with him while she flew at the other end of the grasslands.

Helian Zheng raised his face, his kaleidoscope gem-like eyes glittering with fractured light under the starlight.

At this moment for some reason, his feelings were like a surging sea meeting the full moon, using all its strength to raise the tide. Those churning, surging, layer upon layer of waves all wrote the same few words—missing her, wanting to see her.

Two years’ time. The Eternal Blue Sky said that was twenty-one thousand nine hundred moments, four hundred thirty-eight thousand instants, eight million seven hundred sixty thousand finger snaps, seventeen million five hundred twenty thousand blinks.

So long, so long.

The Grassland King stood long atop the dark forest hilltop, sighing for several hundred blinks. In the distance on the azure-blue sky curtain, unnamed starlight flickered gently.

“Master, I’ll go knock on the gate.” Fourth Wolf silently approached, slightly drunk, slightly smiling.

Among the Seven Hawks, he was most familiar with this route, so naturally it should be him.

Helian Zheng turned to glance at his brother and subordinate, and nodded.

Fourth Wolf turned and walked a few steps. Helian Zheng’s heart suddenly stirred, and he called out to him.

Fourth Wolf turned around, his smile sincere and bright in the moonlight and starlight.

“…Never mind…” Helian Zheng was somewhat dazed, not even knowing why he’d called out to him. After a pause he said: “…Be careful.”

The man grinned, thinking Helian Zheng worried he’d forgotten the token, and patted the grass pouch at his waist where he kept the token: “Don’t worry.”

Fourth Wolf strode over, straight to the city gate. According to agreement, he knocked several times on the gate. Movement came quickly from above as someone stuck their head out, looked knowingly, then lit a lamp and descended.

Passing through at night without causing a commotion, with only one person lighting a lamp to descend from the gate tower—it showed there was still the same tacit understanding as before. Helian Zheng breathed a slight sigh of relief. The grassland men didn’t even think there could be anything wrong, happily gathering together and herding the horses together.

The city gate opened a crack. Fourth Wolf handed over the token, laughing: “Old You sleeping? Come out for a drink.” Without waiting for an invitation, he casually pushed open the gate that had opened just a crack.

The moment he pushed open the city gate.

In the darkness behind the gate, suddenly an iron-blue colored light flashed!

An extremely faint, muffled thud in the night, swallowed by the wandering howling wind.

Fourth Wolf’s back figure stiffened ever so slightly. Then someone inside the city gate laughed softly: “Then come in first.” A hand reached out to pull him through the gate.

Helian Zheng and the others had already followed over.

Fourth Wolf, already half inside the city gate, suddenly turned back. In an instant under the starlight, his entire face seemed violently distorted, twisted and hideous!

He seemed to want to roar, but opening his mouth only fresh blood sprayed out. Something behind him was forcefully dragging him backward. He desperately lunged outward. After a tooth-aching tearing sound, he burst out.

In the moonlight, only half his left shoulder remained—his left arm had been torn off at the root!

With a “peng” sound, fresh blood sprayed, drawing a deep red arc through the night sky, splashing across half of Helian Zheng’s body at the nearest position.

“Retreat—” Fourth Wolf finally shouted with all his strength. He would rather tear off his shoulder and die outside the city gate than be dragged through by the enemy hiding behind the gate, all for this one warning shout.

Helian Zheng had already begun retreating.

When Fourth Wolf desperately tore himself apart and burst out, blood splattering on him a zhang away, he had begun retreating.

“Retreat!” The Grassland King turned in one motion. When Fourth Wolf shouted that word, his figure had already swept up. With one hand each, he grabbed Third Falcon and Fifth Eagle closest behind him, ignoring their struggles to rush toward Fourth Wolf, and forcefully picked them up, tossing each onto a horse. Then he leaped onto a horse himself with a whistle. Most of the horses immediately scattered in all directions at the sound. Helian Zheng shouted loudly: “Each take a few!” His single hand had already grasped the reins of two horses at his side, and like a gust of wind he galloped backward.

His movements were indescribably fast. Aside from the Seven Hawks who had followed him for years and could instinctively keep up with his reactions, most guards still stood dazed looking at Fourth Wolf, some running up to help him.

“Tsssk!”

A cluster of black arrow rain burst out from behind the city gate, with a buzzing sound reaching everyone’s heads. In the darkness, a blue light flashed, like rain coming from the Tianyin Mountain side. Where the rain fell, large amounts of fresh blood instantly exploded like fireworks. The guards who rushed forward fell like cut rice—half of them.

With a thunderous sound the city gate flew wide open, releasing a team of black-clad people in tight clothing holding crossbows, their postures nimble and movements agile. Before they even landed, another round of arrow rain came from mid-air.

Most people didn’t even have time to cry out before falling into the dust. Blood-colored light shot up like sharp swords to the clouds. In an instant, before Mayu Pass city gate, flesh and blood became mud and corpses piled like mountains.

But Helian Zheng had already galloped away madly with the Seven Hawks and others without looking back. The moment Second Leopard, Third Falcon, Fifth Eagle, Sixth Fox, Seventh Hawk, and Eighth Badger were pulled onto horses, they all had a determined motion of turning back and reaching out. However, when they saw Helian Zheng resolutely riding away at the lead, everyone forcefully pulled back their outstretched hands.

Outstretched hands forcefully pulled back, striking the night-colored blood-colored ice-cold empty wind, painfully silent.

Grassland men shared life and death together, never leaving brothers to die in foreign lands with bones scattered. There had been men who begged for thousands of miles to carry back relatives’ bones, men who dragged themselves on wooden boards with severed legs to retrieve brothers’ corpses.

Yet today, before Mayu Pass, they chose to turn their backs, abandoning Fourth Wolf and all their brothers.

The Six Hawks stared wide-eyed, not looking forward, not looking back, not looking at those beside them, not looking at the Great King’s back figure running at the front. They feared their eyes would reveal disappointment and incomprehension, and in others’ disappointment and incomprehension their hearts would be torn apart.

Helian Zheng ran at the very front.

Never in his life had he run so fast.

He had also never imagined that one day, on the battlefield, before the enemy, before his own brothers’ faces, he would abandon everyone, turn and run.

The fierce night wind struck his face, each sweep a streak of blood. He galloped so fiercely, forward all the way.

Yet only he knew, his soul still remained before Mayu Pass.

His soul leaped out from his intensely struggling heart, rushing toward the rear, distantly seeing Fourth Wolf with eyes that would not close in death, trampled into mud, seeing brothers falling in rows under crossbow arrows, seeing those silent yet nimble pursuing troops.

If possible, he hoped his soul would materialize, remain beside his brothers to die together, all becoming blood-soaked mud under hooves, every inch of flesh and blood sleeping long with the earth, like an Eternal Blue Sky apostate willing to give his heart to demons, accepting all punishment for betraying faith.

But he could not.

If the Shunyi King was captured or died before Mayu Pass, the one who would ultimately suffer calamity would be Feng Zhiwei.

This was clearly a conspiracy, ultimately pointing to Zhiwei, so if he was to die, he had to die on the grasslands. Only if the Grassland King died on the grasslands would the court have no way to implicate Zhiwei.

Helian Zheng raised his head, lips tightly pressed, his kaleidoscope gem eyes as dim as the starlight in the sky at this moment.

The liquid at his eye corners was frozen by the night wind, falling on the hard mud ground, flashing bright red with a ringing sound.

The first day.

The first day of flight.

“Let’s rest here for now.” Helian Zheng stopped his horse, gazing at a dilapidated old town ahead. This was the Minnan border, about to enter Changning territory.

This town was less a town than a remote small village. Gray spider webs on the old stone archway drifted lonely in the wind. The bluestone stele at the village entrance recorded this small village’s desolate reason—a plague after a great flood.

The Six Hawks silently dismounted. No one spoke, each going to do what needed doing.

Helian Zheng sat on his horse motionless. This state had continued for several days. From that night when they turned and fled, though the Six Hawks still remained loyal to their king, their hearts had already remained at the blood field before Mayu Pass.

After a while, the Six Hawks walked over from all four directions of the village, each shaking their heads. Then Second Leopard said: “Great King, there’s a large old house to the village east that’s still fairly solid…”

“Find a house with a cellar.” Helian Zheng cut him off. “It’s fine if the outside is shabby.”

The Six Hawks paused, their faces showing indignant expressions. Third Falcon couldn’t help shouting: “If we’re going to die, let’s die—why hide in a cellar—”

“Shut up!”

Silence fell on all sides. The men turned their heads away. Helian Zheng silently dismounted, ignoring them and leading the horses himself, first feeding several horses. On a long journey, they had to ensure the horses’ strength, otherwise they couldn’t have temporarily shaken off the pursuing troops and reached the Minnan border in one day.

Then he walked through the village for a while, looking at each house, finally very carefully selecting a house whose cellar had doors on two sides. He led the horses into the house and crawled into the cellar himself.

When he entered, the Six Hawks could only follow. Fifth Eagle silently brought a bundle of straw to spread out. Third Falcon took out a piece of dried meat and placed it on the straw bedding.

Helian Zheng picked up the dried meat, then paused, his gaze sweeping across everyone’s faces: “You all eat too.”

“We’ve eaten already.” Third Falcon’s eyes darted around—he always did this when lying.

Helian Zheng lowered his eyes, knowing the dried food must not be enough. The food pouches had originally been on Fourth Wolf and the guards. The others only carried small amounts of food and water—after all, with money they could replenish anytime. But now they were fleeing, walking while avoiding populated areas—where could they buy dried food?

He put down the dried meat, thought for a moment and said: “I’m not hungry.”

Seventh Hawk suddenly walked toward the exit. Helian Zheng barked: “Stop!”

Seventh Hawk stopped. Helian Zheng said: “No one is allowed to leave me. This is a royal command.”

The Six Hawks looked at each other. They had planned to go to nearby mountains tonight during rest to hunt some game, but now the Great King had directly seen through them.

After Helian Zheng finished speaking, he said nothing more, sitting cross-legged to regulate his breathing. Whether it was the dim light in the cellar or some other reason, his brow showed a faint blue tint, looking somewhat eerie.

The sky gradually darkened.

Seven people sat like wooden sculptures resting in the cellar, no longer displaying the harmonious warmth and constant laughter they once shared.

Sixth Fox suddenly stood up. Helian Zheng immediately opened his eyes. Sixth Fox innocently spread his hands: “I’m going to pee.”

Helian Zheng helplessly waved his hand. Sixth Fox moved nimbly out—he had the best lightness skill among everyone.

The night was silent. In the distance, unknown birds cooed with a ghostly tone.

Helian Zheng suddenly opened his eyes: “Why has Sixth Fox been gone so long?”

Everyone paused. They’d all been lost in thought and hadn’t noticed time passing or felt Sixth Fox had been gone very long. Only when Helian Zheng said this did they feel somewhat uneasy.

Just as several people stood up, outside suddenly came a sound of wind, followed by something black being thrown in.

Eighth Badger beside Helian Zheng immediately threw himself at him. The others scattered in all directions with a “swish,” various weapons drawn with a “tssk” sound. In the darkness, blue-white bright light flashed repeatedly, and that thing had already been quartered by everyone’s swords.

Something rolled to Second Leopard’s feet. He stepped on it and looked down. In the moonlight was a cat’s face with protruding teeth and fangs, its green eyeballs fixed staring at the void.

Ordinary people would inevitably be startled, but Second Leopard let out a long breath and laughed: “A wildcat! It must be Old Six who secretly hunted and came back. Why play around at a time like this? Come out!”

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Fifth Eagle went to pick up the section of wildcat body at his feet, saying: “Skin it and have a meal…”

His words suddenly stopped.

As soon as he picked up the fat wildcat body, something round rolled out from the wildcat’s belly.

Distant moonlight penetrated through the mountains and small village’s small window, dimly illuminating those wide-open eyes.

Sixth Fox.

“Old Six—” Fifth Eagle’s anguished cry hadn’t yet left his mouth.

“Swish!” Suddenly at the cellar entrance a burst of blade light blazed.

The blade light was extremely bright and vivid, like a magnificent flame suddenly bursting from hell’s end, fiercely crashing into their eyes, making even their hearts instantly constrict.

The flame brightened, blood light shot forth.

With a “peng” sound, a black-clad person silently fell at the cellar entrance, the falling head rolling away to pile together with Sixth Fox, crushed by Fifth Eagle’s foot.

The blade light brightened again, slanting upward in the darkness, a flowing arc beautiful as a meteor. Another black-clad person trying to rush in was disemboweled with one slash.

The blade light illuminated the dark cellar, illuminating the cold and steady countenance of the one wielding the blade.

Helian Zheng.

At some unknown time, he had already broken free from Eighth Badger’s protection, crept to the doorway, and delivered a fatal strike to the enemy.

After killing two people in succession, those outside seemed shocked, momentarily no one rushed close. Helian Zheng quickly crouched down, turning over the corpse he’d killed. The face covering fell, revealing the beautiful features of a woman.

Several people’s eyes widened in shock, never imagining that those ambushing at Mayu Pass, pursuing and killing them all along, were a group of women.

Helian Zheng also frowned, unable to think when Feng Zhiwei had acquired such a group of enemies. Then he coldly snorted, kicked that corpse out, then lowered his body and darted forward, hiding beneath the corpse.

The corpse flew out with the sound of wind. Those waiting outside immediately swung swords toward it, discovering it was a companion’s corpse and hastily withdrawing their blades.

“Sss.”

Two blades like one blade, pulling open an arc like a silk ribbon in the darkness, as if the dark night was split open, revealing pale wounds, then gushing forth bright red blood.

Blood belonging to the enemy.

Helian Zheng’s single slash swept left and right. In the instant opponents withdrew their blades, he stabbed to death two black-clad people guarding left and right at the doorway. Supposedly at this moment he should have advanced another step to opportunistically kill a few more, but he kicked out the corpses with one foot, twisted his body, and threw himself back into the cellar.

Outside came a commotion. He had already returned to the cellar, barking lowly: “Go!” One kick broke open the door on the cellar’s other side. That side opened to the hall. Helian Zheng cut the rope tying the horses, leaped onto horseback, and had already charged out amid the horses’ long neighing.

Behind came sounds of movement. A group of black-clad people surged out, watching several riders disappear in the dust. The leader coldly snorted, eyes glinting beneath the face covering, then coldly said: “Report to the master—the opponent is formidable. Request all reinforcements be mobilized.”

The second day of flight.

Changning territory.

Since that night’s encounter with enemies in the deserted village, another mad horse gallop followed. After entering Changning territory, the Five Hawks thought the Great King would relax, but Helian Zheng’s complexion still showed that blue-gray tint.

He barely ate, insisting on giving dried food to the Five Hawks, only drinking large amounts of water himself. In just two days he had thinned, his cheekbones slightly protruding, but his eyes grew ever brighter, piercingly sharp.

This was Changning’s Qingmu County, just entered into Changning. That gate guard had been quite surprised to see them return so quickly.

This time Helian Zheng stayed at an inn.

The Five Hawks actually had questions in their hearts. Since pursuing troops followed relentlessly, why not travel day and night to return to the grasslands as quickly as possible, so they could mobilize heavy troops to eliminate the opponents? Why stop to rest?

Helian Zheng offered no explanation. He grew increasingly silent, as if wanting to conserve even the strength to speak a sentence, to use against the endless stream of pursuing troops.

“All sleep.” He said. “There’s still hard battles to fight.”

Six people rented a courtyard but stayed in one room. Third Falcon hesitated long before asking Helian Zheng: “King, why not find a way to notify Young Prince Changning?”

Helian Zheng was silent for a long while, his chin sprouting blue stubble, his expression somewhat haggard.

“Can’t.” After a long time he simply said: “If Lu Zhiyan knows, Zhiwei will know too. I don’t want that.”

If Feng Zhiwei knew, she would inevitably leave the capital regardless of everything. But how could she leave the capital at this time? Others were waiting to catch evidence of her private collusion with the grasslands!

Helian Zheng closed his eyes, silently counting time.

Daylight had length and brevity, human lives had destined lifespans—doing one’s best in all things was enough.

“Whoosh!” A burst of brilliant smoke light brightened. The jumpy Five Hawks grabbed their weapons and leaped up, only to discover it was just a neighboring family marrying off a daughter and setting off fireworks.

Several people exchanged glances, laughing self-mockingly. Brave and fierce grassland men had now become hamsters poking their heads nervously from holes beneath grass.

That neighboring family was separated from the inn by just one wall. This courtyard also faced that family’s back courtyard. Faintly they heard joyous laughter—apparently the bride had already completed the ceremony and been sent to the bridal chamber.

Voices from all sides penetrated the wall, all praising the new bride’s beauty. The Five Hawks listened. Among them, Fifth Eagle became somewhat restless, but seeing Helian Zheng’s expression, didn’t dare move.

The brothers saw it in their eyes. Though their mood was bleak, they still showed a trace of smile—Old Five was a hero all his life, but his lustfulness was an unchangeable flaw.

Outside the courtyard came knocking sounds—probably the servant bringing food. Fifth Eagle stood up with a “swish”: “I’ll get it.” He strode out.

From inside the room to the doorway was just a short distance, so there shouldn’t be danger. Everyone knew his real intention wasn’t the wine, all smiling as they watched him go out.

Fifth Eagle received the food the servant brought at the door, his eyes sneakily glancing over the wall. This section of wall had a fretwork flower wall—his heart itched wanting to look a bit more.

With this look, his eyes went straight.

Those in the room saw Fifth Eagle seemingly dawdle at the doorway for a moment, then turn around and walk back step by step, very reluctantly. They all laughed: “What can you see like that? Hurry back!”

As they spoke, Fifth Eagle’s foot had already stepped into the room.

He entered backlit, his face blurred and unclear. Everyone paid no attention, except Helian Zheng, who had been resting with closed eyes, suddenly opened them.

His eyes opened at the same moment.

“Pa.”

The food box in Fifth Eagle’s hands suddenly dropped, food and dishes spilling all over the floor. Second Leopard sitting at the front was nearly scalded and quickly jumped back with a laugh and curse: “You brat, what did you see that scared your soul away—”

His words were choked in his throat—as the food box hit the ground, Fifth Eagle toppled forward, falling right into his arms. Opening his mouth with several gasping sounds, unable to speak, then blood slowly flowed from all seven orifices.

Black blood.

The moment the fresh blood flowed out, Helian Zheng had already leaped up, but didn’t go to catch Fifth Eagle. Instead, he raised his hand in a palm strike, chopping at the wall.

With a thunderous sound the entire wall collapsed. In the swirling dust, behind the wall a red-clothed woman holding a strange blowpipe raised her head in shock.

The long blade flashed like lightning, directly piercing into her mouth opened in surprise!

Entering through the mouth, exiting through the back of the neck!

Before the dust had fully settled, blood flowers had already burst forth!

Several black shadows lunged out.

With a cold laugh, Helian Zheng didn’t rush to withdraw his blade, but strode straight forward one step, dragging the long blade. The blade pierced through that fake bride’s skull, sweeping horizontally toward the attacking black-clad people.

His horizontal blade sweep was like a hurricane ocean wave, fiercely howling, piercing through one person’s torso, inevitably smashing into another’s chest.

He didn’t worry about his back—the remaining four people guarded it step by step.

Dust slowly settled then rose tumultuously again, stirred by blade winds and sword lights like a yellow veil. Through that layer of yellow veil, deep red blood pearls constantly swept past in fans and strings, splashing open like peach blossoms.

Their own blood and the enemy’s blood—an intense battle and execution amid the dust.

When the number of people decreased and the dust was about to settle, Helian Zheng suddenly issued a whistle. The horses scattered in the courtyard without tethers immediately galloped over. Helian Zheng and the Four Hawks twisted in mid-air to land on horseback, unhesitatingly spurring the horses straight toward the courtyard gate.

The main gate was still closed. Helian Zheng’s fierce mount raised its hooves and kicked violently. With a thunderous sound the gate collapsed. In a flurry of dust, five people galloped away again.

A black shadow flashed. Several black-clad people chased out, their expressions ugly as they looked at the ground full of corpses. After a long while, the leader stamped her feet: “I still don’t believe this evil. Everyone continue pursuing! Absolutely cannot let him return to the grasslands!”

The sixth day.

Shanbei.

“The horses are tired, feed them first.” Helian Zheng stopped his horse. When he dismounted, he swayed.

Two pairs of hands reached over, supporting him.

The hands’ owners exchanged glances, their eyes dark and bitter.

Third Falcon and Eighth Badger.

Of the Seven Hawks, only Two Hawks remained.

Second Leopard died at Qingfeng Town on the border between Changning and Longbei—a cold arrow took his life. Seventh Hawk, when Helian Zheng once lost his footing in combat, rushed to cushion beneath him first, presenting his own chest to the opponent’s sword.

Even the Great King’s horse had been injured crossing a river and was ruthlessly pushed into the river by Helian Zheng.

When the beloved horse that had accompanied him for many years sank into the river water, Helian Zheng’s expression didn’t even change.

Just like when brothers died, he didn’t waste time grieving or collecting corpses. He only killed.

By now, the remaining Two Hawks no longer resented Helian Zheng. Only they most clearly knew how difficult this journey had been for the Great King.

He almost never ate or slept, constantly killing and killing. Most enemies died by his hand, most attacks were received by his hands. Along this journey his wounds were more numerous than everyone else’s. Many times they thought he would fall, but ultimately it was still others who fell.

The pursuing troops were clearly driven to madness or desperation, determined to keep them inland. But no matter what methods—assassination, encirclement, traps—he always had ways to escape. He was a lion in the dark night, a fierce tiger in black mountains. Usually not displaying his claws, but at the most critical moment, extending his palm with a “tsssk” sound, sharp edges flashing between five fingers.

“There’s one more day’s journey, and we can return to the grasslands.” Before them was a river. Helian Zheng leaned against his horse, saying lowly.

The Two Hawks simultaneously narrowed their eyes, as if seeing beyond one day’s journey the grasslands, with familiar orange-yellow lights burning. Butter candles emitted a faint mutton smell, family and friends sitting around in tents, lifting steaming hot soup pots.

Third Falcon and Eighth Badger simultaneously swallowed their saliva.

The two also simultaneously turned to look behind. A team of ragged black-clad people, their steps dragging, distantly followed behind.

From their appearance, they too were exhausted, bodies swaying precariously supported by swords, looking less like pursuers and more like escorts.

Pursuing and killing to this state was quite ridiculous, but neither party involved found it ridiculous, nor had the strength to find it ridiculous. By this point, they couldn’t worry about setting traps or encirclements, couldn’t worry about concealing traces—just like a pair of enemies fighting to mutual destruction, one clinging to the other’s legs trying to prevent him from returning, the other dragging his legs trying to drag himself home.

“These women have great perseverance, their organization must be very strict.” Helian Zheng laughed lightly. “At this point, not a single person has fled in fear, still executing orders to the letter.”

Third Falcon and Eighth Badger smiled weakly, thinking to themselves: Great King, isn’t this what you hoped for? Don’t you want to rely on your own strength to attract all pursuing troops together, then eliminate them?

You want to sever all leads that might endanger the Great Consort, just as they want to keep you on this road before reaching the grasslands, you also want to keep them all before the grasslands.

Only the dead can guarantee the Great Consort’s safety.

That’s why you don’t desperately rush back to the grasslands. That’s why you stop and start. You’re using yourself as bait, attracting the opponents to come out in full force. The blood you’ve spilled all along is only to cover all traces of you and the Great Consort’s scent on this road.

Third Falcon and Eighth Badger raised their eyes, looking at the starry sky overhead. The stars were splendid and distant—would they shine on the grassland brothers’ eyes at this moment?

They were all orphans, raised by Old King Kuku from childhood, growing up with Zhadalann. He was their king, he was their brother.

Just like the oath sworn before the Eternal Blue Sky on the first day—body and flesh belonged to the Grassland King. Better to be buried in an eagle’s belly than to grow old boringly in bed.

This journey, very good, very good.

That group of people pressed closer. Though also tired, they had the advantage of numbers. Raised swords reflected the river water, light glimmering.

Helian Zheng flipped over. Countless wounds were bleeding, but his blade light was faster than the blood, thrown out before the fresh blood.

A black-clad person silently fell, half their body dyeing the river water red.

Helian Zheng fought into the enemy group. He seemed to also know that tonight was the final battle. After tomorrow, Shanbei’s sun would shine on the grasslands’ border.

Strangely, Third Falcon and Eighth Badger, who always guarded his back, didn’t immediately follow this time.

They were gazing at each other.

Then had a strange exchange.

“I’ll go.”

“I’ll go.”

“I’m younger. Should be me.”

“I’m older. Should be me.”

Another silence.

Eighth Badger was still a youth with a hideous scar on his face. Eighteen years ago his parents died in a wolf pack. The wolves also clawed his face. Old King Kuku passing by on a hunt with his young son, thinking him dead, was sighing about burying him when Zhadalann on his small horse refused, insisting on feeding him goat’s milk all night. The next day, he lived.

“I’ll go.” He carefully took a bundle from beneath his horse’s belly, tied it to his body, looked up at Third Falcon with a smile. “There might be even harder things to do afterward. Third Brother, I want to pick something easier.”

His face scarred by wolf claws had a terrifying smile, but his expression was warm.

Third Falcon raised his head, said nothing, patting his shoulder.

“Next life, still be brothers.”

“Good.”

Said plainly, answered plainly—no embrace, no tears, like discussing the weather.

Then the two spoke no more, each drawing their blades, charging out following Helian Zheng’s back figure.

When they arrived, Helian Zheng’s long blade was just sweeping horizontally at knee level, blade light like snow, rolling leaves and crushing mud, silently and piercingly colliding with the opponent’s long sword. In the ringing clash, golden light blazed greatly, like countless stars bursting in their vision.

No one saw a colorless light, ghost-like bending and turning, piercing through the golden light curtain, shooting into a certain place.

In the ringing crash, both sides retreated, each swaying. The black-clad person’s eyes exposed outside the face covering swept past with a trace of cold mocking smile.

She was the leader of this operation, leading this group of carefully selected elites from the organization on this distant journey to Tiansheng’s border, executing the master’s death order—either capture alive or kill and ambush, keeping Helian Zheng inland. At this moment, she finally felt that although the mission was beyond imagination difficult and sacrifices beyond imagination great, it seemed not impossible to complete.

Her eyes had just narrowed.

Then widened.

Opposite, Third Falcon and Eighth Badger rushed close. Neither drew their blades. Third Falcon reached out and grabbed Helian Zheng’s shoulder, forcefully pulling him away. Then Eighth Badger lunged over.

The moment the youth lunged close, Helian Zheng seemed to want to reach out and grab him, but was a step too slow, brushing shoulders.

Eighth Badger lunged over, lunging toward the black-clad leader’s arms.

“Seeking death!”

The woman’s reflexive reaction to this type of physical action was obvious. She raised her hand to chop down with one blade. Other black-clad people seeing the situation all surrounded, swords emerging together.

Eighth Badger neither avoided nor dodged. With a “puchi” sound, in an instant he took countless blades, yet didn’t even show a pained expression. Before the fresh blood could flow out, he fiercely embraced the leader’s waist.

Then he said lowly: “Die.”

“BOOM!”

The explosive sound shook heaven and earth. Between heaven and earth, deep red flames and black smoke billowed. The ground instantly sank into a huge pit. Vaguely white and red things were thrown out in the billowing smoke by the massive blast wave, drawing deep red arcs across the black sky.

The river water violently surged, settling with a layer of blood-colored ash.

A quarter hour later.

The smoke cleared, the ground in complete disarray. Those lives still vivid a moment before had now all become a pile of bloody flesh and crushed bones in the pit, indistinguishable who was who.

In the distance, at the river water’s end, someone desperately dragged another person swimming away. Even though the huge sound nearly deafened him, he didn’t turn his head.

The miserable blue moonlight coolly illuminated the river water, half black-red, half white. The man desperately swimming in the river, under the moonlight wiped the moisture from his face, but seemingly could never wipe it all away, wet and flowing endlessly.

The river water flowed leisurely, slightly red.

The seventh day.

Shanbei and grassland border.

Beyond the desolate city, a boundary stele stood quietly at the grassland border. To call it a boundary stele was actually just a stone monument erected by local authorities years ago when the Huzhuo tribe submitted at Tiansheng’s feet, carved to commemorate the history of Tiansheng and the grasslands jointly resisting powerful enemies. North of the stele was grassland territory.

At the horizon’s end, two unsteady riders approached, the mounted figures swaying side to side, as if they could fall at any moment.

Before seeing that stele, both stopped their horses.

“Great King.” Third Falcon staggered down from his horse, walked to the other horse, saying lowly: “We’ve… arrived.”

The man prostrate on the horse raised his eyes. His usually brilliant kaleidoscope eyes now retained only dim gray. Seeing that distant grassland boundary stele, his eyes brightened slightly.

Like kaleidoscope stars rising at the horizon’s edge—in that moment his eyes were bright as glazed glass, stunningly beautiful.

“We’ve arrived…” He muttered, seemingly wanting to rise, but after struggling, still didn’t get up. Third Falcon supported him, bracing his shoulder, slowly shifting him down.

“King, rest a moment.” Third Falcon squinted at the front, a trace of smile desolate yet relieved. “I’ll go contact the nearest tents, notify the King’s army to come receive us.”

Helian Zheng wiped his face, wiping away dust and blood foam, smiling silently, suddenly walking forward.

As soon as he moved, he nearly fell. Third Falcon hastily supported him, still wanting to say something. Helian Zheng shook off his hand, walking toward the boundary stele himself. Third Falcon could only follow behind.

Several dozen zhang distance took a full quarter hour. Helian Zheng almost stumbled and staggered all the way. Third Falcon bit his teeth and turned his head aside, not letting himself reach out to support.

Even the longest road has an end. The bluestone boundary stele was already in sight. Helian Zheng showed a trace of smile, his smile pure as a child’s, high and bright as the sky itself.

Then he took the final step forward.

“Peng.”

He fell before the boundary stele, half his body past the marker.

“Great King!”

Third Falcon rushed over, turning Helian Zheng over to support him sitting. When his eyes touched Helian Zheng’s face, his heart violently shook.

At some unknown time, a layer of blue qi had risen between Helian Zheng’s brows, making his complexion even paler—that kind of nearly transparent bloodless white covered his usually healthy skin tone, revealing a hint of death’s aura.

Third Falcon’s gaze slowly fell.

When Helian Zheng fell, the great cloak wrapped all day scattered open. Only then did he see that near Helian Zheng’s heart position, a short sword was embedded.

The short sword was buried to the hilt. Because it had never been pulled out, there was almost no blood around it. Yet seeing that position, Third Falcon felt his vision go dark.

In an instant, light and shadow swirled, sweeping past the scene of pulling the Great King away last night. Vaguely he had also seen a white light flash, but in the panic of hastily pulling the Great King away, he’d overlooked it.

The King had endured this wound for this final stretch of road?

Third Falcon was so ashamed and regretful he wanted to weep, his throat blocked with a sweet bloody mass, unable to speak a single word. But Helian Zheng slowly opened his eyes and even smiled.

He smiled without regret, brilliantly without bleakness, saying softly: “…Good brother, don’t cry. Actually, even without this blade, I… couldn’t have lived.”

Third Falcon’s body trembled as he stared at him in shock.

Helian Zheng’s gaze slowly lowered, looking at his own hand’s back… Yes, couldn’t have lived, because he’d been poisoned long ago.

That day the woman on the mountain had also been the opponent’s person. In the instant he reached out to help, she’d applied a layer of poison. Then the sword that killed Fourth Wolf also bore a layer of poison. The first layer of poison normally wouldn’t activate—only encountering the second layer would it surge forth violently.

That day at Mayu Pass his heart had stirred but he hadn’t thought of the result. The moment he was poisoned he immediately understood—mountain folk were simple and honest, surely would have casually given away some herbs. How could they know to ask for money like merchants?

By the time he understood, it was too late.

That’s why the opponents dared to pursue relentlessly—they thought they could collect his corpse at any time, and were endlessly shocked that he never fell.

That’s why he also wasn’t anxious to return to the grasslands. Returning couldn’t save his life anyway. Better to take advantage of them thinking he would surely die midway, eliminate everyone all along the road. Pursuing and killing all the way, he could confirm the opponents were an isolated group, remotely controlled, not wanting to alert authorities before capturing or killing him. And he had medicine Zong Chen had given him—couldn’t cure this deadly poison, but could prolong life.

That was enough.

Helian Zheng smiled with satisfaction, smiling out fresh blood.

Third Falcon tearfully wanted to pull out the blade. Helian Zheng pressed his hand.

“Leave me some strength…” He said. “I still have words to say to you.”

Third Falcon knelt behind him, supporting his shoulder. The two together looked at the vast boundless grasslands’ end, where a huge red sun was vigorously rising.

Ten thousand zhang of golden light shot over like sharp swords, gilding the pale cheeks. The man with kaleidoscope gem eyes—his gaze flowed like gold in that instant.

“How wonderful… the grasslands.” Helian Zheng bathed in golden light, saying softly: “San’er, I can’t die at this grassland border for no reason.”

Dying here inexplicably, he worried court people would still use it against Zhiwei.

Third Falcon softly said “Mm.”

Helian Zheng laboriously turned his eyes, gazing at him with tender eyes.

Third Falcon was the cleverest among the Eight Hawks. Speaking this final matter to him, he felt it not so difficult.

“…So, I’m wronging you.”

Helian Zheng lowered his lashes, his eyes revealing faint apology. For a grassland man, the most terrible thing wasn’t death—it was violating the Eternal Blue Sky’s will, betraying brothers, dying unable to be a hero, instead leaving a stinking name pointed at by thousands.

This was truly a terrible crime. Yet at this moment, he wanted Third Falcon to bear it.

Third Falcon still gazed fixedly at the sun, so directly, as if wanting to be blinded by that light, never seeing this world’s darkness again.

Then he suddenly said something off-topic: “King, you are a hero.”

Helian Zheng remained silently wordless. After a long while, he smiled proudly: “I also think I am.”

Third Falcon said again: “I am too.” He thought, then added: “You know I am.”

Helian Zheng said “Mm,” then said: “My whole life, my greatest fortune was being together with you all, living together, dying together.”

“Me too.”

After this exchange, again came long silence. The two leaned together watching the sun, behind them the empty, trackless winter grasslands.

In the sunlight, a deer leaped gracefully past, its gray-yellow fur splashing golden slightly red light.

That beautiful deer drew neither man’s attention. They only gazed fixedly at the sun. Rising like this today, they would never see it set, so they must look a bit longer.

Helian Zheng leaned on Third Falcon’s shoulder, saying softly: “…Turn me the other direction.”

Third Falcon asked no more, turning his body toward the south, toward the Imperial Capital’s direction.

Helian Zheng gazed at the sunless Imperial Capital. His lips gradually showed a drifting smile. Hazily, many years ago a carriage rumbled toward him. He laughed loudly and tapped to shatter the glass. In the dim carriage interior, she rapidly turned her face—her yellowed complexion, her startlingly exquisite profile.

In a blink it changed to the spring grasslands. His people gathered like sheep, and he held her, riding on soaring flying horse descending. His silver great cloak and her black fox fur struck against each other, wildly dancing, cutting a flowing beautiful arc shadow under the dazzling sunlight.

Helian Zheng’s smile deepened.

He softly said one sentence.

The grassland wind swept over, carrying snow dust from Huzhuo Snow Mountain, carrying away all bodily warmth, yet couldn’t erase that trace of smile at his lips.

His final smile.

Third Falcon sat quietly throughout, supporting his king, from sunrise until starlight fell.

When the moon came out, he gently set down Helian Zheng, placing him flat properly.

“Time to do our final task…” He slowly drew his blade—the blade the grassland royal court had bestowed on the Eight Hawks. While the blade existed, the person existed. When the blade perished, the person perished.

The Shunyi Great King couldn’t die inexplicably in a place far from the royal court. He could die at the hands of a traitorous trusted guard.

Third Falcon gently pulled out that dagger. Not much blood flowed—Helian Zheng’s blood along this journey had already nearly run dry.

Then he thrust his own blade into that wound.

Then he created traces on the ground of chaotic struggling combat. After finishing all this, he walked some distance away, lying on the cold grass at the side.

He had been calm throughout.

Until calmly, he stabbed the dagger into his own heart.

The instant the blade rose, the grassland night descended like a curtain with a whoosh.

Changxi Year 18, mid-November.

The second generation Grassland Shunyi King perished.

He died before the grassland boundary stele, having bled dry before death.

At that time, he was twenty-four years old.

Before dying, he did not see the person he most wanted to see.

The final words he left were:

“In this lifetime, my Great Consort is Feng Zhiwei.”