You know what? I really want to strangle that weak self to death!

Strangle to death!

Strangle to death!

The lonely back finally stopped there, facing the fully alert Nanchu Black Guards. The former brotherhood had been deeply erased by the murderous atmosphere before them. All blade edges and sharp arrows were harshly aimed at Qing Xia’s delicate body, waiting only for a gesture from Chu Li to shoot out countless sharp points and slowly torture the frail woman to pieces. But that silent man remained silent. With his back to Qing Xia, he wanted to say something more, yet finally swallowed it down, dragging heavy steps and gradually disappearing among the Nanchu troops. The broken words in his chest gradually gathered into a single voice, clamoring madly in his mind, yet unable to break through that final remnant of dignity.

How much he wanted to ask her: Did you ever love me? Did you ever care for me? Were all those bygone days nothing but false sentiment? When you risked your life to save me, was that also just a scheme?

But in the end, he still didn’t want to say anything more, just walked away step by step.

All the Nanchu soldiers stared wide-eyed, unable to believe their Great Emperor was leaving so quietly without issuing any orders—not saying whether to capture, release, or kill.

Just then, a piercing shriek suddenly rang out, the sharp sound cutting through the long sky, forming a cloud-breaking cry in mid-air. Black ravens in the sky tumbled with dark wings, startled into flight with fluttering cries. Their pitch-black wings swept over the Nanchu camp, scattering hideous traces.

Accompanied by ominous bird cries and stirring, blood-boiling thunderous war drums, the sound immediately resounded throughout the military camp—those were pre-battle encouragement drums and alert signals!

On this stormy, blood-churning night, the first battle of the Bailuyuan hunt finally thundered to life!

“Your Majesty!” A sentry standing on a high platform suddenly shouted loudly: “Prince Xuan of Northern Qin brings thirty thousand Yan Character Camp troops, openly challenging before the main camp!”

A thunderous roar exploded in everyone’s hearts as all eyes gazed toward the northern exit of the camp. Beyond that wooden gate, the hundred-battle, hundred-victory, invincible Yan Character Camp finally pointed their cold blade edges at the Nanchu camp!

“Chu Li! Release Yima’er!”

A clear, snow-bright voice immediately rang out, howling and echoing above the Nanchu camp, drinking the fierce wild wind with fierce breath and the dominance of burning bridges!

“Chu Li! Release her!” Thirty thousand Great Qin soldiers followed with unified shouts, their voices passionate, striking the long sky, breaking through thick cloud layers, tearing apart the pitch-black canopy, gathering into an enormous torrent that thunderously surged and stirred across the entire horizon!

Qing Xia’s complexion immediately turned deathly pale. She staggered, as if she were the one who had just been stabbed. Her eyes stared straight at the pitch-black, hideous night, feeling all reason flowing away from her mind. She looked around in panic but couldn’t find a single pair of eyes to tell her this was just a nightmare. Finally, piercing through layers of crowds, there were still Chu Li’s cold, mocking eyes, looking at her coldly, looking at her mockingly, a cold smile gradually climbing the corners of his mouth, filled with icy alienation and ridicule.

Like lightning instantly striking her heart, the river of despair finally surged forth wildly.

What should she do? What should she do? Was this fate’s cycle or an inescapable nightmare? The blood river beneath the earth had already begun operating with devastating force. Those thunderous war drums would ultimately shatter all barriers in the world, establishing new order upon the flesh and blood of women and children and the white bones of warriors. And she was the true starting point of it all—she was the world’s disaster, the monster stirring up bloody chaos across the realm. She finally believed it.

If she died, would everything end? If she were gone, would everything return to normal?

She reached for a throwing knife at her waist to slash her throat, but immediately the cold iron fell to the ground, and her hand dropped limply like a puppet whose strings had been cut. Only then did she discover in terror that her entire body was completely without strength. Zhuang Dianru’s cold, frenzied smile before death floated before her eyes again. Looking at her hands black with blood, she immediately felt as if burned by fire, staggered two steps in despair, and finally could no longer hold on and collapsed!

Mu Lian’s words echoed in her mind again. Qin Zhiyan was unlike the other three—he had no factions in his country and dominated alone. If he disregarded the prohibition against war during the hunt and fought Nanchu, what punishment would he face upon returning home? Zhuang Dianru had calculated all this long ago, so with his death, he eliminated Chu Li’s final hesitation and dealt a severe blow to his life’s most important enemy.

“No…”

The fragile voice finally burst out, mixed with tears of despair, flowing freely in the tense atmosphere of the Nanchu camp.

Qing Xia’s hands were immediately bound by Nanchu soldiers. Those Black Guards who had once received Qing Xia’s complete teachings showed cold faces, no one pitying her even slightly. After being thoroughly bound, Chu Li had already been treated with medicine and simply bandaged.

Without even glancing at Qing Xia, he said to the Black Guard soldiers in a deep voice: “Leave the camp, form ranks. Let me meet this invincible Yan Character Camp!”

Wild wind howled, white snow vast. The immense snowfield was pitch-black, murderous atmosphere permeating the air. Countless black ravens shrieked as they flew over the vast earth, their despairing cries like spirits of the night, scattering broken flames in mid-air. Great wind blew up fluttering long robes. Under cold armor wrapped the upright bodies of soldiers, bloodthirsty battle intent rolling in their bone marrow, blazing and clamoring in their minds. Under the blood-red full moon, Qin and Chu armies faced off on the snow-white Bailuyuan. Wild wind rose from the ground, rolling up snow dust like sharp knives, harshly lashing people’s bodies.

Qin Zhiyan led Northern Qin’s thirty thousand iron-blooded Yan Character Camp soldiers, standing distantly at arrow’s distance away. In silver-white armor with handsome features, that usually gentle, leisurely face was covered with cold frost, with man-eating coldness and accumulated, surging anger. He looked coldly at the Nanchu army seemingly hidden in the pitch-black night, suddenly raising his voice: “Chu Li! Release Yima’er!”

The dark sovereign laughed lowly, as if hearing the world’s funniest joke. He gently turned his head, signaled to soldiers behind him, then a cross-shaped stake for binding people was carried up by four soldiers.

Qing Xia wore pitch-black clothing, face pale, black hair flying, bound tightly to the wooden stake. Suddenly, with a thud, the stake was harshly planted in the snowfield. Qing Xia’s clothing was thin, her pretty face deathly pale. Under blazing torches, blood traces wound hideously across her face. Sudden wind rose, Qing Xia’s long hair instantly danced in the sky, twisting hideously like countless dark butterflies waving withered wings, spinning gorgeous dances under the nine heavens.

On the vast snowfield, the pale woman with blood-stained clothing and flying black hair stood alone between the Qin and Chu armies. On her sides were the two most arrogant and dazzling sovereigns of the age. Wild wind rose from the ground, snow mist swept across the sky. Two years after parting at the drought-stricken lands, history’s great wheel once again entangled the three together. With sword points aimed at each other, things and people had changed through vicissitudes. Time passed swiftly, wind and clouds gathered again, two armies faced off again, all for that same reason of rage for a beauty’s sake!

“Yima’er.” Qin Zhiyan’s voice was deep, carrying bone-deep pity and anger. His gaze moved from Qing Xia’s body, staring fixedly at Chu Li, finally slowly raising his head and closing his eyes. After a while, when he slowly opened them again, they were completely clear. No impulse or fury could be seen, only gentle regard for Qing Xia. Under the cold helmet, his mouth curved in a gentle smile, his voice light but so clear, softly reaching Qing Xia’s ears.

“Don’t be afraid.”

Tears held back too long finally fell, sliding down Qing Xia’s snow-white skin, dried by the howling north wind. Thousands of words gathered in her chest, countless apologies and regrets about to burst forth, but when words reached her lips, she couldn’t find a suitable way to express them.

Xi Linchen’s body riddled with holes, Zhuang Dianru’s blazing, frenzied eyes, a series of inescapable conspiracy traps and accusations that could never be cleared. This night completely destroyed her strength, her calmness, her proud self-control and intelligence. She was no longer that super agent who could overturn clouds and rain, no longer that stubborn woman who never gave up or bowed her head. Under heavy blows, she finally dismantled those solid barriers, like a completely defenseless, fragile child, tears streaming!

This was a feast of chaotic world flesh and blood orchestrated by heaven. They were all chess pieces trapped within it—no one could escape.

“Heh…”

A low, hoarse laugh suddenly rang out. Chu Li, like an asura crawling out of hell, suddenly waved his hand in apparent laziness.

“Prepare!” Le Song suddenly shouted. All archers immediately drew their bows to full arc upon hearing, all arrow points aimed at the silver-armored, glinting Yan Character Camp like a group of heaven-and-earth-devouring hungry ghosts.

“Release!” Instantly, heaven and earth raged in anger, grass and trees filled with grief. Countless locust-like arrows formed a dense black net in mid-air, rushing toward the Yan Character Camp army under blood-red moonlight! Battle-hardened soldiers quickly raised rattan and wood shields. Thunderous sounds rang across heaven and earth, but despite this, stray arrows still shot into the crowd. Amid chaos of men and horses falling, screams tore through the sky, weaving into the world’s most tragic music.