Shen Yueshan’s guards quickly formed a protective circle around him, warily facing the approaching rider.

Tightening his reins atop his tall steed, Shen Yueshan squinted through the cold wind, watching as the figure tore through the swirling mist. As the blurry silhouette gradually became clear, that extraordinarily handsome face emerged – one that likely had no equal in the world.

Recognizing the arrival, Shen Yueshan raised his hand to dismiss his guards and scrutinized Xiao Huayong as he approached. Still mounted, he clasped his hands in greeting: “Crown Prince.”

The guards exchanged glances before dismounting in unison to bow: “Greetings to the Crown Prince.”

“No need for formalities, generals.” Xiao Huayong returned their greeting with clasped hands still holding his reins, then looked to Shen Yueshan. “Your Majesty, I’ve come specially to escort you.”

“Mere rats and mice – why trouble Your Highness to come personally?” Shen Yueshan did not attempt to hide his suspicion.

“When Your Majesty entered the capital, you mentioned wanting to test my martial skills. I’ve come today to fulfill that promise,” Xiao Huayong replied with a humble smile.

That day when visiting the Emperor at the palace, Xiao Huayong had indeed escorted him out and they had agreed to spar someday. However, as Crown Prince, Xiao Huayong couldn’t easily leave the palace, and Shen Yueshan had been busy accompanying his daughter, so this promise remained unfulfilled until now.

“Good! Let me see if Your Highness’s skills are worthy of being my son-in-law!” Shen Yueshan agreed readily, turning his horse to face the chaotic narrow paths ahead. “Does Your Highness choose left or right?”

“Your Majesty…”

A subordinate started to advise against it but was stopped by Shen Yueshan’s raised hand. His keen eyes fixed on Xiao Huayong, chin slightly raised, with an ambiguous smile.

Xiao Huayong urged his horse forward two steps, drawing even with Shen Yueshan on the left: “Let heaven decide.”

As he spoke, he gripped his reins and turned to look at Shen Yueshan, who had also turned to face him. Both men’s eyes blazed with fighting spirit. They shouted simultaneously, raising their whips as their horses’ hooves kicked up snow, charging up separate sides of the valley.

The wilderness stretched endlessly white. Their black cloaks whipped in the wind like agile eagles wheeling through the sky as they charged forward. Sharp arrows came flying – one, two, three…

As the arrows grew increasingly dense, wave after wave, expanding in their pupils, Xiao Huayong rolled his body, one hand gripping the reins while his foot hooked the saddle as he pressed himself between his horse’s belly and the rock wall.

Shen Yueshan instead drew his long sword. He merely hooked his feet in the stirrups, releasing the reins as his blade whirled in his hands, deflecting all the arrows while his horse continued its headlong rush.

When another dense volley of arrows came, he leaned back against his horse’s spine, his sword still whistling through the air.

At this moment, stones began tumbling down from both sides above them. Xiao Huayong’s dark eyes deepened as he flipped upward, dodging several arrows with a turn of his head. He reined in his horse to weave a serpentine path, avoiding both the falling rocks and hidden arrows.

Shen Yueshan followed close behind, watching as Xiao Huayong rode like the wind. His tall figure worked in perfect harmony with his strong, agile horse, rapidly judging and precisely evading each falling stone. Appreciation flashed in his eyes.

Xiao Huayong pulled out a bone whistle and blew. The circling eagles’ keen eyes targeted the hidden enemies below, throwing their formation into chaos. Xiao Huayong cracked his horsewhip hard: “Hya!”

The horse burst forward in pain. He kept his eyes forward. The Turkic commander of this ambush was Third Prince Munuha, who reacted extremely quickly, immediately signaling some men to shoot at the eagles while others continued launching hidden arrows at Xiao Huayong and rolling down stones.

Munuha drew his bow, first aiming at Xiao Huayong. Their gazes clashed across the distance, but at the moment of release, he turned his bow. Xiao Huayong was misled by this feint – he dodged what he thought was an arrow meant for him, not realizing the arrow had struck the thick snow on the cliff wall beside him. Huge chunks of snow began falling, growing larger as they rolled down the rock face.

Xiao Huayong immediately controlled his horse to leap up, barely avoiding the avalanche. As his horse’s hooves touched down, the Turkic leader used the same trick again, arrows once more targeting Xiao Huayong. He couldn’t slow his horse’s pace while holding the reins, or he would be hit by the flowing arrows or struck by the continuously falling rocks.

This arrow would be fatal if misjudged. If he dodged and the arrow hit the thick snow on the rock wall, he might not have time to dodge again. But if he didn’t dodge and the arrow was truly aimed at him, he would certainly be gravely wounded.

Xiao Huayong’s lips curved slowly upward. He first made a motion as if to rein in his horse and dodge the rolling snowballs, causing Munuha to instinctively lose his arrow. But the instant the arrow left the string, Xiao Huayong’s body sprang upward, successfully avoiding the deadly shot.

Munuha was just cursing himself for falling for Xiao Huayong’s trick: “Cunning Han!”

His capable subordinate had nocked and drawn almost simultaneously with Munuha’s shot. Three sharp arrows flew toward where Xiao Huayong had sprung up. Munuha also quickly drew his bow again, predicting how Xiao Huayong would avoid these three arrows, and released with a cold smile into space.

Having dodged Munuha’s first arrow, Xiao Huayong was still falling and hadn’t yet landed on his horse when the three arrows came flying. Mid-air, he twisted his body among the falling snow, drawing the flexible sword hidden in his belt and using it to push off the rock wall. Just then, Munuha’s second arrow shot viciously toward him.

Xiao Huayong turned his head as the arrow expanded in his pupils. Just as the arrow was about to pierce his flesh, a whistling arrow flew in from his other side, deflecting Munuha’s cold arrow right in front of him.

Xiao Huayong’s lips curved upward as he quickly assessed the situation. He planted one foot on the rock wall and dove toward his galloping horse below: “Your Majesty, cover me!”

After several leaps to avoid the chaotic arrows, Xiao Huayong whistled. His horse galloped toward him as he rolled onto its back, hooking one foot in the stirrup to keep from falling off. One hand grabbed the bow and arrows tied to the horse while the other gripped the reins tightly, using the horse’s momentum to spring up.

Draw arrow, nock, aim – in mid-spin, he rapidly shot two arrows streaking toward Munuha and his trusted aide.

Their hiding place was narrow, bordered by rock walls. Both men instinctively backed up, but Xiao Huayong’s arrows were incredibly fast, reaching them in the blink of an eye. Munuha accurately brought his curved sword up to block his chest – the arrow pierced the blade with only its head penetrating slightly beneath the skin, but the tremendous force still sent Munuha falling backward.

Munuha’s aide lacked such precision and failed to block Xiao Huayong’s arrow. It pierced straight through his chest and back, killing him instantly.