The martial prowess of Shajin was formidable. When Qin Zhonghai faced him in combat, he was immediately outmatched, and his formation was broken through by enemy troops. In his haste, he could only retreat toward Jade Gate Pass.
Behind them, dust clouds flew as the Fourth Prince led his army in pursuit. Qin Zhonghai and his men could only flee desperately, hoping to reach Jade Gate Pass first. Remembering that Xue Nu’er was already waiting there, they spurred their horses even faster.
For several days straight, everyone was retreating with their troops, only daring to rest briefly on horseback at night—who would dare set up camp in the midst of chaotic warfare? But the horses, having galloped for days without rest, were exhausted beyond endurance and began collapsing dead by the roadside.
Everyone’s faces were ashen, their spirits flagging. They feared they wouldn’t reach Jade Gate Pass before being overtaken by the Fourth Prince.
On this day, already the thirtieth of the twelfth month at dusk, Qin Zhonghai was still leading his troops when suddenly a rider approached in panic. Qin Zhonghai was startled, not knowing who was fleeing here, and quickly halted his army. The approaching figure had a face white as paper with disheveled hair—it was Xue Nu’er, Deputy Director of the Eastern Depot! Qin Zhonghai was shocked. This Xue Nu’er should have been at Jade Gate Pass monitoring Jiang Chong’s forces—why was he fleeing here in such panic? Qin Zhonghai quickly called out, “Eunuch Xue! What’s happening?” Xue Nu’er galloped over, cursing, “Everyone run! Jiang Chong’s men have turned against us and are pursuing relentlessly—they want to kill us!” Qin Zhonghai and his subordinates looked at each other, speechless.
Before long, great clouds of dust rose ahead as troops rushed toward them—judging by the momentum, there were at least ten thousand men.
Qin Zhonghai’s thick eyebrows furrowed tightly. He never expected Jiang Chong to raise arms against them at this critical moment. Though he didn’t know his intentions, Jade Gate Pass was now inaccessible. Seeing Qin Zhonghai hesitating, Xue Nu’er immediately cursed, “I told you to flee! What are you standing there for?”
Qin Zhonghai pointed behind him and smiled bitterly, “The Fourth Prince of the barbarian nation is rebelling and won’t rest until he kills us—he’s pursuing us from behind right now. Where do you want us to retreat, Eunuch?”
Xue Nu’er was also shocked and spat, “What the hell is going on? How can there be rebellions everywhere? This is absolutely ridiculous!” Lord He, seeing the army suddenly halt, quickly came forward in alarm, “What’s wrong? Aren’t we almost at Jade Gate Pass? Why have we suddenly stopped?”
Xue Nu’er said urgently, “There’s no time to explain! When Jiang Chong’s dogs arrive, we’ll all be finished! Quick, change direction!” As he spoke, thunderous hoofbeats approached from ahead as ten thousand horses galloped toward them. Though Qin Zhonghai and his subordinates were exhausted, the situation was critical, so they all raised their weapons to protect the high officials and royal family.
When the force drew near, the great army suddenly stopped. Silver helmets gleamed and blade edges shone like snow—these were clearly well-disciplined elite troops. The arrivals were indeed the Jade Gate Pass garrison, directly under Jiang Chong’s command.
Lord He knew Xue Nu’er had quite a temper and had probably offended Jiang Chong, causing this pursuit. Seeing his life in danger, how could he be willing to get entangled in the feud between the Eastern Depot and Jiang Chong? He immediately spurred his horse forward and called to Jiang Chong’s troops, “I am Censor He, under imperial orders to escort the Princess for the marriage alliance—quickly let us pass!” A general emerged from the army with a cold sneer, “Who cares if you’re Censor He or Censor Who? Lord Jiang has ordered that no one may enter the pass without permission—violators will be executed without mercy!” He then drew his bow, nocked an arrow, and with a whoosh shot at Lord He, knocking off his official hat. Lord He was so frightened he soiled himself and fled back to the formation.
Qin Zhonghai was furious and immediately raised his blade, cursing, “You general are extremely arrogant! How dare you refuse us entry to the pass! Quickly state your name—we’ll settle this clearly before the Golden Palace in the future!”
Seeing the general sneer without answering, Xue Nu’er cursed, “Gao Yan, you damned mongrel! You’re nothing but a dog under Jiang Chong, yet you dare provoke the Eastern Depot! When I return to the capital, if I don’t exterminate your entire family, I’ll take your surname!” Gao Yan’s expression changed—offending the Eastern Depot was indeed no small matter. His face showed hesitation when an adjutant approached and whispered in his ear. Hearing this, Gao Yan seemed somewhat reassured and immediately shouted, “Old monster! Stop your blabbering! First see if you can save your own life before coming to fart before your grandfather!”
Xue Nu’er’s face turned deathly pale with rage as he shrieked, “Seeking death!” His figure flashed as he was about to charge forward. Knowing Xue Nu’er’s martial arts were formidable, Gao Yan quickly ordered arrows to be shot. Ten thousand arrows filled the sky, forcing Xue Nu’er to dodge frantically in embarrassment before retreating.
Gao Yan laughed heartily, “Who else dares approach?” Seeing no one dared move for a long time, he deployed his troops and established camp, remaining motionless and absolutely forbidding Qin Zhonghai’s group from crossing the line.
Qin Zhonghai saw the situation had turned dire—Gao Yan’s army blocked the way ahead while barbarian troops approached from behind. He couldn’t help sighing, “No retreat ahead, pursuers behind—what are we to do?”
Xue Nu’er shrieked, “You’re the general—you should think of something! How can you ask me?”
Qin Zhonghai’s mind stirred as he remembered Liu Angtian once mentioning that in the past, the court had an extraordinary general called “Marquis Wude” who had fought a great battle with Yesen Khan outside Jade Gate Pass. When he was framed and denied entry to the pass, he had taken position in “Gourd Valley” ten li away for a final battle. If they could reach Gourd Valley, they could certainly defend from that advantageous position. Thinking of this, he quickly called over a veteran soldier, “When you previously garrisoned the western frontier, did you ever hear of a ‘Gourd Valley’?” The veteran replied, “Of course. That ‘Gourd Valley’ is not far from here—only about ten li to the east.” Qin Zhonghai was delighted and ordered the veteran to lead the way.
Qin Zhonghai then commanded the front troops to turn east first while the rear guard defended against any sneak attack by Gao Yan’s forces. After traveling several li, they saw in the distance that the Fourth Prince’s army had already caught up, charging past Gao Yan’s formation, while Gao Yan acted as if he saw nothing, letting the great army gallop past. Qin Zhonghai was incensed—this Gao Yan, as a court official responsible for western frontier security, how could he allow enemy troops to gallop freely at the border? Could the two forces have some agreement? He asked, “Eunuch Xue, what exactly happened at the pass? Why are these people pursuing you all the way out here?”
Xue Nu’er cursed shrilly, “When I reached Jade Gate Pass that day, I wanted that beast surnamed Gao to open the pass and send troops to escort the Princess’s convoy. Who knew this bastard treated me to good wine and meat during the day, then sent troops to surround and kill me at night! Hmph! These fools who don’t know their place—I killed over a hundred of them that very night. But I was outnumbered and couldn’t fight four hands with two fists, so I temporarily withdrew. Who knew this dog Gao Yan wouldn’t let it go and led troops in pursuit all the way here!” Qin Zhonghai was puzzled—if Jiang Chong wanted to kill Xue Nu’er, he could easily send his extraordinary subordinates. Why mobilize so many troops? Could he intend to participate in the Khan nation’s political upheaval? Or was there some even more significant conspiracy? It was truly baffling.
Though Qin Zhonghai was shrewd, he didn’t know that Jiang Chong himself had already arrived in the western frontier, nor that Zhuo Lingzhao was already ambushed near Ghost Pavilion and currently fighting fiercely with Yang Suguan and others. Gao Yan’s opening of the pass and deployment of troops was merely one link in a chain of schemes.
The army fled in panic, and after several li, they suddenly heard great battle cries behind them—the Fourth Prince’s forces had caught up. The two armies engaged in close combat, fighting several rounds with losses on both sides. Seeing the Fourth Prince had caught up, Dabaer Khan was terrified and spurred his horse to flee even faster. The army charged frantically, leaving the Fourth Prince far behind.
Qin Zhonghai knew the situation was now critical. Without sending someone to fight a rearguard action to the death, all their forces would surely perish here. This expedition included the Khan nation’s heir apparent and the dynasty’s censor—such important figures absolutely could not be allowed to fall into enemy hands. His mind made up, Qin Zhonghai said to Xue Nu’er, “Eunuch Xue, please escort Lord He to safety. I must stay behind to cover the rear.” Xue Nu’er was startled and shook his head with a cold laugh, “Qin Zhonghai, ah Qin Zhonghai! At this point you still want to play the hero? With your few men, how can you match two armies? Such reckless behavior is merely throwing your life away for nothing.”
Qin Zhonghai looked proudly into the distance, “Whether I live or die, I cannot let everyone sit and await death. I must fight no matter what!” Xue Nu’er chuckled and drew out his “Heavenly Golden Wheel,” sneering, “With your martial skills, you want to cover the rear? I think you should save your strength. Better let my ‘Heavenly Golden Wheel’ show its power—perhaps there’s still a thread of hope.” Actually, Xue Nu’er intended to help and fight alongside Qin Zhonghai against the enemy, but since the two had never gotten along, though he thought this way, he continued mocking with unpleasant words.
Qin Zhonghai laughed heartily, “Thank you for your kind intention, Eunuch—I’m very grateful this time. But leading troops in battle isn’t the same as martial arts competition—you’re not up to it. Quickly escort Lord He away!” Hearing his words carried a tone of contempt, Xue Nu’er couldn’t help snorting, “This is your own choice to go die. When you’re dying, don’t blame heaven and earth or say this eunuch didn’t come help you.”
Qin Zhonghai smiled slightly and ignored him, summoning a hundred death-defying warriors. Each man carried blade and axe to ambush with him, waiting for the Fourth Prince’s arrival to launch a surprise attack. As long as they could delay them for a few hours, their own army should be able to reach Gourd Valley safely.
Qin Zhonghai was no reckless person. His decision to stay behind was not suicidal stubbornness—he had already calculated an escape plan. He had pre-arranged for a hundred fine horses to wait several li away. When he gave the signal whistle, they would come to retrieve the axemen.
Qin Zhonghai led his men to hide behind a sand dune, ready to charge forward for battle at any moment. Hearing the steady sound of hoofbeats, the Fourth Prince’s army hurried past without any precautions. Seeing the opportunity was perfect, he raised his arm high and shouted, “Brothers! Forward to kill the enemy!”
He charged down first, rolling on the ground. The axemen also followed him forward in a rolling motion. Everyone gave a great shout—whenever they saw horse legs, they immediately chopped them down. Qin Zhonghai was extremely fierce, his blade light dancing as he rolled chaotically on the ground like an extremely sharp large disc charging into the mass of horse hooves.
The barbarian soldiers, seeing his fierce momentum, hurriedly changed direction, but their momentum was already committed. In the blink of an eye, wails arose as Qin Zhonghai and his men chopped down over a hundred horse legs. The horses neighed mournfully and toppled to the ground. The front troops fell while the rear troops crashed into them. Everyone panicked and shouted together, “Move aside! Quickly move aside!” With a thunderous crash, tens of thousands of hooves trampled forward, stomping on the front army. The collision caused the rear army to also topple. For a moment, human voices and horse cries filled the air as countless died from trampling, and the formation was thrown into chaos.
Qin Zhonghai saw the Fourth Prince’s banner nearby and was delighted, “Capture the leader to catch the bandits! If I can capture this Fourth Prince, I can surely turn the tide!” As soon as this thought arose, he immediately rolled toward the Fourth Prince’s troops.
Seeing Qin Zhonghai rolling toward him, the Fourth Prince panicked and whipped his horse, calling, “Quick! Quick! Who will kill him for this king!”
The troops raised their spears to stab randomly, but Qin Zhonghai’s movements were extremely agile—rolling left, flipping right, sometimes even diving under horse bellies. How could the mounted soldiers reach him? After several rolls, Qin Zhonghai had reached the side of the Fourth Prince’s mount. He gave a tiger’s roar, drew his blade and leaped up to strike!
The Fourth Prince covered his face in terror, crying, “Help! Quickly protect the king!”
Seeing the Fourth Prince in extreme danger, soldiers from both sides suddenly rushed out, desperately raising their shields to block this thunderous strike. The fire-red blade pressed down with a tremendous clang, bursting the warriors’ grips and causing their shields to fall. Qin Zhonghai swung his blade horizontally in a move called “Fire Clouds Eight Directions,” striking several guards in the chest. Blood spurted out as they immediately toppled to the ground.
Seeing no one guarding the Fourth Prince, Qin Zhonghai gave a wild roar and charged at the commander with his blade raised. The Fourth Prince spurred his horse to flee, frantically calling, “Shajin! Come save me quickly!” Qin Zhonghai cursed, “Too late!” His steel blade pursued like a soul-seeker, about to cut the Fourth Prince in half at the waist.
At this moment, a chain blade flew from behind, stabbing viciously at Qin Zhonghai’s throat with extremely fierce force. Seeing the attack coming too fast, Qin Zhonghai quickly rolled to dodge. As he lay on the ground, he saw a large man approaching on horseback with a proud expression—it was Shajin.
Seeing his appearance, Qin Zhonghai’s brow immediately furrowed, knowing the situation was now irreversible.
The Fourth Prince, having suffered several losses at Qin Zhonghai’s hands, knew he was both fierce and cunning. He quickly said, “Shajin, listen well—we’ll take a detour away from here first. These few people here are all yours!” Though Shajin looked displeased, he couldn’t disobey orders and could only nod.
The Fourth Prince called, “Pass the order—the great army will detour and advance eastward!” With thundering hoofbeats, the Fourth Prince hastily departed.
After the Fourth Prince led his army away, only Shajin remained in the wilderness, leading a thousand cavalry. He was ordered to deal with Qin Zhonghai so the main force could depart safely.
A subordinate asked, “General, what do we do now?” Qin Zhonghai calculated that since his own forces had safely escaped, there was no need to remain here fighting this monster Shajin in single combat. He ordered, “All troops listen—we retreat to Gourd Valley!” The axemen responded loudly. Immediately, Qin Zhonghai gave a long whistle to the sky. In the distance, dust clouds rose with thundering hooves—his hidden subordinates were bringing a hundred fine horses to the rescue.
Qin Zhonghai shouted, “Everyone charge out together!” He led everyone in a breakout charge to rendezvous with the cavalry.
Seeing Qin Zhonghai about to leave, Shajin waved his hand, and over a thousand cavalry slowly advanced, surrounding Qin Zhonghai and his men. Qin Zhonghai saw the enemy was well-trained—truly elite lions. He quickly ordered, “Everyone attack the horse legs! Escape when you get the chance! This Shajin’s martial arts are too high—don’t fight him to the death!”
He took the lead, rolling on the ground and wildly chopping with his blade. The axemen immediately rolled to the ground and also attacked the horse legs.
Shajin sneered and shook his head, “Mere ground tactics—what are they worth? Watch my ‘Golden Hook Formation’!” He shouted, “Form up!” At his command, a thousand subordinates immediately spread out, then drew strange weapons from their saddlebags—long like blades, curved like hooks, but their purpose was unclear. Qin Zhonghai cursed, “Demonic tricks—what are they worth?” The axemen, undaunted by strong enemies, continued rolling and tumbling among the horse hooves, seeking opportunities to strike.
Shajin shouted, “Attack!” A thousand cavalry leaned sideways and down, hooking their feet in the stirrups and pressing their bodies against the horse bellies to attack the axemen on the ground.
Qin Zhonghai was shocked, thinking, “So this is the Golden Hook Formation?” He had heard of this formation but never seen it. He never expected to encounter it in this barbarous land. It seemed Shajin was not only formidable in martial arts but also brilliant at commanding troops. Qin Zhonghai was alarmed and about to order his subordinates to retreat when he saw the thousand cavalry already raising their golden hooks to sweep at the axemen under the horse hooves. Most of Qin Zhonghai’s men were brave warriors. Though they saw the enemy was formidable, they remained fearless and raised their iron axes to chop at the horse legs.
Shajin shouted, “Hook!” The cavalry swept their hooks down. The axemen’s faces changed color as they tried to flee, but it was too late. They were immediately hooked by the ankle. The golden hooks’ sharp points instantly penetrated bone, and the thousand cavalry immediately galloped wildly. Hundreds of axemen were dragged sliding on the ground amid continuous screams. When steel blades fell, many were even dismembered.
The remaining men, seeing the dire situation, fled left and right in complete rout.
Qin Zhonghai’s face was ashen. Seeing how formidable this Shajin was—he had actually broken the ground formation—he gave a tiger’s roar and shouted, “Everyone follow me in the charge!” In his great anger, he no longer rolled and crawled on the ground but stood up and charged at the Golden Hook Formation.
Qin Zhonghai led the charge, raising his great blade and channeling the eighth level of “Fire Greedy Blade” power in a move called “Dragon Fire Devouring Sky,” pouncing like a fire dragon. His whole body spun like a top, the blade light carrying blazing flames like a demon. The horses, seeing the burning fire, were frightened and scattered in all directions. Qin Zhonghai howled wildly, “You killed my men—pay with your lives!”
His mad blade slashed chaotically. Several brave warriors blocking his path were immediately cut down on the spot. The Golden Hook Formation, struck by his charge, immediately had a gap torn open. Seeing the opportunity was perfect, Qin Zhonghai quickly shouted, “Axemen listen—all troops retreat and regroup in Gourd Valley!”
A subordinate, seeing him still fighting the enemy, was alarmed, “General, what about you?” Qin Zhonghai shouted, “What nonsense? Leave immediately!” Military orders were like mountains. With Qin Zhonghai’s command, the man dared not say more and immediately fled with the others. When Shajin’s subordinates tried to intercept, they were all cut down with two or three blade strikes.
Before long, a large group of horses arrived from afar—these were the forces Qin Zhonghai had arranged for support. His subordinates, having escaped death, quickly mounted and fled in panic.
Seeing everyone escape, Qin Zhonghai also wanted to mount and flee when suddenly a blade chopped from behind with extremely powerful force—it was Shajin striking. Qin Zhonghai quickly rolled off his horse to dodge, but saw Shajin looking at him coldly, “Your subordinates can leave, but you cannot!”
Shajin’s subordinates, seeing him dismounted, seized the opportunity to kill him, wanting to finish him in one strike. But with Qin Zhonghai’s martial arts level, how could the “Golden Hook Formation,” which was just a battle array technique, subdue a martial arts master? His blade light flashed, instantly cutting off three horse legs as he looked around for escape routes.
Seeing his subordinates retreating in alarm, Shajin knew no one could handle him and immediately said coldly, “You go pursue those axemen—leave this man to me to kill.”
Shajin’s soldiers, seeing Qin Zhonghai killing like a demon with a fierce and terrifying expression, heard their commander’s instructions like receiving imperial amnesty and quickly rode away.
Shajin sat on his horse, looking down at Qin Zhonghai with pride, “Stand up and fight with all your might!”
Qin Zhonghai slowly rose to his feet. At this moment, only the sound of wind remained between heaven and earth. On this vast battlefield, only he and Shajin remained. As the two were about to fight, Shajin still sat on his horse, merely glancing sideways at Qin Zhonghai with a cold smile on his face—the very picture of confidence.
Qin Zhonghai calculated in his heart that he was no match for this man and continuously looked for escape plans, thinking, “Looking at this man’s manner, he must be fully confident of killing me. When I crossed weapons with him earlier, his martial arts were indeed unfathomable. Today’s battle should be avoided if possible, escaped if necessary—otherwise, next year today might truly become my death anniversary.”
A gust of sandy wind blew. Seeing the wind was quite strong, Qin Zhonghai’s mind stirred. He had originally been standing to the east, but now slowly moved his steps to occupy the upwind position to the north. Shajin paid him no heed, only sitting on his horse with a disdainful expression.
In an instant, a violent wind struck, stirring up yellow sand that blew toward Shajin’s face. His eyes squinted slightly. Qin Zhonghai was delighted—he had occupied the northern position precisely for this geographical advantage. He immediately channeled “Fire Clouds Eight Directions” and thrust his blade at Shajin. The blade momentum covered six vital points on Shajin’s body. This move, aided by geographical advantage, had quite the flavor of catching the enemy off guard.
But the horse saber rang out with a “clang” and suddenly became twelve blade sections connected by iron chains. The chain blade danced as it rapidly wound around Qin Zhonghai’s body. Having suffered from this chain blade before, Qin Zhonghai knew he was quite inadequate against it. This chain blade was extremely ingenious—head and tail coordinated with each other. If he fought it head-on, the twelve blade sections cutting together could immediately slice him into over ten pieces. Shajin’s hands danced continuously as the chain blade moved up and down, drilling forward and flipping back, suddenly cutting toward Qin Zhonghai’s chest. Qin Zhonghai’s face changed color as he quickly fell to the ground prone, not daring to meet the attack head-on.
Seeing he didn’t dare fight directly, Shajin exerted force with his wrist. With a “pop” sound, the chain blade rejoined into a twelve-foot horse saber and chopped straight down at Qin Zhonghai’s head. Still lying on the ground, Qin Zhonghai quickly rolled to one side. With a thunderous crash, a deep furrow was split in the sandy ground.
Qin Zhonghai’s face was ashen as he quickly flipped up and stepped back. Shajin still sat on his horse, only watching him coldly.
Seeing Shajin’s martial arts were extraordinarily high, Qin Zhonghai knew this battle had no chance of victory. He looked in all directions, continuously surveying the surrounding terrain. Suddenly he saw a grove of trees about ten li away. The interior must be hidden and winding—if he could hide inside, he could use his agile movement to escape with his life. As soon as this thought arose, he kicked forcefully at the ground, stirring up countless sand particles that flew toward the eyes of Shajin’s mount. Though horse eyelashes could block wind and sand, this sand was different—imbued with Qin Zhonghai’s profound internal power. How could the horse endure it? Its eyeballs were suddenly struck by sand particles and it immediately neighed in pain, rearing up. Though not blinded, it was in considerable agony.
Seeing the opportunity was perfect, Qin Zhonghai quickly used his lightness skill to flee toward the grove.
Shajin’s face turned deathly pale with rage as he shouted, “How despicable! How can you use such underhanded tactics!” Qin Zhonghai didn’t respond at all, only running frantically.
Shajin called out, “Despicable villain! If I don’t kill you, who knows how many people will suffer at your hands in the future!” As he spoke, he dismounted and pursued on foot.
Not wanting him to discover his plan to ambush from the forest, Qin Zhonghai immediately took a roundabout route, continuously circling. Shajin only followed slowly behind him, not pursuing quickly—this man was quite arrogant and unwilling to appear as flustered as himself. He fled in curves and detours for over an hour. Seeing the sky had darkened, he turned toward the forest, thinking that nighttime would be even better for sneak attacks and ambushes—this battle still had a thread of hope.
Though Qin Zhonghai appeared rough and unrestrained on the surface, seemingly unconcerned with details, in reality he was quite alert and cunning, with countless schemes. Whenever enemy and friendly forces were vastly mismatched, he would inevitably seek victory through unconventional and risky moves, completely disregarding his reputation. It was precisely because of his character that he used third-rate tactics like throwing sand to escape with his life.
Liu Angtian had always had two great generals under him—one was Qin Zhonghai, the other was Yang Suguan. If the two were compared, Yang Suguan was far more proud and self-respecting than Qin Zhonghai. Yang Suguan was naturally quite conceited and always cared about face. Even when the enemy was strong and he was weak, he was unwilling to lose face. Even if he had to lose, he wanted to lose with dignity and good appearance. If he used dirty tricks or ruthless moves, he would do so secretly in private, never daring to be as blatant as Qin Zhonghai.
After fleeing for a while, Qin Zhonghai rushed into the forest and saw withered branches everywhere—a desolate scene of harsh winter. As he walked and looked, seeking a hiding place, after a moment he couldn’t help exclaiming “Eh!” In the moonlight, he saw something towering high, not knowing what it was. Walking closer and looking carefully, he realized it was a towering ancient tree, about ten zhang high and thick enough for ten people to embrace. Though it was deep winter, it remained verdantly strong, particularly striking among the withered trees.
Qin Zhonghai was startled, not knowing how such a tall tree could exist in this desert wasteland. But at this moment, in dangerous circumstances, how could he have time to look at such external things? Without examining it closely, he turned to hide behind the ancient tree. Behind the tree was a small round hill with some weeds growing on it, nothing else. As he was surveying, he suddenly saw a person standing in front of the great tree, looking up. The man had a purple face with a stern, square countenance—it was Shajin.
Qin Zhonghai was shocked in his heart: “This old fellow appears and disappears like a ghost!” Just now he had seen this man far behind—how had he arrived in an instant? It was truly inconceivable.
Qin Zhonghai held his steel blade, hiding behind the great tree and secretly peering out. He saw Shajin squinting his eyes, looking up at that great tree. A gust of wind blew, making Shajin’s long beard under his chin flutter in the wind. The moonlight reflected on his face, and his expression seemed quite sorrowful.
Seeing his strange behavior, Qin Zhonghai felt quite curious, but with his life at stake, how could he care about such things? He held his breath and concentrated, waiting for Shajin to lose his guard so he could use his master’s ultimate technique—”Dragon Fire Devouring Sky”—to kill him.
But Shajin walked to beside the great tree and seemed to forget about the impending battle. He looked up at the towering tree with a desolate expression on his face. On his purple face were actually tear tracks. Just as Qin Zhonghai was wondering, he suddenly saw Shajin point his finger to heaven and cry wildly, “Oh Heaven! Oh Heaven! We heroes have clear consciences and nothing to be ashamed of—how… how can you treat us like this! How can you be so heartless! How can you be so heartless!”
Under the moonlight, Shajin’s tiger eyes contained tears as he raised his blade to question heaven, seeming to have endless sorrow. Though Qin Zhonghai wanted to kill this man, seeing his strange behavior, he still paid attention, thinking, “This Shajin looks down on me so much—knowing I’m ambushed here, yet he’s acting crazy here. I wonder if he has some other plot.”
But Shajin gazed at the horizon as if wanting heaven to give him an answer. For a long, long time he stood motionless, and all around was completely quiet. Qin Zhonghai secretly endured, cursing continuously in his heart.
Suddenly Shajin laughed heartily, displaying mad behavior as he raved to the sky, “How can there be gods in this world? Even if there are gods, I, Shi Gang, am a god!” He spread both hands outward like a divine eagle spreading its wings. The horse saber immediately became a chain blade, and as his hands danced rapidly, the chain blade stirred up countless sand and dust from the ground like an earth dragon flying back and forth before the great tree.
Shajin continuously shouted from his mouth, as if wanting to vent the resentment in his heart, singing sadly: “The vast sky descends upon the earth below—why does it not save the suffering of all spirits? Heroes should die by slow slicing, weeping tears of grief with no words to speak? I turn my blade toward heaven and cry out—loyal ministers with foolish hearts in vain! How can the great thousand return to chaos—don’t let us know the mandate of heaven!” His expression was excited as he gave a great shout and forcefully thrust his horse saber into the yellow sand. With a thunderous crash, a pit over a foot deep immediately appeared in the ground. In the flying sand and dust, the crescent moon hung high behind him, further displaying his vast and heroic spirit.
Qin Zhonghai’s heart stirred as he thought, “This person is definitely not an ordinary barbarian general—he must bear some ancient grievance, which is why he’s so grief-stricken and howling.” Though Qin Zhonghai wanted to ambush Shajin at this moment, seeing his behavior, he already knew this person must be a passionate and heroic figure. By nature he most loved such heroes, and for a moment his heart suddenly felt a sense of closeness and kinship, making him somewhat unable to strike.
Qin Zhonghai sighed in his heart, but after just an instant he was calm again, thinking, “If I don’t kill him, he will certainly kill me. What kind of person am I, Qin Zhonghai, that I should have a woman’s mercy?” His mind made up, when the man lost his guard, he would strike.
Shajin knelt on both knees before the great tree and said, “Grand Commander above, your subordinate has been in foreign lands for twenty years, fallen in a foreign country, and still cannot avenge you or wash away the hatred for our wrongly killed brothers. I think of my wasted time, accomplishing nothing, like a tiny boat on the vast sea. In the future I will die alone in a foreign land… is this my fate?” He sighed continuously.
Qin Zhonghai was curious in his heart. From his words, this ancient tree should be someone’s burial place, but he didn’t know who was buried there.
Shajin continued, “Today by coincidence, your subordinate pursued court traitors and came again to the Grand Commander’s grave… alas… For twenty years, weeds and wilderness smoke have covered the Grand Commander’s grave—I wonder if anyone else comes to pay respects? Grand Commander, ah Grand Commander, what were we loyal to the court for in the past? Yet how cruel and vicious has the court been to us?” He was overcome with grief and actually cried aloud.
Suddenly seeing Shajin with tears streaming down his face and his head bowed, this was an excellent opportunity for a sneak attack. Qin Zhonghai was delighted and immediately raised his blade and flew forward, shouting, “Take your life!” Using the move “Dragon Fire Devouring Sky,” his whole body spun rapidly like a fire dragon as he chopped fiercely at Shajin’s neck.
Seeing the steel blade about to strike Shajin’s crown, he still remained prostrate and motionless as if unaware. Though he had already decided, at this moment Qin Zhonghai’s heart still softened as he thought, “This person’s martial arts are unrivaled and he’s an outstanding hero—if I kill him like this, it’s too despicable.” He immediately deflected his blade and reduced his force, about to let him pass.
With a loud “clang,” Shajin’s horse saber suddenly split open like a living thing and rose up, slicing straight at Qin Zhonghai’s throat. He had already seen Qin Zhonghai.
Qin Zhonghai was greatly shocked and rolled away on the ground, continuously cursing himself in his heart: “Qin Zhonghai, ah Qin Zhonghai! How could you be soft-hearted and light-handed! This Shajin was already prepared, yet you thought you were so clever—today you’ll surely die here!”
Shajin remained prostrate with his face to the ground, still saying, “Shameless court dog, despicable traitor—since you’ve come to this sacred place, how can you not kneel?”
Qin Zhonghai spat and mocked, “What sacred place? Is this his damn Taoist temple or Buddhist hall? Who do you want me to kneel to? The Jade Emperor? Or you, brother?”
Shajin knelt on the ground and snorted heavily. The chain blade in his hand seemed to come alive, advancing and retreating, attacking above and striking below, invincible in all directions. Qin Zhonghai was barely managing left and right, extremely struggling. He only made his steel blade impenetrable like water to block Shajin’s offensive.
Shajin slowly stood up, and the chain blade became a hundred times more flexible. With a whoosh, it suddenly chopped at Qin Zhonghai’s legs. Qin Zhonghai leaped up to avoid it, but the chain blade turned on the ground and came around from behind to slice at his back. Qin Zhonghai jumped forward and fell to the ground. The chain blade rose in mid-air and then pecked downward. Qin Zhonghai quickly rolled away, breathing heavily and thinking, “Fighting like this, I’ll surely lose tonight. My techniques are inferior to his—could my internal power also be inferior? I have no choice now but to compete with him in internal strength, otherwise there’s no chance of survival!” With this thought, he flipped up and stood, wanting to find an opportunity to grab the chain blade. Shajin’s face was expressionless as his techniques intensified. The chain blade moved back and forth, changing seven or eight positions in an instant, becoming increasingly fierce. Qin Zhonghai tried to strike several times but couldn’t find the method.
Shajin sneered, “Considering you’re so young yet have practiced to this level, it’s quite remarkable. But you specialize in working for the court with despicable and shameless behavior—you can’t blame me for that.”
Qin Zhonghai concentrated completely and couldn’t respond. In that instant, the chain blade suddenly attacked his throat. Qin Zhonghai’s mind stirred as he thought, “If I don’t take a risk now, when will I?” He immediately took the risk and raised his blade to block the chain blade. Shajin sneered, “Finally going to fight with all your might?” The chain blade slipped and cut toward Qin Zhonghai’s wrist. Qin Zhonghai steeled his heart, thinking, “Even if I lose an arm, I must grab this thing!” He raised his arm and pressed against the blade edge. Blood red flashed before his eyes as his upper arm was cut by the chain blade, immediately opening flesh and spilling blood.
Fortunately, when the chain blade entered flesh, its momentum slowed. Qin Zhonghai was delighted and quickly wound his steel blade around the iron chain on the chain blade. With a clinking sound, he had entangled the chain blade.
Qin Zhonghai thought, “I can’t match your techniques, so I’ll compete in internal power! Let you taste the fierce internal strength of ‘Fire Greedy Blade’!” He gathered his true qi, and the rigid strength of Fire Greedy Blade transmitted through both their blades, immediately activating continuously without rest.
Shajin showed a slight smile and nodded, “You have the courage to compete with me in internal power—you’re truly fearless and have guts.”
Seeing him speak without any fear of impure true qi, which showed he looked down on himself to the extreme, Qin Zhonghai activated all his internal power like iron hammers pounding into Shajin’s body.
Shajin smiled and calmly received it. Qin Zhonghai’s fierce internal strength was like a mud ox entering the sea—gone without return. Qin Zhonghai was shocked and immediately mobilized all his internal strength to exert with full force.
Shajin shouted, “Well done!” A red glow flashed on his face as he actually rebounded Qin Zhonghai’s internal power back. Qin Zhonghai’s face turned deathly pale as he thought, “This is bad—this old thing’s internal power is incredibly strong. I’m in trouble!” This Shajin not only had a strange weapon and crafty techniques, but his internal power was also matchlessly fierce. Qin Zhonghai’s internal cultivation was purely yang and rigid—seeing no opening to exploit, this plan could only come to nothing, making him cry out in distress.
At this moment, the two were competing in internal power—it was a life-or-death clash with no room for ambiguity. Qin Zhonghai was over twenty years younger than Shajin, so his skill was naturally not as deep. But his teacher was a grand master of martial arts, truly an extraordinary person, so the internal cultivation he transmitted was also profound and extensive, with particularly strange power when facing enemies. Therefore, though Qin Zhonghai’s skill was inferior to Shajin’s, his whole body’s internal strength could be exerted to its fullest, so for now he wasn’t falling behind.
After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, he felt Shajin’s internal power surging endlessly, wave after wave like angry billows overturning rivers or thunderbolts shaking—truly magnificently fierce and rarely seen in the world. Qin Zhonghai activated his sect’s secret method, moving all the internal strength from his dantian out. He knew that operating his cultivation like this, if he was even slightly careless, he would suffer qi deviation and die. Therefore he concentrated even more, not daring to fail.
After another while, Qin Zhonghai’s face had turned purple and he felt he could no longer support himself, his knees gradually going soft. Shajin chuckled, “Coming to this sacred place, you can’t help but kneel!” Qin Zhonghai was furious in his heart—the saying goes that a man has gold under his knees; how could he endure such humiliation? He suddenly gathered his true qi, stimulating his heroic spirit. Internal power surged out violently, suddenly generating great force that actually shook Shajin’s horse saber away. Shajin was slightly surprised. With a “pop,” the horse saber scattered into twelve chain blade sections and chopped at Qin Zhonghai.
Qin Zhonghai had just used excessive force in his moment of anger and was now like he was drained. Seeing the horse saber chopping down but having no strength to parry, he hurriedly jumped to the side to dodge, but his strength was exhausted and he fell to the ground unable to move.
Shajin laughed heartily, “Shameless court dog, despicable traitor—today I’ll use you as a living sacrifice to the Grand Commander.” He then chopped down with his blade. This strike came incredibly fast. Qin Zhonghai barely struggled to get up but fell down again, already powerless to avoid it.
Seeing his life in danger, Qin Zhonghai could only sigh deeply. Since encountering this Shajin, not only were his martial arts inferior, but his formations and military strategies had also been broken by this man. Now he was about to die here. Qin Zhonghai’s heart was desolate, so he simply closed his eyes to await death.
Shajin laughed loudly, “Grand Commander’s heroic spirit above, accept this dog official’s life!” The chain blade flew forward and had already struck Qin Zhonghai’s back. With just one more inch, Qin Zhonghai would immediately die on the spot in the most miserable way!