Battle

Snowflakes drifted down in soft flurries, while the northern winds howled through the night. The air was bitterly cold, yet within her chest, a scorching unease had taken root. Shuí, the merchant lord—killing him had been easy. But she had underestimated his followers. Their martial skills far surpassed her own, and it was only upon realizing this that she had made the urgent decision to flee from Kunming City.

Beside her, riding at the same hurried pace, was Xin Long. Seductress Weiwei found herself glancing at him. Though he urged his horse forward with the same urgency as she did, his face remained calm and unwavering, completely devoid of fear. That unshaken composure, filled with quiet resolve, unknowingly eased the turmoil in her own heart.

It was strange... Fearlessness was a contagious thing. Seeing Xin Long's composed expression had, in turn, dispelled the worries that had plagued Weiwei's mind.

They had been riding hard for nearly an hour now. The two of them pressed on, their steeds showing no signs of exhaustion. These were strong, well-bred horses—built for endurance, capable of sustaining this relentless pace. Just as she was considering their stamina, a flicker of movement in the distance caught her eye.

Ahead, three riders approached, driving their horses just as hard. They were warriors from the Golden Tiger Fortress.

One man, dressed in white robes, carried a long spear slung across his back. Another, clad in black, had the stance of a skilled swordsman. The third was a woman draped in thick woolen robes, her eyebrows darkened excessively with kohl, giving her a fierce and striking appearance.

The scent of danger seeped into Weiwei's senses.

"Heh... Stop right there, Sister Wei!"

With a sharp pull on the reins, he brought his horse to an abrupt halt. Turning toward Weiwei, he gave her a warning glance before loosening his grip on the reins and securing them at his waist. Without hesitation, his hand moved to the hilt of his sword, drawing it from its sheath. His grip tightened around the handle, firm and steady, as his gaze locked onto the figures ahead.

From the front, Tie Yi pulled his horse to a stop, his eyes narrowing as he spotted the two figures waiting for them—Xin Long and Weiwei, already poised for battle. He immediately realized that Xin Long had anticipated their pursuit.

Slowing his horse, he spoke in a low, commanding voice.

"Gu Gu, you attack from behind with poison needles. Ah Chan, you move in for close combat. I'll use sound waves to weaken them. Remember—leave no one alive."

As soon as his horse slowed, Gu Gu and Ah Chan instinctively followed suit. Shooting a glance at each of them, Tie Yi laid out his plan before issuing his final order.

Tie Yi's hatred for Xin Long burned fiercely. Because of him, what had once been a peaceful and comfortable life had turned into eight grueling days of relentless pursuit. The farther Xin Long ran, the more determined Tie Yi became to chase him down.

No matter how far he fled, there would be no escape.

The reason Tie Yi could deduce that Xin Long and his group had arrived in Kunming City was simple—at every town they had passed through, the inns they stayed at always turned out to be the same ones Xin Long's group had rested in earlier. This fortunate coincidence had made tracking them significantly easier.

It wasn't just luck, however. Describing Xin Long to the innkeepers was enough to make him stand out. His demeanor, his cold, piercing gaze, and his uniquely composed manner made him easy to recognize. Not to mention, his so-called elder sister—a woman whose captivating beauty and alluring figure made her even more memorable. Thanks to these distinct traits, gathering information on them had been effortless.

Whirlwind Prince Tie Yi, of the Guqin clan, recalled the long pursuit that had led him here. The moment he closed the distance to within a bamboo's length of Xin Long's group, he reined in his horse and leapt to the ground. Without hesitation, he stepped forward and raised his Guqin instrument.

Then, he began to play a melody known as "Opening the Celestial Gate."

This was no ordinary tune. To those untrained in sound arts, it could inflict severe internal injuries.

"Ding... Ding... Ding..."

…

A warrior from the Golden Tiger Fortress, with a square-shaped face, leaped off his horse and sent the Guqin forward while moving his fingers along the strings, producing a striking sound. Hearing this, Xin Long felt a wave of unease settle in his heart.

However, as soon as he realized that these people were none other than the subordinates of his sworn enemy, Sangguan Jin Hu, his blood began to boil. The moment that fury surged through him, memories of the brutal trials and the dog kennel flashed in his mind.

There was no need to be afraid. Just like in the trials—he simply had to kill or be killed. That was all.

As he steadied himself, the sound waves infused with internal energy resonated in the air. At the same time, a swordsman leaped forward, charging toward them. Xin Long's sharp gaze caught sight of a woman with dark kohl heavily applied around her eyes. She made a swift motion with her right hand—revealing concealed weapons flying toward them.

"Watch out for concealed weapons!"

"Whizz! Whizz!"

"Swoosh… Boom! Boom!"

His warning came just in time—allowing Seductress Wei Wei to narrowly avoid a deadly strike.

The reason? Some of the concealed weapons struck two horses, while the rest flew past them through the wind tunnel where they had been sitting. The two injured horses let out agonized cries before collapsing on the spot.

The sight of their convulsing bodies, their exposed, ruptured abdomens, told Xin Long that they would soon perish.

Poison... A lethal one.

Any toxin that could kill a horse within moments was no ordinary poison.

Yet, in the dim, flickering moonlight, the shape of the concealed weapons remained unclear—making it difficult to determine exactly what had struck them.

As the approaching martial artist executed a skillful move and lunged forward with a blade, Xin Long swiftly parried the attack with his own sword, deflecting the strike and pushing the opponent back.

"Clang!"

"Whizz! Whizz!"

The moment he blocked the attack, Xin Long immediately launched into a seamless chain of sword techniques, each strike following the next in rapid succession. His relentless assault was not meant to simply defeat the enemy—it was to overwhelm them, leaving no opening for a counterattack. As he pressed on, delivering one deadly blow after another…

"Sis Wei, take cover behind a tree by the roadside!"

Xin Long knew that Wei Wei only had a single dagger on her, which meant she was vulnerable to ranged attacks. He didn't issue the warning out of concern for her well-being, but rather to ensure that she wouldn't become an easy target for hidden weapons. More than that, he wanted her to believe that he was protecting her.

But there was a reason behind his calculated words.

Despite having just one dagger, Wei Wei's martial prowess far surpassed his own—something he was well aware of. She, too, was an assassin-for-hire, just like him. And people of their kind never cowered in the shadows. They were warriors who lived by the blade and were unafraid of death.

The only way someone could develop such an unwavering mindset was by surviving countless deadly trials, each more ruthless than the last.

The moment he told her to take cover, Xin Long was certain of one thing—Wei Wei would not retreat. Instead, she would turn the tide by striking from an unexpected angle, aiding him in battle without hesitation. And he was absolutely confident in that.

Instinct...

Xin Long had always known how to control a person's heart and mind—whether through eloquence or by skillfully using body language to suit the situation. It was an innate talent, something that had been ingrained in him since birth.

After speaking to Wei Wei, Xin Long continued fighting against the swordsman attacking him. But amidst the relentless exchange of blows, an incessant humming sound kept creeping into his ears...

"Hey! Square-faced and built like a damn boulder, aren't you supposed to be a man?... Stop strumming those tunes like some lovesick girl from afar… If you're a real man, come fight me up close!..."

"And you, big sis in the back—waving that poisoned hidden weapon around, huh?... Watch yourself… You're about to hit your own guy… Focus on the fight and stop thinking only about killing me... Otherwise, you'll end up getting taken out first before I do..."

This was psychological warfare—Xin Long was deliberately unsettling his enemies. He knew that the best way to defeat a stronger opponent was to break their spirit first. And judging by the reaction, his words had hit their mark.

The melody from the unseen musician started faltering, the tune losing its rhythm. Xin Long caught sight of the player's face contorting with frustration, anger darkening their features. At the same time, the woman holding the concealed weapon hesitated—her grip loosened, her movements unsteady. And the swordsman engaged in direct combat with him? His stance had begun to waver, as if suddenly unsure of his footing.

Xin Long processed all of this in the span of a single blink. He never missed a thing. His eyes never stopped analyzing, his attacks never ceased.

And just then—at the perfect moment—Wei Wei lunged forward, seizing an opening with his own blade.

Xin Long felt a rush of satisfaction.

Just as he planned...

End – 17