Dead in the Jungle

The campfire, sheltered from the wind by the giant rock, was like a weary eye in the cold night, its orange glow barely illuminating a small patch of darkness and cold. The crackling of burning dry branches was the only sound, monotonous and fragile, making the deathly silence of the surrounding mountains and forests even more profound. Under the combined effects of the medicine and extreme exhaustion, Li Xin fell into a drowsy murmur, while Wang Ben leaned against the rock, feigning sleep, his chest heaving heavily. Ji Zhai silently poked at the fire, the leaping flames casting flickering shadows between his tightly furrowed brows; the constraints of his complacency clung to him like invisible thorns.

Xuanweizi sat cross-legged with his eyes closed, his withered figure almost blending into the cold rock, only his barely perceptible breathing indicating that he was not asleep. Xiao Yuxuan, on the other hand, forced himself to circulate the "Guarding Qi" technique, each deep breath attempting to suppress the surging, sharp, and chaotic energy within his body, like taming a wild, trapped beast. The arrow wound under his ribs, corroded by the cold, faintly throbbed with a familiar, dull pain, like a bone-deep abscess.

The deathly silence did not last long.

In the darkest hour before dawn, a faint yet rhythmic bird song, like a cold dewdrop, fell upon the taut strings of everyone's hearts—three short, sharp calls, two long ones, and then three more short ones. It was Gu Yan!

Sun Qian suddenly opened his tightly closed eyes, his sharp, hawk-like gaze piercing through the dim light of the campfire, landing in the direction the sound came from—a shadowy spot at the edge of a dense forest in the northeast. He didn't utter a sound, but quickly and silently made several hand gestures: alert, shushing, preparing to move.

Almost simultaneously, Xuanweizi slowly opened his calm, gray eyes. He didn't look in Gu Yan's direction, but instead listened intently, as if trying to detect some subtle vibration in the wind that ordinary people couldn't perceive. His withered fingers twitched very lightly on his knee, as if calculating.

“They’re here.” Xuanweizi’s voice was low and hoarse, like the rustling of withered leaves. “Northwest, three miles away. More than two hundred infantrymen, lightly armored, carrying powerful crossbows. The leader’s aura is deep and composed; he must be a centurion. There’s also movement in the southeast, about thirty to fifty riders, their hooves clattering, circling around us, trying to cut off our retreat.” He paused slightly, his gray eyes sweeping over Sun Qian. “The ambush troops in the forest are already within a hundred paces; their aura is murky, and their killing intent is evident.”

This almost supernaturally accurate judgment sent a jolt through Xiao Yuxuan's heart! He instinctively held his breath, focusing his senses, but apart from the howling mountain wind and the rustling of tree branches, he could hear nothing. However, a chilling, blood-tinged killing intent, like an invisible tide, was quietly spreading from the northwest, making his skin tighten slightly. The warm current in his dantian suddenly turned scalding hot, issuing a silent warning!

Sun Qian's face instantly hardened. Gu Yan's warning and Xuan Weizi's perception confirmed each other; the situation was critical! He made a swift decision, his voice low but each word sharp as a knife: "It's the elite Qin army! They're coming for us! This place cannot be defended! Wang Ben, carry Li Xin on your back! Master Xuanwei, Master Ji, follow me to break through towards Gu Yan in the northeast! Yu Xuan!" His gaze shot towards Xiao Yu Xuan like lightning, "You cover our rear, intercept the ambush in the forest. Don't aim to kill them, just delay them for a moment. Once we enter the depths of the dense forest ahead, find an opportunity to escape and catch up! Remember, do not linger in battle!"

Cover their retreat! Intercept the ambush!

Xiao Yuxuan's heart sank, as if gripped by an icy hand. The carnage of last night's fire attack, the chilling sensation of slaying enemy soldiers, Li Xin's agonizing scream as he pulled out the arrow… all surged into his mind instantly. Fear, like a cold, venomous snake, snaked its way up his spine. But the warm current in his dantian, scalding with warning, suddenly surged, a mixture of survival instinct and a desperate courage born of being driven to the brink of despair, forcefully suppressing the churning fear.

He took a deep breath of the icy air, the dull pain in his ribs seemingly lessened by this resolute determination. Without hesitation, he nodded forcefully, gripping the bronze dagger stained with last night's blood, his eyes instantly sharpening like a lone wolf cornered. "Yes, sir!"

"Go!" Sun Qian shouted, no longer delaying, he stood up first, his figure darting silently like a cheetah towards the edge of the dense forest to the northeast where Gu Yan's signal had come from. Wang Ben gritted his teeth and carried the still unconscious Li Xin on his back, Ji Zhai following closely behind. Xuan Weizi's gaunt figure moved like a ghost, his gray eyes sweeping over Xiao Yuxuan in the dim light, leaving behind a whisper: "If the heart is fortified, the Qi will naturally protect it. Preservation is paramount."

In an instant, only Xiao Yuxuan remained on the leeward side of the giant rock, along with the still crackling campfire. The warm orange glow of the fire contrasted sharply with the thick, menacing darkness all around.

It's here!

Almost at the same moment Xuanweizi and the others disappeared into the dense forest to the northeast, the killing intent from the northwest suddenly surged! Dense, light footsteps, like countless poisonous insects crawling rapidly among the fallen leaves and bushes, quickly approached! The cold "click" of the crossbow mechanism cocking, like the grinding of death's teeth, clearly pierced the silence of the forest!

Xiao Yuxuan pressed his body tightly against a jagged rock, his heart pounding like a drum. He forced himself to calm down, following Xuanweizi's method of "guarding qi," focusing his mind intently on the burning warmth in his dantian, desperately trying to suppress his aura. His gaze pierced through the cracks in the rock, fixed on the direction from which the killing intent was surging.

In the darkness, shadowy figures appeared like phantoms. Clad in dark brown leather armor, they moved swiftly and professionally, advancing in groups of three in a wedge formation, providing alternating cover. The powerful crossbows they carried gleamed with a cold, bronze luster in the dim starlight. The leader was a wiry man with hawk-like eyes, constantly scanning the leeward side of the giant rock where the firelight flickered.

"Surround them! Don't let a single one escape!" A deliberately lowered, cold voice with a heavy Guanzhong accent rang out. It was the centurion! He had clearly noticed the campfire and the messy traces on the ground.

Like wolves that have smelled blood, the ambush troops quickly dispersed, forming a loose semi-circle as they surrounded the giant rock. The distance drew ever closer—fifty paces…thirty paces… Xiao Yuxuan could even see the worn marks on the leather armor of the Qin soldiers in the front ranks and the cold, focused expressions on their faces.

We mustn't let them get close! And we mustn't let them discover where Sun Qian and the others are!

A fierce glint flashed in Xiao Yuxuan's eyes! Just as several Qin soldiers stepped into a relatively open area about twenty paces from the campfire, he suddenly leaned out from behind a rock and, with all his might, hurled a fist-sized, sharp rock at a thicket of bushes on his left!

The stone whistled through the air and landed precisely deep in the bushes!

Whoosh!

A sharp, grating sound of branches rubbing together suddenly rang out!

"Left! Fire!" The centurion reacted extremely quickly, immediately letting out a low roar while pointing his crossbow at the sound!

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!

At least seven or eight crossbow bolts, whistling through the air like swarms of bees leaving their nest, swarmed towards the innocent bushes in an instant! The arrows embedded themselves deeply into the tree trunks and soil, making dull thuds!

Now!

Just as all the Qin soldiers' attention was drawn to the strange noise on the left, Xiao Yuxuan, like a cheetah that had been poised for a long time, suddenly darted out from the right side of the rocks! He did not charge directly at the enemy, but instead pounced at top speed on several vines that he had secretly observed and that were connected to huge, withered tree trunks or steep slopes!

Sizzle! Sizzle!

He used his bronze short sword to fiercely cleave several taut, thick old vines! These vines were like taut bowstrings; once broken, the accumulated power was released instantly!

Rumble—!

A heart-stopping thud! Several massive, long-dead and rotten logs, barely held in place by vines at the edge of the steep slope, lost their grip and tumbled down the sloping surface, carrying with them a large amount of gravel and soil! Their target was none other than the Qin soldiers below who had just fired their crossbow bolts and whose formation was slightly disrupted!

"Watch out for the rolling logs!" a Qin soldier cried out in terror.

The sudden turn of events caught even these well-trained elite soldiers off guard! They hurriedly dodged to the sides, and the once tight encirclement was instantly breached! Heavy logs crashed down with tremendous force; although they didn't directly hit anyone, the dust and gravel they kicked up were like a storm, instantly knocking several Qin soldiers who were nearby to the ground, their screams filling the air! Chaos spread like wildfire!

"Damn it! It's a trap! He's over there! Chase him!" The general was both shocked and furious. He spotted Xiao Yuxuan at the source of the rolling logs and immediately pointed towards the rocks where Xiao Yuxuan was hiding, roaring fiercely!

More crossbow bolts rained down like locusts! They pounded into the rock where Xiao Yuxuan was hiding, sparks flying everywhere! Rock fragments flew!

After cutting the vines, Xiao Yuxuan rolled away and hid behind a rock. The cold wind from the arrow grazed his scalp, making him break out in a cold sweat. He dared not linger. Taking advantage of the precious gap in the Qin soldiers' path, hindered by the rolling logs and the chaos, he turned and fled for his life into the depths of the dense forest at an angle to the direction of Sun Qian and the others' retreat!

"Chase him! Don't let him get away!"

"Release the arrows! Shoot him dead!"

Angry roars and the twang of crossbow strings echoed behind me!

Xiao Yuxuan pushed the "Guarding Qi" technique to its limit! The warm current in his dantian, like a lit fuse, burst forth with astonishing power, propelling his weary body at high speed through the rugged, overgrown forest! He no longer deliberately sought silence, but instead utilized every available piece of terrain! Sometimes he ducked under fallen giant trees, sometimes he used the cover of thick tree trunks to make sharp turns, and sometimes he suddenly plunged into the dense bushes, causing the tracking crossbow bolts to lose their target!

Whoosh! A crossbow bolt grazed his arm, leaving a bloody mark!

Whoosh! Another arrow was driven deep into the tree trunk he had just stepped on!

The shadow of death is ever-present!

He felt like a rabbit being hunted by a pack of wolves, his lungs heaving violently like broken bellows, each breath carrying the stench of blood. The old wound under his ribs throbbed with excruciating pain again during the intense running, and the sharp, surging energy within him surged like an enraged viper, frantically assaulting his crumbling "Qi City."

"Guard your Qi! Focus your mind on your Dantian! Strike with your divine sense!" Xuanweizi's voice boomed in his mind like thunder! Xiao Yuxuan bit his tongue hard, the sharp pain jolting him awake! He forcefully concentrated his nearly dissipated divine sense, fixing it firmly on the scorching hot current in his Dantian caused by overstimulation! Miraculously, his pace quickened once more!

I can't die! I absolutely can't die here!

The shouts of the Qin soldiers behind them grew closer and closer, and the sound of crossbow bolts piercing the air became more and more frequent!

Just as he rushed through a relatively sparse woodland and a steep, slippery moss-covered slope appeared ahead, another unexpected event occurred!

Suddenly, a sharp blade of light, like a venomous snake lurking in the shadows, burst forth without warning from behind a giant cedar tree! It aimed straight for Xiao Yuxuan's unsuspecting neck! The wind from the blade was chilling, carrying a deadly intent!

They are elite Qin soldiers who have outflanked us! Some of them have even managed to get to the front!

Xiao Yuxuan was terrified! At this moment, his old strength was exhausted and new strength had not yet been generated. His body was slightly leaning forward due to running at high speed, and he had no way to dodge! The cold aura of death instantly gripped his throat!

At the critical moment!

The scalding warmth deep within his dantian erupted like a volcano pushed to its limit! An overwhelming force instantly swept away all obstacles! Driven by instinct, Xiao Yuxuan's body made a completely illogical contortion—his forward momentum abruptly halted, and his body snapped as if broken, falling backward violently!

brush!

The cold blade grazed almost the tip of his nose! The force of the wind it generated stung his cheek!

The Qin soldier who launched the sneak attack clearly did not expect his target to make such a bizarre dodge at such high speed. His sword strike was slowed, and his body lurched forward slightly due to inertia.

Chance!

A flash of bloodlust appeared in Xiao Yuxuan's eyes! Before his backward-leaning body even hit the ground, his right hand, gripping the sword, was like a bowstring taut with immense power. From below, it lashed out fiercely upward, carrying the explosive power within him and a resolute determination to destroy everything! The bronze short sword drew a chilling, eerie line through the dim forest!

Pfft!

The dull thud of a blade piercing flesh! Scalding blood splattered like a fountain onto Xiao Yuxuan's face and body! The Qin soldier looked down in disbelief at the horrific wound that had been completely ripped open from his chest and abdomen to his neck, a hoarse sound escaping his throat, before collapsing heavily to the ground!

Using the force of the counter-attack, Xiao Yuxuan rolled backward to dissipate the impact, falling awkwardly onto the slippery moss, covered in mud and hot blood. He gasped for breath, his heart pounding in his chest. The burst of power in his dantian receded like a tide, leaving behind a deeper weakness and emptiness, and an indescribable cold numbness.

He had no time to stop, not even to glance at the still convulsing corpse. The footsteps and shouts of his pursuers were almost upon him! He struggled to his feet, using his last bit of strength, and scrambled down the slippery, steep slope, rolling into the deeper, denser thicket of thorns below, instantly swallowed by darkness.

A moment later, the Qin general, along with more than ten elite soldiers, caught up with them at the top of the slope. Looking at their comrades' nearly disemboweled and gruesome corpses on the ground, and the dark, thorny abyss below the slope, everyone's faces showed deep fear and anger.

"Search! He can't have gone far! He's injured; he'll leave a mark!" Bai Jiang's voice was as cold as ice, filled with intense killing intent. He crouched down, picked up a crossbow bolt deeply embedded in a tree trunk, its fletching still trembling slightly, a dark red bloodstain on the shaft. He stared at the bloodstain and the deep, dark forest, his eyes sinister.

Deep in the dense forest, amidst thickets of thorns.

Xiao Yuxuan huddled in a crevice in the rocks, barely able to fit, his body covered in countless tiny cuts that burned with pain. He clutched his ribs tightly, where an old wound had reopened, and warm fluid was seeping out. His dantian was empty and cold, as if it had been completely hollowed out; he could barely feel even the faint warmth, only a bone-deep exhaustion and a numbness as if his soul had been torn apart.

The blood on his face was half enemy's and half his own, mixed with mud, sticky and cold. He slowly opened his tightly clenched left hand, his palm pierced by thorns, a bloody mess, while the bronze short sword that had saved his life and was also stained with blood lay quietly in the mud, its blade reflecting the faint, cold light of the sky filtering through the thorns.

They survived.

The city of Xincheng... seemed to have cracked even more during this night of fleeing and fighting.

The road ahead remains an endless thorny path and darkness.