Xie Lian asked, "Did General Pei win or lose?"
Pei Su said: "Victory. And defeat."
All the instigators died at the hands of Pei Ming, many of whom were his old subordinates with whom he had been friends for over a decade.
The sword "Ming Guang" has always been used to fight alongside these people, but now, it has become a weapon to kill these people.
When the fight was over and the outcome was decided, Lord Xuli naturally ordered his men to surround Pei Ming, who was covered in blood and almost exhausted and unable to move, in the name of capturing a rebel.
Although Pei Ming was skilled in combat, he wouldn't have been able to win without actual weapons and swords. He had clearly fought to repel the enemy and save the emperor, but in the end, he was met with a cry of "Kill without mercy!"
Pei Ming, holding the pottery jar, didn't miss what they were saying, but he just didn't have time to pay attention. He said, "I should have thought of it earlier. It's your style."
It seemed that Rong Guang's resentment had attached itself to that broken sword, stained with the blood of millions, resonating with it and allowing it to endure to this day. But the voice within the jar still spoke coldly, "Your limbs and limbs are all dead long ago. I am but a sword."
Xie Lian knew he wouldn’t admit it right now, so it was pointless to ask further. “Forget it, General Pei,” he said.
Pei Ming nodded and returned the jar to Pei Su.
With that, they'd already subdued two rather troublesome ghosts. Ignoring the others, this was a good start. Xie Lian said, "General Pei and I will continue our journey into Tonglu Mountain. Banyue, what about you guys? Are you going to find Master Yushi?"
Pei Su said, "Master Rain Master has already gone inside, chasing the demon that kidnapped the farmers. We are going the same way, and we are willing to assist the General and His Royal Highness and move forward together."
Pei Ming came back to his senses and frowned slightly, saying, "Then let's hurry and get going. The Rain Master isn't a Martial God, but he's moving faster than us. We might encounter danger on the road ahead."
So, Xie Lian picked up Hua Cheng, Ban Yue collected the two jars, and the group hurried deeper into the dense forest.
Since they were still in the outer layers of Tonglu Mountain, they encountered no powerful enemies along the way. Most of them were weeds, so they didn't even have the energy to fight, so they simply passed by. Some ungrateful individuals who took the initiative to challenge them were scared off by the snakes released by Banyue and Pei Su. After a day of walking, they finally left the forest and entered the second layer of Tonglu Mountain.
At this point, the forest gradually thinned out, the road widened, and there were signs of human habitation. Xie Lian even saw some dilapidated, blackened houses on the side of the road. This was truly strange in such an isolated place. He couldn't help but ask, "How could there be houses with people living in them?"
Ban Yue and Pei Su both shook their heads, saying they didn't know. Pei Ming also said, "I'm afraid you'll have to ask the Ghost King in your arms about that."
As Xie Lian finished his question, he wondered if Hua Cheng was awake, and he glanced down. Although Hua Cheng's unusually hot body temperature had gradually subsided, his eyes were still tightly closed, and he couldn't help but feel worried.
Pei Ming warned, "Your Highness, we are about to enter the next level. The things we encounter ahead will be even more powerful. Otherwise, please stop and wait for City Lord Hua to wake up."
At this moment, everyone was at a wide fork in the road. One path led east, the other west. Xie Lian paused for a moment before saying, "It's late. Let's stay here for the night."
After a day of running around, it's time to take a break and carefully assist the Huacheng Guardians. Banyue said, "Okay, Brother Pei Su should also take a break."
Everyone then remembered that Pei Su was a mortal and needed to rest and eat, yet he had remained silent. Xie Lian, cursed and shackled, was no exception, but his concern for Hua Cheng had completely forgotten all about it.
The group immediately set up camp at this fork in the road. Ban Yue built a fire, while Pei Su went hunting. Seeing everyone busy with their own things, Xie Lian stared at Hua Cheng's face again. After a moment, his instinct made him turn around. Sure enough, Pei Ming was watching them.
The two looked at each other for a moment, and Pei Ming gave a dry laugh and said, "Okay. I'll go away."
Xie Lian said, "No. Better not."
He didn't intend to do anything shady, so why did he act like a thief?
At this time, Banyue came over holding a jar of food and said, "General Hua..."
Xie Lian and Pei Ming both turned around. Xie Lian asked, "What's wrong?"
Inside the black jar was a frightened pheasant, tied up. Banyue showed them the jar and said, "Brother Pei Su beat me and asked me to do it, but I can't do it."
After Pei Su finished hunting, he went ahead to scout the area. Pei Ming, however, seemed displeased with Ban Yue no matter how he looked at her. He said confidently, "A girl who fights all day long, it's okay if she can't dress up, but how come she can't even cook?"
Xie Lian and Ban Yue were both speechless. Ban Yue was no ordinary pampered girl, and she couldn't understand Pei Ming's aesthetic at all. His words left her completely baffled and perplexed. Xie Lian, however, had almost figured out that Pei Ming was a man with a complex nature when it came to women. He said, "Ban Yue, put it down. I'll teach you."
Ban Yue, already deeply convinced by him, naturally agreed happily. An incense stick later, Xie Lian plucked the pheasant's multicolored feathers. Pei Ming, holding up his bloodied palm, sighed, "The general kills the chicken, and the prince pulls the feathers. It's quite a sight."
Xie Lian watched him slaughter a chicken with his bare hands, leaving it bloody and said, “General Pei, couldn’t you use a knife or a sword? It would be cleaner and more efficient.”
Pei Ming asked, "Is there?"
As soon as the words fell, the two of them couldn't help but look at the two jars on the ground beside them. Rong Guang in the jar seemed to sense the two strange gazes, and a chill ran down his body. He shouted, "Get out! The farther the better! Be careful, I will smear poison on the blade of my sword and kill you!"
The two of them hurried away. Once they were out of earshot of the jar, Pei Ming shook his head and said to Xie Lian, "You're still insisting it's not true. He's always been like that, it would be strange if it wasn't true."
Xie Lian had also heard how Rong Guang had scolded him, and a subtle sympathy had already developed in him. He said, "I understand you. I have a cousin who's a bit like General Rong. He's better at scolding than he is, but he's not as good at getting things done."
Rong Guang could at least help Pei Ming fight. If Qi Rong had been asked to help Xie Lian, Xie Lian would have been killed by Qi Rong first, if not by the enemy first. Pei Ming seemed to imagine what it would be like to have Rong Guang, who only knew how to curse but not how to fight, and said sincerely, "That would be terrifying."
Xie Lian returned the plucked pheasant to the pot, filled it with water, and began to cook it, occasionally adding some wild fruits and herbs to enhance the flavor. Ban Yue followed his example, diligently stuffing the pot with anything edible she could find. Pei Ming seemed confused about what they were doing, but since he had never been in the kitchen, he didn't see the problem. He helped add some firewood and said, "Your Highness, I have a question I've been wanting to ask you, but since we're not familiar with each other, I can't bring myself to ask."
It was true that they weren't familiar with each other. Previously, Xie Lian's impression of Pei Ming was that he was a skilled but shady playboy, and they'd even clashed with each other a few times. Now, after a few interactions, his impression had subtly changed slightly, and they were a bit familiar. He said, "Excuse me, General Pei."
Pei Ming said, "You've been demoted twice, and you have two curses on you. After your third ascension, you can ask the Emperor to help you remove them. But why don't you take them?"
Xie Lian watched as Ban Yue pondered for a moment before suddenly realizing something and pulling out several long, purple-red scorpion-tailed snakes. He placed them directly into the boiling pot of soup, then said calmly, "Then, General Pei, I have a question for you, too."
Pei Ming asked, "Excuse me."
Xie Lian asked, “Why didn’t you forge a new sword or magic weapon after you broke Ming Guang?”
Pei Ming raised his eyebrows and said, "What an unpleasant question."
Xie Lian's expression mirrored his, and he said, "Same here."
The two of them laughed twice, and suddenly, Pei Ming said, "I never thought that was a good thing."
Xie Lian said, “I understand.”
He was about to speak when he heard an unusual noise behind him. He turned around and asked, "Sanlang?"
Sure enough, it was Huacheng who sat up!
Xie Lian was overwhelmed with joy and surprise. He hurried over to hold onto his shoulders and said, “Sanlang! You’re awake! You… seem to have grown bigger?”
Indeed, Hua Cheng looked only in his early teens before, but now he looked thirteen or fourteen. And when he spoke, his voice changed from childish to a slightly hoarse teenager: "Yes. Thank you, brother, for helping me to relieve my stress."
Pei Ming said, "That's really cause for celebration."
Xie Lian said, “There’s nothing to thank me for. I…” He only then noticed the word “relieve”. His smile faltered, and he thought to himself, “Isn’t it what I thought?”
The next moment, Hua Cheng grabbed his shoulders and said in a deep voice, "Your Highness, listen to me. Something is heading here from the east. You need to get out of the way for now!"
Xie Lian was startled. The two of them looked toward the east, as if piercing through the endless darkness, and saw a figure stalking in the darkness. Although Xie Lian didn't sense anything, he still said, "Alright! Let's get out of the way first."
Pei Ming asked, "Where to hide?"
This fork in the road only led to two roads. Xie Lian said, "West!"
Banyue grabbed the pottery pot that was cooking on the fire, apparently preparing to take it away, and said, "Brother Pei Su hasn't come back yet!"
As soon as he finished speaking, he saw a dark figure rushing down the road to the west. It was Pei Su, the scout, who had returned and said, "General! Don't take this road! A large number of demons and monsters are heading this way!"
Hua Chengdao: "How much?"
Pei Su was stunned when he saw that it was him who asked the question. He said, "Judging from the vibrations on the ground, at least five hundred!"
As a Martial God, he wouldn't consider retreating unless it was absolutely necessary. Pei Ming asked, "Should we go west or east?"
Hua Cheng said decisively: "West!"
Xie Lian also said, “West.”
For some reason, even though the west was overrun with demons and the east was devoid of a single ghost, Xie Lian instinctively believed the west was safer. Without further ado, the group hurried off. Xie Lian had already prepared himself for a brutal slaughter, but after running six or seven miles, he heard nothing. Surprised, he asked, "General Pei, where and when did you hear the news of over five hundred demons approaching?"
Pei Su said, "They were nearby. They were five or six miles away from me at the time, and they were moving very fast."
Xie Lian said, “That’s very strange!”
They were running west, while the five hundred demons and monsters were running east. They were both very fast, so they should have collided head-on soon. Why was there not only no ghosts to be seen, but also no movement at all?
Pei Ming asked, "Little Pei, you wouldn't have heard wrong. Did they return the same way?"
Pei Su said: "I think it's unlikely. Because they are running very fast, it sounds like..."
Hua Cheng said, "Run for your life."
Suddenly, Xie Lian paused. Not just him, but everyone in the group paused. Ahead, a field of corpses lay strewn across the ground, blocking their path.
The corpses ranged from humans to livestock, in all shapes and sizes, and even more varied. There were also shattered souls, leaving only a wisp of black smoke and will-o'-the-wisp light drifting through the air. The scene was utterly gruesome. Xie Lian crouched down to survey the scene for a moment, then said, "They truly were running for their lives, but... they didn't escape."
After Pei Su heard about them, he immediately retreated to inform Xie Lian and the others. Shortly after he left, something chased them and captured them all.
Hua Chengdao: "It was done by one person."
Xie Lian nodded. If both sides were outnumbered, the fight wouldn't have been so clean, and the outcome wouldn't have been so abrupt.
In such a short period of time, he killed five hundred demons and monsters. He is undoubtedly stronger than the Deadly Knife Demon. It seems that this is also the key target they need to pay attention to.
Ban Yue held the soup pot and said, "Master Yu Shi wouldn't choose this path, would he?"
Pei Su said: "Don't worry, my lord has a guardian mount."
At that moment, Xie Lian heard a strange "clicking" sound coming from the ground not far ahead. He looked over and saw the chattering jaws of a skull, the "clicking" sound coming from there. Seeing someone had spotted him, he cried out in horror, "Please spare me! I'm never coming back! I want to go back! I want to go home!"
Xie Lian lifted it up with both hands and said gently, "Don't be afraid, we're just passing by. Can you tell us what happened?"
The skull's teeth chattered as it said, "You, you're just passing by? Don't go any further. There's a terrifying one up ahead... Including us, he's already killed over a thousand ghosts, and yet he's still not satisfied. He keeps on killing, keeps on killing..."
More than a thousand!
There were more than they had imagined. Xie Lian asked, "Who are you talking about? Do you know his name? Or his nickname? Or what he looks like?"
The skull said, "No, I don't know. I couldn't see clearly either. He didn't even need a few strikes to kill us. I only vaguely saw a man in black clothes, very young, with a very pale face..."
Pei Ming said, "This sounds a bit tricky. Your Highness, City Lord Hua, are you sure we should go west instead of east now?"
The skull heard this and screamed, "Going east is not an option! Absolutely not!!!"
Xie Lian asked, “What happened in the east?”
The skull said, "We...were afraid to take the eastern route, so we chose the western route. Because in the east, there's a young man in white who killed over two thousand ghosts in just one day. He's even scarier than the one in the west..."
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