Gong Cheng's mind was in complete chaos at that moment.
His eyes were fixed on a military general below.
To be precise, they were staring at the general's armor.
No two leaves are exactly alike, just as no two warriors possess the same martial armor and the same Martial Courage Tiger Talisman. These two items are unique identifiers: the color of the Martial Courage Tiger Talisman, the name engraved on it, the style of the martial armor, and the decorative patterns on its parts—all these elements combine to form a warrior's unique mark. But what had he just seen?
He actually saw familiar martial armor on the warrior below!
This armor once belonged to an elder of his clan whom he had met!
Every detail matches my memory!
What does this tell us?
This shows that someone is desecrating the dead and toying with their souls!
Gong Cheng's anger surged instantly, his eyes bloodshot as he glared at Gong Shuwu, gritting his teeth: "What are you doing?"
Gong Shuwu did not answer.
He grabbed his weapon and began to move.
The dozens of martial artists surrounding him also turned to look at Gong Cheng. They weren't living people; any large movement of their joints produced a sickening cracking sound. The mud gradually filled in the hollowed-out head, and the facial features went from nonexistent to blurry, with eyes, ears, nose, and mouth appearing one after another. But before the features were completely detailed and clear, these martial artists performed a synchronized action: raising their hands to brush their faces.
Martial energy surged and transformed into various types of faceplates.
The mask only exposes the area around the eyes.
The two holes weren't filled with "human eyes," but with two clusters of flames the same color as their respective armors. They stared silently at Gong Cheng, who in turn stared intently at Gong Shuwu. His hands, gripping his weapons, trembled uncontrollably, and his voice was broken and intermittent.
Who exactly are you?
Gong Shuwu finally responded.
He activated the warrior's intent, "Even in death, a hero," abandoning his human identity, and his current state teeters between life and death. The disguise provided by the path of the benevolent scholar naturally became ineffective. His voice at this moment did not belong to Gong Shuwu, but to a dead man.
A dead man who disappeared many years ago.
Gong Wen, Gong Yili.
He replied, "Gong Shuwu, courtesy name Banbu."
"Are you really Gong Shuwu?"
He had met Gong Shuwu back in Xiaocheng!
At that time, he only felt that this hero was inexplicably familiar. Before he could get to know him better, Xiaocheng was captured by Gong Xichou, and the city was engulfed in flames. He and Wu Yuan were too busy to help themselves and could only take their few remaining soldiers to protect the few elderly and weak members of the Gong family and escape. After that, he had no further contact with Gong Shuwu, whom he had only met once.
Several years ago, Kangguo agreed to cooperate with the Northern Desert trade market.
For some reason, Gong Cheng suddenly remembered this military general again.
He made some inquiries privately and learned that there was indeed a man named Gong Shuwu under Shen Tang's command. Although he was senior, he was very low-key and not very active on the battlefield. He thought about Gong Shuwu's age and strength at that time and felt a little emotional. As Shen Youli's power continued to grow and she recruited talents from all walks of life, people like Gong Shuwu, whose reputation and strength were neither high nor low, were indeed easy to be squeezed out of the core.
If he couldn't see her, Gong Cheng didn't force it.
We meet again at this moment.
Gong Shuwu's voice was completely different from what I remembered.
It's more like a different person!
Like his second uncle.
After examining it repeatedly, an absurd guess began to form in his mind.
But it was precisely this conjecture that inspired something.
Gongshu and Gong...
Martial arts and literature.
Half a step is martial arts, and the principles of propriety are literature.
From the surname and given name to the courtesy name, everything matches perfectly!
He shouted loudly, "Gong Yili!"
When Gong Cheng uttered those three words, the flames in Gong Shuwu's eyes flickered violently twice, but his voice remained calm and even. He said, "Ha, how many years has it been since anyone shouted that? But Yun Chi, why did you have to shout it out?"
Gong Cheng's eyes suddenly widened.
"You admit it? You really are... Second Uncle?"
After the initial shock came an unresolved confusion—he couldn't recognize Gong Shuwu, who had transformed into another person, but how could Gong Shuwu not recognize him? If he did recognize him, why didn't he acknowledge him back in Xiaocheng? And why didn't he take him away?
Or did Gong Shuwu suffer from amnesia back then?
It's not that they refuse to acknowledge each other, but that they are unable to do so?
No, impossible!
If Gong Shuwu couldn't remember anything from the past, why would he have chosen such a meaningful name? At this moment, the anger of being abandoned and deceived completely overshadowed the joy of reuniting with blood relatives: "Gong Yili, why didn't you take me with you?"
The flames in Gong Shuwu's eyes burned silently.
He said, "You're an adult now, you can stand on your own."
Gong Shuwu had considered taking Gong Cheng away back then, but Gong Cheng's dantian was destroyed, leaving him depressed and frustrated. Martial arts practitioners are different from scholars; the former concentrate most of their vital energy in their dantian, making the destruction of the dantian far more serious. Gong Cheng could only rely on himself to find solace and rebuild his spirit; only then would his condition improve significantly.
Gong Cheng has now chosen the path he wants to take.
Gong Shuwu did not intend to interfere further.
Most importantly, at that time, Gong Shuwu possessed the Imperial Seal, making him a coveted prize for all sides. A single misstep could lead to utter ruin, and staying by his side would be extremely dangerous. It would be better to let the child venture out into the world for a couple of years, avoiding these treacherous places.
Gong Shuwu did not intend to keep his identity a secret forever.
However, that was not the right time to be honest.
Man proposes, God disposes. Who could have foreseen that that meeting would lead to a separation of several years? When news of Gong Cheng arrived again, the boy had not only regained his martial prowess but had also aided the Northern Desert Wu Yuan. Gong Shuwu had watched Gong Cheng grow up, and he believed that a child raised by the Gong family wouldn't be unable to distinguish right from wrong or understand gratitude and resentment. Yun Chi's decision must have been the result of the boy's long and careful consideration.
As the second uncle, Gong Shuwu chose to be understanding.
but--
As the son of the Gong family, he could not accept it!
There is no need for the two to acknowledge each other.
What good would it do to recognize each other?
Can this change the fact that he is a general of Kang State, while Gong Cheng is the vanguard of the Northern Desert? The truth cannot erase this connection; it's better to let it remain forever hidden from the light of day. Gong Shuwu raised his weapon high: "Grand Chancellor Gong, things have come to this point, no more words needed! Let's fight!"
Gong Cheng tried his best to process the scene before him.
His expression didn't change much, but the constant heaving of his chest betrayed his inner turmoil. Gong Cheng hadn't expected his second uncle to refuse even a word of explanation, immediately issuing a challenge. Looking at Gong Shuwu's current state, and recalling the latter's words about "a martial artist's intent that can only be unleashed once in a lifetime," a realization struck him like a hammer blow—it was too late!
The flames in Gong Shuwu's eyes changed color slightly.
He demanded, "Gong Yunchi, do you want to be a deserter?"
Gong Cheng's body stiffened slightly, and his fingers trembled.
Gong Shuwu was all too familiar with his nephew's micro-expressions.
Gong Cheng really wanted to desert.
After learning his true identity, the nephew didn't choose to fight him decisively and give him a proper ending; instead, he ran away. What problem could running away solve? Even though Gong Shuwu didn't have a heart at this moment, he was so angry that his chest ached. If Gong Cheng wouldn't make a move, wouldn't he take the initiative?
Gong Shuwu raised his hand and conjured a hideous mask with a skull pattern. The flames in his eye sockets turned crimson with a whoosh and burst out like a cannonball, charging towards Gong Cheng. His voice was surprisingly two-faced: "Have you forgotten, kid? I still have to clean house."
One of them is Gong Shuwu himself.
Another layer of aged, cold, and sinister energy, like the scream of a vengeful ghost.
Caught off guard, Gong Cheng raised his hand to defend.
His body was struck hard and he plummeted toward the ground.
Before he even landed, two lifeless martial artists flashed to his left and right, while another blocked his retreat. The three of them attacked simultaneously, heading straight for his vitals! Gong Cheng naturally wouldn't sit idly by and wait to die. With a thought, the powerful martial energy in his meridians erupted from within, and the shockwaves blasted in all directions, colliding head-on with the three of them.
Gong Cheng took the opportunity to escape and create some distance between himself and the enemy.
His breathing was uneven: "Gong Yili, who are they?"
His voice trembled slightly, and he seemed to be on the verge of collapse.
Even if he already had the answer in his heart.
The next instant, the hideous skeletal mask loomed large before them, but even before it, a blade of light filled with deathly aura attacked: "Naturally, it's the person you've been thinking of! Gong Yunchi, how long do you intend to run away? Show your weapon and fight!"
If this is the level of the eighteenth-rank Grand Master of Ceremonies, who are they trying to humiliate?
The flames in his eyes clearly revealed Gong Shuwu's anger at this moment. Compared to fighting his nephew, he was more furious at his nephew's evasion and lack of focus. A warrior's courage is born to kill enemies; he will kill any enemy, regardless of whether they are blood relatives or sworn enemies.
Gong Cheng was terrified by this reply!
Needless to say, all these brave warriors are surnamed Gong, and they are all Gong ancestors who died in battle on the Northern Desert battlefield! It seems that Gong Shuwu was not toying with the spirits of his ancestors, but rather that the spirits were summoned to deal with him! Gong Cheng's side had no killing intent, but the other side was full of killing moves.
Gong Cheng: "Second Uncle, calm down!"
Stopping it immediately might still salvage the situation.
He shouted, "It's not that I'm running away—"
The deathly aura-filled, dozens-of-foots-long blade of light missed its mark and crashed to the ground, causing it to crack silently. The ground's coolness was replaced by a terrifying heat, with a portion turning a flowing crimson red. Anyone who got even a few inches closer could feel the intense heat emanating from the surface of the armor.
The Gong family ancestors stood on it but were unaffected.
Not only were they unaffected, they were also absorbing the death energy emanating from the ground, their tattered armor gradually healing. The more they absorbed, the more refined and complete their armor became, and their aura continued to rise.
Seeing this, Gong Cheng dared not be careless.
Gong Shuwu's martial energy was filled with a hidden death aura, which possessed extremely strong corrosive and devouring properties. Just now, when the two clashed their martial energies, a wisp of Gong Shuwu's martial energy invaded his meridians. As soon as it entered, the endless chill almost shattered his meridians.
The pain was even greater than when his dantian was destroyed.
It was this pain that made him clearly realize—
The man before him, Gong Shuwu, his second uncle Gong Yili, was no longer alive. Even though he could still move, fight, and speak, he was dead! He had become a taboo existence!
Gong Cheng took a deep breath.
A hint of seriousness and determination appeared in his eyes.
Gong Shuwu naturally noticed this, and a double laugh escaped his lips: "Very good, very good, that's it. Gong Yunchi, today either I kill you, and we uncle and nephew meet again in the Yellow Springs for a drink, or you kill us here and sever all worldly ties! Go on a 'broad road' that you, Gong Yunchi, will never regret!"
Right and wrong are black and white; there is no middle ground. Rather than wavering and being indecisive, it's better to make a firm choice.
Their current status is no longer that of uncle and nephew.
He is a general who commands both armies in battle!
There were only two choices: life or death.
Either Gong Cheng lives, or they both go to the Yellow Springs!
The flames that had flickered in the eyes of the Gong clan ancestors had completely cooled, leaving only absolute rationality. As they soared through the air towards Gong Cheng alone, dark thunderclouds gathered beneath the sky. Ominous lightning danced incessantly in the clouds, pressing down on them, making it hard to breathe.
The abnormal effects extended beyond this area.
Far away on another battlefield.
Shen Tang raised her head as if sensing something.
His brow furrowed slightly: "It seems something ominous is about to be born in that direction, and of all times."
Gong Xichou's knowledge was clearly more extensive than Shen Tang's.
He also looked in that direction thoughtfully, trying to recall something, but before he could come up with anything specific, Qi Shan rode his warhorse at breakneck speed. Shen Tang rarely saw him so flustered and disoriented, and hurriedly asked, "Yuan Liang, are there enemies ahead?"
Qi Shan said, "No!"
He caught his breath and said, "It's half a step!"
Qi Shan's disguise required the support of his literary energy; once that energy was depleted, he would revert to his original state. For convenience, Gong Shuwu's disguise had been carefully adjusted. He could sense the disguise break immediately. And just now, he had clearly sensed it!
Shen Tang suppressed the anxiety and worry that welled up within her.
"The disguise failed? Or perhaps we've encountered a formidable opponent?"
This proves nothing!
This does not prove that Gong Shuwu has perished!
However, Qi Shan's gaze extinguished her last hope.
Even if Gong Shuwu didn't die, he's not far from it!
Shen Tang gripped the motorcycle reins tightly, his killing intent so intense it was almost uncontrollable. Although Gong Shuwu was usually quiet and didn't seem to have much close contact with Shen Tang, his lord, it didn't mean their bond as master and subject was weak—they had supported each other from nothing to where they were today. Gong Shuwu rarely spoke emotionally; all his feelings were hidden in his actions.
Gong Shuwu wasn't top-tier in strength, but among Shen Tang's most trusted and trusted generals, his position was unshakeable! How could she accept the loss of such a great general on the Northern Desert battlefield? Northern Desert—
Northern Desert!
Shen Tang pondered these two words in her heart.
You can still faintly taste a metallic, metallic flavor in your mouth!
"The army must not stop, advance with all its might!" If Gong Shuwu really dies, she will make all the high-ranking officials of the Northern Desert die with him!
Gong Xichou opened his mouth, as if to say something.
Perhaps because he had died once, his memory was sometimes good and sometimes bad. He had felt this aura was familiar, but couldn't quite place where he'd seen it before. Now that he remembered, he wanted to share it with Mama, but she had no interest in sharing.
His face was full of murderous intent, like he was about to explode at the slightest touch.
Gong Xichou muttered to himself for a while.
Never mind, it's not a big deal.
We can talk about it after tonight's battle is over.
My older brother should have sensed it too, right?
After all, it's a special item that has been created...
Gong Xichou shook his head.
Alas, if the Gongxi tribe were still at its peak, they would definitely have captured "it" and taken it back. Now they can only watch helplessly. Gongxi Chou thought of the records in the tribe's annals and refused to give up: "I'll capture one if I get the chance."
The messenger who is said to guard the underworld.
An immortal being that exists between life and death.
How impressive it looks, placed on top of Mama's coffin and grave!
()
Gong Xichou: How can Mama's grave be without one or two ornaments?
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