How many people join the military just to make a name for themselves, to achieve great deeds so that those who once looked down on them can see that they are not thugs or scoundrels, that they too can bring glory to their ancestors!
Right now, Xiao Hongshen’s single mention of the Marquis completely scattered the already disintegrating morale of the army.
All that remained in everyone’s minds were these three words.
Kill Yan Wanqing, and you could be made a Marquis.
This title of nobility could be inherited, and henceforth one could marry a lady from an official’s family, something unimaginable before, and then pass on the title to generations to come.
All of this, just kill Yan Wanqing and it could be yours.
Their eyes gradually began to burn with fervor.
Seeing this, Xiao Hongshen’s eyes flashed with disdain and darkness.
A bunch of fools who knew nothing about life and death.
If it weren’t for the fact that he still needed this bunch of cowards to leave Xiliang City, he would have cleaned them out long ago.
After dropping this remark, Xiao Hongshen walked toward the doorway.
He arrogantly stepped over the body of Chang Kuan, his robe sweeping over Chang Kuan’s handsome face, dragging across his wide eyes, then stepping on the bloodstained flagstones as he headed outside the City Lord Residence.
The soldiers parted to create a path for him.
Xiao Hongshen left bloody footprints with each step he took through their midst, and the soldiers slowly followed behind, their eyes now filled with a mad eagerness for power.
Human nature has always been the most unpredictable thing.
It can be easily destroyed.
The reason it is unpredictable is that the stakes aren’t high enough.
Everything can be exchanged for something of equivalent value.
This is what he had learned from Yan Wanqing.
But oh... Teacher, you’ve taught your student, surely it’s about starving the master.
The smile on his lips gradually spread in the dawn’s breaking light, slowly scattering.
Yan Wanqing took Fu Mingyue’s flare and released it, but after a long, agonizing night, nobody came.
Fu Mingyue and Abiao sat together, defeat reflected in their eyes.
Compared to Yan Wanqing’s disappointment, their faith had clearly completely collapsed.
Yan Wanqing propped her chin up, sighed lightly, and said, "Forget it, let’s go back to sleep."
The long night of waiting had indeed been torturous.
She was already weary from travel and now her steps began to waver.
"Don’t leave!" As soon as Fu Mingyue heard Yan Wanqing giving up, she shrieked, "No one leaves!"
"If you want to wait, wait by yourself, and call me if they come." Yan Wanqing kindly reminded her.
The Hierarch of The Holy Church of Light had come, and Yan Wanqing wouldn’t flee from battle. It didn’t matter whether sooner or later, as long as the other party showed up.
Fu Mingyue watched her yawn, tears glistening in the corners of her eyes, growing frenzied as she said, "The Hierarch will not abandon me; he said the moment I set off the fireworks, he would rush to be by my side! He promised—"
At this moment, even Abiao looked at Fu Mingyue with a trace of sympathy.
If he was going to come, he would have arrived by now.
But Fu Mingyue slapped him in return, "Shut up! The Hierarch’s word is law; I won’t allow you to slander him!"
Abiao’s dark cheek bore the slap, swelling slightly now.
He snorted coldly, clenched his fist, but eventually let go, muttering, "Crazy woman, completely deluded!"
Fu Mingyue wasn’t listening; her desperate eyes suddenly turned to Yan Li’an, who stood aside uninvolved, full of hope, "Saint Heir, you’re always close to the Hierarch, tell me, he will appear, won’t he?"
Yan Li’an didn’t spare her a glance.
"Tired? Then let’s go back and rest," he said to Yan Wanqing.
Yan Wanqing nodded obediently.
Anyway, he knew where the stronghold was, once Yan Wanqing woke up, they could simply storm it.
Simple and brutal, much better.
Xiao Pingfeng, who was beside them, couldn’t hide his yawns; he looked at the shades of blue under Yan Wanqing’s eyes with a hint of distress, wanting to reach out and touch them but restrained by the icy gazes nearby, suppressing his longing.
He said warmly, "Let’s go back then."
"Mm-hm," Yan Wanqing nodded.
"I said you can’t leave—" Fu Mingyue screamed as she charged at Yan Wanqing, "You wanted to release the flare, why did you set it off!"
She charged forth at an incredible speed.
Yan Li’an quickly reached out to grab Yan Wanqing.
But unexpectedly, someone was even faster.
Xiao Pingfeng drew her into his arms and raised his hand to deliver a strike to the now frenzied Fu Mingyue, sending her crashing into a tree.