This meant he had completely cut off Mr. Chen’s retreat. Mr. Chen had no choice now. It was like a head-on car collision; swerving would only lead to a worse fate. He had to brace himself and crash head-on! Mr. Chen had no way out. As a swordsman, he never imagined that the moment his opponent appeared—in their very first exchange—the enemy would aggressively force a decisive battle without any probing attacks.
The long sword pointed forward, its tip aimed at Shatuo Queshi’s fist. Mr. Chen channeled all his vital energy into the long sword, which resonated with a hum. Every sword, from the moment of its forging, possesses its own soul. While not all can be legendary blades like Gan Jiang and Mo Ye, in the hands of a true swordsman, they often achieve a spiritual union with their master. Upon the long sword, a white phoenix seemed to materialize, spreading its wings and letting out a cry.
The tip of the sword and the fist had collided.
Cracks appeared on Shatuo Queshi’s fist. The body that Liang Cheng and Siniang had repaired together also began to show signs of damage.
However, after emitting a mournful cry, BANG! The long sword simply shattered.
Why had swords always been less practical than sabers? Because they are too fragile and prone to breaking. And now, it had indeed fractured, even though its master was a powerful swordsman.
At the moment the sword shattered, Mr. Chen spat out a mouthful of fresh blood. His body shook, and then, like a kite with its string cut, he flew backward. Blood oozed from every pore of his body. In an instant, before Mr. Chen even hit the ground, his clothes were stained crimson with his own blood.
Shatuo Queshi was indeed not at his peak. Despite the incantations of the Barbarian Royal Court’s High Priest and the repairs made by Liang Cheng, the zombie progenitor, Shatuo Queshi was certainly not comparable to his living self. However, Mr. Chen had just lost the use of his left leg and was already severely injured. Forced into a head-on clash with Shatuo Queshi from the outset, it was hardly surprising he ended up in such a pitiful state.
Perhaps the only thing Zheng Fan hadn’t expected was for the duel to end so quickly. There were no hundreds of rounds of back-and-forth combat, no Shatuo Queshi rampaging through thousands of armored cavalry. Just a single exchange of blows, and the victor was decided.
From the outskirts of the willow grove came the thunder of hooves; the people from Green Willow Fortress had sensed the commotion and were rushing over. The commotion Shatuo Queshi had made upon appearing had naturally traveled far, making it impossible not to alert the fortress.
The Barbarian soldiers swarmed in, led by Siniang, Liang Cheng, A Ming, and Fanli. Upon seeing Zheng Fan in the carriage, they immediately galloped over.
Shatuo Queshi stepped forward. Mr. Chen lay motionless on the ground. The outcome was decided; it was time for the victor to claim his prize.
Zheng Fan hesitated for a moment, then called out, "Stop!"
Shatuo Queshi’s steps halted.
Siniang leaped from her horse onto the carriage and immediately checked Zheng Fan’s injuries. "My lord, how did you injure yourself so badly again?"
The surrounding Barbarian soldiers also closed in. Some of them seemed to recognize Shatuo Queshi. Upon seeing their Left Valley King here, a stir went through their ranks; some were even preparing to dismount and kneel.
"There is only one master here! Your Left Valley King also obeys his orders!" Liang Cheng immediately shouted in the Barbarian tongue. The Barbarian soldiers quickly controlled their emotions.
It was no wonder the Barbarian soldiers were agitated. Shatuo Queshi’s existence had never been revealed to them; he had been sealed in a coffin throughout their journey from north to south.
"Who’s he?" A Ming asked, curiously eyeing the blood-soaked man on the ground. He involuntarily licked his lips. This fresh blood smells so delicious!
"Kill him!" Siniang immediately shouted. The surrounding Barbarian soldiers readied themselves to rush forward and behead Mr. Chen.
"Back off!" Zheng Fan spoke, his voice soft, so Siniang immediately relayed his command, shouting, "The lord commands, back off!"
The Barbarian soldiers immediately withdrew.
Hearing this, Siniang lowered her hands, presumably to lift him.
"Not like that." Zheng Fan definitely didn’t want Siniang to carry him like a princess in front of his subordinates.
A Ming, beside him, quickly reached out to support Zheng Fan, letting him lean against him as they got off the carriage. This looked much more dignified.
At Zheng Fan’s command, A Ming helped him walk to stand behind Shatuo Queshi, very close to Mr. Chen, who lay on the ground, drenched in blood.
"TSK TSK, what a sword fanatic. That prosthetic is certainly unique," A Ming quipped.
"I... didn’t kill the people of Chahe Village," Zheng Fan said.
Mr. Chen laboriously lifted his head and looked at Zheng Fan, who was standing behind Shatuo Queshi. He opened his mouth, revealing blood-stained teeth. "You... come closer... tell me..."
A Ming didn’t move, and Zheng Fan didn’t order him to help him closer.
Mr. Chen smiled. Struggling, he said, "Come closer... I won’t... I won’t kill you..."
Just as A Ming was about to laugh, he suddenly heard Zheng Fan, whom he was supporting, say, "Help me over." Read full story at 𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹•𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖•𝗇𝗲𝘁
A Ming looked at his lord in astonishment. Has he lost his mind?
"Help me... over there. That’s an order."
A Ming hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth and helped Zheng Fan walk past Shatuo Queshi to stand before Mr. Chen.
Everyone held their breath, especially A Ming and the others. They truly didn’t understand why Zheng Fan would take such a risk. They knew his personality well: he would always choose caution if possible and never cared about saving face.
Looking at Mr. Chen on the ground, Zheng Fan said very solemnly, "I truly didn’t kill the people of Chahe Village. You must be mistaken."
The smile vanished from Mr. Chen’s face. He said, "You... just deceived me..."
Suddenly, a sword of blood formed in Mr. Chen’s palm, radiating a terrifying killing intent!
Seeing this, A Ming immediately pulled Zheng Fan behind himself, shielding him.
Fear flashed in Zheng Fan’s eyes. Damn it! This fool has gotten devious! Endless regret instantly filled Zheng Fan’s chest. This was perhaps the first time in his life he had been so ’willful,’ wanting to play the hero and show off his charisma and charm. But his attempt to act cool had spectacularly backfired! At this moment, Zheng Fan couldn’t comprehend who Mr. Chen had learned these tricks from, or what kind of brutal life lesson he had just endured to achieve such growth!
The air seemed to freeze. Shatuo Queshi began to move. Siniang, Liang Cheng, and Fanli also reacted. Even the surrounding mounted soldiers raised their bows. But it was clear that, due to the distance, they would be too late! They were, quite simply, too late!
However, in the very next instant, the blood sword that had just condensed in Mr. Chen’s palm dispersed. The danger, the killing intent—all vanished in an instant.
Mr. Chen’s head fell back to the ground. He said wearily, "You may lie... but... I, Mr. Chen... always keep my word."