Chapter 149: Entering the City

Hearing Leng Wushuang speak, I was startled. This woman hadn't uttered a single word since wiping out the Azure Dragon Gang's men; what had gotten into her today, of all days, to kindly remind me? The Mystic Arts of Qi Men Dun Jia? The name was neither unfamiliar nor fully known to me, for it encompassed vast and profound meanings. Could it be that this old scoundrel Mo Lao San was versed in the arts of Qi Men Dun Jia!

Hearing Leng Wushuang's warning, I naturally dared not charge forward recklessly. The shifts and maneuvers of Qi Men Dun Jia are ever-changing. Although my master had once taught me the Eight Trigrams formation, I had only grasped the barest surface and was far from proficient in arcane arts. I hurriedly dragged Qin Tian over to Leng Wushuang and pulled Lan Yue back as well. By now, we had escaped the encirclement of the thick fog. Those soldiers plummeted one after another into the widening chasms. In no time at all, tens of thousands had fallen into the abyss. The fog gradually dissipated, and the fissures snapped shut with astonishing speed. I figured they would never get a chance to witness tomorrow's sunrise!

That old scoundrel Mo Lao San showed not the slightest shred of remorse for his own men—truly a man who would stop at nothing to achieve his goals. Unable to suppress the grief and fury boiling in my heart, I channeled my inner Qi to its peak and lunged forward. Although Leng Wushuang repeatedly called out for me to stop, I pressed ahead with unhesitating resolve. I harbored a bone-deep hatred for this old bastard Mo Lao San! Only a single thought drove me now: to slay Mo Lao San and avenge past grievances. As the saying goes, a gentleman does not wait to settle a score; I, Li Yunfei, am a man of backbone, and I refuse to be played for a fool and act as if nothing ever happened!

Once the fog cleared completely, a glaring void appeared within the ranks. In less than a minute, tens of thousands of people had plunged into the chasms. By this point, the ground had reverted to its original state, as though the harrowing spectacle moments before had been nothing more than an illusion. Seeing that I had not fallen into his trap, Mo Lao San's expression shifted drastically. He instantly vaulted off his horse, hoisted a staff resembling an old man's walking stick high above his head, and muttered something under his breath, no doubt hatching some fresh trick!

As I closed the distance toward the old bastard, I thought to myself: even if you can conjure tricks out of thin air, I am going to deal with you today and teach you a lesson you'll never forget! The hundred-meter span was crossed in an instant. Wielding the Frost Sword, I prepared to unleash a fierce sword wave. Though I couldn't be certain whether a sword strike would inflict lasting damage, even if it failed, I still had my explosive arrows. With my current reflexes, I could loose an arrow in a hundredth of a second, and I simply refused to believe I couldn't take him down!

Three meters away—within effective striking range—I lashed out with my sword, pouring virtually all of my internal Qi and demonic energy into the blow. A black-and-white sword wave surged outward, threatening to engulf Mo Lao San. To my astonishment, the old wretch suddenly swung the staff held aloft, and a stream of brilliant blue light shot out to meet me. The sword wave collided with Mo Lao San's blue energy blast amidst a series of deafening explosions—bang, bang, bang! Instantly, a thick shroud of heavy fog erupted before us, blurring everything into a hazy shroud far denser than before. As the explosions echoed, my body was propelled backward by an invisible surge of raw energy, entirely beyond my control.

I quickly steadied my stance, channeling immense inner force to anchor myself. The heavy fog lingered for a few seconds before dissolving. When I looked ahead once more, the space was utterly empty. There was no trace of Mo Lao San, nor even a single sign of those hundreds of thousands of soldiers!

He had slipped away again. Gritting my teeth in frustration yet utterly helpless, I reined in my exteriorized Qi, walked over to Qin Tian, and propped him up. "How are you feeling?"

Bright red fluid still stained the corners of Qin Tian's tightly shut eyes. Drawing a sharp breath of cold air, he replied, "I'll manage. Where's that old man?"

The old man Qin Tian referred to was undoubtedly Mo Lao San. As I channeled my inner Qi into him to steady his condition, I said, "We're safe now. What on earth happened to your eyes?"

"Just as I was about to capture that old man, a thick fog suddenly materialized right before my eyes, and instantly I lost my sight," Qin Tian answered, leaning heavily on my arm.

"That was the sorcery of Qi Men Dun Jia. It's a miracle you managed to claw your way out of the fog in time; otherwise, your eyes would have been blinded permanently!" Leng Wushuang took two steps forward to stand beside us. Her hands were clasped behind her back, and though her tone remained devoid of emotion, a faint hint of tenderness flickered within her jade-clear eyes.

"I must ask Lady Wushuang to enlighten us," I said, cupping my fists in a salute to Leng Wushuang.

Leng Wushuang let out a light snort. "Ignorant fools, you wouldn't understand even if I explained. This general has orders to fulfill, so I must take my leave here!"

Seeing that Leng Wushuang was about to mount her horse and ride away, I hurriedly stopped her: "Leng Wushuang, we helped you out, you know. Are you really just going to walk away like this?"

Leng Wushuang halted. "What? Are you asking for a reward?"

"Sister Wushuang, don't be like that. They did help us, after all!" Lan Yue chimed in, attempting to smooth things over.

"Shut your mouth! I know what I'm doing!" Leng Wushuang snapped at Lan Yue, causing the latter to instantly lower her head and fall silent.

"Come with me. I can introduce the two of you to enlist as soldiers in the World Alliance. How you fare will depend entirely on your own abilities!" Leng Wushuang's cold voice reached my ears. I offered a bitter smile—enlisting as a regular soldier in the World Alliance? She was seriously underestimating me! Still, having someone vouch for us beat wandering in blindly. I figured Chu Jun wouldn't make things difficult for us; after all, I had worn a mask during our previous clash, and Qin Tian had never crossed paths with him either. This arrangement suited me perfectly, so I readily agreed.

The World Alliance army had suffered heavy casualties, but a fair number of horses had been left behind. Qin Tian and I shared a single mount, following the main troop as they marched toward the World Alliance. All the way there, I continuously funneled inner Qi into Qin Tian to aid his recovery.

Under Leng Wushuang's guidance, we passed smoothly through the gates of the World Alliance. The city remained the same city, yet it felt far grander and more imposing than it had days prior. Construction crews bustled back and forth, expanding and repairing infrastructure both inside and outside the walls. Since Leng Wushuang and Lan Yue had to report for duty immediately, Leng Wushuang handed me a token, informing me that food and lodging within the World Alliance would be free of charge, and instructed me to meet her at the city gates by noon tomorrow.

I had no idea what game this woman was playing, but figured I would find out once we spoke again tomorrow. By now, it was dinnertime, and I decided filling our stomachs came first—since Leng Wushuang said food and lodging were free, it would be a waste not to take advantage of it. Throughout the journey, Qin Tian hadn't uttered a single word. Eyes tightly shut and expressionless, he merely listened in silence as we spoke, while two trails of bloody tears quietly traced down his cheeks.

The Renming Inn was the very same establishment where the God of Wind had once hosted us. The only difference was that the proprietor and the waiter had both been replaced. The owner was now a breathtakingly beautiful woman in her early thirties, while the waiter was a young girl of seventeen or eighteen.

I produced the token, and true to her word, the proprietress's demeanor shifted to one of profuse hospitality the moment she laid eyes on it. Within moments, a table laden with dishes was served, accompanied by a steaming basket of stuffed buns. Qin Tian ordered two pounds of white liquor. I couldn't help feeling surprised; whenever drinking came up in the past, this stubborn old fellow would always make excuses. What had gotten into him today?

"Just let me get drunk this once," Qin Tian said expressionlessly.