Gu Wangchen craned his neck, using his peripheral vision to scan the situation inside the room.
“Master, be careful.”
An Li leaned in close from behind him, her fingertips grazing his neck as a trace of chilly True Qi flowed into Gu Wangchen’s body.
“There. Now both Master and I are under the protection of the shadows.”
“Thanks, An Li,” Gu Wangchen replied absently. He didn’t mind that An Li was practically pressing herself into his back; instead, he watched the drama unfolding inside with an expectant gaze.
Clad in dark brown heavy armor and wielding a pair of Dragon-Beating Maces, Long Heng stood tall in the center of the room. He looked mockingly at Wei Yang, who stood by the door in matching dark brown heavy armor, gripping a long-handled modao.
Another man in grey light armor, his face marked by crisscrossing scars, narrowed his eyes at the intruding Wei Yang. He turned his head and said, “Long Heng, why is there still a tail? Deal with him quickly!”
“Can’t you tell from his equipment? That’s an Anxi soldier!” Long Heng responded coldly.
“I don’t care who he is; he absolutely cannot be allowed to interfere with the operation!” Xiao Ze walked past Wei Yang with his hands behind his back, replying indifferently, “As for how you handle it… decide for yourself.”
With those words, Xiao Ze disappeared into the corridor outside the room.
“Your name is Long Heng?” Wei Yang turned back, gritting his teeth. “Not only did you become a deserter, but you also became a lapdog for that nameless scoundrel? You’ve disgraced the Anxi Army!”
At this, Wei Yang swung his long-handled modao and pointed it at Long Heng. “Identify yourself!”
Long Heng grinned and raised his Dragon-Beating Maces, speaking steadily, “Anxi Long Heng. Enlisted in Year 23 of Xuan Yuan, two years before you.”
He swung an iron mace, smashing it into an old cabinet in the guest room. The wood collapsed, splinters flew, and the entrance was instantly blocked.
“I earned the honor of being the first to scale the walls during the siege of the Shi Kingdom’s capital in Year 5 of Tian Tai!”
“You were part of the Right Wing Vanguard back then?” Wei Yang’s throat moved as he couldn’t help but ask.
“Yes,” Long Heng cracked his neck, staring at Wei Yang. “Which unit were you?”
“Right Wing Main Force.”
Hearing this, Long Heng let out a loud laugh and slammed a Dragon-Beating Mace onto the table. “What a coincidence. I thought your fighting style looked familiar; it turns out we were in the same wing.”
“However…”
Long Heng’s tone shifted. His smile vanished as he continued, “I don’t have time to reminisce with you. Though we are brothers-in-arms, if you stand in my way…”
He pulled the Dragon-Beating Mace free, his intention clear.
“Long Heng, as a soldier of the Anxi Army, why are you siding with a villain and committing such wicked deeds?!”
“Tell me!” Wei Yang also swung his modao, taking a combat stance and shouting his question.
“Naturally, it’s to seek justice for the 30,000 comrades who were trapped and died in Elephant Ridge!” Long Heng raised a mace towards Wei Yang. “Don’t tell me you’re unaware of this? Were your own brothers not among them?!”
“Of course I know!” Wei Yang stared at Long Heng with wide eyes. “But… that isn’t a reason for you to attack Her Highness the Crown Princess or harm the innocent! Among those killed by your black fire oil… were several of my old comrades who were transferred with me from Anxi to Shengan!”
“Do you think I wanted to do that?!”
Long Heng raised his voice, the veins on his forehead bulging. “Do you think I didn’t try normal means?”
He blinked, seemingly recalling a horrific memory, and his voice began to tremble. “But do you know what happened the last time I followed the General to Shengan?”
“Fifty people, exactly fifty people…” Long Heng’s eyes flashed with murderous intent as he looked toward the Imperial City. “Blood and guts paved the entire street!”
“What are you saying?” Wei Yang was momentarily confused by Long Heng’s words.
“You don’t need to know,” Long Heng took a deep breath and replied. “I’ll give you the answer you want right now.”
“That is… we no longer trust this court. We will take justice for our fallen comrades with our own hands!”
Without further nonsense, he activated the Seven Star Burning Radiance Art and charged at Wei Yang.
“And if you dare to block me, I shall treat you no differently!”
*Clang!*
The moment the Dragon-Beating Mace collided with the modao, the shock numbed the web of Wei Yang’s thumb, and he was forced back three steps.
‘Such incredible strength!’
Wei Yang steadied himself and also activated his cultivation technique. His blood surged, and his fighting spirit boiled.
He roared through gritted teeth, “I don’t know what you all went through, but harming the innocent and attacking the Crown Princess is not the right path!”
As he spoke, the two clashed again. Weapons collided, metal shrieked, and armor rattled. The old wooden floor of the inn creaked under their weight, seemingly on the verge of collapse.
Even Gu Wangchen, watching from outside the window, could feel the heat radiating from their surging blood and energy.
“Wow, I didn’t expect these two to have that kind of history. This is quite a show.”
“Master, what exactly was Long Heng talking about? What kind of treatment did they receive?” An Li asked, sounding puzzled.
“I’m not entirely sure, but judging by his description, it must have been severe. Perhaps their own people turned their blades against them?” Gu Wangchen mused.
He immediately recalled memories from his past life, specifically that incident regarding ‘Come to the parade ground tomorrow to receive your pay; there is no need to bring weapons or armor.’
‘Is this Great Qian… really going to do such a thing?’
But he remembered that the Great Qian court’s finances hadn’t rotted to that point yet.
Regardless, even if he didn’t ask, Long Heng would likely be unable to resist telling him eventually.
There was no rush.
Thinking of this, he refocused his attention on the fight inside.
Wei Yang was leaning on his long-handled modao, a trail of crimson leaking from the corner of his mouth. Even his hands were covered in cracks, and blood slowly dripped down the handle of his blade.
“Wei Yang, your mastery of the Seven Star Burning Radiance Art isn’t quite there yet!” Long Heng spat out a glob of bloody phlegm. He leaped into the air, performed a feint, and struck Wei Yang’s knee with a mace.
“Argh!!!”
*Thud!*
His knees shattered, Wei Yang slammed into the ground. Yet, he still used the handle of his blade to prop himself up, glaring furiously at Long Heng.
Long Heng walked up to him and violently kicked him over. “You should be grateful for your identity. I don’t kill former brothers.”
*Whack!*
Another strike from the mace hit Wei Yang’s elbow. The modao fell to the floor with a *clang*, and without any support, Wei Yang collapsed face-down.
“I’m going to make you watch with your own eyes as I personally seek justice for our comrades!”
After confirming that Wei Yang had no further strength to resist, Long Heng put away his Dragon-Beating Maces, cleared the wreckage of the cabinet blocking the exit, and prepared to leave.
“Long Heng! Kill me now, or else… I will definitely execute you with my own hands!” Wei Yang glared toward the doorway, blood spraying from his upper teeth and soaking the wood shavings on the floor.
Long Heng stopped, but he didn’t look back. “I’ll be waiting.”
With that, he stepped out of the room.
“Ahhh!!!”
Wei Yang lay paralyzed on the ground, screaming frantically until his voice was nothing but a raspy, wheezing breath, and blood choked his throat.
He didn’t understand. Why? Why did it have to be like this?!
The soldiers of Anxi were not supposed to be like this!
He tried to circulate the Seven Star Burning Radiance Art again to force himself up, but the energy he had exhausted during the fight could no longer support a body hardened by 100 battles.
He could only bite down on the handle of his blade, using what remained of his mobile thighs and upper arms to slowly crawl toward the door.
Even if he had to crawl, he would crawl to stop Long Heng!
“Give it a rest. In your state… I’m afraid the next attack will be over before you even crawl out of the inn.”
Suddenly, a familiar voice reached Wei Yang’s ears. Immediately after, a pill radiating a spiritual glow and a clear fragrance was placed before him by a hand with distinct knuckles.
Looking up, his eyes suddenly shrank. “Ma—Master Gu?”