Chapter Eighteen: The Land of Hongjia

Zhong Kuishan, serving as the Commander of the Qingzhou Garrison, was a man of the dignified third rank.

He had traded his blood and scars for the limitless possibilities of his official career, only to have it all brought to a sudden end by the blade of a foolish, headstrong youth.

To Erleng, the youth in question, the capital was a place he had never visited, and the Golden Throne Hall was a sight he had never beheld. He knew nothing of the heights of high office, nor could his eyes recognize the leopard-patterned robes of a third-rank official.

A gentle breeze swept across the high terrace of the Jingxin Hall. The scent of blood hung heavy in the air. The officials stared at Zhong Kuishan’s corpse, their throats parched and their eyes glazed with shock.

"You lowly guard, you’ve just condemned your entire family to execution!" the Prefect shouted from below the terrace, his gaze venomous.

"Kill him! Avenge Commander Zhong!" a flag officer of the Qingzhou Garrison roared, brandishing his blade.

*Thump, thump...*

Rapid footsteps echoed as over a dozen soldiers, armed with long spears and steel swords, charged toward Erleng with ferocious intent.

On the steps, Erleng’s breathing remained steady. His sturdy body stood as still as a statue, his ears twitching slightly. Only when the incoming enemies were within a single step did he and his blade move as one.

*Clang! Cling, clang...*

In an instant, blades flashed and swords danced across the steps of the hall. Yet, there was no sound of metal clashing against metal; there was only the sharp, crisp snapping of swords and the piercing of armor.

Beneath the plaque of the Jingxin Hall, the palace lanterns swayed, casting flickering, ghostly shadows.

*Bam! Bam!*

Erleng moved like a phantom, his blade impossibly fast.

Two breaths later, the high terrace was a scene of chaos. The dozen soldiers had all collapsed, their armor shattered, blood pooling across the stone floor.

Erleng retreated, standing alone to block the palace gate, leaning on his blade. "I cannot kill everyone, but I can kill whoever tries to step into this hall next. My lords, would anyone like to test the sharpness of the blade kept by Prince Huai?"

Below the steps, the officials broke into a cold sweat, casting furtive, panicked glances at one another. They knew Erleng was fast, but they had not expected this level of speed.

Zhong Kuishan was a third-rank official, yet this headstrong brat had killed him without the slightest hesitation or regard for consequences.

It wasn't that the boy possessed the valor of Hua Xiong, but rather that each of the lords had their own calculations. He was merely a private soldier of Prince Huai—a lowly guard. Was he worth sacrificing their own lives for?

With the Qingzhou Garrison lacking a leader, all eyes turned toward the flag officer, but the man felt Erleng’s gaze fixed firmly upon him. He dared not move, paralyzed by the fear of that swift, lethal blade.

...

Inside the main hall, at the entrance to the secret chamber.

*Click!*

A young eunuch cautiously picked up the fake Sword of the Nation. As the mechanism turned, the wall split open, revealing a hidden passage.

"Hidden arrows and crossbows!" Ren Ye, his entire being radiating a chilling, sinister aura, commanded with milky-white eyes.

Over a dozen young eunuchs and maids raised their weapons, aiming them at the entrance of the secret passage.

A cold draft blew from the dark, gloomy corridor, sending shivers down everyone’s spines.

After a brief silence, Lian'er stood on her tiptoes, peering into the chamber. "Your... Your Highness, there is no movement inside. Shall I take some men in to investigate?"

"No, don't go in." Ren Ye’s mind was clear. "Launch poison smoke into the passage. Force her out..."

*Whoosh!*

Before he could finish, a brilliant golden light erupted from the entrance of the secret passage and rapidly spread into the hall, illuminating the space as if it were midday.

*Hm?*

*How can there be light?!*

A cascade of questions flooded Ren Ye’s mind. His eyes widened as he saw a man walking out of the golden radiance.

The man appeared to be around twenty-four or twenty-five. He wore a white shirt and black polyester trousers, but his face and neck were covered in shocking, gruesome wounds, as if he had just been brutally beaten.

"Xiao... Xiaoyang??" Ren Ye stretched his neck, tentatively calling out the name.

Li Xiaoyang had once worked with Ren Ye on the border in anti-fraud operations. Later, when they were about to close the net, his identity was exposed, and he was cruelly murdered by a criminal syndicate, his body dismembered abroad.

"Ren Ye, save... save me! I really don't want to die... My wife is just pregnant."

Li Xiaoyang fell to his knees with a thud, clutching his hair in agony. "I beg you, save... save me! Let me see my daughter, even if it’s just for one glance...!"

"How are you here?!" Ren Ye stepped forward uncontrollably. His thoughts narrowed to a singular point; his vision filled only with Li Xiaoyang’s face and appearance.

"Xiao Ye, only you can save me... only you!" Li Xiaoyang wept on the ground, his expression broken and helpless. "Remember? We worked together, we handled cases together, we were best friends! Save me... in this world, you can save me!"

"I remember, I remember everything... I’m sorry, Xiaoyang. That day, it should have been me who died. I’m truly sorry... I...!"

Ren Ye wept blankly, like a walking corpse, his eyes hollow as he walked toward Li Xiaoyang, toward the entrance of the secret passage.

*Whoosh!*

Just three steps away from reaching Li Xiaoyang, Ren Ye suddenly felt a chill in his chest, and his thoughts began to grow muddled.

*Why is he here?*

*How can I see him?!*

*No!*

*This is wrong. My mind has been compromised...*

Ren Ye stood frozen in place, the calming talisman hanging on his chest flickering incessantly.

It flashed on and off, the light and shadow shifting, the frequency accelerating...

*Snap!* The calming talisman gifted by the Princess shattered, falling to the ground in fragments.

A wave of coolness washed over his entire body. Ren Ye regained his senses and jerked his head around to look at his surroundings. The secret passage entrance remained pitch black, but a scroll floated in mid-air, emitting beams of light that enveloped Lian'er and the group of young eunuchs...

Four eunuchs had dropped their crossbows and were hugging the pillars of the hall, thrusting their hips violently; three maids lay sprawled on the ground, their faces flushed, eyes glazed, as if waiting for something.

*It’s an illusion!?*

*That woman possesses a tool capable of creating illusions!*

Ren Ye’s mind roared. He looked behind him, and without a second thought, he gripped the real Sword of the Nation in his right hand and gave chase.

...

In the gloomy corridor of the Jingxin Hall, Liu Ling'er was running at full speed.

Her initiation artifact was a scroll titled *Spring Breeze Ruyi*, which possessed the miraculous ability to create a "Dream-Fulfillment Illusion." While it lacked immense offensive power, once a target entered the illusion, they could easily become completely lost and descend into madness...

The moment the secret passage door was opened, she had activated the *Spring Breeze Ruyi* scroll, luring everyone into the illusion.

Once the deed was done, Liu Ling'er’s first choice was to flee and hide, not to kill Ren Ye.

The reason for this was simple: although she had a means to save her life, it could only be used once, and she was not skilled in close-quarters combat. Even if she killed Ren Ye, she would not be able to escape.

Furthermore, she was convinced that Prince Huai was a player and must still have cards up his sleeve...

Therefore, hiding and waiting for her teammates to arrive was the wisest strategy.

Moving with light steps through two corridors, Liu Ling'er glanced around before pushing open a random guest room door and slipping inside.

Pulling the token from her waist, Liu Ling'er sent another message to the players of the Imperial Court faction: "I have left the secret chamber. Enter the hall to meet me."

"You’ve left the secret chamber, why not come out yourself?" A voice that could not be distinguished as male or female drifted eerily from the token.

Liu Ling'er wiped the sweat from her forehead and cursed them as idiots in her heart. "He is blocking my path, which means every exit to the main hall must be sealed! You must come in; we can split the task clues."

In the corridor outside, Ren Ye gripped the Sword of the Nation, stooping to feel the gaps in the doors of each guest room.

Indeed, he was feeling for the strands of hair he had carefully placed beforehand.

There was a reason Lian'er had become so "bald." From the incident at the Chunxiang Garden yesterday until now, more than a day had passed, and both sides had been preparing in the shadows...

This was a contest between a brothel hostess and a former anti-fraud officer.

The Jingxin Hall had many rooms, but the layout was regular and followed a pattern. Ren Ye explored quickly, and before long, he arrived at the spot where Liu Ling'er had just passed.

...

Outside the Jingxin Hall, on the high terrace.

After a brief standoff between Erleng, who stood alone at the gate, and the incoming enemies, Wu Asi, Commander of the Secret Agent Camp, made his move.

By now, he had already exchanged two rounds with Erleng.

*Bam!*

A dull thud rang out. Wu Asi, who had just been preparing to dodge to the side, was forced to retreat by a fierce flash of the blade.

The steel sword he held horizontally in both hands trembled slightly.

*Whoosh!*

A shadow flickered, and the famous blade *Yao Yue* struck toward Wu Asi’s neck.

In an instant, the two were on the verge of life and death.

"A fierce blade, rarely seen in this world. A true talent. It is a pity... Heaven’s Maimed Corner!"

A hoarse, aged voice echoed. A gray shadow descended from the sky, abruptly blocking Wu Asi’s path. The man pinched the blade of *Yao Yue* with two fingers and pressed down gently. It felt like Mount Tai crushing down, forcing Erleng’s body to plummet rapidly.

*Snap!*

Erleng stepped on the ground, cracking the stone slabs. He retreated two steps before stabilizing his form.

Looking up, an old Taoist priest was waving a whisk, striking with a palm toward his face.

Erleng immediately blocked with his blade, but with a dull *thud*, his body was sent flying backward. However, the moment his feet left the ground, the silver *Yao Yue* flew from his grasp, streaking toward the old Taoist’s neck.

*Whoosh!*

The silver blade was extremely fast and precise.

*Clang, ding-ding-ding!*

In the blink of an eye, the teeth-grinding sound of metal colliding rang out. *Yao Yue* circled the old Taoist’s neck and returned in an arc.

*Bam!*

At this moment, Erleng crashed heavily into the red pillar in front of the hall and slid down in a sorry state.

*Thud!*

He fell to his knees, feeling a scorching pain in his chest. As he vomited a mouthful of blood, he reached out and caught the returning *Yao Yue*.

A few steps away, the old Taoist landed gracefully, his neck bearing not even a red mark. "Your blade is fast, but it is still far from reaching the threshold; you cannot break through my tempered body."

"Master Xu, he is a rebel! Please execute this man immediately!"

"Master Xu, there are intruders in the hall! Do not waste any more time!"

"!"

A group of officials, seeing that it was Master Xu who had arrived, cheered with great joy.

Wu Asi sheathed his sword and said coolly, "If the Master had not arrived, I would have killed this man within three rounds...!"

After saying this, he hid his right arm behind his back and began to shake it uncontrollably.

"Follow me into the hall."

The old Taoist, who had arrived in such a hurry, had a vacant look in his eyes, and his body inexplicably radiated the scent of death.

He gave a cold command and was the first to step onto the terrace.

*Pfft!*

Erleng spat out another mouthful of blood, stubbornly wiped the corner of his mouth, and slowly stood up.

After just one exchange, he knew he could not defeat Master Xu. The man’s body was bizarre—completely devoid of any aura fluctuations, showing no signs of strange magic, yet he was immensely strong and invulnerable to blades.

On both sides, the twelve young eunuchs who had been guarding the hall with Erleng all kept their heads down, motionless, whispering anxious dissuasions.

"Forget it, Guard Hong, we cannot stop them...!"

"There is no need to throw away your life for nothing!"

"!"

The mosquito-like whispers of discouragement came from all directions.

Erleng stood up, his legs trembling as he gripped *Yao Yue*. His expression was remarkably calm. "I... I have finally remembered what I wanted to say on the day I distributed the rewards to you all..."

Master Xu stepped forward, his gaze vacant, his tone rigid. "Boy, I recognize that you have the potential for future enlightenment, and I do not wish to kill you and incur karma. Move aside!"

Erleng, his eyes covered by a gray cloth, slowly raised his single-edged blade and stepped, step by step, back to the palace entrance...

Soon, he stopped and straightened his body once more, standing alone to block the gate. "I was born in a small village in the Southern Frontier, with fewer than fifty households. When I was young... I found a stray dog at the village entrance. Every day, I fed him, and he guarded my home; when I left, he guarded my parents’ home, until he died of old age last year and was buried under the apricot tree in our courtyard."

Five steps away, Master Xu’s eyes filled with killing intent.

"I cannot beat you, and I will die..." Erleng slowly raised his arm, pointing the tip of his blade toward his opponent. "But I remembered what I wanted to say that day... To eat the Lord’s salary is to be loyal to the Lord’s affairs! Even a stray dog knows this rule; how can a human not?"

"A nameless soldier from the Southern Frontier who excels in the single-edged blade, today, I specifically ask for instruction from Master Xu!"

His fearless voice rang through the Prince Huai residence, lingering for a long time.

He stood straight, the famous blade *Yao Yue* held horizontally before the hall, its chilling light pure and absolute...