"Miss."
The cavalry captain rode up, tilting his head to look at Liu Liying, then drew the sword at his waist and used its tip to lift Liu Liying's chin. He chuckled, "Indeed, a beauty of the nation. No wonder my lord took a liking to you at first sight."
"Took a liking?"
Liu Liying remained calm and composed. Her beautiful eyes fixed on Yu Rang, and she sneered, "You're already an old fossil. Aren't you afraid of dying too soon?"
"To die beneath the peony's bloom is not so bad."
The cavalry captain looked at Liu Liying and smiled, "If our lord were to truly die on your chest, it would be his good fortune. Hahaha, what do you think, miss?"
Liu Liying smiled, "I think the people of your Lin Lu Legion truly have no fear of death."
"We live by the edge of a blade. If we knew too much of life and death, we'd be living too miserably."
The cavalry captain raised an eyebrow lightly and said, "Let's go, miss. Return to camp with me. Don't make trouble for yourself."
...
Snowy Domain Celestial Pool.
Lin Zhao, who was practicing martial arts by the lotus pond, suddenly felt a sense of unease. Following a stroke of intuition, he raised his hand and drew a wisp of water from the pond, condensing it with the Water Moon Celestial Observation technique. After capturing the auras of Liu Liying and Dong Cang, the scene of Tingma Town appeared within the Water Moon Celestial Observation. He frowned. Two figures descended from the wind – it was Zhi Zhi and Tang Guangjun.
"Leave?" Tang Guangjun asked.
"No rush."
Lin Zhao took a deep breath, "The Fish in the Pond is nearby."
"Indeed."
In Tingma Town, a figure on horseback arrived, clad in a dark blue long gown, a sword on his back. He was Chi Zhongyu, the chief enshrined guest at Danxia Mountain. He rose and leaped from his horse, landing beside Liu Liying. He extended a fingertip, pushing away the cavalry captain's sword tip, and said with a smile, "Brother, you don't understand how to cherish a jade. Pointing a sword at such a beautiful girl, isn't that rather inappropriate?"
"Hmm?"
The cavalry captain frowned and raised an eyebrow lightly, "Kid, the martial world of Tingma Town doesn't work like that. This is the woman our Lord Yu Rang wants. Don't try to play the hero saving the beauty, only to lose your own life. That wouldn't be worth it."
"Can't help it!"
Chi Zhongyu grinned, "My life is one of daring. I'd risk my life for a pretty smile, let alone for the beauty before me."
"..."
Liu Liying observed leisurely and let out a faint sigh, "Chi Zhongyu, it would have been better if you hadn't appeared to save me."
"Why?"
"If that were the case, Young Master would have personally come to save Dong Cang and me."
"Alas..."
Chi Zhongyu sighed, feeling a twinge of hurt, "Just consider it me, Chi Zhongyu, working for the Mountain Master. This debt will be settled on the Mountain Master's tab, not mine."
"Indeed, that would be best."
The next moment, Chi Zhongyu lightly palm-struck, sending the cavalry captain spitting blood as he retreated. Then, with his hands behind his back, he floated towards the distant Yu Rang, saying with a smile, "Old General, do you wish to claim that woman?"
"..."
Yu Rang's expression was a mixture of gloom and uncertainty. The appearance of Chi Zhongyu signaled that something was amiss. Both the woman and this young sword cultivator before him seemed to be of significant origin. He frowned, "Young master, if Yu Rang has offended you, I beg for your forgiveness. However, you shouldn't have injured my subordinate like this."
"Oh?"
Chi Zhongyu raised an eyebrow, "Old General, your words are quite bold. It seems you wish to duel Chi Zhongyu."
As he spoke, he drew his sword. His profound sword intent surged forth, and he said with a smile, "If I cannot defeat you within three moves, Chi Zhongyu will concede defeat and tie up Miss Liying to deliver her to your command tent, Lord Yu Rang!"
"..."
Liu Liying rolled her eyes.
Yu Rang's expression turned grim. He was clearly a martial artist at the Tenth Realm, the Sea Stepping stage, yet under the lock of this young sword cultivator's aura, he felt a suffocating sensation. Could this be an Upper Fifth Realm Sword Immortal? He racked his brain, searching for names, but couldn't recall any young sword cultivators appearing in the Northern Region.
After all, Yu Rang's encampment was in Yanzhou. Besides managing his troops, his days were usually spent drinking and seeking pleasure in entertainment. He never paid attention to how many Sword Immortals appeared in the mountains of the Northern Human Domain. In the eyes of these generals of the Great Shang Dynasty, the mountains were the concern of those who lived there, unrelated to those in the military.
"Swish!"
A beam of sword light descended. Yu Rang instantly felt as if his body were about to disintegrate under this strike. He stood rooted to the spot, feeling a desire to await death. It wasn't that he didn't want to dodge or block, but he was utterly incapable of doing so. This Eleventh Realm sword cultivator, Chi Zhongyu, possessed quite a formidable foundation.
"Trash."
Chi Zhongyu retracted his sword mid-swing. He then leaped forward and struck Yu Rang's forehead fiercely with the sword hilt, sending the old general spitting blood and retreating in disarray.
"Scram!"
Chi Zhongyu frowned.
"Yes... yes..."
Yu Rang scrambled to his feet and, surrounded by his Lin Lu cavalry, mounted his horse and turned to leave. After a few steps, he turned back, cupped his fists towards Chi Zhongyu, and asked, "Yu Rang has offended you today, and I hope the young hero will not hold it against me. May I ask which renowned mountain's immortal you are? Yu Rang will bring heavy gifts to apologize another day, to show my sincerity!"
"Oh?"
Chi Zhongyu narrowed his eyes, "You want to pry into my background for future revenge?"
"Dare not... dare not..."
"Scram!"
"Yes... yes..."
Yu Rang gripped his reins and departed with resentment.
...
Snowy Domain Celestial Pool, Mountain Peak Villa.
Lin Zhao stood up and said, "Zhi Zhi, Tang Guangjun, Chen Ben, Yu Wanning, Chu Yu, prepare to descend the mountain with me. Mu Gua, muster ten thousand Snowy Domain cavalry to accompany us down the mountain and assault the Lin Lu Legion's encampment. Also, where is Tong Yu? Has she not returned home yet?"
"She's here."
Zhi Zhi looked towards a nearby spot.
A sword light descended in front of Lin Zhao. It was the pretty young girl Tong Yu. She looked at Lin Zhao, completely unaware of what had happened, "Brother Lin Zhao, you were looking for me?"
"Yes."
Lin Zhao nodded, "You'll accompany us down the mountain later."
"Okay!"
Late at night, ten thousand Snowy Domain cavalry, riding Cloud Dawn warhorses, thundered across the official road and finally arrived in front of the Lin Lu Legion's southern camp. In the air, Lin Zhao, along with Zhi Zhi, Tang Guangjun, Chen Ben, Yu Wanning, Chu Yu, Tong Yu, and others from the Mountain Peak Villa, descended on their swords. As they landed, the cavalry outside the Lin Lu Legion's gate stared in stunned silence, none knowing what had transpired or where this army had come from.
Lin Zhao stepped forward, his voice clear, "Snowy Domain Celestial Pool, Lin Zhao, pays respects to the Grand Marshal Li Chunyang!"
"Ah?!"
Inside the Lin Lu Legion's command tent, Li Chunyang suddenly stood up, "Why has Marshal Lin come?"
At that moment, Yu Rang's expression became extremely unsightly.
"What's going on?!"
Li Chunyang saw the signs and roared, "Yu Rang, what trouble have you stirred up for me again?"
"Grand Marshal!"
Yu Rang immediately knelt, his body trembling slightly, "Your subordinate... Your subordinate was patrolling Tingma Town and encountered a woman of unparalleled beauty. I intended to bring her back to the camp... I didn't expect... I didn't expect that woman might possibly be Liu Liying of the Mountain Peak Villa..."
"Foolish thing!"
Li Chunyang kicked Yu Rang to the ground, so angry he was about to spit blood. In the past, Li Chunyang had also been one of Lin Zhao's famous generals. How he wished to reconcile with Marshal Lin! Moreover, he held the position of Grand Marshal with constant trepidation. But now, his subordinates were all hindering him. Who was Liu Liying? She was the Folding Fan Goddess of the Mountain Peak Villa, the "Liying" spoken of by Lin Zhao, one of his most cherished people. How dare Yu Rang even touch Liu Liying? Wasn't this handing over an opportunity?
Legend had it that Lu Su, the Prime Minister of the Eastern Wu Kingdom, had a daughter, Lu Tong, who was at the Mountain Peak Villa, disguised as Tong Yu. Furthermore, in the Eastern Wu Kingdom, Yu Rang had conflicts with Lin Zhao. Lin Zhao was already looking for an excuse to get rid of Yu Rang, and here Yu Rang was, handing him an excuse on a silver platter?
How could there be such a foolish person in the world?
Li Chunyang was about to explode. He desperately wanted to protect Yu Rang, but this old general was not living up to expectations. Furthermore, Li Chunyang, as Grand Marshal, couldn't afford to lose Yu Rang. Although Yu Rang was greedy and cruel, he was quite adept in the ways of officialdom. The noble families and gentry of Yunzhou, Ningzhou, and Yanzhou – the entire Lin Lu Legion relied on Yu Rang to navigate these circles. The annual military expenses Yu Rang contributed to the Lin Lu Legion accounted for at least seventy percent of the total expenditure. If Yu Rang were gone, the Lin Lu Legion would lose its financial benefactor.
But now, Lin Zhao was outside the command tent. What to do?!
Li Chunyang took a deep breath, adjusted his armor, and said coldly to Yu Rang, "Don't come out until I tell you to. Don't seek death."
"Yes, Grand Marshal!"
Yu Rang kowtowed repeatedly. With Lin Zhao's arrival, this general who had previously ordered massacres finally knew fear.
...
Li Chunyang led his generals and met them outside the gate, cupping his fists respectfully, "Your subordinate Li Chunyang greets Marshal Lin!"
"The Grand Marshal is too kind."
Lin Zhao cupped his fists and smiled, "I apologize for disturbing the Grand Marshal with a late-night visit."
"No disturbance, no disturbance."
Li Chunyang said gravely, "May I ask why Marshal Lin has visited so late at night?"
"This is a long story."
Lin Zhao said, "The Snowy Domain Celestial Pool is located in a barren area and has always been unable to achieve self-sufficiency in supplies, largely relying on Tingma Town below. However, recently, this Tingma Town was sealed off by your Lin Lu Legion's Vice Marshal Yu Rang. Furthermore, Yu Rang even attempted to abduct Liu Liying, the Folding Fan Goddess of our Mountain Peak Villa. Therefore, Lin Zhao has come on this trip to settle old and new scores, and I hope the Grand Marshal will hand Yu Rang over to me."
"Ah?!"
Li Chunyang frowned and said respectfully, "Marshal Lin, this old dog Yu Rang may have made some mistakes, but... he is ultimately a Second Rank General, an official appointed by the Great Shang Dynasty!"
Lin Zhao smiled, "I know this matter will undoubtedly cause the Grand Marshal difficulty. How about this: Grand Marshal, clear a path. Tonight, pretend you saw nothing. If the Great Shang Dynasty questions this, it will all be on us at the Snowy Domain Celestial Pool. What do you think, Grand Marshal?"
"This..."
Li Chunyang frowned, saying nothing.
"Tsk tsk!"
Tang Guangjun stepped forward, drawing his sword and pointing its tip at Li Chunyang, "Li Chunyang, our Mountain Master has already spoken most politely. I hope you'll conduct yourself with decorum. Tonight's affair is solely Yu Rang's misdeed. If you were to obstruct us, it would likely become the misfortune of the entire Lin Lu Legion. He, Yu Rang, offended people from the Mountain Peak Villa, and for us to retaliate against him is justifiable and reasonable in the martial world. On the other hand, if you, Li Chunyang, were to insist on shielding him, it would be unacceptable."
This Grand Sword Immortal of the Twelfth Realm of the Military had quite a temper; he could even anger his own master to death, a man without manners.
Li Chunyang's brow furrowed. He then cupped his fists towards Lin Zhao, "Marshal Lin... I am willing to hand over Yu Rang for disposal..."