Zhong Xiong, however, appeared uninterested in the fiery and usually reticent Daoist before him. His gaze had shifted to the rushing river in the distance, his tone laced with faint disdain. It was as if he hadn’t heard Mo Dao’s question at all or perhaps was continuing an unfinished thought of his own:
“Furthermore, as I’ve been subdued by Zhan Zhao’s Crane Ascends to the Heavens, any actions you take under duress will be addressed when I face the prince.”
Behind him, the Iron Blood Guards let out another resounding “Understood!”
Amid the clash of swords and glimmer of blades, Zhan Zhao’s gaze grew peculiar. For a brief moment, their eyes met—Zhan Zhao and Zhong Xiong—and just as quickly, both looked away.
—Why would this sworn enemy from moments ago so clearly forgo an opportunity to join forces and launch an attack?
—Was Zhong Xiong truly deterred by the threat of Crane Ascends to the Heavens?
—If he did choose to act, would Zhan Zhao really strike him down without hesitation?
—And in that fleeting exchange of glances, was there perhaps a spark of mutual understanding, a rare respect shared only between heroes?
The human heart is a labyrinth, and how many among us can truly unravel its mysteries?
* * *
Three people had now escaped the perilous array. Still trembling with fear, they suddenly heard Zhan Zhao’s voice. Though his tone carried a tinge of urgency, it was still calm enough to command their attention:
“Why are you still standing here? Go!”
The final word seemed to linger in the air, even as his voice trailed behind him.
By the time the words finished, Zhan Zhao was already in front of Mo Dao. With a quick motion, he separated the long sword that had been entwined in the banner he carried.
As his body lifted into the air, the flowing sword light danced like a shooting rainbow, its changes as rapid as a thunderstorm. Each move allowed no room for hesitation.
In his right hand, the long sword danced with intricate precision, binding Mo Dao and the Xiang Yang Prince’s royal guards in a deadly web of movement. Meanwhile, his left hand wielded the long banner, repeatedly probing into the Eye Charm Array!
In Zhong Xiong’s eyes, the interwoven flashes of sword light revealed a glimmer of something deeper—a faint yet undeniable trace of excitement.
Amidst the flashing shadows, another elderly woman was flung outside the Eye Charm Array. Though she landed with a loud thud, she appeared uninjured.
Zhong Xiong then noticed that the child, the young woman, and the old man beside him hadn’t taken any steps to leave.
The child and the young woman had just caught their breath, but after exchanging a glance, they both shook their heads. Perhaps in their hearts, they truly wished to lean on each other and escape this dangerous place. Yet their gazes were fixed intently on the old man lying on the ground.
—The old man, perhaps struck too hard, struggled briefly but failed to rise.
They were simply too weak, unable to help the injured elder to his feet.
They waited.
They waited for the old man to recover enough to stand.
Zhong Xiong looked at the tattered child and sighed faintly.
“If I were you, I’d leave this place as soon as possible.”
The child looked at him timidly, unsure whether this man was a friend or foe.
—His smile was kind, his demeanor commanding, and his voice, though deep, was pleasant.
For a child, these were more than enough to lower his guard.
In a small voice, the child replied, “I can’t leave.”
Zhong Xiong asked, “Why can’t you leave?”
The child said, “Because my mother and sister haven’t come out yet. And Grandpa has fallen here. Our families have lived in this town for generations—we must stay together.”
His words carried a surprising courage. This small child, after experiencing the upheavals of the world, seemed to have matured.
Zhong Xiong asked, “Aren’t you afraid your mother and sister might never come out?”
The child replied firmly, “They’ll come out. The man in black will save them!”
His voice was brimming with confidence.
Zhong Xiong shook his head. “You don’t even know who the man in black is. How can you be so sure he’ll save them?”
The child tilted his head, thought for a moment, and replied earnestly, “Because he’s a good person!”
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