—The sun outside the granary must already be high in the sky.
The sound of boots stopped abruptly just outside the granary.
Then there was silence.
After a long pause, a deep, resonant voice broke the stillness:
“Protector Zhan, known across the land as the Southern Hero, truly lives up to his reputation. The Copper Net Formation, with its impenetrable web, couldn’t hold you. Thousands of the prince’s elite cavalry, half of Jinshitang’s finest, armed with the portrait-scroll and tracking you for five days—none of them succeeded!”
The voice was low and rich, carrying a unique mix of authority and pressure that was difficult to describe.
But when these words reached Huo Xiao Di’s ears, it felt as though a thunderclap had struck out of nowhere. His heart gave a sudden, jarring thud.
Though he was paralyzed and unable to move, his face twisted in shock, and for a moment, he even struggled to catch his breath.
—So it was him!
The realization hit him like a tidal wave. The black-clad young man he had traveled with, the one he thought he understood, was none other than Zhan Zhao, the Southern Hero of legend, the famed imperial bodyguard who served with a blade before the emperor himself!
His heart quickly sank.
The memories of the journey resurfaced in his mind—the man’s expressions, his humor, his speech, his brilliance, his unmatched martial arts—each scene replayed as vividly as if it were happening before him.
A man like that… how could he not be Zhan Zhao?
—If not him, who else could it possibly be?
* * *
Zhan Ri Fei let out a faint grunt but did not reply.
The man continued, “Protector Zhan, you are now afflicted by the poison ‘Old Friends at First Sight.’ Without the antidote from the Cult of Asura, even immortals would be powerless to save you. If you hand over the item, I will personally guarantee to the prince that you receive the antidote.”
In the silence that followed, Zhan Zhao’s voice rang out, slow and steady: “Since this object has come into Zhan Zhao’s possession, how could I hand it over so easily? I have long admired Chief Zhong’s reputation as a great hero with unparalleled martial skill. If Chief Zhong wishes to make an attempt, Zhan Zhao is ready to accompany you with everything I have.”
Chief Zhong burst into laughter. “I may have lived in seclusion on Mount Jun, but every day I’ve heard tales of Master Zhan’s youthful heroism and worldwide fame. Yet today, I find you lacking self-awareness. With your injuries and waning strength, even if you wish to show a warrior’s courage, how many moves of mine could you possibly withstand?”
Only then did Huo Xiao Di realize that this Chief Zhong was none other than Zhong Xiong, the renowned Flying Fork Commander under the Xiang Yang Prince. No wonder the soldiers they had encountered in the canyon were neither Song dynasty officers nor the prince’s royal guards—they were the Ironblood Guards from Mount Jun, under the prince’s command!
But what had Zhan Zhao taken from the Xiang Yang Prince’s manor to provoke such relentless pursuit? Shao Jizu, the forces of Jinshitang, and now the prince’s most formidable general had all been dispatched in pursuit.
Thinking of this, Huo Xiao Di felt the yellow silk in his chest pocket grow unbearably hot.
—What secret could possibly be hidden on this yellow silk?
At the thought of the word "secret," another notion suddenly struck him:
“Five days ago… five days ago… was he also in Xiang Yang? Could it be—”
A vague and inexplicable idea began to form in his mind. Though he couldn’t grasp its full meaning, it left him with an unshakable sense of dread.
His train of thought was abruptly interrupted by the conversation below.
Zhan Zhao said, “Why doesn’t Chief Zhong try and see for himself?”
Hearing this, Huo Xiao Di’s mind conjured an image of Zhan Zhao’s composed face, calm and self-assured, with a faint smile as he spoke those words.
His heart ached—how could Zhan Zhao, in his current state, possibly engage in a fight?
Thinking this, he inwardly scolded himself: “Why are you worrying about him when he’s just betrayed you?”
Yet his heart remained tangled in confusion.
After Zhan Zhao’s words, the granary fell silent again.
0 Comments