Chapter 31

Spitting out a large mouthful of congealed blood, Deng Pu took a long breath, finally stabilizing his injuries. At the critical moment of his duel with Guo Juling, that overhead slash had truly brought him to the brink of life and death. Even now, thinking about it made his heart race. Although Guo Juling was at the end of his strength, his desperate attack was not much weaker than Deng Pu's. The aura of death from that slash, even for a seasoned veteran like Deng Pu, was a real threat.

His injuries were quite severe, and his current strength had dropped by a whole level. More worrying was the strange internal energy from that final slash, which still lingered in his body, intertwining with his own internal energy. Despite his best efforts, he had only managed to expel a third of it. This greatly increased his vigilance. To completely rid himself of this strange internal energy would likely take over a month, and the longer it took, the harder it would become.

Now he remembered who had delivered that final overhead slash. As the deputy commander of the Qin border army, the name Qin Feng was not unfamiliar. Over the years, this man had caused the Qin army a great deal of harm and was a figure that struck fear into the hearts of the Qin border troops. Before the battle, Bian Zheng from the Bian family in Yongdu had been sent to kill him! A bitter smile appeared on Deng Pu's face. With Qin Feng's appearance, Bian Zheng was in serious trouble. The feeling of schadenfreude welled up in his heart. The Deng and Bian families were the two largest aristocratic clans in Qin, and their rivalry had never ceased, from the imperial court to the local regions and the military. Bian Zheng was one of the more outstanding members of the current generation of the Bian family. If he died at the hands of Qin Feng, it would be a pleasant surprise for the Deng family.

"General, have some food!" Seeing Deng Pu stand up, a Qin soldier approached and handed him the prepared food. It was freshly hunted game, roasted and sprinkled with salt, just enough to stave off hunger.

Taking the roasted meat, Deng Pu sat cross-legged, tearing it into strips and chewing slowly. Li Dashi and Zuo Lixing had fought a fierce battle, and Li Dashi was severely injured, surely returning to Yongdu. Before leaving, he had ordered Bian Wushuang to attack Anyang County and Deng Pu to capture Princess Zhaohua, a move to balance the two tasks, both of which were crucial for Qin. The emperor himself was pleased to see the rivalry between the Deng and Bian families. If they got along too well, the emperor would be deeply troubled.

For this reason, the two families competed fiercely in every area. In the border army, the Deng family had the upper hand, and the Bian family had suffered many losses. However, Deng Pu had performed well, leaving the Bian family with no complaints. In a way, Qin Feng had helped him a lot. If he really killed Bian Zheng this time, Deng Pu would have to thank him properly. Thinking of this, Deng Pu couldn't help but smile. How to thank him? Hmm, let him die quickly, without any more torture.

The Qin border army had always wanted to capture this man and flay him inch by inch!

Guo Juling was definitely done for. If he wanted to die, there was nothing to be done. The remaining guards protecting Princess Zhaohua were, in his eyes, mere pawns, not worth mentioning. Even if Qin Feng was a bit more troublesome, it wouldn't change the final outcome, given the disparity in strength.

"Once we finish eating, we need to get moving." After a few bites of the roasted meat, Deng Pu stood up, clapping his hands. "It's already been half a day, and it will be harder to track them if we wait any longer. We must capture Princess Zhaohua and not let her escape." He looked at his three remaining subordinates, all of whom were injured, but it was enough.

"Yes!" The three subordinates, seeing Deng Pu stand up, discarded their food and responded loudly.

As the four were about to move, a light cough echoed through the quiet forest. The sound was faint, but to Deng Pu, it was like a thunderclap. His foot, which was about to step forward, froze in mid-air, and he staggered slightly when he finally put it down.

"General Zuo!" His voice was tinged with bitterness.

A figure emerged from behind a large tree, pale-faced and leaning on the trunk, looking frail and weak. His clothes fluttered in the mountain breeze, and his thin frame seemed ready to be blown away by a strong wind. But this man, standing there casually, was like a mountain to Deng Pu, impossible to look at directly.

"Cough, cough, you won't be going anywhere." Zuo Lixing looked at Deng Pu with a mocking smile. "Li Zhi overestimated himself and underestimated me. It's not that easy to kill me."

"General Zuo, you know the extent of your injuries." Deng Pu took a deep breath. "If you find a place to heal in time, you might extend your life for a few more years. With a few years, a miracle might happen. Do you really want to die in the Luoying Mountains?"

Zuo Lixing coughed again. "As you said, I know my injuries well. Extending my life for a few more years is possible, but living in such a state is worse than death. However, before I die, dragging you along would be a delightful way to go."

Deng Pu's face changed. "General Zuo, don't think I'm easy to bully."

Zuo Lixing smiled. "Even at the end of my strength, dealing with you is still more than enough."

Three loyal subordinates rushed forward, forming a protective barrier in front of Deng Pu. "General, go quickly, we'll cover you."

Deng Pu didn't move. He knew that even with Zuo Lixing's severe injuries, fleeing was meaningless. For a master, if they attack, it is a fatal blow. If the four of them could withstand Zuo Lixing's first attack, they might have a chance to escape. But if they couldn't, fleeing would be futile.

He took a deep breath, crouched slightly, and spread his hands wide, slowly pushing them together as if holding a heavy object. The three subordinates, seeing this, knew Deng Pu was preparing to fight to the death. They roared and gathered their strength, forming a triangular formation in front of Deng Pu. They were military commanders, and their movements naturally carried the essence of military formations.

The triangular formation was sharp in attack and layered in defense. Even if Zuo Lixing killed the three of them, by the time he reached Deng Pu, his momentum and strength would have diminished, giving Deng Pu a chance to counterattack.

The general had said, just hold off the first attack.

Zuo Lixing's smile grew wider. After killing these four, especially Deng Pu, Princess Zhaohua's safety would be almost guaranteed. Earlier, he had sensed the unique aura of Qin Feng's powerful slash, knowing that Qin Feng had also arrived. This first-rate warrior under his command always brought unexpected surprises. With such a person protecting Princess Zhaohua, he could rest easy.

He took a step forward.

Despite the distance of several dozen meters, Zuo Lixing seemed to reach the first man in a single step. With a simple reach, he lifted the man and slammed him into the other two.

The two commanders roared and thrust their weapons forward without hesitation, disregarding their comrade's life. In fact, they knew their comrade was already dead the moment Zuo Lixing grabbed him.

The sword cut the man in half, and the spear pierced his body, creating a bloody hole. But in that instant, their comrade's scream of agony distracted them.

Their comrade was not dead; Zuo Lixing had not killed him. He died at the hands of his own comrades.

But it was only a moment, and their weapons continued to thrust forward, aiming at the mountain-like figure before them. Zuo Lixing needed just this moment of hesitation, extending his hands to grasp the sword tip and spearhead.

An overwhelming pressure surged like a tidal wave, the spear shaft reversed, and the sword hilt struck back. With two thuds, they pierced the chests of the two men.

Their eyes bulged like those of dead fish. This was the power of a master-level warrior.

As the weapons pierced their comrades' bodies, Deng Pu exhaled and struck forward with both fists. He needed just this moment. After killing three men, Zuo Lixing's momentum had a slight pause. Life and death hung in the balance in this split second.

With a "hey," the two fists gathered all of Deng Pu's strength, with no reserve and no backup. He had just crossed the threshold to the ninth level at the beginning of the year, making him one of the top experts in the world. But in front of a master like Zuo Lixing, he knew any hesitation meant certain death.

A palm pressed against Deng Pu's fists, and a mountain-like pressure followed. Roaring, Deng Pu's clothes on his arms tore, but he could not stop the force from advancing.

His bones cracked, his legs bent, and he felt unable to breathe, his vision darkening, and a sweet, metallic taste rising in his throat.

Despair flooded his heart.

---

End of the page.