Xiangyang City

"Second brother, I'm hungry." Zhang Jing rubbed her stomach and spoke coquettishly.

Seated atop a chestnut-red horse, Zhang Jing twisted around to act cute with Fang Xuan. Her adorable face had been reddened by the cold wind, yet it was full of smiles.

When Zhang Jing awoke from her coma, they were already far from Zhang Family Fortress. Since Fang Xuan looked exactly like Zhang Qing, Zhang Jing took him for her second brother.

There were no living beings left in Zhang Family Fortress. Fang Xuan had promised Zhang Qing that his youngest sister would survive. Since he had promised, he had to fulfill it. Moreover, this was the final request of his other-self incarnation. Agreeing to him was the same as agreeing to himself.

Originally, Fang Xuan had only intended to find a family to adopt Zhang Jing. However, when he encountered a group of beggars, he inadvertently heard several familiar names.

Clan Leader Huang Rong, Hero Guo Jing...

The Condor Heroes!

After learning that this world was the world of The Condor Heroes, Fang Xuan felt both anticipation and disappointment.

Naturally, he looked forward to seeing several characters he had loved as a child. As for his disappointment, it seemed this world truly had little to offer him.

Compared to the Magic Sword Life and Death Chess world, the martial prowess of The Condor Heroes world was even lower, let alone the prospect of finding any method of spiritual cultivation.

Even the Nine Yin Manual, known as the general outline of all martial arts under heaven, merely had methods such as the soul-entrancing technique that used spiritual power, but no cultivation method for it.

"At worst, I'll seek out a few more Small Worlds, kill my other-self incarnations, and forcibly push my realm upward with accumulated foundations," Fang Xuan said softly.

"Second brother, what are you talking about?"

"Nothing. Are you cold?" Fang Xuan lowered his head and smiled at the little girl in his arms.

Zhang Jing shifted a few times, finding a more comfortable position as she leaned against Fang Xuan's chest. "Second brother is so warm, like a stove. I'm not cold at all."

Fang Xuan laughed heartily. In the Body Tempering Realm of the Eternal Life world, one cultivated one's qi and blood. With his qi and blood boiling throughout his body, he was immune to heat and cold. If he circulated it at full force, he was practically hotter than fire.

"Second brother, where are we going?" Zhang Jing asked curiously.

Fang Xuan took out a piece of dried beef from his cloth bag and stuffed it into Zhang Jing's mouth. Watching her chew happily, he said, "To Xiangyang."

Zhang Jing's eyes immediately lit up. "Then can we meet Hero Guo?"

Fang Xuan paused, then smiled. "You know Hero Guo too?"

"Mhm, mhm. I used to hear Father, Second Uncle, and Third Uncle talk about him. Father said Hero Guo was the greatest, greatest hero in all the world. Second brother, how powerful is Hero Guo? Is he stronger than Father?" Zhang Jing asked with her big, adorable eyes wide open.

"Yes, he's very powerful."

"Is he stronger than you, second brother?"

"No."

"Hehe, I knew second brother was the strongest." Zhang Jing beamed happily.

Their conversation was overheard by another group of martial artists traveling beside them. A burly man with a thick beard angrily shouted at them.

"You there, boy! How dare you spout such nonsense and slander Hero Guo? Did your parents never teach you any manners?"

Fang Xuan's eyes turned cold.

"Zhao Qiu, she's just a child speaking without thought. Are you really taking it seriously?" an old man holding a judge's brush said.

Then he cupped his hands toward Fang Xuan. "Young master, my friend greatly admires Hero Guo and cannot tolerate hearing others slander him. Your younger sister is young and speaks without restraint, but this place is near Xiangyang. Most of those passing through are martial artists here to support Xiangyang, all drawn by admiration for Hero Guo. Some are bound to be hot-tempered, so it would be best not to say such things."

Fang Xuan looked down at the old man from atop his horse but said nothing. He simply urged his horse onward.

At this, even the old man's face darkened.

How utterly rude.

Zhao Qiu was even more furious, his anger soaring to the heavens as he shouted, "You there, boy, don't run!"

With that, he leaped into the air and reached for Fang Xuan's shoulder.

"Get lost!"

Fang Xuan snorted coldly. With a slap of his right hand, as though swatting a fly, he sent Zhao Qiu flying and crashing heavily into a dirt pit by the roadside.

The old man's expression changed in shock, and he hurried toward Zhao Qiu. Zhao Qiu had already fainted. His right arm was twisted at an unnatural angle, clearly broken.

"You... how could you be so cruel? You actually broke his arm!" the old man angrily demanded.

Fang Xuan said coldly, "A small punishment as a warning. Next time, it won't just be an arm."

"You..."

The old man was beside himself with rage. Yet recalling how Zhao Qiu had been defeated with a mere wave of Fang Xuan's hand, he looked at Fang Xuan with deep apprehension.

Fang Xuan could not be bothered with them and continued riding onward.

A few days later, they reached the outskirts of Xiangyang. By then, the two armies had been locked in offensive and defensive battle for over a month. Broken spears and snapped halberds covered the mountains and plains, while congealed blood and piled bones lay everywhere, revealing the brutality of the war.

On one side, the Mongol Yuan army's warhorses reared and charged, their iron armor clanging. Their military formation was immensely imposing. Looking out, there seemed to be several hundred thousand troops.

Surrounded by this army, Xiangyang City was like a solitary stronghold, filled with an air of loneliness and desolation.

Ooooh—

The sound of war horns echoed before Xiangyang City, carrying an oppressive majesty.

The Mongol Yuan army launched another assault. Several thousand catapults slowly advanced toward the city walls under the soldiers' push.

Boulders crashed down, crushing countless Great Song soldiers into pulp. Some flaming stones ignited the buildings within the city, turning them into a sea of fire.

The Great Song troops in Xiangyang City were no less willing to yield. Rolling stones, logs, boiling filth... were continuously hurled down from the city walls.

Large numbers of Mongol Yuan soldiers were permanently left beneath the walls.

Corpses carpeted the ground. The wounded were countless, and cries of agony never ceased.

Compared to the other Great Song soldiers, whose fighting strength was as weak as jelly-legged men, the soldiers of Xiangyang seemed prepared to face death. Though fear showed on their faces, they still steadfastly carried out their duties in an orderly manner.

Because they knew what the consequences would be if Xiangyang fell.

The Mongol Yuan were brutal, often massacring entire cities.

Many of the soldiers defending Xiangyang had fled from other cities. They knew the terror and brutality of the Mongol Yuan. Even if they surrendered, death would still be unavoidable in the end.

Most importantly, Guo Jing, Hero Guo, fought alongside them.

On the city wall, Guo Jing cut a valiant figure in black armor. His armor was covered in blood, and with a treasured sword in hand, he mercilessly cut down every enemy who climbed the wall.

"Brother Jing."

After repelling a wave of Mongol Yuan soldiers, Guo Jing turned and saw Huang Rong standing nearby, her face full of concern. Suppressing his exhaustion, he asked, "Rong'er, how are the casualties?"

"Brother Jing, don't worry. I've ordered the Beggar Clan disciples to maintain order in the city, treat the wounded, fetch water, and put out the fires. The city will not descend into chaos."

"That's good, that's good."

Hearing the good news, Guo Jing finally let out a breath of relief, and his body immediately weakened. Huang Rong hurried forward to support him, her face filled with heartache. Especially when she saw the few strands of white hair at his left temple, she felt even more pity for him.

Every fierce enemy assault left Brother Jing with dozens more white hairs.

Just as the two rested, cheers suddenly rose from below. The Mongol Yuan soldiers shouted, "Long live! Long live! Long live!"