Evening was drawing near.
The fading rays of the setting sun slanted across the long street, lending the vermilion walls and golden tiles an added air of grandeur, while adding a touch of desolation to the shabby houses and wooden gates. The two stood far apart, seeming close enough to touch, yet divided by a chasm between heaven and earth.
Ruan Rong carried a wicker basket and cautiously made her way to the first grand residence at the eastern end of the street. Facing the Vermillion Gate studded with brass nails, she felt a burst of inexplicable panic.
When she instinctively looked back, she saw Sun Shaozong peeking out from behind the wall to the left. His gaze held both encouragement and inquiry, as though he would immediately abandon the plan if she showed even the slightest hesitation.
After meeting his eyes for a long while, Ruan Rong finally gathered her courage and pounded on the gate.
"Coming, coming!"
Before long, someone answered from within. The gate cracked open, and a gatekeeper in a Blue-Clothed Cap poked his head out. The moment he saw Ruan Rong's pretty face, his eyes went wide and blank.
Bang!
At that moment, Ruan Rong's brows shot up. She violently hurled the wicker basket to the ground, planted one hand on her hip, and pointed at the gatekeeper with the other as she cursed, "So what if you have money? What right do you have to dump garbage in front of my house?!"
The basket was filled entirely with fruit peels and pits.
The gatekeeper had been full of youthful admiration, but her sudden scolding left him stunned for a long moment. Then he frowned and said, "What nonsense are you talking about? Our household hasn't eaten lychees lately! How could we possibly..."
"Uh, then I must have found the wrong person!"
Before he could finish, Ruan Rong hastily grabbed the basket and fled down the street as fast as she could.
The gatekeeper stared stupidly after her again, watching until she vanished around the corner. Only then did he mutter, "What the hell?" and slam the gate shut in annoyance.
A short while later, Ruan Rong returned with the basket of trash.
Sun Shaozong had been waiting for her for some time. He stepped forward and praised her lavishly. "Miss Rong truly is impressive. That gatekeeper probably never dreamed you were putting on an act right in front of him."
"Of course!"
Ruan Rong proudly tilted up her nose and said smugly, "Even my father gets fooled by me all the time. What's a mere gatekeeper?"
Then she eagerly added, "Come on, let's try the next house!"
Naturally, Sun Shaozong had no objection. He quickly led the others to lie in wait outside the second grand residence. With the experience from before, Ruan Rong was much more composed this time and strode up to pound on the gate hard enough to shake it.
The gatekeeper who answered this time was a gaunt, middle-aged man.
As soon as he poked his head out to look around, Ruan Rong repeated her act. She flung the wicker basket to the ground and shouted, "So what if you have money? What right do you have to dump garbage in front of my house?!"
The middle-aged man froze, then blurted out, "Impossible! I clearly threw it all at the dumping ground. How could it end up in front of your house?!"
This was the place!
This was the place!
Sun Shaozong only shouted it in his heart, but Ruan Rong cried it out in excitement. She turned back and called, "Brother Sun, the assassins must be inside!"
The instant he heard that, Sun Shaozong knew things had gone wrong!
What the gatekeeper had just said was that he had personally thrown the fruit peels and pits into the dumping ground.
That meant he was qualified to approach the assassins' hiding place. Even if he was not an accomplice, he was at least someone in the know—what would someone like that do upon suddenly hearing the word "assassins"?
"Watch out!"
Without time to think, Sun Shaozong sprang from hiding and rushed toward Ruan Rong.
But he was still a step too late. The gaunt gatekeeper's face twisted with viciousness as he flicked a short knife from his sleeve and stabbed straight at Ruan Rong's heart without a word!
Hearing Sun Shaozong's warning, Ruan Rong instinctively turned around. But the gleaming knife tip was already before her eyes. She had no time to dodge and could only go pale with terror, her soul nearly leaving her body.
Whoosh!
Just then, a gale suddenly struck from behind her head. In her daze, she saw a flash of gold, followed by a dull crack. The gaunt gatekeeper's head flattened against the gate like a New Year's print; it was as though a pickle shop had opened atop his skull, spraying red, white, yellow, and green muck all over the door!
Seeing that he could not save her in time, Sun Shaozong had simply thrown the Gold Thread Great Ring Blade in his hand like a hidden weapon. With his current strength of a thousand jin, how could a distance of merely several yards slow it down?
After flattening the gatekeeper's head, the Gold Thread Great Ring Blade still had force to spare. With a rumbling crash, it blasted open half of the heavy gate before finally clanging to the ground!
That crisp clang seemed to drain every bit of strength from Ruan Rong's body. She staggered half a step and fell backward.
"Miss Rong, are you all right?!"
Sun Shaozong had already rushed up by then. How could he let her fall to the ground? He quickly reached out and caught her slender waist, anxiously checking her over. Only after confirming that she was unhurt did he finally breathe a sigh of relief.
At first, Ruan Rong was still lost in a daze. When she gradually came to her senses, she realized she was lying in Sun Shaozong's arms. She did not know whether she felt shy or delighted, but deep down, she only wished this moment could last longer.
"Charge! Capture the assassins!"
At that moment, Feng Xin roared and charged through the gate with his Single Blade, like a tiger descending the mountain.
"Catch the assassins!"
"Kill our way in!"
"Kill!"
The other guards refused to be outdone. With swords raised in their hands, they swept past Sun Shaozong like the wind.
"Hey, wait! Leave two men behind... leave two..."
Sun Shaozong had wanted to leave two men behind to protect Ruan Rong so he could deal with the assassins himself. Yet the more he shouted, the faster those fools ran. In the blink of an eye, only he and Ruan Rong remained beneath the gateway.
Ruan Rong understood what he was thinking. Though reluctant to part from him, she still gave his shoulder a gentle push and said softly, "Brother Sun, go inside and capture the assassins too. I can take care of myself."
But how could Sun Shaozong possibly feel at ease leaving her alone outside?
What if an assassin burst out from within? Would that not cost her her life?
Gritting his teeth, he helped Ruan Rong to her feet and asked, "Do you dare come in with me to capture the assassins?!"
After his heroic rescue just now, Ruan Rong could hardly bear to be separated from him for even a moment. She immediately nodded like a pecking chick.
Sun Shaozong took Ruan Rong's hand and crossed the threshold. With a flick of his toe, he scooped the Gold Thread Great Ring Blade back into his grasp. Then, following the sounds of battle, he pressed forward. After passing the deserted Front Hall, they reached the second courtyard, where Feng Xin and the others were fiercely fighting more than a dozen bandits.
The two sides had roughly equal numbers, and Feng Xin's group came from the Imperial Guard, well versed in coordinated combat. By all rights, they should have held the upper hand.
Yet one of the assassins was exceptionally skilled. His broad iron sword flashed up and down, trapping Feng Xin and four other guards within its reach and leaving them unable to advance or retreat!
As he held five men at bay alone, the remaining bandits took the opportunity to gang up on the other guards, beating them back until they were drenched in sweat and nearly unable to fight back!
Seeing this, Sun Shaozong had no time for further thought. He stepped forward and brought down a Mount Hua Splitter upon the bandit wielding the broad iron sword. He had only meant to relieve some pressure on Feng Xin and the others, but when the assassin saw that he was still holding a woman's hand, he underestimated him. He merely swept his broad iron sword upward, intending to deflect the force of Sun Shaozong's blade.
Against any other opponent, the assassin's response would have been hard to fault. A broad iron sword was also a heavy weapon, no less formidable than a thick-backed saber.
But could the strength of Sun Shaozong's body be judged by common sense?
Blade and sword collided with a thunderous clang, like a bolt of lightning striking from a clear sky!
The broad iron sword was smashed backward by the Gold Thread Great Ring Blade and struck the bandit squarely on the shoulder. Another crisp crack rang out as half his shoulder blade instantly shattered into powder.
"Ahhh!!"
Startled and in agony, the assassin let out a miserable scream, squeezed his eyes shut, and fell flat on his back with his limbs spread wide!
The power of that strike shocked not only the bandits but even Sun Shaozong himself. Feng Xin and the others, however, were greatly encouraged and praised in unison, "Commander, you are mighty!"
Their praise brought Sun Shaozong back to himself. He quickly ordered, "What are you shouting for? Go help the other brothers capture the assassins!"
Feng Xin and the others immediately obeyed, each raising his blade and rushing into the fight.
Worried that Ruan Rong might be hurt, Sun Shaozong did not dare charge recklessly into the center of the melee. He could only circle around the edges, and whenever he spotted a bandit gaining the upper hand, he would dart in and slash. These bandits could not withstand even one exchange against him face-to-face, much less a sneak attack. Within moments, five or six had fallen beneath his blade!
Seeing this, who knew how many bandits cursed Sun Shaozong as despicable, shameless, and utterly treacherous.
But in Ruan Rong's eyes, Sun Shaozong was leading her through the chaotic battle as though strolling through a garden. With every casual swing of his blade, another bandit fell. He was truly graceful, dashing, and overwhelmingly imposing!
She watched in a daze, her heart pounding like a startled deer. Along their tightly clasped fingers, her burning heart seemed to pour straight into Sun Shaozong's palm.
Why don't you all hurry up and stuff those warm favorites and recommendation votes into my palm too?!
Before you continue