Standing Up for Justice

It had been more than three days since they left Falling Star Lake.

A slightly battered but reinforced donkey cart creaked along the official road.

Chen Qing sat on the shaft, a grass stem between his lips, casually sweeping his gaze over the scenery along the way.

A Ning sat inside the cart canopy, her small body gently swaying with the vehicle. She clutched that old cloth bundle tightly to her chest, her dark eyes regarding this increasingly unfamiliar world with both curiosity and wariness.

Beside the cart, a huge wolf with gray-black fur and a slight limp in its left hind leg followed at an unhurried pace. The scattered merchants and travelers along the road fled in fright, pointing and whispering at this strange group.

Chen Qing had long grown used to it. The thread of Starforce cultivated by the Ancient Star Ruins Scripture within him circulated on its own day and night. Though exceedingly slow, it was constantly tempering his body and nourishing his spirit.

His five senses were far keener than those of ordinary people, allowing him to easily catch words carried on the distant wind and even vaguely perceive the faint fluctuations of others' emotions.

That afternoon, the donkey cart reached a desolate stretch of road with no village ahead and no inn behind. The mountains rose on both sides, while the forest grew dense.

Suddenly, Chen Qing frowned slightly and pulled on the reins.

The donkey snorted uneasily. The Wolf King beside it immediately stopped as well, its nostrils twitching as its eerie green eyes swept sharply toward the bend ahead. A low, warning growl rumbled from its throat.

A Ning immediately grabbed Chen Qing's sleeve in alarm.

"There's the smell of blood ahead. Fresh." Chen Qing lowered his voice, his gaze turning sharp. "And the sounds of fighting."

He lightly patted the back of A Ning's hand in reassurance. Then his body shifted, and he soundlessly swept onto a tall rock by the roadside like a falling leaf, looking ahead.

A hundred yards down the road lay utter chaos!

Several escort carts stood crookedly in the middle of the road, their goods scattered everywhere. Seven or eight people already lay on the ground, dead or alive unknown, their blood staining the yellow earth red.

Another dozen or so men in matching escort uniforms stood with their backs against the carts, forming a crude circle. They desperately swung their steel sabers and long spears, resisting the attackers.

More than twenty masked men in black surrounded them. Their strikes were ruthless, their techniques tricky and sinister. They were clearly well trained, no ordinary bandits.

The men in black worked together seamlessly, attacking in groups of three and continuously battering the escorts' defensive line. Every charge drew blood. Though the escorts fought desperately, they were badly outnumbered and seemed to be wounded already. Their defeat and deaths were merely a matter of time.

"A vendetta between martial artists? Or a raid on an escort shipment?" Chen Qing made his judgment in an instant. He was no saint and had no intention of getting dragged into some inexplicable conflict.

Yet just as he was about to quietly withdraw and take another route, the scene at the center of the battle made his gaze sharpen.

The escorts were not desperately protecting some valuable cargo, but a youth who looked only sixteen or seventeen! The youth wore fine brocade robes, though her face was pale at the moment. She held a longsword, and her swordsmanship was surprisingly well structured, carrying the upright, pure air of a famous orthodox sect. Yet her inner strength was clearly lacking, and beneath the siege, she struggled left and right, peril hanging by a thread.

What drew Chen Qing's attention even more was the bearded giant leading the guards. He wielded a heavy-backed Nine-Ring Saber, its movements ponderous, fierce, and domineering. Every slash carried the faint sound of wind and thunder. His inner strength was plainly the highest among them, likely close to the threshold of a first-rate martial artist!

But at the moment, he was drenched in blood. A crossbow bolt was embedded in his left shoulder, and a bone-deep wound marked his right leg. He could barely move, holding on solely through a fierce, valiant spirit.

As he swung his saber to drive back the enemy, he roared hoarsely, "Miss! Run! Leave us behind! Get into the woods!"

The youth mistakenly called "Miss" gritted her teeth and shouted, "Uncle Liu! I'm not leaving! If we die, we die together!" Her voice was clear and bright, carrying the stubbornness and loyalty unique to the young.

At that moment, a man in black slipped in from the side like a ghost. The pair of Judge's Brushes in his hands shot straight for the "youth's" eyes, from an incomparably vicious angle! The bearded giant was entangled by two opponents and could not come to her rescue in time. His eyes nearly split with rage. "You villain, how dare you!"

The "youth" went pale with fright. It was already too late for her longsword to block.

At that critical instant!

Whoosh—!

An extremely fine streak of light, almost impossible to see, tore through the air! It was so fast that it surpassed everyone's ability to react!

Clang!

A crisp ring sounded!

The tip of one of the black-clad man's steel Judge's Brushes was instantly shattered by that streak of light! The tremendous force not only knocked aside the fatal attack, but also numbed the entire man's arm, sending him staggering back in shock!

Everyone froze, and the assault slowed for a moment.

Following the path of the hidden weapon, they looked toward its source. On a roadside rock stood a young man in green robes, though none knew when he had appeared. Tall and handsome, with a grass stem still between his lips, he lazily dusted off his hands as if he had merely flicked away a fly.

It was Chen Qing.

He had not wanted to interfere. But the bearded giant's fierce devotion in protecting his master, along with the "youth's" refusal to live alone in desperate circumstances, reminded him of chivalrous tales he had read in his previous life. Something in his heart stirred.

More importantly, the black-clad man's methods were simply too vicious, and Chen Qing disliked them.

"Who are you, sir? I advise you not to meddle in other people's business!" Uncertainty flashed through the black-clad leader's eyes as he barked sharply. He could sense that the finger force just now had been immensely condensed and astonishingly powerful, not something an ordinary expert could produce.

Chen Qing leaped down from the rock and sauntered into the clearing. He glanced at the still-shaken "youth" and the heavily breathing bearded giant, then said blandly, "Just passing by. Your fighting and killing disturbed my... donkey's sleep."

The excuse was so lame that everyone was stunned.

The "youth" widened her eyes, curiously studying this suddenly appearing young man who spoke so strangely.

The black-clad leader's eyes turned cold. "Since you're courting death, we'll deal with you too! Get him!"

Three men in black immediately abandoned the escorts and lunged at Chen Qing in a triangular formation. Saber light flashed, sealing off every avenue of retreat!

Chen Qing shook his head and did not even use Starforce. Relying solely on the powerful body tempered by the Ancient Star Ruins Scripture and his extraordinary reaction speed, he shifted his footwork and slipped easily through the gaps between the three sabers like a swimming fish.

At the same time, his hand flashed like lightning, his fingers lightly brushing the pressure points on the three men's wrists.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The three steel sabers fell to the ground at once! The three black-clad men felt their wrists go numb and instantly lost all strength, retreating in terror.

"Pressure-point techniques? So fast!" the bearded giant cried out, hope blazing in his eyes.

The black-clad leader's expression turned even uglier. Knowing they had encountered a tough opponent, he shouted harshly, "Use the crossbows! Kill him first!"

Several men in black immediately drew compact military hand crossbows from behind their backs and aimed them at Chen Qing!

Chen Qing's eyes chilled. He did not want to reveal too much of his strength, but neither did he want to become a pincushion.

Just as the crossbows were about to fire—

Awooo—!!!

A deafening wolf howl saturated with savage violence exploded like thunder! A huge gray shadow burst from the roadside forest like a whirlwind, moving so quickly that it left only an afterimage!

The Wolf King!

It pounced directly at the black-clad men holding crossbows. Its enormous impact instantly sent two flying, while its gaping jaws snapped down and bit through another man's crossbow and arm together! A miserable scream rang out!

Its gigantic wolf body, sharp fangs, and ferocious eyes brought an incomparable visual impact and terror!

"D-demon... demon beast!" The remaining black-clad men instantly fell into disarray. Facing this terrifying predator beyond their understanding, their morale collapsed in an instant.

The escorts were also badly frightened by the sudden appearance of the giant wolf, but when they saw it attacking only the men in black, they were both shocked and delighted.

Seeing that the tide had turned, the black-clad leader glared hatefully at Chen Qing and gritted out, "Retreat!"

The black-clad men who could still move immediately helped up the wounded and fled miserably into the mountains, vanishing in the blink of an eye.

In an instant, only the mess-covered ground, the wounded, and the heavily breathing survivors remained.

The Wolf King shook the droplets of blood from its fur, then padded over to Chen Qing and rubbed its massive head against his arm. It gave a disdainful snort, looking down its nose at the stunned escorts and the "youth."

The "youth" stared at the giant wolf so close before her, her small face white with fright. Yet she stubbornly did not retreat, merely gripping the bearded giant's sleeve tightly.

Enduring his pain, the bearded giant pushed away the subordinate supporting him. He cupped his fists toward Chen Qing with difficulty, his voice hoarse yet full of gratitude. "Thank you, young hero... cough, cough... for saving our lives! If not for your intervention, we would surely have died today! I am Liu Meng of the Zhenyuan Escort Agency. May I ask your honored name, young hero?"

Chen Qing waved a hand. "Chen Qing. It was nothing." He glanced at the wounded on the ground. "Treat the injuries first."

Liu Meng quickly instructed the escorts who could still move to tend to their companions. After simply bandaging his own wounds, he said to the "youth," "Miss, quickly thank Young Hero Chen."

Only then did the "youth" step forward. Though she was still somewhat afraid of the Wolf King at Chen Qing's side, she followed martial world etiquette and cupped her fists properly. Her voice was crisp. "Thank you, Young Hero Chen, for saving my life! I am... Yan Shiqi!" She paused slightly when giving her name.

Chen Qing smiled faintly and did not expose her disguise as a man. He merely found her attempt to act mature rather amusing. "Young Master Yan... there is no need for such courtesy."

Yan Shiqi saw the smile on Chen Qing's face, as though he had seen through everything. Her cheeks reddened slightly, and she lowered her head in embarrassment. But she soon raised it again, looking curiously at the Wolf King and Chen Qing. "Brother Chen, is this... is this your wolf? It's amazing! You're even more amazing! What kind of skill was that just now? You flicked your finger and shattered his Judge's Brush!"

Her eyes sparkled, filled with the excitement of surviving disaster and admiration for the strong. Her little bit of restraint and pretense was quickly cast aside, revealing a young girl's lively nature.

Liu Meng watched from the side and smiled helplessly, though his gaze was also full of curiosity and awe toward Chen Qing.

Looking at this "Yan Shiqi," with her clear eyes and slight girlish innocence, Chen Qing's heart stirred faintly.

Should I tie this girl up and bring her back to be A Ning's friend?

The thought had barely surfaced before Chen Qing strangled it in the cradle. That seemed rather shameless.

The scent of blood still lingered in the air. A sudden slaughter had deftly twisted together life paths that had once run parallel.