Going Down the Mountain

Yin Jiu let out a cold snort, his footsteps landing in rapid succession, afterimages crossing as his figure moved like a phantom, stabbing towards Liang Hu's throat!

However, Liang Hu at this moment had already gone mad, his battle intent soaring, his blood energy churning like waves. He swept his spiked mace, managing to block Yin Jiu's attack.

Then, he roared and charged forward!

"Kill--! Everyone die! You all laugh at me?! No one can laugh at me!!"

His voice was hoarse, his eyes bloodshot, his face as ferocious as a vengeful spirit. Though his movements were wild, they possessed astonishing power. With a single swing of his mace, the air exploded with a deafening roar.

"Mad dog." Yin Jiu's figure flickered, narrowly evading the heavy blow, but a trace of solemnity appeared in his eyes.

Not far away, Gu Chang'an hid behind a collapsed boulder, his gaze coldly fixed on the battlefield. The corners of his lips curved upwards slightly, and he muttered to himself:

"Hahaha... my 'lure the wolf to devour the tiger' strategy has indeed worked."

He had been a little worried that if these two mad demons couldn't be controlled, they might endanger Shen Qingyan and the others. He hadn't expected the outcome to far exceed his expectations. Not only did he help his comrades out of a tight spot, but he also completely threw the enemy ranks into chaos, making them fight amongst themselves and fall into disarray.

"Heaven helps me." He murmured, a cold glint appearing in his eyes.

As he was contemplating, he heard hurried footsteps approaching.

He suddenly turned his head, only to see a familiar red silhouette flashing out from the dense forest, lightly leaping onto the rocks. It was Li Hongye!

"Senior Sister?" Gu Chang'an's eyes changed. He quickly stepped forward and said in a low voice, "Why... are you here? It's very dangerous."

Li Hongye ignored his questioning, instead patting his shoulder heavily.

"Junior Brother, how could I leave you and go down the mountain alone?"

"Besides, we promised we wouldn't go more than a mile apart."

Gu Chang'an was stunned, his heart warming.

He looked at the woman before him, who always had a tough exterior but a soft heart, and suddenly felt that in this chaotic and desolate wilderness, having her here was truly wonderful.

"Senior Sister..." he called out softly, unsure how to continue.

"Alright, no more sentimentality." Li Hongye's expression turned serious. Her gaze swept over Yin Jiu and Liang Hu, who were fiercely battling in the distance, and then at Duan Lie, who was locked in combat with Leng Zhang and Wei Biao. "What's the situation now?"

Gu Chang'an chuckled lightly and briefly recounted the events, unable to hide a hint of pride in his words.

"Simply put, I lured them here to deliver 'warmth'. It's quite lively now."

Li Hongye was taken aback, then burst into laughter, rolling her eyes at him.

"Your trick... is really effective. Throwing two lunatics at the enemy's heads, and throwing them perfectly!"

"As expected of someone from our Sky Wind Martial Hall. Either we don't act, or we strike for the throat in one blow. Your move today was brilliant!"

Gu Chang'an smiled slightly and said seriously, "It's not over yet. Daoist Chai is still here, and Yin Jiu is not easy to deal with. We need to seize this opportunity of chaos and act quickly."

Li Hongye nodded, her red whip in hand, killing intent surging in her eyes.

"Then I'll accompany you for another bloody battle."

Gu Chang'an looked at her determined eyes, and the lingering anxiety in his heart finally settled.

He said softly, "Before that, let's go to Shen Qingyan and Lin Tai's side and see how they are."

While they were chatting, Gu Chang'an saw that the heavily wounded Shen Qingyan and Lin Tai had already broken through.

Therefore, he planned to go and support them, and also get a grasp of the current situation.

Li Hongye nodded in agreement. "Okay."

Without further delay, the two quickened their pace, moving rapidly along the rocky path at the edge of the forest.

Along the way, they could still see some broken battle scars and corpses, clearly indicating that the recent battle had been extremely fierce.

Before long, they found Shen Qingyan, Lin Tai, and the others by a half-collapsed cliff.

At this moment, Shen Qingyan's face was pale, her arm stained with blood. Lin Tai was also heavily injured and panting, shielding the constables and officers behind him, warily scanning their surroundings.

Hearing the approaching footsteps, Lin Tai immediately raised his sword, a look of vigilance on his face. "Who?!"

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"Sister Qingyan, Brother Lin, it's me." Li Hongye called out quickly.

The two were startled by the sound, then recognized her figure and finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Lin Tai lowered his long sword, and Shen Qingyan also revealed a tired smile.

"Why are you here? It's very dangerous," Shen Qingyan frowned.

Li Hongye pursed her lips, glanced at Gu Chang'an, and briefly explained how they had pursued Liang Hu and Duan Lie and lured them into the depths of the territory.

Shen Qingyan and Lin Tai exchanged a look, their faces filled with surprise.

"So it was you... Gu Chang'an." Lin Tai said with emotion, his gaze falling on the young man who appeared to be very young. His eyes were full of admiration. "Heroes emerge in large numbers! Young Brother Gu, not only do you have such cultivation at such a young age, but you can also anticipate the enemy's moves, lure the wolf to devour the tiger, and relieve our urgent need... I'm impressed."

Gu Chang'an smiled faintly and was about to speak when Li Hongye shot him a sidelong glance and interjected, "Brother Lin, don't praise him too much. He's easily swayed. A few good words and his tail will wag to the sky."

Lin Tai chuckled and waved his hand, saying no more.

Li Hongye's smile faded as she asked, "What's the situation now? Where is Director Wang?"

Shen Qingyan's expression sharpened, her tone grave, "Director Wang entered the secret cellar with Old Zhou to stop Daoist Chai from refining the Blood Spirit Pill."

"We were fighting Yin Jiu outside and couldn't get in, so we don't know their current condition."

Gu Chang'an nodded.

He knew who Old Zhou was.

Despite his age, he was one of the Martial Guard Division's few Eighth Rank martial artists, a veteran of the northern campaigns who had slain countless demons. Though he had retired from the front lines, the severity of the current situation had brought him out personally.

The old man who had handled Gu Chang'an's identity registration back then was Old Zhou.

At that time, Gu Chang'an had already guessed that Old Zhou's ambition hadn't waned and that he was likely planning for this very day.

"So... the situation is still unstable." Gu Chang'an's voice was low, his gaze sweeping past the forest to fix on the depths of Black Wind Ridge—the location of the Pill Hall. The sky there grew increasingly gloomy, as if even light were being devoured, exuding an ominous aura.

Shen Qingyan nodded gently, her brow furrowed, "That's right. Yin Jiu is entangled with the Mad Demon you lured over, so the pressure on our side has lessened. But Daoist Chai is still in the Pill Hall. As long as he's alive, the situation remains uncertain."

"Ugh..." Lin Tai coughed up a mouthful of blood, leaning against a broken old tree, his face as pale as paper. He forced himself to straighten his back and said, "That Daoist Chai is incredibly powerful. If he manages to refine that so-called Blood Spirit Pill... who knows what he'll become..."

"Brother Lin!" Gu Chang'an's face tightened, and he quickly knelt to examine him, "How are you?"

"I... I'm fine..." Lin Tai managed a weak smile, but it couldn't hide the trembling and pain wracking his body.

Gu Chang'an reached out to check, and the moment his palm touched Lin Tai's chest, his expression changed—three ribs were shattered, his internal organs were bleeding, and his vital energy was in disarray. He was clearly at the end of his rope. He hadn't passed out yet, only holding on by sheer willpower.

"You can't hold on much longer, Brother Lin," Gu Chang'an said gravely. He took out the medicinal herbs he carried and gave him a rudimentary treatment, his expression growing more serious. "We need to get you down the mountain for treatment as soon as possible, otherwise... your life will be in danger."

At this moment, he surveyed the surroundings. The other constables and bailiffs were also pale-faced. Some had dislocated arms, some had blood-soaked bandages wrapped around their abdomens, and some could barely stand. They were all wounded soldiers, with only a handful still capable of fighting.

"Sister Qingyan," Gu Chang'an slowly stood up, "You should head down the mountain first."

Shen Qingyan pursed her lips, her eyes filled with conflict, "But... the mission isn't complete. If we leave now, it's abandoning the fight, deserting..."

She spoke with difficulty, her throat catching. As a Head Constable, she knew her duty, but could her current injuries, and these constables who had followed her through thick and thin, truly hold on?

Li Hongye stepped forward and said calmly, "Staying here will only make you a burden. It's better to head down the mountain early. On one hand, you can recuperate, and on the other, you can bring the news back to the County Office to request the County Magistrate or County Assistant to bring troops for support."

Gu Chang'an nodded and added, "That's right. Hongye and I will go scout the situation near the Pill Hall and confirm if Director Wang and the others are safe. If you stay here, you'll only be in more danger."

Shen Qingyan looked at Lin Tai, who had already fainted, and then at the young but heavily wounded constables and bailiffs beside her. Her heart ached, and she finally said in a low voice, "...Alright, we'll head down the mountain."

Several constables immediately helped Lin Tai up. Shen Qingyan led the way, casting a complicated glance at Gu Chang'an, "You two must be careful. Gu Chang'an, Hongye... if you manage to return alive, I will personally request commendations for you from the Director."

Gu Chang'an nodded and cupped his fists, "We will."

Li Hongye smiled softly, "Sister Qingyan, we'll have a drink when we get back."

The group stumbled, slowly retreating along the mountain path.

Gu Chang'an and Li Hongye stood on a large rock, watching them gradually disappear into the distance.

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