Dawn

Chu Liuxiang stood firmly in front of Yi Dian Hong, staring coldly at He Heng. He had cast aside any concern for his life or death, and a faint trace of emotion appeared in Yi Dian Hong's dark, lifeless eyes.

Behind them, two hearty shouts rang out. Two figures leaped forward and landed beside Chu Liuxiang.

"Old Stinker, well said! We never abandon our friends. We'll stand with you today." Hu Tiehua and Ji Bingyan took their places on either side of Chu Liuxiang, their gazes fixed coldly on He Heng.

Hu Tiehua was the first to bellow, "Hey, you lousy Longevity Sword! Let's see if I can tear you apart today!"

At his words, He Heng's expression remained unchanged, but Chu Liuxiang and Ji Bingyan both stiffened. Ji Bingyan secretly said to Chu Liuxiang, "I don't think Little Hu's sobered up yet."

He Heng suddenly drew the Longevity Sword. Frost chilled the world, and its brilliant swordlight stretched a full zhang, cleaving through the endless night in a dazzling display.

"You've chosen your own deaths. I'll grant them to you."

As sword energy flew, a bone-chilling killing intent enveloped them. The backs of Chu Liuxiang and the others were already slick with cold sweat. Only beneath that dazzling swordlight did they realize how insignificant they were. But now, all they could do was fight bravely.

Just then, He Heng's eyes flicked. From every direction came a clamor. Countless torches lit up the night, while the clang of metal rang out and figures raced toward them.

It was the King of Qiuci. Upon learning that someone had appeared here, he had hurriedly summoned three thousand armored soldiers and sent them charging over. Behind them, thousands upon thousands more troops continued to pour in. Qiuci was a small kingdom, and its king was now all but a ruler of a fallen state, but he still had resources. He could muster ten thousand troops.

He Heng's expression shifted. His martial arts might be formidable, but he was still made of flesh and blood. Even with the Valley Spirit Undying Technique sustaining him with seemingly endless energy, he could not take on tens of thousands of soldiers alone. If they surrounded him, escaping would be no easy matter.

If the king were ruthless enough to have hundreds or thousands of crossbows fire at once, even He Heng would meet a grisly end.

"I'll let you go for today. I'll settle accounts with you another time."

He Heng made his decision in an instant. He shot Chu Liuxiang and the others a glance, then leaped ten zhang into the air. After a few more bounds, he vanished.

Chu Liuxiang and the others froze, stunned that He Heng had fled so quickly.

Hu Tiehua was the first to speak, roaring after He Heng, "If you're a real hero, don't run! Stop right there!"

But no one paid him any mind. He Heng never dragged his feet. When he decided to leave, he left.

Chu Liuxiang and Ji Bingyan exchanged a helpless look, then went over and pulled Hu Tiehua back.

"Little Hu, stop shouting. You're a married man now. You need to act with some restraint."

"Married... man..." Hu Tiehua stared silently at Shi Guanyin's shriveled body on the ground, feeling as if he were about to throw up. Not long ago, he and she had even...

Chu Liuxiang and Ji Bingyan seemed to remember it too. They struggled to suppress their laughter, then turned to look at Yi Dian Hong.

Yi Dian Hong remained expressionless. He tore a piece of white cloth from his clothes and slowly bandaged the stump of his arm.

"Brother Hong, are you all right?" Chu Liuxiang asked, his voice faltering a little.

Yi Dian Hong silently shook his head, his expression still cold. But Chu Liuxiang could see a glimmer of despair in his eyes.

"Ah..." Chu Liuxiang didn't know how to comfort him. He could only sigh deeply.

Then he asked, "What grudge do you have against Bai Yu Jing that you're so determined to kill him?"

"So that's the famous Longevity Sword, Bai Yu Jing. I only just learned his name. As for our grudge, it's a long story." Yi Dian Hong's expression was rather despondent, as if he were recalling something.

"You know I'm an assassin. I was taken in as a child by a mysterious assassins' organization, where I received the strictest training. Then I became its leader's most favored assassin and carried out one mission after another."

Chu Liuxiang and the others listened attentively. They knew that people often felt better once they had spoken their troubles aloud.

Yi Dian Hong continued, "I thought my life would be spent killing, until one day I came across a target I couldn't kill and was killed in turn. That's the fate of every assassin."

"But everything changed that day. The head of the organization who had raised me and taught me to kill was murdered. The man who killed him then began absorbing our organization. Our assassins either resisted and were killed, or joined his ranks. I was the only one who managed to escape."

"After that, I spent my years painstakingly training my swordsmanship, hoping that one day I could kill the man who murdered our leader and destroy everything he had built, avenging myself. But now I see how laughable my efforts were. I couldn't even withstand a single sword strike from him."

Yi Dian Hong's expression was full of sorrow and despair. He looked utterly haggard; it was hard to imagine he was a fearsome, top-tier assassin.

Chu Liuxiang sighed and patted him on the shoulder. "The man who killed your leader and took over your organization was Bai Yu Jing?"

"That's right. I only saw him once, from a distance, but I could never forget his eyes. They were utterly cold, devoid of any human emotion, like those of a clay idol." Yi Dian Hong's voice was complicated, filled with seething hatred and fear.

"I never knew his name. Only after making inquiries far and wide did I learn that the organization under his command was called the Green Robe Tower. They say it's connected to the mysterious Azure Dragon Society. Back then, he didn't just absorb our organization; he brought many powerful factions under his command."

"Over the years, I've wanted revenge, but I also knew how terrifying his power was. To him, we were no more than ants."

"Don't despair. You need to hold on to your faith. I believe that evil cannot defeat good. No matter how powerful they are, they'll eventually be destroyed." Chu Liuxiang nodded firmly at Yi Dian Hong.

Then he continued, "The Green Robe Tower first appeared in the martial world decades ago. It was renowned, and much like the Azure Dragon Society. But in recent years, it gradually faded from sight. I never imagined it had been lying low, growing stronger by absorbing other factions and waiting for the moment to soar like a dragon into the heavens."

As Chu Liuxiang spoke, he suddenly hesitated. "Bai Yu Jing looks only about twenty-something. He can't be the Green Robe Tower's leader, can he? Or perhaps the Green Robe Tower was itself one of the factions he absorbed?"

"If that's true, then Bai Yu Jing is probably even more terrifying and mysterious than we imagined." Chu Liuxiang looked worried. "Bai Yu Jing doesn't seem like someone who craves power. So what's his purpose in doing all this...?"

"Come on, don't make things sound so terrible. Those are only your own guesses." Seeing that Chu Liuxiang was getting carried away, Ji Bingyan hurriedly tried to reassure him. "Besides, when the sky falls, the tallest person takes the blow. There's no reason for you to worry about this."

"Ah, right." Chu Liuxiang rubbed his nose awkwardly. He had a habit of sticking his nose into other people's business. Besides, Bai Yu Jing had kept showing up around him lately, making him wonder about his motives.

Ji Bingyan smiled. "Didn't you say that evil cannot defeat good? I believe that no matter how terrifying Bai Yu Jing is, or what schemes he has, he'll be defeated. Sunlight will always shine upon the earth. Justice lives in people's hearts and will destroy every dark and wicked thing."

"Mm." Chu Liuxiang nodded and looked at the night slowly fading away. It was already past midnight. A red sun was rising in the east, its brilliant light shining across the land and giving people endless hope.

"No matter what, there's more goodness than evil in this world. History will cast out all falsehood and wickedness. Hope will always remain among us."

No matter when they encountered what came next, people could never let hope die in their hearts.

The sun rising in the east marked a new beginning, bringing endless... dawn!

Chu Liuxiang and the others stood side by side, watching the light, hope shining in their eyes.

"One day, we'll cleanse the world of every last corruption. Together, we'll make the whole world pure."

"Hope? Good and evil are both laughable. In the eyes of the Heavenly Dao, all things are chaos. How can good and evil even exist in this world? Morality and justice are nothing but shackles imposed on people's minds by those in power. Without breaking these shackles, how can one find one's true self? How can one attain Great Freedom?"

He Heng stood beneath the rising sun, his shadow blurred. He gazed coldly at the world, his eyes utterly frigid. He had no connection to it, as if he had severed all ties with the mortal realm and looked down on all things from a place of cold indifference.