On the winding mountain path, behind a stand of trees, Wei Hu, Zhong Yande, and a dozen other youths watched Huang Tian at the mountain pass and the Fragrance-Tracking Army farther beyond, their expressions grave.
"Only ten days or so have passed, and the Holy Incense Church has already sent people to capture and kill us-and an entire army, at that. There must be at least a thousand of them. Brother Tian is all alone. Can he really win? Do we really not need to help?" Liu Bai gripped his saber and shield, peering through the slanting trees as he spoke in a lowered voice.
Zhong Yande said solemnly, "What good would we do? Most of us have developed our blood and qi and learned some fighting moves, but we've never trained with weapons. We'd be practically useless fighting in a military formation. If we rushed down recklessly to help, we'd only become burdens."
Wei Hu's brows drew tightly together. "Didn't Brother Tian tell us before he went down the mountain to stay here and not go out? Then we should do as he said-but if he gets trapped, I'll charge in to save him even if it costs me my life. If we die, we'll die together-"
Everyone around him fell silent at those words. They trusted Huang Tian too, but honestly, after barely two months together, their bonds had not yet reached the point of sharing life and death.
If Huang Tian lost this battle, apart from Wei Hu, Luo Fuying, Liu Bai, and perhaps one other, the rest would probably scatter.
"Brother Tian won't lose!" Luo Fuying pushed aside the bushes blocking her view, her delicate young face filled with determination and trust.
Beside her, Wang Ping held his bow in his left hand and touched his