After seeking Li's opinion, White Turtledove immediately led a group around to flank them. If there had been fighting here, then without a doubt, it had been Rifan and his men.
Sure enough, by the time Li and the others arrived, only some chopped-down skeletons remained on the ground. These skeletons looked as though they had been smashed apart by heavy weapons; presumably, only Rifan's heavy axes could have caused such destruction.
Everyone quickened their pace. If they delayed any longer, by the time they arrived, they would probably only be able to collect the warriors' corpses.
Following the traces of battle for a while longer, a forest soon appeared before them. This forest seemed utterly devoid of life, as if it had been dead for centuries. Forget leaves—there was not even a blade of grass on the ground.
And at that moment, a bloody battle was underway within the forest.
The two sides were locked in fierce combat. One side consisted of four skeleton knights, mounted on two strange magical beasts that resembled wolves and tigers. They wielded long sabers, and judging by their movements, they possessed the skill of exceptional human knights.
The other side was Rifan and his three subordinates. It seemed he had suppressed the Bloodlust Spell's effects on his companions. As for the missing member of their group, there was no need to mention what had become of them.
They were fighting on foot while their opponents had mounts, and those mounts were far more agile than Rifan's group. Still, at a glance, all four of them had suffered serious injuries. Rifan's wounds were the lightest: a huge gash ran across his face from the corner of his forehead to his mouth, deep enough to expose bone.
As for the only woman left among their