Flowing Wind Xishan Escapes, Zichuan Xiu Returns Victorious

"Is Flowing Wind Xishan a rabbit or something? How can he run so fast?!"

It had to be said that ever since their ancestors, the Flowing Wind Clan had never let their talent for fleeing fall into decline.

Zichuan Xiu felt that they were just about to catch up when Flowing Wind Xishan suddenly turned a corner and shook them off again.

As Flowing Wind Xishan drew ever closer to the border, Zichuan Xiu grew increasingly anxious.

But there was no better option. He could only hope that the border troops would be able to—

—stop them in their tracks.

"My lord, hold on a little longer. The border is just ahead. Once we cross it, we'll be safe!"

"Good! Cough, cough."

Flowing Wind Xishan had originally thought that the eight hundred cavalrymen pursuing them were isolated and alone.

His own forces outnumbered them four to one, so he could use the opportunity to wipe them out.

Yet after eight separate attacks, every one of them ended in failure.

The last time, he had personally joined the fight. The moment he exchanged blows with the commanding officer leading them, he felt an overwhelming force crash into him.

The weapon in his hand flew free. If he had not dodged in time, he would likely have been cut down on the spot.

Even so, his waist had been slashed, leaving him gravely wounded.

If he could not receive treatment soon, his life might be in danger.

"This is bad, my lord! Fifty thousand Zichuan Clan border troops have appeared ahead. It looks like we can't get out!"

After crossing a hill, the defeated Flowing Wind soldiers arrived at a vast plain.

They had thought they could cross the plain smoothly and return to Flowing Wind Clan territory.

But to their surprise, fifty thousand border troops were waiting there in full battle formation.

After Yun Shanhe, the commander-in-chief of the border troops, died under strange circumstances, the Flowing Wind Clan soldiers launched a massive invasion.

With no leader to command them, Commander Ming Hui stepped forward to take charge.

He deployed the troops and arranged the formations, directing the army to resist the invading Flowing Wind Clan forces.

Though he had not achieved victory, he had stabilized the situation.

He had led his men to fortify the only route through which the Flowing Wind Clan could cross the border and reach the imperial capital.

He had originally intended to prevent the Flowing Wind Clan army from taking advantage of this route to attack the imperial capital.

But unexpectedly, he had caught a big fish.

"Good, good, good! At last, we can avenge our inability to return and reinforce the imperial capital. Pass down the order."

"Block the people charging at us without fail! Capture the enemy leader, dead or alive! Anyone who does so will be promoted two ranks and rewarded with ten thousand taels of gold!"

Ming Hui's words ignited the bloodlust of the fifty thousand soldiers. Every one of them greedily watched Flowing Wind Xishan charging toward them.

"Is heaven truly determined to destroy my Flowing Wind Clan?"

Leaning against his horse's back, Flowing Wind Xishan stared at the fifty thousand troops arrayed across the plain before them, and despair filled his heart.

An army blocked the way ahead, while pursuers had chased them for a thousand miles behind.

This was a dead end!

Despair and panic spread through the Flowing Wind soldiers.

Just then, enormous chaos erupted behind the fifty thousand Zichuan Clan border troops.

A force of fifty thousand Flowing Wind Clan heavy cavalry, led by an armored young woman—

—charged through the border troops' formation like a hot knife through butter.

They forcibly carved out a path of escape through the enemy ranks.

"Quick, quick, run!"

They had thought death was certain, only for the situation to suddenly turn around.

Overwhelmed by grief and joy, and with his injuries worsening without pause, Flowing Wind Xishan finally lost consciousness atop his horse.

"Long live the Third Princess! Everyone, pick up the pace and break through the enemy lines!"

Seeing their own allied troops come to rescue them, the despair in everyone's hearts immediately vanished.

They spurred their warhorses desperately, madly charging through the torn-open escape route.

Once Flowing Wind Shuang saw that her father had been retrieved, she decisively gave the order to retreat.

The fifty thousand troops did not linger to fight and immediately began withdrawing.

Zichuan Xiu led his eight hundred cavalry in relentless pursuit, but could only watch from afar.

"Damn it, he still got away!"

Zichuan Xiu arrived with his troops just in time to see an armored young woman leading her men away in retreat.

Lin Junyu rode up beside Zichuan Xiu and consoled him.

"Don't be discouraged. If you can't catch up, then stop chasing. What you should be thinking about now is what to do when you return to the capital!"

With Flowing Wind Shuang there, even if they caught up, they might still suffer a crushing defeat.

Besides, hadn't he himself failed to capture the Demon race's imperial family a century ago? This could be considered carrying on his father's legacy.

Flowing Wind Xishan could not die here. If he died here, the balance of power across the realm would surely be shattered.

The Zichuan Clan was already in the midst of internal strife. This would undoubtedly worsen the continent's chaos.

Di Lin, Sterling, Zichuan Xiu—those youngsters had yet to grow up. The world could not be thrown into chaos yet!

Fortunately, everything had unfolded just as it had in the original plot, so there was no need for him to help Flowing Wind Xishan escape.

Lin Junyu had worried that his appearance might cause some butterfly effect.

Now that the crisis was over, it was time to remind Zichuan Xiu to prepare for what came next.

"Go back? After rendering such great service, shouldn't we return to receive the praise of the entire Imperial Capital and the whole clan?"

"Even if they don't reward me with a Banner Commander position, they should at least give me some money, right?"

Zichuan Xiu was still quite pleased with himself. After all, he had led eight hundred men to defeat an enemy army of a hundred thousand, resolved the capital's crisis, and saved the entire Zichuan Clan.

He was the foremost contributor to this victory.

"You're still too young. I suggest you write a letter to Ge Yingxing and tell him everything that happened to you in the Imperial Capital."

"He'll understand far more than you do. You're still too young!"

Looking at the still innocent and kind Zichuan Xiu, Lin Junyu patted his head and told him what to do.

"Alright. Since it's my godfather's request, I'll do as you say. It just so happens that I can share this good news with my lord as well!"

Although Zichuan Xiu did not understand why his godfather wanted him to do this, he would simply obey. Besides, he had also wanted to report his safety to his lord.

Lord Ge Yingxing, upon learning that the Imperial Capital's crisis had been resolved, would surely be able to relax and be happier in the Far East.

"The entire army will rest and reorganize! Prepare to return to the capital! Let us go receive the cheers of all the Imperial Capital's citizens!"

The eight hundred cavalry cadets who had followed Zichuan Xiu erupted in thunderous cheers.

Lin Junyu merely smiled and sighed. Young people were still young, after all!

Then he lay back on his horse. Having been tired for an entire day and night, he began catching up on sleep.

It was not as comfortable as a big soft bed, but it would do.

Lin Junyu felt that he had trained this horse well enough. It was quite intelligent and had already learned to activate automatic navigation and follow the others.

So Lin Junyu was not worried about getting lost at all.

He comfortably closed his eyes and let the horse follow the people ahead. That was simple enough, wasn't it?

But Lin Junyu had overestimated the horse's intelligence. Halfway there, as though drawn by something, the horse suddenly left the main force and headed into the forest off to the side.

No one at the front noticed anything unusual. If someone wandered off alone, they were probably just relieving themselves. There was nothing worth making a fuss over.

Zichuan Xiu was in high spirits all the way, leading his victorious troops in song and savoring the joy of triumph. He did not notice at all that his sleepyhead godfather had been carried off and lost by his horse.

It was only when they were nearing the Imperial Capital, when he was preparing to report to his godfather, that he realized his godfather was gone.

"Why are all these adults alike? They always love appearing and disappearing without a trace. My master is like that, and so is my godfather!"

After grumbling a few more times, Zichuan Xiu's easygoing nature set his mind at ease again.

"Forget it. Godfather is already an adult, and he's highly skilled too. I shouldn't worry about him!"

"Now is the time to enjoy this victory!"

He had expected the citizens of the entire Imperial Capital to line the streets in welcome, but to Zichuan Xiu's utter astonishment, those who greeted them were actually a group of clan soldiers armed with weapons!

And they were shouting slogans about capturing traitors to the clan.

Only then did Zichuan Xiu realize just how deep the waters of the Imperial Capital ran!