A Powerful Opponent Is the Best Teacher

Half an hour earlier, Du Chengfeng had been riding back to Yang Family Fort.

In theory, he wanted to stay in Ji Town and pit his wits and courage against Hexi Qing, battling him for three days and three nights. But theory was theory, after all.

Even if his will wanted to keep fighting, his body would still grow hungry.

Weapon Sha Qi was not some miraculous all-purpose inner art that could conjure up the energy his body needed out of thin air. If anything, after his experience of controlling Weapon Sha Qi, the hunger in his belly had become even more obvious.

So when he was hungry, he had to eat properly.

Both he and the broadsword in his hand thought so.

Just now, he had been too busy hacking down those grassland armored soldiers to remember to search their corpses for some field rations.

Still, that was not necessarily a bad thing. The rations taken from corpses would not have tasted good anyway. He might as well return to the little courtyard, stir-fry a couple of dishes, and have a proper meal. That would better replenish the nutrients and energy his body needed.

After eating and drinking his fill, then getting a solid night's sleep, he would be able to continue his slaughter in better condition the next day.

"Come to think of it, if Hexi Qing really sends people after me to harass me, that might actually be troublesome."

At that thought, Du Chengfeng suddenly realized that his current style of fighting was not without its limitations.

Just as he could slaughter Hexi Qing's armored soldiers by retreating when the enemy advanced and advancing when the enemy retreated, if Hexi Qing truly went all out and kept hounding him, leaving him unable to eat properly or sleep peacefully, then no matter how well he could fight, he likely would not last many days under this endless harassment.

If one could not eat well or sleep well, even the strongest person would gradually weaken, until they might not even have the strength to swing a blade.

"...Hexi Qing wouldn't do that, would he?"

Du Chengfeng could not help looking back from horseback. Only after confirming that there were indeed no pursuers behind him to keep him from eating or sleeping did he lower his head to look at the broadsword in his hand.

"That's why living a proper life is the most important thing."

At that moment, he once again felt completely in tune with the heavy broadsword in his hand.

Clearly, they both thought the same way.

The things that truly maintained one's combat strength lay outside of battle.

They lay in food, clothing, shelter, travel, daily training, and those most ordinary aspects of life.

"Then let's go back and have a good meal. Tomorrow, we'll... Hm?"

The warhorse had not gone far when Du Chengfeng suddenly froze.

Although he had just confirmed that no grassland pursuers were behind him, he now saw several grassland scouts on the road leading to Yang Family Fort.

Rubbing his eyes, Du Chengfeng confirmed that he had not seen wrong.

Just like the memories he had sensed while honing those curved sabers and bone maces, these Hu light cavalrymen wore only simple leather armor, curved sabers at their waists. In groups of three or five, they formed crude formations, man and horse moving as one, swift as the wind.

"Just as I thought! I knew Hexi Qing had another move!"

Du Chengfeng's expression instantly darkened.

Indeed, if he could think of ways to deal with himself, could Hexi Qing, who was even stronger than him, fail to think of them?

He certainly could. That man named Hexi Qing certainly could. After all, according to the survivor who had fled from Ji Town to Yang Family Fort, Hexi Qing had shattered Ji Town's gates by swinging his saber from afar—meaning that Hexi Qing had reached this level long before Du Chengfeng himself had learned to command Weapon Sha Qi.

And that meant Hexi Qing must have felt the same things Du Chengfeng had just realized.

"Simple harassment by mounted scouts? Or using the cries of dying soldiers to pinpoint my location, then personally hunting me down?"

In an instant, Du Chengfeng had already thought of at least eight different methods that could wear him to death.

His grip on the broadsword tightened.

He had originally believed that, after learning to command Weapon Sha Qi, he was qualified to fight Hexi Qing. But now, it seemed that the man the grassland warriors regarded as the azure sky truly deserved to be called a born monster.

Without a sound, he had arranged for grassland scouts to block Du Chengfeng's path. Hexi Qing was still Hexi Qing.

On the other hand, after his breakthrough, Du Chengfeng had grown somewhat arrogant toward this mortal enemy of his.

Just moments ago, he had even thought that Hexi Qing would not do something like this.

"To place my hopes on the enemy failing to think of something... honestly..."

Du Chengfeng shook his head with a bitter laugh atop his horse.

Sure enough, compared to a fierce, battle-hardened general, an ordinary man like him with no grand ambitions still fell far, far short.

Still, it was fortunate.

After all, a powerful enemy was often the best teacher.

"If it were you, what would you do?"

The god-of-war-like figure of Hexi Qing surfaced in his mind.

And Du Chengfeng had already urged his horse forward.

What would he do? This was not something that needed considering at all. Those who wanted him dead would not give him the chance, nor would the biting winds of the Northern Desert give anyone a chance.

In the deep mountains and ancient forests of the Northern Desert, amid the freezing ice and snow, beneath the enemy's raised blades, when death had its hand around one's throat—was there still time to think?

No. There was no need at all.

No need to think, no need for hesitation. All he needed was courage. All he needed was to move forward.

All he needed was to entrust everything to the edge of the blade in his hand.

"Kill!"

Blazing saber light rose in an instant.

As their figures crossed, the five grassland light cavalrymen on horseback were all cut in half at the waist.

Half-corpses fell to the ground, and the severed wounds still retained a scorching warmth.

Having slain five men with one strike, Du Chengfeng did not slow. Another slash sent the three fleeing scouts in the distance—who had been preparing to turn their horses around—tumbling to the ground as well.

"Since we've already crossed paths, then let's fight."

He flipped down from his horse and searched several scouts for rations. Chewing on those hard, bloodstained cakes, Du Chengfeng mounted up again and continued the pursuit.

The enemy had no intention of giving him a chance to catch his breath. This was undoubtedly the worst possible situation, but in Du Chengfeng's eyes, viewed from another angle, it was also a trial he had to endure.

After all, this was a battle to the death. Both sides would inevitably use every means at their disposal.

Whether it was Hexi Qing.

Or himself.

"Fine. This is how you want to fight, is it?"

With another slash, he cut down four grassland scouts. Yet Du Chengfeng, galloping at full speed, suddenly reined in his horse.

Because he had already seen the vast grassland army in the distance.

"As expected of you, Hexi Qing."

At that moment, Du Chengfeng could not help admiring Hexi Qing's cunning.

Even he had not expected that Hexi Qing had silently laid such a massive army in ambush behind him.

"But don't underestimate me too much."

As he spoke, Du Chengfeng opened the saddlebag at his side.

Killing the armored soldiers directly under Hexi Qing could make Weapon Sha Qi ever more abundant. Would killing these ambushers lying in wait behind them not do the same?

"Perhaps I should thank you instead."

He pulled an enormous axe engraved with ancient patterns from the saddlebag. The archaic designs carved along its blade had already begun to give off a faint chill.

Like the bone-piercing winds of the Northern Desert.

"Are you hungry too?"

Holding the long-handled axe in his left hand, Du Chengfeng looked toward the distant army.

"You knew we were hungry, yet you specially sent us such a grand feast... How thoughtful of you."

Like some great cat preparing to hunt, Du Chengfeng used the cover of the dim night to cautiously circle the approaching army.

"Don't rush. Don't rush."

As he spoke, the sharp axe blade swept across the necks of two grassland scouts.

Heads as large as bushel baskets fell to the ground, while a faint layer of frost formed around their severed necks.

"Yes, just like that. Chew slowly—it digests better."

As he swallowed the hard cake he had been chewing for so long, Du Chengfeng soothed the axe in his left hand.

"We'll eat slowly."