If He Bao was one who refused to wear a collar around his neck, then Li Qingxian wore no collar either, yet he was different from He Bao.
If time could return to twenty-seven years ago, to that afternoon when he had first thrust his spear through a lame dog demon, the demon blood had been hot, the sunlight had been hot, and so had his heart.
Back then, he would have wiped the blood from his face and walked toward this man without wavering.
Unfortunately, twenty-seven years had passed, and his heart had grown cold.
He recalled scene after scene from those years, recalled his two children, one scholarly and one martial, still slowly cultivating at Lower Rank, and smiled.
He turned to his personal guard and said, "After returning home, help me pass word to the eldest and second. Tell them that when they grow up, they must not become like me."
Then Feng Anling stepped forward, raised a scroll of documents, and shouted, "This subordinate, Feng Anling, acts under the orders of Cha Fuli, Northern Garrison Army Supervisor. I shall lead my brothers back to the Northern Garrison Army camp. The supervisor's writ is here. No one may defy it!"
Everyone looked toward Feng Anling. Some gazes were indifferent, some eyes astonished, and some suddenly enlightened.
Feng Anling looked at Ren Shihao, who turned to look at the demon army beyond the city.
He looked at Shi Yuanhao, who turned to look at the demon army.
Then he turned toward Chai Qingtang. Lightning flashed through Chai Qingtang's eyes, and his gaze dimmed.
Feng Anling slowly closed his eyes. Amid the flash of lightning, his head fell and struck the ground.
His upper body remained upright as blood erupted from his neck. Under the sunlight, the fountain of