Attacking the Enemy

He unleashed Goddess Scatters Flowers several times in succession. Darts fell like raindrops, and the Kai clansmen they struck went down in swathes.

Only then did the Kai clansmen slow their advance. Seeing that Shitou and the others were already far away, Wenlong shouted, "Listen well, Kai clansmen! We will be back!"

With three booming laughs, he flung another volley of darts, vaulted onto his horse, and rode off.

The Kai clansmen could do nothing as they watched their opponents ride away. Darkness stretched before them, and no one dared give chase, afraid they would only be offering up their heads.

The Kai clansmen wanted to cry but had no tears left. Tonight, they had not only lost money and grain, but hundreds of their people had also lost their lives.

And the enemy had left them with a vicious threat before departing. Some clansmen would surely flee to distant lands for fear of losing their lives.

At noon the next day, Wenlong led everyone back to Wen Family Village. They had returned completely unscathed, with a sweeping victory.

Long'er's mother beat the victory drum in front of the Ancestral Hall once more, while the clansmen prepared to take down the red battle flag. The aunts had embroidered the golden dragon on that red flag a few days earlier under Wenlong's guidance.

Wenlong stepped forward and took the red flag, then declared loudly to the clansmen, "My kin, the Wen clan flag will stand before the Ancestral Hall. Until our loved ones' blood debt is repaid, our clan's blood-red battle flag will never come down!"

The clansmen immediately cried out in excitement, shouting in unison, "Until the blood debt is repaid, the blood-red battle flag will never come down!"

Having achieved his aim of raising their spirits, Wenlong announced loudly, "We killed hundreds of enemies in this raid and won a sweeping victory. Let us hold a victory feast!"

All the clansmen, adults and children alike, cheered again. It was truly heartening, and hot blood surged through the crowd once more.

Every young fighter who had taken part wore a delighted smile. Those who had not gone into battle were full of envy and longing, hoping they too could fight and kill the enemy.

At the victory feast, Wenlong looked at the joy shining on everyone's faces, but he did not fully relax. He knew the Kai clan would not let the matter rest. This victory was only temporary.

After three rounds of drinks, Wenlong called Shitou and the other young fighters over and spoke to them solemnly.

"Although we won this time, we cannot let our guard down. The Kai clan will certainly make another move. From now on, you must train harder and grow stronger."

The youths nodded one after another, looking as though they had not yet killed their fill, their eyes brimming with resolve.

The victory feast was lively. Having won the battle, the clansmen chatted among themselves. Everyone was excited and hoped they could fight another battle soon.

Once everyone had dispersed, Wenlong stood alone before the Ancestral Hall, gazing at the clan's blood-red battle flag fluttering in the wind.

He thought of his grandparents, who had loved him dearly, of the kind expressions they had worn when looking at him, and of his last glimpse of them.

He silently swore that he would make the Kai clansmen pay a terrible price for what they had done and make the Wen clan rise again on this land.

The next day, he sought out Seventh Uncle and pointed out the crossbow's shortcomings, asking him to modify it again to make it lighter and more powerful.

He once again stressed the importance of keeping the crossbow production secret. Every finished weapon had to be registered when placed in storage, and even those taken out for training had to be recorded.

For this era, such a weapon was far too powerful. He also feared that one day others might use it against his own clansmen. If that happened, the losses would outweigh the gains.

He instructed Shitou to train another ten youths in preparation for the next raid, then turned and entered the Secret Passage to cultivate again.

At the Huaxia Sect's Martial Arts Training Ground, a group of youths shouted loud enough to shake the heavens as the Clan Chief and the uncles guided their martial practice.

Hot water was available to drink nearby, and the surroundings were clean and sanitary. Wenlong had required all of this.

He had said that this would make people less likely to fall ill and help keep everyone healthy. Even their personal hygiene had to be maintained.

In everyone's eyes, however, Wenlong was a truly good man. Thanks to him, they no longer wandered the streets begging. They could eat their fill, study, and practice martial arts.

He had also said that good days surely lay ahead of them and that they would become people of promise, no longer forced to swallow others' insults or suffer bullying.

They could not go wrong by listening to Young Master Wen. So they followed Wenlong's instructions, keeping both themselves and their surroundings spotless.

The tall enclosing wall here would soon be completed as well. Several clustered dragon-enclosing houses had also been built at the foot of the mountain.

The Wen clan's relatives had all moved into the newly built dragon-enclosing houses. Safe and warm, they were beside themselves with joy.

Construction had also begun on the planned commercial street. A broad road ran down the middle, and everything had been laid out in orderly fashion.

Several days passed before Wenlong emerged from cultivation in the Secret Passage. He saw that the village had changed as well. Its roads were tidy, and sanitation had been handled well.

Walking along the road, he felt refreshed in body and mind. Houses were also being built in the village, and each youth would receive one when they were finished.

Wenlong sought out his mother again and asked her to arrange for people to dig up some attractive flowers and plants on the mountain. All the village's empty spaces were to be planted with them.

Only vegetable plots would remain in the village, with no fields kept for grain. The slaves would grow large quantities of grain in Huaxia Village instead.

Seventh Uncle had finished modifying the crossbow and had produced twenty of them. Wenlong tried one and felt that it was stronger than the original.

Both its feel and its weight were much better than before. Its power had also increased considerably. It seemed it was time to trouble the Kai clansmen again.

At the training ground, Shitou was training the ten youths he had selected. When he saw Wenlong arrive, he knew they might be about to strike the Kai clan.

"Brother Shitou, go get the crossbows from Seventh Uncle and familiarize yourselves with them. Ask him to try to provide two crossbows per person. We'll make this one bigger," Wenlong said with a smile.

"All right. We can hardly wait. Getting to take revenge puts me in a good mood." Shitou's words excited all the youths on the training ground.

After Shitou left, Wenlong said to Wenzhu, "Eldest Sister, the darts played a big part in our last battle too. Make sure we bring enough this time, along with crossbow bolts."

"I've already thought of that. This time, we'll teach the enemy an even harsher lesson." Wenzhu brimmed with confidence.

"Also, although our living conditions have improved considerably, anyone with night blindness cannot come. We fight in the dark." Wenlong saw that Wenzhu did not understand what night blindness was.

He added, "That means people who cannot see anything at all at night. Train well. We leave the day after tomorrow."

With that, Wenlong left, leaving the youths excitedly discussing how many enemies they could kill in the coming battle.

When he returned home, Wen Tie and Wen Hua were studying and learning to read. They were delighted to see Wenlong return. "Eldest Brother, you're going into battle. Can you take me with you?"

Seeing Wen Tie ask their eldest brother to take him into battle, Wen Hua refused to be outdone. "Eldest Brother, I want to go too. Take me along."

Pain crossed Wenlong's face. Only after a long while did he say, "Call me Third Brother. Practice your martial arts well. You'll get your chance."

Thinking of his eldest and second brothers, he walked silently toward his room. Seeing their brother unhappy, Wen Tie and Wen Hua did not know what had happened.

Their mother, standing nearby, already had tears in her eyes. "Call him Third Brother from now on. You have an eldest brother and a second brother too." She then told the two of them about their eldest and second brothers.

Two days later, inside the Ancestral Hall, the Clan Chief stood to one side and called out the ritual instructions. As the eldest among them, Shitou led the youths in paying their respects to the ancestors. They were about to march into battle once more.