Thundering hoofbeats! The charging warhorse kicked up plumes of spray in the downpour, the scenery on either side blurring as it rushed past, quickly leaving Luo Jiang behind.

All that could be heard behind was Luo Jiang’s roar of unwillingness, like a tiger that had failed its hunt and watched its prey escape.

And only now did the weight lifted from my anxious heart.

“That was close. If Luo Jiang hadn’t been gravely wounded, this horse would never have gotten away.”

“Your Highness, you saved me again this time!” Jidu gasped, forcing back the stabbing pain.

“Heh, certainly,” I quipped, playing along. “It must be fate; you can’t run from it even if you try.”

“En, hon—” Jidu started to say more, but the violent jarring of the galloping horse and the severe shaking of the saddle clearly aggravated his wounds. He had to grit his teeth and remain silent, his face growing paler than ever.

“We’ll talk once you’ve recovered,” I said. “Right now, escaping alive is the priority.”

“Yes! Thank you, Your Highness!” Jidu nodded slightly, gripping the pommel of the saddle tightly.

The charging warhorse carried us for a solid two hours before finally slowing. By the roadside stood a simple pavilion constructed of wood—the most common refuge from wind and rain across the continent. In ancient China, such structures were called Fengyu Ting (Wind and Rain Pavilions), but here on the Mafa Continent, they lacked any elegant name, not even bearing an inscription.

I helped Jidu into the shelter and settled him against the wall. Two hours of relentless galloping had pushed both the warhorse and Jidu to the absolute limit of their endurance; they couldn’t hold on any longer. Jidu’s wound seemed to have torn open again, drenching him in blood. Through the gaps at the edge of his armor, blood seeped out continuously, like small streams trickling between rocks.

“Ah! We have to stop the bleeding first!” I tried to unfasten the Tianmo Armor from Jidu’s body.

“It’s fine. Once I rest and slow down my Qi and blood circulation, and take some healing medicine, the wound will coagulate,” Jidu managed a wry smile. He raised his right hand, intending to retrieve the spatial pouch strapped to him.

“Lean back, don't move. I’ll do it,” I quickly removed the spatial pouch from my own back.

From the pouch, I pulled out the travel stool, the travel table, and the healing medicine. The most pressing matter was stabilizing Jidu’s injuries.

Taking the medicine I offered, Jidu downed an entire bottle in one gulp, then let out a long breath, a bitter smile on his face. “I never thought we’d be defeated so miserably this time.”

“Victory and defeat are common occurrences in warfare, General. Why dwell on it?” I comforted him. It was only then that I finally had a chance to examine the Tianmo Armor Jidu wore up close.

Its style was identical to the Tianmo Armor from Legend (Chuanqi), but with towering pauldrons and a pair of metallic ribbons resembling wings extending from his back—it exuded an indescribable, magnificent majesty. The faint, almost imperceptible energy fluctuations surrounding it added a touch of mystery, making it unforgettable at first glance. Honestly, I’ve always believed that the coolest armor sets in Legend were the Tianmo set and the Shengzhan set. Now, finally getting to see the real-world version from the Mafa world, I naturally wanted to study it thoroughly.

My modern habits kicked in! As I carefully examined the Tianmo Armor, I tried to guess what material it was forged from, and why simply wearing it could enhance one’s abilities so terrifyingly. However, based on my experience, I couldn't fathom the secrets within.

“Your Highness speaks easily,” Jidu lamented. “But you don’t know that once a warrior at our level is defeated, they must live the rest of their life under the shadow of that failure.” He continued, “If I had been defeated by another Tianmo Warrior, so be it. But my opponent was a madman who defeated me, a Tianmo Warrior, with nothing but a Demonic Sword. That disgrace will probably haunt me forever.”

“General, you are overstating it.” Jidu’s words immediately brought me back to the present. Now was not the time to study the composition of the Tianmo Armor. However, seeing Jidu’s dejected appearance, I felt it necessary to lift his spirits. If this continued, Jidu’s state of mind would become seriously detrimental.

I immediately turned serious. “Actually, General, the error from the start was underestimating the enemy and advancing rashly.” I sighed. “You must have assumed his skill stemmed purely from wielding that Demonic Sword.”

“Exactly,” Jidu confirmed. “Historically, the Crimson Blood Demonic Sword (Chixue Mojian) has brought ruin, but when the royal family sent Tianmo Warriors to intercept its wielders, they never dared to engage us head-on; they would always flee if confronted. Therefore, I believed the power of the Crimson Blood Demonic Sword should be inferior to the Tianmo Armor.” Jidu sighed again. “I never expected this Luo Jiang to be so outrageously strong. He is not on the same level as any previous master of the Crimson Blood Sword.”

“Actually, Luo Jiang’s inherent cultivation level was already terrifying before he obtained the Crimson Blood Demonic Sword. General, by using past masters of the Crimson Blood Sword as a reference to judge his strength, you naturally fell into a misconception,” I explained. “The current Luo Jiang, possessing the Crimson Blood Demonic Sword, is absolutely no less powerful than any Tianmo Warrior.”

“If someone else had told me this in the past, I would never have believed it,” Jidu admitted bitterly. “The Crimson Blood Demonic Sword and Luo Jiang are a perfect match. Though I lost, I am thoroughly convinced.” Jidu looked crestfallen, clutching the broken hilt of his sword, which was now just a stump. “A fine Crimson Blood Demonic Sword, it even cleaved my Frost Condensation blade in half.”

“Indeed, a demon matched with a demon sword. Perhaps this is destiny,” I mused, recalling what Jian Li had said in the Sacred Domain space. Now it seemed everything was indeed arranged by some unseen hand. But then I remembered the Blade of Destiny (Mingyun zhi Ren) on my back, and a flash of inspiration hit me: “Perhaps there is still a chance for the General to defeat Luo Jiang.”

“Does Your Highness have a plan?” Jidu’s complexion improved slightly; the healing medicine was clearly taking effect.

“Yes. General, you must have heard of the Blade of Destiny?” As I spoke, I retrieved the Blade of Destiny from my spatial pouch. “General, your defeat this time was truly unjust. If your Frost Condensation had been sturdier, you might not have lost to Luo Jiang.”

“Ah, the Blade of Destiny.” Jidu took the weapon from my hands and held it. With a swift whoosh, a flash of dark light erupted. The ice-cold aura made the hair stand on end. It was only at this moment that I truly saw the Blade of Destiny’s real appearance. Although it had been stored in my spatial pouch, I had never dared to unsheathe it easily. While the Blade of Destiny wasn’t as erratic or untamable as the Crimson Blood Demonic Sword, it too contained immense power. If drawn carelessly, no one could predict what might happen. But Jidu was different; as a Tianmo Warrior, protected by the Tianmo Armor, drawing the Blade of Destiny posed no issue for him.

The dark blade appeared simple and unadorned, yet around its body flowed a faint, ethereal stream of blue-black light, giving the impression that the sword’s presence warped the surrounding space. Its stable, solid aura suggested that what Jidu held was not merely a blade, but a slumbering dragon, ready to leap and soar to the clouds at any moment—a formidable, awe-inspiring dominance.

“This is the Blade of Destiny that historically opposed the Crimson Blood Demonic Sword?” Jidu asked, pleasantly surprised.

“Precisely,” I smiled. “The Blade of Destiny may not surpass the raw power of the Crimson Blood Demonic Sword, but I believe that with the General’s strength as a Tianmo Warrior, coupled with the Blade of Destiny, you should have enough confidence to defeat Luo Jiang.”

“Yes,” Jidu declared confidently. “Just by feeling it, I know this is a peerless divine weapon that is hard to find. Perhaps combined with my Tianmo Warrior cultivation, I might defeat the current Luo Jiang—no, I am absolutely certain I can defeat him.” Jidu was ecstatic. “Blade of Destiny, with you in my hand, Luo Jiang’s fate will change as well.” As if inspired by Jidu’s soaring ambition, the Blade of Destiny in his hand actually emitted a low, resonant hum. The previously dim blade shone with dazzling light, completely unlike its initial plain appearance, like an emperor donning imperial robes, commanding supreme authority and pressure.

“Wonderful! The Blade of Destiny seems to have recognized you,” I exclaimed happily.

“En,” Jidu’s face was flushed red, his hands gripping the sword trembling slightly. “Blade of Destiny, let us end this two-hundred-year-old destiny together. With you, fate will be in our hands.”

Whum-whum! The low humming grew more rapid. The Blade of Destiny in Jidu’s grasp seemed to come alive, vibrating intensely as if responding to his words—perhaps it had been dormant for too long.

The Blade of Destiny, now returned to the light of day, also longed to reveal its brilliance. Dim pearls, submerged blades, heroes at the end of their road—it seemed this man and this sword shared a common destiny.

“Your connection is also an arrangement of fate,” I said with a touch of envy. “Perhaps the Blade of Destiny existed only to await your arrival. I have a feeling that this blade can only unleash its greatest power in your hands.”

“Well said,” Jidu stated firmly. “Let us forge our own destiny together.” In that moment, Jidu was brimming with heroic spirit; the look of utter defeat was gone.

At that instant, I intuitively felt that Jidu had truly changed. Although I hadn’t known him intimately before, I was certain that the current Jidu was vastly different from his past self. This was a transformation of character. I couldn’t pinpoint exactly what had changed, but what was certain was that Jidu had become significantly stronger.

“Then, why don’t we return now and defeat Luo Jiang?” I began.

“I will certainly defeat Luo Jiang, but not yet,” Jidu said seriously. “My injuries are more severe than you imagine, and even healing medicine cannot fully mend them in a short time.” He continued, “If I am not at my peak strength, even with the Blade of Destiny, I cannot guarantee defeating Luo Jiang.” As he spoke, he instinctively gripped the Blade of Destiny tighter. “Good companion, you must endure for a while longer. Next time, we will achieve a decisive victory and utterly destroy the Crimson Blood Demonic Sword.”

Whum-whum-whum! The humming Blade of Destiny glowed brighter, then slowly dimmed, finally settling into tranquility, resting quietly in Jidu’s hand.

Jidu then lightly closed his eyes, seemingly savoring this rare moment of communion between man and sword.

After a while, he slowly opened his eyes and carefully returned the Blade of Destiny to its sheath.

“Are you badly hurt, General?” I finally voiced the worry lingering in my heart.

“Yes, my internal organs were nearly shattered,” Jidu admitted. “If it weren't for the formidable defensive capabilities of the Tianmo Armor, I would have been pulverized.”

“..........” It seemed Jidu’s injuries were indeed grave. Even the healing medicine hadn't allowed for a rapid recovery. For a Tianmo Warrior like Jidu to be injured so severely, Luo Jiang’s strength was terrifyingly real.

“How long will it take for your injuries to fully heal?” I asked with concern.

“At least ten days,” Jidu replied.

“Was Luo Jiang seriously injured?” I pressed nervously.

“Probably not light injuries either,” Jidu conceded. “But given his cultivation, he should fully recover in less than four days.”

“This is troublesome,” I muttered reflexively. “That means Luo Jiang still has six days of mobility.”

“Six days,” Jidu murmured. “Perhaps. This madman’s actions cannot be judged by common sense. He might already be tracking our route.”

“We should find a hidden place to heal,” I suggested.

“En!” Jidu nodded slightly. “Let’s hope Luo Jiang doesn't reach Panlong so quickly.” Jidu sounded worried.

“Master and the others are still at Panlong. They should have surely learned of Luo Jiang heading north and organized the city’s evacuation,” I stated seriously.

“We can only rely on them now,” Jidu said with shame.

“General, don't be discouraged. Although we were defeated this time, we have simultaneously grasped Luo Jiang’s true strength. With the help of the Blade of Destiny, we will surely defeat him,” I consoled.

“That is certain. Only by defeating him myself can I wash away the shame of defeat,” Jidu said grimly, clutching the Blade of Destiny. “With the Blade of Destiny, I will definitely win.”

After taking the healing medicine, Jidu felt somewhat better, but we dared not linger.

We found a tree hollow in the dense forest and hid within. When it came to wilderness survival, I was already an expert. Back when I was fleeing through the Woma Forest and the Cangyue Continent, I did this sort of thing quite often.

The trees in the Mafa World were astonishingly large and terrifyingly tall—many stood forty or fifty meters high, some even reaching over a hundred. Compared to them, the trees on Earth in my past life were mere shrubbery.

We were currently hidden in a tree hollow large enough to fit four cubic meters. There was no need to worry about Luo Jiang finding us here.

Of course, whether Luo Jiang would even pursue us remained an unknown, but it was always wise to prepare for the worst.

It was only then that the taut nerves of Jidu and myself finally relaxed. I felt nearly shattered, collapsing onto my back, leaning against the thick wall of the hollow.

“How do you feel?” I looked towards Jidu, whose face was ashen.

“Much better. The healing medicine dissolved the congested blood in my body. My physical stamina is fine, but the flow of Dou Qi is still sluggish.”

As he spoke, Jidu fiddled with the Blade of Destiny in his hands, occasionally swinging it a few times, clearly getting accustomed to its feel.

That guy, I couldn't help but smile internally. It was just a weapon, but he looked so infatuated, like a lecher who had just encountered a supreme beauty. It was almost sickening, but I would only think these things; otherwise, even if Jidu let me off, that strange Blade of Destiny wouldn't.

Thinking about it now, it was truly incredible. This marvelous Mafa World held endless wonders, even allowing weapons to possess their own souls. Thinking this, I instinctively reached toward the Dragon Shadow Sword (Longying Jian) at my waist. What about my Dragon Shadow Sword? Do you possess a soul of your own?

For some reason, a line from Jing Tian in Chinese Paladin suddenly came to mind: “A sword is originally just common iron; it gains sentience through the hand that wields it, moves with the heart, lives by blood, and dies by doubt!”

Perhaps one day, my Dragon Shadow would also possess its own soul. Just as Luo Jiang had his Crimson Blood Demonic Sword, and Jidu had gained the acknowledgment of the Blade of Destiny, where was my divine artifact?