The voice of ‘Gu Yong,’ the Island Master of Qinghu Island, still echoed in the sky. Standing on the city wall, Teng Qingshan looked into the distance and saw a figure, small as an ant, being rapidly dragged out from the Qinghu Island ranks. This figure soon rushed to a position about eighty zhang from the city wall.
He was clutching a cylindrical object over ten zhang tall with both hands.
“A water clock?” Teng Qingshan frowned.
Across the Great Land of Jiuzhou, timing devices included sundials, hourglasses, and water clocks. The working principle of a water clock was simple: a small hole at the bottom of the vessel allowed water to flow out at a constant rate. As the water flowed… the calibrated iron needle floating on the surface would slowly descend.
When the water ran out, the tip of the calibrated iron needle would be perfectly level with the top of the water vessel.
One full filling usually allowed the water to flow out steadily for twelve shichen (hours).
“Zhuge Yuanhong!” That deep voice sounded again. “You have seen the water clock. Three shichen! You only have three shichen!”
Standing on the city wall, Zhuge Yuanhong, his white robes fluttering, spoke for the first time. His clear voice cut through the air. “Gu Yong, my Guiyuan Sect has been established in Jiangning Commandery for over a thousand years. You want to turn my Guiyuan Sect into scorched earth; that won't be an easy task. It’s best to avoid unnecessary conflict and bloodshed.”
“Hahahaha…” Gu Yong’s reply was merely a string of hearty laughter.
The two supreme powerhouses, ranked sixth and seventh on the Heavenly Ranking, completed their brief exchange separated by three li.
……
In front of the Qinghu Island army formation, thirteen Innate experts were gathered.
The Blue General, clad in armor, smiled wryly. “This Zhuge Yuanhong. Even at this juncture, he is not anxious, still talking about ‘avoiding conflict and bloodshed.’ How ridiculous! Once we destroy his Guiyuan Sect, let’s see how calm he remains!” The other Innate experts laughed along, their chuckles brimming with confidence!
“Elders,” Gu Yong said with a slight smile, “do not underestimate Zhuge Yuanhong. As planned earlier: First, join forces to kill Zhuge Yuanhong. Second, capture that young man named Teng Qingshan.”
“Rest assured, Island Master.”
The Innate experts nodded with smiles; while confident, they were not arrogant.
“Everyone, return to your main tents to rest,” Gu Yong commanded. “Prepare for the general assault three shichen later.” The reason for the three-shichen delay was twofold: First, the Silver Dragon Army had traveled a great distance and was somewhat fatigued; resting for three shichen would bring them to peak physical condition. Second, it allowed the soldiers and disciples of the Guiyuan Sect to spend three shichen steeped in terror.
Gu Yong’s preceding words were enough to instill great fear in many within the Guiyuan Sect.
Spending three shichen in dread would push morale to its lowest point.
**
On the city wall, tens of thousands of people were densely packed.
A cold wind rose, catching Zhuge Yuanhong’s unbound long hair.
“Junior Brother Pang,” Zhuge Yuanhong commanded. “Go to the inner city and take charge of the troop deployment there.” Some of the Guiyuan Sect forces were stationed on the Jiangning Commandery city walls, while others remained in the inner city.
“Yes, Sect Master,” Pang Shan bowed.
“Sect Master, what should be done if anyone panics and flees?” Pang Shan asked again.
Zhuge Yuanhong replied coldly: “Those below the rank of Commander or Protector who flee in battle shall be locked in the dungeon! Resistance warrants immediate execution! Those at the rank of Commander, Protector, and above who flee in battle shall have their Dantian destroyed and be thrown into the dungeon. Resistance warrants the same execution!”
“Understood,” Pang Shan replied.
The higher one’s status within the sect, the stricter the punishment.
In fact, ever since Teng Qingshan and the others retreated back to the Guiyuan Sect yesterday, the sect had rapidly mobilized. Most non-combat personnel among the outer disciples had been sent away. Furthermore, the families of core disciples and Black Armored Army soldiers, along with those whose strength was too weak, had mostly left the Guiyuan Sect and relocated elsewhere in the Commandery City.
Everyone else had to face the war!
“Commander Teng, lunch,” an iron lunchbox was handed to Teng Qingshan, as it was already past noon.
Taking the box, he opened the lid and began eating quickly, finishing it completely in moments.
“One battle… The Iron-Clad Gate was wiped out in a single night. My Guiyuan Sect…” Teng Qingshan felt a tremor thinking about the clash of over a hundred thousand martial artists set to occur three shichen later. He wasn’t afraid for himself, but worried for his friends and family. “In the chaos of battle, can Cousin and Xiaoyu keep their lives?”
In the fight between thousands of troops, even Teng Qingshan wasn't entirely certain he could save his own life, let alone Qingyu and Qinghu.
The thought only amplified Teng Qingshan’s unease.
“Master, I’ll go to the inner city to check things out,” Teng Qingshan said, looking at Zhuge Yuanhong. Previously, Zhuge Yuanhong had instructed Teng Qingshan not to stray more than ten zhang from him.
Zhuge Yuanhong glanced at him. “Go, but return within three shichen.”
“En,” Teng Qingshan nodded and ran toward the south.
The inner city and the Jiangning Commandery City shared two overlapping sections of wall. Since the Guiyuan Sect’s inner city was situated in the southeastern region of Jiangning Commandery City, the eastern and southern walls of the inner city formed part of the Commandery City’s eastern and southern walls, respectively.
**
Inside the main tent of Gu Yong, leading the Qinghu Island army.
Hanging beside the tent was a massive map, a detailed chart of the entire Jiangning Commandery.
Gu Yong stood before the map, analyzing it closely.
“Thousands of years have passed; the changes are indeed vast,” Gu Yong frowned as he scrutinized the map. “However, according to the map leading to the Yu Emperor’s Treasure, the vault should be somewhere in this Jiangning Commandery area… But after millennia of change, it is genuinely hard to locate.” He meticulously studied the geographical layout.
“Father,” a voice suddenly called from outside the tent.
Gu Yong immediately turned, smiling. “Shiyou! Come in.” But when his gaze swept over a square table inside the tent, his smile vanished instantly. His face turned cold as he walked to the table, his eyes fixed on a piece of paper resting there. He picked it up.
“Father,” Gu Shiyou walked in, looking at his father with confusion.
Reading the contents of the paper, Gu Yong’s expression became grim, and he roared, “Shiyou, summon Elder Zhao, Elder Yuwen, Elder Hu, and Elder Wen—all four of them.”
“Yes, Father!” Gu Shiyou was startled.
Among the thirteen Innate experts of Qinghu Island, five were Innate Golden Core masters. Besides Gu Yong, the other four were the Elders he had just named.
“Why does Father suddenly summon the four Law Enforcement Elders?” Gu Shiyou didn’t understand, but he felt…
Something major had happened!
……
In the Guiyuan Sect’s inner city, three thousand Black Armored Army soldiers, thirty thousand City Guard soldiers, four thousand core disciples, and twenty thousand outer disciples filled the entire inner city.
In a single watchtower, only Zhuge Yun and Qingyu remained.
“Qingyu,” Zhuge Yun, clad in armor, said softly, grasping Qingyu’s hand. “Three shichen from now, it will be dark. In tonight’s battle, if our Guiyuan Sect truly cannot hold and begins to collapse, there will surely be deserters. Remember, at that time, you must flee within the large crowds.”
“You come with me,” Qingyu replied, wearing her Crimson Scale Battle Armor.
When the Crimson Scale Beast armor was brought back, the Sect Master gifted two sets to Teng Qingshan, who then gave them to his cousin Teng Qinghu and his younger sister Qingyu.
“Stop messing around!” Zhuge Yun hissed angrily.
Qingyu started. Zhuge Yun was usually an optimistic person; he rarely used such a harsh tone!
“Qingyu,” Zhuge Yun’s eyes were wide, bloodshot with worry. “To be honest, thinking about three shichen from now, I am terrified! In just one night, the Iron-Clad Gate was annihilated. Even if my Guiyuan Sect manages to survive by chance, many people will certainly die. I am the Young Sect Master! I am Zhuge Yuanhong’s son! I cannot flee! But you… Qingyu, I don’t want to see you die, do you understand?”
Qingyu’s eyes reddened. She shook her head. “No. If we die, we die together!”
“Qingyu, Xiaoyun,” a voice sounded.
The two turned to see a black figure standing at the entrance of the watchtower.
“Brother!” Qingyu cried out.
“Xiaoyun,” Teng Qingshan looked at Zhuge Yun. “Many people will die tonight. I will be fighting the Qinghu Island forces on the outer city wall! According to sect rules, my sister is permitted to leave. But because of you, she insists on defending the city with you. Therefore, you must protect her well!”
Among the core disciples, those who had joined recently and were weaker were allowed to leave. Qingyu had only been in the Guiyuan Sect for about half a year; her tenure was too short, making her eligible to depart. Yet, for Zhuge Yun’s sake, Qingyu refused to leave alone.
“Qingyu will definitely live well; I guarantee it!” Zhuge Yun ground out.
Teng Qingshan looked at him, then turned to Qingyu.
“You are quite willful,” Teng Qingshan sighed. Thinking of his sister facing mortal danger, Teng Qingshan truly didn’t want this. He even considered forcibly taking her away. But last night, his sister’s resolute gaze had changed his mind… If it were him and Xiaomao, perhaps they too would choose not to separate even in the face of death.
“Brother…” Qingyu’s voice was very soft.
Teng Qingshan reached out and gently stroked Qingyu’s head, just like when she was little.
“Remember, stay alive,” Teng Qingshan’s eyes grew slightly red.
“Brother, we’ll have breakfast together tomorrow,” Qingyu couldn’t hold back her tears.
Teng Qingshan looked at Zhuge Yun, then at his sister.
“En, we’ll have breakfast together tomorrow,” Teng Qingshan then turned and left… Perhaps this was the last time he would see his sister.
But life is a process of choices.
Choosing to leave the one you love to save your own life, or choosing to live and die together with the one you love?
Teng Qingshan respected his sister’s choice.
“Fight, fight!” Teng Qingshan left the inner city and returned to the outer perimeter.
……
Time passed quickly. In winter, darkness fell early. When two and a half shichen had elapsed, the sky was completely black.
On the city wall, everyone gripped their weapons tightly.
“It’s almost three shichen,” Teng Qingshan watched the pointer on the water clock below.
Suddenly hearing footsteps, Teng Qingshan turned to see his cousin, Qinghu, beside him.
“Cousin, if I hadn’t brought you to the Guiyuan Sect, you might be living quite happily back at Teng Family Village now, probably with a wife and son. Do you regret it?” Teng Qingshan asked quietly. Teng Qinghu grinned. “Why bring that up? No man from our Teng Family Village fears death! I only regret not marrying; if I die, the family line stops.”
“But, I, Teng Qinghu, have become a Centurion of the Black Armored Army! That’s far better than being an ordinary mountain villager my whole life. Damn it, tonight we’ll fight like hell…”
Teng Qingshan patted Qinghu’s shoulder, saying nothing more.
Teng Qingshan’s gaze fell back to the water clock below.
“Three shichen are up!” Teng Qingshan’s pupils contracted sharply.
“Dong! Dong! Dong!” Heavy drumbeats, as if striking their very hearts, suddenly roared out. The Qinghu Island military camp three li away immediately erupted in clamor.
On the walls of Jiangning Commandery City, the soldiers gripped their weapons tight.
“Damn it,” Teng Qinghu muttered through clenched teeth, staring into the distance.
Teng Qingshan gripped the Reincarnation Spear, gazing far out into the distance.