In such circumstances, Zhuge Yuanhong was forced by the situation! After Gu Yong uttered those words, with the masters of the major sects standing there as witnesses, there was nothing more to say.

At the front line between the two factions.

Zhuge Yuanhong turned to look at the assembled three thousand Black Armored soldiers and announced loudly, "Island Master Gu, you claim the murderer who caused the death of eight Law Enforcement Elders from Qinghu Island is hidden among our Black Armored Army! Since you say so, then we shall let you see. In a moment, starting with the hundredth squad of the first battalion of the first legion, they will lift their face masks one by one and walk past the front line."

"Gu Yong, any objections?" Zhuge Yuanhong looked towards him.

Gu Yong, however, spoke coldly, "All three thousand Black Armored soldiers you’ve assembled, march ten zhang toward the west! Leave this eastern area clear. Those who are inspected will proceed to this empty space in the east. The soldiers in the two areas must not mingle." His voice echoed across the night sky of Yan Mountains.

"Agreed," Zhuge Yuanhong waved his hand.

Immediately, all three thousand Black Armored soldiers moved neatly westward, leaving ample open space to the east.

At the front line now, besides the five Xiantian powerhouses from Qinghu Island, there were dozens of Xiantian experts from various other sects, and even two masters from the Snow Eagle Sect, who had originally been in the sky, descended to the front line.

"Gentlemen," Gu Yong addressed the group of Xiantian experts. Though hatred simmered within him, he spoke courteously, "In a moment, our five Xiantian experts from Qinghu Island will observe every Black Armored soldier who walks past. And all of you may also watch... and attempt to identify him."

"Naturally," the Xiantian experts of the various sects each harbored their own private calculations.

"Zhuge Yuanhong, begin," Gu Yong commanded.

"Begin!" Zhuge Yuanhong waved his hand.

Except for Zhuge Yuanhong, Yan Motian, and Zhuge Qing, all other soldiers were to walk past the front line, following sequence, one by one.

"Hmph, this Qinghu Island is truly overbearing," some Black Armored soldiers looked on with hostile eyes.

Some soldiers, aware that the group facing them comprised Xiantian experts, felt a knot of fear in their stomachs and dared not look directly at them.

There was curiosity, too.

And indifference.

And arrogance.

...

To become a Black Armored soldier in this chaotic era, which one lacked some grit and mettle? These Black Armored soldiers were no docile sheep; they were wolves! Of course... if they were wolves, then those Xiantian experts were formidable demonic beasts. They were simply not on the same level.

One by one they passed, one hundred-man squad after another passed.

Teng Qingshan was mingled within Tian Dan's hundred-man squad.

"It's our turn," Teng Qinghu took the lead, and the soldiers behind him, all gripping their spears, marched forward together. Teng Qinghu reached the front line and glared fiercely at the Island Master of Qinghu Island, 'Gu Yong,' and the other four, since the death of his paternal uncle, Teng Yongxiang, and the crippling of Teng Yongfan, were all linked to Qinghu Island.

However, many soldiers displayed fierce looks, which Gu Yong and the others completely ignored; they were only focused on scrutinizing every single person passing by.

"Gu Yong, have you found the culprit yet?" Zhuge Yuanhong asked him.

"Still too early."

Gu Yong's gaze remained fixed on each passing soldier, like a hungry beast searching for prey, meticulously observing every individual. Not only the five from Qinghu Island, but the Xiantian experts from the other sects also observed every soldier who walked past.

...

Teng Qinghu's hundred-man squad had just passed.

"It's our turn," Tian Dan also took the lead and walked forward. Teng Qingshan walked among the ranks of the Black Armored Army, every soldier’s helmet mask lifted.

One, two, three... one soldier after another walked past the front line.

Zhuge Yuanhong was actually observing every soldier passing by as well, because each one only flashed past momentarily. When Teng Qingshan walked past Zhuge Yuanhong, Zhuge Yuanhong’s gaze only flickered over him and moved on. Within the Black Armored Army, there were far too many figures with heavy killing intent etched on their faces.

Zhuge Yuanhong never connected Teng Qingshan to the description.

Zhuge Qing also scrutinized every person carefully. "Hmm?" As she saw Teng Qingshan, a special feeling arose in Zhuge Qing's heart. "I seem to have seen him somewhere before!" After all, the figure she constantly longed for was deeply imprinted in her mind. Although she didn't recognize him at a glance, a feeling surfaced.

"Yes, he looks a bit like Big Brother Teng," Zhuge Qing couldn't articulate exactly where the resemblance lay.

But she felt a similarity.

"You also wish to recognize me?" Teng Qingshan, holding a standard-issue spear, walked past the cluster of Xiantian experts, his cold eyes sweeping over the group. Disguise... only disguising one's entire aura completely constitutes true camouflage. The aura Teng Qingshan projected now was that of a chilling venomous snake.

Many within the Black Armored Army possessed heavy killing intent—some fierce, some cold, some arrogant.

As Teng Qingshan passed, none of the Xiantian experts perceived that this cold-eyed soldier was the 'Qin Lang' they were seeking.

The soldiers behind continued to pass the front line, and Teng Qingshan reached the eastern area. The soldiers in the eastern area were all those who had already been inspected.

"Our hundred-man squad, form up in order," Tian Dan also organized the soldiers. As Teng Qingshan approached, he and Tian Dan exchanged a glance, and a slight smile appeared on Tian Dan's face as he turned his back to the others.

...

"Something's not right..."

Among the group of Xiantian experts closely observing each soldier, one person was not watching the soldiers—it was 'Wu Xiu' of the Snow Eagle Sect.

"Those eyes... it's those eyes!" Wu Xiu closed his eyes, carefully recalling that moment in his mind. Back then, he and Tie Jiu had tried to kill Teng Qingshan to seize the two cauldrons. But his elder brother, 'Tie Jiu,' was kicked to death by Teng Qingshan. When Teng Qingshan then moved to kill Wu Xiu, Wu Xiu was so terrified that he fled.

His brother's death, his own terror-fueled escape.

He probably wouldn't forget that scene for his entire life.

"At that time, when Teng Qingshan encountered my brother and me, his icy gaze. The look of crazed killing intent when he killed my brother, the terrifying expression when he was about to strike at me... it's those eyes! Yes, it's those eyes!" Wu Xiu looked towards Teng Qingshan, who was now standing in formation, comparing the image in his mind. "Yes, his nose, eyes, and mouth are all the same! What an incredible disguise technique; everything is identical, yet it made me unable to recognize him at first glance."

Deep affection, extreme hatred, extreme terror... all would cause one to remember another person profoundly!

Wu Xiu hated Teng Qingshan because Teng Qingshan had killed his elder brother. Though not a biological brother, they had been together for nearly a century, their bond deeper than that of true siblings. He was also terrified... the fear born from the edge of life and death. He had fled for his life in fright then. He would never forget what Teng Qingshan looked like at that moment, not until death.

...

At the front line, Zhuge Qing stood behind her father, 'Zhuge Yuanhong,' her mind still dwelling on that figure. Suddenly—

"It's him! Over in the east, the westernmost column, the thirty-ninth soldier! He is Teng Qingshan!" A fierce shout erupted.

Zhuge Qing jumped in alarm and looked over.

Since the last members of Tian Dan's hundred-man squad were still being vetted, this squad was positioned at the very edge.

"The thirty-ninth?" Zhuge Qing's expression shifted; it was indeed the man who had felt so similar to Teng Qingshan to her.

"Me?" Teng Qingshan, the one singled out, put on an expression of shock, then sneered coldly, "Has this esteemed Lord suffered from poor eyesight? I truly thought I was Commander Teng." But Teng Qingshan recognized the speaker—it was the Snow Eagle Sect master who had escaped back then, 'Wu Xiu.' Teng Qingshan inwardly cursed.

He should have killed him back then.

"It's him! I won't forget his appearance even if I die. He can deceive others, but not me!" Wu Xiu roared.

"Seize him!" Gu Yong immediately shouted.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The five Xiantian experts from Qinghu Island lunged out almost simultaneously. Besides the five, the hook-nosed elder from the Snow Eagle Sect also charged forward immediately. As for the other numerous Xiantian experts, they all hesitated somewhat... They had also seen Qin Lang before, but even after scrutinizing the man in the distance, they could not believe he was Teng Qingshan.

"Halt!" Zhuge Yuanhong roared instantly.

Did the people from Qinghu Island and that Snow Eagle Sect master heed Zhuge Yuanhong's command?

"Block them," Zhuge Yuanhong roared, drawing his four-foot Azure Edge Sword, his body instantly erupting with a faint green aura. He charged forward alongside the Law Enforcement Elder, 'Yan Motian.'

"Form up!" Tian Dan roared.

"Form up!" Teng Qinghu also shouted.

"Form up!" ...

In short, the more than one thousand Black Armored soldiers who had already been inspected in the eastern clearing immediately formed ranks, like an impregnable iron wall, firmly blocking the way. "Stop them!" Even the more than one thousand Black Armored soldiers still awaiting inspection snatched up their weapons and charged toward the east, intending to join their comrades.

"Big Brother Teng..." Zhuge Qing, amidst the Black Armored soldiers, also ran over swiftly. She was in utter terror now. In her horrified gaze, the six fastest of the Xiantian experts had already reached the Black Armored soldiers.

Of these six, the fastest was 'Zhao Danchen.'

He leaped directly, intending to vault over the sea of men blocking him.

"Fire!" a resounding command rang out. The archers, who were already prepared, aimed at Zhao Danchen, suspended in mid-air, and loosed their arrows almost simultaneously.

Five hundred archers, five hundred arrows tore through the air, shooting out. The dense rain of arrows made it impossible for Zhao Danchen to evade them all completely. Amidst a rapid succession of impacts, at least several dozen arrows struck the protective light shield around Zhao Danchen's body. Each arrow fired by the Black Armored Army's archers carried an impact force of over a thousand jin, some even greater.

Several dozen arrows combined amounted to an impact force of tens of thousands of jin.

Although it could not shake the light shield, the accumulated impact forced Zhao Danchen, who could find no purchase in the air, down toward the crowd.

"Break!"

Almost simultaneously, dense ranks of spears thrust upwards intensely. This was the might of a human sea! Even a Xiantian Golden Core expert could escape if necessary. However, if one sought to kill a heavily protected figure, and the soldiers were numerous enough, one could exhaust the opponent's Xiantian True Essence.

"Gu Yong, stop this," Zhuge Yuanhong and Yan Motian had arrived.

While the Xiantian experts were being obstructed by the human tide, the Qinghu Island army also made its move.

Dense ranks of Silver Flood Dragon Army soldiers lay prone on the ground, bracing the bows with their feet while pulling the specialized arrows with their hands. This was precisely the 'Myriad-Weight Divine Crossbow.' When Qinghu Island annihilated the Iron Robe Sect, the Iron Robe Sect had used the Myriad-Weight Divine Crossbows to kill many Silver Flood Dragon Army soldiers. If the Iron Robe Sect had them, Qinghu Island certainly possessed them too.

The Divine Crossbow Battalion was an extremely formidable unit within the Silver Flood Dragon Army, with a roster of five hundred men.

"Fire!" Gu Shiyou waved his hand.

The five hundred soldiers of the Divine Crossbow Battalion uniformly loosed the arrows in their hands. Each Myriad-Weight Divine Crossbow could fire two arrows simultaneously, and their immense power could easily pierce the heavy armor of an ordinary soldier.

One thousand divine crossbow bolts shot into the midst of the Black Armored Army crowd at less than a hundred zhang distance instantly.

"Ah!" "What kind of arrows are these?" Screams of agony erupted.

Some pierced skulls, some pierced chests, some pierced thighs, or missed their mark... Anyone struck by an arrow, unless possessing the strength of a first-rate martial artist, would be heavily wounded if not killed outright.

In a single, neat volley, where the arrows were densest, a swath of soldiers fell to the ground.

"Stop!" Teng Qingshan's eyes reddened. Even if he were exposed, he shouldn't let so many soldiers die for him. Teng Qingshan struggled to force his way out of the crowd.

"Ready!" Gu Shiyou, standing further away, commanded coldly.

Those five hundred Divine Crossbow Battalion soldiers rapidly reloaded their bolts.

"Stop!" Zhuge Yuanhong, who had just forced Gu Yong back with a sword strike, saw this and his face changed drastically.

"Hmph," Gu Yong merely sneered.

...

"Miss Qing, be careful," a bearded Black Armored soldier said, seeing Zhuge Qing, clad in light green armor, standing nearby, her eyes fixed intently on Teng Qingshan in the distance, paying attention to nothing else.

The five hundred Divine Crossbow Battalion soldiers were fully prepared, and Gu Shiyou raised his right hand, then suddenly slashed it down: "Fire!"

Another thousand arrows!

Swish, swish, swish!

The arrows rained down like falling metal, accompanied by a shrill whistling sound, like a chorus of shrieking demons.

"Down!" The bearded Black Armored soldier immediately yanked Zhuge Qing down, intending to shield her with his body. Zhuge Qing, just pulled down, was still stunned, but she still looked toward Teng Qingshan's direction.

Thwack! Thwack!

The dense arrows swept through that area as if straining grain through a sieve. The bearded Black Armored soldier, despite dropping as fast as he could, was struck by three arrows and fell dead instantly.

One arrow grazed the edge of the bearded man's waist and then pierced straight through Zhuge Qing's chest. The powerful impact of the arrow even sent Zhuge Qing flying, crashing into another Black Armored soldier before falling heavily to the ground.

Thud!

Her chest was instantly stained crimson with blood.

"Me?" Zhuge Qing looked down. The end of the arrow was lodged in her chest, and blood slowly seeped out around the shaft. Zhuge Qing struggled to lift her head. "Big Brother Teng, where are you?" Zhuge Qing felt her vision darkening, yet she forced herself to look, wanting to see... the figure that had appeared in her dreams time and again.

"Qingqing!" Zhuge Yuanhong's voice, filled with grief and indignation, rang out sharply.

Teng Qingshan, lost in the human sea, turned pale. He looked around frantically, instantly locking onto that faint green figure—the frail body lying on the ground struggling to look up in his direction.

In that instant, their gazes met.

Teng Qingshan saw the arrow piercing her chest, that tragic, brilliant red...

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