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Kapitel 66

Sun Jia remained motionless and did not answer.

“Sun Jia, don’t forget, your mother is still in our hands… Tell us quickly, what happened to him? If we force him to expel the poison from his body, none of us will survive today…”

Before Sun Jia could answer, another burst of rapid hoofbeats rang out. Even with her eyes closed, Jun Yu could feel plumes of dust rushing into the simple inn and hitting her face.

Dozens of men who had rushed in from outside had already dismounted; they were all skilled warriors of the Crimson Gold Clan, dressed in tight-fitting armor. A short man with a full head of blond hair swaggered in, his Crimson Gold Clan attire looking extremely out of place. This short man was none other than Zhu Gang, the third son of Prime Minister Zhu. Zhu Gang glanced at Jun Yu at the doorway but dared not take another step closer, only shouting loudly and martially, "Sun Jia, aren't you going to make a move?"

Sun Jia glanced at him with disgust and said angrily, "Zhu Gang, you coerced my mother and put me in a wrong position. Now that I have poisoned Junyu, you can deal with the rest yourselves!"

Zhu Gang sneered, "Heh heh, you think you can get away with this? If Junyu escapes today, do you think you can still go back to Phoenix City as your general? Or, you should take the Phoenix Army and defect to the Great Khan. The Great Khan will definitely welcome you..."

Sun Jia was startled, and after a long pause, he said, "If you don't act now, it will be too late..."

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Chapter 211: Fengcheng Feishuai Became Blind (1)

A bloodcurdling scream suddenly came from the doorway; it was the sound of Xiao Shuai falling to the ground.

Junyu felt a pang of grief. The three burly men closest to her attacked simultaneously. Junyu opened her eyes, leaped up, and unsheathed her "Chasing Flight" sword. Blood splattered everywhere, and the three men staggered and fell to the ground. Junyu was already leaning against the wall by the door.

Everyone was terrified and retreated, and for a moment no one dared to take another step forward.

There were still dozens of people outside the door, and this wall was the most advantageous spot in the inn. Leaning against the wall, she stared wide-eyed, but could barely make out the faces of those opposite her. Her face was calm, but her heart was in turmoil. She had just been circulating her internal energy to expel the poison, but it had been interrupted before she could succeed. Although she had preserved all her strength, the poison had completely concentrated in her eyes. Her eyes gradually went from feeling dry to numb, and her vision became increasingly blurry until it became a blur.

Will I become blind?!

"Phoenix City Flying General," who had dominated the battlefield for over a decade, was now about to go blind. A wave of grief and indignation washed over her, followed by an even greater dizziness: she would never see the color of that red flower again! In that instant, she wanted to reach into her robes and retrieve the flower for one last look, but reason prevailed over impulse. She remained silently leaning against the wall, blood dripping slowly from the "Chasing Flying" sword in her hand…

"He wasn't poisoned?"

Does he look like he's been poisoned?

"Sun Jia, how dare you deceive us?"

"Sun Jia, do you not want your mother's life anymore?"

The shouts and curses were filled with fear and anger. People fled for their lives. Some retreated outside the door, while others who couldn't escape in time retreated to the corner of the wall, afraid that if they were a step too slow, their blood would drip from the sword.

"Flying General of Phoenix City" was renowned throughout the frontier for over a decade. In particular, during the Battle of Tiema Temple, many of the Chijin tribe warriors who participated in the battle witnessed her skill of killing one person with every step she took. Those who were lucky enough to survive were always terrified when they thought about it. Afterwards, her reputation was further embellished with mystery and unpredictability within the Chijin tribe's army.

Everyone knew that if "Flying General of Phoenix City" hadn't been poisoned, none of them would have left alive today.

Sun Jia looked at Jun Yu carefully, took a few steps back, and still did not speak.

The screams of fear gradually subsided. All around, a terrifying, deathly silence returned.

Junyu stood by the wall. Outside the door were dozens of assassins standing ready, along with Zhu Gang, whose blond hair was trembling. In a corner inside the door, there were several more assassins in plainclothes. Her vision was completely blurred, but her mind was unusually calm. She knew that as long as she occupied this position, no one could do anything to her for the time being. However, she couldn't delay any longer; the longer it went on, the worse it would be for her.

Her voice was very calm: "Sun Jia, did you kill Peng Dong?"

Sun Jia seemed to make a gurgling sound from his throat, only a faint "yes" could be heard. At the time, everyone believed that Peng Dong, the garrison commander of Phoenix City, had died while chasing a deer, falling off a cliff with his horse.

"You know I have no intention of becoming an official. Only after Peng Dong dies can you truly take command of the Phoenix Army and become a general."

"Yes, that's why, while he was hunting, I bribed one of his guards to push him off a cliff when he wasn't looking."

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Chapter 212: Fengcheng Feishuai Became Blind (2)

Amidst the question and answer, two of the closest assassins, each wielding a hook and an axe, attacked Jun Yu's waist from the left and right. Just as the hooks and axes reached him, the two assassins' eyes suddenly bulged. Before they could even clearly see the flash of "Chasing Flight," the sharp sword had already pierced through their backs with incredible speed.

Zhu Gang roared from outside the door, "Sun Jia, what kind of drug did you give me? Don't forget your mother is still in our hands, her life is in our hands..."

Sun Jia glared at him angrily before slowly saying, "Junyu's eyes..."

"Junyu's eyes?" Zhu Gang's rat-like eyes gleamed with malice. However, his experience in the martial arts world was limited, and his skills were not particularly good. Staring at Junyu from a distance, he couldn't figure out what was wrong with Junyu's eyes.

The other assassins, however, were much more experienced. One of them stared at Jun Yu for a few moments, then exclaimed with delight, "Is he blind...?"

Zhu Gang turned to look at the person beside him and whispered, "Uncle Zhu, is this kid really blind?"

Zhu Sihuai served in the army under Zhu Yu. Three days ago, Zhu Gang personally came to the military camp to find him, saying that Prime Minister Zhu had important business to attend to. Zhu Sihuai naturally dared not disobey, and immediately followed Zhu Gang to this desert inn. Only when they arrived did they realize that this "important business" was actually to hunt down Jun Yu, who had saved him and Zhu Yu last year.

Zhu Sihuai angrily said, "Third Young Master, so you went to great lengths to bring me here just to assassinate her? If the Second Young Master finds out, he will definitely not let you off the hook."

Zhu Gangping was usually extremely rude to him, and only now that he needed something from him did he address him as "Uncle Zhu Si," thinking he was giving him a huge favor. He didn't expect Zhu Siping to be so ungrateful, so he sneered, "Zhu Sihuai, you see, my second brother has become the imperial son-in-law, so of course he only obeys him. But you should understand that this is a task arranged by my father. Do you dare to disobey my father's orders?"

Zhu Sihuai snorted coldly and stood aside with his hands in his sleeves.

To avoid being overheard by the Crimson Gold Clan members nearby, the two spoke in extremely low voices, using their native, fast-paced, and somewhat obscure dialect. Junyu, however, heard every single word. His sight had somehow made his hearing even more acute.

Zhu Gang suddenly shouted, "Junyu, you're facing death today. I'm going to use this sword to take your life. Do you know what kind of sword this is?"

Jun Yu coldly replied, "I don't care what kind of sword you are!"

Zhu Gang burst into laughter: "I don't have a sword at all, Junyu, you're really blind. Everyone, charge forward! Taking down this kid is a great achievement! The Khan promises that whoever presents the head of 'Phoenix City Flying General' will be rewarded with the golden sword of the Crimson Gold Clan's number one warrior..."

The crowd rejoiced. The renowned "Phoenix City Flying General" was now blind; what was there to fear? Coupled with the allure of the "First Warrior of the Crimson Gold Clan's" golden saber, a storm of spears and short swords immediately rained down on Jun Yu…

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Chapter 213: Fengcheng Feishuai Became Blind (3)

It turned out that after Prime Minister Zhu and his son Zhu Gang joined the Chijin tribe, apart from Zhu Yu, who was favored by Zhenmutier and his daughter for his meritorious service and appointed as a son-in-law to lead troops, Prime Minister Zhu and his son Zhu Gang lived idly in their designated luxurious camp. While some people had come to curry favor with Zhu Yu at home, once he joined the army, the camp, though still magnificent, was deserted. The Chijin generals, arrogant and self-important, didn't respect the father and son at all, and, jealous that Zhu Yu had married the Khan's most beloved daughter, treated them even worse. Once, Zhu Gang was strolling outside when he encountered a drunken general and even slapped him. Prime Minister Zhu was furious but dared not stand up for his son, and could only swallow his anger. Zhu Yu's princess wife, who grew up on horseback, naturally didn't understand the "three obediences and four virtues" of being filial to her parents-in-law. She also didn't give a good look to her rebellious father-in-law and brother-in-law, especially disliking her blond-haired brother-in-law, and never came to visit him.

For decades, Prime Minister Zhu had held absolute power; how could he have ever suffered such humiliation? Helplessly, the new emperor ascended the throne, sharpening his sword. Despite his meticulous planning, only he and his two sons escaped; over a thousand members of his family were slaughtered. Now, having fled to a foreign tribe, he bore the stigma of "traitor." Under the emperor's roof, he had no choice but to bow his head, and before Zhen Muter, he had to be utterly respectful and obsequious. Though a notorious traitor, the memory still caused him excruciating pain.

When Zhu Yu captured his first city on the northwestern battlefield, Zhenmutier was overjoyed upon receiving the news and hosted a grand banquet for the nobles and generals of the Crimson Gold Clan. Prime Minister Zhu and his son, benefiting from Zhu Yu's victory while he was away at war, were given seats of honor and finally felt a sense of pride. In the midst of the revelry, Zhenmutier sighed, "I, the King, have won every battle in my life, yet I have always suffered a crushing defeat against the 'Flying General of Phoenix City,' remaining trapped in this harsh, cold frontier. Now, my greatest fear is that the 'Flying General of Phoenix City' will return to the northwestern battlefield and hinder my imperial ambitions. It would be best to eliminate him before he returns to the battlefield, thus preventing future troubles. Whoever in my clan can obtain the head of the 'Flying General of Phoenix City' will be rewarded with the golden sword passed down through the clan and will be crowned the 'First Warrior of the Crimson Gold Clan'..."

Prime Minister Zhu stood up and laughed, "Great Khan, obtaining the head of 'Flying General of Phoenix City' is a piece of cake. I will bring it to you and present it to you."

"Oh, really?" Zhenmutier was in high spirits. He glanced at Zhu Gang and knew that Prime Minister Zhu was most worried about the future of his youngest son. He said, "If Lord Zhu can obtain the head of the 'Phoenix City Flying General' and get rid of this great threat for me, the title of 'First Warrior of the Crimson Gold Clan' and that golden knife will belong to you, my third son."

"The Great Khan shall await good news."

Sun Jia was the pawn that Prime Minister Zhu had arranged. He had previously secretly ordered Sun Jia to assassinate Jun Yu on several occasions, but Sun Jia refused to do so because of his friendship with Jun Yu. Later, due to Zhu Yu's influence and Jun Yu's resignation, Prime Minister Zhu gradually gave up the idea of killing her.

However, this time, for the sake of his own position within the Crimson Gold Clan and to secure a good future for Zhu Gang, coupled with his fear that Junyu would return to the battlefield and become his son's greatest enemy, and knowing his son's obsessive infatuation with Junyu, he feared his son might show mercy if they met on the battlefield. Now, both father and son were counting on Zhu Yu, and naturally, they could not allow anything to happen to him. Therefore, they decided to eliminate Junyu as soon as possible to completely remove this threat. Thus, they secretly sent someone to kidnap Sun Jia's mother, ordering him to bring Junyu's head in exchange for his mother's life.

To save his elderly mother's life, Sun Jia disregarded his friendship with his classmates and had been keeping an eye on Junyu's whereabouts. He chased after her from afar when she went out alone and finally waited for the perfect opportunity to make the unsuspecting Junyu drink the poisoned wine.

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Chapter 214: Fengcheng Feishuai Became Blind (4)

Tempted by the golden sword of the "First Warrior of the Crimson Gold Clan," the crowd's fear of the blind "Phoenix City Flying General" diminished considerably, and spears, halberds, short swords, broadswords, axes, iron hooks, hammers... all sorts of weapons attacked Jun Yu...

A piercing scream tore through the whistling of weapons, followed by a second, a third... It seemed to happen in the blink of an eye, but the stench of blood was so strong that it made it impossible to open one's eyes.

The fierce attacks gradually subsided. Everyone stared at the dozen or so corpses of their comrades on the ground and retreated, none daring to step forward over their fallen comrades.

Everyone was horrified. If the blind "Flying General of Phoenix City" was this bad, who knew how terrifying he would be if he hadn't gone blind? For a moment, no one dared to make a move.

The two sides remained deadlocked for a long time, until dusk was approaching.

Zhu Gang retreated to the side, both fearful and anxious. His father had already boasted to Zhenmutier and the generals that if they failed to defeat Junyu this time, they would never be able to hold their heads high in the Crimson Gold Clan again.

He glared at Sun Jia and Zhu Sihuai, who stood silently to the side with their hands in their sleeves. Among the crowd, they were the two with the strongest martial arts skills, but neither of them was willing to make a move. He knew that Zhu Sihuai only obeyed his father and second brother, and now that he was with Zhu Yu in the army, he was completely under Zhu Yu's command and would never listen to his orders. So he glared at Sun Jia: "Sun Jia, it seems you don't want your mother's dog life anymore?"

Sun Jia glanced at Jun Yu, but Jun Yu couldn't see his expression. He could only hear his heavy breathing, like a bellows pumping in his nose.

Zhu Gang's voice was shrill and urgent: "Sun Jia, don't forget how you got your life. If that kid escapes today, not only will you lose your future and reputation and be a fugitive forever, but you'll also lose your mother's life..."

Sun Jia still didn't move.

"Sun Jia, have you thought this through? You don't have to do anything, just take that Phoenix Army and surrender to the Great Khan, and you can exchange it for your mother's life..."

Sun Jia angrily said, "You despicable villain, not only are you forcing me to frame my friends, but you are also forcing me to become a shameless traitor! Although I am now a general, I absolutely do not have the ability to incite the renowned Phoenix Army to betray the country and surrender to the enemy. Just give up on that idea."

"Hehe, because 'Flying General of Phoenix City' is still around, the Phoenix Army naturally won't give you any face. As long as 'Flying General of Phoenix City' exists, you, as a general, will forever remain a puppet without any authority..."

Junyu, recognizing the sound, suddenly leaped into the air. Before Zhu Gang could finish speaking, one of his arms had already rolled to the ground. It took him a while to realize what was happening, and he collapsed to the ground, convulsing with a groan.

Zhu Sihuai immediately helped him up and pressed several acupoints on his body to stop the gushing blood.

Jun Yu coldly said, "Zhu Gang, you and your son betrayed your country for personal gain, you deserve to die. Killing you, a creature worse than a pig or a dog, would be an insult to my sword!"

Zhu Gang was in so much pain that he almost fainted, so how could he possibly utter a sound?

Junyu picked up her long sword and walked forward step by step. Dozens of people around her picked up their weapons—those in front retreated step by step with her, while those behind followed her forward step by step.

A series of bellows-like breaths followed by a pair of powerful palms striking out. Junyu felt a heavy, pungent palm wind, and she knew that the person with such skill must be Sun Jia.

"Chasing Fly" met the attack, almost reaching Sun Jia's chest. She sighed inwardly, and with a slight slash of the sword tip, she only managed to tear the clothes on Sun Jia's chest.

"Young Master Jun, please forgive me..." Zhu Sihuai was also wielding a sword, a fine heavy sword made of black iron. He and his brother Zhu Sanhuai had been known as the best swordsmen in the Prime Minister's mansion for many years, and their reputation was well-deserved.

Jun Yu didn't answer. "Chasing Flight" clashed with the heavy black iron sword, and Zhu Sihuai staggered back seven or eight steps, almost falling to the ground. He hadn't wanted to fight Jun Yu head-on in the first place, so he took this opportunity to pretend to be seriously injured and immediately helped Zhu Gang to the side.

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Chapter 215: Though there be thousands, I will go (1)

A series of bellows-like breaths followed by a pair of powerful palms striking out. Junyu felt a heavy, pungent palm wind, and she knew that the person with such skill must be Sun Jia.

"Chasing Fly" met the attack, almost reaching Sun Jia's chest. She sighed inwardly, and with a slight slash of the sword tip, she only managed to tear the clothes on Sun Jia's chest.

"Young Master Jun, please forgive me..." Zhu Sihuai was also wielding a sword, a fine heavy sword made of black iron. He and his brother Zhu Sanhuai had been known as the best swordsmen in the Prime Minister's mansion for many years, and their reputation was well-deserved.

Jun Yu didn't answer. "Chasing Flight" clashed with the heavy black iron sword, and Zhu Sihuai staggered back seven or eight steps, almost falling to the ground. He hadn't wanted to fight Jun Yu head-on in the first place, so he took this opportunity to pretend to be seriously injured and immediately helped Zhu Gang to the side.

A seasoned Chijin tribesman suddenly shouted, "The 'Flying General of Phoenix City' is blind and relies entirely on sound to locate people. Everyone, try to disrupt his hearing..."

Once everyone realized what was happening, they immediately started clashing with various weapons, creating a series of loud clangs and bangs. Some quick-thinking individuals spurred their horses and whistled, and for a moment, the sounds of clanging, neighing, and whistling filled the air.

Junyu is blind and relies entirely on his hearing. Now, amidst the constant noise and the attack of more than a dozen swords, he cannot pinpoint their location. Although he manages to parry most of them, he is struck on the shoulder by a large sword. Fortunately, he manages to defend quickly and only suffers a shallow cut.