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In October of the 765th year of the Wanli reign, in late autumn, a thick fog blanketed the night. A fleet of ships gradually anchored on the eastern side of the Red Gorge of the Water Mist Kingdom, near the northern coast of Xiangxi in the Golden Radiance Kingdom.

On the shore, guards were several soldiers in dark red armor and a general. Their faces showed joy, but strict military orders reminded them not to be careless, and they quickly went forward to inspect the area. From the first ship emerged an elderly man in a greyish-white robe, appearing to be over fifty years old, with white hair and beard, but whose eyes gleamed with a sharp, piercing light, clearly indicating he was no ordinary person.

The inspectors were somewhat nonchalant. As the officer jumped onto the boat, he asked, "Why is the grain so late this time? Where is Deputy General Chen, who was in charge of escorting the grain?"

The old man hurriedly replied, "These past few days, especially at night, the Beihai Sea has been shrouded in thick fog, making navigation extremely difficult, which is why we've been delayed for some time. I heard that Vice General Chen is on the ship behind us, and he's currently scolding his men because some of the provisions have gotten wet."

The general nodded nonchalantly, glanced at the ships gradually docking, and a pleased expression appeared on his face. He then sighed, "Our Fire Feather Army is brave and skilled in battle. After days of fierce fighting, we finally broke through the Crimson Canyon. But once we passed the Crimson Canyon, we are hampered by the Golden Radiance Army in front and the remnants of the canyon and the Water Mist behind. Our food and supplies have become a major problem, and the soldiers haven't had a full meal for days. General Qian has said these past few days that if we can't find a solution, we may have no choice but to retreat. Fortunately, Ling Wu gave the general this good suggestion: to transport the food by water during the foggy weather, without anyone noticing."

The old man nodded repeatedly. The general said nothing more, went into the cabin, and ripped off the tarpaulin covering the grain.

Suddenly, his eyes met a row of sharp, arrow-like eyes, perfectly aligned. His eyes widened in shock, and he realized something, turning to scream. But before his voice could escape, he felt blood gushing from his throat. Then, he saw his own armor, the sword at his waist, and his boots…

The old man expressionlessly wiped the bloodstains off the knife with the oilcloth, waved his hand and said, "Let's go. Remember to blend in with the other Golden Glory soldiers. You must help them complete the tasks set by the young master, and also conceal your own identities. Understand?" The people in the cabin nodded silently and in unison, and filed out quickly and without hesitation.

Moments later, a large, dark group of people silently jumped off the ship and headed deep into the army's encampment. The old man glanced at them, a bloodthirsty glint in his eyes, but ultimately restrained himself and leaped in the opposite direction.

At this moment, Qian Cheng, the commander-in-chief of the Fire Feather Kingdom's army, was in his tent discussing with others how to capture Xiangxi City the next day. Suddenly, a commotion arose outside, and flames could be faintly seen on the white tent.

Qian Cheng was startled and rushed out with the others to see what was happening. The camp, which should have been quiet, was now ablaze with fire and filled with the sounds of battle. His first thought was—an attack on the camp. But how could that be? Not only were the Xiangxi troops exhausted and unwilling to risk a surprise attack, but he had also clearly set up layers of hidden sentries between the camp and Xiangxi city. How could they have been attacked without anyone noticing?

Just as he was wondering what was going on, he suddenly heard a shrill scream from someone beside him. Qian Cheng turned around in horror and saw that his trusted advisor, Xiang Meng, had been shot in the back with an arrow, his eyes bulging out. He fell backward in shock and was caught by Ling Wu, who looked terrified.

Qian Cheng felt a surge of shock outweighing the pain, and rushed forward to support him. Xiang Meng stared with those terrifying eyes at Qian Cheng, then at Ling Wu, making gurgling sounds as if he wanted to say something. Qian Cheng asked in alarm and pain, "Ji Shu (Xiang Meng's courtesy name), Ji Shu, what do you want to say to this general?"

“Little…Little…” Xiang Meng looked at Qian Cheng, then kept glancing at Ling Wu. Ling Wu’s face was covered in tears. She grabbed his trembling hand and choked out, “Mr. Xiang, go in peace. I will take good care of the Marshal.”

Xiang Meng let out a hoarse, unpleasant cry, but died before he could catch his breath. His eyes remained wide open in terror, filled with fear and resentment. Qian Cheng sadly closed his eyes and shut them with his hand.

"Lingwu!" Xiang Meng suddenly stood up and shouted, "Order the soldiers not to panic and flee. Those who know each other should organize themselves into groups and stand together. This general will ensure that these petty villains who have infiltrated have no way to return."

"Yes!" Ling Wu accepted the order and left, but as he turned around, a faint sneer appeared on his face, his handsome, still somewhat childish face full of disdain.

After giving the order, his personal guards surrounded him and protected him. Qian Cheng finally felt a little more at ease, but then he suddenly wondered: He was surrounded by guards just now, so how did the arrow manage to bypass the human wall and hit Xiang Meng?

Time ticked by, but the fires in the camp only burned brighter, and shouts of battle rose and fell. Qian Cheng was filled with fear and alarm. He roared at the men around him, "Where is Commander Ling? Why hasn't he returned after so long?!"

The guards flinched, clearly never having witnessed the usually mild-mannered general Qian Cheng lose his temper like this. The head guard, Wang Qiang, was about to step forward to answer when suddenly a bright light appeared ahead, followed by a hail of arrows and stones raining down upon them. He heard several screams; clearly, some of the marshal's guards had been hit. A terror he had never felt before surged within him, and he roared at the top of his lungs, "Enemy attack! Protect the marshal! Protect the marshal!"

Qian Cheng stared, almost dumbfounded, at the dark mass of soldiers surrounding him. They wore dark blue armor, wielded long spears, and their eyes gleamed with bloodlust. Where was the weariness of the soldiers? Where was the weakness of the army? The cavalrymen in front, one man and one horse, had cotton cloth wrapped around their hooves, landing silently. The torches, just lit, crackled loudly, as if to deliberately tell him that his death was imminent.

Suddenly, his gaze fell upon the blue-clad youth at the rear of the cavalry and the forefront of the infantry. His somewhat disheveled riding posture, the inexplicably furrowed brow, the handsome face flushed red by the firelight—he was undeniably beautiful, yet walked with an air of indifference, indifferent to joy, indifferent to anger. It was as if, beautiful as he was, he was nothing more than a finely painted canvas, devoid of life.

It was him! Qian Cheng's pupils contracted sharply, and a surge of intense hatred erupted from his previously despondent state. This was the culprit who had ruined his brother Qian Qian's reputation and caused him to die in despair at home; this was the son of the goddess whom he had sworn an oath to his ancestors before going to war to take his head no matter what—Qin Luo, the eighteen-year-old prime minister of Jin Yao Kingdom.

"Marshal! Retreat quickly!" Wang Qiang's anxious shouts immediately startled Qian Cheng. "Marshal, it will be too late if we don't leave now!"

Qian Cheng was only momentarily stunned before regaining his composure. Yes! The situation was already decided tonight; if he didn't escape, he would surely perish. It turned out that his narrow victories over the past few months had all been a trap he had set for himself. Unbelievable! Such a young man, beautiful as a woman, could be so ruthless and cunning. No wonder his elder brother had been defeated back then…

Watching the boy's figure gradually become one of thousands of black dots, Qian Cheng sighed and fled.

After receiving his orders, Ling Wu left, easily passing through the flames and fire. The soldiers, caught in the fierce battle, couldn't even spot him. Suddenly, a long sword flashed before his eyes, its silver light gleaming, swift as lightning and nimble as a serpent.

Ling Wu let out a low shout, tilting her head back almost ninety degrees to barely dodge the attack. Before the sword could be withdrawn, Ling Wu suddenly straightened up and pounced on the man, clinging tightly to him, and laughed, "Qin Li, long time no see, I've missed you guys so much!"

The swordsman was a young man about the same age as Ling Wu, with clear features, but no smile on his face. Despite his young age, he had a stern expression, though there was a hint of amusement in his eyes: "I came with Uncle Li. How did your mission go, young master?"

Ling Wu released his hand and winked at him triumphantly, then twirled the tips of her index finger and thumb together, and laughed, "Of course, no problem. However, I don't understand why you would let Qian Cheng go. Wouldn't it be better to eliminate him completely?"

Qin Li rolled her eyes at him: "If you could figure it out, you would be the young master!" But seeing his eager eyes, she still compromised and said, "The young master once said that the Fire Feather Kingdom now has Liu Cenfeng, the Grand Tutor, as its chief advisor. Apart from Emperor Jun Wuhen of the Fire Feather Kingdom, if anyone can rival him, it is only the Qian family, who have been generals for generations. Liu Cenfeng's strength is unfathomable. It is better to weaken him secretly than to confront him head-on."

"I understand!" Ling Wu exclaimed in amazement. "Liu Cenfeng and Jin Yao fought with far more victories than defeats, while Qian Cheng and Qian Qian suffered crushing defeats. Moreover, I heard that Liu Cenfeng was near Xiangxi during this great battle. If Qian Cheng knew he was there and didn't come to his aid, he would surely harbor resentment and hinder Liu Cenfeng. Besides, as long as Qian Cheng is still around, Liu Cenfeng, as the Grand Tutor, won't have many opportunities to lead troops. After all, even if Jun Wuhen dotes on Liu Cenfeng, he can't disregard the Qian family's reputation. Dealing with Qian Cheng is naturally much simpler than dealing with Liu Cenfeng. Young Master's plan kills two birds with one stone, truly ingenious!"

Qin Li finally smiled: "I didn't expect you to have become so much more astute after a year of training abroad." He paused, then continued, "Young Master said that you don't need to return to Fire Feather Kingdom after tonight. Even if Qian Cheng doesn't suspect you, if Liu Cenfeng finds out about tonight's events, he will definitely suspect you. So..."

Ling Wu exclaimed, her face filled with indescribable joy and excitement: "So I can go back to the Dark Camp, back to Young Master and Master's side?!" Then she worriedly added: "But, I spent a year and finally gained Qian Cheng's trust. If I leave now, won't all of Young Master's hard work in Fire Feather be wasted?"

"Don't worry, Young Master arranged for your double to be in the Fire Feather Court half a year ago. At that time, you only need to have your wife disguise herself as him." Qin Li smiled, then suddenly his face darkened, and he said, "There is something I need to tell you. Qin Ye... is dead."

"What?!" Ling Wu exclaimed in shock. When he realized what Qin Li was saying, his face turned deathly pale, and he couldn't even stand. Qin Li quickly supported him: "Qin Wu, don't be like this. I know you value brotherhood most, but... Qin Ye died protecting the young master, and he died a worthy death. We..."

Tears welled up in Lingwu's eyes, or rather, in Qinwu's, but she quickly buried her face in Qin Li's neck: "That day before I left, he told me to be careful in Fire Feather. I was so envious of him being able to stay by Young Master's side, why... why... who? Who killed him?!"

A chilling aura slowly gathered in Qin Li's eyes: "Liu Cenfeng's subordinates are Mei Lan Qiu Ju and Hei Bai Wu Chang."

"Enemy forces are attacking! Protect the Marshal! Protect the Marshal!" Panicked cries drifted from afar. Qin Li's eyes lit up: "Qin Wu, Young Master and Master have arrived."

Qin Wu leaned on his shoulder for a while before straightening up to wipe away her tears, her usual smile returning to her face: "I will definitely kill those lackeys under Liu Cenfeng and avenge Qin Ye!"

Qin Li nodded approvingly, and the two leaped toward the sudden burst of firelight. They passed through the panicked enemy ranks, effortlessly deflecting any swords or blades that came their way, until the neatly arrayed cavalry came into view, and the figure of the disheveled young man on horseback came into view.

Qin Li and Qin Wu both laughed, but Qin Li's was a faint smile, while Qin Wu laughed arrogantly: "Young Master is still the same as ever. His riding posture is terribly awkward, and no matter how I teach him, he just can't get it right. It must be tough on Master. He has to teach us martial arts prodigies every day, and then he has to teach Young Master. It must be a real headache for him."

Qin Li spit on him with a smile, but seeing the slightly furrowed brows and swaying body of the blue-clad youth, he couldn't help but agree with Qin Wu's words. The six of them—Li, Luo, Gui, Wu, Xue, and Ye—were originally orphans from various countries suffering from war. Thanks to the unique admission methods of the Ishu'er Academy, they were able to live a stable life. Later, due to their individual strengths, they were selected to join the Shura Dark Camp, becoming one of the Six Killers. Feng Yihan instructed them in martial arts, the young master personally taught them knowledge, and they were then each placed under the tutelage of a three-star cultivator.

Only then did they realize that the Ishuel Academy, which was so coveted by nobles, commoners, and even beggars throughout the entire continent of Ishu, was actually founded by this fifteen-year-old boy. Moreover, the academy was merely a facade to conceal the existence of the Shura Dark Camp and to cultivate its talent. How astonishing would this truth be if it were to spread?

However, none of this mattered to them. The six of them had wandered for over a decade, enduring countless humiliations and suffering, to the point that they had completely forgotten their own nationality. It was the young master who had given them a life of luxury, a rich future, remarkable talent and martial arts skills, and deeply devoted brothers. Just thinking of these things made every member of the Asura Dark Camp willing to pledge their loyalty to the young master, even to the point of death. Yet, apart from the Three Stars and Six Assassins, everyone in the Dark Camp only knew of the young master's name, but not who he truly was.

"Qin Li, look!" Qin Wu's excited voice rang out. Qin Li quickly snapped out of his thoughts and looked up. In the sky, illuminated by the firelight, a young man in blue robes stood on horseback, holding a brocade banner. Of course, he couldn't possibly stand still by himself. Qin Li only needed to think about it to guess that his master was standing behind the young master, firmly supporting him.

The boy waved the brocade banner in his hand. There seemed to be something luminous on the banner, which emitted golden light whenever the firelight shone on it, and could be clearly seen even from miles away. The banner was swung around and then lowered. A dark mass of cavalry charged out in front of the boy. Because the horses' hooves were lined with cotton, they ran lightly and silently, which seemed eerie.

The Jin Yao soldiers, who were fighting in the camp, quickly retreated upon seeing the golden light. Some hid in the darkness, while others flashed past the cavalrymen. Their chest armor reflected the same golden light in the firelight, and immediately some of the cavalrymen would cover them and send them to the rear.

The horse beneath the blue-clad youth swayed as his companions left, causing the boy to stumble and nearly fall. Fortunately, the man in green behind him caught him firmly. Qin Wu and Qin Li burst into laughter.

After managing to stand still, the young man glanced at the sky without stopping, then spread his arms wide. From Qin Li's angle, he could just see a silver ring on the middle finger of the young man's right hand, with several silver chains attached to the ring, like a silver curtain covering his hand and then threading to the chain on his wrist. Qin Li couldn't help but think that he had never seen such a peculiar decoration on the young master before.