Chapter Thirty-One: Ambushed

It turned out that when Third Uncle hurried back to the village last night, he found it utterly deserted. Under the shroud of night, the village was eerily silent and lifeless. As he stood there, bewildered and afraid, two dark figures suddenly lunged at him from the shadows, knocking him to the ground as if wild beasts intent on tearing him apart. In that critical moment, he found a burst of strength he couldn’t explain, broke free from their grip, and fled without looking back all the way to Nanwang City.

Liu Ji stroked his chin in contemplation before his expression grew grave. “Judging from your account, it’s very likely your village was attacked by vengeful spirits. You’re lucky to have escaped with your life.” He looked at Third Uncle, whose eyes were swollen and red, legs trembling, and tears streaming endlessly down his face. Liu Ji couldn’t help but feel helpless; how could a grown man be so distraught? It had been a whole night, and yet he remained so terrified.

At this moment, Xiao Ya stood pale as death, her entire face locked in disbelief, as if she refused to accept Third Uncle’s words.

Liu Ji sighed. “There’s no time to lose—we must set out for your village at once. Perhaps... perhaps I’m mistaken. You two wait here, I’ll be right back.” With that, he entered the residence, went straight to Liu Heng, and explained the situation. Liu Heng’s expression darkened. “They must have been possessed by vengeful spirits!”

He frowned. “But in over a thousand years of the Empire’s history, such attacks have been exceedingly rare. Why have they suddenly become so frequent lately?”

Liu Ji replied, “Father, now isn’t the time to ponder these questions. Xiao Ya’s parents are in grave danger. We must send someone to investigate.”

He volunteered, “I intend to go personally!”

“No!” Liu Heng immediately refused, his tone stern. “Do you have a death wish, trying to leave the city? Do you know how many people are watching your every move?”

He continued calmly, “As for Xiao Ya’s parents, I will dispatch the elite Southern Tiger Riders to investigate. There’s no need for you to worry about it.”

Liu Ji said, “But you can’t keep me confined in Nanwang City forever, can you? To put it bluntly, this city is nothing but a cage for our Liu family. What can I accomplish by hiding here?”

“A cage?” Liu Heng scoffed, stroking his chin as he thought carefully. “Very well, you may go. I’ll assign a few Tiger Riders to protect you, and you must wear this golden scale mail beneath your clothes.”

He took a piece of dull golden chainmail from the wardrobe and handed it to Liu Ji. “This armor is impervious to blades, bullets, fire, water, and poison. It will safeguard your life.”

“Thank you, Father!” Liu Ji was overjoyed, accepting the golden scale mail with a mixture of excitement and reluctance to part with it. He smiled, “Then I’ll go select a few men to accompany me?”

“Go ahead.” Liu Heng waved his hand, then reminded him, “It’s best if you also visit the armory and choose a suitable weapon—make sure it’s the finest you can find!”

Liu Ji waved his hand. “Understood.”

He then went to the training grounds and selected five men from among the hundreds of elite Southern Tiger Riders—all of them at the Profound Moon Realm.

Even within the entire Nüxi Empire, they were considered masters.

Four men and one woman made up the group. The woman, Xu Man, wore her hair short and neat, dressed in tight black leather that accentuated her striking figure and showcased her long, shapely legs.

The man on the far left was Hao Qiang, with golden hair parted to either side, looking to be about twenty. Next to him was Yu Cheng, a bald man in his thirties or forties, with a reserved expression and little inclination to speak.

The third from the left was Zhang Lin, and on the far right stood Du Qiang, a burly man as large as a bear, hefting a spiked mace thicker than a grown man’s thigh.

Hao Qiang stretched lazily and moaned with satisfaction, grinning. “Finally, some action! I was going stir-crazy training in the estate all day. This time, I’m going to have some fun!”

Xu Man shot him a cool glance. “Don’t forget our mission. We’re here to protect the heir, not for you to go sightseeing.”

Hao Qiang chuckled, “A little fun on the side never hurt. Besides, with the five of us, protecting the heir will be a breeze. Honestly, in all of Southern Province, who can match our strength?”

Xu Man ignored him, but in truth, he wasn’t wrong. All five of them were at the peak of the Profound Moon Realm. Not only in a remote place like Southern Province, but across the Nüxi Empire, they were considered top experts, confident in their ability to keep the heir safe.

Liu Ji clapped his hands, and as Xu Man and the others looked over, he smiled, “I’ll be relying on all of you in the coming days.”

Hao Qiang grinned and waved it off. “No need for thanks, young master—it’s our duty!”

Liu Ji nodded with a smile, then mounted his horse and reached out to pull Xiao Ya up to sit in front of him.

“Hyah!”

He cracked his whip across the horse’s rump. The Crimson Flame steed neighed and shot forward, galloping at full speed. Xu Man and the others quickly mounted and followed.

The Crimson Flame horse, the pride of the Wasteland, was of the most distinguished breed and bloodline—capable of running a thousand miles in a day without food or water.

Riding these magnificent horses, Liu Ji and his companions departed Nanwang City under many astonished gazes, racing eastward toward Xiao Ya’s village, which lay just a few hundred miles away.

At the speed of their steeds, they would reach their destination by midday. Along the way, Liu Ji saw many merchant caravans from distant lands.

The Empire invested heavily in its roadways; the network of roads was as intricate as veins across the land, even in the remotest corners such as Southern Province. The benefits of such infrastructure were manifold—not only did it foster trade and communication, but in the event of rebellion, the imperial family could swiftly dispatch troops to crush unrest before it could take root.

Hao Qiang asked, “Young master, where are we headed?”

“To Yongfu Village.”

“What for?”

“There’s an incident there—people may have been possessed by vengeful spirits. We need to investigate.”

“Is it dangerous?”

“I don’t know.”

“And after we deal with the spirits, where to next?”

“...Back to the city.”

“Young master, since we’ve finally left the city, why not spend a few days exploring before we return? Nanwang City is just...”

Before Hao Qiang could finish, Xu Man smacked him on the head. “Shut up! The young master’s decisions are his own. We’re here to follow orders. Say another word and I’ll kick you myself!”

“Xu Man! Try that again! Don’t you know a man’s head isn’t for hitting? Don’t think I won’t fight back!”

“Smack! What if I hit you again?”

“You! I dare you to try!”

“Smack!”

“Fine! You win!”

Hao Qiang clutched his head and fell silent.

Du Qiang, watching the exchange, couldn’t help but laugh with his mouth wide, even as his Crimson Flame horse began foaming at the mouth from exhaustion.

Fortunately, he had a spare horse in tow.

Yu Cheng’s cold voice cut through the banter. “Stay alert. We’re a hundred miles from Nanwang City—danger could appear at any moment.”

At his words, Hao Qiang, Xu Man, and the others immediately fell silent, their eyes scanning their surroundings with sharp vigilance. Yu Cheng, Xu Man, Du Qiang, Zhang Lin, and Hao Qiang rode in formation, keeping Liu Ji, Xiao Ya, and Third Uncle safely in the center.

By this time, the sun was high in the sky, its rays harsh and dazzling. Liu Ji and the others squinted against the blinding light as they rode.

Suddenly, a shrill whistling cut through the air ahead, growing rapidly closer. At the same moment, Yu Cheng’s voice rang out: “Young master, look out!”

In that instant, Liu Ji’s hair stood on end, his heart clenching with the sense of imminent danger.

The sharp whistling approached from ahead, carrying a chilling, deadly menace. Liu Ji instinctively jerked his head to the right.

He lost his balance and tumbled from the horse, with Hao Qiang crying out in alarm, barely managing to rein in his steed and leap over Liu Ji and Xiao Ya, just in time to avoid trampling them.

Liu Ji, clutching Xiao Ya tightly, rolled more than ten meters across the ground from the force of his fall.

Meanwhile, up ahead, Yu Cheng, Xu Man, and the others were also thrown from their horses as the Crimson Flame steeds were suddenly tripped.

...

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PS: Chapter Thirty was blocked, but I’ve applied for its release. This doesn’t affect the reading experience. Please remember to vote for recommendations~ *sobs* (╥╯^╰╥)