Chapter Fifty-Four: Reunion of Old Friends

  Liang Xiao recognized the crossbow as the "Eight-Armed Divine Crossbow", which when fired quickly, was like having four people with eight arms controlling it together. As he thought about leaning forward, his feet stuck to the grass and slid out, closing in on Cai Feng. His five fingers spread wide, swiftly grabbing downwards. Before Cai Feng could react, her shoulder had already been seized. This swift grab was as fast as lightning, and even the knights with their strong crossbows fully drawn couldn't fire a single bolt or arrow. Each of them stared blankly, holding their crossbows, stunned on the spot.

  Liang Xiao smiled and said, "Everyone listen to me." Cai Feng was ashamed and angry, shouting loudly, "Don't listen to him, everyone doesn't need to care about me, quickly shoot the crossbow!" Qing Luan was in a difficult situation, hesitating, "Sister, how can this be?" Cai Feng angrily said, "You're not listening to me?" Liang Xiao slightly sneered, his eyes falling on the crowd behind, suddenly with a surprised expression, blurting out, "Old man Amo, why are you here? Where are the others?"

  Feng Lian followed his gaze and saw Ah Mo leaning against a black horse, looking dispirited, with white cloth wrapped around his hand and half of his body covered in bloodstains.

  "Others?" Ah Mo sneered: "Dead, all dead." Liang Xiao's face changed and he said: "What did you say?" Ah Mo smiled slyly: "As soon as you left, the wolf pack came. If it weren't for these two girls, I would have been eaten by wolves too."

  Liang Xiao only felt a loud noise in his head, and the smiling face of Lu Bei'er flashed before his eyes: "I'll make money and marry Sofia! Her family is rich, I'm not worthy of her..." "The family wants to make a lot of money, but it's not easy. If you bring back goods from Zhongtu and sell them for a high price, you can afford to marry Sofia..." The childish words were still ringing in his ears, Liang Xiao's left fist clenched tighter, his sharp fingernails digging into his palm.

  Suddenly, Ah Mo muttered: "It's strange, you and Zhu Que walked together, why did he die but you're still alive?" Everyone who heard this showed a sorrowful and indignant expression. Liang Xiao furrowed his brow and suddenly said: "Feng Lian, go ahead on horseback." Feng Lian shook her head and said: "You promised me in Xikunlun that you wouldn't abandon me." Liang Xiao was helpless, gazing at his opponent, thinking to himself that winning wouldn't be difficult, but once he made a move, the misunderstanding would only deepen. He had a proud temperament, and even though he was misunderstood, he didn't want to explain himself.

  During the stalemate, a sudden iron whistle sounded from the north, three consecutive blasts that seemed like the cry of a phoenix in the nine heavens. Qing Luan exclaimed: "Great leader!" and also took out an iron whistle from his waist and responded with two whistles. Liang Xiao secretly felt a chill: "The great leader of 'Tianshan Twelve Beasts' can rival Tianlangzi, he must be a top-notch master, unexpectedly in the desolate western region, there are so many masters?" Suddenly, hoofbeats thundered from the north, and a group of about a hundred cavalrymen rushed over. Liang Xiao raised his eyes to look, his eyebrows twitching, and his grip on Cai Feng's hand involuntarily loosened. Cai Feng didn't have time to think, and quickly dodged out of Liang Xiao's grasp, twisting her slender waist, and with a series of six finger taps, struck the vital point on Liang Xiao's chest. Feng Lian saw the beauty lose color from the side, and with a swift swing of his horse whip, struck down at Cai Feng's head.

  Cai Feng feared that Liang Xiao would counterattack before his death, so he didn't dare to stay and lowered his head to avoid the long whip. He retreated several feet and looked at Liang Xiao coldly, saying: "You were hit by six 'Sha Luo Zhi' moves, can you still live?" Feng Lian threw away her horse whip and grabbed Liang Xiao's palm, urgently saying: "You..." Liang Xiao waved his hand, swept his sleeve across his chest, and a burst of fabric scraps fell off. On his shirt, six holes the size of fingertips appeared. He smiled slightly and said calmly: "The vast and cold Sha Luo Zhi is between my fingers! You are so young and have already practiced 'Sha Luo Zhi' to such an extent, it's quite impressive." His voice was low and full of energy, without any signs of injury. Cai Feng's face lost all its color. She had a rare talent and started practicing "Sha Luo Zhi" at the age of 15. With one move, she could freeze a cup of clear water into ice. Unexpectedly, Liang Xiao was hit by six moves and remained unharmed. She felt a great sense of terror and loudly ordered: "Release the arrows!"

  The crossbow's frequent responses, the sharp arrows flew out in succession. Liang Xiao grabbed Feng Lian and retreated backwards on horseback, snatching the whip from Feng Lian's hand, and with a "Whirlwind Vigor" move, he swung it in a circle in front of him. The soft whip broke through the air, making a strange sound like thunder, and the crossbow arrows that hit the whip wind all lost their accuracy.

  Liang Xiao's whip danced wildly in his hand, his feet moved swiftly like a startled swan, and before the crowd could finish releasing their crossbow arrows, he had already escaped more than a hundred steps away. Liang Xiao saw that this colorful-clothed woman was so ruthless and felt slightly annoyed, so he swung his whip to wrap around a sharp arrow and flung it out with his hand. The arrow shot out like lightning, faster than the crossbow machine's release. Cai Feng suddenly sensed a strong gust of wind hitting her face, and before she could react, the arrowhead had already reached in front of her eyes. Terrified, she closed her eyes to await death, but unexpectedly, the arrow flew past her cheek and shot up into the sky with a whistling sound.

  All of a sudden, the sound of neighing was heard, and a white horse came galloping, its four hooves off the ground. A green shadow flashed on its back, and the crossbow arrow had already been wrapped in the rider's sleeve. The white horse landed lightly and rushed to the front in an instant.

  The crowd's spirits lifted, and they shouted in unison: "Great Leader!" Feng Lian gazed out from the top of the Liang Xiao building, where the Great Leader wore a tight-fitting green robe, with a cloak draped over his shoulders, adorned with a fresh green willow hat, its delicate branches hanging low, shrouding his face like mist.

  Feng Lian's heart was filled with astonishment: "This great leader, who shakes the heavens and commands respect from all over the land, is...is actually a woman?" Taking a closer look, that person had a slender figure, unmistakably feminine. Feng Lian's heart skipped a beat: "She's just a weak and delicate girl, yet she can ride freely across the vast desert, commanding heroes and issuing orders. Among all the girls under heaven, none can compare to her! Hmm, her horse is also exceptionally fine, almost rivaling Ah Hu Lun Er." Suddenly, Huo Liu Xing let out a low snort, its front hooves tapping impatiently on the ground. Feng Lian didn't know what was wrong and gently stroked the horse's mane, speaking softly to calm it down, but Huo Liu Xing continued to be restless, its muscles tense and ready to burst forth.

  Cai Feng opened her eyes, dazed and confused. She walked to the front of the white horse and trembled as she said, "Cai Feng has seen the great leader." The woman in green hummed softly and said, "You usually boast about your abilities! How could a small arrow scare the phoenix into a chicken?" With a flick of her sleeve, the crossbow bolt shot into the mud, only leaving a small hole. Feng Lian saw this and felt even more admiration.

  Cai Feng's face turned red with shame and she couldn't lift her head. Suddenly, the green-clad woman spoke again: "I told you to search for the wolf pack, why are you fighting with people randomly?" Cai Feng glared at Liang Xiao with one eye, saying angrily: "Great leader, Zhu Que died at his hands, he is a member of the Tian Lang Zi gang." The green-clad woman looked at Liang Xiao and shook her head, saying: "Not right!" Cai Feng said urgently: "How can it not be right? He was traveling with Zhu Que, Zhu Que died, but he's still alive."

  "Great leader, according to my observation, the wound on Zhu Que's back is clearly a result of a sneak attack." The green-clad woman hummed in agreement and said calmly, "Tell me everything that happened, don't leave out a single detail." Qing Luan called over A Mo, who then recounted how he had met Zhu Que and the other two, how Wu Ya and Cui Niao had chased after Tian Lang Zi, how Zhu Que had escorted the merchant, how they had heard the wolf's howl again, and how they had proceeded to follow Liang Xiao together, telling everything from start to finish in a detailed and exhaustive manner.

  The woman in green stood silently, her face hidden behind a thin veil of willow branches. Her expression was unreadable, but her shoulders trembled slightly, as if she were emotionally stirred. After a long while, she spoke slowly: "Three people fell today; it seems that the villain came prepared. I fear there may be more than one accomplice." Cai Feng chimed in: "Great leader, you are wise to suspect an accomplice - this gray-clad man is especially detestable for aiding the culprit." The woman in green replied coldly: "Cai Feng, I know you and Zhu Que have a deep affection for each other and seek revenge, but...this person will not be the murderer." Cai Feng's face turned red with anger as she retorted: "Great leader, what logic is there in your words?" The woman in green did not respond further, turning her horse around to head back the way they came. The others reluctantly gathered up the bodies and mounted their horses.

  Cai Feng was both angry and anxious, stunned like a wooden chicken. Suddenly, she saw Liang Xiao's hesitant expression, took a step forward, and called out: "Yingying." The voice wasn't loud, but the green-clad woman trembled all over, reined in her horse, and softly said: "You... do you still remember me?" Liang Xiao felt a wave of bitterness in his heart, and sighed faintly: "I could die without forgetting you!"

  The woman in green was none other than Liu Yingying. Ten years ago, she had returned to the Heavenly Mountains alone, her heart as dead as ashes. Coincidentally, the Mongol kings were at war, and the common people on the grasslands were suffering greatly, with bandits and evil spirits running rampant. The herdsmen were being bullied and oppressed. Liu Yingying was furious and took in many orphaned children, teaching them martial arts and selecting the best ones to form the "Heavenly Mountains Twelve Heroes". They specialized in opposing the government army and horse thieves. With her exceptional martial arts skills and intelligence, she successively defeated dozens of evil horse thieves, greatly defeating the Heavenly Wolf General and driving him out of the Heavenly Mountains. She also frequently raided the Mongol kings' merchant caravans. Over the past decade, she had accomplished many earth-shaking feats. The Mongol army had surrounded and attacked her several times, but they couldn't even catch a glimpse of her shadow. They could only burn, kill, and loot, falsely claiming that it was the doing of the "Heavenly Mountains Twelve Heroes". Moreover, the "Heavenly Mountains Twelve Heroes" were not all good people, and over time, they had become arrogant and reckless, inviting many criticisms, which went against Liu Yingying's original intentions. This time, she heard that the Heavenly Wolf General was returning with his troops, and she led her men to welcome him, but unexpectedly encountered Liang Xiao.

  Two people, ten years apart, lingering emotions hard to sever. They gazed at each other, both hearts surging with waves. Onlookers watched in amazement. Feng Lian looked at the two of them, a hint of bewilderment crossing her mind. After a long silence, she suddenly heard Liang Xiao say: "All these years, have you been well?" Liu Xiangxiang turned her head and replied calmly: "Liang Xiao, you didn't harm Cai Feng, I appreciate your kindness."

  Feng Lian glanced at Liang Xiao, thinking to herself that his real name was indeed Liang Xiao, and the name Xikunlun was just a fake alias. For some reason, a strong sense of jealousy surged up in her heart: "Why does this woman know his true name, yet Xikunlun has never told me..."

  Liang Xiao sighed and said, "Yingying..." Before he could say more, Liu Yingying urged her horse on, saying coldly, "If you're a sensible person, don't drag things out. It's better not to meet than to meet, and the less we see each other, the better..." Her voice suddenly turned hoarse as she whipped her horse and led her troops in a swift departure.

  Liang Xiao gazed at the back of Liu Yuan, for a moment unsure whether to chase after her. Suddenly, Huo Liu Xing let out a long whinny and galloped wildly towards Liu Yuan's direction. Feng Lian hastily grabbed onto the horse's neck, turned around and mounted it, urgently asking: "Ah Hu Lun Er, where are you going?" Huo Liu Xing only continued to lower its head and gallop wildly, stirring up a fierce gust of wind. Liang Xiao was greatly startled and quickly employed his lightness skill to chase after them.

  In an instant, Huo Liuxing caught up with Liu Yingying's group. Cai Feng was furious but had nowhere to vent her anger. She saw Feng Lian hurrying over and shouted: "What are you doing here?" Grabbing a long spear, she stabbed at Feng Lian's head. Feng Lian was shocked and tried to stop her horse, but it wouldn't stop. She raised her right arm to block the blow. Just then, a shadow flashed in the corner of her eye, and Liang Xiao rushed over, deflecting Cai Feng's spear with his hand. The spear flew out of Cai Feng's hands, and Liang Xiao shouted: "You wicked woman!" He reached out and pulled Cai Feng off her horse, holding her aloft as if to throw her. Cai Feng was terrified and let out a shrill cry.

  Liu Yingying saw that she was being humiliated and couldn't help but turn her horse's head, shouting: "Liang Xiao, what are you doing?" Cai Feng was originally frightened, but when she heard Liu Yingying's shout, she suddenly felt like she had something to rely on and burst into tears. Liang Xiao was stunned and put Cai Feng down again. Liu Yingying looked at Feng Lian with a suspicious heart: "Cai Feng stabbed this woman, but Liang Xiao is so angry - what is the relationship between these two?" Suddenly, the horse under her saddle let out a loud neigh, like shattering gold and stone. The sound had not yet faded when Huo Liu Xing also jumped up, kicking its hooves and swinging its tail, responding with a cry.

  Liang Xiao shouted: "Good fellow, these two horses want to compare their strengths." Liu Xiang thought: "This big red horse is extraordinary, I'm afraid it's a rival of Zhu Er." She was angry in her heart and coldly said while pulling the reins of Zhu Er: "Compare what? She is she, I am me, what does her horse have to do with mine?"

  Liang Xiao was scolded by her, feeling bored, stretched out his hand and pressed it on Huo Liu Xing's neck. Huo Liu Xing couldn't withstand his divine power and struggled to get up with its four limbs. Its wild nature made it difficult to tame, and it was covered in white foam. Liang Xiao felt sorry for it, stroking its mane and sighing: "Good horse, don't be angry, people won't race with you, why bother going to please her?" Liu Yueying saw him subdue this rare and fierce steed with just one arm, feeling both shocked and delighted, but upon hearing his words, she suddenly became furious and shouted: "Liang Xiao, keep your mouth clean!" The crowd on Tian Shan also cursed and scolded.

  Liang Xiao's words had barely left his lips when he felt a flush rise to his cheeks. Liu Xiangxiang, seeing his awkward expression, suddenly recalled the carefree days of their youth, when they would roam the world together, exchanging witty banter and engaging in lighthearted repartee. A sweet memory rose to her mind, and she stood there, lost in thought for a moment, before silencing the crowd's jeers and saying, "We have more important matters to attend to, let's not bother with him." Without another glance at Liang Xiao, she patted her horse and rode off.

  Liang Xiao was taken aback and let go, Huo Liu Xing jumped up again, running alongside the Vermilion Bird, occasionally colliding and trying to provoke it. Feng Lian used all her strength but couldn't control it. The Vermilion Bird had been domesticated for a long time and didn't dare to move without Liang Xiao's order, so it could only dodge with all its might. Others watched in anger and scolded again, but they were afraid of Liang Xiao's martial arts skills and didn't dare to take action to teach the bird a lesson.

  Liu Yingying was annoyed by Huo Liuxing and shouted loudly: "Liang Xiao, you take care of your horse yourself." Liang Xiao sneered and suddenly said: "You are you, I am me, what does my horse have to do with you?" Liu Yingying was stunned, her voice trembling as she said: "Well said, we've never had anything to do with each other." Liang Xiao heard the unusual tone in her voice and felt a slight pang of regret, sighing: "Yingying, I..." Before he could finish speaking, Liu Yingying slapped the horse's rump and took off. Huo Liuxing spread its four hooves wide and chased after them relentlessly.

  Cai Feng whispered to others: "Everyone urges the horse, and throws this big beard to Java." The crowd galloped wildly, went for a while, turned back to take a look, Liang Xiao was still one zhang away, couldn't help but burst into curses: "Is this guy human or ghost?"

  Another gallop, and Liu Yanyan slowed down her horse. Although she didn't speak, the others who came with her were all female members of the "Twelve Beasts": Cai Feng, Qing Luan, Huang Lian, Yun Que, each with a narrow air and sharp tongue, led by Cai Feng. They couldn't help but make cold remarks and sarcastic comments about Liang Xiao, one moment mocking his many whiskers, the next ridiculing the scars on his face. Liang Xiao remained calm, but Feng Lian couldn't bear it and opened her mouth to argue with them. However, the other side had more people and sharper tongues, and Feng Lian couldn't reason with them. She got angry and teary-eyed, looking up to see Liu Yanyan riding ahead with her head down, lost in thought.

  In the afternoon, everyone dismounted to have a meal. Cai Feng and others started a bonfire to cook food. Feng Lian also took out dried meat, cut it into small pieces with a small knife, wrapped it in flatbread, and handed it to Liang Xiao. Liang Xiao took it, bit into it, suddenly felt something was off, turned his head to look, and saw two cold gazes piercing through the willow branches.

  Liang Xiao thought to himself, "I've wronged her, it's only natural that she'd hate me." He sighed and was about to lower his head to eat his pastry when he suddenly heard footsteps. Looking up, he saw Liu Xiangxian walking straight towards him. Seeing the unusual look in her eyes, Liang Xiao stood up and said, "Xiangxian..."

  Liu Yingying didn't say a word, reached behind her back and took out a brocade pouch, pulled out a withered willow hat that had long since wilted, rubbed it between her hands, and the willow hat turned into flying ash scattering in all directions. Liang Xiao's lips moved, but in the end he didn't say anything. Liu Yingying turned around and walked back, sat down cross-legged, motionless.

  Liang Xiao stared at the powder on the ground, feeling anxious and confused. He raised his head to look up at the sky and suddenly saw more than a dozen birds flying from the northeast. As he was well-versed in military strategy and skilled in the art of divination by wind direction and bird movements, seeing these birds fly in a disordered manner, an idea flashed through his mind, and he blurted out: "There is a killing aura in the northeast!" Liu Yanyan hummed a sound, while Cai Feng coldly sneered: "Nonsense! Do you think you're a god?" As soon as her words fell, two sharp iron whistles rose from the northeast, and at the same time, a fire arrow shot up into the high sky, exploding with a loud bang into orange-yellow flames.

  Yuan Yingying suddenly appeared, shouting loudly: "Hei Ying seeks help!" She leapt onto her horse and galloped towards the source of the fire arrow, her clothes fluttering like a green cloud. Everyone looked at Liang Xiao with surprise and suspicion, then mounted their horses to follow Yuan Yingying.

  Liang Xiao was about to catch up when he suddenly heard Feng Lian say, "Xikunlun, where are you going?" Liang Xiao said, "They've encountered a great enemy, how can I not lend a hand?" Feng Lian fell silent for a moment, then whispered, "The Great Leader... is she your lover?" Liang Xiao also fell silent for a moment, then sighed and said, "In the past." He felt that behind him was quiet as if there were no sound, turned his head to look back, and saw Feng Lian's eyes dazed, her face covered in tears.

  Liang Xiao's spirit dimmed, wanting to comfort her a few words, but suddenly saw Feng Lian's face turn pale and take a step back, covering her face and jumping onto the horseback, urging the fire to flow towards the west. Liang Xiao gazed at her back, sighed, and sprinted towards the northeast with light footwork.

  Before long, a glimpse of the willow-like figure of Liu Yingying was seen, and Liang Xiao followed the crowd to climb up a shallow hill. Looking ahead, in front of the vast wilderness, wolf heads were moving, with a momentum of no less than a thousand heads, the howling of wolves rose and fell, startling the heart. The wolf pack surrounded more than 40 people, many horses were bitten by wolves, and they dismounted to fight on foot. Among them, a man in black held a pair of eagle-mouthed knives, and with a flash of the knife, a wolf's head rolled down. Liang Xiao thought: "Is this person Hei Ying?"

  Liu Yingying saw Liang Xiao rushing over, her mind was in a mess, but the situation was critical and she had no time to think. Liang Xiao gazed for a moment, then suddenly said: "The wolf array's advance and retreat have a rhythm, attack and defense are in accordance with the rules, there must be someone secretly directing." Amo Qi said: "Why can't we see anyone?" Liang Xiao said: "If it were me, I would have two methods to hide my body, one is to blend into the crowd, secretly manipulating..." Cai Feng angrily said: "What are you saying? Is Heiying the running dog of Tianlangzi?" The crowd responded with angry gazes.

  Liang Xiao had no time to explain, when suddenly Liu Yueyue shouted: "Dismount, load the crossbow". The crowd abandoned their horses, holding the "Eight-Armed Divine Crossbow", leaning against a shallow hill, with arrows aimed at the wolf pack. Liu Yueyue swung her whip, and a flurry of arrows shot out, instantly killing dozens of ferocious wolves.

  The wolf pack suddenly became agitated, splitting into two groups that fled in different directions, escaping the range of the crossbows. Just as Liu Yingyue was about to order a pursuit on horseback, she saw the wolves gather into two groups in the distance, one on the left and one on the right, forming a large circle that seemed to be heading towards the rear of the crowd. As the people turned around to shoot, the wolf pack suddenly merged and charged forward again. Liu Yingyue ordered her troops to form a circular formation with their crossbows pointing outward, but the wolves were moving erratically, making it difficult for them to aim. Most of the crossbow arrows shot out fell empty, and soon they ran out of arrows. The people didn't have time to reload before the wolf pack charged forward in unison, howling loudly. The people of Tianshan had no choice but to abandon their crossbows, draw their swords, and meet the wolves head-on. For a moment, the air was filled with the sounds of human shouts and wolf wails as humans and wolves engaged in a fierce battle, entangled in a chaotic mess.

  Liang Xiao shook his head and said, "To capture the thief, one must first capture the king. If we don't find out who the leader is, it will be difficult to eradicate the wolf pack." Suddenly, he heard Ah Mo say in a soft voice, "So, Old Ah Mo wants to see the methods of Xikunlun's 'capturing the thief and capturing the king'." Liang Xiao turned his head back and saw that the old man was pressing on his injured arm with a calm expression. He couldn't help but smile and say, "That's right, Ah Mo Old Father can just watch from the side and see how I force that Heavenly Wolf out."

  He strode down the gentle slope, and two ferocious wolves pounced on him with empty hands. Liang Xiao's body shape shifted, his double hands grasped the neck skin of the two wolves, and the two ferocious wolves flailed in mid-air, unable to exert any force. At this moment, a yellow wolf pounced over, and Liang Xiao used his left hand to meet the live wolf with "Trapping Empty Force", and the two wolves' heads were stuck together, no matter how hard they struggled, they couldn't separate.

  Liang Xiao's figure fluttered and weaved through the pack of wolves, and any wolf that came near was dealt with in a uniform manner. In no time at all, his two hands were each stuck to five ferocious wolves, baring their teeth and brandishing their claws, looking extremely fierce, as if they were two strings of live wolf-shaped whips. The wolf pack seemed to have received some sort of summons, and they pounced on Liang Xiao in unison. Liang Xiao laughed and said: "You've come at just the right time." He infused the wolf whips with his "Tao Tian Qi", swinging them left and right, as if a thunderbolt was sweeping across. In an instant, flesh and blood flew everywhere, wails of grief filled the air, and the number of wolf corpses piled up around Liang Xiao was uncountable.

  Liāng Xiāo ventured deep into the wolf pack, drawing a wolf attack. Liǔ Yuè took advantage of the opportunity to order the archers to fire, and the wolves were trapped inside and out, falling in countless numbers. Suddenly, a long howl rose from within the wolf pack, and the wolves tucked their tails and turned to flee. Liāng Xiāo laughed and said, "Where are you going?" With a flick of his wrist, he threw the wolf whip left and right towards the source of the howling. In an instant, a giant white-eyed wolf stood up on its hind legs, swiping its front paws to clear away the wolf corpses.

  Liáng Xiāo moved like lightning, his hand shot out and grabbed the giant wolf's head, with a "hiss" sound, he had an extra wolf skin in his hand. A person rolled out from the ground, got up after flipping over, only to see him slightly hunched, completely naked, black hair covering his face. He stared at Liáng Xiāo, let out a sharp howl, and all the hairs on his body stood upright.

  Liu Yingying couldn't help but shout: "Be careful, this is the Heavenly Wolf Technique, even hair can hurt people..." Liang Xiao seemed to have not heard, his eyes fixed on the wolf skin in his hand. Liu Yingying was annoyed: "Why should I worry about him? This guy doesn't know what's good for him, it's better if he dies!" Suddenly, she heard Liang Xiao laughing loudly towards the sky, everyone felt strange, Cai Feng pouted and said: "Has Big Beard gone crazy? What's so funny about a wolf skin?" Tian Langzi also found it inexplicable, he bowed his waist and stretched out his claws, staring blankly at Liang Xiao.

  Liang Xiao laughed and said in a loud voice, "Tian Lang Zi, you managed to dodge my one claw, that's quite some skill. If we were to fight with all our might, could you defeat me?" Tian Lang Zi still didn't say a word, his eyes darting back and forth. Liang Xiao sneered, "Afraid to answer? Fine, take three of my palm strikes, and I'll spare your life."

  His words were menacing, and the Heavenly Wolf let out a strange howl, his fur standing on end. Liang Xiao's expression didn't change, he took a deep breath in, then opened his mouth and spat out. The Heavenly Wolf only felt a strong gust of wind hit him, his nose and mouth blocked, his fur blown backward. He was shocked to the extreme and retreated backward. Liang Xiao shouted: "It's not over yet!" His arm rotated, just about to strike, when he suddenly heard Liu Yueyue call out: "Wait!" Liang Xiao's movement paused, asking: "What?"

  Tian Lang's son took advantage of the situation to retreat a few feet away, his skin slightly numb. Even though he was ruthless and cruel, he couldn't help but feel a hint of fear: "He blew me back like this with just one breath, if he strikes with his palm, will I still be alive?" His eyes darted left and right, and he began to think about retreating.

  Liu Yingying floated forward, her voice cold: "He killed three of my subordinates, this account must be settled first." Liang Xiao frowned and said: "Do you want to take action?" Liu Yingying impatiently said: "This time, are you going to let me or not?" Liang Xiao knew her temperament like the back of his hand, knowing that it was useless to persuade her, sighed and said: "Alright, be careful." He stepped aside with his hands in his sleeves.

  Liu Yingying saw him mention the two words "be careful", and her eyebrows and eyes showed a concerned expression that was not fake. She couldn't help but feel a pang in her chest, and after a moment of silence, she took a deep breath to calm the turmoil in her heart. Raising her voice, she said: "Tian Langzi, you and I have been fighting for many years, today it's time to put an end to this! I ask you, did you kill Zhu Que?"

  Tianlangzi smiled, revealing his sharp white teeth. Liu Yingying said coldly, "I forgot that you're a mute beast and can't speak human language." Lianbu's feet moved lightly as she floated out six palms, which Liang Xiao recognized as the "Ice Flower Six Emergences" technique. Compared to before, Liu Yingying had added the "Shuilo Finger" skill to her palm exchanges, making the move denser and more difficult to defend against. Tianlangzi didn't dare to meet it head-on and dodged to the left like a weasel.

  Liu Yingying let out a tender shout, and the "Ice River Inversion" struck out, extending over a zhang. The force of her palm was heavy, pressing down towards Tian Langzi. Tian Langzi greatly feared the chill in her palm, and he dodged to one side, flashing out over a zhang once more. Liu Yingying's palm slapped empty air, and she twisted her waist, spinning around, her clothes fluttering in the wind as she lightly pointed out seven fingers. Tian Langzi was unable to dodge in time, and his shoulder received a finger, causing him to let out a loud cry as he flipped over, leaping out several feet. Before he had even landed, he suddenly sprang up again, pouncing and falling, scratching and clawing, his mouth letting out an unending stream of yips, his movements fast beyond the ordinary, like a flash of lightning circling around Liu Yingying three times. With a ripping sound, Liu Yingying's green water sleeve was torn apart by him in one grab, revealing a snowy white arm, causing everyone to shout out in shock. Tian Langzi had succeeded with one move, and he let out a long, stern howl to boost his momentum.

  Li Shao's eyes widened as he saw the Heavenly Wolf Fist, a boxing technique that originated from wild wolves. It was ferocious and strange, with sudden and unpredictable moves. However, compared to this, what was even more difficult to deal with was his body hair, which had been infused with the "Heavenly Wolf Skill". Each strand of hair was as sharp as a needle. Li Shao had reached the realm of being carefree under the bright light, so he naturally didn't have anything to fear. However, Liu Yingying's internal energy hadn't reached its peak yet, and she kept dodging his hair, which made her fall into a disadvantageous position.

  Two people exchanged several moves, and Liu Yingying's right palm slapped out to force Tian Langzi's hair back. Her left fist shook and struck his face gate. Tian Langzi's head leaned back, opening his big mouth to bite her pink fist. The "Tian Lang Fist" originally had a "bite" technique, this one bite was faster than lightning, the crowd let out a cry of surprise, Hei Ying was about to pounce with his twin blades when he heard Tian Langzi's mournful howl, stumbling backward several steps, spewing out a mouthful of fresh blood, his eyes revealing a strange and astonished expression. Suddenly, he opened his big mouth and spat out a pile of broken stones, among which were three bloody broken teeth. The crowd was stunned, and couldn't help but burst into loud laughter.

  Originally, when Liu Yingying bowed down, she secretly grasped a stone in her palm and lured Tianlangzi to open his mouth to bite. She then placed the stone between his teeth, using her "Empty Hand" technique. With one grasp and one release, it was as if ghosts and gods were at work. Tianlangzi's teeth broke and blood flowed, immediately suffering a great loss. Liang Xiao couldn't help but laugh: "What a 'Broken Wolf Fang' move! Next should be the 'Pierce Wolf Eye' move, right?" Liu Yingying successfully executed one move and retreated several steps, standing elegantly in the wind. Hearing this, she coldly smiled: "You're just bragging with your words, minding other people's business!"

  The wolf cub broke its teeth, but its ferocity only increased. Its eyes turned blood red as it let out a fierce howl and pounced forward. Liu Yingying slightly pushed off with her feet and flipped herself up. The wolf cub saw an opening at her waist and was overjoyed. It lunged forward, lowering its head, and its black hair stood on end like soft needles or a snake stabbing towards Liu Yingying's waist and abdomen.

  The crowd didn't even have time to shout, when Liu Yingying shouted "Good!" and suddenly took off her willow hat. She gazed at the Heavenly Wolf's hair as it came towards her, its momentum filling the air. The willow hat was three feet in diameter, just like a soft shield that blocked all of the Heavenly Wolf's hair. Before the Heavenly Wolf could even react, Liu Yingying shouted "On!" again and poured 100% of her "Ice River Mystical Skill" into the willow hat. The water droplets on the hat's brim were full to bursting, and wherever her true energy reached, they condensed into ice, forming sharp icicles that stabbed into the Heavenly Wolf's face.

  The wolf cub let out a mournful howl as he tumbled to the ground, rolling over several times before finally throwing off the willow hat. He stumbled to his feet, his face a bloody mess, his eyes streaming with fresh blood. The wolf cub's vision was blurry and he couldn't help but feel terrified and disoriented, letting out a series of panicked yips as he wildly swung his paws to ward off the approaching Liu Yanyan. The pack heard his cries and gathered around him protectively. Liu Yanyan twisted her slender waist, floating in mid-air like a celestial fairy, her beauty on full display now that her hat was gone. Ten years had passed, yet she remained as lovely as ever, though there were hints of hardship etched between her brows.

  Everyone saw that she did not pursue and felt bewildered, suddenly heard Liang Xiao sighing: "Killing a blind person is not what a hero should do, let him go!" Liu Yanyan was seen through by him, couldn't help but turn her head back, in her bright and beautiful eyes, a hint of melancholy and resentment seeped out.

  Tianlangzi froze in shock, stopping his movements and leaning in to listen. Suddenly, a grey wolf sprang up silently from behind him and bit down on the back of his neck. Tianlangzi cried out in pain and with a swift motion tore the wolf into two pieces, splashing its blood everywhere and staining himself crimson red. Just then, three yellow wolves leapt up, two biting at his arms and one pouncing towards his throat.

  On an ordinary day, even a hundred wolves wouldn't dare to approach him. But now, the Sky Wolf's eyes were both blind, his senses were in disarray, and his throat was torn open by the Yellow Wolf. He only felt a void in his throat, and his strength flowed out with the hot blood. The two gray wolves took advantage of the situation and pounced on him, knocking him to the ground. The pack of wolves had been driven by him for days, suffering greatly, and harbored hatred in their hearts. Seeing this, they all pounced on him, and all that could be heard was a chorus of snarls and howls as the Sky Wolf was torn to shreds.

  This sudden change was quite unexpected, and the crowd was still in a state of shock when they launched a barrage of crossbow arrows. The wolf pack either died or was injured, and the survivors fled deep into the grasslands. After dispersing the wolves, the people saw the remains of Tian Langzi and thought that this person had joined forces with the wolves, but in the end, he was still human, not a wolf. As soon as he lost his advantage, he was taken down by the pack of wolves.

  Liu Yingying thought for a moment, then suddenly said: "Tianlangzi is dead, but this matter still has loopholes." Liang Xiao smiled slightly and said: "That's right, this Tianlang is not that Tianlang." Liu Yingying asked strangely: "What do you mean by this?" Liang Xiao replied calmly: "This person just wore a wolf skin, but some wolves wear human skin!" He turned around to face Amo on the mountain slope, his smile disappearing, and said in a low voice: "Amo old man, what do you say?"

  Amo was taken aback and laughed, saying: "What are you talking about, Xikunlun? I don't understand what the old man is saying." Liang Xiao smiled and said: "You understand very well. As soon as I make a move, I can force out your secrets!" Amo replied calmly: "I'm just an ordinary old man with mediocre martial arts skills. You are a master of your generation. If you want to fight or kill me, how dare I resist?" Liu Yuying also frowned and said: "Liang Xiao, let's talk reason first!" Liang Xiao glanced at her and sighed, saying: "Fine, I'll give him three reasons to convince him." He stared at Amo and slowly said: "Firstly, you told me that the master of Tianlangzi is a Taoist priest." Amo sighed and said: "I also said it was just hearsay, not necessarily true." Liang Xiao looked up at the sky and smiled, saying: "Then how did you know about the Taoist secret technique 'Mountain and Marsh Communicate, Water from Sand'? Is your master also a Taoist priest?"

  Amo said coldly, "Don't you also know this secret technique?" His words were both scathing and dismissive. Liang Xiao laughed and said, "Alright, consider this one passed. Now, let's talk about the second point - how did I determine that Tian Langzi is not a single person?" Amo smiled and said, "You're joking, old man, how would I know these things?"

  Liang Xiao shook his head and said, "You're not stupid, I'm the one who's stupid. I should have guessed the trickery behind this earlier. I issued a challenge to Tian Langzi with my whistling sound, but unexpectedly lost in terms of lightness skill. I thought that since the world is so big, there must be many extraordinary people, but when we met, Tian Langzi's martial arts were only average and not even a worthy opponent. That's why I suspected in private that the one who issued the 'Tian Lang Yue' (Heavenly Wolf Howls at the Moon) was not just one person, but two people, one in the east and one in the west. I chased after the one in the east, while the one in the west howled, then I rushed to the west, and the one in the east howled again, causing me to run back and forth between east and west, allowing you two to escape leisurely."

  Amo smiled and said, "What does this have to do with me?" Liang Xiao coldly smiled again and said, "Not quite, these two points are enough to raise my suspicions but not enough to confirm." He folded down his third finger, "Unfortunately, you tried to frame me, but it backfired. This morning, when you saw me leave the group with Zhu Que, you followed behind us, had your accomplice let out a cry to lure me away, and then went forward to meet with Zhu Que. Zhu Que didn't expect that Tiang Lang would disguise himself as two people, and underestimating him, was ambushed from behind and killed in one move." However, the fact that you left the group is known by everyone in the merchant group. If I return, it's inevitable that they'll suspect you. You used a trick to lure me away and then returned via a detour, summoning the wolf pack to slaughter the entire merchant group." Up until this point, Liang Xiao let out a long sigh, "Next, you pretended to be bitten by wolves and found Cai Feng and the others. You had already placed Zhu Que's corpse on the path that we must take, guessing that when I discovered Zhu Que's corpse, I would bring Cai Feng over. The little girl thought she was clever, but almost fell into your trap." Cai Feng's face turned bright red as she listened, wanting to refute him, but was glared at by Liu Yueyue and swallowed her words back down.

  Amo shook his head and said, "The Han people have a saying: 'If you want to frame someone, what's the problem with having no evidence?' These words of yours are all speculation, what kind of logic is this?" Liang Xiao raised an eyebrow, a hint of mockery flashing between them, and smiled, "You're right, these three points are all speculation, they can't determine your guilt. However, you were careless and left behind a flaw, now you can't even try to deny it." Amo smiled, "I'd like to hear more about it." Liang Xiao looked him up and down, smiling, "Amo, do you still remember when you used the 'Heavenly Wolf Technique' to kill Zhu Que, you deliberately left five blue fingerprints on his back?"

  Amo's face changed slightly, and Liang Xiao put away his smile, shouting: "Amo, Zhu Que's corpse is on the horseback behind you. Do you dare to compare the fingerprints with the ones on his back?" In an instant, more than a hundred pairs of eyes were cast on Amo, and the scene fell silent. Amo's facial muscles twitched slightly, and he suddenly retreated half a step, his eyebrows drooping down, laughing: "Xikunlun, you're quite capable! But don't think about killing me." Liang Xiao smiled: "Let's try it out."

  Amo flipped his hand, and a dagger appeared in his palm. He smiled and said, "Watch how I kill you with this one knife!" Liang Xiao's eyebrows furrowed slightly. Amo sneered, "You guessed right, I'm the real Tianlangzi, and that person on the ground is just my disciple and substitute for all these years!" He turned his eyes and glared fiercely at Liu Yuying, "Those men and women under your command were killed by me, want to avenge them? Ha! Don't even think about it!"

  Everyone did not expect that he would rather die than surrender, and it was infuriating to think that no one could kill him. Just as they were thinking this, a horseman suddenly appeared, galloping towards them with incredible speed, approaching the hill in an instant. Liang Xiao was startled and shouted loudly: "Feng Lian, don't come over!"

  The newcomer was Feng Lian, who had been heartbroken and disheartened earlier. She had galloped her horse wildly, seeing that Liang Xiao hadn't followed her. Knowing he had gone with Liu Yingying, she felt a surge of despair and sat stunned for a moment. Suddenly remembering Liang Xiao's words about the ferocity of Tian Langzi, she grew worried and turned back. As she arrived at the foot of the hill, she heard Liang Xiao shouting, but was perplexed by what was happening. Just then, a gust of wind blew above her head, and a dark shadow loomed over her. She raised an arm to block it, feeling a sharp pain in her wrist like an iron hoop. As she struggled, a dagger was pressed against her neck.

  Amo dodged and weaved, his movements swift and precise. Liang Xiao's martial arts skills were impressive, but even he couldn't keep up with Amo's speed. Just as all hope seemed lost, Amo suddenly found an opening and burst out laughing: "Xikunlun, heaven must be blind to not want to take me in!" Liang Xiao furrowed his brow and said slowly: "Let her go, and I'll spare your life today." Amo sneered: "Do you think I'm a fool? But I do have one question for you..."

  Liang Xiao raised an eyebrow, but then Amo laughed and said: "I infiltrated the merchant group, originally intending to disguise myself as a commoner and secretly plot against the 'Tianshan Twelve Beasts'. However, seeing you reveal your martial arts skills changed my mind. I thought it would be better to stir up trouble and let you two fight each other." He glanced at Liu Yuying, "But why did you repeatedly hold back when you saw her? If not for that, I would have already succeeded."

  Liang Xiao looked at Liu Xiangxiang and sighed, "She and I were originally old friends, I understand her just like she understands me." Liu Xiangxiang's slender body trembled, staring blankly at Liang Xiao, with a hint of tears in her eyes. Feng Lian gazed at the two, feeling desolate: "No wonder Xi Kunlun loves her, she is as beautiful as an immortal, and her talent surpasses others. Compared to her, I am just an ugly and foolish little maid..." For a moment, all thoughts turned gray, forgetting where she was.

  He was silent for a long time, then suddenly sighed and said: "I thought everyone in the world was treacherous, women were fickle and untrustworthy, especially not to be trusted deeply. So I was willing to join forces with wolves. Who would have thought that today I would lose because of two words - trust? Ha! Xi Kunlun, you were right, I am a wolf wearing human skin. In the past, I also wore wolf skin and pretended to be human, but later discovered that it's more interesting to wear human skin and be a wolf. I can deceive more people and eat them without using my teeth. Haha, for now, I'll enjoy this fine horse and beautiful woman. Xi Kunlun, the grass will wither and grow again, we'll meet again someday." After finishing speaking, he burst into loud laughter, everyone was extremely indignant and cursed him loudly, but Liang Xiao's face remained calm as water, his eyes cold as knives.

  Amo and his gaze were like a knife, cold in his heart. He lowered his head to look at Feng Lian, whose eyes were dull and unmoving. Unconsciously, he felt pleased with himself: "The little girl looks good and is very obedient." He put away his dagger, patted the horse's rump, and galloped off like a shooting star, disappearing into the distance.

  Everyone was at a loss, when the bright and beautiful eyes of Liu Yanyan flashed, she called out to Zhu Er, patted its back, Zhu Er understood, raised its front hooves, let out a long neigh, the sound was full of provocation. Huo Liuxing responded by turning its head, its mane standing on end, before Amo could react, Huo Liuxing's anger reached the sky, and it charged straight at Zhu Er.

  Huǒ Liú Xīng was galloping proudly under the Kunlun Mountains, with thousands of horses surrendering to him. Hóng Zhī had been traveling north and south of the Tian Shan mountains, but had yet to meet a worthy opponent. The two horses met, and there should have been a competition between them. However, Hóng Zhī was restrained by Liǔ Yuè's gentle nature, and Huǒ Liú Xīng's repeated provocations were in vain, so he could only give up. Suddenly, Hóng Zhī challenged him to a fight, which was exactly what he had been hoping for. This red horse's temperament was unstoppable, except for Liáng Xiāo, no one else could restrain it, and ā Mò tried his best but couldn't stop its momentum.

  In the midst of chaos, Liang Xiao swiftly rushed to the front of the horse. Huo Liu Xing was startled and jumped up. Ah Mo swung his palm down, but Liang Xiao feared accidentally hurting Feng Lian and didn't dare counterattack, so he lowered his body and passed under the horse's belly. Ah Mo gritted his teeth, and his dagger flashed in the light as he stabbed towards Feng Lian's neck. At this moment, suddenly Liang Xiao let out a loud shout, and a purple lightning bolt flashed past the corner of his eye. Ah Mo felt a chill on his shoulder, and his dagger was unable to stab any further into Feng Lian's neck. He immediately flew up, and looking down, he saw two legs steadily straddling the horse. Before Ah Mo could react, the sky spun around him, and his body rolled into the weeds like a gourd, twisting twice before falling still.

  Liang Xiao saw the wind and pitied the danger, in a hurry he pulled out the "Heavenly Punishment Sword" from behind the fire flow star, operated his inner energy to sweep out, cutting off Amo's right arm holding the halberd. The sword blade followed the momentum and slashed down, cutting this generation of evil people into two segments. His sword was too fast, and the Heavenly Punishment Sword was sharp to the extreme, as it passed through the body, it was like the wind passing through empty space. Amo's limbs were broken and his chest was severed, but he did not immediately feel pain.

  The great thief was suddenly killed, and Liang Xiao's heart was filled with surprise. Just now, his sword had shone brightly, the iron rust on it turning purple, like a cloud of rosy glow, with star patterns visible. Although he knew that this sword must have some extraordinary properties, he couldn't understand why there was such a change, and when he tried to urge his inner energy again, the rusty sword returned to its usual dullness. Liang Xiao thought for a long time without understanding, sheathing his sword like a scabbard, and carrying Feng Lian down from the horse. After this unexpected event, Feng Lian was as still as a wooden puppet, only bursting into tears when she reached Liang Xiao's arms.

  Liang Xiao felt a pang of sympathy and was about to comfort her. Suddenly, he heard the sound of horse hooves and turned his head to see Liu Yingying urging her horse on, speeding northward in a cloud of dust. His heart sank, and he said, "Hei Ying, take care of this young lady for me." Hei Ying was taken aback as Liang Xiao pushed Feng Lian towards him, then leapt onto Huo Liu Xing, spurring the horse on to chase after Liu Yingying.

  The Fire Meteor and Rouge were competing to see who was superior, and had been holding back their strength for a long time. Now that they had the chance, they let loose with all their might, their four hooves pounding the air like a dragon soaring through the sky. Before long, they saw the figure of Liu Yingying on horseback in the distance. The woman turned her head and saw them, whipping her horse into a frenzy. In an instant, the two divine steeds unleashed their power, chasing each other forward and backward. Fire Meteor was unable to get close, while Rouge couldn't shake it off either. They chased each other for half a day, when suddenly Liang Xiao took a deep breath, leapt up onto Rouge's back, and wrapped his arms around Liu Yingying's waist. She turned around with her elbow raised, intending to push him off the horse, but Liang Xiao held tight and sighed, "Yingying, you misunderstand."

  Liu Yingying angrily said: "You're hugging her so intimately, and you still have the face to say I misunderstood?" Liang Xiao slightly smiled wryly, gazing afar at the distant misty smoke and the lake's emerald waters, saying: "What a beautiful place, let's go sit for a bit." Liu Yingying coldly said: "Why should I go?" Liang Xiao didn't say much either, shaking the reins to arrive by the lake, forcibly pulling Liu Yingying off her horse.

  Liu Yingying's anger had not dissipated, and she turned her back on him, ignoring him. Liang Xiao sat down with a bitter smile, gazing silently into the distance for a moment before sighing, "I spent several years in the Western Regions, intending to spend my old age there, but thinking of you and Xiaoshuang, I couldn't help but return." Liu Yingying let out a soft hum, her voice cold as she said, "Now that you have Xiaoshuang, you shouldn't still be thinking of me."

  Liang Xiao and Liu Yingying had been separated for a long time, with thousands of words in his heart. He wanted to express them all at once, but after hearing this, the words in his heart turned into a sigh. His expression darkened, and he got on his horse. Suddenly, he heard Liu Yingying say coldly, "Are you going to see Xiao Shuang?" Liang Xiao was silent for a moment before saying softly, "She's been suffering from a terminal illness, I don't know if she's better or not these years. This time when I go to the Central Plains, I'll take a look at her, and I'll be satisfied." Liu Yingying raised an eyebrow and asked, "What happened after I left?" Liang Xiao sighed, "It's like clouds and smoke passing before one's eyes, it's better not to mention it."

  Yingying sat down quietly, plucked a wildflower and created ripples on the lake surface. She gazed at the water, suddenly saying: "You dumb fool, why don't you speak up, but instead keep it in your heart? Hmph, never mind, I'll ask you, what's the story with that woman named Feng Lian?" Liang Xiao raised an eyebrow and said loudly: "Yingying, you're still bringing up that child, it's because you look down on people."

  Liu Yingying sneered, "I despise you! That child? Hmph, that child's feelings towards you are obvious even to a blind person." Liang Xiao was taken aback, and then heard Liu Yingying say, "Come here." Liang Xiao was stunned, and Liu Yingying angrily said, "Are you coming or not?" Liang Xiao sighed, slowly sat down, and Liu Yingying didn't even look at him straight in the eye. She patted the grass beside her and said, "Sit here."

  Liang Xiao hesitated for a moment before moving forward. Suddenly, Liu Xiangxiang said: "Close your eyes." Liang Xiao didn't dare to disobey and closed his eyes. He suddenly felt a pair of slender hands on his shoulders, pulling his head into the woman's bosom. The soft jade warmth and fragrance assailed him, making Liang Xiao's heart panic and struggle to get up. Suddenly, he felt a chill on his neck and opened his eyes to see Liu Xiangxiang holding a dagger against his throat, coldly smiling: "If my knife moves, it will cut off your stinky neck." Liang Xiao swallowed hard and dryly laughed: "What's the point of killing me?" Liu Xiangxiang said: "To feed the dogs." Liang Xiao sighed: "You're so ruthless."

  Liu Yingying angrily said: "Less nonsense, I told you to close your eyes, why are you opening them?" Liang Xiao obediently closed his eyes. Although his physical eyes were closed, his spiritual eyes remained open, and he sensed that Liu Yingying was using a dagger to shave off his whiskers after dipping it in water. As she shaved, she scolded: "You slovenly ghost, this beard of yours can be used as a broom! No wonder those little maids dared to mock you! Hmph, and these clothes, they stink to death! This time I've seen them, if you don't take a bath and change into clean clothes, don't think about leaving my side half a step." Liang Xiao heard this and felt a pang of sadness in his heart, almost shedding tears. He tightly closed his eyes and remained silent.

  After shaving, Liu Yingying stretched out her slender fingers to gently stroke the scars on his cheek, sighed, but didn't ask much. Liang Xiao secretly opened his eyes and looked up from below, Liu Yingying gazed at the lake surface, with a soft glow emanating from her cheeks. The lake water was vast, with the sun hiding behind the distant mountains, the sky was a deep blue, and a range of distant mountains was shrouded in a faint mist. A gentle breeze swept across the ground, brushing against the grass tips, like a song, startling two bright yellow birds, which circled twice before flying off in different directions.

  After a long time, Liang Xiao heard the noise and sat up straight, only to see a flame floating in the evening mist. Liu Yingying tidied up her hair and said lightly: "No need to look, the kids are here! This is the only way back to the village." Liang Xiao saw her melancholy expression and couldn't help but feel sad, then looked again, Huo Liu Xing was shaking his head and swinging his tail, colliding with Zhu Shi Ding, and scolded: "This little wild boy, not even half as obedient as Zhu Shi!" Liu Yingying glared at him and scolded: "The object is like its owner." Liang Xiao laughed and said: "Female Zhuge, you guessed wrong this time, this horse isn't mine." Liu Yingying asked strangely: "Is it that girl's? I didn't expect her to have mediocre martial arts yet be able to tame this divine steed?"

  Liang Xiao shook his head and told the story of capturing and giving away horses under Mount Kunlun. Liu Yueyue sighed, "You always act impulsively without considering the consequences. When you gave her the horse, that girl had already developed true feelings for you."

  A group of people carrying torches came in a winding path, with Feng Lian also among them, looking resentful and bitter. Liu Yingying stood shoulder to shoulder with Liang Xiao. Hei Ying flipped over and dismounted his horse, apologetically saying: "Great leader, my mount was bitten by wolves and it took some time to find another horse." Liu Yingying said: "It's okay. Hei Ying, this is Liang Xiao, an old acquaintance from when I was in the Central Plains, with profound martial arts skills. You might as well ask him for guidance." Hei Ying hesitated for a moment, then bowed his head in respect. Liang Xiao understood in his heart that Liu Yingying wanted him to teach his subordinates martial arts. Without declining, he also bowed and said: "I dare not be taught, but exchanging skills would be a pleasure." Everyone saw that he was humble and polite, and felt close to him, except for Cai Feng who still looked at him with suspicion, and after hearing this, coldly snorted.

  The crowd rested by the lake for a night and set off at dawn. Liu Yanyan saw the wind and pitied her appearance, feeling uneasy in her heart. She urged her horse to hurry to Liang Xiao's side and said in a low voice: "No matter what your intentions are, you should give this girl an explanation." Liang Xiao said: "I've already made my position clear, I'm afraid that comforting her too much will lead to misunderstandings." Liu Yanyan hesitated and said: "It's easier for women to talk, if you don't mind, I'll have a word with her." Liang Xiao smiled and said: "I'd be grateful." Liu Yanyan gave him a glance and said: "What are you happy about? You owe me another favor, you'll have to repay me sooner or later!" Liang Xiao smiled and said: "I definitely will, I definitely will."

  After a while, I saw a thatched cottage in the distance, but it was a village, backed by the north slope, and spring water flowed through the village. Originally, the spring chill had not yet dissipated, but because of the surrounding mountains on all sides, the land was warm and cozy, and inside and outside the village were already full of blooming flowers and lush trees, with bees and butterflies flying about.

  Liu Yingying pointed to the village and smiled: "Li Shao, look, that's my Xiaoqin Village!" Li Shao praised: "The valley is secluded, the mountains are quiet, the forest is deep, and the water is winding. It's indeed a place where a hermit can hide." Liu Yingying smiled: "I originally lived in Yaochi, which was even more beautiful. Later, when the Mongolians came to search for us, I had to move here. Fortunately, after living here for three years, I haven't moved again!" Li Shao's heart felt a pang, looking at Liu Yingying's smiling face, thinking: "She's just a woman, yet she has repeatedly resisted strong enemies and bandits. Who knows how many dangers and hardships she has faced?"

  The crowd buried their dead companions on the north slope of the village. For ten years, the "Tianshan Twelve" had gone through dangers without losing a single person, but now three people died in one day, and the rest were heartbroken, all crying together. Cai Feng and Zhu Que were originally lovers, but now they were separated by death, flying alone like a solitary wild goose, which was even more heartbreaking. Only Liu Yingying was used to seeing life and death, had a broad mind, and advised: "People can't come back to life after they die, don't torture yourself too much, Zhu Que's spirit in the underworld probably doesn't want to see you like this either." Cai Feng tried her best to hold back tears, but ultimately couldn't bear it, calling out "Great Leader", throwing herself into Liu Yingying's arms and crying bitterly.

  After mourning for a while, they returned to the village in the late afternoon. In Xiaoyi Village, there was a warm spring, and Liu Yingying cleverly divided the spring water into ten streams, which flowed into ten small stone pools, each with a small house on top, separate for men and women. The crowd had been chasing south and north for several days, extremely hardworking, but now they finally got some leisure time, all came to bathe in the spring. Liang Xiao soaked for half an hour, feeling refreshed, changed his clothes, and came to the gathering hall.

  The hall was made of cedar wood, neatly arranged and rough but not shabby. The men had already arrived and were discussing the fight against the evil wolf in the hall, talking about the pain of killing the wicked wolf, excited and unstoppable, talking about the dead brothers, again filled with grief and indignation, suddenly seeing Liang Xiao coming in, they all stood up to pay their respects.

  The host and guests sat down, exchanged pleasantries for a while, and naturally talked about martial arts. Everyone asked, and Liang Xiao also casually pointed out one or two things. As they spoke, suddenly a burst of laughter was heard, and Liu Xiang'er pulled Feng Lian in, her hand holding his. She had changed into a goose-yellow shirt, her black hair still damp, her cheeks flushed from the hot spring's mist, her beauty unparalleled. Liang Xiao saw her intimate behavior with Feng Lian and felt surprised in his heart.

  The willow trees were swaying gently in the breeze, and a girl with a round face was sitting at the head of the table. Before long, the maidservants filed in one after another, bearing dishes of wine and meat. They had not come for some time, but it turned out they had gone to prepare food. After arranging the cups and chopsticks, a fourteen or fifteen year old girl with a round face carried a wine jug, pouring wine in sequence. The liquid was a pale blue-green color, and its fragrance wafted up to their noses. Before long, she came to Liang Xiao's side, and Liang Xiao saw that her delicate eyebrows and big eyes were somewhat similar to Ah Xue's, and his heart involuntarily skipped a beat as he gazed at her for several more moments.

  The round-faced girl's skin was tender and thin, and when he gazed at her intensely, she suddenly blushed bright red to the roots of her ears. Her fingers trembled, spilling wine on the table. She panicked, extending her sleeve to wipe it away. Liu Yanyan laughed and said, "Ah, Snow Goose is having romantic thoughts!" The round-faced girl's face turned bright red with embarrassment, and she was very displeased. She put down the wine jug and buried herself in Liu Yanyan's arms, pouting at her. Liu Yanyan couldn't help but laugh, waving her hand to say, "Alright, alright, Snow Goose, I admit I was wrong! Let's just forget I said anything, okay?" Only then did Snow Goose stop being angry.

  Liang Xiao saw the two of them walking freely and felt a little curious. Liu Yueyue noticed his thoughts and smiled: "When we're fighting, I'm their commander-in-chief and general, but when we return here, they become my younger brother and sister." She stroked Xueyan's face, "Alright, stop being clingy, it's embarrassing to be seen like this." Xueyan was the youngest among the "Twelve Beasts", Liu Yueyue doted on her excessively, and even Tian Langzi couldn't bear to bring her along this time, leaving her in the village.

  Liang Xiao gazed at the scene before him, and a sense of emotion arose in his heart: "Yingying has been roaming freely in the Western Regions, with many under her command, and yet she can still find joy in hardship and comfort in her heart. Xiaoxiao's heart is worried about life and death in the world, but she was imprisoned in the Tianji Palace for over a decade, which must have been extremely difficult." Thinking of this, his desire to return east grew more urgent, he sighed, raised his cup and took a sip, feeling the sweetness on his tongue and the lingering aftertaste, and couldn't help but praise: "Good wine, what's its origin?" Liu Yingying said: "This is Black Horse Milk Wine."

  Liang Xiao looked closely and said, "The horse milk wine I drank before was white in color, sweet and sour in taste, and had a strong smell. This wine is not only greenish-blue in color but also sweet and smooth to the mouth, without any strange smell!" Liu Yuying smiled and said, "White horse milk wine only stirs for a few hours when filtering out the milk quality, while black horse milk needs to be stirred repeatedly for 7 or 8 days to filter out all the milk quality in the wine, so that it has no strange smell." Liang Xiao was moved and said, "Stirring for 7 or 8 days requires extraordinary patience."

  Liu Yingying pinched a handful of Xue Yan's face, laughing: "I don't have the patience for that, it was all made by Xue Yan herself." Xue Yan lowered her head, blushing to the roots of her ears. Liang Xiao didn't expect this shy girl to make such good wine, and he applauded with a smile: "So you're a female Du Kang, I admire you!" Xue Yan was afraid of strangers, glanced at Liang Xiao, and her cheeks turned even redder. Liu Yingying looked at him and smiled: "My younger brothers and sisters are not like you, idle and unlearned, each of them has a special talent." She pointed one by one: "Hei Ying is a first-rate hunter, the beasts he targets, whether ferocious or cunning, can't escape his grasp."

  Liang Xiao praised: "Indeed, the eagle's eyes are like a torch!" He raised his glass and drank it in one gulp. The black eagle smiled brightly and also raised his glass to accompany him. Liu Yingying said again: "Qing Luan'er is good at planting flowers, and all the flowers and grasses by the village are cultivated by her." Liang Xiao laughed and said: "The beauty of the flowers is breathtaking." He finished another cup, and girls love to hear people flatter them. Qing Luan was delighted when she heard his praise, and her dislike for him disappeared without a trace. Liu Yingying said again: "Cai Feng'er is our local heavenly weaving girl, and her needlework skills are unmatched under the sky." Liang Xiao laughed and said: "Her hands are heaven-born, and this dress must have been embroidered by herself." However, Cai Feng did not take it kindly, turned her head, hummed a sound, and coldly said: "Insincere words, speaking without conviction."

  Liu Yingying casually introduced, the oriole is good at singing, the cloud sparrow is good at dancing, and the mandarin duck is a pair of two people, one male and one female. The male is called Tie Yuan, who is skilled in architecture, and the female is called A Yuan, who is best at dressing up. When Liu Yingying mentioned the pair of mandarin ducks, her expression turned gloomy, and she sighed: "The Vermilion Bird, the Crow, and the Kingfisher also have their own unique skills, unfortunately, I couldn't introduce them to you." Everyone was sorrowful.

  Liang Xiao was about to persuade, but Liu Yanyan shook her head and said, "You don't need to say more. Life is like a spring flower, death is like an autumn leaf, I also understand now. It's just that these few people, although each has their own skills, none of them know how to forge swords." She pulled up Feng Lian, smiled and said, "I asked Feng Lian, she is a master craftsman, known for forging swords in the Western Regions. Now, with only nine people left from the 'Tianshan Twelve Beasts', adding one more would make ten. Liang Xiao, I want Feng Lian to be one of the 'Tianshan Ten Beasts', do you agree or not?" She looked at Liang Xiao with a smile that was not quite a smile, and Liang Xiao didn't know what she was getting at, furrowed his brow and smiled, "As long as she agrees, why do I need to be in charge?"

  "Alright!" said Liu Yingying, turning to look at Feng Lian. Feng Lian nodded silently. Liu Yingying smiled again and said, "However, my siblings are all notorious for being formidable, and Feng Lian's martial arts skills are not up to par. If she joins our group, she will inevitably be bullied." Liang Xiao glanced at Cai Feng, but didn't respond, thinking to himself that it was true. Then he heard Liu Yingying say, "So I want her to find a powerful master, even if Feng Lian's martial arts skills are not yet developed, with this master, people will not dare to humiliate her." Liang Xiao asked in surprise, "Who is it?" Liu Yingying sneered, "Who else could it be? Far away in the distance, but also right before our eyes." Liang Xiao was shocked and stood up quickly. Liu Yingying gave Feng Lian a signal with her eyes, and Feng Lian stepped forward, kneeling down to say, "Master is above, disciple pays respects!"

  Liang Xiao was shocked and asked, "How can this be?" Just as he was about to help her up, he heard Liu Yueyue say, "What's wrong with that? Can't you just humiliate Liang Xiao?" Liang Xiao suddenly understood: "Ah, I see. If Feng Lian becomes my disciple, we'll have a master-disciple relationship and she won't be able to have any romantic relations with me again. It's clever of Yueyue to think of such a plan!" He sighed and let Feng Lian kowtow three times before helping her up. Feng Lian kept her head down, feeling more sorrow than joy, and tears finally flowed down.

  Liu Yingying sighed secretly, this plan to worship the teacher was not her own, but Feng Lian's idea. She had told Feng Lian many past events, hoping she would give up, but unexpectedly Feng Lian listened and agreed to cut off her emotional ties, but wanted to worship Liang Xiao as her teacher. Liu Yingying knew that Feng Lian's infatuation was hard to change, but sympathized with her, not wanting to force her too much. Seeing the ceremony of becoming master and apprentice had been completed, Liu Yingying raised her cup and laughed: "Today I gained a little sister, Liang Xiao you also got a big disciple, we should drink this cup together." Liang Xiao shook his head: "This generation is all mixed up." Liu Yingying gave him a white eye, saying: "Each of us has our own business, if you want to take advantage of me, I'll slap your old face." Everyone burst out laughing.

  Because of a recent bereavement among their companions, everyone's mouth was not speaking, and the gloom in their hearts had not dissipated, making it difficult to have a good time. They just drank two cups perfunctorily and each returned to their room to rest.

  Liang Xiao stayed overnight and the next day packed his bags to bid farewell to Liu Yuanyuan. Liu Yuanyuan lived in a small courtyard with two entrances, surrounded by willow trees on all sides. When Liang Xiao arrived at the gate, he saw Cai Feng sitting on the stone steps at the entrance, embroidering flowers on a piece of green silk under the sunlight. Seeing him, she said gruffly, "What are you here for?" Before Liang Xiao could respond, Cai Feng bit her thread and coldly spat out from between her teeth, "The leader said that if you're here to reminisce, you can go in and sit for a while, but if you're here to bid farewell, then there's no need." She didn't care about him anymore and lowered her head again.

  Liang Xiao stood for a long time, thinking to himself: "It's better not to meet than to meet like this, it's cleaner this way." He didn't say anything else, turned around and left the village. As he walked over the mountain pass, he suddenly felt a pang in his chest. He turned his head back, and saw what seemed to be a green shadow flashing by in the woods at the foot of the mountain. Liang Xiao stared blankly into the depths of the forest, surrounded by an eerie silence, with only the wind whistling overhead. He didn't know how long he stood there before he came back to his senses, let out a faint sigh, and turned to head east.