Translator: Zen Translations Editor: Zen Translations
Let alone all their opponents, even those spectators watching the Peerless Battalion fighting were feeling a little terrified of them. This was a fighting style that was clearly pitting their lives and aiming for vital points! Many of their strikes were “under the belt”, striking at “vital” areas, causing many of the Heavy Infantry soldiers to be curled on the ground, clutching their precious areas, their heads not daring to even lift up. It was truly a sorry sight.
After this event, many of the Heavy Infantry soldiers were left with a shadow in their psyche. Although that ‘vital area’ of theirs was protected by thick armour, when they examined their own armours, they discovered that the damage to many of their armours were mostly to that area… if the Peerless Battalion soldiers had used more force, perhaps they would have lost the capabilities of being a man.
“Battalion Commander Hua Feng, quick, get your Peerless Battalion men to stop!” Shen Ji said exasperatedly.
Hua Feng blinked his eyes innocently and said: “Ohh, Legion Commander Shen Ji, your command was just too fast. These men of mine, their reactions are just too slow, unable to keep up. Everyone… Stop!” Hua Feng was not as loud as Shen Ji, and he had to shout several times. In the end, Shangguan Fei’er had to shout a few times as well in the middle of the battlefield before the ruffians of the Peerless Battalion stopped, looking unwilling.
Ordinarily, in their training against their fellow soldiers, although the fights were bustling indeed, but they did have to take guard against future vengeance! Only when they were fighting against outsiders could take unleash all their vicious strength without holding back.
Both sides finally stopped. Yet, the greatest injuries were perhaps an unknown number of dislocated jaws… all those Northwest Army officers, each of them with blacker and blacker faces. Ahhh their money! How much money had they lost!! Many of them had bet several months of their pay! The worst off was naturally the Heavy Infantry soldiers; not only had they been beaten up so heavily, some of their armour even out of shape… they had also lost a huge amount of their wagers. In a long period of time after, any time the phrase Peerless Battalion was mentioned, groans of sorrow could be heard: “Ahhh, those Peerless Battalion bastards are truly not human!”
“Legion Commander Shen Ji, about our previous bet…” Hua Feng subtly asked in reminder.
By now, Shen Ji had calmed down. Although technically he had lost, and was also a loss of face to himself, once he calmed down, he found that his mood was actually quite good. Perhaps it was his finest elite Regiment, the ace of his Seventh Legion, who had lost, but do not forget that technically the Peerless Battalion belonged to the Seventh Legion. More importantly, this time, they would be helping the Seventh Legion on the battlefield. With them and the Heavy Infantry Regiment, it would be a win win cooperation against powerhouses… and that was not a bad thing for Shen Ji indeed.
“I have lost. We will go ahead according to the terms of our bet as promised. However, I will still have to speak a lot and arrange things with the Heavy Infantry Regiment first.”
Hua Feng smiled gracefully and said: “I’ll have to trouble Legion Commander Shen Ji then. Do not worry Legion Comander, on the battlefield, our Peerless Battalion will not disappoint you.”
Shen Ji looked at Hua Feng meaningfully for a moment before finally saying: “I truly hope so.”
After saying that, he turned around to leave, without even looking back. Having dealings with these ruffians was not an enjoyable task indeed. This temporary Commander Hua Feng was even more troublesome than that Zhou Weiqing. At least, on the surface, most of the times Zhou Weiqing was very amiable and was easy to get along with, but this Hua Feng fellow was sly and cunning . If he continued staying here, perhaps that Hua Feng would come up with another sneaky plan to trick him.
After that fight, the Peerless Battalion’s reputation in the entire Northwest Army rose drastically. Although, at the same time, they had drawn the enmity of nearly all the other army outfits. Of course, none dared to challenge them.
After Shen Ji spoke to him at length, the wounded Oni finally agreed to bring his Heavy Infantry Regiment to assist and cover the Peerless Battalion. Alas, Shen Ji did not know that in the near future, this ‘assistance’ would lead to his finest and most elite Regiment to be bought over y the Peerless Battalion.
Shen Ji had been right about Hua Feng being sly and crafty, but he had severely underestimated the degree… especially with such a villainous advisor like Mu En by his side, that was even more so the case.
In the end, Mu and Hong Yu had finally met up. Although Mu En had indeed ended up with two panda eyes, in the end Hong Yu had not beaten him up too brutally.
It turned out that when they were much younger, Mu En and Hong Yu had met. Under a particular set of unique coincidences and circumstances, Mu En had accidentally been afflicted with aphrodisiac poison, and Hong Yu had sacrificed herself to save his life… thus starting the beginning of this strange romance. Mu En had not been able to accept it at first… in stories, those who met such circumstances would be saved by top beauties, yet how come his meeting had been a lady who was taller and stouter than himself! After a few days of being a groom, he had ran off.
Who knew that by then Hong Yu was already pregnant with Crow. According to Hong Yu, the reason why Crow’s stature was shorter than herself was because Mu En was too short.
When he had first met Crow, Mu En had felt rather awkward, turning much more honest for a time. Although he did not know that Crow was his daughter, she had evoked his memories of Hong Yu. Towards Hong Yu, he did truly feel guilt and shame.
This time, with the entire Gold Crow Tribe here to join the Peerless Battalion, meeting Hong Yu once more, all his mixed feelings welled up within Mu En’s heart. Yet, he did not dare to tell anyone, not knowing what to do at all. At last, he still decided to sneak over and have a look at her. Who knew that it had just happened that Hong Yu was bathing at that time, and he had even got caught.
Although they had not seen each other for years, Hong Yu still easily recognized the first and only man in her life, even if he was wearing a mask. In the end, after running for a time, Mu En was caught by Hong Yu.
Being taught a lesson was unavoidable, but how Mu En managed to survive in the end, no one in the entire Peerless Battalion, not even the Heavenly Bow Unit members, knew. In any case, Mu En would never reveal such a thing even if he was beaten to death. Currently, Mu En was following him around everyday, as if afraid that this husband that she had finally managed to find after so long would run away again. In truth, Mu En had already accepted the fact. After all, his heart had been filled with guilt, shame and regret all these years. Meeting again after all these years, he was no longer the young man he had been then, and was much more grown up and mature now. He now had a wife, a daughter; they might be larger and more valiant than expected, but at least he had a real family.
“Old Scoundrel, that trick of yours is really too shameless and mean.” Hua Feng looked to his side, saying exasperatedly. Mu En stood there, no longer in his mask, revealing a clean clear face, definitely not ugly at all.
Mu En gave a humph and said: “Shameless? Mean? This is all for that precious disciple of mine. Our background and forces are just too few… since an entire Heavy Infantry Regiment is knocking on our doors, why shouldn’t we keep them?”
Hua Feng’s brow furrowed and he said hesitantly: “But… in the future… can we really bring them away successfully?”
Mu En grinned and said: “Heh, no problem… it is just ten thousand men. Don’t forget what status that little girl Fei’er is? If not for the background of the Heaven’s Expanse Palace, do you really think that little brat Weiqing can thrive and flourish so well, so easily and in such short a time?”
Hua Feng smiled faintly and said: “Alright then, this matter is settled then. You take charge of it and manipulate as you require. By the way! Mu En, sister in law is still waiting for you at the door, isn’t it time for you to go back? It is getting late.”
Instantly, Mu En’s face fell. “Boss, let me stay a while more… I’m already at such an age already, I am unable to withstand the rigours. As you know, her weight… it’s just too terrifying.”
Hua Feng rolled his eyes and said: “Stupid, can’t you just be on top?”
Mu En gave a bitter smile and said: “That doesn’t work either! As you know, the words that men hope to hear women yell out the most is ‘I want!’, but the words they fear women yelling the most is ‘I still want more!’… at her age, she is at the time of most need, especially after so many years of not meeting. Ahhh, my poor old waist!”
“Hahahaha…” Hua Feng burst out laughing uncontrollably. Looking at Mu En’s helpless expression, he almost fell onto the ground laughing.
“Laugh your head! If you keep provoking this old man, you just watch…one day I will slip you some of that same ‘poison’ if you are not careful, and let Shui Cao help you with that ‘antidote’. Hmph Hmph, you just wait and see!” Mu En rushed out huffily. As for whether or not his waist and back could last, or perhaps to say whether Hong Yu would pity him, that would not be known.
…
Fire Spirit Mountain.
The Fire Spirit Mountain was deep in the WanShou Empire, rather close to the Ten Thousand Beast Heavens. There were basically no beastmen living within a five hundred li radius of the Fire Spirit Mountain. Although the temperature was extremely good for survival, the terrifying volcano often erupted erratically, and it had stolen the lives of many beastmen before they had given up on living there. That was the reason why that even if the WanShou Empire Royal Family did not give the order to forbid them from staying there, no one actually dared stay there. No matter how tough and physically strong the beastmen were, they could not last against the power of nature.
A bout of green light descended from the skies, landing right at the feet of the Fire Spirit Mountain. The green light slowly dissipated, revealing two figures. It was Long Shiya and Zhou Weiqing, the teacher disciple duo.
Two days. In just a short time of two days, they had reached this place all the way from the northern border camp. Such speed was indeed shocking.
In these two days, Zhou Weiqing had truly enjoyed himself flying. In the process of flying, his entire body was covered by a thick layer of Wind Attribute Heavenly Energy, and with Long Shiya’s guidance, he had improved in his control over the Wind Attribute Heavenly Energy by leaps and bounds.
Flying for such a long period of time, Zhou Weiqing was filled with such envy. Two whole days! Several thousand li distance had gone by just like that… if only he had such an ability like that too, wouldn’t that mean he could go anywhere on the entire Mainland?
Long Shiya truly lived up to his name as the First Heavenly Emperor without a Great Saint Lands background. Carrying Zhou Weiqing along as he flew for two whole days, yet Zhou Weiqing did not see any hint of fatigue on his Master’s face. This was truly a heaven defying level of power indeed!
Looking at the Fire Spirit Mountain in front of them, it could definitely easily leave a lasting impression on anyone. Previously, he had looked at it from high above the ground, and though it was only a single mountain, it covered a massive area, and its mountainside was all a crimson red earth. Even from a distance, they had already started feeling the rolling waves of heat lashing out at them. At this time of the year, it might have not fully entered winter, but such a temperature at the north… it could only be at such a place.
Plumes of smoke flew out constantly from the top of the Fire Spirit Mountain, even to the point that large ripples of water could be seen twisting. One could imagine the sheer temperature.
Long Shiya looked toward Zhou Weiqing and said seriously: “Weiqing, this is your last chance. Think carefully now. Once you begin, there will not be any chance to stop, not even I can help in that. It will be do or die then. In truth, for myself, I do not wish for you to take such a huge risk. Training and cultivation is always the best to be done in proper order and step by step, and I know that if you do so, you will definitely surpass I, your Master, in the future…”
Zhou Weiqing gave a bitter smile and said: “Master, I know that, but time waits for no man! I do not have a choice. A man can choose his actions, to sacrifice some things to accomplish others, but if I cannot even protect my own women, then what is the point of training so hard? Master, do not worry, I still have so many things to do, I will die so easily. You know how afraid of death I am, no matter how painful it is, I will not give up, how could I bear to give up!?”
Long Shiya shook his head helplessly before saying: “You little brat! Alright then, since you have made your choice, let us go. Do keep in mind, as long as I am here, your life will not be in danger. No matter how much the pain is, you must endure it.”
