Chapter 103, Han Pingshan

Translator: StarReader

 

At the foot of Misty Peak.

 

Daoist Qingshi walked along the foremost mountain path, guiding the vanguard of the Heaven Falcon Group.

 

Han Pingshan, leader of the Iron Sword Group, bore a stoic expression, carrying an iron greatsword on his back, accompanied by Manager Liu of the Heaven Falcon Group, the Young Leader Han Shu, and a thousand Heaven Falcon Group disciples.

 

The mountain path was flanked by undulating terrain and was rather narrow. The forest on the mountain was dense, casting shadows, with gusts of chilling wind blowing through.

 

Manager Liu felt that the surrounding woods were unnervingly somber and worried, “Daoist Qingshi, this mountain path is narrow; it’s likely to encounter ambushes!”

 

Daoist Qingshi turned around and smiled, “The paths on this Western Cave Mountain are all like this; the forests are dense, and the roads are narrow. But Manager Liu, rest assured, we have bought off several pirate chieftains as informants over the years, who are thoroughly familiar with the entire island’s topography, roads, and locations of guard posts.

 

“The pirates of the Whale Gang built a fortress stronghold on a precarious location called Embracing Moon Cliff on the mid-mountain slope, deploying thousands of soldiers. That place is the most difficult point to attack on Misty Peak. Taking the stronghold would allow a direct ascent to the main headquarters.

 

“The current mountain path is still relatively flat, the only way up to the Whale Gang main headquarters on Misty Peak. If Manager Liu isn’t worried, you could send out scouts to search the surrounding mountains. Our allied forces’ main body is not far behind, so there’s no need to worry too much.”

 

Manager Liu nodded and cautiously dispatched more than ten Heaven Falcon Group scouts to search the surrounding forests in front to guard against any Whale Gang pirate ambushes.

 

But nothing was found; the forest in this area was devoid of any human presence. From landing in Northern Swamp to now, they hadn’t encountered any trace of the Whale Gang pirates.

 

Manager Liu had no choice but to put aside his worries and led the Heaven Falcon Group disciple to continue walking slowly with Daoist Qing Shi.

 

Unknowingly, the mountain path became increasingly steep.

 

They reached a narrow pass where the terrain on both sides of the path rose abruptly, by more than a hundred meters.

 

Ah Chou trailed behind Han Shu, a flicker of apprehension in his eyes. He carefully avoided the gaze of Daoist Qingshi, murmuring to Han Shu, “Young Miss, perhaps we shouldn’t continue… What if there’s an ambush in these mountains?”

 

Han Shu glanced at Ah Chou, her brow furrowing.

 

The vanguard force was now led by Han Pingshan, with Manager Liu overseeing the formation and Daoist Qingshi leading the way. Whether they proceeded or not wasn’t something she had a say in.

 

Ah Chou sighed, unable to voice his concerns. Han Shu remained silent, and any further protestations would simply fall on deaf ears.

 

“How did this path become so steep…”

 

Han Pingshan surveyed the surrounding terrain, noticing the unusual landscape. His expression darkened, and he immediately called out, “Halt! Beyond this narrow pass lies a valley. We cannot enter! Don’t linger here; retreat several miles…!”

 

Before his words could fully register, a sound like snapping branches echoed. Several false stones atop the mountainsides lining the path were pushed aside. Hundreds of pirate elite archers poured out of the openings, a chilling volley of arrows aimed directly at the Heaven Falcon Group disciples below.

 

Li Biao, the Whale Gang Vice Leader, appeared, a sneer twisting his lips as he brandished a saber. Beside him stood a full forty to fifty first-rate experts, each wielding a powerful crossbow and equipped with finely crafted iron arrows, trained on Han Pingshan.

 

“Smbush! Retreat—!”

 

Han Pingshan’s expression turned ashen. He drew his exquisite greatsword, holding it before him as a shield.

 

“Retreat!”

 

“Fall back quickly!”

 

Manager Liu and Han Shu were visibly shaken, urgently ordering the disciples to fall back.

 

The over a thousand Heaven Falcon Group disciples were thrown into a panic, retreating along the path.

 

Boom!

 

They saw that alongside the mountain path behind them, seven or eight towering ancient trees had snapped in half and fallen across the path, blocking the route.

 

Over two hundred elite pirates, led by several Leader from the Whale Gang, burst from the dense forest, blocking the retreat of the Heaven Falcon Group disciples behind those fallen behemoths.

 

The Heaven Falcon Group disciples were filled with dread.

 

Ahead lay a valley with varying elevations and archers above. The sides were precipitous, with dense forests impossible to traverse. Behind them, the path was blocked by a chaotic jumble of ancient trees, their retreat cut off.

 

And hundreds more pirates were there to make crossing impossible—it was clear that they intended to capture the entire group of Heaven Falcon Group elite disciples in one fell swoop.

 

“Great Grandmaster Han,” sneered Li Biao, waving his blade, “I, Li Biao, acting on the divine calculations of Leader Liu, have been awaiting you for some time. Today you die! Fire! Destroy Han Pingshan and the Heaven Falcon Group!”

 

In an instant, hundreds of arrows flew like a rainstorm, blanketing the over a thousand Heaven Falcon Group disciples. Dozens of exquisitely crafted iron arrows were aimed directly at the Grandmaster Han Pingshan.

 

“Hmph!”

 

Han Pingshan’s expression turned icy as he took a deep breath, channeling powerful True Qi into his refined iron greatsword, his robes billowing.

 

This wave of arrows, once it fell, would undoubtedly result in heavy losses for the Heaven Falcon Group disciple; it must be repelled.

 

He suddenly leaped, soaring ten meters into the air, letting out a sharp cry as he swung his sword through the sky!

 

The refined iron greatsword unleashed nine massive blades of light, crisscrossing and covering an area of thirty meters in the sky, sweeping away the hundreds of arrows falling from above.

 

Hundreds of arrows rained down from the sky, only to be shredded into nothingness by those nine intersecting sword lights.

 

Only a few arrows managed to reach a distance, wounding more than twenty Heaven Falcon Group disciples, significantly lessening the casualties.

 

The Heaven Falcon Group disciples were stunned by this display and quickly scrambled to retreat. Grandmaster Han Pingshan shielded them from the arrows, ensuring their withdrawal.

 

With a single stroke, Han Pingshan cut down the sky-full of arrows before collapsing from exhaustion. The power of this sword technique was immense, but the True Qi consumed was staggering, nearly depleting a third of the True Qi within his body.

 

“Hiss!”

 

Whale Gang Vice Leader Li Biao and the pirates atop the mountain gasped, chilled to the bone at this spectacle.

 

Grandmaster Han Pingshan was simply too formidable; a single stroke had cut down hundreds of arrows. If he charged down the mountain, those few first-rate expert pirates wouldn’t stand a chance.

 

“Quickly, push that boulder down and crush him!”

 

Li Biao, now panicked, roared.

 

Ten first-rate expert pirates frantically strained to push, propelling the one thousand kilogram boulder that had been prepared on the mountaintop, sending it tumbling down upon the Heaven Falcon Group.

 

As Han Pingshan prepared to fly down the mountain to slay Li Biao and the expert archer pirates, covering the retreat of the Heaven Falcon Group disciple, he heard the mountain tremble and looked up in surprise. He then saw a massive boulder rumble down toward him and the thousand Heaven Falcon Group disciples.

 

If this massive boulder continued its unstoppable descent, a significant portion of the Heaven Falcon Group’s thousand disciples would surely be wiped out.

 

Han Pingshan took a deep breath, his temples bulging with veins, and infused his greatsword with powerful True Qi.

 

He abruptly unleashed a dazzling, ten-foot-long blade of sword energy, striking out at the boulder.

 

Boom!

 

The massive boulder shattered upon impact, splintering into countless fragments.

 

Han Pingshan gasped for breath, his True Qi significantly depleted.

 

In that instant, dozens of potent, refined iron arrows, brimming with powerful True Qi, shot forward like meteors, piercing through the swirling dust.

 

They instantly plunged into Han Pingshan’s chest, sending a spray of blood mist outward.

 

Han Pingshan staggered back several paces, his expression stunned. He looked down at the more than ten refined iron arrows that had penetrated his armor, his hand trembling around the quenched iron greatsword, collapsing to the ground as he lost his balance.

 

The entire mountainside fell silent.

 

A hush descended.

 

Ahead, dozens of pirates from the Whale Gang, led by Li Biao, widened their eyes, carefully observing the situation below, noting that the boulder hadn’t struck Han Pingshan.

 

They meticulously planned this ambush, their sole apprehension centering on Han Pingshan, this formidable Grandmaster. With Han Pingshan eliminated, the thousand Heaven Falcon Group disciples within this carefully laid trap were merely lambs awaiting slaughter, nothing to be feared.

 

“Uncle Han… no!”

 

Han Shu never anticipated that Han Pingshan, to protect them, these Heaven Falcon Group disciples, would shatter the rolling boulder, only to be riddled with arrows. She collapsed beside Han Pingshan, wailing in sorrow.

 

“Cough~!”

 

Han Pingshan coughed up several mouthfuls of fresh blood, gazing at the slowly rising morning sun over the Vastest Lake, and smiled faintly.

 

“Leader, you can’t die! What will become of the Iron Sword Group if you do?”

 

Manager Liu trembled, supporting Han Pingshan’s body, tears streaming down his face. Han Pingshan coughed up blood incessantly, seemingly trying to say something, but a surge of blood choked his throat, preventing him from speaking.

 

“Uncle Han, what do you want to say?!”

 

Han Shu pressed firmly on Han Pingshan’s chest armor, which had been pierced by a refined iron arrow. The rich robes were stained crimson, the blood seeping through the cold iron armor and the cotton clothing, watching him open and close his mouth, and she couldn’t help but cry.

 

“Leader!”

 

Manager Liu’s tears flowed freely, his voice choked with grief.

 

Around them, over a thousand disciples of the Heaven Falcon Group knelt and wept, consumed by sorrow. Leader had fallen in battle, and they too were trapped in this dead end, their escape routes severed.

 

The last glimmer of light in Han Pingshan’s eyes gradually dimmed and faded.

 

A Grandmaster’s fervent blood was buried on this Western Cave Mountain, beneath Misty Peak.

 

Ah Chou hid amongst the Heaven Falcon Group disciples, his face pale with shock as he saw Han Pingshan die.

 

He trembled as he reached for the waterskinat his waist and tilted his head back, gulping down the Concentrated Powder prepared within.

 

This potent medicine could allow him to rapidly surge to peak first-rate for a short time. He hadn’t dared to use it before, but now, at this critical juncture, he had no choice.

 

After a few breaths, his face flushed crimson as the powerful medicine began to activate within his body.

 

Beside Han Shu, Ah Chou whispered, “Young Miss, order the disciples to break through the encirclement! Otherwise, the Heaven Falcon Group will be wiped out!”