Chapter 104, Ah Chou

Translator: StarReader

 

At the summit, a profound stillness reigned.

 

All the pirates strained their necks, peering down to see if Grandmaster Han Pingshan had perished.

 

Li Biao widened his copper-ringed eyes, cold sweat slicking his palms.

 

Attempting to assassinate a Grandmaster was akin to walking towards one’s own demise.

 

For this ambush, he had deployed over fifty first-rate experts from the Whale Gang, along with a full five hundred archers and nearly four hundred swordsmen to block the retreat. Had the terrain not been too restrictive, preventing the deployment of even more personnel, he would have summoned additional Whale Gang disciples.

 

If they failed to kill this Grandmaster, the Whale Gang would undoubtedly suffer countless casualties.

 

Li Biao observed below, seeing that Han Pingshan’s body was riddled with arrows, his armor soaked in blood as he lay amongst the crimson pool. Manager Liu, Han Shu, and other disciples surrounded Han Pingshan, wailing and lamenting.

 

He felt a surge of exhilaration.

 

He was dead!

 

They had slain a Grandmaster!

 

With Han Pingshan’s death, the remaining thousand Heaven Falcon Group disciples would be easily overcome. Though they numbered some formidable first-rate experts amongst them, the majority were merely second- or third-rate. However, trapped within this narrow mountain path and under a barrage of arrows, they could not break free.

 

“With Han Pingshan’s death, these thousand elite Heaven Falcon Group disciples will undoubtedly be annihilated! One of the Wu Region’s five major factions, the Heaven Falcon Group, is on the brink of destruction!”

 

Li Biao couldn’t help but revel in joy.

 

The Heaven Falcon Group numbered no less than three thousand disciples, but these were the most elite. Eliminating this group would leave the remaining members of the Heaven Falcon Group nothing more than a hollow shell.

 

The pirates of the Whale Gang discovered that Grandmaster Han Pingshan had fallen in battle, and an uproar of cheers erupted. Through their combined efforts, they had actually killed a Grandmaster Stage expert from the allied forces—a veritable miracle!

 

…

 

The thousand disciples of the Heaven Falcon Group, hearing the cheers of the Whale Gang pirates echoing from the surrounding mountains, were filled with sorrow and despair.

 

Ahead, a large group of archers led by Vice Leader Li Biao of the Whale Gang stood high above.

 

Their retreat was blocked by hundreds of elite pirates, trapping them in a dead end.

 

Their only hope was Han Pingshan, and now that the first Grandmaster Han Pingshan was gone, how could they possibly fight their way out of this ambush?

 

“Can we still fight our way out?”

 

Han Shu’s eyes were bloodshot; listening to Ah Chou’s words, her expression was blank.

 

They were already trapped in a dead end, unable to advance or retreat, surrounded by over a thousand Whale Gang pirates who loomed above them, with arrows raining down from above and a tangle of branches blocking their rear, confining them within this narrow stretch of mountains.

 

Even Uncle Han, a Grandmaster, had fallen; Manager Liu’s combat ability was mediocre, and now who could possibly break through the encirclement?

 

“Young Miss, hurry! As long as Leader is still alive, and you are, the Heaven Falcon Group will not fall!”

 

Seeing her eyes filled with complete despair, losing all fighting spirit, Ah Chou couldn’t help but grit his teeth in frustration.

 

“As Young Miss ordered, Heaven Falcon Group disciples, follow me, and charge!”

 

He didn’t hesitate, roaring as he crushed the Golden Warrior Talisman in his arms, transforming it into a beam of golden light that enveloped him.

 

The Heaven Falcon Group disciple stood stunned, gazing at Ah Chou, who was now shrouded in golden light, appearing like a living Golden Warrior.

 

“Let’s go!”

 

Ah Chou pulled Han Shu along, leaping forward, his sword aimed at the towering trees blocking their retreat, vaulting over debris, and plunging into the pirates’ ranks.

 

A dozen wild blades and spears from the pirates came crashing down on him but ended up deflected by the golden shield, unable to inflict even a scratch.

 

“Quickly, follow Ah Chou, charge!”

 

Manager Liu snapped out of it, shouting at the disciple to follow close behind Ah Chou, wielding their swords and fighting the pirates who were blocking their retreat.

 

In that moment, Han Shu, following Ah Chou, felt a sense of unexpected reassurance.

 

Ah Chou was like Grandmaster Han Pingshan, charging forward with unmatched courage, forging a path for the Heaven Falcon Group disciples.

 

A flicker of hope ignited within the Heaven Falcon Group, and they followed Ah Chou and Han Shu toward the pirates guarding their rear.

 

“Loose arrows, loose arrows! Don’t let the Heaven Falcon Group disciples escape!”

 

Li Biao, seeing this sudden shift, was startled.

 

These thousand Heaven Falcon Group disciples were fish ripe for the taking, and he couldn’t let them get away.

 

And what was with the Golden Warrior Talisman suddenly appearing from within the Heaven Falcon Group? How did this person even have one? He didn’t have time to ponder these questions now.

 

“Shoot! Destroy the Heaven Falcon Group!

 

“Nearly their entire elite force is here. Annihilate them, and the Heaven Falcon Group will fall! Shoot down that golden guy!”

 

Arrows rained down from the sky, hundreds of them.

 

Scores of Heaven Falcon Group disciples were struck and fell.

 

Wave after wave of dense arrow rain descended.

 

With each volley, hundreds of Heaven Falcon Group disciples fell, their bodies piled high in a pool of blood. Within a mere handful of breaths, three to four hundred Heaven Falcon Group disciples had been shot down.

 

“Young Miss! Don’t stop; charge forward with me!”

 

Ah Chou bellowed, his body encased in golden armor, his power amplified tenfold, wielding a whirling blade and cutting through hundreds of second-rate pirates.

 

Not a single pirate could withstand his attack. Arrows fell, only to be deflected by a golden shield.

 

At this critical juncture, all Heaven Falcon Group disciples followed closely behind Ah Chou, fighting desperately to escape their doom and cling to life.

 

Ah Chou fought with incredible valor, his face smeared with blood, leading the charge. The golden light surrounding him, at some point, shattered under the onslaught of the pirates.

 

The remaining hundreds of Heaven Falcon Group disciples finally broke through the Whale Gang pirates’ blockade and charged out, retreating down the mountainside.

 

Ah Chou led the way, pushing himself to the foot of the mountain before finally collapsing, his breath ragged. His legs buckled, and he knelt on the ground.

 

“Ah Chou!”

 

Han Shu was visibly shaken and quickly helped him up.

 

Ah Chou was riddled with wounds, with more than a dozen swords and blades and several iron arrows piercing his body.

 

“Cough!”

 

Ah Chou spat a mouthful of blood, his pupils slightly unfocused, gave Han Shu a look, and forced a grim smile, “Young Miss… I was always ugly. Shot like a hedgehog, I’m even uglier now!”

 

“No, you’re not ugly at all!”

 

Han Shu wept uncontrollably.

 

The Ah Chou, who she always considered ugly, was no longer ugly.

 

Li Biao watched as the Golden Armor warrior led the remaining hundreds of Heaven Falcon Group disciples, broke through the pirates’ obstruction, and rushed out; he couldn’t help but feel annoyed.

 

“Such a pity I didn’t manage to wipe them all out. They were just lucky. But Han Pingshan is dead, and this place has been exposed. Go up the mountain. Retreat!”

 

…

 

Su Chen broke the Devil Mist Array’s core, learned that the Heaven Falcon Group disciples had gone to the foot of Misty Peak, and immediately chased after them.

 

From afar, he saw a scene of corpses of Heaven Falcon Group disciples and pirates scattered across the hillside. Hundreds of bloodied and ragged Heaven Falcon Group surged out of the foothills and onto the meadow.

 

Ah Chou was kneeling on the ground, covered in blood, spitting up blood.

 

Han Shu covered Ah Chou’s wounds but couldn’t stop the bleeding, crying helplessly.

 

“Ah Chou!”

 

Su Chen was shocked and lunged forward.

 

He rapidly pressed down on Ah Chou’s body more than a dozen times, stopping the bleeding, but this could only briefly slow the loss of qi and blood. He took out a few pills and stuffed them into Ah Chou’s mouth.

 

Ah Chou’s internal injuries were extremely severe; his meridians were nearly shattered.

 

Ah Chou laughed bitterly, looking at the arriving Su Chen, and said, “Brother Chen, you’re here. I’m going ahead; sorry about that. You and I agreed back then to become experts together and roam the martial world. I won’t be able to go with you. May we be brothers again in the next life!”

 

“Ah Chou! I told you… If things go bad, just escape!”

 

Su Chen’s heart was in agony as he tightly grasped Ah Chou’s hands, which were gradually growing cold.

 

Ah Chou smiled wryly. “I always dreamed of becoming a great hero, rising to prominence. I never thought it would actually come to pass. I really became a great hero of the Heaven Falcon Group, yet I have to die for it.”

 

Ah Chou coughed up a great deal of blood, a bright smile on his face.

 

At this moment, he suddenly remembered many past events.

 

He had been a minor server at the Heaven Falcon Inn, often bullied and beaten. Ever since he had Su Chen as his good brother, his fate had changed, and he had devoted himself to cultivating within the Heaven Falcon Group for four or five years, mixing to become a first-rate martial expert—this lifetime was worthwhile!

 

Once, he and Su Chen had cultivated martial skills together, filled with the passion of the martial world, determined to become great martial heroes in the Wu Region martial world.

 

But the cruel martial battles still took him away, falling at the foot of Misty Peak.

 

He still had many wishes, but there was no time left to fulfill them.

 

Ah Chou’s right palm clenched, gazing at the distant city of Gusu, and his expression finally calmed.

 

“Brother Chen…”

 

Ah Chou’s breath suddenly began to weaken; remembering something, he gripped Su Chen’s hand.

 

“Just tell me whatever it is, and I’ll do it for you. I won’t let you go in regret!”

 

Su Chen choked out the words.

 

“Home…”

 

Ah Chou left his final words, his breath ceased, and a heroic soul passed away beneath Misty Peak.

 

“Ah Chou—!”

 

A wave of grief surged through Su Chen’s heart; he threw his head back and let out a long howl.

 

He came here only hoping that Ah Chou could safely return. With Ah Chou’s death, what was there left in this Wu Region martial world for him to remember?

 

Ah Chou’s hand slowly loosened, revealing a spice pouch, a gift from Young Miss Ah Nu at the banquet.

 

“Ah Chou, I will avenge you. I will fulfill all your wishes!”

 

Su Chen stood stunned for a moment, tucked the spice pouch close to Ah Chou’s chest, took a deep breath, and gently closed Ah Chou’s eyelids.

 

Han Shu knelt, utterly lost, muttering under his breath.

 

Chief Steward Liu sighed deeply, “Young Miss, Ah Chou is a hero of my Heaven Falcon Group. Find a good place and bury him.”

 

…

 

Not long after.

 

Daoist Han Shan, Li Shuo, Sun Baihong, and other major leaders led the allied forces and groups of disciples to the foot of Misty Peak, learning of Han Pingshan’s death and the shocking news that nearly half of the Heaven Falcon Group’s elite disciples had perished.

 

Li Shuo, Sun Baihong, and the other leaders were visibly shaken, struggling to comprehend what had occurred. With Han Pingshan’s skill, if he truly intended to escape, who could possibly have stopped him? Even Liu Hong of the Whale Gang couldn’t have, right?

 

“Brother Han, you’re just too kind, always thinking of protecting the young ones!”

 

Sun Baihong, after hearing a report from a Heaven Falcon Group disciple, sighed in dismay.

 

The numerous corpses of Heaven Falcon Group disciples were brought down and laid out on the open ground.

 

Besides Iron Sword Group Leader Han Pingshan, there was Qing Shi and Daoist Han Shan’s five disciples, their faces a bloody, mangled mess. It was only by the robes of the Han Mountain Daoist Temple they wore that you could barely recognize them.

 

The allied martial disciples and the soldiers couldn’t help but mourn, a shared sense of sorrow weighing on their hearts.

 

“Father! Why did you have to die!”

 

Han Yun, the young master of the Iron Sword Group, cradled Han Pingshan’s corpse, sobbing uncontrollably.

 

“From ancient times, martial campaigns have seen many fall. This battle has claimed countless lives. Young Master Han, contain your grief. It’s not time for sorrow. Let’s continue the assault on Misty Peak to avenge Leader Han.”

 

Daoist Han Shan shook his head with a sigh, his gaze fixed on the peak of Misty Peak. “Only Misty Peak remains, the final confrontation!”

 

Manager Liu offered a few words of comfort to Young Master Han before approaching Daoist Han Shan, reporting that the Heaven Falcon Group disciples had encountered an ambush, suffering heavy losses, and their morale had been shattered—they were unable to fight on and needed to withdraw.

 

“Very well. Let the Heaven Falcon Group hold back behind us. The remaining soldiers and groups of disciples attack Misty Peak.”

 

Daoist Han Shan nodded faintly, offering no objections.

 

He found it odd, seeing a Medicine King Group disciple carrying the corpse of a Heaven Falcon Group young disciple, the other disciples of Heaven Falcon Group following like stars circling the moon.

 

But the atmosphere among the Heaven Falcon Group disciples was somber, and he didn’t pry.

 

Su Chen held Ah Chou, his face impassive, and passed Daoist Han Shan, staggering toward Northern Swamp.

 

Han Shu and the dejected Heaven Falcon Group disciples carried the remains of their fellow disciples, following behind, intending to transport the Heaven Falcon Group disciple corpses to Gusu for burial with the boats on Northern Swamp.