Chapter Ten: Surrounded

Ye Feng was the first to charge out of the mansion gates. Outside, a sea of people had gathered, lanterns and torches illuminating the night as bright as day. Countless soldiers stood fully armed, bows drawn and arrows nocked, forming a formidable array.

At the head of the assembled troops sat a man atop a horse, clad in iron armor, with fierce brows and eyes like a leopard's, his face bristling with a thick beard, and a body as sturdy as an iron tower. In each hand, he wielded a massive nine-section steel whip.

This man was none other than Wu Renfu, the lord of Black Earth City.

When Wu Renfu saw Ye Feng burst out of the mansion, he bellowed, "Loose the arrows!"

Instantly, a volley of arrows rained down, darkening the sky. There was nowhere for Ye Feng to dodge. If he tried to evade, the arrows would surely strike his family behind him. Instead, he advanced rather than retreated, swinging his twin iron hammers to swat away the incoming arrows, his body flashing forward like a bolt of lightning.

"Hahaha! Well done, boy! You do have some skill!" Wu Renfu could not help but shout his praise, then swung his two steel whips down at Ye Feng with all his might.

Seeing the whips descending, Ye Feng hurriedly raised his hammers to block.

A thunderous clang exploded, like a bolt from a clear sky. Sparks flew in all directions, illuminating Ye Feng’s form as he was sent flying, crashing heavily to the ground. The force was so great that even Wu Renfu’s horse staggered backward several steps.

Wu Renfu reined in his mount, feeling his arms go numb, his palms burning from the impact. As he was about to rush forward and capture Ye Feng, a woman dressed in black darted past, lifting Ye Feng and pulling him to safety.

Ye Feng had been rescued by Murong Yan. Though the force of the blow and the fall had been severe, his body was no longer what it once was, and he emerged unscathed. He flexed his arms and joints, feeling the tingling sensation dissipate. Gritting his teeth, he cursed, "Old man, you’re strong, but I’m not finished with you yet!"

Brandishing his hammers, he prepared to charge Wu Renfu again.

“Young Master Ye, you are not his match. Let me handle him,” Murong Yan interposed, blocking his path. With a flick of her sword, she leaped forward to face Wu Renfu.

Standing before him, she leveled her blade and shouted, “Wu, do you call yourself a hero, relying on numbers? Release them, and let us duel!”

Wu Renfu threw back his head and roared with laughter. “You little girl, think you have the right to challenge me? You’d best lay down your arms and surrender!”

Murong Yan’s brows shot up as she retorted, “Nonsense! We haven’t fought yet—how do you know I’ll lose? If I am defeated, do with me as you will. But if I win, what then?”

Wu Renfu’s arrogance knew no bounds. “Such big words from a child! Very well, if you can best me, I’ll let all of you go free.”

Behind her, Ye Feng, worried for Murong Yan’s safety, called from a distance, “Old scoundrel, picking on a girl—what kind of hero are you? If it’s a duel you want, count me in!”

He leaped forward, hammers poised, ready to join the fight.

“Fine! Both of you at once, then. I’ll deal with you together!” Wu Renfu roared.

Just as Ye Feng was about to charge, Murong Yan stopped him, whispering close to his ear, “Young Master Ye, leave this old villain to me. Your family still needs your protection. If I lose, do not worry about me—just flee with your kin! I will find my own way out.”

She had already calculated: Ye Feng had only just begun to train in the Demon-Slaying Art and lacked the necessary strength. If both of them fought Wu Renfu together, Ye Feng would only hinder her. Besides, with no one left to guard his family, if the enemy soldiers surged forward, his family would be in peril, distracting her and giving Wu Renfu the advantage.

Ye Feng considered her words, then reluctantly retreated, though he was still uneasy. “Miss Murong, be careful!” he called, then pointed angrily at Wu Renfu. “Old villain, I’ll let you live today, but I’ll settle this with you another day!”

Wu Renfu was incensed. “Two brats who know nothing of the world! I’ll teach you a lesson myself!” With that, he lifted his whips and struck at Murong Yan.

She saw the blows coming and, quick as thought, circled behind his horse, sword at the ready, and stabbed at Wu Renfu’s back.

Wu Renfu was no amateur; he swung his whips behind him to block.

A shrill clang rang out, forcing Murong Yan back two paces.

“Little girl, so you do have some skill! Even at your age, you can control objects?” Wu Renfu sneered. Seizing the moment, he wheeled his horse and summoned his mental powers, sending both whips flying at Murong Yan again.

Knowing she was no match for him in brute strength, Murong Yan dodged aside, her body following the guidance of her mind. At the same time, she sent her flying sword circling Wu Renfu, waiting for an opening to strike.

Wu Renfu, too, harnessed his will, directing one steel whip to clash against her sword, while the other darted around Murong Yan, seeking a fatal blow.

Murong Yan dared not let her sword meet the steel whip head-on. She relied on agility, keeping her blade circling from a distance. Wu Renfu’s whip pursued her sword relentlessly, while his other whip looked for a chance to strike her directly.

Thus, from the start, she was at a disadvantage. The three weapons—one green, two black—whirled through the air like agile serpents, their owners weaving in and out of each other’s reach, a tangle of movement that left the onlookers dizzy.

Before long, Murong Yan, being a woman, began to tire. Her eyes flickered with cunning as a plan formed.

When the whips came for her again, she dodged, then leaped out of the circle.

“Old villain, you are far too arrogant. Today, I’ll reduce you to ashes!”

With that, she closed her eyes, formed a seal with her fingers, and pressed them to her temples, channeling her mind’s power.

At that moment, a powerful wave of energy burst forth, causing the torches in the hands of the soldiers to blaze higher and higher. The flames leapt and spread...

“Go!” she cried, and with a sweep of her hand, pointed at Wu Renfu. The flames from the torches surged together, merging into the shape of a soaring fire phoenix that spread its wings, claws extended, and swooped at Wu Renfu.

“Amazing!” Wu Renfu exclaimed, jerking the reins to pull his mount back. He too formed a seal and called upon his powers. Instantly, a sandstorm whipped up, so thick that not even a hand could be seen before one’s face, and it was hard to keep one’s eyes open.

The fire phoenix could advance no further, able only to spew fire at the sand and stones swirling before it, heating them until they glowed red-hot. But the sandstorm was in constant motion; as soon as the front was scorched, new sand replaced it. The phoenix’s flames grew weaker and weaker, until it finally dissipated entirely.

Still, the sandstorm raged on, growing ever fiercer, shrouding everyone present in an instant.

Suddenly, there was a loud, dull thud, like a heavy blow striking a burlap sack.

Ye Feng’s heart pounded with fear. Hastily wiping his eyes, he peered through the haze. The sandstorm had cleared. Murong Yan lay on the ground, her right arm wounded, Wu Renfu’s steel whip pointed menacingly at her chest.

“Little girl, you are indeed formidable—even at your age, you can commune with spirits! The Demon-Slaying Art you practice—is it of the Fire element? And what is your relation to Murong Yun?” Wu Renfu demanded.

Murong Yan glared at him. “Since you’ve seen through me, I’ll not hide it. Murong Yun is my father! I am his unworthy daughter, Murong Yan. You cur, you claim to practice the Demon-Slaying Art, yet instead of eradicating evil and restoring our great Xia, you serve as a lackey for the Demon Kingdom!”

“Bah! Rebellious daughter, how dare you spout such lies! Men, bind her!” Wu Renfu barked.

At his command, several soldiers rushed forward to tie up Murong Yan.

But her words had sent shockwaves through the crowd. Why? Because the name Murong Yun was legendary even among common folk.

Who was Murong Yun? He was a famed hero of the Great Xia—joined the army at sixteen, became a commander at twenty-nine, and repeatedly repelled invasions from the Demon Kingdom, defeating them so badly they wailed in despair.

Unable to defeat him, the Demon Kingdom resorted to sowing discord. The Emperor of Xia, Tan Yuanzongfu, became suspicious of Murong Yun, eventually arresting him and wiping out his family. Murong Yun died mysteriously in prison; the court claimed it was suicide, but the people believed he had been poisoned by traitors. Rumor had it that his son and daughter escaped that day and vanished.

Yet here was his daughter, alive!

“Feng’er, go save Miss Murong! She is the descendant of a loyal family—if anything happens to her, we could never atone for it!” Ye Xiaotian, hearing Murong Yan’s true identity, urged Ye Feng, heedless of his own safety.

Ye Feng hesitated. He had wanted to rescue Murong Yan, but feared for his unprotected family. Now, hearing his father’s words, he made up his mind. With a flash, he darted forward as swift as lightning, sweeping his hammers to knock the soldiers aside and lifting Murong Yan.

“You again, boy? Courting death!” Wu Renfu roared, swinging his whips at Ye Feng.

Ye Feng spun away, dodging the blow, and whisked Murong Yan back to safety.

Wu Renfu howled in rage. “You little bastard! Running away? Come back and die!”

Ye Feng was about to face Wu Renfu in battle, but Murong Yan stopped him. “Young Master Ye, you’ve only just begun to practice the Demon-Slaying Art; you’re no match for him. Let me continue the fight.”

She tried to step forward, but pain shot through her wounded arm. “Ah!” she cried, unable to move it.

Ye Xiaotian, seeing this, stamped his foot in agitation. “Feng’er, don’t be foolish! Miss Murong is the last of a loyal line—we can’t risk her fate for our own! Don’t fight Wu Renfu head-on; just take Miss Murong and go! Don’t worry about us, just save yourselves!”

Ye Feng looked at his father, then at Murong Yan, torn.

Murong Yan, seeing his hesitation, pleaded, “Young Master Ye, you must not abandon Uncle Ye and the others! What good is survival if we forsake them?”

She turned to Ye Xiaotian. “Uncle Ye, please don’t worry about me. I am nothing special, unworthy of such esteem.”

Her words left Ye Feng even more conflicted.

Wu Renfu, after cursing for some time and seeing Ye Feng still not step forward, spurred his horse toward them.

Ye Xiaotian, realizing Ye Feng would not leave, suddenly remembered something. He removed a ring from his finger and pressed it into Ye Feng’s hand. “Feng’er, don’t worry about me or the family. Remember, I have over a thousand men—guards and fighters—stationed at my shops in the city. With this ring, you can summon and command them as if I were there myself.”

He continued, “As long as there are green hills, there will always be wood to burn. Escape now with Miss Murong, gather the men, and return to rescue us later.”

Murong Yan, hearing this, remembered that she too had over a thousand men hidden in the city. If they combined their forces, they might have a real chance to mount a rescue.

She tugged Ye Feng’s sleeve. “Uncle Ye is right. Let’s escape first and gather our people. We can save them later.”

Ye Feng pondered, realizing the wisdom of their words, and was about to bid farewell when a great shout rang out: “Little brat, take this!”

He felt a rush of wind behind him—a heavy object crashing down toward his head!