[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-dark-and-dawn-light-years":3,"chapter-dark-and-dawn-light-years-dark-and-dawn-light-years-chapter-210":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Dark and Dawn Light-Years",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2264810,4420,"Chapter 210: Stimulating Battlefield","dark-and-dawn-light-years-chapter-210",210,"\u003Cp>Li Lin was momentarily stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His plan was simple: assassinate a few people to reduce the enemy’s active forces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether it would trigger infighting, he hoped so—but dared not expect it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had prepared for the worst.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he truly couldn’t protect Zhou Qingqing, he could only abandon the mother and child.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all… he had done his best.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had no guilt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had anyone else obtained the Divine Bone, Zhou Qingqing would never have left Yuecheng—she would have died on the spot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet he hadn’t expected his assassinations to be so unexpectedly effective.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First, he forced a group to confront Zhenwu Sect; then, after killing one more, Zhenwu Sect turned traitor and dragged Shaolin into the fray.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All these people had taken cover in the woods beside the official road.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the Southern Frontier, other things were scarce, but forests were everywhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Trees grew in dense clusters, extremely lush, their canopies blocking out sunlight—let alone moonlight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once they hid in the woods, visibility dropped drastically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the most skilled warriors could no longer rely on sight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had to depend mostly on hearing to judge their surroundings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Li Lin was different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everywhere in these woods were his little paper dolls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These paper dolls were unaffected by darkness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, they didn’t see with eyes to begin with.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin moved through the darkness with ease and comfort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Already, the woods echoed with the clashing of weapons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It rose and fell in waves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some had hidden themselves, thinking they were well concealed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Gui had not appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over two hundred martial artists had gathered, many experts, their blood qi extraordinarily intense; though scattered, they still formed a vast circle of “blood qi.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Gui creatures had been driven far away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Using the vision of his paper dolls, Li Lin slipped behind a black-clad man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He thrust out his Shabone Liquor, then withdrew it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A scream!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He leaped back, swiftly darting behind a large tree, then entering stealth mode.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One seamless combo—this entire sequence took no more than three breaths.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The victim of the backstab had almost no chance of survival.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the wilderness, with such a grievous wound—a punctured kidney—he was unlikely to live.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, Shabone Liquor was poisoned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yin poison!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both grievous injury and poison—this was double insurance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After entering stealth, Li Lin immediately left the spot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The victim’s companion rushed over, picked him up, and shouted: “Second Brother, how are you…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His cry alerted even more people nearby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instantly, projectiles flew toward them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Plum-blossom daggers, sleeve darts, flying locust stones—everything!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black-clad man holding the victim roared: “Cowardly…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he collapsed, covered in projectiles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin, watching from afar, felt a chill run through his body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Brutal—extremely brutal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The entire forest had become a battlefield; after this incident, the surrounding combat sounds quickly fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt as if no one remained in the woods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin used his Light Body Technique to climb a tall tree.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he had the paper dolls’ vision, he was surprised to find he could only see a hundred or so people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The remaining dozens were hidden so well, he couldn’t spot them at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or perhaps they were in the paper dolls’ blind spots.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The forest grew even quieter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin held a stone in his hand and threw it forward and downward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>About five zhang ahead, a black-clad man hid behind a tree, highly alert.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the stone neared him, he suddenly dodged, then turned his head toward Li Lin’s position.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Li Lin had already left the branch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>*Thwip!*\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A dart pierced the exact spot where Li Lin had just stood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This man clearly excelled at concealed weapons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But at that moment, the stone struck a larger black rock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin hadn’t meant to hit the man—he’d only wanted to strike the rock, deliberately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>*Crack…!*\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sharp, clear sound rang through the woods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>*Sssssss!*\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another storm of projectiles rained down on the spot where the rock had hit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>*Ding ding ding.*\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many projectiles struck the rock, producing strange clangs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the black-clad man was half a zhang away from the rock’s location…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…he was struck twice by flying debris.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One pierced his chest, another a plum-blossom dagger lodged in his right thigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He let out a soft cry of pain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was instinctive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the black-clad man immediately realized his mistake and tried to flee—yet his injured leg slowed him; he’d only taken two steps when warriors hidden in the dark hurled more projectiles!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black-clad man collapsed with a scream, still breathing, still gasping *huh… huh… huh…*\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And his breaths grew weaker.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But his companions dared not make a sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They feared even the tiniest noise would bring death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, the black-clad man on the ground fell still; the forest fell silent once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This place was too dangerous—someone could easily die from stray projectiles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just now, a dart had whistled past his head—dangerously close.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin slipped away using stealth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He planned to move farther off and let them exhaust themselves first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So he turned toward Zhou Qingqing’s location.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin had never expected so many to pursue him, so his campsite was not far from the official road.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once inside the woods, a short walk would bring them into view.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, Ji Feng and the Qingcheng disciples had arrived beside the campsite.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then they saw a group of paper dolls standing ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the center of the paper dolls, a faint glow lingered—the firepit had not fully died out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that dim light, they could clearly make out the appearance of most paper dolls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some maids, some guards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then—thirty sword-and-shield soldiers, thirty spear soldiers, thirty archers, and ten cavalrymen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since cavalry was impractical in the woods, they had all dismounted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Ji Feng and the others arrived, the paper dolls’ heads turned in unison, all staring fixedly at them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji Feng’s daughter was the youngest inner disciple of the sect, the little sister, named Ji Rongrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this scene, she unconsciously pressed her lips tightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It looked terrifying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Purple paper dolls, faces painted with exaggerated blushes, appeared deeply eerie in the dark.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Does anyone have a firestarter?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A disciple walked over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji Feng lit a firestarter and was about to gather more dry leaves to ignite and burn the paper figures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, no one wanted to fight such things.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If something could be handled simply, it should be.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But at that moment, a volley of arrows shot toward them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji Feng instinctively swung his longsword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ding ding ding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several arrows were deflected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His face turned pale as he shouted, “These paper figures are suspicious—stay alert!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But his warning came too late.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At least two disciples screamed in pain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two paper arrows pierced their chests, burying deep into flesh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji Feng looked again at the arrows he had deflected and realized they were paper arrows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet they carried the impact of metal arrows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji Feng suddenly felt uneasy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1159,"2026-06-19T19:39:19.696Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","d59d28500ebe8c8a63fd2ce73d43b87c6e9cdd098072f9488e065b863ff7bf29","dark-and-dawn-light-years-chapter-211","dark-and-dawn-light-years-chapter-209",221,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fdark-and-dawn-light-years-cover.jpg"]