[{"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-211":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},2264811,4420,"Chapter 211: Paper Soldier Formation","dark-and-dawn-light-years-chapter-211",211,"\u003Cp>Using paper as arrows, using paper as swords, as hard as metal and stone—none of this is rare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Any martial artist who can condense spiritual energy can do it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just like our Qingcheng Sect, at least twenty or so of us can manage it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But these are paper men.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The art of paper-folding is a sinister technique—I’ve only heard of it used for ambushes and scares—but these ones seem to have considerable combat power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji Feng stared at the paper arrows lying nearby, his expression grim.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Should we press forward?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If paper men are guarding this place, then something important must lie ahead, worth so many paper men protecting it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If we move forward, we may gain great rewards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But equally, we may very well encounter a formidable foe and meet our end here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, the sword-and-shield paper men and spear paper soldiers marched forward in unison.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their force didn’t seem great, but since they were puppets, lacking any living presence, and colored a pale purple, they were deeply unsettling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Husband!” The middle-aged woman tugged his sleeve, signaling he must decide at once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji Feng glanced back at his wife; though long past her youth, Liu Fang, once famed throughout the martial world for her beauty, remained strikingly lovely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked at the advancing paper soldier army and said: “Advance.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At once, the Qingcheng Sect surged forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In their minds, no matter how threatening the paper men might be, what could they possibly do?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, they were just paper men.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji Feng, wielding a fine iron sword, led the charge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He slashed out, channeling strong spiritual energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His iron sword pierced through the paper shields of two sword-and-shield soldiers, but when it struck the third shield, it left only a scratch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His heart leapt—he leapt backward sharply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three paper spears thrust toward him; had he been slower, he’d have been pierced through three times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three spears formed a triangular formation, striking head, left chest, and right chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, these were soldiers trained for years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But paper men cannot have training experience—meaning their spear techniques were inherited from their creator.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This spear formation…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s the Yu Family Spear Array!” Ji Feng shouted urgently: “Everyone fall back! Flank them from the sides—do not engage head-on!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Qingcheng Sect reacted swiftly, retreating immediately and circling around to the flanks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But one weaker disciple was felled by the third-rank spear array, unconscious and with unknown life or death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji Feng frowned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Fang leapt over from the side and whispered: “Husband, these paper men are terrifying—they’re not ordinary paper-folding art. Who in the martial world today possesses such powerful paper-folding skills?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They don’t seem like martial artists—they’re more like soldiers, men who’ve seen battle.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No sooner had he spoken than the sword-and-shield paper soldiers shifted formation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon they formed a circular array, with spear soldiers on the perimeter and archers protected at the center.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sword-and-shield and spear soldiers dropped to one knee simultaneously, forming a circular shield-and-spear wall; Qingcheng disciples who charged forward were unable to break through, repelled by the shield wall and chaotic spears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They retreated a few steps, barely steadied themselves, when another volley of paper arrows flew in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A flurry of clinks and clatters followed, and thirty paper arrows fell to the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though no Qingcheng member was injured this time, they all stared at the enemy formation ahead and knew breaking through would be extremely difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What if we circle around the flanks?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The paper men move slowly—this plan sounds feasible—but those archer paper men aren’t harmless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To pass by the sides, we’d be hit by a full volley.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And who knows if there are other paper soldier arrays lying in ambush ahead? What if there are?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then we’d be caught between two fronts—things would become very messy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking this through, Ji Feng growled: “Fall back!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At once, the Qingcheng Sect withdrew, carrying off the bodies of two fallen disciples.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The paper men did not pursue; instead, they retreated a distance and remained in strict formation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Ji Feng stepped out of the forest, he saw An Xin’s Tianyi Sect also retreating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A spark of anger flared in him—he walked over and asked: “Young Master An, when did you emerge?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An Xin smiled: “When we saw the paper men.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“These paper men have some connection to our sect.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji Feng stared at him, his gaze sharp: “Are you mocking me? You’re the ones who said these paper men were suspicious.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes—but that was before I saw what they looked like,” An Xin said apologetically. “Now that I’ve seen them, I realize I was wrong about one thing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What thing?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If this is a quest for immortality, how could he possibly not be involved?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji Feng snarled: “You owe me an explanation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I can apologize to you, Master Ji—and from now on, my sect will no longer participate in this matter.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji Feng blinked: “You’re withdrawing?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes,” An Xin nodded. “As a friend, I must warn you, Master Ji: the waters here run deep. If your Qingcheng Sect lacks the swimming skill, you may drown.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you mean?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An Xin said: “The man I know, if he’s entered this scheme, then this matter must have profound motives. Have you considered why news of the Jade Bell has spread through the martial world? Qin Dong—after all, he’s a top general under the Prince of Qin. Could the divine artifact he obtained possibly be something a martial artist could touch? Could it be that someone is trying to lure certain people out?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I think you’re overthinking it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An Xin shook his head: “Our Tianyi Sect never acts without at least an eighty percent certainty. We’re leaving now. Master Ji, take care—until we meet again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, An Xin waved his hand and led his disciples away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji Feng gazed through the moonlight at the dark forest ahead—silent, yet occasionally pierced by distant screams.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked at An Xin’s retreating figures, then at the forest, and said: “Let’s withdraw a distance first. Wait until they’ve worn each other down, then we’ll enter.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Fang, standing beside him, exhaled in relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Ji Feng suddenly turned toward the rear—there, too, lay a small grove of trees.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who’s there!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He barked sharply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Out stepped twenty-odd black-clad figures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though their faces were obscured, each had a broad, powerful build—clearly expert external martial artists.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji Feng studied their footsteps for a moment, then said: “Shaolin Temple!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Amitabha.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The foremost black-clad figure clasped his hands gently: “Master Ji, your eyes are sharp.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It really is you, Master Kurong!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black-clad figure spoke slowly: “I am I, yet I am not I.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Buddhist sect preaches detachment and desirelessness—why then are you coveting divine weapons? Your cultivation is lacking.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black-clad figure smiled: “Cultivation doesn’t matter. The Buddha once said this place is karmically linked to him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If it’s karmically linked… then why don’t you seize it yourselves, and instead block our path?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You too are karmically linked to the Buddha.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black-clad figure revealed only his eyes—but they brimmed with murderous intent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Qingcheng disciples—on guard!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sound of swords unsheathing rose in waves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And at that moment, another group emerged from the nearby forest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the Daoist Xuanfengzi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master Kurong, long time no see,” he smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two groups—one ahead, one behind—trapped the Qingcheng Sect in the middle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1232,"2026-06-19T19:39:19.696Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","7f28f86adcf5549cd4c6fcad0d28e49f1b711d07443c0a2f8a34b09d62eeea71","dark-and-dawn-light-years-chapter-212","dark-and-dawn-light-years-chapter-210",221,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fdark-and-dawn-light-years-cover.jpg"]