Chapter 74: Xu Jia

The Embroidered Uniform Guard's efficiency is extraordinarily terrifying.

The gate of Mountain Range City was wide open, and the Embroidered Uniform Guard stationed in the city quickly came to reinforce.

"You go first, I'll cover the rear!" Chen Yi He shouted to the Dragon Tiger Sect brothers. He was not afraid of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, but others were different; if they recklessly fought many with few, it would be no different than using eggs to strike stone.

Their retreat was according to a route previously planned by Chen Yi He and Gaodi Chun.

I thought we could soon shake off the Embroidered Uniform Guard's pursuit, but after half an hour, they continued to doggedly follow us.

Even with Chen Yi He blocking, casualties were inevitable.

Chen Yi He had to protect Xu Jia's safety while also resisting the pursuers behind him, and he felt bitter in his heart.

But if we hold on a little longer, it'll be fine! Ahead is a large river that cuts off the road between Mountain Range City and the neighboring city; if we don't take the suspension bridge and instead detour, we'd have to travel at least an extra day and night.

Once the Dragon Tiger Sect brothers had crossed the suspension bridge, the Embroidered Uniform Guard could no longer catch up.

Behind, a volley of arrows shot out! The arrows came suddenly, and many brothers fell from their horses.

Chen Yi He raised the Purple Tempered Sword high; a huge sword shadow rose from the blade, blocking the spot like a barrier! "Die!" Chen Yi He shouted, and the sword shadow fell, slaying who knows how many Embroidered Uniform Guard members.

The Dragon Tiger Sect brothers ran across the suspension bridge; Chen Yi He kicked his horse at the Embroidered Uniform Guard, grabbed Xu Jia from the horse in front, then leapt up, tapped his toes on the bridge's rope, and landed on the opposite riverbank.

The horse knocked down many Embroidered Uniform Guard members.

The suspension rope snapped, and the bridge collapsed in an instant, falling into the rapid river, taking with it several Embroidered Uniform Guard members who had just run onto the bridge.

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh!" The Embroidered Uniform Guard could only shoot arrows from the bank, but most fell into the river or were blocked by tall trees. They were furious and stomped their feet.

What remained was a safe retreat.

Gaodi Chun orderly directed his brothers' retreat.

……

Walking through the thickets, we had already left the territory of Mountain Range City.

Tiger Mountain was naturally no longer an option to return to.

The path left for these death-row prisoners now might be to change names and surnames, go to an unfamiliar place, and blend into an unfamiliar group.

Because the Embroidered Uniform Guard would not easily let them go, Eunuch Zhang, having lost a beloved commander, would surely fly into a rage! A manhunt across the world would ensue!

After running for two hours, the fleeing crowd finally slowed their pace.

Xu Jia was truly weak, and almost fell from his horse.

"Xu brother..." Chen Yi He reached out and steadied him.

Seeing the black cloth covering Xu Jia's face, Chen Yi He felt heartbroken, knowing that beneath the black cloth lay a face full of scars! The once clean and handsome white-clad scholar was no more.

"I... I'm fine..." Xu Jia said haltingly, he had not forgotten his good brother, "Dragon... Dragon King, where is he?"

Chen Yi He did not answer; he did not know how to speak.

"Dragon King, where is he?" Xu Jia steadied himself on the horse and calmly asked again.

Chen Yi He was about to answer when Xu Jia turned his body, interrupting his train of thought, and asked again, "Is it really as Qian Da said?" His voice trembled incessantly.

Xu Jia and the Dragon King had been close brothers for many years. Xu Jia had risked his life to raise tuition fees for the Dragon King.

Xu Jia knew he was a thief, and genuine brotherhood was rare, so he valued the brotherhood between himself, the Dragon King, and Chen Yi He greatly.

At the same time, he was also highly sensitive, with a suspicious sensitivity.

Chen Yi He nodded helplessly.

"How could this be?"

"I can't explain it right now..." Chen Yi He originally wanted to continue saying things like "he might not be dead," but then he thought, such deceitful words, even Gaodi Chun wouldn't believe, let alone Xu Jia.

"Then how did you come back? Hero Chen?" Xu Jia changed his tone of speech and his gaze as he sized up Chen Yi He.

As brothers, Chen Yi He was a later addition, joining midway.

The Dragon King had always been Xu Jia's good brother.

Xu Jia could not accept this fact; he tore off the black cloth covering his face, pointed at his face covered in knife and sword scars, and questioned Chen Yi He, "I fought to the death to guard the Dragon Tiger Sect for you! You, however, walked halfway and lost a brother! Ah! Is this fair?"

Xu Jia's face was so horrifying, covered densely with bloody streaks of scars, that it hardly seemed like a face anymore.

Chen Yi He did not know how to explain, or whether to simply not explain; was Xu Jia wrong? Abandoning brothers, he returned alone.

Xu Jia stubbornly refused to admit that Ma Ming had been killed by his two close brothers. He could easily have nodded and said "yes," then taken the reward money from the Embroidered Uniform Guard and lived happily somewhere secluded for the rest of his life!

Otherwise, the other five hundred twenty-five brothers of the Dragon Tiger Sect would openly be sent to the Yellow Springs by the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

The Dragon King's signboard would then collapse.

"Thank you for saving my life; I, Xu Jia, will surely repay this favor in my lifetime. Farewell." Xu Jia bowed his fists to Chen Yi He, then prepared to turn his horse and leave.

Xu Jia almost fell from his horse again, and Chen Yi He once again steadied him; he shouted at Chen Yi He, "Get lost!" He stumbled down from his horse, staggering, leaning on trees as he walked, and only after a long time disappeared from Chen Yi He's sight.

Chen Yi He gritted his teeth and did not follow; he didn't even have a chance to explain.

Gaodi Chun had originally wanted to go forward to find Xu Jia to explain things to Chen Yi He, but Chen Yi He stopped him.

"How are the casualties?"

"We still have three hundred sixty-three brothers." Gaodi Chun said to Chen Yi He, "Including those tortured to death in the great prison, we have lost three hundred ten brothers."

Chen Yi He gazed at the sky; half the losses were heavy indeed, and he did not know how to face the Dragon King. He silently swore, "This grudge, I will surely seek revenge from the Western Depot!"

The Dragon Tiger Sect brothers sat on the ground, not speaking of the joy of seeing the light of day again, but still immersed in the sorrow of their dead brothers.

In the great prison, they had already received news from the Thousandfold Gate and the Dragon King's death; the process was somewhat acceptable, even if, like Xu Jia, they could not accept it, they could not simply leave. They merely did not know how to proceed onward.

Chen Yi He briefly told them about his experiences with the Dragon King, saying he did not know how to face the brothers.

A brother comforted Chen Yi He, "Things are already over! Besides, you said our Dragon King might not necessarily be dead!"

"Yes indeed! The Dragon King always said that after entering the Thousandfold Gate, it becomes a game where life is wagered."

"The banner of our Tiger Mountain Dragon Tiger Sect will not fall!" A brother shouted, raising his arms.

Gaodi Chun said to the brothers, "Now we have reached the territory of West Pass City, which, like Mountain Range City, lacks many imperial eyes and ears; before their news reaches here, we can change our appearance and start a new life."

"What kind of new life? We haven't yet avenged the deaths of our brothers!"

"Yes indeed! Brother Chun, not avenging this grudge, how can we face our brothers, how can we face the Dragon King?"

Gao Di Chun lowered his head to think for a moment, then said, "Yes indeed! Not avenging this grudge, how can we face our brothers, how can we face the Dragon King, ah!"

Gao Di Chun's words were like a time bomb; in an instant they detonated the long-suppressed anger in the hearts of the Dragon Tiger Gate brothers.

Gao Di Chun turned and found Chen Yi He beside him, saying, "Yi He, if the Dragon King above or below saw us being bullied like this, he would not be able to accept it. His brothers have always only bullied others."

"We only have three hundred people; do we really think we can go fight tens of thousands, even millions of the Embroidered Uniform Guard?" Chen Yi He found it amusing.

"Even if there are only three of us, we must vent this anger!" Gao Di Chun said firmly, "Now the brothers can only follow you."

"I don't have that ability." Chen Yi He refused just as straightforwardly; Xu Jia had already been hostile toward him, and if he did such a thing now, how could he ever mend his brotherly bond with Xu Jia in the future?

"Now we only have three hundred people, but later we will have thirty thousand, three hundred thousand, three million!"

Chen Yi He was startled by Gao Di Chun's tone... Could this be the Dragon King's dream?