Chapter 114: Kneeling in Reverence

"Stop, I beg you, have mercy on me!" the old man fell to his knees with a thud, his eyes pleading.

"Then answer my question." Feng Yan's gaze was icy as he replied to the old man.

The old man glanced around, then looked at Feng Yan, lowered his voice and said, "I don't know what you're asking? Is it about these children?"

Feng Yan nodded; after receiving the reply, the old man sighed and said, "This matter can't be discussed here; please come inside."

The old man walked toward the back, and at that moment Feng Yan noticed a wooden hut behind him. Feng Yan gave a slight smile, finding it both concealed and amusing—a very simple thing.

Feng Yan followed the old man into the hut; the old man shut the doors and windows, and after confirming they were all sealed, said, "They are all disobedient children."

"Disobedient, children?" Feng Yan was taken aback; merely being disobedient, is that enough?

"Yes, just like that," the old man nodded, sighing as he spoke.

After receiving the affirmation, Feng Yan exited the hut and approached the pig cage holding the children. Seeing their tearful faces, Feng Yan felt the children were pitiful.

He sliced the rope on the cage with a sword, the cage fell to the ground and rolled. Feng Yan slowly approached it, then gently cut the cage open with his sword, letting the child crawl out.

"Thank you!" the child's innocent voice called, then widened its eyes to look at Feng Yan's chest.

"Big brother, your chest..." the child hadn't finished when Feng Yan lowered his head and saw the mark on his chest flare again, this time not a scorching red light but a faint blue glow.

"It's fine," Feng Yan replied, and as his words fell, the chest mark began to fade slowly.

Feng Yan felt a refreshing breeze, patted his chest, smiled at the child before him, and said, "Return to your parents; they must be very worried."

But the child replied, "It was my parents who locked me in here..."

Feng Yan observed the child; he was only thirteen or fourteen, his voice still childish, his youthful aura unmistakable, yet he uttered words Feng Yan could not believe.

So Feng Yan tentatively asked, "Then the children here are...?"

"Yes, we are the kind of disobedient children," the child in front clearly saw through Feng Yan's thoughts and answered first.

"Disobedient..." Feng Yan murmured, then waved his Black Sword, chopping all the pig cages in the forest down to the ground.

"So there were only four? Why did it seem like there were many before?" Feng Yan found it odd.

"No, you can't do that! You'll be punished by the king!" the old man shouted, powerless to stop the young man before him; his feeble shout was just wind in Feng Yan's ears.

Hearing the old man's words, Feng Yan glanced back disdainfully, gave a slight smile, and calmly said, "If you face punishment, remember to use the Eternal Spear!"

"What!" the old man widened his eyes, finally realizing that the sky that day had shattered like glass, somehow linked to the Eternal Spear!

"Then, farewell!" Feng Yan finished, and without looking back, led the children away.

Feng Yan was led by the children to the next country; along the way they frolicked, and a tattered Adventurer's Book fell from Feng Yan's pouch.

The children picked up the Adventurer's Book, about to play with it, but then they saw Feng Yan's gaze, which was terrifying.

The child felt scared, obediently handed it to Feng Yan, then, trembling, asked, "Big brother, is this thing important?"

"Hmm, very important." Feng Yan placed it back into his chest, and in that instant a girl's face flashed in his mind—she fell into his arms, covered in blood, smiling as she died.

"Who is this—?" The sudden image left Feng Yan startled; he only knew—it was a very important person.

The tattered Adventurer's Book in Feng Yan's pouch gave him another wave of reassurance.

This feeling was strange; as they walked step by step toward the country, the scenery grew increasingly different.

The green forests on either side gradually turned into houses of varying heights, some lavish, even larger than the Li Kingdom's royal palace, yet Feng Yan saw the occupants dressed in coarse hemp garments.

"What? So much money yet can't afford fine clothes?" Feng Yan chuckled inwardly, thinking some so‑called rich are just like that.

"No! Big brother, they simply cannot wear expensive clothes," the children again saw through Feng Yan's thought and shouted together.

Feng Yan nodded, indicating his understanding.

The children led Feng Yan to the gate of Li Kingdom; Feng Yan stepped straight toward the gate, but the children grabbed his hand and held him back.

The children shook their heads together, signaling Feng Yan not to go in that way.

"How...?" Feng Yan was a little confused.

"We'll be captured!" the children, their faces sallow, whispered as they glanced at the soldiers guarding the gate.

Feng Yan looked up at the gate soldiers, patted the children's heads, and in an extremely gentle tone said, "Don't worry, I'll have them let us in."

"Really?" the children widened their eyes, looking at Feng Yan, their gazes full of expectation.

Feng Yan nodded, signaling the children to stay for the moment, and walked toward the gate himself.

The soldiers noticed Feng Yan, watched him pass, and stopped him, asking, "What are you doing?"

"What are you doing?" Feng Yan retorted.

"Men, seize him!" the soldiers shouted.

The soldiers surrounded Feng Yan, and the children, a bit frightened, watched him with worry.

"Big brother, are you okay?" a child asked anxiously, looking at Feng Yan.

"Look, big brother draws his sword!" another child shouted.

The soldiers encircled Feng Yan, thinking they could take him down, but in an instant all their weapons were shattered.

"Wha—!" the soldiers widened their eyes, staring at Feng Yan gripping the Black Sword, their legs already weak and trembling.

"Then now, may we enter?" Feng Yan asked.

"Yes," the soldiers nodded.

Feng Yan waved at the children, signaling them to come, and the children happily gathered by his side, making funny faces at the soldiers.

"Big brother is awesome, we barely saw you; we only saw the sword's afterimage!" the children said proudly, hugging the big brother before them.

"Please leave the children behind," the soldiers requested.

"Why?" Feng Yan answered without turning his head.

"Because they made a mistake," the soldier said, "They didn't follow the higher orders..."

"Then state my name, Adventurer! Feng Yan." Having said that, Feng Yan led the children inside, entering the city.

"Adventurer!" the soldiers heard the title, felt a chill down their spines, realizing how much Feng Yan had unleashed in the fight.

"Without orders, I still cannot let you pass!" the soldier, somewhat frightened, still blocked Feng Yan's way.

"Is that so? Then how can we get past?" Feng Yan asked.

"You need approval to enter the city!" The soldier answered Feng Yan's words; he didn't dare face Feng Yan, lowered his head, and glanced at Feng Yan out of the corner of his eye.

"Is that right? Then please let us know; I and these children will wait outside the gate. Okay?" After receiving the reply, Feng Yan honestly retreated outside the gate.

"Yes!" After receiving the reply, a small squad of soldiers started running toward Wanggong. They also felt strange: Feng Yan, who possessed that power, did not kill that soldier.

"What place is this?" Feng Yan felt strange; the previously aggressive soldiers merely had their weapons knocked from their hands by him, and then did nothing else, yet they began to change their attitude—could this be a dog-like country? Thinking this, Feng Yan unconsciously curled the corners of his mouth, thinking it was a pretty good joke.

"This place will definitely be interesting!" Feng Yan looked up, seeing the eagles circling in the sky; they swooped down, snatched food from pedestrians' hands, then shot up into the sky, letting out a cry.

Yet strangely, the pedestrians appeared very happy; they knelt on the ground, the supplicants being saved by the eagles in the sky. They kowtowed and prayed to the eagles flying overhead, finally remaining kneeling on the ground, unable to rise, their actions extremely devout.

"How boring, adult! Either you kneel on the ground begging the eagles for protection, or you take out your anger on us kids." A child looked at that person's behavior and said with some contempt.

"Exactly, exactly, but that's what adults are like." The remaining children echoed, and for a moment the children's laughter rang out outside the city.

"Adult, don't you find these little brats annoying?" the soldier asked tentatively; he knew very well that these children were all troublemakers.

"I don't think so." Feng Yan replied coldly.

"Is that so." The soldier found it boring himself and had no choice but to return to guard the city.

Meanwhile, the soldiers arrived at Wanggong, saw their officer, who knelt on the ground and shouted loudly: "Officer, I have an important matter to report!"

"What is it?" the officer asked.

"Adventurers have come to our country!"

"What? Someone, go inform the king, receive them immediately!" the officer shouted excitedly, then stood up; the palace messenger arrived. He looked at the soldier kneeling on the ground, walked over and patted his shoulder, then went into the palace together with the palace staff.

The soldiers stood up, then were covered in cold sweat, yet also felt some anticipation.

Inside Wanggong, the palace here was not particularly luxurious; it was just right, the spacious hall used cheap marble columns, the whole hall in a dark gray hue, appearing solemn and grand.

Wanggong was reviewing the documents sent by the ministers, reporting on the city's affairs; hearing the summons from outside, he also responded, seeing the general also present, he then asked: "What is it?"

"Adventurer, here!" the general replied.