Chapter 44: Crisis

Feng Yan led the dwarves out of Li Guo City Gate and brought them into the golden paulownia forest; sunlight shone into the forest, casting a hazy feel, dreamlike yet real, making the human world show the so-called rich and noble hue, also a metaphor—perhaps that is the symbol of nobility?

"Golden leaves! Really not bad, just like that golden gold, that's how it is." Feng Yan raised his head, speaking thoughtfully.

Feng Yan held a sword in his hand, walking slowly, observing the surrounding terrain so as not to be ambushed, then slowly leading the dwarves deeper into the golden paulownia forest; they walked cautiously in the woods, fearing discovery. Yet a group ahead blocked their path; Feng Yan glanced at their attire—they wore neat black clothes covering their faces, clearly intending to take his life.

Feng Yan smiled, realizing they would attack no matter what he did, so he simply plunged his sword into the ground and sat before them, saying: "It's obvious you're here to capture the dwarves for the bounty; then kill me first!"

Just as his words fell, they rushed at Feng Yan, wielding various weapons; one fellow swung a whip at him! Seeing the whip lashing toward his body, Feng Yan sensed trouble, leapt aside, dodging the whip which struck a tree with a crack; he stopped, looked at the tree, and saw its bark had been stripped.

Seeing this, Feng Yan thought to himself: "Damn, if that whip hit me, it would really strip my skin!"

Feng Yan looked back; the dwarves had slowly fled far away. He extended his right hand, and the Black Sword returned to his grip, saying: "I wasn't at ease about them earlier, but now they've gone far, and I also know what kind of people you are—come on!"

The masked gang launched a coordinated attack on Feng Yan; due to their numbers, he fought while retreating, trying to keep distance, but they seemed to know something, clinging to him relentlessly, giving him no chance; soon beads of sweat the size of beans appeared on his face, he was pressed step by step, unable to use that move—at least for now, Feng Yan was completely suppressed by the masked men.

Yang Xin knew what they intended; standing not far away, he watched Feng Yan being pressed by the masked gang and laughed, saying: "Feng Yan, this is the conclusion I've reached: every time you use that move you must create distance, all your deterrence lies in that killing technique—meaning you rely too much on that sword; this time you will die in this golden paulownia forest, game over, I win."

Having said that, Yang Xin took down the crossbow from beneath him, fitted a bolt, aimed at Feng Yan's direction, and softly said: "Game over, then farewell, old friend."

Feng Yan struggled to resist the masked men's assault when a spear suddenly struck his chest, then slammed into a tree with a puff; he spat a mouthful of bright red blood, opened his eyes to see the bolt aimed at him, closed his eyes, thinking: "Old friend, you're still as cunning, but now I cannot fail, let alone die at your hands."

Feng Yan strained to rise, gripped his sword with both hands, and chopped at the bolt!

With a clear 'clang' of metal, the bolt snapped sideways into two pieces and fell to the ground. Feng Yan panted heavily, wiped the blood from his mouth, then drew a line across his palm; the masked men watched his blood flow onto the ground as he slowly began to change.

At this moment Feng Yan was utterly different from before; killing intent shrouded him, his formerly golden‑orange hair gradually turned white, his eyes became red, looking extremely ferocious; the masked men all began to retreat, seeking only the bounty, not a death wish, they started trying to flee the battlefield.

But Feng Yan had now completely lost his reason; seeing the masked men retreat, he charged forward and slashed a lone masked man with his sword; the black‑clad assailant fell, red blood spurting out and staining the ground; the man was not yet dead, he struggled to turn over, lifted his mask, Feng Yan glanced, then continued pursuing the masked men.

The wounded masked man watched Feng Yan slowly move away, then painfully shifted to rest his back against a tree and said: "For money? I am one of the Three Evils, also among the top bounty hunters, yet why still be greedy and want more? It seems this is the nature of bounty hunters."

A woman lay dying in the paulownia forest; as time passed, she could feel the gods gradually withdrawing from her, hearing the noisy surroundings, she said: "It seems I am about to die." She closed her eyes, awaiting death.

Feng Yan gripped the Black Sword as the masked men fled in panic; he pursued them relentlessly but lost sight of them, gradually regaining consciousness, slowly recovering his wits, he began walking on the road, intending to return to Wanggong, when suddenly he felt something underfoot; looking down, he saw a dying woman, her clothes tattered and ragged, Feng Yan gazed at her and involuntarily looked away.

"But what if there's a chance to save her?" Feng Yan said, then hoisted the woman and returned to Li Guo City Moat.

Feng Yan slowly carried the woman along Li Guo Main Street, his body covered in blood; passersby covered their noses and hurried away, while those in the distance pointed at him, making jokes as after‑dinner chatter.

Feng Yan carried the ragged woman to the clinic and said: "She can still be saved!"

But the doctor seemed not to hear, remaining silent; Feng Yan then took out a gold ingot from his person, slapped it on the table with a bang, and the doctor instantly opened his eyes, saying: "Hurry and treat the illness!"

"That's naturally best—if cured there's still a bounty!" Feng Yan said, about to leave, but the doctor stopped him and handed him a bottle of wound medicine.

Feng Yan took it, returned to Wanggong, where Chen Hao saw the state and asked: "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I was set up, but it's no big deal." Feng Yan waved his hand, dismissing it.