Chapter 1690: then title translation, then ===GLOSSARY=== with list of named entities appearing in these lines

Three troops gathered toward this deserted ancient fortress; although Hu Xiaotian did not know the Soul-Capturing Technique, with Wei Sa's help he also mastered the Spirit-Stabilizing Technique, knowing how to resist, and even standing beside Wei Sa he was unaffected.

The three high-speed approaching troops visibly slowed down, and each of the Dangyi tribesmen became entranced by the huji melody, their faces showing utter bewilderment.

The huji melody suddenly shifted, like howling gales, sudden downpours, ten thousand horses galloping; the huji melody then seeped like water into the Dangyi tribesmen's innermost hearts, their gazes turning from bewildered to angry and then ferocious; as the huji grew more intense, they went mad, charging at each other, and the three troops fell into frenzied combat.

Everyone, including Zong Tang, was shocked by the scene before them; thanks to earplugs they were unaffected by the huji melody. Zong Tang, well-traveled and knowledgeable, had previously witnessed soul-capturing techniques, but he never expected that this beautiful foreign maiden, Wei Sa, was actually a hidden master of the art.

Xiong Tianba had already prepared his fifty warriors for a bloody battle; although he spoke lightly, he knew deep down the fight would not be easy, given the enemy numbered nearly forty times theirs. With absolute superiority in forces, victory would still come at a cost. The fifty elite warriors had already prepared their Chasing Star Repeating Crossbows—a design by Zhuge Guanqi improved by Zong Tang—capable of firing ten bolts in succession, with tremendous power.

In their planned scheme, using the Chasing Star Repeating Crossbow to snipe key targets from afar was crucial; they were poised and ready, Xiong Tianba even prepared to lead the charge, yet he now realized the true key to victory lay in the seemingly frail Wei Sa.

Hu Xiaotian looked down at the Dangyi tribesmen slaughtering wildly. He felt no sympathy whatsoever; these people had come to massacre them, and perhaps among them were the killers of Tang Tiehan and his brothers—against enemies one must show no mercy.

As the huji melody grew more intense, Wei Sa's icy-blue eyes flashed with mysterious light; after cultivating the Sun-Shooting True Scripture together with Hu Xiaotian, her inner strength advanced by leaps and bounds, and with that powerful foundation her mastery of the Soul-Capturing Technique naturally progressed rapidly.

Hu Xiaotian and his companions momentarily became mere spectators; although Wei Sa's bewitching melody could not fully affect two thousand people, even such power was not to be underestimated. The hundreds of Dangyi tribesmen whose minds were clouded went mad, turning on their comrades, swinging weapons in frenzied slaughter; even the clear-headed tribesmen had to rise and meet them, and in an instant the scene descended into chaos, with cries of killing ringing out.

Hu Xiaotian burst out laughing at the sight, while Xiong Tianba felt an unbearable itch. This fellow loved a fight; seeing such a lively scene yet being unable to join was maddening. Had Hu Xiaotian not been there to restrain him, he would surely have swung his great hammer and charged out to slaughter indiscriminately.

At that moment, a sonorous horn blast rang out. The horn's sound rolled in, intertwining with the stirring huji melody. The different tunes were like a tiger lunging at a flood dragon; although Wei Sa's bewitching melody continued, the horn seriously interfered with its effect.

Many Dangyi warriors had already awakened from their earlier confused state.

Hu Xiaotian looked into the distance and saw a foreign monk clad in reddish-brown robes, holding a long horn, puffing his cheeks as he blew a strange melody; the sound cut through the quiet night and carried across the endless grasslands.

Hu Xiaotian gave a cold snort, drew his Profound Iron Sword, and said to Zong Tang, 'Elder Brother Zong, you hold this place; I'll go take out those two lamas!' As soon as he spoke, he sprang into flight, employing the Art of Soaring like a great bird toward the night sky.

The awakened Dangyi tribesmen noticed the commotion above and hastily drew their bows. At that moment, the warriors stationed on the fortress, under Zong Tang's order, loosed dozens of bolts together; the bolts fell like a swarm of locusts into the Dangyi ranks. The Chasing Star Repeating Crossbow can fire ten bolts in succession, and because they held advantageous terrain while the Dangyi tribesmen had not yet steadied from the chaos, the frontline fighters fell like wheat before a scythe.

Hu Xiaotian used his Profound Iron Sword to bat away the arrows aimed at him, then struck downward with a fierce sword aura, slicing through the crowd like cutting melons and vegetables, sending severed limbs flying; cries rose and fell, yet Hu Xiaotian leveraged that chop to launch himself skyward again, his target the red-robed foreign monk.

At the same time, a lone rider burst from the ruined fortress like a black cloud, wielding two great iron hammers that spun like windmills—it was Xiong Tianba. This dark-skinned youth charged like a tiger descending the mountain, single-handedly horseback into the enemy ranks, swinging his hammers back and forth; anyone touched died instantly, anyone struck perished—he was a reincarnated slaughter-god, gods who block him are slain, Buddhas who stand in his way are destroyed!

Seeing Hu Xiaotian dive down from the sky, the red-robed foreign monk's eyes flashed with a cold, sinister light; he puffed his chest, then expelled all the qi from his torso into the horn, which disintegrated, sending a golden ring spinning upward into the air, emitting a sharp, wailing whistle as it rotated at high speed.

Hu Xiaotian brought his Profound Iron Sword down on that golden ring with a clang! The strike hit squarely but did not cleave the ring; it merely altered its course, tracing an arc in the air before swooping back toward the back of Hu Xiaotian's head.

Hu Xiaotian muttered an oath, then with another strike sent the ring flying, and accelerated his dive, thrusting his Profound Iron Sword straight at the monk's chest. 'To kill a chicken, no need for an ox-cleaver,' he thought; he did not use the Heaven-Splitting Strike, believing this blow sufficient to repel his foe.

The red-robed monk shook the horn's shaft, conjuring hundreds of golden light-shades that instantly clashed countless times with Hu Xiaotian's Profound Iron Sword, producing a continual strange ding-dong clatter; Hu Xiaotian felt his scalp go numb. Though his inner strength far surpassed the monk's, driving him back repeatedly, the eerie, piercing sound stabbed his temples like needles, causing a faint ache.

From behind came that strange wailing again—it was the golden ring returning for another attack. Hu Xiaotian found it peculiar; the thing seemed fitted with a tracker, having been struck away twice by him yet still accurately locating his position. He glanced into the crowd and saw a pair of cold eyes fixed on him, belonging to a figure swathed in a black cloak, tightly wrapped, only the eyes exposed.

Hu Xiaotian backhanded his sword, this time striking flat with the blade, slamming the golden ring with full force; it deformed and fell awry to the ground.

The red-robed monk again pressed his mouth to the horn's shaft, cheeks bulging. His movement could not match Hu Xiaotian's; the latter instantly redirected his Profound Iron Sword and smashed hard into the tip of the horn's shaft.

The red-robed monk, slow to react, had his horn's shaft shattered by Hu Xiaotian's heavy blow, knocking out his teeth and thrusting straight into his throat, emerging from the back of his neck. The monk stared wide-eyed, then fell straight down, never understanding why he died by his own horn.

Hu Xiaotian snorted contemptuously: 'Let you like blowing horns!' His gaze, however, locked onto the black-cloaked figure, his expression turning grave as he saw that person gliding toward him, feet hovering a foot above the ground without touching.

Hu Xiaotian inwardly sighed; he had seen many experts, yet aside from Master Yuan Kong of Tianlong Temple, no one had displayed such astonishing movement. Though his inner strength was considerable, he could not reach that level. To find such a top-tier master hidden among the Dangyi tribe made him realize tonight was truly a killing game.

The figure sighed softly: 'Heaven offers a path you refuse to take; hell has no gate, yet you insist on entering.'

Hu Xiaotian's heart jolted; from the voice he identified the speaker as none other than the monk Bu Wu who had once taught him the Art of Soaring.

Hu Xiaotian looked at Monk Bu Wu and said, 'Master, greetings!' Indeed, they truly shared a master-disciple bond.

Bu Wu replied indifferently, 'You are not my disciple, nor am I your master.'

Hu Xiaotian smiled: 'Some things that have happened can never be changed; congratulations, Master, on regaining your sight.' He dimly guessed that Bu Wu's eyes had been granted by Ren Tianqing, chief of Xuantian Guan; the last time Bu Wu appeared in the palace, it was because someone had commissioned him to deal with Hu Xiaotian and Xi Yan, and his presence here now likely served the same purpose—even a peak-level old monster could be controlled, showing how terrifying his controller must be.

Bu Wu said, 'Someone has ordered me to kill you.'

Hu Xiaotian burst out laughing: 'Still, you're frank enough, old man—who is it, and why do they hate me?'

Bu Wu said, 'Out of regard for our former master-disciple ties, I might as well tell you: the Yongyang Princess.'

Hu Xiaotian's heart skipped a beat, then doubts arose: Why would Qiqi want to kill him? Could it be because he was to marry Long Xi Yue? No, if she truly hated him, given her nature she would rather kill Xi Yue; his death would settle everything, so Qiqi could not vent her hatred that way—she would need to make him suffer a lifetime. Reflecting thus, he realized he actually understood Qiqi quite well. With a formidable foe before him, he dared not slacken, and nodding to Bu Wu he said, 'Out of respect for our former master-disciple bond, go now; I'll spare your life.'

Bu Wu stared at Hu Xiaotian as if hearing the world's biggest joke, then gave a heh-heh cold laugh: 'I'd like to see just how much you're worth!' (To be continued~^~)