Chapter 866

Southern Song, inside Xiangyang City.

Following the Jin Dynasty's repeated sieges of Xiangyang City, and the fact that the Golden Wheel Dharma King frequently harassed the martial artists within the city using his own incomparably tyrannical physical strength.

During this period, quite a few people had already died here in Xiangyang City.

What made Guo Jing feel the most sorrowful was that his master, Hong Qigong, had been struck directly by the Golden Wheel Dharma King's incomparably powerful physical strength some time ago, because he had been distracted on the battlefield while trying to save his Beggar Sect disciples.

With just a single strike, Hong Qigong's heart meridians were shattered on the spot, and he fell directly.

And after Guo Jing saw this scene, although he wanted to avenge his master with his own hands, the Golden Wheel Dharma King did not linger in battle after succeeding with one strike.

He flew directly toward another direction.

Guo Jing could only carry Hong Qigong's corpse back into Xiangyang City.

The event of Hong Qigong's death dealt a deep blow to Guo Jing's soul.

For several days in a row, Guo Jing's thoughts were entirely focused on Hong Qigong's death.

At this moment, Guo Jing felt extremely self-reproachful in his heart; he began to doubt his own convictions, and Guo Jing even began to attribute everything currently happening in Xiangyang City to himself.

"Master, it is this disciple's fault."

"It is all this disciple's fault. If I hadn't been so stubborn and had listened to you and left Xiangyang City, perhaps none of this would have happened."

Guo Jing knelt before Hong Qigong's corpse, murmuring helplessly.

Guo Jing felt that just because of his decision to hold Xiangyang City, so many people had been killed.

The Hong Qigong before his eyes was only one of them; those young disciples from various sects whose names Guo Jing couldn't even recall should have all been enjoying their own lives in the Wu Lin.

Originally, they all should have had their own stories, their own loves, hates, and grievances.

Just because of Guo Jing's own foolish loyalty, these young lives were all crushed under this meat grinder of war before they even had a chance to bloom.

Facing everything happening now, Guo Jing felt extremely self-reproachful in his heart, and a trace of anger began to rise.

What made Guo Jing angry was the imperial court; Guo Jing did not understand, now that they were facing the Jin Dynasty's offensive, what was the imperial court doing?

Why had he, Guo Jing, together with so many hot-blooded young men of the Wu Lin, guarded Xiangyang City for such a long time without seeing any reinforcements sent by the imperial court?

Guo Jing watched Yang Guo and his wife Lu Wushuang narrowly escape death on the battlefield time and time again.

He saw the auras of his three brothers, Qiao Feng, Duan Yu, and Xuzhu, who had traveled thousands of miles to Xiangyang City to help him, gradually wither away.

Endless self-reproach truly appeared in Guo Jing's heart.

Just after resisting another day of the Jin Dynasty's offensive, feeling that the auras within the bodies of these martial artists around him had become chaotic and unbearable.

Even Yang Guo, Xiaolongnü, Duan Yu, Xuzhu, and Qiao Feng, who had stepped into the Earth Immortal Realm just like Guo Jing himself, had their internal energy depleted due to sleepless and tireless fighting.

Guo Jing's heart felt as if it were being torn apart.

After a moment, Guo Jing's eyes gradually became firm.

Subsequently, he walked to the unified resting place built for the martial artists in Xiangyang City.

When Guo Jing first appeared, Yang Guo sensed Guo Jing's aura.

However, just as Yang Guo wanted to call out "Uncle Guo," he suddenly felt that Guo Jing seemed a bit off today.

Before Yang Guo could go over to investigate anything, Guo Jing directly used his internal energy to shout to the many martial artists who had traveled thousands of miles from all over to reach Xiangyang City:

"Brothers, during this time you have helped me defend against the Jin soldiers in Xiangyang City, and Guo Jing is truly grateful to you all."

"But after the events of these days, Guo Jing has finally realized that Xiangyang City cannot be held by us alone!"

"Brothers, go back! Withdraw from Xiangyang City. If we continue to stay here, it will only be in vain and increase our casualties!"

"Guo Jing truly does not want to see so many fine young men of the Wu Lin, who could have described their own stories wantonly, die here because of my own affairs!"

"I... want to give up."

After hearing Guo Jing's words, the originally noisy crowd instantly became quiet.

It is unknown who started it, but these martial artists, who usually wouldn't shed a tear even when wounded, bleeding, or being killed, began to cry one after another.

They were not crying now because they could leave this place as Guo Jing said, leave this meat grinder, and finally be able to live on.

Rather, it was because they were disappointed in Guo Jing. If Guo Jing had remained as he always was, these martial artists would never have uttered a single word of complaint, even if they had died.

After all, they were willing to die for the Guo Jing who could be crowned as the "Greatest of Heroes"!

They were willing to accompany this generation's great hero, Guo Jing, to the final curtain call of Xiangyang City, but now Guo Jing was actually telling them he wanted to abandon Xiangyang City and abandon the ideals in his heart.

This made the surviving martial artists who had come here feel a chill in their hearts—oh no, it was disappointment, disappointment in Guo Jing.