Blood, thick with a pungent metallic scent, splattered across the peeling walls. Kobayakawa's gaze involuntarily lifted towards the ceiling before plummeting down with a thud.
His vision was a sea of red, filled with the ghastly forms of demons, contorted in death, wailing as they lunged towards him. Kobayakawa blinked laboriously, his eyes finally settling in darkness.
"Target is in a backlash state, probability of discovering its weakness increased by 500%."
"You have discovered the target's weak point! Your next attack will be 100% faster and will inflict 100% more damage."
"Target deceased."
"You have activated Blood Dipped, resulting in 0% additional damage. Hook Star State temporarily vanishes for one hour."
There was no time to glance at these notifications, nor to ponder the identity of the woman's voice. The gleaming blade of the Ring Dragon Snow turned, and Li Yan cast a swift glance before hurrying on.
"Lord Kobayakawa!"
A sharp-eyed member of the Red Reserve army caught sight of Kobayakawa's Soaring Skull, his eyes nearly bursting with fury.
His mind in disarray, his hand slipped in a greedy move, his Japanese Sword severing the arm of a soldier, only to be tackled by the man's full weight.
A sneer erupted.
Deng Tianxiong propelled himself up with a forceful spring from his legs, twisting his waist to dodge a blade aimed at his face, his own sword tracing a half-circle in the air. With a burst of strength, the wound on his abdomen split open, spattering blood droplets that fell in unison with the sharp blade onto the body of the Red Reserve soldier he embraced.
In a fleeting glance, the red glow on the Central Dagger Red Reserve Army's body swiftly dissipated, while the aura around the remaining two Red Reserves intensified.
Spirit of Kai (3): With fewer than five men, only the most basic status enhancement can be provided.
Soul-Sucking: The fallen Red Reserve soldiers provide their comrades with an attack and defense boost, the specific value determined by the deceased's abilities.
Another Red Reserve soldier, his samurai sword drenched in blood, did not hesitate to impale the fallen Red Reserve along with the barely alive Ming Army soldier. He then leapt back to evade the encirclement of the Ming forces.
As Deng Tianxiong's blade lost momentum, a Japanese Pirate lunged at his shoulder, while the Ring Dragon Sword Blade was already cleaving down.
The Red Reserve soldier, undaunted, counterattacked. The crisp sound of clashing weapons rang out continuously until, suddenly, the Ring Dragon Piercing Blade Encirclement targeted that shoulder. The Red Reserve soldier pushed off the ground, retreating backward. Now back to back with his comrade, their eyes coldly surveyed the four bloodied, silent, and weary Ming Army soldiers, as stoic as the mountains.
In this chaotic battle, the movements of several were as nimble as they were orderly, their weapons weaving through the space between pairs or trios, blades crisscrossing in a deadly dance. Blood Light twirled alongside the sword glimmer.
Within the confines of the modest tile-roofed house, no fewer than five bodies lay strewn. The fate of Diao the Blind was unknown, and Wang Sheng could barely stand.
Li Yan stood before the lifeless bodies of two Ming Army soldiers, fallen at the feet of the Red Reserve troops, and spoke softly, "Fall back, cover me while I clear the field."
Deng Tianxiong's face twitched, but he, along with the others, stepped back two paces, only to see Li Yan give him a sly wink...
Li Yan removed the net scarf from his head, his toes stirring inside his brown boots, as the broad Ring Dragon Sword Blade pointed directly at the two men.
In Li Yan's eyes, the threat level of a Red Reserve soldier was a light red, while that of Kobayakawa was a deeper shade of crimson.
However, to the Red Reserve, the threat posed by Kobayakawa Masakazu was an unquestionable black!
Compared to the Red Reserve's swordsmanship, which was in no way inferior to the ordinary, there was the unpredictable and lethal Vegetable Ghost Art, which could instantly rob one of their ability to resist with but a touch, along with various bizarre and venomous Ghost Techniques.
Unless five or more Red Reserve soldiers joined forces to unleash the Spirit of Kai, intimidating most of Kobayakawa's Ghost Entities, even the remaining three Red Reserve combined would not be a match for Kobayakawa.
Having just exchanged a few blows with this Ming Army General, he knew the man was stronger than himself, but it was impossible for him to have killed the formidable Kobayakawa, the master of Ferocious Ghost's Assistance.
"You couldn't possibly have killed Lord Kobayakawa; you must have used some trickery!"
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
The two Red Reserve soldiers stood side by side, the one on the left shouting loudly.
Li Yan didn't understand what they were saying. After a moment's thought, he tilted his chin up at them and spoke the Japanese phrase he'd learned from the Sword-Wielding Wanderer before ascending the mountain, "Are you an idiot?"
The two Red Reserve soldiers exchanged a glance and charged at Li Yan.
"Throw your knives!"
Li Yan suddenly yelled, and while the others were momentarily stunned, Deng Tianxiong reacted the fastest, hurling his Goose Feather Knife at the two Red Reserve soldiers. Amidst the whistling of the blade, the others snapped out of their daze and threw whatever they were holding.
Song Tongyi had been watching eagerly, and seeing this, he seemed to finally find an outlet for his frustration, flinging the plank in his hands with all his might.
Such a trick would not necessarily be effective against an ordinary person with quick reflexes, let alone the battle-hardened Red Reserve Army.
The two warriors deftly parried the incoming weapons with their katanas, knocking several blades away front and back. Most ludicrous was a nearly rotten plank, which appeared out of nowhere. One of the Red Reserve soldiers sneered, and with a slanted Red Blade Light, he split the plank into a shower of splinters.
As the wooden planks shattered, obstructing their view, a sinking feeling settled in their hearts.
"Cunning Ming Army," the two cursed, bracing themselves for Li Yan's anticipated ambush amidst the debris.
But as the planks hit the ground, Li Yan remained motionless.
What met their eyes instead was the dark barrel of a gun.
"Bang! Bang!"
...
Li Yan scrutinized the wounds on Diao the Blind, silent and pensive.
Old Soldier had two through-and-through wounds in his chest and a fifty-centimeter gash on his right thigh. But the most fatal was the gaping hole in his abdomen, a lengthy section of his intestines severed, the blood loss shockingly profuse. Amidst the icy, snowy landscape, this spelled certain death.
"My lord," Deng Tianxiong's eyes held a glimmer of hope, yet he found himself at a loss for words.
"He can be saved."
Li Yan nodded slightly, gesturing for the ecstatic Deng Tianxiong to step aside as his gaze shifted to the Tapir's Gift he had refreshed earlier.
"Tapir's Gift 0/1"
1. Divine Abnormality's Blood
Type: Consumable, Coating Material.
Quality: Rare
When applied to a Cold Weapon, it can break through certain levels of National Fortune Dragon and Tiger Qi blessings or the Renowned Power of Deities and Ghosts protection. Ineffective against Ming Dynasty officials of the third rank and above.
One hundred Yan Fu Points per bottle, up to three bottles.
2. Qiongqi Blood (Counterfeit)
Type: Consumable
Quality: Common
After consumption by a warhorse, it temporarily enhances the horse's speed and endurance, and ignores the effects of gunfire, Advanced Strange Beasts, and Yin Objects.
Ten Yan Fu Points per portion. No limit, (overdose will lead to the death of the warhorse).
3. Grass Rejuvenation Pill
Type: Consumable
Quality: Rare
Used at the brink of death, it heals all wounds within Five Breaths! It then leads to a three-day period of extreme weakness, rendering one immobile.
Two hundred Yan Fu Points per pill, up to two pills.
Having exchanged for Hand Grenades earlier, Li Yan still had just over a thousand Yan Fu Points left, enough to buy everything available for purchase.
The Grass Rejuvenation Pill was a pale purple ginseng, the size of a thumb, cool and smooth to the touch. The ginseng melted as soon as it entered the mouth, soon sliding down Old Diao's throat.
The wounds on Old Soldier's body healed at a speed visible to the naked eye, even the abdominal wound ceased bleeding.
The surrounding soldiers watched in stunned silence, their gaze upon Li Yan bordering on reverence.
"In my youth, I encountered a Wandering Taoist," Li Yan casually explained. "For three pancakes, I was taught a set of Swordsmanship, given a pill, and a Magical Technique, which you have witnessed before."
Tales of remarkable supernatural beings have existed since ancient times.
Stories of young lads encountering the extraordinary adventures of a Wandering Taoist are marketable even in later generations, let alone in the entertainment-scarce Ming Dynasty.
A group of soldiers listened with gleaming eyes, both respecting and envying the Lord General Flag.
"The woman has disappeared!"
Song Tongyi approached, his face a mix of shock and uncertainty.
"Is that so..."
Li Yan fell silent for a while before speaking, "Don't overthink it. Let's rest the bodies of our fallen brothers tonight, and bury them at dawn."
Song Tongyi nodded, his expression complex. From another perspective, perhaps the woman had been frightened by the skirmish in her own home and seized the chance to flee unnoticed.
The night deepened, and the men took turns keeping watch, while the rest gradually succumbed to slumber.
Li Yan, resting his head on a bone bowl, felt his eyelids twitch slightly. He needed to set out early the next day, but the itch and pain on his neck had tormented him for most of the night, only allowing him shallow sleep in the late hours.
This irritation might not affect Li Yan's combat prowess, but it was certainly not a long-term solution.
In a daze, he smelled a rich fragrance; he felt as though he was bathing in a sea of flowers, with the crisp laughter of a woman ringing in his ears.
Suddenly, a cool and sweet sensation touched his lips, the moisture trailing down to his neck.
The soothing feeling lingered on his neck for a long time. He clearly felt the pain receding bit by bit until it disappeared, leaving only a soft touch.
"Ah..."
Li Yan exhaled deeply, the fatigue and pain in his brow easing significantly.
"General, sweet dreams."
...
"Damn, it's like seeing a ghost."
Deng Tianxiong gasped in shock. The Ming Army soldiers were sleeping on a vast expanse of white snow, with roofs, beams, tiles, and fences all vanished without a trace!
Were it not for the bodies of Kobayakawa and the others lying nearby, Deng Tianxiong might have thought he was dreaming.
Only the iron pot remained over the fire, the flames licking its bottom, with taro bobbing in the rich soup...
"Perhaps a deity has revealed their presence..."
Wang Sheng marveled in astonishment.
"You were half-dead yesterday, how come you're so lively today? Smiling so happily, did you have a wet dream?"
Wang Sheng's face flushed as he suddenly remembered the dream from yesterday, the white-clothed, black-haired girl who shyly apologized to him, stuttering denials.
Li Yan opened his eyes, feeling refreshed and invigorated, all exhaustion and pain gone.
"How long have I slept?"
"Just past the fourth watch. Sir, She Mountain truly is haunted."
Deng Tianxiong exaggeratedly gestured as he recounted the tale to Li Yan.
Li Yan remained unperturbed, listening quietly before suddenly calling out to a soldier and pointing to the cooked food in the iron pot.
"Serve me a bowl to taste."
**********
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