nownovels Chapter 39 Some things are etched into one's bloodline.
Chapter 39 Some things are etched into one's bloodline.
Just as the blade was about to strike, Zhang Yuan used the momentum to leap off the saddle, narrowly avoiding a fatal blow. He then rolled and landed precisely beside the staggering Prince Teng.
He grabbed Wang Ziteng's arm and pulled him behind him, so that the two of them were back to back, facing the menacing, armored commander!
"Cough... Zhang Yuan! Are you crazy! Did you come here to die?!" Wang Ziteng wiped the blood foam from the corner of his mouth, looked at the broken Qing Cong horse in front of him, and roared in shock and anxiety.
Zhang Yuan grinned, and the ancient longsword in the sharkskin scabbard was already half an inch out of its sheath, gleaming coldly.
He gripped the hilt of his knife horizontally, his gaze fixed on Liu Heita who was closing in step by step, his voice carrying the clear, unwavering determination unique to a young man:
"Going to our deaths? We brothers have lived and died together before, it's not the first time!"
On the other side, Zhao Hengjiang, who had been cleaved away, struggled to his feet from the rubble of the earthen wall. He wiped the blood from his face, his fierceness undiminished, but rather more menacing, as he stared intently at Liu Heita.
Not far away, Xu Changhe's gaze swept quickly over the seriously injured Zhao Hengjiang, the Zhang Yuan who was in danger, Wang Ziteng, and the terrifying commander, a struggle flashing across his face.
Finally, gritting his teeth, he forcefully forced back his enemy with a single strike, and shouted, "Follow me!"
He also drew his knife and leaped forward, charging towards the core battle group where Zhang Yuan and his group were!
He knew Zhang Yuan's identity, and he also knew that Zhang Yuan had at least one grandmaster backing him.
If he doesn't save them now, he will offend the master.
Moreover, if Zhao Hengjiang and the Guzhu Gang are destroyed today, then his Qingzhu Gang will not last long either.
They raise bandits to protect themselves; if the bandits are gone, how can the Green Bamboo Gang survive?
Above Songshi Town, the huge, golden "守" (shǒu, meaning "guard") character still exudes a majestic aura, silently protecting this town that is battered by storms.
On the city wall, Wang Wei, the head镖师 (bodyguard) of Weiyuan镖局 (escort agency), also focused his gaze on Zhang Yuan.
Although Zhang Yuan was not very old, his bravery in charging into battle made his eyes gleam.
"My lord, that lad is quite good. Should we bring him back to my Zhenwu Guard?"
Behind him, a young man in black robes spoke in a low voice.
Wang Wei nodded slightly and said in a low voice, "This kid has quite the courage and seems to be quite skilled. With a little training, he can become a useful and sharp blade in our Zhenwu Guard."
Before he finished speaking, he slowly raised his hand, which had been resting on the bowstring.
A large, dark bow covered with mysterious patterns appeared in his hand without him even noticing.
His hunched posture was heavy, exuding a chilling aura.
A long arrow, entirely dark gold with a black arrowhead, was silently nocked onto the bowstring.
"Crunch—"
The bow was drawn into a powerful arc, the arrow tip locked onto a shifting focal point on the battlefield below, held back, awaiting that fleeting, thunderous strike.
On the battlefield, the deafening shouts of battle and the piercing clang of metal seemed to be separated by an invisible barrier.
Zhang Yuan suddenly looked up, and a sharp glint flashed in the depths of his calm eyes!
In that instant, an invisible sand table-like scene seemed to unfold in his mind.
In the chaotic battlefield ahead, all the fleeing soldiers appeared to be fighting individually, but in reality they were in groups of three or five, forming small circular formations of seven or eight that were mutually supportive!
The trajectory of the changing formations, the gaps in the coordination between shields and spears, the slight delays in the transfer of power...
Every detail, along with the murderous intent and flaws contained within, appeared clearly in his perception as if branded!
Without the slightest hesitation, he swiftly reached out with his left hand and grabbed the arm of Wang Ziteng, who was about to pounce on a fleeing soldier with bloodshot eyes. The force was so great that Wang Ziteng staggered.
"Come with me!" Zhang Yuan's voice was deep and urgent, yet it carried an undeniable penetrating power, instantly overpowering Wang Ziteng's roar and clearly reaching his ears.
Before he could finish speaking, Zhang Yuan had already turned around, sword in hand!
The longsword in its sharkskin sheath scraped against the ground, sending up a trail of sparks and a screeching sound.
He crouched low and charged forward like an arrow, rushing toward the fleeting, narrow gap between the two fleeing soldiers!
Wang Ziteng had an almost instinctive trust in Zhang Yuan.
Although I didn't understand why, my body had already subconsciously followed closely behind, not missing a single step!
"Follow up with Young Master Zhang!"
Not far away, Mr. He, supported by two teenagers, clutched his chest wound and cried out hoarsely.
His cloudy old eyes were fixed on the direction Zhang Yuan was running, revealing a trace of urgent hope.
The members of the Guzhu Gang, who were already engaged in their own fierce battles and whose formations were scattered, as well as a few martial artists who had lost their commander, all followed instinctively.
A small group of scattered villagers, seeing Zhang Yuan's thin but exceptionally decisive figure moving through the flashing swords, involuntarily surged in the same direction, closely following behind Zhang Yuan and Wang Ziteng.
In an instant, a hastily assembled but unified breakthrough arrow was formed!
Zhang Yuan's mind was completely absorbed in the "array diagram" in his mind.
He would sometimes pause abruptly, as if by magic, his body pressed against the tip of a spear that brushed past him.
At times, it would suddenly accelerate forward, narrowly passing through at the last moment before several crisscrossing blades converged!
His every pause and every change of direction was precisely timed to hit the weak points in the transition of the fleeing troops' formation.
Before several tightly packed formations, it narrowly escaped like a fish, by the slightest margin.
And so, they managed to tear a winding, bloody path through the seemingly impenetrable encirclement!
This scene was clearly reflected in Wang Wei's eyes from the city wall.
His fingers, gripping the large bow, twitched slightly, and the glint in his eyes almost materialized into flames.
"This quick thinking and keen sense of the battlefield, this insight and courage... a natural scout and a spearhead for breaking through enemy lines!"
"Once you join the Zhenwu Guard, with a little training, you're sure to become a great talent!"
The black-robed warriors behind him could hardly contain their excitement; if they weren't bound by military orders, they would have cheered out loud.
Chen Wenyuan, who had been closely monitoring the battle, naturally noticed Zhang Yuan's performance.
Zheng Chaoyang, standing beside him, fixed his gaze on Zhang Yuan's figure with lightning speed. He couldn't help but turn to look at Chen Wenyuan, his voice carrying a hint of inquiry: "Lord Chen, did you teach this skill of breaking through formations and finding gaps?"
Chen Wenyuan slowly shook his head, his voice filled with emotion: "He was not taught by me. He is Zhang Zhenshan's son, and the blood of the border army flows in his veins."
"Perhaps it's due to family tradition and exposure to the arts of warfare that I have an innate sensitivity to these matters."
He paused, his tone revealing an almost fatalistic understanding.
Some things are etched into our blood.
At that moment, he also felt that destiny truly existed in the world.
Otherwise, how could Zhang Yuan, an eight-year-old child, have mastered battle tactics out of nowhere?
Upon hearing this, Zheng Chaoyang's eyes flashed with unprecedented admiration and determination.
He nodded heavily and said in a deep voice, "Good! It seems I was overthinking things. I didn't dare to teach him military formations and tactics too early, for fear of forcing him to learn too quickly."
"It seems now that this child was born to be tempered in the fires of blood!"
Before he finished speaking, he took a step forward!
"boom--!"
The raging Grandmaster's aura erupted like a long-suppressed volcano, causing the ground beneath their feet to crack inch by inch!
Zheng Chaoyang's figure was like a black lightning bolt tearing through the air, instantly rising from the ground and rushing straight towards Liu Heita, who was about to pounce on Zhang Yuan again!