The memories of all humanity are awakening, except for mine.

"How...how did you do that?"

Jiang Chuan did not answer.

His temples were throbbing, and his vision was blurring.

Although the Xuanhuang Dragon Soul helped him resolve the crisis, its primordial ferocity also caused his soul sea to tremble.

He barely managed to land on the floating ice with his sword, the tip of the sword touching the ground to steady himself. He noticed that although Deng Yinhe was covered in blood, his chest was still rising and falling slightly.

"Not quite dead yet."

Jiang Chuan spat out a mouthful of blood. Just as he was about to deliver the final blow, a chill ran down his spine—danger!

"Brother Jiang, be careful!"

Wu Shuang's exclamation came from afar.

A rainbow descended from the sky, revealing a magnificent scroll painting!
The scroll was three zhang long and one zhang wide, and it depicted lifelike landscapes and pavilions.

At this moment, the waterfall in the painting is actually flowing, the pine branches are swaying in the wind, and the poems written in the blank spaces of the painting are constantly being rearranged and changed!
"The Magnificent Landscape Painting?"

Jiang Chuan's pupils suddenly contracted.

This is another treasure of the Liang Prince's Mansion, said to be able to collect people and objects, and transform the real into the unreal.

He tried to dodge, but his headache slowed his movements.

As the rainbow light swept across, Jiang Chuan felt dizzy and disoriented.

When I opened my eyes again, I found myself standing on a lush green hillside.

In the distance, a waterfall cascades down like a white ribbon, while nearby, a stream murmurs. If it weren't for the faint ink-wash outlines of all the scenery, one would almost think they had returned to the real world.

"Is this... part of the painting?"

Jiang Chuan reached out and touched the pine tree beside him. His fingertips felt rough, but upon closer inspection, he could see that the bark texture was drawn with extremely fine ink lines.

"Jiang Chuan!"

Wu Shuang's voice came from behind. The girl landed on her sword, the third flying sword still hovering above her head as a precaution.

She nervously looked around.

"We've been captured by a magical artifact?"

Jiang Chuan nodded, then his expression suddenly changed.

Where is Deng Yinhe?

The two looked around and finally found Deng Yinhe unconscious by the stream.

Strangely, wisps of ink-like vapor were rising from the stream and seeping into his seven orifices.

As the ink entered his body, Deng Yinhe's pale face gradually turned into an eerie bluish-black.

"This painting is eroding him!"

Wu Shuang exclaimed in surprise and instinctively tried to step forward to stop her.

"Don't touch it!"

Jiang Chuan grabbed her arm.

“These ink stains are from the same source as the paintings; if we come into contact with them rashly, we may also be contaminated.”

Wu Shuang stamped her feet in frustration.

"What can we do? We can't just watch him get..."

Before the words were even finished, the entire world in the painting suddenly trembled violently!
The distant mountains seemed to be kneaded by an invisible hand, their shapes constantly changing.

The inscription text in the sky frantically rearranged itself, finally condensing into a single line of large characters.

Those who enter my painting must abide by my rules.

Jiang Chuan looked up at the sky and suddenly had a flash of inspiration.

"I understand! The world in this painting has its own laws."

Although Zhao Zhen was the owner of the magical artifact, he still had to abide by certain rules to maintain order within the painting.

As they were talking, the ink-like energy in the stream suddenly surged violently!
No longer content with slow infiltration, they transformed into dozens of black tentacles, which suddenly wrapped around Deng Yinhe's limbs.

Beneath Deng Yinhe's tightly closed eyelids, his eyeballs were moving rapidly!
"He's waking up!"

Wu Shuang subconsciously took a half step back.

"No. This isn't a normal awakening."

Deng Yinhe suddenly sat up straight!

He opened his eyes, but his pupils had turned pure black, with no whites showing at all.

His lips stretched into an unbelievable arc, and he let out a strange "giggle" laugh.

"Such fresh meat."

His voice was hoarse and broken, completely unlike Deng Yinhe's own tone!
"An evil spirit in the painting! Deng Yinhe's soul was injured, and the evil spirit in the painting took advantage of the situation to enter!"

Outside, on Moonlit Lake, Zhao Zhen held a rolled-up scroll of magnificent landscapes, a smug smile on his lips.

He was completely unaware that a wisp of black mist was quietly spreading from the edge of the painting.
"Thank you very much, Mr. Zhao, for your help."

Zeng Xianming clasped his hands in a salute, but a wary glint flashed in his eyes.

"Please hand over the traitor Jiang Chuan to the Military Command for punishment."

Zhao Zhen sneered.

"General Zeng is joking. This man injured the head retainer of my Prince Liang's mansion, so it is only right that the mansion deal with him."

As he spoke, he deliberately shook the scroll.

"Moreover, he is now in my painting."

On the pleasure boat of Fengyue Tower, Fan Su's eyes reddened with anxiety.

"Sister Xiaoman, we need to think of something."

Xiao Man pressed down on her trembling hand and whispered.

"Don't worry, that scholar just sent me a telepathic message saying that he has already made arrangements."

The two glanced at the lakeside, where the scholar in Confucian robes who had been commenting on Jiang Chuan's swordsmanship stood with his hands behind his back, seemingly admiring the scenery, but in reality, his fingers were constantly calculating in his sleeves.

"Mr. Zhao's kindness is something I will never forget!"

Zeng Xianming warmly grasped Zhao Zhen's hand, his face beaming with smiles.

"Why don't we go to the Military Commandery for a drink and let the brothers admire the demeanor of the esteemed man from the Liang Prince's Mansion?"

Zhao Zhen's eyes twitched slightly, and he withdrew his hand without making a sound.

He glanced at the unconscious Deng Yinhe, then looked at Jiang Chuan, who was being supported by Wu Shuang, and sneered inwardly.

Zeng Xianming clearly wanted to steal the credit. If the military command really took Jiang Chuan away, where would the Liang Prince's Mansion put its face?

"General Zeng, you're too kind."

Zhao Zhen cupped his hands in greeting, his tone turning cold.

"However, this thief was personally selected by the Crown Prince, and I, Zhao, must immediately escort him back to the Prince's residence to report back."

Zeng Xianming's smile froze on his face.

Several of his personal guards had already gripped the hilts of their swords, and the remaining soldiers of the military command on the lake also quietly gathered around.

"Mr. Zhao is mistaken."

Zeng Xianming squinted.

"According to the laws of the Great Zhou Dynasty, all those who commit violence in the prefectures and cities shall be detained and interrogated by the Military Command."

Before the words were finished, the sound of thunderous hooves suddenly came from afar.

At first, the sound was like muffled thunder, but in the blink of an eye, it made the pebbles on the shore tremble. Even more strangely, among the many hoofbeats, there was an unusually heavy step, each one feeling as if it were stepping on the tip of one's heart.

"This is."

Zeng Xianming's expression changed drastically.

Having spent a long time in the military, he knew the warhorses of the western counties like the back of his hand, but he had never heard such a heavy hoofbeat.

Zhao Zhen also dropped his arrogance and looked warily toward the end of the official road.

Amidst the rising dust, a troop of black-armored cavalry surged forward.

The leader was not riding a horse, but a strange beast that was ten feet tall—its whole body was covered with bluish-black scales, its four hooves were wrapped in flames, and three-foot-long dragon whiskers hung down on both sides of its nose!
"A dragon-scaled horse?!"

Zhao Zhen gasped in shock, his knees buckling and he nearly collapsed to his knees.

Zeng Xianming turned pale and immediately knelt down on one knee to salute.

Behind him, the soldiers of the military command knelt down in a rush, and even Fan Su Xiaoman on the pleasure boat of the Fengyue Tower hurriedly lowered her head.

On the back of the dragon-scale horse sat a burly man with a lion-like nose and a wide mouth.

His hair was disheveled, like steel needles, and a scar ran from his brow bone to the corner of his mouth on his left cheek. The broadsword on his back, as wide as a door panel, was still sheathed, yet it already made one's skin sting.

"This humble general greets General He!"

Zeng Xianming's voice trembled. The newcomer was none other than He Liang, the Mad Saber, one of the two fierce generals of the General of the West's mansion.

Legend has it that this man once cleaved three thousand Turkic cavalry in two with a single stroke, a true demon who emerged from a mountain of corpses and a sea of ​​blood.

He Liang scanned the entire room, his gaze lingering on Jiang Chuan for a moment.

He suddenly spoke.

"The Liang Prince's Mansion says this little child is an assassin?"

Zhao Zhen steeled himself and stepped forward.

"Replying to General He, this person..."

"I didn't ask you."

He Liang waved his hand, and Zhao Zhen staggered back, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

The dragon-scaled horse snorted, and sparks flew from its mouth, landing at Zhao Zhen's feet, scaring him into silence.

The lakeside suddenly became eerily quiet. Dark clouds had obscured the cold moon, and eerie, inky ripples spread across the lake's surface.

He Liang slowly pressed his right hand onto the hilt of the knife, a movement that reminded Zeng Xianming of a venomous snake raising its head.

"Clang—" The mad knife was drawn from its sheath, and the exposed blade was not metallic, but a dark red like blood.

The humming sound emitted by the vibrating blade caused all the weapons within a hundred feet to resonate in unison.

"I will only ask once."

He Liang's voice suddenly became very soft, yet everyone could hear it clearly.

"Is the Liang Prince's Mansion sure they want to identify the Yunhai Immortal Sect disciple as the assassin?"

Zhao Zhen was trembling all over.

Zhao Zhen was trembling all over.

He suddenly recalled a similarly gloomy night three years ago, when He Liang went alone to the meeting and slaughtered the entire family of the Longyou military governor who questioned the General of the West's order. Afterwards, the imperial court didn't even dare to submit a memorial.
There's probably some misunderstanding involved.

Zhao Zhen forced out a smile that looked more like a grimace.

The blade flashed like lightning, and blood splattered three feet deep.

The moment He Liang sheathed his sword, Zhao Zhen's head slowly slid off his neck.

Blood gushed from the severed neck, staining the bluestone ground dark red.

"Congratulations, Sir."

Zeng Xianming's knees buckled and he fell to his knees.

"This humble official knows his mistake!"

"Please spare my life, sir!"

Li Wenzhi, standing to the side, was deathly pale, cold sweat trickling down his face, but he didn't even have the courage to wipe it away.

He Liang coldly glanced at the two of them.

Zeng Xianming, as an outer sect steward of the Yunhai Immortal Sect, you failed to distinguish truth from falsehood in your investigation and rashly dispatched troops, damaging the century-old reputation of our sect.

With each word he spoke, Zeng Xianming's body trembled even more violently.

"What's the crime?"

"This humble official deserves to die! This humble official deserves to die!"

Zeng Xianming raised his hands and slapped himself hard with both hands, the crisp sound of the slaps particularly jarring in the quiet courtyard.

After a few moments, his cheeks were already red and swollen, and blood was seeping from the corners of his mouth.

He Liang raised his hand to stop him.

"enough."

Zeng Xianming immediately stopped what he was doing, pressed his forehead to the ground, and dared not raise his head.

Where is Jiang Chuan?

He Liang suddenly asked.

Zeng Xianming shuddered and quickly took an exquisite folding fan from beside Zhao Zhen's body, raising it above his head with both hands to present it to him.

"Reporting to your Excellency, Zhao Zhen said before he died that Jiang Chuan had been taken away by Young Master Ye. This is... this is the proof."

He Liang took the folding fan, his fingertips lightly tracing the cloud patterns carved on the fan ribs, his eyes flickering slightly.

He was silent for a moment, then suddenly put the folding fan into his sleeve.

"Li Wenzhi".

"My subordinate is here!"

Li Wenzhi was startled and quickly responded.

"Take Zhao Zhen's head and go to see the general."

He Liang's voice was devoid of any emotion.

"As for Zeng Xianming, his fate will be decided by the general."

Upon hearing this, Zeng Xianming was struck dumb and collapsed to the ground.

He had long heard of the infamous reputation of General Gucheng, the General Who Guards the West—a man of bloodthirstiness and cruelty, whose people often wished for death but could not live.

"Lord He! Please have mercy!"

Zeng Xianming climbed forward and hugged He Liang's boots, tears streaming down his face.

"This humble official is willing to serve like a slave."

He Liang kicked him away.

"take away."

Two black-armored guards immediately stepped forward and dragged Zeng Xianming away like a dead dog.

His wails gradually faded into the distance, leaving only the stench of blood and a stifling silence in the courtyard.

He Liang mounted his horse, and the jet-black dragon-scaled horse snorted and pawed the ground restlessly with its front hooves.

The surrounding county soldiers retreated in all directions, their warhorses trembling under the aura of the dragon-scaled horses, not daring to even neigh.

"drive!"

The dragon-scaled horse transformed into a black lightning bolt, carrying He Liang and disappearing at the end of the long street.

In front of the Fengyue Tower, eight guards clad in heavy black iron armor stood on either side, their faces expressionless, but their eyes gleaming with a bloodthirsty ferocity.

Passersby avoided the area, not daring to even glance at it.

In the most luxurious private room on the third floor, a burly man was tilting his head back and chugging a jug of strong liquor.

He was in his early forties, with a resolute face.

This person is none other than Gu Cheng, the General Who Guards the West of the Great Zhou Dynasty, a powerful figure who commands a million troops in eighteen prefectures of the western border.

"boom!"

The wine jug was slammed heavily onto the table. Gu Cheng wiped his mouth, somewhat displeased.

"This wine is as bland as water, yet it dares to call itself the finest in the Western Regions?"

The madam standing to the side was sweating profusely and forced a smile.

"General, please calm down. This is our store's treasured 'Drunken Immortal' wine, aged thirty years. An ordinary person would be knocked out after just one cup."

"fart!"

Gu Cheng slammed his hand on the table and stood up abruptly, shattering the table with a crash.

"What I want is the Hundred Flowers Wine and those two top courtesans! Where are they?"

The madam's legs buckled and she knelt on the ground.

"Reporting to the General, Liu Ruyan and Miss Yunshang have been booked by a young master Ye, who says he wants to listen to music for three days."

"Master Ye?"

Gu Cheng narrowed his eyes, making the scar appear even more menacing.

"What's the origin?"

"This old woman doesn't know, but she does know that young master has an extraordinary demeanor and is very generous."

"What an extraordinary demeanor!"

Gu Cheng suddenly burst into laughter, but his laughter carried a chilling undertone.

"In this Longhai County, is there anyone who dares to steal a woman from this general?"

He grabbed the madam by the collar and pulled her in front of him.

"You have three quarters of an hour to bring him to me. Otherwise..."

His other hand rested on the hilt of his sword at his waist, the meaning of which was self-evident.

The madam turned ashen-faced and nodded repeatedly.

"I'll go right away. I'll go right away."

Gu Cheng released his grip, and the madam staggered out of the room, almost tripping over the threshold.

"Why hasn't He Liang arrived yet?"

Gu Cheng frowned and muttered to himself, then revealed a sinister smile.

"Alright, let's find a few girls to keep us entertained."

He clapped his hands, and four guards immediately entered from outside the door.

"Go and call all the prettiest girls in the building."

Gu Cheng licked his lips.

"I will interrogate them thoroughly."

The guards obeyed and left. Not long after, six heavily made-up girls entered the room tremblingly.

They had long heard of the general's infamous reputation, but dared not disobey him.

Gu Cheng's eyes were like a wolf's as he scanned them, then suddenly reached out and grabbed a woman in green.

"It's just you."

"General, spare your life!"

The woman struggled in terror, but Gu Cheng threw her onto the bed.

"Spare your life?"

Gu Cheng grinned maliciously as he unbuckled his belt.

"This general is showing you favor!"

The other girls huddled in a corner, terrified, and watched helplessly as the woman in green was roughly ripped open.

A piercing cry soon came from behind the bed curtains, accompanied by the panting of a wild beast in a desolate city.

Fifteen minutes later, the woman in green was thrown out of the room like a rag doll.

Her clothes were disheveled, her body was covered in bruises, and she had already fainted.

"waste!"

Gu Cheng walked out shirtless, the gruesome scar on his chest rising and falling with his breath. (End of Chapter)