Rebirth: Phoenix Riding the Ninth Heaven

Zhao Si's wife sat on the edge of the kang, mumbling about the past. Her voice rose and fell, as if she was pouring out every detail of the past. Just then, there was a sudden sound of hurried footsteps, accompanied by a young man crying out, "Daddy, where are you? Daddy, how are you?"

The sound was like a thunderclap, shattering the already somewhat gloomy atmosphere in the room. Zhao Si's wife raised her head abruptly and hurriedly wiped away the tears that had not yet dried from her eyes. When she saw that the person coming was her son, the tears that had just stopped burst out again like a dam breaking.

The young man, his face covered in tears, breathlessly ran to his mother. Zhao Si's wife tried to straighten herself up, but her vision went dark and she fell forward. In a flash, her son, quick-witted and swift-handed, rushed forward and steadily caught his mother, who was about to fall to the ground.

"Mom, what's wrong with you?" the son asked anxiously, his eyes full of concern and worry.

However, Zhao Si's wife didn't bother to answer her son's question. She stretched out her hands, grabbed his arms tightly, and then beat him hard on the chest, crying and shouting, "You useless thing! Why did you insist on going to your grandmother's house today? I was so stupid. How could I agree to let you go? Wuuwuwu..."

Zhao Si's son, Zhao Dajun, stood there stunned, as if struck by thunder, as his mother spoke incoherently and tearfully. As his mother's words unfolded, the whole story gradually became clear to him.

It turned out that on the day he visited his grandmother's house, his father had met with an unexpected death! This sudden and tragic news was like a heavy mountain weighing down his body, making him breathless. At this moment, the entire family seemed to be shrouded in a thick haze, immersed in endless confusion and grief.

Upon learning all this, Zhao Dajun felt a surge of remorse surge through his heart, quickly filling his chest. He was filled with regret, constantly blaming himself: Why had I been so naughty? Why had I chosen today to go to Grandma's house? If it weren't for his departure today, if it weren't for his mother's concern for his safe arrival at Grandma's house, if it weren't for his father's worry and concern for his mother, perhaps this tragedy would never have happened, and his father wouldn't have left them.

However, no amount of regret could help him now. Zhao Dajun was filled with regret and self-blame to the point where words could not describe it. Facing his mother's beatings, he did not resist at all, but simply endured it silently. Because he knew that his mother's pain was far greater than his own.

When Zhao Si's wife was exhausted from crying and beating, she collapsed on the ground. Zhao Dajun hurried forward to help his mother up, but saw that her eyes were empty and staring straight ahead, as if her soul had already left her body.

Zhao Si's wife had red and swollen eyes, and she was trying hard to suppress her grief. Together with Zhao Dajun, she was fully prepared to deal with the neighbors and relatives and friends who came to pay their respects in an endless stream.

Zhao Dajun, dressed in mourning, knelt on his knees beside his father's funeral hall, his face pale as a sheet. Whenever a guest came to burn incense and pay their respects, he would kowtow respectfully in gratitude. Voices, familiar and unfamiliar, filled his ears. Some offered sincere words of comfort, others were merely polite greetings. But more often, gazes filled with pity and compassion. At first, Zhao Dajun felt uneasy under these gazes, like a wounded animal exposed to the public. However, over time, this discomfort gradually gave way to a deep numbness.

At that moment, Zhao Dajun clearly realized that from now on, he would be the family's pillar. He must grow up quickly and shoulder the heavy responsibility of supporting the entire family. Under the patient guidance of the clan elders, Zhao Dajun thanked each guest with increasing sincerity, striving to fulfill his filial duty as a son. Although his eyes were still welling with tears and his vision was blurred by grief, he mechanically followed the rhythm of the noisy crowd, repeating the gesture of gratitude over and over again.

Let's put that aside for now and turn our attention to the situation on Zhao Si's side. After he was stabbed, the group he led immediately rushed towards the man in black at lightning speed. The man in black, like a frightened bird, ran desperately ahead.

The leading soldiers were all nimble and quick-footed, following closely behind the man in black, unwilling to let up. They were about to turn into a narrow, deep alley. If the man in black successfully turned into one, it would be difficult for the pursuers to find him.

However, how could these experienced pursuers not know this? Just as they were about to turn the corner, they all instantly quickened their pace, trying to stop the man in black before he entered the alley.

Just as the men in black were about to turn into the alley, something unexpected happened—another group of men suddenly appeared at the other end of the alley! It turned out they were also patrolling the city. When they saw the men in black running towards them, they reacted instantly, quickly dispersing the men in front of them and forming a tight circle, firmly blocking the alley entrance.

The man in black was horrified at the sight, his face trembling with fear. Seeing his path blocked, he had no choice but to turn and run to the right. While the right side wasn't an alley, it was a wide road. With no escape route, the man in black had no choice but to flee to the right.

Both teams were battle-hardened and well-trained. The man in black sprinted to the right like a ghost. Suddenly, one of the soldiers, quick-witted and swift-handed, hurled his tightly grasped sword like a dart! In an instant, the sword flashed, and the sharp tip pierced the man's calf.

There was a dull "puff" sound, blood splattered everywhere, and the man in black screamed, losing his balance and falling forward. However, this man in black was also a ruthless character. He completely ignored the severe pain in his calf, gritted his teeth, reached out and pulled out the long sword stuck in his leg.

Despite the blood gushing from his wound, the man in black endured the pain, struggled to his feet, and continued to flee. However, the arrow had only slightly slowed him down, and this delay gave the soldiers behind him an opportunity to attack. Before long, the two groups of soldiers had caught up with him at lightning speed and quickly surrounded the man in the center.

The man in black looked around at the soldiers surrounding him, realizing he had no chance of escape. But he didn't give in. Instead, a flicker of determination flashed in his eyes. He gripped his sword tightly, assuming a poised stance, quietly awaiting the soldiers' first attack. It was clear he was determined to fight these pursuers to the death, a fight to the death!

The leading soldier, his eyes wide and hair standing on end in anger, shouted at the black-clad man before him, "Put down your weapons now! If you do, I'll spare your lives!" However, the black-clad man seemed to ignore the warning. He simply tightened his sword slightly, his face as cold as ice, and he assumed a posture of being ready for battle at any moment.

Seeing this, the leading soldier knew that this man was stubborn and had no intention of compromise, so he immediately showed no mercy. He waved his hand and decisively ordered the attack. At his command, the surrounding soldiers, who had been watching eagerly, rushed towards the man in black like arrows from a bow, surrounding him in an instant.

Despite the black-clad man's formidable martial arts skills, he was ultimately no match for the overwhelming force of the enemy. Initially, he was able to hold his own, relying on his agility and skillful swordsmanship to parry and fend off the onslaught of the soldiers. But as time passed, he gradually began to lose strength and became exhausted.

Finally, under the soldiers' concerted and fierce attack, the black-clad man began to show signs of defeat, his weaknesses numerous. In a moment, a quick-eyed and swift-handed soldier, seizing the opportunity, leaped forward, his long sword firmly placed on the black-clad man's neck. Simultaneously, other soldiers thrust their spears and swung their swords, trapping the black-clad man from all directions, leaving him no chance of escape.

The leading soldier saw the man in black still masked from afar, and his heart tightened, fearing he might escape again. He quickly signaled his men to securely bind the man's hands and feet. The soldiers acted swiftly, wrapping the ropes tightly around him, tying him up like a dumpling, nearly immobilizing him.

However, the leader didn't give up. He stared sharply at the still-masked figure before him. After a moment's deliberation, he stepped forward and ripped off the mask. Suddenly, the leader's heart pounded with excitement, realizing he'd finally made a breakthrough!

When the mask was removed, everyone took a closer look and saw that the man in black had a rough face and a beard that stood up like steel needles. The iconic hair accessories on his head showed that he was not from the Central Plains, but a Hun from the northern grasslands!

At that moment, all the soldiers present suddenly understood. No wonder this person was so audacious, daring to commit murder in broad daylight. It turned out to be these barbaric Xiongnu beasts! Thinking of this, the soldiers were filled with righteous indignation, filled with hatred and anger towards these Xiongnu who had invaded the border, burned, killed, looted, and committed all kinds of atrocities.