Bright Sword: Conquer the monk at the beginning and take down Zhou Weiguo

Xiao Hu had been gone for so long that he couldn't be sure where he was now. And more importantly, what was Xiao Hu thinking now? Would he choose to return to Qin Cang? Would he rejoin this team that was about to face an even greater storm?

"Go find him." Qin Cang's tone became firm again. Although his heart was still full of uncertainty, he knew that such a decision was no longer a choice for him, but a necessity.

Just then, light footsteps sounded behind him. Qin Cang turned his head slightly and saw the team members standing behind him. Their faces were expressionless, only the calmness and composure honed through long life-and-death trials.

"Captain, all preparations are ready. Do you need us to move on?" a team member asked softly, with a hint of caution in his tone.

Qin Cang pondered for a moment, a flicker of hesitation in his eyes. He glanced down at the map in his hand. The densely packed lines and markings seemed to silently tell him which path to take. But he knew that these markings on the map were not enough to give him the true answer. To uncover the true mystery, to uncover all the information his father had left him, he needed more than just calm reasoning and calculation, but also a kind of inner strength, and that strength was exactly what he lacked at the moment.

"I have something I must do." Qin Cang said suddenly, his eyes becoming more determined. "You continue to act according to the plan."

The team members didn't ask any more questions, but simply nodded silently, quickly turning around and starting to follow the instructions. Qin Cang didn't stay for too long, but walked towards the distant woods. At this moment, the intense emotion in his heart became almost his only guide - he had to find Xiaohu and bring him back.

He knew that such a decision was fraught with risk and would likely lead to further uncertainty. Would Xiaohu accept his invitation? Had he chosen a different path for himself? Qin Cang had no answers to these questions, but he knew he could no longer avoid them.

Passing through a forest, Qin Cang suddenly felt a sense of oppression. That familiar yet unfamiliar atmosphere seemed to hint at something. He frowned slightly, his eyes quickly scanning the surroundings, his heartbeat accelerating. Suddenly, his steps paused, and a thought flashed through his mind: This is not a coincidence.

He quickly glanced around, gripping the hilt of his sword, his body naturally entering a fighting state. Even though the woods were as quiet as death, Qin Cang could still sense the hostility lingering in the air. Just as he was about to react, a gentle breeze blew by, followed by a deep voice: "Haven't you seen Xiaohu in a long time?"

Qin Cang's heart sank suddenly, and his head turned sharply towards the source of the voice, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes. Standing there was a person who was familiar yet unfamiliar to him - a person he had always hated to see, but had to face.

Qin Cang's heartbeat quickened, his nerves tensing instantly. He almost subconsciously tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword. The sound of the wind in his ears suddenly became unusually clear, and the previously tranquil forest around him seemed to grow oppressive. Every branch, every fallen leaf, seemed to signal some lurking danger. Qin Cang's eyes quickly scanned the surroundings, the silence in the air making him even more alert.

He didn't expect that he would meet Liu San again on this road.

"You're following me?" Qin Cang's voice was low, filled with a hint of surprise and anger. He didn't turn around, but instead stared at Liu San as she slowly emerged from the woods with his deep eyes. Her figure emerged from the shadows of the trees, remaining calm and composed, as if nothing around her was a threat to her.

"You underestimate me, Qin Cang." Liu San's tone was not harsh, and even contained a hint of joking. "You think you can abandon everyone and shoulder those unresolved difficulties alone, but you have never considered how we will view all this."

A complex expression flashed across Qin Cang's eyes. He was well aware of Liu San's calmness and decisiveness, and he was also aware of her deep understanding of him. She wasn't as ruthless as the outside world seemed. In fact, deep down, Liu San possessed an obsession very similar to his own. Perhaps this was why she had always followed him.

However, Qin Cang did not intend to tangle with her at this moment. He knew very well that Liu San had followed him not simply to interfere with his decision, but to find out who he was fighting for and why.

"Why don't you listen to me for once, Liu San?" Qin Cang turned around, his eyes deep and his tone a little tired. "It's not that I don't care about your safety, nor am I unwilling to trust you. I just don't want you to be dragged down by me."

"Do you think I'm stupid?" Liu San asked coldly, his steps still steady, as if completely unaffected by Qin Cang's emotions. "Do you think we can't see what you're hiding? Do you think we can't know what you're running from?"

These words were like a hammer, hammering down on Qin Cang's heart. His gaze instantly lost focus, as if some long-suppressed emotion had been ignited. Liu San's words had touched a sensitive part of his heart. He had always tried to remain calm, to suppress his emotions, but today, it seemed as if everything was collapsing.

"What do you know?" Qin Cang's voice was a little hoarse, and there was a hint of pain in his low tone. "You know, it's far more complicated than you think. You don't understand me, and you can't understand what I'm going through."

Liu San's gaze never left Qin Cang, a complex glint flickering in her eyes. She seemed to be deep in thought, not rushing to refute. She knew that Qin Cang had always been a hard shell, and even she, who had always been by his side, found it difficult to glimpse his true inner self. But today, she suddenly felt a weariness and vulnerability she had never felt before.

"It's not that I don't understand you." She finally spoke, her tone softer than ever before, "It's just that, how far do you think you can go on your own? Do you think that the responsibility you bear is something you alone can bear?"

Qin Cang was silent for a moment, his eyes closed, as if suppressing an outburst of emotion. He took a deep breath and then spoke slowly, "Perhaps, you're right. But there are some things that only I can face."

"But you shouldn't go on alone, Qin Cang." Liu San's tone was gentle, yet it revealed an undeniable determination. "We have fought side by side and experienced countless life-and-death trials. Do you think I would allow you to go on like this alone?"

Qin Cang's heart sank, and suddenly, a surge of intense emotion washed over him, nearly suffocating him. He knew Liu San wasn't trying to persuade him, but more so to share the unknown dangers with him. She was willing to stand behind him, his strongest support. However, Qin Cang knew in his heart that Liu San was different. Her abilities, calmness, and decisiveness made her a force to be reckoned with. Sometimes, he even thought that Liu San could see through him better than anyone else.

But Qin Cang was unwilling to let her and other team members be involved in this unpredictable danger.

"Liu San, why can't you understand me for once?" Qin Cang closed his eyes and whispered, "You don't have to bear so much for me. You can leave and pursue your own goals. I don't need you to accompany me on this road."

He knew that by saying this, he was pushing her away, but the remorse and helplessness in his heart could not be shaken off. Liu San had always been his strongest support, but now, he had no choice but to let her go. This decision, while heartbreaking, was the only way for him to protect her in this war with no end in sight.

"If you really consider me a partner, then don't mention this anymore." Liu San's words were calm and firm. Her eyes were still locked on Qin Cang, and she seemed to have no signs of wavering. "I said I would go on with you, no matter what lies ahead. I know that I have been watching the struggles and pain in your heart."

Her eyes were deep and firm. At that moment, Qin Cang saw the determination in her eyes, the determination to sacrifice everything for him. She was no longer the cold and ruthless warrior, but a companion who fought side by side with him, a person who was willing to bear everything.

"You don't have to shoulder everything alone." Liu San's voice was still low, but it was full of great strength. "Do you think I haven't seen the struggle in your heart? Do you think you can shut yourself off forever and not let anyone get close to you? Qin Cang, we are no longer in the era of fighting alone."

At that moment, Qin Cang's heart felt like it was struck hard. He didn't know how to react, and simply stared blankly at Liu San, his eyes filled with complex emotions. Her words were like a sharp knife, cutting through the deepest defenses in his heart. He had never felt her care and concern so truly, and this concern seemed deeper than any pain he could bear.

"You don't understand..." He whispered, but the firmness in his words had disappeared. "I can't go on with you. What you want is far beyond what I can give."

Liu San didn't say anything, just stood there quietly, her eyes still fixed on Qin Cang. She knew that Qin Cang's heart was still filled with struggle and pain, even somewhat closed off, like a person stuck on an isolated island, unwilling to accept any help. However, she also knew that Qin Cang was not an indestructible iron man, and the pain and confusion in his heart had long exceeded his ability to bear.

"No matter what you think, I'm here." Liu San finally spoke, his tone soft but firm, "No matter how difficult the road ahead is, we can still go on together."