Starting with helping Zhao Kai ascend the throne in the snow

"I can't let you die like this, otherwise I would miss out on a great achievement." Just as Hama was about to commit suicide, Hong Biao suddenly appeared beside him, knocked him off his horse with a knife, and then tied him up with a rope.

After capturing the barbarian general, Hong Biao wiped the blood off his broadsword, turned to stand in front of Xuan Yuan Qingfeng, and clasped his hands in greeting, saying, "Reporting to the patriarch, the barbarians have been captured, and none of the fifty Xuan Yuan riders have been killed in action." Hong Biao added with a hint of embarrassment, "However, there are over thirty wounded men who need to rest and recuperate for a while."

Hong Biao had previously assured Xuan Yuan Qingfeng that losing even one man or horse would not count as a merit. However, he hadn't expected that the barbarian soldiers before him were all barbarian warriors, resulting in a stalemate in close combat. Although he had tried his best to ensure the safety of his fifty riders, many still suffered serious injuries. It could be said that if he hadn't been constantly monitoring the battlefield, Xuan Yuan's fifty riders would have suffered far more than just minor wounds; they would likely have lost at least a dozen men. Therefore, his merit would be significantly diminished.

“In battles, death and injury are inevitable. Uncle Hong’s ability to ensure that none of the fifty riders are lost is a great achievement,” Xuan Yuanqingfeng said.

Shen Qing watched Xuan Yuan Qingfeng's performance from the side and nodded in satisfaction. A leader must use both kindness and severity; strictness is necessary when needed, and gentleness is required when appropriate. Xuan Yuan Qingfeng was beginning to become a qualified family head. This was evident in Hong Biao's behavior. When Xuan Yuan Jingcheng had just died, Hong Biao was still undecided, but now he was extremely respectful to Xuan Yuan Qingfeng.

The battlefield was quickly cleared. 31 barbarian soldiers were killed, 7 were seriously wounded, 13 were slightly wounded, and 46 surrendered unharmed. Over 83 horses were captured. After confirming the severity of the wounded, all seven were given a quick death to spare them further suffering.

"Kill me, kill me..."

"Behave yourself, don't try anything funny..."

Hama struggled all the way before being escorted to Shen Qing.

"Are you the remnants of the Liyue tribe?" Shen Qing asked, looking at Hama, who was bound hand and foot.

"Kill me or torture me, it's up to you." Hama remained silent, only wanting to die. The barbarians and the people of the Central Plains had been fighting for hundreds of years, and the two sides were already irreconcilable enemies. Since he had fallen into the hands of the people of the Central Plains, he never thought he could survive.

"Tell me where Li Ze is, and I'll let you go." After learning from Li Ying that Li Ze had the antidote for the Sparrow Tongue Heart-Eating Gu, Xuan Yuan Qingfeng planned to find him as soon as possible to find the antidote for Shen Qing.

Hama opened his eyes slightly upon hearing Li Ze's name, but remained silent.

"If you don't talk, I'll kill you." Xuan Yuan Qingfeng said coldly and sternly when Hama ignored him.

"Hmph," Hama replied with a cold snort without even opening his eyes, which infuriated Xuan Yuanqingfeng.

"Qingfeng, forget it. Let's go back and hand him over to Li Ying. Maybe she can find out Li Ze's whereabouts." Shen Qing stopped the furious Xuan Yuan Qingfeng, lest Hama be beaten to death by her.

"Wait, is Young Chief Li Ying in your hands?" Just then, Hama, upon hearing Shen Qingzhi's words, asked excitedly. Li Ze's last wish was for him to find Li Ying and assist her in revitalizing the Li Yue tribe. Originally, after being captured, Hama only wanted to die, but after unexpectedly learning about Li Ying's whereabouts, he only wanted to see her as soon as possible and relay Li Ze's last words to her.

“That’s right, Li Ying is currently in Kuaiji City. As long as you tell me where Li Ze is, I will take you to see Li Ying and promise to let her leave.” Shen Qing’s eyes lit up when he saw that Hama’s resolve was wavering.

"Do you keep your word?"

"My name is Shen Qing. I am currently the military advisor of the Yue King's mansion. I represent the honor and reputation of the Yue King, so naturally I will not break my word."

"You come with me."

Led by Hama, Shen Qing and the others quickly arrived at the courtyard where Li Ze's body was located.

"That's the body of old leader Li Ze. He was severely injured by Chi Hu at Peach Blossom Ridge and barely escaped here before passing away," Hama said sadly, pointing to a body covered with a white cloth in the hall.

Upon learning of Li Ze's death, Shen Qing was also greatly shocked. He did not expect that things would change so quickly. Not long ago, Li Ze was the commander of a 60,000-strong barbarian army, but now he was a cold corpse.

Upon learning of Li Ze's body, Xuan Yuan Qingfeng immediately sent men to search him, hoping to find an antidote for the Gu poison.

"Shen Lang, we found nothing on Li Ze." Xuan Yuan Qingfeng's face turned extremely ugly after seeing his men return empty-handed.

She thought that finding Li Ze would give her the antidote, but instead she found only a dead man, which dashed all her hopes.

"Qingfeng, don't worry, I told you I have a way to get rid of the Gu poison." Shen Qing saw Xuan Yuan Qingfeng's expression and hurriedly stepped forward to comfort him.

"Do you know the antidote for the Sparrow Tongue Heart-Eating Gu?" Xuan Yuan Qingfeng was still angry and suddenly looked at Hama with a cold face and asked.

"Only Chief Li Ze possesses the Sparrow Tongue Heart-Eating Gu." Hama was quite cooperative this time, shaking his head directly. After learning about Li Ying's situation, he now had new expectations and naturally didn't intend to court death.

"Report! Over a thousand barbarian cavalry have been spotted twenty miles to the southwest..." Just then, a scout brought the latest intelligence.

"Take all the prisoners back to the city. Also, inform the local people that the barbarian troops have invaded again and tell them to leave immediately." After hearing the message, Shen Qing knew that these people were probably soldiers from the Chi Yuehu tribe, who were probably the ones who were chasing Li Ze and the others.

Soon, as Shen Qing and the others left, the people who had received the news once again cursed and fled Twenty Mile Fort with their families.

Longhu Mountain, Tianshi Mansion.

The old master and Bai Yu sat in a secluded courtyard, with a chess game in a stalemate on the table in front of them.

"Bai Yu, is there something important that brings you here today?" Old Master Zhao Xiyi asked unhurriedly, as if few things in the world could move him.

"Reporting to the Sect Leader, do you still remember Shen Qing?" Bai Yu, with his severely nearsighted eyes, squeezed his eyes together as he asked.

“Of course I remember Layman Shen. Could it be that he has produced another masterpiece?” Zhao Xiyi looked over in surprise. Shen Qing’s poem “Little Immortal” had greatly boosted the fortune of Longhu Mountain. Although Zhao Xuansu was later killed, it did not affect the rising momentum of Longhu Mountain.

Bai Yu didn't keep Zhao Xiyi, the sect leader, in suspense and recounted all the information he had gathered, including a detailed description of the battles at Iron Gate Pass and the capital.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xiyi was filled with shock, his previous composure completely gone. According to Bai Yu's description, the strength displayed by Shen Qing's side was far beyond his expectations.

However, Zhao Xiyi, as the current head of Longhu Mountain, quickly calmed down. The next moment, he waved his hand and cleared all the chess pieces off the board.

Then, with each chess piece he picked up, he said, "Cao Changqing of Western Chu, Jing'an King of Qingzhou, Guangling King of Lianghuai, Yan Chi King of Southern Frontier, Xu Xiao of Northern Liang, Gu Jiantang of Liangliao, and right, the Northern Mang and the Liyang royal family. Now, with the addition of Zhao Kai, King of Yue, there is one more person in the world capable of vying for the throne. It's a time of great contention; I wonder who will truly have the last laugh."

As Zhao Xiyi placed his pieces one by one, the situation of all sides in the world was clearly laid out on the chessboard. However, sometimes knowing is one thing, and being able to grasp it is another. Therefore, in order to ensure the longevity of Longhu Mountain's thousand-year heritage, he could only do his best to place his pieces in every direction, just to ensure that nothing went wrong. He did not seek merit but only to avoid mistakes, as long as the heritage of Longhu Mountain could continue.