Starting from the imperial palace guards, his clones spread all over the world.

Chapter 729 Is he a friend?

Night fell, as dark as ink, completely engulfing the vast western desert.

In this boundless sea of ​​sand and rock formations, Hanlong Gorge resembles a hideous scar cleaved open by a giant axe of the gods, deep and treacherous.

Liang Jin had been sitting quietly on the cliff top for quite some time.

He stood tall and straight, like an ancient pine or a rock, unmoved by the howling and tearing winds from the cliff top.

Within three feet of him, the air seemed to stagnate, and dust could not penetrate, creating an eerie harmony of movement and stillness between him and the carriage behind him that was swaying slightly in the wind.

As the last rays of sunlight were swallowed by the horizon and the crescent moon climbed to its zenith.

The wait is finally over.

At the edge of the cliff, where moonlight and shadow meet, a figure silently emerges.

It was an old man wearing a pure white sheepskin coat.

The old man had a round face covered with wrinkles, a full head of silver hair, but his eyes were as bright as an eagle's.

He walked step by step toward the ridge at the top of the cliff, his steps steady, yet his whole being exuded an air of nobility and arrogance.

The old man was none other than King Hunxiu.

He walked slowly and steadily, his steps seemingly slow and deliberate, landing silently, but with each step, the rocks on the cliff top seemed to tremble slightly.

He exuded an invisible yet imposing aura, as heavy as a mountain, noble and proud, as if he were stepping not on a desolate cliff on the edge of the Western Desert, but on the magnificent carpet of his own palace.

Liang Jin's tightly closed eyelids trembled slightly, and he finally slowly opened them.

His deep eyes calmly met the approaching old man's gaze; his voice, though not loud, pierced clearly through the howling wind:
"finally come."

His gaze lingered briefly on the old man's attire, a fleeting look of surprise flashing across his eyes so quickly it was almost imperceptible.

"A Black Dragon Country person?"

His tone was slightly raised, with a hint of inquiry.

King Hunxiu did not answer, but continued to approach.

The invisible sense of oppression increased exponentially as the distance closed, and the air seemed to become thick, making it difficult to breathe.

The rocks beneath his feet creaked under the weight of his weight, and the entire cliff seemed to tremble under his imposing presence.

Liang Jin's gaze swept over Hunxiu Wang's steps, which contained a certain peculiar rhythm, and he seemed to understand something.

"Such a refined and profound aura, with true energy contained yet not revealed, drawn yet not released, would be enough to place him among the kings and nobles in the Black Dragon Empire."

"Especially your disgusting, condescending attitude towards all living beings is exactly the same as that of the Demon Slayer King who died at my hands."

Liang Jin's voice was calm, yet every word was like a knife:

"There are only a few princes in the Black Dragon Empire. Judging from your appearance and age, if I am not mistaken, you should be the legendary Prince Hunxiu, whose status is second only to the Black Dragon Emperor, right?"

He paused slightly, a hint of sarcasm in his voice:

"I originally thought that you should be sitting in the central army, directing your Black Dragon Iron Cavalry to conquer the Western Desert. I never expected that you would have such courage, risking all dangers to come to this desolate place to see me."

As soon as he finished speaking, the calm in Liang Jin's eyes turned completely cold, and his fierce killing intent was no longer concealed. Like a peerless murderous blade drawn from its sheath, its sharpness was aimed directly at King Hunxiu.

Originally, he felt that facing the Black Dragon Empire's army and this renowned prince was a difficult task.

But now, the enemy commander dares to venture deep into enemy territory alone, walking right into their trap. This is undoubtedly a golden opportunity.

If we can seize this opportunity to kill them here, the Black Dragon Army will be leaderless and shaken, resolving the crisis in the Western Desert and bringing at least two more years of precious peace.

Such an opportunity is once in a lifetime!
Upon hearing this, King Hunxiu's lips curled into a cold smile, his laughter low and hoarse, carrying undisguised contempt:
"It seems I shouldn't have come."

Liang Jin remained seated, but the air around him began to circulate silently, and his robes fluttered without wind.

"It's too late to know now."

King Hunxiu tilted his head slightly with interest, as if teasing the prey in his palm:
"How about leaving the territory?"

Liang Jin's gaze suddenly sharpened, his tone resolute and his voice deep and resolute:

"If you're going to stay, leave your life behind!"

King Hunxiu seemed to have heard the most ridiculous joke in the world, and suddenly burst into wild laughter.

"Hahahaha-!"

Before his laughter had even faded, his aura suddenly exploded!

"boom--!"

Like a volcano that had been dormant for thousands of years suddenly erupting, a violent, fierce, bloody, and destructive aura spread out from him and instantly enveloped the entire top of the cliff!
The air at the top of the cliff seemed to be gripped by an invisible giant hand, becoming incredibly heavy. Tiny pebbles trembled and were then crushed into dust by this terrifying force. More stones rolled down the steep cliff face, making a continuous crashing sound that carried far into the silent night.

The two horses pulling the cart, tethered to the withered tree, let out mournful cries of impending death under this terrifying pressure that felt almost tangible!

Their eyes bulged out, filled with extreme fear, as they struggled desperately to break free of their reins.

But the next moment, they suddenly spewed out white vapor mixed with blood and foam from their mouths and noses, their limbs went limp, and they collapsed to the ground with a thud. After convulsing violently a few times, they fell silent again.

They were scared to death by this!
Hunxiu King stood proudly on the spot, his silver hair flying wildly in the turbulent airflow. The cold air emanating from his body caused the temperature on the cliff top to drop sharply, and a thin layer of white frost quickly condensed on the ground.

The thin moisture in the air froze into tiny ice crystals, which fluttered down and reflected a cold light under the moonlight, like a sudden, deadly snowfall.

He raised his head, his voice booming like a bell, making one's eardrums ache:

"I said you shouldn't have come because you are no match for me."

"I've come to kill you, but it's like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut!"

His momentum surged again, and the violent air currents whipped up sand and dust, forming a small tornado around him. The wind howled as if a hundred ghosts were wailing in the night.

"I was originally too lazy to take action, I just hoped that you would leave Ximo behind and get out of here."

"But since you've chosen to leave your life behind, don't blame me for being ruthless!"

The moment the words left his mouth, King Hunxiu moved!
He appeared old, but when he moved, he was as fast as lightning. He left only a faint white afterimage in place, and his true body rushed straight towards Liang Jin with overwhelming force!

As he sprinted forward, he reached for his waist with his right hand, and a flash of black light appeared, revealing a strange weapon in his palm—an iron mace!

The mace was entirely black, forged from some unknown metal. The hammerhead was not perfectly round, but covered with sharp, menacing iron spikes, like a blooming flower of death metal.

"I've heard that your physical body is incredibly strong and tough!"

King Hunxiu's voice was filled with cruel mockery:

"But ironically, what I excel at most is smashing anything that thinks it's indestructible!"

The mace is an armor-piercing weapon; on the battlefield, a single blow from the mace can severely injure heavily armored soldiers.

In the martial arts world, the mace is also a powerful weapon against masters of external martial arts.

Many masters of external martial arts develop bodies of copper and iron, and if they do not know their weak points, they are difficult to harm with swords and blades.

However, if a mace is used, it can cause internal injuries.

The weapon that King Hunxiu practiced throughout his life was a mace, and his martial arts complemented the mace perfectly, possessing extremely strong penetrating and destructive power.

Therefore, he was not afraid to fight against physically strong martial artists, and he was confident that he could completely subdue Liang Jin!
At this moment, the mace in Hunxiu King's hand pierced the air with a piercing shriek. It was not a straight shot, but contained a strange arc and vibration. A fierce and vicious penetrating force that was specifically designed to break through hard skills burst forth first, like an invisible drill, enveloping Liang Jin's body!
Before the bud even arrived, the terrifying force field had already descended.

Within a zhang (approximately 3.3 meters) of Liang Jin's body, the ground felt as if it had been struck by an invisible giant hammer. With a "crack," the hard rock instantly became covered with spiderweb-like cracks, and the surface rock was shattered into dust, forming a shallow pit.

The mace, imbued with destructive power, was about to smash solidly into Liang Jin's skull—

"call--!!!"

A sudden gust of wind arose.

At this critical moment, Liang Jin's body seemed to lose all weight, turning into a feather or a wisp of smoke, drifting lightly backward with the suddenly intensified gale on the cliff top.

The movements were fluid and natural, without a trace of artifice.

"boom!!!!"

Hunxiu Wang's determined strike slammed heavily onto the cliff edge where Liang Jin had been standing.

A deafening roar, like the sky collapsing and the earth splitting apart, exploded!

Rock fragments shot out, and dust billowed into the sky!

Large sections of the cliff face could not withstand the terrifying force and collapsed with a deafening roar, plunging into the bottomless canyon with immense force. The rumbling echo reverberated through the canyon for a long time.

The carriage parked to the side was also affected by the violent tremors. The ropes snapped, and the carriage tumbled down the steep cliff face, with a series of loud crashes echoing around it.

Fortunately, the carriage, though seemingly ordinary, was actually reinforced with high-quality steel, preventing it from falling apart on the spot. It bounced and tumbled all the way before finally crashing heavily into a pile of rocks at the bottom of the valley with a dull thud.

The carriage door twisted and sprang open from the impact, and a slender, graceful figure rolled out, collapsing helplessly onto the cold sand.

It is a scene of flowers playing with shadows.

She was still wearing that gorgeous but tattered dress, her face was as pale as paper, her lips were cracked, and most shockingly, two black iron chains pierced through her collarbone.

Although he survived the fall from the height because of his martial arts physique which far surpassed that of ordinary people, he was still disoriented and in excruciating pain. He had multiple abrasions on his forehead and arms, from which bright red blood seeped.

She raised her head blankly, her beautiful eyes empty, staring blankly at the unfamiliar and treacherous surroundings—towering canyon walls, the cold moonlight, and strange rocks scattered everywhere…

"This is where?"

"Why am I here?"

But the next moment, an even more shocking question came to her mind:
"who I am?"

"Why can't I remember anything at all? Who am I, anyway?"

"Why... do I not even know my own name?"

The question struck her so astonished that she turned pale. She felt as if her mind had gone completely blank, as if all the memories of her life experiences had been ruthlessly erased by a giant hand.

She not only couldn't remember who she was, but also couldn't remember what she had experienced before falling off the cliff; she had completely forgotten everything, whether it was her childhood or her adulthood.

When she tried to think hard, even a slight concentration caused her head to throb with excruciating pain, as if being pricked by needles and chisels, making her let out a painful groan.

Ultimately, she had no choice but to give up and shift her focus to herself:

"Who pierced my collarbone? Who bound and locked me up with iron chains?"

She began to feel fear and tried desperately to break free.

However, after her collarbone was pierced, her internal energy could no longer circulate normally, so much so that she could not even break free of the chains. Every effort she made only brought excruciating pain and the mocking clanging of the chains.

"what……"

She let out a weak cry of pain, her voice hoarse and dry.

at this time--

"You run pretty fast! You're as annoying as a flea!"

Above the cliff came the angry shouts of King Hunxiu, and the chilling sound of weapons cutting through the air.

Hua Nongying suddenly raised her head and, through the narrow "skyline" above the canyon, could vaguely see two blurry figures chasing and colliding in the night sky at an unimaginable speed.

Even from this distance, the chilling killing intent made her feel icy cold all over.

Liang Jin landed lightly on a protruding cliff on the other side of the canyon, his clothes fluttering. Looking at the devastation of the place where he had just stood, a flash of understanding appeared in his eyes.

He glanced at the murderous-looking King Hunxiu opposite him and raised his voice slightly:
"You're not a member of the Yinxi Society?"

If he were a core member of the Yinxi Society, he would never have been so indifferent to Hua Nongying, an important figure, and let her fall off the cliff without lifting a finger.

If Hunxiu Wang's attack had been slightly larger, it might have even killed Hua Nongying.

When Liang Jin first recognized Hunxiu Wang's identity, he thought Yin Xi would have already taken control of the Black Dragon Empire's upper echelons, but now it seems that this is not the case.

Upon hearing this, King Hunxiu scoffed and arrogantly said:
"The Yinxi Gathering? Does it even deserve my condescension to join?"

Liang Jin immediately understood.

It seems that this Hunxiu King is an outsider that Yinxi will invite at great cost, a sharp and swift blade to kill him.

The secret of the divine tortoise is related to the Yinxi Society's fundamental schemes, and they would never place all their hopes on an outsider.

The true masters of the Yinxi Society would surely be hidden in the shadows, waiting for their chance to strike.

In a flash, Liang Jin had already decided on a strategy.

He once again activated the peerless lightness skill "Walking in the Wind and Shadows," his figure merging with the howling wind on the cliff top, becoming elusive and unpredictable.

Hunxiu Wang roared and swung his iron mace again, its dark light flashing and its powerful energy surging. Each strike was enough to split mountains and shatter rocks.

However, Liang Jin was like a willow catkin in the wind or a duckweed on the waves, always managing to avoid fatal attacks at the last possible moment.

His figure moved freely, darting left and right, up and down, around the vast canyon space of Hanlong Gorge.

After advancing to the second rank, his understanding and application of "Walking in the Wind and Shadows" reached a new level.

At this moment, he controlled his speed to be just slightly faster than Hunxiu King, so that he would not catch up with him, nor would he leave him too far behind. Like a shepherd boy leading a cow by the nose, he guided the rhythm of this chase.

It's not that Hunxiu Wang's lightness skill is lacking, but rather that Liang Jin's lightness skill is too strong.

His "Walking in the Wind and Shadows" technique is unparalleled in the world; he has yet to encounter anyone who can consistently surpass him in terms of lightness skill.

It can be said that if Liang Jin wanted to escape, as long as he didn't encounter someone like Zhao Wuji in the imperial mausoleum, there would be few people in the world who could stop him.

This meant that even though Hunxiu King chased after Liang Jin for a long time, he could never touch the hem of Liang Jin's clothes.

Despite possessing overwhelming strength, King Hunxiu repeatedly missed his targets, as if every punch he threw hit empty air, leaving him so frustrated that he almost vomited blood.

Having roamed the world for decades, he had never been so thoroughly humiliated. Enraged, he roared in fury:

"You insolent wretch! You cowardly coward! Have the guts to fight me head-on!"

"I have been a powerful strategist for decades, slaying countless enemies, and I have never seen such a coward as you who only knows how to run away with his tail between his legs!"

Liang Jin remained unmoved by such a clumsy attempt to provoke him.

He continued circling around Hanlong Gorge, with Hua Nongying at the center.

At the same time, while his gaze seemed focused on dodging, his mental perception was actually like the finest net, meticulously scanning every corner and every shadow in the canyon.

He was certain that the people of Yinxi Society would not give up on Hua Nongying, nor would they give up on taking his life.

Liang Jin cannot defeat King Hunxiu until the true masters of the Yinxi Society appear.

If Liang Jin reveals too much strength and frightens the experts of the Yinxi Society into turning around and fleeing when they sense the danger, then he will face the threat of powerful enemies lurking in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity to strike.

There's no such thing as guarding against thieves for a thousand days in this world.
He is waiting.

Waiting for the venomous snake lurking in the shadows, ready to strike a fatal blow at any moment, to reveal itself.

If we do not seize this opportunity to ruthlessly sever the tentacles of the Yinxi Society that extend into the Western Desert, or even severely damage its core power, there will be no peace in the future.

So he patiently continued circling, waiting for the experts from the Yinxi Society to lose their patience and jump out.

After a prolonged and unsuccessful siege, King Hunxiu gradually came to his senses.

He abruptly stopped his pursuit, landing back on the cliff top. His chest heaved slightly, his face so dark it seemed to drip water. He stared intently at Liang Jin, who had also stopped on the other side of the canyon, and questioned him in a cold voice:

Are you going to fight or not?

Liang Jin stood in the wind, his fine clothes fluttering, his expression indifferent, and replied from afar:
"I'm not fighting anymore, you can go back now."

King Hunxiu was nearly bursting with rage:
"you……!"

He was entrusted by the Yinxi Society with a generous gift to take Liang Jin's life; how could he return empty-handed? And how could he simply refuse to fight?

Enraged, he said no more, raised his mace once more, transformed into white light, and pounced madly.

A barely perceptible smile appeared on Liang Jin's lips. He turned and rode away on the wind, once again staging a high-speed chase through thousands of mountains and valleys.

At the bottom of the deep valley, Hua Nongying struggled to prop herself up on her elbows, gazing up at the two figures chasing and colliding like shooting stars in the night sky. Her confusion and fear reached their peak.

Who are they?

Why are we fighting here?

Are the chains on my body... related to them?
She bit her lower lip hard until she tasted a slightly metallic sweetness.

A strong will to survive and a desire to understand what had happened to her prompted her to endure pain in order to keep her mind clear.

"They must know something about me!"

"Of the two of them, one must be my enemy, so the other... might be my friend!"

The moment this thought crossed Hua Nongying's mind, she couldn't help but feel excited.

She was inexplicably impaled on her collarbone and thrown into this valley, and the two experts fighting nearby must have some connection with her.

She must get their attention!

Immediately, Hua Nongying opened her mouth, wanting to shout loudly.

However, when she opened her mouth, she didn't know what to say.

After all, she had lost her memory and knew nothing about anything.

But then she had a sudden idea.

So she took a deep breath of the cold air, and with all her might, screamed towards the top of the canyon:

"I'm not dead yet!!!"

The sound echoed through the canyon, carrying despair and pleading.

"Help me! Help me!!!"

She didn't know who her friends were or who her enemies were, but that was all she could do.

Although Hua Nongying couldn't use her internal energy to make her voice travel far and loud enough, her years of martial arts training told her that the two experts fighting above the canyon would definitely be able to hear her shouts with their keen senses.

Sure enough, her shouts had an effect.

The old man in the white sheepskin coat heard the voice but showed no emotion in his eyes. He didn't even bother to turn his head to look at him, and continued to focus on chasing Liang Jin, his attacks becoming increasingly ferocious.

The young man, who looked ordinary but moved with superhuman agility, froze for a moment upon hearing the shout.

His sharp, hawk-like gaze pierced through a hundred meters, precisely landing on the disheveled, vulnerable yet still stubbornly calling for help figure at the bottom of the valley.

Although it was just a fleeting glance, and although his eyes remained as calm as ice, that brief pause and gaze suddenly threw a boulder of hope into Hua Nongying's dying heart!

He noticed me!

He didn't ignore me!

In this life-or-death struggle, he could still spare a thought to whether I, a complete stranger, lived or died...

A thought, like a flame igniting in the darkness, instantly illuminated her chaotic thoughts:

Could it be... that he is my friend?!

He... might be my only hope of survival!

(End of this chapter)