You, a tyrannical ruler, roam the heavens; you cannot understand my joy.

Time flows like a stream outside Dading Prefecture, seemingly calm, yet ceaselessly moving forward.

In the blink of an eye, several days have passed since that terrifying night raid and counterattack.

Autumn deepens, and the mountains and forests are ablaze with color.

A narrow official road winding between two steep cliffs became the only way to reach the rear of Dading Prefecture.

This place is called "One Line Gorge". The mountains are rugged and the withered vines are intertwined, making the terrain extremely dangerous.

The clatter of hooves and the rumble of wheels, mixed with the slightly chaotic yet determined sound of footsteps, broke the silence of the canyon.

A procession of about 15,000 people is marching in a long, winding manner.

The composition of the team was quite diverse. There were folk martial arts masters dressed in various outfits and carrying knives, spears, and halberds; there were dark-skinned fishermen from the Jianghuai region with steady steps; and there were many soldiers who were wounded but had sharp eyes and were relatively disciplined. They were veterans who had been injured in previous battles, had now largely recovered, and were ordered to return to their units.

In the middle of the procession, dozens of large carts, fully loaded with grain, fodder, and medicinal herbs, were carefully guarded.

Liang Hongyu, dressed in a dark red outfit with light armor over it, rode a green horse at the front of the group.

Her brows furrowed slightly, her gaze sharp as she scanned the towering, narrow cliffs with their jagged rocks on either side. The autumn wind howled through the canyon, adding to the somber atmosphere.

"Madam, the terrain here is treacherous. Should we send the scouts to explore further?" An old retainer who had followed her for many years rode closer and whispered, his face filled with worry.

Liang Hongyu nodded slightly, a warning bell also ringing in her heart.

His Majesty and Commander Han devised a surprise attack plan, ordering her to contact righteous men from Jianghuai and gather recovered veterans to secretly assemble at a predetermined location behind Dading Prefecture.

This matter concerns the overall situation of the decisive battle, and there is no room for the slightest mistake. This narrow gorge is truly an excellent place to lay an ambush.

"Send the order: the troops shrink back, speed up, draw your swords, nock your arrows, and quickly pass through this valley!" Liang Hongyu gave the decisive command, her clear voice echoing faintly through the canyon.

The order was quickly issued.

The atmosphere in the group suddenly became tense. Everyone subconsciously gripped their weapons and looked warily at the cliffs on both sides.

The creaking of wheels, footsteps, and horses' hooves seemed to have softened, but the wind still howled.

Just as most of the team entered the middle of the canyon, and the lead scout had just rounded the previous bend...

"Buzz!"

A piercing whistle of an arrow suddenly rang out from the top of the cliff on the left!

It wasn't aimed at the crowd, but rather a signal arrow piercing the sky!

"Enemy attack!!!" Liang Hongyu's pupils shrank sharply as she shouted, instantly drawing the two swords from beside her saddle.

Almost at the same instant the signal arrow was fired, dozens of dark figures swooped down from the cliffs on both sides like large birds!

These people were dressed in dark brown or gray-black outfits, similar in color to the rocks. Their movements were unusually agile, and they fell silently until they were close to the top of the group, when they brought up a fierce wind!

"Form ranks! Protect the grain carts!"

Despite the danger, Liang Hongyu remained calm. She spurred her horse on, charging towards the area with the most figures rushing down. Her twin blades flashed with two bright, cold light as she slashed down at them!

"kill!"

"Stop them!"

The martial arts instructors, fishermen, and veterans in the group had all seen blood. Although they were shocked, they remained calm and, under the command of their leaders, quickly formed a simple circular formation using the grain carts and rocks, raising their swords and spears and firing their bows and crossbows upwards.

"Pfft!"

"what!"

The battle reached a fever pitch in an instant.

The dark figure descended into the crowd, wielding mostly unusual weapons such as curved swords, short daggers, and vajras. His moves were ruthless and cunning, his internal energy chilling, and he targeted vital points.

A fisherman from the Jianghuai region desperately parried with his harpoon, but the opponent's curved knife bypassed him at an odd angle and stabbed him in the ribs, causing him to scream and fall to the ground.

A martial arts master, his sword flashing like the wind, pierced the shoulder of a man in black, but with a soft "clang," it failed to penetrate. Instead, the man was struck in the chest with a heavy palm, spitting out blood as he flew backward.

"This is tough! Everyone be careful, fight together!" an experienced veteran roared.

Liang Hongyu was already fighting with three men in black who were rushing towards her.

These three were clearly the most skilled in martial arts, and their teamwork was impeccable. One used a curved blade to entangle her left-hand sword, another used a short dagger to swiftly strike her vital points, and the third wielded a vajra with great force, aiming to smash her warhorse and legs.

Swords flashed and energy surged.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

The clanging of metal against metal was deafening. Liang Hongyu wielded her twin swords like wheels, protecting herself completely, but her opponent's internal energy was insidious and his moves were unpredictable. She also had to focus on commanding the overall situation, and for a time she was entangled and faced constant danger.

These were no ordinary Jin soldiers!

fighting style and techniques...

They're those heretics from the Tantric sect!

She knew perfectly well what was going on, and was even more anxious.

His Majesty had warned that the Jin Kingdom was colluding with the Esoteric Buddhist sect and that there must be highly skilled individuals lurking in the shadows. Unexpectedly, they've set up an ambush here; their target is clearly this surprise force and their precious provisions!

"Madam, be careful!"

Seeing that her back was slightly open, a soldier rushed forward without hesitation, using his body to block a short dagger that was silently thrusting towards her. The sharp blade pierced through her chest, and blood spurted out.

"Old Zhou!"

Liang Hongyu's eyes were bloodshot, and her right hand flashed with a burst of light, forcing the black-clad man wielding short daggers back a step. Her left hand returned to defend, but it was already a fraction too late.

"Sizzle!"

Another man in black wielding a scimitar swept past, and although she avoided a fatal blow, he still managed to cut a deep gash at the joint of her left arm armor, exposing the bone. Blood instantly stained her sleeve.

A sharp pain shot through her, and Liang Hongyu groaned, her body momentarily still.

"Madam Han is injured! Take her down first!"

The black-clad man wielding the vajra gleamed with a fierce light in his eyes. The vajra, as large as a mountain, slammed down towards Liang Hongyu's head with a whistling sound!

If this blow lands squarely, even an iron skull will shatter.

Liang Hongyu gritted her teeth, crossed her twin swords and desperately parried upwards, but her internal energy was slightly disrupted due to her injuries.

The heavy vajra was about to fall—

"What shameless bastards! Several grown men ganging up on an injured girl!"

A roar as loud as a bell suddenly exploded from the top of the cliff! Before the sound had even faded, a gray figure swooped down from the top of the cliff, dozens of feet high, like an eagle pouncing on a rabbit, so fast that it left a trail of afterimages in the air!

Before the man even arrived, an incomparably powerful and righteous palm force pressed down from the sky, aiming straight for the back of the black-clad man wielding the vajra!

The man in black was horrified. He could no longer hold back his attacks on Liang Hongyu. He twisted his body forcefully, held the Vajra Pestle horizontally in front of his chest, and used all his strength to meet the palm strike.

"boom!!!"

When the palms and pestles collided, they produced a dull, loud sound, like the sound of leather being struck!

The man in black was struck as if by lightning, his whole body trembling violently. The vajra in his hand, forged from fine steel, was bent and deformed by the overwhelming force of the palm strike.

He coughed up blood and was thrown backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily into the cliff face. The sound of his bones shattering was clearly audible, and he was clearly going to die.

The gray figure landed, revealing a tall, ragged yet imposing old man—nine-fingered beggar Hong Qigong! He didn't even glance at the dead man in black; his tiger-like eyes swept across the battlefield, pausing particularly on Liang Hongyu's bloodstained left arm, before he roared, "Damn it, they really went all out!"

"Madam Han, has the old beggar arrived just in time?"

Almost at the same time as Hong Qigong pounced down, another green figure drifted down from the top of the cliff as if taking a leisurely stroll. His movements were elegant and graceful, without the slightest hint of worldly affairs. It was none other than Huang Yaoshi, the Eastern Heretic.

He did not rush directly into the fiercest battle, but instead moved like a ghost among the black-clad men on the periphery who were entangled with the rebel soldiers.

The fingers flick, tap, pat, or brush; the movements seem casual, yet are incredibly precise.

"puff!"

"Ugh!"

Screams rang out one after another. The men in black would often only see a blur before their vital points were struck, or their wrists would go numb and their weapons would fall from their hands, or their chests would feel a tightness and their internal energy would dissipate, instantly rendering them unable to fight and allowing them to be hacked to death by the enraged rebel soldiers around them.

Huang Yaoshi's moves were incredibly unpredictable and efficient; in a short time, seven or eight men in black had fallen at his hands. His expression was cold and his eyes were like icy stars, clearly showing him no goodwill towards these Tantric masters.

"Senior Hong! Island Master Huang!"

Liang Hongyu was both surprised and delighted. Enduring the sharp pain in her left arm, she swung her knife to force back the other two men in black who were slightly flustered by Hong Qigong's appearance. "Hongyu thanks you two seniors for your help!"

"Haha, no need to thank me! It's my duty as an old beggar to fight these gold dogs!"

Hong Qigong laughed loudly and moved instantly, rushing straight at the two black-clad men who were besieging Liang Hongyu: "You barbarian dogs, take this palm strike!"

His palm technique unfolded with unparalleled ferocity, it was none other than the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms.

Although he was alone, he seemed to have the power of a thousand troops, his palm wind howling and covering all directions.

Although the two men in black were skilled in martial arts, they were far inferior to a top master like Hong Qigong. Furthermore, they were intimidated by his power, and within three or five moves, Hong Qigong either shattered their heart meridians or smashed their skulls, killing them with his palm.

Huang Yaoshi cleared the surrounding area and floated over. He glanced at Liang Hongyu's wound, flicked his finger, and a fragrant pill shot into Liang Hongyu's hand: "Peach Blossom Island Nine-Flower Jade Dew Pill, can be taken internally or applied externally, to temporarily relieve the injury."

His voice was cool, yet contained a hint of concern.

He had always admired the loyalty, righteousness, courage, and bravery of Han Shizhong and his wife.

"Thank you, Island Master Huang." Liang Hongyu didn't stand on ceremony and immediately swallowed half of the pill. She crushed the other half and applied it to the wound. Sure enough, a cool sensation came over her, the pain was greatly reduced, and the bleeding slowed down.

With the addition of two unparalleled masters, the Northern Beggar and the Eastern Heretic, to the battle, the situation instantly reversed. Although the remaining Tantric masters were fierce and brave, they were all defeated by Hong Qigong's unparalleled palm strikes and Huang Yaoshi's unpredictable moves.

Some tried to escape, but were killed by stones shot down from the cliff top or by broken blades flying from the ground.

Occasionally, someone with exceptional lightness skills would leap onto the cliff face, only to be knocked down by Hong Qigong's palm strike from a distance or by Huang Yaoshi's finger flick.

The battle was completely over in less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.

Dozens of Jin Dynasty masters trained in Tantric Buddhism were all executed, except for a few who were captured alive for their quick thinking and surrender.

The rebels also suffered over a hundred casualties, but managed to preserve most of their food supplies and core personnel.

Liang Hongyu quickly bandaged her wounds, directed her soldiers to clean up the battlefield, guard the prisoners, and ordered experienced interrogators to immediately separate and interrogate the survivors, making sure to find out their origins, numbers, and other arrangements around Dading Prefecture.

After making the arrangements, she quickly walked up to Hong Qigong and Huang Yaoshi, who were examining the martial arts techniques on the corpse of the man in black. She solemnly clasped her hands and bowed deeply, saying, "Hongyu thanks Senior Hong and Island Master Huang for saving my life!"

"If it weren't for the two seniors passing by by chance, our surprise attack would have been lost before it even arrived, and Hongyu would be held responsible even if she were to die a thousand deaths!"

Hong Qigong waved his hand dismissively, "Oh, Madam Han, you flatter me."

"Old Beggar and Old Evil also received a message from His Majesty to find a place to hide near Dading Prefecture and wait for the signal."

"Passing by this hill, we heard a lively battle below. Looking down, we saw it was our men being ambushed by the barbarians. How could we just stand by and do nothing?"

Huang Yaoshi nodded slightly in response to Liang Hongyu's courtesy, his cold gaze sweeping across the canyon: "These Tibetan monks do indeed follow the Tantric school of martial arts, but they incorporate military combat techniques, suggesting they have undergone special training specifically for battlefield assassinations and raids."

"The Jin invaders have certainly invested heavily in this."

Liang Hongyu, still shaken, replied, "Exactly."

"His Majesty had foreseen this; the Jurchens were colluding with the Tantric sect and would surely send a master assassin."

"I never expected them to have infiltrated here, intending to cut off my supply lines for my surprise attack."

"Fortunately, I was blessed to meet these two seniors."

Hong Qigong chuckled: "What divine blessing? It's His Majesty's far-sighted planning."

"He's been directing us old guys and our underworld friends to gather here because he was probably already on guard against Jin Gou's scheme."

"Alright, we can't stay here any longer. Hurry up and pack up. Old Beggar and Old Evil will escort you for a while. We'll talk more when we get there."

"I'd like to see just how many of these shady characters Jin Gou is hiding!"

Liang Hongyu's spirits lifted: "Having two senior colleagues with me is perfect! Please!"

The group reorganized, buried their fallen comrades, and, with the prisoners and some captured tokens, quickly passed through the First Line Gorge under the protection of Hong Qigong and Huang Yaoshi.

"A Tyrant Ruler Across the Heavens, You Don't Understand My Joy" is a free book available on the "Renren Bookstore" app. Search "Renren Bookstore" on Baidu to download and install the Android app. Read the latest chapters of "A Tyrant Ruler Across the Heavens, You Don't Understand My Joy" anytime!