A difficult beast fight had ended.
The young Yuan Yi and the young Yuan Dasheng walked through an empty alley.
Yuan Dasheng's body was covered in wounds, and every step he took tugged at his injuries, causing him to grimace in pain.
Yuan Yi patted his pocket, where there were only three and a half spirit stones left.
He gritted his teeth and finally said, "Dasheng, stay here for now. I'll go check the pharmacy over there. At the very least, I can get you some ointment!"
Yuan Yi left, and Yuan Dasheng stumbled, leaning against the cold wall and slowly sitting down on the ground.
He panted heavily, and the motion of sitting down also pulled at his wounds, causing his heart to race from the pain.
The alley was empty, and the light was dim, as if only he was left in the world.
Suddenly, the sound of a gong rang out.
Yuan Dasheng instinctively raised his eyes to look; the sound had come from the other side of the wall.
Then, the sound of drums followed, and a host called out, "Next, we invite Lord Li Leifeng to perform a puppet show for the old family head. The name of the play is ‘Qin Lie Goes to Battle'!"
In the next moment, a mechanical platform slowly rose, and puppets of various shapes and designs appeared, beginning the performance.
Yuan Dasheng looked up through the gaps between the trees, watching as the puppets moved like real people, speaking and interacting, attacking and fleeing. It was quite a spectacle.
Li Leifeng's puppetry skills were masterful, perfectly synchronized with the gongs, drums, zithers, and bells. Yuan Dasheng gradually forgot the pain in his body, completely captivated by the show.
The play progressed, reaching its climax.
A treacherous plot was laid out, falsely accusing General Qin Lie of abusing military power and harboring treacherous intentions. The young lord issued three imperial decrees in a row, disregarding the fact that General Qin Lie was gravely injured, and insisted he lead the charge.
General Qin Lie, with three battle flags stuck into his back, struggled to his feet, raised his long spear, and, heavy as a mountain, marched step by step toward the battlefield ahead.
He sang:
"From childhood, I was raised by the late lord, his kindness like a mountain, etched deep in my heart. He taught me loyalty and righteousness to protect the land, granting me wisdom and courage to stand tall in the world."
"The late lord's kindness, like a father, like a brother, helped me grow. He taught me loyalty, he taught me righteousness, and granted me wisdom and courage..."
The sound of the gong was deep and powerful, as if proclaiming the weight and tragedy of this battle.
He sang again:
"The young lord is still tender, and I support him as if he were my own, giving all my strength. Though I face suspicion, I bear no grudge. I only wish for the kingdom to remain strong."
"The young lord is young, and I supported you to ascend the throne, like protecting a sapling, hoping you'd grow into a forest. Though I am wronged, I bear no resentment, only wishing for the country's fortune to be restored..."
The jinghu played high and clear, sometimes mournful, tugging at the heartstrings, and other times resounding, expressing Qin Lie's deep longing.
Qin Lie charged into the battlefield, like a fierce lion, slaughtering enemies and sending heads rolling, striking fear into the enemy troops.
He sang again:
"Though my body is old, my spirit remains undimmed. I shed my blood on the battlefield to repay the country's kindness. The late lord's spirit in heaven smiles, and I have no regrets as I go to war."
The drumbeat intensified, thick and stirring, like the sound of galloping warhorses, grand and majestic. Yuan Dasheng felt his blood boil!
Qin Lie fought for a long time without retreating, but his injuries worsened, and his strength was depleted. In the end, he was surrounded on the battlefield, unable to break through the thick enemy lines despite repeated charges.
Knowing his fate was sealed, Qin Lie raised his head and sang loudly:
"The late lord's kindness will forever be remembered, my heart tied to the young lord's revival. I shed my blood on the battlefield, not in vain, and my soul will return to my homeland to comfort the late lord."
"What fear do I have of the enemy? Thousands of troops and horses are nothing to fear!"
"My death is not for fame or fortune, but for pure loyalty and devotion."
"Looking back on the late lord's heavy kindness, how could I retreat in the face of the nation's peril?"
"Younger lord, I hope you understand. A loyal minister has no regrets, even if his life is forfeit. After I die, I hope you know, I gave my life to protect the kingdom with loyalty and courage."
The rhythm of the gongs and drums shifted repeatedly, reflecting both the intense battle and the tragic farewell.
Finally.
Qin Lie and the enemy general nearly perished together.
In his final moments, he faced the capital, half-kneeling on the ground, bowing his hands in salute: "My lord, your servant is leaving!"
A loud drum sounded, shaking the entire stage.
Suddenly, the suona horn blared, its sound high-pitched and filled with sorrow, piercing through time and space, directly striking Yuan Dasheng's heart.
The suona played for a while, and then the flute joined in. The flute's sound was crisp and pleasant, sometimes lingering and melancholic, and sometimes soaring and passionate.
Finally, the sound rose higher and higher, like a bluebird flying into the sky, its distant figure gradually disappearing into the vast blue.
Yuan Dasheng looked up, speechless for a long time.
This was his first time watching a puppet show, and he could already understand human speech. His heart and mind were deeply moved.
"Dasheng, Dasheng!" Yuan Yi ran back, holding several pieces of ointment.
He smiled and said, "Lucky day! The pharmacy was clearing stock, and I got a good deal. I managed to get a few extra plasters."
"Come, let me apply it for you."
Yuan Dasheng let Yuan Yi treat his wounds. He glanced at Yuan Yi, then looked at the puppets on the platform. The lantern light was like fire, casting its glow on his face. On the other side of the wall, the sounds of the crowd celebrating and applauding continued to echo in his ears.
"Let's go, what are you still sitting there for?" Yuan Yi got up and started walking.
Yuan Dasheng reached out and pointed to the platform across from them.
Yuan Yi turned back, unconcerned, "Oh, it's just a puppet show."
Yuan Yi glanced again, "It's the play ‘Qin Lie Goes to Battle,' a famous show."
"Too bad he followed the wrong person."
Normally, he would have stopped torturing Sun Lingtong by now. After all, torturing Sun Lingtong to extract the whereabouts of the young puppet master was merely to make it easier to recruit Han Ming.
It was a completely losing deal.
But in the Tiger Fight Luck Field, Qi Bai's competitive spirit flared, and his desire to win became particularly fierce.
"Perhaps his collapse is just around the corner!" Qi Bai snarled with twisted anticipation, "Very good, I like a tough bone like you."
"Next, you'll endure ten times the pain from before!"
"Hehehe."
"Death will be a blessing for you. Too bad you angered me."
Qi Bai unleashed his spell, striking Sun Lingtong directly.
Sun Lingtong felt as if a mountain was crushing him, the pain so intense that he imagined his body and soul being ground to pieces by the weight.
The boundless pain seeped into every inch of his skin, but he couldn't pass out.
He felt like a small boat in a raging storm, plunging into an endless whirlpool at the bottom of the sea.
His memories appeared like a beam of light, faint but stubborn, shining through the darkness.
They were all about Ning Zhuo.
"Others can control the black market, so why can't we?"
"Interesting, let's join forces as brothers and take control of the black market!"
"Xiao Zhuo, don't reveal your true face, use the Cang Tie Han Armor to disguise yourself. Anyway, people already know me, so it doesn't matter."
Ning Zhuo smiled and changed his form of address: "From now on, I'll just call you Boss Sun!"
"Boss, the goods are wrong."
"Boss Sun, I'm right behind you."
"Boss, charge!"
"Boss Sun, don't worry, I'll follow you forever."
The pain was like an ocean, like an abyss, engulfing Sun Lingtong.
He opened his eyes, and his once bright eyes were filled with blood.
Sun Lingtong gave a tragic smile, knowing that the effect of the Void Seal was limited, and he couldn't hold on much longer.
He fiercely unleashed his final method!
Qi Bai keenly sensed something was wrong and was shocked: "What? You're actually destroying your own soul!"
Sun Lingtong activated the Void Seal and attacked his own soul to resist Qi Bai's soul-searching.
Qi Bai's eyes widened in disbelief: "What is that young puppet master to you? You're willing to let your soul scatter just to protect him?!"
"Are you really a disciple of the No-Void Sect? Are you even a demon cultivator?!"
"Could it be that he's your fellow disciple? Is he the Holy Son of the No-Void Sect?"
"Hehehe." Sun Lingtong forced out a final laugh with great difficulty, "He's not my fellow disciple, he's my brother."
"Brother?" Qi Bai was even more confused, "Aren't brothers meant to be betrayed? You're willing to give up your life for a bit of information? What is it you want?"
Sun Lingtong lowered his eyes; he was too weak. His voice was very faint: "I... I just want to prove... he didn't... follow the wrong person."
Qi Bai leaned in to listen, only to hear those words.
"Incomprehensible!" Qi Bai was furious to the extreme.
Never in his life had he been so enraged!
He felt deeply violated.
He had completely lost his patience.
At this moment, he forgot about recruiting Han Ming and the young puppet master.
With his fingers shaped like a sword, he viciously stabbed toward Sun Lingtong's forehead.
This strike would surely pierce Sun Lingtong's skull and kill him for good!
Boom!!!
An explosion suddenly erupted.
Qi Bai sneered, completely disregarding it, determined to kill Sun Lingtong.
But in the next moment, the formation's runes appeared, firmly protecting Sun Lingtong and blocking the fatal blow.
The violent explosion swept over, accompanied by surging flames.
The explosion blasted Qi Bai away, engulfing him.
In contrast, Sun Lingtong, under the protection of the formation's runes, was moved outside the house.
The next moment, he landed beside an old man.
This old man was withered with age, his face deeply lined, with dark purple bags under his eyes. His wrinkles were so deep they could trap insects.
His hair was black and messy, spreading from the top of his head down to his shoulders and trailing to the ground, like a wide black cloak.
He leaned on a cane, his back hunched severely, his whole body curled like a lobster.
He called himself the young puppet master.
He was Sun Lingtong's... brother!