Xiao Huayong's calm and even somewhat sincere expression of gratitude caused Xiao Changtai's unrestrained smile to instantly fade: "You did this on purpose!"
"Not entirely foolish." The corners of Xiao Huayong's lips curved upward. "My target from beginning to end has been Geng Liangcheng. You... were merely incidental."
Geng Liangcheng had already aligned himself with the Youning Emperor. Though harboring his own ambitions, if not eliminated, his first move would inevitably be to bide his time and join forces with the Youning Emperor against Shen Yueshan. The depth of Shen Yueshan's past trust in him would only magnify the catastrophic backlash of his betrayal.
However, thus far Geng Liangcheng had not committed a single act detrimental to the Northwest—or if he had, evidence remained elusive. On the contrary, his illustrious military achievements and wholehearted dedication to the Northwest were deeply ingrained in public perception. Even for ordinary faults, countless would surely plead for leniency on his behalf.
For someone like Geng Liangcheng, a single decisive strike was essential—one that left no room for recovery.
Xiao Huayong had long known that Xiao Changtai had seen through his true facade. Deliberately feigning grave illness upon entering the city, he anticipated that Xiao Changtai—who undoubtedly had spies in Tingzhou—would grow suspicious of ulterior motives upon learning this. With no other anomalies apparent in Tingzhou, Xiao Changtai would boldly speculate that Xiao Juesong was none other than Xiao Huayong in disguise.
The aim was to use Geng Liangcheng as bait to lure Xiao Changtai into the trap. Thus, Xiao Changtai decided to turn the scheme to his advantage: he persuaded the Turkic Khan to use Geng Liangcheng as decoy, allowing Turkic soldiers to trail him back to the city under cover of darkness and launch a surprise assault. If they could breach Tingzhou's defenses, the very foundation of the Northwest would be shaken.
The Northwest's power structure was complex, with numerous tribes once entrenched there. Though forcibly suppressed, consolidated, and civilized by Shen Yueshan over the years, these groups had acquiesced under duress rather than genuine willingness. Without opportunity, they remained docile; but confirmation of a Turkic invasion of Tingzhou would inevitably stir ambition. Compounded by Shen Yueshan's demise, their restlessness would only grow.
If all proceeded smoothly, this maneuver would plunge the Northwest into fragmentation and internal strife. With Xiao Huayong distracted by the chaos, Xiao Changtai could seize the chance to eliminate him, then potentially position himself as the pacifier of the rebellion. By then, exposing the earlier witchcraft frame-up as Xiao Huayong's doing might even allow him to negotiate with his imperial father—perhaps even becoming the Northwest's sovereign.
One could only say that Xiao Changtai dared to dream and act. Had his opponent not been Xiao Huayong, he might truly have risen from the ashes.
Fingers clenching until veins bulged on his hands, Xiao Changtai felt a suffocating rage burn in his chest. His eyes blazed with tangible fury. He had calculated every move, yet still ended up ensnared in Xiao Huayong's design. Xiao Huayong was like a colossal boulder crushing his back. For Xiao Changtai, who had always sailed smoothly, every setback had begun with Xiao Huayong's return from the Daoist temple.
"If I had known then..." Xiao Changtai gnashed his teeth. If he had known, the moment his own edge first emerged, he should have aimed his sword at that temple and ensured Xiao Huayong never returned.
"Even if you had known, your fate would remain unchanged." Xiao Huayong's eyelids lowered slightly. Though he made no overtly contemptuous gesture, his disdain was palpable.
"Do you think you can leave unscathed after coming here today?" Xiao Changtai raised his arms, and instantly dozens of guards surged forth from the rock face behind him.Today, he had arranged to meet Xiao Huayong among a cluster of rocky outcrops. These rocks resembled a series of small, continuous peaks, concealing nearly half of his elite guards behind them. Today, he was determined to leave Xiao Huayong’s life here!
Xiao Huayong glanced around at the crowd that had instantly surrounded him. Each was dressed in tight-fitting attire, their eyes gleaming with malice.
“Outside Tingzhou City, I have another grand gift for you—a taste of outsmarting yourself!” Xiao Changtai stepped back, signaling with a gesture. His guards surged forward, their icy blades thrusting toward Xiao Huayong from all directions.
Xiao Huayong stood his ground, calm and unruffled. The passing breeze gently lifted his jet-black hair, as if he were oblivious to the blades closing in, capable of turning him into a pincushion. Before the foremost attacker’s blade could even touch his robe, Xiao Huayong tapped his toes, drew a breath, and landed lightly on the edge of a blade. Before the sweeping cold steel could strike, he leaped gracefully out of the encirclement.
Xiao Changtai’s men swiftly redirected their pursuit toward Xiao Huayong. At that moment, a dense volley of arrows flew like streaks of light, raining down and instantly felling a swath of Xiao Changtai’s forces.
Xiao Changtai’s expression darkened. Gripping his sword, he leaped forward, thrusting toward Xiao Huayong.
Xiao Huayong shifted his body slightly, his hands deftly moving behind his back. With a flick of his fingers, a short flute appeared, blocking Xiao Changtai’s incoming blade.
Xiao Changtai’s eyes sharpened. He pressed down with force on his sword, its sharp edge scraping against the flute and sending sparks flying. The blade surged downward with unstoppable momentum.
Xiao Huayong’s hand holding the flute avoided Xiao Changtai’s sword, sliding to the end of the flute. With a twist of his wrist, he flicked the base of the flute with his fingertips, sending it flying. Spinning on his feet, he swiftly dodged Xiao Changtai’s sword, which swept horizontally after sliding down the flute.
As the sword cut through empty air, Xiao Changtai reacted swiftly, striking back with another slash. Xiao Huayong spun in the opposite direction, avoiding the blow while reaching out to catch the falling flute.
Seizing the opportunity, Xiao Changtai thrust his sword toward Xiao Huayong’s back. Xiao Huayong quickly executed a backflip, but as he landed, Xiao Changtai’s sword pressed relentlessly forward, forcing Xiao Huayong to retreat step by step.
His back against the rocky outcrop, Xiao Huayong faced the sweeping sword. He raised his knee, stepped aside, and performed a sideways flip. With a sweeping motion of his long arm, he swung the short flute toward Xiao Changtai’s cheek.
Xiao Changtai’s eyes turned cold. He twisted his waist backward and slashed fiercely toward Xiao Huayong.
In an instant, the two exchanged blows. Xiao Huayong landed gracefully, while Xiao Changtai spun several times before steadying himself.
Xiao Huayong’s knee was grazed by the sword’s edge, his robe torn. Only a slight stinging pain told him of the minor injury.
On the other hand, a long red mark stretched from Xiao Changtai’s earlobe to the bridge of his nose, near the corner of his eye. Almost instantly, blood trickled from his nostril.
Xiao Huayong raised an eyebrow. “Fourth Brother’s skills are truly impressive.”
He meant the praise sincerely, understanding now why Xiao Changtai had managed to escape several pursuits. With such skill, few could capture him.
Xiao Changtai wiped his fingers across his philtrum, looking down at the shocking red stain. His left cheek throbbed with pain. Glancing at Xiao Huayong, whose only visible damage was a torn robe at the knee—with no certainty of whether his skin had even been grazed—Xiao Changtai’s expression grew even darker.
“Enough talk! Today, it’s either your death or mine!” Xiao Changtai raised his sword and charged at Xiao Huayong once more.Moving so fast that only afterimages could be seen, Xiao Huayong narrowed his eyes and adopted a serious stance to respond.
Meanwhile, outside Tingzhou City, the night was deep and heavy with dew. In the darkness, faint clouds of dust could be seen rising in the distance. The soldiers who noticed the situation quickly assumed defensive positions.
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