Chapter 83: Formation
“I’m a bit angry.”
As soon as these words left his mouth, Wang Ba and the others instinctively turned to look at He Yan.
Shitou and He Yan had spent the longest time together and knew that He Yan had always been a good-natured person. Even when Wang Ba had tried to snatch her meat bun before, she had merely defended her food without ever seriously claiming to be angry.
Now, this unknown monkey had somehow managed to make He Yan angry.
Lei Hou chuckled, “Brother He, swords and blades have no eyes; don’t take it out on me.”
“That would require you to actually hurt me first,” He Yan replied with a smile. She flipped backward, landing behind Lei Hou, and her Nine-section whip danced through the air like a long snake, deftly sweeping past him. Lei Hou dodged, but the whip seemed to have a mind of its own, grazing his cheek and leaving a red mark in an instant.
Since it was just the tail of the whip that had struck, there was no blood, but even so, Lei Hou’s expression darkened.
“Brother Lei, swords and blades have no eyes,” He Yan beckoned to him with her finger. “Don’t take it out on me.”
Without a word, Lei Hou lunged at her with his sword. His movements were skilled, exuding a murderous aura that was entirely different from the new recruits training in the Martial Arts Field. The tip of his sword aimed either at He Yan’s throat or her heart, venomous and lethal.
In contrast, the boy’s movements were much gentler. He was naturally small and frail, yet he moved with an energy that seemed boundless, as if he had infinite stamina. He twisted and turned, keeping Lei Hou’s sword tip at bay, unable to advance even an inch.
He Yan did not wish to take Lei Hou’s life, but unfortunately, he did not share her sentiment. After considering it several times, she realized that unless she completely knocked Lei Hou down, he would relentlessly pursue her for the flag as long as he had even a breath left.
However, this encounter with Lei Hou also stirred a strange feeling within He Yan, an indescribable sensation that made her feel as if something important was being overlooked, leaving her feeling uneasy all over.
Just as she was lost in thought, a flash of sword light came from the side. He Yan was startled and leaned back, her sleeve getting sliced open in an instant, letting the wind rush in.
Lei Hou fixed his gaze on her, his eyes sharp. “At this moment, it seems you shouldn’t be distracted!”
“I was just thinking about how to make you quiet,” He Yan replied. “Brother Lei, hasn’t anyone told you that you’re a bit annoying?”
Such blatant provocation, paired with her beaming smile, could easily infuriate an ordinary person. Lei Hou’s expression darkened immediately, and he thrust his sword forward. He Yan smiled slightly, throwing out her long whip, which coiled around her like a long snake, preventing the sword tip from advancing even an inch.
She was still smiling, saying, “Actually, you don’t know, but I’m quite good with my whip.”
In an instant, the whip danced in intricate patterns, sweeping forward and rolling back, fast and slow, dazzling to behold.
The boy’s voice was filled with cheerful laughter, as if this were not a fierce competition for a flag but rather a friendly sparring match on the Martial Arts Field. Amidst the swirling whip patterns, she spoke.
“This is called ‘Inside and Outside Elbow.’”
“This is called ‘Left and Right Deceiving the Horse.’”
“This one is ‘White Snake Spitting Venom.’”
“‘Sweeping the Ground Dragon!’”
Her movements grew faster and faster, and Wang Ba and the others had long since stopped their actions, watching her in awe, startled by her momentum.
Previously, they had thought she was quite formidable in the Martial Arts Field, but now they realized she had been holding back.
Lei Hou gritted his teeth, his expression growing increasingly grim.
He had never regarded He Yan as a threat; after all, how could a new recruit be all-encompassing? Just because He Yan excelled in sword, bow, and spear techniques didn’t mean she could defeat him. Yet now, this boy wielded the whip with such ease, as if he had practiced it a thousand times before. That was one thing; being skilled with a weapon didn’t guarantee victory in battle.
But He Yan was simply too cunning. It seemed that after just a few exchanges, she had already discerned his weaknesses and was targeting them directly. In such a short time, he couldn’t find her weaknesses, leaving him at a loss, and Lei Hou felt a chill run down his spine.
The boy’s smile widened, each whip following the last, one after another. Lei Hou felt as if the long whip before him was a spinning wheel, or a hard and fierce steel rod, twisting and turning like a worm or a dragon, endlessly changing, leaving him somewhat dazed.
In that moment of daze, the long whip came rushing toward his face. Lei Hou instinctively raised his sword to block it, but the next moment, the whip playfully curved, darting straight for his chest.
Lei Hou thought to himself that this was bad, but it was already too late. The whip seemed to have eyes of its own, directly wrapping around the ten flags he had tucked into his arms and pulling them back.
Lei Hou attempted to use his sword to stop the long whip, but the whip could be retracted or extended at will, slipping away from his sword effortlessly and landing back in He Yan’s hands.
“This is called ‘Golden Silk Binding the Gourd,’” He Yan weighed the flags in her hand and smiled. “Thank you, Brother Lei, for tying them up for me.”
Lei Hou, feeling self-satisfied, believed that among the new recruits on White Moon Mountain, none could defeat him. Therefore, he had carelessly bundled the flags together with a rope and tucked them into his arms. But now, seeing them all taken by He Yan, he couldn’t help but feel a twinge of regret. If he had been more cautious and kept them separate, he wouldn’t have lost everything at once.
Now that all the flags were in He Yan’s possession, Lei Hou could no longer maintain his grim expression and charged at her without a word.
He Yan took a few steps back, smiling brightly. “Once it’s in my hands, it’s mine. No one can take my things.”
“What if I insist on taking it?” Lei Hou’s killing intent surged, his sword like a shooting star.
“Actually, I don’t like fighting,” He Yan sighed. “But if you insist on taking it, then I’ll have to beat you.”
In an instant, their figures collided.
Wang Ba and the others, having already exhausted themselves fighting with Lei Hou’s companions, found little meaning in continuing now that the flags were out of reach. They had long since sat under a tree, watching from the sidelines. They were also quite clear that this was a contest between He Yan and Lei Hou; whoever won would take the flags.
“Can you tell who’s stronger?” asked Lei Hou’s companion.
Jiang Jiao shook his head. “I can’t tell.”
“Is that even a question? It’s definitely He Yan!” Wang Ba answered as if it were obvious.
“Oh? What makes you say that?”
“I don’t know, just a feeling.”
“…”
“……Want some pine nuts?” Huang Xiong offered a pine nut to the other.
“Thanks, thanks! Mmm, it’s really good!”
Before they could finish a small handful of pine nuts, they heard a “thud.”
Everyone turned to look, and the two figures had separated. Lei Hou’s expression was unchanged, while the boy stood there with a smile, holding the long whip.
A sword lay on the ground.
“You lost,” He Yan said.
Lei Hou’s face darkened, and he remained silent. After a moment, he said heavily, “You used trickery.”
“War does not tolerate deception,” He Yan picked up the sword from the ground and returned it to him, saying earnestly, “Your leg is injured; you should rest here for half an hour before moving again. Otherwise, you might suffer lasting damage, and you won’t be able to make any progress in your training in the future.”
Lei Hou turned his face away, taking the sword without wanting to look at her.
“It’s fine,” He Yan patted his shoulder, speaking earnestly. “Victory and defeat are common in military affairs; a man must endure shame and humiliation. It’s just a flag contest; you’ve done remarkably well, but unfortunately, you ran into me.”
She pointed to herself. “I’m the best.”
Wang Ba and the others had heard He Yan say this countless times before. Initially, they had scoffed at it, but now they had grown numb to it. Besides, she wasn’t wrong.
He Yan called out to Jiang Jiao, “Let’s go.” She then addressed Lei Hou’s companions, “You all should rest here and take care of Brother Lei.”
The person looked at her in confusion.
“You all have beaten so many new recruits on the mountain. When the new recruits come down and see Brother Lei unable to move, they might just team up to beat him up.”
“So I say,” she declared earnestly, “do not commit evil, no matter how small.”
……
Lei Hou and his group were left behind as Jiang Jiao and the others followed He Yan down the mountain.
“Earlier, he said you used trickery,” Huang Xiong couldn’t help but ask. “How did you trick him?”
“Actually, it wasn’t trickery; I just intentionally left him a few openings,” He Yan shrugged. “He wanted my life, but I only wanted him to be unable to chase after me. He misunderstood my intentions, so…”
“That monkey isn’t that strong,” Wang Ba said noncommittally. “He talks a big game, yet he lost so quickly. How weak!”
“You’re mistaken,” He Yan shook her head and laughed. “He’s genuinely strong. Among the new recruits in Liang Province, if it weren’t for me, he would be the top one.”
He Yan had sparred with him before; she didn’t know what he had done previously, but judging by his age, he was barely in his twenties. However, he must have trained in martial arts for at least ten years. His skills were profound, and his techniques were refined. If there was any flaw, it was that he had too much killing intent. Although he hadn’t taken anyone’s life, his fighting style could easily injure his companions severely.
Precisely because he was so skilled, his method of seizing the flag was so simple and brutal. However, seizing a flag was never just about setting up a stage; the winner was not determined by who could last the longest in a fight. Although Lei Hou was indeed formidable, he had been continuously battling other new recruits on the mountain, running up and down without rest, which ultimately drained a lot of his stamina. In short skirmishes, it was fine, but over time, his weaknesses became glaringly obvious.
Meanwhile, He Yan had been moving up and down the mountain with five others, and Wang Ba and the others were also putting in serious effort. Aside from arranging and strategizing, He Yan had hardly engaged in direct combat. Thus, she was full of energy and had plenty of strength to observe Lei Hou’s weaknesses.
“Is he really not going to follow us?” Jiang Jiao still had some doubts, frequently glancing back. “I think we should move faster, lest he catches up.”
“Don’t worry,” He Yan said. “Unless he no longer wants to continue training in martial arts, he won’t follow. But you’re right; it’s best for us to head down the mountain sooner.”
……
In the barracks, a game of chess remained unfinished.
Shen Han was preoccupied with his thoughts, hardly focused on the game. The young man across from him seemed in no hurry, unconcerned about the outcome of the flag contest, leisurely sipping tea and playing chess, his calm demeanor almost infuriating.
A black-clad guard entered from outside, walked to Xiao Jue’s side, and whispered, “He Yan encountered Lei Hou and fought him. Lei Hou was defeated, and now all twenty flags are in He Yan’s possession.”
He didn’t avoid Shen Han, so his words were overheard, causing Shen Han to gasp in shock.
They had noticed Lei Hou from the moment he began competing for the first flag upon ascending the mountain. This young man had previously kept a low profile; had it not been for this flag contest, they wouldn’t have known there was such a capable fighter in Liang Province. This person was also recommended by Du Mao, the instructor, and initially seemed unremarkable, but now it was clear he had real skill.
Since he began competing for flags on the mountain, he had yet to be defeated. Unlike He Yan, who preferred ambush tactics, he was straightforward and didn’t know how to conceal his intentions. However, he was exceptionally skilled, having defeated countless opponents and taken away fourteen flags in one go, which was double what He Yan had.
Initially, Shen Han had looked forward to the encounter between Lei Hou and He Yan. He was eager to see who would emerge victorious in their true confrontation. Shen Han thought He Yan was accustomed to clever tactics, and against someone so direct, she might not be able to defeat Lei Hou. After all, Lei Hou was indeed formidable.
He never expected that Lei Hou would still be defeated by He Yan.
“He Yan and her group are already heading down the mountain,” Fei Nu continued. “In half an hour, they will enter the formation.”
Shen Han looked at Xiao Jue.
At first, he thought that for a new recruit, there was no need to use a formation. But now, Shen Han could only think one thing: this boy could do anything and everything; he feared that even this formation wouldn’t be able to trap him.
Xiao Jue remained calm, lowering his eyes to pick up Shen Han’s white piece.
Shen Han quietly asked, “Commander… will he win?”
Xiao Jue smiled slightly. “Perhaps.”
……
The sun was gradually setting.
The sunlight transformed from the brilliant gold of midday to a warm red, filtering through the gaps in the leaves, resembling large pieces of red clouds, soft and bright, like the red gauze worn by a maiden.
In the depths of the forest, the calls of wild birds echoed. Perhaps because they had already secured twenty flags and felt confident of victory, the group was in high spirits. It felt as if they were not climbing the mountain to compete for flags but rather going out for a leisurely outing, now preparing to return home.
Wang Ba said, “I wonder if, besides possibly entering the vanguard camp, we’ll receive any rewards this time?”
“There should be,” He Yan casually replied. “What do you want?”
“Wine! Of course, good wine! I haven’t had much to drink since coming here; it’s driving me crazy,” Wang Ba complained. “If I could have some wine, I’d have even more strength than I do now!”
“That’s wine, not medicinal food,” He Yan chuckled.
“Maybe some good weapons?” Jiang Jiao suggested. “I didn’t bring my family’s weapons when I enlisted. The long spear in the Martial Arts Field doesn’t feel quite right. It would be great if I could get a good long spear.”
Huang Xiong rubbed the beads around his neck and said, “I just want a hot bowl of beef. Drinking wine from a big bowl and eating meat from a big plate—that’s living!”
Shitou pondered for a long time before saying, “I brought Xiao Mai up the mountain; he’s been wanting to hunt rabbits.”
Among the four of them, three had wishes related to food and drink, and He Yan didn’t know whether to praise them for being simple and unambitious. Jiang Jiao asked, “What about you? What reward do you want?”
“Me? I don’t really want anything,” He Yan said. “I’d be very happy just to enter the vanguard camp.”
“You really are focused on achieving merit,” Wang Ba said with a hint of sarcasm.
“Of course! I’m so capable; wouldn’t it be a shame not to achieve something? I’m also hoping to gain the commander’s favor and become one of his guards or something,” He Yan thought. If that were the case, she could learn about the He family’s news every day while being close to Xiao Jue.
“Just dream on,” Wang Ba rolled his eyes. “If you become one, I’ll call you ‘Dad.’”
He Yan: “…”
Just then, Huang Xiong stopped and said, “Are we going in circles? I feel like we’ve been here before.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Wang Ba retorted. “Do you know the way?”
“I feel like we’ve just been here too,” Jiang Jiao added.
He Yan remained silent. Shitou took out a piece of grass rope from his pocket, walked to a nearby tree, and tied it around it. “The mountain paths are complicated, and the trees look similar. It’s common to get confused. Let’s keep walking.”
The group continued down the mountain, and after a short while, they saw a tree ahead with the grass rope Shitou had tied earlier.
This time, everyone fell silent.
After a moment, Wang Ba finally spoke, his voice trembling slightly. “Did we run into a ghost wall?”
He became more animated as he spoke, rambling on, “I heard one of the stewards on our mountain say that he once walked the mountain path at night and ended up in a place where no matter how he walked, he kept going in circles. He had no choice but to sit down and sleep in his clothes. The next morning, guess what happened?”
He deliberately paused for effect, but no one responded, so Wang Ba continued reluctantly, “When he woke up, he found himself in a graveyard!”
He Yan facepalmed. “Brother Wang, this doesn’t seem like the time for ghost stories.”
“What’s there to be afraid of?” Huang Xiong said in a deep voice. “I have my beads; no demons or ghosts can get close to me. But you,” he turned to He Yan, “did you misremember the way?”
“No,” He Yan replied.
“Then how could we suddenly get lost?” Jiang Jiao also felt puzzled. Although White Moon Mountain was large, it shouldn’t be possible to get lost. They had come up just fine; how could they not find their way down?
“We are indeed heading down the mountain,” He Yan said. “But we are also going in circles.” A thought crossed her mind as she walked to the tree tied with the grass rope and looked around.
This was a wild area; the trees were not as dense as at the mountain top, and the ground was overgrown with weeds, with scattered stones everywhere.
Stones?
He Yan’s heart stirred. She took a few more steps forward and saw a pile of stones. She bent down to examine it closely; several large stones were haphazardly piled together, lacking any shape, looking like something a hunter on the mountain had carelessly moved around for resting.
“What are you staring at in that pile of stones?” Wang Ba asked. “Is there writing on it?”
He Yan straightened up. “There’s no writing on it, but this is the reason we can’t get out.”
“What?” Jiang Jiao and the others gathered around, all looking at the stones, unable to discern any pattern. Shitou frowned and asked, “What do you mean?”
“Strange formations, the eight gates of Life, Injury, Rest, Stopping, Scenery, Death, Shock, and Opening. Someone has set up a formation here,” He Yan explained. “We’ve entered the formation, which is why we’re going in circles.”
Her words were understandable when separated, but when combined, they left everyone confused. They looked at her, unsure of how to even begin asking questions.
He Yan also found it strange that she didn’t see Wang Xiaohan’s figure anywhere, indicating that Wang Xiaohan and the others had already gone down the mountain. They couldn’t have broken the formation, meaning it hadn’t existed before; so why was it here now?
Who set up this formation specifically for her? Shen Han? Or Xiao Jue?
Just a little cold joke: Lei Hou is from Guangdong because “Lei Hou ah!”
(No regional bias intended, just a little cold joke (:зゝ∠) )
(End of Chapter)
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