Chapter 1448: Could There Truly Be Divine Aid?

At this moment, on the other side, Xiao Yuansui saw that arrow miss, and instantly let out a low, furious growl!

Although he had not crossed blades with Yu Wenye again over the years, he had always kept a close eye on every battle Yu Wenye had gone through; because of that, he understood better than anyone that inexplicable yet terrifying quality in Yu Wenye—his ferocity and… his luck.

Instinctively, he understood that this man would be his greatest rival in the struggle for the realm.

He even felt that, in the end, this realm would…

So this time, he had sent only Shi Yuxin to assist at Huilu Storehouse, while deliberately using Wo Xue to lay an ambush, nearly throwing the army into chaos, all to lure Yu Wenye into the snare, then send troops to encircle and wipe him out. Up to this very moment, with Hua Ziyang’s arrow aimed at Yu Wenye, this was not only to put an end to the burden Hua Ziyang had carried in his heart for years, but more importantly, to forever eradicate this hidden danger tonight.

The fact that Yu Wenye had blocked the first two arrows did not throw him into panic.

After all, he had clearly seen Yu Wenye’s injuries; fleeing all the way here, Yu Wenye was already at the end of his strength. Given what he knew of Hua Ziyang’s archery, that third arrow could have killed Yu Wenye even with his eyes closed.

He had not expected—Shantong’er to appear.

Of all people, it was him, it was precisely Shantong’er, who had sworn brotherhood with them back in Wanggang Village. Hua Ziyang, a man who on the battlefield could slay gods and Buddhas alike, still softened at the sight of a former brother.

That third arrow had simply gone wide!

Granted, they were still surrounded by so many soldiers; granted, Shantong’er had brought only those thirteen monks, and what they held in their hands were wooden staves, not sharp weapons. Never mind Yu Wenye—even if Xiao Yuansui gave a single order to kill everyone here, it would be effortless. Yet at this moment, he felt a strange, nameless desolation in his heart.

Hua Ziyang’s missed arrow seemed to have opened a hole in his heart.

He felt somewhat dazed, and more than that, a fear he could not put into words.

Could it be that Yu Wenye truly had divine aid?

If not, why was it that he, step by step, had laid such careful plans, yet Yu Wenye managed every time to find a way out? Why was it that even now, at such a moment, someone would still come to his aid—and that someone was Shantong’er, who had long since turned his back on him!

Why was he so lucky? Why was everyone helping him, why was everyone on his side?

Shantong’er, Shen Tu Tai.

And Shang Ruyi…

“Elder brother!”

Just as Xiao Yuansui’s thoughts were sinking deeper and deeper, as if he were about to drown in a bottomless abyss, a slightly panicked low cry suddenly sounded by his ear.

It was Hua Ziyang.

After that third arrow went wide, Hua Ziyang was consumed with regret. Burning with anger and anxiety, full of guilt, he turned to look at Xiao Yuansui, only to find that at such a critical moment, Xiao Yuansui looked somewhat absentminded, as if his very soul were no longer in his body. This was something that had never happened before. Hua Ziyang was so startled that he hurriedly called out to him.

That sharp call finally dragged Xiao Yuansui out of his chaotic thoughts. Startled, he realized that he had just sunk into a bottomless mire, and in that instant, it had felt as though he were about to suffocate in that tangled mess of thoughts.

He sucked in a sharp breath, and when he lifted his head again, he saw that Shantong’er, together with those thirteen monks, had already formed a ring in front of Yu Wenye.

The thirteen Martial Monks, staves in hand, shouted in unison as they assumed their opening stance, clearly ready to fight at any moment.

Xiao Yuansui’s face immediately darkened.

Yu Wenye, however, was somewhat taken aback. The wound at the edge of his ear stung a little, but for someone who had been tempered on the battlefield since childhood and had suffered countless injuries, this hardly even counted as a wound. In fact, it was far less shocking than seeing Shantong’er suddenly appear before him and take that arrow for him.

What was more, at this moment, Shantong’er had brought this group of monks to shield him.

Yu Wenye said quietly, “Shantong’er…”

Only when he heard Yu Wenye’s voice did Shantong’er heft the copper hammer in his hand once more. He did not look back; instead, he drew in a deep breath and said, “Ah, I’ve come back.”

Yu Wenye was about to speak, but his lips only parted slightly before he pressed them tightly together again.

This did not seem to be the time for them to talk at length about what had happened over these days—or about why Shantong’er had changed his mind and come back to save him.

Instead, up ahead, Xiao Yuansui lifted a hand. The soldiers under his command, whose formation had just been broken by Shantong’er and his men, gathered around once more—this was the weakness of monks when they fought. Though these Martial Monks seemed highly skilled and their sudden appearance had caught everyone off guard, they did not wield lethal weapons. They could injure but could not completely wipe out the enemy. These soldiers, gritting their teeth against the pain, could still stagger to their feet and fight again.

With his face dark, Xiao Yuansui flicked the reins and urged his horse a few steps forward. The soldiers behind him, holding torches aloft, hurried to flank him. The wavering flames lit his gloomy features, and the eyes that had once been bright and spirited now seemed even more shadowed.

He said in a deep voice, “Shantong’er.”

Shantong’er drew in a deep breath. “Second Brother Xiao.”

Xiao Yuansui said, “Do you know what you’re doing?”

Shantong’er said, “I do.”

Xiao Yuansui clenched his teeth hard and said, “In the past, even though you chose to follow him, I never once regarded you in my heart as my enemy—if now, you leave at once, you are still not my enemy. I can guarantee I won’t harm you, nor the men you’ve brought.”

The soldiers behind him had by now recovered from their initial panic. All of them were holding back a surge of rage; seeing that the other side had few men and carried only blunt weapons, they were even angrier, itching for Xiao Yuansui to give the order to charge in and slaughter them. They were sure they could kill until sun and moon went dark and not leave a single soul alive here!

Listening to their heavy, snorting breaths, it felt as though that murderous intent were pressing right up to one’s face.

At this moment, seeing his men all around with killing intent blazing in their eyes, Hua Ziyang instead felt a flicker of panic. He ground his teeth and said to Shantong’er, “Shantong’er, leave, quickly!”

“…”

Shantong’er did not speak. His round, bright eyes gleamed in the darkness.

He looked at Hua Ziyang, then at Xiao Yuansui’s darkened face, and finally said, “I’m here to save him.”

“…”

“But the men I brought are here to stop you!”

“…!”

At those words, Xiao Yuansui’s expression changed at once.

At first glance, saving Yu Wenye and stopping himself might seem like the same thing, but upon closer thought, they were not quite the same.

Shantong’er had come to save Yu Wenye—whether out of brotherhood or the bond of lord and servant, in any case, his aim was Yu Wenye as a person. But these men had come to stop him. In other words, their target was him!

Xiao Yuansui said in a low voice, “What do you mean?”