With the Blade-Chapter 51 - 48: Hunter and Prey

At the top of Jizhen City’s tower, a man named He Xiqing gazed into the distance.

For ordinary people, they might not see anything, but with He Xiqing’s hawk-like eyes, he could clearly see a small fire lighting up in the distance.

"As expected."

Punching the wall beside him, He Xiqing turned to look at the warriors behind him.

"Pass down the order, no one is to leave the city without my command."

"This..."

The warrior hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to pass on this order.

After all, this command to stay inside the city was clearly seen as a cowardly act.

As warriors forged in the cold winds of the northern desert, like proud eagles soaring in the sky, how could they fear battle?

"It’s an order! It’s to keep you alive!"

Kicking the warrior, He Xiqing sent the messenger down from the city wall.

But soon, a man nearly nine feet tall named Musher climbed up the tower.

"Big Brother, the brothers have some opinions."

Leaning towards He Xiqing, Musher lowered his voice.

"We had agreed to keep our blades unsheathed for three days, and now after just one day, you’re making us shrink back into the city, isn’t this a bit..."

He didn’t finish the sentence, but the expression on his face said it all.

In the face of a seemingly victorious momentum, suddenly turning to a defensive stance seemed absurd.

Could they really say that their entire vanguard was trapped inside the city by just one person?

"What else? Do you want to go out to die?"

He Xiqing closed his eyes, his brow furrowed.

Upon seeing that flicker of fire, he had confirmed his earlier suspicions; the monster that killed his brother had indeed risen to his level—no, it couldn’t even be called a monster anymore, as He Xiqing clearly understood that the adversary had not lost his mind due to the Blood Evil Power.

A mindless monster would only focus on indiscriminate slaughter, a relentless battle to the end, which was easier to handle.

But when it’s a human...

Humans can avoid battles, or even run away.

This was the most troublesome part.

As the old saying from the Southern Chen goes, when two tigers fight, one is bound to get hurt, but in reality, on the grasslands, when a beast encounters another beast, it will consciously avoid it—because even wild animals know they have the true ability to kill each other, making such battles meaningless, better not to fight.

And now, He Xiqing found himself in this awkward situation.

The murderer who killed his brother had stepped into his realm, and it was evident they acknowledged the deep hatred between them—traveling all the way from Yangjia Fort to Jizhen was a clear indication that he was the target.

Yet, this arch-enemy with whom he had a mortal grudge had no intention of fighting him to the death.

The adversary killed numerous warriors through sneak attacks, and it was evident that he intended to kill more.

Others might see this as nothing more than slaughter and a chance to fight him to the death.

But for He Xiqing, who had already reached this level, it had another meaning.

"He is hunting, preparing to become stronger by killing you all."

Taking a deep breath, He Xiqing clenched his fist.

Just as they had done to the Jizhou Governor’s office.

Using the lives of Jizhen residents, they condensed enough Blood Evil Power for the warriors and himself to then strike the city with absolute force, beheading Jizhen’s General Liu Yanran... to outsiders, this might seem like a perfectly timed assassination, but only He Xiqing knew that the core of this tactic was the Blood Evil Power itself.

Like rolling a snowball in the snowy plains until it grew larger and larger.

But now this tactic was being used against him.

The killer of his brother was also becoming stronger by killing his warriors. Unlike his original tactic, the adversary was alone—indeed, alone, couldn’t kill many at once, but if he was determined to escape, even the warriors couldn’t catch him.

Like a blood-sucking mosquito or a pesky fly that couldn’t be swatted away.

But He Xiqing preferred to consider this adversary as a wolf in the wilderness.

Wolves are patient animals, tracking behind prey, waiting through even several peaks, until their prey is exhausted and drained of the last drop of blood.

"That’s why I have gathered you all back into the city, because right now, only I can oppose him."

At this point, He Xiqing opened his eyes.

"With the cover of the city walls, he won’t know where I am and will be hesitant. Or, as the southerners say, ’don’t harm the rat lest it break the vessel’... he doesn’t want to face me head-on now, so he won’t attack the city. As long as you’re shielded by the walls, you’re safe."

"Big Brother, you..."

Like a towering iron pillar, Musher found himself filled with shame and anger.

As a warrior, he never feared battle; at that moment, Musher was desperate to charge out and personally kill this lifelong adversary—yet he knew he couldn’t achieve it. Even He Xiqing, considered all-powerful, took this monster seriously, how could he possibly succeed if he went out?

If he failed, he would be killed, empowering that monster further with Blood Evil Power. Not going out, as a warrior, how could he retreat?

Before ascending the tower, Musher had been torn by this dilemma.

But now, He Xiqing provided him with a third answer.

He Xiqing chose to protect them, these weaker ones unable to face the monster in battle.

"Big Brother, oh Big Brother..."

Musher wept bitterly.

Despite the evident protection from Big Brother, at that moment, Musher found it more painful than death.

Accepting protection meant acknowledging his own weakness.

Forcing a warrior to admit his weakness was worse than killing him!

"It’s fine, this is normal."

He Xiqing gently patted Musher’s shoulder.

"When I was first expelled from the tribe, I was even weaker, only then I had no one to protect me, I had my brother to care for, so I had no choice but to fight for myself... knowing one’s own weakness isn’t always a bad thing, for knowing one’s own weakness is the path to true strength."

"Yes, Big Brother."

Drying his eyes, Musher gritted his teeth.

Indeed, just as Big Brother said, now he understood, faced with a true powerful foe, just how weak he was.

But precisely because of this, his desire to become stronger was now more intense.

He had to become stronger, stronger still, only then could he stand by Big Brother’s side.

"It’s all right, it’s not a big deal."

Seeing Musher regain his resolve, He Xiqing smiled.

"As long as you all stay inside the city, the monster won’t be able to kill anyone, and he won’t have the chance to grow stronger. Then I’ll seize an opportunity to strike and kill that monster, and this matter will be over."

"Don’t worry, Big Brother, we won’t go out... wait?"

Musher suddenly paused, recalling something.

"Big Brother, do you remember when the Qingyang Tribe is deploying their troops?"

"The Qingyang Tribe said three days later, now it’s been one day... damn it!"

He Xiqing looked towards the distant grasslands, his face darkening.

Indeed, by leading his warriors to hold the city, the monster would refrain from assaulting them.

But could the Qingyang Tribe’s soldiers not be killed?