Chapter 1139 - 302: Bloodshed at the Cold Pass, Tears of Heroes; Fierce Battle at the Snow Ridge, Fallen Warriors (Part 2)

More than three thousand Jinyi Guards were pierced through by saber energy—some cut in half at the waist, some nailed to the city walls. Blood flowed along the winding track of the ice dragon, gathering on the ground into scarlet streams.

The remaining more than twenty thousand Jinyi Guards scattered like startled birds and beasts, tumbling and crawling away in terror.

Shi Feiyang stood atop a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, his robes snapping in the wind, beneath his feet piled limbs and broken arms like a hill.

He swept his gaze over the surviving Jinyi Guards, his voice cold as Profound Ice: "Those who dare lay hands on the Heroic Sakura Association—no matter how far, they must be slain!"

A raging wind lifted his long hair, the distant neighing of warhorses carried over, yet no one dared take another step forward.

The snow was still falling, yet it could no longer whiten this blood-soaked earth.

The north wind rolled snow grains like iron sand, pounding against the shattered walls of Feima Pass. The members of the Heroic Sakura Association gathered around a hastily erected medical tent. Wounded lay scattered all over the ground; the smells of herbs and blood intertwined in the cold wind.

Xie Wenzheng was feeding Nine Flower Jade Dew Pills into the mouths of the wounded. Shi Xiong squatted nearby, his small hands trembling as he bandaged wounds that still seeped blood.

"Long Arm Fist" Liao Pei leaned on a broken beam, the bandage at his right ribs seeping dark red, the veins on his neck bulging with rage until they flushed crimson: "The Imperial Court is truly wolf-hearted and dog-lunged! In the dead of winter, before the rebellion is quelled they turn their blades on us—do they take our Heroic Sakura Association for lambs awaiting slaughter? If we do not avenge today’s hatred, we are no gentlemen!" He suddenly smashed the broken beam into the ground, sending snow flying, ice crystals clattering down from withered branches.

"Heaven and Earth Saber" Lie Quan’s right arm was wrapped in white cloth, agony boring from the shattered wrist bones. He kicked a stone flying at his feet, the saber edge leaving its sheath half an inch, a chill light fierce as frost: "Return to the Headquarter! Muster our men at once! This Heaven and Earth Saber of mine was forged to cut down all traitors and evil—today, I’ll first take the dog heads of the Imperial Court’s curs!" As he spoke, he ignored his pain and swung his saber through the air; the curtain of snow was actually cleaved open into a crack half a zhang long.

"Iron Palm" Wu Zhong supported his wife Xiao Lingling. Seeing the wound on her shoulder deep enough to expose bone, his eyes turned blood-red: "I have roamed the Jianghu for half a lifetime and never suffered such monstrous humiliation! The mess in Bozhou—we’ll leave it be! But the blood debt of the Jinyi Guards must be repaid with their severed heads!" His palm unconsciously clenched; his Iron Palm actually left several deep finger marks in the stone wall.

"Mandarin Duck Saber" Xiao Lingling ground her teeth against the pain, the half Mandarin Duck Saber in her hand trembling slightly, blood dripping from the edge and bursting upon the snow: "How can those brothers who died so miserably have died in vain? Even if I, Xiao Lingling, spend my very last breath, I will make the Imperial Court understand that the blade of the Heroic Sakura Association is tempered in the blood of our enemies!" She suddenly coughed violently, fresh blood splattering onto the snow like red plum blossoms in bloom.

"Divine Archer" Miao Menlong hurled his snapped bowstring hard onto the ground, ripping open his clothes to bare a chest riddled with arrow wounds: "Pacify the rebels, pacify the rebels—yet in the end we are treated as rebels ourselves! From today on, my arrows, Miao Menlong’s arrows, will no longer fly at rebel troops, but straight at the throats of the Imperial Court’s hounds!"

With that, he emptied all the arrows from his quiver, smashing them to pieces upon the snow; splinters bit into the drifts like spikes of rage.

"Plum Blossom Darts" Shan Zhi was wiping blood from his darts when he suddenly drove a handful into a wooden post: "Staying here is just waiting for death? No! We must strike back! These Plum Blossom Darts of mine will let those dog bastards learn what it means for blood to seal the throat!"

His voice carried mad killing intent, his eyes burning with the fire of revenge.

"Celestial Sword" Lu Wen Tripod slid his long sword into its scabbard, then suddenly drew it again; streaks of dried blood still clung to the blade.

He hacked apart the stone bench beside him with a single stroke: "Grand Squad Leader Shi! It is not that we fear battle, but that the Imperial Court bullies us too far! If we don’t demand justice, this Celestial Sword of mine would rather snap in my own hand!"

Beside him, the Blood Rakshasa drew her sword with a resounding clang, Sword Qi sharp as frost: "Senior Brother speaks true! If we do not flatten the lair of the Jinyi Guards, I, the Blood Rakshasa, swear never to return to the mountain!"

Ling Lanzhi gazed at her fellow disciples groaning in pain inside the medical tent, then suddenly snatched up a long sword from the ground, the tip pointing straight at the heavens: "Our lives are not weeds to be trampled! From today on, the sword of the Heroic Sakura Association will ring only for vengeance!"

Her voice carried sobs yet was incomparably resolute, tears mingling with snow running wild across her face.

Voices rose one after another, anger surged among the crowd; even the air inside the tent seemed on the verge of igniting from their fury.

True Qi coiled faintly around Shi Feiyang’s body, and the ring on the middle finger of his left hand shimmered with mysterious runes.

His gaze was like lightning as it swept the crowd, his voice deep: "Brothers and sisters, I, Shi Feiyang, understand the fury and grievance in your hearts. The Imperial Court’s actions are truly wolf-hearted and dog-lunged!"

Liao Pei glared, leaning a step forward on his broken beam: "Grand Squad Leader, do you mean to have us stay here and keep letting them slaughter us?" His voice trembled with excitement, as though he’d spent his last ounce of strength.

Shi Feiyang let out a long howl that shook the four quarters, the hem of his robe tossing up waves of snow: "Elder Liao! If we leave now, that would be the true cowardice! The people of Bozhou are sinking deep in fire and water, the rebels are not yet quelled—if we simply walk away, how are we any different from those corrupt officials? The renown of the Heroic Sakura Association is not earned by retreat!" He thrust his hand toward the distance, as if his gaze could pierce the wind and snow to see the suffering common folk.

Lie Quan gave a cold snort, folding his bandaged arm across his chest: "Grand Squad Leader speaks easily! But how do we account for our brothers who died?"

Shi Feiyang suddenly tore open his robe, baring the ferocious old scar over his heart: "Account? This life of mine, Shi Feiyang’s, was already bought with the lives of my brothers! Today, I am willing to wager it again! After we pacify the rebels, we will strike back at the Imperial Court! If anyone shrinks back, then step over my corpse, Shi Feiyang’s, to do so!" He drove his fist out in a sudden punch; the air itself burst with a sharp report.

He swept his eyes over the crowd, his gaze as steadfast as iron: "Since we’ve come, we stay! Once the rebellion is put down, I, Shi Feiyang, will join every brother and sister here in striking back at the Jinyi Guards, avenging our fallen comrades! Let the Imperial Court learn that the dignity of the Heroic Sakura Association is not to be trampled!"