Chapter 123: Broken Blade Horizon
"Lin Feng!"
Liu Fei's eyes narrowed slightly. This man wearing the bronze mask was actually Lin Feng? He had saved her father's life?
Liu Canglan turned his gaze to look at Lin Feng. Both times he had met Lin Feng, the latter had been wearing a mask; this was the first time Liu Canglan had seen Lin Feng's face.
A clean face with a faint smile. Though young, his eyes already held a hint of depth, yet they carried a carefree and unrestrained smile.
"So young." Liu Canglan sighed inwardly and remarked, "As the saying goes, heroes have always been young since ancient times."
The first time he met Lin Feng, a few words from him had made Liu Canglan abandon the thought of crippling his own cultivation. Every single word had shaken his heart.
The second time he met Lin Feng, Lin Feng's words had again struck home, but this time they struck at Duan Tianlang's heart, leaving the prince speechless before everyone and greatly diminishing the prestige of the Snow Moon Holy Academy.
This required not only an extremely sharp mind but also fearless courage and unrestrained audacity, daring to insult the Heavenly Wolf Prince in front of everyone while implicitly targeting the Snow Moon royal family.
Liu Canglan truly hadn't expected that such a fearless, audacious, and intelligent person would be a young man still bearing some immaturity.
"Lin Feng, you just said that Feifei is your... woman." Liu Canglan suddenly recalled Lin Feng's words, a strange expression appearing on his face. "Is that true?"
Lin Feng scratched his head, looking slightly shy, but Liu Fei was stunned and glared at Lin Feng angrily.
"Father, don't listen to this bastard. He's just a lecher."
Liu Fei said indignantly. This guy actually dared to say in front of her father that she was his woman—too infuriating!
"Lecher." Lin Feng felt uncomfortable hearing that. He shot Liu Fei a disdainful look and said, "Feifei, wasn't it you who said you were my woman that day? I didn't force you. How am I the lecher? If anyone's a lecher, it's you."
"..." Liu Fei rolled her eyes, nearly fainting from anger. This bastard, this rogue!
Liu Canglan's eyes also widened in shock. He was utterly confused about what was going on!
Seeing Liu Fei's pretty face flushed red with anger, Lin Feng couldn't help but feel smug. This woman dared to call him a bastard and a rogue.
Watching Liu Fei and Lin Feng glare at each other, Liu Canglan let out a hearty laugh. "Alright, alright. Feifei, let's go back."
Liu Fei shot Lin Feng a vicious glare, turned around reluctantly, and spurred her horse forward.
The three of them, on three horses, arrived at the simple general's mansion. Outside the mansion, many soldiers were mounted on Crimson Blood warhorses. Seeing Lin Feng and the others approach, they immediately dismounted in unison, their movements perfectly synchronized.
Then, under Lin Feng's astonished gaze, this group of people simultaneously knelt on one knee. The sound of their knees hitting the ground produced a dull thud.
What made Lin Feng feel even stranger was that they weren't kneeling to Liu Canglan or Liu Fei, but... to him!
"Thank you, young master, for saving our lives."
The trembling sound echoed in Lin Feng's ears, causing his body to tremble as well.
"Everyone, please rise. There's no need for such a grand gesture."
Reacting quickly, Lin Feng immediately jumped down from his Crimson Blood horse. These soldiers defended their country, shed their blood and sacrificed their lives—how could he accept their kneeling?
"Young master, this time you not only saved the two hundred Crimson Blood Guards but also saved the general's life. If the general had not returned this time, Broken Blade City would have fallen sooner or later. Then the Moyue Kingdom's iron cavalry would have charged straight in, turning the streets into rivers of blood. What you saved, young master, is the entire city's soldiers and countless citizens of Snow Moon. This bow is well deserved."
Among the soldiers, one person spoke with a solemn expression, looking at Lin Feng. Lin Feng's gaze sharpened slightly.
These were things he truly hadn't considered.
"Then Lin Feng accepts this bow from all of you. Can everyone stand up now?"
Lin Feng was not one to be overly formal. He spoke to the crowd, and only then did the soldiers rise, looking at Lin Feng with gratitude in their eyes.
"Alright, everyone, go about your duties."
Liu Canglan waved his hand, and the crowd dispersed.
"Lin Feng, the Crimson Blood Guards are the most elite soldiers of the Crimson Blood Iron Cavalry. Each one commands several hundred or even a thousand Crimson Blood cavalrymen. They are my true trump card. There are only five hundred of them in total, my most trusted subordinates and the true elite of this army. The cavalrymen who went with me to the imperial city were all Crimson Blood Guards. You saved them. If you ever have the chance to set foot on the battlefield in the future, they will become your right hand."
Liu Canglan suddenly spoke, causing Lin Feng's gaze to freeze. He murmured to himself, "Me? Right hand?"
"That's right. You." Liu Canglan nodded seriously. "I am now unacceptable to those behind the curtain. Even if I remain in the military, they may not dare to touch me openly, but sooner or later, something will happen. If one day you have the opportunity to step onto the battlefield, perhaps what has happened here will help you in the future."
Lin Feng smiled bitterly. Who could predict the future?
Entering the general's mansion, Lin Feng noticed that deep within the mansion, there was a direct passage to the city gate. He couldn't help but sigh. Liu Canglan was truly a man of hot blood. If the city were breached, the first place to be hit would be his general's mansion.
"Feifei, go back and rest first. Lin Feng and I will take a walk."
Liu Canglan said to Liu Fei, causing a hint of doubt to flash in her beautiful eyes. She glanced at her father.
"Alright." Nodding, Liu Fei didn't question her father's words and rode off alone.
"Lin Feng, how about we take a walk on the city wall?"
Liu Canglan looked at Lin Feng and said.
Lin Feng was also curious, wondering why Liu Canglan had sent Liu Fei away to speak with him alone.
"Alright."
Lin Feng nodded slightly. The two rode their horses westward, arriving at the foot of the western city gate. Even more soldiers were stationed here, but even when they saw Liu Canglan, they remained at their posts, not saluting—strict discipline.
Dismounting from their Crimson Blood horses, Liu Canglan led Lin Feng up the stairs on the left side of the city gate, slowly ascending the tower. Immediately, Lin Feng felt a chill wind blowing in his face.
Looking into the distance, Lin Feng was instantly captivated by the scene before him.
"Broken Blade City—where blades break and hearts break!"
A voice echoed in Lin Feng's mind, so fitting.
Before him, on the vast expanse of land, silver light flickered. The ground was covered with weapons—broken blades!
Some broken blades were still cold and sharp; others had already rusted, rust the color of blood.
"These piled-up broken blades all belonged to fallen soldiers. I never ordered them to be removed. I let them lie here, first to commemorate the heroic souls who died in battle, and second to serve as a warning to those who still live."
Liu Canglan spoke slowly beside him, then pointed into the distance. There, a natural chasm stood—a seemingly endless mountain range that had been split in two by a single sword strike. In the middle was a gap, somewhat resembling the narrow sky at the peak beside Cloud Sea Sect, where Liu Fei used to train.
Only this mountain was taller and more perilous. At various positions on the mountain, many soldiers stood with bows, ready to shoot down anyone attempting to cross the chasm.
"That place is called Broken Blade Horizon. Step beyond it, and you're at the edge of the world. You may never return."
"Broken Blade Horizon. A fitting name." Lin Feng murmured.
"The Moyue Kingdom is different from our Snow Moon. Their entire nation is an army, brutal and fierce, with no sects—the royal family rules everything. Therefore, their military strength and execution are far superior to Snow Moon's. If not for this Broken Blade Horizon, Broken Blade City would have long since fallen."
Liu Canglan continued. In Snow Moon Kingdom, sects and families stood everywhere. Many people pursued their own powerful martial paths, ignoring state affairs. The military couldn't compete with Moyue Kingdom. That was why, when Snow Moon was founded, Liu Canglan had strongly supported unity. He too hoped Snow Moon could become a formidable force, invincible wherever it went.
"Lin Feng, you've seen my situation. Internal threats from the royal family, external enemies at the gates. Perhaps one day I'll no longer be in this world. This is no exaggeration."
Lin Feng's expression was complex. Liu Canglan was telling the truth—trouble within and danger without. Unless he abandoned Broken Blade City and his soldiers, giving up his position as general, he could ensure his safety. But Lin Feng understood that asking Liu Canglan to abandon his brothers and this city was simply impossible.
"So, Lin Feng, I want to ask you for one favor."
Lin Feng was startled and looked at Liu Canglan.
Liu Canglan spoke slowly, "Help me take care of Feifei."