"Then?" Li Jinglong stared at Hong Jun's eyes, as if trying to see into his soul.
Li Jinglong had already had a vague premonition—there was a battle for the human capital, with the demon factions fighting over Chang'an. If the nine-tailed fox lost, would Hong Jun's faction smoothly take over?
This was what he was most worried about.
"I don't know," Hong Jun said, "but no matter what, Chongming will never eat humans or harm them."
Chongming was a phoenix, and even drinking water was a delicacy to him. How could he possibly eat a smoky human?
"You're a human," Li Jinglong said seriously, "Hong Jun, you are a human. After you took off your clothes, do you feel any difference between us?"
Li Jinglong knew Hong Jun couldn't understand the implication, but Hong Jun finally understood. "Longshi, if one day we have to fight..."
"I will never hurt you," Li Jinglong suddenly said, "and seriously, why do you sound like I can beat you?"
Hong Jun laughed. Li Jinglong patted his head and said, "But I will try to resist, just hoping you will be merciful and not beat me too badly."
Hong Jun laughed loudly. "No way, Longshi! I am a human! I am a human!"
Li Jinglong moved aside and let Hong Jun sit beside him. Their arms touched, and Hong Jun leaned back. Li Jinglong raised his arm, and Hong Jun rested his head on it, his ears away from the water.
"When the Empress mentioned my mother last night, I felt like this," Hong Jun whispered to Li Jinglong.
The mountain was covered in green, the sun was setting, and the two were in the hot springs. Snowflakes gently fell from the sky.
"Ah!"
"What are you doing!"
"Wow, are you two talking love?"
Jiu Yongsi and Mo Rugen, with Ate, suddenly jumped into the pool. Li Jinglong was startled and said, "Be careful, it's freshly bandaged!"
The three quickly gathered to check and assured themselves that the bandages weren't wet before relaxing.
"Come on," Mo Rugen said, "Hong Jun, sit on my lap?"
Hong Jun: "..."
Jiu Yongsi said, "Hong Jun, ignore him. Come sit on your brother's lap."
Hong Jun's face turned red. "Don't play!"
Ate laughed. "Then I sit on your lap?"
Li Jinglong said, "I'll go, you guys play..."
Li Jinglong was about to get out when Mo Rugen pulled him back, angering Li Jinglong. "Are you rebelling?!" Jiu Yongsi laughed and had the three take turns pushing Li Jinglong into the water. Hong Jun shouted, "Stop it! You guys can't treat Longshi like this!"
"Why not?" Mo Rugen laughed, "You're hurting?"
Li Jinglong, drenched in water, was about to hit someone, but Hong Jun said, "And not even let me in on it! It's so unfair!"
And Hong Jun pounced.
Li Jinglong: "..."
The twilight settled, the desert was filled with smoke, and the horns sounded. The sky was blood-red.
On the city walls, soldiers cried in panic.
"Enemy attack!"
"Enemies are coming!"
"Are they Huns?"
"I don't know..."
"Ding, ding, ding..."
In the high tower of the city of Mingsha County, the alarm bell rang, and the cries of infants were unceasing.
"How many of them?" the city commander rushed to the city walls, shouting.
"Three thousand... no, twelve thousand... more! More!"
"Form up! Close the gates!"
Soldiers pushed the rollers, and the city gates slammed shut. Thousands of soldiers rushed to the city walls, drawing their bows, and the smoke filled the air. There were fifty thousand black-armored cavalrymen, approaching the city.
On the plain, not a sound was heard, even the horses' neighs were silent. The soldiers wore black armor, held long spears, and did not see the arrows on the city walls.
There were fewer than five thousand defenders in Mingsha County. The attackers had come unexpectedly, and there were no smoke signals on the Great Wall.
"Where are they from?" the city commander's voice trembled.
The first black-armored general raised his spear, pointing at Mingsha County. The fifty thousand cavalry simultaneously raised their spears, tightened their reins, and rushed towards Mingsha County with the sound of hooves trampling the ground, shaking the heavens and the earth!
"Fire! Fire!"
Tens of thousands of arrows were shot from the city walls, targeting the advancing army. But there was no scene of horses and men falling. Arrows pierced the bodies of the soldiers and horses, pinning them like straw men. The charging troops then crashed into the walls!
The rammed walls crumbled, and thousands of black-armored soldiers rushed over the ruins, entering the city!
The city commander was trampled by a horse, then impaled by a spear, pinned to the ground. His last sight was the murky eyes in the helmets of the enemies.