A black-clad figure sneered while crouching from a distance, "Let's see how long the tiger cub can stand."

Lining by his side, a number of his comrades also positioned themselves in vigilance. These were the Dong tribe members on the run, finally able to corner and gain advantage over the Ji clan that had suppressed them for years. 

All of them were staring in hatred at the standing youth a distance away, a slumped larger body being protected behind him. The youth, Ji SongLi, was holding two swords in his hands; one his own, the other one was his father's. Both blades were smeared with blood.

Ji ChanFang was lying on the ground behind him, unconscious. When Ji SongLi first arrived, Ji ChanFang was still barely awake; but unfortunately, all the other Ji soldiers that accompanied the General to the barren land had become cold corpses.

If he were just a few seconds late, he was sure these Dong tribe members would have succeeded in taking his father's life. But despite that, he could not feel even the slightest relief as he observed that his father only gradually lost his strength as time passed. Ji ChanFang had spat a few mouthful of blood, and the blood was red tinted with black.

It was a clear sign of poisoning.

"Just a small cub protecting his dying father," another black clad figure spat. This was the elusive Dong tribe leader. He took out some throwing bladed darts from his pouch.

"The old man will die soon enough."

The darts had been laced with poison.

Having been on the run for a number of years, their remaining tribe members had managed to learn a new trick, utilizing the darker forces of nature's various plants and animals to develop their own poison. Sometimes, they tested the lethality on unsuspecting commoners as well, gradually developing some very lethal poisons that could kill even a horse. They had been discreet enough to dispose their guinea pigs, to keep their poisons out of radar from the Ji clan.

Their effort finally paid off and they managed to lure the Ji family head to the barren land, the very same one they had periodically set as their base over the past years.

In normal hand to hand combat, they would be no match to the soldiers of the Ji clan, let alone Ji ChanFang.

But when they were poisoned... . 

Various weapons that the Dong tribe members used were laced with poisons. Utilizing these weapons, it was easy for them to strike down their weakened opponents. The Dong tribe leader himself was adept at ranged weaponry, preferring to throw his sharp bladed darts from a distance.

But even after contracting the poison from the throwing blades, it took a while for the General to weaken. He clearly had more might and endurance than his already fallen subordinates.

And then the tiger cub of the Ji clan came along for slaughter. The Dong tribe leader was elated, not believing his wonderful luck. He had not managed to poison Ji SongLi yet, but with the baggage that was the unconscious Ji ChanFang behind him, the youth was not going to go anywhere.  

And the Dong tribe had clear advantage in numbers.

"Get closer!" The Dong tribe leader signaled his comrades with his index finger.

When he first arrived and located his surrounded father, Ji SongLi had managed to reduce the Dong tribe's number in half, all by himself. Back then, his father could still stand and defend himself. Therefore Ji SongLi was more free to move around to strike down some enemies.

However at this moment, he clearly could not go anywhere. Now that his father had passed out from the poison, he could only stand close to protect him. If he were to step away to attack, he was sure the Dong tribe would find a way to sneak closer and immediately put an end to his father's life.

Observing the encroaching Dong tribe members, Ji SongLi felt trapped. His expression was grim, but both of his hands holding the swords were as steady as ever.

The sky above suddenly turned dark, black clouds rolled in to quickly hide the shadows of everyone present.

Thunder echoed both nearby and from a distance, and streaks of lightning illuminated his figure.

The Dong tribe leader paused at the strange phenomenon and glanced at the sky. But he quickly shook away his trepidation and laughed loudly,

"You small kitten of the Ji clan! Even hell is personally welcoming your death!!"

As soon as he finished saying this, there was a muffled grunt a few feet away from behind him. He quickly turned his head to see one of his tribe members being skewered by a spear.

Amidst the water that started trickling from the sky, Ji SongLi saw the armored approaching figure, holding a spear. He lifted the corner of his lips slightly, letting out a strained sigh of relief.

As Zhen BuFeng waved his spear to get rid of the blood of his latest kill, he steadily walked forward.

The trickle of water gradually turned into downpour. Lightnings flashed, illuminating the sky and giving moments of brightness to the barren land. The ground smeared in blood was now gradually washed away with water, turning it into muddy state of somber purgatory.

Two figures danced in the rain, causing carnage.

More blood flowed, more water washing them away.

More bodies fell.

Still they performed their graceful dance with their blades; one sword, one spear. Ji SongLi had discarded his father's blade. Concentrating on one sword only, he was more nimble in his movements. And with Zhen BuFeng by his side, he could afford to wreck havoc with less worry.

Ji SongLi's eyes widened at a flash of a flying dart aimed towards Zhen BuFeng's back. He quickly jumped to intercept the blade with his sword, sending the dart away from its original trajectory. Zhen BuFeng, who was still occupied in killing his opponents, did not even realize that he was almost poisoned.

There was another flash of lightning, causing temporary blindness to Ji SongLi's eyes. He faintly felt a sharp prick on his collarbone as he pushed his feet forward to send the dart thrower to his death. As the figure fell under his sword, he noticed the unresigned expression on the latter's face.

It was the Dong tribe leader.

As the Dong tribe leader's body fell to a kneel, Ji SongLi swung his blade again, severing the tribe leader's neck cleanly. Even as his head flew off his body, his eyes were still open in disbelief.

In the end, two figures remained standing, their backs to each other.

Around them, was remnant of hell.

*** *** ***

True to his initial deduction, Zhen BuFeng reached Ji SongLi much earlier than the two Ji guards that had followed him. He was gratified to know that he was not too late as the younger man, despite still unhurt, was clearly in a pinch. 

Together, they managed to swiftly gained advantage over the Dong tribe members. Both he and Ji SongLi supported the unconscious Ji ChanFang, the latter's limp arms around their shoulders. As they exited the inner area of the barren land that could only be traversed by foot, the Ji guards were already waiting.

The guards, who had just arrived, had inspected the bodies that they could see so far, and did not find any survivor. Both of  their faces were grim; after all some of those lifeless bodies belong to their friends. They were brothers in arms; a lot of the familiar faces on the corpses had marched together in battles when they were still alive. Most of their bodies had blackened, showing signs of poisoning, indicating that their deaths had not been peaceful nor painless.

Ji SongLi's horse was also there, thankfully unhurt. He quickly lifted his father's body onto it, with the Zhen BuFeng's help before also jumping onto the horse while positioning his body to hold his father's close so the latter would not fall off the horse.

Soon, more horse-riders came, bearing the insignia of Imperial Guards and also the Zhen clan's Wolf insignia. They were sent by the Crown Prince.

"Check further in to see if there are survivors!" Zhen BuFeng greeted his subordinates before also mounting his own horse to follow Ji SongLi who had already spurred his horse ahead.

"Kill any Dong tribe survivors!" He coldly added. Although Ji SongLi and himself were sure they had rendered most of them incapacitated, they did not have the luxury of time to inspect them closely. He did not plan to have any potential threat to survive that day.

With the unconscious Ji ChanFang adding to the strain of his horse, it could not run as fast as how it had previously arrived when its master was riding it alone. Zhen BuFeng quickly caught up to his side and confirmed their course, "Da Lang?"

The younger man nodded. Although Ming Town was closer, Da Lang had more capable medical practitioners. Not to mention, he could plead with the Emperor to perhaps send an Imperial Physician. 

He had blocked a few acupoints on his father's body, to try to delay the flow of the poison. But the General's breath was just getting fainter with each passing moment. He only hoped his father could hold on.