My enemies became my companions

Chapter 615 Qin Family Elite Cavalry (Two Chapters Combined)

"Qin Qingluo..."

The gray-black chains swayed and made a "snap" sound. The surroundings were dark and gloomy. In such an environment, Chen Yi's vision seemed to deteriorate.

He had been thirsty for countless days.

Without a drop of water or a grain of food, his entire body visibly shrunk inwards. His hands were suspended by iron chains, hanging limply downwards, unable to be lifted up or lowered. Even the strongest warrior would be unable to endure such torment.

"Qin Qingluo..."

He murmured the name hoarsely, just three words, devoid of any emotion—no anger, disappointment, or sorrow—he simply repeated them mechanically.

At that moment, the dungeon door, which had been tightly closed for a long time, suddenly opened. Looking from here to there, all he could see was a small window, but the light that shone in still made him uncomfortable, so he closed his eyes.

Ta, tap.

A tall figure squeezed into the dungeon and walked in step by step.

"Oh, you're calling me?"

Chen Yi weakly and reluctantly raised his head. Under the dim light, her face was blurry and indistinct, murky in the colors, and the tall shadows made it hard for him to breathe.

She placed the lamp on the table beside her.

"How does it feel to extract marrow from bones?"

Chen Yi didn't respond, but shook his head, forcing a cold smile onto his face. "It's alright."

The female prince's firmness at this critical juncture did not make her lose her temper in the slightest, and the long-standing feud between the two did not inspire any admiration. Perhaps the female prince had once cherished talent, but with the passage of time, it all vanished like smoke.

This formidable figure, feared by both the court and the public, stretched. In the cramped dungeon, her towering figure seemed to support the heavens and the earth. She said calmly, "Qin Yue is dead."

Chen Yi's pupils suddenly contracted, and he couldn't exhale, feeling as if he had swallowed a needle.

Qin Qingluo laughed, a deep, intense laugh. Beneath her handsome brows, a breathtaking beauty appeared. Just as Chen Yi was about to speak, she suddenly grabbed his neck with one hand, forcing the words back down his throat.
"I lied to you."

Chen Yi was stunned for a moment, and the scene seemed strangely familiar. At that moment, the female prince tore off the shackles on his wrists and pressed him to the ground.

Tortured to this extent, Chen Yi could only watch helplessly as she crushed him to death on the ground after a few feeble attempts to resist.

Subsequently,

She sat down next to me.

"drive."

Chen Yi heard the sound of his bones cracking, and then heard her cold laugh.
"Go ahead, you bitch."

Amidst the howling wind, the lamplight flickered, then flickered again, and with a snap, the candlestick abruptly collapsed, unleashing a burst of flames that inexplicably engulfed the entire wall and the entire dungeon. The flames danced wildly, spreading throughout the area, turning it into a scene of hell. Chen Yi tried desperately to push her away and escape, but he couldn't. She laughed wildly, and her tall figure was swallowed by the flames. Chen Yi's eyes widened, and he too was engulfed by the fire.

The firelight flickered on Chen Yi's face, and Chen Yi suddenly opened his eyes and lunged forward, only to hear the sound of someone falling backward.

Lin Wanquan stumbled back two steps and fell into the carriage, knocking over the lampstand. Chen Yi came to his senses and realized that he hadn't even reached Southern Xinjiang yet; everything he had just heard and seen was just a nightmare.

The young woman, wincing in pain, struggled to her feet, her face filled with fear. Chen Yi glanced at her, then reached out and picked up the overturned lampstand.

How do you turn on the lights inside the car?

Lin Wanquan was stunned for a moment, and after a long while, she silently got up on her own.
"I didn't turn on the light; I came from outside with a light to check on you."

"No need to look," Chen Yi said. "I just fell asleep while resting."

After the meridians were severed, not only was one-tenth of his martial arts skills lost, but all sorts of pain accompanied his whole body. Blood and qi rushed through the cracks, and the newly formed bones rubbed together with rheumatic pain, and there were sudden stinging pains in his internal organs... At this time, apart from sexual relations, only falling asleep could cover up this pain.

For many people, even the strongest will might not be able to withstand the torment and end their own life. Chen Yi is not an iron man either, but fortunately, Zhou Yitang severed two of her three corpses. Although it could not directly relieve the pain, it relieved many desires.

Besides, Chen Yi was also glad that Yin Weiying accompanied him this time. Although his eldest Yin had many unpleasant qualities, he was always exceptionally agreeable when it came to that matter. With a little help, the journey was not too difficult.

Chen Yi breathed a sigh of relief, not feeling too much lingering fear from the nightmare he had just experienced. The scenes and settings in the dream were different, but the dialogues were similar. The other similarities and differences meant that this was probably not a premonition dream, but rather a nightmare with many elements and emotions mixed together.

Moreover, despite having the ability to see into the heavens, Chen Yi had never had a precognitive dream. He only remembered Yin Tingxue having such dreams, but he didn't know why.

"You stay here, I'm going to get some fresh air," Chen Yi said, and then got out of the carriage.

Lin Wanguan was stunned for a moment, but she just stared blankly as Chen Yi lifted the curtain and stepped out of the carriage. After a long while, the young lady lowered her eyes.

He never really cared about himself from beginning to end...

Yin Weiying, who was sitting cross-legged deep in the carriage, slightly opened his eyes to take in everything, and a cold smile appeared on his face.

Most of the time, it's women who understand women. By putting themselves in others' shoes, they can know what's on someone's mind. The young woman kept saying she didn't care about Chen Yi, but her true feelings were obvious. Deep down, she mistakenly believed that as long as she saw Chen Yi, as long as she was forced to take that step, everything would be alright. In the past, whenever Yin Weiying saw through this, she couldn't help but sigh. This clueless young woman kept denying it, yet she placed all her hopes on Chen Yi.

However, when she actually got to Chen Yi's side, the young lady did not get what she wanted. Yin Weiying guessed that what Lin Wanguan was thinking was nothing more than that Chen Yi regarded her as a treasure, but she refused him in every way with etiquette and ignored him. Only on rare occasions would she reluctantly open her heart to him, but if she opened her heart to him tonight, she would take it back tomorrow and keep him at arm's length even more than yesterday.

How ridiculous?

The absurdity lies not in Lin Wanguan having such thoughts, but in the fact that while Chen Yi does have some lingering feelings and affection for her, it's far from reaching that point. He wants to possess her, but that's all.

All those hopes ultimately became wishful thinking deep in Lin Wanquan's heart.

Yin Weiying sighed softly to himself.
Chen Yi had little affection for Lin's young wife, who was no longer a widow; how could she not know that?

What she wanted was a lack of emotional connection. Only in this way could she make this young lady rely on her, the first wife. Now, on this trip to the Southern Frontier, she would act as a matchmaker between the female prince and him. In this way, she would gain the support of everyone. No matter what, Chen Yi would have to respect her as the first wife again, and she would have to practice Taoist magic and become a submissive and obedient young master.

The night breeze was gentle yet slightly viscous; as we approached southern Xinjiang, even the wind seemed to carry miasma.

As Chen Yi walked on the wide open space of the mountain path, his mind gradually calmed down. Although it was a dream, it made him somewhat wary.

Princess Zhu E's captivating charm was unforgettable, and her warm, comforting words seemed to still echo in his ears and seep into his heart, causing Chen Yi to unconsciously soften his feelings for Qin Qingluo.

However, even on the day they parted, their hatred remained as deep as the sea.

Hoping that the two will reunite and reconcile like a separated couple is nothing but wishful thinking.

Unknowingly, he crossed the forest and arrived at the edge of the cliff. Chen Yi slowly exhaled and looked down, where there was a bottomless abyss below.

He shook his head and took out a silver hairpin from his pocket. It was still tied to the arrow that Qin Qingluo had shot at him while riding his horse, and it remained in his hand.

Chen Yi was stunned and lost in thought.
"Chen Yi".

Hearing someone call his name, he turned around blankly. Donggong Ruoshu suddenly appeared out of nowhere and made a face at him.

His heavy and complicated thoughts were suddenly thrown into disarray, and Chen Yi took a deep breath and said, "Donggong Ruoshu!"

"I'm here," the girl from the Eastern Palace said, shaking her head.

"You... never mind." If Donggong Ruoshu were still in her body, Chen Yi might have a way to deal with her, but since she is currently a soul, there's not much anyone can do to her. He said irritably, "Hurry up and go back. What are you doing wandering around so late at night?"

Donggong Ruoshu said, "That's frightening."

"...You should go back right away."

"OK then."

If the Crown Prince were careless, he would turn around and go back.

Just as Chen Yi lowered his eyes and was lost in thought, he suddenly heard some faint noises.

There were footsteps.

Even if they came from a great distance, martial artists of a certain level could hear the sound of footsteps on the mountain path without having to bow their heads to the ground. It was a large chorus of footsteps mixed with a few crisp sounds of horses' hooves.

Soldiers were chasing after us; no, they were much more agile than ordinary soldiers.

Chen Yi suddenly opened his eyes.

...............

The refugees rested on the spot a dozen feet away from the carriage. They were used to living in the open and fell asleep very quickly, but also woke up very quickly.

As the clamor of "The soldiers are coming!" rang out, it was like a thunderclap striking the crowd of refugees, who thrashed about like a flock of startled chickens.

Even though they learned of the situation in time, and even though the group of refugees reacted extremely quickly, how could human strength outrun a horse, let alone outrun the elite Imperial Guards?

In less than half an hour, the refugee caravan was blocked from the front by a troop of cavalry, while a series of footsteps approached from behind.

Looking back, torches stretched endlessly in the darkness, and the sounds of armor and weapons clanging together created a magnificent spectacle, as if a mighty dragon were sweeping across the river.

Each sound was so devastating that it shook one's very soul.

The carriage stopped, and Chen Yi's face was not visible under the bamboo hat. There was only a troop of cavalry ahead. With his abilities, no matter how much his cultivation level dropped, he could easily abandon the refugees and break through the encirclement.

However, the image of the woman holding the baby flashed through his mind, and Chen Yi silently lowered his hand that was gripping the reins.

He inexplicably thought of his daughter, whom he had never met.

He is a father now.

The Imperial Guards surrounded the open space from all sides, but no one made a move. They obeyed orders and remained still, simply encircling the area again and again. The panicked refugees could only move towards the carriage.

Amidst the rows of armored figures ahead, a tall horse emerged from the torches, carrying a general clad in dark red armor.

"Is it this group of people?" Yang Chongwei asked.

Upon seeing the man wearing a straw hat, Hao Mao nodded, his face pale. "Yes."

The man pierced his warhorse with a single pebble, and what was terrifying was not only the sudden visual impact, but also the way he felt the horse's internal organs being torn apart through the saddle and flesh as he rode it.

Martial arts practitioners practice martial arts, and soldiers practice martial arts even more. Moreover, compared to the uneven quality of martial arts practitioners in the martial arts world, military skills are not only more specific and universally applicable, but also cultivate an extraordinary perspective.

Judging from that attack, Hao Mao knew that this person could kill him as easily as taking something out of a bag.

Noticing the sentry's trembling, Yang Chongwei disdainfully pushed him aside. He looked at the man in the bamboo hat driving the carriage as if watching a fish caught in a net, silently observing his breathing...

Indeed, only a master from the Prince of Annam's mansion could possess such a restrained aura.
This time, they've caught a big one.

Yang Chongwei raised his hand and said emphatically, "Take him down."

As soon as the two words were spoken, the man suddenly raised his head.

Having spent so much time crawling and fighting in blood, Yang Chongwei felt a sudden chill. His back arched abruptly, and a chilling coldness suddenly pierced him, as if he had been glanced at from afar by a vicious tiger in the forest, ready to devour its prey.

The chill passed in an instant. Yang Chongwei pressed down on his face armor, his thick brows furrowed tightly. After a moment, he burst into loud, hearty laughter.
"Men, this is a real big one!"

As soon as the words were spoken, weapons were raised with a whoosh, and the killing intent emanating from the friction of armor spread out.

The encirclement tightened, and the refugees retreated in panic.

Chen Yi's expression remained largely unchanged, and he showed no signs of making a move, because he heard another unusual sound.

As the sound drew closer, a blaring horn suddenly sounded, as if tearing through the night. The refugees trembled in fear, and the Imperial Guards were also shaken.

Yang Chongwei abruptly turned his face away.

Before the bugle call had even ceased, a dozen armored cavalrymen emerged from the mountain pass, silently urging their horses to gallop, the long halberds tucked under their arms gleaming coldly.

Judging from their attire, they were neither government soldiers nor imperial guards.

The thunderous sound of horses' hooves pounding the mountain path shook the mountains. The horses they rode were all top-quality hybrids of Yunnan and Ferghana horses, much taller and larger than ordinary Yunnan horses, and also possessed the characteristics of Yunnan horses that allowed them to gallop through the mountains and forests.

Those were all Qin family's elite cavalry—the Iron Scale Army.

Yang Chongwei's expression suddenly changed. No matter how skilled this expert was, he was just a group of refugees on the surface. Where did the Iron Scale Army get the information? It was this person who spread it in time, but how did they find out so quickly?
Hao Mao tried his best to maintain a fearful expression.

Chen Yi raised an eyebrow. Given the sudden turn of events, it seemed he didn't need to intervene.

Although there were only a dozen or so people, this Ironscale Army, which seemed to have descended from the sky, appeared to have surrounded the Imperial Guards.

The lead knight slowly stepped out. He was a tall and imposing man. Although his face was covered by a mask, one could still glimpse the heroic spirit passed down through the Qin family from his figure.

Yang Chongwei pulled his warhorse over and shouted, "State your name, you who come here."

The knight, looking down from his elevated position, did not respond. Instead, he surveyed the crowd and proclaimed loudly:

"Hey, new guy Yang, how have you been?"

"A new broom sweeps clean, and no matter how much fire they burn, it shouldn't reach my Qin family."

(End of this chapter)