Heaven rewards diligence; he fought his way through chaos to become a saint.

"A little over a hundred?"

The green snake exclaimed in surprise.

She couldn't understand why the other person spoke so casually, as if it were just eating or drinking.

"More than a hundred?!"

Upon hearing his answer, the surrounding barbarian soldiers all showed expressions of shock.

In other words, the person in front of him had come into contact with the barbarian army countless times, was discovered nearly a hundred times, and still survived.

It's unimaginable how many times this person has faced desperate situations.

The calmer the person in front of them was, the more the barbarian soldiers felt the weight behind this nonchalant attitude.

He is a hero!

The burly man with the heavy axe hanging from his waist stood in awe, pressed his right fist to his chest, and bowed, saying:

"You survive a hundred battles! You are a true warrior!"

Seeing this, some of the barbarian soldiers nearby also performed the same salute.

"You have earned the respect of the Gale Camp," someone said.

"All I can do is run away."

"We are different from ordinary barbarian soldiers. Even if we flee, we still deserve respect."

"That's still running away."

Ye Ci fastened his belt and calmly looked at the green snake: "May we begin?"

The green snake asked, "Why didn't you run away this time?"

Ye Ci looked around and asked in return, "What do you think?"

Green Snake felt she shouldn't have asked that question.

Because it would be embarrassing to have thousands of soldiers surrounding him alone, with hawks tracking him from the sky.

Moreover, the Gale Battalion is an elite force.

She wanted to say, why don't you run away? Why do you have to stand up and face an invincible opponent?

There was silence for a moment.

The green snake slowly gripped the spear and raised its tip: "If you can touch me, I'll consider it a loss. If I lose, I'll let you go."

Ye Ci immediately raised his knife: "Come."

A man and his horse faced off in battle. The horse snorted and stomped its hooves twice.

It sensed the fierce fighting spirit of its master on horseback.

"etc."

"Huh?" The green snake was stunned.

"There's someone in the shop who's my brother, the kind who's been through thick and thin with me. If I win, can I release him too?"

"it is good."

"My brother also has a brother-in-law..."

"Okay, that's the most we can have."

"There was also an old man who said he wanted to marry his daughter to me; his family was very wealthy."

"..."

The warhorse sensed that its rider was clearly discouraged and had lost some of his fighting spirit.

It impatiently stamped its hoof, even wanting to step on Ye Ci's foot for its master.

"I won't let the water out!"

The green snake bit her silver teeth and reiterated that she believed the highest form of respect for a warrior was to give it her all.

When the other party repeatedly raises conditions, it seems as if they are certain of it, which is what we call being unreasonable.

"I won't hold back either," Ye Ci said.

This sounds like nonsense, at least that's what all the barbarian soldiers thought.

"Do I need you to turn on the water?"

The green snake found it laughable.

Before he finished speaking, Ye Ci had already leaped up, instantly soaring into the air. His long sword, carrying a sharp gust of wind, slashed down towards the top of the green snake's head.

He knew that the difference in their levels of understanding was like heaven and earth, and that only by striking first would he have a chance.

Green Snake remained standing on her horse, her wrist holding the spear flicking slightly, and an invisible burst of energy quietly spread out, heading straight for the longsword.

Ye Ci's lips curled slightly, and he threw the knife backhand hard.

He knew in his heart that his swordsmanship had only reached a minor level of mastery.

But the Baoshanquan (抱山拳) style is perfect.

Green Snake raised an eyebrow slightly, swung her spear horizontally, and knocked the knife away.

She wasn't afraid of being hurt by the knife, which showed that she still respected an opponent of Ye Ci's caliber.

Because even weapons cannot touch her body.

The moment the longsword was knocked away, Ye Ci took advantage of the momentum to dive forward, gathering all his strength in his right fist. The fist whistled as it aimed straight for the Green Serpent's heart. His move was ruthless and unreserved.

The green snake's lips curled into a smile, neither defending nor dodging, letting the fist wind approach.

In her eyes, Ye Ci's strength was ridiculous; he could send someone flying the moment he was about to touch her.

But just as the fist was half a foot away from her, Ye Ci suddenly turned and stopped, instead slamming his fist heavily into the warhorse beneath the Green Serpent.

"Bang!"

A muffled thud.

Before the warhorse could even neigh, its head was struck by a punch, and it crashed to the ground, its body, along with the green snake, lurching forward.

The green snake was not prepared.

She was sitting calmly, so she was caught off guard.

Careless.

At that moment, the expression on her face froze. She realized she shouldn't have said that meeting someone meant losing.

How could you possibly not touch your opponent in a fight!

This bastard from the Qian Kingdom just doesn't have the ability to harm himself.

Also, why didn't I think of killing him?

Just sit there and let him attack?!

She couldn't figure it out.

"He arrested the commander..."

The surrounding barbarian soldiers all gasped in shock.

They saw a blush rise to the commander's fair neck, followed by a blush on his earlobes, like a shy young girl.

The barbarian soldiers thought their commander was reflecting on his actions, but after a few breaths, he should have come to his senses by now...

You lost.

Ye Ci placed one hand on her chest, then released it.

In fact, it didn't matter where he grabbed her; all he needed to do was touch her.

Therefore, the moment he made his move, his priority was distance, and obviously, the protruding part of the green snake's body was the closest.

He simply punched the horse, then with a slight lift of his hand, he caught it.

The green snake remained silent, its face gradually turning from red to green.

Her gaze carried a hint of murderous intent as she surveyed everyone around her with equal disdain.

Ye Ci felt that everyone was too quiet, as if no one acknowledged the victory.

Didn't they see it clearly?

Ye Ci looked around, his gaze sweeping over the burly man with a heavy axe hanging from his waist:

"Did you see clearly?"

Gum!

The burly man visibly trembled, then silently turned around and looked up at the sky, as if it were a chance encounter.

"If there's anyone in the world I admire to the point of complete deference, it's only my brother Ye!"

Inside the shop, Huang Guoshu stared wide-eyed, not blinking.

Jiang Ding'an stared at the scene before him, his Adam's apple bobbing.

"I think this is the real death sentence. No woman would accept being caught like that in public..."

"What did you catch?"

Shen Wanzhou tried to climb over, but Huangguoshu blocked him with a long stick.

"Old man, don't come any closer, it stinks!"

"As agreed, Brother Ye has already won, and the surrounding barbarian soldiers have all turned away, unwilling to fight. That woman called Green Snake hasn't made a move either; I even caught a glimpse of tenderness and admiration in her eyes. Good heavens, to be favored by such a leader's woman, and a beautiful one at that, is practically a blessing in disguise! Is it possible that she might take Brother Ye back, favor him, and make him her captive...?"

"You've been reading too many stories. She's a commander, not a bandit."

Jiang Ding'an said in a low voice. As he spoke, the people in the shop suddenly heard a muffled sound.

"Green Snake, what are you doing?!"

At the sound, the barbarian soldiers on both sides made way.

At the end, a group of barbarian soldiers escorted several figures as they slowly approached. The man in the lead was tall and had a stern face. A broadsword hung at his waist, which looked like a door to Ye Ci.

What's eye-catching is his mount, a giant blue-eyed wolf. With each step it takes, a hole is shattered in the bluestone pavement.

"Commander-in-Chief..."

Green Snake lowered her head and reported to the commander.

As he listened, the president's gaze gradually turned cold and sharp.

He first glanced at the horse carcass on the ground, then at the green snake, then at the yellow fruit tree peeking out of the blacksmith's shop, and finally his gaze fell on Ye Ci.

"It's over."

Huang Guoshu's face turned pale. He felt an extreme killing intent and bloodlust from just one glance, which chilled him to the bone.

The man, known as the Grand Commander, stepped down from the giant wolf.

He looked at Ye Ci, his tone arrogant: "Young man, you've got some nerve, daring to issue a challenge. Do you know that the Green Serpent isn't the supreme commander and has no right to decide the rules of the challenge!"

Ye Ci looked at him calmly, without any emotion, and said, word by word:

"Then continue."

Upon hearing this, the surrounding barbarian soldiers showed reluctance.

They seemed to see only a spine that refused to bend.

Even when the mighty Grand Commander pressed down on him, he remained neither humble nor arrogant.

At the same time, the Grand Commander flicked his right hand lightly, and ten steps away, Ye Ci felt a tremendous force pushing him. This person felt as if he had been hit by a wave of the ocean, and his chest suddenly felt tight.

He had no time to defend himself before his body flew backward uncontrollably, his robes fluttering wildly, and his back slammed heavily against the wall.

The excruciating pain spread throughout Ye Ci's body, and a trickle of blood escaped from the corner of his mouth, dripping down his chin.

"Let's talk about the rules."

He braced himself on his knees and stood up.

"Commander-in-Chief!"

The green snake stood in front of him.

"Snapped!"

With a crisp slap, the green snake flew backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily into a wall, sending debris flying into the thick smoke in the distance.

The Grand Commander's eyes flashed with murderous intent, a cold light gleaming in them. He would not allow such a person to exist in the Great Qian Dynasty.

A man whose commanders would plead for him!

"Without rules, I will not let you go! Otherwise, I cannot answer to the fallen soldiers."

The Grand Commander drew his greatsword: "Your last vestige of dignity is that I will send you to your death with the utmost respect!"

"Can you let my companion go?"

"cannot."

At that moment, Jiang Ding'an and Huang Guoshu covered their mouths in the shop, feeling as if the sky had fallen.

"Commander-in-Chief!"

The green snake rose from the ruins, its face filled with despair.

"Commander-in-Chief!"

At first, the barbarian soldiers present felt increasingly reluctant, feeling that their commander-in-chief could not understand their feelings.

At this critical moment, a clear and melodious sword cry rang out.

A sharp sword light suddenly appeared.

The Grand Commander parried with his sword, and with a clang, he staggered back three steps.

Ye Ci turned his head and saw a girl in a black outfit in his line of sight.

With her back to herself, her buttocks were pert and shapely, outlining an alluring curve.

The girl turned her head, her face covered by a Yaksha mask, her dark hair falling over her shoulders and cascading into her snow-white neck. Beneath the mask, her eyes curved slightly, clear as a pool.

Then, she turned around again, raised the graceful curve of her chin, and stretched out her slender white hand, beckoning to the Grand Commander.

It means, come on!

The president narrowed his eyes slightly, and suddenly, the two of them moved at the same time.

A flash of sword light, and the two figures collided abruptly.

It appeared as if fresh blood was splattering.

Ye Ci didn't see it clearly, but when he regained his senses, he saw that the commander-in-chief had been thrown out and crashed heavily to the ground, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.

"Woo—" the blue wolf growled.

The Grand Commander stood up, slowly wiped his mouth, and raised his hand to signal Blue Wolf not to move.

Then, unhurriedly, he patted the dust off his body.

Ye Ci's eyes suddenly narrowed, and he was secretly shocked: Is it possible that people of their level cannot even see the battle clearly if they are not of the same level?

Who exactly is she?

The girl in black slowly turned around, without saying a word, simply gazing at Ye Ci.

Her cloak fluttered gently, making her figure appear even more slender and graceful.

The president brushed off the dust, his expression unchanged.

"Who are you!"

"You don't need to know."

A clear, bell-like voice emanated from beneath the Yaksha mask; the voice was pure and pleasant to hear.

The president was taken aback, not expecting the voice to sound so young.

"What do you want to do?"

"Release these people. I don't like people bullying the weak. If you're capable, you should challenge the strong."

The girl raised her chin and said calmly.

It means that she is the strong one.

The commander narrowed his eyes and shook his head slightly: "You are no match for us alone. Moreover, the Gale Camp never lets its enemies go, even if they are weak, they are still enemies... I advise you not to do anything useless. Even if I pity my soldiers and do not fight you to the death, our Gale Camp still has secret guards who will find an opportunity to kill him."

"Find an opportunity to kill him? Do you even know his name?"

The girl's voice carried a hint of disdain as she raised her sword, deciding that the real test would come in their hands.

The president frowned and looked at Ye Ci: "Do you dare to say your name?"

"Huangguoshu," Ye Ci said.

Ye Ci felt that the growth of a martial arts master also requires setbacks; otherwise, when he wrote his biography, there would be a lack of many amazing chapters.

The girl suddenly turned her head, her eyes behind the mask filled with a look that seemed to say, "Are you stupid?"

"Wow!"

Inside the shop, Huang Guoshu almost jumped out, but Jiang Ding'an grabbed him: "A delaying tactic."

"Why doesn't he call himself Jiang Ding'an!" Huang Guoshu gritted his teeth.

"Good! You've got guts! I'll let you off this time!"

Seeing Ye Ci's composure and the complete lack of panic in her eyes, the commander-in-chief's eyes showed a hint of admiration. He then looked at the young woman:

"Then, do you dare to tell me where you come from?"

The girl's voice was clear and melodious: "The Seven Wonders of the World."

These four words were like a thunderclap.

The leaders present looked horrified.

The Seven Wonders of the World!?

Ninety-nine percent of the world's population has never heard of this name, but the commanders of the Gale Camp are knowledgeable and know the weight of these words.

Unfortunately, those present had only heard of it and had never truly experienced the Seven Wonders.

Is she a swordswoman?

They were unsure.

The Grand Commander nodded and looked around: "I see... Are the people from the Heavenly Punishment Alliance also nearby?"

"If you don't leave now, it will be too late," Ye Ci said.

It was unclear who he was talking to.

In the distance, the flames of war raged, like a lone plume of smoke rising from the desert, visible from afar.

The president slowly raised his right hand upwards.

"Waaaaah—!!"

A long horn, desolate, fierce, and carrying a wild and untamed aura, slowly began to play.

Ye Ci quietly let out a long sigh of relief.

"You're good."

The Grand Commander mounted the blue wolf, gave Ye Ci a deep look, and said in a deep voice, "No wonder the Blue Serpent didn't want to kill you."

At this point, the barbarian soldiers retreated from the town.

Before leaving, the barbarian soldier with the heavy axe at his waist turned his head, clenched his fist, and saluted.

Then, the barbarian soldiers began to retreat like a tide.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

P.S.: Since I didn't even make it to the first round, I'm going straight to 100,000 words to see how it goes. I hope you can give me a boost by reading more tomorrow.