ALL NOVEL Chapter 46
Chapter 45: Teacher and Disciple
This time, Liliya didn’t take the lead in charging forward. With the enemy’s situation unknown, she needed to keep a clear head to assess and command the situation. These ordinary foes were enough for her subordinates and shadow guards to handle.
Although the Undead had almost limitless stamina and fewer vital weaknesses, only by severely damaging the brain could they be killed, this batch of Black Cloaks wasn’t overly exceptional. Without their undead nature, Liliya’s elite warriors wouldn’t fall behind even in one-on-one combat.
With only about three hundred enemies, even if some were left on the periphery to stay alert, they were now essentially swarming one person with four or five Silver-armored warriors. Some mounted soldiers had charged right in after the battle started, catching the enemy off guard.
The current issue lay with the unknown number and strength of the Thrones.
Outside, the fighting was in chaos; even if the enemy was completely unprepared, they should’ve reacted by now.
Suddenly.
“What the heck, get lost!”
Vilyric, beside the princess, shouted sharply, stepping forward and to the side, swinging her resplendent, noble-looking yet practically just for hitting people staff straight into the air!
Clang! Bang!
Two crisp and heavy collision sounds rang in the air, and a gust of wind swept by. Liliya froze for a moment, then suddenly realized, cold sweat running down her back.
A swift, black, sharp claw had come within mere centimeters of her temple!
When did that happen? She hadn’t noticed at all!
Not only Liliya, but even the shadow guards and the hidden Hua failed to react in time!
If it hadn’t been for Vilyric’s timely intervention, the princess would likely have perished right then!
However, deadly attacks followed in rapid succession. A whistling arrow shot from the central hall, aiming straight for the princess’s heart, mere moments after the first assassination – it was a combo attack!
At this time, Vilyric had just managed to fend off the attack with her priest staff, knocking the unknown enemy away, but she hadn’t had time to turn around, theoretically unable to save Liliya.
And clearly, this fiery arrow was not something the current princess could withstand.
Twang!
The bowstring vibrated urgently as another arrow rushed in from nearby, narrowly deflecting the fatal arrow. The two eerily similar metal arrows clinked and fell to the ground simultaneously. It was finally Fiery Blossom revealing herself!
“Ah!”
An attack appeared in an instant, only to be negated in the blink of an eye.
Only at this moment did Liliya exclaim in shock, as several shadow guards led by Emily finally reacted, crowding around to vigilantly watch their surroundings, ready to shield their master from any attacks.
It wasn’t that they were slow; in a rapid-pace clash at a legendary level, it was difficult even for the unprepared to become aware.
“Good shot, Little Hua. It’s been years, and your strength has improved quite a bit. This old man is very pleased.”
With praise, an elderly man in his seventies, stout and with snow-white hair, slowly walked out of the gates of the stronghold hall, carrying a longbow on his back.
He didn’t look at Liliya or the battlefield in the distance but regarded the black-haired priestess who saved the princess with mild curiosity, then shifted his keen yet aged gaze to the red-haired woman who had appeared.
“Your strength hasn’t increased at all.”
Hua’s expression was flat and cold. Compared to her usual self, her eyes now carried a more complex and contemptuous look.
“Hehe, the mastery of archery doesn’t rely solely on physical prowess. Only through long reflection can one grasp the supreme six styles. This much, you should understand as well.”
“So this is your reason for evading death and becoming this half-human, half-ghost appearance? Antonio Stevenson!!!”
Hua suddenly lost control, yelling furiously, her face flushed red. The princess, who was just watching this spectacle, trembled upon hearing that name.
“Huh? Antonio Stevenson?! Isn’t he the founder of the Crimson Lotus archery technique and once the world’s greatest archery master?! And I remember… ”
“Little Hua, you’re still so impetuous. I distinctly warned you that the most essential trait for an archer is calmness and detachment. When mountains collapse before you, your face should remain unchanged. You still need to… ”
“Shut up! Don’t call me that in such a familiar tone! My teacher, Mr. Antonio, died five years ago. You disgusting counterfeit, one of… ”
Hua appeared to be losing control of her emotions. Her eyes turned red, and just as tears brimmed, they evaporated in the rising aura. She notched an arrow, pulling back her short bow to the limit, igniting an unprecedented fiery crimson flame.
“Is that so… then let’s say hello with an arrow, one of… ”
The old man also drew the longbow from his back, his peaceful gaze instantly turned sharp and dangerous, flames igniting on the arrow that were nearly identical to Hua’s.
“Fiery Blossom!!!”
“Fiery Blossom.”
Without the sound of the arrow being released, the blazing crimson flames seemed to burn through the air around the arrow itself, as the two blossoming flowers met in the air and simultaneously vanished into nothingness.
“Good!”
Antonio nodded approvingly, his expression lacking the murderous intent one should have against an enemy, showing only pure appreciation and fighting spirit.
“This first style of Fiery Blossom, you are not inferior to me; just don’t know how many arrows of the legendary six styles you can release now?”
“…Let’s find out.”
“Indeed.”
Once the former teacher and disciple’s gazes clashed fiercely in the air, they both understood, and perhaps had an inkling, that today would be the time to settle all past grievances.
Fiery Blossom and Antonio Stevenson, today only one may live.
The elder and the girl leaped up simultaneously, vanishing into the depths of the basin after only a few exchanges. Their decisive battle did not require anyone else’s involvement.
“I see how it is.”
Vilyric chose not to intervene in Hua’s actions; in fact, watching this scene unfold, she suddenly understood many things.
For instance, why did Hua, without asking for any reward, travel thousands of miles to follow Liliya to this harsh western land to combat the Beastmen?
Even if they were close friends, her actions seemed overly selfless. To say that Liliya could bring a better future to the kingdom — would this cold-hearted woman really care about such things?
Hypothetically, if Hua had been secretly investigating and tracking down her former teacher, Antonio Stevenson, who had joined the [Thrones of Immortality], once she learned he had finally shown up near the Beast Kingdom’s border, and her good friend and princess Liliya asked her to come along to fend off the Beastmen…
What would Miss Hua’s response be at that moment?
Needless to say.
The targeted killings of those necromancer mages, the strangely forceful slaying of Kunier, the Tiger-Human, who might have come into contact with the [Thrones of Immortality] — in a sense, Hua was ensuring, in her own way, that Liliya brought her here, likely to find her former teacher.
So when Hua claimed she had fought the Sixth Throne five years ago, the identity of this “Sixth Throne” became quite apparent.
Though deliberately vague about the details, saying her combat strength was on par with hers, Vilyric speculated that Hua had probably lost to Antonio back then.
Oh dear, who would’ve thought that the seemingly straightforward and taciturn Miss Fiery Blossom had so many thoughts hidden within? Poor little Liliya…