On the edge of the northeast of the "Hidden Cloud Terrace", the endless dense forest finally slowed down its pace, leaned down, and turned into a wanton meadow. The afternoon sun is warm, flowing on the earth, and together with the gentle breeze, the brittle sea of grass is drawn into layers of brocade-like ripples, wafting out the gentle and incomparably the smell of the sun.

Between the sparse trees at the edge of the forest, two figures walked unhurriedly. Bidding farewell to the last mottled shadows of the trees, the girl who stepped into the sunlight subconsciously raised her palm and covered her forehead. The light above her head made her eyes squint slightly, her long eyelashes fluttering, hiding her dark eyes inside, as if complaining about the shadow that had disappeared prematurely.

The war horse behind him snorted softly, followed the girl leisurely, and from time to time lowered its big head and secretly bit a grass that was too "profound". A man "lying on its stomach" on its back sounds a strange word, even in the whole picture, but it is the most accurate description.

Zal looked terrible, covered with dark red blood scabs all over his body, and with the pace of the warhorse, all the pieces fell downward. There is not a single place in his body that does not hurt, the pain in his heart, the limbs hanging on both sides of the horse's back are completely unable to move anymore, or rather, the organs that he can move now, and promise not to be killed by pain, I am afraid that only the brain is left.

The battle that broke out in the forest finally ended, and the two "Wind Breath Guards" who were found by the girl found that Zal was "safe and sound", so they simply took the lead and left them.

In other words, such a "favor" is still given by Adjani's genuine aristocratic status. As the armed forces of the lord of the city, they have no obligation to protect the nobles' "servants" or "bodyguards", of course, this is the reason that Adjani came up with in order to hide people's eyes. Also, they have a bad impression of Zal. Very bad.

The girl looked back at the sword and dagger stuck under the saddle, and finally fell on their master. "Are you still thinking about that battle?" she asked.

Zal was stunned for a moment, and came back to his senses. "Hmm?...... No, no. He smiled as hard as he could, but his expression looked a little difficult at this point.

In fact, since leaving that battlefield of life and death, his brain has been spinning wildly. Memories of that fight are only the moments when the fists collided together. What happened next was like a layer of frosted glass, blurry, invisible, and indistinct.

It seems that he has done something or said something with his own hands, and he seems to be just a bystander, standing by and just watching...... He was vaguely aware of something that had changed, and it was in his own body - a manic anger was growing wildly. Whether he wanted to face it head-on or not, Zal realized with a chill that in the depths of his soul, there was a moment when he enjoyed the feeling very much, the feeling of being bloodthirsty.

"You know, Zhar, you're not clever at deception...... girl chuckled. He lowered his voice and set his eyes on the sky at the end of the sea of grass. "Don't blame your own actions for the other person's misdeeds...... "Yuntai is a place where there are no laws and no morals, and many times, the best way to punish sin is sin - it's not a question of right or wrong, Zhal." ”

Zar was equally distracted with his gaze into the distance. "Maybe. You're right......" he whispered, not because he agreed, but because he couldn't figure it out himself. Maybe it's worth having a good chat with the half-elves...... He said it in his heart.

As if not wanting to continue the heavy topic, the girl turned her head, her eyes crooked. A bright smile was displayed. "By the way, Zal, is it true that you said in the woods, 'If she dies, you will all die'?

"Of course it's true!" Zal nodded immediately, he had nothing to wonder about the question.

A faint flush appeared on the girl's cheeks. "Zal, Zal, you almost touched me......" she said and laughed, crisp and beautiful, like the tinkling spring water in the mountains, and the warm wind stirred up the girl's hair, fluttering, and flowing with a brownish and golden sheen.

"Actually, it's really nothing," Zal frowned slightly, as if organizing the words, "Well...... How can I say it, like a psychological tactic implied by language?" he said.

"Psychological tactics?" this time it was the girl's turn to be stunned, she didn't understand what Zal meant.

"Yes," Zal nodded as he leaned on his horse, and continued to explain, "Let's put it this way, this sentence is a clear hint of strength, and I am taking the initiative to show the enemy that without you, my strength will definitely be above theirs." He said, "If the threat to me is lifted, they will definitely die, and if you want to maintain this balance, then you can't die before me......"

"Balance of power?!" the girl's voice seemed to change, but Zal was completely unaware.

"That's right, balance of power!" he affirmed, "In other words, unless I'm dead, you shouldn't be in danger, this psychological warfare ......" Before Zar could finish speaking, the reins in the girl's hand suddenly slammed into him!"It hurts! You...... For God's sake, I'm a wounded......"

The girl's eyebrows jumped, like a blade, and she raised her foot and kicked Zal in the leg. "Why don't you die! I hope you die before me......" he snorted heavily, and walked forward.

"Lord God...... Forget it, my lady, you can't just leave me here!"

"Don't you know tactics? Then please use your extremely clever tactics and lie back on the gimbal!"

“......”

Of course, Adjani came back after a long walk, and she couldn't have really left Zal here. But this time, the girl's face was not so gentle, and Zal, who was lying on his horse's back carefully, even more carefully than he was in a duel with a mage. Although there was something strange in his heart, his instinct was unusually firm to tell him that it was absolutely right to do this!

After walking for a while, the meadow at the edge of the forest slowly faded into an earthy yellow earth under his feet, and not far ahead, the cliff at the edge of the "Hidden Cloud Terrace" finally appeared in Zal's sight. His gaze moved. Soon, he found the huge stone bridge that connected the moat. At the other end of the bridge, a magnificent wall rises from the ground, covering everything inside, revealing only a faint reflection and floating. It gives the illusion that it is not real.

Zal knew that the "Wind Breath Cloud Terrace", which had never set foot before, was approaching. "Whew...... It's finally time to get out of here," he let out a long breath, as if his heartstrings, which had been tense, finally loosened. "For the sake of the Lord God, I miss the life on the 'condemnation platform' so much......"

Adjani walked ahead and asked oddly, "Are you sure?"

"Of course!" said Zar, lying on his horse's back, nodding his head happily and looking at the stone bridge not far away. "I mean. What better place to be warmer and more cosy than at home? well, even if it's ...... Well, it's a little dilapidated, but it's also ......."

As he spoke, he stopped abruptly. The girl looked back in some confusion, only to see that Zal was struggling and sitting up on horseback. His cheeks twitched from the pain, but he seemed to grit his teeth and hold on. A pair of gray-blue eyes, motionless. With vigilance and hatred, he stared at something.

The girl's heart was startled, and she turned her head to follow Zal's gaze, and on the spacious stone bridge, a figure in a hooded cloak was slowly approaching. There was silence, not a sound.

"Zal ?......" Adjani interrupted her as soon as she spoke, "Keep walking, don't speak." Don't stop......" His words made the girl even more confused, but she didn't say anything more, just tightened the reins, led the warhorse, and walked over as usual.

Enduring the severe pain all over his body, Zal pressed the saddle with one hand, supporting his crumbling body, and climbed the hilt of "Sishua" with the other. His gaze firmly followed the dark figure of the other party, and in the bottom of his heart he read the name that he would never forget—Blazei!

The distance between the two sides is getting closer and closer, and Zar can't even imagine what will happen next. Don't say that you are injured all over your body at the moment, even if you are in peak condition, there is no possibility of winning this battle. Is it impossible to find a way to escape? It is absolutely impossible, the fate of himself and Adjani seems to have been decided the moment the other party appears here, and there is only one way to die!

Just as Zal was frantically looking for a way out, the same sound as on the day of the opening ceremony pierced Zhal's ears again without warning. "Relax, boy, I'm not here to kill you, at least not today......" Instantly tense, Zal looked at Adjani and found that there was nothing unusual about the other party.

"You've come back alive...... Sure enough, you lived up to my expectations of you. "By the way, don't worry, this lady can't hear it...... Of course, you don't have to speak, just listen to me quietly......"

The voice chuckled, then sniffed, as if smelling something. "I'm blown away by how fast you've grown...... Look at the strong smell of blood!You've changed, boy, a welcome change, I can smell it......" His words made Zar tighten his palm on the hilt even more firmly, "they're all dead, aren't they?"

Blazer paused, his tone not inquiring. "They must all be dead, I know......" he said, sounding like he wasn't talking about a few living lives at all, but something like grass stalks, completely inconsequential. "It's like I've known for a long time that it's impossible to stop you with them, never. ”

The most eerie images play out in the few remaining distances, as if the two sides who don't know each other cover up the silent communication flowing in the air with calm and silence.

"It's too boring to fight, isn't it?" Blazej laughed, "but it's okay, let's just think it's an appetizer before dinner......" he said, "Give me some time, I'll make it all interesting, don't worry......"

After a short silence, the figures of the two sides finally met at the bridge, no one spoke, no one stopped, but at the moment of passing by, Blazei's voice sounded again.

"The feeling of killing, how is it ?......"

In an instant, Zal's nerves felt as if they were about to be broken, and he hissed overwhelmingly. He was suppressing, suppressing the urge to draw his long sword, until a brief moment later, the distance between the two sides widened again in each other's figures, getting bigger and bigger, and finally, Zar seemed to collapse, trembling, cold sweat covered his whole body!

Continuing the path under her feet without any intersection, Adjani opened her mouth after a moment and asked, "?...... do you know this person?"

"No......" Zar lay on the horse's back weakly, and just half a sentence was spoken, then stopped, and changed his words: "Know, or rather, more than know." He whispered.

A look of surprise flashed across the girl's face. "I thought you would lie to me, Zhar. ”

With a wry smile, Zal shook his head with difficulty. "More than lying, I wish you hadn't seen this person at all......"

Adjani was stunned, she didn't quite understand what Zal meant, she subconsciously looked back, but her gaze instantly froze, because the dark figure was gone, disappeared without a trace.

After a brief interrogation by the guards, Adjani took her injured "bodyguard" and got into the carriage back to the "Conviction Platform".

In fact, she really didn't want to just lead the horse all the way back, and she didn't want to rent another horse and let Zal ride all the way and die on horseback.

Of course, the owner of the carriage showed a well-deserved rejection of the blood-stained Zhal. But when he saw the dozen silver tables in the girl's hand, he smiled kindly, learned the most gentlemanly manners, and even respectfully opened the door for Zal. Yes, no one is going to have trouble with money, no one.

Leaning on the siding of the car, Zal looked out of the window, a little dazed, and even completely ignored the beautiful and exquisite street scene of "Wind Breath Cloud Terrace". His mind had drifted elsewhere, Blazei's presence had made Zar forget about the thrills of the past few days, and the mage and his men were nothing compared to this terrifying wood elf.

What made Zal even more uneasy was what he meant by "making everything fun"? almost instinctively, he smelled danger in it, and it was deadly.

The not-so-distant journey was left behind in a haunting thought, and when Zar felt the speed of the carriage gradually slow down and Adjani's voice came from across the carriage, he came back to his senses in a daze and realized that he had returned to the "Conviction Stage". Outside the window, he was familiar with the dirty, messy, and the poor streets and alleys that now seemed so kind. (To be continued......)