With the Blade-Chapter 45 - 42: He Xiqing

That night, deep in the grassland, at the Qingyang Tribe.

Outside a simple large tent, a young man was sharpening his sword by the moonlight.

In the Qingyang Tribe, where heroes were as numerous as clouds, the young man was relatively slender, lacking the burly physique of the wrestlers, and even shorter than most warriors. Squatting on the ground sharpening his sword, he looked more like a monkey than a warrior.

Yet this monkey squatting on the ground made even a burly man standing nine feet tall timid and hesitant to approach.

"Come here, Muershu."

Seemingly sensing the hesitation of the burly man behind him, the young man simply stopped what he was doing and turned his head around.

"You’ve been with me for almost ten years, right? There’s no need to be so stiff."

"It’s been eleven years, big brother."

Even though the young man only looked over calmly, this burly man named Muershu lowered his head deeply, not daring to make eye contact for even a second.

Nor did he dare to look at the moonlit blade.

Warriors of the Northern Desert Grassland, when they needed to sharpen their weapons, would often seek out the Wizards. Though these Wizards often muttered strange and crazy words, they were the only ones capable of cleansing the killing aura on the weapons.

Except for the man in front, who would sharpen his blade himself.

Because his name was He Xiqing.

The color green is the color of the sky, and this man named He Xiqing was also omnipotent like the sky. Despite appearing slender, he was the strongest warrior of the Qingyang Tribe. His seemingly small stature was the bravest warrior of the Qingyang Tribe.

There were those who wanted to challenge him, to defeat this supposedly invincible man, even Muershu had tried several times, whether in wrestling or with weapons.

But the eventual outcome was always the same.

Muershu saw the sky.

Thus, as the once strongest warrior of the Qingyang Tribe, Muershu chose to follow this man, like a lone wolf finally finding its lead wolf, like an eagle that would eventually soar in the sky.

But now, this sky seemed unstable.

"Big brother, we can’t wait any longer."

Gritting his teeth, Muershu finally spoke up.

"The Wizard has received a revelation that Axuan will never return. His soul has already returned to the earth with the warriors he led... Big brother, we can’t delay any longer, we must avenge Axuan immediately." 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

"Oh, just that, I know."

Hearing this, the man named He Xiqing simply shook his head and continued sharpening his sword.

Seeing the man in front of him so indifferent, Muershu couldn’t help clenching his fists in urgency.

It wasn’t just an outsider who died this time, but He Xiqing’s own brother. A brother was killed, yet the elder brother hesitates to seek revenge, which is undoubtedly seen as cowardice among the grassland warriors.

The wolf pack only obeys the strong lead wolf, the eagle only lingers in the sky, when the lead wolf becomes weak, when the sky loses its vastness, who then will be willing to stay in the group? Who will be willing to continue following this man named He Xiqing?

Warriors were already secretly discussing, saying this Northern Desert man’s mix with a Southerner makes him unworthy of high status, claiming his bloodline contains the stupidity of the Northern Desert and the cowardice of the South.

Muershu naturally didn’t believe such comments, but at this moment, seeing He Xiqing’s unconcerned demeanor, he was nonetheless shaken.

Even with his own brother killed, he remains indifferent, not daring to send troops. Can this man they call "big brother" still be someone worth their respect and follow?

"So this is what you all want? For me to mobilize troops for revenge now?"

Seemingly sensing Muershu’s confusion, the man named He Xiqing spoke softly while sharpening his sword.

"It’s a very simple thing, extremely simple. Gathering troops, then attacking, it’s something we’ve done many times... So do you know what will happen after that?"

"...After that?"

Muershu was stunned by the question.

With his mind full of revenge, he never thought about what would happen after.

"If you can’t think of it, let me tell you."

He Xiqing sharpened the sword in his hand.

"We will spend a night slaughtering that Dock Fortress, only to find we’ve fallen into the pocket formation of the Jizhou Governor’s Office. The soldiers of Jizhou Governor Liu Yanran will block our way north, turning that Dock Fortress into the grave for all of us."

"This..."

Muershu’s eyes widened, unable to speak.

This... indeed seems like something those Southerners would do. Although those Southerners dare not face the grassland warriors directly, they have never been outdone in scheming and ambushes.

As He Xiqing said, charging directly could very well lead to certain death.

"But that’s Axuan after all!"

With fists clenched, Muershu, standing nine feet tall, had tears in his tiger-like eyes, stomping and pounding his chest.

"Big brother, Axuan may be your brother, but he is also our brother. We ate from the same pot, slept under the same tent, went to the battlefield together, killed people together, he even shielded me from arrows... Big brother, tell me, what exactly are you waiting for! Why won’t you let us avenge Axuan!"

"I know, Axuan is my blood brother."

Saying this, He Xiqing placed the sharpened sword beside him, testing the edge with his thumb.

The sharp blade merely grazed by, already leaving a cut on his finger.

Leaving a glaring red.

"He was my blood brother, the one I brought out from the snowy mountain at the risk of my life... For those Southerners who killed him, I want more than anyone to tear them to pieces. I want to hang their wives and children on trees, skin them completely, cut off their heads, eat their flesh, and drink their blood."

Saying this, He Xiqing’s expression returned to calmness.

"But I also know all too well that to achieve all this, we need to wait a little longer, just a little longer."

"Big brother, what exactly are you waiting for?"

Seeing He Xiqing mad with hatred just like them but still insisting on waiting, Muershu couldn’t help gritting his teeth.

"What exactly are you waiting for?"

"Waiting for the wind to blow."

Casually wiping off the blood from his fingertips, He Xiqing continued sharpening his sword.

"It’s not time yet..."

"Big brother! Big brother!"

At this moment, however, a grassland warrior rode into the camp, shouting loudly.

"The order from the Desert North Royal Court has arrived! Our Qingyang Tribe is to mobilize and prepare for war within three days!"

"Wh..."

Muershu hadn’t yet reacted, but noticed that He Xiqing had abruptly stood up.

"The wind from the Northern Desert has finally blown."

Returning his sword to its sheath, He Xiqing gestured toward the approaching horse-riding grassland warrior.

"Go back and tell the leaders this gathering doesn’t need to wait for me. Muershu, come help me with my armor."

Saying this, He Xiqing revealed a smile.

Like a beast showing its sharp teeth.

"No need to wait three days, tonight we’ll slaughter all those Southerners."