activa-t Chapter 21 is at best called "Climbing the Clouds".
Chapter 21 is at best called "Climbing the Clouds".
The knife in Liu Ji's hand fell to the ground.
Si Chen slowly withdrew his hand.
The scales around Liu Ji's eyes were growing rapidly, extending down her neck. She looked like a steam-powered goddess in a fierce fire, spewing out blood-red steam.
Si Chen made a fist with one hand, spread his five fingers, and pressed down with his other hand. His sleeves billowed high, and a huge amount of spiritual energy transformed into a tangible celestial river, pouring into the bodies of many people.
When Liu Ji regained consciousness, feeling dizzy and disoriented, she felt as if her spine had been torn apart, and she was reborn in pain.
She slowly turned her head and saw a pair of blood-red wings tearing through her military uniform and slowly growing, just like the scales around her eyes, but with a strong metallic sheen.
Just looking at it sends chills down your spine.
Si Chen asked, "How are you feeling?"
Liu Ji stroked the wings with obvious delight, her eyes gradually growing fervent. "Good! Absolutely good!"
Si Chen stood with his hands behind his back. "Let's go to the training ground and test its quality."
The female horses are still getting used to their wings, and they walk unsteadily.
The wings seemed to act as amplifiers.
The psionic energy, passing through the wings, instantly became even purer.
Liu Ji stood on the wooden platform, looking down at the stumbling horse girl, her legs trembling slightly.
She closed her eyes, leaped, and a powerful gust of air whipped up a huge cloud of dust.
Flying, however, seemed to become an instinct.
When she opened her eyes again, she looked down at the world receding into the distance, and trembled with excitement. With a flap of her wings, she soared into the clouds.
The remaining female horses are still learning how to coordinate their limbs; it's probably a long way off before they can learn to fly.
Si Chen silently condensed a sword light, concealing it within his sleeve.
Those ungrateful wretches who can't be used by him, then he has no choice but to kill them.
After a few breaths.
A burning red meteor crashed down towards the training ground.
Just as she was about to crash into the ground, Liu Ji closed her wings and slashed with them, cutting a trench that stretched for nearly a hundred paces; her wings were truly like knives.
Liu Ji lowered her wings, walked to Si Chen's feet, shook her head and ears, and said, "Take the throne."
Si Chen pressed his palm against her fluffy horse ears. "From now on, you are no longer Hu children. Don't make me kill you, understand?"
Liu Ji trembled, her crimson ponytail bristled, and she curled up tightly, feeling the threat of death looming over her.
"Your subject understands. I am where I am today all thanks to my lord. I will never be a barbarian, and my descendants will follow his teachings. My great ambition is to drive out the Tatars and restore the Han Dynasty. I am unwavering in this commitment. If I betray his faith, I will be condemned to eternal damnation."
A terrifying psychic energy hung overhead, dangling but not falling.
A bead of cold sweat slid down Liu Ji's forehead.
His legs went weak and he knelt down on the spot.
Si Chen slowly withdrew his hand, tucked it into his sleeve, and helped him up.
If she had shown even the slightest dissatisfaction just now, the only option would have been to take her head.
"You're perceptive. I've heard that those who flatter their superiors will inevitably bully their subordinates. This is a bad habit and must be changed. As long as you do your job well, there won't be any trouble. You don't need to think about how to flatter all day long."
"Although you were born in a barbarian land, the Liu family is still a descendant of the Han imperial family."
"The character '姬' signifies nobility."
Stop belittling yourself.
"Using one's beauty to please others may bring temporary pleasure. But when one grows old and loses their beauty, they will eventually be discarded like worn-out shoes."
Liu Ji nodded obsequiously and answered in a low voice.
In other words, the female horse handlers were careless and oblivious.
Liu Ji stood obediently beside Si Chen.
Si Chen pointed to the training ground, "Looking dejected, it's not like it's going to kill you. Go try it out again."
After Liu Ji walked quickly away from the wooden platform, she then flapped her wings and flew close to the ground.
She did have the idea of just leaving.
It's just huddling together for warmth with those stupid and clumsy horse girls, while being carefree and independent is much better, isn't it?
How can a mere guilty conscience describe it?
Liu Ji turned around and saw Si Chen, with his dignified appearance, tall and elegant figure, and handsome beard, looking like a god, making people dare not offend him. She quickly turned her head to look at the herd of horses.
"quiet!"
The horse girls scrambled to their feet.
Liu Ji raised her hands high above her head, "From now on, we will be different."
"We are not barbarians, nor parasites, but the great and wise teacher who gave us new life."
"We will always actively support any command given by the Great Teacher."
"We must resolutely defeat all enemies of the Great Teacher of Virtue."
"There cannot be two suns in the sky; the Great Teacher is our sun."
"Long live the Great Teacher!"
The female horse riders raised their hands high and cheered.
Ordinary loyalty is not true loyalty; only absolute obedience can earn trust.
Liu Ji understood this principle very well.
Liu Ji may not know who clapped.
But she could tell at a glance who didn't clap and who just went through the motions.
Anyone who dares to ruin her happy life, she has nine ways to make those idiots wish they were dead.
Liu Jizhen turned around and bowed to Si Chen.
Then, with a flap of its wings, it shouted, "Don armor!"
A red light flashed in the void, and fish-scale armor painted with dragon patterns tightly enveloped it.
Liu Ji made a fist with both hands, and a silver nine-section whip appeared in her left hand, while she held a black and red lacquered ironwood shield as tall as herself in her right hand.
The sudden increase in weight caused Liu Ji to fall downwards.
Liu Ji raised her large shield and charged towards the haystacks in the training ground. Within ten paces, she suddenly roared, "Dragon Blast!"
A small sun, radiating extreme light and heat, suddenly contracted and then exploded.
The scalding heat rippled outwards in concentric circles.
The air was hot and dry.
As the smoke and dust cleared, Liu Ji stood at the edge of a deep pit, about two zhang deep, and slowly spread her wings that were protecting her. Every scale on her armor was smooth and new. She put down her shield, which was covered in wounds.
Liu Ji removed her armor and ran to Si Chen's side, looking at him expectantly for praise.
"Not bad." Si Chen nodded with a smile.
"Your psionic energy was completely drained after the dragon exploded."
"This tactic of dying alongside the enemy should not be used lightly."
Si Chen had already figured it out.
These Feathered Scale Guards possess most of their skills in their wings, dedicating only a tenth of their abilities to Dragon Explosion.
Si Chen flipped his wrist, revealing a golden tortoise talisman. "From this day forward, you will be the Feather Scale Guards, my wings, and the shelter of the Han forest."
"Your humble servant obeys."
Liu Ji took the tortoise-shaped talisman with both hands and crushed it in one go.
Si Chen watched as they were still practicing how to fly.
It stumbled and fell as it flew into the sky, a sight too painful to watch; at best, it was just climbing the clouds.
Given their thin bloodline, they might at most absorb some dragon energy, but they wouldn't evolve into centaurs.
These Feathered Scale Guards need to be rested a bit longer; their current physiques are not strong enough to support the heavy armor and giant shields.
"All the miscellaneous items in the camp will be managed by my two protectors. Focus on your training and do not slack off. Ten sheep and a cow will be sent over later, which will be enough for you to enjoy."
"Yes!" Liu Ji replied excitedly.
The Dharma Protector Dinghai, dressed in blue robes, arrived.
"Ascend."
"The Duke of Cheng has already sent the tiger skin."
"Also arriving in the carriage are Marquis Xue Lian of Yangwu, Marquis Liu Wenbing of Xinle, and Marquis Wuqing, who are waiting at the gate."
Si Chen turned and left, asking, "What do you think their purpose is?"
Ding Hai said, "They may be here for the salt fields. We've arrested quite a few salt smugglers these days."
Si Chen laughed and said, "I thought they could keep their tempers up, but they couldn't take it after just a few days."