"What exactly happened?" Long Feicheng asked, full of curiosity.
Yan Shouyi patiently explained, "That day, I had a great battle with Tong Jingcheng. Tong Jingcheng had already cut the throat of that brat, but later I faintly heard someone communicating with me, saying that by absorbing my malevolent energy, she could be resurrected. And it actually happened! After that, we discovered that another consciousness likely resided within the brat's body, and that consciousness left a mark on her palm, a skull symbol identical to this ancient tome!"
"Interesting!"
Zhang Shantong, that old rogue, felt his heart stir just by listening, as if he couldn't wait to push Yan Shouyi aside and study it himself.
Long Feicheng said, "Then this ancient tome has nothing to do with your Shou Xin Jade, but rather is related to Big Sister-in-law's mark?"
"My Shou Xin Jade can only be a step-by-step affair. Now that there's a clue related to the brat's mark, I naturally can't let it go."
Yan Shouyi flipped through the ancient tome, trying to restore them.
Unfortunately, the ancient tome was already in tatters, making it too difficult to restore the sequence. Yan Shouyi could only directly read some fragmented texts on the pieces of the ancient tome, roughly understanding what it recorded.
According to the records in this ancient tome, its creation date should be over a thousand years ago, after the fall of the Tang Dynasty.
In 907 AD, the Tang Dynasty fell, and thereafter, the Central Plains entered the very chaotic "Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms" period.
Among them, the Five Dynasties referred to the five regimes that successively established their capitals in the Central Plains, namely Later Liang, Later Tang, Later Jin, Later Han, and Later Zhou.
The Ten Kingdoms referred to the ten states such as Former Shu, Later Shu, Southern Wu, Southern Tang, Wu Yue, Min Kingdom, Southern Chu, Southern Han, Southern Ping, and Northern Han.
The situation of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms lasted for nearly sixty years. During this period, wars were incessant among the various states. In addition to the Ten Kingdoms, many new states continuously emerged and were quickly destroyed.
It wasn't until 960 AD that Zhao Kuangyin of Later Zhou launched the Chenqiao Mutiny, was proclaimed emperor, and established the Northern Song Dynasty, thus formally ending the Five Dynasties.
It can be said that the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period was the most chaotic and mysterious era in history.
Who knows how much culture and how many classics were lost during this period.
And the ancient tome in Yan Shouyi's hand actually came from a small southwestern country called Yu Shu Kingdom.
Yu Shu Kingdom enjoyed a privileged geographical location, fertile land, and its people lived in peace and contentment. Even during the special period of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, the common people lived a prosperous and stable life.
However, south of Yu Shu Kingdom was a country called Qing Jiang Kingdom.
This country was established at the same time as Yu Shu Kingdom and had always been coveting Yu Shu Kingdom, aiming to annex its territory and enslave its people.
Therefore, wars frequently occurred between the two countries, and bloodshed and casualties were inevitable.
During this period, a very powerful general emerged in Qing Jiang Kingdom. This general was both brave and resourceful, invincible in battle, and dared to charge into a thousand-strong army alone to take the enemy general's head.
A characteristic of this general was that he never took prisoners of war.
Once a victory was achieved, he would order the slaughter of all defeated soldiers of Yu Shu Kingdom, leaving none alive, regardless of age, weakness, or illness!
Thus, the general's title of "God of Slaughter" spread.
The general's might reached Yu Shu Kingdom, striking fear into the hearts of its people.
For a long time, the general's name was enough to stop a crying infant.
Yu Shu Kingdom suffered repeated defeats and was already no match for Qing Jiang Kingdom. However, at this time, a female hero emerged from the army camp. It was said that she was just an unknown small soldier in the camp before, but she fought the Qing Jiang Kingdom's general on the battlefield to a standstill!
In the end, she even forced the Qing Jiang Kingdom's general to rein in his horse and retreat to his camp!!
As soon as this news returned to Yu Shu Kingdom, its people seemed to see hope. The entire nation regarded that female soldier as a savior and a great hero!
Later, when the heroine returned to the capital, the people learned that she was actually the princess of Yu Shu Kingdom!
Although the princess was a woman, she possessed the fiery spirit of a man. Unable to bear seeing her people bullied by the people of Qing Jiang Kingdom, she secretly infiltrated the army camp and fought alongside them. She only revealed her talent when she encountered the Qing Jiang Kingdom's general, was discovered by the Emperor of Yu Shu Kingdom, and was hastily summoned back from the battlefield.
It was after the princess returned to the capital that the Emperor assigned a young palace maid to accompany and serve her.
That palace maid was named Lian He.
She was also the author of this ancient tome.
The Emperor did not wish for the princess to return to the battlefield, so in his haste, he arranged a marriage for her, intending for her to marry into a great kingdom to the west in exchange for its protection against the encroaching Qing Jiang Kingdom.
Who would have thought that to escape the marriage, the princess would take Lian He with her to the battlefield!
The Emperor of Yu Shu Kingdom at the time, though benevolent to his people, was too weak militarily and did not even dare to personally go to the front lines to retrieve the princess.
Upon returning to the battlefield, the princess transformed into a female general and led her soldiers to several victories!!
Consequently, the soldiers were deeply loyal to the princess and became her personal guards, obeying no one but her orders!
The princess remained on the battlefield for three full years.
During these three years, she met the Qing Jiang Kingdom's general on the battlefield countless times. They fought with swords, neither able to gain the upper hand, each encounter leaving them wounded and returning without victory.
Despite the princess's presence, Qing Jiang Kingdom was temporarily unable to invade Yu Shu Kingdom, and the latter enjoyed a period of peace.
However, the great kingdom to the north was not pleased.
The promised marriage had not been fulfilled, and how could a small country like Yu Shu Kingdom trample on the dignity of a great kingdom?
Therefore, the great kingdom to the north dispatched an elite force, which invaded the territory of Yu Shu Kingdom and marched directly towards the war front.
After defeating the princess's personal guards, they captured the princess alive and intended to take her back to their country to be married!!
As the maidservant who personally served the princess, Lian He was also captured by those soldiers and even defiled.
Powerless to resist, the princess and Lian He could only despairingly leave the battlefield with the people from the great kingdom to the north.
As they left, the princess looked at the land beneath her feet. Though injured and bleeding, she, who had never shed a tear, burst into tears.
It was conceivable how the princess would be treated after being taken to the great kingdom to the north.
And Yu Shu Kingdom would soon be breached by Qing Jiang Kingdom. The powerful general would slaughter all the people of Yu Shu Kingdom and even kill the princess's father, hanging his corpse on the city gate to humiliate Yu Shu Kingdom.
However.
As the princess and Lian He were being taken away, an unexpected person appeared.
That person was none other than the general of Qing Jiang Kingdom.
It turned out that through their countless encounters, the general of Qing Jiang Kingdom had long fallen in love with the princess of Yu Shu Kingdom.
However, in ancient times, loyalty and love were difficult to reconcile. The general of Qing Jiang Kingdom had never revealed his feelings, only intending to spare the princess's life after conquering Yu Shu Kingdom.
Upon learning of the princess's capture, he immediately donned his armor, mounted his horse, and traveled day and night, finally catching up to the princess's convoy.
On that day, the elite forces of the great kingdom to the north witnessed firsthand the terror of the God of Slaughter of Qing Jiang Kingdom...