"Ugh... ugh..."
In an open space below the watchtower of Xue Lin City, Zhou Fugui and Tutis were sparring. He immediately showcased his archery prowess, a combination of consecutive arrows and returning arrows.
The returning arrow was a signature technique of Yan Zuo Wei's Great General Pu Yijian, who had been killed by Zhou Fugui. After killing him, Zhou Fugui had been meticulously studying the technique for launching returning arrows. After prolonged deliberation, he finally mastered how to shoot them.
At this moment, two arrows flew towards Tutis, one after another, their tips and tails connected, emitting a whistling sound as they cut through the air. kuAiδugg
Mid-flight, the two arrows split into two. One shot towards Tutis's head, and the other towards his lower body.
This way, Tutis would be unable to defend both his head and feet. However, the arrow aimed at Tutis's head was positioned slightly high. Zhou Fugui had no intention of taking his life, aiming instead to graze his head and scare him away.
Zhou Fugui's opening move was a divine archery skill, a combination of consecutive arrows and returning arrows. The returning arrow suddenly changed direction in mid-air, eliciting a gasp and exclamation from everyone present. Even Hu Yan Sheng nodded in silent approval.
Many had never witnessed such divine archery before.
The arrows flew with incredible speed, one from above and one from below, heading directly for Tutis like lightning. Just as everyone believed Tutis was incapable of responding, he reacted with exceptional agility. He raised his left hand, shield in hand, to protect his head, and with his right, he swung his sword downwards. His movements were swift, coordinated, and breathtakingly beautiful.
"Clang! Clang!" Two sounds echoed as the round shield deflected the upper arrow, which lodged itself in the shield, its tail trembling and emitting a buzzing sound. The sword he swung, however, severed the incoming arrow, splitting it into two pieces that fell onto the snow.
"Bravo! Bravo! Bravo!"
"Divine arrows! Divine arrows! Divine arrows!"
"General Tutis, mighty! General Tutis, mighty!"
Zhou Fugui's archery was impressive, but Tutis's defense was even more spectacular, prompting bursts of exclamations and cheers from the assembled crowd.
The arrows moved at lightning speed. Under such velocity, Tutis was able to accurately judge the direction and trajectory of the arrows and then swing his sword to cut them. Such skill was far beyond ordinary people.
"If I were present, how would I respond?" everyone present pondered silently. While it wouldn't be difficult for agile individuals to evade the two arrows, doing what Tutis did – wielding a heavy sword weighing ten catties to cut an arrow – was simply impossible.
"Well done!" Zhou Fugui exclaimed, his two arrows having missed their mark. Seeing Tutis advancing with his heavy sword and round shield, drawing ever closer, he nocked three more arrows onto his bowstring.
"Ugh... ugh... ugh..."
This time, Zhou Fugui unleashed three consecutive arrows, all of them returning arrows. However, he surpassed the late Pu Yijian, who could only shoot two consecutive returning arrows. Zhou Fugui had learned from his predecessor and improved, now capable of shooting three consecutive returning arrows.
The three arrows were aimed, one at Tutis's face, another at his waist, and the third spun towards his back, making it impossible for him to defend his front while worrying about his back, or his top while dealing with his bottom.
Zhou Fugui's three consecutive returning arrows once again drew gasps and cheers from the crowd.
As the three arrows flew towards him with incredible speed, Tutis let out a great roar. He stepped forward with his right foot and backward with his left, twisting his body. With his right hand, he swung his heavy sword, cleaving one arrow. With his left hand, he raised his round shield, blocking the arrow aimed at his back. He then turned his head, biting down on the arrow flying towards his face.
"Bravo! Bravo! Bravo!"
"Divine arrows! Divine arrows! Divine arrows!"
"General Tutis, mighty! General Tutis, mighty!"
The crowd was utterly stunned, erupting into thunderous cheers and exclamations.
"My heavens, truly a divine being!" Xu Mancang exclaimed with his mouth agape. It was unclear whether he was praising Zhou Fugui or Tutis, but it was likely Tutis, as Zhou Fugui's face had turned ashen by now...
Zhou Fugui was terrified. He retreated two steps and knelt on the ground. Three more arrows flew towards him. This time, Zhou Fugui was no longer holding back; he shot these three arrows with all his might.
The three arrows whizzed through the air and were once again blocked or evaded by Tutis.
At this point, Tutis had closed in on Zhou Fugui. Archers most feared close-quarters combat.
Zhou Fugui had to create distance between them. He shot a feigned arrow and turned to sprint towards the open space to his left.
"Hey!" To his surprise, Tutis let out a mighty roar and flung his round shield.
The round shield flew through the air, spinning continuously, its bladed edge glinting with a dazzling light. The shield was flying in the same direction Zhou Fugui was fleeing. If Zhou Fugui continued to his left, he would be struck by the shield, and its sharp blade would slice him into pieces of meat.
Startled, Zhou Fugui slammed on the brakes, stopping in place. The round shield whizzed past him with a "whoosh!" and embedded itself in a large tree. Its sharp blade cut deeply into the tree trunk, sending wood chips and bark flying. Half of the round shield was buried in the thick trunk, a testament to its immense power.
"Kill!" Zhou Fugui attempted to run again, but Tutis was already upon him. With a mighty roar, Tutis gripped his heavy sword with both hands and brought it down upon Zhou Fugui's head.
"Puff!" Zhou Fugui, unable to draw his waist sword in time to block, could only roll and evade. The heavy sword plunged into the snow, sending up three feet of snow and soil.
Zhou Fugui broke out in a cold sweat, then drew his waist sword.
"Whoosh!" Missing his target, Tutis swung his heavy sword down upon Zhou Fugui again. If this blow landed, Zhou Fugui would be split in two.
Tutis's swings were unembellished, a direct downward chop. The only difference was his immense strength, which ordinary people could not withstand.
"Clang!" With a deafening crash, Zhou Fugui raised his sword to parry. However, his waist sword was cleaved in two by Tutis's heavy sword. The heavy sword, its momentum undiminished, continued its descent towards Zhou Fugui's head.
My life is forfeit! Zhou Fugui cried out in his heart and closed his eyes.
"Tutis, spare him!" Luo Qi, the Border Army Protectorate Marquis, who had arrived after hearing the commotion and had been watching for some time, was startled and shouted loudly to stop him, seeing Zhou Fugui's life about to be extinguished.
In fact, there was no need for Marquis Luo Qi to intervene. Tutis had no intention of taking Zhou Fugui's life. The heavy sword, brought down from above, did not strike Zhou Fugui's head or body, but instead rested against his neck. He said coldly, "Deputy General Zhou, you are already dead!"
Zhou Fugui was too stunned to speak. He had never encountered such a fierce general before, even more formidable than Min Wuyan of Xia. Zhou Fugui genuinely wanted to shout, "Mighty brother!"...
The onlookers also broke out in a cold sweat and were rendered speechless. Among them, only the Border Army Commander Hu Yan Sheng watched the entire scene with a calm expression.
"Roar!"
Little White Bear, concerned for its master, let out an angry roar and charged fearlessly at Tutis.
...
"What is the Ice Bone Camp? Why does the name sound so eerie?" Xu Mancang asked.
In the training ground, Zhou Fugui and a group of his fellow villagers and friends from Youzhou had suffered a crushing defeat, returning in utter disgrace. Zhou Fugui was particularly humiliated. He, who boasted of being Yan's Yang Youji, the number one archer in the world, had failed to land a single arrow against Tutis and was ultimately subdued, returning in utter disgrace. Consequently, Border Army Commander Hu Yan Sheng had dispatched Zhou Fugui and his companions to the Ice Bone Camp.
Of course, not everyone was sent to the Ice Bone Camp. It was Zhou Fugui, Xu Mancang, Suo Dacheng, Xue Wentai, Yang Xinhong, Chen Kunkun, and Xue Wentai's fellow townsmen, over twenty burly men from Guanzhong.
Not everyone was qualified to enter the Ice Bone Camp.
"I heard it's a death camp..." Yang Xinhong replied with some fear.
"Death camp? What is a death camp?" Chen Kunkun asked.
"Ice Bone Camp, where drizzling icy rain dances with the wind, corpses fill the icy peaks, and blood stains the training grounds," Li Qing said with sympathy, looking at the group.
Li Qing was a scholar and not suited for the sweat and blood of the training grounds, so he was assigned to do clerical work in the military camp.
"Oh, my mother, this means there's no return, is it?" Xu Mancang exclaimed in fright upon hearing this.
"It's not that scary!" Zhou Fugui said, stroking the soft fur of the little white bear lying at his feet. "Isn't it just a place for training soldiers? Why talk about corpses and blood?"
Under Zhou Fugui's careful feeding, the little white bear, Chi You, had grown rapidly, its size now exceeding that of a large dog. Its appetite had also increased. Currently, it lay at Zhou Fugui's feet, lapping up a bowl of goat's milk, while Zhou Fugui stroked its fur, causing it to hum contentedly.
"Today, I, Zhou, finally realize there is always someone better," Zhou Fugui continued slowly. "You have all experienced the training of my White Tiger Camp, but compared to theirs, it is but a mere trifle, not worth mentioning! As the saying goes, 'the more sweat you shed in peacetime, the less blood you shed in war.' Therefore, I believe the Grand Governor's decision to send us to the Ice Bone Camp was not malicious, but rather to strengthen our bodies and temper our will. Brothers, we have already lost face today. Let's not continue to be a disgrace at the Ice Bone Camp. Alas, I am truly too ashamed to show my face..."
"Second brother speaks wisely..." Suo Dacheng said in a muffled voice. "I used to be arrogant, thinking myself invincible in the world. But after arriving at Xue Lin City, I experienced their prowess."
"Fierce men are born in cold lands. The border army is truly an elite force!" Li Qing also sighed upon hearing this.
"I, this monk, am not afraid. As long as there is meat to eat and wine to drink, right?" Xue Wentai, the big monk from Guanzhong, was still preoccupied with his fatty meat and fine wine...
"How can one train soldiers without being well-fed and watered?" Zhou Fugui retorted to Xue Wentai with a glare. "However, I believe the Ice Bone Camp is not a place for you to simply eat and drink. There will be conditions."
The little white bear seemed to have understood the words "eat and drink." It stood up on its hind legs, nestled in Zhou Fugui's arms, and extended its tongue to lick Zhou Fugui's cheek.