In an instant, Liang Xiao understood the situation before him.
These assassins had been lying in wait, finally seizing the opportunity to strike. Their plan was to destroy the Temple of the Heavenly General on the very day the Divine Might Mansion was completed, aiming to crush the morale and spirit of the Great Gan.
Liang Xiao made a swift decision. He retreated sharply, kicking the main door shut as he withdrew.
The door closed rapidly, blocking the view between the two sides. Liang Xiao seized the chance to turn and rush to the bronze statue of the Heavenly General. He blew out the candles along his path and quickly concealed Luo Qingxue beneath the offering table on the left.
After confirming that Luo Qingxue would not be seen by the enemies bursting through the door, Liang Xiao leaped up, landing before the Heavenly General statue. He exerted all his strength to draw the treasure sword from the statue's waist.
A cold gleam flashed!
"Whoosh, whoosh!"
With astonishing speed, Liang Xiao flung two calligraphy brushes, extinguishing the last two candles. He then rolled to the right, under the offering table. Casually, he grabbed a red string, tying one end to the table leg and the other he held himself, concealing himself behind a pillar.
After the Temple of the Heavenly General was built, the people of Great Gan revered the Heavenly General as a god of martial arts, wealth, and even marriage. Thus, red strings were placed within the temple. The Heavenly General was poised to become the new object of imperial worship, which inadvertently aided Liang Xiao.
"Bang!"
A few breaths later, the assassins kicked open the temple door, their expressions a mix of shock and fury.
The lights were out?
They had intended to use the temple's candlelight to ignite the cooking oil and set the Temple of the Heavenly General ablaze! Now, with only the faint glow from outside, they couldn't discern the situation within the temple!
"Be careful, the opponent might be a master. Hurry and finish this!" a killer whispered. All the assassins drew their swords and formed a formation, cautiously entering the temple. Their mission was simple: kill someone and set a fire, then escape. Time was of the essence, leaving no room for a leisurely search for the man and woman inside!
Twelve assassins moved forward in the darkness, their senses on high alert, wary of Liang Xiao appearing from any direction. Liang Xiao, sword in hand, hid behind the pillar on the right, holding his breath. Judging by the enemy's footsteps and posture, Liang Xiao was certain these assassins were highly trained, elite operatives with far greater vigilance than ordinary men! He had to eliminate them as quickly as possible. If the drugged Luo Qingxue made any noise, she would surely perish!
Just as all the assassins reached the open space in the center of the temple, Liang Xiao gritted his teeth in the darkness.
A rustling sound came from the front right!
All the assassins rejoiced, immediately concluding: the couple had accidentally bumped into the table, revealing themselves!
"Kill!" The twelve assassins roared in unison and charged towards the offering table, hacking and stabbing indiscriminately!
In a mere two breaths, they realized something was wrong. There was no sensation of striking flesh and bone! The opportune moment was fleeting! By the time they regained their senses, two screams echoed from behind. Liang Xiao had launched a surprise attack, his sword cleaving through two assassins!
The remaining ten assassins quickly recovered and surged towards Liang Xiao. At the same time, a strong gust of wind blew in from outside.
Wind rises! Shadows flicker! Glimpse mistaken! Body moves! Sword falls!
A faint glint of steel flashed and disappeared. Liang Xiao weaved between the ten assassins, their eyes meeting. The ten assassins fell one after another, dead!
"Cough, cough!" Liang Xiao coughed up a mouthful of blood, wiping the crimson from his lips, and finally breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, his intelligence and vigilance had allowed him to utilize his greatest strength—combat in darkness—without being wounded by the enemy's blades. Had their swords been poisoned, he would not have escaped death!
Just then, another commotion erupted from outside. Liang Xiao was startled at first, but upon listening closely, he relaxed. He cautiously approached the entrance and peered out. A group of soldiers had arrived, roaring angrily, preparing to surround the Temple of the Heavenly General.
Liang Xiao had a sudden idea. He rushed to the doorway and shouted, "Assassin!"
"Who are you! Are these six killed by you!" The leading soldier captain, seeing the dark temple, shouted at Liang Xiao warily, ordering his men to halt, lest Liang Xiao had some trick up his sleeve.
Liang Xiao replied, "I am Liang Xiao, grandson of Left General Liang Qing!"
"Liang Xiao?" The soldiers were astonished. They were unsure of Liang Xiao's identity, but with the news of the poetry competition spreading, Liang Xiao's name was already known throughout the city!
Liang Xiao explained, "Indeed! My granddaughter, Luo Qingxue of the Right General's household, and I came to keep vigil for the Heavenly General. Hearing the commotion outside, we discovered assassins causing trouble. They broke into the temple, intending to silence us both!"
The captain, still skeptical, said sternly, "Where are the assassins?"
"Those assassins entered the temple and were about to attack us. Then, a furious roar came from the direction of the Heavenly General's statue: 'The wicked shall perish!' By the time I came to my senses, the Heavenly General's treasure sword had been unsheathed, instantly slaying all twelve! The gust of wind even extinguished the candles!" Liang Xiao explained at top speed, leaving all the soldiers stunned.
"The Heavenly General has manifested?" The captain remained doubtful. He pulled a fire starter from his robe and tossed it to Liang Xiao: "Words are not proof. Go and relight the candles in the temple!"
Liang Xiao's heart leaped: this captain was indeed cautious, fearing an ambush if he entered in the dark. However, this was even better for him. Taking the fire starter, Liang Xiao first lit the candles on the offering table, then went to light the others. He casually stuck the sword into the ground, then carried Luo Qingxue out, guarding her by the sword, just in case.
"You can come in now!" Hearing Liang Xiao's voice from within, the soldiers nervously approached the entrance. As they saw the twelve masked assassins lying on the ground in the candlelight, their hair stood on end! Twelve masked assassins indeed lay on the ground, all struck in vital spots. Nine were beheaded, their blood staining the floor!
Still shaken, the soldier captain urgently asked, "Are you truly Liang Xiao?"
"Genuine! Outside the Divine Might Mansion are people from my Liang household and Luo household. Go and summon them!" Liang Xiao nodded. While the soldiers were still in disbelief, they suddenly noticed twelve buckets of cooking oil placed by the entrance. This convinced them significantly, and they immediately sent men outside to find the people from the Liang and Luo households.
Liang Xiao remained in a standoff with the soldiers, ever vigilant. The soldiers, however, began to whisper amongst themselves, discussing Liang Xiao's earlier words.
"According to him, could it be that the Heavenly General manifested and destroyed these rebels?" The soldiers grew more animated, two even weeping openly. Liang Xiao watched, a wry smile on his face. The common people of Great Gan were still superstitious. To protect his secret for the time being, Liang Xiao could only concoct this story. However, this way, with the "manifestation of the Heavenly General," it would inevitably lead the people of Great Gan to believe that the Heavenly General had indeed died... For the citizens of Great Gan, including Luo Qingxue, the belief that the Heavenly General was still alive had been a flicker of hope, now extinguished. Weighing the lesser of two evils, his priority was to protect his secret and recover from his injuries!
Slaying these twelve assassins was also a significant burden for Liang Xiao, who was currently recuperating. He already felt his back getting sticky, likely an old wound re-opening. After a while, people from the Liang and Luo households arrived to confirm Liang Xiao's identity. The soldiers saluted Liang Xiao and, after only a brief interrogation, allowed him to leave. Liang Xiao, carrying Luo Qingxue, returned to the outside of the Heavenly General's Mansion.
Back inside the carriage, as Liang Xiao was about to gently lay Luo Qingxue down, she unexpectedly held him even tighter.
"Heavenly General, I know it was you..."