Flower Stealing Master

“Everyone, don’t worry. I have a way to deal with Sa Bu Su’s cavalry,” Song Qingshu said, leaving the others no time to react. In a flash, he flew to the top of a high tower, using his internal strength and the Lion’s Roar technique to amplify his voice throughout the entire valley:

“Brothers, listen to me! The situation now is dire—fighting means death, and fleeing also means death. Why not fight the invaders to the bitter end? Fight without fear; the invader cavalry will be handled by me alone. Whether I succeed or fail, I will stay behind to cover your retreat. I promise I will not leave before any of you!”

Song Qingshu was worried that the pressure might be too much for the members of the Golden Serpent Camp. If one person started fleeing, the situation would spiral out of control. So, he promised to stay behind and cover their retreat.

In this world, it’s common for commanders to order their soldiers to fight desperately while they sneak away. Naturally, soldiers have no determination to fight to the death. Someone like Song Qingshu, who risks his life to personally cover the retreat of ordinary soldiers, is truly unique.

Although no one in the Golden Serpent Camp believed he could stop eight thousand cavalrymen by himself, Song Qingshu’s prestige had skyrocketed in recent days. Hearing his words, they were willing to take a gamble with him.

Song Qingshu’s internal strength was so profound that, despite the deafening sounds of battle in the valley, his voice reached every ear, including that of Sa Bu Su and his men on the mountain, who burst into laughter.

“He has no idea how high the sky is!” Sa Bu Su chuckled bitterly. He had heard of Song Qingshu, known as the Qing Empire’s top martial artist. But in the face of eight thousand charging cavalry, even the world’s greatest martial artist would be crushed into paste.

On the other side, a few women had no time to worry about whether Song Qingshu could stop the cavalry. Instead, they were alarmed by his promise to stay behind and cover the retreat.

They knew very well that with Song Qingshu’s martial arts and Qinggong, he could come and go on the battlefield as he pleased, keeping himself safe. But promising to stay behind completely changed the situation—only death awaited him.

If he broke his promise and fled halfway through, he might survive, but his reputation would be ruined. After that, there would be no place for him in the world, a fate worse than death.

“Song Lang, have you lost your mind!?”

As soon as Song Qingshu came down from the tower, the women surrounded him, anxiously questioning him.

Chen Jinnan and the others nearby didn’t speak, but their expressions clearly showed they agreed with the women’s judgment.

“Trust me, I’m a man who specializes in creating miracles,” Song Qingshu said with a smile to the women before approaching Chen Jinnan and Mu Jiasheng.

“Master Chen, Young Lord Mu, please lead your troops to set fire to all the tents in the valley and the grain and supplies left by the Eastern Route Army. The bigger the fire, the better, and do it quickly.”

Chen Jinnan and Mu Jiasheng exchanged glances. Although they didn’t know what he was planning, his calm demeanor led them to subconsciously trust him. “Alright, we won’t let you down.”

After seeing them leave, Song Qingshu approached Situ Bolei, Shui Jian, and Cheng Qingzhu. “Please lead your men to support King Xiao and Fourth Lady, and eliminate the remaining Western Route Army as quickly as possible.”

Situ Bolei’s fate had long been tied to Song Qingshu. Seeing that Song Qingshu had made a decision, he naturally followed suit.

Shui Jian and Cheng Qingzhu, although having deep ties with Song Qingshu, were not as close as Situ Bolei. After hesitating for a moment, they finally nodded. “Alright, we trust the Leader.”

After watching them leave, Song Qingshu turned to Xia Qingqing. “Youyou, lead your men and form a battle formation at the foot of the mountain.”

Xia Qingqing’s face turned pale. She knew that by doing so, her troops would be the first to face the cavalry charge. However, she heard the determination in Song Qingshu’s promise to stay behind, and her heart sighed, ‘If he dies, I won’t live alone either. Whether sooner or later, death is inevitable.’

She nodded and, without a word, led her men to the foot of the mountain.

Song Qingshu watched her back, aware of her concerns, but he said nothing more. He turned to Zhou Zhiruo beside him. “Zhiruo, your Emei Sect has existed for a thousand years; it can’t end because of me. Take your disciples and retreat out of the valley.”

Zhou Zhiruo’s face flushed with anger. “Why do you want Qingqing to stay with you but ask me to leave?”

Song Qingshu was taken aback. How could she be jealous at a time like this? And he hurriedly explained, “I don’t want you to go down in history as the one who caused the Emei Sect’s downfall.”

Zhou Zhiruo’s expression softened. She took off the iron ring from her finger and handed it to Master Jingxuan. “Senior Sister Jingxuan, if something happens to me this time, you will be the new leader of the Emei Sect.”

“Sect Master, you mustn’t!” Jingxuan, always compassionate, was quick to persuade when she saw that Zhou Zhiruo seemed to be making arrangements for her death.

Zhou Zhiruo shook her head and calmly said, “My mind is made up. Senior Sister, there’s no need to say more. I already made a grave mistake by putting our sisters in danger for my own selfish reasons. I cannot allow another mistake that could lead to the Emei Sect’s destruction. Please prioritize Emei and take the disciples away as quickly as possible.”

Jingxuan understood, looking at the terrified disciples behind her. She gritted her teeth and nodded. “Alright, I’ll take them away. Sect Master, please take care.”

After the Emei disciples had retreated, Zhou Zhiruo turned back to Song Qingshu, a playful smile on her face. “Now you have nothing to say, do you?”

Song Qingshu could only smile wryly. 

When he looked at Ah Jiu, she spoke first. “My entire life is tied to you, Song Lang. If something happens to you, how could I possibly live on?”

Song Qingshu smiled slightly, holding the hands of both women. No words were needed.

Seeing the three of them so close, Yelü Nanxian and Huang Rong felt awkward. 

When Song Qingshu’s gaze turned to them, Yelü Nanxian quickly said, “I won’t leave either.”

As soon as she spoke, she realized how ambiguous it sounded. She hurriedly explained, “Don’t get the wrong idea. It’s not because of you. It’s just that King Xiao and my brother are here, so I naturally won’t escape alone.”

Ah Jiu couldn’t help but chuckle. “We’re not misunderstanding; you’re just feeling guilty.”

Yelü Nanxian was extremely embarrassed. Biting her lip, she said, “I’ll go find my brother.” She then mounted her horse and left as quickly as possible.

Unlike the other women, Yelü Nanxian’s skills were more effective on horseback. With the Western Route Army’s defeat, the others were not worried about her safety.

Huang Rong, deep in thought, realized that Song Qingshu seemed to attract women wherever he went. Even the widow of the former Golden Serpent King was now his, and this Liao Princess seemed to have a liking for him too…

“Madam Guo, what about you?”

Song Qingshu’s voice interrupted Huang Rong’s thoughts. She looked up and smiled. “I want to stay and see how you plan to turn the tide.”

Seeing her smile, Song Qingshu felt a stir in his heart and couldn’t help teasing her. “If you stay and die with me, Hero Guo would be heartbroken.”

Huang Rong couldn’t help but huff and turned away, pretending not to hear his nonsense.

Song Qingshu’s expression also changed when the two women beside him simultaneously pinched his waist.

By this time, the battle in the valley was nearing its end. The Western Route Army was almost completely annihilated, most of them having died from infighting. Only a small portion had fallen at the hands of the Golden Serpent Camp. Still, the Golden Serpent Camp members were utterly exhausted, with less than thirty percent of their strength remaining.

Seeing that the time was right, a confident smile appeared on Sa Bu Su’s face. “Give the order for the whole army to prepare for the charge!”

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HELP:

It’s almost funny how my own situation matches with the chapter title. During the recent unrest in the country I am from, our family hardware store was broken into and looted by thugs. I don’t know why they did it, since my family has always been minding our own business, without bothering anyone else. I’m guessing some people are taking advantage of the current lawless and chaotic state of the country. 

Anyways, the incident now leaves me as the only earning member of my family. Long time readers know that I was already dealing with a mountain of trouble (that I inherited from my father), and was already struggling. I had created a plan of action, and was steadily moving forward. But this incident destroyed whatever plans I had, again. I don’t know why bad things keep happening to me again and again. I might as well be cursed or something.

So here I am, after much hesitation, once again asking for your support. If you are reading this, please help if you are able to, I repeat, help only if you are able to. I am not asking something for free, you can become a Patron at Patreon to gain access to more chapters, or sponsor as many chapters you can from any of the novels you enjoy on Goblinslate here at BuymeaCoffee. Or if you just want to help, you can donate any amount at the Wishlist at BuymeaCoffee.

Thank you.