Rebirth: The Journey of an Heiress

Yun Poxing screamed with all his might, struggling to resist, but he couldn't move Cheng Yuanzhi's blade from his shoulder even a fraction.

He looked up, seeing Cheng Yuanzhi's bloodshot eyes, intent on killing him to vent the hatred in his heart.

After all, Yun Poxing was old, and had been shot twice in the knee by Bai Qingyan during the battle at Wengshan, injuries that hadn't fully healed. How could he withstand Cheng Yuanzhi's hatred-filled strike?

Cheng Yuanzhi had been waiting for this day for too long, thinking he'd have to wait three years for revenge, but unexpectedly… Yun Poxing was in such a hurry to die. Since he was in such a rush, Cheng Yuanzhi wouldn't forgive not fulfilling Young General Bai's plans.

"Yun Poxing, our Young General Bai gave you three years, yet you refuse to recognize good grace, intent on dying as our Zhou and Yan join forces against your Xiliang to oppose Tianfeng Kingdom. So today… I, Cheng Yuanzhi, will take the head that's rested on your shoulder for over two years to honor our Vice Commander, Master Seventeen, and the Bai family's soldiers!"

Cheng Yuanzhi gripped the hilt with both hands, gritting his teeth and pushing the blade down with all his might. Yun Poxing was evidently unable to hold on anymore. He glanced at Cheng Yuanzhi, his eyes filled with determination to fight to the end, suddenly releasing the hand blocking Cheng Yuanzhi's blade…

As Cheng Yuanzhi's knife neatly severed Yun Poxing's arm, Yun Poxing's left hand drew a dagger from between his legs, sacrificing an arm for a moment's gap to stab at Cheng Yuanzhi's heart with a dagger glowing with a sinister green light.

Amidst the sounds of screams and battle, Cheng Yuanzhi caught a glimpse of the cold blade coming at him, but today he was prepared to die, even if it meant perishing with Yun Poxing. He didn't care to defend himself…

As the incredibly sharp dagger came within half an inch of Cheng Yuanzhi's heart, Yun Poxing felt a fierce wind pass by his ear…

"Dang——"

A sharp arrowhead mercilessly struck the Tianfeng Kingdom-forged blade, knocking Yun Poxing and his dagger aside with its force, causing Cheng Yuanzhi's swing aimed at Yun Poxing's head to go awry.

Yun Poxing's hand and head were numbed by the impact. He turned his eyes to see the arrowhead wedged in the blade of the Tianfeng Kingdom, and looked back to see the cold and aloof features of Bai Qingyan, clad in silver armor, mounted on a white horse.

Bai Qingyan appearing at this moment might be due to her pregnancy, fearing danger so she had Cheng Yuanzhi lead first, or… had she already dealt with his son and grandson's Huoyun Army?

It couldn't be that she dealt with the Huoyun Army led by Yun Lingzhi and Yun Tianao so quickly, could it? The Huoyun Army was trained in the likeness of the Bai family's Huying Camp!

Then the Zhou's intent to capture the Empress of Xiliang, Li Tianjiao, was just a plot, a fabrication? Just like when they contacted Liu Huanzhang and used him to trap Bai Weiting, Bai Qingyan replicated the scheme to trap him as well, to avenge her grandfather and uncle and brothers!

In just a breath's time, Yun Poxing's mind was whirling with thoughts, chaotic.

"Bai Qingyan!"

Yun Poxing cried out Bai Qingyan's name mournfully one moment, and the next Cheng Yuanzhi stepped on Yun Poxing's chest, the blade with a chilling gleam poised at his throat.

"Where is my son? My grandson?!"

"Did you send people to capture the Emperor of Xiliang deceitfully? You're avenging your grandfather, uncle, and brothers, setting a trap on purpose? Who is the traitor? I want to die knowing!"

Caked in blood, Yun Poxing was frantic, his ominous premonition now a reality, knowing that his death was inevitable today but… he just wanted to die knowing!

At least, back then he allowed Bai Weiting to die knowing.

This time, Yun Poxing was more wretched than any previous meeting with Bai Qingyan.

She wondered if, back then, her grandfather ordered a desperate path for her brother, delivering campaign records, if he was just as wretched and despairing.

Riding on horseback, Bai Qingyan gripping the bow with one hand and the reins with the other, looked at Yun Poxing with indifference, then glanced at Shen Liangyu: "Bring them up…"

Shen Liangyu nodded, ordered Yun Poxing's grandson Yun Tianao to be brought up, along with… Yun Lingzhi's corpse.

"Grandfather!" Yun Tianao shouted loudly.

Yun Poxing's severed limb continued to bleed, feeling himself nearing death's edge, but seeing his son's body and grandson's figure tore his heart apart again, just like years ago seeing his son's head chopped off and grandson shot through by an arrow.

"Bai Qingyan, I'll kill you!" Yun Poxing struggled, pale from rapid blood loss, and flushed crimson from rage and fury, "I'll kill you!"

Now Yun Poxing firmly believed there had been a traitor in the Xiliang's Huoyun Army, and Bai Qingyan's plan to capture the Emperor was a trap!

His heart welled with fear, replicating the methods he once used against Bai Weiting, thus… she killed his son Yun Lingzhi and left his grandson Yun Tianao as witness to the disembowelment! Just as he once did to the Bai family's seventeenth son.

The mere thought of such a scene was unbearable, even horrible, wanting immediate death. Though he sent his grandson to Zhou, hoping his grandson's death would atone for his sin of disemboweling the Bai family's seventeenth son, that was at least out of sight…

His heart wouldn't hurt as much, but now Bai Qingyan was clearly intent on letting him watch his grandson disemboweled like the Bai family once did. How could he bear it? It was better to die now!

"It's simply an eye for an eye, you struck harder against the Bai army back then," Bai Qingyan's stern eyes fixed on Yun Poxing's dim eyes, "I gave you a chance, if today you had obediently gone south of the Danshui River to battle the Tianfeng Kingdom's Elephant Army, it wouldn't be your death day. But you insisted on rushing to die, so I must fulfill it."

"Cheng Yuanzhi! Kill me!" Yun Poxing struggled to rise, glaring at Cheng Yuanzhi and shouted loudly, "What are you waiting for? To avenge Bai Weiting slaughtered by me, Bai Qishan whose head was displayed in our Xiliang camp, and the child singing the Bai army song before death. Come on! Kill me!"

"Grandfather!" Yun Tianao cried hysterically at his grandfather's state, "Grandfather! Grandfather, you cannot die!"