Firmament Sword

Zhang Bing was a Squad Leader of the Imperial Capital’s South Gate Guard. His father and his grandfather had also been Squad Leaders guarding the city gates.

To the decorated nobles, this might not be much, but to the Zhang Family—it was a tremendous honor that made their entire family proud!

Because of this, Zhang Bing had felt a fondness, even reverence, for this profession since he was a child. That impression had never changed, even to this day.

Watching the endless stream of different people entering and leaving the city gates every day might bore many, but never Zhang Bing. He had a rich imagination and often found himself wondering about the stories behind the people traveling to and from the Imperial Capital.

”Everyone has their own story. No matter how humble they may seem, they surely hold an ideal that is theirs alone!” This was something Zhang Bing often said to the men under his command.

As a Squad Leader of the City Gate Guard, Zhang Bing naturally had a sharp eye. He could easily distinguish between the commoners, merchants, and… the nobles one shouldn’t offend among those passing through the gates.

But occasionally, he made a mistake. Just a moment ago, a carriage had approached at high speed. It didn’t slow down as it reached the city gate, clearly intending to charge right through.

The carriage was exquisitely crafted, looking both luxurious and grand, but it bore no family crest. A few of Zhang Bing’s men stepped forward to stop it, hoping to prevent any innocent pedestrians from being injured.

Most importantly, galloping recklessly through the main streets set a terrible example. As City Gate Guards, they had the responsibility and duty to manage such matters.

But the driver was incredibly arrogant. Not only did he ignore the warnings from Zhang Bing’s men, but he actually raised his whip and lashed out viciously at the Soldiers!

”Dammit, are you blind? You dare to block my General’s carriage? If you delay important business, which one of you trash can afford to take responsibility?” the driver cursed viciously as he cracked his whip across a Soldier’s face.

WHIP!

A bright red gash instantly appeared on the Soldier’s face.

Zhang Bing was instantly furious. He rose to his feet and slowly approached the carriage, his low voice filled with intense anger. He was a man who protected his own. His grandfather and father had both told him that if you couldn’t protect your subordinates, no one would ever serve you with true sincerity.

”Who are you? And what kind of General are you carting around in there?” Zhang Bing pulled the Soldier with the wounded face behind him and stared coldly at the arrogant driver, his voice grave. ”I’ve seen no fewer than a hundred Generals pass through this gate! Grand General of National Guardian Xu Ji, Champion Marquis Xu Zhongtian, General Sui Wanli who has the might of a world-devouring tiger, General Yuwen Shentong… I have never seen a single General sit back in his carriage and allow his driver to gallop recklessly like this!”

”Heh, trying to use those Generals to intimidate me? A little nobody like you? Are you even worthy?” The driver stared coldly at Zhang Bing and said, ”Don’t think I’m just trying to scare you trash. If you delay important business, you can all wait for your heads to roll!”

He was just a driver, yet he kept calling them ”trash.” Even a man of clay would be angered. Zhang Bing raised his head, neither servile nor overbearing, and looked at the man. ”The Empire has no law permitting luxury carriages to gallop wildly through the city,” he said coldly. ”In fact, there are numerous restrictions placed on them. What do you have to say to that?”

”My General was exhausted, so he switched from an 800-li express mount to this carriage. Besides, are you blind? Which one of your eyes sees this carriage as luxurious?” Seeing Zhang Bing cite the law, the driver’s bravado faltered slightly, but he remained defiant.

”In any case, I cannot allow you to gallop through the Imperial Capital like this. I don’t care which General is in that carriage. If you try to force your way through, even if I am just a nobody, I will see this matter through to the end!” As Zhang Bing said this, he could clearly feel the looks of reverence from his men.

”Heh, a young man this brave should join my Suicide Squad. If he can make it back alive, his future prospects would be far greater than that of a lowly City Gate Guard.” From inside the carriage, a hoarse voice suddenly spoke, tinged with the scent of blood.

”What’s your name?” The hoarse voice in the carriage paused for a moment before speaking again.

Zhang Bing fell silent. The man’s previous words had made his heart jump, and his vivid imagination began to paint a terrifying picture in his mind.

’Inside the carriage is a terrifying, battle-scarred middle-aged man, cruel and bloodthirsty!’

’I stopped his carriage today and angered him. Now he’ll use his power to transfer me to his army and throw me into his Suicide Squad…’

’I’ll be on the battlefield, spear in hand, heart pounding with fear. Even if I fight bravely and kill countless enemies, I won’t be able to withstand their siege. In the end… I’ll die horribly under their blades. The Zhang Family… the line ends with me… We’ll never have another Squad Leader guarding the city gates again…’

As these thoughts raced through his mind, a cold sweat trickled down Zhang Bing’s forehead.

The driver sneered at Zhang Bing. ”What? Scared? If you’re scared, then hurry up and get lost! Stop blocking the way!”

Zhang Bing’s men also stared nervously at their Squad Leader. Courage is a relative thing. Even a block of iron will lose its nerve when faced with a sword that can cut through it like mud.

”No!” After a moment’s hesitation, Zhang Bing lifted his head, looked at the arrogant driver, and declared loudly, ”Even if you use your power to transfer me to the army and throw me into the Suicide Squad, that’s a problem for the future! Right now, I am still a Soldier of the City Gate Guard! I will not allow you to trample on the laws of the Empire! I have to be worthy of the uniform I wear!”

”You’re courting death!” The driver flew into a rage and whipped at Zhang Bing!

”Stop!” the low, hoarse voice called out from the carriage.

The dark, supple whip cracked loudly in the air, right next to Zhang Bing’s ear.

Zhang Bing trembled slightly. ’If that had hit my face,’ he thought, ’it probably would’ve torn off a chunk of flesh!’

”His strength is nothing special, but he has guts. Forget it. Don’t make things difficult for him.” The voice from the carriage was still hoarse, but to Zhang Bing, it sounded like the music of the heavens.

Just then, a cry of alarm came from the distance. A moment later, a colossal black beast charged toward them like a bolt of black lightning.

The horses pulling the luxurious carriage, which had been standing proudly with their heads held high, suddenly neighed in terror as the black beast approached. Their front legs buckled, and if the driver hadn’t reined them in just in time, they would have collapsed to their knees right there.

Zhang Bing and his men were stunned. When had they ever seen such a sight?

They even lost the courage to step forward and intercept it!

This wasn’t a horse; it was a behemoth!

Fortunately, the black behemoth came to a sudden, steady halt right at the city gate.

Only then did Zhang Bing see that atop this giant, black-striped tiger sat a travel-worn but incredibly handsome young man.

As a Tier Three Spirit Beast, the aura emanating from the black-striped tiger was enough to intimidate nearly every mortal creature, including humans.

The person in the carriage, who had yet to show his face, now opened the window a crack. Two cold lines of sight shot toward the black-striped tiger.

Sensing something, Xu Luo, who was riding Xiaohai, met the gaze of the person in the carriage.

The carriage window then closed. Xu Luo’s heart stirred slightly; the person inside gave him a feeling that was both strange and familiar.

Strange, because he had never seen this person before; familiar, because the man carried the distinct scent of iron and blood!

’A soldier?’ Xu Luo raised an eyebrow slightly but didn’t dwell on it. Instead, he smiled at Zhang Bing and the other City Gate Guards. ”Sorry to have startled you,” he said. ”May I go in now?”

”Y-Yes, you may…” Zhang Bing stammered. Then, a recent rumor circulating in the Imperial Capital suddenly came to mind. He looked at Xu Luo and asked, ”Are… are you the Seven-Colored General, Xu Luo?”

Xu Luo smiled and nodded. ”I am Xu Luo.”

With that, he patted the black-striped tiger beneath him. The great beast ignored everyone and strode calmly through the city gate.

”Heavens, he—he really is the Seven-Colored General, Xu Luo, the one who turned the tide of the entire Southern war!” With a face full of delighted surprise, Zhang Bing shouted at Xu Luo’s departing back, ”Seven-Colored General… we all revere you!”

Xu Luo turned back, gave Zhang Bing a smiling nod without a word, and continued on his way.

Zhang Bing and the other City Gate Guards, however, were ecstatic.

”Wow, he looked at us and smiled!”

”The Seven-Colored General! A living legend!”

”A powerhouse who rose through the ranks to become a marquis in just one year!”

”He’s a legend in the entire Cangqiong Kingdom!”

”I can’t believe he’s so approachable!”

”I saw the Seven-Colored General with my own eyes, and he even smiled at me!”

Inside the carriage sat a young-looking general in his late thirties. His face bore none of the scars Zhang Bing had imagined; his long, narrow face was clean, even his beard shaved off completely.

His eyes radiated a cold, bloodthirsty light. At this moment, a faint sneer hung on the corner of his mouth as he muttered, ”The Seven-Colored General… the Seven-Colored Marquis? Xu Luo?”

This little episode at the city gate meant nothing to Xu Luo, but for Zhang Bing, it was a story he could dine out on for the rest of his life.

At this moment, Xu Luo had only one thing on his mind.

Going home! Seeing Lianyi, whom he had missed for so long!

The sensation caused by the black tiger walking the streets of the Imperial Capital was far greater than Xu Luo had expected.

Notably, the commotion wasn’t born from fear of the powerful Spirit Beast, the black-striped tiger. Instead, it came from the excitement of finally seeing the legendary young general who had turned the tide of the entire Southern war!

”Heavens, the black tiger! That’s Xu Luo!”

”He’s the pride of our True Martial Academy!”

”It really is him! Look how majestic he is, riding that giant tiger! It’s captivating!”

”A year ago, people were still mocking him, but who would dare now?”

”So young and accomplished. He’s the very definition of a young hero!”

And just like that, before he had even reached his own doorstep, the news of Xu Luo’s return to the Imperial Capital spread throughout the city as if it had grown wings.