Ashes Mountain is a hill near Zhang County that covers a small area.

On a thunderstorm night decades ago, lightning struck the trees on the mountain, causing a fire to burn the entire mountain forest, leaving only the mountains with ash, so it was named Ashes Mountain.

This name, even though these forests have long returned to their original lushness over the past few decades, has been used. Many hunters in Zhangxian County hunt for a living.

However, in recent years, Ashes Mountain has become a place where the people of Zhang County are afraid of talking. The reason is that Huang Luo, a group of thugs who have robbed their families and committed all kinds of evil.

Regarding the evil deeds of Huang Luo, a group of thugs occupying the mountain and fishing the people, Zhangxian County Magistrate Liu Yan has organized county soldiers and township tyrants to go up the mountain to encircle and suppress Huang Luo's gang, but unfortunately, not only did he fail again and again, but even Liu Yan's wife and brother were unfortunately killed by Huang Luo during a fight against the thieves.

This bad news made Liu Yan's slaughter, and also made Huang Luo and his gang form an irreconcilable hatred with Liu Yan.

Today, Liu Yan once again led 52 county soldiers and township warriors to the mountain to encircle and suppress the Ashes bandits.

Count carefully, this should be his sixteenth time in recent years to encircle Huang Luo and his gang, but I don’t know if he can get what he wants this time.

To be honest, Liu Yan was not very sure. After all, he had fought with Huang Luo for several years and knew the power of Huang Luo and his gang.

[I hope today's trip will go smoothly. Those four young heroes seem to be quite capable...]

Walking along the mountain road towards the mountain, Liu Yan thought worriedly.

Suddenly, under Liu Yan, a county soldier from a hunter came from sniffing his nose.

“What does it taste?”

With a muttering voice, the county soldier quickly climbed up a tree beside the mountain road, stood on the tree and looked into the distance.

"Have you ever noticed any movement, Li San?" Liu Yan asked hurriedly.

I saw the county soldier named Li San standing on the branch, stretching his head to look ahead, and saying in surprise: "It's going on...it's going on fire, it's going on fire on the mountain!"

Liu Yan was stunned when he heard this and asked hurriedly: "What direction?"

"It seems... the direction of Huang Luo and his group of cottages..."

"Take it seriously?" Liu Yan looked overjoyed.

[Wouldn't the fire in Huangluo's gang catch a fire for no reason mean...]

The more Liu Yan thought about it, the more happy he looked, and he kept saying, "I guess the four young heroes have captured Huang Luo and his gang's cottage. Hurry up, let's go and help!"

Originally, the group of county soldiers under Liu Yan came to encircle Huang Luo this time, and they were inevitably a little nervous. Now, when they heard this, they were overjoyed and felt a little relieved, and followed Liu Yan to the top of the mountain.

When he approached the mountain, Liu Yan realized that the fire was spreading so violently that most of Huang Luo and his gang had already burned down half of Huang Luo's gang's cottage.

It was faintly as if a figure was walking back and forth in the sea of ​​fire.

[Is it Huang Luo and his group?]

Liu Yan's eyes showed a little murderous intent, and he subconsciously held the sword on his waist, and called on the county soldiers under his command to rush over.

But when he approached and took a look, he felt relieved.

It turned out that figure was one of the four young heroes I saw at the gate of Zhangxian County a few days ago.

[This person seems to be called...Li Tong, yes, Li Tong!]

Thinking of this, Liu Yan shouted loudly: "Hey, little brother Li Tong!"

Wherever Liu Yan's eyes reached, the young man who had killed more than 30 bandits in the Ashes Mountain Village turned around in the sea of ​​fire. He saw that the young man had a full heaven, a square pavilion, two sword eyebrows, a straight face, a tough face as if a knife was cut, and a domineering appearance. Just looking at his face, you will know that he will be a powerful figure in the future.

[Note: Li Tong, whose courtesy name is Wenda, is a hero in the Jiangru area when he was young. Later, he was used by Cao Cao and became a governor of the country. He was highly valued and was one of the many famous generals who were buried. Historical records: Li Tonghuai, Ru, Zang Baqing, Xu and Zhong Yao were equally responsible for Guanzhong, and they were actually responsible for the overall situation, not only the gains and losses of a corner.]

Seeing Liu Yan, Li Tong changed his previous regret and shouted with joy: "Prince Liu? It's great, hurry, help me put out the fire. I accidentally ignited the forest outside the village..."

"..." Liu Yan, who was happy to see Li Tong, was stunned when he heard this, looked at Li Tong with a strange look, and immediately ordered the dozens of county soldiers accompanying him to start extinguishing the fire. After all, if the fire spreads and burns down the entire mountain forest, it will be a disaster for the hunters in Zhang County.

Taking advantage of the time when Li Tong and the soldiers of the county put out the fire, Liu Yan looked at the scene in the village left and right. When he saw the blood and the mountain of corpses, his expression was full of horror.

"This... Brother Li Tong, are these thieves killed by you alone?"

Liu Yan asked in a trembling tone, because he only saw Li Tong in the village.

Li Tong, who was helping to put out the fire, was stunned when he heard this and tentatively tentatively, "Can't you kill it? You can't blame me for this, they came up on it themselves..."

"Haha, Brother Li Tong has misunderstood!" Liu Yan saw Li Tong's expression and knew what he was thinking. He waved his hand and said, "Although the court issued a law and those who said that murderers were punishing him, I thought he wanted to see him and kill him!" As he said that, he looked at Li Tong several times and saw that there were no scars on his body, he asked in shock, "I just didn't expect that Li Tong's little brother was so capable..."

"Where are there." Li Tong grabbed his head and smiled silly.

Looking at Li Tong's honest appearance, Liu Yan was very happy. After thinking about it, he asked, "By the way, brother Li Tong, I don't know where your other three young heroes are?"

"The boss took them two to ambush Huang Luo." As he said that, Li Tong told Liu Yan the whole thing, including Zhang Huang deliberately angering Huang Luo, leading Huang Luo out of the village, and then designed an ambush Huang Luo with Shan Fu and Chen Da, and told Liu Yan all in a row.

Liu Yan nodded repeatedly when he heard this, and just said praise, but saw Li Tong's expression suddenly changed drastically and screamed strangely.

"Oh no! I forgot that the boss also told me to rescue the good woman who was captured in this mountain village..."

When Liu Yan heard this, his expression changed drastically and quickly ordered the county soldiers under his command to search everywhere. Then he almost rescued five panicked young women from several wooden houses that had been affected by the fire.

"It's good, it's almost screwed up..." Seeing the thrilling scene, Li Tong was sweating all over. After all, in a moment, the five innocent women would be buried in the fire. This was contrary to Zhang Huang's original intention of luring Huang Luo out of the village.

Seeing Li Tong's expression of lingering fear, Liu Yan was really amused and crying, but since the tragedy had not been caused, he didn't say much.

Not long after, with the strong cooperation of dozens of people, the fire was gradually extinguished. Seeing this, Li Tong was really relieved.

It was really funny to see Li Tong's worried look. It was hard for him to imagine that this kind and honest boy in front of him had killed more than thirty thieves with one man's strength.

Suddenly, Liu Yan seemed to have thought of something and took out a few silver notes from his arms.

"By the way, Li Tong, brother Li Tong, although Huang Luo has not been sure to give the title, since you have killed so many thieves, I think you should reward the silver..." At this point, Liu Yan was stunned because he found that Li Tong, who was still honest just now, was staring at the silver notes in his hand, looking salivating.

"And, there is still silver reward?" Li Tong's breathing became even heavier in an instant, his eyes were as if he had found a beast of hunters.

"Yes...yes, Huang Luo and his gang in Ashes Mountain were originally wanted thieves in Zhang County..."

“Yes, how many are there?”

"The wanted order issued by the county magistrate is that there are thirty pounds and thirty pounds of Huang Luo..." Speaking of this, Liu Yan glanced at the mountain of corpses and said with uncertainty, "There are about thirty pounds of these people..."

"Thirty-one people!" Li Tong said firmly.

“…Oh, that person is three or three…”

"Ninety-three taels!" Li Tong said the exact number in an instant, as if there was no need to think about it.

"..." Liu Yan was amazed at Li Tong's mental arithmetic, took out two silver notes of fifty taels and handed them to Li Tong, and said with a strange expression, "This is one hundred taels."

"Thank you, thank you..." Li Tong, who looked happy, rubbed his hands and carefully took the silver bill, gently smoothing the corners on the silver bill, as if he was to his beloved thing.

Liu Yanshi couldn't stand it anymore and couldn't help saying, "Brother Li Tong, don't you go to help your companions? Then Huang Luo is not simple."

"It's okay!" Li Tonghun said indifferently, "Bald and poor are both ruthless characters, let alone the boss is there, and Huang Luo can't fly!" Speaking of this, he seemed to suddenly see something, suddenly raised his head, stared at Liu Yan's heart and swallowed his saliva, and said with a flattering smile, "Don't worry, County Magistrate Liu, the bandits in the Ashes Mountain will surely die today! Otherwise... you will give me the remaining silver rewards?"

Liu Yan was so amused and crying when he heard this. Seeing Li Tong's expression, he would not understand. He shook his head and said seriously, "Brother Li Tong, don't underestimate Huang Luo. Do you know that Huang Luo is a escaping soldier!"

"deserter?"

"Ah, deserter! The deserter of the regular army of the imperial court!" Liu Yan whispered, "Do you know, what does this mean?"

"What?" Li Tong looked puzzled.

"Our Han army has only two armies that can be called regular army, that is, the Northern Army and the Southern Army. No matter which one is, it is not something ordinary people can join. To join, you must master [qi]... Huang Luo is a deserter of the Northern Army, which means that Huang Luo has mastered [qi]..."

"Angry? What is that? I only know strength." Li Tong clenched his fists, looking puzzled.

Liu Yan took a breath and said in a deep voice, "Strength, in the words of my martial artist, should be divided into [force] and [qi]. Ordinary people only know how to use brute force, but some people can master the method of using [qi] in their bodies. This is the profound power." As he said that, he walked to an unburned wooden house, pulled out the sword from his waist, and said in a deep voice, "Brother Li Tong, look carefully!"

Li Tong looked at Liu Yan in confusion, but saw that the latter had been brewing for a while and suddenly opened his eyes wide. The sword in his hand cut off a column about two inches of room with one knife. The cut was very smooth and flat.

"[Slaying iron], the most basic trick of our Han army... The Northern Army soldiers who are proficient in this trick can even cut off iron, let alone the flesh and blood of humans? Do you still think that Huang Luo is an easy person to deal with?"

"..." Looking at the smooth and flat cut, the greedy expression on Li Tong's face disappeared without a trace, and his expression gradually became solemn.

At the same time, more than ten miles away from the mountain village, in the Death Valley, Zhang Huang looked at Huang Luo in surprise not far away in front of him, and then looked at the cut-off sword in his hand in shock, and saw that the cut was extremely flat.

[Can the iron sword... be cut off?]

“This is unscientific…”
Chapter completed!