'Footsteps? What footsteps?'
Everyone present in the tent had the same question in their minds as they saw Shijie pointing at the entrance with a fearful expression on his face.
Li Yan thought that Shijie was simply spooked by the horrific nightmare and caressed his head while stroking his back in an attempt to console him as she said, "My dear, everything is fine now. It's just your imagination."
Hearing this, Shijie shook his head fanatically and said, "No! I hear it! Just like in the story you told me before, the Dragon Emperor once hears the footsteps of many troops and avoids an ambush! Just like that, I hear rustling and footsteps!"
Everyone became baffled hearing this as everything was silent and serene. There wasn't so much a sound of the wild so no one could believe what Shijie was saying. On the contrary, thinking that he might have been a bit too frightened by the episode, their expressions sank.
Li Yan tried to say something but couldn't open her mouth. She could see the worry and desperation in Shijie's voice. Thinking that it was worth a check, Li Yan closed her eyes and attempted to mobilize her inner Qi, only to find that there was no response.
Remembering that she had lost the ability to use her inner Qi, Li Yan opened her eyes and smiled bitterly.
Although it seemed that no one had noticed this small incident, Fan Weijin who was extremely perceptive had seen everything and was greatly shocked.
But he quickly moved aside his current baffling thoughts and looked at Shijie's desperate, frightened face. Suddenly, he sensed a strange inkling in his spine momentarily.
Trusting his instincts, Fan Weijin immediately sprung into action as he stirred his inner Qi, manifesting it into his hearing senses as he moved forward and kneeled, he then put his ear against the bare ground and increased the sensitivity of his senses using his inner Qi.
As a few seconds passed in silence amidst everyone's gazes, Fan Weijin squinted his eyes and notched his ears to the floor, trying to sense something.
Just as he was about to give up, suddenly, a distinctively muffled sound that was almost inaudible entered his ears. Fan Weijin's eyes immediately widened as he got up in a hurry and sucked in a bunch of air—just as everyone began wondering what was happening, Fan Weijin yelled out in alarm, "AMBUSH! AMBUSH!"
Hearing this scream that resounded throughout the camp like a war dong, the veteran soldiers who were sleeping with their armor on immediately jolted awake as their hands reached towards their weapons. Old Huo was one of them.
Just as everyone woke up in alarm, the forest around the campsite suddenly stirred as the footsteps became acutely audible.
Suddenly, a hoarse voice sounded, "Fuck! They found out! Attack!"
Following this command, the serenity of the forest broke completely as countless twangs rang in the forest followed by the ground being trampled on and the wind being pierced. Soon after, countless silhouettes emerged from the darkness surrounding the camp while a rain of arrows poured over the tents.
In response, the soldiers and knights who were only slightly prepared for the ambush thanks to Fan Weijin's timely warning ran into the open while holding their swords and shields.
In a blink of an eye, the sublime forest became a fierce battlefield of clashes of swords ringing in the ear and the volleys of arrows raining down like tsunami waves.
Old Huo, who ran out of his tent in panic found himself in a middle of a battle all of a sudden but he was completely unperturbed. He looked toward Li Yan's tent and made a judgment that it was more important to take command of the army as Li Yan had many guards to protect her.
And so, that's what he did. Unsheathing his sword, old man Huo yelled out in a firm, commanding tone, "Listen up! Gather! Defensive formation!"
Hearing his voice, the soldiers who were dying and running around in chaos in search of the enemy got hold of themselves as they promptly followed Old Huo's orders.
As the enemies rushed forward barbarically like berserk dogs without a leash, the Li forces gathered together and quickly formed a multilayered defensive formation around the tents.
The enemy at this moment finally met face-to-face with the Li forces as they swung their weapons with ferocious savagery, laughing hysterically as they strike and sliced.
Back in the end, the elite Li household bodyguards rushed into the tent and encircled Li Yan and Shijie to protect them. Fan Weijin looked at Shijie who had his eyes closed tightly in trepidation, in shock.
He had many questions, but this was not the time to ask them. He narrowed his eyes dangerously and shot a glance at Yao Wuhan and said, "Master ordered me to protect the miss personally. Please go outside and see what's going on."
Yao Wuhan did not argue. He nodded and left outside immediately while grabbing the hilt of his sword.
At this critical moment of disaster, Li Yan was oddly very calm. Her eyes were before brimming with anxiety seeing her son sickly now radiating a firm, composed glimmer.
Holding the frightened Shijie's tiny head in her two hands, Li Yan said as she directly looked into Shijie's eyes, "Shijie, do not cower in fear! We are the descendants of the Dragon Emperor! We stare death in the eye and say…"
"We say, did I give you permission?" Shijie muttered timidly as he looked into his mother's eyes and stopped shaking.
"That's correct, my son, remember this… in the face of a disaster, you should be at your calmest. The more severe the situation, the more calmer you shall be. Understand?" Li Yan said solemnly as she wiped the few tears from Shijie's cheeks.
Hearing his mother's familiar and calm voice, Shijie's heart and mind soothed as he stopped whimpering completely. He nodded at his mother with a stern gaze and clenched his fists.
Seeing Shijie calm down, Li Yan sighed inwardly with relief and looked at Fan Weijin with a complicated gaze as she said, "Sir Fan, as this is a critical situation… I must tell you the truth. I am unable to use my inner Qi. I am relying on you and trust that you will protect your Young Master first and foremost. Understand?"
Fan Weijin was surprised by this new revelation even though he had begun suspecting a long time ago that this was the case as Li Yan seemed too weak for someone who had such skilled Martial Arts.
Without showing his thoughts on his face, Fan Weijin replied placidly with a reassuring tone "Yes, I understand."
Li Yan smiled and then her face became fierce as she grabbed her sword from the side and said, "We need to see what's happening. Let's go outside!"
Everyone nodded. Li Yan grabbed Shijie's hand tightly and then everyone moved outside the tent.