Chapter 298: The Complete Defeat (Part One)
At this stage of the battle, silence spread across the battlefield.
Su Rui observed everything in front of him carefully and stopped the upcoming attack.
This long-awaited Venerable One Miaofa unexpectedly took action against both sides, which was quite...unexpected.
But now it seems that the enemy has regained their senses, and the only remaining danger is the demon realm.
In this situation, the war god of the demon realm chose not to advance and instead remained silent for a moment before sheathing his spear and retreating.
Ma Huaizhen caught a glimpse of this from the corner of his eye, ignoring his own injury. He wiped his lips and his eyes flickered as he spoke, "General, are you planning to leave?"
It was clear that he was not willing to let Su Rui go.
The man looked at him, unaffected by his expression. "You may have won this battle, but I want to leave, and you can't stop me."
"Moreover, if we really delve into it," Su Rui said, "you may have won this small battle, but you have lost the bigger picture. You have lost everything, including your wealth and possessions."
As soon as he finished speaking, there was a sudden roar of demon beasts from behind.
Ma Huaizhen's expression slightly changed.
What does it mean to lose everything, including wealth and possessions?
Before he had time to ponder Su Rui's hidden meanings, reinforcements from the demon realm arrived.
Xiao Huan arrived in this situation, and upon seeing the mess and the corpses of cultivators and demon soldiers, he couldn't help but be shocked.
Accompanying the reinforcements from the demon realm, Ma Huaizhen's message jade pendant at his waist suddenly went crazy, making a continuous beeping sound.
Immediately after, the message jade pendants on the waists of Cen Zicheng, Zhou Yan, Lu Pihan, Xiao Boyang, and others also began beeping urgently, as if going mad.
In the midst of a fierce storm, the sound of a dripping alarm suddenly turned hearts into hell. Even Ma Huaizhen couldn't help but feel a sudden shock and muttered, "This is not good!" With two fingers, he quickly took the jade scroll from his waist and turned it over to read.
As soon as Ma Huaizhen saw the words on the jade scroll, his heart went cold. Zhou Yan's face turned pale. Li Pan's expression changed. And Qiao Wan's hands became sweaty as she tightly clenched the damp jade scroll that had a single line of text.
"The seal of the Northern Border has been broken. Leading the troops is the Blue-eyed Evil Buddha. We have all been deceived by Mei Kangping," signed by Gongsun Bingzi, the leader of Cloud Mist Fairy Mansion.
This line of words was obviously hastily written amidst the chaos of war, the sentences were jumbled, and the strokes were almost blurred together.
In the Northern battlefield, Ma Huaizhen and Su Rui have been fighting each other for many years. Everyone believed that Su Rui was the main force on the battlefield. However, Su Rui changed his tactics and attacked from the center, while Ma Huaizhen made a quick decision to set off from the Dragon Stone Path to rescue them, covering thousands of miles.
Just as they were engaged in a fierce battle, the demon realm launched a sudden and fierce attack from the rear. Leading this attack was the Blue-eyed Evil Buddha, who was once the Second Young Master of the Cen family, Cen Qingyou.
If Cen Qingyou were still the innocent Second Young Master of the Cen family, he would have never been able to break through Ma Huaizhen's defense line on the Dragon Stone Path.
Although Cen Qingyou was smart, he was still too young. However, everything changed after he merged with the Blue-eyed Evil Buddha. Under the cunning planning of the experienced Blue-eyed Evil Buddha, and taking advantage of Ma Huaizhen's absence and the incompleteness of their weapons, the evil Buddha launched a series of fierce attacks, sweeping through with great force.
On the third day, the vanguard of the demon realm arrived at Langyun Village. Su Rui, a man of great power, stationed his troops at Mount Liuyan, and alongside him, the rebellious cultivator Xiao Huan stationed his troops at the Xuan Yin Snowfield.
On the twenty-first day, Ma Huaizhen prepared his spiritual-powered firearms in great haste. He quickly gathered his soldiers at the frontlines of the Budu River, determined to confront Su Rui and his demonic cavalry.
From that day on, the forces of the cultivator alliance were divided into two.
On the twenty-fourth day, the demon realm launched an attack on Langyun Village. The elder of Taixuan Temple, who was in charge of guarding Qingzhou, surrendered to the demon realm and conspired with Xiao Boyu from Chiyuzhou. They led the demon troops led by Xue Yunchao to cross the Budu River from Shishi Cliff. Meng Canglang led his troops to reinforce, but unfortunately was captured.
If Xue Yunchao and Xiao Boyu were to join forces from the east, and then proceed to the vulnerable Dragon Stone Path through the city of Wangxiang, while Su Rui charged straight down the Dragon Stone Path, with Xue Yunchao entering from the east, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Therefore, Ma Huaizhen arranged for Yuan Liu to lead a large group of cultivators to advance eastward along the Budu River, thereby strengthening the forces on the eastern battlefield.
From that day on, the forces of the cultivator alliance were divided into three.
Unexpectedly, after seeing a large number of troops being transferred to the Eastern Front by the Cultivation Alliance, Su Rui suddenly changed his strategy and launched a direct attack from the center.
In a desperate situation, Ma Huaizhen led his soldiers on a long journey to provide assistance. As a result, the Cultivation Alliance's forces were divided into four parts.
Even the high-ranking members of the Cultivation Alliance, including Ma Huaizhen, couldn't have imagined that despite taking every precaution to protect the Dragon Stone Path defense line, the demon realm would come and strike a fatal blow, directly attacking their stronghold.
In an instant, the Western Front, Eastern Front, and Center lost all meaning as they crumbled completely.
The implications behind this are self-evident.
The battle in the Northern Territory has been lost.
After fighting for so many years, being far away from their homeland, losing their loved ones, friends, and comrades, and sacrificing countless lives, the defense line in the North has been breached.
Immortal Emperor Shi Yuan is about to be released from his seal.
They have lost, just as Su Rui said, a complete and utter defeat, with nothing left.
Zhou Yan's figure swayed slightly, and his vision turned white for a moment. He couldn't help but furrow his brow and bend down.
Behind him, countless cultivators had a shocked expression on their faces. Even some of the younger martial brothers and sisters who had just entered the battlefield couldn't help but cry.
They had fought on the battlefield for so long, facing countless life and death situations, but they never shed a tear.
But now, upon hearing that the Dragon Stone Path defense line had collapsed, their faces still stained with blood and their expressions disheveled, they finally couldn't help but cry.
Ma Huaizhen had to exert all his strength to hold onto the jade slip, to prevent himself from losing control on the spot.
He was also human. No matter how tough someone pretended to be, they would still experience a range of emotions, including fear, shock, unwillingness, and anger.
Ma Huaizhen paused, then spoke again in a calm voice.
"We fought for so long, and yet these three lines of defense were all just a diversion. Mei Kangping really went all out."
Su Rui didn't respond. It was Xiao Huan who spoke, his voice soft. "Leader, it's too late for everything now."
No, it's not too late.
Ma Huaizhen closed his eyes and spoke in a deep voice, "Even if the seal is broken."
There was a hint of mockery in the man's mouth, "Will your master be able to immediately crawl out?"
This statement was mainly to stabilize the morale of the soldiers and provide some comfort to the small group behind him.
Don't be afraid, even if the seal is broken, Immortal Emperor Shi Yuan won't be able to crawl out so quickly. They still have a chance to fight back.
But reality immediately gave Ma Huaizhen a hard slap, causing the man to awkwardly turn his head and almost bite his lip.
From the group of demonic soldiers led by Xiao Huanwalked out slowly.
He wore a white robe with plum blossoms, had a string of prayer beads on his hand, and had a charming smile that appeared gentle amidst the battlefield, neither hurried nor slow.
Cen Zicheng focused his gaze, staring intensely at the young man in front of him, his face expressing a mix of anger and disappointment, "Cen Qingyou."
Standing before him was the traitor of their Cen family, the rebel of the Cen family who had planned the recent complete defeat on the Dragon Stone Path.
The young boy nodded gently and said softly, "Uncle Zichen."
Then his gaze turned to the Buddhist monk behind him.
Venerable One Miaofa raised his eyelashes and looked calmly with his blue eyes.
In the blood-red clouds and the snow-filled sky, it seemed like only these two, master and disciple, remained.
This was the first reunion between Cen Qingyou and Qiao Wan after Cen Qingyou left Sun Tao College.
Cen Qingyou silently watched.
The monk had become thin, his figure had slimmed down quite a bit, his toes were bare, and his hair flowed like seaweed in the wind.
Then, his gaze fell straight on Qiao Wan.
Qiao Wan suddenly froze.
Although she didn't recognize the young monk in front of her, it was as if something had forcefully hit her heart, causing a painful twitch. It hurt so much that she couldn't help but furrow her brows and take a deep breath.
As it is widely known, in order to seal the emperor, Su Buhuo, who was the former war god of the demon realm or, in other words, a traitor, sacrificed his life. Cen Qingyou spoke gently, his voice echoing clearly in the wind and snow, "Su Buhuo had only one daughter, and that is...Xin... Qiao Wan."
Almost at the same time, Ma Huaizhen and Li Pan hurriedly stood in front of Qiao Wan!
Following closely were numerous radiant defensive treasures, or perhaps it was blades, spears, swords, and their wielders!
A group of cultivators, young or middle-aged or old, regardless of gender or sect, elder martial sisters, younger martial sisters, or even elders and leaders, all stood in front of Qiao Wan!
In this situation, no one could take Qiao Wan away to the demon realm.
Cen Zicheng glanced sideways, "Child, don't be afraid. No one can take you away."
Qiao Wan looked at the Qiao Wan that was protected in the middle, and Cen Qingyou had a slight smile on his lips, as if he was genuinely happy for her.
"I won't take her away," Cen Qingyou shook his head slightly, "Xin Yi is still my friend after all."
Li Pan's gaze became serious as he sneered, "So you don't plan on digging that old monster out of the grave?"
Cen Qingyou fixed his gaze on Li Pan and suddenly dropped a bombshell, "I'm the one who caused Qiao Wan to lose her memory."
Qiao Wan trembled all over, her ears buzzing loudly, and she couldn't help but take a step forward.
"Hall Master Ma, especially Yuqing Spiritual Master," Cen Qingyou looked at Zhou Yan, "Yuqing Spiritual Master is Qiao Wan's master, so he should know the secrets she carries. Why is her cultivation stagnant? Why can't she retain spiritual energy? Why did she fall into darkness in the Mudstone Secret Realm?"
"Because of... the traitor from the demon realm, Su Buhuo , before his death, planted a trace of his consciousness in his daughter's mind."
The young monk spoke in a gentle tone, revealing a shocking secret that would astonish everyone.
"It was me who took Qiao Wan away."
Xin Yi is my friend. Back then, it was Su Buhuo who sacrificed himself to seal the Emperor Lord, and now, in order to unseal the Emperor Lord, we need Su Buhuo's blood as a sacrifice."
"And as Qiao Wan is his only descendant, she is the most suitable sacrifice."
That's why Mei Kangping didn't hesitate to personally bring Qiao Wan back from Kunshan.
Cen Qingyou paused and continued, "Qiao Wan is my friend, I can't bear to see my friend die here."
"After learning that there was still a trace of Su Buhuo's consciousness in her mind, I took Qiao Wan away and extracted that trace of consciousness."
The thread of divine consciousness was closely connected to Qiao Wan's mind, perhaps because of this, her mind was damaged and she lost her memory.
With just these few simple sentences, the dark red clouds in the sky seemed to press down in an instant, making it difficult for all the cultivators present to breathe.
The north wind howled, and a chilling sensation instantly enveloped everyone.
Li Pan's expression changed, and the Unforgivable Sword and Impunity Sword almost unsheathed.
Fang Lingqing felt like he was going crazy; everything that happened today was shattering his beliefs.
Qi Feidao was stunned.
No wonder... he saw the vulnerability in Qiao Wan's mind.
The young monk's hand paused, knowing that saying this would end their friendship, Cen Qingyou fell silent for a moment.
Between Qiao Wan's life and her biological father, he made a cold-hearted but unregretful choice; perhaps on that rainy night, their paths were destined to diverge.
His gaze met Qiao Wan's, despite the protection of the other cultivators.
In front of his eyes appeared an image of a young person in front of a Buddha, reaching out their hand. They, or rather she, grinned uncomfortably but brightly.
"Second Young Master, come."
Even if everyone fears you, hates you, and wishes to get rid of you, what does it matter? I will still save you.
If I give you a bow tie, then we will be friends.
Standing on opposite sides of the battlefield, the young person was still dressed in a white robe stained with blood, with their feet stepping in pools of blood.
Even if you despise me, anger me, and hate me, it doesn't matter if you cut ties with me in this moment. In the future, when you remember, you will wish to get rid of me as quickly as possible.
You will always be my friend, my best and most cherished friend, even though we are separated by distance.
Collecting his thoughts, Cen Qingyou looked towards the silent Buddha.
After all, the young person is still a young person. Even if they merge with the Blue-eyed Evil Buddha, there is a touch of sadness and desolation in their heart.
Under the shocked and angry gazes of everyone, the young monk slowly bowed down to Venerable One Miaofa, ignoring their stares.
His robe fell to the ground, and his hands crossed on the floor.
The young boy pressed his forehead against his palms, his prayer beads clinking, as his black hair danced in the swirling snow.
With a neat and tidy appearance, the boy stood up again, still emanating a serene and noble aura. His lustrous black hair fell over his right shoulder.
With three respectful bows, he bid farewell to his master. He believed he was an unworthy disciple, and from now on, he would seek his own path and his own teachings.
During the days he was imprisoned by Sun Tao College, he pondered under the dim candlelight. He felt that mountains were not just mountains, and water was not just water.
But now, he saw mountains as mountains, and water as water. The Buddha was present in the midst of these elements, unchanging.
As he stood up once again, Cen Qingyou accidentally locked gazes with Lu Pihan.
In Lu Pihan's eyes, the cold fire burned even more fiercely. He clenched his fist tightly, but he didn't seek revenge on this young man, nor did he blame him with words.
Qiao Wan felt dizzy. After hearing "I separated that strand of divine consciousness," it felt like something was forcefully tearing a piece of her heart away, causing it to ache.
As if remembering something, but also as if not remembering, there was only a blurry figure of a green color in front of her. It felt like a warm hand on top of her head, calling out to her, "Little Wan."
Cen Qingyou nodded slightly and stepped back.
Qiao Wan's face tightened, and suddenly an uncontrollable impulse surged in her heart!
She wanted to break free! Break free!
Cen Zicheng immediately shouted, "Child, no!!"
However, when his eyes met Qiao Wan's, Cen Zicheng was startled, freezing in mid-air.
She felt uneasy. The girl in front of her, Qiao Wan, she felt uneasy.
The girl in the pink dress couldn't help but let her tears flow. The tears raced down her face in a frenzy.
As she touched her hot and wet cheeks, even Qiao Wan didn't know why she was crying.
She felt a sense of emptiness in her heart, as if something precious that was regained had been taken away again, just like when she heard the words "divided from her divine senses."
Watching the girl's tears fall like broken pearls, Zhou Yan fell silent for a moment. He could see Qiao Wan kneeling in front of him, her face filled with a mix of tears and blood.
His heart felt like it was being squeezed, it twitched.
Life had been so unfair to her, and he, along with every other person in their group, was partly responsible for her tragic fate.
Cen Zicheng and Ma Huaizhen never expected Qiao Wan to cry like this. After all, she had never met her biological father before, and maybe she didn't receive any love from her master, so she had put all her hopes on her unknown father. This thought made even Cen Zicheng and Qi Feidao's noses feel a bit sour. No matter what, they no longer had the right to stop her.
Zhou Yan's throat moved, and he took a step forward, extending his hand. "Little Wan."
The old immortal with white hair moved his lip slightly, with a pleading look in his eyes.
To their surprise, the girl made a quick move and stabbed her sword backwards.
This sword pierced directly through his palm.
Blood passed through the palm and dripped down.
Qiao Wan expressionlessly withdrew her sword, and under the silent gaze of the crowd, she went straight to Su Rui.
Su Rui raised his hand and stopped the attacks from the other demon soldiers.
Xiao Huan looked at her, a barely noticeable hint of pity in his eyes. "Taoist Friend Qiao, please accept my condolences."
This seems more like mockery than compassion.
The young girl held the sword coldly, tears still flowing down her face. She bit her lip hard, tasting the salty and bitter tears at the corner of her mouth.
She couldn't remember who the other person was, but a sentence suddenly came to her mind as she looked at the young man in the fox fur, who seemed pampered and privileged. Driven by an inexplicable desire, Qiao Wan spoke slowly and firmly.
"He kept mentioning you before he died."
Xiao Huan's fake smile froze on his face.
"I don't want to die. I still want to see my older brother, please save me."
In Qiao Wan's eyes, the blurry figure of a young boy appeared. He looked gloomy and rebellious, covered in blood as he struggled to speak to Xiaoxiao in a labored manner.
Qiao Wan just wept silently, mechanically retelling what she heard.
"My older brother was very lonely. I feel that both my mother and I have let him down. If it weren't for bringing my mother back, he wouldn't have lost her so early."
"I used to be really mean to him, always bullying him. But he never held it against me, and always helped me out, did my homework, took me out to have fun, and annoyingly pat my head for no reason. It was so irritating."
"Maybe you're right, Big Brother intentionally spoiled me, but after all these years, his kindness towards me can't be fake. Everyone has their own selfish motives, I've come to realize that these past few days, and I can understand."
With each word spoken, Xiao Huan's face grew paler.
It felt like tiny knives were piercing his heart, and it was as if ants were biting at his body, causing Xiao Huan immense pain.
Finally, Xiao Huan fell into complete silence.
Snowflakes filled the sky, falling gently. The massive figure in the sky stood silently amidst the dimness of the blizzard, its dim searchlight piercing through the snow.
The handsome but gloomy young man frowned, taking in a sharp breath, "It hurts, Big Brother... it hurts... go... go save Qiao Wan and the others quickly..."
Xiao Huan stumbled a step, "Little Sui."
He got everything he wanted. Xiao Huan couldn't help but force a smile, but he didn't expect Qiao Wan to stab him in the end.
The stab was quick and accurate, leaving him breathless. After all the scheming and hardships, he suddenly felt regret.
With a sorrowful expression, the young man closed his eyes as if it was his last comforting words, "Little Sui, be good."
"It's just as well. I don't want to be the head of the family. This position originally belonged to him. It seems quite nice to be a carefree young master under the protection of my older brother."
Finally, Qiao Wan ended her words but felt even more pain in her heart. It felt as if a hand was tightly gripping her, making it difficult for her to breathe.
It was the first time anyone had seen Qiao Wan crying like this, tears overflowing.
This girl always appeared strong in front of others, as if she was made of blood and fire, just like Ma Huaizhen's right-hand person.
Now, she suddenly realized that this girl had a very difficult life.
Cen Qingyou, a man who had never seen it before, fell silent. After a while, he suddenly pulled out a black and gold sword from his storage bag.
"Xin Yi, I'll give this to you."
"There are a few more days left. If you're willing to go to the demon realm, you can still see him one last time."
The sword was black and gold, with the word "行" (meaning "go" or "journey") carved on the handle.
Holding the sword, Qiao Wan finally fell to her knees on the ground, unable to hold back her loud cries.
Soon, they were covered by a blizzard.
