Chapter 299: Utter Defeat (Part Two)
The news of the complete defeat in the northern territory had not reached the southern frontlines. Inside the Bao Yi manor, the people continued to suffer.
Lady Wang had passed away.
When she went out, someone struck her with a stick and dragged her into the bushes. When Mu Xiaoxiao rushed over with Er Ya, all they saw was a pot with leftover meat and scattered bones on the ground.
Mu Xiaoxiao widened her eyes, feeling a mix of confusion and nausea.
Er Ya cried so hard that she almost ran out of breath. Mu Xiaoxiao knelt down and silently gathered the scattered bones on the ground.
"Do you want revenge?" she heard herself ask softly.
Er Ya nodded, gripping her clothes and almost crying tears of blood.
Mu Xiaoxiao looked up at the sky, where the stars were shining brightly.
She picked up a leg bone and found the group of refugees. One by one, she stabbed the leg bones into their bodies and threw the helpless refugees into a pot, setting it on fire.
As she looked at the reflection of people on the water, the young girl smiled sweetly.
But Mu Xiaoxiao faintly felt that during her time at Bao Yi Mansion, there was a string inside her that had completely snapped.
She had always relied on men for survival, but now she found herself able to live so easily without a man, even protecting the little girl who depended on her.
Er Ya felt sad for a long time. Her parents passed away one after another, and her older brother joined the army. Ever since then, she was all alone in this world.
The little girl instinctively looked up to Mu Xiaoxiao. She really liked her because Mu Xiaoxiao was gentle and had a swirling smile on her cheeks. She had long, dark, and beautiful hair that fulfilled all of Er Ya's dreams about the future.
She dreamed of becoming a hero like Mu Xiaoxiao, a fairy-like sister.
But this eight or nine-year-old girl hadn't taken a bath for many months, so she was dirty and smelly. Her hair was messy and greasy, piled on top of her head. She would wipe her runny nose with the back of her hand, leaving white booger marks. Her accent also carried an unmistakable rusticness.
The little girl was so thin, like a stick figure, and her eyes revealed a desperate longing.
If only the war could end.
In the evening, Er Ya closed her eyes and made a wish. She hoped that her father and mother would come back, and her older brother too, so that the whole family could have dinner together under the sweet osmanthus tree in the courtyard.
When she grows up a little more, she wants to go up the mountain to practice cultivation like Sister Mu.
Sister Mu had told her many stories about cultivators. Like how they can fly on swords, move mountains and seas, and shrink into tiny spaces. They can travel freely between famous mountains and lakes, and there's nothing they can't do.
Sister Mu couldn't quite explain her feelings towards Er Ya. She felt pity for her, sympathized with her, liked her a little, but also felt a bit disgusted.
She was disgusted with the greed in her eyes, the dirty back of her hands, and the younger version of herself that she saw through Er Ya.
Er Ya reminded her of her own past when she was in a pitiful state. She shouldn't be like this. She should be gentle, sweet, the center of everyone's attention. She should be the beloved younger martial sister of Kunshan, the esteemed Yuqing Spiritual Master, and the unattainable fairy Mu Xianzi.
After the magic soldiers attacked Baoyi Manor, Mu Xiaoxiao knew her chance had come.
In the middle of the night, the young girl sat with her knees hugged to her chest, her long hair flowing down to the floor. She silently watched her sister, Er Ya, who was fast asleep.
Then, she gently woke her up, saying, "Mu sister needs to leave for a while. It's chaotic outside, so you must stay here and not wander around."
Er Ya immediately nodded, without hesitation. She bit her lip carefully and stretched out her hand, saying, "Mu sister...please come back soon..."
She tried to grab onto Mu Xiaoxiao's dress, but the young girl smiled and skillfully avoided her, as if she didn't notice.
Er Ya awkwardly withdrew her hand.
Mu Xiaoxiao was gone for a whole day and night, and Er Ya obediently stayed put without moving.
But she was so hungry, it was becoming unbearable.
For the past few days, she hadn't eaten much.
Er Ya swallowed her saliva and greedily stared at a group of beggars not far away, who had left behind a bite of food in a pot.
She was very hungry, but Sister Mu did not allow her to move.
Thinking about this, Wang Erya's eyes dimmed slightly.
Not only was she hungry, but she was also in a lot of pain.
The small room was filled with filth and a strong stench.
She thought, "I can't go on like this, or I'll starve to death."
Even if Sister Mu forbade her to move, she had to go and find something to eat.
She saw a big pot with bones floating inside.
Wang Erya's heart tightened with nervousness. She reached out, dipped her fingers in the soup, and greedily sucked on them.
Just then, there was a sudden loud roar behind her. Immediately, Wang Erya's vision blurred as she was forcefully pulled and stumbled.
When she looked up, she saw angry faces of the refugees.
They angrily shouted, "What are you doing?!!"
"You disobedient girl! Worthless brat!!"
"You came here to steal?!"
Someone grabbed her hair and violently smashed her head into the pot.
The scalding hot contents splashed into her eyes, causing a fiery, painful sensation.
Wang Er Ya screamed in pain and fear, begging for mercy: "I'm sorry! I did wrong! I didn't steal! I was just too hungry!!"
But the refugees seemed to not have let off enough steam yet. They lifted her up and made her kneel on the ground. They took a bright red burning stick from the stove and stabbed it into her mouth.
Wang Er Ya's crying suddenly became piercing and sounded like a desperate cry.
"I'm sorry...I was wrong."
She wanted to say it, but she couldn't speak.
The little girl's body twitched uncontrollably.
The burning stick went into her throat, scorching her soft throat and causing it to turn black. Blood streamed down from the corners of her mouth.
"Ah...ah...ah..."
Wang Er Ya screamed in agony.
It hurt so much, it hurt so much, it hurt so much. Wang Er Ya was in so much pain, she was wrong.
All around, there seemed to be distorted and bizarre shadows. After being surrounded for so many days, even people turned into hungry ghosts.
The man cursed as he stabbed her: "You damn bastard, raised by a bitch."
Finally, they seemed to be tired and casually threw the firestick aside.
Little Wang screamed as she ran forward, running and running until she returned home, only then did she release a sigh of relief.
Luckily, she wasn't eaten.
She slowly curled up and fell to the ground, coughing and vomiting, lying in a pool of blood and vomit.
Little Wang faintly closed her eyes.
It hurts so much.
Her throat hurts, her stomach hurts.
It seems like she's bleeding again down there.
It hurts.
Why hasn't Mu Sister come back yet?
And Big Brother, she really misses Big Brother and her parents....
Thinking about the chunks of meat floating in that pot, Little Wang couldn't help but vomit.
When Mu Xiaoxiao came back, Little Wang was barely breathing, with very little breaths.
Her whole face was flushed with blisters, and she vomited charred rotten meat and pus from her throat, clearly not doing well.
Mu Xiaoxiao was stunned for a moment, and then she helped Little Wang up.
The girl slowly woke up, and quietly exclaimed, "Ah!" Tears flowed down her face.
She said, "It hurts, it hurts so much, Er Ya, it hurts."
Mu Xiaoxiao held Wang Er Ya for a long time. Before dying, she tightly grasped her torn clothes and managed to say a few words.
"Mu sister... big brother... find..."
"Cangwu State..."
After that, she couldn't go on anymore.
Mu Xiaoxiao's eyes immediately turned red. The young girl sobbed, tears uncontrollably falling down. "When you get better, Mu sister will take you to find your big brother."
"Don't worry, you won't die, Er Ya. Mu sister promises you won't die."
Wang Er Ya really believed what Mu Xiaoxiao said about not dying. She seemed to have thought of something else, unsteadily and timidly withdrew her grip on Mu Xiaoxiao's clothes, revealing a weak smile.
"Mu sister, when I'm healed and grown up, I want to become a fairy like you."
The girl's eyes sparkled with strong dreams and hopes for the future. Finally, she looked towards the direction of Cangwu State, and her gaze grew darker.
Mu Xiaoxiao closed her eyes, and suddenly the words of the demons she had encountered not long ago appeared in her mind.
"Mu Guifei? Who's that? I've never heard of her."
"Where did this Mu Guifei come from in the demon realm?"
She placed her hopes on someone else once again, eagerly anticipating that the demon realm would take her back and bring her to a life of luxury.
But now, she felt as if she had been slapped hard. The name "Mu Xiaoxiao" meant nothing in this chaotic world.
Her unrealistic and naive expectations had cost Wang Erya her life.
After sitting silently for a while, Mu Xiaoxiao reached for the pendant hanging from Wang Erya's neck. She tore it off and tucked it into her sleeve. Then, she buried the little girl right there, alone, and left the city.
The smile on the girl's face disappeared, and she pressed her dry lips together as she pondered slowly.
She had to travel thousands of miles to the southern battlefield to find a monk named Wang Yutian, the sooner the better.
...
The news of Meng Canglang's capture at Shishi Cliff, along with the news of the complete defeat in the northern territory, reached the Bai family stationed at the Xuan Yin Ice Plain.
As soon as the news arrived, the Bai family immediately held a meeting, with all the elders looking serious. In the end, they came to a conclusion.
They decided to abandon the defense of the Xuan Yin Ice Plain and return to their original home, preserving the fighting strength of the Bai family.
Bai Shanhu, being of lower status, could only sit far away and listen in silence.
After the meeting, Bai Hechuan called his daughter over, saying, "Shanhu, I know you're strong-willed, but the situation is already set. Go back."
"This place was never meant for women," Bai Hechuan said, furrowing his brow as he spoke.
He seemed somewhat dissatisfied with his beautiful and resolute daughter.
For the past few years, Bai Shanhu had been following the Bai family into battle as one of their members.
She always stayed in the northern region, and the girl's skin became rough, but her eyes and eyebrows were still beautiful.
In fact, these few days, Bai Shanhu has been thinking about what she wants to do. She is strong-willed and determined, and no one can stop her once she has made up her mind.
Sometimes, Bai Shanhu feels like she's going crazy. Even though Shining Sea doesn't know what it means to go crazy, she furrows her brows and tightens her face in silence.
The Bai family has always been conservative. She was brought up to be a beautiful fairy with good artistic skills, and marry Xiao Huan to establish a good relationship between the two families.
But Bai Shanhu doesn't want that. She doesn't want to suffer.
Bai Hechuan loves his daughter very much. Her parents adore her. She is the daughter of the Bai family and is always humble and respectful in her behavior and actions.
Few people can see the stubbornness buried beneath her cold exterior.
Bai Shanhu fell silent for a moment, nodded her head in agreement, and wanted to say "okay" in a polite manner.
Just like before, Bai Shanhu always respected her parents and followed the rules of the Bai family. She wanted to be a good daughter of the Bai family.
But now, the entire northern border had collapsed. It felt like a net had fallen from the sky, trapping her tightly. Bai Shanhu felt exhausted, but she still obediently followed Bai Hechuan's instructions.
Bai Hechuan knew that his daughter didn't want to leave. In the end, he had to speak in a serious tone, "Shanhu, the clan is already somewhat displeased with you. Don't be stubborn anymore. Your younger martial sisters will be rescued by someone else."
That afternoon, the Bai family began to pack up and prepare to leave.
Before leaving, Bai Shanhu sat in the camp, furrowing her brows and thinking for a long time.
She had already taken off her battle robe and put on the attire that represented a daughter of the Bai family. Her hair was partially pinned up, and she walked with elegance and grace, radiating a gentle and beautiful charm.
Because of her noble birth, she had to marry Xiao Huan.
The daughters of the Bai family were all puppets and dolls, but she despised this kind of life, and she didn't even like Xiao Huan.
So, she worked hard since she was young, trying to change her fate. She even had arguments with her family. Eventually, she came to Chongde Ancient Garden and became a respected elder martial sister there. But no one knew that behind her decisive and confident appearance, she was burdened by family responsibilities, etiquette, and filial piety, feeling both embarrassed and restricted.
Bai Shanhu tightened her lips even more. She never wanted to be called "Shining Sea." All she wanted was to be a warrior. And a warrior's true place was on the battlefield.
Closing her makeup box, she suddenly strode out of the tent and headed in a different direction.
When Bai Shanhu burst in, Mrs. Cen and Jiang Rou were in the middle of preparing medicine.
The sudden appearance of the young girl caught Jiang Rou and Cen Xiangnan off guard, leaving them stunned for a moment.
Mrs. Cen asked, her voice filled with confusion, "Shanhu?"
The Bai family had produced many skilled doctors. Six months ago, Mrs. Cen had joined the Bai family in stationed on the Xuan Yin Glacier. Bai Shanhu proved to be quite fierce in battle, and through their encounters, they became acquainted.
The young girl bowed slightly and nodded, saying, "Mrs. Cen, Bai Shanhu has a request that she is hesitant to make."
Jiang Rou felt a sense of anticipation and set down the medicine in her hands, asking, "Tell me."
Bai Shanhu spoke with a serious tone, saying, "Shanhu doesn't want to leave. She wants Mrs. Cen to accompany her to Shishi Cliff to rescue some of our comrades who are trapped there."
Mrs. Cen was taken aback and hadn't even had a chance to speak before Cen Xiangnan looked up in surprise. His brows furrowed and he disapproved, saying, "What nonsense are you talking about, Jiang Rou..."
Bai Shanhu didn't even look at Cen Xiangnan and instead focused her gaze on the gentle and calm face of Mrs. Cen.
The young girl's gaze was clear and penetrating, knowing that Mrs. Cen and she were of the same kind.
The exceptional medical skills of Mrs. Cen had impressed even the stubborn old men of the Bai family. As for Cen Xiangnan, Bai Shanhu didn't care for him and didn't bother to have much conversation with him. Her expression remained calm and indifferent, waiting for Mrs. Cen's response.
The setting sun's lingering light on the icy plains passed through the tent and fell upon Mrs. Cen's face.
In front of Cen Xiangnan, there stood a young girl with her hands by her sides. She was wearing a flowing dress that made her look like a fairy. Her hair was beautifully styled, and she could be described as exceptionally beautiful. However, the words she spoke were sharp and steady.
"The northern borders are crumbling, and it will be very dangerous for you to go, Mrs. Cen."
"If you don't want to go, Shenhu Lake won't force you."
Suddenly, Mrs. Cen laughed.
This laughter made Cen Xiangnan feel a little unfamiliar.
His heart couldn't help but beat faster. How long had it been since he last saw Ah Rou smile like this?
The young girl who used to follow him around had grown into a gentle and elegant mistress. The teenage Cen Xiangnan despised Mrs. Cen's traditional ways. He couldn't help but be attracted to Lin Shi, who was like a burning fire. Ah Rou was nice, but she was too boring, like a piece of dead wood.
The righteous young man liked a girl who was lively and vibrant, someone who could smile beautifully and laugh openly, just like the enchanting Lin Shi.
The young boy felt drawn to the enchanting and mysterious Lin family girl, who seemed like a mist. He wanted to discover the secrets she held. However, the Jiang family sister following him made him feel unsure. The young boy tightened his lips and quickened his pace, feeling a coldness inside.
When their eyes met, Mrs. Cen suddenly stood up. She smiled and looked at Bai Shanhu, saying "Okay."
Bai Shanhu immediately smiled back. Her smile was light, yet it illuminated the tent like a bright lantern.
Cen Xiangnan suddenly felt a sense of unease. He furrowed his brows and said, "Arou..."
The woman coughed a few times, her white hair falling on her temples. She took Bai Shanhu's outstretched hand and burst into laughter.
As she laughed, her eyebrows and eyes curved like a crescent moon, and fine lines appeared at the corners of her eyes, making her appear youthful.
Yes, she didn't want to retreat at this time. She would rather die, even if it was on the battlefield. She wanted to heal and save people. She had a strong determination in her heart, given to her by a young girl named Xin Yi.
Jiang Rou first smiled, then chuckled, and then burst into laughter.
Cen Xiangnan silently watched, his eyes seemingly stung. He had never seen Mrs. Cen laugh like this before.
Her laughter was bright and graceful, not any less than Lin Li.
Bai Shanhu smiled, and together with Jiang Rou, they walked lightly out of the tent and came to the prepared spiritual beast.
The girl took off her headband, and Mrs. Cen also let her hair down.
She never really liked this kind of hairstyle.
In that moment, they both let go of their burdens and, in the glow of the sunset, mounted the spiritual beast.
Cen Xiangnan followed after, with an unpleasant expression. "Ah Rou."
Jiang Rou gently bent down and said, "Cen Xiangnan, let's go our separate ways."
"I know you like Lin Li. I have been silent for decades, but now I don't want to be silent anymore."
"By going away, I may die on the battlefield, but at least I will be free."
Cen Xiangnan was stunned. He was handsome, even in his youth. He was a beautiful young man with a clear and handsome face. Otherwise, Jiang Rou wouldn't have wasted so many years with an infatuated heart.
Staring at the woman's face, Cen Xiangnan pressed his lips tightly. It felt like something had been hollowed out of his heart, leaving him empty and exposed to the wind. After several decades, he suddenly realized that the young girl from the Jiang family was no longer there.
He couldn't help but reach out his hand, but only managed to grasp a piece of her dress.
His throat tightened, wanting to say, "I'm sorry, Rou." However, before leaving, Jiang Rou left him with one final gentle and determined sentence, "If I die in battle, you don't need to bury me."
On this vast icy plain, a lonely sunset was slowly descending.
Two figures dashed out of the city gate as if flying, casting long shadows on the icy plain as they headed towards Shishi Cliff, a thousand miles away, to rescue someone in distress.
Amidst the fierce wind and snow, Jiang Rou's gentle voice could be heard.
"Shanhu, let me sing you a song."
"Memories of plum blossoms on the western isle, sending folded plum blossoms to the north.
A single shirt in the color of apricot blossoms, hair as black as young crows.
...
The sea of dreams is vast, your worries are mine as well.
The southern wind understands my heart, carrying dreams to the western isle."
The northern realm was in complete collapse, but there were always those who refused to give up.
Even if they were to die, it would be on the battlefield, where the howling north wind would tear at their skin.
Though it was cold, at least it was real, and it was freedom.
...
Su Rui raised his hand and withdrew his troops.
Clanking noises filled the air as the heavy armor of the demons scraped against each other, and a large number of them changed direction, leaving the icy plain.
Everyone silently watched the girl in the pink dress kneeling in the snow, wailing and crying for a long time.
Suddenly, the sound of a wheelchair rolling over the snowy ground could be heard. Ma Huaizhen placed a hand on Qiao Wan's shoulder and firmly pressed down.
"Are you planning to give up?"
Looking back at the disheveled and tearful young boys and girls behind them.
"Are we going to give up?"
"No!" Suddenly, a young boy dressed in Kunshan attire gritted his teeth and shouted, "We've come this far, why talk about giving up?"
They...they had fought in the northern territory for these past few years, how many comrades had they lost? And now they wanted them to give up.
"No, we won't give up!!"
At first, it was just one voice, followed by a second, a third. The monks behind them became restless, gritting their teeth, their eyes turning red, as they roared one after another, "We won't give up!!"
"We will never give up!!"
In that moment, it felt as if a surge of passion was igniting in their veins, and Ma Huaizhen revealed a faint smile at the corner of his eyes.
Venerable One Miaofa closed his eyes and firmly supported Qiao Wan's shoulder, saying, "Get up."
Qiao Wan bit her lip and stood up, clutching the Wen Si Xing Zhu Sword.
Having been kneeling on the snowy ice field for too long, her knees felt numb and trembled, but she stood upright with determination.
Ma Huaizhen looked at the fellow cultivators with tears still on their faces behind him and sternly shouted, "Brothers, let's fight one more time."
"We will go together to the demon realm! Even trapped, we will fight! Let's go save General Su... Meng Shan, come out!"
Roars of anger filled the air, making a promise amidst the snowstorm, as the flag representing the cold battlefield of the northern front was raised once again.
The flag fluttered in the wind.
"We will never give up!"
