Flowers Bloom and Fade - Part One
Chen Changji's letter:
Greetings.
Despite some setbacks, I arrived safely in Wuling City. With the court having lost its leader, the war at the front is progressing smoothly, and the army should be advancing to the capital in just a few days. Wuling is Beggars' Sect territory, so I am absolutely safe here; there's no need to worry about me anymore.
Since we're on the topic of war, let me give you a brief overview of the situation in the army. Boyu came to see me as you arranged. He's an old acquaintance of General Su, so I asked my elder brother to keep him under General Su's command. I heard that General Su and his men have achieved great victories, and Boyu has also performed admirably. My brother has also praised Boyu highly. In my opinion, Boyu will soon be a general himself.
Now, back to my own story. Thanks to the Elephant Gang Leader, I was able to enter the secret chamber beneath Heian-in Temple and even saw the original portrait of the "Heian-in Goddess." Unlike the forgeries circulating outside, the original is more lifelike and looks even more like you.
Inside the secret chamber, there were not only paintings, but also stone sculptures and murals of a "goddess." According to the elders of the Beggars' Sect, she was not a goddess, but Xue Xuanyuan himself. When the Beggars' Sect discovered the leak of the portraits, the "goddess" was already widely known, and to avoid unnecessary trouble, they abandoned the idea of revealing her identity.
Xue Xuanyuan had decorated her palace with portraits, stone sculptures, and murals, clearly showing she was an extremely arrogant person. I've heard her martial arts skills were unmatched in her time, and I believe these paintings and sculptures are also unparalleled in their era, well worth a visit. However, I wonder if you'll feel awkward seeing another version of yourself here.
Regardless, I still recommend you come at least once.
That's a bit of a tangent. I told you last time about a dream I had. I came here to verify that dream. Strangely enough, I actually obtained what I saw in my dream.
It wasn't until I received the item that I realized I had dreamt of the exact same scenario before. This might be a revelation, and I'm still struggling with whether to continue pursuing it.
It's a pity you're not in Wuling City. I wanted to ask you something.
Although I don't know where you are, I hope you will be careful in everything you do while you are alone away from home.
By the way, you haven't seen "The Goddess of Ping'an Temple" yet, have you? I asked the Beggars' Sect for a smaller version of the original, which I will send to you along with the letter.
*
"Still watching?" Pei Jiangxi looked at Han Yizhi beside her and shook her head helplessly.
Pei Jiangxi rode her horse leisurely along the official road, with Han Yizhi beside her. They rode their finest horses, letting them trot with the most languid gait. From the moment Pei Jiangxi took out the letter, Han Yizhi was like a drowning person, completely immersed in it.
Han Yizhi held the letter, turning it over and over, as if trying to pry out the words "Wang Boyu" hidden between the lines. Pei Jiangxi had no doubt that if she had a little more time, she could memorize the letter perfectly.
“No matter how you look at it, there’s only a few dozen words that mention Boyu.” Pei Jiangxi smiled and reached out her hand.
Han Yizhi reluctantly handed over the letter, her eyes still gazing longingly at it. It wasn't until Pei Jiangxi put the letter into the saddlebag that Han Yizhi snapped out of her daze.
"Even an old married couple wouldn't be this clingy," Pei Jiangxi joked.
Han Yizhi cleared her throat and changed the subject, saying, "Where's the portrait? Didn't he say he was going to send you a portrait?"
"I didn't receive it," Pei Jiangxi replied. "It must have been lost on the way. In these chaotic times of war, we should be thankful if the letter even arrives."
"What a pity." Judging from Han Yizhi's expression, she seemed to genuinely feel regret.
“I’ve seen the fake ones too.” Pei Jiangxi didn’t seem to care much. She said, “They’re not that similar. It’s just that when people see someone, they subconsciously compare her to someone they know from the past. It’s because of preconceived notions that they think they look similar.”
"Is that so?"
"After reading Chen Changji's letter, you can rest assured now. Boyu is not only alright, but he has also done a good job."
"Yes, it's better."
"Don't worry. Chen Changji will still write letters, and the people from Liuli Palace are also keeping an eye on things. If anything goes wrong, we'll turn around and go find him." Pei Jiangxi wanted to ease Han Yizhi's emotions, so she joked, "The boy you adopted is also named Changji. Come to think of it, it's a bit like a son writing a letter to his aunt and mother to report on his father's recent situation."
Han Yizhi blushed and said with a smile, "Changji can't write yet."
"When he gets older, I'll find someone to teach him properly. They say you can tell a person's character by their handwriting, so you can't be careless when it comes to writing."
"This direction." Han Yizhi finally pulled her mind back from the distant battlefield and asked, "Is this the direction you pointed out to Liu Langxian?"
"yes."
Are we going to the same place?
*
The rapidly flying shards of blade reflected a blinding light, appearing as if trailing a long tail. Just a step away from the old man, the blades came to an abrupt halt, suddenly becoming incredibly heavy. The flowing water had trapped them.
A wall of water stood beside the old man, blocking all of He Zi'an's attacks.
"That sword intent, that figure..." A primal fear welled up in He Zi'an's heart. "Could you be...?"
Indeed, although He Zian had never seen him in person, he had heard legends about him and had even paid homage to his statue. He was right; all swordsmen in the world called him their grandmaster. In an era when swordsmen were few and far between, it was he who proved his Dao with his longsword, slaughtering his way through the entire north until the Xinyuan Temple was forced to close its doors. It was also he who brought an end to the once invincible Blood Palace Xuanyuan. His name was more resounding than anyone else's in the world.
Liu Mengde, the "Sword God".
He Zi'an clenched his left fist, blood seeping from his palm. He was using the pain to drive away the fear in his heart.
“We will not abandon anyone,” He Zi’an said resolutely.
"That statement does have a certain spirit," Liu Mengde said to He Zian with a sneer. "However, spirit alone cannot determine the outcome of a battle."
Before the words were even finished, a shadow rose from the ground, enveloping Liu Mengde and He Zi'an. Quicksand surged from the ground, transforming into a giant even taller than the sand dunes. The giant attacked with thunderous force, its right fist slamming into Liu Mengde's body. The fist struck the desert surface, sending waves of yellow sand surging outwards, overturning camels from a nearby caravan.
The unexpected and fierce attack instantly boosted He Zi'an's fighting spirit. Overjoyed, He Zi'an shouted, "Miss Li!"
“Since you’ve put it that way, Young Hero, how could I possibly say ‘you guys go first’?” Lee Na-kyung stood on the giant’s shoulder, one hand on the giant’s neck, and said triumphantly, “Let’s take care of this so-called Sword God together. It’s time for the ghosts of the old era to come to an end!”
The smiles on their faces didn't last long. Before Liu Mengde, clear, emerald-green chains of water appeared amidst the swirling sand. The countless chains, their ends tipped with sharp spears, aimed directly at the giant and the controller perched on her shoulder.
"Be careful, it's not over yet." He Zi'an leaped forward, heading straight for the center of the sandstorm.
"I know!" Lee Na-kyung shouted back. The giant's left hand reached out, grabbed and crushed the chains rushing towards Lee Na-kyung. More chains crossed the giant's arm, heading straight for its body.
The end of the chain disappeared into the yellow sand, failing to completely penetrate and restrict the giant's movements as Liu Mengde had imagined.
The ends of the chains snapped, producing a continuous, ringing sound. It didn't feel like being in a vast desert, but rather like being at a royal banquet.
Hidden beneath the quicksand are the pure crystals that truly constitute the giant.
The giant raised his right hand, preparing to punch again. Wang Wenfang suddenly leaped forward, jumping onto the giant's right hand and running up his arm.
He Zi'an also leaped into the air, traversing the swirling sandstorm. When he reappeared, his shattered blade was covered with a thin layer of shimmering crystals. This was the protection Li Na-kyung had bestowed upon him.
A fist suddenly struck Liu Mengde from her left, breaking the giant's arm in the process. Caught off guard, Liu Mengde looked up to see a second arm growing from the giant's shoulder. It was this second arm that had mercilessly severed her original arm.
The severed arm fell heavily, sinking into the sea of sand.
Liu Mengde released the water-forged chains once more, wrapping them around the giant's newly grown arm. Using the pulling force, they returned to the arm and continued upwards.
He Zi'an, who had been lagging behind, caught up due to the delay. As He Zi'an drew his sword, the giant's third right arm swung down towards the two of them.
New arms kept growing, fists relentlessly striking the old ones. The old arms constantly broke off, fell, and were buried. On these arms, figures flashed and swords clashed, the two constantly shifting and dodging between the new and old arms.
He Zi'an and his shattered blade launched a full-scale attack, leaving the defense entirely to Li Najiong's crystal.
The giant froze. He Zi'an and Liu Mengde still reached the giant's shoulder, and Li Najiong also joined the battle with her sword.
Without the interference of the giant's powerful punches, He Zi'an and Li Najiong quickly found themselves at a disadvantage. In a pure swordsmanship contest, Liu Mengde had absolute confidence.
Two resounding clangs came from the giant's shoulder. Liu Mengde had repelled the two men and leaped down from the giant's shoulder.
"Opportunity!" Before He Zian could even regain his footing, he blurted out as he looked at Liu Mengde, who was still suspended in mid-air with no foothold, "Attack him, Najiong!"
"I've already done it," Lee Na-kyung said solemnly.
The giant remained motionless.
As the smoke and dust cleared, Liu Mengde landed on the ground. Countless chains hadn't pierced through him, but rather were wrapped around his body. The ends of the chains converged on Liu Mengde's left hand.
"It was quite an interesting battle," Liu Mengde said casually.
Liu Mengde raised his left hand and clenched his fist. The chains rattled, and the giant shattered. Lee Na-kyung turned pale, and a mouthful of blood gushed from her mouth.
"Na-kyung!" Having lost their footing, He Zi'an and Lee Na-kyung fell at the same time. He instinctively reached out his hand towards Lee Na-kyung, but the distance was too great.
Rain, a mixture of water droplets and crystal particles, began to fall in the desert.
“Well done. What’s the He family’s sword technique called again, Yubeng?” Liu Mengde waved his hand casually and said, “But it doesn’t matter anymore. Let me show you what real sword rain is.”
The raindrops in the air swirled, slicing the crystal into dust. They changed direction and hurtled towards He Zi'an as he fell.
The Taotie, the Chiwen, and the Lion shattered one by one. The last one, the Jiaotu, tilted to one side, only covering half of He Zi'an's body. The raindrops seized the opportunity and mercilessly pierced through him. He changed direction in mid-air and fell heavily into the sand dunes.
Blood rained down on his side.
"Still too impatient," Liu Mengde smugly judged. "If you had been calmer and blocked my attack, you might have had a chance to escape."
The "Jiaotu" beast mask hovered precariously, and He Zi'an, covered in blood, was still trying to stand up again. He dug his hands deep into the sand and tried several times, but could only manage to roll over with difficulty. Holding the edge of the "Jiaotu" with one hand, he looked at Liu Mengde and said, "The famous Sword God is nothing more than this. Even the Jiaotu cannot be broken."
Liu Mengde leaped high into the air, holding his sword above his head with both hands, exuding a powerful and imposing aura.
Yes, this is the Sword God He Zi'an remembered. Whether he was angry or disdainful, He Zi'an didn't know.
Before the sword even touched the beast's face, the beast's face would probably collapse on its own. With the sword falling, He Zi'an would surely die. His sarcastic words weren't a sign of a lost will to live, nor were they a sign of despair. It was precisely because he was filled with fighting spirit and hope that he made his resolute choice.
Liu Mengde leaped to the highest point. In He Zi'an's eyes, he just happened to block out the sun.
His hair and beard were like raging waves.
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