Chapter 129 Gladiator's Glance Lasts a Thousand Years
When things go wrong, they never stop.
After speaking, Hua Sheng walked to the door, glanced back at them suspiciously, and then pulled out a pair of shackles, handcuffing each of them by the left and right hands. She seemed quite satisfied with what she had done, looked them over for a while, and said, "Stay put."
After saying that, the door opened with a bang, leaving Qiao Yanshen and Xi Mengsi in the luxurious room, looking at each other in bewilderment.
Qiao Yanshen felt uncomfortable with the feeling of being confined in a golden cage like a canary. He clicked his tongue softly and said, "You changed your mind so quickly. Perhaps I didn't handle it properly? Was my expression too fierce?"
“I tend to think she’s just being paranoid,” Simmons shrugged. Because of the chains, she didn’t bite it to check if it was gold; instead, she held it up and examined it carefully for a long time, almost getting blinded by the light.
She sighed. "Are the Garan people all that wealthy? Or is gold and silver practically free for them?"
"Perhaps." Qiao Yan closed his eyes, and after a long while, he felt someone feeding him something soft and fluffy, and instinctively dodged away. Simmons, holding a bamboo skewer, wasn't annoyed, and smoothly spun it into her mouth.
The sweet aroma of the milk cake melted on her tongue. She chewed it twice and said, "This place has a special connection with Fellow Daoist Shen."
“I think so too,” Qiao Yanshen’s eyes flickered slightly as he looked at the faintly glowing patterns on the wall. “I’m afraid they have a deep connection with her.”
The ancient kingdom of Liusha was merely a facade; she already had a rough idea of its true name. Combining this with what Si Changxi had said earlier—the characteristic of having wings on their backs—and the totem of hundreds of birds circling flames on the walls, this place must be the descendants of the tribe that once fought alongside Lord Lingguang.
Not long after, the door opened again. The person who walked in this time made their eyes light up.
"Master Sister!"
Qiao Yanshen, after confirming that Si Changxi was completely unharmed, couldn't help but raise his eyebrows slightly and smile.
“My dear friends,” Si Changxi said, walking quickly to them, “I’m so sorry I’m late.”
After the two men raised their hands, she picked out a key.
With a soft click, the shackles came off. Qiao Yanshen rubbed his wrists and asked, "Master, what exactly happened?"
Si Changxi's eyes crinkled into a smile. "Let's talk as we walk, or we'll be late."
Late? The two exchanged a glance, completely baffled by her explanation. Although they had only been apart from Si Changxi for a short while, Qiao Yanshen noticed a subtle change in her. Her usually gentle and clear eyes, though still smiling, carried an indescribable aura—not that she was a fake person, but rather that the algae floating on the surface of the water had been slightly blown apart, revealing the monstrous, intertwined roots beneath.
It had even rotted and turned into silt due to years of being covered up.
In the open and bright corridor, the radiant sunlight of Garand shines down, outlining the swaying and deep shadows beneath the verdant leaves.
The mud and the shadow seemed to be the true part of the person before her, just like the fruit she had broken open with her own hands.
Hua Sheng and the others were waiting on one side of the corridor. When they saw them arrive, he nodded slightly in greeting, and then walked side by side with Si Changxi. Their voices were blocked by spiritual energy, so even though Qiao Yanshen could see them talking, he couldn't hear what they were saying.
Si Changxi placed his hands behind his back, his voice as gentle as ever: "You said that someone who looked like me came here before?"
“Yes, my mother told me,” Hua Sheng nodded. “You know we elect a virtuous person as king. My mother was not a king at the time; she had only heard that people from other tribes had come to visit.”
"Amu" is the Kalan people's term for maternal grandmother. Si Changxi nodded and then asked, "Anything else?"
Hua Sheng replied, "She is very tall, dressed in white, and has eyes that resemble yours. She also knows the bewitching arts of the dragon race. However, since she came from my mother's time, it has been more than a thousand years since then."
The Garan people are long-lived, their lifespans nearly equal to that of the heavens. After a moment's thought, she said softly, "If you want to know more, I can take you to see Mother. But one thing is already certain—the Azure Dragon tribe has disappeared; this is news brought to you personally by the person you asked about."
The cracking sound of bones was barely audible; it was Si Changxi clenching her fists. She bit her lower lip, the pain between her brows vanishing in an instant, and the unnatural smile at the corners of her mouth even made it look like a painful happiness.
Did she also walk through this corridor and tread across this sandy land? Even though a thousand years have passed, her footprints have been covered over and over again.
The tower in her heart was also decaying and collapsing. Si Changxi was almost deceiving herself, thinking that perhaps all she had left for that monster wearing Si Liuhua's skin was hatred.
Even now, she still feels a flickering warmth, like a candle burning, when she hears something about her from someone else.
Sister, if I walk the path you walked, will I be able to understand why you made such a choice?
Hua Sheng, standing to the side, continued, "So you guys are probably—"
“Yes, that’s right.” Si Changxi interrupted her softly, “But she has long since gone against my wishes. You should also be careful not to let her come here again.”
She smiled politely, but her expression turned serious.
"She is no longer the person she once was. After being possessed by a demon, she lost her heart and is more cruel than anyone else. No matter how gentle she may seem, never trust her again. Remember this."
Even if they might be the only two remaining descendants of a tribe, even if they were each other's only family in this world.
We will still have to face each other with swords drawn someday in the future.
-
In the circular arena, the cheers were as frenzied as a tidal wave. Colorful fabrics hung from thin lines, fluttering in the wind. Crowds thronged around the center of the arena.
The steaming heat, accompanied by the surging voices of the crowd, seemed to threaten to overturn the heavens.
This is the local celebration. The arena is no different from a fighting ring, where every Garan is a well-trained warrior who spends their time honing their skills and growing stronger. When a member of the tribe comes of age, a celebration is also held here.
The format involves gathering people to showcase their combat skills in an arena, displaying swords, sabers, bows, spears, and all kinds of weapons available for viewing.
They were proud of their health and strength. Their rough, bronze skin, a gift from the blazing sun, shimmered in the sunlight, more beautiful than the golden sheen of sand.
The battle must not take lives; victory is achieved simply by knocking off the metal badge on the cloak. The last survivor becomes the champion.
Qiao Yan sat in one of the tiered seats built around the arena, watching the scene on the circular platform below with her companions.
Today's celebration seemed unusual. No one stepped onto the stage first. Many teenagers and young people looked expectant, rubbing their hands together and flapping their wings, but none of them went down.
—It seems as if it's waiting for someone.
Who is it?
Confused, she looked around. The archway on the lower level was shrouded in shadow, obscuring the view inside.
She wondered if Shen Lixia might be among them. She wanted to go and find her, but Si Changxi stopped her and told her not to rush.
Qiao Yanshen still couldn't suppress her anxiety. She knew everything was safe in the sect, but now that she was in a foreign land, she didn't want Shen Lixia out of her sight for even a second, and it was agonizing.
Sometimes things just happen by chance; for example, when you want to see someone, that person comes along.
A moment of silence fell over the surroundings. Qiao Yanshen's gaze, which had been lingering in the audience seats, paused and slowly moved down to the dazzling white bricks below.
In the distance, through an archway, a figure slowly emerges from the shadows.
She wore a pristine white robe, her arms strong and powerful, the muscles beautifully defined like those of a mature female leopard. Her eyes were sharp, like those of a ferocious beast lurking in the desert, her vertical pupils flashing with bright, piercing light. She wore glittering gold ornaments: bracelets on her arms and wrists, and a necklace set deep into her collarbone, with an ochre-colored jade pendant hanging from the center.
What is most striking, aside from her voluptuous and striking face, is perhaps the teardrop-shaped gem between her brows, as red as blood, which overlaps with the cinnabar mark in her memory.
Pigeon bloodstone and a bright red cloak—the brightest, most passionate, and most radiant colors in the world, and also the most dangerous—perfectly suited to a young man.
Armed with a bronze shield, a one-handed sword, and a longbow on her back, she slowly stepped onto the pristine white bricks. The sun shone brightly, clearly high above, yet Qiao Yanshen seemed to smell the intense fragrance emanating from her the instant the boy touched the scorching air.
Her footsteps stirred a gentle breeze that ruffled her skirt, revealing the bound trouser legs and long boots underneath.
Then cheers erupted instantly, like thunder, sometimes low and sometimes sharp, startling Qiao Yanshen, but his gaze could not leave that figure.
Under the bright sunshine, she was even more radiant than the golden sun, a ruthless and decisive goddess.
The sound of flapping wings rang out, and the group left their seats without a word, swooping down towards the boy. Qiao Yanshen's heart stirred, and he instinctively wanted to draw his sword, but was stopped by the person next to him.
“This is how they welcome her,” Si Changxi said with a smile in his eyes. “Let’s take this opportunity to see just how much she has grown and what potential she has.”
But……
Qiao Yanshen felt a strange mix of emotions. She stared for a long time before finally sitting back down to avoid blocking other people's view.
It seemed like a compromise, but his brows were still furrowed tightly.
In the arena below, Shen Lixia's gaze was sharp. Seeing the group approaching, she first pressed her toes against the ground and forcefully made a half-circle motion, raising a layer of dust that had accumulated on the bricks and stones.
Though not visible from a distance, the sandstorm was already quite thick. Now, as it was lifted, it instantly transformed into a hazy, yellowish barrier, blinding the fastest person. The young man immediately drew his sword and, without hesitation, stabbed her in the shoulder!
There was a clear thud as metal hit the ground, and the shawl slipped off. Someone always pays the price for their impulsiveness.
The others, however, were wiser. They waited for the sand to settle before swarming forward. They didn't fight together; while clashing with Shen Lixia, they also faced off individually, making it a chaotic gladiatorial contest.
More and more people flapped their wings and landed on the field. Even after one group was dealt with, new ones kept arriving, an endless stream. Every now and then, a few people would flee in a disheveled state, clutching their cloaks and carefully running away.
Shen Lixia grew increasingly tense. The clash of weapons produced a clanging sound, and her clenched teeth and furrowed brows revealed a stubborn and sharp ruthlessness. Her arm was taut, and her sword strikes were swift and decisive, aimed directly at the shawl.
Her hair was disheveled and soaked with sweat, but it couldn't hide the gleaming light of the pigeon blood stone. It was as if the winner was already destined before the celebration ended. The bright red color overwhelmed all the dullness and was a cluster of red lotus fire that burned endlessly.
The metal badge jingled to the ground, its sound crisper than a wind chime. Qiao Yanshen stared intently, her lips slightly pursed as someone scratched a bloody mark on her shoulder.
She was pleased with Shen Lixia's outstanding performance, but also displeased that someone was wielding a knife against the boy.
However, time seemed to rewind to the days when they first arrived in Taihui. Back then, they had only known each other for a short time, and were like small animals with their fur standing on end, struggling to resist the threats around them. So she would occasionally see eyes that were no different from those now: cunning, a fierceness that could send chills down one's spine, and a half-smile when someone reached out to others for cooperation.
I had never seen her show me such an expression before; from the very beginning, I had received unparalleled favoritism.
I actually feel a bit nostalgic.
Perhaps she thought that if she wasn't careful, these people would plot against her and take her life by accident. The girl was like a mirror—she treated others the way they treated her.
Even so, she only knocked off other people's badges and then stopped, without harboring any intention of taking anyone's life in return.
"Tsk." A hissing pain shot through her back, burning hot and causing her to break out in a cold sweat. Shen Lixia dodged an arrow, and seeing that the number of people around her was decreasing, she used her movement skills to retreat several steps and took out a longbow from her back.
She was like a young girl who had stepped out of an ancient painting, holding the most powerful weapon in the ancient struggle between humans and beasts. She drew four arrows from the quiver and nocked them on the bow.
With a whooshing sound, four streaks of cold light transformed into stars, crashing down sharply towards the gleaming badges.
The crisp metallic clanging was the sound of strings celebrating that she was just one step away from victory.
After a brief exchange, several men used their wings to dodge the arrows, only to find themselves embroiled in their own duels. Time flew by like sand, and in the blink of an eye, an hour had passed. Sunlight fell on their skin, giving it a radiant glow.
Her cloak gradually became tattered, but no one could actually touch the badge on her shoulder. Finally, one person remained, their eyes meeting hers from afar. Suddenly, he folded his wings, nimbly flashed, and appeared behind Shen Lixia in the blink of an eye. He drew his longbow to its fullest extent and fired an arrow directly at the badge on her shoulder.
Just then—
On the stage, someone flashed a cold light in their hand and swiftly threw something that cut the arrow in two!
The arrow lost momentum, wobbled precariously, and finally fell to the ground. Shen Lixia spun around and counterattacked; this arrow did not deviate and knocked down the last badge.
Silence descended upon the arena once more, as if a curtain were drawn back, followed by a deafening roar of applause and cheers.
On stage, amidst the enthusiastic cheers, Qiao Yanshen glanced at Simmons.
"Is it alright if someone else takes action?"
Simmons chuckled leisurely, "Others have wings, but she doesn't. She just threw a dagger; who knows where it came from? Maybe it was just a slip of the hand."
After saying that, she smiled and adjusted her sunglasses, then winked her right eye at Qiao Yanshen.
Helpless, the young man looked back at the arena once more. Those who had left earlier surged forward, surrounding the girl and regarding her as their leader, their warrior, and the pride of all warriors. Someone adorned her with a string of gold leaves, truly making her a sacred and pure young goddess.
She lowered her eyes slightly, feeling as if the surroundings had become still, turning into a deep whirlpool, and she, being at the very center, felt calm and deathly still.
Her face gradually blurred in his vision, leaving only the boy's seemingly embarrassed and bewildered smile.
But the next moment, as if by telepathy, Shen Lixia suddenly looked up.
Their eyes met.
She must have seen Qiao Yanshen.
She walked past the throngs of people, past the towering bricks, unmoved by the dazzling sunlight, and even the cheers could no longer sway her. In that one instant, when their eyes met, all she could see was the slightly bewildered young man.
I've finally met you.
The unease brought by the brief separation is now like a boulder falling to the ground with a clear, resounding thud.
Immediately, a smile appeared on his face, genuine and heartfelt, solely for her.
Qiao Yan felt a surge of heat rise in her chest, and her cheeks began to burn. She stared intently at Shen Lixia, who did not look away, his eyes bright.
She raised the arm she had previously used to draw the bow and shoot an arrow, seemingly without any fatigue. She stood on tiptoe, waved her hands frantically, and then cupped her hands together like a megaphone, shouting something loudly.
Senior Sister—
Senior Sister!
That must be it; Qiao Yanshen could have guessed it.
—The sun that shines only for her.
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Author's Note: Sorry, I've been really short on energy lately, and only managed to squeeze out one chapter.
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