Chapter 162 The Wilderness Collapses.
Sure enough, even though this person didn't know his own identity, he still disliked him intensely.
The boy muttered to himself, about to take a step back to break free, but Hua Ying withdrew her hand first, causing him to stumble.
Fortunately, Ba reacted quickly and caught Shen Lixia from behind, preventing her from slipping.
"Please don't tease the child." Ba shook her head. "She's a refugee from some unknown tribe. Let's take her back later."
It was strange that Ling Guangjun, who was usually expressionless and arrogant, would take the initiative to speak to a human child and even joke with her. Having spent many days by Hua Ying's side, Ba also knew the personality of this youngest goddess—she had been banished to the turbid realm for her mischievousness, but later returned and understood the ways of the world. She was welcomed back by Jianbingjun, and at the banquet, she no longer behaved recklessly, so the gossip gradually subsided.
But she possesses such a beautiful yet sharp temperament that she should clearly be smiling and freely being the most radiant young person in the world.
Perhaps she was the only one who felt regret. She sighed, wondering if the young man before her was truly an old acquaintance of Ling Guangjun—perhaps a clay figure she had casually sculpted in her childhood and given life?
She glanced at Hua Ying secretly and saw that Hua Ying's eyes only showed interest and no surprise, so she dismissed her earlier guess.
It might just be a coincidence.
Just as Shen Lixia was about to say something, she suddenly heard a distant noise coming from a certain direction. The noise was faint because it was far away, but after hearing it, she also felt a slight tremor under her feet. Her expression changed, and she turned to look at the source of the sound, which was a mountain range that was faintly visible in the distant fog.
"There's something...?"
"Quiet."
Hua Ying's voice always had a captivating quality that drew people's attention. Shen Lixia slightly turned her gaze and noticed that Ba had closed her eyes, listening intently. The smile that had been on Hua Ying's face earlier vanished like smoke, replaced by a serene expression.
Just like the afterimage she had once seen in her sea of consciousness, but with less resentment, sadness, and the burning anger of her heart.
A moment later, a faint sound came from the air above, some distance away from them.
However, the sound wasn't far away, and it immediately followed heavily with a shadow like smog. Shen Lixia looked up and saw a group of dark, bird-like creatures that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, densely filling the clear sky.
They didn't have a specific appearance, but their outlines and the way they flapped their wings made it clear that they were imitating birds. After looking at them carefully for a long time, Shen Lixia still couldn't figure out what kind of creatures they were. She released her divine sense to perceive them, but a sharp pain pierced her sea of consciousness, and she had to quickly withdraw it while feeling dizzy.
It feels so familiar...
She rubbed her temples, taking a deep breath with lingering fear. These creatures seemed remarkably sensitive to their presence, changing direction the moment they appeared and flying towards the three of them. Each of them possessed at least the Golden Core Realm cultivation, with the higher-ranking ones reaching levels beyond her comprehension, definitely above the Nascent Soul Realm.
The oppressive force was immense, like a wave crashing down.
This is still the result after the illusion was weakened, and the person next to her is only at the Nascent Soul stage.
Just as Shen Lixia was about to release her sword to fight, a hand blocked her way. A bright red color floated by, even more dazzling than those strange birds, causing her to pause.
Hua Ying said gently, "Ba, go with her to the wilderness outside the forest, and remember to protect her."
As she finished speaking, a scorching heat surged, and flames ignited between her fingers, then flowed across the surface of her silver armor.
"Don't let anything go wrong, it will only cause me trouble." Her bright red eyes remained calm. "Alright, let's go."
Shen Lixia, with her sharp eyes, saw a red light flick from Hua Ying's fingertip and disappear into Ba's golden bow. Only then did she understand the meaning behind Hua Ying's words—she was actually concerned. But she was not a straightforward person, so even her concern was expressed as a command, her mind focused on protecting her, while she told Ba not to cause trouble.
Are you going to stay here alone to deal with them?
Although she knew this shouldn't be too strenuous for a god, Shen Lixia couldn't help but ask with concern.
He had vowed to love her when he was learning to fly in the chasm, but now, seeing Hua Ying's red dress fluttering in the wind, he felt a pang of tenderness and a reluctance to let her walk alone.
Hua Ying seemed to have heard a joke, raising an eyebrow slightly, a smile returning to her eyes. She paused her gaze on Shen Lixia's face for a moment, then raised her chin and said, "If you stay here, you'll only hold me back, understand?"
She clearly didn't reach out, but Shen Lixia felt that gaze was like a flame, touching the tip of her nose and burning her.
Without further hesitation, Ba pulled Shen Lixia to her feet, put her fingers to her lips, and blew a loud whistle. The whistle summoned the horses hidden in the forest, which emerged from behind a giant tree and came to them.
After signaling Shen Lixia to mount her horse, Ba leaped onto its back and rode the boy towards the plains. Their enemies were always very perceptive of deserters, knowing that such people were prone to being alone and unstable. If they rashly used spatial magic, it would only attract their attention.
Therefore, even the highest gods have mounts, which allows them to flexibly change formations according to tactics.
As the distance receded, the young man's figure faded, leaving only his cloak still burning brightly, as if igniting a forest fire. Shen Lixia steadied herself on horseback, turning back amidst the thunderous hooves, her gaze fixed on the crimson stain. She felt reluctant to leave, yet utterly helpless.
This was the first time she had seen Hua Ying alive, the first time she had felt her body temperature and the touch of her skin. Even if it was just a mirage created by an illusion, it was more real and vivid than vague memories and lingering images in her sea of consciousness. So she had such a period in her life—her blurred past on the battlefield suddenly reappeared, with a clear outline.
But Shen Lixia then understood why this memory was so blurry—humans instinctively seek advantage and avoid harm, and the days after she returned to the Heavenly Spirit Realm must have been unpleasant, even quite painful, which is why this memory is so fragmented.
And the truth about why the two died, which they can't remember at all, is even more tragic.
What is Hua Ying thinking now? Is she, like the sect leader said, a fruit that appears bright on the surface but is actually riddled with holes, whose pride has been broken by the many criticisms and harsh treatments of the Heavenly Spirit Realm?
But the smile was still dazzling, though it was only fleeting and quickly faded, no longer as bright and unrestrained as it had been when she was with Luo Yang.
Just then, a soft laugh drifted to my ears, carried by the whooshing sound of the wind, which also carried waves of heat:
"You did well just now. If you survive to the end, I will grant you one wish."
This is a promise from the highest god. She can bestow upon you anything, whether it be treasures, cultivation levels, or even the fortunes of the world.
Her ears turned red from the heat, and a burning sensation surged in her heart as well. Shen Lixia bit her lip, then suddenly turned to the side, cupping one hand to her lips, and called out:
"I will live to the end!"
She exerted all her strength to make her voice travel further and further, to express her wishes.
"So—you have to promise me one thing!"
"I want—freedom!"
Be happy!
The horse galloped on, and the boy clung tightly to Ba's back, suddenly feeling as if the person in front of him was trembling slightly along with her. The wind blew wildly, whipping her cheeks along with her disheveled hair.
Shen Lixia paused for a moment, then uttered her final words:
Remember...you have the right to be happy!
Instead of facing a dead end, being stripped of one's bones and killed, and being unable to find release even after thousands of years, one should not.
The sound spread through the boundless forest, and the fire blazed brightly, burning all the black birds to ashes, turning them into pale ash, like a vast snowstorm falling from the flames.
As if hearing the sound of chains breaking, Shen Lixia pressed her hand to her chest in astonishment, and suddenly felt—
It seems that another shackle of the divine fire has been broken.
-
Not long ago.
After falling into the illusion, the others also stepped onto the ancient battlefield. Some of them were unfamiliar with this war, but they soon realized that they were trapped in the battlefield created by the water mirror.
But this battlefield was exceptionally strange.
Before Wu Zhuyue, the first to enter, could react, she felt an overwhelming heat wash over her, directly breaking through her spiritual energy and igniting her white robes. The young man frowned slightly, having to pour even more energy into himself to ensure he could stand safely amidst the flames.
She looked up and saw a dazzling flame descending from the sky, like a shooting star, exploding with a deafening roar upon hitting the earth. The fire was white and burned intensely, perhaps even more terrifying than the furnace fire used for forging weapons.
It resembled murky heavenly fire.
In an instant, the ground was covered with wounds. Fortunately, she was standing at a distance, able to watch the fire from afar, only to be hit by the aftershocks. But the next moment, the girl's pupils contracted, feeling a terrifying pressure assail her, causing a mouthful of blood to rise to her throat, which she then spat out, staining her white clothes.
From the pale heavenly flames, strange figures emerged. The flames dissipated, replaced by a vast expanse of spiritual energy. The wounds remained unhealed, but many more lives would benefit from this spiritual energy—if they hadn't perished in the explosion that preceded its appearance.
These people were very tall, like creatures depicted in mythological totems. The aura emanating from them made Wu Zhuyue's knees buckle, almost causing him to kneel. But the boy simply raised his head, glared at them, and forcefully rammed into them, straightening his back with a resounding effort.
If she hadn't done anything wrong, then she wouldn't kneel to anyone except her master and teacher.
As her gaze swept around the room, Wu Zhuyue keenly noticed—
These people all have some degree of disability.
Some have only one eye, some only one arm... some are even missing a leg and need a long log to walk. They have red and white wings on their backs, and some are missing one of them.
In short, this group of people seemed to have angered the gods, so much so that the symmetry of the human body was completely broken on them, leaving them with some kind of imperfection.
Just then, she heard whispers coming from the other side.
"She has two eyes. Doesn't she get blurry-eyed?"
"Strange, how come she has two hands?"
"This is really novel... So it turns out that besides the Imperial Guard, there are other people who look like this..."
A large wildfire was burning. Wu Zhuyue straightened his back until a woman who seemed to be the leader shouted, "Who are you? State your name!"
The boy revealed his name, causing another uproar. These ancient creatures had never heard such a strange name before, yet they couldn't help but find it amusing; some even whispered:
"Chasing the Moon... the moon, it reminds me of the Moon Goddess. Chasing the moon, what a melodious name."
Seeing that she meant no harm, the leader nodded slightly and said in a deep voice, "I am Bifang, a soldier specially dispatched by the Supervisor of Soldiers to the Desolate Ancient Battlefield. Behind me are all my people."
If Wu Zhuyue could find the lost texts to read, she would likely recognize that the person before her was someone from ancient times who was cursed and banished to a distant place, forbidden to associate with anyone else, for questioning the gods.
Biyue bird.
A tribe abandoned by the gods.
“You look just like Jianbingjun. Are you an avatar she uses to monitor us?” Bifang lowered his aura and frowned slightly. “My apologies, but why are you unwilling to give up more power? An avatar is too weak and easily damaged.”
Wu Zhuyue blinked, her hand on the knife trembling slightly.
Who looks exactly like whom? She looks exactly like Jianbingjun—the White Tiger, one of the Four Symbols in legend.
Even if what they're talking about might not be the same person named Jianbingjun. What if someone's surname is Jian and their given name is Bingjun...?
If word got out, I'd feel like I'd become a household name for being insane the very next day.
"Forget it, these people are all rather dim-witted, they probably don't recognize people very well." Wu Zhuyue didn't want to cause trouble, so she went along with her words, "Exactly." However, she didn't know what these people's goal was, or where they were, so she could only remain silent after saying that.
However, Bi Fang gave her a lot of face and confessed everything:
"Wherever we go, the Evil Fire will ignite. The Evil Fire originates from the spirit of wood and is essentially no different from the spring breeze. After it burns out, it will bring a lot of spiritual energy and promote the revival of all things. We are extremely grateful that you sent us to this battlefield and entrusted us with the task of setting fires. We will wipe out any who stand in our way."
It turns out they were a group of soldiers who didn't distinguish between friend and foe.
Wu Zhuyue rubbed her temples, thinking that their stances were truly contradictory, and their brains were really not working properly. Even as an outsider who knew nothing, she could deduce from these few words that the so-called "Supervisor" wanted them to stir up trouble and make the war more difficult.
As for what situation they would face afterward, that was not something that person needed to consider. What could a tribe already in such a miserable state possibly cause, even if it were unjustly accused?
They were people with no choice, like the heavenly fire that erupted when they fell to this world, like the embers that burned as they walked, indiscriminately incinerating everything. Simply by existing, they were already guilty before the gods.
The boy lowered his eyes slightly, suppressing the subtle feelings in his heart.
Seeing that she remained silent, Bifang continued:
"Come with us. There seems to be some unusual activity in the mountains; war must be imminent. We need to get there quickly."
On the other side, an old man in a flowing yellow robe struck the ground with his wooden staff. Array runes scattered, radiating light, and instantly formed a solid earthen wall, stopping the large rocks rolling down the mountain. Beyond the earthen wall, sharp air currents surged, pulverizing the rocks. A young man in black robes stood nearby, his eyes gleaming, pacing around the runes, a fervent fervor igniting in his gaze.
The old man glanced at her and said irritably, "Come and help!"
Everyone else is busy!
Lin Yuqian's body trembled, and she reluctantly withdrew her gaze from the runes, replying, "Coming right now, Granny Houtu!" She took out the array plate, poured spiritual power into it, and placed the runes on top of the array set up by the other party.
At the same time, Lin Yuxian separated another part of her divine sense to continue studying the array patterns.
—She happened to encounter the Houtu tribe, who were extremely skilled in array formations in ancient times.
Lin Yuxian did not only immerse herself in actual combat, but also studied documents. Therefore, she quickly understood the identity of the person in front of her, and even guessed the magic weapon used in this competition.
It must be a relic from the ancient war.
It's even possible that it came from part of a post-war site...
This is a precious opportunity bestowed upon the disciple by the elders, but also a challenge. Danger lurks everywhere in the illusion. Even with reduced strength, enemies at the Nascent Soul and Golden Core realms are still everywhere, and the tribal leaders before us are even more powerful beings at the Divine Transformation realm.
While sensing the mysteries within the array, she assisted Houtu in maintaining the grand formation. The tribe had been ordered by Lord Lingguang to guard the foot of this treacherous mountain range, precisely to prevent the collapse of earth and rocks or mudflows before the first wave of crisis arrived.
The dark yellow luster flowed on the earthen staff, and the imposing earthen walls rose from the ground one after another.
She suddenly turned her head, smiled slightly, her eyebrows and eyes softened, and the wrinkles on her face were like deep ravines in the Gobi Desert. Washed by the years, they exuded a reassuring aura of a guardian angel under the bright sunlight.
"Young man, you are quite perceptive, able to detect the weaknesses in the formation and reinforce them. Although your strength is low, you are very clever. Do not waste your life, cultivate diligently."
Lin Yuxian pursed her lips, bent slightly, and said gently, "I will certainly follow your teachings."
Beneath the verdant sacred tree, a young man with horns on his head sat on a tree stump. Behind him, a woman in a green dress gently lifted his long, white hair and softly combed it.
The young man squinted contentedly and asked softly, "How come I've never seen you before? Which tribe are you from? Could you tell me?"
Tang Huairou paused slightly. "You've probably never heard of its name... It's nothing to worry about." Her voice was gentle, and the other person sighed softly, seemingly enjoying it.
But Tang Huairou didn't relax. This person's aura was unfathomable, at least at the Nascent Soul stage. Moreover, when they first met, she had a pair of pure white wings on her back, plus horns on her head and red markings on her face...
Among the documents, there is one creature that fits this description: Bai Ze, who dwells in the ancient water town known as a land of abundant water and grass.
Bai Ze said, “How can it not be important? You are very pleasing to my eye, and you happen to be a healer. Why don’t you become my student and accompany me on my travels? If so, I must inform your tribe.”
Having said that, she suddenly turned around, startling Tang Huairou so much that her hand trembled, barely managing to control her strength so as not to pull the young man's snow-white hair. However, the next moment, the smooth hair also left her hand, and in its place, Bai Ze stood up, his warm hands gently cupping her cheeks, bringing a gentle spring feeling.
"Could it be... that you want to reject me?" Bai Ze blinked his clear eyes. "Strange, I've never experienced this feeling before."
Being so close to her, he could feel her gentle, warm breath. And Bai Ze, being a divine beast, naturally possessed a beautiful, elegant, and gentle appearance after transforming, with hair and eyelashes as white as willow catkins, and a pair of similar azure eyes—
Tang Huairou pursed her lips, feeling as if her mouth and teeth were no longer under her control, and she couldn't utter a single word.
Fortunately, a sudden movement saved her. The distant mountains trembled, and the runes of the array beneath them shone brightly. Bai Ze frowned slightly, finally letting go of the person before him, and turned to look at the mountains.
After a moment, she said, "I'll go and call the rest of the tribe. You'll come with me. With your strength, it's not safe for you to stay here alone."
Having said that, the young woman's figure gradually faded, transforming into wisps of flowing clouds. Then, her figure vanished, and a strange beast with a dragon's head, a goat's body, and wings on its back appeared. Its fur was pure white, its eyes were azure, and a clear, holy light emanated from its body.
Bai Ze walked up to Tang Huairou, leaned down slightly, and gestured for her to sit on his back. Tang Huairou hesitated for a moment, then heard him say, "I was the one who brought you here, otherwise you would have fainted in the mountains and would probably be in the belly of some wild beast now. Don't be shy, get on quickly."
“Alright…” Tang Huairou sighed, lightly leaped up, wrapped her arms around Bai Ze’s neck, and felt the silky touch and warm sensation.
The divine beast gave a satisfied hum and galloped off towards the tribe's dwelling.
More and more people are gathering in the fields.
Many of the students who participated in the competition and were not eliminated found the natives in the illusion and followed them to this place. Among the crowd, some had two horns on their heads and bodies like wild bulls; some had several long tails and tall figures; and some were just like ordinary humans, with no other differences. Behind them followed students dressed in uniforms of different sects, and they arrived in the wilderness with a solemn air.
Before Wu Zhuyue even entered the wilderness, standing only on the steep mountainside, he suddenly felt his vision darken. Then, a familiar voice came from above:
"Little Five"
She subconsciously looked up and saw Lu Changqing lying on something she couldn't tell what it was, gesturing and waving at her. It was as if the boy had some special connection with her; once he was near Wu Zhuyue, he could immediately sense her location.
Wu Zhuyue stopped in her tracks, hesitated for a moment, then raised her hand, waved at her, and called out, "Are you going to the wilderness too?"
Lu Changqing tilted his head and said loudly with a smile, "What are you saying? I can't hear you! Your voice is too soft!"
She gripped the feathers of the enormous creature beneath her and continued, “Listen to me—I met Kunpeng! They’re amazing! They live in the water but can transform into giant birds! They can fly in the sky and dive into the sea! We’re heading to the plains now, but we heard that a beast tide is coming! Kunpeng said that humans live not far from here, and we must not let the beast tide cross the plains and harm them!”
She seemed tired after shouting so much in one breath, and rested for a while before speaking again:
"So, I'm going to help them! You're going to the wilderness too, right? See you then! We must protect this place and make sure no one gets hurt!"
After speaking, Lu Changqing smiled at Wu Zhuyue again. The bright, clear sky was behind her, and golden sunlight fell, illuminating the young man's handsome face, as if a warm sun shower had fallen, extinguishing the unease that was burning like a raging fire in Wu Zhuyue's heart.
She nodded and mouthed, "Okay."
Lu Changqing then shrank back and flew quickly towards the plains with the huge bird.
When almost everyone had arrived, the earthen wall reached its limit, blocked the last wave of mudflow, and then collapsed with a roar, quickly dissipating.
Above the shattered mountains, true disaster struck with earth-shaking force.
-----------------------
Author's note: I said I'd write this chapter about my senior sister, but then I realized: wow, I can't write that, I have to break it up.
The next chapter will also cover Simmons' side, and given the chaotic battlefield, we probably won't see Senior Sister again until the chapter after that.
This arrangement was made because Luo Yang did not initially participate in this war during the ancient times; she joined later than Hua Ying.
But my senior sister will suffer a lot, don't worry (don't worry about what).
Then everyone follows a tribe that corresponds to them. For example, the wavering Xiao Wu meets Bi Fang, who symbolizes disaster and is unable to make his own decisions; Tang Shijie meets Bai Ze, who knows everything in the past and present and wishes for everything to be perfect and unchanging; and Xiao Lu meets Kun Peng, who symbolizes freedom and can go to the sky and enter the sea.
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