Looking back at the mountains and rivers, I dream of returning but cannot.
Fang Luoling was indifferent, with a complicated expression. Already, there was no time.
"no!"
Bai Xiao suddenly pounced forward, hugging Lu Xiyun tightly, almost shouting in anxiety: "Brother! Don't they just want that Yanshi's head? Just give it back to them!"
Tang Wuyong, standing by, was crying, his face pale. "Yes, City Lord! These Yanshi are so cruel! If the battle breaks out, all the people in the city will die! Let's not mess with them! Return the things to them, and this matter will be over!"
A hint of fatigue appeared in Xie Lingyan's eyes.
"it's over?"
Bai Xiao is fine, but the most important thing in Bai Xiao’s eyes has never been Yinshu City.
But why did Tang Wuyong also think so? As the garrison commander of Yinshu City, Tang Wuyong was actually afraid of these Yanshi.
He looked at Tang Wuyong and sighed deeply. His voice was low but clear: "Wuyong, they were already outside Yinshu City before that thing even entered Yinshu. Do you think those Yanshi really went to Qingtong Town to heal people?"
"They massacred the town below the mountain. Was it because those people provoked them?"
Tang Wuyong's face was pale, his lips trembled slightly, but he couldn't say a word.
Xie Lingyan withdrew his gaze, his expression cold and indifferent: "Yinshu City has long been targeted. There is no logic between monsters and humans."
No matter how they compromise, the butcher knife will not be withdrawn.
Some wars are not started by choice.
But from the very beginning, there was no choice.
As the Southern Silver Guards fled, a frail figure went against the current and charged straight into the horde of corpses.
The young man swung his knife, the blade moving randomly, but the hand holding the knife was terrifyingly steady.
Blow after blow, he cut a bloody path.
The young man stepped over the corpses at his feet and pushed his shoulder hard against the twisted and deformed heavy city gate, trying almost with all his strength to close the door again.
The young man's voice was almost hoarse from shouting.
When Xie Lingyan saw the thin figure, his brows slightly furrowed. The next moment, he flashed and landed beside the young man.
He raised his palm to block the corpse that was about to devour the boy, and his voice was as calm as a rock: "Xiaobai, take him to a safe place."
Bai Xiao didn't dare to leave Xie Lingyan even a step. Hearing this, he immediately exploded: "Brother, don't even think about getting rid of me! Even if Yinshu City is gone, I won't let you do anything stupid on your own!"
The young boy's face was covered in blood, and his eyes were red with anxiety. He grabbed Xie Lingyan's sleeve tightly, his voice trembling with anxiety: "City Lord! We can't let the monster get through! Save everyone! Help me!!"
Xie Lingyan stared at the young man in front of him who was covered in blood and defending the city to his death. His eyes softened for a moment, but were then shrouded in a deeper heaviness.
Finally, he reached out and gently placed his hand on the boy's shoulder.
"The city lord will help you."
In an instant, light blue energy surged into the boy's qi sea like a tide.
The boy's pupils suddenly shrank, and pain suddenly swept through his body.
His body began to tremble violently. The boy clenched his teeth, trying to suppress the almost unbearable pain, but a hoarse roar still came out of his throat.
Bai Xiao was horrified, his heart pounding, and he rushed over: "Brother! What are you doing?!"
Xie Lingyan remained silent, cold sweat dripping from his forehead, wetting his clothes.
In the distant battle scene, the black-robed puppet's attack suddenly slowed down, as if it was restrained by some invisible force, and its movements were much slower than before.
A complex smile flashed across Xie Lingyan's eyes, as if she was mocking herself, or feeling relieved.
As expected...
He looked up at Bai Xiao, who was in shock, and said with unquestionable weight: "Bai Xiao, three things, remember them."
Bai Xiao was startled, his heart trembling at Xie Lingyan's call. It had been many years since he had heard Xie Lingyan address him so formally.
"First of all, I've confirmed that Lu Yingfeng is a bastard. Tell Xiyun to burn all the paper money for me from now on."
“Senior Brother…”
Without waiting for him to say anything, Xie Lingyan continued, "Secondly, there's a traitor in the city. Ren Xuan suspects it's Tang Wuyong. But judging by his actions tonight, there's nothing wrong. Ren Xuan is an outsider, so he can make any guess. But Tang Wuyong has worked tirelessly for Yinshu City for many years, so we can't make a quick conclusion. Tang Wuyong manages many people, so it might not be him who has the problem. Ren Xuan said you're investigating this matter, so hand it over to Second Senior Brother and let him continue the investigation in his personal capacity."
"The third one."
Light blue energy continuously flowed into the young man's body. Xie Lingyan stared at the young man before her, and vaguely saw many figures from the past: the same young genius, held in the palm of the hand of the army, and the same enthusiasm, without knowing the immensity of the world.
Fame and fortune are like floating clouds, life and death are like grass. Only that sincere heart remains as clear as ever, knowing that what we guard behind us is nothing more than a piece of pure land, a line of incense, and an inch of our original intention.
Xie Lingyan's expression remained unchanged, his tone solemn, each word weighing a thousand pounds—
"I thank Lingyan today and pass the throne to this son."
···
Above the ruins of the house, Lu Xiyun sheathed his sword. His voice was low and calm, "The fate note has reversed. This puppet is beginning to lose its vitality to Xie Lingyan."
Fang Luoling was stunned when he heard this, and there was a hint of disbelief in his tone: "What about Xiao Xie's own Qi Yuan...?"
Lu Xiyun didn't give a direct answer, but just sighed.
Fang Luoling fell silent.
In this moment of silence, Xie Lingyan had already walked out of the rolling dust, carrying the young man.
He released the back of the boy's collar and bowed respectfully towards 'Lu Xiyun': "Senior Xiao, this child's foundation is majestic and far surpasses mine. Please guide him to close the Ghost Gate."
Lu Xiyun gave him a meaningful look and said, "Your Qi is gone. You can only survive on the puppet's Qi. What do you want to do?"
Xie Lingyan smiled in relief: "I want to? I want to teach this bastard a lesson."
He raised his eyes, his gaze piercing: "Please lend me the sword in your hand, Senior."
'Lu Xiyun' said nothing more, and casually threw the sword in his hand. The sword tip flashed a sharp cold light in the air and landed steadily in Xie Lingyan's palm.
Lu Xiyun said calmly, "Break the battle map, and leave the rest to me."
Xie Lingyan nodded slightly, he lowered his eyes, thoughts flooding his mind.
How to break the Xifu battle map 'Power Shift'?
In a trance, he heard that voice again. That annoying tone easily transcended the long river of time and was so familiar that it made him grit his teeth.
"Lingyan Lingyan, don't be angry! Next time we compete, I won't use the map again! I promise!!"
"Let's have a sword fight. If we can't win, let's open the map. Lu Yingfeng, are you interested?"
"No, I blame my father. He taught me from a young age that victory and defeat are the only things that matter on the battlefield, not martial ethics. I'm used to it. Don't be angry, I'll teach you how to break the map, okay?"
Above the ruins, it was as silent as death. The night wind blew gently, stirring up dust all over the sky.
There is a life and death barrier between them, but it seems as if nothing has changed. He is still the bastard who would shamelessly beg for peace after winning the competition.
Xie Lingyan's gaze swept across the ruined battlefield, and he finally sighed with relief.
"Lu Yingfeng, this time, let's die together."
Swords clashed and spears clashed.
On the ruins, the battle map collapsed and shattered inch by inch amid the clashing of swords.
At the same time, the Ghost Gate standing in the city was also annihilated in the endless darkness from bottom to top under Xiao Zizhang's magic.
Xie Lingyan had never defeated Lu Yingfeng in her life. That guy would cheat by pulling up the battle map just when he was about to lose.
Actively admit mistakes, never repent, and repeat the same cycle over and over again.
This time, the battle between them also ended in nothing.
The moment the inner energy was completely exhausted, Xie Lingyan's movements paused slightly, and then the black-robed figure turned into ashes in the night and dissipated into nothingness.
Bai Xiao jumped into the air almost instantly and steadily caught Xie Lingyan who was falling from mid-air.
“Senior Brother!”
The young man hurriedly hugged Xie Lingyan's body.
However, he could no longer feel any flow of Qi.
It's empty, without a trace.
Bai Xiao gritted his teeth and tried desperately to infuse his Qi into it.
However, it was in vain. The Qi Yuan flowed back, backfired and broke through the body, and Bai Xiao suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood.
“Senior Brother!!”
Bai Xiao looked around for help with red eyes, but all he got was silence and sighs from the seniors around him.
No one spoke.
"Brother, don't be like this... You said... wait for the eldest brother and the others to come back, let them do the work... and then take me to the Western Territory to celebrate the New Year..."
"It took a lot of effort for me to take advantage of them... You're the city lord... Don't follow their lead and cheat me too..."
The words were choked into fragments, and the tone drifted in the night wind, so faint that it was almost inaudible.
Bai Xiao reached out his hand tremblingly and gently tugged at the other person's clothes.
Just like the day when he first became a disciple, he timidly tugged at the corner of Xie Lingyan's sleeve, raised his head cautiously, and was so nervous that he didn't even dare to breathe.
That day, the unfamiliar junior brother looked at him with a calm expression and a smile on his face. He lowered his head gently and looked at him.
'Don't be afraid',
This is what Xie Lingyan said to him.
But now——
There was silence all around. He was crying so hard, but there was not even a word of comfort.
How can all of my senior brothers be such assholes...
Bai Xiao stood there, his whole body shaking violently, as if he had used up all his strength to accept this fact.
The young man cried out in helplessness.
···
The eleventh year of Taihe.
The yellow sand dances, the wind whistles in the border town, the three riders in white armor and green cavalry roll up the snow, their manes flying in the wind.
"What's wrong with you, Second Brother? Have you offended our Young City Lord again?"
"Brother! It's all Father's fault! He keeps asking me to treat martial arts demonstrations like real combat, which makes me lose every time and I subconsciously open the map. I don't want to do that! I told Lingyan that I would teach him the "Book of Scriptures", but he still doesn't want to. Brother, tell me, am I more wronged than Dou E?"
"Hey, Xiao Xie, you too, don't be so formal! My father treats you better than he treats me. What's wrong with you learning the skills of the West Mansion?"
"Brother, don't worry about it. Lu Yingfeng, your vitals are open. Do you want to die?"
"Look, look, big brother! He's angry again! He's not happy when I open the map, and he's not happy when I teach him how to break the map. He's even harder to appease now than that little bastard Lu Xiyun!"
"Lu Yingfeng, I think your adoptive father didn't hit you too hard."
"Hey Lingyan, father doesn't treat me as his own son, you can't be partial to me anymore! Look at that Lu Xiyun, he's the one who was beaten too little, the little bastard is always on the roof and tearing up the tiles, and father's heart has shifted from the Western Frontier to the Northern Frontier. Lingyan, you don't know, I'm having a hard time being your brother!"
'That's your brother, it has nothing to do with me.'
"Hey, Lingyan, don't go! How about we exchange our life cards and I'll teach you how to crack the map. That way, we'll be on the same page, and there's no chance of error!"
The wind rises, and dust and fog are everywhere.
It was as if I had returned to that year when the sky was filled with sandstorms outside the western border.
Wearing iron armor and cold armor, two or three comrades in uniform. Young and full of vigor, they dare to speak out against life and death.
Looking back at the mountains and rivers, I dream of returning but cannot.
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