Chapter 74 Dreamlike Dream: Family
She only wanted to be Tang Yu, not Yue Qimeng.
Before the echo of the bell had faded, hurried footsteps came from deep within the cave.
Tang Yu's expression changed slightly. She pulled Xie Xingzheng into a crevice in the rock, pressed him against the rock wall, and almost pressed her whole body against his chest.
The two were so close they could hear each other breathing.
Xie Xingzheng could even smell the lingering scent of blood on her body, and he wanted to reach out and steady her waist. But as soon as his fingertips moved, he remembered her words earlier forbidding him from touching her, and could only silently withdraw his hand.
The ringing was still far off, but from the depths of the darkness came a strange, chilling rustling sound.
Tang Yu frowned and turned her head to look at the narrow opening in the cave. She was met with dozens of slender, eerie green snake eyes, like ghostly flames suspended in the netherworld.
She didn't know how many venomous snakes were gathered outside. She only saw them constantly converging at the cave entrance, coldly flicking their tongues, but showing no intention of venturing in, as if waiting for their prey to walk into their trap.
The ringing grew closer and more frequent, but the nearest footsteps came from only one person.
"It is a moon-shaped jacaranda."
Xie Xingzheng listened intently for a moment before giving his answer.
"She's alone?" Tang Yumei frowned slightly without realizing it.
Even though both of them were injured, and their opponent still had the Soul-Summoning Bell to deal with them, they had absolutely no confidence in killing both of them on their own.
Before she could think any further, Yueying had already come from the depths, holding the Soul-Calling Bell and ringing it.
The sound of the bell was like a knife twisting in my soul.
Tang Yu felt a dull pain in her head, and her body went limp instantly. Xie Xingzheng quickly pulled her into his arms.
But Yueying did not take the opportunity to make a move. Instead, she stood quietly outside the cave like a group of snakes, a cold smile curving her lips.
She stared intently at the cave entrance, listening to the dense footsteps approaching behind her.
Suddenly, he shouted into the darkness behind him, "Elder Yuexi! Your Holy Maiden is here, having an affair with General Xie."
She's drawing people in!
Xie Xingzheng immediately understood Yueying's intention. Unable to deal with the two on her own, she turned back to awaken the Southern Yue rebels, intending to use others to defeat them.
If we were to encounter this group of Southern Moon assassins head-on, the odds would be against us.
"We have to get out of here," Xie Xingzheng said in a deep voice.
The next instant, a murderous intent surged in his eyes, and he grabbed Tang Yu and leaped away. A sharp sword aura swept out, severing countless snake bodies, and blood and flesh splattered through the air.
Suddenly, a streak of light, as cold as lightning, pierced the wind and struck.
With a clang, Xie Xingzheng's longsword accurately deflected the hidden arrow that attempted a sneak attack. But when he landed and turned his head, he saw Yueying's figure flash and disappear into the darkness.
It was too late to catch up.
Deep within the passageway, torches were lit, and countless figures surged out.
Xie Xingzheng's heart tightened: We can't delay any longer.
He pulled Tang Yufei and ran quickly to the other side.
"Kill the Xie family... and bring back the Holy Maiden!" Yuexi's aged voice was filled with barely suppressed rage.
The Southern Moon people began a full-scale pursuit.
Xie Xingzheng was wounded by an arrow and was unfamiliar with the terrain. He also had to protect Tang Yu, who was still unsteady on her feet. After only a few breaths, he was caught up and his retreat was blocked.
He gripped his sword and stood in front of Tang Yu, a fierce battle about to erupt.
Tang Yu understood the situation and her fingers tightened slightly.
Surrounded by so many people, even if Xie Xingzheng had high martial arts skills, he would be dragged down to death.
She leaned close to his ear and whispered, "You go first."
If she falls into Yuexi's hands, at least she won't die, but he will definitely die.
However, Xie Xingzheng seemed to completely ignore her advice.
Without uttering a word, he drew his sword and engaged the charging enemy figure.
He used his elbow to repel the person who lunged at him, and then his sword flashed out. In just a few moves, he forced back several people who had surrounded him, and even cut down several corpses.
Even so, one after another, more than a dozen dark figures rushed at him, and Xie Xingzheng was eventually slashed on the left arm by the blade.
Tang Yu's mind stirred slightly, and she was struggling with whether or not to use the Dream of Beauty.
She keenly sensed several figures rushing towards her from the other end of the passageway.
They arrived in the blink of an eye, only to find the Xie family army soldiers who had gone missing halfway there.
"Young General!"
Their swords were fierce, and they launched a powerful attack, forcing back several Nan Yue assassins. Then they held their swords horizontally in front of the two men, fighting for a chance to survive.
"You all go quickly, I'll cover your retreat!"
"Walk!"
Without hesitation, Xie Xingzheng swung his sword horizontally, grabbed Tang Yu with his other hand, and charged straight toward the gap torn open by the Xie family army.
With no one ringing the bell for a long time, Tang Yu regained some strength and her speed increased. With the soldiers desperately covering their rear, the two finally emerged from the darkness of the tunnel and saw a faint light ahead.
The wind at the cave exit was as cold as a knife, yet it was filled with a long-lost sense of freedom.
However, as soon as they stepped out of the cave, both of them frowned.
The situation outside is equally dire.
Half of the Xie family soldiers who remained outside the cave were engaged in fierce combat with the black-clad Gu people. Seeing Xie Xingzheng protecting Tang Yu as they rushed out, the group ceased their fighting and immediately withdrew their defensive line towards the outside of the ruins.
Nanyue is a treacherous place, with swirling forest mists and a night so deep it seems to swallow you whole.
The retreat was forced to slow down.
Caught between assassins and Gu people, no one knew whether they could escape Nanyue or be buried in a foreign land.
The leaves rustled, the insects chirped shrilly—everything seemed to symbolize death ahead.
But no one complained, and no one gave up.
Even though they were seriously injured, Xie Jiajun still tried to fight for the two of them with his own flesh and blood.
Xie Xingzheng has always protected Tang Yu exceptionally well, both before and now. No matter how dangerous the situation, he has never let her suffer even the slightest injury.
It felt as if something was tightly constricting her chest.
Mingming, the Dream Gu constantly calmed her emotions, embedding calmness and rationality into her very being.
But her blood still started to feel hot.
Murderous intent, despair, blood...
Everything was forcing Tang Yu's true nature to use the power of that dream.
At that very moment.
It was as if ten thousand cold stars had been scattered, or as if a sudden rainstorm had torn apart the night sky.
Countless flying needles flew swiftly and densely, piercing the air and arriving as beautifully as silver flowers blooming in the sky.
In an instant, it disappeared into the body of the pursuer.
The screams of agony rang out almost simultaneously. Whether they were Nan Yue assassins or Gu people, they all seemed to have their life strings pulled out, their movements suddenly froze, and then they collapsed to the ground.
Caught off guard, they hesitated to advance and retreated in fear.
Taking advantage of the situation, Xie's army advanced half a step forward, steadily forming a protective formation, shielding Tang Yu and Xie Xingzheng at the rear.
She knew it better than anyone else; it belonged to the Tang Clan—
A torrential downpour of pear blossom needles.
Before the silvery rain had completely dissipated, a mountain breeze suddenly lifted a corner of a garment.
In the darkness, a familiar clinking sound of silverware, a hundred times more melodious than the summoning bell, rang out.
Tang Yu looked up and saw a silver umbrella steadily open on a branch not far away.
The cool light shimmered, and the umbrella, illuminated by the moonlight, seemed to be covered with a sea of stars.
Tang Yiqing, holding the umbrella, had a gentle smile in her eyes, but hidden in her heartache, and her eyes were red at the corners.
As if blaming someone, she said helplessly, "How did you get yourself into this state?"
Tang Yu's heart skipped a beat.
Then, two small figures jumped down from the branch.
"elder sister!"
Tang Yang was so excited that his face turned red as he waved and ran towards them.
Tang Ge, carrying a quiver taller than himself, ran breathlessly, his eyes shining as he shouted, "Sister Tang Yu! We've come to rescue you!"
At that moment, my heart felt like it was being clenched tightly.
An emotion that seemed to tear apart the barrier of Gu-like power exploded from the depths of Tang Yu's chest.
Her throat tightened and her eyes burned.
Even though she was from Nanyue.
Even though she doesn't have the blood of the Tang family.
Even though she had brought countless crises and unrest to Sichuan.
But the Tang Clan never hesitated to regard her as their most important family member.
Just as the patriarch said: The people of the Tang Clan will never be bullied by outsiders.
Therefore, for her sake, they would disregard the cost, their safety, and the reasons, and travel thousands of miles from Sichuan just to stand behind her.
The Tang Clan members stood shoulder to shoulder with the Xie Family Army, and for a time, their numbers and momentum far surpassed those of the Nan Yue rebels.
Tang Yiqing raised her silver umbrella, pointed it directly at the other party, and said coldly, "This young lady is taking my sister home. If you have the guts, try stopping us."
The word "go home" was like a heavy hammer, completely shattering the wall of indifference that Qi Meng had built deep in people's hearts.
Tang Yu's fingertips trembled uncontrollably.
A surge of bitterness welled up in her chest, almost making it hard for her to breathe.
She opened her mouth, but no sound came out.
But she had never been so clear, so certain:
She only wanted to be Tang Yu, not Yue Qimeng.
*
The moment Tang Yu stepped into Xia Nan territory, she was still in a daze.
It was as if the blood pool, black water, and cramped dark cave of Nan Yue had been crushed and diluted by the warmth and faint woody scent in the room, becoming a distant and blurry dream.
Tang Yang's clamor filled the air as he repeatedly examined Tang Yu's injuries.
"Why are you all bruised and battered? Tang Ge, where's the ointment?"
"Wash your hands first! They're filthy. Will Sister Tang Yu allow you to apply the medicine?"
"Is the injury important, or is washing your hands important?"
Clearly, Tang Yang's energy and spirits had improved after the detoxification, and the two troublemakers started bickering again. Apart from circling around her for ages and making a racket that gave her a headache, there was absolutely no progress in healing their injuries.
"Xiaoyu, does it hurt here?"
Tang Yiqing pulled the two apart and pointed to Tang Yu's chest, "I heard she was stabbed by Yueying?"
Tang Yang then remembered this and hurriedly stepped forward to ask, "Sister! Are you alright?"
Tang Yu gently shook her head, indicating that she was alright.
Xie Xingzheng stood not far away, watching this scene. Although he felt a sense of warmth, he hesitated and couldn't bring himself to say anything.
He didn't know whether he should step forward to persuade them, tell them the situation, and ask them to avoid agitating Tang Yu.
When Tang Yu looked up, she caught sight of his slightly pale face and drooping eyelashes.
Thinking of his arrow wound, Tang Yu turned her head and said, "I'm fine. You should all be more concerned about the wound of my savior."
As soon as he finished speaking, Tang Yang looked at Xie Xingzheng with a slightly wary expression, as if someone had stepped on his tail, and said with dissatisfaction, "Why are you concerned about him?"
“That’s right.” Tang Ge echoed confidently, pointing to the soldiers waiting outside with medicine in their hands. “He has so many subordinates, plenty of people care about him.”
The two brothers colluded and worked together seamlessly.
Tang Yu: "..."
Xie Xingzheng: "..."
Tang Yiqing was so suppressing her laughter that her shoulders were shaking.
She was much more composed than the two younger ones. She stepped forward, clasped her hands in a salute to Xie Xingzheng, and said, "Thanks to General Xie for rescuing Tang Yu. Don't take those two children too seriously."
He then beckoned Xie Xingzheng's men in and had them bandage his wounds.
The bloodstains had dried, and the arrow and knife wounds were shocking.
Xie Xingzheng's expression remained calm, as if pain had never taken hold of him.
As he had his subordinates bandage him, he looked at Tang Yiqing and finally asked the question that had been bothering him: "Why...did you come to Xia Nan?"
Tang Yiqing's gaze fell gently on Tang Yu, with a hint of pity: "Of course, I'm afraid something might happen to her."
She continued to explain, "Not long ago, the Tang Clan received a secret letter from Young Master Xiao, who wanted to ask Si Huo to go to Xia Nan. In addition to the plague, Tang Yu was also kidnapped by the villains of Nan Yue. We were really worried about her, so we came along."
"We really have to thank them," Tang Yu said calmly.
Although her expression remained calm, a warm feeling welled up inside her:
Tang Yu not only has a wonderful family, but also wonderful friends.
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