Chapter Ten
As she stepped into the stone array, Mo Yinghuo looked around. Dozens of towering pillars surrounded her, seemingly arranged in a circle. The ground was a gravelly wasteland. Upon closer inspection, she realized this was an even larger and more immeasurable mystic stone array than the one she had just seen. The stone array behind the wall paled in comparison. Here, every single pillar was larger than the previous array.
Suddenly, Mo Yinghuo felt everything go black. Abruptly, a magnificent and luxurious palace appeared before her.
Mo Yinghuo immediately looked around and found herself in the palace. It was an illusion, Mo Yinghuo knew it all too well, but the illusion felt so real. She took a few steps, looked back, and when she turned back, she saw a huge, faintly white screen in front of her, vividly painted with various landscapes, birds, and erotic scenes.
A few twin lamps flickered weakly, illuminating the layers of curtains behind the screen. Behind the indistinct curtains, the figures of a man and a woman could be vaguely seen. The woman was slender and graceful, the man strong and powerful.
The man uttered a deep, lewd voice filled with desire, while the woman feigned resistance, constantly flirting with him and giggling with unparalleled lascivious laughter.
Upon hearing that laughter, Mo Yinghuo's heart clenched, and he immediately realized that the woman behind the screen was the red-clad woman who had just been kicked away by Zhao Shu.
That woman in red is truly bizarre and alluring.
The creaking and shaking of the bed, along with various lewd moans, filled Mo Yinghuo's ears. Knowing it was a hallucination, she found herself completely unable to control her breathing, and what alarmed her was the recurring dreams she had recently had.
Gradually, Mo Yinghuo began to believe that the two people inside were herself and Zhao Shu, and her blood began to boil. She clenched her fists so tightly they cracked, and her eyes turned bloodshot. Mo Yinghuo found that her feet were moving forward uncontrollably, and a voice inside her kept shouting, "Push that woman down, push that woman down, and he'll be yours, he'll be yours."
Mo Yinghuo closed his eyes tightly, cursing inwardly, "You bastard, how could you have such a hallucination! Could it be because of what happened earlier?"
She found that her feet were moving uncontrollably toward the screen, her breathing became increasingly rapid, and her consciousness became increasingly blurred.
"Not good!" Mo Yinghuo's heart skipped a beat. The power of this stone formation was many times stronger than she had imagined. In an instant, she drew Chang Geng from her waist, opened her eyes with a trembling gaze, and plunged the knife into her own thigh, blood gushing out.
In an instant, the palace vanished, and the screens, curtains, women, and men in front of it all disappeared.
Mo Yinghuo knelt on the ground, holding a knife in one hand and supporting his knee with the other, panting heavily. He thought to himself, "Didn't he say that the power of the stone formation would weaken if four people came in? Why was I almost unable to withstand it just now?"
"Giggle." Another burst of laughter.
Mo Yinghuo looked up, and sure enough, it was that woman in red again. Seriously, doesn't this woman get tired of laughing all the time? Doesn't her mouth cramp up?
"Your Highness, you have quite a strong will, don't you?" the woman in red provocatively asked.
Mo Yinghuo sneered, "Vulgar, this general looks down on it."
"You!" The woman in red gritted her teeth, glaring angrily at Mo Yinghuo.
"Only you would be interested," Mo Yinghuo said casually, raising an eyebrow. She naturally knew how to anger women like her.
Sure enough, the woman in red was furious, her teeth grinding together, and a dagger appeared in her hand. She walked straight toward Mo Yinghuo.
Mo Yinghuo gripped Chang Geng tightly, looking at her indifferently.
With a "smack," the woman in red was suddenly kicked away by someone, sending her flying once again.
As it flew out, it drew a perfect, crisp, and clean semi-circular arc—both beautiful and pathetic.
Mo Yinghuo recognized the newcomer as Zhao Shu.
The woman in red was once again face down. Zhao Shu, who was not far away, didn't even glance at her and walked straight towards Mo Yinghuo.
"General, it's alright," Zhao Shu asked, looking at the wound on her thigh.
Mo Yinghuo shook his head slightly and smiled, "It's just a minor injury. Was that woman just an illusion?"
“It’s an illusion.” Zhao Shu paused, then pondered, “However, it’s not an illusion either.”
Mo Yinghuo frowned, looking at Zhao Shu who maintained a certain distance from her. She glanced at the woman in red again, feeling both speechless and amused. This woman was both hateful and pitiful; in less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, she had been kicked away twice by the same person.
Having failed in her attempt to steal a chicken and ended up losing both, if this woman still harbors any resentment, she will surely suspect that Zhao Shu and Mo Yinghuo are being too abstinent.
“General, you’ve been trapped here for too long. Let’s go out first. I’ll explain everything to you when we get back to the camp,” Zhao Shu said.
Mo Yinghuo hummed in agreement. Indeed, she needed to get out of there quickly, even though she was filled with questions at the moment.
Zhao Shu glanced at Mo Yinghuo's thigh; his clothes were stained with a large amount of blood, indicating that the blow had been quite ruthless. A hint of surprise and admiration flashed across his face before he quickly regained his composure and said, "General, to get out of this maze, you must walk out on your own."
Mo Yinghuo nodded, wondering to himself, "Then what are you doing here?"
Suddenly, Zhao Shu untied a cloth belt from his waist, and a plain robe was draped lazily over his body. A few strands of black hair fell loose on his head, and without the belt, he looked quite elegant and charming.
"What are you doing!" Mo Yinghuo was stunned for a moment, then shouted in a low voice. She had just come out of the gentle embrace of the past, and her body was still warm. When she saw Zhao Shu take off his belt, the blood in her limbs suddenly rushed to her head. Her eyes were bloodshot, and she stared at him fiercely. Immediately, those dreams resurfaced.
Zhao Shu, however, took the belt and slowly walked to Mo Yinghuo's side, handing the belt to her and saying softly, "Hold this belt tightly with one hand, and I'll lead you. Remember, on the way, no matter what you see, hear, or smell, don't let go of my hand, just keep following me."
Mo Yinghuo was stunned. He loosened his belt so that I could hold one end while he held the other, and then lead me out?
Was the princess's body covered in poison or covered in thorns?
Seriously, strangers are not allowed in.
Mo Yinghuo gave a bitter smile. The dignified commander of the Yunzhao army, and the eldest princess of the Yunxiu Kingdom, was in such a predicament. She tucked Chang Geng into her waistband, rubbed her temples vigorously, and a little blood from her hands stained her forehead. Then, she gripped her belt.
"General, is there a problem with your walking?" Zhao Shu asked.
Mo Yinghuo shook his head slightly and said, "It's alright, let's go."
Zhao Shu hummed in agreement and then added, "General, please don't let go."
Mo Yinghuo nodded vigorously.
And so, bound together by a belt, the two walked slowly, one after the other, towards the center of the Xuan Stone Array. All around, just as when they first entered, stood dozens of massive stone pillars, and the ground was covered in coarse gravel. The air was unusually quiet; Mo Yinghuo could hear the rustling sound of her feet on the gravel. She looked at the tall, slender back of the person ahead of her; though his clothes were slightly loose due to the unfastened belt, they still carried a hint of clean, detached indifference.
The two walked slowly, one after the other, for a while. Zhao Shu disappeared as well, leaving only the belt that Mo Yinghuo was clutching tightly, half of it floating in the air. After Mo Yinghuo realized that Zhao Shu was gone, she unconsciously slowed her pace. Suddenly, the belt in her hand pulled her forward forcefully.
"It's another hallucination. No wonder he just told me not to let go." After realizing this, Mo Yinghuo gripped the belt in her hands even tighter. She knew that Zhao Shu was right in front of her, but she just couldn't see him.
Suddenly, the view cleared, and the yellow sand and gravel transformed into lush green grass. Fragrant grass, trees, and flowers filled the air; a small bridge spanned a flowing stream, and a white stone pavilion stood nearby, birdsong filling the air—truly an atmosphere of imperial grandeur. Mo Yinghuo was startled; it was a private garden bestowed upon her by the late emperor. Inside the pavilion stood a tall, handsome man, dressed in yellow robes.
"Princess." A kind and deep voice called out from his mouth, his eyes looking at Mo Yinghuo with care and affection.
Knowing it was an illusion, Mo Yinghuo stopped in his tracks, his eyes slightly moist, and softly replied, "Father..." The rest of his words were swallowed back down his throat.
"Come here, today your father will teach you how to use a spear." The man in yellow stood majestically with a silver spear in his right hand, and beckoned to Mo Yinghuo with his left hand, speaking with utmost affection.
Mo Yinghuo turned her face away, gripping her belt tightly until her knuckles cracked. She let out a soft breath and slowly walked forward without looking back. She seemed to hear cheerful footsteps running towards the direction where the man in yellow—her father—stood.
After walking for a while, Zhao Shu's figure reappeared, appearing and disappearing in the distance.
Then, it disappeared again.
Suddenly, a stench of blood and decay filled the air. A sharp eagle's cry pierced the sky. Mo Yinghuo looked up to see flocks of vultures and crows circling overhead. The sounds of wounded soldiers groaning in pain, the dying screams of the dying, and the desperate cries of survivors echoed in his ears.
Before her stood 100,000 soldiers of the Western Jin Kingdom, their arms hanging limply as if broken, their faces pale, glaring at her as they slowly marched forward. The lifeless eyes of these 100,000 soldiers with broken arms pierced indifferently through Mo Yinghuo.
When Mo Yinghuo saw the 100,000 soldiers of the Western Jin Kingdom, for some reason, his eyes were bloodshot and his breathing was rapid, as if someone had caught him doing something wrong.
"General, concentrate." A deep voice gently drifted into Mo Yinghuo's ears. All around were the cries and screams of soldiers, but this voice, though not loud, was exceptionally clear and drowned out everything else.
Mo Yinghuo adjusted her breathing, closed her eyes, and simply followed the belt as she walked forward.
After walking for quite a while, Mo Yinghuo felt that the surroundings seemed to have quieted down. After taking a few more steps, the belt suddenly stopped.
"General, we're out." As soon as Mo Yinghuo opened his eyes, he saw Zhao Shu standing in front of him.
Mo Yinghuo's eyes lit up. It turned out that night had already passed; she had spent the entire night inside the Xuan Stone Formation. Looking around, the formation still stood, but the black jade urn in the center was gone. The sun hung directly above the formation, indicating it was midday. Mo Yinghuo glimpsed several Eastern Liang soldiers lying on the ground not far away.
"Princess." Two scouts stepped forward and bowed, one of them carrying something wrapped in the clothes of a Dongliang soldier.
Mo Yinghuo's gaze fell on the object, and he asked, "Is it a black jade urn?"
“Yes, General.” Zhao Shu had already fastened his belt back around his waist. He glanced at the wound on Mo Yinghuo’s thigh and continued, “This thing isn’t so easy to destroy. Take it back first, and I’ll figure out a way later.”
Mo Yinghuo nodded, then suddenly realized something. The two scouts had clearly already emerged from the stone formation, and she herself had been led out by Zhao Shu. This meant that she was the only one trapped inside. Could her willpower truly be inferior to the other three? Leaving Zhao Shu aside for now—after all, he had many strange traits—but her two scouts… something was off. Mo Yinghuo frowned.
Zhao Shu seemed to have guessed her doubts, took a step forward, and said, "General, it was Zhao Shu's mistake. I did not expect them to concentrate their forces to confuse and trap you."
"So, you guys came out early this morning," Mo Ying asked, puzzled.
A scout helped Mo Yinghuo up and said, "Princess, we've been guarding this place for almost three days. If you don't come out soon, we'll have to go back to the military camp to get reinforcements."
“Three days.” Mo Yinghuo’s tone was slightly surprised. She felt that she hadn’t even been in the stone formation for an hour. It seemed that the Dongliang soldiers lying on the ground were the ones who came to inspect and were knocked unconscious and killed.
Suddenly, Mo Yinghuo felt a sharp pain shoot up from her thigh. A thin layer of sweat beaded on her forehead, and her face paled. While trapped inside the stone formation, she had been focused on fighting off the illusions and had neglected the wound on her leg. Now that she was out of the formation, her body was less tense, and coupled with dragging her injured leg for so long, the wound had undoubtedly worsened.
Strangely, even though three days had passed, she didn't feel hungry at all.
Zhao Shu had already noticed her wound, so he said to the scout who was supporting Mo Yinghuo, "Help the general sit down first, and I'll take a look at her wound."
He pulled a light blue bottle from his clothes and carefully sprinkled the powder inside onto Mo Yinghuo's wound. Then, he tore a long piece of cloth from his clothes, glanced at the two scouts standing guard in the distance, and said breathlessly, "General, please lift your foot slightly."
After the powder was applied to the wound, Mo Yinghuo immediately felt a warm sensation slowly rising from her thigh, which felt incredibly comfortable and pleasant, and the pain had disappeared. She gently lifted her foot up slightly.
Zhao Shu slowly and clumsily threaded the thin cloth through the cloth. Mo Yinghuo noticed that his hands were trembling slightly, his lips were pale, and his ears were slightly red.
"What's wrong with him now?" Mo Yinghuo raised an eyebrow, looking at him with confusion, wondering to herself, "Seriously, is it necessary to be so nervous when bandaging this general's wound? Does this man have such high standards of male virtue?"
After Zhao Shu threaded the long strip of cloth through Mo Yinghuo's thigh, he tried desperately to tie a knot, but his hands trembled uncontrollably, and his movements were clumsy. He couldn't manage it, and sweat even beaded on his forehead. Mo Yinghuo was stunned. She suddenly smiled, thinking, "So that's how it is."
"Zhao Shu, I can do it myself," Mo Yinghuo said with a smile as she looked at Zhao Shu.
"Okay!" Zhao Shu immediately stood up, as if relieved.
After bandaging her wound, Mo Yinghuo stood up. She couldn't feel the injury on her thigh at all, so the medicine seemed to be effective. She glanced at Zhao Shu, who looked a little nervous beside her, and couldn't help but wonder why she had such a dream. This man not only didn't allow others to get close, but he also dared not touch others. How could he possibly have intimate contact with her?
The four people came out of the house.
Shu Rong finally breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing Mo Yinghuo and the others, and said, "Princess, what exactly are you doing in there?" Then, he suddenly noticed the bandage wrapped around Mo Yinghuo's thigh; the bloodstains had already dried. His brow furrowed, and his expression immediately turned serious. He asked, "What happened?"
"It's alright, let's go back to the camp first," Mo Yinghuo said. After saying that, he glanced intentionally or unintentionally at the red-clad woman who was bound hand and foot by Shu Rong, with a dirty gray cloth stuffed in her mouth, and was curled up in a corner, struggling and thrashing about.
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