As dawn approached, Afu returned with his group, drenched in sweat, carrying cloth bags filled with raw materials.
Xu Yuehuai immediately stepped forward, took the materials, and briefly assigned tasks: "Afu, you are responsible for leading a group of people to clear the surrounding weeds and trees to prepare for the blast; Wang Mang, you will lead a group to find a safe shelter just in case."
Everyone was doing their job, and the scene was busy but orderly.
Xu Yuehuai squatted to the side, concentrating on making explosives.
She carefully mixed the sulfur, charcoal, and saltpeter, each step precise and flawless.
As the materials gradually fused together, a faint smell of gunpowder filled the air, making people hold their breath in concentration.
As the last ingredient was added, Xu Yuehuai breathed a sigh of relief and looked at the finished product in her hand with satisfaction.
She stood up, holding explosives, and walked with Afu into the mine.
After careful reconnaissance, she selected several key locations, carefully placed the explosives, and set the detonators.
"Everyone, retreat to the safe zone!" Xu Yuehuai shouted.
The tribesmen quickly evacuated, leaving only her and a few warriors responsible for detonating the explosives.
"call out!"
With a crisp whistle, the warriors simultaneously lit the fuses and then quickly retreated.
"Boom—" A deafening explosion rang out, and the entire mine area seemed to tremble.
Smoke and dust billowed, stones flew everywhere, and the air was filled with the strong smell of gunpowder and dust.
Once the dust settled, a brand new opening suddenly appeared before everyone's eyes, as if nature had specially opened a door of hope for them.
"We did it!" Afu shouted excitedly, tears welling in his eyes. He was the first to rush forward and carefully entered the mine through the newly blasted opening.
Xu Yuehuai followed closely behind, leading his clansmen deeper into the area.
The mine was pitch black, but Xu Yuehuai, with her keen intuition, guided everyone to explore forward.
We're here!
Soon, they heard a faint cry for help, a sound like heavenly music that instantly ignited the flame of hope in everyone.
"Brother!" Afu rushed over.
"elder brother……"
Following the direction of the sound, they finally found their trapped tribesmen and the precious red rose stones.
Afu helped his younger brother up and knelt down in gratitude before Xu Yuehuai.
"Alright, get up quickly, don't waste time, it's still very unstable here, let's get out of here!"
Under Xu Yuehuai's command, everyone sprang into action, rescuing the trapped clansmen while carefully moving the red rose stones.
When the last group of people were rescued and the last basket of red roses was carried out of the mine, it was already dawn.
The morning light shone on them, as if draping their heroic deeds in a golden glow.
Xu Yuehuai stood at the cave entrance, gazing at the scene before her, her heart filled with immense satisfaction and pride.
"We did it!" she announced loudly, her voice filled with strength and hope.
"Long live the Holy Maiden!"
"Thanks to our wise and mighty Holy Maiden!"
The clansmen responded enthusiastically, and cheers and applause rose and fell, echoing through the sky and lasting for a long time.
"Let's go back together! The leaders are still worried about you!" Xu Yuehuai helped one of the people next to him up and stepped back.
On the way back, Xu Yuehuai's eyes held a deeper thoughtfulness.
She knew that this incident was not accidental, and that there must be a conspirator behind it.
These precious red roses will be the key to her turning defeat into victory!
She secretly vowed to quickly fuse with the red rose stone to enhance her power.
As the first rays of sunlight bathed the earth, a new era was quietly dawning, and Xu Yuehuai confidently stepped into the unknown tomorrow…
Upon returning to his cave, Xu Yuehuai quickly found a place to meditate, his heart filled with eagerness for the power of the red rose stone.
She knew that only by using this power could she find a way to leave more quickly and bring stronger protection to this ancient tribe.
But when she closed her eyes and concentrated, trying to guide the power of the red rose into her body, an unprecedented ferocity and chaos suddenly struck, as if a million sharp claws were tearing at her soul!
In an instant, Xu Yuehuai's consciousness was drawn into a bizarre and fantastical illusion.
All around was endless darkness and a distorted scene, with the stench of blood and despair permeating every corner.
"Holy Maiden, why won't you save us?"
"You brought all these disasters upon you, you deserve to die!"
Why wasn't it you who died?!
"Why are you causing trouble for us again?"
She saw her people struggling in agony, heard their desperate cries; those images were like sharp blades, cutting into her heart again and again. She wanted to escape, but found her feet bound by invisible chains, unable to move.
"No! That's not how it is!"
"I am not a calamity!"
She clutched her head, her head throbbing violently.
Suddenly, a familiar and warm light pierced through the darkness, illuminating her world.
That was Qi Guze. He stood not far away, his face slightly pale, but his eyes were filled with determination and tenderness. He reached out his hand to her and softly called, "A-Yue, come here."
Tears welled up in Xu Yuehuai's eyes instantly. She rushed over and hugged Qi Guze tightly, as if she wanted to pour all her longing and worries into this embrace.
"Are you really Aze? Am I dreaming?" she asked, her voice choked with emotion.
Qi Guze gently stroked her back, his voice soft yet firm: "Of course it's me. My consciousness has been drawn here to communicate with you. A-Yue, you've suffered."
Xu Yuehuai nestled tightly in his arms, feeling this long-lost warmth and peace.
"Aze, I miss you so much. You've been unconscious for so long, what happened?" she asked anxiously.
Qi Guze's eyes were deep. "I was cursed with a vicious spell, and my mind has been trapped in a state of chaos. There is no light, no hope, only endless darkness and torment. But I always believed that you would come to save me."
Xu Yuehuai's heart ached so much it felt like it was about to break. "How can I bring you back to your senses? No matter the cost, I will save you!"
Qi Guze gently shook his head. "Perhaps I can only break free from the curse on my own. But your strength and your perseverance are my greatest motivation. A-Yue, the red rose stone in your hand might be able to help me. When you go back, make good use of its power to improve your cultivation. Maybe one day, I can use your power to completely get rid of that curse."
“I will, Aze. I will make sure you wake up soon,” Xu Yuehuai said firmly.
However, wonderful gatherings are always fleeting.
Qi Guze's figure began to blur. He gently pushed Xu Yuehuai away and said softly, "You need to get out of this illusion now, or your soul won't be able to hold on. For your safety, we have to separate for now."
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