Chapter 117 As one story comes to an end, another is just beginning...
Yellow sand filled the sky, and on this battlefield, two armies clashed.
The Yellow Emperor's army was fully prepared and ready to go. The south-pointing chariot and the Kui skin drum were lined up in front, and a silver dragon hung above the army, its head slightly raised, solemnly gazing ahead.
The yellow sand obscured the vision of the ground troops, but Yinglong, hovering in mid-air, could see clearly that there was nothing on the horizon. The Chiyou army, which had just appeared in the sandstorm, had vanished without a trace.
A gust of wind rolled in from afar, gently lifting the dragon-patterned banners at the front of the formation. Holding the banner, she twitched her nose, detecting a faint, fishy smell. She subconsciously looked up at the sky, where clouds had gathered without her noticing. Just moments ago, the sky was clear, but in the blink of an eye, dark clouds were rolling in.
"Boom—"
A thunderbolt struck ahead, followed by a blinding flash of white light. The flag bearer instinctively closed his eyes.
"Thud—"
Something hit the back of her hand. She opened her eyes and saw a large water stain. Just as she was wondering why such a large drop of water was falling from the sky, the next second, the rain poured down like a dense drumbeat.
It was less like rain and more like huge water balls, each drop hitting people with considerable force, instantly blurring their vision as the heavy rain poured down on them.
"What happened?"
Panic began to spread through the group. The rain was strange, pouring down with an overwhelming force, as if the sky itself had leaked. In no time, the water had reached above their ankles, and their rattan armor, soaked and incredibly heavy, was causing many to sway precariously in the bizarre downpour.
A sharp bird cry pierced through the rain. The flag bearer, standing at the front of the procession, wiped the water from her face and suddenly saw a figure rushing towards her through the mist, accompanied by the rhythmic yet thrilling sound of hooves.
She looked closely and saw a monster with the body of a deer and the head of a bird riding the wind, with torrential rain and wind sweeping across the sky like a raging tide.
"Wind God! It's Wind God!" someone shouted hoarsely.
The troops were in a panic and tried to regroup, but a dragon's roar soared into the sky and calmed their morale.
A streak of silver light fell to the ground. Yinglong, clad in armor with her long hair tied up high, remained unwetted by the rain. She frowned as she stared at the demon god Fengbo charging ahead.
"Wait a little longer!"
She ordered her troops to remain stationary.
Unexpectedly, the Wind God stopped a hundred meters away, calmly stomping his four hooves. A sharp purple lightning bolt struck into the rain, and the flash of lightning instantly illuminated the thousands of troops lurking behind him.
Taking advantage of the rain and with the wind in front, Chi You's army approached them silently. There was no time to form ranks, so Yinglong gritted his teeth and prepared to order a retreat while fighting.
Suddenly, her raised right hand stopped in mid-air. The wind howled, and when she looked up, she saw a gust of white sand sweeping in. Wherever it went, the rain stopped and the wind died down. A wave of heat rolled in and hit her face. The scorching heat made the rain sizzle, and white smoke instantly rose from the battlefield.
The situation can be reversed in the blink of an eye.
Yinglong curled her lips into a smile and couldn't help but burst into laughter. She transformed into a dragon, flew into the sky, and let out a long roar. All the soldiers held their breath and waited for the order to charge into battle.
"kill!"
With their spirits soaring high, the morale of the army soared, and shouts shook the heavens as they charged towards Chi You's army, their weapons clashing and breaking through.
On the other side, seeing the sudden change in the battle situation, they were thrown into a panic.
"What exactly is that thing?!" someone asked tremblingly, but no one could answer him. The Yellow Emperor's army had broken through Chi You's forces, and a fierce battle was about to break out.
Yinglong swiftly swept across the battlefield, merging with the white sand. Nüba, shifting her form, resembled another long dragon, the silver and white colors intertwining like a whirlwind, easily breaking through Chiyou's army's defenses. But their purpose did not end there.
The landscape of Zhuolu is ever-changing, but the only constants are the mountains of corpses and rivers of blood.
From above, the earth is crimson, and at the end of the piles of corpses stands a masked man.
People kept rushing out and falling around him, but he stood still, his face masked with blue fangs, which now seemed to be a disguise, making it impossible to see his expression—whether he was afraid to move forward or calm in the face of danger.
"That's him!" Yinglong looked at Nüba beside him, and the two of them swooped down towards Chiyou on the land with perfect understanding.
The white sand barrier trapped him tightly. Yinglong was about to transform into human form and fight Chiyou when he saw that Chiyou inside the sand barrier did not resist at all.
Despite having been in the human world for a long time and leading troops in battle, the joy of seeing the enemy's commander trapped and a great victory in sight still made Yinglong forget the meaning of "all's fair in war." She hesitated for only a moment before opening her mouth and biting off Chi You's head. She excitedly rushed into the air, and after a few somersaults, she arrived above the Valley of Fierce Li and casually tossed Chi You's head down.
With the enemy leader beheaded, a protracted war finally came to an end.
Chi You's tribe was routed. Whether flying in the sky or running on the ground, all the demons rushed to Chi You's headless corpse, their mournful cries echoing across the land, mingling with the triumphant shouts of the other side.
After this battle, the Yellow Emperor pursued his victory and conquered the large and small tribes in the Central Plains. He was revered by all tribes as the common ruler of the world, thus ushering in a new era for the Huaxia Group.
Yinglong was undoubtedly the most honored meritorious official and the most distinguished guest of the Yellow Emperor's tribe.
The great battle was won, and the tribe celebrated with songs and dances. Men, women, and children alike were filled with the joy of victory. This battle had brought them not only the honor of their great tribe, but also vast lands and resources. A bonfire soared into the sky in the square, and they clamored to build an altar for Yinglong.
Amidst the bustling crowd and clinking glasses, stood the dashing and imposing Yinglong.
Nuba hid in a corner and watched from afar as she was surrounded and pushed towards the center of the square by the crowd. The god-human Huangdi put his arm around her shoulder and waved his hand as if he were describing a blueprint for the future to her.
Nuba had excellent hearing. She heard the gods and humans promise Yinglong that a magnificent Xuanyuan Hill would be built here in the near future. She also heard the gods and humans ask Yinglong if he would stay in the clan. The dragon was as old as heaven and earth, and she would give him the highest honor and power, so that he could protect the Yellow Emperor's clan for generations to come.
Generation after generation? It probably means a very long time.
Nuwa covered her ears, not wanting to hear anymore. She shrank into the shadows, the laughter and chatter still vibrating in her ears and making her fragile heart pound. She still couldn't go out and walk to Yinglong's side; the crowd was too terrifying for her.
"Found you!"
A clear voice passed through her palm and into her ears. Nüba looked up and gazed into a pair of bright, star-like eyes.
"Nüba, thank you!" Yinglong said as he pounced on her, burying his face in the crook of her neck, their burning skin touching. "Without you, we might not have won this battle."
As she spoke, her hot breath reached Nüba's neck, making it itchy. Just as she was about to reach out and scratch it, Yinglong grabbed her hand.
Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes shone like the moon in the sky.
"Nüba." She murmured her name softly, "You should be the protagonist of this grand feast, you are the greatest contributor." With that, she took her hand and led her step by step out of the darkness and into the firelight.
When the people in the square saw Nüba behind Yinglong, they all laughed and surrounded her, shouting "Goddess, Goddess, help us!" and pushed the two of them to the side of the campfire.
Nuwa's heart was pounding. When she looked down at Yinglong's hand that was holding her tightly and drew warmth from him, she didn't seem so afraid anymore.
Her long, gray hair fell in front of her eyes, and looking through it, she saw Yinglong's bright smile, which burned hotter than flames in her heart. She blinked, looking at her flustered toes, and thought, "It's true, in heaven and on earth, only Yinglong can find her."
After that night, and only a few days of rest, Yinglong and the Yellow Emperor were ready to expand their territory again.
Without Chi You as a powerful opponent, the other tribes in the Central Plains, let alone demon gods, were just ordinary human beings led by men. With Ying Long as their vanguard, they were invincible and moved through uncharted territory.
Similarly, she no longer needed Nüba's help.
Construction was in full swing at Xuanyuan Hill. The clan vacated a house for Nüba to live in. At first, they brought her food every day and even brought children for her to teach, fearing she would be lonely. But gradually, they discovered that Nüba did not need to eat. The food they brought was always left untouched in its original place. Moreover, she seemed to be very afraid of people. The children could not get any response when they knocked on the door, and all the windows on all four sides were tightly closed.
Having been turned away so many times, they no longer tried to bother the goddess. They could only occasionally see the two of them side by side when Yinglong returned to the capital in triumph.
Some time passed, and Yinglong went on another expedition, this time for ten days to half a month. Meanwhile, a severe drought struck Xuanyuan Hill.
The well is dry, the land is barren for miles, and not only can crops not grow, but even weeds cannot grow. Even the Ji River, which people have relied on for generations, is gradually drying up.
At this moment, the people of the tribe remembered the "goddess" who hid in the house and never left.
People spoke again of how the day she descended from the sky brought a sudden calm, with the wind and rain ceasing and the earth turning to scorching heat.
"Yes, the goddess is the goddess of drought."
I see.
Even when hiding in the house, the whispers could still reach Nüba's ears. She could only shrink into a corner of the room, her face flushed, and cover her ears. Later, she simply turned back into a stone, closed her five senses, and fell asleep.
Yinglong finally returned. Nüba secretly sneaked into her victory banquet, but the place looked incredibly lively. She could only catch a glimpse of her from afar and dared not approach. As she turned to leave, she bumped into a young man carrying a cellar full of melons and fruits, preparing to head to the banquet. He was startled when Nüba suddenly darted out of the darkness.
"Excuse me, excuse me, are you alright..." the man apologized kindly, but after seeing Nüba's face clearly, he abruptly withdrew his hand that was about to help her up. The disgust and instinctive fear in his eyes were like sharp swords piercing Nüba's heart, and she lowered her head and fled as if flying.
For several days in a row, Nüba could not find Yinglong alone. Several times, she hid in a corner and mustered up the courage to rush out. Several times, Yinglong seemed to realize something and was about to look at her, but he was always called away by urgent military matters.
As long as the sun shines and the drought continues, Nüba can no longer stay here, but she doesn't even have a chance to say goodbye to Yinglong.
One night, after hearing that the army would rest for a while after the great victory, Nüba finally secretly came to Yinglong's room after the banquet ended and everyone had left.
The person in the room was fast asleep, with a familiar smile still on her face. Nüba gently squatted down beside her bed, tilting her head to look at the satisfied blush on her face.
She carefully extended a hand, afraid of waking Yinglong, and even held her breath for a moment before gently pressing it against his burning cheek.
"Goodbye," she whispered.
Yinglong taught her this word, saying he heard it from God, and it meant hoping to meet again someday.
But Nüba didn't know who the god would want to see again.
She withdrew her hand, which transformed into a wisp of light gauze and flew out of the window, soaring into the night sky.
When Yinglong woke up the next day, she inspected the military camp as usual, doing her routine work. She slept in the camp for several days in a row, and even took a stroll in Xuanyuan Hill, where the altar that her clansmen had built for her was almost completed.
Until the Ji River resumed its torrents, the parched seedlings longed for rain, and the tribe was filled with joy. People spread the word that a prayer party for rain and a bountiful harvest would be held that night. A child passed by Yinglong and stuffed a bunch of wildflowers into her arms. She stared at the lovely white buds and suddenly remembered that the Nüba should be hiding in some corner.
So she dug three feet into the ground in Xuanyuan Hill, searching every corner, trying to find Nüba. She even went to the pile of rocks on the riverbank to check them one by one, but she couldn't find any trace of Nüba.
She suddenly realized that the human world was too vast, far larger than the rift in time, and perhaps this time, she would never find Nüba again.
Just as Yinglong was preparing to abandon everything and travel far and wide to find Nüba, the god-human Huangdi hurriedly arrived and invited her to join him in chasing the meat porridge northward.
The Yellow Emperor patted her shoulder, pretending not to see the bewilderment on her face, and continued to describe his grand ambition of conquering all directions and pacifying the world.
She said the altar, named Xuanyuan Terrace, has been built, with a dragon pillar carved according to her likeness. Let's go see it together at tonight's ball.
Yinglong lowered her head to look at the sword at her waist, and after a while, she raised her face again with a smile. She took Huangdi's hand in return and followed her back to Xuanyuan Hill.
Perhaps, I should wait until this period passes before going to find Nüba.
Perhaps there are countless beautiful sights in the world; let her see them for herself first.
After all, there's still a long time to go, isn't there?
And so, the person who had fought alongside him aged into a withered tree and lay on the bed. The Yellow Emperor held her hand, hoping she would remember her promise. He waited expectantly, trembling, until Yinglong gently nodded. Only then did this great and brave god close his eyes in peace and pass away peacefully.
For centuries, she saw off the Yellow Emperor and his children. Generation after generation, something always bound her, and the people of her tribe became increasingly dependent on her. At first, Yinglong kept her promise and dared not leave Xuanyuan Hill, but slowly, that sense of duty turned into her own loss of the courage to leave and search for Nüba.
A bolt of lightning appeared in the clouds, followed by a rumble of thunder.
The rain never came down, but Yinglong's story came to an end.
The wind rose and the clouds surged, and the sky darkened slightly.
No one spoke first in the pavilion until Yinglong stretched out his arms and yawned.
"Alright, I'm so thirsty from talking, I need to go back to the lake to rehydrate." She sat up straight, but her gaze fell on Ji Yinxiu. "Actually, I mainly wanted to tell you this story."
"Me?" Ji Yinxiu asked, somewhat puzzled.
"What I want to tell you is that if there's something you want to do, do it as soon as possible. Don't be afraid of this or that, or you'll miss the opportunity and regret it later." She glanced at Xia Zhu as she spoke. "Of course, you should also stick to what you've decided to do. The truth will eventually come out."
After listening to the teacher's words, Ji Yinxiu's expression became even more solemn. He lowered his head, seemingly hesitant.
“But the patriarch will not allow me, a cripple, to leave Xuanyuan Hill on my own and collude with other families to participate in the operation.”
"That's easy. Just find someone who can talk to the child and ask her to let you go." Yinglong stood up, twisting his waist and turning his neck to loosen his muscles.
"Is the teacher going to help me find the head of the family?" Ji Yinxiu stood up with some delight.
"It wasn't me, I don't want to see those people." Ying Long quickly waved his hand.
"But I have nothing else..."
"Of course there is." Yinglong suddenly interrupted him, hands on his hips, and walked to the lakeside. "If there is still someone in this world who cannot bear to see the Xuanyuan Sword gathering dust and lying unused..."
“That must be your mother, Ji Buzhao.”
Yinglong turned his head to look at Ji Yinxiu, his expression inscrutable.
"After all, she was once the owner of the Xuanyuan Sword."
"Alright, let's leave the work to you young people. I was quite interested in saving the world thousands of years ago." After saying that, Yinglong struck a standard diving pose and jumped into the lake with a splash before everyone could say goodbye.
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