Xie Lian’s leap into the air was a bit startling, but his two attendants knew well enough that it wasn’t much for him, so Mu Qing didn’t move. However, Feng Xin still went to give him a pull. With a little effort, Xie Lian lifted the little soldier up. They both landed on the city tower's floor, and Xie Lian asked, "Whose soldier are you? Why are you hiding here?"
The young soldier had bandages around his hands and head, slightly stained with blood, suggesting he was heavily wounded. This wasn’t surprising; a major battle today had left many soldiers injured and wrapped up like that. But hiding silently in the dark was suspicious. Mu Qing said, "Maybe he’s a spy from Eternal Peace. Let’s capture him and interrogate him."
Xie Lian had the same suspicion, but given the tight security in the Imperial City, it was unlikely for an enemy to sneak in unless it was just Lang Ying alone. And this young soldier was clearly just a boy. Feng Xin, however, exclaimed, "Your Highness, you don’t recognize this kid? He was at the front of your line the whole day, the one right at the forefront."
Xie Lian was taken aback, "Really?"
During the daytime killing, he barely had any attention to spare for others. He just knew that if someone swung a sword at him, he would swing back, and he hadn't even noticed Feng Xin and Mu Qing's side, let alone any other soldiers.
Feng Xin insisted, "Yes. I remember him; he charged fiercely, like he had no regard for his life."
Hearing this, Xie Lian examined the young soldier more closely. As he looked, the boy stood up straight, head held high, chest out, as if both rigid and standing in a military stance. Mu Qing remarked, "Even if true, he shouldn’t be sneaking around here. Who knows if he’s eavesdropping or spying?”
Though he said that, he lowered his guard, knowing that many young soldiers joined for the chance to see Xie Lian, inspired by his famed reputation. These young men grew up idolizing him, longing to see the martial god in person, which wasn’t uncommon.
Xie Lian said, "It’s all right, a false alarm," then kindly said to the boy, "I must have startled you, sorry."
The boy showed no fear, just stood straighter, and said, "Your Highness..."
Unexpectedly, before he could finish, the young soldier suddenly lunged at Xie Lian!
Xie Lian, thinking he sought to attack, sidestepped, raising his hand for a chopping strike that, with his strength, would surely kill him. But he suddenly felt a chill on his back, pivoting his hand to catch an arrow shot from behind.
The boy had lunged because he saw the glint of an arrow in the air. Xie Lian, initially with his back to the battlement, remained unafraid, jumping on the wall, looking down to spot the shooter.
Before him, a vast, empty field, there in the distance stood a solitary figure, dressed in dark clothes that blended into the night, making him hard to notice. Feng Xin quickly drew his bow next to Xie Lian and released an arrow, but the figure had already calculated the range, standing deliberately far.
The figure waved bidding them to look, then swiftly turned and fled; Feng Xin’s arrow fell just short. Furious, Feng Xin struck the city wall, making loose stones rain down. He raged, "Who was that?!"
Who else could it be? Xie Lian said, “Lang Ying!”
The Celestial Music’s soldiers had noticed, bustling about, but due to caution, did not order the city gates to open and pursue immediately, awaiting higher orders. Lang Ying’s single arrow and wave seemed only to greet Xie Lian, prompting Mu Qing to frown, "Why is he here? Trying to provoke us?"
Feng Xin angrily replied, "Today, Eternal Peace's forces were beaten badly, and he barely escaped even from under Your Highness's hand. What’s there to show off?"
Yet, Xie Lian found a cloth tied to the arrow, inspecting it in the firelight to reveal a torn strip seemingly from a blue silk robe, smudged with blood and bearing a scrawled "Qi" character.
Xie Lian clenched the cloth, “Where is Qi Rong? Isn’t he in the palace?!”
Feng Xin turned to the surrounding soldiers, “Go confirm inside!”
The soldiers hurried down. It really seemed to be a corner of Qi Rong’s favorite robe, and Lang Ying was notorious for slipping in and out of places; the possibility of Qi Rong being taken wasn’t far-fetched. Quickly, Xie Lian said, “I’ll follow and check it out.” Seeing Feng Xin approach, he added, “Hold the gates and stay put, it might be a trick to draw us away.”
Feng Xin slung the bow, "You're going alone?"
Eternal Peace’s side hadn’t fully committed to an attack, and Xie Lian wasn’t eager for the Celestial Music Kingdom to send troops first. If Qi Rong was indeed captured, he could retrieve him alone; bringing soldiers would mean bloodshed beyond control and inevitable deaths. As of now, Xie Lian aimed to keep things to a minimum, "Alone. They can't handle me."
With that, he pressed a hand on the wall, vaulted off the tower, landing lightly, swiftly pursuing the path of Lang Ying’s retreat. After a while, hearing footsteps behind him, he turned to see it was the same young soldier. Xie Lian called to him, “I don't need help, go back!”
The boy shook his head. Xie Lian urged again, “Go back!” Quickening his pace, he soon left the boy behind.
Running five or six miles, Xie Lian came upon a mountain. Not steep, it resembled more a slope, known as the “Back Slope.” Intelligence suggested that after retreating, the Eternal Peace people had gathered their forces and civilians here. Dense with plants, the blackened forest was filled with strange noises of nocturnal life. As Xie Lian delved deeper, searching silently, he caught sight of a figure hanging from a tree. He squinted closely, "Qi Rong!"
It was Qi Rong, indeed. Hung upside down in the tree, appeared beaten unconscious, nose bleeding, one eye swollen. Xie Lian unsheathed his sword, severing the rope, he caught Qi Rong, tapping his face. Coming to, Qi Rong exclaimed, “Crown Prince Cousin!”
Xie Lian began untying him when suddenly, his back chilled, shifting to block with his sword. Turning to find Lang Ying, gripping a heavy sword and striking fiercely.
They exchanged blows, but Xie Lian quickly disarmed Lang Ying, kicking him down, sword to his throat, halting the fight, “You know you’re no match, stop this.”
Earlier, they’d crossed swords on the battlefield; all who charged at Xie Lian fell by his hand, except Lang Ying, who survived his strike, dragging his wounded body away. Anyone could see Lang Ying led the Eternal Peace rebels. Xie Lian saying “stop” certainly implied something deeper.
Xie Lian added, “As long as you don’t attack first, I assure you our city soldiers won’t come after you. Take your supplies, leave peacefully.”
Lang Ying lay pinned, eyes meeting Xie Lian’s unflinchingly. That gaze was chilling. “Crown Prince, do you believe you’re in the right?”
Xie Lian’s expression froze. Qi Rong interjected scornfully, “Nonsense! You know who my cousin is? He’s a god from heaven! If he’s wrong, are you traitorous dogs any better?!”
Xie Lian snapped, “Qi Rong, shut it!”
Lang Ying’s question stung. Xie Lian couldn’t deny harboring doubts about his actions. But this was the best answer he could envision. If not protecting the kingdom, should he let Eternal Peace invade unchecked, possibly sacking the Royal City?
He might subdue one or two adversaries non-lethally but on a battlefield, every swing meant death, there’s no time to spare. Lang Ying’s inquiry rekindled a voice in him, whispering, “Are you sure this is right?”
Qi Rong, on the contrary, faced no such qualms, and jeered, “Did I speak out of turn? Cousin, since you’re here, slaughter these dogs! They ganged up on me!”
In the Royal City, Qi Rong was notorious, despised by many Eternal Peace folk who wouldn’t pass a chance for payback, naturally. And admittedly, many Celestial Music folks held similar views. With urgency, Xie Lian asked, “What do you want? Want for Eternal Peace to see rain again? Want gold? I already gave you the statues. Food, I... will find a way. But cease the warfare. Together, find another way, another path, yes?”
His words burst out inadvertently; Lang Ying might not grasp “another path,” but his reply was unhesitant, “I want nothing. Nothing you offer. All I desire is for Celestial Music to vanish. I want it gone.”
His voice was calm, but the menace in his words was chilling. Xie Lian fell silent. After a moment, he asked, “Even if it costs lives, you’ll still bring your people to attack, won’t you?”
Lang Ying affirmed, “Yes.”
“…”
So resolute, leaving Xie Lian at a loss. Lang Ying’s words echoed Xie Lian’s own resolution when he swore before Emperor Jun Wu: come what may, I’ll hold my ground.
Lang Ying’s vow signaled unending assaults, a ceaseless tide of Eternal Peace rebels. Xie Lian now knew what he must do, clear as day.
Xie Lian, who normally wielded his sword single-handed, now gripped it with both hands. As he trembled, about to drive it through Lang Ying, an odd creaking noise and a chilling laugh sounded.
Behind him, someone had appeared silently, startling him. Xie Lian turned to see, eyes widening.
Instead of enemy soldiers, there was an eerie figure.
Clad in deathly white mourning garb, wearing a disturbingly white mask: half weeping, half smiling. He perched on a vine between trees, the creak he made echoed through the swing. Seeing Xie Lian look back, the figure leisurely clapped, mouth spitting cruel laughter. Xie Lian felt an inexplicable chill, demanding, “What are you?!”
He used “thing” because instinct said this was no human!
In that instant, Xie Lian sensed the sword tip shift, Qi Rong cried out; the ground opened beneath Lang Ying, swallowing him. The earth swiftly closed. Xie Lian’s attempt to strike the earth reached only soil, realizing his blow hadn’t killed Lang Ying, not knowing whether to feel regret or relief. The white-clad figure laughed eerily once more, prompting Xie Lian to hurl his sword at him.
Fast as lightning, the sword pierced his body, pinning him to the tree. But silence fell, and beneath lay only a crumpled white robe. The wearer had vanished!
His appearance and disappearance baffled Xie Lian, taken aback, yet he dared not linger. Lifting Qi Rong, he decided, “We’re leaving.”
However, Qi Rong shouted back, “No! Cousin, burn the hill to cinders! Those Eternal Peace scoundrels hiding in the hills deserve it!”
Dragging Qi Rong, Xie Lian sensed increasing malice from the surroundings, vigilant eyes following their retreat. He warned, “Did you not notice that strange figure just now? It’s unsafe here.”
Qi Rong argued, “Strange, so what? You’re a god! Just kill any pesky spirits.”
Xie Lian insisted, “Return first.”
Seeing Xie Lian dodging, refusing to set the mountain ablaze, Qi Rong widened his eyes, "Why? These people attacked me, they’re our enemies! You heard him! He wants Celestial Music gone! Why don’t you kill them all, like on the battlefield?!"
“…” Xie Lian halted, breathing taut with anger, “Why is it you always resort to killing, indiscriminately? Civilians are not soldiers!”
Qi Rong shot back, “What’s the difference? Aren’t they all people, killing is killing.”
Xie Lian seemed hit where it hurt, and anger churned, “You…!”
At that moment, something clamped around his ankle; looking down, a bloated hand had emerged from dense shrubs, gripping his boot!
Simultaneously, with heavy thuds, several human shapes fell from the trees, grounded and unable to rise. Though human-shaped, they were naked, resembling great wriggling worms inching toward them. Qi Rong shrieked, “What are these?!”
Xie Lian sliced the hand, “Not people, but Reptoids!”
Previously, Xie Lian had never heard of such creatures near the capital; any such creatures would quickly be eradicated by the Celestial Panorama’s Taoists. Thus, the presence of these Reptoids could have been orchestrated.
Never imagined this war would involve non-human forces. Recent clues suggested that the enemy and Lang Ying might have colluded, merely baiting him out by taking Qi Rong. Yet, focus was vital. Each sword stroke halved seven to eight Reptoids, neatly cleaving them, but Reptoids often arrived en masse. Indeed, rustling grew louder, countless vague humanoid forms poured towards Xie Lian, solely targeting him. Strike ten, twenty surged forth. As Xie Lian decapitated with a flourish, one Reptoid fell from above.
Unexpectedly, it was intercepted mid-lunge by a flash of cold light. With Qi Rong weaponless, naturally, it was not him. Glancing back, Xie Lian saw the wielding was by the same young soldier.
The boy, left behind, had managed to trail them here. With a battered sword, he swiftly dispatched several more Reptoids, proving highly effective. Released fluids of the creatures before them emitted foulness; Qi Rong scorned them, only to step onto a weakened one and crush it flat, curious, “Not so fearsome, eh?”
He didn’t know Reptoids often appeared with other vicious beings. Xie Lian bit his lip, tracing blood along his blade with two fingers. Finished, he handed the glowing sword to Qi Rong, “Take this sword and leave with the soldier! Nothing will dare near you, don’t look back, no matter what noises you hear, just never turn back!”
Qi Rong protested, “Cousin! I…”
Xie Lian cut him short, “Danger is behind; if you stay, I can’t protect you both. Instead, send word!”
Qi Rong fell silent, took the sword, and fled. With its light, no creatures dared impede their path. Rapidly, they vanished. The young soldier remained; Xie Lian, without a second magical sword, could only resort to martial prowess, unleashing deadly force with the youth’s aid, clearing every Reptoid within a single incense stick’s duration.
All that remained was foul residue; the stench persisted. Confirming nothing was left, Xie Lian composed himself, then acknowledged the boy, “You wield a good sword.”
The boy gripped it tight, breath still stabilizing, standing straight, “Yes, sir.”
Xie Lian spoke, half a command, half mused, “I wasn’t ordering you. Earlier, when told to return, why didn’t you reply ‘yes’?”
The boy replied, “Yes.” Realizing his oddity, he stiffened more. Xie Lian chuckled briefly, “Though, you’re more suited for a blade.”