October.
The Third Prince, originally tasked with quelling the rebellion, suddenly moved his army west, opening a direct path for the rebel forces to the Divine Capital.
November.
Heavenly General Cao Jian led his five-hundred-thousand-strong army straight for the Divine Capital, conquering every city and territory in his path, seemingly invincible.
By the time the rebel army reached the outskirts of the capital, their numbers, including those conscripted along the way, had swelled to a million.
Their power was staggering!
And yet, his doom was already sealed.
Before them lay the Court’s elite and the Divine Capital’s Imperial Guard, while behind them, the Third Prince gave chase with eight hundred thousand soldiers. Caught in a pincer attack, they had no path of retreat.
December.
A heavy snow began to fall.
The drought had finally come to an end.
Heavenly General Cao Jian was surrounded and met his end at Star Prison Slope, bringing the years-long rebellion to a close.
「On that same day.」
The Third Prince, after paying respects to his ancestors, accused Duke Qii Wanyan of forging an imperial edict and using the young Emperor to control the realm. He then marched his army on the Divine Capital.
This battle, it seemed, was now inevitable.
First came the shock of the rebel attack and the ravages of refugees, and now the Third Prince was leading his own army to the city’s gates. The Divine Capital was in a state of constant turmoil.
Countless citizens fled the capital in search of safety.
「Meanwhile.」
A seemingly insignificant event also began to make waves.
Duke Qii Wanyan’s master, Temple Master Ziju of Baiyun Temple, suddenly moved against the assassin organization known as the Ghost Tower. Using inconceivable methods, he wiped out several of the Ghost Tower’s strongholds in the Divine Capital in just a few days.
Only a few deeply hidden assassins and the Ghost Tower Master himself remained at large; nearly everyone else had been eliminated.
During this time, Daoist Ziju revealed a world-shocking level of power, leading many to believe he was very likely a Sumeru Martial Saint.
...
「Mountain Forest. A Ruined Temple.」
Broken statues of Buddha were draped in cobwebs. In the flickering firelight, their once serene and benevolent faces now seemed to take on a menacing cast.
Outside, snow filled the air, and the cold was bone-chilling.
"CRUNCH... CRUNCH..."
The rhythmic sound of footsteps crunching on snow announced the arrival of a man and a woman in simple linen clothes, who entered the ruined temple together.
"Everyone."
The man seemed surprised to find other people in the temple, especially so many. After a moment’s hesitation, he cupped his fist in salute and spoke.
"My wife and I are just passing through, hoping to find shelter from the storm. Apologies for the intrusion."
There were two campfires inside the ruined temple, one on either side.
The fire on the eastern side was larger, with seven people sitting scattered around it. Various weapons lay at their sides; they were clearly people of the Martial World.
On the western side sat a family of three. Their child, who looked to be five or six years old, was watching the newcomers with a curious gaze.
The couple sat down in a corner near the entrance, rubbing their hands and huddling together for warmth.
"CRACKLE..."
The wood in the fire crackled continuously, sending up sparks from time to time.
"Father."
The child piped up in a clear voice.
"Once the rebels are defeated and the drought is over, will our lives get better?"
"That’s right," the middle-aged man said slowly, tossing a piece of wood into the fire.
"The Court will appoint virtuous officials, the people will live in peace and prosperity, and we won’t have to drift from place to place anymore."
From the way he spoke, he was clearly a well-read man.
His mannerisms also bespoke a noble background and a life of privilege, though his tattered clothes showed he had since fallen on hard times.
"Pah!"
The words had barely left his mouth when one of the men from the Martial World spat on the ground, his face full of disdain.
"When the state rises, the people suffer. When the state falls, the people suffer."
"If you want a good life, you’ll never have one as a commoner. You’re just there to be exploited."
His voice was hoarse and laced with fury, causing the child to shrink back into his father’s arms in fear.
"Don’t be afraid, little one."
One of the men chuckled and tossed a piece of roasted meat toward them.
"My brother just has a bit of a temper. He’s a good man, really. He even used to teach people how to read and write."
"A fat lot of good that does!" the first man snorted.
"In this world, the strong devour the weak. The Celestial Dao has never been just. My only regret is that I took the wrong path years ago and didn’t start practicing martial arts sooner. Otherwise..."
"Hmph!"
He grunted, picked up the long blade beside him, and began to sharpen it briskly on a stone.
The group had a ferocious air about them, and the scent of blood still lingered on their clothes, making the other occupants of the temple afraid to look at them for too long.
If not for the bone-chilling cold outside, they likely would have left long ago.
As time passed, the ears of the couple huddled in the corner twitched. They slowly raised their heads, a confused look on their faces.
’People!’
’A lot of people!’
"SWISH!"
"Watch out!"
One of the men from the Martial World by the eastern fire lunged forward with his blade, cleaving an arrow that shot out of the snowy darkness.
"CLATTER..."
The pieces of the arrow fell to the ground. The child’s expression froze for a second before he burst into tears.
If the man hadn’t intercepted it, the arrow would have surely hit him.
"WAAAH..."
"Don’t be afraid, boy," one of the men said, rising to his feet with a grunt.
"They’re here for us."
"Listen up, you in there!" a shout boomed from the blizzard outside.
"The Heavenly General has already fallen! Surrender now and return with me to the capital to await your judgment!"
"You’re full of shit!" one of the men roared back.
"If it weren’t for your dirty tricks, General Cao would never have been trapped! If you want to take us, let’s see if you have what it takes!"
"Seventh Brother, don’t be rash," an older man said, stepping forward. He shouted toward the indistinct figures in the blizzard.
"Are you men from the Court’s Imperial Guard?"
"There are innocent travelers here! Do not harm—"
"SWISH!"
"SWISH! SWISH!"
Before he could finish, a volley of arrows rained down from the blizzard, blanketing the entire ruined temple.
"Kill!"
The attackers outside clearly had no qualms about harming innocents. The arrows that rained down were even coated in flammable oil.
"FWOOSH!"
Fierce flames erupted, burning furiously.
Not even the heavy snowfall could suppress the raging fire.
"Brother Fu."
White Sword Shenn Wan’s hand tightened, her face showing her displeasure.
"These men from the Court are too tyrannical. Hunting bandits is one thing, but to not even spare the innocent..."
"Hmph!"
"It’s these bandits who are showing more of a chivalrous spirit."
"There are villains in the Court and heroes among bandits. None of it has anything to do with us," Fu Feizhou said with a light sigh.
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