"Yao'er, I've finally made initial progress in identifying the animal that harbors these蛊 worms."
"What is it?"
Qing Yao's eyes snapped open, her dark pupils filled with hope as she gazed deeply at Yin Xuan.
His face was slightly pale, but he still exuded an imposing aura, seemingly unfazed by their predicament.
In truth, Qing Yao, afflicted by the same蛊, knew its torment intimately. She wouldn't have appeared so unaffected unless this man possessed extraordinary resilience, suppressing the pain to maintain a serene facade.
"Snake."
"Are you sure?" Qing Yao was startled. She hadn't expected the蛊 to be nurtured within a snake. This revealed the other man's vicious nature, harboring the worm in a serpent, which explained its ability to dissolve in water. Snakes had a cool disposition and an extremely pungent essence.
Yin Xuan's gaze deepened. This was his preliminary analysis; he couldn't be absolutely certain it was a snake. However, the worm's ability to dissolve in water suggested it had once resided in an aquatic creature. Among aquatic animals, those with a pungent essence were few, and snakes were the most prominent.
"Not yet certain, but I will have an answer by tonight. Hua Wenbo will undoubtedly lead a night raid on us, and I will make him reveal the truth."
Yin Xuan's expression became inscrutable, his lips curving into a cold smile. Hua Wenbo, you've come today, but you won't be leaving.
"Mm, that's good then."
Qing Yao wearily closed her eyes again, her long eyelashes obscuring her bright gaze. Yin Xuan walked closer with heartache and sat beside her.
"Yao'er, you must be tired. If you are, once we defeat Hua Wenbo, we can return to the capital."
Yin Xuan's voice was filled with unwavering certainty. Looking at her fragile appearance, he felt a sudden emptiness, a burgeoning panic engulfing him. Though he knew he faced trials, he wished for her to live well, to remain untouched by any harm. Otherwise, how could he bear it?
"Return to the capital?"
Qing Yao murmured softly, her eyes still closed. Having come this far, how could she turn back? Hadn't she promised him the unification of the seven kingdoms? How could she break her word? Once Chen Tang Pass was conquered, the Dan Feng Kingdom would be within their grasp. She had twice been saved by him and was determined to help him achieve his dream. Only when the seven kingdoms were unified would she truly be able to depart without regret.
Matters of the heart, for her, seemed to always carry a shard of incompleteness, making her reluctant to engage.
In her past life, her wholehearted devotion had led to ultimate pain.
In this life, just as she had intended to let go of her past and genuinely accept him, he had struck her down. Meanwhile, Wu Qing, who offered her complete care, ultimately passed away like a wilting flower.
It seemed all her romantic entanglements met unfortunate ends. If so, why force herself, only to exhaust her mind and spirit? Once everything was settled, she would take Xiao Yu'er back to Wu Qing Valley, to watch flowers bloom and fade with the rising sun, to play the Qing Feng Shui tune with the evening breeze. Such a life would suffice for her remaining years.
"You're overthinking," Qing Yao said faintly, remaining still and continuing to rest.
After sunset, the hundred thousand soldiers all left the camp and hid in the distant dense forest, leaving the camp as an empty city.
In the dimness of the night, one looked up at the sky, unable to discern a single star in the near or far distance. Mist shrouded the mid-air. In the forest, everyone anxiously watched the scene unfolding before them, waiting. Every heart was tense, palms slick with cold sweat, clutching the few explosives and grenades. These people dared to harm them, and this time, they would not escape unscathed.
Tree shadows swayed, dappled light flickered through the branches, and a gust of wind swept through, making the leaves rustle with a mournful sound.
Qing Yao, led by An Dingfeng, intently observed the movements of the camp ahead. Initially, An Dingfeng had advised against the commander's participation, citing her weakened state from the蛊 poison. However, Qing Yao insisted. The pain was bearable, and as the commanding officer, how could she not partake in such an event?
In the distance, a soldier quickly ran in, "Reporting, enemy cavalry has emerged from Chen Tang Pass and is approaching."
"Investigate further. Determine the size of the approaching force."
In the dark night, Qing Yao's steely, emotionless voice echoed. Standing by her side, Yin Xuan watched her with profound tenderness. In the darkness, his handsome, alluring face held deep, shadowy eyes. At this moment, a thought suddenly arose within him: having her was enough for this life; he sought no unification of the seven kingdoms. Seeing her thus, his heart ached. Perhaps he shouldn't have let her lead; this should have been his task, not hers to bear such hardship.
Though it was her aspiration, and she possessed such exceptional talent, war inevitably brought casualties. If such a thing were to happen, he doubted he could forgive himself. Therefore, he could only guard her closely now, praying she would remain unharmed, not even a slight mishap.
Soon, another report came in: "Reporting, the enemy force is estimated to be between seventy and eighty thousand strong."
Qing Yao waved her hand, a bloody killing intent gracing her lips. She turned to look at the people behind her who were not afflicted by the蛊, her voice cold and measured, enunciating each word.
"Those people will appear within the camp shortly. We must catch them completely off guard. If our counterattack is successful tonight, we can take Chen Tang Pass tomorrow, and all problems will be solved. If we lose this battle, our very lives are uncertain."
Such sharp words pierced through everyone's hearts.
No one spoke, but the air they exhaled was chilling. At this moment, there was no distinction between men and women, only the competition of life and death. This was the cruelty of war, forcing people to be ruthless. Mercy towards the enemy was cruelty to oneself, hence victory was imperative.
Everyone present understood one critical point: if they failed to breach Chen Tang Pass, this contingent would never be able to conquer the Dan Feng Kingdom. They would have no choice but to return to the capital, a scenario that would undoubtedly cause the Xian Yue Kingdom's status among other nations to plummet. This would be a disgrace, thus, there could be no defeat, only victory.
In the distance, human figures flickered, growing in number. They were concealed in the forest, like phantoms of the night, each exuding a dense killing intent, closely watching the movements ahead. Only when the opponents were completely drawn into the encirclement did Qing Yao calmly wave her hand. "Attack! Strike them with all your might! Leave no one alive. Tomorrow, we will enter Chen Tang Pass."
With a whoosh, everyone swiftly scattered, leaping up and charging towards dozens of camps.
At this very moment, the Dan Feng Kingdom's forces discovered it was an empty city and realized it was a trap. Alas, it was too late. The Xian Yue soldiers seemed to descend from the heavens, giving them no chance to breathe. Each person pulled the pin on a grenade, throwing them precisely into densely populated areas.
Instantly, flames erupted, deafening explosions resounded, and screams echoed continuously, revealing the brutal face of war in its true, terrifying form.
Smoke billowed, and dozens of camps turned into a sea of fire. Those Dan Feng soldiers who couldn't escape in time cried out in agony as they were surrounded by the inferno. Even if they managed to evade the grenade attack, the spreading flames posed a threat, and outside the perimeter, like hungry wolves, the Xian Yue soldiers awaited, sword in hand, showing no mercy.
This was a battle of kill or be killed, and everyone seemed to have gone mad with slaughter.
The scent of blood permeated the entire night sky, with severed limbs and broken bodies being thrown about intermittently.
Qing Yao stood on a high embankment, observing the scene before her, a cold smile playing on her lips. Suddenly, the surrounding atmosphere turned frigid. A flash of silver light appeared; someone was attacking her. She shifted her body and recognized the attacker: it was Hua Wenbo, as beautiful as an immortal. Upon seeing him, Qing Yao momentarily lost herself. This man bore a striking resemblance to Wu Qing. The difference was that he stood upright, whereas Wu Qing had always been in a wheelchair. This man had black hair, while Wu Qing's was entirely white.