Wolves attacked, puppets were routed, Ma Yibu appeared and produced the ten-petaled Golden Lotus.
Wind rose, clouds surged, water waves churned.
The Golden Lotus, which should have blazed with golden light, now carried a trace of black energy.
On the banks of the Lanjiang River, Ma Yibu, covered in black energy, with a giant black lotus manifesting behind her, was the eldest daughter of the Ma clan. She had been meticulously trained since childhood and had far more experience than the young Xiao Nian at that time.
Xiao Nian's abilities were largely derived from inherited bloodline memories.
Now, holding the Golden Lotus, even the natural bloodline suppression that ranked the black lotus higher had lost its effect.
Xiao Nian already had a premonition.
"Feng Chengye, do you think this seat doesn't know you possess the Fire Spirit Pearl? I originally intended to keep you by my side as a pet for a long time, but since you are unappreciative, don't blame this seat for digging out your heart and eating your flesh, ensuring you never reincarnate!"
"Ayin Xirui, your father and brother were no match for a single strike from the Golden Lotus. You even gave the Fire Spirit Pearl to this man, what capability do you have! Today, this seat will eradicate your royal lineage and exact revenge!"
"Fire Spirit Pearl..."
Feng Chengye knew what she had infused into his body, making him stronger than before, capable of immense strength and impervious to the cold. So this was called the Fire Spirit Pearl?
He looked at Xiao Nian, only to see her pale face and pupils filled with terror. She feared the dazzling treasure in the demoness's hand!
It was clear the demoness spoke the truth.
"Die!"
Ma Yibu threw the Golden Lotus. Under her command, the petals of the Golden Lotus slowly unfurled, one petal, two petals...
The wind howled, water swords pierced the sky.
The Golden Lotus, with four petals unfurled, could destroy a city.
Xiao Nian had held onto a sliver of hope, believing the Golden Lotus, an ancient divine artifact, would not be easily controlled by her.
But now, she was utterly desperate.
"Xiao Nian, hurry and go!"
Feng Chengye was the first to charge forward, throwing his own flesh and blood at the Golden Lotus.
"No—"
He would be reduced to ashes, never to have another life!
Just as the Golden Lotus collided with him, Xiao Nian activated Time Reversal.
Time Reversal required a great deal of spiritual energy, ideally done with the aid of a Spirit Locking Array, but she couldn't think that far. If Feng Chengye was annihilated, Time Reversal wouldn't save him.
He would completely dissipate into the world, leaving nothing behind.
Time instantly froze, rapidly twisted, and reversed.
But her spiritual energy was too weak, only rewinding to the moment Ma Yibu threw the Golden Lotus.
This time, before Feng Chengye could act, she lunged forward.
"Xiao Nian—" the man cried out, his voice filled with heart-wrenching grief.
Xiao Nian didn't want to die; she still wanted a next life. She tried to drive the Golden Lotus with her last ounce of strength.
Unexpectedly, the Golden Lotus actually stopped.
Ma Yibu couldn't believe it and exerted all her power.
The Golden Lotus seemed to struggle, spinning around.
"A'yin, A'yin, hurry and go, go..." a weak male voice emanated from the Golden Lotus.
She recognized it – it was her third brother's voice, one she would never forget.
"Third brother..."
"A'yin, the Golden Lotus has been tainted by her corrupt energy; you cannot control it. Hurry and go, brother cannot hold on much longer, go!"
Ma Yibu's face contorted with rage: "So there's still a wisp of soul hidden here! Then this seat will turn you into ashes! Ah—"
She let out a scream, for Xiao Nian had attacked her with her last ounce of strength.
As her power weakened, the Golden Lotus seized the opportunity to spin back, attacking Ma Yibu.
Ma Yibu dodged frantically, but the Golden Lotus's power was too immense. Even though she ran far away, she was still struck by its residual energy, her body splitting in two.
The Golden Lotus then slammed directly into a distant mountain peak, causing the heavens to collapse and the earth to crack, plunging everything into darkness.
"Third brother—"
Xiao Nian's falling body was caught by Feng Chengye, who rushed over.
For the first time, he hated his useless mortal body!
She was fading, heat rapidly draining, freezing her heart.
"In the next life, find me sooner, A'Ye."
She couldn't wait for rebirth; her strength was gone.
"No, Xiao Nian, I don't want Jing country anymore. I'll take you and leave now. Wherever you want to go, I'll take you. Xiao Nian, please, please don't..."
She could no longer hear his desperate pleas. Xiao Nian's body gradually became transparent, turning into an ice sculpture.
"How can I save you? Fire Spirit Pearl, Fire Spirit Pearl, where is it?"
Feng Chengye was like a madman now, devoid of any trace of his former exquisite handsomeness. He stabbed himself madly with a dagger, scattering his blood onto the ice sculpture. He tore open his chest, searching for the so-called pearl.
He didn't know that the pearl had long since merged with his body.
The ice layer gradually melted, revealing a lifeless form.
He held her, from day to night, and from night to day.
Finally, holding her, he sank step by step into the Lanjiang River.
To avoid public discontent, the royal family propagated that the divine maiden and the regent had ascended together. It was thought that without the regent and the divine maiden sharing power, the emperor's prestige would increase.
However, after that, Jing country began to suffer from natural disasters and constant unrest. Only then did the royal family fully believe the divine maiden's words.
Every emperor's greatest hope was the return of the divine maiden.
Until 500 years later.
During the reign of Emperor Zhaohuo, it was detected that the divine maiden had been reincarnated, and they grasped at this like a lifeline...
...
On the altar, the dust settled, and Ling Yao, who had been prostrate on the ground, slowly sat up.
Tears streamed down her face as she clutched her aching chest, the despair and sorrow suffocating her.
"Feng Chengye, Xiao Shan."
So they had a karmic entanglement spanning two lifetimes.
In the previous life, there was no happy ending.
She descended from the altar and walked step by step towards the palace. Along the way, she encountered the panicked Fu Lu.
"Bad news, Your Highness Princess! His Majesty has fainted. The imperial physicians say... it's like the God-Devouring Gu."
Fu Lu lowered his head, trembling all over. How could he feel that the princess's gaze was so terrifying?
Ling Yao laughed and cried at the same time.
There was still time. This time, the reversed time was long enough, enough.
She could save him.
At the border camp, the night was thinning, and the crescent moon was setting.
In the commander's tent, Xiao Shan suddenly rose from his desk.
"Xiao Nian!"
Where was Xiao Nian? Where was Xiao Nian?
There was no one. He held nothing in his arms, had not let go of anything. Where had she gone, where had she gone?
He was pacing anxiously, then suddenly stopped.
Who was he?
His hands were calloused, his face sported newly grown stubble, his body was strong and imposing. He was not the man who, even after coming down from the battlefield, was as elegant and refined as jade.
He was Xiao Shan.
Not Feng Chengye.
No, he was also Feng Chengye.
The Feng Chengye who had perished with the divine maiden in the Lanjiang River.
The Feng Chengye who had caused her death.
"Xiao Nian, Ling Yao..."
His beloved.
The A'Ye in her mouth was him.
The sound of a bugle call startled Xiao Shan, who was lost in thoughts of past and present lives.
He was confused again.
Hadn't they all died? Who was blowing the bugle?
When had he returned to the camp? How had his arm grown back? There were no wounds on his body.
The tent flap was lifted, and Wu Zhoubai was startled by Xiao Shan, who stood there motionless.
"You're up? Good, I've thought of a strategy... What do you think?"
After speaking for a while, Wu Zhoubai looked up and saw Xiao Shan staring intently at him, as if he owed him money and hadn't paid it back.
"What are you looking at! Didn't you sleep well?"
"You're not dead?"
Had he entered the underworld?
"You're the one who's dead!" Wu Zhoubai almost jumped up.
They were at war! Talking about death was the most taboo thing. The general was being a bit excessive this time!