Ink Burns

Chapter 272 Going Home (Part 1)

[The last paragraph of the previous text had some phrasing issues, which I have made some revisions. This may affect the reading and understanding of the following text. Please feel free to move on and take another look.]

Before Shan Yue could think it through, she saw dozens of reinforcements, all wearing chainmail, moving through the mountains and forests as if they were tigers returning to their forests, walking on flat ground. They moved like the wind, seemingly very familiar with the terrain. They retreated five steps at a time, skillfully using tree trunks and bushes to cautiously and calmly dodge wave after wave of enemy rockets and close-range attacks.

The reinforcements were carried out at a steady pace, advancing little by little. Although they were slightly outnumbered, they showed no signs of weakness thanks to their familiarity with the terrain and their exceptional night-fighting vision.

The horses, startled, reared up and panted, causing the carriage to lurch. Shan Yue braced herself against the carriage wall with her hands outstretched, and the heavy rain seeped in through the cracks in the windows. Whether it was the smell of blood in the air or her imagination, she turned her head and held her breath. In the dim, damp night air, she felt as if the plain silk inside the carriage was tinged with large, bright red bloodstains.

In the mountain streams of late autumn, the scalding heat of blood mingled with the piercing cries of agony. Arrows of fire shot into the muddy, decaying soil, leaving shallow marks of life-or-death struggles and deep marks of flesh and blood seeping into the mud, a winding path of death.

no no.

The reinforcements seemed unconcerned about killing anyone; they carried not swords or knives, but long, sharp wooden spikes. Clad in chainmail, the reinforcements were only responsible for using their agility and concealment to knock enemies to the ground, then seizing the opportunity to find their next target.

Xue Xiao, Ji Feng, and another capable attendant transformed into evil Buddhas who specialized in reaping lives.

—Beneath the overwhelming darkness, only the flickering light from scattered arrows served as candlesticks to illuminate the bloodshed. Xue Xiao, like a demon emerging from the tangled web of death, was covered in blood, his hair disheveled and plastered to his jawbone. Xue Xiao yanked the head of the half-dead masked assassin from the ground, his movements swift and decisive, a gushing stream of blood erupting from the assassin's neck, like a gushing spring being plucked open!

Xue Xiao's face was cold and stern as he was consciously immersed in the sea of ​​blood. He casually raised his eyes and met Shan Yue's slightly upturned, cold, and calm eyes behind the curtain of the car.

Against a backdrop of blood, fire, and wailing, Xue Xiao disappeared into the darkness of the southeast, with countless grotesque and screaming souls seemingly swimming behind him.

Xue Xiao smiled faintly at Shan Yue from afar.

Before he could even wipe the smile off his face, a desperate sword aura struck him from the side. Xue Xiao swiftly turned and slashed his opponent's waist with his soft silver blade, securing another perfect solo kill.

As Shan Yue watched, a sense of disorientation seemed to rise in the back of her head.

It was as if she had returned to that night.

In that wildfire, the powerful and wealthy toasted each other in their carriages, while the common people lived in fear, fought and struggled to survive like dogs, following the rules to live to the end, only to exchange their lives for another to gain a sliver of hope.

And now?

The roles of offense and defense have shifted.

Xue Xiao's desperate figure overlapped with his own memories.

They are demons, evil spirits, and Buddhas.

Shan Yue lowered her eyes, her left hand gently covering her chest. Her palm was warm, and her chest was burning. Amidst her shrill screams, she felt as if she had fallen into an endless, silent abyss. The only sound in her ears was the loud thumping of her heart. The boat, which was being pushed away by the waves, seemed to be pulled closer and closer by an invisible rein.

The mountains gradually leveled out.

Outside the carriage, a gust of wind called out: "Madam, it's resolved."

Shan Yue lifted the carriage curtain, revealing more than thirty corpses lying haphazardly in a clearing in the mountains. The black cloth covering their faces was torn off, revealing clear faces. Attendants counted them one by one. The reinforcements who came to help put down the wooden spikes and cleaned up the battlefield. They came and went, but Xue Xiao was nowhere to be seen. Just as they were about to ask a question, they saw a figure leaping rapidly in the distance above the mountains and forests, arriving in front of them in no time.

"Tie up all the corpses. Lift up their sleeves to check their wrists, lift their hair to check their scalps, and check their shoulder bones for any family markings."

Xue Xiao gave the order in a deep voice, his body reeking of blood. After giving the instructions, he looked up at Shan Yue and subtly scanned her up and down. Once he confirmed that Shan Yue was alright, his tone became a little more relaxed: "Put out the ground fire. The autumn air is crisp and clear. Once the wind picks up, the fire will spread and the whole mountain will be gone."

Some people are afraid of fire.

Reinforcements arrived in twos and threes, closing in on them.

Xue Xiao strode forward, straightened his legs, leaned slightly forward, and clasped his hands in front of his chest: "Master—"

The reinforcements pulled down their black veils one by one, revealing their true faces.

The newcomers were of varying ages, some dark-skinned, some fat, some thin. The leader had a long beard and thick eyebrows, with an ebony hairpin running across his hair. There were also younger ones, with fair and tender faces that revealed their childishness, and innocent and bright eyes. If one ignored the fact that his hands were tightly gripping wooden spikes, with sticky bloodstains hanging from the spikes, one would definitely think that he was an innocent and naive young boy.

Hmm, it couldn't be someone from the Xishan camp.

No matter how desperate a dynasty may be, it cannot require a seventy-year-old man and a thirteen-year-old boy to serve in the military at the same time.

"Master"?
Xue Xiao's master?
Shan Yue peeked over. The man with the thick beard and crane-like eyebrows immediately glared at her: "I've taught you countless things, and all you remember in that dog-brain of yours is one sentence—'A teacher for a day is a father for life'?"

"You only remember your master when you're begging for help! When you were all high and mighty as a powerful minister, you never even sent me a couple of magnificent crane cloaks!"

Shan Yue turned to look at Xue Xiao again.

A crane cloak?

Taoist priest?

Xue Xiao grew up in Qingyue Temple. All the visitors were Taoists.

Oh.

No wonder.

The more she looked at the way the reinforcements were handling the wooden spikes, the more it resembled the way a Taoist priest used his whisk.

The reinforcements were not from the Xishan camp, but from the Taoist priests of Qingyue Temple. It makes sense, considering that Xue Xiao's superb martial arts skills must have been honed through his childhood training. If his disciple is so skilled, how could his master be any less so?

"Master, Master!" Xue Xiao smiled, placing the knife behind his back with one hand. "Don't panic. I've gotten you a crown with turquoise pearls from the Northwest, a string of small Taoist beads from the Northeast, and a cloud-and-mountain crane cloak woven from the Jiangnan region. When you meet with the Taoist Registry of the Ministry of Personnel, I guarantee you'll be the most extravagant Taoist master in the capital region."

The old Taoist priest was clearly very happy.

The slight twitching at the corners of his mouth betrayed his mood.

The old Taoist looked at Shan Yue behind Xue Xiao and saw that the girl was dressed simply in a cloud-patterned robe, with a fair and serene face, her eyes slightly lowered, looking very gentle and quiet.

The old Taoist's heart melted: "Is this my precious disciple's wife?"

Xue Xiao grinned, his back ramrod straight, and casually grabbed Shan Yue's hand, squeezing it gently as if he were holding a slippery fish: "Hey, yes, yes—Shan Yue, call me Master—Master, call me Shan Yue—"

Like a stupid dog.

The elderly Taoist priest with white hair gave his closed-door disciple a slightly disdainful look, then turned to Shan Yue, his face beaming with a warm, spring-like smile: "This humble Taoist priest is Chuibai of Qingyue Temple. Having just met my disciple's daughter-in-law, I must be courteous—"

As he spoke, he handed Shan Yue a dark, mushy piece of cloth.

“My Qingyue Temple has been poor for many years and has never received much incense offering. Please do not think that my gift is too small for my daughter-in-law.”

Shan Yue bowed and accepted it with both hands.

Xue Xiao raised an eyebrow, signaling him to open it quickly.

Perhaps the white-haired Taoist priest enjoys watching people unwrap gifts in front of him?
Shan Yue lifted a corner of the dark cloth, revealing a glittering golden light. When she spread it all out, good heavens, a pair of sleeve bracelets inlaid with turquoise, jade, rubies, and sapphires were displayed in front of her in a very luxurious manner.

Shan Yue was astonished: Even if she were to fall into disgrace tomorrow, this bracelet could help her make a comeback!
Master Chuibai was very satisfied with Shanyue's expression. He waved his arm and said, "It's still late at night, and we can't get back to the capital. Let's not fall into other people's traps. Fortunately, the Taoist temple is not far away. Let's go back to the temple, soak in the water, and get a good night's sleep. Tomorrow will be another tough battle!"

Xue Xiao looked at the sky.

The rain was gradually subsiding on the horizon, but several thick, heavy clouds were moving in from the northwest, and another downpour was sure to begin in the latter half of the night.

Xue Xiao bowed and replied, "Yes."

The group headed northeast.

Shan Yue caught up with Xue Xiao and whispered, "...Daoist Master, there's no need to go to such lengths. Our temple is poor, and even the corners of your robe are tattered. How could we juniors possibly obtain such a treasure?"

Xue Xiao used the back of his knife to slash at the snake on the road, a smile playing on his lips, and asked Shan Yue, "Do you know what my master's zodiac sign is?"

what?
Shan Yue raised her eyes, her gaze filled with doubt.

"Born in the Year of the Dragon".

Xue Xiao lowered his voice: "The old evil dragon who loves to decorate his cave with sparkling lights."