Druid Fairy

Chapter 190 Reunion

The city gates of the capital stood majestically as always.

The area was bustling with traffic and noise, filled with the scents of cosmetics, the sweet aroma of food, and a faint, almost imperceptible, air of arrogance belonging to those in power.

This prosperous scene seemed to isolate all the bloodshed of war from the outside world, creating a blissful world of song and dance.

Li Yuanhu stood at this bustling entrance, feeling like a lost soul who had wandered into the wrong place.

His tattered armor, its original color long since obscured, was stained with indelible dark red bloodstains and hardened clumps of sand and dust.

He was still tall, but extremely thin, with sunken cheeks, cracked lips, and his exposed skin covered with crisscrossing scars, new and old, layered together like a grotesque map.

The only thing that remains unchanged is perhaps his eyes.

However, those eyes that once brimmed with youthful spirit and the passion of leaving home are now nothing but a lifeless gray.

It's a kind of numbness that comes from being repeatedly immersed in mountains of corpses and seas of blood, from seeing through life and death, and from seeing through lies.

Occasionally, in that desolate depth, a fleeting, uncontrollable grief and indignation would flash through.

Looking at the well-dressed, smiling citizens of the capital, and at the towering vermilion palace walls, he felt nothing but utter irony.

Is this the country he once defended with his own flesh and blood?
This was the glory he was so proud of and fought for.

He thought of the blood-soaked land of Luofeng Slope, of his comrades who had called him brother but turned into a wisp of resentment in the blood pool, and of the aloof and indifferent face of that celestial official... His heart felt as if it were being squeezed tightly by an invisible hand, the pain making it almost impossible for him to breathe.

He longed to see his family; that deep-seated yearning was the only thing that sustained him as he crawled out of the pile of corpses.

But he was afraid to see them. He didn't know how to start the conversation, how to tell them the cruel truth that would overturn their understanding of everything.

He was just one person, a soldier who had survived by sheer luck.

But he carried a secret that was enough to cause a huge upheaval.

…………

Tingtao Xiaozhu, a residence bestowed by the emperor, is quiet and elegant.

Li Mengjin was sitting cross-legged under an old pine tree in the courtyard, with a "shadow tooth" lying across his knees, and closing his eyes to rest.

Not far away, Li Mengze and Li Mengyue were sitting at a stone table, discussing something in hushed tones over a plate of osmanthus cake.

“Brother, the delegation from the Great Qian Dynasty will be arriving in the capital tomorrow. This exchange, ostensibly for friendly competition, is actually an attempt to overwhelm us in terms of momentum. A heated debate is inevitable.” Although Li Mengjin’s eyes were closed, his voice came through clearly.

Li Mengze nodded and was about to speak when a commotion suddenly broke out outside the mansion gate.

"Who goes there! This is an imperial residence, unauthorized entry is strictly prohibited..."

The servants' shouts stopped abruptly, replaced by a suppressed gasp.

The three siblings sensed something at the same time and all looked towards the doorway.

A tall but thin figure, bathed in the afterglow of the setting sun, staggered step by step into the courtyard.

He walked very slowly, each step seemingly exhausting all his strength, leaving behind a long, desolate shadow stretched out by the setting sun.

"Brother Yuanhu?!"

Li Mengyue was the first to exclaim in surprise, and the osmanthus cake in her hand fell to the ground with a "thud".

Li Mengze and Li Mengjin also stood up abruptly, their faces filled with disbelief.

Is the person in front of them really the same Brother Yuanhu who left home wearing heavy armor, riding a tall horse, waving and laughing at them with high spirits?
This is clearly a wicked ghost that has just crawled out of the deepest hell!

"Brother Yuanhu!"

Li Mengze was the first to react. He rushed forward and caught the swaying Li Yuanhu. His touch revealed hard bones and burning heat.

"How... how did you get injured like this?!" Li Mengze's voice trembled.

Looking at these familiar yet somewhat unfamiliar relatives in front of him, and seeing the undisguised concern and shock in their eyes, the taut string that had been holding him back finally snapped.

"I...I'm back."

He opened his mouth, his voice hoarse as if two pieces of sandpaper were rubbing together. He only managed to utter these four words before he could no longer hold on. His vision went black, and he collapsed forward.

…………

When Li Yuanhu woke up again, he was already lying in the most comfortable room of Tingtao Xiaozhu. His wounds had been re-treated and bandaged, and he had been dressed in clean and soft clothes.

Beside the bed, Li Mengze was personally administering acupuncture to him. Gentle streams of magical power flowed into his body through the silver needles, smoothing out the tangled mess of his meridians caused by long-term battles.

Li Mengjin stood quietly by the window, sword in hand, without uttering a word, but a terrifying storm was brewing in his sharp eyes.

Li Mengyue held a bowl of freshly cooked spirit rice porridge, her eyes red and her face full of heartache.

"Brother Yuanhu, you're awake! Quickly drink some porridge, your older brother said you're severely deficient in qi and blood."

Li Yuanhu struggled to sit up, but Li Mengze pressed him down.

"Don't move. Your soul is injured, and your meridians are broken in many places. It's a miracle you're still alive." Li Mengze put away the silver needles, his voice low. "What exactly happened? Wasn't the border war supposed to have stopped?"

The mention of the word "war" sent a shiver through Li Yuanhu's body, and his eyes, which had just regained some of their luster, were once again filled with hatred.

He remained silent for a long time, so long that Li Mengyue thought he had fallen asleep again.

Then, in a voice that was almost like a dream, he slowly opened his mouth.

"It's stopped? Heh... yeah, it's stopped..."

"Because...because the livestock in the 'ranch' need time to be reared..."

His laughter was dry and shrill.

Under the solemn gazes of his three siblings, Li Yuanhu recounted what he had seen and heard at Luofengpo in a fragmented narrative style.

He spoke of the altar built of bones and the churning pool of blood deep in the valley.

He recounted how the black-clad monks dragged the corpses of their comrades into the blood pool like dead dogs, extracting their resentment and malevolent energy and channeling it into a strange, blood-red spirit stone.

Finally, he spoke of the high and mighty celestial official, and his indifferent face that bordered on pity.

“He looked at us as if we were a group of… a group of crops that were growing well.”

At this point, Li Yuanhu could no longer control himself. He suddenly sat up in bed, grabbed Li Mengze's arm tightly, his nails digging so deep they almost drew blood.

"Do you know what? We're not soldiers! We're fertilizer! We're the fertilizer used to grow the 'Dragon Blood Fruit' in this 'fertile field' of the Great Yu Dynasty! War? War is just a play staged to 'harvest' us! Hahahaha! A play! A grand play!"

He was acting like a madman, crying and laughing at the same time.

The room was deathly silent.

Only Li Yuanhu's suppressed, caged beast-like roar echoed.

Li Mengyue's face was already deathly pale.

As the "Sacred Body of Taiyin," she could feel the deep-seated despair and pain in Li Yuanhu's words more vividly than anyone else.

In Li Yuanhu's narration, she seemed to "see" and hear it.

She "saw" countless young faces melting and twisting in the pool of blood, turning into grotesque, agonizing faces.

She "heard" countless souls crying out, "Why?"

"We gave our lives for our country, why must we end up like this?"

A chill emanating from the depths of her soul instantly swept over her body.

That boundless, blood-red maple forest, that mound of bones...

So it wasn't a dream after all.

That is a real hell on earth that has happened, is happening, and may continue to happen in the future!

"vomit……"

She couldn't hold it in any longer, ran to the corner, and vomited violently.

What she vomited was not just food, but also the last vestige of her beautiful illusions about this dynasty.

The so-called imperial grace and the so-called peace and prosperity of the country are all built on a huge lie piled up with countless bones and endless wronged souls!

Li Mengze, on the other hand, remained silent throughout.

He neither comforted Li Yuanhu nor helped Li Mengyue up.

He listened quietly, his face eerily calm, but in his gentle eyes, it seemed as if two volcanoes were brewing about to erupt.

Prince Yong...

"Seven Treasures Soul-Stabilizing Pill"...

The royal family's almost obsessive desire for longevity elixirs...

The cruelty of Princess Zhaoyang and her daughter...

In an instant, countless clues rapidly connected in his mind.

It turned out to be the case.

It turned out to be the case.

This dynasty was rotten to the core.

Loyalty to the emperor and patriotism, the common people and their lives—in the eyes of those in power, these are nothing more than tools and costs used to maintain their rule and prolong their lives.

He suddenly felt that everything he had done before was a joke.

He wanted to rely on Prince Yong's powerful connections to secure a place for his family in this cannibalistic system.

But this leg itself stands on the bones of countless people.

Li Mengjin, with a "clang," pulled the "Shadow Fang" out of his knee.

The sword rang out with a clear sound, its killing intent chilling.

“Brother Yuanhu,” his voice was icy cold and devoid of any emotion, “tell me, what is that celestial official’s name?”

Li Yuanhu raised his bloodshot eyes, looked at him, and said, word by word, "Zhou... Xiong!"

"Alright." Li Mengjin nodded and sheathed his sword.

"Second brother, what are you going to do?" Li Mengze asked, frowning.

"Go kill someone." Li Mengjin's answer was concise and to the point.

"Nonsense!" Li Mengze hissed. "One Zhou Xiong is dead, but there are countless Li Xiongs and Zhang Xiongs! Can you kill them all? If you rush out now, not only will you fail to kill him, but you will also drag our entire Li family into an abyss of no return!"

"So what?" Li Mengjin turned around and looked at him coldly. "We sword cultivators cultivate a spirit of honor! We are clear about gratitude and resentment, and we will avenge any wrongs! If we cannot even avenge the grudges of our comrades, and dare not even cut down the evil before our eyes, what use is this sword to me!"

These are two completely different paths, and at this moment, they collided most fiercely.

One is a strategist who is thoughtful and weighs the pros and cons.

One is a swordsman who is quick to avenge wrongs and fearless in his advance.

Just as the two brothers were arguing and the atmosphere had frozen to a freezing point, Li Mengyue, whose face was still pale, suddenly spoke up.

"Brothers, stop arguing."

She walked to the window, looked at the moon obscured by dark clouds, and said softly:
“The ‘ranch’ that Brother Yuanhu mentioned… I think we are all actually in this ‘ranch’.”

"We are all... livestock in their eyes."

"This is no longer a question of killing one person or not killing one person."

"The question is... do we continue to be these animals waiting to be slaughtered, or... do we overturn their 'pasture'!"

That's right!

Flip it over!

When this thought arose simultaneously in the minds of the four of them, they looked at each other and saw a resolute light in each other's eyes.

Their goal has also subtly changed from initially seeking glory for their family.

First, accumulate strength. Utilize all the resources provided by the royal family to strengthen yourself.

Second, uncover the truth. Do everything possible to find out how many secrets are hidden behind that so-called "national festival."

Third, seize opportunities and plan for the future.

In order to achieve this goal, they decided to continue to play their respective roles on the surface.

A loyal and promising alchemist; a sword cultivator with exceptional talent and a single-minded devotion to the Dao; and the innocent and beloved Princess Xiangrui.

All of this requires careful consideration.

…………

The next day.

The exchange delegation of the Great Qian Dynasty arrived in the capital of the Great Yu Dynasty amidst great anticipation.

The delegation was personally led by Qian Tianyi, the third prince of the Great Qian Dynasty. He was about twenty years old, with a handsome face, gentle and refined manners, and an air of royal nobility in every gesture.

Beneath that gentle exterior lies a pair of sharp eyes like a hawk's, revealing a deep-seated cunning and ambitious nature.

The younger generation accompanying them were all quite formidable.

There is Sikong Jin, a master alchemist hailed as the greatest genius of Medicine King Valley in a century. He is arrogant and disdainful of everyone, and is skilled at refining pills with all sorts of strange medicinal materials and domineering methods. He is Li Mengze's greatest rival this time.

There is Tuoba Xiong, the son of the Great General of the Great Qian Dynasty, who is known as the "Body Refinement Maniac". He is nine feet tall and as strong as an ox. His body is as strong as a magic weapon. His fighting style is open and domineering. He only wants to fight the strongest sword cultivator and boasts that he will "beat all the opponents in the Great Yu with one punch".

There is also a mysterious girl named Ye Liuli, whose identity remains a mystery and who always wears a black veil. She is silent and has an extremely low profile, but her eyes, hidden behind the veil, seem to be subtly exploring every inch of the capital.

This delegation was less there for "exchange" and more for "challenge." Each member carried the air of a victor and an undisguised contempt for the Great Yu Dynasty.

They didn't just want to win the prize in the competition; they wanted to trample on the younger generation of Dayu.

(End of this chapter)