Douluo Continent: Divine Oracle Young General, Qian Renxue, please have some self-respect.

The morning mist had not yet dissipated, like a layer of worn-out gauze wrapped around the tombstones.

The dew was heavy, the grass blades were bent over, and water droplets slowly trickled down the stone's veins.

It drips into the soil without making a sound.

The pine trees were black, standing motionless in the mist, like watchmen who had been standing for a very long time, forgetting the dawn.

Occasionally, a breeze would pass between the steles, very light, carrying the damp, cold, earthy smell.

The bird chirped once, then stopped.

The stone path was wet.

A soft rustling sound came from below, the sound of withered leaves being crushed underfoot.

The air was so cold it seeped into your bones; taking a breath filled your mouth with the smell of moss and rain.

Two figures stood in front of a monument.

The shadow was long and faint, as if it might melt into the mist at any moment.

"Grandpa, your grandson has come back to see you."

Jiang Ci looked at the tombstone in front of him, his eyes filled with lingering sorrow, and murmured softly.

Her hair was unadorned, simply falling freely down her back.

Without using his soul power, he let the morning dew wet his hair.

The vast cemetery is filled with numerous tombstones.

These are the graves of warriors who died in the empire's wars, who had no families and nowhere to be laid to rest.

This cemetery was built entirely by Jiang Ci.

This also fulfilled the old man's long-cherished wish.

The old man had no wife or children his whole life, and his greatest wish before he passed away was to be buried with the warriors of the empire.

Therefore, Jiang Ci built this cemetery.

Qian Renxue stayed by his side, looking at the young man shrouded in sorrow beside her, and couldn't help but purse her red lips tightly.

Although she had never met the old man lying on the ground, she still felt a pang of heartache at the sight of the young man's loneliness.

Not knowing how to comfort him, she could only gently pat Jiang Ci's shoulder.

Jiang Ci returned her a look that said there was no need to worry.

Immediately, he took out a wine bottle.

The wine in the flask wasn't any particularly expensive or rare wine.

It was just a very ordinary yellow wine that could be bought at any tavern in the city.

However, the symbolic meaning of this wine is anything but ordinary.

"Grandpa, this is your favorite wine."

"You once said that when people are troubled, having a drink can make all their troubles disappear."

"I brought this to you. I hope you have no worries in that world."

With a nostalgic air, Jiang Ci unscrewed the rice wine, took out two cups, and poured one cup into each.

He drank the whole cup in one gulp.

A cup of water spilled onto the damp soil in front of the tombstone.

Noticing Qian Renxue glancing at the wine pot every now and then, Jiang Ci glanced at her and said half-jokingly:

"Would Miss Xue like a drink too?"

"It's a pity this isn't a very good wine; it's different from the famous wines that Miss Xue usually enjoys."

But to Jiang Ci's surprise, Qian Renxue asked a very serious question in return:

"May I?"

For ordinary wines, Qianrenxue is naturally not a rare find.

After all, whether she was the Holy Maiden of the Spirit Hall or the disguised Crown Prince Xue Qinghe of the Heaven Dou Empire, Qian Renxue was never short of fine wines.

Those displayed in the East Palace were all priceless fine wines.

A pot of yellow wine, readily available at street stalls, shouldn't be considered a particularly good wine by her standards.

But at this moment, this pot of cheap yellow wine was more attractive to Qian Renxue than any famous wine.

This sudden seriousness put Jiang Ci in a difficult position.

"this……"

"But there isn't a third cup..."

"or……"

Jiang Ci had not expected that Qian Renxue would actually want a cup of this kind of common yellow wine.

Therefore, naturally no second cup was prepared.

This one was one he had drunk from, and the other, though he hadn't drunk from it, was prepared for the deceased. It didn't seem appropriate to give either one to Qian Renxue.

"It's okay, we don't need a third cup."

Qian Renxue waved her hand, interrupting Jiang Ci.

Under Jiang Ci's surprised gaze, he took the wine glass from her hand, which she hadn't finished drinking.

Then, with a slightly flushed face, she drank it all in one gulp.

Yellow wine is not particularly mellow or fragrant.

There are even some impurities that haven't been completely removed.

The initial taste wasn't great, and the alcohol was a bit harsh on the throat, but Qian Renxue experienced a sensation she had never felt before with any of the famous wines she had tasted.

She pursed her red lips.

He thought to himself:

Is this the wine Jiang Ci likes...?

Then, she noticed Jiang Ci's surprised gaze.

Suddenly realizing that she had just interrupted him, she understood what he was about to say.

"Aci, what's wrong?"

"It's nothing." Jiang Ci's lips twitched slightly.

"I just wanted to say..."

"There's not much wine left in the flask, but actually, using the flask directly is fine..."

He glanced at the wine glass that Qian Renxue had returned to him.

On the wall of the jade porcelain wine cup, a touch of bright red stands out.

Qian Renxue, realizing what was happening, blushed instantly.

His eyes involuntarily lowered as well.

"Ah, this..."

That's so embarrassing!

Qian Renxue was momentarily speechless and at a loss for what to do.

His eyes were fixed on the ground, as if he wanted a hole to appear out of thin air so he could hide inside.

Was my behavior just now too abrupt, causing Jiang Ci to misunderstand?

Numerous self-doubts involuntarily surfaced in Qian Renxue's mind.

Jiang Ci wisely refrained from saying more on this topic.

After burning a few sticks of incense and whispering some heartfelt words to the tombstone in front of him, Jiang Ci placed a handful of yellow chrysanthemums, bowed, and then slowly left the cemetery with Qian Renxue.

Occasionally, a few pedestrians can still be seen in the cemetery.

It's not the relatives of these soldiers who entered this cemetery because they had no family members.

Instead, they were ordinary people whose lives had been saved by these soldiers.

They would also come to worship on certain days.

This is not surprising.

Although the world's people are complex, there is no shortage of gratitude.

"Are all these people who came to pay their respects to Huai'en?"

Qian Renxue noticed the comings and goings of people carrying wreaths.

"Mm." Jiang Ci nodded slightly.

"They must be so happy that so many people remember them even after they've passed away."

"Probably," Jiang Ci said softly.

"But we can't see it anymore."

Jiang Ci felt gratified to see this phenomenon.

However, he did not want this phenomenon to occur too often.

If he could, he would prefer that the gratitude of these people be directed not at the cold bodies lying beneath the tombstones, but at the living, breathing people.

Some criticized him for slaughtering enemy soldiers and being ruthless.

However, Jiang Ci did this only to reduce casualties on his side and to prevent the cemetery from having too many tombstones.

As for soldiers from enemy countries, they also have lives.

Jiang Ci didn't care.

He is an extremely selfish person.

The lives of one's own soldiers are far more precious than the lives of soldiers from any enemy country.

"You long for peace, don't you?"

Qian Renxue's feelings were somewhat complicated.

Who would have thought that this hawkish military general, who was criticized by many dovish civil officials, was actually the one who longed for peace the most?

"Peace and prosperity for the nation are the wishes of all people, but I am just an ordinary person."

Jiang Ci looked ahead, his gaze resolute.

"even if……"

"Blood is needed to tear through the darkness before dawn arrives."