The wind and snow howled, and the sky was freezing.
...
Yu Feng led more than 3,000 demon cavalry in a fierce charge towards the Linlu Army's camp. This was their only path to survival. There was no hope of returning to Snow Domain Heavenly Pond; a massive Jade Jue Umbrella protective array stood in the way, a masterpiece of Elder Xu Er, which no one dared to underestimate. Thus, they had to pick on the softer targets. Coincidentally, the Linlu Army, despite its numbers, was precisely the soft target in Yu Feng's eyes.
"Brothers!"
Yu Feng, wielding his sharp sword, cleaved out waves of sword energy to clear the path ahead. He said in a deep voice, "Charge for me, charge at full speed! As long as we pass through Guyao Pass, we can return to our ancestral lands of the Divine Race, regroup, and march south again to avenge our fallen brothers. By then, we will not be just fifty thousand cavalry drinking by the Sword Washing River, but five hundred thousand, or even a million, charging straight into Jiangnan!"
"Yes, Crown Prince!"
The men immediately raised their swords and charged.
On both sides, the human army seemed to have reached a tacit understanding, offering no strong resistance, merely shooting arrows from the flanks. However, the demon cavalry were clad in armor, which provided strong defense against ordinary arrows. Many cavalry were wounded but not killed, and apart from a few who fell from their horses and died, most remained intact. They cut their way through the entire central command tent of the Linlu Army and finally reached the entrance of Guyao Pass.
However, the moment they arrived at Guyao Pass, Yu Feng felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave!
Ahead, a new stone wall had been newly erected. Li Chunyang had not been idle while leading hundreds of thousands of the Linlu Army to garrison Guyao Pass; he had rebuilt the pass. Now, the tens of meters high Guyao Pass stood before them, with the city gate, its sides, and its rear densely packed with human archers and spear formations. On their side, there were only a few thousand weary and hungry, dying armored soldiers. How could they possibly fight this battle?
Clearly, they had fallen into Li Chunyang's trap.
"Li Chunyang!"
Yu Feng roared at the distant snow curtain, "You despicable and shameless scoundrel, my Yu Clan Dynasty will never forgive you!"
"Crown Prince, that is going too far,"
From within the snow curtain, Li Chunyang, clad in armor and mounted on his horse, appeared and said with a smile, "We each serve our own masters; why speak of eternal enmity? When you, Crown Prince Yu Feng, were charging my human soldiers at Copper Mirror Lake, did you not think it was only right and proper?"
With that, he waved his hand and commanded, "Shoot them down with a hail of arrows! Whoever captures Yu Feng's head will be granted the title of Marquis of Ten Thousand Households!"
Instantly, arrows rained down from the sky and the earth.
Countless demon cavalry were hit by arrows, falling from their horses, their bodies twitching in the snow, trampled by hooves. The more than 3,000 cavalry were squeezed into a narrow space, enduring wave after wave of volleys.
"Crown Prince!"
A Ten Thousand Man Commander thrust out a wisp of martial true energy with his long sword, deflecting a large portion of the arrows. He said in a deep voice, "There is no need for a death match. Those who can ride the wind should leave. Those who cannot, stay and buy us time. Let us exchange our lives for as many as possible. We warriors of the Divine Race never die in vain."
"Good!"
Yu Feng grunted, "Those who can fly with the wind, follow me. Abandon your steeds!"
Immediately, dozens of demon cultivators in the middle five realms followed Yu Feng into the air, their bodies enveloped by a dense layer of protective Qi that repelled all the human arrows. Li Chunyang had not expected to kill them all anyway. Firstly, the cost of killing them would be too high. Yu Feng was an eleventh-realm cultivator, and killing him would necessitate a heavy loss of the Linlu Army's accompanying cultivators. Secondly, the consequences of killing Yu Feng would be too severe. The Yu Clan Dynasty was one of the great dynasties of the demon race. If he killed Yu Feng, the entire Yu Clan Dynasty would bear a grudge against him. By then, if millions of demon cavalry marched south, his Linlu Army would likely be the first to be annihilated. Therefore, making mortal enemies was unnecessary.
In the wind, Yu Feng raised his sword in the air, looking down at the thousands of demon cavalry fighting to the death below. He gritted his teeth and said in a low voice, "You will not die in vain. One day, I will lead an army back to Guyao Pass and flatten the human race!"
With that, Yu Feng led dozens of people away, drifting like clouds.
They had arrived with fifty thousand cavalry, but left with mere dozens.
Before Guyao Pass, a hail of arrows rained down. The number of demon cavalry being shot and killed dwindled, and within the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn, they were all dead.
"Hmph!"
Li Chunyang looked at the pile of demon corpses and said, "Decapitate them all, bring their heads, and the entire army will return south. The Linlu Army's northern expedition can now be considered concluded."
...
Early morning.
Lin Zhao woke from his dream, rubbing his eyes and looking out the window. Another autumn rain had arrived. The weather was growing colder. Rain streaks crisscrossed the windowpane, and the sound of dripping filled his ears. The scene was so peaceful it made one want to sleep in, but Lin Zhao was no longer sleepy. He had just dreamed of Xiao Jiuer and Xiao Shitong again. He dreamed he was standing under a stone bridge, dressed as a player, and on the bridge, his little girl and young boy had grown into adults, their childhood appearances still faintly recognizable.
Xiao Jiuer wore a long dress and had grown beautiful. She carried a sword in her hand, her hair styled in an elegant maiden's bun. She looked at him with a smile, sweetly calling him "Brother Lin Zhao," and saying, "I miss you so much." Xiao Shitong wore a blue tunic, similar to the attire of the old Marshal Chen Wanli back then. Now, Xiao Shitong was a young man, exuding a strong aura of fist intent, with handsome, sword-like eyebrows. He clasped his hands in greeting towards Lin Zhao and said with a smile, "Brother Lin Zhao, we finally meet again. Xiao Jiuer and I both miss you dearly."
Lin Zhao lay on the bed, filled with nostalgia, and murmured, "I miss you all too..."
Some things could not be undone.
And some things still had room for maneuver.
"Dong dong dong~~~"
There was a knock on the door outside. Mo Chenxue stood outside and said softly, "Brother, wake up. Breakfast is almost ready."
"Mm, got it."
"Okay."
Mo Chenxue turned to watch Ding Chi and Zhang Jun playing table tennis. Lin Zhao got up, washed, and went out to eat. He chatted with Shen Xingchen and Chen Xue about guild matters. Although the two vice-guild leaders could make decisions on important guild matters, they still needed Lin Zhao's approval. Shen Xingchen and Chen Xue had a very good grasp of how to handle these matters.
After breakfast.
Lin Zhao rubbed Xiao Juzi's little head and smiled, "You seem to have grown taller again?"
"Mm."
Xiao Juzi bounced and said, "Teacher said I grew two centimeters taller."
Ding Chi laughed, "But you're still short. Be careful you don't reach one meter fifty in the future and can't get married~~~"
Xiao Juzi didn't understand, gnawing on her bread, she said, "I don't want to grow taller; it takes more fabric to make clothes when you're taller!"
Luo Man smiled, "Brother, do you like children so much? How about..."
"Shut up!"
Lin Zhao glared at her, "This troublemaker. What if my Leng girl hears these jokes!"
After breakfast, everyone logged in.
Lin Zhao was in Snow Domain Heavenly Pond, while the others were still in Heavenly Machine City, each pursuing their own endeavors.
...
In the early morning, Snow Domain Heavenly Pond was shrouded in a thin mist, everything appearing incredibly tranquil.
"Swish!"
Lin Zhao's figure appeared outside the grand training ground. Looking at Chen Ben practicing punches in the distance, Tong Yu practicing swordplay, and Mu Gua training the cavalry charge, he felt a sense of peace. He turned to look south. The battle at Squirrel Forest last time was actually very close to Copper Mirror Lake, but due to in-game matters, he had never made a trip to Copper Mirror Lake.
He had originally planned to part ways with Han Yurou and Zhang Xicheng, each going their own way, but he couldn't quite let go. Han Yurou was merely a lower-five-realm Peach Blossom Demon, and Zhang Xicheng was just a wisp of heroic spirit. They were not very strong in this world, and anyone could bully them. It really wouldn't do for him not to check on them.
Thus, he softly called out, "Zhu Zhi?"
It would be inappropriate to go without someone. Although he was level 100, had learned the Sword Breaking Technique, and possessed two flying swords, he was ultimately a player, currently rated as a lower-five-realm sword cultivator. Bringing Zhu Zhi along would be safer.
A beautiful figure descended from the sky. Zhu Zhi, dressed in white, with an empty sleeve on her right arm, smiled and said, "My lord, do you need something?"
"Accompany me to Copper Mirror Lake?"
"Mm."
Zhu Zhi nodded with a smile, "Shall we fly there, or walk?"
"Let's fly. Old Huang took me there like this back then."
"Alright."
A beam of sword light descended, and Lin Zhao and Zhu Zhi soared into the air, heading straight for Copper Mirror Lake. In a few breaths, they had arrived. Zhu Zhi guided her flying sword to land by the lake and then stood quietly in place. She would not interfere too much with whatever Lin Zhao did at Copper Mirror Lake. Her only task was to protect Lin Zhao and obey his commands.
"Rustle..."
Lin Zhao walked on the snow that had melted halfway by the lakeside. From afar, he could see a peach grove. He clasped his hands and said in a deep voice, "It has been a hundred years. I wonder if Miss Han Yurou and Miss Luhua are still here. I, Lin Zhao, request an audience!"
The entire Copper Mirror Lake rippled. At that moment, the lake water turned a deep red, and countless peach blossoms stirred. Han Yurou, the Peach Blossom Demon, emerged from the lake. After a hundred years of cultivation, she was now a sixth-realm spirit, a mid-five-realm sprite, but still not strong enough. There were too many people who could bully her. Looking at the young sword cultivator standing by the lake, Han Yurou stood stunned on the water's surface. He looked nothing like the young man from back then, yet Han Yurou recognized him at a glance. His eyes were still as clear as ever, unstained by any dust.
"Young Master Lin Zhao..."
Han Yurou's tears flowed freely, and she said softly, "You're still here?"
"Mm."
Lin Zhao looked at her, and then at the little demon Luhua who appeared beside Han Yurou, and smiled, "The Lin Zhao of the past has died in battle. I am now his reincarnation after parting from his mortal coil. I have returned to Copper Mirror Lake today to see how Miss Han Yurou has been doing."
"Good, good..."
Han Yurou bit her red lips, tears streaming down her face. She had stubbornly believed that Lin Zhao must still be alive, but she never expected him to appear before her again. At this moment, Han Yurou's tears were filled with joy and emotion.
"Miss Han,"
Lin Zhao smiled, "How is Zhang Xicheng now?"
"I... I don't know..."
Han Yurou bit her red lips and said, "I haven't received a letter from him in decades..."
...
"What happened?"
Lin Zhao's heart tightened, "What occurred?"
Han Yurou's tears flowed profusely, and she wept continuously.
Beside her, Luhua gritted her teeth and said, "Sir, you may not know, but after the battle in the snow region, when you died defending the realm, a seventh-realm rogue cultivator entered Copper Mirror Lake and stole the Flying Fish and Talisman Stone. Since then, we have not received any replies from Zhang Xicheng."
"A seventh-realm rogue cultivator?"
Lin Zhao's fists clenched involuntarily, "What was his name?! Where does he live?"