Chapter 112: Enemies Often Cross Paths

Beside the crystal coffin atop the clouds of Mount Sumeru in the Thirty-Three Heavens, Lu Xue had kept her vigil for five hundred years. Five hundred years in a place where all things rest, five hundred years guarding a body that would not decay. She was content even with just this shell; no one could ever snatch Hanqing away from her again. There would be no more traps set by the cruel and overbearing Princess Changyang, no more of that dainty, fragile Bai Ru calling out "Brother Hanqing" at every turn, and no more of that disciple who competed for his favor and stole the care that should have been hers alone! There would be no more princesses, no more women of any kind. Her world with Hanqing was meant to be this pure. She should be the one to act with authority, she should be the one to call him "Brother Hanqing," she should be the one to indulge in fits of temper, and she alone should be the recipient of his doting love!

Yet, she felt an irrepressible resentment. The dignified God Chongming of the Heavenly Realm, the revered Imperial Tutor of the Nine Provinces, lay here. He should have remained at Kunlun Void, at the Jade Purity Realm, accepting the worship of all living things. He should have remained great, rather than being gradually forgotten by the world.

"Xue'er!" Suddenly, a voice—a truly real voice, identical to the one in her memories—rang out.

This "Xue'er" was like a tug at her very sinews. She looked around in a panic, but no one was there. She froze, wondering if she were hallucinating.

"Xue'er!" This time she heard it even more clearly.

"Hanqing! Is that you?" Lu Xue asked, filled with joyous surprise.

"It is I!" The voice had changed. The God Wuxiang, wearing a mask and holding a folding fan, appeared before her.

"Wuxiang. Where is Hanqing?" Lu Xue asked, filled with hostility.

"Do you truly wish for Yunxiao to come back to life?" the God Wuxiang asked.

"Of course!" Lu Xue replied.

"The Netherworld is currently attacking the Heavenly Realm. It is feared that Tian Sheng alone leading the troops will not command enough respect. It is time for the God Chongming, Yunxiao, to appear and take charge of the situation. Don't you agree?" The God Wuxiang held his fan, speaking in a measured, unhurried tone.

"Yes! Does the God have a way?" Lu Xue asked eagerly.

"I certainly have a way, but it depends on whether you are capable of doing it."

"I can!" Lu Xue said firmly.

"Some time ago, Mount Sumeru suddenly trembled, shaking the Thirty-Three Heavens, and spirit snow fell upon the Heavenly River. Did you see it?" the God Wuxiang asked.

"I saw it," Lu Xue replied.

"That was the auspicious sign of the God Yunxiao's rebirth!" the God Wuxiang declared.

"Hanqing is reborn! Truly?" Lu Xue asked in surprise.

"Indeed! As long as you apply your heart," the God Wuxiang said. "I shall perform the Wuxiang Divine Art. Close your eyes now and make a vow with the power of your heart to create a vessel for Yunxiao's primordial spirit. His scattered soul will gather within this vessel due to the power of the vow made by the one he loved most. Once the primordial spirit is whole, he shall be reborn."

"Truly!" Lu Xue was overjoyed.

The God Wuxiang cast hand seals to gather divine power. "Close your eyes now and vow with your heart!"

Lu Xue closed her eyes, her expression tense yet filled with immense anticipation. The God Wuxiang tapped her forehead, then tapped his own hand, and with a flick of his wrist, a beam of white light fell to the ground.

"Xue'er!" Hearing the voice from across from her, Lu Xue hurriedly opened her eyes.

A living, breathing Hanqing stood before her, so real. He was tall and heroic, his eyes filled with deep affection. His face was no longer pale like the one in the crystal coffin, and his body was no longer cold and stiff. After forty thousand years and two partings by death, Lu Xue threw herself into the arms of the God Yunxiao, clutching him tightly as she burst into loud, bitter sobs.

"You may make him do whatever you wish. He is connected to your heart," the God Wuxiang said.

"Hanqing! Hold me!" Lu Xue wept.

The God Yunxiao held Lu Xue with deep affection.

"Call me Xue'er!"

"Xue'er!"

"You're awake! You're finally awake!" Lu Xue was overcome with emotion.

"Remember, as long as you do as I say, I will help you ensure his resurrection."

"Yes! Lu Xue is grateful for the God's grace of rebirth!" Lu Xue cried.

The God Wuxiang cast hand seals over the crystal coffin, and it erupted with myriad rays of auspicious light, instantly turning into a vast expanse of white. He tapped the God Yunxiao, who transformed into a beam of white light, flew out of Mount Sumeru, and headed straight for the Netherworld battlefield in the Western Sea.

"Go, tell them your Hanqing has returned, that the God Yunxiao has returned! Once victorious, Yunxiao can continue to serve as the God Chongming of the Heavenly Realm, governing the Nine Provinces, the Four Seas, the Five Hills, and the Eight Marshes!" The God Wuxiang turned and left.

Lu Xue ran down Mount Sumeru.

A flicker of light appeared on the mountain. The God Wuxiang, waving his folding fan, came to the side of the crystal coffin. He closed the fan, tapped the coffin, and said languidly, "What is dead is dead; even if it returns, it is not you."

I received Princess Changyang's Qingqiu Command at the front lines of the Western Sea. One hundred thousand vanguard troops from the Five Hills and Seven Marshes were already rapidly advancing toward the Western Sea. Princess Changyang was indeed swift and decisive.

Jiang Ye's Sea Wolf scouts shuttled between the two realms, relaying information.

"Jiang Ye, what is the situation at the front?" I asked.

"Who goes there! Seize them!" Jiang Ye was startled by my sudden arrival. I had forgotten to tell him that my appearance had changed.

"Jiang Ye, it is I, Yu Fei."

"Little Fairy? How did you become like this? Has Tian De harmed you again?" Jiang Ye asked anxiously.

"No. Tell me of the battle first," I said.

"A million Netherworld soldiers are within reach. Ming Zhong is the vanguard," Jiang Ye replied.

"Jiang Ye, the enemy is many and we are few. Set up the Immortals-Intercepting Formation as the front line. I shall face Ming Zhong myself. If I falter, the vanguard troops must feign a rout to stretch the enemy's lines, then use the Sea Wolf oil to lure the enemy into the five formations—Execution, Slaughter, Destruction, Massacre, and Annihilation—to break them apart and strike."

"No! You cannot go! It is too dangerous! I will go!" Jiang Ye blocked my path.

"Do not worry. I am not who I was before. I must settle this account with him myself!" I said.

"No!"

"This is a military order!" I waved my hand, donned my armor, and revealed the military tally granted by Tian Sheng.

Jiang Ye had no choice. "You must promise to return alive..."

"I promise!"

I flew out of the military tent and onto the surface of the Western Sea, where I could already see the dark, oppressive mass of the Netherworld army. And there, in the vanguard camp, was that masked face—so familiar, yet so intensely hated! Five hundred years later, I saw him again!

Ming Zhong led the vanguard camp in a charge, moving with terrifying speed across the sea. It seemed he intended to break the formation head-on. Facing the overwhelming might of our formation, he thought he could lead this small contingent to strike straight through. He must have fought too many easy battles and underestimated the Heavenly Realm! Very well! My master said that in warfare, one should avoid the strong and strike the weak, subduing the enemy without fighting. He also said that when two armies meet, the brave shall prevail! Today, I shall engage you in a head-on collision! I will give the Heavenly soldiers courage!

I mounted my Heavenly Horse and summoned my Antler Bow and Flying Feather Arrows... Master, this is what you taught me! Today, I shall use these methods to repay you!

Ming Zhong signaled his troops to halt and rode out alone...

Under the blood-red moon, two generals, one in black and one in white, stood off against each other.

"Who comes? State your name!" Ming Zhong demanded.

"Dayin!" I gave the title the immortals of the Heavenly Realm had bestowed upon me.

"Ming Zhong!" Ming Zhong said coldly.

I kicked the stirrups and tightened the reins, building the horse's momentum. Suddenly, both rider and horse were enveloped in fierce spiritual flames, the intensity like a raging prairie fire! Using my divine power to control the spiritual arrows, I infused the fiery crimson true flame into the bow and arrows—one, two, three... nine arrows fired at once. The arrows, carrying the power of true flame, streaked toward Ming Zhong like nine bolts of divine thunder.

Ming Zhong sat steady on his horse, radiating a cold, chilling light, his posture as imposing as a ten-thousand-fathom mountain. He instantly summoned a bow that gleamed with icy light, notched an arrow, and fired. That single arrow transformed into nine, wreathed in flowing light, striking straight at my nine arrows of true fire.

Yin and Yang collided like exploding thunder. The divine power within the arrows blasted Ming Zhong's vanguard camp, sending them flying into the Western Sea. Both Heavenly Horses neighed and were knocked to the ground. I immediately leaped into the air and fired another nine arrows, giving Ming Zhong no chance to reach for his Jade Dragon Cup. Ming Zhong parried with his own arrows, and I spun, firing another nine arrows backhanded. Ming Zhong replied with nine more... arrow met arrow, force met force... between water and sky, lightning flashed and thunder roared.

I instantly fired nine more arrows. These nine appeared to advance in unison, but in reality, eight of them carried little power, while all my strength was concentrated into one. If Ming Zhong continued to distribute his force evenly across all nine to parry, my powerful arrow would break through his defense and strike his vital points. If he noticed, my tactic would be exposed, and he would surely seize the chance to counter with a powerful arrow against my weak ones. If I failed to dodge in time, I would be struck; if I flew away to dodge, he would strike me while I was in motion. But this was a desperate, interlocking trap. If he did this, he would fall into my snare, because I would not dodge his arrow!

Indeed, Ming Zhong fired a powerful arrow that shattered my weak ones and headed straight for me. I stood motionless, facing his arrow. As he stood firm after dodging my powerful shot, the arrow I had fired with all my might flew straight toward his chest. His arrow grazed my temple, and my hair instantly came undone... Amidst my snow-white tresses, I watched my arrow of true fire pierce his chest...

Ming Zhong was struck and fell into the Western Sea, sinking into the vast darkness...

A rain of arrows flew toward me from the opposite side. It was too late to return to the formation, so I cast a boundary around myself and leaped into the sea. Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my heart... In the icy water, scene after scene flooded my mind: a figure stabbing the one who tried to kill me, forcing me to drink fragrant flower dew every day, sealing me to prevent suicide, forcing me to eat, drink, and play to recover... the white silhouette waiting to welcome a bride at the end of the suspended corridor on Mount Tie Wei... the warm embrace under the moonlight, the steady footsteps, the familiar silhouette in the dark, the dreamlike night... the sword I plunged into his chest, him holding my hand...

"Little Bai, Mother has failed you," I sighed in my heart.

I sank deep into the profound Western Sea... It was as if I were exploring the sea eye with Xue Shan of the Western Sea Palace, seeing monsters, listening to his detailed, always slightly slow explanations... him standing in the snow on Tian Gai Island... dancing together the Flying Wild Goose Palm of the Empty Mountain...

Another intense pain jolted me awake. I groaned, opened my eyes, and found myself in a Sea Wolf tent. Jiang Ye was weeping, supporting my body. Seeing me wake, he said excitedly, "Little Fairy, you're awake! You were struck in the back by a powerful boundary-breaking arrow! I thought you wouldn't survive!"

It turned out that when the Sea Wolf army doctor removed the arrow, the intense pain had jolted me back to consciousness.

"It is nothing. I cannot die," I said, enduring the pain.

"Yes. You truly are a God; the doctor said any other immortal struck by this arrow would have surely perished." Jiang Ye wiped away his tears. "Look what I found!"