Volume Four: Mountain Banners and Longing – Chapter 117

The young girl's dress fluttered in the wind. With one hand, she pressed her fingers together, then spread them wide before gracefully forming an orchid-like mudra. Her pupils shifted to a brilliant gold, and as divine light radiated from behind her, a wicked smirk played upon her lips. Her pink lips parted slightly, whispering incantations. Suddenly, she flicked her other hand, which gripped a long sword. The blade seemed to possess a spirit of its own, responding with nimble, dazzling precision. As the golden talisman array that had caged them began to fissure—a dense, crisscrossing web of cracks appearing as if the trapped energy were about to burst forth—the girl let out a thunderous shout: "Command!"

She slammed the sword into the ground, halting its motion. With a deafening boom, the Weak Water Array shattered, sending an explosion of golden holy light and blue mystic fire surging in all directions. The surrounding pursuers were struck by the violent backlash of the immortal technique, collapsing into the rising dust and smoke. Within a mere instant, the air was filled with cries of agony.

Jin Li retracted her hand, and the Xuan-Yin sword dissolved into spectral mist. Her pupils returned to their natural state. Turning back, she grabbed the young boy and vanished into the wind.

When the black-clad men crawled out from the debris and the dust finally settled, there was no sign of the girl or the boy. The tranquil river was once again shrouded in thick white fog.

"Pursue them! Kill on sight! A heavy reward for those who succeed!"

Across the river, deep within the reed beds, they had only run a few paces when Jin Li dropped to one knee. Before the terrified boy could react, she clutched her chest and spat out a mouthful of blood. Her face turned deathly pale.

There is no such thing as an easy escape; one cannot break free from a Weak Water Array without suffering the consequences. Jin Li’s hands trembled uncontrollably. She felt as if the blood in her body were flowing in reverse, and the meridians in her arms felt tangled and shattered. Looking down, she saw the backlash of the array creeping toward her wrists; blood-red veins bulged beneath her skin, threatening to burst through. She quickly sealed the acupoints on her arms, knowing that if she continued to exert herself, the poison of the Weak Water would erode her heart meridian before the gods themselves could save her.

The boy, startled by the sight, knelt beside her with anxious concern. "Are you alright?"

Jin Li wiped the blood from her chin and said calmly, "I'm fine. Don't panic. They will certainly come for us again, and we cannot reach the city before dawn. Our only choice now is to remain calm and evade their pursuit." She looked at the boy, her dark eyes bright and piercing in the night. "What is your name?"

"A-Mo."

Jin Li’s heart skipped a beat, though she brushed it aside. "Let’s go."

She took his hand again. The reed beds were a tangled maze, the reeds standing three feet tall. The white mist grew heavier, creeping into the thicket. The terrain was far too complex, and with the darkness and fog, finding a way out seemed impossible. Yet, to remain was to walk straight into the tiger's den.

The boy’s hand was ice-cold—perhaps from fear. She spoke in a low, playful tone, "What's wrong? Are you hungry?"

After a long pause, A-Mo replied, "No."

Jin Li chuckled, pushing aside the obstructive reeds. "My immortal energy hasn't fully recovered yet, so we must put some distance between us and them. Once we return to the city, I'll treat you to something good."

"Mm."

The reed leaves were sharp, and their shoes and socks were soaked. The boy held her hand tightly. "Your hem is wet," he remarked.

Jin Li hadn't noticed until he mentioned it. Indeed, her feet felt chilled.

A-Mo whispered, "Actually, you didn't have to save me." He had already prepared himself for the mission to fail—and for death.

But the girl only smiled. "How could I not? We are both cultivators; I could never stand by and watch you die."

"Is that so?"

"A practitioner of the immortal path must prioritize the lives of all beings. Remember, if you die, more innocent lives may suffer. So, you must live."

The girl's hand was warm. Her voice was steady, gentle yet filled with an intangible solemnity that warmed his heart. It reminded him of his sister.

"A-Mo."

"Yes?"

"You come from Beilan. Why did you come to the Western Wastelands?"

A-Mo's eyes clouded with sorrow. "Because of my sister."

"You have a sister?"

"Yes."

For a long time, the girl asked no more, perhaps sensing the grief in his tone. The boy looked at the silver hairpin behind her head; the simple ornament made her elegance shine all the brighter.

Just then, Jin Li felt her steps grow heavy, as if she were sinking into mud. Her vision began to dim. She instinctively grabbed a reed, but the sharp pain of the blade against her palm snapped her awake, followed by the metallic scent of blood in the air. She stopped, and as the boy turned, she collapsed.

A-Mo caught her in a panic. Jin Li’s eyelids fluttered, her forehead beaded with sweat, and her black combat attire was stained crimson at the chest from her earlier coughing of blood. Her palm dripped blood. A-Mo quickly tore a piece of his own clothing to carefully bandage her wound. Then, he hoisted her onto his back and continued toward the edge of the reed bed.

They had been walking for two hours; at this pace, they would soon leave the reeds behind. Jin Li kept her eyes tightly shut. A-Mo called out repeatedly, "Sister, we're almost there. We're almost there. Don't fall asleep, please don't fall asleep."

Once, his own sister had been on his back, talking to him at first, then slowly closing her eyes until she fell silent. She had fallen asleep and never woken up. He was terrified. He poured his own spiritual energy into the girl again and again, hoping to ease her pain. He felt utterly helpless.

In the vast white fog, the moonlight was hidden, but in the distant dark clouds, lightning flickered. A storm was coming. Sure enough, a downpour soon arrived. The fog on the river grew denser, and the air turned biting cold. Dragging his exhausted body, A-Mo spotted the faint glow of candlelight on the bank. He felt no joy, only alarm.

He slowed his pace, trying to get a better look, but the heavy rain made it difficult. He saw two figures under umbrellas—one facing away, the other holding a lantern—talking to each other. His energy was nearly depleted; Jin Li needed rest immediately.

"Proceed with caution. Do not harm the innocent."

He heard these words before the figure dissolved into smoke. Then, the one with the lantern vanished as well. Were they from the Immortal Realm? Or the Demon Realm?

A-Mo cautiously stepped onto the bank and looked around. A forest path lay ahead; if he could reach the woods, there might be a way. His heart lifted, and he carried the girl into the dense forest.

In the forest, he could seek the energy of the tree spirits to heal Jin Li. It was merely a chance encounter, yet A-Mo felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity. The Deer Clan never doubted their intuition. He laid Jin Li down beneath a tree.

Extending his hands, he joined his palms and rotated them, conjuring spiritual energy. Closing his eyes and curling his ring and little fingers, he commanded the ancient tree to extend its vines. The vines wove together to form a simple shelter from the rain. He opened his eyes, smiled, and thanked the tree spirit before carefully placing Jin Li on the vine-woven bed.

He sat cross-legged, placed his palms on his knees, and closed his eyes, murmuring an incantation. Suddenly, the vines emitted a green immortal glow, and the energy of the surrounding flowers and spirits drifted into the air.

Time seemed to stand still.

Jin Li struggled to lift her eyelids. Everything around her was transparent; she stood on a surface of clear water, yet she did not sink. She saw a light in the distance. As she drew near, she found mirror after mirror. Was this the Kunlun Mirror?

When she approached closer, she realized her own reflection was absent. Instead, the mirrors were playing out scenes from another place. Red robes and colorful makeup, green birds and immortal phoenixes. Lotus flowers bloomed, and pear blossoms fell like snow. She could not clearly see the faces of the people in the visions, yet they felt so familiar.

The girl’s tears of regret, falling beneath the sky-thunder, frail and helpless as willow catkins. The demon marks on the boy’s forehead, as he commanded ferocious beasts amidst towering waves. In the midst of blood and ruin, the boy drew his bow, his figure dissipating into a shroud of holy light. There were so many more...

*BOOM!*

Jin Li was jolted awake. When she opened her eyes, she felt as if she hadn't truly woken up. Her gaze was vacant, the scenes from the mirrors still haunting her mind. She was bathed in cold sweat. When she finally regained her senses, she realized it was already dawn.

Though it had rained all night, she was dry. She looked up to see the shelter of vines. She stepped off the "bed," extended her hands, and closed her eyes to feel the energy the ancient tree had bestowed upon her. The divine mark on her forehead flickered. As she offered her thanks, the ancient tree swayed gently. She smiled, opened her eyes, and the mark faded away.

But where was A-Mo?

She stepped out, only to find no trace of the boy. A surge of alarm gripped her heart. Had he been captured?

"You're awake?"

Jin Li spun around at the sound of his voice. The boy stood amidst the trees, his bronzed skin aglow in the morning sun, carrying a long-lost sense of kinship.

"You scared me to death."