“Kill him… kill him!” the Hu Qi soldier roared in rage, his voice hoarse with effort, yet drowned out by the cacophony of battle cries.

A soldier with grand ambitions indeed, one who understood the principle of capturing the leader to defeat the army.

He Simu stood up, her form flickering before appearing in front of Duan Xu’s horse. The chestnut steed seemed to sense the deathly, gloomy aura, suddenly rearing up and stopping abruptly, its forelegs pawing the air.

Duan Xu quickly reined in his horse, steadying himself firmly in the stirrups as the hooves crashed down before He Simu, kicking up clouds of dust.

He Simu stood with her hands behind her back, looking up at Duan Xu on his horse. A faint trace of confusion flickered in Duan Xu’s usually smiling eyes as he slightly furrowed his brow, staring at what appeared to be normal, empty air before his horse.

“Duan Xu,” He Simu said, her voice not particularly loud, though it wouldn’t have mattered—he couldn’t hear her anyway.

In that moment of confrontation, the air seemed to congeal. The pitch-black sky brightened, and from nowhere, countless crimson birds suddenly appeared, their wings adorned with vivid flame patterns, descending like a great fire spreading across the heavens.

The Danzhi army, amid fierce battle, was struck with terror. They threw down their weapons and fled in disarray. The deadlocked battlefield suddenly collapsed like dead trees before a storm. The Great Liang army’s drums thundered as soldiers wielded their weapons in a great slaughter, sweeping forward like a tempest.

The fleeing Hu Qi people looked up at the red birds as they ran, terrified that the birds might descend upon them, shouting in the Hu Qi language.

In the morning light, blood-covered Duan Xu smiled gently. His face still bore traces of blood, but his eyes curved slightly, revealing white teeth.

A smile innocent and carefree, so perfect it seemed artificial.

Amid the sky-blanketing crimson, he slightly parted his lips, uttering a few simple syllables. Then he spurred his horse forward, passing by He Simu with his cloak fluttering like a swift wind.

He Simu turned to watch as he charged into the enemy ranks. She narrowed her eyes slightly, twirling the jade pendant in her hand as blue ghost fire flickered.

What Duan Xu had just said was in the Hu Qi language.

His words were similar in meaning to what the fleeing Danzhi soldiers were shouting in shock and fear. Duan Xu had spoken with perfect clarity and naturalness.

As if it were his mother tongue.

—The Azure God brings calamity, burning all living things to ashes.

He Simu walked toward her prospective meal, the Hu Qi soldier sprawled on the ground, his eyes filled with terror as he stared at the sky covered with red birds. He Simu patted his shoulder and whispered in his ear, “Congratulations, good fortune will accompany you in your next life as well.”

Transaction declined.

Perhaps Duan Xu’s continued existence in this world would be more interesting.

Duan Xu.

Was he truly Duan Xu?

Could Duan Shunxi be someone from a family of civil officials, aspiring to high government positions, yet possessing exceptional martial skills, superb horsemanship, and the ability to speak fluent Hu Qi?

Or perhaps the real Duan Shunxi had died along with his servants at the age of fourteen on the road from Daizhou to the Southern Capital, only to be replaced by someone else.

After all, the period between seven and fourteen years is when a child changes the most. Even if there were some differences from before, they wouldn’t have been given much attention.

When He Simu returned to her borrowed body in Liangzhou Prefecture City, the sun was already high in the sky. She moved her arms and legs as she sat up in bed.

Yesterday, she had specifically instructed Chen Ying to go eat breakfast at Madam Song’s and not disturb her. Judging by the peace, Chen Ying had been quite obedient.

Just as He Simu was thinking this, the child who couldn’t be praised too soon began pounding on her door with an earth-shaking noise, shouting, “Sister Xiao Xiao! Great news! We’ve captured Shuozhou Prefecture City!”

His tone made it sound as if he had personally taken to the battlefield and conquered it himself.

He Simu dressed and got out of bed. As she opened the door, Chen Ying immediately hugged her legs, looking up excitedly, “Sister Xiao Xiao, General Duan has taken Shuozhou Prefecture City! He’s still alive!”

He Simu bent down and tapped his nose, saying, “What does that have to do with you?”

Chen Ying grinned happily and pointed outside, “General Brother has sent someone to fetch us!”

“…”

He Simu raised her eyebrows in surprise. Chen Ying, without further explanation, pulled her hand and ran to the courtyard gate, pointing at the carriage outside, “Sister, look! Big horses! What a beautiful carriage!”

A large crowd of onlookers had already gathered on both sides of the street, discussing what was happening. Commandant Han by the carriage clasped his hands and bowed to He Simu, saying, “Miss He, the General asked me to deliver a message to you.”

He Simu bowed in return, “Please speak, Commandant.”

“Shuozhou Prefecture City has fallen. The young lady’s wind observations and strategic advice have made significant contributions. The General specially invites the young lady to continue as Tabai’s fortune teller and proceed to Shuozhou.”

“The General knows that the young lady is delicate, fears bloodshed, and is indifferent to worldly affairs, but the General promises to spare you hardship, ensure your safety, and will not force you.”

Han Ling Qiu recited these words as if from memory, then bowed deeply to He Simu, “Is the young lady willing?”

He Simu narrowed her eyes slightly, smiling as she looked at the man before her and the tall carriage beside him. To arrive at Liangzhou Prefecture City at this moment, Duan Xu must have sent Han Ling Qiu to fetch her as soon as Shuozhou fell.

Had Duan Xu decided to play this game with her to the end?

He Simu recalled the crimson birds filling the sky and the bright lamps beneath which Duan Xu had smiled and said “The Azure God brings calamity.” She smiled too and extended her hand, leaving it suspended in mid-air.

“The General’s sincere invitation—it would be discourteous for this commoner to refuse.”

Han Ling Qiu supported her hand, and with a slight effort, He Simu boarded the carriage. Chen Ying ran back to gather a few things before joining her on the carriage.

He Simu noticed that the boy had brought the veiled hat given by Duan Xu, as well as the suona she had rented. Clutching these items, Chen Ying hesitantly said, “We might need them later.”

Hmm… for eavesdropping while invisible again, or for playing at Duan Xu’s funeral?

He Simu ruffled Chen Ying’s hair, saying, “Such a thoughtful, good child.”

Across from Liangzhou was Jicheng in Shuozhou. The Tabai Army had already secured the line between Jicheng and Shuozhou Prefecture City, with all five cities in between now belonging to Great Liang. There was even a direct official road between Jicheng and the Prefecture City, making travel quick.

He Simu sat in the swaying carriage, resting with her eyes closed. Chen Ying leaned against the window, gazing at the scenery outside and murmuring, “So this is Danzhi…”

He Simu looked up and glanced out the window. The architectural style of Shuozhou was identical to that of Liangzhou—black-gray small tiles, blue brick battlement walls, and streets paved with a mixture of brick and stone. The only difference was that the streets had more shops with Hu Qi writing on their signs, and all the shops with Hu Qi characters appeared magnificent.

These storefronts were also decorated with flame patterns, somewhat similar to the markings she had seen on the red birds the night before.

They were the totems of the deity worshipped by the Hu Qi people—the Azure God. In the Hu Qi language, “Danzhi” meant “the great realm of the Azure God.”

After looking around for a while, Chen Ying turned back to He Simu and said, “Sister Xiao Xiao, I heard from my grandpa that our family’s ancestral home was actually in Lucheng, Shuozhou. When my great-grandfather was alive, the Great Sheng Dynasty still existed, and the Hu Qi people hadn’t come yet—all of Shuozhou belonged to us Han people.”

“Later, the Hu Qi people invaded, and destroyed the Great Sheng Dynasty, and my great-grandfather fled south to Liangzhou with his family. They spent all their money, lost their land, and eventually couldn’t even afford food.”

“When Grandpa was still alive, he would occasionally tell me about Shuozhou. He said that in his lifetime, and probably in mine too, we would never be able to return to Shuozhou. But I’m back! I’ve returned to Shuozhou.”

Chen Ying looked a bit sad yet excited. He gazed into the distance through the window and softly said, “I want to go even further and see more places.”

He Simu rested her arm on the window, looking at Chen Ying with an air of detachment. With just a thought, she could go anywhere in the world—not just Shuozhou, but also the seventeen prefectures north of the Guan River, and even the Northern Abyss.

She cared neither for war nor distance, but for mortals like Chen Ying, these were insurmountable chasms in a lifetime.

Mortals were truly small and pitiful, able to traverse only a tiny distance in their entire lives before turning to dry bones in an instant.

She stroked Chen Ying’s head, and he settled down beside her.

Halfway through the journey, there was suddenly a clamor of voices. The entire carriage shook violently several times, startling Chen Ying awake from his slumber. He jumped up immediately, saying, “What’s happening? What’s happening?”

He Simu was seen lowering the window curtain and composedly withdrawing, saying, “We’ve been ambushed.”

“Ambushed! The… the Hu Qi people?” Chen Ying stammered.

“That’s right.”

The clashing of weapons rang out from beyond the carriage door. A fierce battle must be underway. Chen Ying huddled beside He Simu, not daring to go out. He asked softly, “Where are we? Will General Brother come to save us?”

“We’re still far from Shuozhou Prefecture City. I just saw at least a hundred men in ambush, and we only have about a dozen people. The young general won’t be able to help us in time.”

He Simu smiled, thinking to herself that it wasn’t even certain whether these ambushers had anything to do with Duan Xu.

Chen Ying anxiously asked, “What should we do? Are the Hu Qi people going to capture you to read the wind for them?”

“Then we’ll go. Reading the wind is reading the wind, no matter who it’s for. Those Hu Qi people will surely provide us with food if they want my help. You’ll still be able to eat. Maybe it’ll be even more comfortable than in Liangzhou.” He Simu spoke casually, but as she continued, she noticed Chen Ying’s expression change.

He looked at He Simu in shock, his cheeks puffing up in anger as he spoke word by word, “Sister Xiao Xiao, how can you help the Hu Qi people!”

“They drove my great-grandfather from Shuozhou to Liangzhou. Why do they have their own homes yet still steal others’ homes? Why, after we fled, did they still come to Liangzhou? Why did they kill my father? We’ve lived here for generations—why must we suffer their bullying? Sister Xiao Xiao, you still want to help them! I won’t! I’d rather die than help them!” Chen Ying spoke with vehemence, but tears streamed down his face uncontrollably.

He grabbed He Simu’s hand and cried, “Sister Xiao Xiao, please don’t help them, alright?”

He Simu’s gaze was as calm as still water as she looked at Chen Ying’s tear-stained little face. Outside, the sounds of swords clashing and shouting continued. The carriage swayed, mirroring Chen Ying’s troubled heart.

“Ah… very well.” He Simu sighed deeply. She comfortingly patted Chen Ying’s shoulder and smiled, “Fortunately, there’s a mountain nearby with plenty of wild graves.”

“What?” Chen Ying looked confused.

He Simu raised her fingers with a serious expression and said, “I have divination skills. The Han ancestors in those graves can’t bear to see their descendants suffer like this. They’re about to jump out of their graves to strike the Hu Qi people on their heads. Quick, close your eyes, cover your ears, and count silently to one hundred. By then, they’ll have chased away the Hu Qi people!”

Chen Ying immediately obeyed, closing his eyes and covering his ears as he began to count silently.

He Simu’s gaze turned cold. The lamp-shaped jade pendant at her waist emitted a faint blue light, then floated up and enlarged, transforming into a genuine six-angled crackled glass lantern.

He Simu embraced this Ghost King’s Lantern, dreaded by all ghosts, resting her chin on top of it as she murmured, “About a hundred people—will five evil ghosts be enough to eat them all?”

Blue flames—ghost fire—suddenly ignited within the lantern.

“Or would it be simpler to just set them on fire?” He Simu raised her hand, twirled her index finger in the air, and snapped her fingers with a crisp sound.