Muruo’s hand froze, retreating a step.

Shi Ziran’s hand fell heavily once more.

Making a dull thud.

While Muruo couldn’t make a single sound!

He stood there in a daze, his eyes staring inside.

Bai Yin, not understanding what was happening, walked over and looked into the carriage following his gaze.

When he saw that scene, he too froze!

Ji Yunshu held Shi Ziran, with Shi Ziran resting on her lap.

One had completely lost all consciousness, the other had lost her soul!

“Ugh!”

He felt both hands and feet go numb.

How could this be?

Bai Yin clenched his fists tightly, thinking they should have been even faster then—perhaps they could have made it back in time.

At this moment, Tang Si, heavily pregnant, slowly walked over from a distance.

She saw Jingrong and Bai Yin standing motionless before the carriage, not understanding why.

She slowly walked over!

“What are you standing here for?” she said.

Speaking thus, she walked to Muruo’s side, her gaze also looking into the carriage.

Eh!

Her expression was almost identical to Bai Yin’s!

Shocked and dumbfounded.

She covered her mouth.

After a long while, she finally recovered, her eyes brimming with tears as she called toward the person in the carriage: “A’Ji…”

Her words had just reached her lips when Muruo pulled her back, shaking his head at her.

Tang Si immediately fell silent, speaking no more.

After a long while, Ji Yunshu finally moved her eyes. A pair of blood-stained hands gently stroked Shi Ziran’s hair, her voice carrying unbearable heartache as she said: “What I owe him, I’ll never be able to repay in this lifetime.”

What I owe him, I’ll never be able to repay in this lifetime.

When she spoke these words, she was extremely calm!

But the feelings within her words, no one could truly, genuinely feel.

Nor did anyone know how indescribable her mood was at this moment.

Guilt.

Sorrow.

Despair.

…

All emotions pressed against her chest.

Like countless knives slowly carving open her already wounded heart.

At this moment, it was bloody and mangled.

Lost all feeling!

She didn’t know what mood she was in when she released Shi Ziran, nor did she know how she got down from the carriage.

In the camp tent.

She just sat there quietly, her gaze vacant, her expression very calm, showing no emotion whatsoever.

Not saying a word!

Her clothes were covered with Shi Ziran’s blood—on her face, on her hands too…

Tang Si brought a basin of water and was cleaning the blood from her body.

The basin of water quickly turned red!

Tang Si looked at her with heartache, opening her mouth not knowing what to say.

After hesitating for a long while, she finally spoke: “A’Ji, I know you’re suffering inside. I don’t know what to say to comfort you. Cry it out—your heart will feel much better that way.”

She didn’t speak.

“A’Ji?”

Still no response.

Tang Si sighed deeply and continued silently cleaning the blood from her body.

Then changed her into clean clothes.

She remained the same, motionless, soul lost, like a puppet!

When Muruo entered carrying food, Tang Si pulled him aside and whispered: “She’s just been sitting like this. No matter what I say, she seems unable to hear. A’Mo, I’m so worried. If something happens to A’Ji, I really don’t know…”

Extremely worried!

Muruo grasped her hand: “Don’t worry. As long as she’s here, I won’t let anything happen to her.”

“Mm!”

Muruo placed the food before Ji Yunshu and sat opposite her.

“Can you eat something first?” Muruo said.

She still sat there unmoving, not even blinking.

Muruo’s eyes darkened as he leaned forward, earnestly telling her: “Ziran’s death isn’t your fault. You don’t need to feel guilty. Moreover, he wouldn’t want to see you like this. If something happens to you, what meaning would his sacrifice have? The only thing you can do is live well!”

“…”

“I’ve also learned about Jingrong’s situation, so I was worried something would happen to you. That’s why I had Bai Yin take people to find you. But rest assured—Jingrong isn’t so easily killed! I’ve already sent people to search along that river. The person he can’t let go of most in his heart is you—how could he let anything happen to himself? Trust me, he’ll definitely be fine!” Muruo grasped her cold hand, speaking with absolute certainty.

Tang Si beside them also said: “That’s right, Jingrong will definitely be fine! He’ll surely come back alive to see you. So if something happens to you, how will you wait for him? A’Ji, don’t be like this without saying a word. Don’t frighten me. Just say anything at all, even crying would be good!”

She was the one who cried first!

Ji Yunshu’s eyes trembled, her vacant gaze gradually gaining some spirit, yet still appearing distant. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she bit her teeth hard, not allowing herself to make any sound.

Her hands clenched tightly!

Trembling severely.

Tears burst from her eyes, sliding past the corners of her eyes, her cheeks, her jaw… drop by drop falling onto the back of her clenched fists.

Still not making any sound!

Tang Si immediately embraced her trembling body.

“A’Ji, cry! Let all the pain in your heart come out through tears!”

Muruo also couldn’t help but feel his eyes redden as he rose and went outside.

Bai Yin stood outside.

His brow was tightly furrowed, his heart worried beyond measure, yet he didn’t dare look at Ji Yunshu, afraid he couldn’t control his emotions then!

Seeing Muruo come out, he quickly asked: “How is it?”

“Tang Si is with her.” Muruo sighed.

“With something like this happening, I’m really worried she won’t make it through.”

“She’ll make it through!” Muruo spoke with absolute certainty, yet also carrying a sense of self-consolation.

Bai Yin looked worriedly inside once, sighing softly.

“By the way, is there any news of Jingrong?”

Bai Yin shook his head: “Not yet.”

“He definitely won’t have any trouble! That fellow can turn danger to safety even in a tiger’s den—a River of Death can’t trap him.”

Besides, the person Jingrong couldn’t let go of most was Ji Yunshu. If he died, what would happen to Ji Yunshu? Therefore, he would definitely do everything in his power to survive and come back to find Ji Yunshu.

Later, the two went to another tent.

Shi Ziran’s body lay inside.

Covered with a white cloth!

Muruo walked to the corpse’s side, lifted the white cloth, and grasped Shi Ziran’s cold, pale hand.

With great force!

He said: “Ziran, may you rest in peace. In the next life, I still respect you as a true hero!”

His eyes slightly reddened.

In his life, he rarely admired people, but Shi Ziran was one of them.

So was Shi Zijin!

“What do you plan to do next?” Bai Yin suddenly asked him.

He remained silent for a long while, releasing Shi Ziran’s hand and covering him again with the white cloth.

The two went outside.

Moonlight poured down. The fine grass on the distant hills seemed to shimmer with light, spreading slowly like water ripples.

The grassland should be peaceful, should be beautiful!

Muruo walked forward two steps, not speaking for a long time.

Bai Yin: “Now Great Lin has already deployed troops. War will start soon.”

Carrying a reminder’s meaning!

Muruo knew.

After a long time, he finally said: “After burying Ziran properly, I’ll lead troops over. No matter what, I’m still a Houliao person. In this battle, I cannot be a bystander. Houliao needs me.”

“But…”

Before he could finish speaking—

“Bai Yin.” Muruo suddenly called out very solemnly, turning to look at him, his gaze slightly lowered, pleading: “Bai Yin, can I entrust you with something?”

Extremely serious!

Actually, even without him saying it, Bai Yin already knew what he wanted to entrust to him.

“Speak.”

“After I leave, I’ll leave everything here to you. I don’t know if I still have my life to come back alive, but what I’m most worried about… is A’Si and the child in her womb. Regardless of whether I can come back alive then, I hope… you can protect her for me. I beg you!” After speaking, he bowed to Bai Yin with clasped hands.

Making this entrustment!

Yet also arranging his final affairs!

Bai Yin walked over, patted his shoulder, and said: “Rest assured, I’d risk my life before I’d let anything happen to her!”

“Thank you, Bai Yin.”

“But you must also remember—no matter what, keep your life and come back alive. Your child cannot be without a father.”

“Mm.” He nodded heavily.

He hoped that after winning this battle, peace would return to the grasslands, and his child could be born healthy and safe.

The next day.

Shi Ziran’s body was buried, laid to rest on a nearby hill.

Where one could see the most beautiful sunrise on the grasslands!

Ji Yunshu stood before the tombstone, no longer as lifeless as yesterday.

But she remained so calm.

So calm that not the slightest trace of sadness could be found on her face.

No one knew what she was thinking inside.

Muruo and the others stood beside her, not disturbing her, not calling out to her.

Just silently accompanying her!

Not knowing how long they had been standing—

Suddenly the wind rose!

The vast grass across the grasslands rippled like water waves, spreading layer by layer… endlessly continuous.

No one knew where the starting point truly was.

Where was the endpoint?

Perhaps… these were never meant to be found.

Ji Yunshu gazed into the distance. The early morning sunlight gradually poured into her eyes.

So comfortable.

Like a ball of flame wrapping her in its center.

She seemed to see Mount Wuyi, where in the courtyard atop the mountain, a young man wielded a long sword with flowing movements.

The sword like flowing water!

His form like a swallow!

Sunlight fell on the parasol tree in the courtyard, its mottled, swaying shadow spreading across the ground, reflecting on his body.

Occasionally a gentle breeze passed, making the tree leaves rustle!

Yet pleasant to the ear!

The young man didn’t know how long he had been practicing before he finally withdrew his last sword stroke.

He stood there, brow and eyes spirited, features handsome, his gaze filled with longing as he looked toward the distant mountains and rivers. He couldn’t help but smile with upturned lips—so beautiful to behold.

Tree leaves falling gently, a clear breeze blowing softly, also passing gently by his side.

So peaceful!

That perhaps was the life the young man yearned for.

Perhaps one day, when the young man opened his eyes, he would truly be on Mount Wuyi.

Master would be there.

Zijin would be there.

That parasol tree would also be there.

Everything within reach.

Ji Yunshu took a deep breath. That image slowly disappeared from before her eyes. She looked at the orange-red sunrise in the distance, the corners of her mouth slowly spreading into a smile!

Ziran, may you rest in peace! If there is a next life, I hope you and Zijin… will still be there!