At Tiger Leap Rapids, beneath the rope bridge, the icy river flowed slowly. In a large tree by the bridge, Jiang Ci slowly closed her eyes.
The morning sun filtered through the gaps in the trees. Jiang Ci suddenly opened her eyes, gritted her teeth, and thought to herself: I have to take this gamble. Moon God, please protect me and your people.
She summoned all her inner power and floated down to the ground like a feather. Before the Hua Dynasty soldiers in the forest could see her clearly, she was already walking cheerfully onto the rope bridge.
At some point, her bamboo hairpin had fallen out, and the river wind blew her black hair high. She gazed at Wei Zhao, who had stopped on the other side of the bridge. As she walked, she sang, her voice joyful and free, like a mountain village girl singing by a clear stream in the early morning.
“The sun rises and shines on the hillside, I rise early to catch fish;
Mountain faces mountain, cliff faces cliff, rain from the sky falls into the river;
The river water is clear and long, how many fish in the thousand-mile river;
I, your little sister, will catch a few, to bring home for my beloved;
Just waiting for the moon to climb the hillside, brother knocks on the door, and sister sings in response.”
The morning sun shone on her, and the phoenix on her pleated long skirt seemed to dance with the wind as she walked. Her face gradually turned pale, her lips trembling slightly, but her song remained steady and unchanged.
In the forest, the Hua Dynasty soldiers were somewhat stunned. Many raised their bows and arrows but, without orders from their superiors, turned their heads in unison to look at Deputy General Dong.
Deputy General Dong’s mind raced: This girl appeared out of nowhere, but judging by her backpack and light steps, she seemed to be just a mountain village girl passing by in the early morning. If they rashly killed her, wouldn’t it be like openly telling Xiao Wuxia that there was an ambush here?
If she was just an ordinary mountain village girl, as long as she crossed the bridge, Xiao Wuxia would still cross the river according to the original plan, and they could still ambush him then.
But what if this girl was warning Xiao Wuxia? Wouldn’t that ruin all their efforts?
He thought quickly, weighing the options, and finally decided not to shoot the girl. Openly telling Xiao Wuxia about the ambush would be worse, and if she was indeed there to warn him, it was already too late to kill her now. So he said softly, “Wait and see. If something seems off, then shoot her!”
Wei Zhao stood on the opposite side of the rope bridge, quietly watching Jiang Ci approach step by step.
The brilliant morning sun spread over the icy river, reflecting dazzling light. Under the gaze of thousands of soldiers, the girl’s black hair fluttered, her skirt swaying lightly.
Her song was like a lark in the mountains, melodious and bright, pure and flawless. She walked across the rope bridge, her steps light. Her face was like a translucent piece of fine jade bathed in the morning sun, her autumn-water-like eyes fixed on Wei Zhao, never moving.
As she reached the middle of the bridge, her song grew louder and brighter, changing to a traditional Yueluo tribe song called “The Bright Moon Song.”
“The sun sets in the west, the moon rises in the east, the long wind blows, the moon is like a hook;
The phoenix alights on the parasol tree, the moon is half-bright, dark clouds cover the sky, and the moon is half-dark;
In jade halls and jasper towers, the heavenly moon is full, on clear rippling waves, the earthly moon wanes;
The bright moon shines clearly on my shadow, facing my lonely shadow, I sigh with melancholy;
The round bright moon reflects in my heart, drifting with white clouds, hard to return;
The crescent moon shines for thousands of miles, thousands weep, thinking of their homeland.”
In the morning sun, twenty thousand Yueluo tribespeople watched silently as she approached from the other side of the bridge. Wei Zhao finally heard her extremely quick and light voice between the lyrics: “There’s an ambush!”
His eyelids trembled slightly, but his expression remained unchanged. As Jiang Ci came closer, he finally looked up at the opposite bank.
In the forest, Deputy General Dong heard Jiang Ci emphasize the phrase “thousands weep, thinking of their homeland” heavily and realized something was wrong. When he saw Wei Zhao glance in their direction, he knew their plan had been exposed. In anger, he snatched a bow and arrow from a nearby soldier, drew the bow, and released. The black-feathered arrow whistled through the air, aiming straight for Jiang Ci’s back.
As soon as the arrow was released, Wei Zhao moved, rushing towards Jiang Ci several zhang away. Just as the arrow was about to pierce Jiang Ci’s back, he embraced her and rolled onto the rope bridge.
The cold wind blew, and the rope bridge swayed. Wei Zhao, holding Jiang Ci, was about to roll off the bridge. Su Jun leaped forward, while Cheng Yingying simultaneously threw out a soft rope from her sleeve. Su Jun grabbed the rope with one hand, his body flying urgently, reaching for Wei Zhao.
In a flash, Wei Zhao twisted his waist and turned, his left arm still holding Jiang Ci, while his right hand used the pull from Su Jun to leap backward in mid-air. His white figure soared like a wild goose across the sky, landing back in front of the troops.
Thousands of arrows shot from the opposite bank. The Yueluo tribespeople cursed in unison. Shield bearers quickly moved forward to protect the archers as they returned fire.
Wei Zhao quickly put Jiang Ci down, his sword flashing cold light as he slashed at the rope bridge. Su Jun, Cheng Yingying, and others understood, and under the cover of the archers, they all swung their swords. Moments later, the rope bridge broke and crashed towards the opposite bank of the Tongfeng River.
Wei Zhao shouted, “Archers cover! The rear guard becomes a vanguard! Full speed ahead to Luofeng Beach!” His right arm extended, grabbing Jiang Ci by the waist and tossing her to Cheng Yingying. His figure shot like a white arrow, speeding eastward.
Cheng Yingying took hold of Jiang Ci and immediately followed. Although the Yueluo tribe people were suddenly faced with a drastic change, they didn’t panic. Their formation remained orderly as the rear guard became the vanguard, turning east towards Luofeng Beach and moving quickly.
On the opposite bank of the river, Deputy General Dong angrily threw down his strong bow and shouted, “Pass down the order, quickly return to Luofeng Beach!”
His words were harsh, but in his heart, he knew that his side had secretly passed through Liuxia Peak via the Second Garrison of the Yueluo tribe. They had traveled along the rugged secret path on the north side of the Tongfeng River, setting out several days in advance to set up this ambush at Tiger Leap Rapids. Trying to reach Luofeng Beach before Xiao Wuxia now would be as difficult as ascending to heaven.
Jiang Ci was pulled along by Cheng Yingying, following closely behind Wei Zhao as they rushed forward. After days of fleeing and a sleepless night, having just walked the line between life and death, she began to feel faint. Her steps faltered, and Cheng Yingying had to pull her forcefully to keep her from falling to the ground.
Wei Zhao looked back and saw that the main force had been left far behind. Despite his inner anxiety and worry about General Hong Ye and the twenty thousand troops at Luofeng Beach, he knew that rushing wouldn’t help. Even with his superior martial arts skills, arriving alone would be useless.
He stopped, waiting for Cheng Yingying to catch up with Jiang Ci. His right arm exerted force, lifting Jiang Ci by the waist. She spun in the air and landed on his shoulders.
With Jiang Ci on his back, Wei Zhao’s steps remained light. He moved through the snow like a gentle breeze, while the twenty thousand soldiers behind him had to summon all their strength to barely keep up with his pace.
The cold wind brushed their faces. Jiang Ci lay on Wei Zhao’s back, her long hair fluttering in the wind, occasionally brushing against his cheek.
Wei Zhao frowned and said coldly, “Keep your hair away!”
Jiang Ci felt a bit embarrassed and quickly gathered her scattered hair in her hand. It was then that she realized her backpack had been left on the rope bridge, and she had nothing to tie her hair with.
After a moment’s thought, she tore off a strip of her clothes and tightly bound her long hair.
Wei Zhao continued his urgent pace and suddenly asked, “Why did you do that?”
Jiang Ci was stunned for a moment, then understood. After a brief silence, she said softly, “I overheard them saying they would bathe Shanhai Valley in blood for three days. Thinking of Danxue and Meiying, I just—”
Wei Zhao’s gaze gradually softened, but he didn’t speak again.
Luo Feng Tan is located in the eastern part of the Yue Luo Mountain Range, west of Liu Xia Peak, on the banks of the Tong Feng River.
According to ancient legends, the Moon God rode a seven-colored phoenix to descend to the mortal world. In the battles against demons ravaging the human realm, this seven-colored phoenix rendered great service, repeatedly saving its master and rescuing the Yue Luo clan from dire straits.
However, one year, the Flood Demon wreaked havoc. The Moon God was injured in the battle against the Flood Demon, and the seven-colored phoenix, to prevent the Flood Demon from dealing a fatal blow to its master, plunged into the raging flames. It ultimately forced the Flood Demon to retreat, but the phoenix spiraled away into the inferno, never to return. Later generations named the place where it ascended in rebirth as Luo Feng Tan, hoping it would descend to the mortal world again, find its old master, and once more save the Yue Luo clan.
For hundreds of years, the Yue Luo clan has held deep feelings for Luo Feng Tan. Every year on the eighteenth day of the first lunar month, the Yue Luo clan’s New Year, they would hold a grand gathering here, lighting bonfires, singing and dancing, praying for the phoenix to descend once more.
At the beginning of the Shen hour, after half a day of forced march, Wei Zhao finally led twenty thousand troops to Luo Feng Tan.
Under the winter sun, Luo Feng Tan resembled hell on earth. The snow-capped peaks on both banks were like silent hands reaching towards the sky, questioning the heavens why such a tragedy had to unfold.
Grand Commander Hong Ye, covered in blood, led about five thousand soldiers in a desperate battle by the Tong Feng River. He staggered, with a sword wound several inches deep below his right ribs, blood still gushing out.
He had rushed to Luo Feng Tan with his troops, knowing that even if Wang Lang had fallen into an ambush and been defeated, it would be a day later. Seeing his soldiers were tired, he ordered them to set up camp and rest. Who knew that as soon as the camp was set up, they would be surrounded by a sudden barrage of flaming arrows?
Caught off guard, they hastily engaged in battle. Although these twenty thousand men fought to the death, they were still pushed step by step to the riverbank by tens of thousands of Hua Dynasty troops. Watching the Yue Luo soldiers fall one by one, Hong Ye’s vision began to blur. His long sword swung aimlessly, and if not for the personal guards supporting him, he would have fallen into the icy river.
He had lost too much blood and was gradually losing strength. As visions swam before his eyes at this moment between life and death, memories flooded his mind.
At ten years old, his father secretly sent the weak him to Xing Yue Valley to become a disciple of the then Xing Yue Sect Leader;
At eleven, his eldest senior brother married his second senior sister. Xing Yue Valley was filled with laughter and joy, decorated with lanterns and colored banners. He smiled as he asked them for wedding sweets;
At nineteen, his eldest senior brother died in a fierce battle with the Huan Kingdom. To avenge her husband, his second senior sister abandoned her twin children and went to the Huan Kingdom as a songstress, never to return;
At twenty-two, his master passed away. Third senior brother Jiang Haitian took over the Xing Yue Sect, and he had to return to inherit Meng Ze Valley. Before parting, the third senior brother, holding the hands of the eldest senior brother’s twin children, gazed at him: “A Ye, wait and see. I will nurture a hero for our Yue Luo clan. More than a decade later, he will descend like the Moon God to save our people. When the time comes, lend him your strength.”
Later, the third senior brother also died, and a young man named Xiao Wuxia inherited the position of Sect Leader; later, Ping Wushang came to find him, and he knew that Xiao Wuxia, the eldest senior brother’s son, was finally coming back. He had waited for more than a decade, finally welcoming him back, awaiting the time for the Yue Luo clan to rise again.
But why did the Second Commander betray the clan and let the enemy pass through Liu Xia Peak? His ambitions are unfulfilled and unable to witness the establishment of the Yue Luo nation with his own eyes, he has to leave this mortal world. How unwilling, truly unwilling!
As his unwillingness grew, Hong Ye coughed up a mouthful of blood, using only desperate moves, leading his soldiers to attack the enemy.
In the fierce battle, his sword blade had curled from too much killing, and his complexion became increasingly terrifying, yet his eyes grew brighter. Finally, as his long sword pierced the chest of a Hua Dynasty Qianhu, a silver spear also pierced his abdomen.
He spat blood, hearing a familiar angry shout. Raising his head, using his last strength to open his blurry eyes, he finally saw that white figure again. His heart relaxed, and with a slight smile, he slowly knelt on Luo Feng Tan.
Wei Zhao, as if gone mad, swiftly passed through the ranks of enemy soldiers, his sword tip stirring up a sky full of flying blood.
He landed beside Hong Ye, holding that gradually cooling body. His hands trembled as he looked at the slightly contented smile on Hong Ye’s face. As if a thousand arrows pierced his heart, he couldn’t help but raise his head and wail in grief.
Years ago, his sister died before him with a contented smile; years later, his Sixth Uncle also fell in this pool of blood with a contented smile.
Wei Zhao felt that in this vast world, he had lost another closest person. The heart-wrenching pain surged again. Why did heaven give him such a painful life? Why make him experience life and death separations again and again?!
He suddenly raised his head, shouting to the sky, his sleeves fluttering as he rose with his sword, charging into the enemy troops. His long sword conjured thousands of sword shadows, energy flashing, unstoppable. Where his sword passed, Hua Dynasty soldiers fell.
The killing cries shook the heavens. The twenty thousand Yue Luo clansmen who arrived, seeing the tragic scene at Luo Feng Tan, gradually became bloodthirsty. Blood mixed with snow water, continuously flowed into the Tong Feng River.
Although the Hua Dynasty troops were numerous, they had been fighting fiercely with the twenty thousand troops led by Grand Commander Hong Ye for half a day, suffering heavy casualties and already exhausted. When charged by these twenty thousand fresh troops led by Wei Zhao, their formation soon fell into chaos, retreating step by step.
What terrified them most was the white figure charging left and right in the formation. That figure was like a demon, a ghost, yet also like a god. Wherever he killed, corpses lay everywhere, blood flowing like rivers.
Wang Lang stood on a small hill on the east side of Luo Feng Tan, frowning as he watched everything on Luo Feng Tan. He shook his head and said, “Pass down the order, retreat!”
The sound of horns shook the sky, and the Hua Dynasty troops began to retreat downstream. Wei Zhao led the Yue Luo clan soldiers in hot pursuit. The Hua Dynasty troops fought while retreating. Along the way, people kept falling, kept tumbling into the icy river.
Wang Lang frowned deeply: “This Xiao Wuxia really can’t be underestimated!”
A man beside him said, “General, we should retreat first. This place is too dangerous. Although His Highness the Crown Prince hopes we can take Shan Hai Valley and pacify the western border, looking at the current situation, we can only postpone the cleanup operation.”
Wang Lang knew the advisor’s words were reasonable and had to turn away, heading east surrounded by his guards.
As the Hua Dynasty army retreated in defeat, the Yue Luo clansmen grew more valiant with each kill. Grieving for the casualties of over ten thousand clansmen, they fought recklessly, causing the Hua Dynasty troops to throw away their armor and weapons, completely routed.
Wei Zhao’s mind gradually cleared. On the way here, he had figured it out. The Second Commander must have colluded with the enemy, letting the enemy troops pass to Hu Tiao Tan to set up an ambush earlier. After he and Hong Ye set out, they also let Wang Lang’s troops, who had quietly returned, pass through Liu Xia Peak. If they pursued relentlessly now, in case Wang Lang’s remaining troops and the Second Commander’s forces united for a counterattack, the outcome would be hard to predict, not to mention the troops ambushed at Hu Tiao Tan were coming.
His figure flew, catching up with several Hua Dynasty soldiers and cutting them down with his sword. Standing proudly on the banks of the Tong Feng River, on Luo Feng Tan, he shouted in a clear voice: “Hua Dynasty bandits, listen! Our Yue Luo clan will never coexist with you, we swear to avenge this deep blood feud!”
In the cold wind, Wei Zhao’s stern voice echoed on both banks of the Tong Feng River. All the Yue Luo clansmen stood solemnly, gazing at him together. They saw his plain robe fluttering, the white robe stained with blood, seeming to flash with seven-colored light under the sunlight. Everyone felt as if they had seen the Moon God riding the seven-colored phoenix descending to the mortal world again, once more saving the Yue Luo people—
For a moment, silence fell on the banks of the Tong Feng River, people’s ears only hearing the winter morning wind howling past. After a long while, a song suddenly arose from the silent crowd:
“Phoenix, oh Phoenix
When will you return to the west,
Your feathers fluttering as you fly,
Yue Luo’s parasol trees grow thorns,
Not seeing the phoenix makes my tears fall.
Phoenix, oh Phoenix
When will you return to the west,
Your bright feathers flying towards the sun,
Soaring over four seas, calling urgently
Losing my lord makes my heart boil.
Phoenix, oh Phoenix
Today you return to the West,
Your brilliant feathers soaring to the sky,
Rising to the ninth heaven, looking down on swallows and sparrows,
Breaking my shackles so I grieve no more.”
At first, it was just one person singing, but gradually more and more people joined in, until finally everyone on Luo Feng Tan was singing loudly. The high and clear song echoed over the battlefield strewn with corpses, resounding to the clouds.
Jiang Ci stood silently under a large tree by Luo Feng Tan, listening to this simple and sincere song. She knew they revered and admired this Xing Yue Sect Leader from the bottom of their hearts. She saw that the Yue Luo clansmen who had survived the catastrophe all had faces full of fatigue, and bodies covered in blood and mud, but everyone wore an expression of passionate reverence. She couldn’t help but feel a warmth in her heart, tears spilling from her eyes.
She looked towards Wei Zhao. That tall and handsome figure stood motionless, the wind whipping his white robe, splattered with spots of fresh blood, like plum blossoms on snow. His face was hidden behind a human skin mask, showing no expression, only those gem-like eyes flickering slightly. As he listened to the clansmen’s song, he suddenly lowered his head to look at his blood-stained white robe, chuckling softly: “Brilliant feathers? My feathers have long been soiled——“