HomeSheng Shi Di FeiChapter 92: A Sharp Sword Across the Sky, A Gathering

Chapter 92: A Sharp Sword Across the Sky, A Gathering

In stark contrast to their previous methodical approach, the rebel army had grown impatient. They began their assault before dawn, and as daylight broke, their attacks grew increasingly fierce. If not for the physical constraints preventing them from positioning more troops outside Yonglin City, Mo Jingli would have undoubtedly deployed all hundred thousand troops to besiege this small city.

For defending the city, two thousand Black Cloud Riders were not significantly more effective than two thousand regular border guards would have been. By noon, the remaining defenders within Yonglin City were completely exhausted. The city gates began to shake precariously under the rebels’ relentless battering.

“Your High- Young Master Xu, we can’t hold any longer. You must leave!” Xia Shu stepped before Ye Li, his body covered in blood and fatigue. “And the Black Cloud Rider brothers too – defending the city was originally our duty. We’re already grateful you helped us hold out for so many days.”

“Leave?” Ye Li raised an eyebrow. “Where could we go now? There are over a hundred thousand troops outside.”

“The Black Cloud Riders’ two thousand cavalry are still intact. Being trapped in the city is like a dragon in shallow waters. Once outside the city, you could break through,” Xia Shu argued.

Ye Li pointed to the people behind him. “Why don’t you ask them if they want to leave?”

Behind Ye Li stood the stern Black Cloud Riders’ commander Qin Feng and Dark Two and Dark Three. Qin Feng spoke solemnly: “The Black Cloud Riders exist to defend Great Chu. If we abandoned the city and its defenders, we could only apologize before our fellow riders when we return.”

Dark Three smiled at Xia Shu: “We are Shadow Guards. Wherever our master is, that’s where we’ll be.”

Xia Shu glared at them, feeling his eyes burn with irritation. He gritted his teeth: “It’s not worth it!” To let Yonglin City become the grave for a Prince Consort’s wife and two thousand Black Cloud Riders – such a price…

Dark Three patted Xia Shu’s shoulder with a smile: “If Yonglin City truly falls, we’ll fight to the death to protect our young master and break out. Whether we survive the breakout will be up to fate. How could we just abandon the city and flee now? We might as well have abandoned it days ago – then we wouldn’t have lost so many lives.”

Xia Shu froze, then swatted away Dark Three’s hand and turned to leave. “Do whatever you want!”

Dark Three shrugged, helplessly telling those behind him: “Did he get embarrassed?” Dark Two wearily patted his occasionally erratic third brother – they were on a battlefield, after all.

Watching the city gates begin to splinter under the heavy impacts, Ye Li sighed helplessly. They couldn’t hold out until reinforcements arrived after all. “Black Cloud Riders, prepare!”

“Yes!” The remaining few defenders were left on the city walls while two thousand Black Cloud Riders stood ready below like a drawn bow prepared to lose its arrow at any moment. Ye Li nodded to Xia Shu and Yun Ting on the walls, then waved his hand. As the city gates crashed down, before the rebels could rush in, the black cavalry charged out like a fierce wind, leaving trails of blood in their wake.

“My Lord, they’re here. The Black Cloud Riders!” Behind the main army, Mo Jingli sat high on horseback, intently watching the battlefield. Even without his subordinate’s reminder, he had already spotted those groups of nimble black figures.

“Truly worthy of being the Black Cloud Riders…” The general beside him sighed. With such an army, how could one not conquer the world? Even now as enemies, they couldn’t help but admire such elite troops.

Mo Jingli gave a cold laugh. “Finally, they’ve emerged.” He waved his hand, and two previously uncommitted fresh forces charged into battle. “They say the Black Cloud Riders excel at raids and attacks. Let’s see how you handle these numbers!”

The already small space before Yonglin City became completely crowded with the addition of these two forces – there was no room for horses to maneuver. The Black Cloud Riders clearly understood this and quickly dismounted to join the melee. Two thousand men trying to stop tens of thousands was like an ant trying to stop a wagon, but the city gate was only so wide – tens of thousands couldn’t rush in simultaneously. So for a time, both armies remained locked in combat at the gate. The few rebels who occasionally broke through were quickly eliminated by the defenders inside.

“Who is that person?” Mo Jingli suddenly pointed to a particularly small black-clothed figure in the chaos. They wore the same black cloud-patterned combat uniform as the Black Cloud Riders, but their movements were completely different. If the Black Cloud Riders’ movements were agile and sharp, this person’s were simple yet ruthless. No techniques were visible, but almost every simple movement resulted in a soldier falling before them. Whether common soldier or commanding officer, they seemed to make no distinction.

“That is…” Everyone fell silent, none knowing who this person was. Apart from being shorter and more agile, they showed no obvious differences from the other Black Cloud Riders.

Staring at that sharp figure in the chaos, Mo Jingli’s dark eyes gradually narrowed. That figure gave him an eerily familiar feeling. After a long moment, he finally spat out a name through gritted teeth: “Ye Li!”

The military advisor beside him started, quickly looking toward that person in the chaos: “My Lord says that’s the Prince Consort’s wife?!”

Mo Jingli ignored his question completely, pointing his whip forward: “Capture that person alive! This king offers a thousand gold pieces!”

“Yes!”

Though the Black Cloud Riders held the rebels at the city gate, the walls above clearly could no longer be effectively defended. Many rebels had already climbed up and engaged the defenders in combat. Ye Li felt the increasing pressure below as well. He swept aside an attacking rebel with his blade, then turned just in time to drive his edge through the throat of another who had lunged from behind.

Dark Two and Dark Three drew closer. Dark Two said quietly: “Young Master, we should withdraw.”

Dark Three swung his sword, drawing an arc of blood as he spoke: “Has Mo Jingli discovered the Princess Consort? Why do I feel like the people coming at us now don’t seem like ordinary soldiers?” The people around them had decent martial arts foundations, making them more challenging than common troops.

Ye Li felt helpless as well, but Yonglin City’s fall was inevitable. At this point, sacrificing the Black Cloud Riders would be meaningless. They had held the gate for nearly two hours – surely Suixue Pass had received word by now. “Black Cloud Riders, withdraw from battle!”

“Yes! First, Second, and Third Squads cover the retreat, all others withdraw!” Qin Feng commanded loudly.

“Trying to flee?!” From afar, Mo Jingli naturally saw the battlefield situation. The Black Cloud Riders excelled at raids, infiltration, and equally at escape. The terrain around Yonglin was complex – once they left the battlefield, they would be truly difficult to catch. But from the start, the Black Cloud Riders hadn’t charged into the heart of the chaos, only blocking the gate to prevent advance. Now upon receiving the order, they immediately withdrew left, right, and into the city, with divine archers covering their retreat. Though the rebels were unwilling, they could only watch as they nimbly left the battlefield.

Mo Jingli snorted coldly, turning to draw a bow and arrow from his saddle, aiming at the small black figure in the chaos.

Amid the battle, Ye Li sensed a dangerous presence. Looking back toward the distance, he saw only Mo Jingli’s sinister eyes and the loose arrow cutting through the air. Normally Ye Li would have no trouble dodging such an arrow, but now several rebels had him entangled, leaving no room to evade. Dark Three cried out in alarm and immediately lunged forward. Ye Li cursed inwardly, grabbing one rebel’s sword hand and throwing him toward Dark Three’s approaching form. In this moment of turning and throwing, his left arm burned with pain as the arrow drew dangerously close.

“Young Master!”

“Whoosh!” A white feathered arrow gleaming with brilliant golden light cut through the air. Mo Jingli’s arrow collided with it three feet from Ye Li and fell limply to the ground. That feathered arrow seemed completely unaffected, piercing through one rebel’s body to lodge in another’s chest. That man stared at the arrow buried deep in his chest in disbelief, seemingly unable to comprehend how an arrow could shoot through his comrade’s back and impale him clean through.

Ye Li was also momentarily stunned by this heaven-splitting shot, but instantly put it from his mind as he spun to kick away a rebel attempting to sneak attack.

“Heavens…” Dark Two and Dark Three couldn’t help but sigh in relief. Earlier, when Dark Three had lunged forward, he’d been blocked by the person Ye Li threw, and they’d feared the arrow would strike the Princess Consort. Now their hearts pounding, they broke out in cold sweat and hurried to close ranks around Ye Li.

“A Golden Feather Arrow?! It’s His Highness!” The Black Cloud Riders covering the retreat couldn’t help but cry out when they saw the golden arrow fletching protruding from the fallen man’s body.

In the distance, Mo Jingli’s fury blazed at his failed shot. As he raised his bow to shoot again, the ground began to tremble subtly, hoofbeats like thunder. Mo Jingli gave a cold laugh: “An old trick you’ve played before. Think you can use it again?”

“No… no, my Lord!” The military advisor beside him, face pale as paper, pointed to the rolling dust clouds in the distance: “This time it’s real!” Black cavalry spread across the sky like storm clouds, while sharp whistles trailing golden fire shot into the air. The Black Cloud Riders who had already withdrawn from the battlefield simultaneously turned to return upon seeing the golden signal lights.

Dark figures suddenly appeared on the surrounding hillsides. At their head rode a man on a white horse wielding a silver spear, flowing clouds rippling across his white robes. A silver mask covered half his face, but the visible half showed flying brows and matchless beauty. His usually gentle eyes now held an intensity none dared meet directly as they swept lightly over Ye Li. Ye Li felt his heart tremble, his breath catching slightly.

The white-robed man pulled his reins, and his white steed seemed to take flight as it leaped down the hillside into the chaos. None dared stand in his path. “Black Cloud Riders, hear my command! Those who plot rebellion and betray the country shall be shown no mercy!” His low voice, carried by an inner force, spread across the entire battlefield.

“Yes, Your Highness!” The response thundered from all directions.

For an instant, the entire battlefield seemed to freeze. Everyone forgot they stood amid flying arrows and clashing weapons, able only to stare dumbly at the white-robed man in the chaos. A name rose in all their hearts…

“Mo Xiuyao… how is this possible?!” Mo Jingli glared viciously at the scene before him, his eyes filled with disbelief. “Beat the drums! Kill them!”

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The war drums sounded heavy, seeming to strike each person’s heart. The rebel soldiers trembled as they charged toward the white-robed man. They faced… Great Chu’s undefeated War God! Mo Xiuyao raised an eyebrow in apparent disdain. His silver spear traced a breathtaking arc of silver, its tip drawing sprays of brilliant blood wherever it passed. Countless arrows from the hillside wove into a dazzling net. The Black Cloud Riders were world-renowned for their archery – faced with such overwhelming arrow rain, the rebels not only couldn’t effectively counter-attack, they didn’t even dare raise their bows. With the massive army approaching from behind, in mere moments the hundred-thousand-strong force showed signs of collapse.

As soon as Mo Xiuyao appeared, Ye Li withdrew into Yonglin City. After helping the Black Cloud Riders clear out the rebels who had breached the walls, he stood on the battlements watching the scene below. All eyes were inevitably drawn to that snow-white figure. White robes and silver spear, graceful as a dancing dragon. Rebels scattered wherever he went, none daring to cross blades with him. Ye Li remembered Xu Qingchen’s assessment: in his youth, Mo Xiuyao had been dazzling as fire, but after his great change, the adult Mo Xiuyao became still as water, concealing alarming undercurrents. And now… Mo Xiuyao was like a peerless sword emerging after a thousand years of tempering. Though its sharp edge was contained and its killing intent settled, the grace within it, refined through countless trials, still drew all eyes.

“Prince… Prince Ding?” Yun Ting leaned weakly against the battlements, heedless of the uncleaned blood on his face as he gazed admiringly at the figure moving freely below.

Xia Shu stood beside him, his face full of relief. “Quite clearly so.”

“So… so we’ve received reinforcements? We’ve held Yonglin City?” Yun Ting’s voice held a dreamy quality, as if unable to distinguish reality from fantasy.

Dark Three giggled, patting his shoulder consolingly: “Congratulations, Commander Yun. You’ll be getting promoted after this.” Yun Ting ignored him, blinking hopefully at Ye Li, but Ye Li was too focused on the scene below to notice.

This battle didn’t last much longer – in less than half an hour, the rebels began retreating eastward. Watching the rebel forces withdraw like the tide, Yun Ting was speechless. “What… what does this mean?” Were these rebels only picking on easy targets? He’d seen many flee without even engaging the Black Cloud Riders – so what was the point of their desperate fighting these past few days? Dark Three laughed: “Commander Yun, don’t feel bad. Never mind the reinforcements arriving – just our lord standing there alone would be enough to keep those fellows from daring to step across the line. This is… called presence. Can’t be learned.”  Just Prince Ding standing unharmed at Yonglin’s gate was enough to terrify most people – what was left to fight about?

“When will I have that kind of presence?” Yun Ting mumbled.

“Take it slow. If you could slay twenty generals and defeat three hundred thousand enemies at fifteen or sixteen, you’d have that presence by now,” Dark Three consoled him without much sincerity.

Ye Li couldn’t be bothered to listen to their idle chat and turned to descend from the walls, only to be grabbed by Murong Ting, who had somehow snuck back. Ye Li frowned, “Murong, why are you back again?” Murong Ting snorted, glancing below with a smile: “Prince Ding brought reinforcements – I’d be a fool not to return. No… you’re the one who tied me up, I never actually left!” Ye Li waved dismissively: “We’ll discuss this later, I need to go down now.”

“Oh no you don’t…” Murong Ting quickly grabbed her, running down while saying: “Are you even a woman? That’s Prince Ding down there… Prince Ding! And he’s your husband – shouldn’t you change clothes before greeting him? Look at what you’re wearing! If Tianxiang and Zinger were here, they’d lecture you to death.” Ye Li couldn’t help but grimace – however straightforward Murong’s personality, she was still clearly a girl, thinking of such things at a time like this. “Murong, this is a battlefield.”

“So what if it’s a battlefield? Isn’t the battle over? With Prince Ding here, even if the rebels attack again, losing you for a moment won’t kill anyone. Come with me!” Without regard for Ye Li’s stiff, helpless expression, she dragged her toward their quarters not far from the city wall.

Murong Ting’s efficiency truly suited her role as a battlefield medic, Ye Li couldn’t help but admire, looking at the neatly arranged clothes and accessories before her. In less than half an hour, she had galloped back from the road to Suixue Pass, gathered these items that weren’t easy to find in Yonglin City, and intercepted Ye Li on the battlements before the fighting ended. Truly well-trained.

“Hurry, hurry. Get dressed so we can go greet His Highness, Prince Ding.” Murong Ting grabbed clothes from the table, stuffed them into Ye Li’s hands, and pushed her into the inner room to change, then began arranging the accessories on the table. Yonglin City was small to begin with, making fine things hard to find. Moreover, with everyone preparing for a siege today, no shops were open for business. She’d run all over to find these items. Ye Li helplessly took the clothes and went in – if she didn’t move, she feared Murong Ting would burst in and tear off her clothes to change them herself.

Outside the city, the battlefield had quieted. After leaving some men to clear the field and instructing Feng Zhiyao to lead the Mo family troops into the city to take over defense duties, Mo Xiuyao rode through the gates. The remaining Yonglin soldiers lined the way to welcome him, but scanning the crowd, Mo Xiuyao didn’t see the face he longed for. Feng Zhiyao rode beside Mo Xiuyao, curiously asking in a low voice: “Where has the Princess Consort gone?” He had seen the Princess Consort in the chaos earlier – that swift, deadly efficiency… she and Mo Xiuyao were truly… perfectly matched. At the same time, Feng Zhiyao reminded himself to never provoke the Princess Consort in the future. A woman becoming like this… was truly terrifying.

“Ah… I know where the Princess Consort went.” Feng Zhiyao pointed to the road ahead.

Mo Xiuyao followed his gesture to see two figures at the street’s edge – one tall, one short. A tall girl in red excitedly pulled along a woman in cyan robes. Mo Xiuyao’s gaze locked onto the petite, elegant woman. The figure who had been so striking and coldly lethal in black combat gear on the battlefield now wore a gentle, slightly helpless smile, her robes flowing gracefully with wide, drifting sleeves. Her smooth dark hair was loosely pinned up, and adorned with a pearl tassel hairpin. Her gentle demeanor was that of the most elegant young lady.

Ye Li had spotted Mo Xiuyao as well, pausing slightly in her steps. Mo Xiuyao rode forward, his snow-white steed happily trotting to Ye Li at its master’s guidance, even affectionately nuzzling her with its head.

“A’Li…” Mo Xiuyao smiled gently, bending down to extend his hand. Ye Li raised her hand to grasp his, and with a swift motion, she was pulled onto the horse to sit before him. The snow-white steed then galloped away, leaving a dumbfounded Murong Ting staring after them. The red-robed girl stood frozen for a long while before finally muttering: “Talk about burning bridges… I didn’t even get to touch the horse, how stingy…”

In the distance, Feng Zhiyao, still on horseback, shrugged at the dazed soldiers and curious Black Cloud Riders. Well, wasn’t this what subordinates were for – handling necessary matters when their masters were occupied?

The pair on horseback traversed Yonglin City and rode out through the gates. True to its reputation, their fine steed had soon carried them within sight of Suixue Pass. Ye Li looked down at the arm wrapped somewhat painfully around her waist and said softly: “Mo… Xiuyao, where are we going?” Mo Xiuyao glanced down at her, finally pulling the reins and dismounting. Ye Li raised an eyebrow, preparing to dismount as well, but looking down she found Mo Xiuyao’s open arms waiting. “Come down.” Seeing his insistence, she could only let him lift her from the horse. Nestled in his slightly cool embrace, Ye Li felt inexplicably safe and relaxed, though the mysterious heat in her cheeks left her somewhat flustered.

Looking up, she was met with the man’s clean, pleasant presence. Ye Li’s eyes widened in surprise. His kiss came like a sudden storm, sweeping over her in her startled state. Her small frame was locked tightly in his embrace, cool fingertips gently lifting her bewildered face. His warm lips lingered devotedly on her soft red ones. Mo Xiuyao’s kiss wasn’t gentle – it was almost rough, bearing a hint of autocracy and inexplicable anger as he parted her lips, forcing her to yield her pearly teeth so he could enter and entangle her helpless tongue in a passionate dance.

“Mmph…” Ye Li frowned slightly, trying to struggle. The arm at her waist tightened more stubbornly, holding her trapped in his embrace while one hand gently kneaded the hair at the back of her head, forcing her into deeper intimacy as they exchanged breath. Ye Li weakly clutched his front lapels. “Xiuyao…”

When they parted, both were breathing somewhat heavily. Mo Xiuyao lowered his head to rest his forehead against Ye Li’s smooth brow, saying softly: “A’Li, you frightened me.” When he arrived outside Yonglin City and saw that scene, no one could know the shock and fear in his heart. Even he didn’t know what he’d been thinking at that moment – he’d loosed that arrow purely on instinct. When he saw that arrow pierce through two men in a spray of brilliant blood, the sudden violence in his heart hadn’t lessened at all. If not for his extraordinary self-control, his second arrow would have been aimed at Mo Jingli. If he hadn’t been able to block that arrow… if he hadn’t been able to block that arrow, not a single rebel present would have left alive!

“A’Li…”

Ye Li’s face was flushed crimson, for the first time in her life so embarrassed she didn’t know where to put her hands and feet. She… she had kissed a man by the roadside where anyone might pass…

But when she heard Mo Xiuyao’s sigh-like “A’Li,” all her struggles and resistance dissolved into nothing.

“Mo Xiuyao, it’s so good to see you again,” Ye Li sighed softly. Mo Xiuyao looked down, his deep eyes filled with warmth and tenderness. His warm thin lips touched her delicate red ones again, this time with utmost gentleness and affection. “A’Li… I missed you so much. I shouldn’t have let you come to the southern border alone.” Ye Li smiled faintly without speaking, deciding not to tell him that in their time apart, she too had… well, more than a little… missed him.

The docile white horse had wandered off somewhere. They were now only a few li from Suixue Pass, its mighty gates visible. However, Mo Xiuyao had no intention of immediately returning to Yonglin City or meeting Murong Shen. Instead, he led Ye Li to sit and rest on a nearby hillside.

Ye Li sat leaning against Mo Xiuyao, relaxing her body that had been tense for several days and couldn’t help sighing contentedly. But looking up, she saw Mo Xiuyao’s slightly furrowed brow. “What’s wrong? Are you uncomfortable somewhere or injured?” Mo Xiuyao shook his head: “I’ve been riding for several days straight, just a bit tired. Speaking of injuries…” Mo Xiuyao lifted her left arm, pushing up the wide sleeve to reveal a thin, long scratch. He frowned: “Why haven’t you bandaged this?”

Ye Li hadn’t expected Mo Xiuyao to notice her injury. She shook her head with a smile: “It’s just a scratch, it’s stopped bleeding. This way it will heal faster.”

“Nonsense.” Mo Xiuyao rebuked softly, taking out several small medicine bottles he carried with him. He cleaned the wound with a clear liquid from one bottle, then carefully sprinkled on some medicinal powder. Finally, he took a white handkerchief from his clothes and bandaged the wound. Ye Li admired her perfectly bandaged arm with a smile: “It’s nothing, it will heal in two days.”

Mo Xiuyao reached out to pull her into his embrace, stroking her smooth hair as he said softly: “No more getting injured in the future, or you won’t be allowed to go anywhere!” Ye Li remained silent – accidents happen anytime, she couldn’t guarantee that. “I’ll try my best, but haven’t you received many injuries yourself in battle?” The young War God’s reputation wasn’t groundless – Mo Xiuyao wasn’t some descended deity with divine protection making him invulnerable.

“How can you compare yourself to me?”

Ye Li raised her head, narrowing her eyes at him in displeasure: “Are you discriminating against women?”

Mo Xiuyao sighed helplessly. “I’m not discriminating against women, and even if I did discriminate against women, I wouldn’t discriminate against you.” If his A’Li were to be discriminated against, all the men in the world might as well commit suicide.

“Then are you saying I’m not womanly?”

“A’Li.” Mo Xiuyao looked at her with an ambiguous smile. “Are you angry or are you being coy?” Ye Li froze, staring blankly at Mo Xiuyao’s warmly smiling face, wanting either to pounce and bite him or punch herself. Was she being unreasonable with Mo Xiuyao? Even more childish than Murong – Murong would never ask such childish, boring questions!

Mo Xiuyao smiled faintly, pulling her back into his embrace before she could become thoroughly embarrassed: “Sit with me a while, I’m tired.”

Ye Li shifted slightly but soon settled down. Mo Xiuyao’s health wasn’t good, and it couldn’t have miraculously healed in such a short time. Though he tried hard to hide it, she hadn’t missed the fatigue and pallor in his features. Nestling close in his embrace, Ye Li drifted off to sleep while thinking of who knows what…

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