Bright red banners fluttered under the sky, and the grim, mournful battlefield was filled with the piercing clang of swords and the dull sound of metal, the entire earth stained with blood.
Looking up, the two figures disappeared above the city walls.
Crimson blood light illuminated half of Xiao Chi Zhan's face, making his pair of dark red eyes appear even more deranged.
The Liang army's attack was fierce, pushing back the Southern Border's forces repeatedly. Many generals had already retreated to the rope bridge.
Beneath them lay the surging Qu Nan River.
This Dragon City was a vital border fortress of the Great Liang, impregnable and magnificent, with the Qu Nan River almost encircling the entire city to the east.
Stretching from the Southern Border's Gui Gu Mountain in the east to the Great Liang's Endless Sea in the west, it spanned the entire border. Both sides were lined with steep cliffs, a strategic and defensible terrain.
If it weren't for the Great Liang's generals colluding with the Southern Border back then, how could they have so easily occupied Dragon City?
This time, the Great Liang's recapture of Dragon City involved surrounding almost the entire mountain. Scouts had repeatedly investigated, catching the Southern Border completely off guard.
Moreover, the reinforcements brought by the King of Ding Bei were the Xiao family army, who had fought alongside him on the battlefield for many years. Each soldier was a match for a hundred, veterans who had faced life and death, fighting with extreme ferocity.
The Southern Border army was beaten back, some falling into the great river along the chains, others killed in clashes of blades. Soldiers retreated in a mad scramble, almost completely defeated, with bodies littering the land for a thousand li.
Between heaven and earth, the shouts of battle were like thunderous drums, filled with flesh and mud, chilling and terrifying.
Seeing the fierce assault of the Liang army, Chi Yan directly ordered the city sealed, abandoning the Southern Border soldiers still fighting outside.
A strategist stepped forward and said, "Aba Huan, this battle must not allow any Southern Border survivors to live, otherwise, it will surely chill the Gu King's heart."
Chi Yan's expression was cold. "Kill everyone, friend or foe, release the arrows!"
She had to secure an advantage for Xie Bei Han to escape!
"Hold for one more night, we absolutely cannot let them leave Yue Pass tonight."
"Yes!"
Leaving Dragon City and heading south led towards Yue Pass. Once they crossed Yue Pass and entered Gui Gu Mountain, they would be in the Southern Border territory.
The Southern Border was divided into Northern Border and Rao Border, with the royal court located in the capital of Rao Border, spanning half of the Qu Nan River.
After Xie Bei Han and Ye Luan left Yue Pass, they headed straight for Rao Border.
It wasn't far; after two days of riding, they reached the border of the Southern Border.
Xuan Qing, returning from the Great Liang, waited with his troops at the city gate. Upon seeing their arrival, he immediately stepped forward respectfully.
"Greetings, Your Majesty."
Xie Bei Han rode his horse towards the stockade. "Rest here for a night first."
As night fell, the weather turned abruptly cold.
They stayed at an inn for the night.
The next day, they set off towards the capital.
Ye Luan, having traveled for several days, was drowsy while riding her horse.
Fortunately, the border was very close to the capital.
She sat in the carriage and leisurely made her way.
"The person has been sent into the Ten Thousand Gu Cave. I have dispatched scouts to search the entire city, but his whereabouts are still unknown."
Faint voices could be heard from outside.
Ye Luan's drowsy mind immediately cleared. She leaned against the carriage window, listening quietly.
"He's quite good at hiding, but that woman is already in the Sacred Tower. He will have to go there eventually. Since I couldn't kill him on our wedding day, let him die in the Sacred Tower."
Xie Bei Han's expression was sinister. "This time, they will all die!"
"This prince understands. Preparations are underway, and the news will be spread."
Ye Luan listened to the conversation outside, her expression slightly stunned. Who were they talking about?
Who was in the Ten Thousand Gu Cave, was it Mu Rou?
"Chi Yan has sent word that Dragon City has been breached. The army has entered the city but has not headed towards Yue Pass. The generals hiding in Gui Gu Mountain have not seen any Great Liang forces."
Xie Bei Han narrowed his eyes. "Is that so?"
"I have already sent people to investigate the whereabouts of the King of Ding Bei. Oh, and another thing, the Wang clan of Hedong Commandery was annihilated by the King of Ding Bei, and Dan Yan is also dead."
"Let him die then."
Xie Bei Han rode his horse, glancing back at the movement of the carriage, raising an eyebrow and curling his lips.
"Is Your Majesty going to the Royal Court?"
"No, directly to Wu Cong."
Wu Cong was located in the capital, amidst rolling mountains, with treacherous terrain.
Entering from Wu Cong led towards the direction of the Southern Border's Ten Thousand Gu Cave.
Throughout the generations of the Southern Border, the Saintesses lived by the Sacred Tower, born in the Ten Thousand Gu Cave, and confined within the Sacred Tower after coming of age, guarding the people of the Southern Border.
However, since the previous Saintess ascended to the throne, the enchanting Gu King manipulated the government, and the Ten Thousand Gu Cave became a place for previous Saintesses to raise their private armies. Especially after Chi You became the Saintess a few years ago, she openly contended with the Gu King, and the Ten Thousand Gu Cave almost became her territory.
After Ye Luan followed Xie Bei Han into Wu Cong, they stayed in a small building.
As night fell, she changed into simple attire and quietly slipped out.
The terrain of the Southern Border was undulating, with no snow year-round, blooming everywhere with poisonous flowers.
Especially in Wu Cong, poisonous insects and snakes were found everywhere.
Ye Luan cautiously guarded her surroundings and walked towards the back.
She planned to go to the Ten Thousand Gu Cave overnight. If Mu Rou was indeed there, she had to save her.
Wu Cong was very close to the Ten Thousand Gu Cave, but she didn't know how to enter. After searching around, she found a secret passage.
She knocked out the guards, quietly pushed open the stone door, and entered the secret passage.
In the dark stone passage, there was no light at all.
Ye Luan felt the smooth stone wall with her fingers, feeling a damp touch. She rubbed it a few times, finding moss, indicating water behind the stone wall.
She pursed her lips slightly, took out a fire starter, and lit it. Instantly, the surroundings were illuminated.
It was a very long stone passage, with no end in sight, but no winding paths. Following the stone path straight ahead, she could see a protruding cave entrance.
As she went further in, the stone passage became wider.
By the time she exited the cave, she was shocked by the scene before her.
It was an extremely terrifying sea of flowers, with crimson blooms everywhere. But what was disgusting was that each flower was entwined with colorful snake gu, sending shivers down one's spine.
She withdrew her gaze, bypassed this area, and walked further in.
She wondered if this was the Ten Thousand Gu Cave, as there was no one around.
Ye Luan muttered a few words in her heart, but after walking for a short while, she saw patrolling Southern Border soldiers.
She quickly hid behind a stone tablet. She had long heard that the Ten Thousand Gu Cave was where Saintesses of all generations raised private armies, so she seemed to have found the right place.
She looked at the gatehouse ahead and sighed. There were no markings of the Ten Thousand Gu Cave around. Perhaps she hadn't found the main entrance and had stumbled upon the secret entrance of the Ten Thousand Gu Cave through some hidden passage.
She carefully observed her surroundings. Seeing the patrol leave, she lightly approached the gate and directly snapped the neck of the guard.
She pushed the door open and quietly entered.
Upon entering, she saw a wooden gatehouse carved with dragon patterns. The four sides were adorned with vibrant flowers and plants, with gnarled ancient trees, all in extremely eerie colors.