Nightfall

The flames danced on the silver mask and in the black eyes, like lightning in the summer rain .

It was late winter and was snowing . The Qi of Heaven and Earth in Chang"an had been put to rest, so it was not really lightning, but embers of fire .

The snowy field and the beautiful quiet village on the state highway should have made a beautiful scene . However, they were burned by fierce flames and had become a black and bleak wasteland .

Prince Long Qing looked at the scene before him silently and indifferently . He did not look excited and only his hand wrapped tightly around the rope revealed how he truly felt .

After leading the barbarian cavalry into the Eastern Wilderness, he had ordered his subordinates to set fire to the distant Eastern Border and this village .

He had led 2000 of the most elite among his cavalry to ambush Chang"an regardless of any price they had to pay . Both the Tang army and the persistent Valiant Cavalry Battalion would not be able to catch up with him at this point in time .

He was already very close to Chang"an .

Years ago, he had lost to Ning Que at the Academy"s entrance exam . He had left Chang"an with the West-Hill Divine Palace diplomatic corps and the Papal Cavalrymen on this particular path .

On the same highway, he recalled what had happened back then and the emotions he felt . Then, he remembered the ambition he had in the past .

"I want to pull down all these ugly houses of the Tangs and eradicate all the rapeseed in the fields . Then I"ll burn all of them, with all the sins and the filth, to rebuild into a holy, bright world . "

He was about to return to Chang"an, a city that had left him with endless humiliation and pain, changing his life in a certain sense . His cultivation state and strength had improved vastly, but his eyes no longer shone with purity .

The rape blossoms in the field by the highway had not yet grown . The houses built by the Tang farmers which had been painted in various colors were not as beautiful or ugly as they had been . Then, he shall burn them all .

He might as well tell those in Chang"an that he had arrived .

It was snowing in Chang"an and the north of the Xiao Mountain, but it was just as cold . The rain soaked through the armor and into the leather coat until it reached the skin, making the days even more unbearable .

The Southern Army marched northwards in the cold rain . The Tang army could be seen throughout the Xiao Mountain and in its forests . There were many of them, making it look like the forest was filled with leaves that had fallen and gathered for a thousand years .

The march was very difficult . The cold weather and rain, the decaying leaves and the trampled mountain path were their enemies . Many had already fallen behind along the way .

There were more people who moved forth even though they were pale, both emotionally and physically tired . They gritted their teeth, lowered their heads and followed the people in front of them, crawling through the muddy wilderness .

They could only continue if they gritted their teeth, and they could only conserve the last bit of their energy by staying silent . Only when they hung their heads could these tired people see where the troops were marching to .

More than 100,000 Tang Army soldiers walked in the mountains . However, they did not make too much noise . Only the occasional sound of heavy objects falling could be heard when the troop"s boots struck the mud .

The silence was frightening, and this was also what frightened their enemy the most .

The generals of the Tang army and the ordinary soldiers all firmly believed that even if the West-Hill Divine Palace Coalition Army really had the one million soldiers strong troop told as in the rumors, they would be able to stop them if they could reach Chang"an .

They had to rush to the north of the Verdant Canyon, and the West-Hill Divine Palace Coalition Army did not give them enough time . They did not have time to sleep or eat hot meals as they spent all their time on the road .

They walked day and night, through the snow and rain and through the foggy forests in search of a faster path . They kept walking .

However, the distance was still too long . The Southern Army had tried its best, but it was still a distance away from the northern Verdant Canyon . They were already several days late from the arrival date requested by the Military Ministry .

Theoretically speaking, the Verdant Canyon should have fallen and it was pointless for the Southern Army to rush over . In fact, it was dangerous for them to do so . What they should do right now was to seek information of their enemy, to later retreat and await for aid .

However, the troop still rushed on because they did not receive any new orders . Their mission was still to rush to the Verdant Canyon and defend it because they believed, almost blindly, in the abilities of the Academy"s disciples .

Because they could not accept that .

The clouds were thin and the rain light on the other side of the Xiao Mountain .

Raindrops pattered, falling upon the quiet wilderness and were instantly absorbed by the soil . It was impossible to wash away the blood acc.u.mulated during these seven days and only added a certain amount of dampness to the ground .

The ground in front of the Verdant Canyon was harder due to the pressure exerted upon it by the powerhouses" Qi of Heaven and Earth . As such, the rain seeped through it slowly and started to acc.u.mulate in the messy hoof prints on the ground .

There was a booming sound from the far south of the Wilderness and the earth began to vibrate . The shallow layer of water in the prints started to shake .

"The South Jin Kingdom"s trebuchet has finally arrived . "

Sixth Brother looked at the people and objects that had appeared in the distance and felt the ground under his feet shaking . There were several bloodied wounds on his iron-hard body and a deep gouge on his hammer .

Forth Brother sat under the iron shelter, holding the River and Mountain Sandbox, struggling against the Virtual Sword left by the Abbey Dean a few days ago . All the other disciples of the Academy other than him were seriously injured .

The flower w.a.n.g Chi had stuck in his bun was long stained with blood, turning black .

Ximen Buhuo"s front was stained with blood and his face was as white as a sheet of paper .

Beigong Weiyang"s hands landed on his bloodied zither, curled up like birds" claws .

Jun Mo changed into new clothes that were plain and devoid of blood . His left sleeve floated in the cold air . He lowered his head in the rain, looking exhausted .

He silently looked at the water gathered in the hoof prints close to him .

The front of the Verdant Canyon was littered with body parts and corpses . Only the area surrounding him was empty .

There was yet another battle before the Verdant Canyon after Liu Bai retreated . Every time the Divine Hall Coalition Army thought they were about to overwhelm the Academy"s disciples, they rose up from the sword and music .

Ye Hongyu stood in the distance across them; her Divine Robe of Judgement had long been stained with blood, making it truly the color of blood .

Seven months later, she had finally seen a glimmer of victory .

The Academy was not Haotian after all . It was not omnipotent .

Jun Mo slowly bent down and picked up his high crown that had fallen to the ground .

He had ignored the crown that had fallen after his battle with Liu Bai as he did not have the time .

There was blood and ash on the crown .

He slowly frowned, wanting to get rid of the blood and ash on it .

He was holding the crown with his right hand because he had already lost his left hand .

Mu You walked up to him and took the crown, carefully wiping it down with her handkerchief .

Jun Mo leaned forward, bowing to her .

Mu You"s eyes were wet as she smiled and returned the bow .

They bowed at each other .

Mu You said, "I will marry you . "

Jun Mo said calmly, "That"s good . "

Mu You placed the crown onto his head and arranged it seriously .

This was the gifting of the crown .

Jun Mo said, "To die for the gift of the crown is reasonable . "

Mu You replied, "To die together is reasonable as well . "

Crying and screaming sounded before the Verdant Canyon . It was a cry that tore one"s heart .

Beigong Weiyang broke his zither strings . Blood splattered everywhere as he screamed through his tears, "I don"t accept this!". . . . The flames danced on the silver mask and in the black eyes, like lightning in the summer rain . It was late winter and was snowing . The Qi of Heaven and Earth in Changan had been put to rest, so it was not really lightning, but embers of fire . The snowy field and the beautiful quiet village on the state highway should have made a beautiful scene . However, they were burned by fierce flames and had become a black and bleak wasteland . Prince Long Qing looked at the scene before him silently and indifferently . He did not look excited and only his hand wrapped tightly around the rope revealed how he truly felt . After leading the barbarian cavalry into the Eastern Wilderness, he had ordered his subordinates to set fire to the distant Eastern Border and this village . He had led 2000 of the most elite among his cavalry to ambush Changan regardless of any price they had to pay . Both the Tang army and the persistent Valiant Cavalry Battalion would not be able to catch up with him at this point in time . He was already very close to Changan . Years ago, he had lost to Ning Que at the Academys entrance exam . He had left Changan with the West-Hill Divine Palace diplomatic corps and the Papal Cavalrymen on this particular path . On the same highway, he recalled what had happened back then and the emotions he felt . Then, he remembered the ambition he had in the past . I want to pull down all these ugly houses of the Tangs and eradicate all the rapeseed in the fields . Then Ill burn all of them, with all the sins and the filth, to rebuild into a holy, bright world . He was about to return to Changan, a city that had left him with endless humiliation and pain, changing his life in a certain sense . His cultivation state and strength had improved vastly, but his eyes no longer shone with purity . The rape blossoms in the field by the highway had not yet grown . The houses built by the Tang farmers which had been painted in various colors were not as beautiful or ugly as they had been . Then, he shall burn them all . . . He might as well tell those in Changan that he had arrived . It was snowing in Changan and the north of the Xiao Mountain, but it was just as cold . The rain soaked through the armor and into the leather coat until it reached the skin, making the days even more unbearable . The Southern Army marched northwards in the cold rain . The Tang army could be seen throughout the Xiao Mountain and in its forests . There were many of them, making it look like the forest was filled with leaves that had fallen and gathered for a thousand years . The march was very difficult . The cold weather and rain, the decaying leaves and the trampled mountain path were their enemies . Many had already fallen behind along the way . There were more people who moved forth even though they were pale, both emotionally and physically tired . They gritted their teeth, lowered their heads and followed the people in front of them, crawling through the muddy wilderness . They could only continue if they gritted their teeth, and they could only conserve the last bit of their energy by staying silent . Only when they hung their heads could these tired people see where the troops were marching to . More than 100,000 Tang Army soldiers walked in the mountains . However, they did not make too much noise . Only the occasional sound of heavy objects falling could be heard when the troops boots struck the mud . The silence was frightening, and this was also what frightened their enemy the most . The generals of the Tang army and the ordinary soldiers all firmly believed that even if the West-Hill Divine Palace Coalition Army really had the one million soldiers strong troop told as in the rumors, they would be able to stop them if they could reach Changan . They had to rush to the north of the Verdant Canyon, and the West-Hill Divine Palace Coalition Army did not give them enough time . They did not have time to sleep or eat hot meals as they spent all their time on the road . They walked day and night, through the snow and rain and through the foggy forests in search of a faster path . They kept walking . However, the distance was still too long . The Southern Army had tried its best, but it was still a distance away from the northern Verdant Canyon . They were already several days late from the arrival date requested by the Military Ministry . . . . Theoretically speaking, the Verdant Canyon should have fallen and it was pointless for the Southern Army to rush over . In fact, it was dangerous for them to do so . What they should do right now was to seek information of their enemy, to later retreat and await for aid . However, the troop still rushed on because they did not receive any new orders . Their mission was still to rush to the Verdant Canyon and defend it because they believed, almost blindly, in the abilities of the Academys disciples . Because they could not accept that . The clouds were thin and the rain light on the other side of the Xiao Mountain . Raindrops pattered, falling upon the quiet wilderness and were instantly absorbed by the soil . It was impossible to wash away the blood acc.u.mulated during these seven days and only added a certain amount of dampness to the ground . The ground in front of the Verdant Canyon was harder due to the pressure exerted upon it by the powerhouses Qi of Heaven and Earth . As such, the rain seeped through it slowly and started to acc.u.mulate in the messy hoof prints on the ground . There was a booming sound from the far south of the Wilderness and the earth began to vibrate . The shallow layer of water in the prints started to shake . The South Jin Kingdoms trebuchet has finally arrived . Sixth Brother looked at the people and objects that had appeared in the distance and felt the ground under his feet shaking . There were several bloodied wounds on his iron-hard body and a deep gouge on his hammer . Forth Brother sat under the iron shelter, holding the River and Mountain Sandbox, struggling against the Virtual Sword left by the Abbey Dean a few days ago . All the other disciples of the Academy other than him were seriously injured . The flower w.a.n.g Chi had stuck in his bun was long stained with blood, turning black . Ximen Buhuos front was stained with blood and his face was as white as a sheet of paper . Beigong Weiyangs hands landed on his bloodied zither, curled up like birds claws . Jun Mo changed into new clothes that were plain and devoid of blood . His left sleeve floated in the cold air . He lowered his head in the rain, looking exhausted . He silently looked at the water gathered in the hoof prints close to him . The front of the Verdant Canyon was littered with body parts and corpses . Only the area surrounding him was empty . There was yet another battle before the Verdant Canyon after Liu Bai retreated . Every time the Divine Hall Coalition Army thought they were about to overwhelm the Academys disciples, they rose up from the sword and music . Ye Hongyu stood in the distance across them; her Divine Robe of Judgement had long been stained with blood, making it truly the color of blood . Seven months later, she had finally seen a glimmer of victory . The Academy was not Haotian after all . It was not omnipotent . Jun Mo slowly bent down and picked up his high crown that had fallen to the ground . He had ignored the crown that had fallen after his battle with Liu Bai as he did not have the time . There was blood and ash on the crown . He slowly frowned, wanting to get rid of the blood and ash on it . He was holding the crown with his right hand because he had already lost his left hand . Mu You walked up to him and took the crown, carefully wiping it down with her handkerchief . Jun Mo leaned forward, bowing to her . Mu Yous eyes were wet as she smiled and returned the bow . They bowed at each other . Mu You said, I will marry you . Jun Mo said calmly, Thats good . Mu You placed the crown onto his head and arranged it seriously . This was the gifting of the crown . Jun Mo said, To die for the gift of the crown is reasonable . Mu You replied, To die together is reasonable as well . Crying and screaming sounded before the Verdant Canyon . It was a cry that tore ones heart . Beigong Weiyang broke his zither strings . Blood splattered everywhere as he screamed through his tears, I dont accept this!