Chapter 15 Part 2
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This chapter is edited by Farouq Omileye. Thank you for your contribution!
Chapter 15: You Are Not Fighting Alone! (2)
This cold feeling crept up her body and reached her heart through the gaping flaw inside her. Her body trembled slightly as the realization hit her.
The eldest princess, lost in thought, remembered the suffocating fear of helplessness that once gripped her.
That night.
Her last thread of hope was shattered.
She was stunned to discover that her father—whom she had believed to be dead—was still alive. But before she could even speak to him, Xu Pan had cast him into the Oven of Heaven and Earth, ruthlessly advancing his twisted plan.
In mere moments, her emotions soared to dizzying heights, only to plummet into the depths of despair.
Though cold-blooded people were not rare in this world, the eldest princess never imagined she would be subjected to such cruelty.
For the sake of his ambition, Xu Pan sacrificed her father and several Elders.
The ancient magic array outside the Canglong Garden was obliterated, its destruction a consequence of countless sacrifices.
Overcome with grief, the eldest princess shed tears as she realized the horrifying truth.
She rushed to contact her allies within Xingluo Fortress, but when they heard of Xu Pan and Marquis Wu’an’s intentions to break the Canglong Garden and seize the blood of the Canglong, they immediately withdrew.
Xingluo Fortress was far from unified, and its ties with Heluo Country were complicated.
Any attempt to stop Xu Pan now would likely be thwarted by her own people long before reaching the Canglong Garden.
Even if they managed to arrive at the Garden, their combined strength would be insufficient to halt Xu Pan’s plan.
The risks were far too great, and as a result, they severed their ties with her without hesitation.
“Stop it. Since Xu Pan has already placed his bet, his influence is everywhere by now.”
With a heavy heart, the eldest princess crushed the jade slip in silence.
She was not willing to accept this fate.
She sought out others who might oppose Xu Pan.
But as soon as they saw her, fear overtook them, as though they had seen a ghost.
Some tried to reason with her:
“Why does a woman like you involve herself in such matters?”
Is being a woman a crime now?
That night, the eldest princess retrieved the mirror that could predict the future.
In the past, she had relied on its guidance to slowly unravel the prophecies it revealed.
But now, the predictions had become erratic, constantly shifting as if some unseen force was manipulating the mirror.
Her eyes blurred, struggling to follow the changes.
As time passed, the visions multiplied exponentially—two became four, four became eight, and so on.
It was no longer a mere mirror—it felt like the legendary Mirror of Ten Thousand Transformations!
Among the bizarre images she saw, one stood out: two children, both named Bai.
But there were even stranger things, though she had no time to dwell on them.
“No, there is no future.”
Reality seemed to be mocking her, even the mirror itself seemed to be deceiving her!
Exhausted, she collapsed onto the bed, feeling utterly defeated.
She was alone.
What was there left to fight for?
Should she simply watch as Heluo Country crumbled?
Despite what the mirror suggested—that there might still be a glimmer of hope for Heluo’s restoration—giving up seemed all too easy.
But she wasn’t ready to let go.
The weight of depression grew heavier.
She wished she had never found the mirror. Sometimes, she wondered if life would have been simpler without that relentless pursuit of hope.
Without that persistence, it would have been easier to abandon it all.
Fear of sleep gripped her.
Nightmares haunted her whenever she closed her eyes.
During the long, agonizing night, she sat motionless, feeling an empty void inside.
It was as if the world had forsaken her—leaving her with nothing but a hollow body and a wandering soul.
Then, something unexpected happened.
Bai Lian’s body was cold, but it was the first warmth the eldest princess had felt in days.
When Bai Lian held her, the eldest princess felt like a stranded fishing boat that had finally found its way to harbor after months adrift at sea.
Desperately, she clung to Bai Lian, feeling as though she had finally grasped something real—something she could control.
“I’m sorry.”
With trembling hands, she clutched Bai Lian’s waist tightly.
She was tired.
So very tired.
“Bai Lian… I don’t want to fight anymore.”
“I can’t do it alone. I’m too weak. I’m sorry. I used you before. I’m so sorry…”
Tears the size of peas rolled down her face.
She wept like a child who had wronged someone she loved.
Her sobs were loud, but the rain outside was even louder.
Bai Lian, standing close by, could still hear her broken words through the storm.
Gradually, she began to understand what the eldest princess had been through.
It felt as though the princess was waging war against the entire world.
The pressure from all sides had forced the once-proud princess to lower her head.
Despite being older than Bai Lian, the eldest princess seemed, in that moment, no different than a child—no different than her younger martial sisters.
“Emperor Xu Pan is truly heartless.”
Bai Lian sighed softly.
Xu Pan had not only killed her father, but also used him as a mere “tool” to break the magic array.
The gravity of the situation hit Bai Lian, who felt even more wary.
People like Xu Pan were dangerous when cornered.
Her task of gathering information was complete.
[The task has been completed, and the reward “Military Interpretation Book” has been issued.]
Yu Ying, now transformed into a sword and hanging behind Bai Lian, felt a bit dejected upon hearing the story.
Could the eldest princess really be this broken?
It seemed like everyone carried a heavy burden.
In this moment, Yu Ying forgave the eldest princess for “bullying” Elder Martial Sister Bai Lian with her chest.
“Cry it out, just let it go.”
Bai Lian gently stroked the eldest princess’s back, as if comforting a trembling lamb.
The eldest princess, exhausted from crying, looked at Bai Lian through tear-filled eyes.
“How did you find me?”
Bai Lian answered softly, “It’s fate. I was walking down the road when I saw you. When I noticed something was wrong, I followed you.”
Fate?
The eldest princess, feeling a strange comfort, clung to the word as if it offered a sense of purpose.
She bit her red lips and asked, “Then why didn’t you stop me at the entrance of the Moon Fragrance Pavilion?”
Bai Lian replied, “How could I know you weren’t there on business? I had to observe first.”
The eldest princess nodded, then teasingly said, “So, you couldn’t resist when you saw me getting ‘close’ to other women?”
Bai Lian shook her head.
“It was because you suddenly started crying.”
The eldest princess smirked. “Don’t try to make excuses. I know it was more than that.”
She had already resolved to complete the “unfinished business” with Bai Lian.
With that thought in mind, she gazed affectionately at Bai Lian and, unconsciously, her hand began to stroke Bai Lian’s back.
“Will you come to my mansion?”
And so, the task appeared.
[Task 1: Accept the eldest princess’s invitation (Reward: Hard Skill +8)]
[Task 2: Refuse (Reward: Focus +1)]
Bai Lian didn’t hesitate for long, remembering the presence of the fourth Martial Sister with her.
Her mind, calm as a Buddha, chose to send the eldest princess home first before heading to the Canglong Garden.
However, the eldest princess wasn’t willing to give up.
Yu Ying, growing frustrated, noticed the eldest princess’s intentions.
“What are you trying to do?”
“Give me back my sympathy!”
Yu Ying’s sword turned slightly upward, blocking the eldest princess’s hand from wandering too far.
The eldest princess, oblivious to the subtle change, continued her playful teasing.
Yu Ying, seething with anger, was no longer just fighting alone.
She was fighting for her master and all the martial sisters who cared for Bai Lian.
Her resolve was unyielding.
“I will never forgive you.”
In a swift motion, Yu Ying thrust the sword hilt into the eldest princess’s thigh.
The eldest princess, now blushing with embarrassment, looked at Bai Lian.
“You touched me.”
Bai Lian stood frozen, her eyes wide with shock.
“You…”
Before she could finish her sentence, the fourth Martial Sister poked the eldest princess in the chest.
“Die!”
No one could touch her eldest Martial Sister.