The First Jasmine - Chapter 92

Chapter 92: A Sharp Sword Slashing Through the Sky, Reunion

Contrary to the leisureliness of the previous few days, the rebel forces had obviously begun to grow impatient. Before dawn even broke, they had already begun their assault on the city, and as the sky gradually brightened, the offensive grew increasingly fierce. One must believe that had there not been a limit to the number of people who could physically fit outside Yonglin City, Mo Jingli would have eagerly thrown his entire army of over a hundred thousand troops into the siege of this tiny, fingernail-sized city.

Used for defending the city, two thousand Black Cloud Cavalry were definitely not going to be any more useful than two thousand border garrison soldiers by a multiple of several times. By noon, the remaining garrison soldiers inside Yonglin City were already completely exhausted. Under the continuous, relentless battering of the rebel forces, the city gates also began to sway precariously.

"Your... Young Master Xu, we can't hold out anymore. You guys go first!" Dragging a body covered in bloodstains and exhaustion, Xia Shu stood before Ye Li. "And the brothers of the Black Cloud Cavalry—defending the city was always our job to begin with. We already have you to thank for being able to hold out for so many days this time."

"Leave?" Ye Li raised an eyebrow. "Where is there to go right now? There are over a hundred thousand troops outside the city, after all."

"The two thousand elite cavalry of the Black Cloud Cavalry have not suffered losses; being trapped in the city is merely a dragon confined to a shallow pond. As long as we get out of the city, we will definitely be able to cut our way through," Xia Shu said. Pointing at the people standing behind her, Ye Li asked, "Why don't you ask them if they want to leave?" Standing behind Ye Li were Qin Feng, the cold and murderous commander of the Black Cloud Cavalry, along with Shadow Two and Shadow Three. With a solemn expression, Qin Feng declared, "The Black Cloud Cavalry exist precisely to defend Great Chu. If we were to abandon the city and the defending soldiers and leave, our brothers would have no choice upon returning but to face the Black Cloud Cavalry troops and offer our lives in apology." Smiling amicably, Shadow Three looked at Xia Shu and said, "We are shadow guards; wherever our master is, that is where we are." Glaring at the people before him, Xia Shu felt a dry, stinging sensation in his eyes. Gritting his teeth, he blurted out, "It's not worth it!" To let a single Yonglin City bury the Princess of Regent King and two thousand Black Cloud Cavalry—such a price...

Shadow Three patted Xia Shu's shoulder with a smile and said, "If Yonglin City really falls, we'll fight to the death to escort the Young Master out. When that time comes, we'll break through if we can; life and death are up to fate. What kind of sense does it make to cowardly abandon the city and run away right now? If we were going to do that, we might as well have abandoned the city days ago, and then so many people wouldn't have had to die."

Startled for a moment, Xia Shu swatted Shadow Three's hand away and turned to leave. "Suit yourselves!"

Shrugging helplessly, Shadow Three said to the others behind him, "Is it just me, or was he acting shy?" Helplessly, Shadow Two patted his third younger brother—who seemed to be losing his mind every now and then—reminding him: We're on a battlefield right now, alright?

Watching the city gates begin to fracture amidst the heavy battering sounds, Ye Li let out a helpless sigh; after all, they still couldn't hold out until the reinforcements arrived. "Black Cloud Cavalry, prepare!"

"Understood!" The city walls were handed over to the remaining, dwindling number of garrison soldiers, while down below the city walls, the two thousand Black Cloud Cavalry were already fully prepared, like a fully drawn bow ready to be released at any moment. Looking back, Ye Li nodded at Xia Shu and Yun Ting, who were standing atop the city wall. With a wave of her hand, the city gates crashed down heavily. The instant before the rebel forces outside the city could even rush in, the black iron cavalry charged out like a raging tempest, leaving a trail of soaring blood and light wherever they passed.

"Your Highness, they've come out. The Black Cloud Cavalry!" At the rear of the main army, Mo Jingli sat high in his saddle, staring intently at the situation on the battlefield. Without needing reminders from those around him, he naturally spotted those clusters of athletic, dark figures.

"They truly live up to the name of the Black Cloud Cavalry..." the surrounding generals couldn't help but sigh. If one possessed an army like this, why worry about the realm not being unified? Even though they were currently enemies, seeing such an elite force still failed to suppress their sense of admiration.

Mo Jingli sneered coldly. "They've finally come out." With a wave of his hand, two fresh divisions that had remained uncommitted up until now surged onto the battlefield. "Everyone always says the Black Cloud Cavalry excel at mobile assault and charging, let's see how you handle this many people!" Because of the addition of these two divisions, the area in front of the already-cramped Yonglin City could be said to be overwhelmingly packed, leaving warhorses utterly incapable of maneuvering. The members of the Black Cloud Cavalry clearly understood this logic as well, and all of them quickly abandoned their horses to merge into the chaotic melee. Trying to hold off tens of thousands of people with a mere two thousand men was naturally like a mantis trying to stop a chariot, but the city gateway was only so wide, and it was obviously impossible for tens of thousands of people to charge through simultaneously. Thus, for the time being, the two armies remained locked in a stalemate and entanglement at the city gates. Even if an occasional rebel soldier managed to rush inside, they were promptly wiped out by the garrison soldiers stationed within the gateway.

"Who is that person?" Mo Jingli, who was observing the battle, suddenly pointed and asked, singling out a particularly petite, dark-clad figure amidst the chaotic melee. Clad in the same black cloud-patterned martial attire as all the other Black Cloud Cavalry, her combat style and movements were entirely different from theirs. If the movements of the Black Cloud Cavalry were athletic and fierce, her actions appeared exceptionally simple yet ruthless. No distinct martial arts forms could be discerned, yet amidst nearly every single simple movement, a soldier would collapse before her. Whether it was a regular foot soldier or a commanding officer, there seemed to be no difference at all beneath her hands.

"That is..." Everyone remained silent and speechless, for no one knew who that person truly was. Aside from possessing a slightly smaller frame and a sharper, fiercer agility behind her, she bore no obvious differences from any of the other Black Cloud Cavalry. Staring at that fierce figure amidst the chaotic melee, Mo Jingli's dark eyes gradually narrowed; that silhouette gave him an eerie sense of familiarity. At last, after a long moment, he gnashed his teeth and spat out a single name: "Ye Li!" Startled for a moment, the strategist beside him cast a swift glance toward the person in the chaotic melee and cried out in shock, "Does Your Highness mean that is the Princess of Regent King?!" Completely ignoring his question, Mo Jingli pointed his riding crop forward and commanded, "Capture that person alive, and this Prince will reward a thousand taels of gold!"

"Understood!"

Although the Black Cloud Cavalry managed to block the rebel forces at the city gate, the city walls themselves could clearly no longer sustain effective defense. Countless rebel soldiers had already scaled the ramparts, engaging the defending soldiers on the walls in brutal close combat. Down below the city, Ye Li also felt an immense amount of pressure. With a swift sweep of her blade, she cleared away a rebel soldier who lunged at her, then spun around just in time to plunge the tip of her blade into the throat of another rebel who pounced from behind. Shadow Two and Shadow Three hurried over; Shadow Two said in a low voice, "Young Master, it's time to retreat." While swinging his sword to unleash a spray of blood, Shadow Three chimed in, "Did Mo Jingli figure out the Princess is here? Why do I feel like the people coming over right now don't look like regular foot soldiers at all?" The people surrounding them clearly possessed solid foundations in martial arts, making them much harder to deal with than ordinary soldiers.

Ye Li felt quite helpless as well, but the fall of Yonglin City had already become a foregone conclusion; sacrificing the Black Cloud Cavalry at this point would be utterly meaningless. Having held their ground at the city gates for over an hour, they figured Broken Snow Pass must have received the news by now. "All Black Cloud Cavalry, withdraw from the battlefield!"

"Understood. First, second, and third squads provide rear guard; all other units retreat!" Qin Feng shouted loudly as he gave the order.

"Thinking of running?!" From afar, Mo Jingli naturally perceived the situation on the battlefield. The Black Cloud Cavalry excelled at mobile assault, excelled at concealment, and were equally adept at retreating. The terrain around Yonglin was complex; once they managed to break away from the battlefield, capturing them truly would become impossible. However, right from the start, the Black Cloud Cavalry hadn't actually charged into the center of the melee; they had merely blocked the city gate to prevent the enemy from advancing. Now, upon receiving the order, they immediately split up to retreat toward the flanks and into the city, shielded by rear-guard expert archers. Even though the rebel forces were filled with unwillingness, they could only watch as the agile cavalry distanced themselves from the battlefield. Letting out a cold snort, Mo Jingli turned back, drew the bow from his horse's saddle, nocked an arrow, pulled the string taut, and aimed it straight at the petite, dark figure in the melee.

Amidst the fierce combat, Ye Li clearly sensed a wave of dangerous intent. Looking back toward the distance, she caught sight of Mo Jingli's gloomy, malicious eyes and a sharp arrow breaking through the air right toward her. Normally, Ye Li wouldn't have had any trouble dodging this arrow, but right at this moment, she was entangled by several rebel soldiers and completely unable to evade it. With a startled cry, Shadow Three immediately lunged forward. Cursing mentally, Ye Li grabbed the hand of a rebel soldier holding a blade and hurled him violently in the direction from which Shadow Three was lunging. In the span of that twisting and throwing motion, a burning pain flared across her left arm while the arrow from behind was already inches away.

"Young Master!"

"Whoosh—!" A white-feathered arrow glowing with a dazzling golden sheen pierced through the air. Mo Jingli's arrow collided with the incoming streak of light three feet away from Ye Li, sending it plummeting powerlessly to the ground. That feathered arrow, however, seemed entirely unaffected; it pierced straight through the body of one rebel soldier and embedded itself deep into the chest of another standing behind him. Staring down in disbelief at the feathered arrow buried more than halfway into his chest, the man seemed entirely unable to comprehend how an arrow could possibly shoot out from behind his own comrade and pierce clean through them both. Stunned for a moment by this earth-shattering arrow, Ye Li instantly cast the thought aside and spun around to kick down an attacking rebel soldier.

"Good grief..." Shadow Two and Shadow Three both let out sighs of relief. A moment ago, Shadow Three had lunged forward only to be blocked by the person Ye Li hurled, nearly leading them to believe that arrow was going to strike the Princess. Overwhelmed by a cold sweat, they hurriedly closed in toward Ye Li's position.

"A golden-feathered arrow?! It's the Prince!" Upon spotting the golden arrow-tail protruding from the body of the soldier who had just dropped straight to the ground, the rear-guard Black Cloud Cavalry could not help crying out in alarm.

In the distance, after missing his mark with that single arrow, Mo Jingli flew into a rage. Grasping his bow and arrow to fire again, he suddenly felt the ground begin to tremble faintly, the sound of hooves rolling like thunder. A cold smile touching his lips, Mo Jingli muttered, "A trick we've already played before—you want to try playing it again?"

"No... something's wrong, Your Highness!" Turning pale as paper, the strategist beside him pointed toward the billowing dust in the distance and shouted, "This time it's real!" Black iron cavalry swept across the earth like a rolling, all-encompassing black cloud, shooting piercing whistles and golden fire-signals into the sky. Upon spotting the golden flare in the air, the Black Cloud Cavalry units that had already withdrawn from the battlefield simultaneously wheeled their horses around and charged back into the fight. At some unknown moment, dark silhouettes had concurrently materialized along the surrounding ridge lines. At the forefront rode a figure on a white horse wielding a silver spear, drifting clouds rippling across his white garments. A silver mask obscured half of his countenance, but the other visible half featured brows sweeping up into his temples and peerless, striking good looks. His previously gentle eyes were now charged with an authoritative sharpness that dared no one to meet his gaze, sweeping lightly over Ye Li's form. Ye Li felt a sudden tremor in her heart, along with a momentary hitch in her breathing.

The white-clad man flicked his reins, and his white steed leaped down from the ridge as if treading on empty air, plunging straight into the chaotic fray. Wherever he passed, not a single soul dared to block his path. "Hear my command, Black Cloud Cavalry! Those who commit treason and rebel against the state—show no mercy, execute without exception!" His low voice, laden with inner force, resonated clearly across the entire battlefield.

"Understood, Your Highness!" The echoes reverberated thunderously from all directions.

In an instant, the entire battlefield seemed to freeze in place. Everyone forgot that they were still standing amidst a storm of spears and rain of swords, staring blankly and sluggishly at the white-clad man in the midst of the chaotic melee. A name hovered instantly on the edge of everyone's lips...

"Mo Xiuyao... how is this possible?!" Glaring malevolently at the scene before him, Mo Jingli's eyes filled with stark disbelief. "Beat the war drums, charge!"

Thump, thump, thump!

The heavy, resonant sound of the battle drums echoed as if striking directly upon everyone's heart. Trembling inwardly, the rebel soldiers threw themselves toward the white-clad man. What they were facing... was the undefeated God of War of Great Chu! Raising an eyebrow in apparent disdain, Mo Xiuyao traced a dazzling, breathtaking silver arc with the silver spear in his hand, its sharp tip leaving trails of brilliant, gorgeous blood blooming wherever it went. Countless feathered arrows intertwined into a dazzling net of projectiles across the ridge. Famed throughout the world for their mastery of archery, the Black Cloud Cavalry unleashed a rain of arrows so overwhelming that, let alone mounting an effective counterattack, the rebel soldiers lost even the courage to raise their own bows. Coupled with the massive army sweeping down from their rear, within mere moments, the force of over a hundred thousand rebel troops was already showing faint signs of total collapse.

The moment Mo Xiuyao appeared, Ye Li withdrew back into Yonglin City. After assisting the Black Cloud Cavalry in clearing out the remaining rebel forces that had broken into the city, she stood atop the ramparts, gazing out at the unfolding scene below. Unconsciously, everyone's gazes were inevitably drawn to that snow-white figure. Dressed in white with a silver spear in hand, he moved with the agile grace of a swimming dragon. Wherever he went, the rebel forces scattered and retreated, not daring to cross blades with him whatsoever. Ye Li had once heard Xu Qingchen evaluate Mo Xiuyao, noting that in his youth he had been as dazzlingly brilliant as a raging fire, whereas following the upheaval, the young adult Mo Xiuyao had grown as serene as water, concealing astonishing, heart-shaking undercurrents beneath his calm surface. And the Mo Xiuyao of the present... resembled an peerless, legendary sword that had undergone a thousand trials and refinements, suddenly emerging from concealment to flash across the world. His keen edge was restrained and his murderous aura gradually leveled out, yet the magnificent splendor refined through countless baptisms and trials still compelled the world to turn its gaze toward him.

"The... the Prince of Ding?" Leaning limply against the crenellation, Yun Ting ignored the uncleaned bloodstains on his face as he gazed with yearning eyes at the figure cutting back and forth across the battlefield below.

Standing beside him, Xia Shu wore an expression entirely relaxed. "Clearly, it is indeed him."

"Does that mean... does that mean our reinforcements have arrived? We've successfully held Yonglin City?" Yun Ting's voice carried a slightly illusory quality, making it difficult for him to distinguish whether he was dreaming or awake for a moment.

Chuckling softly, Shadow Three patted him on the shoulder in comfort and said, "Congratulations, Captain Yun. You'll be getting a promotion soon." Disregarding him entirely, Yun Ting blinked and stared longingly at Ye Li off to the side, though Ye Li was currently staring intently down at the battlefield and had no time to spare for him.

This battle did not drag on for very long; within a mere hour, the rebel forces began retreating toward the east. Watching the receding tide of rebel troops, Yun Ting was left utterly speechless. "What... what is the meaning of this?" Were these rebel soldiers specialized in picking soft persimmons? He had clearly seen many of them turn tail and run without even exchanging blows with the Black Cloud Cavalry—so what was the meaning of them fighting desperately to the death against them over the past few days? Smiling, Shadow Three said, "Captain Yun, don't feel bad. Setting aside the fact that reinforcements have arrived, just having our Prince stand there alone is enough to keep those bastards from daring to cross even a step. This right here... is called an aura. It's something others can't just learn." Simply having the Prince of Ding standing unharmed at the gates of Yonglin City was enough to scare most people out of their wits—who would still have the stomach to fight?

"When will I ever be able to attain an aura like that?" Yun Ting muttered.

"Take your time. If you managed to slay twenty generals and shatter thirty thousand enemy troops by the time you were fifteen or sixteen, you'd probably have this kind of aura by now too," Shadow Three offered with zero sincerity.

Caring little to listen to their idle chatter, Ye Li turned and prepared to head down from the city wall, only to be grabbed by Murong Ting, who had sneaked back up at some point. Frowning, Ye Li asked, "Murong, why did you come back up?" Snorting softly, Murong Ting glanced down at the battlefield and smiled. "The Prince of Ding brought reinforcements; I'd have to be a fool not to come back. Wait... you're the one who dragged me away in the first place, I never actually left!" Waving her hand dismissively, Ye Li said, "We can talk about that later, I'm heading down first."

"Hey now..." Hurriedly grabbing hold of her sleeve and dragging her along as she ran downward, Murong Ting protested, "Are you even a woman? That's the Prince of Ding down there... the Prince of Ding! Furthermore, he's your husband—don't you want to change into a proper outfit before going to welcome him? Look at what you're wearing right now! If Tianxiang and Zheng'er were here, they'd nag you to death." Ye Li couldn't help a faceful of dark lines; regardless of how bold and forthright Murong's personality was, she was still a young woman at heart. To think she had the leisure to care about such details at a time like this. "Murong, this is a battlefield."

"So what if it's a battlefield? The battle's over, isn't it? The Prince of Ding is here; even if the rebel army charges back again, they won't miss you alone. Come with me!" Without a shred of concern for Ye Li's stiff, helpless expression, she dragged her straight toward their lodging place not far from the base of the city tower.

Murong Ting truly possessed the swift hands and feet well-suited for a battlefield medical worker. Looking at the neatly arranged clothing and accessories laid out before her, Ye Li couldn't help praising her inwardly. In less than a full hour, she had managed to sprint all the way back from the route to Broken Snow Pass, hunt down all these garments and accessories that were far from easy to track down within Yonglin City, and then race back up the city ramparts to intercept her before the battle concluded. That was genuinely top-tier efficiency.

"Hurry up, hurry up. Once you're all dressed up, we can go welcome His Highness the Prince of Ding." Grabbing the garments off the table and shoving them into Ye Li's arms, Murong Ting pushed her straight into the inner chamber to change clothes, turning her attention to arranging the accessories left on the table. Yonglin City was tiny to begin with, making good items hard to come by. Moreover, with everyone anticipating a desperate defense to the death today, not a single shop had opened for business. She had run through numerous places just to gather these items. Smiling helplessly, Ye Li clutched the clothes and went inside; if she didn't move, she feared Murong Ting might actually charge in herself to rip her clothes off and change her by force.

The battlefield outside the city had already quieted down. Leaving a contingent of men behind to clear the field and instructing Feng Zhiyao to lead the Mo Family Army into the city to take over defensive duties, Mo Xiuyao spurred his horse into the city. Along the gateway, the remaining garrison soldiers of Yonglin lined both sides to welcome him, yet as Mo Xiuyao swept his gaze across the crowd, he failed to find the figure he wished to see. Riding a horse closely behind Mo Xiuyao, Feng Zhiyao asked with curious, lowered tones, "Where did the Princess go?" Just now outside, he had seen it crystal clear: the Princess of Regent King executing moves with swift, fatal precision amidst the chaotic melee—her methods of taking lives bore a striking resemblance to Mo Xiuyao's... they were practically a match made in heaven. At the same time, Feng Zhiyao reminded himself inwardly never to provoke the Princess under any circumstances. For a woman to turn out like that... was simply too terrifying.

"Uh... I happen to know where the Princess went," Feng Zhiyao pointed toward the intersection ahead and said.

Following his direction, Mo Xiuyao's gaze locked onto two figures—one tall, one short—emerging near the street corner. The tall, red-clad young woman was excitedly dragging a green-robed young woman toward them. Mo Xiuyao's gaze locked tightly onto the petite, refined woman. The woman who moments ago had cut an imposing, cold, and merciless figure clad in black martial attire amidst the chaotic battlefield now wore a faint, helpless smile, her garments fluttering gracefully with broad sleeves. Her soft, dark hair was loosely gathered, pinned with a bright pearl-tasseled hairpin. Her graceful demeanor was every bit as gentle and composed as the most refined young lady of a noble household.

Clearly spotting Mo Xiuyao as well, Ye Li paused slightly and came to a halt. Spurring his horse forward, Mo Xiuyao rode right up to Ye Li on his snow-white steed, which happily trotted over and affectionately nudged her with its head.

"A-Li..." With a faint smile, Mo Xiuyao leaned forward and extended a hand toward Ye Li. Lifting her hand to clasp his outstretched palm, Ye Li was given a gentle tug that hoisted her right up onto the horse's back, seating her directly in front of Mo Xiuyao. Right before Murong Ting's stunned, dropped jaw, the snow-white steed bolted away in a blur of dust, leaving the red-clad young woman standing there in a daze for a long time before she muttered under her breath, "Pulling the ladder up after crossing the bridge... this young lady didn't even get to touch a warhorse, how stingy..."

Farther away on horseback, Feng Zhiyao shrugged and dismounted, surveying the troop of expressionless soldiers and curious Black Cloud Cavalry. Well, wasn't a subordinate's job precisely to handle whatever tasks needed handling while their master was occupied?

The two of them rode as one through Yonglin City, exiting the gates to gallop all the way. True to its reputation as an elite steed, the horse brought the distant Broken Snow Pass into view within the blink of an eye. Glancing down at the arm that was slightly pinched and aching from holding on, Ye Li murmured, "Mo... Xiuyao, where are we going?" Lowering his gaze to look at her, Mo Xiuyao finally reined in the horse and dismounted in a single fluid motion. Raising an eyebrow as she prepared to dismount herself, Ye Li looked down to be greeted by Mo Xiuyao's open arms. "Get down." Seeing his persistence, Ye Li had no choice but to let him lift her down from the saddle. Nestling into a embrace carrying a trace of cool chill, Ye Li felt a sudden, inexplicable sense of security and relaxation wash over her, while the unaccustomed heat rising to her cheeks left her slightly at a loss.

Raising her head, the refined, pleasant scent of the man's presence greeted her, causing Ye Li to widen her eyes in surprise. The man's kiss descended upon her like a sudden, fierce tempest, sweeping over her amidst her startled paralysis. Her small body was pulled tightly into his embrace, while his cool fingertips gently tilted up her flustered, delicate face. His warm, gentle lips lingered and lingered passionately over her rosy, exquisite lips. Mo Xiuyao's kiss was far from gentle, even bordering slightly on rough; carrying a trace of tyrannical and inexplicable anger, he parted Ye Li's lips, forcing her teeth to relax as his tongue breached her barrier to tangle and dance with her hesitant breath.

"Mmh..." Frowning slightly, Ye Li attempted to struggle. The arm locked around her waist tightened its grip, stubbornly imprisoning her within his arms, while one hand gently stroked the locks at the nape of her neck, compelling her to entangle deeper and deeper with him, exchanging each other's breath. Pulling weakly at the lapels of his garments, Ye Li murmured, "Xiuyao..."

When they finally parted, both of them were breathing slightly heavily. Lowering his head, Mo Xiuyao rested his forehead against Ye Li's smooth brow and murmured, "A-Li, you scared me." When he arrived outside Yonglin City and witnessed that scene, no one could possibly know the shock and terror that had wracked his heart. Even he himself hadn't known what he was thinking at that exact moment; he had simply fired that arrow on pure instinct. When he saw that single arrow pierce consecutively through two people and drag out a brilliant trail of blood, the rage boiling up from the depths of his soul had failed to subside in the slightest. If not for his formidable self-control, his second arrow would have been aimed straight at Mo Jingli. If he hadn't managed to block that arrow... if he hadn't managed to block that arrow, not a single one of the rebel soldiers present today would have left this place alive!

"A-Li..."

A deep flush stained Ye Li's cheeks; for the very first time in her life, she felt so embarrassed that she didn't even know where to put her hands and feet. She... she had actually just kissed a man by the roadside where people might walk past...

Yet upon hearing that single sigh-like utterance of her name from Mo Xiuyao, all of her struggles and pushes dissolved into nothingness.

"Mo Xiuyao, it's really good to see you again," Ye Li sighed softly. Lowering his head, Mo Xiuyao gazed into her eyes, which were filled with warmth and tenderness. His warm, thin lips touched her exquisite lips once more—though this time, the kiss was filled with the utmost tenderness and lingering affection. "A-Li... I missed you so much. I really shouldn't have let you come to Southern Zhao all by yourself." Smiling faintly without a word, Ye Li had no intention of telling him that she too had missed him a little—well, quite a lot—during their time apart.

The obedient white horse had long since wandered off somewhere unknown. The spot where the two of them sat was only a few miles away from Broken Snow Pass, making the majestic pass clearly visible in the distance. However, Mo Xiuyao had no immediate intention of returning to Yonglin City or visiting Murong Shen; instead, he pulled Ye Li over to sit and rest on the slope of a nearby hillside.

Leaning against Mo Xiuyao, Ye Li relaxed the body that had remained taut for days on end, letting out a comfortable, soft sigh. Lifting her head, however, she caught sight of Mo Xiuyao's furrowed brow. "What is it? Does something hurt, or were you injured?" Shaking his head, Mo Xiuyao replied, "I've been traveling continuously for days, so I'm a bit tired. Speaking of injuries..." Pulling up her left arm, he rolled up the wide sleeve to reveal the slender scratch on her skin, and frowned. "Why didn't you bandage this?"

Not expecting Mo Xiuyao to notice her injury, Ye Li shook her head with a smile and said, "It's just a scrape, it stopped bleeding already. Leaving it open helps it heal faster."

"Nonsense," Mo Xiuyao rebuked softly, taking out a small medicine vial he carried with him. Using the transparent liquid inside to clean the wound, he carefully sprinkled medicinal powder over it before drawing a white handkerchief from his tunic to bandage the injury. Admiring his flawless job wrapping her arm, Ye Li smiled and said, "I'm really fine, it'll be healed in two days."

Pulling her into his embrace, Mo Xiuyao stroked her soft locks and murmured, "You're not allowed to get hurt from now on, or else you won't be allowed to go anywhere!" Remaining silent, Ye Li knew accidents happened all the time and couldn't guarantee that. "I'll do my best, but didn't you get plenty of injuries on the battlefield yourself?" The reputation of the youthful God of War wasn't just handed to him; Mo Xiuyao wasn't a descending deity blessed by the heavens with an invulnerable, blade-proof body.

"Are you comparing me to yourself?"

Raising her head, Ye Li narrowed her eyes at him with displeasure. "Are you discriminating against women?"

Helpless, Mo Xiuyao replied, "I'm not discriminating against women. Besides, even if I did discriminate against women, I would never discriminate against you." With an A-Li as formidable as her, if she were to be discriminated against, every single man in the world might as well go commit suicide.

"So you're saying I'm not like a woman?"

"A-Li," Mo Xiuyao looked at her with a half-smile. "Are you angry, or are you acting spoiled?" Startled for a moment, Ye Li stared blankly at Mo Xiuyao's warm, gentle smile, feeling a sudden urge to lunge forward and bite him or beat herself up. Was she actually throwing an unreasonable tantrum at Mo Xiuyao right now? She was even more childish than Murong; Murong certainly wouldn't ask questions this childish and boring!

Offering a faint smile, Mo Xiuyao pulled her back into his embrace before she could flush with anger and snap at him. "Accompany me for a little while, I'm a bit tired."

Shifting slightly, Ye Li soon grew still and quiet once more. Mo Xiuyao's health was far from good, and it was impossible for him to have made a miraculous, complete recovery in such a short span of time. Even though he tried his hardest to conceal it, she hadn't missed the exhaustion and pallor etched between his brows. Leaning tightly against his chest, Ye Li let her thoughts drift until she gradually drifted off into a deep slumber...