Er kämpft in allen Himmeln und unzähligen Welten

Kapitel 40

I didn't understand, and waited expectantly for him to continue. But he stopped talking, took my hand and led me to the fire, putting the rabbit leg back in my hand. "Eat it, we still have a long journey ahead tomorrow."

I rubbed my forehead. Even a clay figure has its own nature. Mo Li, if you keep playing these riddles with me, I'll lose my temper.

Second Old Site

1

We spent the night by the fire. It was cold up in the mountains, but warm by the fire. I had eaten my fill, and although my mind was a mess, I was getting sleepy. My head was nodding off, and I almost fell into the fire several times. I was afraid I would end up like that unlucky rabbit, so I had to back away.

Mo Li was already meditating under the tree with his eyes closed. He had faced great danger yesterday, and although he seemed mostly unharmed today, he still needed to circulate his internal energy to recover. I was afraid that if the fire went out, mountain wolves might take the opportunity to attack and affect him, so I didn't dare to sleep after leaving the fire. Instead, I crept up to him and sat down beside him, watching over him by the starlight.

He closed his eyes, his face as still as water under the starlight. I sat beside him, reflecting on everything that had happened these past few days and what he had said, trying to make sense of it all, but it all seemed like a dead end, and I just couldn't understand it.

Someone assassinated the leader of the Golden Tide Gang and imitated the attack patterns of the Holy Flame Sect. Could it be that they wanted to provoke a conflict between the Central Plains martial arts world and the Holy Flame Sect?

On Tianshuiping, who planted explosives to kill both my master and Mo Li? If it was the elders, why would they recruit Mo Li for the mysterious figure?

Mo Li did not specify the extent of the internal strife within the Holy Fire Sect, but considering the elders' collusion with alien races and the fact that Mo Li was forced to leave with his people three years ago, the current situation is clearly extremely dire. Perhaps if he were to take me back like this, he himself would be in grave danger.

The mysterious figure hiding behind the elders seemed to be after me. Could it be that the Mo Kingdom already knows Princess Ping'an is not dead and still wants to find me to complete the marriage alliance between the two countries three years ago? If so, does my royal brother also know that I am not dead?

The thought of this sent chills down my spine. I felt that the world was so vast that there was nowhere that didn't fill me with dread. My body involuntarily moved closer to him until my fingers touched the hem of his clothes. Only then did I feel a little relieved, but then weariness washed over me, and my eyelids grew heavy. I kept telling myself not to fall asleep, and as I kept repeating this to myself, I lost consciousness. In my hazy state, I felt a warmth on my body, and I felt an even stronger urge to stay awake. I had no strength left to open my eyes again.

I slept a deep and long sleep without a single dream. When I opened my eyes again, I saw myself resting my head on his lap, my hands clutching his sleeves, my face buried in his clothes, my body curled up under his two cloaks, sleeping like a cat by a fireplace.

"Awake?" He looked down at me in the morning light, his voice still hoarse.

I stared at him, stunned. He remained expressionless, and after a short pause, said, "If you wake up, stand up by yourself; my legs are numb."

I suddenly realized this wasn't a dream. I leaned back, almost tumbling to the ground. After getting up, I still felt incredulous and whispered:

"I...how could I..."

He glanced at the corner of his eye. "Could it be me?"

The pressure was so intense that I immediately shut my mouth.

But Mo Li is different now. If it were before, he would never have let me sleep on his lap all night. And that cloak—if he didn't put it on me, would I have?

He didn't recall the past, so where did these changes come from?

I was completely baffled. He stood up after a moment, apparently because his legs were really numb, and he seemed to dislike my dazed look in the morning. He pointed to the mountain stream to the side.

"Go wash your face, we still have a long way to go."

I wanted to clear my head, so I went over and squatted by the stream, splashing water on my face. The mountain stream was icy cold, which gave me a shiver, and my mind became much clearer.

Yes, although Mo Li is a member of the Holy Fire Sect, which is despised by the martial arts world of the Central Plains, he is clear about his gratitude and grudges. Last night, when he mentioned the past, it proved that the sect leader had saved his life, and no matter what happened to him afterward, he only thought that he would never betray him. And when I protected him with all my might when he was poisoned two days ago, he didn't say it, but he must have kept it in his heart, which is why he changed his attitude towards me and even told me not to worry.

When I set off with Mo Li again, I asked him directly, "Mo Li, are you being nice to me because I removed that poisoned needle for you?"

He was walking in front of me when he heard me, and suddenly turned around, asking instead of answering, "What do you think?"

The mountain was shrouded in morning mist. He, like me, had washed his face in the mountain stream. His dark hair was slightly damp at the side of his face, and his white face looked ethereal and otherworldly in the mist. That one glance made me blush instantly, and I was speechless. After a long pause, I managed to utter a completely unrelated sentence.

"Um, you should probably keep your mask on."

He didn't expect me to say that. After a moment of surprise, he looked up and laughed, "You still have time to think about this?"

His laughter echoed through the mountains. For a moment, the world seemed to stretch endlessly, and only he, me, and that laughter remained. I suddenly felt content, no longer wanting to ask anything more, nor finding the mountain path arduous; I only wished that this road would never end.

We descended the mountain together. Although Mo Li said that once we crossed this mountain, we would reach the land beyond the pass, the mountain range was so long that it took us more than two days to walk. His skills had recovered, and he could hunt wild game with ease. The innkeeper had prepared plenty of dry rations for us, and we could rest by making a fire after nightfall. With food and sleep, we didn't feel tired at all.

I always sit cross-legged in meditation at night. Every night I plan to stay awake, but every time I open my eyes I find that it is already bright outside, and I am either leaning against him or lying on his lap. Although he always has a calm expression, the more he does so, the more ashamed I feel.

We continued walking and walking until noon on the third day, when we finally reached flat ground.

I had never been beyond the Great Wall before, and what I saw after leaving the mountains was a completely different scene. The grassland in front of me was flat and open, and it was April. The grass was lush and green, making one want to run up and roll around to one's heart's content.

Some cattle and sheep were scattered on the grassland, lazily grazing with their heads down, completely ignoring people.

I grew up in the capital city, and later moved to Qingcheng. There were no cattle or sheep in the mountains, only my uncle in the kitchen who raised some chickens and ducks, as well as several fat pigs. They were quite intelligent, and every time they saw someone passing by, they would be terrified, fearing that they would be led out and slaughtered. They were completely different from the leisurely and calm cattle and sheep.

"Mo Li, look at the cows, look at the sheep!" I couldn't contain my excitement at the sight of the cattle and sheep, and I dragged him along, pointing them out to him. After two days, Mo Li's complexion had fully recovered, and he seemed to have finally gotten used to my occasional touches. He didn't push me away, but just squinted and gazed into the distance under the sun. I stood on tiptoe and looked with him, and saw a horse galloping towards us in the distance, with someone riding on it. I wondered if they were the owners of these cattle and sheep.

"There are horses too." I exclaimed in surprise.

“Very good, we need horses.” Mo Li said, looking at the man.

I was taken aback. Did he mean... he wanted to steal the horse?

Upon closer inspection, I saw that the horse's coat was glossy in the sunlight, and it was indeed a fine horse with tall legs and a long body. The person riding on the horse was a girl, dressed in clothing from beyond the Great Wall that I had never seen before. She had a thick, long braid swinging in front of her, and her face was dark red and shiny. She looked to be no more than twenty years old.

I panicked, afraid he might kill someone and steal the horse on a whim. Mustering my courage, I grabbed his arm and whispered, "Mo Li, we're not actually walking very slowly, that horse..."

The girl was an excellent horsewoman. She galloped towards us and was already right in front of us before I could finish my sentence. She reined in her horse and looked at Mo Li. Before she could even speak, she blushed.

I frowned, gripping his arm even tighter. I forgot what I was going to say, and almost reached out to block her blatant, undisguised gaze.

Mo Li's clothes were wrinkled from my grip, and she finally reacted, reaching out to grab the back of my hand and taking it off.

"You're Han Chinese from inside the Great Wall, aren't you? What brings you here?" The girl flicked her whip, nimbly dismounted, and continued speaking while still staring at Mo Li. "My name is Elizabeth. What's yours?"

I thought to myself, "Who asked you your name? Women from beyond the Great Wall really don't know how to be reserved; they tell strangers their names right away. What an open-minded way of life!"

2

The girl seemed to hear what I was thinking. Her big, dark eyes suddenly turned to me, then back to him, and she smiled, "Is this your little brother? You're wearing the same clothes."

Little brother...

I glanced down at myself. Mo Li and I were both wearing the boss's clothes, the same style. He was tall, so the clothes didn't actually fit him very well, but they looked great on him. Standing next to him, I knew without anyone reminding me how much I looked like a little follower.

Besides, after spending three days in the mountains, I found it troublesome to fix my hair every day, so I simply tied it up with a hairband like him. With my flat chest... I really do look like one of his underlings.

Actually, I don't care how I look. As long as I can stay with him, it doesn't matter whether I'm a follower or a lackey. But hearing her say that suddenly made me feel uncomfortable. So I straightened my face, snorted, and turned my head away from her.

"Is this horse yours?" Mo Li didn't answer her question, but simply reached out and placed his hand on the horse's neck.

“Yes.” Eliza was pleased that he spoke and immediately replied with a smile, “Its name is Chasing Moon, and I raised it since it was a puppy.”

Mo Li examined the horse's teeth, then patted its back. The horse reared up, hoofed, and let out a long neigh. He nodded. "A good horse."

Elizabeth laughed heartily, “You know a lot about horses. Are you here to buy horses? People from the Central Plains often come here to choose horses, but they always come in large caravans. It’s rare to see two people like you come alone. Come with me. If you want to buy horses, my ranch is the place to go.”

Elizabeth was very outgoing and started talking non-stop. I found it amusing; Mo Li hadn't brought me out of the pass just to buy horses, had he? Unexpectedly, Mo Li then asked, "Where is your ranch?"

She turned around and pointed, "It's right behind that meadow, you can get there in a short ride. There are still many horses on the pasture. We grassland people are the most hospitable. If you have a guest, even if you don't buy my horse, my father will definitely slaughter a sheep for you."

I was initially worried for her, fearing that Mo Li would knock her away and ride off on his horse as soon as he made a move. But to my surprise, he started chatting with her. His hand was still on the horse, while she leaned against the side of the horse, holding the reins, her face flushed, her young and healthy face glowing.

Do these two really think I'm invisible?

I got angrier and angrier, so I went up and grabbed him. "Brother Mo, are we still on our way or not?"

I didn't want to call him by name, partly because I was afraid of revealing our identities, and partly because I didn't want Elizabeth to know what his name was.

As soon as I called him "elder brother," Mo Li raised an eyebrow. I was a little nervous, but he didn't correct me. He just said to Elizabeth, "I do need a horse, but I'm also looking for someone. You've lived here for a long time, so perhaps you have news of him."

"Looking for someone?" Elizabeth's eyes widened. "We don't have any Han Chinese here. Are you looking for a Mongol?"

"He was a Han Chinese man with medical skills. He was known as the 'Sacred Hand He Nan' in the Central Plains. It is said that he lived in seclusion in this area, but few people knew his whereabouts."

“Han people…” Eliza thought seriously for a long time, but finally gave up and looked up and said, “I don’t know, but my father is very familiar with this grassland from east to west, so maybe he will know.”

“Alright, then we’ll head to your ranch first.” Mo Li nodded.

"That's great!" Elizabeth's eyes lit up, and her face beamed with joy.

I didn't know how things had suddenly turned out this way. Before I could even speak, Elizabeth had already turned her horse around and said, "Get on your horses, I'll lead the way."

Mo Li shook his head, and I felt a lightness in my body as he helped me onto the horse. Elizabeth was about to speak when he said, "You get on the horse too, just take her with you, I'll follow."

Eliza blinked, as if she wanted to say something, but before she could speak, she suddenly smiled, then pulled on the reins, mounted her horse, sat down in front of me, cracked the whip, and shouted, "Good!"

Zhuiyue was indeed a fine horse; it leaped far ahead in a single bound. I turned around quickly to look, only to see Mo Li, his robes fluttering, right beside us, his pace neither too fast nor too slow, not lagging behind at all.

The wind on the grassland ruffled Elizabeth's loose hair that wasn't braided. She turned her head, her gaze meeting mine, her eyes shining, and said to me in the wind, "What superb kung fu! Little brother, your older brother is truly a good man."

I choked, unable to speak for a long time.

Miss Elizabeth, even if my Moli is really handsome, and even if subtle beauty isn't fashionable on the grasslands, you don't need to praise a man so bluntly.

Furthermore, filled with grief and indignation, I leaned back and gritted my teeth, refusing to look at her again.

Also, even if my chest didn't heave much and you didn't realize it when we were pressed together from behind, I am indeed a woman. Please watch your words. Your constant calling me "little brother" is really hurting me.

3

Elizabeth was a skilled rider and initially limited Zhuiyue's speed. However, seeing Moli keeping up effortlessly, her competitive spirit flared, and she whipped her horse. The grassland was vast, and Zhuiyue was incredibly fast compared to the fat horse I had stolen on the official road. For a moment, all I could hear was the whistling wind. I felt a surge of anxiety and shouted, "Slow down! My brother is here!" Before I could finish speaking, I heard a clear whistle. I turned my head again, and Moli had leaped several meters, leaving Zhuiyue far behind in the blink of an eye.

Elizabeth froze, then burst into laughter. She gripped the horse tightly with her legs, leaned forward, and yelled "Sit tight!" before whipping it sharply. The Moon Chaser immediately neighed and galloped off, as if it wanted to race Mo Li across the grassland.

It was rare to see Mo Li in such a good mood, and I felt happy too. Gazing at his back from afar, I longed to be by his side and stand shoulder to shoulder with him.

The grasslands are vast, the sky is high and the clouds are light. Although the road ahead is uncertain, it is always good to be able to run freely with him for a while, shake off the gloom that has been hanging over us these days, and enjoy ourselves while we can.

The moment this thought crossed my mind, I could no longer stay on horseback. Just as I was about to dismount, I suddenly saw a large flock of water birds take flight and scatter across the sky in the distance. Elizabeth cried out in alarm and slammed the reins on her horse. Chasing Moon was pulled back so hard that its front hooves reared up, almost standing upright. I was about to get off the horse, and as soon as I let go, I was thrown off. Fortunately, I had some lightness skills, so although I landed awkwardly, I didn't fall completely. I just stumbled backward several steps, and just as I was about to land on my backside, a force pulled me back from behind. I looked up and saw that Mo Li had returned in an instant and was already behind me, reaching out to catch me.

Elizabeth dismounted, gave me an apologetic look, then bent down and pressed her ear to the ground to listen intently. I had never seen anyone act like this before, and I was immediately surprised. I whispered to Mo Li, "What's wrong with her?"

Before Mo Li could answer, Elizabeth jumped up. "There are many people heading towards my ranch. They might be the army. I have to get back."

"The army?" I was stunned. "Is there a war going on here?"

Elizabeth's brows furrowed, her previous cheerful demeanor vanished. A dark figure galloped towards us from afar, a person and a horse, waving in our direction and calling out, "Sister! Sister!" It was a boy of about ten years old, with a ruddy complexion. Although he was a little boy, he looked very much like Elizabeth, and it was clear at a glance that they were siblings.

The child ran up and jumped off his horse, panting as he reached Elizabeth. He grabbed her and exclaimed, "I've finally found you! Father told you to hurry back; the Mo people are coming. We have to get the horses across the river quickly!" Only then did he notice us, his big eyes widening in surprise. "Who are they?"

“They're Han Chinese who came to see the horses, and I was just about to take them back.” Elizabeth turned around with difficulty, “You…”

Although I didn't know what had happened, I could tell from their expressions that the situation was very urgent. When I heard the words "Mo people," I immediately turned to look at Mo Li to see how he would react.

“Let’s go too, maybe we can help,” Mo Li said.

After he finished speaking, we were all stunned. I didn't understand why he was suddenly so enthusiastic, and the child looked even more bewildered. Only Elizabeth, at such a crucial moment, actually blushed again, which made my eyes twitch.

The four of us eventually mounted our horses together. Elizabeth's younger brother, Gebu, was initially reluctant to let us come along. From horseback, Elizabeth told him that Mo Li was extremely powerful and, being a Han Chinese who opposed the Mo people, would surely be of great help. He listened, but still looked skeptical, especially towards Mo Li, his suspicious gaze constantly sweeping over him, his true feelings clearly written in his eyes.

What great help can a Han Chinese man who looks like this be?