"How many men can be mobilized immediately? How many are on standby within the sect? Report back immediately, send more archers, prepare for battle—where are the Eight Tribes?" Ning Xianfang gave orders as he walked up the tower to personally inspect the situation outside. His attendants hurriedly replied, "The Eight Tribes leaders say they are under house arrest—"
"Tch, these guys!" She only needed to hear half a sentence to understand what they meant; they were all waiting to see a spectacular, bloody show! "Where are the people from Blissful Paradise? Haven't they made a single move?"
"Well... Lord Jialing, as you know, protecting the Fa is not the responsibility of the Blissful Heaven, so—"
"There's no point in going on about 'why's' anymore. If the Xuanlang Sect manages to break in, none of us will have a moment's peace! Issue my order: send someone to invite Qilin and Feng! Tell them I invited them!"
"yes!"
Having made her arrangements, she was about to ascend to the third floor of the tower when she suddenly heard a voice: "Ning Xian!"
Head down, brows furrowed—
"Who brought Young Master Bai here?! Take him to the main altar!"
"Ning Xian, you're here, I can't leave!" Bai Mo stood at the foot of the tower, looking up at Ning Xian who was standing on the second floor. His eyes were firm, giving people a feeling of unwavering determination.
Ning Xian rubbed his forehead. "Young Master Bai, you can't be of any help here, so what are you doing here?"
"Whether I can help or not, I am still your husband. If you stay here alone, I can't do anything but stay here with you, and I can't leave either!"
Ning Xian was stunned for a long time, looking at Bai Mo and almost not knowing what to say, "Um... Young Master Bai, you... uh, what's your name again?"
Ci Sheng, standing nearby, swayed and nearly twisted her ankle. Bai Mo's face darkened.
"Bai Mo," Ci Sheng whispered beside her.
"Huh? Free touch?"
"The 'ink' in light ink landscape painting...||||"
"Oh," Ning Xian smiled awkwardly. It wasn't entirely her fault, was it? She turned to Bai Mo below the tower and said, "Young Master Bai, you see, I don't even remember your name, and you don't treat me as your wife. Our 'marriage' is just a formality; what's the point? People with different paths cannot work together. We are from two completely different worlds. It's better to end this meaningless bond sooner rather than later. If you care about our relationship, this problem can be solved with a simple letter of divorce, can't it? Please stop worrying about things here and go back to where you belong." Having said that, she climbed to the top of the tower and began directing the expulsion.
The Xuanlang Sect's attack was fierce, yet she was the only one holding the line. She had just mentally cursed the Eighth Legion of demons for the eighteenth time when a white shadow streaked across the sky, descending like a falcon and landing atop the city gate. Her phoenix-like figure was slender and sharp; she landed slightly, her icy gaze sweeping over the chaotic battle below, before she flipped and swooped down—
Chapter 39 Up and Down the Tower
Like a white falcon leaving fiery red trails, Feng Zhuan was instantly in the midst of the chaotic battle outside the gate—
Ning Xian's face showed a relieved expression, and a slight smile appeared on his face that he himself did not realize.
"This guy can be ungrateful at times, but he can be useful in a pinch," she murmured to herself, her expression not being noticed by Du Cisheng beside her. Du Cisheng watched quietly, seemingly intending only to observe and take everything in without saying a word.
Soon, Yu Lin arrived, her figure like a white swallow, and said to Ning Xian from afar, "Leave the defense of the gate to me."
Ning Xian gave him a "I understand" gesture, breathed a sigh of relief, and focused on the situation outside the walls in other places to prevent a surprise attack.
High on the tower, Ning Xian stood against the wind, his clothes fluttering, watching the fighting and killing before him.
Beneath the tower, Bai Mo stared blankly at her.
What he remembered was that woman in the Bai family, delicate as a lotus, yet lazy and prickly. She was never improper, but somewhat deliberate, somewhat unruly, and somewhat... "hypocritical." At that time, he thought she was just a hothouse flower spoiled by the Qiu family, skilled at pleasing her elders, but in the blink of an eye, she would reveal a completely different spoiled face.
Such women are common in wealthy households, so he never bothered to take a closer look at her.
And now, the woman atop that tower, the "wife" he knew at home, is the same person. Completely devoid of any trace of a pampered, sheltered life, all traces of artifice and pretense are absent. She lives freely and naturally, needing no one's shelter even in the face of storms. Her presence alone commands respect.
On her black robes, dark green vine patterns appeared and disappeared as the hem fluttered. Her eyes were fixed on what was in front of her, giving one the illusion of a distant, untouchable figure.
This was the real her, without pretense or disguise, living so naturally. This naturalness made Bai Mo feel a faint radiance. Her world and his world were, in fact, so far apart.
...
From a young age, Bai Mo was a child who never caused anyone any trouble.
He managed his life exceptionally well. Every day, he would rise promptly at dawn, wash, eat breakfast, and then study, waiting for his tutor. In the afternoon, he would go to the accounting office to study arithmetic. He never slept in or skipped class. His room was always neat and clean. He would take care of what he could himself, and send servants to do what he couldn't. He was like a model, earning praise and envy from outsiders, and bringing pride to his father. Only Madam Bai always looked at him with affection but also helplessness, muttering, "What a little monster."
He started helping in the accounting office at the age of twelve, took over some tasks at fourteen, and became the head of the accounting office at fifteen. He was cautious and proper, and never made a mistake.
He lives within a framework, where everything is well-organized, and he never steps outside that framework.
Because his eldest son was capable of managing the household affairs well, Master Bai focused on training his second son to expand the business and handle external matters. The first time someone entered Bai Mo's life was when he was twenty. His younger brother's business in Jiangcheng needed some help, so he went there personally, and during the social interactions, he met that woman.
His sturdy frame, though damaged in one corner, was not enough to affect his life.
He would set aside time to visit her each month. Although their time together was short, it taught him what it meant to care for someone and what love was. Although he understood that his parents would have a hard time accepting her, he still hoped that one day he could persuade them and let her fully enter his life.
This hope was completely shattered by an arranged marriage.
He married a woman, but she was not the one he loved; she was just a stranger. He admitted that he had considered not entering the bridal chamber, but he felt that he should make things clear to her and not leave her in such an ambiguous situation. So, under the influence of alcohol, he entered the bridal chamber, but what he saw at first glance shocked him.
The bride chosen by his parents was as beautiful as he had expected, but she lifted her veil herself, showing no resentment or anger at his lateness, completely indifferent.
At that time, he saw something untamable in her eyes. He had once thought it was the spoiled pampering of her parents, but now he understood that it was a kind of spontaneity and naturalness that did not belong to the secluded life of a young lady in a wealthy family.
—There are also people like this, unrestrained and without rules, living so naturally like branches stretching out at will.
His framework seemed to be pulled in different directions by her, causing it to waver slightly. Before this, he had never had any doubts about his lifestyle.
There are people like this in the world who are not lawless, but live without any constraints.
This lifestyle left him puzzled. Were his past beliefs about life right or wrong?
...
Ning Xian looked down and saw Bai Mo still standing in the open space. She rolled her eyes helplessly and jumped off the tower. "Young Master Bai, even if you insist on staying, you should find somewhere to hide. It's easy to get hurt by stray arrows here!" She "flew" with Bai Mo to a safer place, muttering to herself that it was really tiring to take care of someone who didn't know martial arts. She didn't notice that Bai Mo's gaze remained fixed on her face.