[Transmigration] The War God's Consort

Chapter 21

So, this really was my choice.

So, you knew exactly what I was thinking, but you were afraid I'd feel guilty and upset, that's why...

So, from that moment on, you already foresaw that one day this would happen, that one day I would... abandon you...

So, you knew that one day I would abandon you, yet you still resolutely embarked on this path, choosing to abandon yourself just like before.

I thought I understood you well, I thought I cared about you deeply, I thought I treated you very well, but at this moment, I realize I can't do anything for you, and I can't undo anything.

I can't stop you, and I have no way to stop you.

You are so stubborn, so resolute, I really... can't compare to you.

Your heart is actually very soft; you can't bear to see me hurt in the slightest, you can't bear to see me with any unresolved issues. You always say I'm good to you, but you're far better to me than I am to you. My kindness towards you is limited to words, limited to selfish demands. I clearly knew what you would do in this situation, yet I accepted it all without a second thought, without considering your feelings at all. And yet, to avoid making me sad, you still left me with hope in the end.

Our principles will always be the same. Your actions are indeed incomprehensible to me, but because of the name Feng Xinglie, I will always feel pain.

The blood had congealed, but his eyes were completely dry.

As Ling Yuxiang ran, he closed his gray eyes. He realized that when the pain was extreme, tears could not be shed.

When Ling Yuxiang arrived at Baihui Pass, it was nearly noon. Countless soldiers were falling straight down from the wooden ladders erected on the city walls. The siege had reached a fever pitch. The defenders on the city walls were pale and bloodless. Both city gates were under attack. If it weren't for the chaotic attack on this side, and the main force inside Baihui Pass holding off the other side, it probably wouldn't have been able to hold out.

The mournful howls echoed through the city, shaking the heavens and earth. Ling Ke and the others, who were directing the operation, were overjoyed to see Ling Yuxiang return.

"Your Highness!"

"Their forces have all reached the South Gate. Ling Xiang and Ling Ke, you two lead men to smash the gate with logs and storm into the city. Remember, you must not harm the civilians. Anyone who disobeys this order will be executed immediately. Ling Fang and Ling Tian, you two each lead a Flying Feather Cavalry unit and follow me."

Ling Yuxiang's order was very decisive, and the icy coldness emanating from his body made people want to shiver. When Ling Ke and the other three saw that he was dressed in Feng Xinglie's outer garment, they were shocked after receiving the order, but dared not ask.

Ling Yuxiang calmly arrived at the foot of the city wall, and stared at the towering walls with a cold and indifferent, stiff smile.

This is our shared wish. If you can only watch me from afar, how can I let you down?

With a sudden push off the ground, a black figure ascended the bamboo ladder in an instant, moving so fast that people didn't even have time to exclaim in surprise. In the blink of an eye, he had reached the top of the city wall.

The general commanding the city's defenses, who had been shouting orders, suddenly felt an inhuman killing intent and chilling aura. Before he could turn around, a blood-soaked head flew into the air, rolling straight down to the city walls like a ball. The unclosed eyes and the ghostly terror frozen on his face remained frozen in place forever.

The battle suddenly took a dramatic turn when a severed head, dripping with blood, landed on the soldiers directly below.

Time seemed to stand still on the battlefield for a moment. Everyone stared in astonishment, mouths agape, eyes wide, trembling as they looked at the man. Those eyes, filled with heaviness and death, seemed utterly inhuman.

He was as handsome as a god, as fierce as a demon; no one dared to disobey him.

The two soldiers guarding the city around him, as if possessed, threw down their weapons and collapsed to their knees. Then, wave after wave of soldiers followed suit and dropped their weapons.

It wasn't just because the man was so intimidating; the two squads of soldiers behind him also swiftly scaled the city walls. It was a fact that the city couldn't be defended; if they didn't surrender, what else could they do?

After that person came up, he stood there on the city wall, his dark, deep, cold and indifferent eyes staring straight into the distance, as if in that distant place there was something most precious to him, a treasure more valuable than life itself. He stood there like a stone statue, motionless, not at all like a living person.

The soldiers near him scrambled to the side like madmen, wanting to get as far away from the lifeless man as possible. The oppressive atmosphere was enough to drive any living thing around him insane!

It ended absurdly, because the course of the war was changed by just one person.

Ling Yuxiang listened quietly to Ling Xiang and Ling Tian's report, watched as the gates of Baihui Pass opened, gazed at the bright sun shining in the distance, and heard the soldiers shouting and cheering wildly in his ears.

What could be more joyful and gratifying than this? In just one day and one night, all the troops at Baihui Pass were crushed, and the city was captured successfully. What could be more legendary than this battle?

Just when everything seemed to be over, and everyone was celebrating, Ling Yuxiang, who had been standing like a statue on the city wall, suddenly trembled.

The blood he had been holding back finally gushed out, adding another layer of shocking red to the bluestone bricks. Amidst the panicked gasps of the crowd, Ling Yuxiang's consciousness gradually faded.

Xi Suifeng, I finally understand now why your hair turned white overnight.

[Border Storm: Chapter 41 Survival in Desperate Circumstances]

The temperature difference between day and night in the desert is always extreme. The golden yellow color, which should be the most noble color in the world, is the song of death here.

Only those who have truly survived in the desert can understand the terror of nature.

The howling wind in his ears proved that the steed beneath him was still galloping wildly. The rider was hunched over, his hands tightly gripping the horse's neck to keep from slipping off. His body was covered in countless wounds, his clothes were torn and tattered, and the white horse's mane was stained a deep dark red. A broken arrow was deeply embedded in his left shoulder, his face was pale and his lips were dry and cracked, and his dark blue hair was disheveled.

Such a person seemed as if he could fall off his horse at any moment, as if he could stop breathing at any moment and perish in this vast desert.

Yet she persevered without a doubt, miraculously still alive, her eyes, bright as stars in the dark night and completely out of place with her current situation, fixed on the distance, refusing to relax for even a second.

Her extreme will to survive was clearly visible.

The dawn rising on the horizon represents hope. Even after so many disasters, the radiance has never faded from beautiful eyes. Another night has passed.

For seven days and seven nights, a man and a horse had struggled on this land where there was no water or food, only wind and sand.

On the first day, she successfully attracted the attention of the enemy leader with her superb martial arts skills and charged into the enemy's outer perimeter alone on horseback. Although she calculated the angle and cleverly escaped from the left flank, she was still inevitably injured.

The next day, the five thousand men besieged her again and again. Each time, she escaped with her extraordinary vigilance and the surrounding terrain, but her wounds increased, and she was also hit in the shoulder by a powerful arrow from the heavily armored general.

On the third day, she unexpectedly discovered quicksand and deliberately revealed her location. To avoid detection, she fought fiercely, sustaining severe injuries all over her body. However, all the pursuing troops were also trapped in the quicksand. In the ensuing chaos, she escaped on her steed. However, her spirit and strength were almost at their limit. Both she and her horse were suffering from hunger and thirst. In the desert, the lack of food wasn't the worst thing; the lack of water was. And this desert seemed to offer no oasis whatsoever…

what to do?

On the fourth night, on the verge of collapse, she had the incredibly bad luck to encounter a pack of wolves. A quick thought struck her; she cleverly lured the wolves away, stealthily and risking her life to outflank the pursuers. She brazenly and openly crossed the pursuers' rest camp, launching a "night raid." Leading a group of "wolf soldiers" with gleaming green eyes, she plundered food and water, once again narrowly escaping amidst the chaos created by the wolves.

On the fifth day, her wounds multiplied, and the food and water were divided up between her and her horse. The pursuing army, having been repeatedly framed by her, turned red with rage and vowed to take her life. The entire day was a frantic chase, with Zhui Feng living up to its reputation as a steed, far ahead of the others who could only watch helplessly as they exerted all their strength.

However, in the evening, a sandstorm nearly took everyone's lives.

On the sixth day, surviving the storm, he had no idea where he was. He had no choice but to take a gamble, spurring his horse onward and relentlessly racing in a certain direction. Every moment felt precious; every extra second spent in the desert meant an extra second of danger.

On the seventh day, without water or food, after a whole day of tedious running, her wounds protested and screamed, her whole body burning with pain, but she couldn't stop...

During those seven days, there were moments of despair, moments of losing consciousness, moments of extreme thirst, hunger, exhaustion, and near-fainting. But she refused to let herself faint. She gritted her teeth and stood up again and again because she wanted to live!

I will live on, because I promised him I would not die, and I will never give up as long as there is a glimmer of hope.

Because she still longed for his embrace and his warmth, because she couldn't let him go, and because she believed that one day they would meet again, she was determined to live on.

As long as she is alive, there is hope, however slim it may be.

In dire straits, the weak choose death, while the strong choose life.

No matter how much hardship, how great the difficulties, or how arduous the journey, she would never die like this, because she is Feng Xinglie.

Even nature itself couldn't make Feng Xinglie bow down and compromise.

"Cough cough..." The intense movements and the constant collisions between the horse and her body were a form of torture, making her want to just let go. She was already close to breaking, and her body was on the verge of destruction. Anyone who saw her in this state would probably worry whether she could hold on for even a second longer.

Feng Xinglie smiled gently, her mind clear. She wouldn't let go; she would just keep going, one day, two days, three days, many days—she wouldn't let go! When a person's willpower is strong enough, it can truly unleash the most precious potential of life! But what exactly was supporting her? At this moment, Feng Xinglie herself was too lazy to think about it.

She had no strength or energy left to think.

But deep down, I always know very clearly that the feeling—warm, gentle, comforting, and exhilarating—miraculously brings out a strength almost as if I'm completely exhausted whenever my mind wanders.

She didn't want to die! She really, really didn't want to die!

So let's persevere a little longer, get a little closer to hope. Even grains of sand, when piled up, will eventually become a majestic mountain, and even the smallest effort will surely bring tomorrow. Even ants try to survive, so even a futile struggle is better than doing nothing and waiting to die.

Feng Xinglie suddenly pricked up his ears, his previously stiff and numb face contorted with surprise. He listened intently, then strained his already blurry eyes to stare wide-eyed at the horizon to his left.

In the distance, in the blurry focus of her vision, a tiny black line, as small as an earthworm, slowly wriggled. She wasn't mistaken; it was the sound of camel bells!

It's a caravan!

Cold sweat slowly trickled down his forehead, his eyes narrowed slightly, but a surge of ecstasy welled up inside him.

She never imagined that one day she would be overjoyed at the mere glimmer of hope for survival. Yes, the surge of emotion at that moment was so intense; she realized how precious life truly is.

Feng Xinglie struggled to pull on the reins, tearing open several of his wounds, and with great difficulty stopped the raging wind. He pointed laboriously at the dark figure in the distance, his voice surprisingly firm.

"Chu Feng, give it your all, let's get over there."

With a spirited neigh, the horse galloped like lightning towards the sunlit area.

[Homeland of Qin: Chapter Forty-Two: Miracle of Life]

When Feng Xinglie was jolted awake by the excruciating pain throughout his body, he vaguely heard a woman's soft sigh.

"When I saw this child lying in front of me, in such a terrible state, I thought she was dead. I never expected that she would survive."

"Sister Yun, don't worry about it. This girl seems to be very resilient; she won't die so easily." Another slightly younger voice comforted her, amidst the clanging of medicine bowls and the crackling of the stove. The strong smell of Chinese medicine filled the air, making Feng Xinglie wrinkle his nose and feel like sneezing.

Feng Xinglie felt as if his body had fallen apart, unable to move. A cold, damp cloth was placed above his eyes, making it difficult to open them. He could only slightly bend his finger, which triggered a sharp pain in his entire right arm. A curse had lingered in his mind countless times. He hadn't had time to do so while being chased, but now he could finally vent his anger.

I'll curse you to hell! You've put me in this mess, that third brat of the Ling family! You better pray you don't give me any ammunition, or I'll beat you until you call me mom, and I'll write my name Feng Xinglie backwards!

She didn't remember that she had caused people to fall into quicksand and attracted a pack of wolves, almost causing them to be devoured by them.

However, if she didn't avenge her grudges, she wouldn't be Feng Xinglie.

Before she could think further, the woman called Sister Yun sighed again.

“This child has such a hard life. She has countless wounds all over her body, big and small, and has lost so much blood. There was no food or water. There are almost no oases in that desert, and the population is so sparse. I don’t know where she came from or how she survived. Looking at her wounds, some of them have already scabbed over, become infected, and are swollen. I don’t know how many days they haven’t been treated. I feel pain just watching you clean them. I am amazed that she can endure it and bear it. I… I want to cry just looking at her.”

After saying that, a series of sobs rang out, and Feng Xinglie, in his dazed state, felt so frustrated that he wanted to vomit blood.

My dear lady, I am in pain, that's my pain, why are you crying? Every part of my body aches right now, and I'm not even wailing. If you're crying so loudly, am I supposed to cry like Meng Jiangnu and bring down the Great Wall?

Sister Yun looked somewhat sorrowful. She touched Feng Xinglie's hand and said in a weak but clear voice, "This child looks exactly like my deceased sister. Those bright, big eyes are so similar. If I hadn't seen my sister die with my own eyes, I would have really mistaken her for her. If my sister hadn't died, she would probably be about this age. If she... if she were my sister, how wonderful that would be."

Feng Xinglie was already covered in injuries, and when she touched him, his whole body ached. He almost cried out in pain. His throat burned from prolonged dehydration, and he coughed without warning. His head tilted to the side, and the wet towel covering his eyes fell off.

Despite the pain, she felt a surge of warmth and gratitude. In chaotic times, human life was cheap, and while being overly kind might not be a good thing, this woman genuinely cared for her. Even if her reasons were somewhat far-fetched, they were still for her good. Feng Xinglie might not fear any danger, but she couldn't bear to be treated kindly. As long as someone was sincere, she wouldn't be oblivious, no matter what.

Seeing her fuss over, Sister Yun and the young maid both stood up with joy. Sister Yun unconsciously clenched her hands and couldn't help but ask in a trembling voice, "Miss, you're awake?"

Feng Xinglie groaned softly, finally regaining his senses. He rolled his eyes and said weakly and hoarsely, "Big sister, if you don't let go, I'm afraid I'll die soon."

Sister Yun froze, then looked down and saw streaks of bright red blood seeping from Feng Xinglie's arm. Clearly, the wound had reopened due to the pressure. Her face paled, and she hurriedly released her grip, bowing her head in self-reproach: "Miss, I'm so sorry, I..."

"Don't worry, you've survived so many hardships, you won't die anytime soon." Feng Xinglie forced a relaxed smile, offered a few words of comfort, and then glanced at his body, a chill running down his spine. The pain was still there, which at least meant that no part of his body had actually become necrotic. Although the injuries wouldn't kill him, he would have to stay in bed for the time being.

Her smile left the two women beside her completely dumbfounded. The young girl stammered, "Sister Yun, did we rescue a fairy maiden?"

Before Feng Xinglie could react, Sister Yun was also stunned: "I didn't see it when I was asleep, but I saw it clearly when I was awake. You really are a fairy. Miss, although I am the top courtesan of Yihong Pavilion, I am a little ashamed to stand next to you."

Although her complexion was still somewhat sickly pale, and her black hair remained unkempt, her exceptionally bright and expressive eyes, coupled with her flawless and beautiful face, completely overshadowed Yun Jie, who was also a beauty. Feng Xinglie raised an eyebrow slightly. Yi Hong Xuan? The top courtesan? It sounded like a brothel, but why would a brothel woman be operating in the desert?

Analyzing the loopholes and information in other people's words was already an instinct for Feng Xinglie. Otherwise, she wouldn't have the confidence to have everything under control. It wasn't that she was wary of her savior; she just thought about it briefly and didn't worry too much.

"Girl, how did you end up in that desolate desert? And with such serious injuries? If you hadn't met us, you probably would have died there." The little girl was quite naive; before Feng Xinglie could even ask her anything, she pressed him for answers.

Feng Xinglie's expression darkened slightly, showing some pain: "I encountered bandits, wolves, and sandstorms in the desert and lost my way. Thank you for saving me." Feng Xinglie was not used to entrusting her life to others. Although her physical strength had reached its limit, her consciousness was still terrifyingly clear. If she hadn't seen the concern and anxiety in Sister Yun's eyes when she supported her, she probably wouldn't have fainted so easily.