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The followers quickly scattered upon hearing the sound, and a purple figure floated out from the deep passageway, her robes fluttering, like a fairy of the night.

Upon seeing the figure, Maple Leaf quickly knelt down: "Maple Leaf greets the Holy Maiden. May the Holy Fire Sect bring blessings for generations to come, and may the Sect Leader and Holy Maiden live as long as the heavens!"

"Hehe..." A low laugh rang out again, "Has the Left Vice Envoy forgotten that the Holy Church has not had a leader for three years?"

Maple Leaf looked at the woman in purple with a troubled expression. This woman, who had the exact same face as Ji Wuhuan, was the sect leader's younger sister and the Holy Maiden of the Beacon Fire Sect—Ji Wushuang.

"Holy Maiden! The leader..."

Ji Wushuang's face gradually turned cold, and she said sternly, "Someone, the Left Deputy Envoy isn't quite right in the head, go help her!"

"yes!"

Two men stepped forward and pressed down on Maple Leaf's shoulders. Maple Leaf dared not struggle in front of Ji Wushuang. Then a female cultist stepped forward and slapped Maple Leaf hard across the face.

The resounding slaps echoed continuously in the stone chamber. Maple Leaf gritted her teeth and endured the pain, her face burning with pain and blood trickling from the corner of her mouth. Finally, Wushuang gave the order to stop. She glanced at the disheveled Maple Leaf and calmly instructed the followers, "Bring her to my room."

Volume Two: Eagle Soars Through the Sky 077 Cold Beauty with a Soft Heart

In the fragrant room, the gauze curtains swayed gently. Maple Leaf knelt in the center, facing Ji Wushuang on the throne. Ji Wushuang's wide purple robes were spread out on the throne, making her appear even more petite and lonely, which made Maple Leaf sigh softly in his heart.

She and Ji Wushuang were about the same age, and they were especially close when they were young. She still remembered that the two of them and Shuihen always followed behind the slightly older Ji Wuhuan. How nostalgic those days were!

Everything has changed...

As the two were feeling melancholy, Wu Huan dispelled the confusion in his eyes, brushed aside the stray hairs from his forehead, and looked sharply at Feng Ye, asking, "Since you left, why have you come back now?"

Maple Leaf, her lips twitching with pain, replied, "Master... the eldest son ordered me to fetch the Holy Maiden; he wishes to see you."

Wushuang moved slightly, a hint of fear creeping across her face. She sneered, "If he wants to see me, why doesn't he come back himself? Why make me travel thousands of miles to see him? Does he still think he's the leader?"

Maple Leaf said with a pained expression, “Holy Maiden, haven’t you understood the young master’s feelings all these years? The young master abdicated for the sake of the Divine Sect, not wanting to see everyone living on the edge of a knife anymore! Our Bohai clan has been without a nation for a hundred years. How easy is it to revive it? The foundation of a nation lies in its people. As long as our clansmen are doing well, why should we drag everyone into misery for our own glory?”

"Shut up!" Wushuang stood up angrily and said, "The land that my Bohai 'Da' clan has worked so hard to build has been destroyed by the Liao dogs. Now is the best time for my people to resist and restore our country. How can we be like them, clinging to life and seeking peace!"

Maple Leaf continued to persuade her earnestly, "Before I left, the young master said that if you, Holy Maiden, remain obstinate, you will surely plunge ten thousand followers into misery, and he will be powerless to stop it. He only asked that you carefully consider the doctrines of the Beacon Fire Sect before making a decision, and why the Divine Sect exists!"

The purple-clad figure was stunned, her heart skipped a beat. Indeed, she hadn't thought about the significance of the Beacon Fire Sect for a long time, but now, with Maple Leaf's words, it was as if she had been enlightened.

The Beacon Fire Cult was founded by Da Yinzhuan, the last king of the Bohai Kingdom, to unite the remaining Bohai people and ensure their survival after the fall of their kingdom. Da Yinzhuan's dying words read: "The sea is weak and unable to stand on its own; today, the fate of the 'Da Clan' has run its course. I only pray that Heaven will have mercy on my people and bless the sea clan so that the beacon fire may be passed down and life may continue!"

Seeing that Wushuang remained silent, Fengye hurriedly said, "Our sect's first doctrine is to bless all people. The Holy Maiden's encouragement of General Gao to seize the city and establish himself will inevitably cause war. Where will the blessing come from then?"

Wushuang, lacking confidence, retorted, "The Liao dogs treat us like cattle and horses. There is still a glimmer of hope if we rise up and fight. There will inevitably be sacrifices when we restore our country, but as long as we succeed, why worry about not achieving a prosperous era?"

"Alas, Holy Maiden, you've remained the same for three years... Naive. Even if the Liao army withdraws, the Jin army will come. Goguryeo is also across the sea. Do you think General Gao's 20,000 troops can hold out for long?"

Wushuang's thin shoulders slumped; no matter how strong she pretended to be, she was nothing more than a lonely and sorrowful woman. She had endured three years of hardship alone at a cold, high place, only to have her true nature revealed by a few simple words from Fengye.

"As expected... in the end, he was right in everything, and I was wrong... completely wrong... it was like that before, and it's like that now!"

Maple Leaf watched Wushuang gradually break down and her shoulders tremble. She understood Wushuang. She used to be innocent and naive, always protected by Ji Wuhuan. A girl who grew up carefree was ultimately fragile...

She stood up and slowly walked towards Ji Wushuang, placing her hand on Wushuang's shoulder and saying, "Come with me to see the young master. Although he hasn't said anything these past few years, he has been suffering greatly in his heart, and I have seen it all. Young Master Su sends someone to look for the young master every few months, but the young master has never seen him. This is all for your sake. It's time to resolve the knot between you two. Why torture each other like this?"

Upon hearing these words, Wushuang burst into tears. She recalled everything that had happened three years ago, and she remembered Ji Wuhuan and Su Mufei, two peerless men, one her brother and the other her beloved. Yet now they were separated for years, how tragic!

She turned around and grabbed Maple Leaf's hand. Facing her childhood friend, the emotions she had suppressed for three years finally burst forth: "Maple Leaf... I hate it so much, I hate it so much... You all left, leaving me alone in this cold headquarters, why?"

Maple Leaf wiped away the tears that fell from her face. The once gentle young lady had become like this. She must have had a very hard time these past few years!

"I'm sorry, we shouldn't have left."

"But neither the sect leader nor Young Master Su knows how to face you anymore; he's punishing himself. How can the three of you keep running away like this? Come with me to see Young Master Su; everything will pass!"

Ji Wushuang raised her misty eyes, her gaze flickering. She bit her lip and turned her head away, saying, "It's too late. Brother Gao risked his life to raise an army for me. Now the Liao army is at the city gates. He and the Feng Huo Sect are in a dilemma. I can't abandon them. Even if it's a dead end, I should stay with them."

“But…” Maple Leaf couldn’t bear to watch her do something so reckless. She said, “The Liao army commander this time is the sect leader’s junior brother. As long as you are willing to give up your visit, General Cheng Lie will surely put aside past grievances and not pursue the matter!”

"Really?" Wushuang asked, her face full of disbelief.

“Really!” Maple Leaf said, “I came here with the Liao army. Before I came tonight, General Chenglie specifically told me that he didn’t want to see the flames of war. He would be more than happy to see the two sides turn hostility into friendship!”

Wushuang paced back and forth a few steps before finally nodding and saying, "Okay, I believe you."

The two exchanged a smile. Ji Wushuang led Fengye out of the room and instructed the followers, "Go and inform General Gao that I have something to discuss with him."

After receiving their orders, the followers quickly disappeared. Ji Wushuang then led Fengye through another passageway into a secret chamber. After winding and turning for a long time, they stepped onto a stone staircase leading to an unknown destination. The two of them walked up nearly a hundred steps and came to a hidden door. Wushuang opened the mechanism and led Fengye inside. Inside, a strong man wearing dark gold armor was waiting. He must be Gao Yongchang, the leader of the rebellion.

Ji Wushuang called out softly, "General Gao."

"This humble general pays his respects to the Holy Maiden!" Gao Yongchang's voice was deep and resonant, his words powerful and clear, indicating that he was indeed a fierce general.

After Gao Yongchang paid his respects to Wushuang, his eyes were fixed on the maple leaves. Knowing that Gao Yongchang was a wary person, Wushuang introduced him, saying, "This is the Left Deputy Envoy of our sect. General Gao has only been a member of the sect for a short time, so he must not have seen you before."

"Greetings, Vice Envoy Zuo," Gao Yongchang said, neither humble nor arrogant, showing none of the respect he had shown to Wushuang earlier.

Maple Leaf didn't take offense, and simply replied politely, "General, you are too kind."

Ji Wushuang looked at them and said, "General Gao, I have invited you to meet today because I have important matters to discuss..."

After listening quietly to Ji Wushuang finish explaining his plan to withdraw his troops, Gao Yongchang frowned and said, "Although the Liao dogs are numerous and powerful, Tokyo is located in a strategically important and well-fortified city, so it is not impossible to fight them."

Wushuang and Fengye then relayed their previous discussion to Gao Yongchang. In the end, Gao Yongchang could only say, "Since the Holy Maiden is willing to believe the Liao people, then this humble general has nothing more to say. However, no matter what, this humble general will swear to protect the Holy Maiden with his life, even at the cost of ten thousand deaths!"

Wushuang said gratefully, "Wushuang thanks General for your help over the past two years. Without your assistance, I would have faced immense hardship. This incident is entirely my fault for being willful, and all the General's hard work over the past few days will have been in vain. However, I truly cannot bear to see the city stained with blood..."

Seeing Wushuang's face full of self-reproach, Gao Yongchang panicked and quickly said, "Holy Maiden, there's no need to blame yourself. I did all of this willingly. Even if you asked me to die, I would have no complaints!"

Maple Leaf glanced at the rugged-looking Gao Yongchang in surprise, never expecting that this warrior would be so deeply in love with Ji Wushuang.

“General, to ensure the safety of you and your troops, I will first go to the Liao camp with the Left Deputy Envoy to discuss matters. Once everything is settled, General Gao, please open the city gates and let them in.”

Gao Yongchang asked worriedly, "Does the Holy Maiden intend to go in person?"

Maple Leaf assured him, "General, don't worry, I will definitely ensure the Saintess's safety!"

He hesitated for a moment, then nodded, but added, "Three days. If the Holy Maiden has not returned to the city in three days, even if it means abandoning the city, I will lead my soldiers to the Liao camp to rescue her!"

Ji Wushuang promised, "Okay, I will definitely be back in three days."

Volume Two: Eagle Soars Through the Sky Chapter 78: Deadly Poison Arrow Hidden Within

As the sun rose over the Bohai Sea, Ji Wushuang appeared in the center, feeling a slight nervousness as she faced the calm and composed Yelü Huan.

His expressionless face made it impossible for Wushuang to tell what he was thinking, which made Wushuang suddenly feel that her situation was very dangerous, and she couldn't help but tighten her grip on the hidden needle in her sleeve.

Yelü Huan suddenly stood up and walked towards Ji Wushuang, circling around her for a moment before saying something that made Wushuang extremely embarrassed. He said, "Do people in your sect always confuse the sect leader with the holy maiden?"

Wushuang bit her lip in annoyance. She couldn't be blamed for looking too much like her brother. In the past, their appearance had indeed caused many misunderstandings and even some very sad things. Now that Yelü Huan brought it up, she couldn't help but wonder if Yelü Huan was deliberately rubbing salt into her wounds.

However, Wushuang had actually misunderstood Yelü Huan. He knew nothing about the Fenghuo Sect, so how could he know where Wushuang's wound was?

He only heard Wushuang say angrily, "Our people may be incompetent in other areas, but their eyesight is better than yours, General!"

Yelü Huan chuckled and said, "The young lady's voice is soft and melodious, much more pleasant than Fifth Senior Brother's cold voice. You can tell the difference as soon as she opens her mouth."

Upon seeing the face that resembled Ji Wuhuan, Yelü Huan was certain that the slightly immature woman before him was the Holy Maiden of the Feng Huo Sect, and then began to discuss the relevant matters concerning Tokyo Prefecture.

Maple Leaf waited quietly outside the tent for them to discuss. Zhao Yong came to her side at this time. Seeing her hair shining brightly in the morning sun and her face reflecting a soft light, his heart couldn't help but flutter, and his voice softened a bit.

"So you're back already. Watermark and I were worried about you."

Maple Leaf recognized him. She lowered her head and smiled, saying, "Thank you for your concern, Brother Zhao. There are still matters to attend to here. I was planning to settle the Holy Maiden first, and then..."

Zhao Yong suddenly reached out to Feng Ye, lifted her chin, and saw the bruise on the corner of her mouth. He frowned and asked, "Did she hit you?"

Maple Leaf felt the warmth of Zhao Yong's fingers, and her face flushed red. She didn't hear what Zhao Yong asked at all, and just timidly didn't know what to say.

At that moment, Shuihen suddenly jumped out from behind Zhao Yong, pointed at Fengye and laughed loudly: "You're blushing! You're actually blushing! The strangest thing this year is that you, this thick-skinned woman, can actually blush!"

Although the siblings had always been mischievous since childhood, Shuihen didn't think her words were excessive. However, they infuriated Fengye. How dare he call her a "thick-skinned woman" in front of Zhao Yong?! Unforgivable!

A sharp glint flashed in Maple Leaf's eyes. Watermark was startled and took off running. He knew better than anyone that his sister was truly angry this time. Was he supposed to just run and wait to die?

"Brother Zhao, you have to save me..."

Watermark was chased by maple leaves, crying and running away. Zhao Yong watched the two playfully fighting. Perhaps the golden morning sun was too dazzling, his eyes gradually narrowed, and his gaze gradually dispersed.

The next day, Wushuang and Yelü Huan finally settled all the matters. To gain Wushuang's trust, Yelü Huan even gave him a written agreement. Wushuang had not experienced much personally and was used to the "words of the martial arts world being as good as gold," so he did not take Yelü Huan's agreement too seriously. He hastily handed it to Fengye and then paid it no mind.

"General Chenglie, I have agreed with General Gao that I will return to the city within three days, so I will take my leave now."

Yelü Huan said, "I will send an advance army to escort you back to the city. At that time, as agreed, they will take back your weapons and armor. I will then immediately withdraw my 30,000 troops. After the advance army is stationed in the city, the remaining 10,000-plus troops will also withdraw. At that time, I will definitely come to the city to visit you."

Wushuang nodded slightly and replied, "Wushuang eagerly awaits the General's arrival!"

This time, Yue Fei was leading the vanguard. He was extremely excited to take on this important task for the first time. He gripped the sword at his waist tightly to calm his turbulent heart.

Reluctant to part with Ji Wushuang again, Fengye insisted on seeing her off personally. The group then led the vanguard of over a thousand men towards Liaoyang Prefecture. As night was about to fall, they arrived at the foot of the city wall. Yue Fei ordered the vanguard to stop a few hundred feet away from the wall.

Ji Wushuang, sitting on his horse, turned back to Yue Fei and Fengye and said, "Please wait a moment. I will go into the city and give General Gao my permission, and then I will let you in."

Yue Fei cupped his hands and said, "Yue Fei awaits good news from the Holy Maiden!"

Wushuang raised her right hand, and a phoenix-shaped cannon shot out from her sleeve, leaving a long trailing sound before exploding with a "bang" in the sky. Then she spurred her horse and galloped toward the slowly opening city gate.

Maple Leaf suddenly remembered that the agreement was still in her hands. She was worried that Gao Yongchang was suspicious and would not believe it, so she quickly urged her horse forward to hand the agreement to Ji Wushuang.

As the two horses drew closer, Maple Leaf, being a former assassin, possessed a unique sensitivity to hidden weapons in the darkness. So when two short arrows suddenly flew towards Ji Wushuang from the side, her first reaction was to spur her horse and leap up, catching Ji Wushuang off the horse and throwing her to the ground.