Chapter 147: It’s Not the First Time Anyway
Luxianbei felt that, from a common sense perspective, rashly leaving the Hook Column small building was not a wise decision.
Outside the small building, the street—whether it was a long-ago illusion or the real Yumen Pass—was something she had no way to confirm in advance.
If it was the former, that would be fine; but if it was the latter… Following the woman named Lianqing out of the small building would almost certainly land her in danger.
The luck value buff she had borrowed from Fang Ji had nearly expired, and Luxianbei had immense faith in her own luck.
At this moment, Yumen Pass was in a “Night” state, filled with various strange and hideous local urban legends that were extraordinarily active, making it a perilous place. Even the low-quality guardians of the Siye Society had to temporarily avoid drawing attention.
Though Luxianbei was unsure why she was not affected by the mysterious power that enveloped Yumen Pass, which limited her strength, she would never arrogantly believe that her abilities surpassed those of a calamity-grade being that was being restricted.
From a certain perspective, the small building was similar to a safe house in a zombie game—though it held urban legends, those legends were relatively friendly, and there was still a guardian of the Siye Society present…
At a time like this, anyone leaving the Hook Column small building would be like the character in a horror film who insistently insists on acting alone, becoming the first to meet their demise.
If the Proxy Player Sister could transform into some odd little creature and float beside her, it would probably say, “Please explore the area in front later!”
“……”
So, why leave here?
Even if she could somehow influence the past in some temporarily unknown way, and even if she was curious about what had happened to that woman…
These matters were, to a certain extent, trivial; compared to her own life, they paled in significance. Luxianbei thought.
She tried to convince herself not to meddle, not to risk following the woman out, her resolve gradually strengthening.
But when her gaze passed through the vermillion doors of the small building and she saw the scene outside on the street, she instantly froze in place……
————
Outside the small building.
A dry, hot wind brushed her face, and under the bright sunlight, the stone slabs on the street shimmered faintly.
On both sides of the street were shops like tea houses, taverns, and foot shops. Outside these shops and on the vacant spaces along the street, numerous vendors lined up, extending all the way to the horizon.
Though there was a bit of wind and sand today, perhaps the people living nearby had grown accustomed to such weather, as there were still quite a few people on the street.
Plainly dressed farmers, merchants calling out their bids, scholarly gentlemen strolling slowly, and a few Persians in exotic attire with deep-set features, leading camels, and Arabians wearing white headscarves… the carriages and pedestrians bustled about.
Seeing such a scene, Luxianbei suddenly remembered that apart from being a divine realm, Yumen Pass was also an important city gate. In times of peace, not only were there numerous residents here, but also merchants from various countries in the Western Regions.
Everything before her seemed to silently tempt her, beckoning her to immerse herself in the ambience of a Tang Dynasty border city.
If it was Professor Ma who saw such a scene, he would probably rush out in eagerness, even knowing the life-threatening dangers.
But unfortunately…
Though Luxianbei felt a hint of interest, it wasn’t strong enough for her to willingly risk it.
What truly shook her resolve to “not be reckless” were the lively “people” on the street…
————
On the bustling street, a plain little girl sold a hair accessory made of a bouquet of pomegranate flowers and some unknown small white wildflowers. With an excited face, she held five copper coins and dashed through the crowd, handing the coins to an old man guarding a small tea stall by the roadside.
“Grandpa, look! That uncle gave this to me.”
The elderly man at the tea stall smiled kindly, ruffled the little girl’s hair, and while producing a handkerchief from his pocket, gently wiped the sweat from her forehead, asking softly, “Did you thank him?”
“Of course!” The little girl grinned widely, revealing a gap where a tooth was missing, “I specifically chose the biggest, prettiest flowers for him!”
“Good girl, keep it for yourself…”
Nearby, customers came and went at the foot shop.
Merchants from all corners, both within and outside the gates, hurriedly came in, quickly ate a bowl of hot noodles, drank a cup of turbid wine, or took a few freshly steamed buns before departing almost as soon as they sat down.
The shopkeeper collected the coins they left on the table and counted them up, smilingly calling out after them, “Safe travels and prosperous business!”
In the neighboring shop, a simple-looking youth pulled out an object wrapped in a handkerchief from his pocket, cautiously unwrapping it and presenting it to the girl behind the counter, stuttering, “Here, it’s for you.”
The girl noticed the exquisitely crafted rouge box made of wood. Before she could even use the rouge, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and she scolded the boy, “Why did you buy this? What a waste of money!”
Seeing the girl seemed angry, the boy panicked and quickly said, “I—I thought you’d like it, um, if you don’t like it, I’ll return it right away…”
The girl rolled her eyes, reached out, and poked the boy’s forehead hard, “What a big foolish idiot!”
Then there were Persian merchants arguing over the price difference of spices by a couple of copper coins, groups of literati speaking of something like “The Golden Terrace’s sentiments,” and among a merchant convoy heading towards Chang’an in the distance, someone called out seemingly ready to depart, followed by a roar of camels.
Whips cracked, and the caravan began to move unsteadily forward, with a few lagging individuals hastily rushing out of the crowd to rejoin the main force…
————
The lively street had a taste of prosperity, as if everything was just like the countless past days and nights. If it weren’t for the rumors circulating about the Nanling County King’s d*ath in battle and the Shaman Queen’s army soon approaching, it might have been even more bustling.
The woman named Lianqing and the girl accompanying her blended into the scene, seemingly becoming part of the background.
These long-ago scenes inexplicably reminded Luxianbei of Mudan Street from her past. Though she thought she had long forgotten it, the sights before her stirred memories within her, gradually clarifying them…
In her memory, the entrance of Mudan Street in the early morning also had a similar hustle and bustle.
However, this liveliness was already on the verge of collapse.
Luxianbei raised her eyes to the distance and saw the towering city walls of Yumen Pass. In a daze, she felt a wind blowing from beyond the walls, carrying a hint of sand and a faint metallic scent of bl**d mixed with a burnt odor.
The wind had already brought the scent of war.
It was very faint; those ordinary people might not notice it, but the atmosphere reeking of slaughter, bl**d, and cruelty had started to stir the core of the urban legend of the witch kind.
Wars often happen suddenly, like a thunderstorm, catching people off guard. Those caught in the midst of conflict always come to realize it late, only awakening one morning to the sounds of battle and cries before realizing that the once remote war has descended upon them…
Although the Shaman Queen’s army had yet to breach Yumen Pass, with the absence of the Nanling County King and the Longxiang Army to hold them back, they would soon arrive here, like a torrent of overflowing waters.
From the conversation between Lianqing and the girl, it seemed some tribal warriors had already infiltrated Yumen Pass, and there might be more forces lurking nearby. Otherwise, those of the Longxiang Army wouldn’t find it so difficult to exit the city and contact the presumed dead Nanling County King.
So, what would happen to those who lived in Yumen Pass, or those who had once lived there, when the Shaman Queen’s army finally entered?
Was there any way out?
Perhaps it would be like bubbles being popped, ruthlessly crushed by sharp blades and cold iron hooves? Luxianbei thought.
When she pulled her thoughts back, the figures of Lianqing and the girl were just two blurry silhouettes in her view.
While gazing at their outlines, Luxianbei felt as if she were having a hallucination, a voice resonating in her mind.
“If you’re going to follow, you better hurry; if you hesitate, they’ll be far gone.”
“If you really can do something to influence the past, it’s worth a try. Even a tiny change might provide these people with a chance to survive…”
Luxianbei lowered her head, her thoughts swirling, retracting the armor that covered her hands, exposing the bl**d-stained palms to view.
“……”
After a brief silence, she bit her lip, raised her head to look ahead, and found the figures of Lianqing and the girl amid the surging crowd. She stepped through the doors of the small building and ran after them.
To hell with it, if I’m going to court disaster, then let it be!
After all, it wasn’t the first time, and I could almost adapt to the pain and begin to enjoy it, right?
No matter how bad it got, it wouldn’t be worse than the Hundred Demons Walk or the awakening of the Pink Fluffy Rabbit, right? Probably not… Luxianbei thought.
————
On the other side, Fang Ji and Shen Baiwei swiftly navigated through the dilapidated and collapsed buildings.
Perhaps due to the blessing of the Miracle Flower attached to Shen Baiwei, although they encountered some minor mishaps along the way, they managed to progress.
For instance, two unknown urban legends were fighting each other, and although the aftermath washed over them, Shen Baiwei emerged unharmed while Fang Ji was completely charred. Or, on the same path, while Shen Baiwei passed through safely, Fang Ji triggered a trap and received multiple wounds, each dodging the vital points…
But fortunately, it was all just a small scare, and the direction they were heading remained correct. Soon they would meet up with the Elders, and Fang Ji could even smell the rich fragrance in the air from numerous Miracle Cult members gathering.
“……”
Once they met with the Elders and retrieved the Sacred Relic from them, after a brief rest, my Miracle Flower should be returning.
At that point, as long as they returned the same way, barring any unforeseen circumstances, they would be able to awaken the slumbering First Holy Son.
Fang Ji thought excitedly, but suddenly a severe coughing fit invaded his ears, pulling his drifting thoughts back to reality.
“Cough, cough, cough!”
Following the sound, he saw Shen Baiwei leaning against a broken stone pillar by the road with one hand, covering her chest with the other, her complexion pale. Accompanying the intermittent coughs, a stream of black bl**d slid down from the corner of her mouth.
Serves you right for stealing my Miracle Flower; now you can’t handle it, can you? Do you think you have a body like the Calamity monster? Fang Ji thought maliciously.
Though he was unsure why Shen Baiwei was suddenly spitting bl**d, he still used a “spiritual victory method” to calm himself, the resentment born from their frustrating experiences along the way unfolding as he spoke, “What happened to you?”
Shen Baiwei didn’t look at Fang Ji but turned to gaze into the depth of Yumen Pass instead, her expression grave. “I’m afraid I can’t act with you any longer. I need to go look over there.”
If that unknown b*stard continues to cause trouble, I fear I’ll lose control of my spirit patterns… Shen Baiwei thought.
Just as she was pondering this, Fang Ji suddenly reached out and grabbed her wrist.
You think I’ll let you go?
If you leave and take my Miracle Flower with you, won’t I d*e on the road? Fang Ji thought.
Shen Baiwei, “……”
