Chapter 1960: No Regrets

**The Mortal Realm**

The Emperor was gravely ill. All factions were preoccupied with vying for the throne. Unexpectedly, the turn of events began externally.

*Crash!*

Yu Lang's hand trembled, and the teacup slipped, shattering into pieces on the floor. Ignoring the tea splattering on him, Yu Lang stared intently at the names on the urgent report: Qifu Prefecture, Cizhen Prefecture, Zhongning Prefecture… Without exception, these were all prefectural cities in Luzhou. The Great Liang Kingdom's attack was focused on Luzhou! And the Prefect of Zhongning Prefecture in Luzhou was none other than Chen Zhenqing, Master Chen!

The mortal realm was not like the cultivation world, where communication talismans and spells allowed for instant reports. Battle reports here were delayed. When the Great Liang Kingdom invaded, several prefectures immediately became isolated cities. By the time the news was sent out and reached the capital, several days had already passed. No one knew if Luzhou's imperial army could withstand the surprise attack, or what the current situation was in the cities!

Within the Yan Kingdom, there were four provinces bordering the Great Liang Kingdom. Of these four provinces, Luzhou, despite having endured several wars, was not strategically the most important. Ordinarily, if the Great Liang Kingdom were to invade the Yan Kingdom, Luzhou would not be the first choice. For this very reason, the Yan Kingdom did not deploy its largest forces in Luzhou.

The Crown Prince was, after all, not the Emperor, and interfering with military power was a grave taboo. Yu Lang's clandestine maneuvers could, at most, arrange for more garrison troops for Zhongning Prefecture. The Great Liang Kingdom's sudden attack on Luzhou had occurred without the slightest warning. Even Yu Lang, who was close to the central authority, had seen no related intelligence, indicating how concealed this attack was. Caught off guard, how long could Luzhou hold out? How long could Zhongning Prefecture hold out?!

*Creak!*

A woman in a goose-yellow brocade dress pushed open the door and entered, carrying a covered soup bowl. The woman was beautiful, with graceful manners and a gentle expression. She was Yu Lang's lawfully wedded wife, the daughter of the Minister of Rites, named Mu Yunwan.

"Husband, please drink your ginseng soup," Mu Yunwan said softly, glancing at the broken porcelain on the floor as she set down the soup bowl. Then, her eyes met Yu Lang's, and her heart clenched abruptly. What kind of gaze was that? It was filled with bewilderment, helplessness, panic, and fear… In court, no matter how dangerous the situation, her husband always remained composed. She had never seen such an expression on him before.

"What happened?" Mu Yunwan extended her soft hand and gently held Yu Lang's, trying to soothe him with her tenderness.

Yu Lang seemed to awaken from a dream. "Is the messenger still outside?"

Mu Yunwan affirmed.

Yu Lang suddenly stood up, quickly shed his official robes, and pushed open the back window. Instead of using the main door, he was about to climb out the window. Just as he was about to climb out, Yu Lang seemed to remember something, turned his head, and instructed, "When Tao Teng arrives, tell him to wait for me in the study. I'll go to the Eastern Palace after I return!" Even without using spiritual power, Yu Lang was a true innate master, with impeccable mastery of qinggong. He swiftly left a message and, like a nimble cat, quickly disappeared into the darkness.

Mu Yunwan stood by the window, clutching the window frame tightly, gazing into the pitch-black night with a face full of worry.

By the Jade Belt Lake.The Green Ram Teahouse.

Yu Lang left the Qin manor and rushed here without delay, using his lightness skill throughout the journey. The urgent letter lay before Xiao Wu. Unlike Yu Lang, Xiao Wu wasn't flustered. After a moment of silence, she said, "Master won't leave."

Yu Lang understood his Senior Sister's meaning, and, as if answering or reassuring himself, said, "Zhongning Prefecture is a prefectural city. Even if it's besieged by enemy forces, it shouldn't fall so quickly…" However, they both knew that the Great Liang Kingdom's sudden invasion of the border must have been premeditated, aiming to strike in one go and seize the greatest advantage! Along the border, apart from a few major fortified passes, the so-called prefectural cities were largely less formidable, with some even newly built upon the ruins of older towns, their walls likely only slightly stronger than those of ordinary county towns.

Yu Lang's voice was strained. "Master has a protective talisman."

"Master won't leave!" Xiao Wu repeated.

The protective talismans they had given Master were merely to guard against accidents and resist the spells of cultivators. They could forge better talismans, but the deities would not permit it. Once surrounded by an army and assaulted by weapons, a protective talisman would be useless. Moreover, given Chen Zhenqing's temperament, he would surely choose to live or die with his people!

"I'm going to Zhongning Prefecture right now!" Xiao Wu pressed a finger to her brow, and a flash of spiritual light erupted with a 'pop.' A complex rune appeared, then instantly shattered, as if breaking a seal. Xiao Wu's cultivation was fully restored!

The next moment, Xiao Wu vanished from the spot.

*Lapping…*

The lake water rippled, and the sound of water at night was exceptionally clear, carrying into the Green Ram Teahouse. The room was unlit. After Xiao Wu left, Yu Lang sat alone in the darkness, and at this critical juncture of rapidly shifting court politics, he remained there for a long time. His Senior Sister had gone to Zhongning Prefecture to save someone. A cultivator interfering in the mortal realm was precisely what he had previously detested the most. Yet now, he could not, dared not, stop her. No matter what, he could not stand idly by and watch Master Chen die. Even if he knew clearly that if Master Chen insisted on not leaving and chose to share the city's fate with its people, his Senior Sister would certainly intervene to force back the Great Liang army. The situation in the mortal realm, the fates of countless people, would be altered by his Senior Sister alone.

Yu Lang slowly bent down, clutching his head in his hands. A breeze blew in. A figure appeared beside him; it was the young man named Shi. Not only did Yu Lang not stop his Senior Sister from saving Master Chen, but he also made a backup plan: if his Senior Sister couldn't break the seal, he would ask Brother Shi to go to Zhongning Prefecture.

After understanding the full story.

"'Still can't figure it out? Heh heh, you'll learn in the future that there are many things in this world that you won't be able to comprehend!'" The young man named Shi sighed softly and patted Yu Lang's shoulder. "'You should go back! If Master Chen dies on the battlefield, it will be a death befitting him. If you just say the word, I will annihilate the entire Great Liang army for you, but then your venture into the mortal world would be meaningless. I believe Master Chen, with his spirit in the afterlife, would rather see you assist the Crown Prince in ascending the throne, strengthen the Yan Kingdom, and defeat the Great Liang Kingdom honorably to avenge him!'"

The official road was filled with refugees. Tonight's darkness was exceptionally profound. The people were exhausted, weakly shuffling forward. With even a shred of strength, they dared not stop. The enemy army was behind them; they could only flee, deeper into the interior.

Xiao Wu flew through the sky, her gaze sweeping over the ground below. Upon entering Luzhou, she followed the main road leading to Zhongning Prefecture. If Chen Zhenqing's family had escaped from Zhongning Prefecture, they would surely have taken this path. Just then, a familiar aura finally appeared in her spiritual perception, and Xiao Wu immediately descended.

By the main road, a carriage was slowly moving forward. The carriage didn't look particularly luxurious, and the driver was a burly man with fierce eyes, clearly not someone to be trifled with. Inside the carriage sat a mother and daughter. The daughter was nestled in her mother's arms, asleep. The mother held her daughter, her face pale and streaked with tears. Her body swayed with the carriage's jolts, and she stared blankly into the darkness ahead, her eyes unfocused. This mother and daughter were precisely Chen Zhenqing's wife, Lady Chen Liu, and their daughter.

"Mistress!" Lady Chen Liu, who hadn't noticed Xiao Wu's sudden appearance, was startled awake by the call. Her gaze shifted, and only then did she regain her composure. A faint light glowed inside the carriage.

Recognizing Xiao Wu, Lady Chen Liu's face filled with surprise. "Xiao Wu, why are you here?"

"Mistress, did Master not leave the city with you?" Xiao Wu had a premonition, but facing the reality still weighed heavily on her heart.

"He found an opportunity to send my daughter and me out of the city, but he himself refused to leave, vowing to live and die with the city's common people!" Lady Chen Liu hugged her daughter tightly, unable to stop her tears. Her voice was filled with sorrow, yet also a hint of strength and pride. "He did it. He fulfilled his vow from back then!"

Xiao Wu fell silent, looking towards Zhongning Prefecture. Master Chen's declaration of his aspirations, made years ago while drunk at the Green Ram Temple, was vivid in her memory! Lady Chen Liu remembered something, reached into her bosom, and with trembling hands, pulled out a letter. Despite the arduous journey and hardships of their escape, the letter was remarkably well-preserved, without a single crease.

"This is what Zhenqing left for you all." Xiao Wu took it, opened the letter, and found only eight characters inscribed: "To die with the people, without regret!" The ink was slightly smudged, clearly hastily put away before it dried, but from the powerful strokes, one could still feel the strong conviction and resolute determination.

"Xiao Wu…" Lady Chen Liu hesitated before asking, "Are you… not ordinary people?" Xiao Wu had been far away in the capital, yet suddenly appeared here. Even on the fastest steed, such speed would be impossible. Back in Seven-Row Village, she and her husband had already concluded that Daoist Master Qingfeng possessed an extraordinary demeanor, was a reclusive master, and his two disciples were exceptionally talented individuals. However, Lady Chen Liu didn't know *how* extraordinary they truly were. Seeing Xiao Wu nod in acknowledgment, Lady Chen Liu's eyes gradually lit up. "Can you…"

"I'm going to Zhongning Prefecture right now!" Xiao Wu placed a protective spell on the carriage, then continued flying towards Zhongning Prefecture. With her cultivation, she could reach Zhongning Prefectural City in an instant from where she was, yet she slowed her pace, as if hesitating, afraid to approach the city.

Darkness enveloped the land. Xiao Wu flew alone, her speed now reduced to that of a bird, until she finally saw Zhongning Prefectural City. She still remembered how, when she first came years ago, Zhongning Prefecture had recuperated for many years, gradually recovering its vitality, showing signs of prosperity. Now, within the prefectural city, countless torches illuminated the night sky, also illuminating the ruined walls, shattered remnants, and mountains of corpses and rivers of blood!

Xiao Wu landed on a hilltop outside the city. She stood there, silently gazing at the prefectural city. She tightly clutched the letter Master had left behind. The paper, fine Xuan paper from the Yan Kingdom, rustled in the night wind, like a white butterfly fluttering up and down. Xiao Wu stood motionless, like a statue. Within the city, Master's aura was present, but it had already lost all vitality. She was too late!

Anger, grief, regret, self-reproach, sorrow… Xiao Wu couldn't distinguish how many emotions she felt; it was too complex, more complicated than when Meng Yusu betrayed her years ago. She didn't dare enter the city to face it. What should she do now? Seek revenge? Xiao Wu felt a little lost, looking at the eight characters in her hand. She could easily slaughter the entire Great Liang army, but what would that achieve? This was a conflict between two mortal nations. If she were to forcibly seek out a culprit, from the sovereign down to the common soldier, everyone could be considered a perpetrator, yet no one bore a personal grudge against Master Chen. Moreover, Master Chen had the chance to leave, but he chose to forgo it and calmly faced death. He died for his country, died for his people, declaring he died without regret!

*Rustle... rustle...* The night wind grew more insistent.

"Master, what should I do?" Xiao Wu stared blankly at the deep night sky, then finally moved, stepping down the mountain. She did not use any escape art, merely concealed her presence, walking step by step towards the city.

The city gates were battered. The Great Liang soldiers showed no intention of repairing them, not planning to stay here permanently. Along both sides of the main road, bodies had been dragged to the roadside and piled up, forming rivers of blood. Xiao Wu walked through the bloody path, heading towards the prefectural yamen. The city was exceptionally noisy. Great Liang soldiers and generals were celebrating their victory amidst mountains of corpses and rivers of blood. Xiao Wu's eyes were hollow, as if she didn't hear these sounds, and she unconsciously arrived in front of the prefectural yamen.

Inside the yamen's main hall, a large sandbox lay set up, displaying the entire topography of Luzhou Province. There was only one person in the hall: the Great Liang general leading this army. He held a candle, meticulously examining the sandbox, engrossed in strategizing the battle. Suddenly, hasty footsteps sounded outside.

Someone reported from outside the door, "Reporting to the General, the identities of those corpses have been confirmed."

The general straightened up and said gravely, "Are you certain it's truly the Prefect of Zhongning Prefecture, and not a substitute?"

The voice from outside replied, "It is his true body! This man is named Chen Zhenqing and holds great prestige in Luzhou! Sir Zuo asks if we should take the bodies with us, or perhaps cut off his head and hang it at the camp gate; it would surely greatly demoralize the enemy!"

"'Even I, here in Great Liang, have heard of Chen Zhenqing. This man truly cherished his people as if they were his own children. During the siege, there was a lapse, allowing many officials and nobles to flee, yet this man, as the chief official, chose to remain and die on the battlefield alongside his soldiers. It seems the rumors were not exaggerated! How can such a virtuous and honorable man, whose integrity remains even in death, be allowed to suffer insult from others!'" The general fell silent for a moment, then said solemnly, "Lay him to rest with respect. Give him a grand burial!"

"Understood!" The person outside took the order and departed.

The Tomb of Chen Zhenqing, Prefect of Zhongning Prefecture, Luzhou, Yan Kingdom.

Xiao Wu stood before the tomb, gazing at the grave the Great Liang soldiers had erected for Master Chen. She had observed the entire process, only revealing herself after the soldiers had left. After a long period of mourning, Xiao Wu finished paying her respects to Master Chen, and the fingers that had tightly clutched the letter gradually relaxed. Finally, she meticulously folded the letter, carefully put it away, and then walked out of Zhongning Prefectural City. Perhaps allowing Master Chen to remain forever in this land was his best final resting place.

Xiao Wu found her Mistress and, using her magic, brought them back to Seven-Row Village, where she settled them. She stood at the foot of the mountain, looking up at the Green Ram Temple on the peak. She hesitated, but ultimately did not ascend the mountain, instead mounting a white cloud and flying away.

Above the white cloud, Xiao Wu gazed at the vast land, her eyes still somewhat lost and uncertain, unsure of what was right or wrong. Her flight had no direction. She didn't even notice that she had deviated from the direction of the capital, flying to some unknown place. Suddenly, Xiao Wu's eyes shifted, and she stared blankly into the distance. Finally, a flicker of emotion appeared in her gaze.

*Whoosh!*

Instantly soaring over mountains, Xiao Wu appeared above a mountain hollow. A moment later, a white shadow suddenly leaped out of the hollow and darted into Xiao Wu's arms, emitting soft cries of affection and surprise. It was a white fox.