Flight

"Sister, we're leaving!" Li Xuanling charged straight into the side courtyard, striding over the threshold. Grabbing Li Jingtian, he made to pull her toward the front courtyard. Startled, Li Jingtian asked repeatedly, "What is happening?" "There's no time to explain! Jianixi's troops will reach Mount Lijing in less than a quarter of an hour. Just listen to me!" Li Jingtian was shaken to the core. Hastily coiling up her long black hair, she drew a slender dagger from between the bedding, slipped it into her sleeve as they walked, and asked with lowered head, "Has Mother been notified?" With his broad blade strapped to his back, Li Xuanling nodded. "I already sent clan soldiers to fetch them earlier. I ordered the few clan soldiers stationed up front to escort them down the mountain at once, and only then came back to the side courtyard for you, Eldest Sister." The two hurried out of the side courtyard. Li Jingtian had not stepped onto the path of cultivation and walked very slowly, so Li Xuanling slapped a Divine Movement Technique talisman onto his leg, swept her up by the waist, and rushed down the mountain. Tucking stray hairs behind her ear, Li Jingtian watched the scenery flashing past them like wind and lightning. Her mind was filled with worry for her father, Li Xiangping. Looking up at Li Xuanling, a deep envy flickered in her eyes. 'If only I had a spirit aperture too...' After running for a while, Li Xuanling used the magical mirror to check Jianixi's movements, only to discover that a Shanyue detachment had already entered Lijing Town and was on the verge of securing several exits. Another detachment was craftily ascending the heights from the opposite foot of the mountain, cutting off any escape toward Jingyang Village on the other side. Had it not been for the magical mirror, Li Xuanling would have run straight into that force. Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he cursed under his breath, "How cunning that Jianixi is!" Bitterly changing course, Li Xuanling quickened his pace. He managed to slip down the mountain just before the encirclement closed. In Lijing Town at the base of the mountain, he found an old courtyard and vaulted over the wall into the grounds. The courtyard was covered with a thin layer of dust; evidently, the owners had been away for a long time. Li Xuanling kicked open the door and stepped inside with Li Jingtian. Li Jingtian glanced around and retrieved two plain garments from a wardrobe so they could change. She was twelve or thirteen, the same age as this household's daughter, and the clothes fit her just right. Li Xuanling, however, had not yet grown into his frame, so Li Jingtian had to take a blade to tailor the garment so he could manage to wear it. After shredding their discarded brocade robes and stuffing them under the bed, the sound of footsteps was already ringing out outside the door. Listening closely for a while, they heard the dense, chaotic footsteps hurry into the distance. Only then did Li Xuanling look up, studying Li Jingtian's strikingly heroic face, and said in his childish voice, "Sister, your bearing is far too prominent." Li Jingtian nodded in sudden realization. She drew water from the small well in the courtyard, smudged her cosmetics, furrowed her brows, and lowered her eyes, taking on a more timid and humble demeanor. Li Xuanling pouted. Her natural looks were simply too good; there was no way to make her look truly plain. Though she had lost that heroic air, she now had a pitiful, delicate charm that left Li Xuanling clicking his tongue in wonder. After all this fuss, the two finally looked like ordinary townspeople. Standing on her tiptoes to peer outside, Li Jingtian whispered, "The Lost in the Mist Array is mere child's play to Jianixi. Fortunately, we've retreated from the mountain. As long as we hide here for a day and a night, Jianixi is bound to withdraw." Li Xuanling nodded, secretly feeling the magical mirror in his robes. Its warm touch put him much more at ease. *** Upon Mount Lijing. Jianixi listened to his subordinate's report with narrowed eyes. A smile surfaced on his face as he asked, "He led his troops across the mountain?" "Yes." Jianixi raised an eyebrow. Glancing at the cold stone platform and taking in the incense and candles burning beside him, he kicked over the altar table before him. *Clatter...* Melons and fruits from the collapsed offering table tumbled all over the floor. Jianixi's yellowish-brown pupils narrowed into vertical slits. Reaching out, he stroked the smooth yet empty surface of the platform, the corner of his mouth curving into a mocking sneer. "Mu Jiaoman, what sort of magical artifact needs to be venerated with offerings?" The long-braided Shanyue behind him shook his head, warily surveying his surroundings. At the question, he pondered for several breaths before answering hesitantly, "This subordinate has only heard that a large tribe on the Xunlin Plain worships a wooden statue with all manner of divine wonders, truly bizarre and unique." "So the Li family has a treasure..." Jianixi chuckled softly and strode slowly out of the courtyard. Mu Jiaoman behind him said with relief, "That magical artifact must be in their army right now. It is fortunate we did not attack rashly, or we surely would have fallen into the demonic sect's scheme!" Jianixi wandered around the main and side courtyards. Looking at the clothes his men had turned up and feeling the bedding that still held warmth, he nodded thoughtfully. "That brat is sharp." Taking a step forward, he looked down at Lijing Town at the foot of the mountain, slowly spreading his arms as if to embrace it. After thinking for a while, he called out clearly, "Take away every lowlander in this settlement between seven and fifteen years old. Do not miss a single one." Behind him, Mu Jiaoman answered with a low affirmative. As the two stepped out of the Li family compound, Jianixi suddenly halted in his tracks and said with a beaming smile, "Especially those lowlanders in fine attire and with fair faces—have them watched closely. If anyone with cultivation takes action, seize them at once and bring them to me." With that, he mounted his horse and rode down Mount Lijing. Mu Jiaoman hastily followed and asked in a low voice, "King, we don't have much time." "Mm." Jianixi nodded and said softly, "Once we take the people and loot the goods, we'll withdraw. No need to cause the demonic sect too much loss of face, lest they summon reinforcements and bring needless casualties." When the two reached the bottom of the mountain, loud wails were already rising across the town, mingled with the sounds of militia fighting the Shanyue. Jianixi's troops were strictly disciplined, and having herded all the children and youths in the village together, cries and sobs erupted everywhere. Mu Jiaoman watched with lowered head for a moment, then quietly spoke: "Taking them back to serve as slaves and servant girls isn't a bad idea either." At those words, Jianixi's eyelids dropped, a ferocious grimace twisted his features, and a flash of brutal killing intent crossed his eyes. Yet his back was turned to everyone, and no one noticed a thing. Jianixi's clean, smooth neck had once been tattooed with the horizontal stripes marking a slave. Later, after slaughtering the entire tribe that had bought him, he forced the tribal shaman to scour away those markings. From then on, no matter what achievements he attained, he never applied any markings to his body again. Mu Jiaoman continued oblivious: "These lowlander women are quite handsome and pleasing to the eye. Rather interesting." Jianixi nodded noncommittally and hefted the broad blade in his hand. Mu Jiaoman added, "Now that the King has unified the Northern Foothills, you should consider heirs early on. There are many ambitious jackals, wolves, tigers, and leopards in the mountains; having an heir would set your mind at ease." "Mm." Jianixi hummed softly. Squeezing with his legs, he steered his horse westward and nodded. "Return west. Go keep that fellow company and play with him."