At this critical moment, the ground beneath began to rise rapidly. A white skeleton burst out from the earth, and Lin Jiu found herself standing on its shoulder. This white skeleton was as large as the four crimson skeletons. Using the ground as leverage, it slowly stood up, lifting Lin Jiu into the air. She quickly crouched into a groove in the bone, steadying herself.
The white skeleton shook its body, raised its bony hand, and drew a massive bone sword from its back, gripping it firmly in both hands. It stepped forward, exuding a spine-chilling aura that filled the surrounding air.
The swarm of crimson skeletons scattered in its wake, fleeing in all directions like frightened rats.
The four giant crimson skeletons stopped roaring. They hunched over like wild beasts, baring their teeth at the white skeleton, ready to attack. They slowly closed in, surrounding the white skeleton from all sides.
With a raised sword, the white skeleton lunged forward. These skeletons didn’t know how to defend or dodge—the crimson one directly in front was instantly cleaved in half. Its upper body let out a low, echoing groan as it slid to the ground.
However, the white skeleton was also attacked from behind by the remaining three crimson giants, causing it to be cut into several pieces. With a thunderous crash, the white giant collapsed. Rows of ribs struck the ground, cushioning Lin Jiu’s fall. Clenching at a protruding piece of bone, she bounced up and down for a while before finally finding an opportunity to let go and leap to the ground.
She steadied herself, still reeling from the shock of the experience. The smaller skeletons around her had been scattered by the fall of the giant white skeleton. Surveying her surroundings, Lin Jiu realized she had reached the base of the bone mountain. The fall of the white giant had somehow crossed the death line, delivering her into the ranks of the white skeletons. The three remaining crimson giants had also crossed the line. Their legs shattered in the collision, leaving them crawling on the ground, using their hands to drag themselves toward Lin Jiu.
Looking up, Lin Jiu saw the top of the peak, where a crimson sword emitted an awe-inspiring glow—it was the object of the crimson skeletons’ pursuit and the one guarded by the white skeletons.
Taking a deep breath, she began to climb the bone mountain. Unlike the hostile crimson skeletons, the white skeletons ignored her, allowing her to pass. When she was about to bump into them, they even moved aside to let her through.
The mountain was steep, but its entire surface was made of bones, providing plenty of footholds, so Lin Jiu quickly made her way halfway up.
When she glanced around, a chill ran down her spine—the army of crimson skeletons was endless, densely stretching to the horizon.
One by one, giant crimson skeletons crawled up from the earth, pushing the death line to the base of the bone mountain. The white mountain, amidst the sea of red, looked like a lone boat struggling in a storm. Lin Jiu even had the impression that the entire mountain was swaying under the impact of the tide of resentment.
At that moment, the glassy crimson sword at the peak quivered slightly.
Buzz—
An invisible wave swept across the land, and Lin Jiu seemed to hear the grand battle hymn once more.
Fight to the death, never retreat!
Shattered white bones rose from the ground, slowly reassembling themselves. They broke apart time and time again, yet they reformed just as many times. The newly formed white skeletons straightened their spines and charged toward the endless crimson skeletons.
Without looking back, Lin Jiu sprinted to the peak. There, the breathtakingly beautiful crimson sword stood tall.
Seeing it up close left her even more awestruck. She unconsciously held her breath as she reached out toward the hilt…
The moment Lin Jiu’s fingers made contact with the sword hilt, time itself seemed to freeze, and even the wind came to a standstill. She took a deep breath and gripped the sword firmly.
Boom! A wave of overwhelming sorrow and heroism crashed into her heart.
Blood, fire, shattered weapons, dying comrades, the gnashing fangs of devils, the cries of children… Within the vast fortress, fewer than a hundred cultivators remained standing!
Though they were of flesh and blood, they had forged an iron defense! Above them, thick black clouds and fierce winds howled—the song of the fallen heroes.
Beneath the fortress, the devil army surged like a tidal wave. On the walls, though fewer than a hundred warriors still stood, each carried the hopes and legacy of countless fallen comrades.
Fight to the death, never retreat!
In the end, each heroic body atop the walls, dead or alive, struck fear into the devil army, halting their advance!
Lin Jiu was stunned. ‘This… this is the battle to defend Qianqi Pass thousands of years ago, led by Wu Nishui!’
In an instant, the iron will of countless heroic souls surged into Lin Jiu’s heart, catching her off guard. Tears poured down her face like rain.
The Glazed Crimson Sword in her hand unleashed another invisible wave of power. She saw the skies shift, and the crimson resentment was hit as if by a powerful punch. The small skeletons were torn apart like leaves in a hurricane, and even the giant skeletons staggered, collapsing to the ground and howling in rage and frustration toward the mountaintop.
“Wu… Meng… Xia…”
From atop the peak, Lin Jiu overlooked the sea of crimson below, her heart shaken. The sword in her hand pulsed with the unyielding will of the departed souls, filling her with a sense of purpose, while the intense hatred and resentment from below surged up, all of it directed toward the current defender of Qianqi Pass—Wu Mengxia.
A shimmering, translucent light slid across the surface of the Glazed Crimson Sword, like a single tear of sorrow.
Lin Jiu felt a deep sadness emanating from the sword. An old and weary voice spoke to her: ‘Was I… wrong?’
‘To carry my ancestor’s will and defend my homeland to the death—was that wrong?’
‘To foolishly overestimate my ability and believe that I could hold out like my ancestor until reinforcements arrived—was that wrong?’
‘To strictly forbid anyone from retreating, for fear of breaking morale, only to lead countless lives to death—was that wrong?’
‘I should have accepted the weight of their grievance and hatred, and yet I hide under the protection of my ancestor’s spirit, letting the resentment fester—was that wrong?’
‘Was everything I, Wu Mengxia, did… wrong?’
“I don’t know,” Lin Jiu said calmly as she slowly drew the Glazed Crimson Sword from the bone mountain.
The sword seemed to resist.
Lin Jiu continued, “Instead of asking me or anyone else, why not ask yourself? When you made your decisions, did you act with a clear conscience?”
There was a moment of silence.
In the next moment, an overwhelming surge of aura erupted from the sword! A shockwave, visible to the naked eye, exploded from the sword’s tip!
Wu Mengxia… had a clear conscience!
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