In the regions of Lingxi, many strange and ancient legends persist. Among them, the most widely told is the story of the Kuyi Clan transforming into the Bixi.
Legend has it that in antiquity, Lingxi was far from the arid wasteland it is today. Back then, the hills were carpeted with wetlands and lush jungles, where rare and wondrous beasts roamed freely. The Kuyi were a clan of beast-tamers; every member could speak the languages of birds and four-legged creatures. Even the most elusive mythical beasts would reveal themselves at their call.
However, fate is fickle. It seemed the heavens deemed such a gift an affront to the natural order and sought to erase the Kuyi Clan. Lingxi, which had always enjoyed favorable weather, was suddenly struck by a violent deluge. Dark clouds blotted out the sun for months. The torrential rains caused the rivers to swell and burst their banks; wetlands turned into lakes, and lakes expanded until they merged. Soon, the entirety of Lingxi was a vast, boundless ocean.
The Kuyi Clan was trapped upon a lone mountain, young and old alike waiting for death in terror. Overcome with grief, the Clan Chief knelt upon the summit, prostrating himself to show his submission to the gods. He then slit his throat at the cliff’s edge, offering his blood as a sacrifice in hopes of earning divine mercy.
Perhaps it was this plea—so humble it wept blood—that finally moved the gods. The Chief’s body, falling from the cliff into the floodwaters, suddenly emitted a radiant light. A massive Bixi emerged from the depths. It carried the remaining Kuyi clansmen upon its back, shielding them from the waters and leading them to a new continent before vanishing back into the Great Deep.
From then on, the descendants of the Kuyi revered the Bixi as a deity. Every year, on the anniversary of that miracle, they would hold sacrifices to honor their ancestor and the life he had secured for his people.
This was the legend of the Kuyi Clan and the Bixi.
Why did Xiao Nanhui think of this legend now?
Because she currently felt exactly like that great turtle.
No, she wasn't even a divine Bixi. She was just a wretched, hardworking tortoise.
With her left hand dragging Hao Bai and her right hand pulling Su Pingchuan, she also had Wu Xiaoliu slung across her shoulders. She sprinted eastward with everything she had. The situation at Sanmu Pass was unknown and no longer a viable route; Famang Ridge was a battlefield where two armies clashed. Their only hope was to cross the Tianmu River and escape toward the southeast.
She had nearly died during the crossing.
Though the rivers and lakes of Lingxi did not freeze, the midwinter water was cold enough to make one's bones ache. She didn't dare build a raft; a raft carrying four adults was too conspicuous a target. She had no choice but to wade through the waist-deep water.
Aside from her, the other three were all landlubbers—and injured or crippled landlubbers at that. She had to carry them across one by one. Even with a body tempered by years in the Great Border, by the third trip, her limbs were numb and she felt as though ice crystals were forming in her lungs.
During that final stretch, she had relied entirely on self-motivation to keep going. That motivation consisted of telling herself she was that legendary tortoise, saving people from peril. Finally, with one last breath of strength, she reached the far bank and brought the three of them to a relatively safe location.
Once across the Tianmu River, they were finally putting the Great Border behind them. The night they left the riverbank, she let out a sigh of relief she couldn't suppress. She slept for a full day and night. When she finally woke, Wu Xiaoliu was already able to sit up and slurp down some dried rations soaked in hot water.
His layers of fat had saved his life. An Lü’s strange technique had sliced him almost from his left shoulder down to his right waist, but miraculously, it had missed his vital organs.
Of course, Hao Bai deserved credit as well. Even in such dire circumstances, he had managed to forage strange herbs from the surroundings, mixing them with various powders from his small medical kit to plaster onto Wu Xiaoliu’s wound. It smelled truly foul, but the flesh was visibly knitting back together.
Su Pingchuan’s poisoning was also largely resolved. He could now walk without assistance. She estimated it would take less than a fortnight for him to return to the lively state he was in when they had sparred.
Logically, everything was improving. They had indeed escaped death and survived. Yet, a small dark cloud remained suspended in Xiao Nanhui’s heart, and her dreams were filled with gloom.
What exactly was that strike that had come from across the void? How was it related to those treacherous flying threads? And what was Puhuna’s ultimate goal?
Furthermore, there was the matter Su Pingchuan had mentioned.
She was no longer in the Great Border, but the Night Owl recognized its master. It would find a way to follow her; she just didn't know how long it would take. She had to figure out her next move before then.
Leaving the Tianmu River basin, the landscape shifted back into desolate Gobi desert. On the endless plains of sand and stone, not even a lizard could be seen. Fortunately, dark clouds drifting from the north shielded them from the sun, and the air felt slightly less parched.
But Xiao Nanhui knew they had to leave the wilderness quickly. If they were caught in a snowfall, their situation would become even more precarious.
Their current position had veered away from the road back to Tong City. They were roughly approaching the White Deer Hills in southern Lingxi. If her estimates were correct, they could reach Wan City once they crossed those hills.
However, while the name "White Deer Hills" sounded beautiful, it was a labyrinthine place of winding paths and illusions. Without a guide, it was entirely possible to get lost and die of exhaustion within.
After some thought, Xiao Nanhui led her three "burdens" to a temporary camp at the edge of the hills.
As night fell, she lit a campfire and called the three of them over to sit around the flames.
In the previous days, fearing pursuers, they hadn't dared to let the fire burn too brightly, using only embers to boil water. Now, with this circle of warmth, they felt a sense of profound satisfaction despite still being in the wilderness.
The firelight illuminated their four weary faces. She noticed that Hao Bai’s white robes had turned a dull grey.
"Time is short, so I'll be brief." She used stones to build a small windbreak around the fire, carefully shielding the flames. "For the road ahead, you'll have to go on without me."
The air went still for a moment before Wu Xiaoliu spoke up in disbelief.
"You're abandoning us?"
His tone was shocked, but because he lacked strength, it sounded like a dying accusation.
"The Bai Clan shouldn't be pursuing us anymore. I've sent for someone to lead you to Wan City. She should arrive in three or four days; you just need to wait here. She’ll bring rations and water, enough to get you through the White Deer Hills."
Wu Xiaoliu was still unwilling to accept the arrangement. "Your person? Who is this person? Are they reliable? Don't you try to trick us."
Xiao Nanhui grew a bit impatient. "Why would I trick you? She is my personal maid, and she is extremely reliable."
Su Pingchuan was in the middle of taking a drink of water. Hearing this, he spat it out. "A maid? You're sending a maid to this godforsaken place to save us?"
"She is no ordinary maid," Xiao Nanhui paused, then added, "Her temper is much worse than an ordinary maid's. You must be careful when you meet her. Once you reach Wan City safely, go to the Andao Academy. Hao Bai, you can return home from there. Wan City is Prince Ding’s territory; even if Lu Songping intends to stir up trouble, he won't dare move against that place..."
Hao Bai asked quietly, "Then where are you going?"
Xiao Nanhui placed the final stone. "I have things to do. I'll regroup with you later."
As she finished speaking, a small silhouette appeared in the sky, growing larger as it approached.
It was the Night Owl.
She stood up and brushed off her seat, ignoring the expressions on their faces. She walked out onto the barren flats and placed a pre-written secret letter into the Night Owl’s cylinder.
She wasn't good at explaining things she herself couldn't quite articulate, and she was even worse at goodbyes.
A mole within the army was a grave matter. If things were as Su Pingchuan described, that person would surely act again. Time was precious; she couldn't afford to wait. She had to go in person.
That night, everyone was exceptionally silent.
Wu Xiaoliu seemed angry with her, eating a large amount of rations in one go. Hao Bai, being a member of the Qu family, was perceptive; he didn't ask questions and simply pressed a Zhi Pill into Xiao Nanhui’s hand. Su Pingchuan vanished halfway through the night; she guessed he had gone off somewhere to sulk.
When the long night was half over and the sky began to pale, Xiao Nanhui packed her few belongings and strapped the Pingxian to her back. Just as she was about to leave, she turned around to see Su Pingchuan perched on a nearby hill, staring at her resentfully.
She jumped, taking a few steps back. "Don't just stand there without making a sound! Are you trying to scare me to death?"
"I know what you're planning to do. Take me with you, or you're not going anywhere."
She believed him.
From their previous interactions, she knew Su Pingchuan was stubborn. If she didn't knock him unconscious, he would likely follow her for miles.
"There is a mole in the army. Who else knows besides you?"
Su Pingchuan shook his head. "The marching route was top secret. Only I know the route was compromised."
"Then wouldn't showing your face back at camp be a death sentence? If that person sees you're still alive, they won't let you get within ten paces of the main tent. Even if you managed to sneak in, the enemy would know you've returned and would be on high alert. How would you catch the traitor then?"
Su Pingchuan turned his head away. "I don't care. There will be a way. Regardless, this is my business. Don't think you can leave me behind."
Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to be patient. She explained her plan to him in detail, dryly analyzing the benefits of her going alone and the drawbacks of bringing him along.
By the end, she had almost convinced herself, but Su Pingchuan interrupted her with an angry look.
"You're taking a desperate risk!"
It seemed her words had been wasted. Looking at his agitated face, she felt her blood rush to her head. "And what else is there?! Do you have a better idea?!"
Su Pingchuan puffed out his cheeks, his brow furrowed in deep thought, but he couldn't squeeze out a single word.
Hmph. She knew as much.
"I'm only telling you this to inform you. I never expected you to offer a good suggestion, nor do I intend to follow your advice, and I certainly don't plan on taking you. If you still can't see reason and insist on wasting time here, I'll have no choice but to knock you out."
Hao Bai had enough to deal with; she didn't want to keep making trouble for him.
If all else failed, she’d just tie him up. However, the boy had recovered much of his strength over the past few days; she wasn't entirely sure she could subdue him easily.
While Xiao Nanhui was calculating how to shake off Su Pingchuan, he sat down on the ground and began muttering to himself. "Do you even know? For this campaign against the Great Border, His Majesty has taken personal command."
Xiao Nanhui froze. For some reason, the image of the Black Feather Camp archers she had seen among the cliffs of Sanmu Pass flashed through her mind.
No wonder. The Emperor was leading the campaign personally; that was why the Black Feather Camp was in Lingxi.
It seemed she had underestimated the Emperor’s resolve this time.
"Xiao Nanhui, do you know what it means for the Emperor to lead a campaign in person? Do you know how complex the relationships between the generals and ministers under his command are? Before you were promoted to General of the Right, you probably didn't even touch the fringes of court affairs. What confidence do you have that you can resolve this matter perfectly on your own?"
Su Pingchuan’s questions were not without merit.
But so what? Even if she didn't understand the art of political maneuvering, she had her own methods.
"Since you say the situation is so complex and everyone in the army is a suspect, then I will simply go find the one person who is absolutely above suspicion."
Xiao Nanhui suddenly felt as if a path had opened before her. Even the biting air felt refreshing.
"I will go find the Emperor. Everything that follows will be for him to decide."
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
--- | --- | ---
枯衣氏 | Kuyi Clan | An ancient clan of beast-tamers in Lingxi legend.
赑屃 / 赑 | Bixi | A mythical creature, often depicted as a giant tortoise; one of the nine sons of the dragon.
天沐河 | Tianmu River | A river in the Lingxi region.
白鹿丘陵 | White Deer Hills | A labyrinthine hilly region in southern Lingxi.
晚城 | Wan City | A city located in the territory of Prince Ding.
安道院 | Andao Academy | A specific institution or location in Wan City.
定王 | Prince Ding | A titled prince who controls the region around Wan City.
枳丹 | Zhi Pill | A type of medicinal pill provided by Hao Bai.
亲征 | Personal Command / Imperial Expedition | When an Emperor personally leads a military campaign.
