Book 11: Chapter 2: Before the Cold of Spring Fades
Book 11: Chapter 2: Before the Cold of Spring Fades
“The rainy season is divided into three phases. The first is when otters catch fish, then the swan goose will come, and lastly, plant life will thrive. During this period when the otters start to hunt, place them by the shore, as if they are carrying out an offering before eating them. Five days later, wild goose will flock north from the south, and then another five days after that, plants will start to produce buds together with yang energy in the earth…”
In Yunqin’s Central Continent City, there was a private school teacher who was teaching seated children, passing his knowledge about the spring season onto them.
Precisely during this ‘second phase swan goose arrival’ period, wild goose and other birds had just flown over from Thousand Sunset Mountains, advancing into Yunqin Empire’s vast territory. The war against the south Yunqin had prepared an entire autumn and winter for also finally officially began.
Hu Piyi who originally served as the plains guarding general was promoted to generalissimo, leading Yunqin’s powerful great army over Thousand Sunset Mountain.
Meanwhile, only when the war against the south truly began, did many people suddenly discover that what crossed over Thousand Sunset Mountain wasn’t only Thousand Sunset Mountain’s hundred thousand standing army and fifty thousand rearguards.
After enduring for half a year, Yunqin Emperor finally completely displayed his wrath, Yunqin Empire also fully displaying the shocking national power of the world’s most powerful empire. Over three hundred thousand Yunqin soldiers poured into the endless Great Mang territory within just a few days of time.
In Great Mang, the number of troops under the seven great armies Wenren Cangyue commanded also already exceeded two hundred thousand.
These two sides whose numbers exceeded five hundred thousand began to carry out a cruel battle of tooth and nail.
This was the greatest battle that had happened in this world since Yunqin and Great Mang were established.
This type of large scale battles wasn’t something decided by surprise attacks and plundering, but rather depended more on occupying and subduing.
Large scale ground combat, massive reserve supplies, this type of frontal assault between great armies and seizing of strongholds already wasn’t something a few cultivators could decide, it depended more on the massive amounts of military equipment on both sides and their tactics. Behind the frontier wasteland was a land that stretched even deeper, an even more expansive region. Both sides definitely had a huge amount of forces in reserve waiting to join in, so once a great battle of this level erupted, it definitely wouldn’t be one that would end in ten or so days, or even a month.
For the ordinary soldiers who were currently trapped in Great Mang’s frontier wastelands, under the intense slaughter that continued day after day, they had no idea whether Yunqin or Great Mang occupied the advantage right now. They only knew that every day, they could see an endless enemy army, every day, there would be countless people who died. One could see both broken limbs and corpses from both sides in the wild grassland.
…
In the wasteland, there were Yunqin troops that already approached some of Great Mang’s strongholds, some Yunqin soldiers already flanking behind the enemy troops. The two great armies were already completely tangling about each other, miserable shouts continuing every single day.
In the northern extremity of this empire, within Yunqin’s cultivation holy land Green Luan Academy who the world publicly acknowledged had the most experts, a fatty whose face was a bit swollen sat at an unnamed cliff.
He was Meng Bai.
The valley underneath the cliff was extremely deep, growing within it were some sky reaching great trees. Below the great trees were all types of mushrooms, the larger ones like umbrellas, the smaller ones like fingernails, looking like a world of magic.
Meng Bai’s expression seemed a bit blank, as if even if this otherworldly-like secluded valley’s mushrooms all became the most delicious foods, he still wouldn’t be that interested. He only coldly looked at the deep valley in front of him, his expression becoming more and more pale, unknown what he was thinking either.
After who knew how much time passed, he stood up, standing at the edge of this cliff.
The slightly warm winds blew against his academy clothes. He was like a swollen butterfly, flying into the air. Without uttering a single sound, he leapt into the valley.
When his rising momentum ended, he became like a heavy rock, falling down and crushing countless branches, smashing into the forest. An exceptionally muffled collision and broken bone noises sounded.
This type of sound continued to ring through the quiet and secluded Green Luan Academy for a long time.
A moment later, there was someone who quickly jumped over, quickly releasing a somewhat flustered, angry, and even more worried shout.
More people rushed over.
In the dark valley forest, Self Defense Department’s most attentive female student Hua Jiyue, who Lin Xi already hadn’t met for a long time, immediately appeared at Meng Bai’s side.
She clenched her teeth while looking at the huge pit smashed in the ground and at Meng Bai who was lying in there without moving. She didn’t dare turn over his body, only subconsciously first reaching towards Meng Bai’s mouth and nose.
“I’m still alive. It’s not too bad, I shouldn’t die.”
It was unknown how many bones he broke, but Meng Bai who looked like he had died, completely silent all this time, instead spoke up. He released a light cough, coughing out the dirt in his mouth. Mixed within this dirt were bloody suds.
“Meng Bai, what exactly are you trying to do?!”
Hua Jiyue roared out in fury, “I previously only thought that you were cowardly, but I never expected you would be this much of a coward! Could it be that the only thing in your head these past few days is to run away, that you might as well seek death?!”
Under Hua Jiyue’s furious shouting, even more footsteps sounded.
Jiang Xiaoyi appeared in Meng Bai’s line of sight. He didn’t say a word, instead rushing over to Meng Bai’s side and kneeling down to examine his injuries.
“Actually, I wasn’t trying to kill myself… I just wanted to see if I dared if Lin Xi wasn’t here… without Lin Xi, I really am nothing… but I at least finally dared do this type of thing.” When Jiang Xiaoyi’s expression changed, unable to understand Meng Bai’s actions either, carrying suppressed anger and worry while silently kneeling down, Meng Bai instead said this quietly, using a voice only Jiang Xiaoyi and Hua Jiyue could hear. His words were a bit incoherent, as if he was dreaming, “I didn’t die… in the future, I will be more careful, I won’t easily die.”
Meng Bai’s words were disjointed, giving off the feeling as if he really did truly go mad. However, Jiang Xiaoyi who came out of Jadefall City with him and also experienced those things instead immediately understood Meng Bai’s intentions and his feelings. The anger on his face instantly disappeared, instead saying with a bit of criticism, “What if you really died just like this?”
Meng Bai’s face struggled to produce a smile. Since his face was a bit swollen and because his face looked kind and timid to begin with, the bit of tears at the corners of his eyes, right now, his smile also seemed a bit gutless. “I’m alive.” He looked at Jiang Xiaoyi with his timid expression, saying this seriously.
…
When the shockingly massive Yunqin Empire and Great Mang army began to tangle about each other, continuously fighting against each other, the Great Desolate Swamp behind Dragon Snake Mountain Range instead became extremely calm, more calm than any spring before.
During this winter where endless trees within Great Desolate Swamp withered, the cave barbarians in Great Desolate Swamp didn’t lack food.
However, not lacking food was only because they lost too many of their warriors who ate the most. That was why the underground roots, fleshy lizards and other things became more abundant than usual. This type of price that was paid in order to not lack food, was extremely cruel.
Right now, the chilliness in Great Desolate Swamp still hadn’t disappeared, the frost only starting to melt, the ooze still possessing bone penetrating chilliness. However, there were some plants that still already began to produce some tender shoots.
Under the thick dark clouds, a group of cave barbarians were currently picking the soft shoots of Maize Taro.
Maize Taro was the name Yunqin’s military gave this type of plant. This type of plant had absolutely no relationship with normal taro, just that the leaves of the plant and ordinary taro leaves were a bit similar. However, their root systems below didn’t have any edible stem tubers. The reason why this type of plant could become one of the core foods for the cave barbarians during spring was because the taste and nutrients of the yellow tender shoots that just began to sprout were quite similar to tender small corn.
For the cave barbarians who had already eaten a whole winter’s worth of grassroots and bugs, this type of thing was naturally extremely tasty, the first present of spring.
This group of sixty to seventy cave barbarians were mostly women and children. While gathering the yellow shoots that were finger length, not a single one of these cave barbarians had a taste, all of them placing them in the large beast skin bags behind them.
Suddenly, all of these cave barbarians stopped. They stood in the ice-cold muddy water, quickly standing up in alert.
In the not too distant mud, waves of undisguised footsteps sounded.
The bodies of the dozen or so strong soldiers among these cave barbarians went taut, their hands gripping the thick sandstone spears on their backs. Only, because of their leader’s reminder, as well as hearing that it was just two people that were approaching, that was why they didn’t immediately charge in rage.
A gust of fog drifted into the mud along with these footsteps. Then, the fog was scattered by the two figures that walked through the mud.
When they sensed that these two individuals’ bodies gave off an extremely dangerous feeling, the dozen or so robust cave barbarians immediately released fierce shouts, already unable to hold themselves back.
However, right at this time, a hua la noise sounded beneath their feet, so they all forcibly stopped themselves again. The women and children behind these dozen or so warriors who were revealing fierce expressions all entered a state of chaos as well.
The ones who walked over from the mist were two youngsters, a young man and woman.
Judging from their attire, they looked like their enemy, Yunqin citizens. However, right at that time, that young man produced a green cloak.
These cave barbarians’ heads were more simple than normal Yunqin people’s. They recognized this cloak, knew what this cloak represented.
That was why they didn’t consider if there would be more conspiracy or ambushes, only immediately moving over, gesturing towards these two.
The two youngsters who were surrounded by cave barbarians noticed that not a single one of these cave barbarians was capable of Yunqin language. As such, the young man also put quite the effort into gesturing. After finally understanding a bit of this young man’s intentions, these cave barbarians all began to leave, leading the way. Even though they didn’t seem that happy to be guiding their enemy, they still retained respect and enthusiasm while crowding around these two.
After moving another half a day, the dark clouds that were originally a heavy gray completely turned dark. These cave barbarians brought these two into an underground cave, starting to move through the underground world made up of dark tunnels.