al_squad
patreon
Finest Servant Chapter 576
🕑 Added 2023-10-20 10:57:18 +0000 UTCChapter 576 Reunion with the Fairy
The snow and ice collapsed in an instant, rolling down in waves with a piercing howl. It was as if a torrential deluge had been unleashed, roaring and tumbling, each wave of snow higher than the last, devouring everything in its path. The sudden avalanche left everyone's hearts pounding in terror.
A barely perceptible white figure darted through the snow like a flash of lightning, disappearing in an instant.
"Brother Lin (General Lin)—!" Seeing Lin Wanrong's silhouette swallowed by the snow wave, Gao Qiu and Hu Bugui all let out a roar, their courage shattered. With a collective cry, they charged into the rolling snow and ice.
The power of the avalanche was extraordinary. The waves of snow it unleashed covered the sky. What had once been gentle snowflakes transformed into razor-sharp projectiles, raining down incessantly, causing a stinging pain upon contact. The landslide triggered by the avalanche came wave after wave; countless slopes covered in snow and ice suddenly collapsed. The deafening sounds of collapse reverberated one after another, incessant.
In the pervasive blizzard, it was impossible to even open one's eyes, let alone attempt to climb against the wind. Hu Bugui and his companions slipped and fell multiple times. What amazed them even more was the seemingly delicate Turkic girl ahead. The howling northern wind whipped her raven hair as she clung to the icy ground, struggling to climb against the wind. The falling snow battered her head and face, but she stubbornly crawled out of the snow, moving forward step by step.
After an unknown amount of time, the thundering sounds gradually ceased, and the surging snow began to slow down. The falling snowflakes continued their descent, but with much less intensity. Yujia found herself buried in snow, resembling a snowman. With great effort, she lifted her head, revealing cheeks flushed red from the cold. Her eyes were misty. Shaking her head vigorously, the snowflakes in her hair cascaded down, landing on her face and hands, icy cold.
The peak of the Tianshan Mountains had been sliced off, and the thick accumulation of snow had vanished. Looking down from the peak, the slopes were uneven, dotted with towering piles of snow and sunken avalanches. Wisps of snow mist rose into the air, cloaking the sky in a blanket of white. The new snow mounds were dozens of meters high in places, while the collapsed ice pits seemed bottomless. Even without approaching, one could feel an intense chill.
After the avalanche, although the large snowflakes continued to fall relentlessly, there was complete silence within the mounds and pits of snow—no sounds or shouts to be heard.
The accumulated snow reached up to their waists, making every step forward extremely difficult. Yet Yujia seemed not to notice, using both her hands and feet to crawl through the ice-cold snow, forging a path directly toward the mound that had swallowed Lin Wanrong.
That area had already been completely covered by thick snow and ice. The bandit, who had been so smug moments ago, were now completely silenced. Lin Wanrong's taunting could no longer be heard, his breath no longer felt—only the chilling northern wind howled, leaving an eerie quiet all around.
Something green, buried in the snow, caught Yujia's attention. It was a few verdant leaves, wrapped around a withered vine. She brushed away the thick snow and suddenly froze.
A tattered straw cape lay before her, shredded by wind and snow, its original form indistinguishable. Every strip of tree bark, every vine woven into it was her own handiwork, a relic swindled from her by the bandit. Her hand caressed the decaying fragments of leaves and twigs; her expression was one of deep yearning. Unbidden, tears flowed down her cheeks like a torrent, silently tracing their path.
Muttering to herself, she abruptly cast aside the crumbling leaves. She thrust her hands into the deep snow and began to dig frenetically. The falling snowflakes clung to her, turning her into a living snowman within moments, yet she remained oblivious.
Although they knew that Yujia was a woman of a rival nation, Gao Qiu, Hu Bugui, and the soldiers couldn't help but feel a poignant sadness as they watched her.
"Dig!" roared Hu Bugui, casting off his robe. The soldiers who had rushed to join him had bloodshot eyes; they circled the tall mound of snow and began to excavate with their bare hands.
The wind and snow intensified. The area was eerily silent, save for the rustling of the snowflakes. It took the combined effort of five thousand men, their hands red and chapped, nearly two hours to remove much of the snow.
With every shovelful of snow removed, their hearts pounded faster. They both yearned for and dreaded the moment of discovery.
"We're nearly there!" exclaimed Gao Qiu, jolting everyone out of their focus.
Yujia paused, her eyes vacant as she stared at the mound. Suddenly, she stood and began to frantically shovel away the thick layers of snow, tossing the icy fragments behind her.
As they all worked together, the snow was quickly depleting. Yujia's body trembled slightly; her actions became more and more cautious. Just as she was about to reach the bottom, her vision blurred with tears. She could not bring herself to move.
"Eh? General Lin isn't here?!" a surprised Hu Bugui exclaimed.
Yujia opened her eyes in haste. The deep snow hid nothing—no human figure, not even a footprint. She continued to dig, unwilling to accept the emptiness. Despite her efforts, she found nothing. As if vaporized, the bandit—Wo Lao Gong—had vanished into thin air.
Everyone was stunned. Half a day's labor had led them to a chilling realization: General Lin was not buried here. The time lost in digging here meant that even if they found him now, the prospects would be grim.
Li Wuling, after searching the area, suddenly yelled, "Look, over there—"
All eyes turned. Not far from the snow mound was a deep ice pit. It stretched about ninety feet in length and was some six to nine feet wide. Even from a distance, a bone-chilling wind emanated from it, whistling past their ears.
This pit had formed after an avalanche, and although they had noticed it before, everyone had been too focused on the rescue to pay it any mind. Only now, after failing to find Lin Wanrong under the snow, did they turn their attention to this ominous cavity.
"If Brother Lin is caught in this ice pit—" Gao Qiu had barely spoken when he choked up, unable to continue. The faces of everyone around him instantly turned pale, their eyes reddening in an instant. In this blizzard, it was impossible to even stand still. If he wasn't buried under the snow, then he must have been swept away by the wind. And the most likely scenario was that he had fallen into this bottomless ice pit. One look at the depth of the pit was enough for anyone to know that if someone fell, there would be no chance of returning alive.
"No, he won't die—Wo Lao Gong will not die!" A tender rebuke came from Yueya'er. Her face was as pale as a sheet, but she stubbornly held back tears. Her bright red lips had been bitten through, oozing traces of blood. She muttered to herself, "He's such a bad person that even Heaven wouldn't take him! He won't die. He definitely won't!"
Gao Qiu clenched his teeth and nodded, unusually solemn. Silence enveloped the group, interrupted only by the howling wind that swept past the ice pit, its whistles lingering in their ears.
Yujia slowly sat at the edge of the ice pit, lost in thought for a long while. Suddenly, she pulled out the golden blade that was as precious to her as life itself. She made a cut across her delicate, white finger. Drops of crimson blood fell, trickling into the abyss of the ice pit.
—---
In a haze, he suddenly felt a pair of soft hands brush against his cheeks, warm as a March breeze. A blurry female figure leaned toward him and smiled.
The woman's laughter was soft and beautiful, but her face was indistinct. She seemed like Xian'er, or Qingxuan, or even like Sister An, yet also somehow like Ning Yuxi. As she began to drift away, Lin Wanrong, in a fit of urgency, grabbed her delicate frame. "Don't go, nobody leaves!"
A light giggle resounded. "Nobody leaves? You're quite greedy. I wonder who you can actually keep."
"I can keep you!" Lin Wanrong laughed heartily. He held her close, not caring who she was, and reached toward her chest.
"Ah— you scoundrel!" The woman cried out in flustered embarrassment.
"Ow! Who poked my butt?" Lin Wanrong's eyes snapped open. He sat up abruptly and yelled.
Not only did his butt hurt, but it also felt icy cold. Stealthily, he reached down to touch it, and his hand felt ice-cold, as if he were sitting on a frozen stone. He looked around; it was pitch-black, impossible to see his own hand in front of his face. Apart from the sobbing of the cold wind, there was no other sound. Goosebumps covered his skin.
Nobody here? He scanned his surroundings doubtfully, seeing no signs of life and hearing no sounds. Had he been dreaming? He reflexively touched his butt; it was cold, but whether it was from a needle or the cold, he couldn't tell.
‘So it was a dream! But where am I?’ His expression suddenly changed as he recalled his past experiences. There was wind, then an avalanche, and then he knew nothing.
‘Damn it, where am I? Where are Yujia, Old Hu, Old Gao, and Little Li?’ He panted for a few moments, his mind blank. After a long while, he recovered his senses.
The surrounding walls were bone-chillingly cold. There was no doubt; he must be in an ice cellar on Tianshan Mountains. To think he had even managed to encounter an avalanche—should he laugh or cry? He mused in self-mockery for a moment, then reached into his pocket. The instant he touched it, he knew something was wrong.
The musket, the exotic medicine, the picture album—all were gone. Stranger still, he found himself garbed in soft, fragrant clothing that warmed him so effectively he couldn't even feel the cold. He remembered clearly that he had given his own robe to Yujia. How could a sudden avalanche bring him new attire?
He sprang to his feet, shouting, "Hey, is anyone there? Stop hiding, I know you're here!"
His voice echoed ominously around the ice chamber, making his eardrums quiver. Despite his loud calls, there was no response. In this dark ice cave, he could neither see nor hear, as if he were both deaf and blind.
It seemed that he was truly alone. Dejected, he sat back down and began to remove his robe and inner garments. Just as he was about to remove his trousers, a woman's timid voice finally rang out, "What in the world are you doing?"
With a soft flick, a flame erupted in the ice chamber, illuminating the space in an instant. In the dim light stood a woman in a white dress, elegant as a celestial being. Her brows were like distant mountains, her eyes like spring water, and her face flushed with a light pink glow. She was quietly observing him, and her smile bloomed like a hundred flowers with morning dew.
Lin Wanrong was dumbfounded, finally muttering, "Sister, is that really you?"
The woman smiled as she walked over and gently draped the garments back over him. "Who else could it be? You had to use tricks to draw me out, didn't you?"
In a swift motion, Lin Wanrong pulled her into his embrace. The soft and warm sensation instantly turned into torrents of warmth flooding through him. Grinning into her ear, he said, "You're a Fairy, and I'm a scoundrel. We're a match made in heaven, and nobody can tear us apart."
Just as she was about to retort, she felt warm droplets fall onto her hair. Looking up, she was startled, "What's wrong?"
His face was streaked with tears. "You're mistaken, Sister. These are not tears; it's the snow melting."
Ning Yuxi stared at him, flabbergasted. She had followed Lin Wanrong through countless trials—over the Helan Mountains, stepping the steppe, through deserts, and crossing snowy mountains, defeating enemies with a laugh and a smile, a true hero of the realm. How could he break down at this moment?
‘Oh, you foolish man,’ her heart surged with tenderness. She used her sleeve to gently wipe away his tears, softly saying, "What's gotten into you? A great general leading tens of thousands can't be crying in front of a woman, can he?"
Lin Wanrong wiped away his tears, smiling, "Who said a great general can't cry? If I'm scared, is it wrong to shed a few tears?"
Seeing him act like a petulant child, Ning Yuxi felt a warmth in her heart. She took his hand and reassured him, "Were you frightened by the avalanche? Don't cry. I'll always be by your side. Come rain or snow, no villains or traitors can harm you."
"Sister—" Lin Wanrong pulled her tightly into his embrace, his eyes brimming with tears, overwhelmingly moved, "I'm not afraid of that!"
"Then what are you afraid of?" asked Ning Yuxi gently.
Lin Wanrong sighed deeply, "I'm afraid that one day you'll leave me."
Ning Yuxi was momentarily stunned. Somehow, tears blurred her vision. She gently caressed his cheek and softly said, "You are a great general who commands tens of thousands of troops. How can you allow yourself to weep over such trivial matters of love? If word gets out, your reputation will suffer greatly."
Lin Wanrong snorted disdainfully, "I can lead surprise attacks across thousands of miles and kill in battle. Why can't I cry for the woman I love? Reputation is just a facade; tearing it apart settles all. I have no desire to be some paragon of manhood or a moral exemplar! What's wrong with crying? I'll cry if I want to, and anyone who wants to laugh at me—may they never find a wife!"
"You're really something," Ning Yuxi said, a helpless smile on her face, though tears streamed down her cheeks. She nestled closely against his chest. "I think you're pretending to cry just to coax tears out of me!"
"We're coaxing each other," Lin Wanrong said, blinking playfully. Ning Yuxi's pretty face flushed red as she pinched his arm hard. For a moment, neither spoke, but their hearts beat in the same rhythm.
"By the way, sister, was it you who pricked my butt earlier?" Lin Wanrong suddenly remembered and quickly turned to Ning Yuxi, gripping her fragrant shoulders.
Ning Yuxi's cheeks reddened as she turned away, chuckling, "Why are you asking? Who told you to misbehave, even in your sleep?"
"Oh, is that so?" Lin Wanrong widened his eyes, "I thought I was only mischievous when I was awake. Didn't realize I was still practicing even in my sleep."
Ning Yuxi giggled, "Whenever you're misbehaving, I'll prick you with a needle. That's what Junior Sister An taught me. She said it works wonders on you."
"Sister An taught you?" Lin Wanrong was utterly astounded. ‘The world changes so fast. I remember how, back in the day on Xuanwu Lake in Jinling, Vixen An was teaching me how to deal with you. Never thought she'd turn around and instruct you on how to handle me. That foxy lady! I wish I could spank her and give her a good scratching!’
"Do you hold a grudge against Junior Sister An?" Ning Yuxi shot him a reproachful look.
"Oh, how could I?" He hastily chuckled, treading carefully, "Fairy Sister, how did you and Sister An get involved with each other? You guys weren't like that before—you know what I mean!"
Ning Yuxi shot him an unhappy look, "What do you mean 'get involved'? When Junior Sister An and I became friends, you were still playing with mud!"
"Yes, yes," Lin Wanrong nodded profusely, sweating. In all the world, the only ones who dared to lecture her this way were Sister An and Ning Yuxi; even Qingxuan wouldn’t dare. These two were like tigers that swallowed people whole.
Ning Yuxi sighed softly, "All these years of fighting and struggling with Junior Sister An, I don't even know what it was all for. Now, the Jade Hall is gone, Master is gone. All that's left for us is a handful of earth, a pile of rubble—nothing."
"No, no, you still have me!" Lin Wanrong quickly volunteered.
Ning Yuxi was both amused and annoyed, "What do you mean 'you still have me'? What do you have to do with us? No wonder Junior Sister An scolds you!"
"She scolded me?" Lin Wanrong was agitated. "What did she scold me for? Was it because I'm too handsome, too knowledgeable, or too kind-hearted? I'll definitely change!"
Ning Yuxi held back a laugh. "Wishful thinking. She called you—'a handsome face that brings disaster.'"
"A handsome face that brings disaster? That term really suits me," Lin Wanrong gave a thumbs-up, clicking his tongue in approval. "Sister An really understands me well."
"This guy is hopeless." Ning Yuxi shook her head helplessly, yet she enjoyed talking to him. "Do you remember the night you were ambushed in Xingqing?"
"I remember, I remember!" Lin Wanrong nodded.
Ning Yuxi sighed softly. "Life is like a cycle. Junior Sister An and I have been estranged for years, but I never thought we'd stand side by side again that night."
Lin Wanrong blinked. "Fairy Sister, are you saying that not only was Sister An present that night, but you were there too? Ah, no wonder there were two silver needles. I'm really so stupid!"
"Only realizing it now? You truly are stupid," Ning Yuxi brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, shaking her head lightly. "After I descended from Thousand-Forsake Peak, I followed you northward. Little did I expect, Junior Sister An was also hiding near you. You're quite capable, you know."
Lin Wanrong felt a jolt of apprehension. He knew Ning Yuxi's temperament very well; whenever her expression turned indifferent, it meant she was angry, or at the very least, displeased. He quickly chuckled and said, "Sister An came to protect me at Xian'er's request. Initially, I was unaware. Since you discovered Sister An, did she discover you too?"
"Really? At Xian'er's request?" Ning Yuxi hummed skeptically. "There were no battles on your northward journey. Both of us were hiding very well and didn't notice each other until that night in Xingqing—"
‘Collision course!’ Lin Wanrong broke into a sweat. Juggling two women was no easy feat, especially between Fairy Sister and Sister An—it was like dancing with wolves!
"It's quite amusing, actually," Ning Yuxi shook her head and sighed, "that Junior Sister An and I would reunite in this frontier wilderness. I really have you to thank for that!"
"You're welcome—uh, no, no. I mean, it's really unexpected," Lin Wanrong said, sweating profusely despite the icy chill in the cave.
Ning Yuxi let out a long sigh. "Without the constraints of the Jade Hall, Junior Sister An and I actually got along quite well. However, her fiery temperament hasn't changed. She thinks that both of us guarding you is a waste of our skills and too advantageous for you. So, she proposed a competition."
"A competition?" Lin Wanrong said anxiously. "What competition?"
"We agreed to guard you in turns. Whoever couldn't hold back and revealed themselves to you first would be the loser," Ning Yuxi said softly. "The first leg of the journey, from Helan Mountain to the grasslands, was Sister An's responsibility. But you, you acted spoiled, refusing to sleep unless you saw her. You tried all sorts of tricks to draw her out. Even though she knew revealing herself would mean losing, she still—" Ning Yuxi shot him a sidelong glance, smiling but not continuing.
Sister An! When he thought of how she suppressed her pain, putting on that soft smile, and how he mistook her for Fairy Ning, Lin Wanrong felt a sharp pain inside him. Sister An never said anything, but her feelings conveyed more than any words could.
"Consider it standing up for Junior Sister An, then," Ning Yuxi sighed, seeing his downcast expression. "Don't be too hard on yourself. Even if you hadn't met her, she would have found a way to meet you."
"Why?!" Lin Wanrong hurriedly looked up.
"Women in this world, for the sake of love, can act quite foolishly," Fairy Ning said, rolling her eyes at him. "Junior Sister An had important matters to attend to in her mountain village. She couldn't leave, but for your sake, she made a promise, set a return date, and that’s how she could leave with peace of mind. The day she left you was when the time had come."
Lin Wanrong quickly stood up, anxious, "What promise? She's not marrying some mountain village leader, is she?"
Ning Yuxi shook her head, "I'm not too sure about that. But knowing Junior Sister An's character, anyone who could take advantage of her hasn't been born yet—oh, I should probably exclude you!"
Seeing Fairy Ning's indifferent gaze, Lin Wanrong awkwardly laughed, "Well, the thing between Sister An and me is quite complicated!"
"What’s so complicated? Isn't it just her scheming to make you make me submit? And now you’ve gotten what you wanted!" Ning Yuxi's eyes turned cold in an instant, and she snorted.
Lin Wanrong was horrified, "You... how did you know? Sister, it's not what you think!"
"Don't try to deny it! Sister An has told me everything. I have a good grasp of your petty affairs," Ning Yuxi turned her face away, her voice colder than ever.
‘That cunning Vixen An! How could she spill everything?’ Lin Wanrong was frantic, "Sister, it really isn't like that. Sister An did tell me to find a way to make you submit. But look at me, lacking in both looks and talent, looking like Pan An’s brother, why would I ever consider that? Am I that morally deficient?"
"You’re learning to be modest now!" Ning Yuxi let out another disdainful hum, "You have high morals? What about your schemes to trick Yujia, trapping that young girl at every turn!"
‘So Fairy Sister sees everything.’ Lin Wanrong said awkwardly, "Sister, how can you compare Yujia with yourself? Didn't you see her tactics? I was merely giving her a taste of her own medicine. But our relationship has stood the test of time. The tales of Thousand-Forsake Peak and the Everlasting Lock will become legends! I’d bet there's no one else in this world with memories as long-lasting and happy as ours."
Ning Yuxi's cheeks flushed a slight red, she softly spit out, "What legendary tale! I have no relationship with you!"
"Really? No relationship at all?" Lin Wanrong’s voice suddenly became softer.
Ning Yuxi was startled, and tears began to flow, "What relationship could there be? I am Qingxuan's master—oh—"
Before she could finish speaking, a sudden warmth enveloped her as she found herself pulled into an embrace. Her soft, rosy lips were abruptly sealed by a pair of dominating lips.
"Mmm—Mmm—" She struggled twice in vain, as if all her strength and skills had abandoned her.
After what seemed like an eternity, Lin Wanrong released the delicate beauty in his arms. "There we go," he said, clicking his tongue. "Even if we had no connection before, now we certainly do. If you transgress again, we will deal with it in the same way!"
Ning Yuxi felt weak all over, powerless as she nestled in his embrace. "You conniving rogue, the only mistake I've made in my life is encountering you."
"If meeting me is a mistake, then I would happily make the same mistake again and again," Lin Wanrong chuckled.
A flicker of emotion crossed Ning Yuxi's face, and she lightly trembled. "Is this how you talk to Sister An too?" she queried softly.
Lin Wanrong was stunned for a moment, then felt a surge of hidden joy. ‘So Fairy Sister is jealous, and she's jealous of Sister An!’ Gently, he turned her face towards him, only to see her biting her red lips, tears streaming down, looking infinitely beautiful and infinitely tender—like a fairy that had descended from the heavens.
He gazed at her intently and whispered, "Fairy Sister, you're becoming more and more like a real woman."
"It's all your fault, you life-ruining rogue!" Ning Yuxi exclaimed angrily, twisting her body to pound her fists against his chest.
‘It feels so good to be hit by Fairy Sister's weak little fists.’ Lin Wanrong laughed "Fairy Sister, your martial arts skills have really deteriorated."
Ning Yuxi hesitated, then understood his meaning. Her cheeks flushed red, and this time she didn't hold back, giving him a proper beating.
After their playful scuffle, both looked at the burning torch. Lin Wanrong suddenly remembered their current predicament. "Fairy Sister, where are we now?"
‘You're only asking now? This man really forgets everything when distracted,’ Ning Yuxi thought. With a mixture of embarrassment and amusement in her tone, she said, "We're inside the belly of the ice on Tianshan Mountain. We're likely hundreds of yards from the surface!"
‘Hundreds of yards?’ Lin Wanrong stuck out his tongue. ‘If not for Fairy Sister, I'd already be a pancake. Even for someone as skilled as her, getting us out of here is going to be extremely risky.’ He took Ning Yuxi's hand tightly. "Sister, thank you."
"Why thank me?" Ning Yuxi replied softly.
Lin Wanrong sighed deeply. "You only ever praise Sister An in front of me, never mentioning yourself. I could shatter myself into pieces and still not repay this kindness—"
"Don't say such things." A soft hand gently covered his mouth. "Rogue, don't forget that we have a connection," she murmured softly.
‘A connection, indeed.’ Lin Wanrong burst into laughter, standing up and pulling her along. "Sister, we need to find a way out quickly. That Yujia is full of tricks, and I worry that she might slip away while I'm not around."
"Are you really worried about that?" Ning Yuxi glanced at him and chuckled, "Then you can rest easy. That Miss Yujia doesn't have many days left to live."
