mtl008 Chapter 470: After the War - Afterglow
Chapter 470: After the War - Afterglow
The smoke gradually dissipated, and the once majestic Lingxian Sect was now in ruins, with broken walls and ruins everywhere. The martial arts field that had been ravaged by the demon cultivators was bumpy and uneven, with undried blood on the ground, emitting a pungent smell. The surrounding mountains were no longer as lush as they used to be, and many trees were uprooted or eroded by the demonic energy, charred and withered. Only a few remaining trees trembled in the wind, as if whispering about the past of this tragic battle.
Yun Yao was wearing a bloodstained white dress, with torn sleeves fluttering in the wind. Her eyes, which were once lively, were now filled with deep fatigue, but they could not hide the resolute light after victory. She held the Bingpo Sword tightly in her hand. The blood on the sword had dried up and condensed into dark red patches, which contrasted with the cold light flowing on the sword, making it look particularly cold. Chu Mochen was also covered in blood. His tall and straight figure was slightly shaking. It was obvious that this fierce battle had consumed a lot of his spiritual power. His Xingchen Sword had long been sheathed, and the sheath was also covered with scratches and bloodstains, indicating the intensity of the battle.
The two stood side by side, quietly looking at the ruined sect land, with mixed feelings in their hearts. After a long time, the familiar prompt sound of the system sounded in Yun Yao's mind, breaking the silence: "Mission completed, reward "Taixu Sword Control" and "Nine Turns Mysterious Art." Yun Yao closed her eyes slightly and communicated with the system in her mind. In an instant, information about these two skills flooded into her mind. "Taixu Sword Control" is an exquisite sword technique lost in ancient times. When practiced to perfection, one can control the sword for thousands of miles. The sword is like a phantom in the sky, making it impossible to defend against; "Nine Turns Mysterious Art" is a miraculous skill that tempers the body and condenses spiritual power. Every breakthrough in the turn can bring a leap in strength.
Yun Yao slowly opened her eyes and turned to look at Chu Mochen beside her. At this moment, his clothes were torn and drenched with sweat and blood, sticking tightly to his body, revealing a strong and broad chest with shallow wounds crisscrossing on it. Although not fatal, it was also shocking. A few strands of hair fell messily beside his cheeks, making his face look more stern, but with a bit of mature charm after experiencing vicissitudes of life. Seeing him like this, Yun Yao felt a pain in her heart and whispered, "Thank you." These three simple words were full of her deep gratitude and dependence on Chu Mochen. In this life-and-death battle, if Chu Mochen had not stood in front of her again and again regardless of his own safety, she might have lost her life long ago.
Chu Mochen seemed to be a little dazed by this sudden thank you. He turned his head and looked straight into Yun Yao's affectionate eyes. For a moment, thousands of words came to his mind, but he didn't know where to start. His Adam's apple rolled and his lips slightly opened, as if he wanted to pour out the feelings that had been suppressed in his heart for these days, but when the words came to his lips, they turned into a simple and affectionate action. He suddenly took a step forward, stretched out his strong arms, gently pulled Yun Yao into his arms, and hugged her tightly, as if he wanted to use this hug to shield her from all the wind and rain and suffering in the world.
Yun Yao's body froze in this sudden hug, and her cheeks instantly heated up and became scorching hot. She could clearly feel Chu Mochen's hot body temperature transmitted through his clothes, and his strong heartbeat echoed in her ears, again and again, beating in her heart like a war drum, causing ripples in her originally calm heart. Her hands subconsciously raised, but paused in the air, and finally slowly fell on Chu Mochen's back, her fingers gently grasping his torn clothes.
"I should be the one to say thank you. Thank you for always being with me." Chu Mochen's low and magnetic voice sounded in Yun Yao's ears, a little hoarse, but extremely sincere. He let go of Yun Yao slightly, put his hands on her shoulders, and stared at her deeply, with the deep affection in his eyes that seemed to drown her. "From the moment you came into this world and broke into my life, everything has become different. I once walked alone on this road of cultivation. Although I had the Star Sword to accompany me, I always felt lonely in my heart. Until I met you, you were like a beam of light, illuminating my way forward, and made me understand what warmth and care are."
Yun Yao looked up at him, tears in her eyes. She remembered the confusion and helplessness when she first entered this world. At that time, she was just a soul that accidentally traveled through time and space, facing the strange and cruel world of cultivation, not knowing where to go. It was Chu Mochen who lent a hand to her in her most difficult time, fighting side by side with her, facing many difficulties and challenges together. From the open and secret struggles in the palace to the bloody storm in the world of cultivation, every step was full of hardships, but they never gave up, and supported each other to get to where they are today.
"Chu Mochen, so am I?" Yun Yao said while choking up. "If it weren't for you, I might have been lost in this chaotic world. It was you who gave me strength and the courage to face all the unknowns. I still remember that when we first met, we disliked each other. Who would have thought that we would go through so much together later on."
The two smiled at each other, and bits and pieces of the past kept emerging in their minds. That was in the secular country, Yun Yao first showed her talent, relying on modern knowledge and cultivation strength to help the country solve problems. When she became famous, she also attracted some troubles. Chu Mochen, as a prince of a neighboring country, was also involved. When the two met for the first time, they had a dispute because of disagreements. Yun Yao couldn't stand Chu Mochen's arrogance and coldness, and Chu Mochen felt that Yun Yao was too reckless as a woman, but the gears of fate were turning quietly, pulling them closer and closer.
Later, during the training of the cultivation sect, they were arranged to perform tasks together. Faced with a powerful and cunning enemy, the two did not cooperate well at first, and even fell into danger several times. But at the critical moment of life and death, they gradually let go of their prejudices and began to trust and cooperate with each other. Yun Yao used the various magical props and wisdom provided by the system to create a turning point for the battle; Chu Mochen, relying on his high swordsmanship and vigorous spiritual power, charged forward to escort Yun Yao. Once, they were trapped in a mysterious valley, surrounded by fog and hidden murderous intentions. Yun Yao accidentally triggered the mechanism in the valley, and poisonous arrows shot like raindrops. Chu Mochen did not hesitate to protect Yun Yao behind him, but he was hit by several arrows. At that moment, Yun Yao's heart was filled with unprecedented touch and guilt. She tried her best to use the healing medicine rewarded by the system to pull Chu Mochen back from the brink of life and death. Since then, the relationship between them has quietly changed, and something called affection has taken root in their hearts.
"Yes, those days were difficult, but they are also our most precious memories." Chu Mochen sighed, looking into the distance, as if he was lost in memories. "Now, although this war is over, I know that the road ahead is still long. We still have the mystery of our origins to solve, and there are higher realms of cultivation waiting for us to break through. But as long as you are by my side, I am not afraid of anything."
Yun Yao nodded gently, her heart also filled with longing and determination for the future. She knew that she and Chu Mochen had been on the same journey, and they had long been connected and would never leave each other. Whether facing unknown dangers or pursuing the truth of their life experiences, they would go hand in hand and never separate.
"Let's go, let's check out the situation in the sect first. There are still many brothers who need our help." Yun Yao said softly. She knew very well that this war had caused Lingxian Sect to suffer heavy losses, many disciples were injured or killed, and the survivors were exhausted physically and mentally. As the core force of the sect, they had the responsibility to stand up at this moment, rebuild their homes, and appease everyone.
Chu Mochen let go of Yun Yao and held her hand. The two held hands and walked towards the depths of the sect. Along the way, they saw miserable scenes everywhere. The disciples' residences, which were once bustling, have now mostly collapsed, with broken bricks and tiles scattered all over the ground. Occasionally, faint cries for help can be heard from under the ruins. Yun Yao and Chu Mochen were anxious and hurried forward, using their spiritual power to carefully move the heavy objects and rescue the trapped disciples. Some of these disciples were seriously injured and dying; some were terrified and had empty eyes, obviously frightened by the battle. Yun Yao had tears in her eyes. She took out a large number of healing pills from the system space, distributed them to the injured one by one, and comforted them in a gentle tone: "Don't be afraid, it's all over. We will rebuild the sect and everything will be fine."
Chu Mochen led some of the less injured disciples to clear the roads and repair the damaged buildings. He wielded the Star Sword and easily split the huge stones into small pieces for easy transportation. He also used his spiritual power to straighten the crooked beams and stabilize the structure of the house. Seeing this, the disciples cheered up and worked together to rebuild. With the efforts of everyone, there were gradually some signs of life returning.
After a long busy time, the sky gradually darkened and night fell quietly. Yun Yao and Chu Mochen dragged their tired bodies to a temporary tent, which was a resting place prepared for them. The tent was simply furnished with only a shabby bed and a few tables and chairs, but in their eyes, it was as warm as a sheltered harbor.
Yun Yao sat on the bed, gently rubbing her sore shoulders. Seeing this, Chu Mochen walked behind her, stretched out his hands, and took over the massage. His technique was gentle but just right, making Yun Yao close her eyes comfortably and let out a soft sigh.
"Are you tired?" Chu Mochen asked softly.
"Well, but seeing that the sect is gradually getting better, I feel more at ease." Yun Yao opened her eyes, turned to look at Chu Mochen, her eyes full of relief.
"Yes, as long as we work together, there is no difficulty that cannot be overcome." Chu Mochen nodded slightly and said with a firm look.
As the two were talking, suddenly, there was a slight sound of footsteps outside the tent. Then, a young disciple's voice rang out: "Senior Sister Yun, Senior Brother Chu, the headmaster wants to see you."
Yun Yao and Chu Mochen looked at each other, stood up, straightened their clothes, and walked out of the tent. Following the young disciple to the temporary meeting room where the headmaster was, they saw that the headmaster looked haggard, his eyes full of fatigue and relief.
"Now that you are here, please take a seat." The head of the sect raised his hand to signal them to sit down. "Today's battle is all thanks to you two. If it weren't for you fighting to the death to protect me, I'm afraid my Lingxian Sect would have been doomed."
Yun Yao and Chu Mochen quickly stood up and saluted: "Master, you are too kind. Protecting the sect is our responsibility."
The head of the sect waved his hand slightly, motioning them to sit down, and then said: "Although we have temporarily repelled the foreign enemies, the sect has been seriously injured, and the subsequent reconstruction work is a long way to go. I called you here today to listen to your ideas."
Yun Yao pondered for a moment and said, "Master, I think the most urgent task is to treat the wounded and calm people's hearts. At the same time, we need to repair the mountain protection formation as soon as possible to prevent the enemy from attacking again. In addition, we need to send people out to find some rare spiritual plants, minerals and other materials to refine pills, create magic weapons, and enhance the strength of the sect."
Chu Mochen nodded in agreement: "Yun Yao is right. I would also like to add that we can take this opportunity to rectify the sect's internal affairs, strengthen the cultivation management of the disciples, select some new people with potential for key training, and reserve follow-up strength for the sect."
After hearing this, the head of the sect showed appreciation in his eyes: "You have considered everything very carefully, and you are worthy of being the backbone of our sect. I will do as you say, and I will arrange the specific matters. You two have worked hard today, so go back and have a good rest first."
Yun Yao and Chu Mochen stood up and said goodbye, returning to the tent. As soon as she sat down, the system's voice sounded in Yun Yao's mind again: "A new task is started: assist the head to rebuild the Lingxian Sect and improve the strength of the sect to the pre-war level. The task reward depends on the completion of the task." Yun Yao's heart trembled. She knew that this was another difficult challenge, but she was not afraid, because she knew that with Chu Mochen by her side, they would definitely be able to complete it.
"Another new task?" Chu Mochen asked softly when he saw Yun Yao's strange expression.
Yun Yao nodded and told Chu Mochen the content of the task. He smiled slightly and held Yun Yao's hand: "It seems that we will be busy again, but it doesn't matter, let's work hard together."
Yun Yaohui held his hand, and the two smiled at each other, their eyes full of determination and trust. On the ruins after the war, their shadows were stretched out by the candlelight, as if foreshadowing that their future path would be full of hardships but also full of hope, and they would work together to write their own legend.
As the night deepened, the candlelight in the tent flickered, Yun Yao and Chu Mochen slept in each other's arms, accumulating strength in each other's warmth and love, ready to face a new day and new challenges. In their hearts, the deep affection for each other was like the brightest star in the night sky, never extinguished, illuminating their way forward.