It has been 4 hours now since the carriage left from Taizhou. Thankfully, nothing eventful has happened so far and their course was still stable. This carriage truly is a wonderful artifact, it somewhat reminded Xing Cai of the flying car back in Xianying's world. Although it could not fly that high up unlike Xianying's car.
Not to mention, this flying carriage requires a steady source of qi in order to work. And that was exactly what the 5 guardsmen were doing outside. 4 of them were in the corners of the carriage, and one was on the front, presumably the one controlling and driving the carriage.
They did a rotation and took turns on taking the reigns of the carriage every half an hour. But for some reason, the smallest member of the group refused to drive the carriage. Saying that he was very bad at directions and he might make a mistake and cause a delay.
The four other guards urged him, as driving the carriage was also a form of rest for them- a break from continually supplying the carriage with their qi. But still, the new guard refused, saying that he had a lot of qi to spare.
And with that reason, the other four just laughed at him. Calling him a greenhorn as they let him be. More rest for them, they jest. A lot of people have volunteered as a guard ever since they were attacked. So it was common that the new guards would want to make a name for themselves.
But the new guard was true to his words, he did not take the reigns for even one second these past 4 hours. Not even taking his helmet off and always keeping an eye, truly, a serious greenhorn.
"Sist- Elder Xing Cai, are you awake?"
The new guard quietly knocked on the partition of the carriage.
"Yes. Do you need something?"
"We are halfway to the Golden Pavilion. Would you like us to pause for a stop-over and recuperate?"
"No need. We will rest near the outer wall of the Golden Pavilion. It will allow us to scout the situation as we rest"
"Yes ma'am!"
Xing Cai could only sigh. Even if she wanted to rest, it would be impossible as Viel was currently sleeping on her lap. Sure, she could just push him away like usual, but this time, she did not want to wake him up.
Xing Cai remembered Viel's sobbing face as he left his friends. He still remained quiet after that, but he was in a much better mood compared to before as he was already answering Xing Cai whenever she was talking to him- even if it was just a shake of his head or a murmur.
Even if Viel was a special boy, it seems that anyone would be negatively affected with what happened to him in the city. To be blatantly ostracized and hated, to be scorned by the people without even knowing why. If that would have happened to Xing Cai when she was younger, then she would have definitely left the city with a hatred.
Viel's grandparents wanted him to live a normal life as much as possible, and Xing Cai wanted to honor that. But with Viel's abnormal strength, that would be near impossible.
Xing Cai knew.
She knew that ultimately, once Viel grows up, every action he will take will affect a lot of people. Every move he makes…
…will move the world as well.
The only thing that Xing Cai could do was make sure that he does not grow up carrying a hatred for humanity.
She remembered the visions she saw when she stopped Viel from killing Li Zhao during their mock battle. A land drowned in blood, the bodies of dismembered people, and a silhouette of who seemed like the Demon God Xanthus of the West. Even now, she gets shivers whenever she thinks of it.
She then stroke Viel's hair. Sleeping like this peacefully, with his saliva even dripping on Xing Cai's robes, Xing Cai could see nothing but a sleeping child.
Innocence.
If there was anything that would turn this child into a monster, it was the world itself.
And with that thought, Xing Cai decided to sleep and rest her mind as well. It was imperative that she be on her best once they arrive her sect, she did not know the full extent of danger they will be facing there, after all.
"…."
*BOOM*
Xing Cai was immediately woken up by an explosive sound as she felt herself smash through the carriage's wall. She immediately hugged Viel with her left arm so that he won't be flung away farther as her right hand grabbed the golden great sword.
She looked towards the horizon she started to descend to the ground. And in the distance, she could see the Golden Pavilion's outer walls, it would seem that they have already arrived.
Xing Cai looked back to the carriage, only to see it blown to smithereens as a gigantic tree blocked its path. The tree continued to protrude from the ground, still not stopping its growth.
She furrowed her eyebrows as she started to collect herself, landing gently on the ground with Viel and her sword in tow.
"Elder Xing Cai, are you alright!?", 4 of the guardsmen quickly approached Xing Cai.
Xing Cai nodded in response as she gently placed Viel on the ground, who was just starting to wake up.
"Wait, where's the greenhorn!?", one of the men shouted as he looked around.
"I…I'm here!", a coughing shout came from the distance.
They saw the new guard coming out from a rubble, clearly disheveled.
"Always be on your toes, greenhorn."
"Y-yes sir!"
The new guard saluted as he approached his fellow guardsmen.
"Anyway, what in my ancestor's titties was that!?"
The guards all looked at the huge tree that blocked their path.
"It suddenly appeared in front of us! We didn't even have time to react!"
Xing Cai was also filled with surprise. Her man, Liu Hao, reported that the trees were gigantic, but she did not expect them to actually be this huge.
"Hm…", Viel wiped his eyes as he looked around him, "Are we there yet?"
The guardsmen were surprised. How can one not even wake up through that mess? They have heard reports of this golden haired boy, and the reports seemed to be right, he was an odd little monster.
Xing Cai nodded as she removed the small chunks of wood on Viel's hair. "It would seem that scouting ahead will be impossible now…", Xing Cai once again stared at the gigantic tree and then the outer walls, which was covered with ominous purple vines, "It already knows we are here. Whatever it is", she then pointed at the senior guard, "Collect your men, we will go as soon as you have made proper preparations"
The guard nodded. It took a few minutes before they found their weapons and provisions from what was left of the carriage.
After they were ready, they handed all of their things to be carried by the new guard and all of them passed through the outer wall.
Xing Cai has seen it when she was falling from the air, but the scenery inside the outer wall truly was, in a word, infernal.
Purple vines that were pulsating sprawled on the ground, almost covering them entirely. And towards the horizon, to the direction of the main wall where the Golden Pavilion was seated, were trees that almost reached the clouds.
Xing Cai could not help but gulp. So, this is what became of her mighty sect. She has not seen the extent of the damage yet, but seeing it from afar, she could already surmise.
The Golden Pavilion really is no more.
And with a sigh, they continued to walk. All of them were on high alert as they watched the pulsating purple vines on the ground. Well, all of them except Viel. Who was kicking every vine that was near him.
Xing Cai was worried at first, but there does not seem to be anything happening, so she just let Viel do his own thing. Although, it was kind of awkward that the new guard was sticking too close to Viel whenever he had the chance.
An odd one, this small guard is, Xing Cai thought.
They continued to walk, and their smooth journey continued until they reached their destination. They were now directly outside the main wall, or what they presumed to be the main wall.
The Golden Pavilion's main wall was supposed to be, well, golden.
But the wall infront of them was completely purple from all the vines that covered it. There was visible disappointment in the guards. They were excited on seeing the famous golden wall, but alas, it now looked like a disgusting wall of meat as the purple vines wrapped around it.
Of course, the one that most affected was Xing Cai. She closed her eyes as her memories started flooding to her. The first time she entered the gates of the Golden Pavilion was what changed her life, and now? She could not even see where the gates were.
Xing Cai's reminiscing was instantly interrupted when a loud explosion reverberated in the air. All of them looked at the source of the explosion at the same time. Well, except Viel, of course. As he was the source of the explosion.
Golden dust and rubble scattered all around them, along with the purple vines.
There was now a huge hole on the wall, as if a catapult destroyed it. And Viel was right in front of it with his palm pointing forward inside the huge hole.
"Let's go rescue Miss Xianying and your friends, sister Xing Cai", said Viel while carrying an excited expression on his face.
Although Viel still hasn't smiled yet, it would seem that he was on his way to going back to normal, Xing Cai thought. But nonetheless...
"Viel! I thought I warned you not to do anything dangerous!", Xing Cai scolded as she approached Viel. In response though, Viel only shrugged his shoulders. "T...this brat!", murmured Xing Cai. She even thought for a bit that Viel should just return to being all sulky and quiet, he was cuter that way.
The guards though, they couldn't be any more perplexed. As their jaws could be seen hanging even with their helmets on.
Although they could not see what happened, they were sure that Viel destroyed the wall... with the strike of his palm.
A wall... that was made with concentrated gold, destroyed in a strike of a palm.
How ridiculous was that!?
More and more, they were realizing that the rumors were true. They just thought that the other guards who have seen Viel in action were exaggerating, and now they know that they were actually understating.
Only the new guard had a different expression, as he had his arms raised, looking at his own palm. He then looked at Viel, whose expression was now back to being nonchalant.
"Heh. Don't even dream of it, greenhorn. That boy is on a different league than we will ever be", one of the guards snided.
The new guard, however, ignored him and followed Viel and Xing Cai through the hole.
And once the greenhorn stepped inside, he also could not help but take a step back.
If the scenery outside could be considered infernal, then there were no words to describe what he was seeing right now.
Xing Cai almost dropped to the ground as soon as she saw the situation inside. She also had the instinct to cover Viel's eyes, but it would seem that he did not really have any grandiose reaction towards the brutality that awaited them inside, so she just tried to collect herself and keep herself calm.
"Ancestral titties... what...", the guards followed. And although they had a very colorful vocabulary, they just couldn't continue what they were going to say.
The guts of people and the purple vines mixed as they wrapped the buildings. There were also silent groans of people, but they did not pinpoint where the sounds were coming from.
Some of the branches of the smaller trees also looked like they were hands, but if one were to look closer, one would find that they really were.
Golden Pavilion?
This was nothing but a forest of death.