"The heaven and earth, what was that?" One of the large men was bathed in sweat at the horror of the mysterious woman who massacred their comrade.
"Is she following us?" exclaimed his slender companion, draped in a modest blue ensemble that seemed anything but common, hinting at a background beyond that of a common citizen.
"I don't know, sir," the man looked out the rear window of the carriage where nothing could be seen but darkness - accompanied by the rice fields next to it. "I think we are safe for now."
Turning back to Siuxa, sprawled unconscious on the crimson-cushioned sofa, the man's eyes shifted to a sudden expression of sorrow and concern. He bore the weight of years, appearing more in his forties, with emerging wrinkles around his eyes telling tales of experience.
"I'm sorry, Niara," his voice carried a weight, laden with regret. "Your uncle chose this path because he knows you will resist."
The carriage surged ahead, the coachman hastily hitting the horse, a flicker of alarm etching across his face, aware that they were hunted by an unseen threat. Navigating the uneven and treacherous road between rice fields, the carriage unavoidably endured significant jolts and jostles.
This made Siuxa open her eyelids, still adapting to the surroundings illuminated by the lantern light above. It was at that moment that the two azure irises recognized the figure beside her, the man who had deep meaning in her life to the point that she was choked speechless.
"Uncle Liuhan?"
The soft voice was a surprise not only to the man named Liuhan but his robust subordinate who also turned to Niara. The well-dressed man was stunned and, seconds later, broke out a smile, "Good to see you again, Xianrui¹."
The train lurched unpredictably as they navigated through badly damaged terrain, prompting the coachman to reduce speed for safety. The horses accompanying them cast frequent glances backward, vigilant to ensure the mysterious creature was either still in pursuit or had been left behind.
Their shock intensified as they witnessed an unusual sight, causing them to lose balance on their horses. The ethereal white light didn't emanate from a human but from an exquisite fox, its fur mirroring the radiant ambiance as it chased after the caravan.
Panic distracted them this time as that beast drew closer. "Go faster!" Shouted one of the men wearing lamellar armor and a helmet, clad with bluish clothes inside. "Move!"
The nine waving tails ascended, one aglow with a magenta aura, casting forth a substance that seemed liquid yet solidified into spear-like forms. Descending from above, not just one, but nine of these ethereal missiles hurtled toward the squad.
The sharp objects wreaked havoc on the weishi², impaling them into the ground amid a cloud of dust and destruction. The sheer amount of these lethal strikes left everyone uncertain of their life, as they were pelted with a deadly rain of impending doom.
Screams of sorrow could be heard filling the area, and splashes of blood could be seen behind the billowed dust that obscured the visions. The squad was wiped out leaving nothing but the creature that came out from behind the smoke, still running towards them.
Everyone in the carriage was left in shock because the elite squad they had was now eradicated without a trace. As one of the thorn attacks fell to within inches of landing on the back of the carriage, the coachman lost control as it suffered a violent impact.
Niara bounced up and fell, as did the others who were now unable to maintain their balance. The driver was forced to cease the vehicle to avoid a more fatal accident and was taken aback when the white fox landed right in front of him.
Although he couldn't refuse that the animal was beautiful and incredibly attractive, the old man's chest beat faster, terrified of what might happen when the fox strode closer. That's when the magenta aura returned, wrapping around her features like a fire that flared up quickly and then vanished - leaving only the woman with silver hair.
"There, there, don't be worried strong fella," Meagu rubbed the horse gently. "I won't hurt you."
Those crimson eyes then turned to the driver who was still frozen at the wheel. "Quite a fast horse you have here." She smiled widely then added, "Is the healer woman inside?"
In the cramped confines of the room, occupants grappled with the aftermath of the impact. Seizing the chance, Niara swiftly rose, breaking through the door. Initially restrained by Liuhan's subordinates, she was eventually released, allowing the blonde woman to make her escape.
Liuhan regained his composure, and he ordered his man to follow while he was still trying to get back on his feet. Almost inevitably, as he fled the carriage, he found Niara now behind the silver-haired woman. The figure that made his subordinate fall silent without doing anything.
"What in the underworld are you?" said Liuhan who looked cautious.
Meagu was a little annoyed by the sentence uttered by the man in lavish apparel. "Oh, so mean! Don't be rude like that." Fortunately, Meagu was able to restrain herself. "Be happy that you're still breathing because this healer is begging me not to finish you off right here right now."
"Uncle... what do you want from me?" cried Niara curiously, her face now unkempt and disheveled.
Liuhan swallowed hard before uttering, "I'm here to take you back home... your father is sick."
That sentence seemed to stab the heart of Niara who was still silent in her spot. Even though her relationship with her father didn't get along, this news seemed to make it difficult for her to breathe. Moreover, after her mother's death, her father chose to marry someone else and didn't care about Niara's feelings at all.
"I-I don't believe you!" Niara responded with a slight rise in voice. "I won't fall for that! How many times have they done this to get me back?"
"But have you forgotten that I will never lie to you?" said Liuhan to his niece. "It comes straight from your father. He regrets what he had done to you."
Niara hesitated, grappling with conflicting emotions. Deep down, she harbored a desire for her father to change, to show even a hint of genuine love. Yet, in the back of her mind, the fear lingered that this might be just another excuse, casting doubt on the possibility of another escape.
"What makes me trust you?"
***
On the flip side, Renxian and Siuxa opted to return after their cultivation training, an experience etched in their memories. As they strolled past the river and through the bushes, they noticed a gathering of people ahead, congregated in front of the inn.
Sensing something strange and suspicious, they looked at each other before approaching them. It was even more serious when there were a few weishi striding around checking on the situation. Only then did the two cultivators realize that the place now had a lot of blood splashing everywhere along with scattered corpses.
"What happened here?"
One of the residents who was aware of Renxian's existence, felt a little odd. His expression turned stern as he seemed to be trying to remember something. "Young man, didn't you one of the rooms rented here?" The old man said which made several multitudes focus their attention on Renxian and Siuxa.
"It's you!" For some reason the man wearing scale armor approached the man with black hair that was left loose, pulling his shirt with both hands. "It's you who killed them! You bastard, Sanxiu!"
Without hesitation, she punched him right in the left cheek and he stumbled backward, neither fighting back nor retaliating but falling silent. Siuxa defended the rogue cultivator but was shoved aside by the hunter, the citizens began to gather around Renxian with both eyes reflecting deep emotion.
"Cultivator killer!" Shouted one of the citizens as the flames thrived enormous. "There was no mistake, it must be him!"
"Yes, arrest him!"
"Execute that Sanxiu! Don't let him escape!"
Some weishi began to hold Renxian's hands together, some hunters began to close him and deliver him some 'small revenge' for what Sanxiu had done. They started hitting him once more and kicking him repeatedly, further enlivening the cheering citizens.
"You're dead!"
"Rogue cultivators like you only make trouble!"
"Hurry up and kill him at the village hall!"
Renxian was still in a lowered state, not reacting at all even though he could easily fight back. Instead, he felt the same memories coming back, the memories that he tried to conceal coming to the surface. He thought that even in the new world, he might not be free from that distress.
[Fight or surrender. It is your choice.]
"Tell me... what are the consequences if I fight back?"
[You will be always known as Sanxiu, the Cultivator Killer.]
He chuckled and whispered, "I think my life here is no different from my last world." He then looked up, with a piercing gaze at the crowd of people who watching him.
"Always being trampled on."