Front Line of the Beast Tide, Part 35

The farewell banquet in Yinlan City, compared to the welcoming banquet when the Sword School arrived, was no different.

It was still a continuous feast; what changed were merely the people involved.

The factions here were mostly divided into five parts.

The three main parts were the students from the World Sword School who came to assist, the Yan family army, and the Rogue Cultivator Alliance.

The remainder consisted of the Healer Alliance sponsored by the Ci’an Herb Hall, a team of medical cultivators from Medicine King Valley, support teams sent by various forces with some renown in the jianghu such as the Mountain-Opening Rudder, Willow-Branch Academy, and Flying Cloud Mountain, as well as parts of strongholds from other cities under the Sword School’s jurisdiction.

The scene could be described as a gathering of various influential figures, a mix of good and bad people.

Therefore, although the banquet was a continuous feast, it was mostly divided into territories according to various forces, and the different sects and factions maintained a clear boundary, not interfering with each other.

However, some friendly sects gathered together. For example, Medicine King Valley had always been on good terms with the Sword School, so their team of medical cultivators naturally sat among the Sword School students, as familiar as family.

At this point, the banquet was in full swing. Everyone raised their cups, drinking wine and eating meat. The aroma of wine, meat, and the spirit of festivity steamed and swirled, a truly joyful scene. Then, suddenly, three people walked over from the side, naturally attracting attention.

Su Qing was not an attention-grabbing person, but Tang Yueling and Tian Ning beside her were completely opposite extremes.

Although Tang Yueling was somewhat rougher than when she was in the Sword School, among the ragged and travel-worn wild people, she was still undeniably radiant.

Her waist, wrists, neck, and temples were adorned with gleaming magical artifacts.

Her red dress was like fire, naturally noble, and resplendent.

Her delicate and intricate attire still couldn’t overshadow her personal charm.

The arrogance and spirit in her eyes seemed ready to overflow. A casual glance, though not carrying any complex meaning, inexplicably made people dare not meet her gaze.

The other black-clad female cultivator stood tall and slender, her presence cold as ice.

A snow sword at her waist quietly emitted a chilling light. She should be extremely beautiful, but her oppressive aura was too terrifying, leaving only the words “powerful one” in everyone’s eyes.

These two seemed like fire and ice meeting, natural rivals.

It was a wonder how they could be companions, yet they walked together in a surprisingly harmonious manner.

Compared to them, the other female cultivator was somewhat ordinary.

Although she was tall and her face was fair, she was inevitably overshadowed by her friends beside her.

Fortunately, she had a pair of calm, clear eyes.

She conversed softly with her friends, occasionally curving her eyes, as if encountering something amusing.

When someone looked at her with a strange, inquisitive gaze, this gaze seemed to say: ‘Who are you, to be walking with such prominent figures?’

This female cultivator was not annoyed at all. She even returned their gaze very calmly, causing the challenging person to awkwardly look away. She must be a very good-tempered person, and quite popular.

Many passersby recognized her and exchanged a few words with her. But she had her own strength.

Some more cultivated or more knowledgeable individuals also noticed her peculiarity.

This female cultivator looked ordinary, and her clothes were simple, but seeing her upright posture and the small portion of exposed skin, one knew that this person was no ordinary being.

After all, with mere Foundation Establishment cultivation, to be able to refine her superficial flesh and skin to initial jade-like quality, one could hardly imagine her talent or diligence.

Could it be that she felt no pain?

Other Daoist traditions might rely on talent or family wealth.

Only body cultivators relied solely on this fragile flesh and blood, given to them by nature. Beyond that, only unwavering perseverance.

The most terrifying people in the world were not those with extraordinary talent, nor those born with everything.

For talent, in this tumultuous and dangerous world, could be wantonly stripped away or conjured out of thin air.

Those born with everything might not necessarily keep everything in the future.

Fate toys with people, times change, and cultivators are also mortals. In the long span of time, the only thing one can grasp is oneself.

Only those with great endurance, who could bear pain and suffering beyond what ordinary people could endure, yet remained clear-headed and magnanimous, could, in the long river of time, remain unburied by the sands, but instead be polished to shine even brighter.

Pei Shaohong, the leader of the Mountain-Opening Rudder, couldn’t help but sigh, “I observe these three are probably the leading figures of this generation of the Sword School. Perhaps, in not too long, we will see these young people in the Sword Pavilion trials.”

Among these three, he didn’t know the Qi family or Tang family members, but he had heard the young man Fei Jie mention the female cultivator named Su Qing.

He thought highly of her, predicting she would become a significant figure in the future.

Pei Shaohong didn’t take the young man’s judgment of people too seriously, but it was rumored that after coming out of the secret realm, she was taken as a direct disciple by the Sword School Sect Leader.

Without an altar ceremony, or a formal master-disciple ritual, it wasn’t a proper acceptance of a disciple.

But the Sword School didn’t pay much attention to such things. This matter would remain unsettled, with no true conclusion.

Pei Shaohong knew no one, but he knew his major client: Sword School Sect Leader Wang Quan. He knew Wang Quan’s nature was to be opportunistic and exploit every advantage. If Wang Quan was truly uninterested, he would have distanced himself long ago. He was so stingy he wouldn’t even lend his own reputation to others; being tied to him came with a fee. This indicated there must be some inside story.

It was widely known that the Mountain-Opening Rudder was on good terms with the World Sword School.

After all, they had even managed to piggyback on a rare opportunity like the Limitless True Person’s secret realm. Pei Shaohong’s words would certainly not be false.

Another sect master from Willow-Branch Academy was drinking at the same table.

Hearing this, he clicked his tongue and said, “That’s natural. The Tang family of the Western Continent, the Qi family of the Divine Land’s Central Plains, children from such good backgrounds are born without setbacks. The rest of their lives are smooth sailing. But with such individuals standing out, is this still the same Sword School?”

“Old dog Tu, don’t be so sour. Do you have a heavenly eye that can see future events?” Pei Feijie said with some emotion, fueled by the alcohol. “A person’s life is never determined in a single moment. When the Han family’s son’s name resonated throughout the Sword Pavilion, you and I were just digging for food in the dirt. Look at us now!”

Back then, they were both handyman disciples under the Han family, daily tending to spiritual fields and raising spiritual beasts, much like farmers with a bit of spiritual energy.

Their situation was no different from mortals, even worse than rogue cultivators.

They were like captive livestock, meant to be bled dry for their masters. Was not the prosperity of the divine capital’s City That Never Sleeps built upon the corpses of people like them?

The sect master of Willow-Branch Academy somewhat gloomily drank the beast blood wine from his cup. “Why talk about these old affairs? You and I aren’t doing as well as the Han family’s son even now, not even comparable to the mud on his heels.”

Pei Shaohong looked at his old acquaintance’s troubled face.

What worries could cultivators have? Nothing but not enough spirit stones, cultivation stuck, dwindling lifespan. He smiled brightly and said loudly, “Living!”

“At least, you and I are still alive. As long as we haven’t turned into that dust of the past, then living one more day counts as one more day.”

The sect master was stunned for a moment, then widened his eyes and said, “What’s there to be happy about?”

That being said, his expression did soften a bit.

Being alive was naturally something to be happy about.

Because countless people died in this beast tide, even if the final riot ended peacefully and gently, the sacrificed could still not return.

Su Qing, Tang Yueling, and Tian Ning returned to the Sword School’s Body School camp.

She had been asleep for half a year, and it had been a long time since she saw everyone.

Naturally, they chatted for a while.

Everyone’s condition was fine, just a faint fatigue around them.

The nerves, tight for years, had suddenly relaxed, often leading to this state. Su Qing was the same.

She also carried many gray emotions that couldn’t be easily dispelled. She needed to return to daily life, to the ordinary, trivial life of being human.

Unusually, this time Xiaocao didn’t come to the Body School.

Everyone was a bit unaccustomed. Chen Minjing asked, “Did you two have a fight?”

She didn’t mention any names, but everyone knew who she was talking about.

Instantly, everyone’s gossip-mongering hearts burned fiercely. Even if they didn’t show it, their ears were all perked up.

Tang Yueling savored the thought. She blinked and then revealed a surprisingly happy smile. “Exactly. It’s been much quieter, and we shouldn’t make up.”

Although she didn’t dislike Jiang Xiaocao, she naturally disliked all male characters around her friends.

Xiaocao was actually quite likable, but for this matter, Tang Yueling could only offer a perfunctory apology.

“No fight, no quarrel. He’s from the Artifact School; isn’t it normal for him not to come?”

Staying in the Artifact School was also a good thing, saving him from being in his fifteenth year of enrollment without making a single good friend in his own major.

To their surprise, everyone said in unison, “It’s not normal.”

Tang Yueling said angrily, “What’s not normal?!”

Su Qing saw more and more students looking over and inexplicably felt an urge to hit someone.

These people, who loved a good show and didn’t mind trouble, clearly had too little homework.

She wasn’t a block of wood, nor an idiot.

At the very least, she had seen pigs run.

Wasn’t Teacher Husang a great example? She vaguely understood the meaning of these prying gazes, but that was Xiaocao, pure and unpretentious Xiaocao, a naive little grass whose seven emotions and six desires weren’t even fully awakened.

To harbor any thoughts towards such a naturally pure grass, wouldn’t that be bullying?

Only these people gossiped every day.

With all this gossip, none of them seemed to have found a partner.

Although they were all in their prime youth, almost everyone’s face was etched with the words “destined to die alone.”

But with friends by one’s side, how could one be truly alone?

The banquet continued for three rounds of drinks. Yan Chi, the City Lord of Yinlan City and the new head of the Yan family, walked out of the tent.

Yan Yao and Yan Jin followed her. Both held jars of beast blood wine.

Yan Chi looked no different from usual, composed and calm, like a hidden fire.

The two young masters also appeared normal. In reality, however, both their teeth were tightly clenched and trembling.

“Everyone—” Yan Chi took a bowl of beast blood wine.

The red liquid within reflected, truly resembling blood. She raised the goblet, facing everyone, the red marks at the corners of her eyes like streaks of blood. She paused for a moment, as if speechless, or as if remembering someone. Finally, she said with deep sorrow, “To the departed.”

Beast blood wine was poured onto the ground, seeping into the frozen earth. The rich wine seemed truly sent into the embrace of the earth’s depths, truly going to the side of the Lord of Mount Tai, comforting the weary and distraught departed souls.

“To the departed.”

Regardless of their background, at this moment, everyone present simultaneously raised their wine vessels and poured the liquid onto the vast earth.

A sobbing sound came from somewhere, and everyone looked around to find a young herbalist crying.

He desperately wiped his face, tears and snot streaming down, looking very unpresentable.

A braided woman next to him was wiping his face with a handkerchief, while two others whispered comforting words, but tears also welled up in their eyes.

Everyone’s gazes instantly became heavy.

The Ci’an Herb Hall’s Healer Alliance had a hundred healers; now, only these few remained.

Someone quietly murmured, “It is said they were drawn into a secluded cave belonging to some entity, which caused countless deaths and injuries. A hundred healers all perished.”

“Healers are good at everything, but a healer cannot heal herself, and one who saves others cannot save herself.”

“I see they were still too weak. They had no offensive means, nor self-preservation means. It’s not surprising they met such an end…”

Their voices were very low; they shouldn’t have been heard.

But Ji Xinghong heard it. She heard it very clearly.

She came here against the wishes of the Ji family and her sect, so she was in the rogue cultivator faction.

Ji Xinghong, along with everyone whose lives had been extended by the rootless fire, looked over coldly.

“But it was not you, nor I, nor those strong ones, who first paved the way for all beings with life. It was precisely these weak healers, whom you speak of, who had no means of self-prespreservation or attack.”

Before the sun arrived, it was the fireflies of fleeting life that gathered into light in the endless night.