The two army quickly intersected. The Huoyun Army that had already been routed was quickly surrounded by the Xiuli Army. Even from afar Chu Qiao could instantly recognize the crimson warhorse that belonged to Huanhuan. Quickly, Chu Qiao rushed over on her horse, only to be utterly stunned by what she had seen. Huanhuan’s clothes were tattered, and her crimson cape was drenched in blood. There was an arrow lodged deeply in her chest, clearly having already pierced her lungs, along with multiple wounds on her body. With weak breath, she was being carried by a female general who seemed to be in her thirties.

　　“What happened?” Chu Qiao jumped off her horse and knelt in the mud. Frowning, she stared at the severe injuries Huanhuan had sustained, before shouting, “Medic! Where is the medic?”

　　“Master Chu!” Upon seeing her, the female general started crying and explained, “His Majesty wants to kill our Princess. General Xiaohe was killed in combat, and our princess was also ambushed…”

　　“Xiaohe…” a weak voice sounded. Following the movements of her lungs, a mouthful of blood was vomited out from Huanhuan’s mouth. Seeing that, the female general lost her composure and quickly tried to apply pressure on Huanhuan’s wounds to stop the bleeding. Yet, the blood could no longer be stopped.

　　“Xiaohe…” Huanhuan frowned in pain, her face looked ever so pale. She was apparently already in a state of confusion. She seemed to have entered a dream. Xiaohe’s carefree laughter flashed before her eyes, and she was once again reminded of the day when she was being carried by Xiaohe on the vast snowy plains. Even in that situation, Xiaohe did not stop telling her jokes, and kept on comforting her, “Huanhuan, you will not die, you will not die. I will bite whoever dares to try to kill you.”

　　“Xiaohe, Xiaohe…” Tears flowed out from Huanhuan’s bloody eyes. Along with her heavy breathing, blood flowed out like a fountain. Even in her semi-conscious state, she was crying. Xiaohe was dead; he had been killed by that man!

　　“Princess! Princess!” The female general held Huanhuan in her arms and cried along, as though she was a pup that had just lost her mother.

　　“Huanhuan, what should we do after the war ends?”

　　“After the war ends? By then, my brother will be the Emperor, then I will be the Princess! I can pick my husband from the entire world! I will find the most talented man to be my husband! Haha!”

　　“So dumb! Fine, you ungrateful girl, go look for your man!”

　　A sharp pain assaulted her, as though her heart had been clenched by someone. As the blood blocked her air passage; she would only vomit more blood when she opened her mouth. In a daze, she opened her eyes and looked around in confusion. Seeing the vast sky, the crimson flowers, and the pristine white eagle soaring in the sky.

　　Yan Bei, Yan Bei…I gave my entire life for you, but why have you abandoned me so?

　　In her confusion, the young girl frowned and slowly turned around before she finally noticed Chu Qiao. Her face changed, and with all her strength, she stretched out as though she wanted to grab hold of something. Trying to suppress her tears, Chu Qiao quickly grabbed her hand, and while holding back her tears, Chu Qiao comforted her, “Huanhuan, hang in there. The doctor will save you.”

　　Huanhuan grabbed Chu Qiao’s hand with all her strength, and suddenly, she lowered her hand, and bit into Chu Qiao’s hand. Blood instantly started to flow from Chu Qiao’s hands, as the onlooking subordinates cried in horror. Chu Qiao looked on, only to see an overwhelming sense of hatred in Huanhuan’s eyes.

　　“Why? Why?” Huanhuan desperately shouted at Chu Qiao, her mouth still full of blood and her eyes bloodshot. “Why must you kill us? Why must you kill us?”

　　“Princess! Princess! Is that Master Chu?” The female general embraced Huanhuan and tried to pacify her, but Huanhuan could no longer hear anything. In a maddened state, Huanhuan continued to scream, “What have we done wrong? Why must you kill us? You are so ungrateful! You are so despicable!”

　　Stunned, Chi Qiao looked on. The intense pain from her hand suddenly brought back memories of when they first met. Standing before her, Huanhuan generously gave her an amazing horse, and waving her fist, Huanhuan insisted that after the war was over Chu Qiao must bring her to the Tang Empire. She even pointed to the horse AhTu to act as a witness. She was so adorable and naive, like a refreshing breeze that could always be found in Yan Bei.

　　“I hate you!” A mouthful of blood spurted out again. Huanhuan cried out loud, as her voice turned softer and softer, “Xiaohe, Xiaohe…”

　　Xiaohe, Huanhuan wants to marry you, but where have you gone?

　　Xiaohe, I have come to find you. You should slow down, my leg was injured. You need to carry me.

　　Xiaohe, I have not eaten breakfast, can you roast a lamb leg for me?

　　Xiaohe, Xiaohe, Xiaohe…

　　Huanhuan’s voice finally vanished. Lying on the chilly ground, her red skirt seemed like a blooming flower. She was so young, merely 20, and her eyes seemed ever so clear, her skin seemed ever so white, yet she had fallen asleep forever on the land that she had given her life to.

　　Chu Qiao’s heart had completely crumbled. Wave after wave of shock had torn her apart. Biting her lips, she stood there and quietly gazed upon Huanhuan’s body. It was as though she had just been thrown into an endless abyss.

　　Yan Xun, what on earth have you done?

　　“Master!” He Xiao firmly walked up, and emotionlessly he informed Chu Qiao, “He had arrived.”

　　He Xiao was already unwilling to refer to him as ‘His Majesty’. Chu Qiao slowly turned around, only to see how the army split apart like the sea before Moses. The sunlight of dawn shone on the grandiose army that seemed like a black ocean. The young emperor was surrounded by the army, and with a black robe that was lined with golden dragons, his jet black hair was tied up. With an exceedingly cold gaze, he squinted his eyes, and quietly looked over. It had been two years, and she had met him again. Yet, Chu Qiao felt as though she had never met him before. This man before her seemed so unfamiliar. His appearance, his identity, his behavior, his aura, none of which were familiar to her. At that very moment, she suddenly understood that this man before her was the Emperor of Yan Bei, and no longer the youth that had nothing, depending on her in Zhen Huang City.

　　“AhChu,” a deep voice resounded in the quiet plains accompanied by the frigid winds entered Chu Qiao’s ears.

　　Looking at her from afar, one could no longer tell the emotions that Yan Xun had within his eyes. The two years had passed between the two of them, and ultimately, they met in such a circumstance. Perhaps, this had nothing to do with destiny. The attitude they had toward life, and the beliefs that they had harbored, had long ago set this outcome in stone. Yan Xun’s heart seemed like a vast barren plain, with wind bellowing. Looking at Chu Qiao, he seemed as though he wanted to say something, but ultimately, he swallowed his words. With the aura of an emperor, he asked, “Are you going to be my enemy because of the unrelated people?”

　　Chu Qiao smirked.

　　Without Mister Wu, how could you be able to access the entire wealth of Yan Bei while you were still being held in Zhen Huang City, and groom your own force?

　　Without Lady Yu, how could you have escaped Zhen Huang City and became the King of Yan Bei, eventually ruling over a huge part of the world?

　　And Huanhuan was your last blood relative in the world. She had trusted you all these years, and followed you loyally, and is your only sister.

　　Is it that someday, I will stand before you as another unrelated person?

　　Apart from a cold smirk, she did not know what other reaction she could give. She felt like she turned into a doll whose heart had already been torn to shreds, and coldly looked at this man whom she had spent all her energy to love and protect. She merely felt that all the past memories seemed like a dream, an illusion, a figment of her fantastical imagination.

　　She had traded her loyalty and love for such a situation today. That man who had sworn to her that he would love her, protect her all his life, was now raising the blade against her. Surveillance, doubt, making use of her, ostracizing her—that was his repayment to her. He had thrown so-called wealth and luxury at her, baiting her like how one would bait a dog, but he had not known that all that material wealth was no more valuable than animal waste or weeds on a farm. The faith that she had held on to was merely an illusion to him, and became the lie that he had told all the civilians. So what if he was the Emperor? So what if he was revered by all? In her eyes, he would forever be a man who had been so close to her that she was like an extension of him, but still betrayed her in the end.

　　He blamed her for falling for other men, but without him forcing her and repeatedly making use of her, she would have loved him forever and ever. It was he himself who had pushed her away and forced her to recognize his true colors. How was this her fault that she betrayed him?

　　Yan Xun, it took me ten years to finally see the true you, as well as my true feelings. The previous memories are nothing more than memories, and I no longer have any sense of longing for you. There is only an unending sense of sadness and regret.

　　“AhChu, have you forgotten of your previous promises?” The cold voice of Yan Xun sounded off in her ear. Chu Qiao coldly smirked, as she lifted an eyebrow in disdain and casually replied, “Since you already abandoned our dreams, why should I continued to abide by our promise?”

　　Those words stabbed into Yan Xun’s heart like a barbed arrow, inducing much pain.

　　Finally, she had said those words. In the past, even if she was hurt, or felt resentment, she permanently sealed it within her heart, and silently faced everything. Yet, under this heaven, she said it to him, finally.

　　“Yan Xun, from today onwards, we will part ways, and will no longer have any relationship. Regardless of what happens to you, whether you succeed in your battles and become an Emperor, or get defeated and thrown out of power, there will not be a single strand of a relationship with me. And at the same time, my matters will not require your approval.” With the winds raging on, Chu Qiao’s clothes fluttered. With a cold face, she was completely emotionless as she said that. Her gaze was as cold as the tip of a snow-capped mountain, coldly rejecting any emotions in this world, and had expelled all those feelings away from her heart.

　　At that moment, Yan Xun suddenly realized, perhaps he would forever lose her. The very thought of that made him panic, yet he held onto his composure, and with a deep voice, he questioned, “AhChu, how could you forget about our past relationship?”

　　“Yan Xun, do not ever mention the word ‘relationship’ again.” With much indifference, Chu Qiao stared at him, and calmly continued, “You do not deserve to speak about it.”

　　In the rapid passage of time, their gazes created sparks of destiny. In 11 years, a seedling could grow to become huge, and an era could pass, allowing for the rise of a new empire. Time was so indifferent to emotions, and like a hot knife, it sliced through all of their bonds as though it was butter, making their pasts merely a part of their memories.

　　At this moment, the war eagle that soared in the sky covered the sun, temporarily setting the world into darkness. With that, the 20000 strong imperial army unsheathed their blades. The 9,000 Xiuli army stood in neat formation, and emotionlessly stared at them. The wind started howling, as though singing an ancient ritualistic song. With bloodlust lingering in the air, even the avians could no longer endure the atmosphere any longer and started to evacuate the surroundings. Only the vultures peered on gleefully, waiting for a feast after the killings.

　　Yan Bei, you are ultimately not destined to be my home. I had fought for you the most I could, but I merely saved you from a disaster by bringing another disaster.

　　With the wind blowing on her, it felt as though everything was turning into a blur. The world was so vast, why must she focus her attention on merely one place? When her heart had frozen up, who else could hurt her?

　　AhChu, I will protect you…

　　Once upon a time, there was someone who would whisper by her ear.

　　AhChu, trust me…

　　She closed her eyes, and held back her last drop of tears. By the time she reopened her eyes, her vision had already been elucidated. Under this vast sky where eagles soared, a decade had passed by so quickly. In this time, who was the one struggling? And who was the one who merely looked on?

　　Yan Xun, farewell.