Chapter 70: The Use of Legends

Yue Ji kept watch on the Celestial God Platform for a whole night, and at dawn a lone figure descended sorrowfully from the mountain.

At this moment everyone had finished detoxifying and stood dumbfounded in the clearing.

"Where's Yan Changlao?" Li Bucai asked in a low voice.

Yue Ji shook her head mournfully.

Li Bucai realized Yan Changlao was probably gone as well, fell silent for a moment, and said, "Send a few people to give a proper burial."

Yue Ji performed a bow, shook her head and said, "Thank the clan leader, no need. The Celestial Gods will come to take mother and Yan Changlao away."

"Indeed, I'm still not very familiar with your customs. By the way, that clan leader… I think your mother intended to pass the position to you, but I stood in front of you, rushed to help, and took it haphazardly. So now these people are safe, and the item should be returned to its rightful owner," Li Bucai handed the Scepter to her.

Seeing her mother's staff, Yue Ji couldn't help but feel hurt and said through tears, "Mother gave the clan leader position to the benefactor for a reason. The benefactor is now our clan leader; if the benefactor does not see us as burdens, we are willing to obey the clan leader's orders."

"Not at all, we are friends. Now Xiao Gu has been destroyed and there's no safe place to settle. How about coming with me to our place? Though conditions there are still a bit harsh, they'll improve over time."

Yue Ji nodded.

Li Bucai still handed the staff to her, saying, "Now everyone is one of us. You should keep this staff. I'm still unfamiliar with your customs, and besides, I'm a Spear user; keeping it with me would be wasteful. Let you be the clan leader for your people, so you can better look after them."

Wan'er agreed, "Yue Ji, don't delay any longer. From now on you become your clan's leader, and the Lord becomes everyone's lord; isn't that better?"

"But… this is mother's dying wish. Our clan leader must be appointed personally by the previous clan leader, unless the leader meets an untimely end. Otherwise it cannot be changed casually, and if changed arbitrarily, the clan won't accept it…"

All members of the Undead Clan felt grateful for his lifesaving aid, and since he also knew how to detoxify, they would no longer fear this poison. One by one they knelt and said in unison, "The benefactor is our clan leader; whatever the matter, we are willing to follow the clan leader's orders. Please, leader, do not delay any longer."

Li Bucai had to say, "Very well, everyone needs a good rest now. We'll set this matter aside for now and discuss it when we return."

Leading the group toward the mouth of Shadow Valley, they passed a lake where a herd of hornless cattle were still grazing. The group avoided startling the herd and slipped by. When they reached the valley mouth, the sky, which had been clear, was suddenly battered by fierce winds; in an instant dark clouds gathered. A silver giant dragon flickered in and out of the clouds, landed on a southern peak, circled for a while, then vanished into the clouds. Soon after, the sky cleared to bright blue again.

…

Late night, White Horse Ferry.

In Li Bucai's camp, because there were too few guards and only Wu Zhuoyue plus four others, five people had to take turns standing watch at night.

"Lord Zhuoyue, Lord Zhuoyue, it's bad, it's bad, it seems someone is preparing to attack us, they're already close."

Wu Zhuoyue had just fallen asleep when a guard reported, and she hurriedly got up. "From which direction, how many?"

"From the north, we hear many footsteps; we haven't seen their shadows yet, so we can't tell the exact number."

Wu Zhuoyue's heart tightened, and she ordered, "Quickly, wake everyone, wait for me to return, and be ready to open the gate to meet me at any moment."

The guard responded and went to rouse the others.

Wu Zhuoyue stepped onto the north wall, pressed her ear to listen. The footsteps were dense, at least a few hundred. Seeing a guard climb onto the wall, she said, "Their numbers are too great and their origin unknown. I'll go scout; tell them to prepare, ready to relocate at any time."

The guard replied, and Wu Zhuoyue used a rope to descend from the wall to the outside, quietly moving toward the source of the sound. The footsteps were still some distance away, so she slipped into the forest, suddenly hearing rustling footsteps ahead; she vaulted onto a tree and lay in ambush.

Soon a dark silhouette rushed toward them, and within a few steps it was only a dozen meters away.

It must be an enemy scout; we can't let them learn our true situation. With that thought, Wu Zhuoyue drew a jade flute, played a light tune, and the melodious notes flew toward the dark silhouette, slowing its speed considerably. She leapt forward, landed beside it, and before it could draw its sword, she drew its sword herself. As she was about to thrust, she realized the person looked strikingly familiar.

"Rui Tong? What are you doing here?" Wu Zhuoyue quickly sheathed her sword.

Rui Tong, affected by her "Soul‑Wavering Melody," was dazed and couldn't hear her question clearly.

Wu Zhuoyue quickly helped her recover and asked anxiously, "Who are those people over there? Has the Lord returned? Where is he?"

Rui Tong steadied herself, then with a nervous expression said, "There are many people over there, about three to four hundred. When we rushed back we saw them at the mountain pass, tangled with them for a while. Their numbers are overwhelming, and they're impervious to swords and spears. It was hard to break free, and they scattered us. Has the Lord not returned?"

"Three to four hundred?" Wu Zhuoyue exclaimed, "No, I just heard footsteps and came here from the camp, but I didn't see the Lord. Which direction did he go? We'll go meet him."

"Perhaps Luo Ye and the others are still behind."

Wu Zhuoyue nodded, immediately stepped toward the direction Rui Tong had come from. After a few steps she found Rui Tong hadn't followed, and asked, "Aren't you coming with us?"

"Me? I have more urgent matters to rush back to the camp and report."

Wu Zhuoyue, a quick‑witted girl, noticed the tension had left her face and asked sideways, "What exactly is going on?"

Rui Tong smiled mysteriously, "Go see for yourself, you'll understand—so many troops." With that she darted toward the main camp.

"What is she up to?" Wu Zhuoyue shook her head in confusion, continued toward the sound to see what's really happening.

When they reached the "highway" carved out by the Lulu Beast, the sound was right before them. In the moonlight, ahead was a black mass slowly approaching, the front row of the procession now within arm's reach, their faces faintly visible— all young women, each bearing two sharp little horns on their heads and pointed ears.

"Impervious to swords and spears, and looking like that—could they be… Undead Clan?" Wu Zhuoyue's heart jolted, and her jade flute nearly slipped from her hand.

"Who is there?"

A man's voice seemed to come from the ranks, very familiar. Wu Zhuoyue gathered courage and asked, "Lord, is that you?"

"Zhuoyue?"

"Lord! Is it really you?"

The crowd split, and Li Bucai, accompanied by Wan'er and Yue Ji, stepped forward. Seeing it was indeed Wu Zhuoyue, he chuckled, "Seeing our Zhuoyue again means we've finally arrived home, at last back."

"They… they…" Wu Zhuoyue couldn't believe her eyes; they were peacefully mingling with the Undead Clan members and had led the Undead Clan here.

Li Bucai introduced, "This is our new friend, Yue Ji; this is my capable assistant, Wu Zhuoyue—just call her Zhuoyue. From now on we'll live together, and I hope everyone can get along well."

Yue Ji bowed to her, and Wu Zhuoyue returned the bow.

"Now among them many are wounded and have been traveling for over a day; I sent Rui Tong back first to have the camp prepare, and I saw her."

Wu Zhuoyue nodded, still standing there dazed, feeling as if in a dream—now she would live with the legendary enemies as friends? Could that be? It's a dream.

"Then let's go back first; we'll talk when we return."

"Lord, please; Miss Yue Ji, please," as the group continued, they approached Wan'er and asked, "Are they members of the Undead Clan?"

"Hmm, it's a fake exchange."

"According to legend, aren't they born as our enemies? How did they suddenly become ours?"

Wan'er patted her shoulder and said, "That's just a legend. Legends, for our Lord, are only meant to be broken. The Lulu Beast is the beginning; the Undead Clan is definitely not the end, so you must be mentally prepared."

"But after all, they are our natural enemies, and we are few while they are many. Bringing them here, could it…"

"You don't need to worry about that at all, because our Lord is now their clan leader; their clan leader, on his deathbed, personally handed the Scepter to the Lord, and they must obey the clan leader's orders—that's what they themselves said."

"Clan… clan leader…" Wu Zhuoyue couldn't help but stare straight at Li Bucai ahead.