Chapter 478: 453 Eternal Night

Mingzhu Bay, the central crescent of clear water in Baiyujing; seen from the higher sky, the great lake was shaped like a leaf, and the lake water was also emerald green, appearing back then against the backdrop of blue sky and white clouds like a green leaf covering the cloud layer.

In the beginning, Ling Baoyu had also asked her older sisters, why was it called Mingzhu Bay? This lake water clearly looked more like jade, why not call it "Jade Bay"?

What did the older sister say at the time?

"Because Mingzhu Bay is a precious pearl of our Baiyujing."

This explanation could not convince Ling Baoyu; she still felt that this lake should be called Jade Bay, after all, the water was so vividly green.

Although Ling Baoyu remembered that pool of green water in Mingzhu Bay, in the scene that left the deepest impression on her, the water of Mingzhu Bay was red.

That kind of red was more vivid than the green water; it was the color of blood.

In that battle, a lot of blood was shed.

Although Baiyujing was now filled with monsters from the Shadow World, some of which were so powerful they seemed impossible to match, at the time, the opponents she fought as a Sword Guest were not them, but some "people."

At least they were humanoid creatures that could speak, move, and think.

She remembered that along with the black Qi, a great army swept in; everyone was wrapped in a layer of shadow, like heavy armor, and even their faces were covered in thin black mist, only allowing one to vaguely see eyes and mouths like black holes behind the mist; they were all gnashing their teeth, ferocious as wild beasts.

Those shadow-people were all holding weapons, which were also swords wrapped in black Qi. Those swords were real swords; if they struck, one would bleed, and many of them could use different Sword Arts and Sword Techniques.

Thinking back now, those shadow-people should have been true Sword Heroes and Sword Guests. Perhaps they had become lackeys under the command of Wangliang, receiving the blessing of the shadows, making them exceptionally fierce.

Being able to gather Sword Heroes and Sword Guests as subordinate troops, was Wangliang actually a powerful Sword Immortal?

The most troublesome thing was that the black Qi on those weapons was as clinging as a venomous snake; as long as one was touched by a little bit, it was as if a weight of several thousand catties had been attached, making it impossible to even stand straight, only wanting to sink toward the ground.

Therefore, casualties were high as soon as the battle began; she did not know how His Highness was contending with a monster like Wangliang up above, but the battle below saw them retreating step by step; the Colorful Cloud Warriors fought desperately, charging to the very front, blocking most of the shadows, which finally stabilized the position slightly. But later, the warriors were also overwhelmed and struck down, and the situation collapsed completely.

Fortunately, it seemed someone later sent an antidote, a thing similar to a flower petal; as long as one wiped it on, it could suck the shadow out of the wound...

Hm?

Ling Baoyu recalled up to this point and was slightly startled: at the time, she only felt that the medicine was miraculous and did not pay attention to what the flower petals looked like, but thinking about it now...

They looked a bit like sunflower petals?

Those sunflower birds...

Where did Tang Zhao dig up the storage from back then?

Having obtained those petals, the shadows were no longer very effective. But firstly, the rescue came too late, and many wounded, unable to be treated in time and having been slashed repeatedly, were already unable to fight. Secondly, those shadow-people were truly powerful. They might not have been as unsolvable as the shadow giants, but they were fierce and cunning in battle, with leaders, tactics, and organization; fighting them was like fighting a well-trained group of Heavenly Demons, or elite soldiers of the Human World, and by strength alone, they really suppressed Baiyujing.

They lost building after building, pass after pass, and were covered in wounds by the time they retreated to the lakeside. Their blood dripped into Mingzhu Bay, as if blooming into bright red flowers amidst the green grass.

Ling Baoyu's fox-like eyes gradually grew deep—she had not expected these memories to suddenly surface, becoming more and more numerous, more and more detailed.

These were all things she had personally experienced; normally, such things should have been carved into her soul, never to be forgotten.

But surprisingly, her memory of this period had been very blurry for a long time; it was not that the hundred years of time had diluted the memory, but that it had always been blurry. She clearly still remembered the general cause and effect, but no matter how she tried, she could not recall those scenes.

Perhaps her mind was protecting her, keeping those extremely unpleasant and impactful memories away from her, but she was not a Mortal after all, and did not develop a memory gap like an ordinary person. She always knew who she was and what she had experienced, only intentionally or unintentionally distancing herself from that memory.

And now, being close to the lake water, plus the pressure of the shadows behind her, caused her memory levee to be instantly destroyed, and countless Fragments rushed out like a flood:

There was more and more blood, and corpses gradually appeared by the lakeside; they were all the brothers and sisters she had lived with day and night.

Two young sisters were injured and unable to fight, so they silently wove coffins out of Cloud Silk on the lake surface; every time they finished one, they would lower it, pile stones into the coffin, and after closing the lid, sink it into the lake.

This was a heavy task, because people were disappearing too quickly to be put in in time, but it was not that heavy, because there were not many people in Baiyujing, and it would soon be over.

At this moment, the eldest sister who had been commanding at the front returned to the group, wiped the blood from her face, and said: "Everyone... leave."

The remaining people, whether injured or intact, excited or sorrowful, were all shocked and said one after another: "What do you mean by leave?"

It was clear the eldest sister was trying hard to be calm, and said: "His Highness's order, everyone evacuate Baiyujing. I will cover the retreat; Mange, you take the children and go first."

Mange, who was the second sister, stood up at this time and said: "I will cover the retreat, you take them and go."

The eldest sister's brows stood up instantly, and she shouted: "Nonsense, I am covering the retreat, this is His Highness's instruction. You hurry and take the people away; hesitating at a time like this, do you want to cost the young brothers and sisters their lives?"

Before Mange could speak, everyone shouted one after another: "We won't go, we won't leave Baiyujing!"

"Exactly, Baiyujing is our home; let's defend Baiyujing together and fight to the last moment."

"Our homeland hasn't fallen yet, how can we abandon her? Fight, fight!"

At that time, had she followed along and shouted?

Ling Baoyu recalled, she must have shouted. How agitated she was at that time; she only felt her Eye Beads were filled with blood, the world looked like a bloody blur, her ears were buzzing, how could she not have roared until her voice was hoarse?

Everyone was roaring, and the eldest sister was furious, bellowing: "Shut up, shut up! Do you need His Highness to personally invite you before you will leave? Mange, do you know what is important?"

Under her roar, the second sister finally agreed in pain, following the eldest sister in roaring, trying to drive everyone away.

However, at this time, it was already too late.

Originally, the shadows were eroding from the front, but suddenly, a shadow tide erupted from the rear as well, even more fierce than the one in front. In the black shadows, another group of people in strange costumes different from the shadow-people slaughtered their way over, sealing off the retreat on the other side once again.

At that time, the eldest sister was suddenly stunned, pointing at them and saying: "It's you?"

The leader was dressed in black, with messy patterns drawn on his clothes, and laughed loudly: "It's been no more than a few years, does the eldest lady not recognize us anymore?"

The eldest sister was furious and said: "You scum, you traitors, how dare you sneak into the Human World? You actually have the face to return?"

The leader laughed wildly: "We didn't want to return to this foul place either, but who told you losers to flee back to the Human World to be cowards, only to have your nest destroyed and be utterly defeated? Whether it's Wangliang or something else, as long as it can bury you bitches, my Eternal Night Court will definitely help out!"

Eternal Night Court! Eternal Night Court!

Ling Baoyu was horrified; she had only now clearly remembered these three words!

The memory of that day was still too blurry; she had only been recalling the sky full of shadows, even forgetting the Sword Heroes and Sword Guests within those shadows, and even more so, these ugly faces later on.

Eternal Night Court!

The thieving dogs who looted a burning house!

This time she remembered, and she would never forget!

If she could successfully get out, she must avenge this grudge.

If she could succeed...

There was nothing left to recall about the later memories; they were already at a disadvantage, and there was only a glimmer of hope to escape, but the pincer attack from the Eternal Night Court made the situation worse. The young men and women who could have left just like that, left forever.

In the end, how many were left? Dozens? Or just over ten?

She only remembered fresh blood, Sword Light, and roars... everything was Chaos and cruel.

Her memory had some gaps again; in Ling Baoyu's mind, only a sea of blood-red remained. She could not recall how those companions died, nor could she recall exactly how many people were lost; she even forgot whether she herself had been injured at that time.

She had a deep memory of the final scene: the Shadow had already shrouded the entire world, countless black mists obscured heaven and earth, and then...

Her Highness descended from the sky.

Her Highness was still as beautiful as ever; even though her clothes and hair were somewhat disheveled, it was still impossible for one to look away.

Ling Baoyu remembered that she was only focused on looking at Her Highness at that time. It was not that she had suddenly become infatuated, but that she had a premonition she was going to die, and she wanted to remember the most beautiful thing at the very last moment, so that her life could be considered to have a good ending.

However, she did not die in the end.

Her Highness placed her in the Shelter, sank it to the bottom of the lake, and then personally threw the white fox, contained in a Cloud Silk cage, down from the clouds...

What was it that she said at the end?

Her true form lay in the Shelter, seemingly having said nothing, but when the white fox was thrown down, it finally had to Ask Her Highness:

"Your Highness, what do you want me to do in the Human World?"

Her Highness's lips moved slightly, seemingly about to utter a sentence, but in the end, she only said: "Live well and enjoy your prime years!" and then threw the white fox down.

At that time, what was Her Highness going to say?

Was there some instruction?

Ling Baoyu tried desperately to recall, recalling the shape of Her Highness's lips, wanting to know what that original instruction was.

Was it—

The two words "Yunzhou"?

"Aunt?"

At this moment, Aqin's voice interrupted her memories, "We have arrived at Mingzhu Bay, let me out!"

Ling Baoyu immediately returned to her senses; the Mirror turned, and Aqin's Shadow landed on the surface of the lake, instantly becoming iridescent.

"Haha, we've arrived at my territory!" Aqin's Shadow darted across the lake surface like a swimming dragon, instantly painting a rainbow on the water, "Aunt, where do you want to go? I'll take you!"

Ling Baoyu looked back and saw the giant running over; she jumped down and landed right in the lake, and Aqin caught her steadily.

"Take it slow—tease this big fool, and come find me."