Chapter 123: Cleansing the Body

Li Qingxuan's fingers whitened from gripping the torch tightly; the flame leapt in his deep black pupils, reflecting no warmth, only a silent cold pool.

He pressed his lips tight, his jaw clenched into a hard, cold line, his gaze fixed unblinking on the roaring flames, as if he wanted to brand this cruel purification ritual deep into his soul.

Huang Rong stood at his side, the firelight casting shifting shadows across her face.

She slightly lifted her head, watching the bodies that had endured endless suffering turn to ash in the flames; the grief and sorrow burned in her chest like the fire, yet found no outlet.

Tears had already dried deep in her eye sockets, leaving only a bone‑deep reluctance and pain.

She lifted her hand, seeming to want to wipe away the discomfort from the scorching heat, but the motion stalled halfway and finally dropped weakly to her side.

"Ah…" a painful cry came from behind; five women collapsed on the icy snow, their hands dug deep into the frozen ground, their bodies shaking violently like chaff in the wind, staring at the sky‑high flames. Two women could bear no more shame and rushed into the fire; the remaining three had only anguish and bewilderment left in their eyes.

Huang Rong turned to look at the three women clutching their heads and weeping, then asked Li Qingxuan, "What should we do with them?"

Li Qingxuan's gaze swept over the three women curled up in the snow, huddled together; their sobs were torn apart by the cold wind, and their blue‑tinged frozen skin looked even more wretched in the firelight.

He said in a low voice, "Take them back."

He brought them into the shelter, took out a few flatbreads and water from his backpack, and said, "Fill your stomachs first, regain some strength, then I'll take you away shortly."

Huang Rong immediately took them, distributed the food, and when her fingertip touched a woman's trembling hand, the woman jerked back like a startled rabbit, fear still in her eyes.

Li Qingxuan surveyed the torn tents around him, his brow furrowed: "We need to move out quickly. This camp reeks of blood; it might draw powerful weird creatures."

After they finished eating, Huang Rong gave each a blanket, and Li Qingxuan then led them one by one onto the black goat's back.

Li Qingxuan and Huang Rong took the front and rear, surrounding them in the middle, patted the black goat's back, and the goat swiftly ran toward the fortress.

The firelight faded, night as dark as ink, each step on the snow let out a creaking groan, as if the earth itself sighed over this disaster.

Along the way there were scares but no danger; the group safely entered the mist, and the five saw the towering city wall as the gate slowly opened, leaving them all stunned.

Beyond the gate lay a straight, icy corridor built of massive stone blocks; towering stone walls on either side cast deep shadows, slicing the already thin light into fragments.

Deep in the corridor, a few torches fixed to the walls flickered; their light twisted and swayed on the icy stone, not dispelling the chill but adding a grim, murderous air.

The group arrived before the fortress; after everyone dismounted from the black goat, Li Feifei walked over with her twin sisters.

Seeing the expressions on the faces of the three strange women behind Li Qingxuan, she silently stepped to his side and asked softly, "Where did you bring these three people from?"

Li Qingxuan briefly explained their background to her; Li Feifei's eyes flickered with pity, she quietly had the Ling'er sisters tidy the rooms, then hurried to the women's side and said softly, "You've all had a hard journey—come with me."

Li Feifei said this and then led them deeper into the fortress.

"Let me take you to wash up first; otherwise you won't sleep well." She stepped lightly, her voice deliberately soft, afraid to startle these women who were like frightened birds.

The three women supported each other, their eyes still haunted by unshakable fear and confusion, instinctively clinging to Li Feifei's figure as if she were the only driftwood they could grasp in this world.

Their timid gazes swept over the towering, damp‑cold stone walls on either side and the torches flickering in the gloom that threw distorted shadows on the walls; each shift of light and shadow made their shoulders flinch involuntarily.

Entering the hall, the wooden walls were completely different from the icy stone walls before, giving them a hint of visual warmth.

Pushing open the bathroom door, a wave of warm steam mixed with a faint scent of soapberry washed over them.

Li Feifei stepped aside, her voice extremely soft: "The water is warm; don't be afraid, wash your face first."

The three women, however, froze in the doorway, as if nailed to the spot.

Their fearful glances swept over the rising steam, then fell back on their own hands covered in chilblains and grime, as if the warm water flow were some unattainable luxury.

The older woman's throat bobbed once, her chapped lips trembling slightly; she tried to step forward but pulled her foot back, instead gripping her companion's sleeve so tightly her knuckles whitened.

In the water mist a hazy glow spread, revealing the tear‑streaked, still‑terrified expressions on their faces—the warmer the steam, the more it highlighted the bone‑deep chill within them.

"Come, let me help you." Seeing this, Li Feifei quickly went to the tub, scooped a ladle of hot water, and gently poured it over the stiffened back of one woman's hand.

The water droplets slid down her wrist, washing away a stain and revealing the purple‑frozen skin underneath.

The woman jerked back as if scalded, a flash of instinctive panic crossing her eyes, but under Li Feifei's gentle gaze she gradually relaxed.

She tentatively dipped her fingertip into the water; the warm sensation spread from her tip, like a long‑dry desert finally absorbing a drop of sweet spring, and she let out a low, almost sobbing sigh from her throat.

Seeing this, the others cautiously shifted their feet.

One woman lunged to the tub's edge, thrust both hands into the water, and frantically scrubbed the grime from her arms, as if she wanted to wash away the camp's horrible experiences and filth together.

Water splashed everywhere, mixing mud and dried blood at the tub's bottom into a murky whirl.

Her movements grew more frantic, her breathing more ragged, until Li Feifei pressed a hand to her shoulder and said, "Slow down, don't hurt yourself."

Only then did the woman stop, lowering her gaze to the gradually clearing water; tears welled up without warning and fell in large drops into the tub, sending out rippling circles.

In the corner, the youngest woman curled up, squatting with her arms tightly wrapped around her knees, her face buried in the crook of her arms.

Her body still trembled minutely; each sob came with a repressed, intermittent choke.

Li Feifei silently handed her a clean, coarse‑woven towel, wrapping it around her thin shoulders.

The rough texture of the cloth brought a strange comfort; she slowly lifted her head, damp strands sticking to her forehead, and in the lamplight the once‑empty eyes finally gained a faint glimmer, like a dust‑covered candlewick quietly lit.

(PS: Feel free to send a little free support for love's electricity; the author will be more motivated if you do; if you like this book, you can leave a review; thank you everyone.)