Xiao Yu

Nea could not grasp how things turned out this way. Somehow she went from escaping from the clan to fighting against ancient beasts in a time shard. She wanted to sit down and processed these events. Unfortunately, neither her companions nor the beastly creatures allowed her room for breathing.

There were several mountain peaks surrounding the main mountain peak. Massive black chains connected these mountains. They were so massive that one could run on it without much issue. Without having any flying weapons or tools, they could only use their legs to cross the chain. A foggy chasm spread bellow their feet. Although Nea was not afraid of heights, she still shivered whenever her eyes strayed downwards. Thankfully, none of the beasts pursued them. There seemed to be a barrier that separated the outer peaks from the main peak.

"What is this place anyway?" Nea muttered.

White picked up her mutterings despite the raging wind. "This was once the number one gathering spot for the sword-obsessed madmen. They devoted their every breath to become one with their sword. Some discarded their emotions to walk the merciless path. I suppose it does require a certain amount of madness to dare to wage war against the ancient beasts."

"They lost didn't they?" Nea said.

"It is not the question of winning or losing. It is more about who's the last one standing."

At the end of the chain was a stone platform. Nea breathed a sigh of relief when her feet returned to the ground.

Nea asked, "Where is the core?"

"It hasn't appeared yet," White replied. "Only when the clash reached its climax will the core showed itself."

"Are you telling me that we're going to throw ourselves into the center of this mess?"

"Well do you want to spend the rest of your life trapped here? When the battle ends, time will turn back. This place is a never-ending struggle."

"What will happen if we die here?"

"Then your soul will become part of the time shard, and forever you shall wander here, repeating the same moment over and over again."

Nea trembled for a second. "What about you?"

White smiled. "I can't die remember? I'm not alive." He began climbing the rocky steps. "At most I will be destroyed and return to the chaos."

Nea was stuck on the spot, watching White's lone figure. Yun Heng passed her and broke her from her trance. With only the distant sound of battle, they trudged onwards. The main peak was deserted.

'Was everyone fighting outside?' Nea wondered.

As if responding to her pondering a weak sound of crying came from afar. They hastened their steps and found a child huddling between the greenery. She was wearing a white robe which was stained with dirt. Her messy hair was pulled into a bun. She shouldn't be more than 10 years old.

"Hey," Nea called out.

The child froze. Slowly, she raised her head. "Who?"

"Ah-um..." Nea stammered.

White said, "We're cultivators from a distant sect. We didn't expect that there would be a battle when we arrived. Do you know what happened? Where are the Elders?"

"M-most of the elders left...to fight the war...only Elder Li is here...." The child looked ready to cry again. "I was-I was asleep in my hiding spot and when I woke up... there was a fight outside and I couldn't find anyone!"

The younger disciples should already be evacuated when the battle began. This unfortunate child seemed to be forgotten.

"How about you come with us and find elder Li together?" Nea coaxed the child.

The child sobbed and nodded weakly. She haltingly got on her feet and ran to Nea, burying her head on Nea's stomach.

White looked like he wanted to say something but he merely sighed. "Let's go."

Yun Heng glanced at the child and continued following White.

Nea looked at her two heartless companions. She cradled the child into her arms and asked, "What's your name?"

The child sniffled and said, "Xiao Yu."

"Nice to meet you, Xiao Yu." Nea patted her back. "Don't worry I'll protect you."

They passed by cottages and buildings-all of them were deserted. Nea grasped Xiao Yu more tightly. Even if there was an evacuation there should still be some people left to guard the main peak. It was impossible for them to just abandon their sect.

"Did they all just leave?" Nea asked.

"I assume that most of the main force leave to fight the war," White replied. "Perhaps only the young and some leftovers stay to guard this place. All those who can fight are outside the inner barrier. Still, this place is too deserted."

"Do you know where your friends might have gone?" Nea asked Xiao Yu.

"I don't know..." Xiao Yu said, "but Elder Li should be in the Grand Pagoda."

They easily found the Grand Pagoda. It towered over other buildings with its dozens of stories. Just as Nea was about to ask if they had to climb all that stairs, someone was flung through the pagoda wall. The figure landed on another building's roof. It was one of the cultivators that they pursued. Several figures rushed out to continue their attack. One of the figures landed in from of them, brandishing her sword.

"Release that child and identify yourself!" the woman shouted.

Nea hastily put down Xiao Yu. Xiao Yu rushed toward the woman and hugged her. "Elder sister Lan!" Xiao Yu bawled. "I-I was so scared. I woke up and everyone was missing."

Elder sister Lan put her free hand on top of Xiao Yu's head but her gaze was still locked on them.

White said. "Now now no need to be so defensive. We are allies from the Immortal Clan."

"Prove it."

Nea quickly pulled out the jade necklace from beneath her shirt. It was shaped like a fenghuang. Elder sister Lan's aggression receded a bit.

"I thought that your clan does not wish to join this war," she said, "which side are you standing on?"

"Humans, of course," White replied. "Although we are cordial with the fenghuang, we have not forgotten what we are."

Elder sister Lan snorted. "Come Xiao Yu, you should not be here." She was about to take Xiao Yu away when the mysterious cultivator released a storm of chains. Those chains of lights burst out from his back and with high accuracy and speed pierced through several cultivators. Elder sister Lan tried to block the chain coming toward her with her sword. But the chain broke her sword in two and pierced her and Xiao Yu at the same time.

Nea gasped as she watched them shattered into glittering dust.

"You bastard!" A lone cultivator shouted as he blocked the chains. From his bearing and strength, it seemed that he was Elder Li.

Elder Li released his sword intent and cut down the mysterious cultivator. Blood gushed out of the deep diagonal wound on the mysterious cultivator's chest. Yet strangely there was a smile on his face as he fell.