Cultivation Simulator: Starting From The Empress' Palace

Chapter 159: 159 Go to Jiyang Mountain

This time, the army leaving the city was even more numerous than the last.

Dense and overwhelming, they surged out, nearly unable to fit in the open space outside the city.

The rebels who had previously abandoned their armor and helmets saw their numbers suddenly swell.

They immediately regained their courage, picked up their weapons from the ground, and counterattacked.

But what they didn’t know was,

After this army left the city,

Zhang Ping set off several more traps,

then shut the city gates tightly.

Leaving a troop to guard the city, he led the remaining main forces to retreat from Fengchi County via the rear.

Two hours later,

the golden crow set in the west.

Fengchi County fell.

After entering the city and finding that the main army had already slipped away, Huangfu Hao naturally led the army in pursuit.

At this moment, Chen Mo requested to stay behind and clean up the battlefield.

Because of Chen Mo’s outstanding performance during the previous battles and the recent assault on the city, and since the battlefield needed clearing, his request was granted.

He was left with two more camps.

Chen Mo organized the two battalions left by Huangfu Hao to clean up the battlefield.

”Gao Zheng, Liu Dan, Xu Dabang... take your men and follow me.”

Chen Mo mounted his horse.

”Understood.” Gao Zheng and the others quickly nodded and led their men to follow swiftly.

...

Jiyang Mountain is a large mountain within Fengchi County, teeming with ferocious beasts, making even seasoned hunters wary of entering alone.

With the complex terrain inside, it’s easy to get lost and never return.

Before heading to Jiyang Mountain, Chen Mo found someone familiar with the local geography in the city.

...

Inside Jiyang Mountain,

Luo Zhen’s face was slightly pale, her body already fatigued.

After all, although she had talent, she made no progress in martial arts, so much that she’d be considered a frail woman.

Entering this Jiyang Mountain was a reluctant move.

Many people wanted to capture her, and with being pursued from all sides, she charged into this mountain, hoping to use its complex terrain and wild animals to evade capture.

Initially, she hadn’t intended to venture deep into Jiyang Mountain.

But she underestimated the allure of her beauty.

Soon after, a large group of people flooded into Jiyang Mountain.

Unable to do anything else, she fled uphill with Granny Qing.

Because of Luo Zhen’s fatigue and constantly avoiding the territories of fierce beasts, their pace was not quick.

As night fell,

Luo Zhen could already hear the sounds of pursuit behind her.

Looking back, she could also see large areas illuminated by firelight.

Luo Zhen could only muster her strength, dragging her tired body further into the mountain.

She didn’t know how long she had walked, only aware that looking up, the moonlight was no longer visible in the sky.

The surroundings were pitch dark.

People are creatures drawn to light.

Seeing light not far off, the two headed toward it.

Soon after,

they arrived at the source of the light.

The so-called light was merely an open area here, where the moonlight spilled down from the sky.

Using the moonlight, Luo Zhen could see it was an abandoned Daoist Temple, with steps covered in moss and green vines.

From the inscriptions on the walls, it appeared to be a relic from a previous dynasty when all sects and religions were abolished.

There were no miraculous manuals inside,

nor any miracle elixir that would elevate someone instantly to a First Grade master.

All that existed was a battered deity statue, its head fallen and shattered into two on the ground.

Even the roof was dilapidated, with a few beams of moonlight pouring down.

”I can’t move anymore, Granny Qing. I really can’t move. You should go on and leave me,”

Luo Zhen sat down, collapsing.

She had reached her physical limits, without having rested since the previous night.

Now she had no strength left, unable to walk anymore.

Gazing at the bright moon in the sky, sorrow welled up from her heart: ”Father, Uncle Li, I fear I am powerless to avenge your great grievances. If there’s a next life, be assured Luo Zhen will diligently learn martial arts.”

She loathed her own helplessness.

Witnessing her father die in front of her, yet being able to do nothing.

Further implicating Uncle Li, who took her in.

If there was a next life, she wished to be born a man.

This female body had caused her too much trouble.

Suddenly, she saw the well in the courtyard.

She crawled over with difficulty and dropped a stone into the well.

”Plonk!”

The sound of water came from the well.

She laughed bitterly, saying, ”Granny Qing, you go quickly. I won’t let them capture me and suffer endless humiliation. If they really find this place, I will plunge into this well.”

Granny Qing could escape on her own, but considering her age, if she took Luo Zhen along, they wouldn’t be able to leave.

However, Granny Qing did not leave. Instead, she sat by the well and talked to Luo Zhen about her father’s past.

And Luo Zhen also learned about her father’s past.

Her father was an assassin.

And her mother as well.

During a mission, the two fell in love and her mother became pregnant.

But in the Black Shadow, assassins were forbidden to fall in love, it was taboo, especially not to have emotions.

Their affair was soon discovered by the organization.

Because they even sought to retire and no longer wished to be assassins.

The Black Shadow had a rule:

Born a member of Black Shadow, die a ghost of Black Shadow.

They violated the rules of the organization and sought to leave the organization.

This constituted two capital offenses.

Then they were hunted by the organization.

While on the run, Luo Zhen’s mother gave birth to her.

Soon after,

the three of them were pursued by assassins sent by the organization.

Luo Zhen’s mother was killed by the assassins while trying to cover their escape.

The two left continued to evade capture and went into hiding in Celestial River City.

Luo Qiao was also not late in having a daughter, it was not to thank heaven that he started doing good deeds.

He had killed too many people, thus started doing good deeds to atone for his sins.

The County Magistrate of Celestial River County was not Luo Qiao’s actual brother.

An assassin would have no family.

The so-called brother was someone Luo Qiao acknowledged; they had mutual benefits.

Later, they became close, and the County Magistrate of Celestial River County truly recognized him as a brother.

Preventing Luo Zhen from practicing martial arts was simply to keep her from following his path.

Teaching her music, chess, calligraphy, and painting was just to ensure she could marry into a good family.

But what Luo Qiao did not expect was that Luo Zhen, wishing to support the family, chose never to marry and learned business from him.

Luo Zhen began to cry.

Crying her heart out.

She understood the good intentions of her father when she was young.

...

Heaven did not favor Luo Zhen with any luck.

Under Zhao Shicheng’s lead, the rebels still found this Daoist Temple.

Seeing Luo Zhen and Granny Qing.

Even though Luo Zhen had muddied her face, she could still vaguely be recognized.

Luo Zhen immediately made a decision.

Seeing she was truly found, she directly plunged into the well headfirst.

Granny Qing followed promptly.

Perhaps it was not Luo Zhen’s destiny to die, as the rebels, after a bout of scooping, rescued Luo Zhen.

After pulling up Luo Zhen and seeing that she was still breathing, they stopped pulling up anyone else.

After all, they were only after Luo Zhen.

As for the old woman, she had no value.