Xi Qingyue did not voice her true thoughts. After bidding farewell to Liu Xin, she once again took Xi Weilan and returned to the mountains.
She sighed. "Ah, they said the fighting could break out at any moment, but who knows if it'll be days or months. War is always unpredictable."
"Big Sister, if Grandpa Village Head and the others leave in a few days, should we go with them?" Xi Weilan looked up at her and asked.
Xi Qingyue shook her head. "No, traveling with them is inconvenient. If we don't bring anything, it'll seem strange; if we bring too much, it'll be a burden. We'd constantly have to find water sources, fetch water, and build fires to cook. If we did nothing and still had plenty to eat every day, we'd draw too much attention."
The villagers seemed decent enough, but for now, she felt that having too many people around would only cause trouble. She preferred to be free and unrestrained.
That same evening, Xi Qingyue took Xi Weilan down the mountain.
They first went to the cemetery, moving their mother's remains and coffin into the space to be reburied properly. Then the two of them went to the Village Head's home.
Xi Qingyue stated her intentions directly. "Grandpa Village Head, Lan'er and I won't be going with you. Two children driving a cart would be a target anywhere we go, and it would only bring endless trouble to you. Rest assured, we can protect ourselves just fine."
Hearing this, the Village Head furrowed his brows deeply. Her words made sense—two kids driving a cart would indeed attract countless greedy eyes—but wouldn't it be even more dangerous for them to go alone?
Before he could try to persuade her, Xi Qingyue handed him two bundles.
"Grandpa Village Head, this is a gift I prepared for everyone. You might find it useful on the road."
She opened one of the bundles, revealing many alloy-crafted short rods. She picked one up and introduced it. "This one is compact and easy to carry. Even children can keep it on them for self-defense. When you encounter danger, just press this button and it quickly extends."
"This one here is electrified, kind of like being struck by lightning—it works even better..."
The Village Head stared in astonishment. He had never seen such high-quality items made of this material.
"And this is for starting fires. It's more convenient than flint. You can take it along for the journey."
...
Xi Qingyue explained the use of each item one by one. Although she wasn't going with them, she didn't want these people to be easily killed by enemies or die of illness. She was willing to give them some life-saving tools.
Everyone in the Village Head's household was now too excited to speak. They stared at the items before them, their initial shock giving way to exhilaration.
The Village Head's lips moved as if to ask where these things came from, but in the end, he held back.
"I'll thank you on behalf of the villagers, Little Yue. Are you really not coming with us? Traveling alone, just the two of you, you'll attract a lot of attention. If you join us, at least we can look out for each other." He still couldn't help asking, worried.
Xi Qingyue smiled and shook her head. "No, Grandpa Village Head. The two of us look too young and will draw attention everywhere we go. Don't worry, we'll be fine. I still want to take Lan'er on some adventures."
Li Wanqiu sighed after listening. She tried to persuade them a few more times but was repeatedly refused by Xi Qingyue.
After handing over the gifts, Xi Qingyue left without lingering in the village.
Watching their retreating figures, the Village Head was filled with mixed emotions. An eight-year-old child with such a strong will—it was truly remarkable.
Xi Qingyue led Xi Weilan back to the mountains that very night. She likely wouldn't return to Liushu Village. Even if she had to leave, she would cut through the forest heading south, rather than taking the route through the county town.
Once they left the village, she took out a flashlight to light the way. She carried Xi Weilan in her arms, while the mule followed obediently by their side.
When they reached an open area, she summoned the RV and took Xi Weilan inside to rest.
For the next several days, the sisters never came down from the mountain, and the villagers didn't go up either.
What none of them knew was that in the border city of Yamencheng, the Northern Yue Kingdom and the Dajing Dynasty had already clashed in a fierce battle. Yamencheng had fallen, its defending general been beheaded, and the entire city was slaughtered.
No one escaped the city, and the news couldn't be transmitted in time.
It wasn't until the enemy forces broke through two more cities and reached Luocheng that some people managed to flee, spreading the news far and wide.
Before the imperial decree to conscript soldiers even arrived, the news of the Northern Yue invasion had already spread, throwing everyone into panic.
The Village Head and his group had just left Baiquan County when they heard the news. A chill ran down his spine—it was a good thing they had left in time.
"Ah, who knows if the fighting will reach here. We'd better hurry along," the Village Head remarked, then led the group onward. Many others on the road had also received the news early and were rushing along in a panic.
Xi Qingyue knew nothing of all this. She remained deep in the mountains, moving forward a short distance each day, while the rest of her time was spent cultivating her abilities and teaching Xi Weilan marksmanship.
"Big Sister, I hit it! I hit it!" Xi Weilan's excited voice rang out.
She ran over to a rabbit, picked it up, and dashed toward Xi Qingyue, her little face full of joy.
This was a rabbit she had shot—her own prey.
She held the rabbit out to Xi Qingyue. "Big Sister, here! I know how to use the gun now. I can hunt on my own."
Xi Qingyue took the rabbit with a smile. "Good job, Lan'er. Tonight, I'll make you braised rabbit."
"Big Sister, I want to drink happy water too." Xi Weilan's face was brimming with excitement.
Xi Qingyue patted her head and nodded with a smile. "Alright, I'll get you some in a bit."
Hearing that, Xi Weilan broke into a wide grin.
The two of them spent over ten days deep in the mountains like this, until one evening, Xi Qingyue's power broke through to the third rank.
A surge of joy filled her face. She found a small bug to test it, and in the next instant, the bug appeared in her space, completely unharmed.
"Great! I can bring in other living things now."
She tossed the bug out, and with a thought, the mule appeared inside the space.
Overjoyed, she went over to Xi Weilan and took her hand. "Come on, I'll take you to a different place. We won't have to sleep outside tonight."
Xi Weilan looked confused, not understanding what she meant. They hadn't slept outside every night—they'd been sleeping in the vehicle.
But when she saw a completely unfamiliar place, her puzzlement turned into excitement.
"Wow! What a beautiful big house! Big Sister, can I go inside and see?"
Xi Qingyue ruffled her hair and nodded with a smile. "Of course. This is our home. You can go anywhere you like."
The moment she finished speaking, Xi Weilan happily dashed toward the villa, running all around it. She crouched by the swimming pool, reached in to splash the water, and then ran inside the villa.
Xi Qingyue let her run wild. Children were curious about everything, and she'd settle down once she'd seen enough.
She walked into the villa, flopped onto the sofa, and lay down to rest, while Xi Weilan continued exploring curiously.
She went from the first floor to the third, then back down to the first, sneaking a peek into every corner, growing more excited the more she saw.
"Big Sister, what is this place? It's so much bigger than the car!"
Xi Qingyue smiled and waved at her. "Come over and rest for a while. You'll have plenty of time to look around later. This is Big Sister's secret space—no one can enter without my permission."
Xi Weilan happily threw herself into her arms and wrapped her arms around her neck. "Big Sister, can I come here often from now on?"
"Yes, you could come in every day if you wanted."
Hearing her reply, the smile on Xi Weilan's face grew even brighter.
Xi Qingyue patted her head and lifted her up. "Big Sister will show you around this place and pick out a beautiful room for you. From now on, it will be your very own room."
