Xi Qingyue and Xi Weilan walked for another half hour before stopping to rest. The sky was growing darker, and if they continued any further, they would need a torch to see.
After confirming that no one was around, they entered the space, planning to eat and rest well for the night.
The next morning, when the group led by the white-clad woman once again passed the spot where Xi Qingyue had been, she and Xi Weilan were still asleep inside the space.
Around midday, as the white-clad woman and her companions rested and ate lunch beneath a tree, Xi Qingyue and Xi Weilan slowly rode past them on their mule.
The same thing happened again that evening, sending a chill down their spines. They almost began to suspect that the two and their mule were ghosts.
“Mistress, are those two children even human?” The maidservant wrapped her arms around herself and glanced around nervously. In the dark of night, she felt as if a cold wind was blowing.
No sooner had she spoken than she was flicked on the forehead.
“What nonsense are you spouting? Have you ever seen such adorable ghosts? And you call yourself a martial artist—afraid of ghosts?”
Hearing this, the maidservant quickly waved her hands. “Mistress, I’m not being paranoid. It’s just that those two children are far too strange, appearing and disappearing out of nowhere. We’re walking the same road, but we never see them along the way. Yet every time we stop to rest, they pop up from behind us like ghosts.”
A guard nodded in agreement. “That’s right. I think they’re very odd, too. Two children riding a single mule, carrying only a small bundle. How are they managing food and drink? Where do they sleep at night? Aren’t they afraid of wolves?”
“Exactly. Their clothes are the kind only city folk with money would wear. Why would they be out here in this deep forest? And on top of that, their clothes are spotless—not a trace of hardship.”
Listening to her subordinates’ chatter, the white-clad woman spoke calmly, “That’s enough. Stop worrying about them. As long as they aren’t our enemies, it’s fine. Have you forgotten my leg injury? That was their doing—one fought, the other healed. Who gave you the illusion that they’re just ordinary children?”
She had personally seen the blade in Xi Qingyue’s hand. It was far superior to any weapon her people carried. Just looking at it, one could tell how deadly sharp it was.
The next day, they deliberately set off an hour later than usual.
This time, they walked for a while before finally spotting the two sisters riding the mule ahead of them.
Xi Qingyue and Xi Weilan each wore a wide-brimmed sun hat. The large brims shaded most of their faces, keeping the sunlight from touching them at all.
Again, there was no exchange between the two parties. Soon enough, they passed each other again, with Xi Qingyue and Xi Weilan falling behind once more.
When the group stopped for an early lunch, the two sisters caught up and overtook them again.
That afternoon, the white-clad woman delayed their departure once more. Halfway down the road, they encountered Xi Qingyue again, but Xi Weilan was no longer on the mule.
She finally understood why the two would be ahead of them but always appear from behind. The children got up late in the morning and took long rests at midday.
Only when they set off later did they meet the sisters ahead. Otherwise, the children would come up from behind while they were resting.
By normal standards, their group was faster on foot. But her leg injury forced her to rest frequently. The difference in resting times was what caused them to keep crossing paths—one group ahead, one behind.
As for where the children rested, she had no idea. The forest had plenty of places to hide. But there was no denying the strangeness of those two girls, especially now that the youngest had vanished from the mule.
Xi Qingyue still refused to speak with them. They passed by each other once more.
That night, when Xi Weilan reappeared sitting in front on the mule, the white-clad woman rubbed her eyes hard. Even she was starting to wonder if she had seen a ghost.
The moment the sisters moved on, the maidservant collapsed onto the ground. “Oh heavens, these two children are terrifying! They appear and disappear all the time!”
“Luo Ling, you spent so many years in the palace. You’ve seen plenty of strange things. And now you’re afraid of two children?”
The others burst out laughing at her expression, teasing that she had become a coward.
Luo Ling’s face flushed red, and she turned away to speak with her mistress instead.
“Mistress, once your leg has healed, let’s find a place to rest and recuperate. Your body can’t take much more of this.”
The woman nodded. “Mm. They all want me dead, so I have all the more reason to live well.”
Her expression remained calm as she spoke, her gaze completely unruffled.
And so, Xi Qingyue and the white-clad woman’s group moved forward at a staggered pace, sometimes ahead, sometimes behind. They never clashed, and occasionally even exchanged greetings.
The two sisters were simply slow and lazy, hunting along the way to practice their spear skills and archery. The woman, as if taking the chance to recover from her injury, was in no hurry to leave. She started early but rested early too, stopping for breaks at midday. Their speeds matched each other well.
Another seven or eight days passed this way. Gradually, other people began appearing in the forest—refugees who had come from the main road, searching for food and water.
Those brave enough to venture deep into the wilderness either had real skill or were truly desperate. Though there weren’t many, Xi Qingyue began thinking it was time to leave the mountain.
She looked in the direction the refugees had come from and turned to tell Xi Weilan, “Lan’er, we’re going down the mountain. Once we reach the main road, I’ll find a place to hitch the cart. Then, you can sit in the carriage where it’s more comfortable, or you can spend some time in the space.”
Xi Weilan smiled and nodded. “Okay, Big Sister. I’ll sit in the carriage and keep you company.”
By now, she had almost finished practicing her spear techniques. Xi Qingyue felt it was time to move on. The forest was thick with mosquitoes, and applying repellent every day was becoming a hassle.
Having decided to descend, they headed out from the deep woods. When they reached a secluded spot at the foot of the mountain, she hitched the carriage and had Xi Weilan sit inside. Xi Qingyue drove the cart from the front as they merged onto the main road.
There were more people on the road than she had expected—families dragging carts, others pulling oxcarts loaded with belongings and loved ones. But most were on foot, their faces hollow and gaunt, their lips dry and cracked.
She felt puzzled. What kind of place was this that had so many people? Had things outside already fallen into chaos so quickly?
Xi Weilan poked her head out to look. Pointing at the distant crowd, she whispered, “Big Sister, they look really miserable. Will Grandpa Village Head and Uncle Han end up like them?”
Xi Qingyue shook her head. “I don’t know. But I do know we’ve been spotted—by more than one group.”
She hadn’t expected to be targeted right after leaving the mountains.
Back in the forest, the group of martial artists hadn’t dared to lay a hand on them. Yet these people outside, seeing they were just children, wanted to rob them—without stopping to consider whether they could actually succeed.
“Big Sister, do they want to steal our mule cart?”
“They want more than just the cart. Two children like us will look like easy prey to anyone out here.” She added reassuringly, “Don’t worry, Lan’er. Big Sister will handle it. Just rest inside for now—don’t come out yet.”
Over the past few days, Xi Weilan had been eating well every day. Her face had grown rounder, soft and adorable as if carved from jade. If she showed herself now, it would no doubt tempt more greedy eyes. It was better not to taunt them.
The mule cart moved slowly along the road. Xi Qingyue sat in front, driving the cart, drawing many stares from the crowd. Some looked at her with the eager gaze of hunters eyeing prey.
She paid no attention to these glances, instead scanning her surroundings while listening to the chatter of passersby, gleaning bits of news from their words.
From their conversations, she learned that the nearest city ahead was Liangcheng, separated from Baiquancheng by several towns.
She also heard an unexpected piece of news: Baiquancheng had already fallen. The county magistrate and his family had fled long ago, and fortunately many had made their escape in advance, otherwise the casualties would have been devastating.
