NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 147:
Chapter 147: The Last Time:
Xu Xi woke up from a deep sleep, his mind clear and refreshed. The exhaustion he had carried for days had vanished, and the circulation of his Qi and blood felt smoother than usual.
“Is it already daytime?”
The once-lit candle had extinguished on its own. The morning sunlight streamed through the windows, brighter and sharper than ever, illuminating every detail of the room.
As he inhaled deeply, Xu Xi felt the cold, crisp air fill his lungs, bringing him fully into the present.
“This is…”
He lifted the velvet coat draped over him.
“Did Yingxue leave this for me?”
Turning his gaze, he saw the girl slumped over the desk, fast asleep. Her delicate nose twitched slightly with each breath, her chest rising and falling rhythmically.
Her arm rested atop a stack of documents, annotated and organized.
Looking at her peaceful face, Xu Xi immediately understood what had transpired the previous night.
“Yingxue has improved so much lately,” he thought, a small smile surfacing on his lips.
He gently retrieved the documents from beneath her arm, scanning through her work. The notes she’d made were meticulous and well-thought-out.
“This is good,” Xu Xi murmured approvingly. He felt genuine pride in her growth.
Of course, he wished she would take better care of herself and not fall asleep amidst her work.
“Let her sleep a little longer. She probably stayed up late finishing these.”
The princess looked utterly serene in her slumber. Her lips moved faintly as if murmuring a dream, and a tiny bubble of saliva glistened on her lower lip.
Xu Xi chuckled softly. With a light motion, he took the velvet coat she had given him and placed it over her shoulders.
Though innate warriors didn’t require warmth, as their Qi and blood kept their bodies resilient, some gestures weren’t about practicality.
Sometimes, people did things simply because they cared.
“Yesterday, we finalized the initial plan,” Xu Xi thought aloud. “Starting today, everyone in the Qiuhuo Army must focus on martial arts training. They need the strength to defend themselves when we cross the Hundred Thousand Mountains.”
He mentally ticked through the list of preparations.
“We’ll also need to stockpile more food… weapons, armor, herbs, and tools for the journey.”
Pushing the door open, Xu Xi stepped outside.
The winter morning greeted him with a chill. Though the sun shone brightly, its rays failed to warm the frosty air.
Dead branches swayed in the wind, and a light dusting of snow fell, covering the world in a gentle white veil.
The scene was tranquil and beautiful, but Xu Xi had no mind to appreciate it.
As he stood there, surveying the snow-blanketed landscape, his thoughts raced.
“How do we escape the Hundred Thousand Mountains? How do I save as many people as possible?”
“Sir! Sir! I brought you some clothes!”
The sound of the door opening must have woken her. Wu Yingxue appeared, clutching the velvet coat and rushing to his side. Without waiting for an explanation, she draped it over him.
The coat was a deep brown, contrasting with the white snowflakes that clung to it.
“Thank you, Yingxue,” Xu Xi said, brushing snow off her head. “Go back inside and get some more rest.”
Obediently, Wu Yingxue yawned and trudged back, rubbing her eyes as she went.
…
[Simulating the fifteenth year, you are 30 years old, and Wu Yingxue is 24 years old.]
[Your Qi and blood keep your body at its peak. Time has left no mark on your face. To everyone, you’re still the “honest brother” they cherish and worry about.]
[To prepare for breaking through the Hundred Thousand Mountains, you’ve completely restructured the survival army.]
[Some people are puzzled. Others are confused.]
[But no one doubts you.]
[Your prestige is unmatched. The people trust you unconditionally and believe there is a deeper purpose behind every action you take.]
Under your guidance, the survival army transformed. Everyone—from the young warriors to the elderly at home—worked diligently. They practiced martial arts, stockpiled food, and prepared for the inevitable journey ahead.
[‘Martial Arts That Even a Fool Can Practice’ remains the most effective way to enhance strength, but it requires substantial food supplies to avoid the dangers of autophagy.]
[To maintain the illusion of an army still intent on overthrowing Daqian, you and Wu Yingxue led separate campaigns, swiftly raiding two Daqian states and seizing their grain reserves.]
…
[Simulating the 16th year, you are 31 years old, and Wu Yingxue is 25 years old.]
[Your explorations into Shiwandashan yield surprising discoveries.]
[Venturing deep into the mountains to find a safer path, you face immense danger. Even at your level, the third realm of Xiantian, you feel a constant, looming threat.]
[This threat peaks in spring and winter. You deduce that the tides of demons during these seasons aren’t solely for hunting humans but are driven by something deeper.]
“The weak devour the weak. The fittest survive. That’s the law of demons,” Xu Xi realized. “They’re not afraid of humans. They fear stronger demons.”
[You theorize that during spring and winter, the strongest demons dominate Shiwandashan, forcing weaker ones to the borders. To avoid them, the best time to break through is mid-summer when these apex predators temporarily retreat.]
…
[Meanwhile, rebellion across Daqian intensifies.]
[Though your survival army has stopped expanding its territory, the widespread adoption of ‘Martial Arts That Even a Fool Can Practice’ has sparked numerous uprisings. Rebel factions emerge, each vying for control, with chaos erupting across the empire.]
[Some rebels mock your inaction, dismissing you as a fool for letting others claim victory.]
[You notice malicious forces watching the Thirteen States of Daqian.]
“I’m furious!”
“What’s wrong, A Niu?”
“Brother Xu, those people are insulting you! I can’t let that go!”
“It’s fine, A Niu. Don’t waste your anger on the dying.”
…
[Simulating the 17th year, you are 32 years old. Though your face remains youthful, your martial arts stagnate at the 3rd stage innate realm. The bottleneck of the human immortal realm proves stubborn.]
“But there’s no more time,” Xu Xi decided. “This year, we must break through the Hundred Thousand Mountains.”
Any delay could spell disaster. The imperial capital and Shiwandashan would soon drop their façades of peace, revealing their monstrous nature.
“Brother Xi, just say the word!”
“Yes, we’ll follow you!”
Before Xu Xi stood a sea of faces. Their voices united in unwavering determination.
Two simple words echoed louder than any others:
[Seek to live.]