Tang San and Xue Ke, a Thousand-Mile Escape"Princess, Lord Lanhao... he..."
The maid rushed into the princess's bedchamber and looked at Princess Xueke, who was still waiting anxiously, and said hesitantly.
Xue Ke felt a little disappointed when she saw the maid return, only to find the room empty behind her. She asked:
"King Lan Hao... what happened to him?"
The saying "A single encounter with Yuexuan can ruin one's life" perfectly describes Xue Ke. At that time, Tang San was so outstanding that he was dazzlingly handsome, which made even this princess of the empire fall for him.
After graduating from Yuexuan, she went to find Teacher Yuehua to inquire about Tang San's whereabouts, but ultimately received nothing. She thought she would never see Tang Yin again, but unexpectedly, Tang Yin suddenly appeared, joined the Empire, and pledged allegiance to her crown prince brother.
Tang Yin's full head of white hair, and the loneliness and sadness that occasionally showed on his face, broke Xue Ke's heart, but also made her want to comfort Tang Yin's inner pain.
As long as she persists, she will definitely be able to win Tang Yin's heart and make him fall in love with her. With Tang Yin's talent, he is also qualified to be her husband.
But to her surprise, her world collapsed overnight.
Her father had passed away, her respected elder brother, the Crown Prince, was an imposter from the Spirit Hall, and Xue Beng and Prince Xue Xing were also dead. Although she disliked these two people somewhat, they were still her family, and she was heartbroken. Overnight, all her loved ones were gone.
The vast Heavenly Dou Empire had no heir to the throne, and it ultimately fell to him.
She didn't feel excited; instead, she felt terrified.
So many eyes were focused on her—imperial courtiers, nobles, and elders from her father's harem. Just a day ago, she was a carefree princess! Faced with so many unfamiliar gazes, each with its own agenda, she even wanted to find a place to hide.
But fortunately, she still had Tang Yin.
With Tang Yin helping her share these burdens, and with her father having arranged a marriage between them, she suddenly realized that her father's death and her brother's departure weren't so unacceptable. In this ruined world, Tang Yin was still there for her.
But why doesn't Tang Yin come to see his fiancée at such a crucial time?
Looking at Princess Xueke's infatuated expression, the maid gritted her teeth, feeling a pang of pity. Urged on by the princess once more, she could only reply:
"Princess, King Lanhao said... he has very important things to do right now, so..."
While politics is important, can it be more important than one's future wife? Moreover, Xue Ke is the future Empress of the Heaven Dou Empire; she is the key to the stability of the Heaven Dou Empire's political situation! Can't Tang San spare a single moment to visit Xue Ke? No, of course not. Or rather, he simply doesn't want to see Xue Ke.
Xue Ke understood this too, and felt a pang of sadness. She lowered her head slightly, and after a long while, she raised her head, forced a smile, and said:
"He was right not to come see me. These are extraordinary times, and he has many important things to take care of..."
Seeing Xue Ke so submissive and even defending the Blue King, the maid couldn't help but say indignantly:
"Your Highness, you are being too accommodating to him!"
Listening to the conversation between master and servant, Yu Xiaogang, Flander, and Liu Erlong exchanged glances, all remaining silent in tacit agreement, and sighed softly. Liu Erlong slowly walked to Princess Xueke's side and gently comforted her:
"Don't worry, Your Highness, you are his future wife. How could he not care about you? The reason he didn't come must be because something is holding him up."
Liu Erlong knew perfectly well why Tang San hadn't come. Tang San hadn't forgotten Xiao Wu, but had she? However, Xiao Wu was no longer there, and people had to move on. She could only hope that time would heal all wounds and allow Tang San to accept Xue Ke.
"Really?"
Xue Ke's hope was rekindled, and she looked at Liu Erlong with anticipation.
Liu Erlong nodded and said affirmatively:
"I know Xiao San well. He is serious and devoted to love. Your Highness, you must believe in him and give him some time."
Xue Ke's heart was rekindled with hope, and a faint smile appeared on her pretty face.
Looking at Xue Ke's innocent appearance, Liu Erlong sighed inwardly.
If time could truly heal all wounds, she wouldn't have waited so many years for Yu Xiaogang, alone, guarding the Blue Tyrant Academy. And can Tang San, who is deeply in love, truly forget Xiao Wu and accept Xue Ke?
She couldn't help but glance at that most familiar stranger, and a slight ripple stirred in the desolate lake of her heart.
Although she reunites with Yu Xiaogang just like in the original story, unlike in the original story, Yu Xiaogang's most outstanding disciple, Tang San, is defeated by Dai Yao every time. His ambitions have never been verified, so what right does he have to accept Liu Erlong's love?
Whenever Liu Erlong made an attack, Yu Xiaogang would always dodge. Liu Erlong's infatuation was always met with Yu Xiaogang's inability to look her in the eye.
Thinking of this, Liu Erlong sighed heavily. Perhaps, they would spend the rest of their lives tormenting each other...
······
Night falls in the north of Tiandou City.
The forest surrounding the official road was pitch black, with the constant chirping of insects. A speeding carriage shattered the forest's silence.
"parking!"
Inside the carriage, Dai Yao surveyed the surrounding scene and said in a deep voice.
The coachman was slightly taken aback. Weren't we going to a town north of Tiandou City? Why did we suddenly stop? What happened? However, he didn't think too much about it, pulled on the reins, and stopped the carriage.
"They're gone."
Dai Yao turned around, looked at Qian Renxue who had a puzzled look on her face, and said softly.
Dai Yao got off the carriage first, and then helped Qian Renxue, who was following behind, down as well. The bumpy ride hadn't calmed Qian Renxue down at all; if it weren't for the herbal medicine she had taken, she would have already fallen unconscious.
Dai Yao, supporting Qian Renxue, reached into his Ruyi Hundred Treasures Pouch with one hand, took out a bag of gold coins, handed it to the coachman, and said calmly:
"Here is a thousand gold soul coins, a small reward. Continue north and stop in Winterfell, a hundred kilometers away. There, someone will ensure your safe return to Spirit City and bestow upon you the real reward."
The coachman took the bag with some surprise. Having been lurking in the Heaven Dou Empire for so many years, he had long wanted to return to Wuhun City.
"Thank you, sir! Thank you, sir!"
"Don't delay, head north immediately."
Dai Yao gave the order.
The coachman nodded, then boarded the carriage, spurred the horse, and headed north towards Winterfell.
Dai Yao helped Qian Renxue into the dark forest. After walking for a while, he used his soul power to hide his footprints and traces.
Seeing Dai Yao's actions, Qian Renxue recalled how Dai Yao had devised a plan to escape to Tian Dou when the palace coup was doomed to fail. At the time, she had been somewhat dismissive of it, but now it had become their only hope of leaving the Tian Dou Empire. Her own arrogance seemed so ridiculous.
He coughed a few times and gave a bitter laugh:
"I must say, you're really cautious. You actually got off the carriage halfway through the journey, and you didn't even trust the coachman."
As Dai Yao wiped away the footprints and restored the broken branch, he replied:
"My life is in my own hands. Even if that coachman is caught, he probably won't reveal my location. But I can't gamble. I won't gamble even if there's the slightest risk of being exposed. I'm not like you, with a distinguished family background and respected by others. I've been alone since I was a child, surrounded by people who want me dead. If I hadn't been careful, I wouldn't be alive today."
Qian Renxue sighed softly as she thought of Dai Yao's background. Her own arrogance led to the failure of the Heavenly Dou Palace Coup, while Dai Yao's caution became her lifeline.
Previously, she considered Dai Yao's caution a sign of weakness, even looking down on him and believing he lacked the heart of a strong person. Now, it seems, what's the point of talking about being strong if you're dead?
His overconfidence in his divine-level martial soul had turned into arrogance, but before he knew it, doubts began to creep in. Was a martial soul really that important?
"Before we left Tiandou City, I noticed that explosions were coming from the other seven city gates at the same time. Did you arrange for a total of eight identical carriages?"
Thinking of the strangeness when leaving the city, Qian Renxue was curious about Dai Yao's arrangements and asked.
Dai Yao nodded.
"Wuhun City is in the south of the Heaven Dou Empire, yet you deliberately left from the north of Heaven Dou City. You're creating a diversion, which proves you won't take the southern route. Aren't all these arrangements redundant?"
Dai Yao smiled and said:
"You're right, but do you think Tang San would dare to gamble?"
Qian Renxue was slightly taken aback: "You mean, you want them to divert the pursuit forces?"
Dai Yao nodded and said, "Of course, I never believed that leaving the Heaven Dou Empire would be so easy. Don't forget, to leave the Heaven Dou Empire, you have to pass through Jialing Pass. Do you think Tang San would relax the defenses there?"
Qian Renxue nodded in agreement.
Dai Yao continued to explain:
"The reason I did this was to distract them. It was a cautious plan, but I never expected it to play such a crucial role. The Clear Sky Sect mobilized five elders at the Title Douluo level. Although the Seventh Elder was injured, there are still four elders left."
"We must separate from the four Title Douluos, who are in four different directions. Even if we are found, I can barely handle one Title Douluo."
Qian Renxue glanced at Dai Yao out of the corner of her eye. It was unbelievable that the once-renowned young prodigy was so cautious. She said with some emotion:
"You're really careful."
Dai Yao smiled and said, "That's not all. Before arranging the escape plan, I specifically investigated the defense strength of each gate of Tian Dou City. Among the eight gates, the North Gate, which we left through, was the weakest. Therefore, I specially arranged for two Soul Emperors at the South Gate and one Soul Emperor at the West Gate to distract the enemy."
"As for the North Gate, although there are no Soul Emperor level experts there, I have already thoroughly infiltrated this city gate. If it weren't for the emergency, I could have quietly slipped away with you without even needing the other seven city gates to cover us."
Qian Renxue looked at Dai Yao in shock. This plan was far too detailed. Could it really have been arranged in just one month? She couldn't help but ask:
"You arranged all of this within a month?"
Dai Yao glanced at Qian Renxue, raised his head, looked at the pitch-black sky without a trace of light, listened to the chirping of insects in the surrounding dark forest, and after a long while, let out a heavy sigh, shook his head, and said:
"Of course not, in just one month."
"Back then, I fled from the Star Luo Empire to the Heaven Dou Empire, where I gradually made a name for myself. At that time, the royal family, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, and other major powers all wanted to recruit me. As I became more and more eye-catching, the Platinum Bishop Salas became somewhat worried that I would be forcibly kept in the Heaven Dou Empire."
"Therefore, he even brought in Chrysanthemum Douluo to secretly protect me."
"It was around that time that I began to plant pawns throughout Heaven Dou City with the help of the Spirit Temple, just in case. The seeds I planted back then have now blossomed and borne fruit."
Qian Renxue stared at Dai Yao in shock. It turned out that Dai Yao had begun planning his escape from Tian Dou decades ago. Even with the protection of the Spirit Hall, Dai Yao still didn't entrust his fate to others, but chose to take it upon himself. Compared to herself, he was the complete opposite.
She fell into a deep silence.
Seeing Qian Renxue remain silent, Dai Yao also refrained from speaking, instead supporting her as they hurried toward the planned location.
Before long, a thatched house came into view.
Dai Yao put Qian Renxue down and, under her questioning gaze, went into the forest behind the thatched hut. A moment later, he returned leading two horses. He then retrieved a carriage from the hut, saddled the horses, and said to Qian Renxue:
"Come on up."
Although Qian Renxue was very weak, she still looked at the suddenly appearing horses and carriages with some surprise and asked:
"Where did you get this?"
Dai Yao stroked the horse's mane and explained with a smile, "Behind the thatched hut is a horse farm. I sent someone to keep a few horses here a long time ago. Now is the perfect time to use them."
"Get in the car. I'll drive myself this time. To avoid those checkpoints and cities, the road ahead will be narrow and bumpy, so you'll have to bear with it."
Dai Yao trusted no one but himself. On the run, he would never betray himself.
With Dai Yao's help, Qian Renxue struggled to board the carriage, having anticipated the hardships of their escape. She took a few deep breaths, recovering from the pain, and looked weakly at Dai Yao, saying:
"Don't worry, I won't hold you back."
Dai Yao nodded, spurred his horse, and galloped eastward. Compared to the official road they had come by, these smaller paths were much more rugged and bumpy, making it impossible for Qian Renxue, sitting inside the carriage, to cultivate. She could only grit her teeth and endure the excruciating pain. Had she not taken the herbal medicine, she would have already fainted.
Dai Yao stared at the dark road and sneered slightly. He had long ago memorized the escape route. He had rehearsed it countless times before when he was on his escape. Even in complete darkness, he would never go astray.
"Tang San, let's go to Winterfell. There, I have a big gift waiting for you."
Dai Yao didn't believe his methods could render Tang San helpless. Discovering his escape route was only a matter of time. Therefore, he had a grand gift prepared in Winterfell City, waiting for the pursuers to arrive. If it was Tang San, even better…
The evening breeze ruffled Dai Yao's long hair, making it feel quite refreshing. Dai Yao turned around and looked into the carriage, saying through the curtain:
"By the way, there's some dry food and water in the carriage. It doesn't taste good, but you can eat it if you're hungry."
A weak voice came from inside the carriage:
"No need, thank you."
The night passed without incident, until the clatter of horses' hooves shattered the tranquility of the night... (End of Chapter)