Do I and Western Xia Share the Same Sky?

"Bad news, bad news!"

Xuanci came bolting in, shouting at the top of his lungs. By the time he stumbled inside, he was trembling all over, his voice cracked and strained.

Everyone turned their heads to look at him.

What was it this time?

Having long since grown accustomed to Xuanci's flighty nature, the group was mostly unfazed.

However, seeing Xuanci drenched in sweat and gasping for air—not speaking immediately, but pausing to catch his breath—even Li Su couldn't help but twitch an eyebrow.

The gravity of Xuanci's news was always directly proportional to his current state of agitation.

Over the past five years, the most dramatic incident had been when he failed to clean up some chicken bones and was caught by the disciples of the Discipline Hall.

But without a doubt, even that incident hadn't been as alarming as this.

Judging by this reaction, the matter was likely monumental.

Finally catching his breath, a rare look of gravity settled on Xuanci's young face. "Western Xia has declared war on the Song Dynasty! They've assembled an army of one hundred thousand and are marching toward Yanan Prefecture."

"What???"

In an instant, Xuancheng and the others couldn't help but widen their eyes.

The Song-Xia War?

Li Su was stunned, his brow furrowing as a deep sense of confusion filled his eyes.

Historically, the Song-Xia War had occurred many times.

However, he had read Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils, and when he had been excessively bored in the past, he had looked into the timeline of the novel.

Based on the ages of Xuanci and the others, it should currently be between 1050 and 1052 AD. At this point in time, the Song Dynasty and Western Xia had already signed a peace treaty, ushering in a period of peace that would last for decades.

If there were to be a war right now, it should be the Nong Zhigao Rebellion down in Guangdong.

It shouldn't be against Western Xia, should it?

"Those damn Western Xia dogs!"

Bang!

With a deafening crash, Xuancheng shattered the bluestone beside him with a single palm strike, his face twisted in a look of hatred Li Su had never seen before.

It wasn't just Xuancheng; Xuanji, Xuannan, Xuanku, and Xuanbei all wore expressions of bone-deep hatred.

"I'm going to find Master!"

"We're going too!"

Xuancheng leaped up, and Xuanku and the others followed immediately.

Watching the group rush off in a flurry, Li Su couldn't help but be taken aback. What was going on? What were these guys thinking? They didn't actually want to go to the battlefield, did they?

Although in the mainland version of Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils, Xiao Feng started the story by leading the Beggar Sect disciples to fight against the Liao Kingdom's army, and the main theme of Jin Da's novels was national righteousness—Xiao Feng was like that, Guo Jing was like that, Yang Guo was like that.

But did they really have to be this worked up?

How old were they, anyway? At this age, what could they possibly do on a battlefield?

Martial arts?

Heh. In a chaotic melee involving thousands or tens of thousands of soldiers, individual martial prowess—unless one possessed top-tier strength—meant they were little better than common foot soldiers.

Huff, huff!

Xuanci took a few deep, labored breaths, walked over, and grabbed Li Su. "Hurry up! If we're too slow, we might get left behind."

While dragging Li Su along, Xuanci added, "This is a rare opportunity. Those damn Western Xia dogs—if it weren't for them, how could we have become orphans?"

We... orphans...

Following Xuanci, Li Su felt goosebumps rise all over his skin, his young face turning green.

Damn it...

Adding more drama to my life again???

It was already ridiculous enough that the Putian Shaolin Temple had suddenly come to pay a visit, and never mind the Song-Xia War—were they actually orphans from the previous Song-Xia conflict?

Damn it, I just came here to grind for some abilities, is all this really necessary???

For the first time, Li Su felt the deep malice of this world, and for the first time, he truly understood the danger his teachers and classmates had constantly warned him about before he entered this world.

You won't be satisfied until you kill me, right?

It's fine, it's fine.

In the Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils era, none of the characters like Xuancheng died because of the Song-Xia War. This meant that even if they went to find the old monk Tianming, he would surely forbid them from going, right?

Perhaps it was the previous generation that had gone.

That would explain why, at the start of the story, Xuanci and his peers were the oldest generation in the Shaolin Temple.

Otherwise, given the current situation, there were dozens of seniors with higher status than them.

Lost in thought, Li Su and Xuanci arrived at the Arhat Hall, the room where the old monk Tianming taught them martial arts.

"Master, the Western Xia curs slaughtered my parents and harmed my neighbors. Disciple still remembers that day when those inhumane wretches charged into our town. Those beasts—my little sister was still in swaddling clothes, yet they didn't spare her, dashing her to death right before my eyes. This hatred, this grudge, is irreconcilable! Master, please let me go!"

It was the voice of Xuancheng, filled with an agitation and fury never heard before.

Hearing that voice brimming with such deep-seated hatred, Li Su couldn't help but get goosebumps. He never expected Xuancheng to have such a backstory.

A once-in-a-century genius of the Shaolin Temple, whose martial talent was beyond imagination—that was the only description of him in the novels.

However, in the world he was in now, even if it were just a projection destined to vanish after the events of Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils, there was no doubt these were living, breathing people.

How could a person's entire life be summarized so simply?

Just because one had high martial talent, were they destined to be nothing more than a martial arts fanatic?

Surely not.

At the very least, the atmosphere at the Shaolin Temple from the beginning, while encouraging disciples to study martial arts, was measured and disciplined. After all, the monks practiced Shaolin techniques themselves and understood their nature; as long as the older generation paid attention, they wouldn't let Xuancheng cultivate to the point of suffering a qi deviation.

Furthermore, what Xuancheng was like in Jin Da's books did not mean he was the same in this world.

After all, the Song-Xia war was already underway.

"Master, let us go!!!"

Pushing the door open, Xuanci immediately knelt and added, "The Western Xia curs have the ambition of wolves. Once they invade the Song Dynasty, how many more people will end up like us?"

Behind him, Li Su, though feeling helpless, had no choice but to kneel as well.

This was clearly a situation with no room for choice, even more frustrating than the time with the White-Clad Buddhist.

After all, as Xuanci had said, they were all orphans because of Western Xia. Although Li Su had absolutely no memories of that, he dared not sing a different tune at a time like this.

The five-thousand-year history of Huaxia had written the legends of countless people, and it had also inscribed the words "loyalty" and "filial piety."

In this world, those who lacked loyalty and filial piety, no matter how strong their power, would never have an easy life. Look at Ding Chunqiu, look at Quan Guanqing; none of them escaped the fate of being abandoned by their followers and kin.

However, Master should not agree—no, it should be said that Master absolutely would not agree.

After all, they were still too young, and their martial arts were just beginning; they were still a long way from being second-rate experts in the pugilistic world. In a situation like a war between two nations, what was the difference between participating and throwing their lives away?

Raising his head, Li Su looked at the old monk Tianming with an expectant expression, waiting for him to utter the words he wanted to hear.

Hmm, after this, I'll just pretend to be sad for a bit, cooperate with Xuancheng and the others, and then for the next few days, I'll act like I have no appetite for food or tea and stop practicing my techniques. This tribulation should be considered passed.

Looking at Xuancheng and the others, Tianming took a deep breath and slowly closed his eyes.

Opening them a moment later, he said slowly, "I understand your intentions.

But you must understand, that is war.

War kills people, and not just one or two, but thousands upon thousands.

Once on the battlefield, I fear it will be difficult for me to protect you, and with your current strength, there is a high probability that if you go, you will never return. Even so, do you still wish to go?"

Xuancheng and the seven others spoke in unison, their voices hard and unyielding: "We go! We will not regret it, even if we face nine deaths!"