"Clang~ clang, clang..."
"From Southern Heaven to the Northern Wasteland~ my man walked to the mountains at the world's end~ searched every mountain and sea, but nowhere could he find her~ where was his old mother..."
The desolate melody still echoed beneath the poplar tree, but the tragic grandeur and sighs of bidding a brave man farewell had become a flat recitation utterly devoid of enthusiasm.
Cradling his three-stringed instrument, the storyteller watched Bian Yuanlie, who had been ready to face death just moments ago, walk back, looking over his shoulder every few steps. He could not help grumbling inwardly, All that hot blood this old man worked up, wasted. I thought it would be something earth-shaking...
Ye Jingtang stood where he was with the Dragon-Mingling Spear in hand. Once Bian Yuanlie had gone some distance, he looked into the depths of the Great Desert.
Li Si and the others, who had fled earlier, had run a great distance before looking back from atop a dune as they ran to see the outcome. When they saw Bian Yuanlie retreat after recognizing the difficulty with just a couple of moves, they immediately charged down the dune and vanished.
Naturally, Ye Jingtang did not pursue them to wipe them out. He turned toward Silly and the others waiting nearby, ready to continue studying the stone stele.
The young women, and even the Black Bureau personnel, were clearly somewhat bewildered to see Bian Yuanlie first march gallantly toward his death, only to scratch his head and leave immediately afterward.
The Empress Dowager stood beside Dongfang Liren and asked quietly:
"What did Ye Jingtang take out just now? Why did that old man leave without another word?"
Dongfang Liren did not know either. She was merely pondering why Ye Jingtang had not taught her