After breakfast, Song Cheng quietly pushed open the door, only to see Madam Tong and Ying sleeping together in the side room. One was a charming petite physician, the other a tall and heroic woman...

His heart stirred with the temptation to join them under the covers and enjoy the bliss of sharing their company.

However, a quick look at his own clothes, which were quite dirty, dissuaded him from the thought.

The noise of the door opening also woke the two women, who relaxed again upon seeing it was Song Cheng.

Ying crawled out of the bedding, still fully clothed as she had slept.

"Son-in-law, is everything alright?" the stoic heroine couldn't help but ask.

Song Cheng said, "It's nothing."

Then he added, "Thanks to Miss An's decisive command, we were able to get through last night safely."

Although Ying agreed with Song Cheng's assessment of Miss An, she felt something was off as she straightened her crumpled sword robe and said, "The Ghost Servants didn't break into the city?"

"No," Song Cheng casually nodded, then yawned and said, "You should go to Miss An."

Ying: "Hmm."

Afterwards, Ling arranged for a maid to heat water and prepare clothes, very much in the manner of a mistress in charge of the inner courtyard.

Song Cheng also bathed and changed his clothes, then lay down on the bed, massaging the base of his thumb.

Faint streams of Gang Qi followed the perfect circulation of force under his skin.

This flow of energy was sustained under the "intent" cultivated through the Pile Stance Technique, therefore reaching the realm of perfection.

Without intent, there is only form, and that always ends up inferior.

The "True Form of Xuanwu" is a Cultivation Technique of Four Forms, its primary training method being the "Pile Stance Technique," which mimics the postures of various beasts.

Ordinary forces might only master one form, usually depicting common beasts.

But "Xuanwu" couldn't be fully depicted even in four forms; it remained elusive.

This meant there was still significant room for improvement.

If he could gather more Force Methods or Form Techniques and integrate them into his "True Form of Xuanwu," wouldn't that mean his foundation was becoming even more solid?

Some people are solely focused on climbing higher.

But cultivation isn't about climbing a mountain; it's about constructing a building.

The more stable the foundation of a building, the greater its height.

'A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, and a river grows from little streams...'

Thinking this, Song Cheng felt his weariness deepen.

He yawned and, leaning against a pillow still fragrant with a woman's scent, drifted into sleep.

Having achieved Perfection in the Form Realm, which added "Protective Gang Qi" unlike the Force Realm, the energy consumption had also significantly increased.

After a night of relentless battle, he was truly exhausted...

...

...

Song Cheng slept through until the evening, skipping lunch.

Upon waking and looking outside, he remarked,

"It's raining again..."

This weather was clear during the day, only to rain again at night.

He hurriedly got up, washed up, and left his room.

By coincident, just as he opened his door, the main house's door also swung open.

Miss An had just stepped across the threshold when their eyes met, and they naturally moved closer to each other.

Ying, following behind Miss An, saw Song Cheng, a hint of reticence in her valiant eyes, tinged with a bit of grievance.

Song Cheng said, "Ying, speak your mind."

With a resentful tone, Ying said, "Son-in-law, you lied to me."

Song Cheng looked puzzled.

Ying continued, "Last night, the Ghost Servants actually did breach the city gates, and you were the one who drove them back, yet you didn't mention a word of it."

Song Cheng said, "I've achieved Force Realm Perfection, and I've merged the 'Willow Brushing Force' I learned with my own 'White Snake Force.' Isn't that something anyone could have done?

You could have done it too.

Those Ghost Servants just seem fearsome and ruthless, but they are not strong."

Ying, normally stoic, felt a strong urge to argue upon hearing this.

What did he mean by "You could have done it too"?

She didn't think she could.

But before she could voice her thoughts, Song Cheng had already turned to Miss An and said, "Sister An, do we need to guard the eastern city tonight too?"

An Chenyu nodded and said, "It keeps raining, which renders our rockets ineffective, so we must go.

Last night we suffered many casualties, particularly the wounded, there were a lot."

I had the steward take people to calm the families.

For families where someone had died, our guild would give them some rice and grain, while the rest of the aid came from the Government Office.

Madam Tong went with them as well, she said she was a physician, and had to go aid those who were injured, and she also wanted to check the scene to prevent an epidemic.

I asked the Ma Family brothers and Ling to take some maids and house servants and accompany her."

Song Cheng was silent for a moment.

Before his travel through time, deaths in war were just numbers, but being personally involved, he realized they represented endless lament and suffering.

"Let's eat."

he said.

Miss An nodded, then took two steps forward and added, "Ying, from now on if Shu in-law is with me, you don't need to protect me, protect Madam Tong instead. Go now."

Ying complied, grabbed an oiled-paper umbrella from the corner, opened it, and hurried into the rain.

Song Cheng and An Chenyu had dinner, then left without guards.

After all, the only guards still available were almost gone, either on the city walls or in the streets. Who was left to spare?

Covered in straw raincoats, the two mounted their horses and headed to the east of the city.

They stood vigilant on the city walls all night, fortunately, the Ghost Servant did not come to knock again.

Around midnight, the rain stopped.

The galaxy was like a river, making the city and the Water Pit Pond below shine brilliantly.

An Chenyu sat behind the parapet, leaning against the cold city wall, hugging her knees, gazing at the sky.

Song Cheng sat beside her.

Neither of them spoke, yet there was no awkwardness between them.

After a while, An Chenyu closed her eyes, her breathing evened out.

Song Cheng smiled, leaning next to her.

The wind in the city still carried faint sounds of crying, while outside it was pitch black, a gloomy grey mist swirling endlessly like the mouth of a monstrous grey creature, its jagged teeth seeming to chew on this small county city, attempting to swallow it whole.

The world of "Endless Hell" was indeed the land of the dead...

Here, Yin Qi was everywhere.

Are humans really the outsiders here?

Just as he was pondering, suddenly there came fast-paced footsteps from the city walls.

Soon after, a County Soldier led two women toward them.

It was Tong Jia and Ying.

In the warm light of a burning brazier, Tong Jia carried a meal box, while Ying carried a large bag.

When the bag was opened, it revealed a large stack of steaming sesame cakes, Ying shouted to everyone, "Come and eat something."

The Night Watchers gathered around, taking some and expressing their thanks.

Tong Jia then placed the meal box in front of Song Cheng.

The two shared a smile.

Song Cheng asked, "Why such a mess?"

At that moment, Madam Tong, from head to toe, was visibly exhausted, her eyes circled with dark rings.

Tong Jia laughed, "Eat up."

She opened the meal box, taking out a bowl of steaming noodle pancake soup.

Back at Rejuvenation Hall, she had always loved making noodle pancake soup.

Beneath the meal box, there was a dish of colorful and fragrant lamb rice.

Madam Tong said, "I made the noodle pancake soup; the meat is on the bottom. The lamb rice was made by Ling for the young lady."

An Chenyu also woke up, opened her eyes, and said, "Sister, you've worked hard."

Miss An was about to take some rice but, seeing Song Cheng's eyes linger on the aromatic lamb rice, she coyly said, "Sister, I haven't yet tasted your cooking. How about you let me have the noodle pancake soup?"

Madam Tong was taken aback, then replied, "Alright."

With her approval, Miss An lifted the noodle pancake soup to herself and then passed the lamb rice to Song Cheng, saying, "Here, take it."

Song Cheng took it.

Miss An then took a few pieces of bone-in meat from beneath her noodle pancake soup and piled them into Song Cheng's lamb rice.

Song Cheng wanted to refuse.

Miss An, however, insisted she was too busy and did not want the meat.

He could only accept this "lavish lamb rice" filled with meat.

The Ghost Tide was terrifying, the city hard to defend, and the night difficult.

But fortunately... it also wasn't too hard to endure.

And perhaps, this was what he wanted to have and to protect.

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