126 Unfortunately unremarkable

There was a little nibbling in Yuan Xuelan's heart and mind, like a bird's beak gnawing on his innards. It itched in the way anger made him itch, tunnel his thoughts.

Someone was calling for him, "Watch out!"

But he paid them no mind.

It was unimportant. The world felt slowed, adrenaline flew through his veins like Yuan Xuelan was about to go on a rage-fueled rampage.

And yet, he was calm.

'It is amazing how simple it is to trigger your rage. A truly volatile personality you have, rude-boy.' Huo Tang's voice echoed in the distant corner of his mind.

Yuan Xuelan raised his sword and used the slightest angle and strength to deflect an oncoming giant palm aimed at him. In the same movement he reached into his robes and unleashed a wave of talismans on the Fallen God to his right.

Yuan Xuelan had no idea what Huo Tang was talking about because he felt incredibly calm. Calm in the way that was as sharp as a newly crafted knife.

Calm in the way that anger raged and festered beneath his skin without needing to boil over.

He didn't feel the need to listen to anyone's voice and only focused on the shifting of wind and crumbling of earth beneath their feet. The Fallen Gods' movements became easy to predict.

Why was he even anxious?

Two Fallen Gods came at him from either side and Yuan Xuelan unleashed a flurry of talismans upon them, in perfect sync with Zhu Qiang's arrow and Elder Hanli's spear. Their blows were dodged. Silei cut into one of the Fallen God's legs and with a divine flame-fueled kick, he knocked them into each other.

As they fell, Yuan Xuelan took the chance to make quick work of them. He cut and severed any large vein, stuffing them full of talismans.

Just like that.

Simple.

Without a second thought, he moved on. More Fallen Gods came, their numbers were unending. But they made a surprisingly good team, so Yuan Xuelan felt undaunted.

That was until the flares rose on the east. They were in need of reinforcements.

…

The situation of the north-facing east gate was not so different from the one Yuan Xuelan was guarding.

The Second Young Master of the Chen Clan was guarding this entrance. Silently, he'd been basking in excitement. Compared to the other two of his siblings, Chen Jiang was unfortunately unremarkable.

He wasn't ugly, but he wasn't handsome like Chen Leike.

He wasn't strong, but he wasn't doted on like Chen Anyue.

There was the Chen Princess and the Immortal of Luck. And Chen Jiang was…just Chen Jiang. He had enough sensibility not to whine and complain about his place in the family but that didn't mean he couldn't complain about other things, nor that he was content with his current status.

However, Chen Leike was not in Reling, still stuck up north. It was finally Chen Jiang's turn to shine.

Or so he thought.

Earlier in the week he'd harassed the craftsmen to create a weapon for his exclusive use, just for this occasion. Chen Jiang was proficient with a spear and thus had commissioned a rod where the tip could easily be switched out mid battle, allowing him to continuously use it against the Fallen Gods so long he was quick enough at refilling the wooden stake at the end of his spear.

It was all a brilliant plan in his mind. And he truly believed that this was all going to bring him glory and recognition above those annoying siblings of his.

That was before he caught sight of the Fallen Gods. Before he saw their lumbering bodies and terrible aura. Before he saw how quickly they could strike and the power behind a single blow.

He watched helplessly, not even given a chance to move an inch when he watched a Fallen God crush the skull of his Shixiong like popping a watermelon. The Fallen God retracted its bloodied palm and simply moved forward.

Chen Jiang's legs shook like a newborn fawn.

"Second Young Master Chen!" Someone called from him, coming to shove him out of the way from harm.

It was his Shijie, who only suffered from her altruism. A giant booted foot came and kicked her in the chest, causing all ribs to snap inward. With an ugly cough, blood flowed out of her seven orifices before she collapsed, dead.

Chen Jiang thought he was next, fallen over on the road side. He didn't move an inch and did not attract the attention of his Shijie's killer.

Everything that the Ivory Sword Saint had told them about the Fallen Gods had simply evaporated from Chen Jiang's brain. In that moment he did not believe that these towering giants were foes that they had any chance against. He did not believe there were a way of winning at all.

A bolt whizzed through the air, piercing one of the giants through the skull, but the thing just kept advancing. How could they ever believe they could win?!

Chen Jiang hugged his spear to his chest as though it were a child's toy given to comfort him rather than a weapon.

But when he caught someone next to him reaching for the flares that called for backup, the Second Young Master instantly snapped like an enraged dog, "What do you think you're doing!?"

"Calling for backup! We're going to die. We can't hold the line down alone, there's no way!"

This Shimei was no older than him, trembling as her hands fidgeted for the flares. Chen Jiang instantly ripped them out of her grasps and scolded, "We can't! Do you see anyone else setting off flares? ...no? That's what I thought! Do you think I will allow you to make me suffer losing face. Even against Yuan Xuelan."

"I don't care about face!" This Shimei, whose name Chen Jiang had long forgotten, shouted brazenly, "We're dying! Do you want to die, Second Young Master Chen?"

Chen Jiang was shaken but absolutely refused to back down, "Of course people will die, it's war. Just suck it up! Stop complaining, we don't need reinforcements."

But their bickering was unwise. The closest Fallen God snapped its face in their direction.

The female disciples' face instantly turned pale, "Second Young Master!"

"What!?" He shouted at her angrily.

"Behind you!"

He didn't need to look behind him to catch sight of the giant shadow that was growing in front of him.

With shaky hands the girl pulled out a mess of talismans. Chen Jiang instantly noticed they were of mixed variety, some being the essence replicating ones they were supposed to be using, others were meant for purification or warding off evil spirits.

Was she stupid?

Chen Jiang turned around, finding himself at the foot of the giant terror. His mind went blank. "Ahh…ah…" His mouth flapped stupidly.

Right, talismans!!

Like the girl, he remembered that the talismans they were meant to bring along were supposed to stop these things or something or other.

Like a twin pair of idiots, both Ascending Dawn disciples threw their talismans at the tall giant. Its muscles twitched and if it wasn't for a bolt that shot into its shoulder in the same moment, causing the Fallen God to jolt a little and go off course, it would have flattened Chen Jiang to the ground.

A heavy palm slammed down into the ground next to the Second Young Master Chen.

"Ah…" He was completely drenched in cold sweat.

Behind, the stupid girl was shouting at him, "You stupid coward, do something!"

Coward? Chen Jiang was not a coward. He refused to be! This was the battle he was supposed to earn his glory…

His mind muddled with terror and fear, Chen Jiang clutched his spear until his knuckles turned white. With a piercing battle cry that sounded more like a screech, he lunged at the beast with the point of his spear.

His Shimei was no longer idling in fear and finally took out the proper talismans and unleashed it against the Fallen God using a proper technique this time. It talismans fanned out like a wide net. She'd forgotten about the most effective way to use them but it made sense to her at the moment.

It was lucky she had done that.

The Fallen God's reflexes were still quick, not having lost much blood. When Chen Jiang's speartip broke the surface of skin on its arm, it simply swatted him aside like an annoying fly.

The speed and force exerted would have easily been enough to kill him if it wasn't for his Shimei's talismans.

Chen Jiang flew backward, and slammed into the city wall.

He coughed and hugged his chest in fear, carefully feeling for damage to his internal organs.

Blood found its way to his lips and a few ribs were not in good shape. Perhaps not immediately fatal but if he were to continue fighting, his chances of survival would rapidly decrease.

His Shimei was not so lucky. With Chen Jiang out of the way she became the Fallen God's next target. It dispatched her as easily as killing an ant.

Despair and rage gripped onto Chen Jiang's heart.

Why was no one seeing him?! Why were the people who were stationed with him so useless?!

Angered that everyone else was too busy fighting to take notice of him and tend to the poor, injured Second Young Master Chen, he had no choice but to reach for the flares and set the sky alight.

Fuck! He was so pissed! If only he had more competent people with him, then surely…

Surely he wouldn't have ended up in this sorry state.

…

"How are you feeling?" Chen Anyue asked as she handed the bowl of medicine over to the Guanghai Elder who was fighting to stifle an onslaught of coughs before drinking.

A strong smell hung around the man, sharp bitter scents of medicine, peony, and ginger.

"I should be asking you that, Young Miss," he pointed out.

Chen Anyue was taken aback. "What do you mean?"

A pained look twisted his face as he forced down the bitter medicine, "Are things not going the way you want them to? Your heart is tormented by something."

Her dainty fingers curled around her dress. Chen Anyue's cheek hurt from the forced smile, despising that he was right. But she did not wish to trouble this stranger about her problems and shook her head, "I will be alright."

"Hmph," the Guanghai Elder scoffed, "Calm yourself. Your time will come and it does not need to be now."

The cryptic words did not resonate well with Chen Anyue but she nodded stiffly and bid her leave, "I hope that the Guanghai Elder's health will recover soon."

With her task done, surely, she'd be able to return to the array and help out without her disciple-sisters erupting into a string of concerned complaints…right?

Chen Anyue began to wonder why she ever worked so hard when all her efforts would never be given a chance to shine.

The thought haunted her as she approached the main hall but anxious voices caught her attention.

"The flares have gone up."

"Why didn't we receive any word from them?"

"What is Second Young Master Chen saying? Why won't he respond?"

In a hurry, Chen Anyue rushed into the hall.