127 No one budged an inch

With an urge of determination, Chen Anyue stomped into the hall. No one even paid her any mind and this time she decided that if a lifetime of niceties could not accomplish anything then it would do her well to use a little force.

She shoved her Shimei out of the formation and took her spot without a word.

"Young Miss!" Someone called after her in shock for her sudden actions but Anyue chose to ignore it as she dove into the large-scale communication array.

'Er-ge[1]?' She tried first.

Without waiting for a response she tapped into a different branch of the spell, 'A-Zhang, are you there?'

Yuan Xuelan's voice was oddly calm as it came to her, with a mature hint that she didn't quite recognize before.

'Shijie. We saw the flares.'

It almost came off as a little cold, but Chen Anyue recognized that Yuan Xuelan was focused on the unfolding situation. There was no time to speak amiably, she realized. 'How is the situation on your side?'

'We're managing…did you want us to divide our forces for the east? I'm not sure if we can manage that but it might be worth a shot. How's Yifu? Does he have anything to say?'

'...' Chen Anyue tried to tug on the branch where her father sat on the end of but got no response. Liu Sumeng helpfully supplied that the Sect Leader was still in the midst of his spell. 'Father is busy right now...'

'Okay, then I'll leave the decision-making to you, Shijie. I trust you.'

Chen Anyue froze at the words. She tried to push down the warmth that flared in her heart, reminding herself that now was not the time.

Since her cute Shidi was giving her this sacred trust, she would do her best and not make any foolish decisions.

But wasn't the right decision an easy one to make? The west() gate was in dire need of reinforcements and no other point had men or women to spare. Aside from them, hiding inside the confines of the Ascending Dawn Manor, there were more than enough female cultivators milling about, more than necessarily for maintaining the spell.

And since her father was busy with the incantation then surely he wouldn't be able to oppose her decision…

'I will go.'

'If you are certain,' Liu Sumeng responded to her encouragingly.

Yuan Xuelan responded, 'Be careful, Shijie.' But did not tell her no.

Chen Anyue breathed a long sigh of relief. Just as she was about to step away from the spell, an overbearing voice boomed in her head, making her steps stutter.

'You will absolutely not go!' Her father's voice bellowed in her mind. She stood there shocked, wasn't her father in the middle of an incantation? Did he just finish his spell?

Down at the south gate, Liu Sumeng was caught in the fray of battle, defending with every inch of his breath and life. The sisters and brothers that wielded their blades at his side were equally as brave and tireless. In a time and place where a single breath of error might cost not only one but many lives, even something like dividing focus with communication might prove precarious.

Liu Sumeng understood this, but just as he was about to disconnect his mind, he heard Chen Gaoyong's bellowing voice invade his thoughts.

'You will absolutely not go!'

He snapped around instinctively looking for a sign that the spell had succeeded and that Chen Gaoyong had finished his incantation…

But there was nothing! Nothing at all!

Liu Sumeng's steady composure wavered. He needed Chen Gaoyong to finish his damned spell! The Fallen God's forces were hardly getting any smaller and while they were barely holding them off for now, it was clear that this high intensity battle could not go on for much longer. Stamina would prove difficult to maintain.

A large leg was aimed in his direction and Liu Sumeng unleashed a stream of talismans before rushing in for the offensive. The woman that worked with him to take down this foe was already dripping in sweat, her breath labored.

She aligned her celestial ribbon so that it caught the Fallen God's neck. With a pull backward and Liu Sumeng slicing apart the leg the God balanced on, they managed to bring the monstrosity to the ground. The woman summoned a spear from her interspatial ring and stabbed its throat.

"Pace yourself," Liu Sumeng said to the woman.

She gave him a stiff nod.

But did she even have a choice?

Liu Sumeng knew that as well. Which was why it was imperative that Chen Gaoyong finished his incantation to weed out the puppeteer of these giants. If they could slay the master, the Fallen Gods will no longer have any objective and only retaliate against attacks.

If Chen Gaoyoung was going to waste any more time arguing with his daughter then Liu Sumeng would be left with no choice but to take matters into his own hand, which would require abandoning many of the brothers and sisters that were currently along him to their doom.

It was a choice he would be decisive on and thus he connected with Chen Anyue and reminded her bluntly, 'Make it quick, Sect Leader needs to return to his task.'

While his tone was cold, Chen Anyue could not fault him with the sense of urgency. Lives were on the line, more than just her own. A flare of frustration surged in her heart as she stepped away from the array.

Still, her father's voice echoed in her mind. 'Stay put. Do not make me raise my hand against you, daughter of mine. Learn some restraint and what's good for you, girl.'

Chen Anyue was not a girl anymore. She bit her lip. Her entire life she dared not talk back to her father, believing that to be an integral part of filial piety. But was it bad to stand up for herself just once? Was it bad that she desired to use her cultivated strength to protect what she held dear? How was that any different than her brothers riding off into the fray?

Why was she different?

Was it because she was a woman?

Was it because their mother went on a mission to slay a devilish fiend and never returned?

'Father,' she responded steadily, 'I know how to take care of myself. The people of Reling are in need of my power, please. Let me help.'

Her sisters were all looking at her nervously. She already knew that they'd been given instruction to intervene if she did not follow her father's orders.

Chen Anyue did not want to admit to the helpless tears that beaded in her eyes. She wanted to remain brave, hands curling into fists, 'Father.'

'My dear,' Chen Gaoyong said to her gently through the spell, 'You simply do not understand what's at risk here. Please sit still, your brothers and I will take care of trouble.'

Who was the one that didn't understand?

Anyue wanted to scream but didn't. She lived an entire life of restraint that could not be easily broken.

One of the female elders stepped forward, her brow knit with concern, "Young Lady Chen, you need to think this through. Perhaps it is unwise to anger Sect Leader Chen any further."

Was that all Chen Anyue was? A distraction for her father? Her voice came out trembling, "I only wish to provide my help. I am capable. I--"

"Worked hard, I know. But please don't be selfish in this matter…You have to consider the consequences on your actions."

What were they even talking about? Chen Anyue was considering the consequences of her actions. She knew well that she wished to gamble her very own life. But she was not looking for glory, only respect. Her judgement was not boggled by emotions either, she only wished to protect what she held dear.

Were they even considering the consequences of holding her back?

The atmosphere was as chilled as winter.

No one budged an inch.

…

At the northwest gate, Yuan Xuelan's attention was divided. He was doing as he could to work with his comrades in arms to take down as many of these foul beasts as they could. The situation was stable with the Fallen Gods unable to make any progress. Their defense was holding strong.

The same could not be said about the east gate. With straining ears he could pick out the echoing booms and cries carried over by the wind. There was still no instructions from his Shijie and to his knowledge it seemed that she was caught in an argument with her father.

There wasn't the time for that.

Yuan Xuelan grit his teeth, a feeling of impatience nagged him, making his movements more erratic and less focused.

He needed to cleave through as many of these fuckers as he could! Especially if…

If he was going to run off to the east gate instead.

With a brazen charge forward he couldn't completely miss a strike coming his way. With a lighting reaction he used the wooden spear in his left hand to soften and deflect the blow. The wood splintered and etched itself into flesh, both Yuan Xuelan and the Fallen God's fist.

He tumbled backward, losing both balance and distance as he rolled over to regain his offensive as quickly as he could. Elder Hanli took the opportunity to cut into a slight opening created. With support fire from Zhu Qiang, Yuan Xuelan jumped back into an attack without much delay and were able to make quick work of the monster.

With one more felled they took only a few seconds to catch their breath.

"Hey, kid." Elder Hanli called to him, "I know you're nervous, and I won't tell you to calm down, but do what you have to do."

He looked up and saw the intensity in her eyes and unspoken trust.

He knew well what was left unsaid, 'Leave us if you must.'

Yuan Xuelan sucked in a breath. He might not be a person who knew much about compassion but he wasn't the type to leave his brother and sisters-in-arms behind.

Zhu Qiang jogged up to them and notched his bow, aiming at a nearby beast with minute precision. "W-We believe in you." The kid said with a trembling voice.

Yuan Xuelan decided that in the end, he was braver than given credit for.

A Fallen God stomped their way.

Xuelan closed his eyes and searched for his resolve.

Huo Tang's voice was strangely encouraging as well, 'You're not the only hero in this, rude-boy. But you need to do what you must.'

"I'll be off. Don't die."

Elder Hanli smirked as she pulled out more talismans, "Likewise."

"Y-yeah," the bowman said, "I'm too young to die. And so are you, Young Master Yuan."

With a final nod, Yuan Xuelan ran off, even as the Fallen God advanced on his comrades.

[1] second brothe