Chapter 228 - A Dream?

*Fair warning before you proceed, this chapter depicts a bit of disturbing scene*

Yang Xian arched his eyebrows. "Track them and kill them all."

"Yes!"

Looking at the bamboo scroll once more, Yang Xian shook his head. Forget it, he didn't understand what was going on either, so there was no need to dwell on this matter for a long time. There were other important things that he needed to do.

The process of tracking the escaped people didn't take a long time. Yang Xian immediately eliminated them on the spot since he had obtained the information that he needed. Afterwards, they set up a tent and rested in an open area not far from the capital city.

"Strategist Yang, please have some rest. Your complexion didn't look too good."

Yang Xian nodded. "I will."

Internally, he was wondering whether his face was really that pale. He was only a bit taken aback with that unfamiliar emotion that he experienced not long ago.

'I'll just get some sleep.'

After closing his eyes, Yang Xian drifted into sleep. Usually, he would have dreamless sleep as he never allowed himself to sleep too deep in fear that there might be an attack directed at him when he was resting.

Yang Xian felt that he had entered a completely different world, yet at the same time, it was familiar to him. His eyes narrowed as he looked at the color that started to form in front of him. What he saw was himself…

"Faster!"

Hmm? The familiar scene made him recalled the time when he was pacing the horse to reach the temple as fast as possible. Looking at Prince Ji Sheng beside him with white and pale face, Yang Xian knew that it was precisely that time.

"We almost reach the peak!"

"Just a bit more!"

Expecting the wolves to attack, Yang Xian was stunned when he saw the bloodied scene in front of him. Gao Ling's chest was stabbed with a sword as blood continued to ooze out. Her pale face was looking to the side as dried tears' mark was apparent on her face.

Shi Lu Wen lied next to her with her neck slit open. A pool of blood was formed under her small head as her eyes were looking straight towards Gao Ling. The gaze was filled with desperation and rage.

On the other hand, Shan Yi's body was on top of several people's dead body not far from them. The bodies around him were badly chopped into pieces, the indication of Shan Yi last struggle and also bloody massacre out of his rage.

It was a bloody and gory sight as if coming out straight from a nightmare.

The prince was still there with his men. His hand was touching Gao Ling's side face while his eyes were looking with pity. Upon hearing their coming, he raised his head in surprise as if he didn't hear them coming before. 

"Who are…?" The prince asked in confusion.

"Your Highness! RUN!"

"What is this…?" Yang Xian was filled with disbelief. This was not what he had seen back then. There was no way that…

"AAAAAAAAa!"

Prince Ji Sheng shouted with rage and lunged forward. His hand chopped on the men around him without caring for anything, creating a massacre. The prince's men didn't even have a chance to react as Prince Ji Sheng killed them all. Blood and flesh filled the ground along with his desperate cries and yell. 

Yang Xian couldn't do anything as he watched the scene unfolded within his eyes. He couldn't believe it. This was precisely the scene that they had tried to prevent. His eyes moved as he saw his dream self.

The Yang Xian inside the dream was standing motionless with cold aura around him. He scanned the surroundings and his eyes fell on Wei Liuying, who was lying not far behind Gao Ling and the others.

Slowly but surely, he walked to Wei Liuying and crouched down. It was then he faintly sense that her chest was still moving up and down. The movements were faint, but it was clear that she was still alive.

For now.

"Bring medicine here!" The dream Yang Xian shouted.

"Yes!"

Then, everything turned white.

Yang Xian watched everything while trying to keep his calm. His hands were trembling as trepidation filled his eyes. As the scene before him distorted, he had the faint feeling that he knew what he would see next.

Sometimes, it was worse to be the sole survivor when all others had died.

The colors returned and Yang Xian found himself in the tent. The soldiers were all in mourning situation and Prince Ji Sheng's expression was completely grim. There was no joy within his eyes anymore as if he had lost all will to live.

Clasp!

Watching the confident and strong Prince Ji Sheng to be in this state hurt Yang Xian's heart. He didn't want to see this scene. His best friend was in pain, yet there was nothing that he could do.

Yang Xian raised his hand, yet it passed through.

Because this is a dream and not reality.

Bang!

The sound of something falling attracted Yang Xian's attention. He could see the dream Yang Xian also rushed into the tent and pushed it open. What Yang Xian saw was Wei Liuying who had just woken up and looked panicked.

"Liu Ying, you…"

"Where's Lady Gao?" Wei Liuying asked almost immediately. She could hear the soldiers were grieving the moment she woke up from the tent, so she guessed that there must be something bad that had occurred.

The dream Yang Xian couldn't answer. He was merely looking at Wei Liuying with lifeless eyes and shook his head.

"Shi Lu Wen? Shan Yi?"

Once more, the dream Yang Xian couldn't answer.

Wei Liuying's body lost strength almost immediately. Her dark eyes were no longer brimming with light and instead only despair remained. She had been working so hard to make sure that everyone could stay alive.

But why…?

WHY…?

"Why am I still alive?" Wei Liuying asked in hoarse voice. It sounded as if she was choking as tears threatened to spill out from the corner of her eyes. Right now, she didn't even try to conceal her expression like what she always did.

If one should say, her current expression right now was completely filled with despair, sadness, and anger.

It was to the point that if it was possible, she will not hesitate to trade her own live in exchange of Gao Ling and the others. 

The dream Yang Xian couldn't do anything and the dream Prince Ji Sheng was also standing still, not far from the tent. Neither one of them wished for this ending, but it was what happened in the end.

Swish!

Yang Xian instinctively moved and tried to hug Wei Liuying, but he realized that his hand passed through her. He couldn't touch her at all. Even though he wished to comfort her, he knew that it was not possible. But just thinking that this was nothing more than a dream was also torturing.

Glancing to his dream self, he noticed the faint gaze that was within his eyes.

Ah….

Disappointment.

By now, Yang Xian felt a pang within his heart. He had always paid more attention to Wei Liuying and recently took even more interest in her before this mission… but why is his dream self looks so different?