It took two long weeks for the Guozhao Hunters to reach Waterfall City. Most of the disciples had never traveled this far north before, their expressions a mix of awe and trepidation. As soon as they arrived at the main entrance, they were struck by the sight of five huge statues dominating the skyline. They immediately recognized the three on the right as their beloved masters and their Shimu, a wave of profound pride swelling in their chests. The other two statues on the left, unmistakably Lim Peizhi and Mayor Lim, added to the city's grandeur. Their hearts were deeply touched by this public reverence.
Citizens of Waterfall City, in a vibrant display of welcome, poured out to greet them, waving excitedly. The Guozhao disciples had always known that their masters and Shimu were well-known in the hunter world, but seeing such a magnificent scene, words failed to express the overwhelming pride and awe they felt. Knowing they were disciples of the revered Guozhao Sector, they all held their heads up proudly, their chests puffing out.
"Doctor Guozhao!" some citizens yelled, their voices ringing with admiration.
"Hunter Zhao!" others called out, a cheer in their tone.
Lim Peizhi and Mayor Lim themselves came out to greet them in person, their faces beaming with warmth.
Mayor Lim opened his arms wide, a genuine smile spreading across his face. "Doctor Guozhao and Hunter Guozhao, we welcome you back to Waterfall City!" He then turned to his citizens, his voice booming with pride. "Citizens of Waterfall City, our heroes have returned!"
Zhao Renshu grinned, leaning in to whisper playfully to Guo Baiyu. "Mayor Lim has not changed at all after so many years," he chuckled.
Guo Baiyu simply smiled, a gentle warmth in his eyes. "Don't worry, let's go with the float," he urged, indicating the celebratory procession.
"The Fairy Clans have arrived," Lim Peizhi informed them, his expression becoming more serious. "We are only waiting for the Guzheng Sector. They will arrive soon. Tomorrow, we will set off for Horsemen Land."
"We will have to cross the Wasteland," Guo Baiyu noted, his voice hinting at the known dangers.
"We are an army of one hundred thousand," Lim Peizhi declared, his jaw set with fierce resolve. "If they dare to attack us, I will wipe them out once and for all!"
"Let's just wipe them out of the face of the world," Zhao Renshu muttered, a grim satisfaction in his voice. "The Wasteland should have been destroyed a long time ago."
"I agree with Renshu," Guo Baiyu affirmed, his voice firm.
In the evening, the Guzheng Sector arrived, their forces joining the growing alliance.
The next morning, under a sun that seemed to scorch the very air, a formidable army of hunters, fairies, and soldiers marched with determined, dust-kicking steps into the foreboding Wasteland. Their boots crunched not on earth, but on the silent, bleached bones of animals and humans that littered the endless, shifting sands like macabre scattered pearls. As they pushed deeper into this desolate, sun-baked expanse, a small band of roughly a hundred bandits, gaunt figures etched against the shimmering heat haze, cautiously emerged from the dunes, their wary eyes fixed on Lim Peizhi, ready to negotiate.
"General Lim, we want to negotiate," the leader of the group announced, his voice tentative.
"What do you think, Baiyu?" Lim Peizhi asked, deferring to his friend's judgment.
"What do you want to talk about?" Guo Baiyu asked the Wasteland representative, his tone measured.
The Wasteland representative, looking uncomfortable, replied, "Our leader only wants to talk to General Lim."
"He will speak for me," Lim Peizhi stated, indicating Guo Baiyu.
"Our leader wants to negotiate," the Wastelander insisted, clearly rattled by the sheer size of the army.
Zhao Renshu smiled, a cold, predatory glint in his eyes. "There is no need to negotiate," he drawled, his voice dripping with contempt. "It is easy to kill you one by one." His old grudge against the Wastelanders was clearly still maintained.
"I will meet your leader," Guo Baiyu announced, overriding Zhao Renshu. He turned to Lim Peizhi. "Peizhi, I'll go alone. Renshu and Yaoting, prepare yourselves to rescue me if things go wrong." He turned to Ping'an, offering her a reassuring smile. "Don't be afraid. They won't hurt me because they are outnumbered."
Ping'an returned his smile, a confident warmth in her gaze, trusting his judgment completely.
The army stopped for two tense hours, and Guo Baiyu was nowhere to be seen. Anxious murmurs began to spread through the ranks.
Fang Yaoting frowned impatiently, his patience wearing thin. "It's too long, Renshu!" he exclaimed. "Prepare to embark on a rescue mission!"
"Give them another half an hour," Lim Peizhi said, his voice hard with suppressed fury. "If Baiyu doesn't come back, I will crush them to death one by one!"
Suddenly, a Wastelander approached the army on horseback, riding quickly. "Doctor Guozhao asked for a man named Yang Bao!" he shouted.
Yang Bao, startled, stepped forward. "That's me!" he called out.
Lim Peizhi quickly stopped Yang Bao and handed him a fire flare. "If something happens, pull it right away," he instructed, his face grim.
The Wastelander pulled Yang Bao onto his horse, and the two rode away. Twenty minutes later, Yang Bao returned, his horse barely breaking a sweat.
"First Master?" Zhao Renshu asked eagerly, relief flooding his voice.
"First Master said you can leave now and go to Horsemen Land, and he will catch up," Yang Bao relayed.
"Peizhi, you go," Zhao Renshu conceded, "we will wait for Baiyu."
Lim Peizhi, with a nod, led the army towards Horsemen Land, trusting Guo Baiyu's word.
Two hours after Lim Peizhi and his army left, Guo Baiyu calmly approached, accompanied by six hundred Wastelander men and women.
"What is this?" Zhao Renshu asked, utterly bewildered by the sight.
"They want to fight in the war," Guo Baiyu explained simply.
"In return?" Zhao Renshu pressed, suspicious.
"They don't want to be outlaws anymore," Guo Baiyu replied.
Zhao Renshu shook his head, incredulous. "Do you agree? Why? Don't you remember that you almost died?!" he demanded, recalling their past encounter.
"Renshu, everyone should have a second chance," Guo Baiyu reasoned gently. "The people who made mistakes were their ancestors. We should not label the children of killers as killers. There are also women and children, just like any other village. Do you really want to march in there and kill women and children, or unarmed people?"
Zhao Renshu felt a flush of stupidity. "No," he admitted, his anger dissipating.
"There," Guo Baiyu said with a soft smile. "You have your answer."
Two thousand three hundred men and women—hunters, fairy, and now bandits—headed towards Horsemen Land. For today, they left their differences behind and faced the enemy as a united army.
Hunters, soldiers, bandits, and fairy waited by the lake, the air filled with a mixture of apprehension and grim determination. Tomorrow, they would enter Immortal Valley. Everyone regarded this as an eye-opener, a stark realization of the scale of the threat. Lim Peizhi allowed the soldiers' families to stay with them overnight because he wanted to remind the soldiers what they were fighting for, a final chance for connection. They celebrated this last night with their families, because once they entered Immortal Valley, they might never see each other again.
Huang Yueliang walked to Lim Peizhi and held his right arm, her touch gentle. "They are waiting for you," she whispered.
Lim Peizhi smiled at his wife, a tender warmth in his eyes. "Let's go," he said, and together they walked into a small tent.
Inside the tent, Guo Baiyu, Zhao Renshu, Fang Yaoting, Ping'an, King Shammek, Siyuan, General Tang, Zheng Zhen the leader of the Wastelanders, and leaders Fu, Huang, and Yao, all sat on the ground, listening intently to Guo Baiyu's speech.
"Sorry for keeping everyone waiting," Lim Peizhi apologized, taking his seat.
Guo Baiyu raised his head to look at Lim Peizhi. "I'm going over the map now," he said, turning his attention to the task.
Lim Peizhi sat next to Guo Baiyu. Though he was the commander in charge of this mission, he let Guo Baiyu explain the map to the team leaders. He had long admitted that Guo Baiyu was smarter than him, and he respected Guo Baiyu immensely—not only because he was the smartest among them, but also because he was a loyal and true friend. What amazed Lim Peizhi the most was Guo Baiyu's willingness to sacrifice. Guo Baiyu, the proud son of the prestigious Guo family, had left everything behind for the sake of Ping'an. Not many people possessed the courage to do what he did, and Lim Peizhi admired him for it.
Guo Baiyu explained, his finger tracing lines on the map. "The first wave will be the Horsemen soldiers. If the demonic creatures break through, the second wave are the fairy, the Wastelanders, and us hunters. Peizhi and his army are the third wave. The Red Moon Hunters will lead the volunteers and the least experienced warriors; they will be the last wave. General Tang and his army are our last line of defense. No matter what we do, we will not let the demonic creatures pass through this lake."
Everyone nodded solemnly, understanding the gravity of the strategy.
"What will happen if they cross the lake?" Xiao Hui asked in a sexy and soft voice, a hint of genuine fear beneath her usual allure.
"That means we lost," Guo Baiyu replied, his voice grim. "Everyone must prepare for the worst."
Zhao Renshu smiled at Xiao Hui. "Sister," he quipped, a grim humor in his tone, "if that's the case, we are all dead."
Xiao Dan sighed sexily. "Then let's win," she declared, a determined glint in her eye. "I don't want to die yet!"
Zhao Renshu looked at everyone, his expression serious now. "Not everyone will die." Everyone looked at him, puzzled. "In case of the worst, I will use the annihilation talisman to kill everything who dare to leave Immortal Valley. If I use that talisman, everyone needs to cross the lake to avoid being killed."
Guo Baiyu turned to Peizhi, his voice filled with the weight of their friendship. "If I used the annihilation talisman with Renshu, I want you to lead the remaining survivors back to Waterfall City, including the women and children in the Wasteland. No matter what happens in the future, you must ensure the safety of the Horsemen or Wastelander people."
Lim Peizhi's expression was grave. "I will ensure their safety; no one will harm Horsemen kin or Wastelanders in Waterfall City," he vowed firmly.
King Shammek nodded, his regal face etched with grim determination. "If the Guozhao Hunters decide to use the annihilation talisman, our army will hold the line as long as possible. We will die with the Guozhao Hunters and the Wastelanders," he declared, a pledge of ultimate sacrifice. He turned to look at his son, Siyuan. "Siyuan, you will pull down the barrier when you cross the lake."
"Father, I want to fight alongside the rest of you!" Siyuan pleaded, his voice cracking with emotion.
"You cannot if this happens," King Shammek stated, his voice firm despite the pain. "You are the heir after me. You are my heir. You have a responsibility to take care of your relatives and lead the remaining Horsemen."
Guo Baiyu looked at Lim Peizhi and Fang Yaoting, his voice tinged with a delicate but firm request. "Peizhi and Yaoting, we have something to ask you two."
"Please speak," Lim Peizhi said, sensing the solemnity.
"I only mention it once tonight," Guo Baiyu began, his gaze unwavering as he looked at Lim Peizhi and Fang Yaoting. "If Renshu and I use the annihilation talisman, you two must make sure Ping'an crosses that lake with the rest of our disciples."
"No matter what, she must be dragged out," Zhao Renshu added, his voice raw with unspoken protectiveness.
"But..." Lim Peizhi began, caught by the impossibility of forcing Ping'an.
Fang Yaoting, however, nodded at Guo Baiyu and Zhao Renshu, a silent understanding passing between them.
"No 'but'," Zhao Renshu cut him off, his voice firm. "Just do it. If you have to lie to her, do it. If you want to knock her down and carry her, do it. Anyway, if our last line of defense fails, you two must drag her across the lake."
King Shammek told Siyuan, "You do the same to your relatives."
"Yes, father," Siyuan said, his voice heavy with the weight of responsibility. "I will make sure that those who cannot fight cross the lake."
Zhao Renshu smiled at King Shammek, a glint of his old humor returning. "King Shammek, I will have to ask you for a ride when that time comes."
"It will be my honor," King Shammek replied, a faint smile touching his lips.
Guo Baiyu's voice was serious again. "When we call 'cross the lake,' that is the signal. You still have half an hour to cross the lake. Please don't mention this to anyone."
Everyone nodded, their faces grim with the knowledge of the unspoken plan.
"Everyone, rest well tonight," King Shammek announced, his voice rallying. "We will welcome everyone to Immortal Valley tomorrow." King Shammek and Siyuan then walked out of the tent.
"We are heading out too," Zhao Renshu said, rising. "We promised our Ping'an, we will be back for dinner."
The group parted ways and walked back to their respective tents, the gravity of their arrangements hanging heavy in the cool night air.