C5 The Wind and Snow Night Left the City

On Vermillion Bird Street in Chang'an City, one of the main thoroughfares, the area bustled with activity. Lanterns, fireworks, and the enticing aroma of street food permeated the air.

Suddenly, at the street's intersection, a flicker of fire ignited atop the imposing Vermillion Bird Gate.

The gate, towering and usually overlooked, held a secret: a carved statue of a Vermillion Bird, unknown to most. But now, the statue stirred to life.

The magnificent Fire Vermillion Bird unfurled its regal wings, each feather alight with sacred flames. Perched atop the gate, its crimson eyes surveyed the expanse of Chang'an City.

In a moment, the Fire Vermillion Bird took flight, sending a cascade of brilliant flames skyward from the gate. Concurrently, the lantern flames along the street grew more intense, and the vendors' soup pots boiled with unusual fervor.

Yet, amidst the joyous, sleepless night, these subtle changes went unnoticed. The sudden warmth enveloping the snowy night remained unperceived.

The Fire Vermillion Bird soared, its fiery dance a spectacle against the night sky of Chang'an, a firework of unparalleled beauty. It circled the city before descending upon the city gate.

Like a beacon in the darkness, the noble Vermillion Bird illuminated the gates of Chang'an City. It gazed down upon a young man standing amidst the snowstorm.

He appeared frail, as though he couldn't withstand even a single spark of fire. Yet, this very individual evoked a profound sense of wariness within the bird.

"O Flaming Vermilion Bird..."

With a slight smile, the youth lifted his bamboo staff. The crimson hue on its three-inch tip glistened like fresh blood, poised to strike the Vermilion Bird.

Blindfolded, the youth could still sense the formidable presence. The Vermilion Bird, feeling the murderous intent rising from below, became enraged, its flames intensifying.

It was incensed that a mere human dared to harbor disrespect and murderous thoughts towards it.

Perched on the Vermilion Bird Gate for decades, the Fire Vermillion Bird had basked in the adoration and veneration of countless souls. Seldom had anyone approached it with malice, yet now, one stood defiantly before it. With a proud screech, the Vermilion Bird dove towards the youth, intent on teaching him a lesson in respect amidst the blaze.

The sensation of heat intensified, melting the snow beneath the youth's feet into water. This water soaked through his shoes and socks, only to be quickly dried by the wind. Sweat dripped from his forehead, yet he continued to hold the bamboo cane aloft. The sharpened tip of the blood bamboo aimed at the approaching Vermilion Bird, as if to impale it upon arrival.

At last, the flames reached their peak. The bamboo in his hand, a mere mortal object, was consumed by the inferno. For some reason, a faint smile graced the youth's lips—a truly beautiful smile.

The scent of flesh charred by the flames wafted through the wind and snow. Confronted with the youth's smile, a flicker of fear passed through the Vermilion Bird's eyes, which were met with an impenetrable darkness.

Desperately, it beat its wings, trying to escape, but it could not take flight. A hand, charred black by the flames, had seized its neck...

The sky grew darker; the wind continued to howl, and the snow kept falling. Yet the magnificent bird had vanished without a trace. In the desolate blizzard, only a scorched hand remained raised—a hand that had just devoured the Vermilion Bird.

"Crack!"

The crisp sound echoed distinctly in front of the silent city gates. The fiery Vermilion Bird Star Array in the strategist's hand was suddenly extinguished.

A deep fissure slowly spread across the ancient stone plate, etching a scar upon the ages. The elder looked up, his eyes brimming with both respect and bewilderment.

For so many years, no one had been able to see through him. Even now, Chang'an City had underestimated the youth's capabilities.

Bright red blood seeped from beneath the blindfold and was gently lowered. The youth brushed away the trickle of blood from his lips. Yet, in the next instant, blood began to pour from his nose and ears. The vivid red stood out starkly against the white night, a hauntingly beautiful sight.

The pain was intense, his body aflame from within, but the youth remained silent, betraying no sign of suffering. He stood quietly a hundred meters from Chang'an City, like a solitary bamboo enduring the blizzard.

He couldn't muster even the faintest expression, as a woman stood vigil atop the city gate. Already teetering on the brink of collapse, he had just captured the Fire Vermillion Bird at a tremendous cost. Bleeding from every orifice was the least of his worries now; even the young man's very life force had been compromised.

With a wrenching gasp, he expelled a mouthful of congested blood. The steaming, painful droplets blossomed into a macabre yet striking flower against the stark white snow.

"Is that enough? Can you step aside now?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Dragging his frail body through the snow, the youth no longer had the bamboo stick to lean on. He swallowed another mouthful of blood before speaking softly to Bei Duqi.

"Lord Ye, your skills are formidable. You may pass."

With a graceful bow, Bei Duqi swept his sleeve in a gesture of deep respect and silently cleared a path. This was the final leg of the journey. After such a long trek, he needed only to walk a hundred more meters to leave the city and Chang'an behind.

Yet, this final stretch seemed the most arduous of all...

The pallid road lay ahead, shrouded by the biting wind and heavy snow that enshrouded the towering city gate. The youth's pace was painstakingly slow; each step left a crimson mark in the snow.

Clutching the bundle in his arms, he was acutely aware of the woman's gaze from above. He kept his head down, focusing only on the path before him.

Eighty meters, fifty meters, thirty meters...

He drew ever nearer to the city gate, yet the silence remained unbroken. The woman atop the gate watched in silence as the youth below continued his steady march.

"Ye Zi, are you really leaving?"

At last, when the young man was a mere five meters from the gate, the woman's voice broke the stillness. Her tone was tender, reminiscent of a farewell to a loved one, yet it carried an undertone of helplessness and solitude.

The youth shuddered, knowing this moment was inevitable. Yet, as it arrived, he could not conceal his emotions.

Lifting his head slightly into the wind, the young man known as Ye Zi allowed a small smile to grace his lips. He nodded to the woman and then unfolded a corner of the bundle he held so tightly.

Peeking out from the snow-white swaddle, a little baby emerged, his chubby hand still clutching a candied hawthorn stick. The sugar syrup had mostly melted away, leaving his tiny hand sticky and sweet.

Upon seeing the woman's face, the baby cocked his little head and then burst into a sweet, infectious smile.

The young man caught the woman's complex gaze and once again bowed his head. Without uttering a word, he clutched the infant close to his chest and strode past the city gate, not sparing the woman another glance.

Fireworks blossomed across the night sky, and a wave of celebratory gong beats filled Chang'an City. People engaged in the dragon dance, joyously ringing in the new year.

Amidst the crackle of fireworks, the beat of drums, and the swirl of dragon dances, the young man's figure was eventually swallowed by the shadows at the city gate.

He walked on... leaving Chang'an City behind in the midst of the swirling snow...

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