Journey to the Mysterious Sea

Zi Zhuque dragged her legs that seemed to be pressed down by heavy lead blocks. Every step she took was like carrying a heavy burden, extremely difficult. Her steps were extremely heavy, as if she was stuck in a bottomless mud. Every time she lifted her foot, she had to use all her strength to struggle forward. The air around her seemed to solidify into substance, which made it almost impossible to breathe. The gloomy atmosphere was like a thick and indissoluble haze, ruthlessly enveloping the whole world, airtight, and no light could penetrate this desperate darkness. She was like a puppet who had lost her soul, mechanically moving her feet, walking forward tirelessly, with empty eyes, completely unaware of her destination, just walking blindly and non-stop, as if this endless walking was the only thing she could do.

Finally, she came to a big tree. The branches and leaves of this tree were more luxuriant than one could imagine. The layers of branches and leaves intertwined together, almost covering the entire sky tightly, without a single ray of sunlight coming in. Only then did her footsteps, which seemed to never stop, finally slowly stop.

After she stopped, it was as if all her strength was drained away in an instant. Her body shook a few times involuntarily, and the grief in her heart, like a tidal wave, could no longer be suppressed. Her hands trembled as she covered her mouth, trying to stop the grief-stricken cry, but she still cried uncontrollably in her throat. Her head drooped weakly, and her crystal tears fell like a flood that broke through the dam, and like beads that broke off the string. The tears hit the ground hard, making a dripping sound. In this deathly silent environment, the sound of the tears dripping seemed particularly clear, as if it was the desperate cry of pain from deep in her heart, hitting people's hearts one by one.

At this moment, a chaotic and heavy sound of footsteps broke the silence, coming from far away. The footsteps seemed to carry endless fatigue and vicissitudes, which seemed particularly abrupt in this silent atmosphere. Zi Zhuque heard the sound, slowly raised his head, and looked forward with tears in his eyes. He saw a group of ragged and haggard people staggering towards this side. Their figures seemed particularly desolate in this dim environment, as if they were ghosts walking out of the darkness. Their clothes were tattered, covered with stains and patches, their hair was messy, their faces were haggard, and their eyes revealed endless fatigue and confusion, which was the fear of the future and the helplessness of fate. Their bodies seemed to be eroded by time and suffering, and every wrinkle and every scar told of the hardships they had experienced. They dragged their heavy steps, moving forward step by step, full of hope to find a place to settle down in the north and build a new home. However, they did not know what kind of tragic fate awaited them in the future, whether it would be continued displacement or unknown death. An indescribable sense of sadness surged in the heart of Zi Zhuque, her lips trembled slightly, and she murmured: "The Red Dragon Emperor, the master of the Red Dragon Empire, no longer intends to protect the Red Dragon Empire. What's the point of you fleeing to the north? In this chaotic world, no one will protect you..." Her voice seemed particularly sad in this silent atmosphere, as if it was a helpless accusation against the world, full of endless sorrow and despair.

Before she finished speaking, another round of footsteps sounded in the silent atmosphere. The footsteps were light and mysterious, as if carrying an unknown power. Zi Zhuque turned her head subconsciously, and saw a woman with a veil on her face standing quietly behind her. The woman's figure seemed a little hazy in the dim light, adding a bit of mystery. Her figure was graceful, but she exuded an indescribable majesty. Zi Zhuque's face instantly showed a look of astonishment, her eyes were full of vigilance, staring closely at the woman in the veil, with a hint of questioning in her tone: "Who are you? How can you appear behind me so silently? You must be a cultivator too."

The woman in the veil smiled slightly, and that smile seemed to hide many unknown stories. Her eyes revealed a deep emotion that was hard to fathom. Her eyes were like a bottomless lake, with a turbulent undercurrent hidden under the calm surface. She slowly took off the bamboo hat on her head, revealing her face. The moment Zi Zhuque saw her face, he couldn't help but said in surprise: "Madam Feng! You haven't been heard from for a while, I thought you had betrayed us."

After hearing this, the smile on Madam Feng's face disappeared instantly, replaced by a serious and solemn face. Her eyes became cold and firm, as if they could penetrate everything. She raised her hand and pointed to the shocking scar on her face. The scar was like an ugly centipede, lying on her face, looking particularly hideous. The scar not only destroyed her face, but also seemed to be the external manifestation of her inner pain. She said in a low voice: "My face has been ruthlessly torn apart, and now I am only using my old body. After experiencing so many hardships, I now have a new identity. Purple Vermilion Bird, you want to protect the Red Dragon Empire with all your heart, don't you want it to be completely destroyed in this rolling historical trend? In this case, follow me and give it a try. In order to keep the Red Dragon Empire alive, we will make one last effort." Her words were full of firmness and determination, as if a ray of hope was lit in the darkness, illuminating the road ahead.

After hearing what Madam Feng said, Zi Zhuque clenched her fists tightly. Her eyes revealed a hint of determination, but also a little hesitation. She fell into a long meditation, as if there were two voices arguing fiercely in her heart. One voice told her that she should trust Madam Feng and fight bravely to protect the Red Dragon Empire; the other voice reminded her that too many things had happened during this period, so she had to be cautious. After a long time, she slowly said, "This is the only way. The current situation is like a terminally ill person. We can only try desperately and treat a dying horse as a living horse." There was a hint of helplessness and determination in her voice, as if she was making a difficult decision, a decision that might change her fate and might also affect the future of the entire Red Dragon Empire.

Madam Feng wiped the sweat from her forehead and muttered to herself: This woman is really full of doubt and distrust of me. However, she could understand Zi Zhuque's concerns. After all, too many unexpected things had happened during this period, making everyone like a frightened bird, and seeing enemies everywhere. There was a trace of fatigue in her eyes. The experience during this period made her feel exhausted physically and mentally, but she knew that she could not give up. For the Red Dragon Empire and for those suffering people, she had to persevere. She took a deep breath, tried to calm her emotions, and then looked at Zi Zhuque firmly, as if waiting for her final decision.