FRGNM -Chapter 244 Danhuai Tower

At once, several arrows shot simultaneously toward the mountaintop ahead. Since these people were from neither of the two countries, they must be spies from another nation. Such people absolutely could not be allowed to escape!

“Hey, they’re coming!” Ling Ruoxi’s whole body shivered. She quickly clutched Luo Mingyu’s waist, her agile form darting to the side. Her strange, unpredictable steps reappeared, fluttering like a restless butterfly.

The odd movement caused the soldiers below to hesitate. The two who had leapt aside disappeared beneath the army. The man pulled on his horse’s reins, shouting angrily, “Chase them! No matter what, bring those two back!”

“Hmph! We absolutely can’t let them get ahead! Move!” The woman in armor shouted, yanking her horse’s reins as she raced toward the mountain peak.

Seeing the rain of arrows fall, Green Robe and Silver Wolf jumped aside. Seeing the two in front, they asked, puzzled, “What are you two doing? Being chased or what?”

“It’s over!” Green Robe, holding the map, was at a loss. She unrolled the parchment in front of her, only to find that several arrows had pierced it, leaving a large hole exactly where they intended to go!

“Green Robe, I’ll kill you!” Ling Ruoxi shouted, almost wanting to pull out all her hair. She grabbed the map again. The next intended location was pierced through, while the rest remained intact. So where exactly were they supposed to go? They could only guess.

The ground trembled slightly. Ling Ruoxi quickly rolled up the map. “Hurry, they’re coming! We need to find a way out. Let’s follow Xiao Bai’s advice and head to Yunshui Country first!”

“Great, you finally—” Before Silver Wolf could finish, Ling Ruoxi grabbed his clothes and dashed outside.

The moment those four figures disappeared, thousands of horses thundered forward. The army ahead surrounded the entire mountaintop. Yet on the ground, apart from the broken arrows, there was no sign of them.

Strange. They had been flanked from all sides. Even if the two had wings, they shouldn’t have been able to escape. Could they have been scared off the cliff?

Yunshui Country was completely different from Qingzhou City in Duanyun Kingdom. The land was mountainous and high, as if floating in clouds and wrapped in water, hence its name.

Perhaps due to the ongoing war, the border was full of troops; civilians were few, usually just enough to serve the soldiers—making tea, cooking, and washing clothes. To reach the city ahead, they had to cross the mountains in front and enter from the other side.

To avoid getting lost, Ling Ruoxi and the others had to enter the city temporarily.

“You’re new here, aren’t you? Don’t be too conspicuous. Yunshui Country has been at war with Jinqin Country for three months now. Maybe in a few months, the troops will withdraw.” The old woman, stirring the rice in the pot, gasped as she spoke, noticing that Ling Ruoxi and the others didn’t seem like locals.

The four had completely changed appearance: coarse cloth clothes, ordinary shoes, and dirt-smeared faces. Silver Wolf even tied up his hair and wore a hat to avoid unnecessary attention.

“Why fight for so long? Prolonged battles always end in defeat—that’s what the Art of War says.” Ling Ruoxi frowned, then smiled slightly, eyes glinting. “By the way, grandma, do you know a place called Danhuai Tower in Yunshui Country?” The map only listed this location. Finding it would be extremely difficult, especially with the hole in the parchment.

The old woman paused, looking at the three sitting nearby, then at Ling Ruoxi. Surprised, she asked, “Why do you want to ask about Danhuai Tower? It’s notorious for being unlucky. If you want to go, it’s better not to.”

“Oh, come on, tell us, grandma,” Ling Ruoxi said, hooking the old woman’s arm with a cheerful smile.

Shaking her head, the old woman sighed, brushing off her clothes. “That place… it’s haunted. Danhuai Tower is the most famous singing house in Taoxian Town, Yunshui Country. For some reason, it became a ghost house. I heard a story about it.”

“Oh? Grandma, tell us the story! We want to hear it,” Silver Wolf said eagerly. They weren’t afraid of ghosts—after all, they were monsters themselves.

The old woman shook her head, smiling wryly. “I only heard it from others, so I don’t know if it’s true. Back then, there was a beautiful young woman in Danhuai Tower—the top singer. She performed but never sold herself. One day, a poor scholar fainted nearby. She helped him, and they fell in love at first sight. But the scholar…”

“Was the scholar cruel and heartless?” Silver Wolf interrupted, bored with such predictable stories.

The old woman chuckled. “No. The scholar went to the capital for exams, took some money from her, but never returned. She couldn’t wait and sold all her belongings, traveling to the capital to perform. There she discovered the scholar had become a government official and was marrying another young lady. Abandoned, she returned to Danhuai Tower. That day, she dressed beautifully, like a pink butterfly, singing while drunk. Then a scoundrel violated her. When she learned of it, she neither cried nor protested. That night, she took poison and died in her room.”

“The madam and all the other girls were terrified. They tried to bury her, but her body vanished! Since then, singing could be heard in Danhuai Tower, yet no one was there. Some claimed to see her in pink dancing, others said she had returned. In short, everyone who went there felt uneasy. The madam called in many people, but no one could drive her away. The once flourishing place became haunted, and no one dared enter.” The old woman exhaled a cold breath. “Such a fine girl… singing at Danhuai Tower is probably her only obsession.”

A cold wind swept past. Silver Wolf shivered instinctively, touching his arm. This place was too eerie. And the purple bamboo they were seeking was inside Danhuai Tower. How would they get in?

“Wu Ma, you’ve said too much.” A cold voice came from behind. The four froze, recognizing it immediately.

The armored man approached swiftly, eyes sharp like blades, scanning the four. Cold light gleamed in his gaze. “Who are you?”

“They’re new refugees, here only temporarily,” Wu Ma said, coughing lightly, as if it were obvious.

The general simply nodded, saying nothing, and turned to leave.

“Who is he?” Ling Ruoxi asked instinctively. The man didn’t seem like an ordinary general. Even the armored men around him yielded to him. His status was extraordinary.

Wu Ma chuckled, patting Ling Ruoxi’s head. “He is the leading general of Yunshui Country and also the crown prince. He personally leads troops in battle. Strong, isn’t he?”

“Uh… the crown prince? He…” Ling Ruoxi’s jaw dropped. Another crown prince leading troops personally? No wonder the battle had lasted months without a decisive outcome. A pampered prince isn’t suited to lead soldiers.

Wu Ma paused slightly, noticing Ling Ruoxi’s now dirty face. “You’re quite pretty, Ling Ruoxi. What happened to your face?”

“I was traveling and didn’t have time or water to clean up. Thanks, Wu Ma. Can I call you Wu Ma?” Ling Ruoxi said awkwardly. She realized she needed another way to cover her face.

“You must be hungry too. Eat with the army later. As for Danhuai Tower… better not go there,” Wu Ma said, carrying some food toward a nearby tent.

Danhuai Tower had such a story? True or not, no one dared enter now, which made it convenient for them to act.

“It’s getting dark. Traveling now is inconvenient. Let’s rest here tonight and depart tomorrow,” Luo Mingyu said. With the troops withdrawn, leaving the camp now would be difficult. Leaving near dawn would be best.

Clatter! All the food fell to the ground. The man standing there clenched his fists, veins bulging, face furious. He had taken off his armor, wearing red clothes with a black belt. The anger on his face hadn’t faded as he slammed a punch on the table. The table cracked with a sharp squeak.

Wu Ma’s face went pale. She bowed her head, too afraid to meet his gaze.

“Why did you tell them about Danhuai Tower? You know I hate it when people mention Danhuai Tower!” His anger boiled over. He ripped his clothes off and threw them aside.