Chapter 37 — The Talisman Painter Who Guards the Village

The Great Siege

Hạn Thủy ravine, when Diệp Sương and Thanh Việt and a small group of soldiers came to survey it early one morning, appeared in a worse state than what the old map had recorded - the bottom of the crevasse was deeply cracked, revealing unusual dark streaks of soil, and a stream of dry heat rising from the bottom, completely different from the cold air of the surrounding land.

"Here," Thanh Việt said, kneeling down at the mouth of the crevice, closing his eyes to concentrate, beads of sweat forming on his forehead even though the morning air was still chilly. "This is the strongest pressure point in the entire area. I have never felt such an intense strangulation, even at the Vân Tiêu battlefield," Diệp Sương carefully observed the creek bed, noting down every detail according to the method Đình Khôi had once shown her at Linh Căn temple. "If what we suspect is true," she said slowly, "this rift may be nearing its breaking point. It needs to be reinforced as soon as possible."

*

Returning to the gate, the group immediately convened an emergency meeting with Sầm Nguyên Trạch. Tất Bá Kỳ, now completely relieved of his initial skepticism, was also present, holding a notebook in his hand but his eyes no longer looked as scrutinizing as before.

"According to our assessment," Diệp Sương presented, "Hạn Thủy ravine is at risk of breaking out into a large-scale demon tide in the near future, possibly in just a few days. We need to prepare for comprehensive defense right now."

"How big is the scale?" Sầm Nguyên Trạch asked, his voice serious.

"I'm not sure," Diệp Sương admitted, "but based on the weakening speed of Linh Mạch around here, and the area of the crack spreading, I fear it could be equal to or even larger than the demon tide that attacked Tùng Lĩnh Village."

A heavy silence covered the entire meeting room. With only a few dozen soldiers at the border - only a few dozen soldiers, three disciples of the Tông Vân Các, and a small village of thirty defenseless households - a demon tide of this scale would be a real test of life and death.

"Should we send a message asking for help to the sect?" a soldier standing near the door asked, breaking the silence.

"Sent since this morning, as soon as we realized the severity," Diệp Sương replied, "but the distance is far, at the fastest it will take five or six days for reinforcements to arrive, while we are afraid that we don't have that much time left."

Sầm Nguyên Trạch stood up, walked back and forth a few steps, his face clearly showing the calculation of a person who had experienced many life and death battles. "Then we can't count on reinforcements," he concluded, his voice firm. "We have to hold our own, use all the resources we have, and hope that reinforcements arrive before the situation gets out of control."

*

"We need to evacuate the people of Diêm Cốc village to the fort immediately," Cố Thanh Việt proposed, his voice decisive. "The city wall here is much stronger than the rammed-earth houses in the village."

"Agreed," Sầm Nguyên Trạch nodded, his tense expression clearly visible under the oil lamp light, "but I'm worried that there won't be enough time. If the crack erupts before the evacuation is complete..."

"So we have to start today," Diệp Sương interrupted, her voice determined. "I will lead a small group to Diêm Cốc village to persuade and support the villagers to move, and at the same time take advantage of reinforcing barriers along the road to slow down the spread if the worst situation occurs before it can be completed," Tất Bá Kỳ suddenly spoke up, making all eyes turn to him. "I would like to join this group," he said, his voice hesitant but sincere. "I'm not good at drawing spells, but I can help with note-taking, organization, and at the very least, an extra person is an extra pair of hands."

*

Diệp Sương looked at him for a moment, unable to hide her surprise at this obvious change, then nodded. "Thank you," she said simply, without any other words, and in their eyes, a quiet recognition was exchanged, different from the tense atmosphere of the first days of his arrival.

Before the group left the meeting room, Sầm Nguyên Trạch called Diệp Sương aside. "I want you to assume command of all spell preparations and Linh Mạch defenses," he said, his voice serious. "Not because you are the only disciple present, but because I believe you understand the nature of this danger better than anyone here, including me."

Diệp Sương paused at that unexpected trust. "I... I will try my best," she replied, feeling the weight of the responsibility that had just been given to her, different from the small authority she had held in Tùng Lĩnh Village.

"I trust you," Sầm Nguyên Trạch added, patting her shoulder, "and I think my soldiers will trust you too, after all they've seen over the past two months."

The group quickly set out, divided into small groups to work more effectively. In Diêm Cốc village, Mr. Mười Khoan, although initially hesitant about leaving home, finally agreed when Diệp Sương clearly explained the seriousness of the situation.

"We will prepare immediately," he said, his voice shaking but determined, then turned and called out to the whole village to gather. "Everyone listen here! Pack up the most necessary items, we will move to the gate today!"

*

When Little Tơ heard the news, she immediately ran to find Diệp Sương, her eyes worried. "Sister, is it dangerous?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"Maybe," Diệp Sương answered honestly. Not wanting to lie to her, she knelt to the girl's eye level and tried to keep her voice calm. "But I promise to do everything I can to protect everyone, including you. Remember to keep the talisman I gave you, and always walk next to an adult, okay?"

The girl nodded, her hand tightened the small piece of cloth with the An Mien talisman painted on it, then suddenly hugged Diệp Sương again before running along the stream of people urgently packing up their things.

On the way back to the gate, Diệp Sương used every rare free moment to draw more reserve shorthand talismans. Her hands were growing tired from nonstop activity since morning, but she did not allow herself to stop. Thanh Việt, walking beside her, occasionally raised his hand to catch the ink bowl whenever it shifted, preventing a spill—a coordination that had become instinctive after they had faced danger together so many times.

"Rest a bit," he said softly, when he saw her hands begin to shake from fatigue. "You need to conserve your strength for tonight. You can't be exhausted before the real battle begins."

"I know," Diệp Sương replied, but continued to draw another leaf. "It's just that, every extra talisman I draw now may save another life tonight."

That afternoon, the entire group of people from Diêm Cốc village - young and old, carrying what they could carry - began their journey towards Tiêu Sa Pass under the escort of soldiers and disciples of Tông Vân Các, while behind them, the Hạn Thủy ravine still smoldered, like a time bomb, no one knew exactly how long it would last.

*

That night, when all the villagers were safely arranged in the pass grounds, Diệp Sương stood on the citadel wall with Thanh Việt, looking out into the darkness at Hạn Thủy ravine, where a faint purple halo of light had begun to glimmer, signaling the worst was about to happen.

"We did the best we could in this short time," Thanh Việt said, his voice low but undeterred.

"It's still not enough," Diệp Sương replied, tightening her grip on the handrail of the wall, feeling the coldness of the stone under her palms, which were calloused from holding a pen all day without stopping. "But that's all we have. Now we can only wait, and be ready to fight with all our might when the moment comes."

She looked around—Sầm Nguyên Trạch was commanding soldiers to reinforce the defense line, Tất Bá Kỳ was taking notes and distributing supplies, Mr. Mười Khoan was comforting the village elders, and in the distance Little Tơ was nestled beside an elderly woman, looking toward Diệp Sương with complete faith. Fear of what was coming still lingered in Diệp Sương's heart, but so did a stronger determination: no matter how difficult the night became, she would not disappoint those who trusted her.

Thanh Việt stood beside her, gently holding her hand and saying nothing more, letting the gesture convey an implicit promise that whatever happened that night, they would face it together, as they had for the past few months and would continue to do until all dangers in this arid land were resolved.