Murim's Weakest Princess-Chapter 229: Hate Me

Despite Yan Ping’s warning, the actual situation was worse than Anji had imagined.

"Doctor He from the Celestial Dragon Sect is here," the blind prophet explained. "We were able to hold up thanks to him. Most of the cultivators here only sustained curses and hexes. Corruption damage is contained to the best of our ability. Senior researchers have been called out to assist with the more severe cases. However, we are shorthanded on medical staff. Those below the Enlightened Core who sustained severe injuries are all sent to the Mystical Qilin Sect."

Due to the limited number of murim experts from each sect, those above the Strengthened Core Stage were recruited for the battle. Many of the severely injured individuals were in mortal danger and at the Refined Core stage. Anji noticed how they were barely kept alive thanks to the spiritual elixirs produced by the Mystical Qilin Sect.

Anji felt her eyes sting. It was not due to the removal of the blindfold. However, there was no time for weakness. She was still the successor of the Mystical Qilin Sect.

"Shifu, is it alright if I take command of the medical centre? I’m seeing cultivators from all the sects in the Rainbow Alliance. Are we the only sect hosting the injured?"

Hearing Anji express interest in taking over command, Yan Ping remained silent.

Unlike her, Anji had only exited isolation training. She had recovered to at least the Radiant Core stage in the last six months while Anji was gone. Initially, things were still fine. Researcher Ke made a breakthrough for point-to-point teleportation with scrolls. Although it consumed a great deal of energy, it helped turn the tide of the battle. By affixing a portal array in the Mystical Qilin Sect that draws its energy from the ancient mountain range, she was able to create portable arrays in scrolls that would activate when it was ripped. However, the new creation led to a series of issues.

"You should rest first," Yan Ping denied. "We have been doing this for the last three months. Nothing will change even if you help. The casualties increased so much in the last two weeks that we had to open up the rest of the sect to them. The guest training grounds and hidden palace pavilion were not equipped for the more serious cases. All researchers are tasked to rotate duties for the war, even if they were not assigned to leave the sect to participate in squads. Only the elders are given exceptions to continue their regular activities, but even Elder Quan had volunteered to assist with elixir brewing."

In summary, Anji learned that their sect had become the medical headquarters for all life-threatening cases and curses that the researchers who were attached to the battle squads could not dispel. Researcher Ke was busy creating new teleportation talismans to keep up with the demand as the casualties grew. Although the system was more efficient, giving other sects the ability to crack down on the demonic cult’s bases aggressively, the casualties dramatically increased after the demonic cult retaliated.

"Four of the seven sects in the Rainbow Alliance were attacked," Yan Ping explained, and Anji gasped. That would explain the strong scent of blood and the overwhelming number of casualties.

However, the bad news did not end there.

"Although the Rainbow Alliance did well to fend off the surprise attack, two figureheads have been critically hurt. Bai Dajin chased them all the way to the capital and found the location of their headquarters, but ended up severely injured. He is recuperating at the Celestial Dragon Sect now. Your brother barely managed to find him, and your father is assisting in his recovery. However, Hong Nian Niang’s situation is worse. Doctor He is personally treating her injuries alongside Elder Quan. However, no amount of medicine can bring back her unborn child."

Unborn child?

"Sect Leader Hong was pregnant?" Anji’s eyes went wide.

She heard a few things about the Vermillion Bird Sect Leader from her mother. Due to Hong Nian Niang’s special constitution born from practising the Vermillion Bird’s Blood Arts, she required the energy of many men to balance her condition. A severe side effect was infertility. Hong Nian Niang has longed for a family with her many lovers. It should have been great news, but the timing was unfortunate. During the attack on her base, Hong Nian Niang had to choose between defending her non-cultivator lover or protecting her unborn child. She chose the former and suffered severe internal injuries, resulting in a miscarriage.

Compared to the betrayal in the Heavenly Phoenix Sect and Zhang Yi losing an eye, what the Mystical Qilin Sect experienced was nothing. While the Azure Dragon Sect had Zhang Yi to manage their internal affairs, Liu Yanxia had to fend off attacks from both inside and outside by herself. Yan Ping wanted to leave her post to assist the young successor. However, Zhao Mingfeng beat her to it after stabilising Bai Dajin. He subdued the berserk successor who razed not only the enemies to the ground but her entire sect when she suffered qi deviation. However, Zhao Mingfeng could not remain for long and left the rebuilding to the Black Tortoise Sect.

Catching up with six months’ worth of news, Anji gasped for air. It was almost too much. For a while, she was unable to breathe.

When she finally calmed down, Yan Ping kneeled before her on the ground, as Anji finally understood the reality of war. She could not believe she spent six months leisurely in isolation while people were dying outside the cave.

The first thing that hit her was immense guilt. If only she had been faster and less idle, she might have been able to contribute to the war.

Hearing her successor babble about nonsense, Yan Ping snapped.

"Even if you could save the people here, you can’t save the ones who have already died outside," she stated coldly. "This is war. Do not forget that while you are under the Mystical Qilin Sect, you have to abide by its rules and duties. If you truly want to help, complete the successor training. That is the only way I will allow you to leave the mountain."

Helplessly, Anji sat on the ground, unmoving. However, Yan Ping did not soften. The child was only eight. She had never experienced the horror of war, even if she were familiar with death. Accepting her own death and the death of others was very different. Yet, Yan Ping was unable to console her. If Anji were weak, she would die in this war. Not even Yan Ping can protect her all the time. If Anji wanted to help, she had to be strong first.

"Ci Wang, remember this feeling of helplessness," she advised. "Only the strong can have options. The rest is just an illusion. The only way to stop all this is to end the war. But not even your shifu can do it. So if you must hate someone, hate me. Apart from your father, I’m the strongest cultivator alive. Even I cannot end this war, much less an eight-year-old like you."

Anji cried. The tears flowed until they went dry as the sun set. Yan Ping had long left, but Anji remained on the ground, replaying those words in her head.

Eventually, she picked herself up from the ground and looked up at the night sky.

How could she possibly hate Yan Ping? Yet, there was nowhere else for these feelings of anger to go.

"I will end this war," she swore to the heavens. "Shifu, I will end this war, so please don’t tell me to hate you."