Journey to the West: Treasure Vase of the Great Dao-Chapter 514 - 285: Turmoil

After bidding farewell to the elderly in the Water God Temple, Lu Xun and his two companions continued on their way to Mountain Luoxia. Along the road, witnessing villages where nearly all the homes were deserted, and the uncollected white bones scattered by the roadside, they truly realized that a time of chaos had indeed arrived.

What they did not know was that, in this brief period, the entire world had already become a complete mess. With the Emperor's death and the Crown Prince's disappearance, the so-called rightful order had vanished.

The Noble Families and Clans had been waiting for many years for this opportunity, and now they crazily attacked the Rebel Army under the guise of being loyal defenders of the throne. To the uninformed, this rabid state would surely make them seem like the most faithful of subjects.

But those in the know were aware that these families had stationed troops outside the Capital City for quite some time, ignoring the Emperor's commands completely, remaining utterly motionless, waiting for the Rebel Army to break into the city and end the eight hundred-year reign of Great Chu.

Now, however, they acted as if they were stricken with grief for their sovereign, swearing to avenge his death with fervor. The shamelessness of the Noble Families and Clans was fully exposed in this moment.

However, the Rebel Army did not choose to sit and wait for their doom. Once they understood the schemes of the Noble Families and Clans, the leaders of the Rebel Army showed remarkable resolve. They loathed the world that had driven them to ruin and, as a result, had overthrown the Imperial Court. They equally despised those Noble Families that were leeching off their blood.

Thus, the Rebels showed a hysterical kind of madness. They resisted the attacks from the Noble Families' armies and, with a decisive attitude, broke through, rushing westward.

The Noble Families who had taken the Capital City started to show discord over the uneven distribution of benefits, and thus the pursuit of the Rebel Army fizzled out. These so-called paragons of virtue and morality engaged in deceit and betrayal in this once-glorious city, ultimately turning to armed conflict. As the Imperial Family declined, the alliance formed by the Noble Families and Clans collapsed, and everyone set their sights on the throne. An era of the struggle for supremacy began, with all the Noble Families believing it was their turn to take the stage.

What the Noble Families did not expect, however, was that the Rebel Army, having burst out of the Capital City, began to slaughter the Children of Noble Families indiscriminately. They were determined to dissolve the so-called Noble Families and Clans from the land completely.

Blood soaked the land, countless creatures wailed in agony, and years of peace had made the ambitious forget their past sufferings, forget the so-called chaotic times. When order collapsed, the very foundation of the Noble Families weakened, especially for the smaller ones, for whom chaotic times were undoubtedly a catastrophe.

Countless Rebels stormed into well-defended fortresses, seizing years of accumulated food and wealth, and all this was just the beginning of the disaster.

The powerful Noble Families began to vie for control of the Central Plains, while the smaller ones either grouped together for warmth or could only watch helplessly as the efforts of generations vanished in smoke and ash. Everyone deeply realized a cruel era of chaos had begun. Who would emerge as the protagonist of this stage and dominate the future course of the world was anyone's guess.

But so far, Lu Xun did not yet have the qualifications to stand on this grand stage. He steadfastly led Chen Xiong and Chen Li, the brother and sister, towards Mountain Luoxia.

Chen Li seemed not yet accustomed to this dreadful human carnage. Although they had fled their hometown due to the turmoil, the situation back then had not completely collapsed to such a tragic extent.

Now, seeing the bones on both sides of the road, resembling mushrooms growing out of the earth, chilling and terrifying, she instinctively clutched her brother's arm tighter.

Even with mental preparation, Lu Xun was stunned at the sight. That line written so lightly in the history books now seemed profoundly deep: white skeletons exposed in the wilderness, a thousand miles without the crowing of a rooster.

Not knowing how many abandoned villages they had passed, Lu Xun and the other two finally slowed their pace. Raising their heads, they saw that it was evening, the sun was about to set, and the sunset cast a golden glow upon the ground. It was as if the heavens and the earth, the sun, and the moon still followed their ancient rhythm, rising in the east and setting in the west, without any change. Yet on this land, the world of men had altered completely.

Chen Xiong kicked an old pot forcefully, and it made a sharp sound as it broke into pieces on the ground, stirring a cloud of dust. Chen Li couldn't help but frown and complained, "Brother!"

Chen Xiong, too, was choked by the dust and sneezed, saying apologetically, "Sorry, I wasn't paying attention, wasn't paying attention." This youth with robust natural strength and a fiery disposition feared his sister more than anyone else.

Lu Xun watched the siblings interact with a hint of a smile on his face. Although he also had brothers and sisters, being born into the imperial family meant that there was little affection between them, and he never enjoyed such sibling closeness. However, even now in their dire circumstances, Lu Xun sincerely hoped that they could find a place in the world to live freely, though he reckoned this wish was hard to fulfill.

"It seems like another deserted village. I can't even remember how many we've passed," Lu Xun sighed softly.

As the Crown Prince of a nation, seeing what had once been the Lu Family's realm reduced to this state weighed heavily on his conscience. After all, the fate of his country and his own household were inextricably linked.

"Let's still try to find something to eat. After all, we've been on the road all day, and our provisions are running low," said Chen Xiong in a deep voice, his stomach rumbling with hunger.

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After some discussion, the three of them decided to thoroughly explore the abandoned village to see if any food had been left behind.

This village had clearly been deserted for some time, and everything left behind was covered in a layer of dust. The slightest movement stirred up clouds of dust, causing the three of them to cough uncontrollably.

But they had to persevere and search every nook and cranny. In such times, food was fundamental, and finding even a little something to eat could potentially save their lives in the future.

Lu Xun carefully searched through every corner of the rooms, filled with a sense of poignancy. Who could have imagined that one day he would need to scavenge for food to survive? His life, indeed, seemed like a dream.

Just then, rustling sounds reached his ears, suggesting the movement of some creature nearby. Lu Xun furrowed his brow, maintaining an impassive face while his mind was on high alert. Any creature that had survived to this day was unlikely to be benevolent.

"Bang!" A sound came from outside the house, from the direction in which Chen Xiong was searching. Lu Xun hurriedly dashed out; he felt the eeriness of the village.