The World Remembers

Winter yielded to spring, then summer, then autumn, each season a gentle turning of the earth's wheel. In the blink of an eye, three years had passed since the great battle, a lifetime in the span of seasons. Springtime in Immortal Valley now mirrored Peach Blossom Valley, transformed into a serene sanctuary, the sweet, intoxicating fragrance of blossoms filling the air for miles around, a stark contrast to the scars beneath.

Zhao Renshu approached Guo Baiyu, who was meticulously cleaning Ping'an's statue, his movements practiced, tender, a silent ritual of devotion. Zhao Renshu tossed an apple, its red gleam a small splash of color, which Guo Baiyu deftly caught without breaking his rhythm, his gaze still fixed on the clay face.

Zhao Renshu took a bite of his own apple, chewing thoughtfully, a hint of playful mockery, tinged with a deep, shared sorrow, in his voice. "Does cleaning her every day truly bring her back to life?" he asked, the question hanging in the quiet air.

"I just don't like seeing her dirty," Guo Baiyu replied, continuing his work without looking up, his voice soft, resolute.

"Are you ready, or do we have to wait until sunset before we go to Waterfall City?" Zhao Renshu prompted, a hint of impatience in his tone.

Siyuan, his movements graceful and quiet, walked up behind them, his gaze falling upon the statue with reverence. "Doctor Guozhao," he said, his voice gentle, "don't worry, if you two aren't here, we will take good care of her."

Yuping, taller and more mature than three years prior, added, "I will clean her every day, just like you do." His voice was earnest, a promise of eternal vigilance.

Zhao Renshu eyed the young man, a fond exasperation in his expression. "Look at you, little rascal, growing up so fast!" he quipped, a genuine warmth in his smile. "Are you in your twenties now?"

Yuping smiled, a confident, youthful grin. "No, I'm fifteen years old." The young centaur man looked at him expectantly, enjoying the teasing.

"You also have to count the days you were in the womb," Zhao Renshu retorted, a playful twinkle in his eye.

"Those days don't count!" Yuping shot back with a laugh.

"You're a handsome young man," Zhao Renshu conceded with a smile, a rare, soft admission. "You don't look anything like a fifteen-year-old teen."

The four men then walked towards the lake, its surface shimmering under the morning sun. King Shammek, in a grand gesture of remembrance and tribute, had built a magnificent bridge spanning its waters, a symbol of connection. Immortal Valley remained respectfully closed off, a sacred space, but people were now welcome to visit the bridge, to reflect and remember. The white, silvery structure stretched about twenty meters wide and a mile long, a breathtaking monument.

"It's nice of Father to build this bridge," Yuping said happily, his voice filled with pride.

"He knows he has no choice," Zhao Renshu responded dryly, a knowing smirk on his lips.

Guo Baiyu turned to the two princes, his voice gentle. "We will be back in four days."

The two men mounted their horses, the familiar creak of leather, and rode out, leaving the serenity of Immortal Valley behind. As they passed through the vast cemetery of fallen heroes, they felt the wind in their hair, a ghostly caress. The graves, meticulously cleaned every day by the Horsemen soldiers, were adorned with freshly planted flowers, a kaleidoscope of color. The landscape was breathtakingly beautiful; without knowing its history, one might mistake it for a vibrant, thriving flower field. Along the side of the mountain, carved deeply into the cold stone, were the names of all the hunters, fairies, soldiers, Wastelander soldiers, and volunteers who had fought bravely in the battle, a permanent record of sacrifice. The people called it 'The Wall of Heroes', a testament to their valor. Rest huts, built by the Horsemen soldiers, dotted the area around the cemetery, offering solace to visiting families of the deceased, a quiet place for grief.

"According to Dachin's letter, Zhiqiang is in the area," Zhao Renshu remarked, a hint of anticipation in his voice.

"Do you think he will come?" Guo Baiyu asked, a wistful note in his tone.

Zhao Renshu grinned, a genuine, excited smile spreading across his face. "I haven't seen him for three years. Maybe he's grown up."

"He's in his late twenties," Guo Baiyu countered, a soft chuckle escaping him. "He won't grow any taller than you. You can rest assured."

"I'm hungry, and I want to eat meat!" Zhao Renshu declared, rubbing his abdomen dramatically, his thoughts turning to food.

The two brothers rode down the mountain and headed towards Waterfall City. Near sunset, they arrived. The towering statues of Zhao Renshu, Ping'an, and Guo Baiyu, alongside Lim Peizhi and Mayor Lim, still stood proudly in front of the city gate, symbols of their past triumphs. The brothers noticed that Mayor Lim, with his usual flourish, had added Fang Yaoting to their group of statues. The statues of King Shammek and Zheng Zhen were placed respectfully on the side, next to those of him and Lim Peizhi, completing the pantheon of heroes.

Zhao Renshu shifted uncomfortably, a groan escaping him. "After all these years, why hasn't he taken this away? It's embarrassing."

"It's not that you don't know Mayor Lim," Guo Baiyu said with a knowing, patient smile, accustomed to their friend's eccentricities.

"This doesn't even look like me at all!" Zhao Renshu complained, gesturing dramatically at his stone likeness, genuinely aggrieved.

"A monument shouldn't look exactly like a real person," Guo Baiyu chuckled softly, his eyes twinkling. "And you're no longer the young hero you used to be. Our hair is already half-white."

"It was dark brown the last time I checked!" Zhao Renshu retorted indignantly, touching his hair.

Guo Baiyu simply smiled and shook his head, a wry amusement in his gaze. "It's a metaphor."

"I don't get it," Zhao Renshu admitted, his brow furrowed in confusion.

Guo Baiyu simply shook his head again, a fond exasperation in his smile. "I figured."

They dismounted their horses, their movements weary, and walked into the bustling city.

"A lot has changed in three years," Zhao Renshu observed, looking around with wide eyes, taking in the vibrant transformation.

Guo Baiyu stopped abruptly, a curious glint in his eye. "Renshu, look at the name of this inn."

Zhao Renshu looked up, his gaze falling on the sign. "Sunrise Inn. Interesting. Let's just eat here."

"We're meeting them at Star Inn, aren't we?" Guo Baiyu reminded him, a hint of gentle admonishment in his voice.

"Just checking it out," Zhao Renshu shrugged casually, a mischievous glint in his eye. "A quick meal won't ruin the meeting."

The two men walked into the Sunrise Inn, the warm, inviting scent of spices and cooking meat enveloping them. The greeter, a handsome young man of about thirty-five, immediately approached, his smile polite. "Welcome to our inn," he greeted, leading them to a quieter table at the back. "I hope you two hunters don't mind sitting back here."

"How do you know we're hunters?" Zhao Renshu inquired, a hint of amusement in his tone.

The greeter looked flustered, a faint blush rising to his cheeks. "Aren't you two? I'm really sorry. Just your outfits, I thought you two were hunters." He gestured vaguely at their travel-worn clothes.

"Sunrise Inn, who is the owner?" Guo Baiyu asked, his voice calm, observant.

"Boss Xiong," the greeter replied, a note of pride in his voice. "The waiter will serve the two gentlemen. I'm sorry, I have to meet other guests first." He bowed and hurried away.

A young waiter walked over, his pad ready. "What would you like?" he asked politely.

"Give us dishes that only have meat," Zhao Renshu instructed, a greedy gleam in his eye.

"How many dishes?" the waiter asked, slightly surprised.

"Seven or eight dishes," Zhao Renshu decided, a confident grin on his face.

"Are you going to finish all that?" Guo Baiyu teased, an eyebrow raised playfully.

"Watch me eat every single piece of meat!" Zhao Renshu declared confidently, laughing, already savoring the thought.

The waiter, smiling, brought them tea. "Sip on our black jasmine tea while waiting for your food. There is no charge for tea."

Guo Baiyu poured the sweet-scented, jasmine-infused black tea into two delicate cups, handing one to Zhao Renshu. The two enjoyed the peaceful view outside, the bustling city life, as they drank, a rare moment of quiet. Four men with swords, clearly hunters by their bearing, came over and sat at the table beside them, their voices carrying easily.

"Did you hear that the Black Hunter saved a pregnant woman from being burned last month?" Man One asked, his voice hushed with admiration.

"I was there," Man Two replied, his voice filled with awe. "The young man is too arrogant. His attitude won't let him go far."

Zhao Renshu, his curiosity piqued, slowly stood up and walked casually to their table, leaning in slightly. "Who is this arrogant hunter?" he asked, his voice deceptively casual.

"His title is 'Black Hunter'," Man One said proudly, eager to share the local legend. "He's a Guozhao Hunter, one of them."

Zhao Renshu looked at the four men, a wide, knowing smirk playing on his lips, a mixture of pride and amusement. "Hah... He made a name for himself."

"I heard from my master that his attitude is like Guozhao Baiyu, his strength is like Guozhao Renshu, and his swordsmanship is as swift as Fang Yaoting," Man Three added, clearly impressed, his eyes shining with admiration. "I wish I had a few pointers from the three elders."

"I heard that they don't accept any disciples," Man One chimed in, frowning.

"What are you talking about?" Man Three scoffed, dismissing him with a wave of his hand. "The Guozhao Sector is now the largest sector among all other sectors or clans. Cloud City is full of Guozhao Hunters!"

"Really?" Zhao Renshu asked, feigning surprise, his eyes twinkling mischievously.

"I was in Cloud City two months ago," Man Three affirmed, taking a sip of his tea, confident in his knowledge. "They are very respectful and live by the Guozhao principles. Everyone in Cloud City is very skillful in both talisman and martial arts. Their grandmaster Zhao must be very proud."

Zhao Renshu returned to their table and sat down, a wide, genuine grin on his face, a knowing glint in his eye. "You know that Zhiqiang made a name for himself. His title is 'Black Hunter'. I thought you named him to avoid the word 'black'." Zhao Renshu smiled, a genuine warmth in his expression, his pride evident. "I'm proud of him. He is exactly the same as me back then. Zhao Renshu's 'The Annihilator'." He looked at Guo Baiyu, a question, half-tease, half-earnest, in his gaze. "Hey Baiyu, what is your title?"

"I don't have one," Guo Baiyu calmly replied, taking a sip of his tea, a serene expression on his face.

Zhao Renshu choked on his tea, sputtering, spluttering a little. "What?! You don't have one?! Why?!" he demanded, utterly incredulous.

"I don't seek fame or fortune," Guo Baiyu stated simply, his voice quiet but firm, a clear statement of his philosophy.

"That's right, I forgot," Zhao Renshu cleared his throat, a sheepish look on his face, embarrassed by his own oversight.

The waiter, smiling, brought their food, placing the steaming, aromatic plates on the table. Zhao Renshu immediately began to eat, praising the dishes enthusiastically, his earlier discomfort forgotten in the face of delicious meat.