I Smell Roses At Your Feet

Huang Yueliang dismounted and Guo Longtong mounted. Guo Longtong and Huang Hongse returned to Waterfall City with the wounded. Huang Yueliang climbed up the little stone and sat beside Lee Dachin.

The two friends watched some family members reunite, while others were still waiting, hoping that the next person would be their loved one.

Lee Dachin, "Have you seen Yaoting?"

Huang Yueliang, "Yes, I have seen both Peizhi and Yaoting." She looked at Lee Dachin and felt sorry for the two of them. "Baiyu and Renshu holds the last cards. To be honest, we cannot win this war. The demonic creatures are too strong and keep coming. Renshu ordered us to retreat because they wanted to use the annihilation talisman. This means that everything in its path will be completely destroyed, including themselves and those who are range."

Lee Dachin asked hoarsely, "Do you think he use it?"

HHuang Yueliang's voice trembled, "I don't know, but I think so. Except for the annihilation talisman, what else can make thIt'sund shook like that? I haven't seen them since they rode off with Ping'an and Prince Siyuan." She held Lee Dachin's left hand and leaned on his left shoulder. "Feeling the earth shaking and strong winds passing by us...I...I hope they will be protected from destruction and not in range."

Lee Dachin felt her tears falling on his left shoulder. He wanted to cry, jumped off the stone platform, rushed in the opposite direction of the incoming soldiers, and go look for Fang Yaoting.

Huang Yueliang continued, "Baiyu and Renshu made Peizhi promised to make sure Ping'an cross the lake. Peizhi lied to Ping'an that Baiyu was wounded and Renshu carried him to the lake luring Ping'an to cross the lake. She found out. Ping'an, Prince Siyuan, and his ten soldiers return to the battlefield, Yaoting and Peizhi also followed them back."

Lee Dachin smiled, "Don't worry, they might not be in range."

Lee Dachin had long known that Fang Yaoting would do this. He remembered when they were in Fox Mountain. Fang Yaoting was dragged into the battle between the spirit clans. It's not that he wants it, but because his friend needs his help, he won't leave his friend behind. This is what Lee Dachin likes about him. Lee Dachin secretly hoped that if Fang Yaoting really died, he hoped that Fang Yaoting died alongside his friends, so that he would not be alone when he travel to the underworld.

At dusk, the wounded soldiers were carried to Waterfall City. Some uninjured soldiers, fairies and hunters walked out from the underwater path. The soldiers rejoiced with their families, and the hunters and fairies walked back to the camp. Finally, the last two Horsemen soldiers walked out, and the water slowly flooded the path behind them.

One Horsemen soldier, "These are all the wounded and some unscathed soldiers. According to King Shamek's order, everyone please prepare dinging tomorrow morning. We will put the deceased heroes to rest."

Huang Yueliang looked at Lee Dachin and she sobbed. The family members who had waited all day burst into tears. Under the blue moonlight, in the silent night, the only sounds that can be heard are the sobbing of fathers, mothers, wives, children, brothers, sisters, friends and their fellow heroes.

Lee Dachin and Huang Hongse woke up to the birds chirping across in the morning sky. The two friends and the family of the deceased heroes waited in line as the Horsemen soldiers pulled the carriage of the deceased heroes up the lake shore. The deceased heroes are neatly covered with white cloth, and only their heads can be seen for identification. When the carriage drove from the underwater path onto the lakeshore, the families of the deceased heroes stood in line and they will step out when they saw their dead family member on the wagon. They walked alongside the wagon, and they followed the wagon to the burial ground.

Lee Dachin and Huang Yueliang watched wagons after wagons of deceased heroes drove passed them. The wheels of the wagon filled the air with dust. When the the last wagon of deceased heroes passed by, King Shammek stopped and looked at the family who was still waiting.

King Shammek said sadly, "Those who are still waiting. Your son, father or husband is either missing or unrecognizable due to severe physical wounds, but they will not be forgotten. Their names will be written on Above the' Wall of Heroes'." King Shammek looked down. "I express my condolences to everyone."

King Shammek stepped aside, forty-three wagons full of bodies' parts passed by. Some weak-hearted people vomit on the ground. Some women fainted because of the horror.

Approached from behind the last wagon, Lim Peizhi jumped off the wagon. Huang Yueliang stood up with tears and joy. She jumped off the rock where she had been sitting all night and ran towards her husband. Lim Peizhi kissed Huang Yueliang on her lips. Huang Yueliang sobbed hard, burying her face in her husband's chest. The husband and wife rejoice in tears.

Lee Dachin sat like a fetus, with his face buried in his knees. His tears fell slowly. Those are all the dead and alive soldiers. His lover, his best friend, and his only two family members are gone. He heard a fading clip-clop, clip-clop sound, which stopped right in front of the rock. The sound of horse hooves made Lee Dachin raise his head.

Fang Yaoting smiled at him, "Hey, sleeping head, I sent you a message to go down to Waterfall City and wait for me there." He flirted with Lee Dachin with his eyes. "Have you received the message?"

Lee Dachin wiped his tears, "You didn't say when, I need to leave." He slowly got up.

Fang Yaoting stood on horseback, jumped over onto the rock, and stood beside Lee Dachin. The Guozhao disciples stopped and watched their Third Master pull Teacher Lee into his arms and kissed him.

Lee Dachin pulled away and looked down. He counted his students, and there were only eighty-six students standing below. He sobbed vigorously on Fang Yaoting's chest. He taught each of them. He loves each of them. They are his children.

Fang Yaoting, "They all fought bravely." He held Lee Dachin, tears falling from the corners of his eyes. "I'm very proud of each and everyone of them."

Lee Dachin sobbed loudly in Fang Yaoting's chest.

They spent a week excavating all the graves for all the deceased heroes. Aishu, completed the soul purification ritual, and before sunset, all the dead heroes was put to rest. The deceased heroes lay on the icy soil, covered with a white cloth from head to toe.

Aishu raised her two arms up toward the evening sky, "May all your souls ascend to heaven."

When families and friends said their final farewell, each of them put a red rose at the feet of their deceased. Those soldiers who had no family present, their comrades put roses at their feet. The living help bury the dead. As the sun sets, everyone goes down to the waterfall city, and the Horsemen soldiers walked back to Immortal Valley.