A sudden whirlwind appeared, sweeping away the cannonballs and hurling them back at the pirate ship. The pirates' vessel exploded, taking heavy damage. Without their heavy artillery, the navy's morale soared as they launched a counterattack.
"I'll be waiting for you on the island," Li Xia telepathically communicated to Lu XuanNing, riding the wind to enter the island and detonating all the pirates' cannons and ammunition.
Ensuring there was nothing that could harm Lu XuanNing, Li Xia went on a rampage across the island, eliminating anyone who stood in her way.
Though no one could see her, people around kept falling with slit throats. The surviving pirates were terrified, no longer resisting and turning to flee. They didn't get far before being knocked unconscious.
When Lu XuanNing led his troops onto the island, he saw the devastating carnage. The survivors, thoroughly frightened by Li Xia, didn't dare to move and obediently knelt on the ground, waiting to be arrested by the navy.
Lu XuanNing found Li Xia at the back of the island mountain. Seeing her standing there, he approached to check if she was injured. "Xia Xia, are you alright? Are you hurt?"
Li Xia held out her hand to stop Lu XuanNing. "Why did you lie to me?"
During the day, Lu XuanNing had told Li Xia they would act in five days. But they had attacked tonight, and if she hadn't arrived in time, that cannonball would have hit Lu XuanNing's ship.
The thought that Lu XuanNing could have died made Li Xia's mood volatile, even after her killing spree.
"Xia Xia, I didn't want you to worry," Lu XuanNing said. He didn't want Li Xia to be in danger; he just wanted her to live peacefully. He wanted to handle everything outside by himself.
"This makes me worry even more," Li Xia replied harshly. She didn't like feeling excluded by her lover.
Li Xia was very upset. Lu XuanNing carefully approached to apologize and promise, "I'm sorry, Xia Xia. I'll never do this again."
"I'm going back to the fishing village first," Li Xia said, not wanting to talk to Lu XuanNing anymore. She turned and left. Lu XuanNing wanted to stop her, but she was already far away.
"General!" someone called from behind. Lu XuanNing had to put aside his concerns about Li Xia and deal with the situation on the island first.
Back at the small fishing village, Grandma Yu and Yu Yu were still resting. Li Xia, still filled with killing intent, didn't want to disturb those inside. She sat outside to calm her emotions and dispel her murderous aura.
"Can't sleep?" Grandma Yu came out and saw Li Xia sitting there.
"Grandma, you're awake," Li Xia stood up and helped Grandma Yu sit down.
"I'm old now, I don't need much sleep," Grandma Yu sighed as she sat down. She hesitated, unsure how to begin. "Xia Xia, may I ask you for a favor?"
"Little Yu told you I'm leaving?" Li Xia looked at Grandma Yu.
"Don't blame her. The child is too honest to lie," Grandma Yu explained on Yu Yu's behalf.
"It's fine that she told you. I am planning to leave," Li Xia said. She didn't intend to stay here much longer and was preparing to leave in a few days.
"I know I don't have many days left. But I'm worried about Little Yu. She's so young. The villagers are all struggling, and no one can take her in," Grandma Yu wiped her tears with her sleeve as she spoke.
"Grandma, you want me to take Little Yu with me?" Li Xia understood Grandma Yu's intention.
"I know this is troublesome for you," Grandma Yu said apologetically. From Li Xia's attire and demeanor, as well as what Yu Yu had said about Lu XuanNing's situation, Grandma Yu had her suspicions. If Little Yu could go with Li Xia, her future would surely be better.
"Grandma, Little Yu won't agree," Li Xia said. As long as Grandma Yu was still in the fishing village, Yu Yu wouldn't leave with her.
"I will persuade her to agree," Grandma Yu said. Though it pained her to part with her granddaughter, she had to harden her heart for the child's future.
Inside the house, Yu Yu listened to the conversation between Grandma Yu and Li Xia, biting her lip to keep from making a sound.
"If Little Yu is willing, I can take her with me when I leave," Li Xia promised.
"Thank you," Grandma Yu knew she was asking too much, but she had no choice.
"Grandma, let's go back to rest," Li Xia stood up and helped Grandma Yu back to the house to rest.
After staying in the small fishing village for about ten days, Lu XuanNing arrived with Lu Liucheng and Lu Xuanyu.
"Mother!" Seeing Li Xia, Lu Liucheng ran over and threw himself into her arms, his voice full of longing. The recent storm had made him particularly worried that something might have happened to Li Xia.
"You've grown taller in just a few days, Cheng Cheng," Li Xia said with a smile as she hugged Lu Liucheng.
"Really? Have I grown taller?" Lu Liucheng's attention was quickly drawn by Li Xia's words.
"Yes, when I left you were up to my waist, now you're above my waist," Li Xia demonstrated.
"I practice with the spear every day and eat a lot, so I grow fast," Lu Liucheng said proudly.
"Sister-in-law," Lu Xuanyu came forward and bowed respectfully, though he found it strange that Li Xia was alone in the small fishing village.
"Xuanyu, thank you for taking care of Cheng Cheng while I was away."
"Mother, I didn't need Uncle to take care of me. I'm grown up now and can take care of myself," Lu Liucheng objected to Li Xia's words.
"Really?" Li Xia asked skeptically.
"Uncle, isn't that right?" Lu Liucheng turned to Lu Xuanyu for support.
"Sister-in-law, Cheng Cheng has been very sensible. He can take care of himself," Lu Xuanyu said from the side.
Lu Liucheng gave a smug hum, but when he turned his head, he saw Yu Yu standing nearby. "It's you?"
"Cheng Cheng, you know Little Yu?" Li Xia noticed Yu Yu's strange expression.
"Last time I got into a fight with Wang San for her. Then when I tried to find her later, she had disappeared without a trace," Lu Liucheng said, still a bit annoyed. After all, he had saved her, but Yu Yu had run off without a word.
"What a coincidence," Li Xia mused. "Cheng Cheng, when I had the boat accident, it was Little Yu who saved me."
"Mother, you had an accident? Are you hurt?" Lu Liucheng heard Li Xia mention an accident and looked her up and down. Lu Xuanyu also came forward to examine Li Xia.
Lu Liucheng suddenly turned his head to look around. "Mother, where are Aunt Qiuchan and Uncle Zhou?"
"They're on Crescent Moon Island. I've already sent someone to notify them," Lu XuanNing looked at Li Xia as he answered, carefully observing whether she was still angry.
Li Xia didn't even glance at Lu XuanNing. She took Lu Liucheng and Lu Xuanyu to meet Grandma Yu and Yu Yu, introducing them as her son and brother.
"Thank you for that day," Yu Yu sincerely thanked Lu Liucheng. She had been too afraid that the Wang family would hurt her grandmother, which was why she had run away secretly. However, regardless of the reason, it was wrong of her not to thank her savior and just run away.
"Young master, thank you for saving my granddaughter. I apologize on her behalf," Grandma Yu also thanked and apologized to Lu Liucheng.
Under Li Xia's gaze, Lu Liucheng snorted, "I forgive you."
"Grandma, you don't need to do this. This little rascal just wanted to fight," Li Xia pointed out Lu Liucheng's true intentions at the time.
Seeing such a large group of people arrive, other villagers came to watch the excitement. They were surprised to learn that the woman the Yu family had saved was actually the wife of an important official.
"Sister Xia, no, madam, are you really going to take me and grandmother with you?" Yu Yu looked at Li Xia, unable to believe it.
"You heard the conversation that night. I've thought about it, and I might as well take both of you with me." Li Xia couldn't bring herself to only take the granddaughter and leave Grandma Yu in the fishing village to die.