Morning, Cloud Deer Academy.
In the little courtyard where the Xu family was staying, Xu Qi’an, his face pale and leaning on a crutch, stood inside, looking at Xu Pingzhi and said,
“Second Uncle, there’s no need for us to go to Jianzhou. In a few days, you can just go back home.”
Now that the Emperor was dead, the biggest threat in the capital had been removed. The others, including the Crown Prince, had no direct conflict of interest with him; in fact, the Crown Prince would love nothing more than to present him with a silk banner in thanks.
Besides, with the infamy of slaying a tyrant, who would dare provoke Silver Gong Xu?
So Second Uncle’s family was perfectly safe; there was no need to flee to Jianzhou.
Xu Pingzhi grunted, looking at him, wanting to say something but stopping.
Xu Qi’an turned to Auntie, took a stack of banknotes from his robe and said,
“Auntie, thank you for looking after me all these years. I was ignorant and impulsive before, please don’t hold it against me. These are some of my savings; keep them safe. You’ll need to manage the family’s living expenses.
“I’ll be leaving the capital for a while, and don’t know when I’ll be back.”
Auntie pursed her lips and accepted the notes, saying softly, “I’ll keep them for your wedding in future.”
Not nearly enough, considering how many wives I’ll have… Xu Qi’an’s lips twitched. He turned to Xu Lingyue and smiled,
“This time, big brother’s leaving the capital for a while, maybe a year or two, maybe three or more. By then, Lingyue, you’ll probably be married. Pity I won’t get to offer a toast at your wedding.”
Xu Lingyue bit her lip, her beautiful eyes brimming with tears.
At eighteen, she was as pure and elegant as a lotus swaying in a summer pond, fresh, bright, and spotless.
This delicate flower, raised in the Xu family’s inner chambers, was heartbroken at the thought of her brother leaving.
Next, Xu Qi’an reached out and rubbed Little Pea’s head, gently saying, “Let big brother give you a hug, I’ve never properly hugged you before…”
Xu Lingyin threw her arms around her brother’s neck and loudly declared,
“Big brother, I’ll hide a chicken leg for you for when you come back.”
Hidden in your shoes again? Will it still be edible? Will I drop dead on the spot if I eat it… Xu Qi’an was touched, rubbing his little sister’s head, and smiled,
“Hide it in your shoe for a few days, then leave it for your teacher to eat, got it?”
Xu Lingyin nodded firmly, “Mhm!”
Saying farewell to his family, Xu Qi’an left the little courtyard and walked down the mountain steps alone.
“Big brother~”
From behind came Xu Lingyue’s voice. Out of breath, she hurried after him and called to his back,
“I want to go cultivate at Lingbao Temple. I’ll- I’ll wait for you to come back.”
Xu Qi’an paused for a moment but didn’t look back, continuing down the mountain.
In the house, after Xu Qi’an left, Auntie gazed at the banknotes in her hand and softly said,
“Husband dear, I remember now, Dalang’s birth mother left after giving birth to him. Before she left, she told me to raise him well. I remember my sister was a wonderful person, gentle, dignified, and easy to get along with.
“She held my hand back then, earnestly asking me to look after Dalang… I know she had her reasons for leaving him.”
Auntie raised her head, her cheeks streaked with tears. “Dear, after all these years, he’s my son now. Now that man has returned to take his life, I… I’m so upset…”
Second Uncle Xu felt as if a knife were twisting in his heart.
…
Lingbao Temple.
Xu Qi’an, leaning on his crutch, smiled at the gatekeeper boy, “I’d like to see the National Teacher.”
Before coming, he’d asked the Jianzheng about the National Teacher’s fight with the Daoist Leader of the Earth Sect.
The Jianzheng had said it ended in mutual injury, then added,
“Karmic fire now burns her.”
The gate boy looked at him and said, “The Daoist Leader said, if Master Xu comes, he may go straight in.”
So if Lingbao Temple has given me carte blanche, what about Luo Yuheng herself?
Xu Qi’an wondered, and went into the temple, crutch in hand.
He headed to a quiet courtyard, pushed open the meditation room door, and saw a beautiful Daoist nun meditating on a cushion.
Xu Qi’an paused. In her, he saw the gentle aunt, his mother’s friend, the big sister from next door, a whole series of familiar figures.
It surprised him, as Luo Yuheng seemed unable to control her own charm, unable to restrain her “allure”.
For a second-rank expert, this was clearly a bad sign. It meant her karmic fire had grown serious.
“You can see it for yourself, my condition is very bad.”
Luo Yuheng’s red lips parted, her voice tinged with the allure of a mature woman.
“I understand,” Xu Qi’an sighed. “I washed before coming.”
He had come not only to check on Luo Yuheng, but also to bargain, hoping she might grant him a few more days, so he could take in the Sevenfold Gu and, if his condition improved, then fulfil his promise.
But he hadn’t expected her condition to be so bad.
Luo Yuheng’s face was expressionless as she continued, “You misunderstand. I am only an aspect. In three days, I will dissipate. My true self is in seclusion.”
For a moment, Xu Qi’an didn’t know whether to feel relieved or disappointed.
With his current state, forced dual cultivation would only be “Auntie, please do it yourself”.
That hardly matched his image as a valiant warrior, Luo Yuheng would look down on him.
But… she was truly too tempting.
Luo Yuheng’s aspect went on, “Dual cultivation requires a certain period, at least seven days. After the battle with the Daoist Leader, my true self could no longer suppress the karmic fire. Not knowing your situation, I had to go into seclusion to dispel it by force.”
At least seven days, at least seven days… Xu Qi’an could think of nothing else.
He was a little daunted.
Luo Yuheng continued,
“After this, my true self will probably never be able to suppress the karmic fire again. So, dual cultivation is inevitable. The fire will flare up once a month. On this day next month, I will come for you.”
With a wave of her sleeve, a folded yellow talisman appeared on the table.
“This is a locator charm, keep it safe. In a month, my true self will come find you.”
With that, the aspect dispersed.
Is she just shy? Xu Qi’an picked up the triangular charm and tucked it away.
It seemed, after committing regicide, Luo Yuheng had fully accepted him and was ready to become Daoist partners.
Before, she had hesitated about dual cultivation because she wasn’t fully sure, after all, a Daoist partnership was for life, and Luo Yuheng was cautious, understandably.
Before going to Shanhai Pass, he had only been fifth rank, a bit too low for a second-rank expert.
Now, Xu Qi’an was third rank, one of the Great Feng’s few third-rank warriors, more than worthy of Luo Yuheng’s status.
Good, by next month, I’ll be ready too… Xu Qi’an left Lingbao Temple and headed for the palace.
…
Shaoyin Palace.
The underfloor heating in the boudoir consumed mountains of coal, making the late autumn room as warm as spring. The air was thick with sandalwood, the scent of cosmetics, and the faint fragrance of women.
At a certain moment, the woman curled up asleep on the brocade couch suddenly woke, sitting up pale-faced.
“Hong… Hongxiu…”
She called softly, her voice weak.
The palace maid dozing beside the bed immediately woke, and spoke gently, “Your Highness!”
Lin’an whispered, “Water, I want water…”
The maid quickly went to the table, brushed aside or righted the scattered wine flasks, and poured her a cup of warm tea.
Last night, Princess Lin’an had drunk herself into a stupor. When she had drank too much, she did not make a scene, but simply lay by the table and wept bitterly.
The palace maids understood perfectly well, Her Highness was drowning her sorrows in drink, and only made herself more miserable.
Last night, the Crown Prince had sent word that the Church of the Warlock God had colluded with the Emperor’s trusted men, Right Censor-in-Chief Yuan Xiong and Assistant Minister of War Qin Yuandao.
Using witchcraft, they controlled the Emperor, cut off army supplies, and caused eighty thousand soldiers and Wei Yuan to die at Mount Jing City.
Silver Gong Xu, in a rage, had killed the Emperor outside the capital.
After hearing all this, the princess had gone pale and rushed to the Eastern Palace, apparently to confront the Crown Prince.
She did not return until very late, and after that, she drank endlessly, crying between drinks, then drinking again.
The palace maids could only watch, heartbroken.
They had served Princess Lin’an for years, but had never seen her so despondent.
They guessed it was not just the loss of the doting Emperor, but because the man who killed her father was that man.
Looking back now, Hongxiu was almost certain: Her Highness had fallen for Silver Gong Xu.
What could be done? The princess was not yet married, but had suffered such heartbreak, she would surely take a long time to recover.
As for comforting her, they dared not.
A servant was a servant, they could not speak on their master’s affairs.
“Your Highness, here’s your tea. Please drink slowly.”
Hongxiu carefully handed over the cup.
Lin’an took it, drinking absent-mindedly. Her usually lively eyes were dull and lifeless.
No sooner had she finished her tea than another maid knocked softly at the door and whispered,
“Your Highness, Silver Gong Xu is here…”
Hongxiu immediately looked at Lin’an. In that instant, Her Highness’s eyes shone brilliantly, but the light quickly faded.
Lin’an whispered, “No… I won’t see him.”
“Yes, I’ll send word at once.”
“Wait…”
She suddenly stopped the maid, paused for a few seconds, then said quietly, “Let it be.”
The maid outside the door left at once.
…
Outside Shaoyin Palace, the man with the crutch turned and left.
Hundreds of imperial guards watched him as if facing a great enemy, gripping their sabre hilts, but none dared speak, let alone try to stop him.
Xu Qi’an did not leave the palace, but headed for Dexin Courtyard instead.
Morning, Dexin Courtyard.
Washing under her maids’ care, one held a spittoon, another a copper basin and towel.
Huaiqing rinsed her mouth, spat into the spittoon, took the towel, and carefully wiped her cool, exquisite face.
At that moment, a young maid hurried in and said sweetly, “Your Highness, Silver Gong Xu is here.”
Princess Huaiqing immediately set down her towel, her eyes lighting up, “Lead the way… bring him to the inner hall.”
She suddenly changed her mind, picked up the towel again, and wiped her face in the mirror, satisfied, before leaving her chambers with her maid.
In the inner hall, she saw the deathly pale Xu Qi’an sitting at the table, eyes half closed, sipping hot tea.
The little maid in Dexin Courtyard stood by, terrified.
“You may all leave,” said Huaiqing with a wave of her hand.
The maids, relieved, shuffled away with bowed heads.
Before they had gone far, they heard the notorious emperor-killing demon’s cheerful voice: “That little maid’s not bad, Your Highness, why not reward her to me?”
The little maid’s eyes filled with tears as she looked pitifully at Huaiqing.
Huaiqing’s face was expressionless as she waved her away.
Once the maids had left, Huaiqing carefully studied Xu Qi’an and said,
“You’re still joking about maids, you must not be too badly hurt.”
Xu Qi’an gave a bitter smile, “This has nothing to do with how badly I’m hurt. I’m already crippled.”
Huaiqing’s face instantly grew serious. “Even the Jianzheng can’t help?”
Xu Qi’an shook his head.
Huaiqing pursed her lips. “What happened?”
Xu Qi’an opened his collar, showing her the wound in his chest, right over his heart, a savage wound with a Demon Sealing Nail embedded in it.
Any warrior below third rank would have died from such an injury.
Even a fourth-rank warrior could not survive it.
“There are nine such nails, in different places all over my body.”
Xu Qi’an gave a wry smile. “The Buddhist sect’s Demon Sealing Nails. The Jianzheng says if they’re pulled out by force, I’ll die for sure. My cultivation is ruined.”
“The Buddhist sect…”
Huaiqing repeated the words, her beautiful face now frosted over with cold.
The eldest princess, famed for her cool indifference, felt a surge of rage in her heart.
“Why was the Buddhist sect involved in this?”
She quickly regained her composure and asked.
Xu Qi’an sighed, “It’s time I was honest with Your Highness.”
Huaiqing raised her brows, straightening her posture.
“In truth, the thing sealed in Sangpo Lake was inside me all along, a defector from the Buddhist sect.”
Huaiqing froze, her mouth half-open in disbelief.
To drop such a bombshell, Huaiqing’s mind buzzed, both shocked and confused.
Shocked and confused as to why the sealed thing from the bottom of Sangpo would be in Xu Qi’an.
The Yao had gone to such lengths to break the seal and release the thing, there had to be a reason why they then gave it to someone else.
But on hearing that the sealed thing was a Buddhist renegade, Huaiqing was only momentarily surprised before quickly accepting it.
Because it made perfect sense.
The sealed object had always been connected to Buddhism. That was something confirmed long ago during the investigation of the Sangpo case.
“As for why the demon monk ended up inside me, it’s a long story.”
Xu Qi’an sighed again, some things just made people sigh when they spoke of them.
He began at the beginning, describing his entanglement with fortune, the spirit of Shenshu possessing him, his unfilial birth father being the Jianzheng’s senior disciple, the theft of the dynasty’s fortune, and so on, telling Huaiqing everything in detail.
Since he had already confronted Xu Pingfeng, there was really no need to keep his own secrets any longer.
Especially as, after the regicide, all the members of the Heaven and Earth Society had been tied together for good, becoming true companions.
Huaiqing’s expression was extraordinary, first bewildered, then shocked, then incredulous. Her emotions followed the changes in her expression, layer by layer.
But when she heard that Xu Qi’an could wield the Sovereign Sword and control the spirit dragon because he carried the dynasty’s fortune, Huaiqing clearly relaxed, as if some worry that had long plagued her had finally been answered, and answered to her satisfaction.
“So that’s how it is!”
Huaiqing sighed, “In the end, all of this is a struggle for Heaven’s Mandate…”
Xu Qi’an nodded, “Your Highness, please keep this secret, the Jianzheng never gave me permission to tell anyone.”
Huaiqing responded softly, then heard Xu Qi’an say with an odd look,
“According to that bastard, my birth mother was a member of your family.”
Huaiqing was startled, her beautiful face changing.
“From the lineage five hundred years ago.”
Five hundred years ago… Huaiqing finally relaxed.
“So next, I’m leaving the capital for a while, to gather the scattered spirits of the dragon ley for the Great Feng.”
Xu Qi’an looked at this icy, noble woman and softly said, “Your Highness, take care of yourself.”
Huaiqing was slightly moved, her voice gentle, “Take care, Master Xu.”
She no longer called him “Sir”.
Xu Qi’an nodded, then hesitated and said,
“It seems Princess Lin’an is still brooding over my regicide. Could Your Highness explain things to her for me?”
Huaiqing made a long “oh”, her face blank, and said,
“You’ve already been to Shaoyin Palace, so in your heart, Lin’an must be the most important.”
Here it comes, are you going to say, “I was clearly here first” next…?
Xu Qi’an wasn’t sure how to reply, when suddenly he heard quick footsteps approaching the inner hall. He and Huaiqing tacitly fell silent.
Soon after, a palace maid entered and respectfully said, “Your Highness, Princess Lin’an is here to see you.”
“I’ll step aside for a bit.”
Xu Qi’an immediately stood and moved to the side of the inner hall.
Once he was hidden, Huaiqing said, “Let her in.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
The maid withdrew.
A few minutes later, Lin’an entered the inner hall alone in her red dress.
She sat down by herself, looking exhausted and full of pent-up sorrow.
She glanced at Huaiqing, then looked away and stared ahead, her voice gentle but empty,
“We heard from our Crown Prince brother that Father was controlled by the Church of the Warlock God, which cut off the army’s supplies, so Wei Yuan and eighty thousand troops died in the northeast.”
Huaiqing bowed her head and drank tea, silent.
“I know Wei Yuan meant the world to him, but… but Father was still my father. How could he kill my father without saying a word?”
Lin’an’s tears fell like rain.
“Did he come to see you?” Huaiqing asked.
“How did you know…”
Lin’an looked at her, nodded, and sobbed, “He came to see me just now. I didn’t dare see him, I don’t know how to face him.”
She cried as she spoke: “I wanted to see him, but I was scared. Even if Father killed Wei Yuan, it was because he was controlled by the Church of the Warlock God. What did Father do wrong? He doted on me since I was little…
“Last night I dreamed of Father, he died so miserably, so miserably… Huaiqing, my heart hurts so much, I… I have no one to talk to anymore…”
In the end, the only person she could confide in, the only one she could pour her grief out to, was the elder sister she had competed with for more than ten years.
She was too lonely.
Huaiqing said quietly, “You like him, don’t you.”
Lin’an did not reply.
“And now? Do you still like him?”
Lin’an seemed to break down, burying her head in her arms and sobbing.
Huaiqing understood. She still liked him, but could no longer face the man who killed her father.
She had lost not only her father, but also the secret, sweet love hidden in her heart.
“Sigh…”
Huaiqing sighed.
“Hate him if you must, love him if you must, or whether you can ever face him again, all of that is your own business. I don’t care about your feelings.
“But there are some things, some truths, I think you have a right to know.”
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