A white-robed monk drew a bucket of water from a well and climbed the long mountain path, step by step.
At the end of the stone staircase stood Baishui Temple, from which the sound of bells was ringing.
Baishui Temple was an ancient monastery. Its bells had rung out every day for hundreds of years.
Although this was already an age when people used clocks to tell the time, most people in the city still retained the custom of arranging their daily routines according to the temple bells.
At dawn and dusk, when shops opened and closed, when cooking smoke rose from households and vendors called out along the streets—all these familiar scenes were accompanied by the temple’s long, resonant bells.
Mu Gesheng sat in the waterside pavilion, the sound of bells enveloping the entire Ginkgo Academy.
His mind wandered a little, and he suddenly remembered one year when Guanshan Yue had established a rule that it would not open until six in the evening. But he and Second Brother couldn’t wait to hear the new piece, so they secretly played a trick on the little novice monk who was responsible for ringing the bell that day, making him ring it an hour early. As a result, the entire city was thrown into chaos. People went around carrying their clocks and watches, trying to synchronize them. It was quite a lively spectacle.
Sometimes, the peace of everyday life really was all too easy to shatter. He looked at the chessboard before him and placed a stone. It could be a peal of bells, or it could be the sound of a gunshot.
There were two games of chess underway in the waterside pavilion. Mu Gesheng was playing against Hua Bucheng and Zhu Baizhi simultaneously. They were playing fast chess, and before half an hour had passed, both games had reached their conclusions. Mu Gesheng won one and lost one, making it a draw overall.
His words and actions at the Medicine Family’s residence had quickly spread throughout the Seven Families. Everyone knew that the current Heavenly Diviner had refused to perform a divination. A few days later, he received letters from Penglai and the Zhu Family. They clearly stated the time and place, along with a request for a game of chess.
Mu Gesheng understood that this was both a test and a warning. Neither Hua Bucheng nor Zhu Baizhi was someone to be taken lightly, and Fifth Brother was still young. He had never intended to win over Penglai or the Zhu Family from the very beginning. He only hoped that these two families would remain neutral. With a great battle imminent, he did not want any further complications.
He had racked his brains over both games and had only just managed to win one. The black stones had been locked in a fierce struggle for a long time before finally fighting their way out.
“Not bad. Your skill is no inferior to that of the Master of Ginkgo Academy.”
Hua Bucheng spoke calmly.
“Penglai acknowledges you as the Heavenly Diviner, but without a hexagram, we will not take part in the battle.”
Zhu Baizhi stroked his long beard.
“The Zhu Family likewise.”
“I had already anticipated as much.”
Mu Gesheng nodded.
“What I’ve done in this matter is, in truth, an act of rebellion. For Longevity Master and Elder Zhu to refrain from obstructing me is already an act of generosity.”
“You are the Heavenly Diviner. There’s no need to address yourself as a junior.”
Hua Bucheng looked at the chessboard.
“Your moves carry murderous intent. Even if we wanted to stop you, we wouldn’t be able to.”
“Longevity Master’s chess skills are superior to mine.”
“Pure luck. I don’t win every time I play against your master, either.”
Hua Bucheng rose to his feet and flicked his horsetail whisk.
“That settles matters here. The letter you asked me to deliver to Lin Juansheng—I will give it to him.”
Zhu Baizhi followed suit.
“Star Lodge Master is perfectly safe at the Zhu Family’s residence. Perhaps he can attend the next gathering of the Seven Families.”
“Take care, both of you.”
Mu Gesheng raised a hand and swept the chess pieces into disarray.
“I shall await our next meeting.”
Beneath the courtyard’s open sky, the pipa strings rang out with tinkling notes.
Aunt Zhao sat by the window, adjusting the tuning pegs and plucking the strings. She wore a plain white qipao, and sunlight passed through the flower-patterned window, casting dappled shadows across the silk.
She was trying out a new piece. Ever since she had joined Guanshan Yue, the city’s residents had eagerly anticipated each season’s new composition. Whenever she performed one onstage, the hall was always filled with guests. Yet she still retained the habits she had developed while learning her craft. Before officially unveiling a new piece, she would always change into a plain white qipao and play alone by the window.
When the piece ended, Aunt Zhao lifted the pearl curtain.
“Do you see that restaurant across the street? Most people in the city know that I have a habit of trying out new pieces here. So the owner opened a private dining room directly opposite this window. At its most expensive, a single banquet there could buy an entire residential house.”
She set down the pipa and straightened the hair at her temples.
“But that was several years ago.”
Now, the restaurant across the street had few customers left and was on the verge of closing. And it wasn’t just that one establishment. The entire city had fallen into desolation, with very few pedestrians on the streets. A few days ago, the garrison forces had announced the retreat from the front lines. The city was no longer safe, and many people were taking their entire families and heading for distant lands.
News of cities falling had been arriving one after another in recent days. At most, it would be only a few more days before this place, too, became a battlefield.
“You don’t have to stay here.”
Song Wentong sat nearby, wiping his blade.
“It’s still not too late to leave.”
“The bells have been ringing more and more frequently these past few days. I remember those are the prayer bells of Baishui Temple.”
Aunt Zhao spoke calmly.
“Those bald monks outside the city haven’t even left yet. Why should I?”
“You’re not someone who has let go of all worldly attachments, Aunt Zhao.”
Song Wentong spoke seriously.
“You still have so many pieces left to play.”
Aunt Zhao smiled at that.
“By your reasoning, there are countless melodies hidden among these four strings. I’m afraid I couldn’t play them all in a lifetime.”
As she spoke, she leaned forward and casually plucked the strings, saying softly, “But sometimes, after you’ve played a certain piece, you feel that it is enough. Years of studying your craft, all for the sake of that one piece. That alone is enough.”
Song Wentong said nothing. He quietly watched the elegant woman before him. Beauty faded with age; frost gathered at the corners of her eyes, and memories were like a season of thawing snow.
“I remember it was a winter many years ago. It was much like now, except the city was far livelier. Large red lanterns hung everywhere. That day was when Guanshan Yue was supposed to unveil a new piece, but I slipped on an icy step and injured my hand. It happened so suddenly that everyone was running around in a panic.”
“Just as I was preparing to grit my teeth and go onstage anyway, my best friend brought someone over. That person borrowed my pipa and said she could give it a try. Guanshan Yue was a music house. Music was no trivial matter here, so I asked her how many years she had studied. She said she had never studied at all and knew only one piece.”
“I thought it was ridiculous, so I asked her to play it for me right then and there.”
“At the time, we were standing right by this window. She played a piece, and the dancer accompanying her was my best friend, who was also the most beautiful courtesan at Guanshan Yue.”
Aunt Zhao plucked one string. Its note rang out clear and crisp.
“You should have guessed by now. That person was your mother.”
Song Wentong thought for a moment.
“I didn’t know my mom could play an instrument.”
“She really couldn’t. She knew only that one piece. She told me she’d secretly learned it from some older friend. It was originally a family heirloom, a secret that wasn’t supposed to be passed on to outsiders. That person only taught it to her after losing a drinking contest.”
Aunt Zhao gave a soft laugh.
“After hearing her play that piece, I considered her a kindred spirit.”
“Later, the courtesan passed away, and your mother disappeared for quite some time. When she returned, she was carrying you in her arms.”
“Though she wasn’t exactly cut out for taking care of a child. Rather than saying she carried you back, I’d say she brought you back dangling from her blade. Back then, I watched you swinging behind her and thought she was carrying a bundle.”
“At the time, she and I made an agreement. She would teach me that piece, and I would take care of you on behalf of her and the courtesan. It took me five years to learn it. Once I’d mastered it, she disappeared.”
“She eloped with her lover, that’s what happened,” Song Wentong muttered.
Wu Nie curled her lips into a smile. “The Western Pass of the City. The Land of Avīci.”
“At this moment, all the Yin Soldiers are sealed inside the Yin-Yang Ladder. The Land of Avīci was swept clean by the ghost soldiers and ghost generals a few days ago, so it’s practically spotless now. Even if a few stragglers remain, they’ll make perfect practice targets for you.”
Wu Nie looked utterly confident.
“Come on. There’s no way anything can go wrong.”
Wu Zixu was stunned.
“The Land of Avīci is a forbidden place. Even you, Great Master… You can actually enter it?”
“The Western Pass just experienced a Yin Soldier uprising. The seals suppressing it have weakened, so getting inside isn’t difficult. It’s just that no one has the guts to try.”
Wu Nie shrugged.
“Even under normal circumstances, getting in isn’t exactly easy, but it’s not entirely impossible either.”
“What do you mean?”
“Have you not always wanted to know what happened to your father?”
Wu Zixu’s entire body trembled. He abruptly raised his head.
“Throughout history, Wuchang Masters have always lost both their parents. But the Yin-Yang Family has never feared the dead. Even after death, one can still live quite comfortably in Fengdu.”
Wu Nie spoke indifferently.
“The Wuchang Master, however, is an exception. Among all the members of the families in Fengdu, the only ones missing are your parents.”
“You already know what happened to your mother. A Wuchang Master is born with a half-netherworld body. During pregnancy, excessive Yin energy gathers within the mother’s body, and the ghostly aura gradually devours her. In the end, even her soul is completely consumed. To enter Fengdu, one’s physical body may be dead, but one’s soul must still exist.”
“As for your father, don’t tell me you don’t know. In truth, the fate of every Wuchang Master throughout history has always been a mystery among the Seven Families of the Masters. Some have speculated that, like the Heavenly Diviner, they might have their souls scattered rather than entering the cycle of reincarnation. But that isn’t what happened.”
Wu Zixu listened intently, unconsciously repeating her words.
“That isn’t what happened?”
“Come with me.”
Wu Nie pushed open the door and walked out.
“I’ll tell you where your father went.”
The main hall was filled with voices, and the entire room was in an uproar.
Unlike the quiet streets outside, the Chai residence was packed with people. There wasn’t even enough room in the main hall, so seats had been arranged along the corridors as well.
Such a gathering was unusual for the Medicine Family. Although meetings were held at the residence from time to time, they rarely involved this many people. The Medicine Family had numerous branches, and aside from major festivals and holidays, some members weren’t even entitled to enter the main residence.
Chai Shuxin sat in the hall before a writing desk. He still had some matters to attend to, so he had simply had his desk moved over. The room was noisy all around him, but the hand holding his brush remained steady. He wore white silk gloves embroidered with a plum blossom in silver thread.
He knew what everyone around him was discussing. They were all waiting. They had gone from waiting quietly to growing restless, from remaining composed to becoming frantic with anxiety. Every single one of them was waiting for him to make a decision.
He calmly finished writing the final character, set down his brush, and spoke.
“We will not retreat.”
The already restless crowd immediately erupted. Someone jumped to their feet.
“What did you say?”
Chai Shuxin looked up and repeated himself.
“My decision is that we will defend the city and not retreat.”
A series of heavy coughs rang out. Someone stood up. It was a highly respected elder of the Medicine Family. The people around him quieted down somewhat.
“Head of the Family,” the old man began. “Everyone has gathered here today because this is a matter that will determine the future and survival of the Medicine Family. I ask you to think carefully before making your decision.”
“However long you’ve been arguing, that’s how long I’ve been thinking about it.”
Chai Shuxin repeated the same words.
“I said we will not retreat.”
“Several years ago, you went against everyone’s objections and chose to commit the full resources of the Medicine Family to supporting the military. Looking at things now, that was hardly the best course of action.”
The old man raised his voice.
“So this time, I ask that the Head of the Family refrain from acting unilaterally again.”
“The war is far from over. It’s too early to conclude whether that was the right course of action.”
Chai Shuxin glanced at him.
“If you don’t trust me, so be it. The Medicine Family places the greatest importance on tradition among the Seven Families. We value seniority and rank. I know I’m young, and I know you have many objections to me.”
It was an extraordinarily blunt statement. It was hard to believe such words could come from Chai Shuxin.
He had always carried an air of cool detachment, but he had consistently placed great importance on propriety and etiquette. People had always felt that the Head of the Medicine Family possessed the bearing of a gentleman.
Now, with the pretense suddenly stripped away, the old man was stunned for quite some time. He felt as though Chai Shuxin had become an entirely different person, his words sharp and cutting.
He merely sat there, yet his very presence seemed as cold as ice and snow, his white robes carrying an air of defiance.
But this was no time to dwell on such things. The old man looked around and raised his voice.
“If that’s the case, then the Medicine Family has always valued the consensus of its members. For you to be so reckless…”
“Unfit to hold the position of Head of the Family.”
Chai Shuxin seemed too impatient to listen to him finish. He supplied the rest of the sentence himself, then looked at the dumbfounded crowd.
“Does anyone else have anything to say?”
Some people even wondered whether Chai Shuxin had taken the wrong medicine. Then they heard him continue.
“When I first inherited the position of Head of the Family, I was young and inexperienced. Although I did my best to hold things together for several years, many of you present still had your private criticisms.”
“Now that the city is facing upheaval, I’ve chosen not to retreat.”
Chai Shuxin spoke calmly.
“I know that most of you oppose this decision.”
“The Medicine Family might tolerate one instance of youthful stubbornness, but it will not tolerate a second act of recklessness.”
The old man sneered.
“If you wish to remain Head of the Family for long, I suggest you cut your losses while you still can.”
“Mm. It’s time.”
Chai Shuxin rose to his feet, removed his gloves, and tossed them into the brazier.
The crowd erupted. Everyone knew what that gesture meant.
Chai Shuxin’s voice echoed throughout the main hall.
“Starting today, I officially relinquish my position as Head of the Medicine Family.”
“I voluntarily remove myself from the Medicine Family.”
Chai Rendong emerged from the winding corridor and heard the uproar coming from the main hall in the distance.
“Then who should take over as Head of the Family from now on?!”
Although the voice came from far away, she could still hear the excitement and barely concealed delight beneath its strained restraint.
She lowered her head and smiled.
Among the Seven Families of the Masters, the Medicine Family was the most involved in worldly affairs. Its family structure was also much like that of an ordinary aristocratic clan, with struggles for power and profit, scheming and intrigue, and no regard for seniority…
But there was nothing strange about that.
Although they belonged to one of the Seven Families, they had neither unusually long lifespans nor extraordinary bloodlines. They possessed no mysterious family inheritance or innate supernatural abilities. All they had was their medical skill, which was merely a little more advanced than that of ordinary physicians.
Naturally, they were also more attached to the mundane world.
The Head of the Medicine Family was perhaps the most ordinary position among the Seven Families, and also the most difficult to hold. She had witnessed her own younger brother toil tirelessly for years.
“According to the family rules, the position of Head of the Family must be inherited by a direct descendant of the Chai bloodline.”
Chai Shuxin gave the person before him a cold glance.
“You’re from a collateral branch. You’re not qualified.”
One Cutting Remark Struck Straight to the Heart. The other party flew into a rage. “Since you have already stepped down, and the direct bloodline of the Chai family has been severed, who else could possibly take over besides someone of high virtue and great prestige?”
Before he could finish speaking, the main hall doors swung open, and a figure walked in.
“Me.”
The words rang out with absolute conviction, leaving everyone in the hall stunned.
Chai Rendong wore a dark blue-green qipao, with a white jade magnolia hairpin tucked beside her temple. She had a pair of eyes as deep and misty as a vast expanse of water. Usually, there was a certain softness and haziness about her expression.
But now, the mist had cleared and the rain had passed. She stood in the middle of the hall, as steady and unmoving as a mountain.
“Eldest Young Lady?” The old man was taken aback. Then he burst into laughter. “Eldest Young Lady, you have been in poor health for many years. Back then, it was precisely because you lacked the strength to manage things that your younger brother inherited the position of family head. What is this supposed to mean now?”
“My health is not something Granduncle can determine with a single word.” Chai Rendong smiled faintly. “Where is the Medicine Officer?”
The Medicine Officer was a special position within the Medicine Family. Regardless of blood ties or seniority, only those with exceptional medical skills were qualified to hold it.
A figure dressed in black entered carrying a medicine case and bowed to Chai Rendong. “Eldest Young Lady.”
Chai Rendong extended her hand. “Examine me.”
“Yes.”
The Medicine Officer removed his gloves, took out a soft cloth, and placed it over Chai Rendong’s wrist before carefully checking her pulse.
A moment later, he bowed and said, “The Eldest Young Lady’s health is no different from that of an ordinary person. Her chronic illness has been cured. She is fully capable of assuming the position of family head.”
“Nonsense! Absolutely impossible!” The old man cried out in agitation. “You’re all colluding with one another! Drag him away!”
“Then Granduncle may examine me personally, if you wish.” Chai Rendong raised a hand to stop them and said calmly, “Though I’m afraid your medical skills may not be up to the task.”
“Impossible! The Medicine Officer personally examined your illness back then. There is absolutely no way you could have recovered!”
“An illness that is supposedly impossible to cure—hearing such words from someone in the Medicine Family is a joke.” Chai Rendong regarded him leisurely. “Or is it that you know far too much about the illness I suffered from back then?”
“You!”
“I suddenly fell ill back then. The illness came on fiercely, and before long, I was no longer able to get out of bed. If my father hadn’t exhausted every effort to prepare medicine for me, I wouldn’t have survived until today. But even with all his medical expertise, he could do no more than preserve my life. I was unable to live like an ordinary person, and from then on, I secluded myself within the Nine-Bend Corridor, not stepping outside for years.”
Chai Rendong suddenly smiled, her tone turning cold.
“I suppose, in Granduncle’s heart, I was already as good as dead?”
Indeed, no one present could have imagined that Chai Rendong would recover. She had been absent for far too long, living in seclusion within her inner chambers for years. They could barely catch a glimpse of her even during festivals and holidays. Many had already forgotten that the Chai family still had an Eldest Young Lady.
And back in the day, Chai Rendong had been famous for far more than just her beauty.
She had been extraordinarily gifted, a peerless talent whose reputation had spread throughout the capital.
Chai Rendong looked at everyone present, taking in their different faces and varied expressions.
She recalled how, the previous night, Chai Shuxin had knocked on her door and handed her a wooden box.
The moment she opened it, she understood. Inside was a pair of gloves.
The siblings sat facing each other beneath the lamplight. She spoke softly, “I have something to give you, too.”
As she spoke, she took out a small embroidered pouch.
Chai Shuxin accepted it and opened it. Inside was a sheet of rice paper covered densely with writing.
“What is this?”
Chai Rendong smiled. “The secret recipe for One-Pot Stew.”
They shared the same blood. There were many things between them that needed no words.
Under everyone’s watchful eyes, Chai Rendong put on the gloves. All traces of illness had vanished from her appearance. Today, she had tied up her long hair, revealing a beautifully defined, sharp jawline.
“Effective immediately, the Medicine Family will withdraw.”
Chai Rendong looked at Chai Shuxin. The siblings met each other’s eyes.
“Spirit Pivot, Chai Shuxin, voluntarily renounces his membership in the family and relinquishes the position of family head.”
“I will remain here and not retreat.”
Chai Shuxin bowed deeply.
“Thank you, Family Head, for granting my wish.”
The moment his forehead touched the ground, Chai Shuxin suddenly recalled something he had once said to the teacher many years ago.
Back then, the teacher had asked him what he thought of Mu Gesheng.
He straightened up and raised his head, seeing the sunlight approaching from the other side.
The innocence of a pure heart, the courage of a reckless man, the warmth of charcoal in the snow, the sunshine of winter.
All those things were so laughable, yet so precious.
The bells rang out, their tolling stretching into the distance.
Mu Gesheng sat in the waterside pavilion for a long time, until the abbot came over.
“Celestial Diviner, it is getting late.”
“It’s time to return.” Mu Gesheng stood up. “Let me listen to this stretch of the bells first.”
He walked to the water’s edge, watching the ripples spread across the pond, stirred by the tolling bells.
“When I first arrived at the Academy, I was always kept awake by the bells. Gradually, though, I got used to falling asleep whenever I heard them. A few years ago, when I went abroad to study, I would still wake up in the middle of the night and be unable to fall asleep again. But that was because I couldn’t hear the bells. It always felt as though something was missing.”
“Life is impermanent,” the abbot said. “Celestial Diviner, you are someone who cherishes the past.”
“Old surroundings are hard to leave behind; dreams of broken mountains are the truest.”
Mu Gesheng broke into a fit of coughing. Playing chess consumed an enormous amount of energy, and to preserve his winning position, he had pushed himself to the limit.
He hurriedly took a medicine bottle from his robes and swallowed some medicine. His injuries had not yet fully healed. He should have been resting in bed, but with a great battle approaching, everyone was racing against time. No one had time to rest.
Coughing, Mu Gesheng continued, “Will the Master not take the monks and leave? With war about to break out, this place may not be safe.”
“Celestial Diviner, there is no need to worry.” The abbot pressed his palms together and recited a Buddhist prayer. “Fallen leaves return to their roots.”
“If you need anything, Master, please come to me at any time. The military camp is in the outskirts of the city, very close to White Water Temple.”
“Everything in the temple is well. We will pray day and night. Celestial Diviner, please take good care of your health.”
“White Water Temple is praying for the entire city. Allow me to thank you on their behalf.” Mu Gesheng smiled. “As for me, there’s no need to worry.”
He gazed into the distance. The vast evening sky stretched endlessly, with mountains rising high and rivers flowing wide, an immense landscape of mountains and rivers.
“Wood becomes firewood, and burning wood becomes fuel. From this day onward, if there is no torch, then I shall be the only light.”
Six days later, the front line fell, and the battlefield was forced to retreat once more.
At the same time, the Yin Soldiers went into a rampage and broke through their seal.
Mu Gesheng led three thousand stationed troops into a battle of life and death.
Meanwhile, the only ones standing against the Yin Soldiers within the city were a mere handful of people.