Shangguan Ye took the piece of blue brocade and frowned. “This is…”
“Hmm, I do recall something like this, Master. We might have it in our treasury,” Youxiang remarked from the side. Though usually rather fierce, women naturally took an interest in beautiful things like brocade. Most of the rewards the Heavenly Slayer Pavilion received for completing tasks were treasures.
Generally, brocades and silks that became treasures were no ordinary items.
Murong Qiufeng also took a curious look at the silk. “The material feels somewhat unusual,” she remarked, noting its cool touch. Most notably, the silk was in small pieces, clearly cut by someone. Yet the edges were mysteriously smooth. Silk wasn’t a single piece but woven from many fine threads. No matter how it was cut, it should have left at least one loose thread.
Shangguan Ye unrolled the scroll only to find it blank inside, containing merely a palm-sized scrap of paper. The edges bore scorched marks, likely salvaged from the flames. The pattern on it…
“This looks like some kind of incantation…” Youxiang stared at it for a long moment before murmuring softly.
Canyang frowned. “It reminds me of a painting, though I can’t quite place the design. If only we knew more about it…”
Shangguan Ye couldn’t make anything out either. “Could it be a map?”
Murong Qiufeng, however, stared intently at the paper, frowning deeply in thought.
“What? Have you seen this before?” Shangguan Ye looked at him in confusion.
“A vague impression, but it’s very hazy. I can’t recall where I might have seen it,” Murong Qiufeng took the paper and examined it closely.
“Could it just be a similarity? Your memory might be confusing things,”
Murong Qiufeng sounded uncertain. “Perhaps. But first, tell me about this brocade. It seems Senior Brother was targeted because of a clue related to it. What’s so special about this brocade?”
Yuxiang frowned. “It looks somewhat similar, but that shouldn’t be possible. Only one such item remains in this world, and that one is still in our master’s possession.”
“Hmm,” Murong Qiufeng watched them exchange cryptic remarks with puzzlement.
“That item is called ‘Heavenly Cloth Without Seams.’ It’s not actually a piece of brocade, but a sash. Legend has it it was left behind from ancient times. No one knows how it was made, but its function is truly extraordinary. Though it appears as mere cloth, it’s actually alive. To see if it’s the one, we just need to test it.” Youxiang spoke, then quickly fetched a basin of water, placing it on the central table before submerging the blue silk within.
The moment the blue silk touched the water, it became completely transparent, as if vanishing beneath the surface. Had Youxiang not still held one corner, one might have thought it was dissolving.
Startled, Murong Qiufeng reached out to touch it, only to be swiftly grabbed by Shangguan Ye. He then picked up a fragrant leaf Youxiang had plucked and placed it inside.
The leaf floated atop the water.
Murong Qiufeng was so astonished she reached out to touch it, only to have Shangguan Ye swiftly grab her hand. He then picked up a leaf Yuxiang had casually plucked and dropped it into the water.
The leaf floated on the calm surface, then suddenly seemed weighed down, as if pulled downward by something, until it sank beneath the surface. It no longer resembled a leaf but rather a stone.
But the truly astonishing part was yet to come. After the leaf sank to the bottom, it quickly turned yellow and withered, as if instantly drained of all moisture and life.
“Just as I thought,” Yuxiang nodded, pulling the silk back up.
But the more astonishing spectacle was yet to come. After sinking to the bottom, the leaf swiftly withered and turned yellow, as if instantly drained of all moisture and life.
“Indeed,” Yuxiang nodded, pulling the silk fabric up and tossing it onto the table. “Young Master, observe it closely. Do not touch it.”
Mou Rong Qiufeng leaned closer and noticed something unusual. The threads within the now slightly translucent silk seemed to move. “This…”
” ‘Seamless Heavenly Robe’ isn’t its original name—someone gave it that later. It earned the name because it truly shows no trace of human craftsmanship, appearing as if grown naturally. It’s likely some aquatic creature, merely resembling silk brocade. Once submerged, it takes on the color of water, and its threads—or perhaps tentacles—spread out. Don’t be fooled by its beauty; it feeds on life, specifically draining vitality.”
“How could such a thing exist? And didn’t you just say there’s only one left? If it’s bred, how can you be certain there’s only one?”
“Because the place where such things were cultivated has vanished. Records indicate it appeared in the southern Death Desert. That land wasn’t always a desert—it was once home to an isolated tribe nestled by mountains and water. The tribe possessed a unique skill: cultivating all manner of strange creatures. Many rare plants and flowers originated from there.”
“Later, no one knows what happened. The tribe vanished overnight—every person disappeared, along with all the plants and flowers. Only an empty city remained. But that’s when the strange occurrences began.”
“Could it be connected to it turning into a desert later?” Murong Qiufeng asked curiously.
“Indeed. Some time after the tribe vanished, a massive earthquake struck the area. Within three days, the entire lake dried up. The empty city—whether it became ruins or something else—disappeared too. But from that day onward, not a blade of grass grew there. It spread like a contagion across a thousand miles, eventually transforming the land into the desert we see today. But this happened hundreds of years ago. Who can say for certain?”
“Legend has it that back then, a girl from the tribe eloped with a passing merchant. The brocade became part of her dowry and fell into the merchant’s hands. But the girl died soon after. It seems the tribe’s people took a drug from childhood that prevented them from living with anyone outside the tribe. After the tribe vanished, this lone brocade became a priceless treasure, sealed as a family heirloom. Alas, possessing such a treasure without sufficient protection brings only misfortune, not blessings. That family was robbed overnight, leaving not a single soul behind.”
Mou Rong Qiufeng listened, her brow furrowing as she sighed.
“If this thing is a living entity, it should have a lifespan. How can it be immortal?”
“That’s the mystery, but no one has solved it. They say it even extends life and preserves youth. This is the first time I’ve seen one severed. When I acquired it last time, I tested it—even that sword that cuts through iron like mud couldn’t break it. Strange… how was it severed?” Youxiang tapped her chin, utterly perplexed.
Murong Qiufeng suddenly recalled something. “Wait, what did you just say…”
“Ah!” Youxiang startled.
Murong Qiufeng’s eyes widened. “Cutting through iron like mud… I know where I’ve seen those words before!”
“Words?” Everyone turned to the paper Murong Qiufeng pointed at.
“Exactly. Ye, remember when we encountered that street thief—a child? I traded my dagger for his jade pendant.”
Shangguan Ye nodded. He remembered every detail of his time with Murong Qiufeng. That child was now under his tutelage, destined to be trained and presented to Murong Qiufeng.
“It’s that dagger. These aren’t patterns, but a form of writing. From what Senior Brother said, it comes from a place beyond the East Sea—a place where people live, but their writing differs from ours. That dagger was also obtained by Senior Brother from someone who bought information at the Coming Evening Wind Pavilion. I think Senior Brother kept this to have me investigate the person who sold the dagger, and follow the trail from there.”
