“Oh, right. That child. What became of him?” He knew Shangguan Ye must have taken the child in.
“Hmph. I placed him in the Heavenly Slaughter Pavilion. I’ll take you to see him. It’ll also give us a chance to compare this one with the others in the pavilion.”
Shangguan Ye laughed lightly, stood up, then pulled Murong Qiufeng toward the exit.
Youxiang and the others hurriedly gathered their things and followed behind.
Mourning Autumn Feng urgently asked, “We’re leaving now? Shouldn’t we settle things here first? And Brother Yun…”
“Heh. Don’t worry. It’s very close. It won’t take long.” Shangguan Ye reassured her. The moment they stepped outside, he used his lightness skills to carry her all the way to the long-neglected royal mansion. Youxiang accompanied them the entire journey, while the others remained behind.
Landing in that long-unseen courtyard only deepened Murong Qiufeng’s confusion. But Shangguan Ye grabbed her hand and led her into the study.
Only then did she realize the study concealed a hidden world—a secret passageway.
The passage branched into three paths, each likely leading elsewhere. They took the middle one.
Before a stick of incense burned out, they reached an exit. Stepping through the opening, Murong Qiufeng froze again at the sight before him.
Emerging from behind an artificial hill, he found himself in a courtyard identical to the one in the prince’s mansion. He thought they’d returned to their starting point.
“Hehe. Welcome to the Heavenly Slaughter Pavilion,” Shangguan Ye murmured, his smile warm as he slipped an arm around his waist. Seeing his adorably dazed expression, he couldn’t resist kissing his cheek before leading him out of the courtyard.
Once outside, the layout remained nearly identical to the prince’s mansion. Yet subtle differences emerged—particularly in the pavilion’s flora.
In the mansion, even in the dead of winter, the plants had nearly all withered away. But here in the Sky Slayer Pavilion, it was different. Though blanketed in snow, the flowers, grasses, and trees all appeared vibrant and full of life.
The Fragrant Mist stepped forward, almost seeking praise. “Young Master, surprised? This is the Four Seasons Reversal Cultivation Method I painstakingly researched.”
Murong Qiufeng opened his mouth but remained silent, his curiosity piqued throughout the journey.
He had always imagined the Sky Slayer Pavilion to be a lifeless, gloomy place. Yet now, seeing it, his expectations were completely overturned.
One thing stood out, however: the Sky Slayer Pavilion seemed utterly deserted. A profound silence hung over the place.
The trio arrived at a courtyard, where Murong Qiufeng finally encountered others besides themselves within the Heavenly Execution Pavilion.
Two stern-faced men stood outside the courtyard, as still as pillars.
Youxiang approached first.
The two recognized her and immediately knelt. Youxiang produced a token and spoke briefly. The men bowed their heads and entered first.
After that, Shangguan Ye led him inside.
The courtyard contained a series of interconnected rooms. Each seemed identical, except for the plaques above them indicating their contents: gold and silver, treasures, artifacts, secret manuals. This must be the so-called treasure vault.
The two men had already opened one of the rooms. Youxiang went inside.
Shangguan Ye, however, led Murong Qiufeng into another room.
The moment they entered, Murong Qiufeng froze. Inside stood row upon row of structures resembling bookshelves. These shelves held weapons—swords, daggers, everything imaginable.
Shangguan Ye guided him to one particular shelf. “Take a look at this.”
Murong Qiufeng had long since frozen, staring at the object in utter shock. “This… This is the Dragon’s Roar.” The Dragon’s Roar, the foremost among the Ten Great Lutes.
“Heh. Care to test its sound?”
Murong Qiufeng looked at him with palpable excitement. “May I?”
“Of course. Everything here will be yours from now on. Do with it as you please.”
Murong Qiufeng was speechless. He took the qin down, cradling it carefully. Then, his fingers gently plucked the strings twice. A clear tone instantly filled the air—resounding, enduring, and majestic, like the roar of a dragon.
Overwhelmed with emotion, Murong Qiufeng instinctively wrapped his arms around Shangguan Ye’s waist. “It’s real. It really is the Dragon’s Roar qin.”
Shangguan Ye wrapped his arms around him with effortless ease. “Of course it’s real. Why would I give you a fake?”
Murong Qiu Feng beamed with joy, his cheeks flushed rosy and utterly charming. “Thank you,” he murmured, eyes crinkling in delight.
Shangguan Ye leaned in and kissed him. “Hehe. If you really want to thank me, then pledge yourself to me.”
Murong Qiufeng’s ears flushed crimson. “But I already did.”
“Haha. Who says? We haven’t consummated the marriage yet. That doesn’t count.”
“Er… I… I thought you… didn’t want to anymore.” ” Murong Qiufeng stammered, her face flushing even redder. After all, he hadn’t mentioned it since that day. Her wounds had clearly healed, yet he made no move, leaving her agonizing for a long time.
Shangguan Ye raised an eyebrow. “Who said that? I think about it day and night. But we need the right moment—the perfect timing, place, and circumstances.”
“What kind of moment?” Murong Qiufeng couldn’t help but ask curiously.
“Of course…”
“Master! Trouble! The Heavenly Seamless Robe in the treasury is missing!” Youxiang suddenly rushed in, her expression grave.
Shangguan Ye’s eyes narrowed instantly, a cold glint flashing within. “Find out exactly what happened.”
“I did,” You Xiang hurriedly replied. “It was…” But she abruptly stopped, hesitating as she glanced at Murong Qiufeng.
“I’ll go check elsewhere.” Murong Qiufeng thoughtfully offered an excuse to leave. After all, this concerned the secrets of the Heavenly Slayer Pavilion.
“Speak if you have something to say.” Shangguan Ye’s expression darkened. He held Murong Qiufeng’s waist firmly, refusing to budge.
Yuxiang sighed. “It’s Yueyin. He came here before. But they don’t know if he took anything.”
“Yueyin.” Murong Qiufeng looked at them in surprise. While he wasn’t personally acquainted with Yueyin, the name was familiar. It was Yueyin who had orchestrated the frame-up against him.
“He’s also from the Heavenly Slayer Pavilion.”
Shangguan Ye felt a twinge of regret now. But this was something he would have learned sooner or later anyway. He could only nod. “Correct. He was.”
“Was.”
“Yes. After he framed you last time, I immediately ordered men to capture him. Unfortunately, he escaped. I’m sorry I never told you.”
Murong Qiufeng quickly shook her head. “No. Everyone has their own difficulties. Haven’t I kept many things from you too? But why is he targeting me?”
“Er…” Shangguan Ye suddenly found himself at a loss for words, feeling a bit nervous. He couldn’t very well say that Yueyin was originally his male lover and was targeting her out of jealousy.
Youxiang stuck out her tongue. He’d already vanished without a trace.
Shangguan Ye’s rare hesitation piqued Murong Qiufeng’s curiosity. “What? Is there something you can’t say? Could it be he’s actually targeting you?”
Shangguan Ye blinked. “Er… You could put it that way…”
Murong Qiufeng’s gaze grew even more suspicious. But she didn’t press further. “Alright. Let’s go out and find out what’s going on first.” She started to walk out.
“Wait. Feng. I have something… to confess.” Shangguan Ye hurriedly spoke up.
Murong Qiufeng looked up, puzzled. She waited calmly for him to speak.
