The day after the Yue family mourning period ended, a huge bird with pitch-black feathers suddenly flew over the skies of Chonghua’s royal capital. The creature looked like an eagle, but apart from its wings, its entire body was covered in white fur like that of a beast. No one knew how this strange bird had entered the country. It flapped its wings and soared into the clouds at an extremely fast speed. Even the swiftest sword-flying cultivators could not catch up to its trail.
After circling once over the royal city, the strange bird transformed into a gust of black wind, rose into the clouds, and disappeared. After that, torrential rain descended upon the royal capital, pouring for a full three days without anyone knowing whether it was day or night.
Once the rain stopped, many people suddenly fell ill. After the medicine cultivators of Shennong Terrace examined them one by one, they arrived at a chilling conclusion—
Demonic aura.
Every one of those people had been contaminated by an intense amount of demonic aura. Chonghua had never cultivated demonic arts and had no way to control such miasma. Although Shennong Terrace could barely purify it, their efforts were still like a drop in the bucket. Far too many people had fallen ill. Many died before they could even receive treatment from Shennong Terrace, unable to withstand the torment of the miasma. Some did not die, but they had gone insane.
The cultivators who had witnessed Liao’s State Preceptor Jiumu Qin on the battlefield began to speculate one after another, saying that the strange bird was a demonic beast released from one of the eyes of Jiumu Qin.
Others said that this was a new demonic bird refined by Liao, capable of summoning clouds and bringing rain, causing anyone who came into contact with the rainwater to be infected by demonic aura.
There were all kinds of opinions, and for a time, everyone was thrown into panic.
His Majesty was deeply troubled by this. Unfortunately, neither Jiang Fuli nor Mengze was in the royal capital at this time. Jiang Fuli had gone traveling and had yet to return, while not long ago, Mengze had gone to the Hot Spring Palace in another city to recuperate because she had been feeling unwell. Although there were other medicine cultivators in the city, the incident had happened suddenly, and this was an illness they had never encountered before. Thus, those medicine cultivators were worked to the bone and still found themselves stretched far too thin.
Gu Mang had also been affected by the torrential rain, but he had been doing his utmost to restrain himself, preventing himself from going berserk and losing control.
The situation between Chonghua and Liao grew more critical with each passing day. Finally, one day, Liao’s army, which had been stationed along Chonghua’s border, gathered and pressed toward the border. Moving by a dangerous route, they chose the shortest and most remote path, circling around toward the royal city for a surprise attack.
Faced with such a precarious situation, the court descended into chaos. Some said they should rush to the front lines and launch an offensive first. Others said they should take this opportunity to strengthen the defenses of the royal city. There were even people who sighed and complained at such a time that the royal city had been built too close to Liao, suggesting that, in order to reduce casualties, they should simply abandon the city and move the capital.
These people had always been nothing more than embroidered pillows stuffed with straw. That terrifying rainstorm earlier had soaked all the straw inside them rotten, and the stench had practically spread outside.
They even spoke with great conviction:
“If that strange bird appears again and causes all the cultivators to become infected, how are we supposed to fight this war?”
“Withdraw first. As long as the green hills remain, there will be no shortage of firewood.”
“Perhaps that strange bird is actually the new Blood Demon Beast they have refined. If we confront it directly, wouldn’t we have absolutely no chance of victory? At the very least, we should first develop an antidote capable of driving away epidemics and warding off evil spirits before we engage Liao head-on. Otherwise, we’ll only be wasting our fighting strength for nothing.”
A whole group of people chattered over one another, each insisting on his own opinion, as though a monster had sprouted countless heads from its body, all of them barking and tearing into one another.
His Majesty was so overwhelmed by the racket that his head throbbed violently. Yet he truly had no solution to the problem of the demonic-aura epidemic, so all he could do was repeatedly send letters urging Jiang Fuli, wherever he was off enjoying himself, to return to the city.
On the eighth day, Medicine Master Jiang finally received the letter and hurried back to the imperial capital.
After three days of secluded cultivation, the antidote was finally produced.
As luck would have it, that very day, good news arrived from Yonglan Pass, reporting that Liao’s vanguard had been repelled and the Liao army had temporarily retreated north of the Huang River. The court was greatly relieved.
His Majesty intended to celebrate the victory, distribute the medicine, and discuss their strategy for responding to the enemy once more. Thus, he summoned the various lords of the royal city and announced that a banquet would be held at the Golden Hall of the imperial palace at the Xu hour that night, where the medicine would be bestowed and military affairs discussed.
Mo Xi had originally not wanted to attend this banquet. His hatred of His Majesty had already reached its extreme. The reason he had not yet gone to settle accounts with His Majesty was truly because the country was in turmoil, beset by troubles both within and without. Moreover, Gu Mang’s condition had been extremely poor recently. After the incident at Huntian Cave, their plan to go to Lin’an to find the great cultivator capable of summoning souls had also been delayed.
He was worried about Gu Mang’s health, but he also did not trust other people to treat him. Coincidentally, Mengze was not in the imperial capital—he had heard that shortly after they had left, Mengze had fallen ill and had been forced to go to the Hot Spring Palace to recuperate.
Therefore, since Jiang Fuli would also appear at the banquet and would be bringing medicine capable of resisting demonic aura, Mo Xi thought about it and decided to bring Gu Mang along after all.
Wearing a face covering was ultimately somewhat stuffy. While sitting in the carriage, Gu Mang pushed his mask upward, revealing a pair of hazy blue eyes. Resting his chin in his hand, he gazed at the shifting shadows of the lanterns beyond the bamboo curtain. His other hand was constantly playing with the little bamboo warrior Murong Chuyi had left for him.
Gu Mang had two things he treasured most. One was this little bamboo warrior, and the other was that mysterious brocade pouch of unknown origin.
Mo Xi had been very concerned about this brocade pouch ever since he first saw it at Luomei Villa. Yet regardless of whether Gu Mang had regained his consciousness or not, he had never told Mo Xi where the pouch came from. Whenever Mo Xi asked too much, Gu Mang would only say pitifully, “I don’t really remember either. I can’t remember anything at all. I only know that it’s important.”
Every time Mo Xi saw that aggrieved expression of his, he could no longer bring himself to say anything. Later, he was even less willing to upset him, so he could only endure his own frustration and avoid looking at the pouch lest he become angry for no reason.
Later, Gu Mang probably noticed that he was unhappy, so he showed Mo Xi what was inside the pouch. In truth, there was nothing particularly precious inside—only a pure white shell coin, with a faint character written upon it by someone unknown.
“Fire.”
“Did some fire-elemental spellcaster give this to you?”
Gu Mang shook his head, pouting as he muttered, “I just don’t know.”
As he spoke, he put the shell coin back, then tucked the brocade pouch close against his body again.
“I just feel like I really like it. I can’t throw it away.”
Who exactly had given him that thing, and what had made him like it so much that, like Murong Chuyi’s bamboo warrior, he could never bring himself to let it go—this remained an unsolved mystery even now.
When they arrived at the Golden Hall, most of the great clans had already arrived, yet the place still seemed cold and deserted.
Mo Xi had attended many banquets in Chonghua, but he had rarely seen a scene as bleak as tonight’s. There was no need even to mention the Yue residence—Yue Chenqing had not come to the banquet at all. Princess Mengze’s seat was also empty, as was the seat belonging to Wangshu Residence…
Looking at the seat that belonged to Murong Lian, Mo Xi could not put into words what he felt.
From what he had learned in Lin’an, he already knew that Murong Lian was another one of Gu Mang’s older brothers, and that their blood relationship was even closer than that between Gu Mang and Murong Chuyi. But Murong Lian was ultimately different from Murong Chuyi. He was like the fleeting life that he himself had drawn in Floating Life, Like a Dream—blown away by the wind and scattered into mist.
No one could figure out what he was thinking.
From childhood onward, Murong Lian had bullied and tormented Gu Mang more than once. After Gu Mang returned to the city, he had even thrown him into Luomei Villa to humiliate him, as though the more miserably he suppressed Gu Mang, the more wretched a situation he forced him into, the more at ease he would feel.
But when Gu Mang was truly in danger, he could not bear it. No matter what, he would still bring the man back alive.
Around them, several nobles were whispering among themselves.
“Hey, have you heard? Lord Wangshu seems to be on the verge of death.”
“Really? His Majesty already sent the best cultivators from Shennong Terrace to treat him. How could he still…?”
“He’s been hanging on by a thread all this time. His Majesty has done everything he can for him.”
“Who else would care about him besides His Majesty? His relations with everyone are so poor.”
The red-lacquered banquet table with cloud-scroll legs sat empty. Mo Xi suddenly thought of how, after Madam Zhao’s death, Murong Lian no longer had anyone close to him either. He appeared to have everyone answering his call, but those who supported him were nothing more than servants who relied upon him, or subordinates who feared him.
He did not know what Gu Mang truly meant to Murong Lian.
The banquet began, and His Majesty came out from the back room together with Jiang Fuli. Jiang Fuli had been wandering outside for a long time and seemed to have become somewhat leaner. Perhaps because the fate of the nation was in such a perilous state, he was not as arrogant and unruly as usual. Instead, he quietly stood beside His Majesty, dressed in a loose blue robe, his broad sleeves hanging together, his eyes lowered. Rarely did he look so composed and dependable.
“I have summoned you here today for two reasons. The first is to distribute the antidote. The second is that I expect you to come up with a way to respond to the situation.”
His Majesty took his seat on a gilt nanmu armchair.
“As for those suggestions to retreat without fighting…”
He raised his eyes ominously.
“If anyone wishes to say such things, then there is no need for them to speak again.”
The few elderly hawkishly? no—the few dovish old ministers lowered their eyelids and secretly exchanged glances.
His Majesty took all those undercurrents in at once and sneered.
“You’re still signaling to one another? Earlier, your reason for advocating retreat was that the demonic miasma was difficult to dispel. I thought that made sense. But now that Medicine Master Jiang has refined the antidote, you still want to back down. Are you really that afraid?”
An old nobleman trembled as he said, “Your Majesty, Liao broke its word first and then recklessly used forbidden arts. Their purpose is clearly to reclaim that final remnant of the Blood Demon Beast’s soul. In truth, we could tamper with that remnant soul, then return it to Liao. That way, they would not need to press their army against us and fight our dynasty to the death. As for the Blood Demon Beast, since we would have damaged it, Liao would be unable to restore it for some time. Then the great war could be delayed another ten or eight years—”
His Majesty chuckled.
“What are you delaying it for ten or eight years for?”
“Well… in ten or eight years, anything could happen. Chonghua could find a way to disrupt their plans to resurrect the Blood Demon Beast. We could also study the immortal-beast records left behind by Palace Master Shen and refine immortal beasts to fight against them. In short, this old minister believes that Chonghua is currently at a vulnerable point and truly should not strike an egg against a rock. I hope Your Majesty will think it over carefully.”
His Majesty laughed loudly.
“Lord Yushu, I think those ten or eight years aren’t meant to give Chonghua time to prepare. They’re meant to give you, old sir, time to retire, aren’t they? Look at your age. In another ten or eight years, you’ll probably be ready to return to the heavens anyway. Once you have ridden a crane westward, why would you care if the floods rise to the heavens?”
Lord Yushu had been struck at his innermost thoughts by His Majesty’s words, and his expression suddenly changed, but he still insisted, “Your Majesty, Heaven above can bear witness. Every word this old minister speaks comes from a loyal heart—”
His Majesty was still smiling, but there was not the slightest trace of amusement in his eyes.
“Mm. Drag him away.”
“Your Majesty—!”
The smile disappeared. The man seated upon the throne looked cold to the extreme, practically radiating threads of icy chill from his entire body.
“I said, drag him away.”
“Yes!”
“There is no need to reserve a portion of Medicine Master Jiang’s antidote for Lord Yushu’s residence,” His Majesty said indifferently. “Anyone else who speaks of retreat should lay down his armor and retire to the countryside as soon as possible. But naturally, the medicine will not be given to you either. Whoever is willing to stand up for Chonghua and work for the people, I am willing to preserve that person’s life. As for those like Lord Yushu, who only wish to seek peace in some corner and return home to farm…”
A cold light gleamed ominously in his eyes as his teeth clicked lightly together.
“Then fend for yourselves.”
The medicine capable of dispelling demonic aura and preserving their lives was in His Majesty’s hands. For a moment, all those who had originally intended to chatter away with their opinions promptly fell silent.
His Majesty’s eagle-like eyes swept across the entire hall before he smiled again.
“If all of you remain as orderly as you are now, listening to every command without question, then there will be hope for Chonghua to unify the Nine Provinces and bring peace beneath the heavens.”
Mo Xi heard this and could not help feeling disgusted.
No matter what His Majesty said, he always circled back to the happiness of the people and the well-being of the common folk. Although Mo Xi had known all along that the heart of a monarch could not be fathomed and that his words could not possibly be entirely true, he had never imagined that he could be this hypocritical.
In truth, when it came to black magic, the monarch’s attitude was not merely one of “using” it, but of “coveting” it. The techniques Gu Mang had once endured such enormous suffering to collect for him were probably all things His Majesty had coveted for a very long time.
Peace throughout the realm was false. It was a stock phrase, a banner he used to drive his loyal ministers and heroes forward. Unifying the Nine Provinces was the true creed of this man.
Since no one was advocating retreat for the time being, His Majesty ordered Jiang Fuli to distribute the demon-repelling medicine in the brocade boxes to the masters of each residence.
While they waited, Gu Mang sat beside Mo Xi, his pair of blue eyes quietly following Jiang Fuli as he moved from place to place.
“Why do you keep watching him?”
Gu Mang said, “What is he handing out? Everyone seems to want it.”
Mo Xi explained, “It’s medicine.”
“Isn’t medicine very bitter?” Gu Mang frowned. “Why is everyone waiting to eat this… Will we have some too?”
Mo Xi raised his hand and stroked his head.
“I’ll find a way to get you some that’s sweet.”
Seeing Gu Mang nod in satisfaction, Mo Xi sighed inwardly and turned his gaze toward Jiang Fuli in the distance as he distributed the medicine. He planned to speak privately with Medicine Master Jiang after the banquet ended and ask whether there was still any way to alleviate Gu Mang’s condition.
Jiang Fuli was speaking with Lord Changfeng. Ever since the battle at Huntian Cave, Xiao Lan’er had remained unconscious. Her spirit core had been taken by Jiang Yexue, and she had been turned into a puppet. Her tiny body had endured far too much suffering.
Because of this, Lord Changfeng was filled with endless regret. During these days, he had also exhausted himself worrying over his daughter’s health. He kept pulling Jiang Fuli along and talking about this and that, but Jiang Fuli remained indifferent, replying with only a sentence or two before finally simply flicking his sleeve and walking away.
During his exchange with Lord Changfeng, however, the small pill of demon-repelling medicine he had handed to him accidentally fell to the ground.
Lord Changfeng had clearly not received the answer he wanted. Overwhelmed with sorrow, he did not even care about his own life or death and paid no attention to where that demon-repelling pill had rolled.
Jiang Fuli glanced at him and had no intention of arguing with him either. He merely picked the medicine up from the ground, pushed it forward with his long fingers, and placed it back in front of the banquet table before turning around and heading to the next table.
But Mo Xi, who had witnessed the entire scene, vaguely felt that something was wrong.
Before he could figure out exactly what was strange, a horrifying intuition had already begun crawling up his spine.
He stared at Jiang Fuli. He could not see anything unusual, yet he had the distinct feeling that something extremely important and obvious was wrong. It was just that, for a moment, he could not remember what it was.
Something was wrong with Jiang Fuli.
Something was very wrong.
But what exactly…?
Just as he furrowed his brows and thought deeply, a drifting, cold voice suddenly sounded from outside the doors of the Golden Hall—
“Put down the medicine in your hands. Don’t eat any of it.”
Everyone froze and turned toward the doorway in unison.
A man in a magnificent sapphire-blue robe could be seen slowly walking up the steps. His brows and eyes were foxlike, and his expression was listless. He looked extremely weak, but at least he could still walk and move, and his mind was clear.
Someone cried out in surprise,
“Oh! Lord Wangshu?!”
Who else could this slowly approaching man be, if not Murong Lian, who according to the rumors had been gravely ill and hanging on the brink of death?