Inside the Golden Hall, His Majesty sat sideways with his chin propped on one hand, turning the string of jade beads in the other as he listened to Yue Juntian’s tearful complaint.
“Your Majesty! Your Majesty! This old subject has only this one legitimate son. He even has half the blood of the royal family running through his veins. Your Majesty, you cannot refuse to take care of this! If anything happens to my son, then this old subject will also… this old subject will also…” At the sorrowful part, he once again pounded the floor and wept bitterly, mucus dripping onto the golden bricks.
His Majesty found the sight rather disgusting. He wrinkled his nose and narrowed his eyes as he tried to persuade him, “All right, all right. What can crying solve? I never said I wouldn’t take care of it.”
Yue Juntian immediately slammed his head against the floor repeatedly, tears in his eyes. “Thank you, Your Majesty! Thank you, Your Majesty! I beg Your Majesty to immediately send the Northern Frontier Iron Army to flatten Dream Butterfly Island and rescue my son!”
“…Send whom? Do you think the Northern Frontier Army can simply be dispatched whenever you say so?” His Majesty was rather speechless. “People say that a thousand-li horse can carry a consort’s smile across the empire, but surely I won’t send a hundred thousand troops for the sake of one man.”
As soon as Yue Juntian heard this, he once again beat his chest and stamped his feet, wailing, “Your Majesty! This old subject has been alone and miserable his whole life. My wife died young, and my son…”
“Stop howling! Since you entered the hall, I’ve already heard you say the same thing a hundred and eighty times!” His Majesty pressed a hand to his forehead. “Listen. I will definitely save him. But forget about the Northern Frontier Army. That would be absolutely ridiculous…”
Seeing that Yue Juntian was about to start howling again, with the mucus hanging precariously from his nose, His Majesty was nearly driven mad with disgust. He hurriedly sat upright and held out a hand.
“All right, all right! I’ve had enough of you. I’ll send Lord Xi He to you. Will that do?”
Yue Juntian froze for a moment. His nose ran silently, and he sniffed hard, sucking all of it back up before muttering, “But Lord Xi He is ultimately only one person. It isn’t completely foolproof either…”
His Majesty had been pestered by him for so long that his patience had already reached its limit. Seeing him still nitpicking, he could not help becoming irritated.
“Then can you do it? If you can, go yourself.”
Although Yue Juntian was also a master artificer, he had contracted a strange illness many years ago. Though he had managed to survive, both his mind and body had deteriorated greatly. Now that he was old as well, he had to rest for half a day after walking only a few miles. Sending him to Dream Butterfly Island would be nothing short of a fantasy. It would be closer to sending him to his death.
Moreover, this man was selfish to the extreme. Back then, when Jiang Yexue had offended his dignity and touched his interests, he had cast this son out and made things difficult for him in every possible way. Although Yue Chenqing had been far more favored than Jiang Yexue, when it came down to it, how could his own life be less important?
He immediately shook his head mournfully.
“It is not that this old subject is unwilling. If I were still as I was back then, I would personally rescue my son from that demon island! However, however…”
“However what? If you keep dragging your feet, who knows whether your son’s life will still be there!”
Yue Juntian had no choice but to say, “All right, all right! Then Lord Xi He! We will trouble Lord Xi He greatly!”
His Majesty therefore summoned Mo Xi into the hall as well. Having already heard about the matter from Li Wei’s report, Mo Xi understood the situation after His Majesty gave him a brief explanation.
Although Mo Xi had absolutely no favorable impression of that lecherous old radish Yue Juntian, Jiang Yexue had been one of his earliest comrades-in-arms, and their bond as fellow soldiers ran deep. Yue Chenqing himself had also served as his deputy commander for two years, so naturally he would not refuse.
“Only, Dream Butterfly Island is an archipelago. Do we know Yue Chenqing’s exact whereabouts?”
His Majesty said, “We do. Ah, fortunately, we do. Otherwise, this matter would be even more troublesome.”
As he spoke, he summoned the sound-transmitting spirit bird that Yue Chenqing had sent back at the end.
This kind of bird was condensed from spiritual power. In order to repeatedly listen to the details of Yue Chenqing’s cries for help, His Majesty had already protected it with his own spell, allowing it to remain until now without dissipating.
As His Majesty silently recited the incantation, the sound-transmitting spirit bird opened and closed its sharp beak, producing Yue Chenqing’s extremely weak voice.
“F-Fourth Uncle… Father…”
The moment Yue Juntian heard his son’s voice, he could not help beating his chest and crying again.
“I-I was trapped on Dream Butterfly Island! A-Around me… it’s all black… everything is black… They… they can make people dream…” Yue Chenqing’s voice was filled with fear and sobbing. “I don’t know how long I can remain awake… I-I don’t know what they want to do with me… Hurry and save me… Fourth Uncle… Father… save me… sob… it hurts so much… my blood… they want…”
But what they wanted, Mo Xi did not hear. When Yue Chenqing reached this point, his spiritual power was exhausted, and the recording could no longer be preserved.
His Majesty wrapped the agate-and-turquoise bracelet around his wrist and asked, “Lord Xi He, did you figure out anything from that?”
Mo Xi pondered for a moment before saying, “Dream Butterfly Island is a demon island rarely visited by people. Because the demons there are capricious and their magical abilities are difficult to gauge, ordinary cultivators generally would not go there unless absolutely necessary.”
“However…” He paused. “According to the legends circulating among the people, Dream Butterfly Island consists of more than twenty islands. Different kinds of demons inhabit each island, and their temperaments and habits differ greatly. There are three pieces of information Yue Chenqing provided. First, everything is black. Second, there are dreams, and Yue Chenqing may not be able to remain awake. Third, those demons seem to be interested in his blood.”
His Majesty found this rather interesting. He smiled and rubbed his chin.
“Then, if Lord Xi He had to guess, which clan do you think the demons holding our Yue Chenqing belong to?”
Mo Xi said, “Bats.”
Yue Juntian gave an “Ah” from the side, his pale lips trembling.
“Bats… bats… yes… yes, it is recorded that Dream Butterfly Island does indeed have one. There is an island of blood-sucking bats…” He suddenly began howling again. “Heavens! My son! My precious son!”
“However, this is only a guess. The most urgent matter is to depart as soon as possible and investigate Dream Butterfly Island.”
Hearing that he was about to leave immediately, Yue Juntian hurriedly wiped away his tears with his sleeve and choked out, “Thank you, Lord Xi He. Thank you, Lord Xi He!”
Mo Xi said coldly, “I am not doing this for you. I am doing it for your son. You need not thank me.”
“…”
Yue Juntian’s lips moved soundlessly. He knew very well of Mo Xi’s friendship with Jiang Yexue, and he also understood what Mo Xi meant.
That address, “your son,” was a reminder to him that Yue Juntian did not have only Yue Chenqing as a son. He also had Jiang Yexue, the one he had always treated as worthless and made things difficult for in every possible way.
Seeing the awkward atmosphere between the two, His Majesty coughed lightly and said, “There is no time to waste. Lord Xi He, return to your residence, make a few preparations, and depart as soon as possible.”
Mo Xi said, “Yes.”
“Also, take this Life Crystal with you.”
His Majesty waved his hand, and a blue-and-white spirit stone appeared beside Mo Xi.
The so-called Life Crystal was a stone that some of Chonghua’s nobles had forged at birth using a drop of umbilical cord blood. Such stones emitted a unique light day and night without interruption, until the day their owner died.
According to an old legend of Chonghua, they could bring good fortune to a newborn baby. Therefore, quite a few nobles possessed such a stone of their own.
“This one belongs to Yue Chenqing. Its light is still fairly strong, so there is no need to worry about his life for now,” His Majesty said. “Keep it close at hand. Although it cannot point you in the right direction, at least you will be able to know Yue Chenqing’s condition at any time.”
Mo Xi frowned slightly.
“…We?”
“Oh, I forgot to tell you,” His Majesty said. “There are two people who came to request permission from me long ago. They insist on going. One is Murong Chuyi, and the other is Jiang Yexue.”
Mo Xi suddenly widened his eyes.
“They are going too?”
Seeing Mo Xi’s expression, His Majesty said, “You needn’t worry about Elder Qingxu. Although his legs are crippled, he is still a master artificer. That wooden wheelchair of his is highly maneuverable and has numerous mechanisms. He definitely won’t drag you down.”
“…That isn’t what I meant. It’s just that on this journey, aside from Gu Mang, who has no choice but to accompany us because he is under surveillance, I did not intend to bring anyone else. After all, demons have strange and unpredictable temperaments, and many demon clans do not particularly like contact with humans. The more people we bring, the more likely we are to provoke their resistance.”
His Majesty said, “It’s only two more people. The way you’re talking, you’d think you were bringing an army of ten thousand horses. Take them when I tell you to. Having more people will make things easier.”
Mo Xi could not argue with His Majesty and could only return to his residence to prepare.
He did not have many belongings with him. Apart from some basic talismans and spirit stones, there was only one person he needed to take along—
Gu Mang.
He had no way to leave this fellow behind. Gu Mang’s memories were now fragmented and scattered. If he suddenly remembered something he should not remember while Mo Xi was not by his side, the consequences would be difficult to predict.
Moreover, there was something else he had to admit—
Whether it was Gu Mang’s descent into darkness or Gu Mang’s betrayal of his country, both had happened while he was absent. After experiencing so many things, Mo Xi knew that deep down, he was genuinely afraid of being separated from Gu Mang for a long period of time.
“Where are we going?” Gu Mang asked while Mo Xi was packing his Qiankun pouch.
Mo Xi answered, “To save someone.”
“Are we going to save the Little White Bird?”
“Yes.”
“Just the two of us?”
Mo Xi stopped what he was doing and looked back at Gu Mang.
“No. Murong Chuyi and Jiang Yexue are going too.”
He knew that Gu Mang did not like interacting with strangers, and he could hear the worry in his voice, so he asked, “Are you afraid of them?”
“If it’s those two…” Gu Mang thought about it and said, “Then it’s okay.”
When Mo Xi and Gu Mang arrived at the pavilion outside the city, they discovered that Jiang Yexue and Murong Chuyi had already been waiting there.
It was truly a very strange situation.
Jiang Yexue and Murong Chuyi were enemies who should have had absolutely nothing to do with each other. Murong Chuyi in particular was unwilling even to look at Jiang Yexue for very long. Yet at this moment, their goals were identical: both intended to accompany Lord Xi He to rescue someone.
One of them sat inside the pavilion, while the other stood beneath a pear blossom tree outside it. They were speaking across an extremely distant and cold gap.
The distance was too great, and Mo Xi could not hear what they were saying. But the hostility flowing between them seemed strong enough to be felt even ten miles away.
Especially Murong Chuyi.
He was still dressed in white embroidered with silver trim, standing with his hands behind his back. His heavenly-silk sash fluttered in the wind, while his handsome, elegant face seemed covered with a layer of bone-piercing frost.
When Mo Xi and Gu Mang approached them, the two immediately stopped talking.
“Elder Qingxu, Mr. Murong.”
Gu Mang also imitated Mo Xi, copying his greeting to the letter.
“Elder Qingxu, Mr. Murong.”
After not seeing him for several days, Jiang Yexue had become much thinner. There were also faint dark circles beneath his eyes. It was obvious that ever since Yue Chenqing disappeared, he had been unable to eat or sleep peacefully.
Jiang Yexue said, “Lord Xi He.”
Afterward, he also nodded toward Gu Mang, counting that as a greeting.
As for Murong Chuyi, he had always disregarded conventional etiquette. When he was in a bad mood, he simply ignored people completely.
The atmosphere among the four was subtle, and so they set off just like that.
Dream Butterfly Island was not particularly far from the capital of Chonghua. With two artificers among them, there was naturally no need to travel by flying sword.
Jiang Yexue took a small walnut from his Qiankun pouch. After placing it on the ground and casting a spell, it transformed into a flying boat that could float above the clouds and travel a thousand li in a day.
Jiang Yexue invited Mo Xi and Gu Mang aboard. Then he turned around and looked at Murong Chuyi beneath the flower tree.
“Chuyi, I originally learned how to make this vessel from you. Later, I made some modifications to the blueprints. This walnut boat can now carry more than a hundred people. Why don’t you come aboard and have a look?”
Murong Chuyi, however, said coldly, “Your boat? I will not set foot on it even once. Nephew, there is no need to trouble yourself.”
Gu Mang was leaning over the side of the boat, watching the spectacle. Only after hearing this did he belatedly understand the meaning.
He pointed at Murong Chuyi, then at Jiang Yexue.
“He calls him nephew?”
Then he turned around, pointed at Jiang Yexue, and pointed at Murong Chuyi.
“He’s his uncle?”
He looked back at Mo Xi.
“Right, I remember now. They really do have this kind of relationship. But I can’t tell at all. This uncle looks about the same age as his nephew.”
Mo Xi reminded him, “Don’t say anything more. Go inside the cabin.”
But Murong Chuyi had clearly heard Gu Mang’s words. For some reason, his expression became even colder than usual.
Jiang Yexue said, “Chuyi, you…”
“Who are you calling?” Murong Chuyi interrupted him, his sword-like brows raised as he said coldly, “Jiang Yexue, you were born of Yue Juntian’s concubine. In terms of seniority, you should address me as your uncle. You and Yue Chenqing are both my juniors. Do you not feel that you are being discourteous by addressing me this way?”
“…Yes. Little Uncle is right to reprimand me.”
Murong Chuyi gave a cold snort. He raised a hand and pinched a flower. A pear blossom that had landed on his shoulder immediately transformed into a Jiangnan pleasure boat, also a spirit vessel capable of flying and traveling just like Jiang Yexue’s walnut boat.
He entered the pleasure boat on his own. His tall, upright figure disappeared behind the pale linen-colored woven curtains.
Jiang Yexue was silent for a while before turning back to Mo Xi.
“I’m sorry, Lord Xi He. I have embarrassed you.”
Mo Xi shook his head and comforted him with a few words.
But even after the two boats were traveling through the vast sea of clouds, Mo Xi sat inside the cabin, listening to the wind howling outside the window, and still could not help feeling that something was strange.
He felt that the way Jiang Yexue and Murong Chuyi spoke to each other was far too strange, as though they were concealing some secret that no one else knew about.
And this secret seemed to make Murong Chuyi extremely resistant—so much so that someone as unconcerned with worldly affairs as Murong Chuyi would deliberately bring up the matter of seniority.
Therefore, not only had Murong Chuyi refused to board Jiang Yexue’s boat, there was also a warning flashing in those phoenix eyes, silently intimidating the other person—
I am the superior, and you are the inferior. I am your elder, and you are my junior. How could I allow you to overstep the boundaries?
Mo Xi frowned.
He wondered what exactly had caused Murong Chuyi to be so insistent on emphasizing this boundary…