A delicate pale green gauze curtain hung from the light yellow pear wood bed frame, creating an elegant and serene atmosphere. As Cai Zhao spoke calmly, a tall, slender figure emerged slowly from behind the bed.
The young man was strikingly handsome, with a jade-like complexion and a smile playing at his lips. It was none other than Mu Qing’an, whom Cai Zhao knew well. However, after several months, he now carried an air of authority that came from ruling over the world, undoubtedly a result of his ascension to the position of Cult Leader.
He sat down beside Cai Zhao with poise. “Zhao Zhao has finally arrived. I’ve been waiting for you.”
Cai Zhao frowned, “When did you bribe the innkeeper?” Li Yuanmin would never have chosen an inn with dubious connections to the Devil Cult for them to stay in, so this demon must have intervened later.
Mu Qing’an replied, “I didn’t bribe the innkeeper.”
Cai Zhao scoffed, “Don’t tell me you won him over with your virtues and made him listen to you.”
“I bought the entire inn.”
“…”
Like her fellow disciples, Cai Zhao hadn’t rested well in the previous inn last night. She had been running around all day today, and now she was both exhausted and hungry, which only worsened her temper. She coldly remarked, “To what do we owe the honor of Cult Leader Mu’s visit?”
Seeing the dark circles under the girl’s pale face, Mu Qing’an felt a pang of sympathy. “I told you that shabby inn wouldn’t do. I wanted to find you a good place to rest last night, but you disappeared in a flash. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be this exhausted.”
Cai Zhao’s anger flared. She raised her voice, “When did you say anything about that shabby inn being unsuitable last night? You were too busy scolding me! If I hadn’t left, was I supposed to stay and continue being berated by you?”
“Tsk, tsk, look at that temper. You must be tired and hungry, with your liver fire rising,” Mu Qing’an said with concern. “Quickly calm down and regulate your breath. Don’t disrupt your inner energy, or you won’t be able to help beat up Song Yuzhi later.”
Cai Zhao wanted nothing more than to punch him senseless. She shouted, “Can’t you talk without mentioning Third Senior Brother?!”
“Not at all. I’ve reflected on my inappropriate words last night. That’s why I didn’t say a word today when I saw Song Yuzhi going up the mountain to meet you at noon,” Mu Qing’an said, looking as if he had considered the bigger picture.
Cai Zhao exploded, “You had people spying on me again!”
“Not spying, protecting. Your Northern Chen Six Sects have so many enemies. What if you encountered bad people on the mountain?”
Cai Zhao was speechless. “…How can you say that with a straight face? Isn’t your Devil Cult the biggest enemy of our Northern Chen Six Sects?”
Ignoring her comment, Mu Qing’an adopted a melancholic expression. “Whether you believe it or not, the gulf between us is far greater than just Song Yuzhi.”
Cai Zhao calmed down slightly.
Mu Qing’an pushed the bowl of wonton soup towards her, speaking gently, “Eat while it’s hot. If you wait too long, the wrappers will get mushy.”
Cai Zhao was indeed famished, and the aroma of chicken soup was irresistible. She picked up the spoon without hesitation and began eating.
“Eat slowly, slowly. Try these butterfly cookies, made according to Furong’s recipe,” Mu Qing’an said as he took out four types of desserts from the food warmer. “Isn’t it delicious? Much better than that tasteless millet porridge and greasy meat dumplings. He’s really out of touch with the mortal world, doesn’t know how to please people at all…”
Cai Zhao paused with her spoon midair, her cheeks puffed out as she glared at him. Mu Qing’an pretended to clear his throat and turned his face away.
After devouring four butterfly cookies, three pea pastries, and two jade rolls soaked in the rich broth, and finishing the wonton soup, Cai Zhao felt human again. She put down her spoon and said, “Cult Leader Mu, please state your purpose for coming here. Otherwise, your humble servant will be quite anxious.”
Mu Qing’an avoided the question: “Zhao Zhao has traveled a long way. Wouldn’t you like to freshen up first? The bathtub inside is still hot.”
Cai Zhao scoffed again: “When I made my decision back then, it wasn’t a game. You’d better keep things clear between us. Don’t think you can act as carelessly as before! How can you be present while I bathe? That’s improper!”
She felt this statement was weighty enough and saved face for both of them.
However, Mu Qing’an, who had been amiable since entering the room, suddenly darkened his expression. “Do you think you can decide everything between us on your own? You just make a statement and leave? Do you think I’m dead? Don’t talk to me about propriety. Spare me that nonsense!”
Cai Zhao was taken aback. “How can you change your attitude faster than turning a page…” He truly was a demon!
“You haven’t eaten or slept well on your journey, and you’ve been enduring your sect members’ attitudes. I’ve been considerate because I care about you,” Mu Qing’an’s gaze deepened, his aura turning ominous. “Now that you’ve eaten, let’s have a proper discussion.”
He slammed his palm on the table decisively. “You just mentioned distance and closeness. Who are you distant from, and who are you close to? If you have the guts, say it out loud for me to hear!”
Of course, Cai Zhao couldn’t say it. Even if she could, she wouldn’t dare, fearing he might go berserk.
She had always aspired to live a peaceful, prosperous, and leisurely life. She knew she couldn’t out-argue this demon, so in her frustration, she turned her back to him.
Seeing her resort to this tactic, Mu Qing’an sneered, “Very well. If Lady Cai refuses to reason with this evil demon, then I’ll find someone who will…” He stood up and headed for the door.
Cai Zhao’s internal alarm bells rang loudly. She quickly turned and grabbed his sleeve. “Where are you going? Who are you looking for? Are you going to beat up Third Senior Brother again?!”
Mu Qing’an’s smile grew colder and more mocking. “It doesn’t have to be Song Yuzhi. There are plenty of people I dislike in this inn. I could just find a few and beat them up to vent my frustration.”
“They have no grudges against you! Why would you go looking for trouble with them?”
“Didn’t Lady Cai say that the Devil Cult is the biggest enemy of the Northern Chen Six Sects? Does the Devil Cult Leader need a reason to pick fights with Northern Chen disciples?”
“No, no, you can’t go!” Cai Zhao used all her strength to cling to Mu Qing’an’s arm. “If you swagger out of this room and start beating people, how will we explain that? Come back and let’s talk properly…”
Seeing the girl’s face flush with anxiety, Mu Qing’an finally stopped at the door latch. He turned and said, “You said it yourself, ‘talk properly.’ From now on, you’re not allowed to not ‘talk properly.'”
Cai Zhao sighed helplessly, “You know very well that what I said when we parted was reasonable. The gulf between us is vast. Why should we torment each other? We can cherish each other from afar, not forgetting each other in this world. When we look back on this moment in the future, won’t it be a good memory?”
“Lady Cai certainly thinks far ahead,” Mu Qing’an said through gritted teeth. “We can’t even get through this moment, how can there be any ‘looking back in the future’? Can’t you be more passionate, like in those novels that say ‘live together or die together’?”
“…But we’re not dying yet,” Cai Zhao sat on the edge of the bed, looking dejected. “And I don’t want to make my parents and master sad.”
Mu Qing’an sat down next to her, his voice tender and moving, “Don’t you worry about making us sad?”
Cai Zhao mumbled, “Actually before I met you, I was living quite well.”
Mu Qing’an sprang to his feet, veins bulging on his pale forehead: “Well said! Then let’s make a clean break and never see each other again!”
Hearing these resolute words, Cai Zhao’s first thought was ‘Are we never going to see each other again?’ Her fingers instinctively grasped Mu Qing’an’s sleeve. Her second thought was ‘Perhaps this is for the best,’ and she released her tight grip.
Mu Qing’an stared intently at her grasp and release, then suddenly let out a long sigh and sat down dejectedly.
He said softly, “Perhaps it really would have been better if you had never met me.”
— With loving parents, the protection of her aunt Cai Pingshu’s reputation, and a gentle fiancé from a prestigious family, Miss Cai’s future was bright indeed. The one trapped in darkness and unwilling to let go was never her.
Cai Zhao gazed at him blankly, asking herself what life without Mu Qing’an would be like.
No arguments, no worries, no dilemmas, but also no chicken soup wontons… and no one to make them.
Looking at the girl’s haggard face, Mu Qing’an suddenly had a dispirited thought: as long as she was well, he could remain trapped in darkness. After all, he was used to it.
He tenderly stroked her forehead and hair. “You’re tired. I won’t disturb your rest anymore. But there’s one thing I must tell you — the mastermind behind the massacre of Hero Chang’s family may not be in our cult.”
Cai Zhao suddenly became alert, “What did you say?”
Mu Qingyan steadied himself and continued, “Shortly after you left, I rounded up Nie Zhe’s remaining subordinates and identified those involved in the massacre of the Chang family. However, they all claimed that while they carried out the slaughter at Chang family fortress, their guide wasn’t one of their own or even a member of their sect.”
“What does that mean?” Cai Zhao asked, dumbfounded.
Mu Qingyan explained, “After interrogating Nie’s followers separately, we uncovered several facts. For years, Nie Zhe had been secretly collaborating with someone. This person would occasionally leak information about the Six Northern Chen Sects, allowing Nie Zhe to ‘opportunely’ ambush some Northern Chen disciples, thereby establishing his authority. In return, Nie Zhe would sometimes share information about their sect with that person, helping them gain merit. Looking through the records of the past decade or so, we found that seven or eight altar masters and over a dozen sect members who opposed Nie Zhe’s leadership as the current sect leader died mysteriously at the hands of Northern Chen.”
Cai Zhao said angrily, “Tell me the details of these cases so we can root out the traitor who colluded with Nie Zhe!”
“If only it were that easy,” Mu Qingyan shook his head. “We’ve already investigated. Except for your Luoying Valley, which genuinely remained isolated from worldly affairs, the remaining five Northern Chen sects all participated in the hunting operations. Even Changchun Temple and Xuankong Abbey occasionally took part.”
Cai Zhao was startled, “Why is that? Shouldn’t they have acted alone if they wanted to gain merit?”
A moment later, she blurted out, “Oh, I see. The insider wasn’t using Nie Zhe’s information to gain merit but to gain his trust. Nie Zhe felt more at ease, thinking they both had leverage over each other.”
“Correct,” Mu Qingyan praised, then continued, “Regarding the Chang family case, Nie Zhe’s followers all said they originally had no idea where the Chang family fortress was located, let alone any plans to attack them. It was Nie Zhe who suddenly ordered them to prepare one day, only revealing the exact route and location the day before the operation.”
“It seems that insider was behind this too,” Cai Zhao felt a chill. “But even my father didn’t know how to reach the Chang family fortress. Who could it be?”
She couldn’t help but sigh, “If only you hadn’t killed Nie Zhe. He was the only one who knew the insider’s identity!”
Mu Qingyan frowned, “Hmph, so you think I killed Nie Zhe too?”
“Didn’t you?” Cai Zhao asked, confused.
“No, I didn’t,” Mu Qingyan’s eyes turned cold. “Both he and Madam Sun were silenced by someone else!”
Cai Zhao gasped, stammering, “You… Madam Sun was silenced too?”
Mu Qingyan sneered, “Yes, and now all six Northern Chen sects are spreading rumors that a ruthless, vicious person even killed their own remarried birth mother—do you believe that?” His eyes narrowed, his tone dangerous.
Cai Zhao thought to herself, “Madam Sun caused your father’s death. Understandably, you’d want revenge.” However, she felt that a son killing his mother still violated human ethics.
Mu Qingyan glared at her irritably, “Yes, I wanted justice, but killing her would have been too easy. I had planned to make her spend the rest of her life eating chaff and wearing coarse clothes!”
“That’s a good plan, really good!” Cai Zhao exclaimed, then added, “But now all leads are gone. Have you investigated who might have silenced them?”
“I have,” Mu Qingyan said gravely. “However, during that period of chaos, the guards at various passes in the Hanhai Mountain Range weren’t vigilant. If a skilled martial artist had silenced them and escaped, we wouldn’t have been able to catch up.”
“So what should we do next?” Cai Zhao asked humbly.
A cold glint appeared in Mu Qingyan’s eyes, “Let’s start by investigating the leaders of the five Northern Chen sects.”
Cai Zhao felt uneasy, “Aren’t you jumping to conclusions? Why must it be the sect leaders?”
“I’m not speaking without reason. Judging by this insider’s actions, they’re not only ruthless and meticulous but also always one step ahead, cutting off all leads. This can’t be the work of a nobody.”
Cai Zhao asked, “Fine, let’s set aside the others. But Master and Uncle Zhou were childhood friends with Senior Chang. Why would they want to exterminate the Chang family?”
“Perhaps they feared Senior Chang would discover their collusion with Nie Zhe,” Mu Qingyan replied without hesitation.
Cai Zhao laughed coldly, “Here’s the problem: Master was already the leader of the primary Northern Chen sect. What more could he gain by colluding with Nie Zhe?”
Mu Qingyan was unusually at a loss for words.
Cai Zhao continued, ” Uncle Zhou has never been interested in power struggles since his youth. Even during the Six Sect competitions where victory was almost certain, he always left room for others. Why would he start colluding with the Devil Sect in his middle age?”
Mu Qingyan still couldn’t answer.
Cai Zhao pressed on, “That leaves Guangtian Gate, Siqimen, and Taichu Temple. Which leader do you think it could be? Master Song, who’s been diligently expanding his influence to challenge my master? Yang Heying, whose face screams conspiracy and schemes? Or Qiu Yuanfeng, who passed away not long ago?”
Mu Qingyan remained silent.
Cai Zhao said triumphantly, “I know you’re not happy with how strong the Six Northern Chen Sects have become, Sect Leader Mu. However, we should focus more on our shortcomings instead of fixating on our rivals! This tendency to only see others’ faults and not our own is unhealthy. As the new leader, you should reform these longstanding issues in your Devil Sect. After all, with decades of factional conflicts and internal strife, who knows if some defeated party is secretly causing trouble!”
Mu Qingyan listened quietly, waiting for the girl to finish her proud speech before abruptly asking, “Have you been honest with your parents and Sect Leader Qi about our relationship? What did they say?”
Cai Zhao was taken aback, stammering, “It’s… It’s okay…”
“If you don’t tell me, I have ways to find out.”
Cai Zhao sighed, “Master said you’re like a demon with human skin, appearing human-like but will eventually devour people.”
“Hmph!” Mu Qingyan said haughtily, “If I’m a demon, what are they? After the Chang family massacre, except for your Luoying Valley, which truly lived in seclusion and knew nothing of this, did any of the other five Northern Chen sects plan to avenge the Chang family? Now your father says he wants to pay respects to Senior Chang, and your master, and that Zhou fellow feels guilty, so they’re joining in. Hmph, where were they before? A bunch of hypocrites!”
…
The moonlight shone brightly through the window, and all others had been dismissed.
As loyal subordinates, You Guanyue and Shangguan Haonan waited eagerly in a corner downstairs.
Shangguan Haonan yawned, “We could have sent subordinates to wait for the Sect Leader. Why did we have to come personally?”
“Then why did you come along?”
“My Yingying said not to let you steal the opportunity to show loyalty to the Sect Leader.”
“Then find your way to show loyalty. Why follow me?”
“My Yanyan said that someone as honest and simple as me could easily be deceived by you, so it’s better to keep an eye on you.”
As they were bickering, they suddenly heard the window above them burst open. Their revered superior was pushed out by a fierce gust of palm wind.
A familiar girl’s voice called out, “The first of our three rules: no badmouthing elders! Get out!”
Without support from the window, Mu Qingyan lightly tapped the wall with his toes, floating down like a dark cloud.
Upon landing, his face was darker than the cloud.
You Guanyue eagerly approached, “Sect Leader, what amazing lightness skill! The Green Cloud Leap truly lives up to its reputation!”
Mu Qingyan gave him a cold look.
You Guanyue felt a chill run through his body.
Shangguan Haonan stepped forward and said quietly, “Sect Leader, all things should progress gradually. The worst scenario would be if Miss Cai’s heart becomes like still water, without any ripples. Her anger and lengthy conversation with you mean there’s still room for reconciliation.”
Mu Qingyan’s expression softened slightly, and he gave his subordinate an approving look.
Watching their leader’s stiff figure walk away, You Guanyue turned angrily to his companion, “Shangguan, how dare you steal the spotlight!”
Shangguan Haonan calmly replied, “I didn’t steal your spotlight. It’s just that you can’t help the Sect Leader with this matter.”
“How do you know I can’t help?”
“My Honghong said your face shows you don’t understand people. Otherwise, Xingxing wouldn’t be hiding and crying.”
“…Just shut up, will you?”