The Nine Darkness Mountain was especially beautiful at night. The densely packed Nine Darkness flowers along both sides of the mountain path and atop the peak glimmered faintly in the darkness like tiny candles or fireflies that had landed among the blossoms. The entire mountain seemed to be encircled by a miniature Milky Way.
Dong Tianyun landed outside the terrace of the sleeping chamber. Even though he had seen it countless times, he was still captivated by this rare beautiful scenery. In the distance, moonlight spread across the Abyss River; nearby, stars dotted the sky. He had secretly hoped that seeing such a beautiful Nine Darkness Palace, “Xiang Su” would be reluctant to leave with Long Zhun…
Dong Tianyun raised his head. Tonight the moonlight was sparse and dim, yet the Milky Way was unusually brilliant. He wondered which star in this vast sea of stars was his Xiang Su. Dong Tianyun felt something slightly cool on his chin. He raised his hand in disbelief to touch it—it really was tears. Since he had gained life, he had never shed tears. Looking at the faint traces of moisture on his fingertips, even the sharpest Gu Wen couldn’t protect his heart from being eroded by pain.
Before, he had only vaguely understood how to love someone—wanting to make her happy, so he had indulged her departure. Deep in his heart, he had still resented her betrayal. But now… he only wanted her alive. Betrayal or harm, anything would do!
He turned and walked into the sleeping chamber. Fortunately, he still had You Yue. He didn’t want to think about the future. He only wanted, in this present moment of bone-deep loneliness, to hold her delicate, soft, and fragrant small body in his arms. No matter how small she was, the comfort and warmth she gave him exceeded everything in the three realms of heaven and earth combined.
All the lamps in the sleeping chamber had been extinguished, relying only on starlight to illuminate a corner by the door. His silhouette in this bright area was tall and lonely. Dong Tianyun stopped in his tracks.
As soon as he entered the hall entrance, he sensed something amiss—the little meat dumpling’s unique faint gardenia fragrance was gone.
The golden hairpin on Chilin’s head occasionally flashed points of light extremely quickly in the darkness, betraying that despite her cold demeanor, she was still trembling involuntarily.
Dong Tianyun was silent for a while. He didn’t fly into a rage, nor did he raise his eyes to look at her. He only asked, “Where is You Yue?”
Chilin sat in the chair Dong Tianyun usually used for reading, her hands gripping the armrests tightly. “Knowing the secret could no longer be hidden, the first thing I did was come back to kill her!”
Dong Tianyun fell silent again. After a while, as if puzzled and unable to understand, he asked her, “Why?”
This question infuriated Chilin. He didn’t know why she had committed so many murders?!
“Because I’m jealous!”
Due to anger, Chilin stood up abruptly from the chair. The starlight streaming through the window illuminated her face, her expression both resentful and savage.
Dong Tianyun shook his head, still unable to understand. “Actually, you always knew I didn’t like you.” He finally looked at Chilin, without anger or resentment. Chilin knew that he had long decided to kill her. This current calmness meant he wouldn’t even deign to give her a trace of hatred. “Everything you’ve done has only made me detest you more and more.”
Chilin smiled somewhat madly and soundlessly, nodding continuously. “Yes, you’re right about everything. But didn’t I almost succeed? If not for that damned little flower spirit, I would have succeeded. You would have married me.”
Hearing this, Dong Tianyun actually smiled slightly. Though he had his back to the starlight, Chilin still stared blankly. Some people’s elegance didn’t need to be seen with eyes—just a silhouette could move hearts, and Dong Tianyun was one such person. “Perhaps you’re right. But if you weren’t the master of Heaven’s Tower, I might not even have been interested in looking at you once.”
He didn’t hide his cruelty at all. This blow was truly devastating. Chilin uncontrollably retreated backward, bumping into the chair, which made a creaking sound.
A thunderclap suddenly erupted. Dong Tianyun turned his head. The originally clear night sky was already covered with dark clouds. Wild winds swept down from the clouds, causing the Nine Darkness flowers to sway chaotically, their fluorescent light dimming.
Dong Tianyun sneered coldly. He hadn’t expected the Celestial Clan to arrive so quickly. It seemed Yu Mu had been preparing for many days.
Seeing this, Chilin suddenly laughed loudly, standing up straight and recovering a bit of her arrogance. “Dong Tianyun, with your half-celestial, half-demon magical power, even with Gu Wen in hand, you’ll find it difficult to withstand the Celestial Clan’s celestial beings taking turns attacking in waves!” She was no longer afraid of him. She approached a few steps, raising her eyebrows to look at him face to face. “As long as you agree to be with me, I’ll help you…”
Dong Tianyun let out a mocking cold laugh. “Aren’t you afraid that once I restore my celestial essence, the first thing I’ll do is kill you?”
One sentence silenced Chilin. Yes, now she could coerce him, but all promises were just a few flimsy oaths. He hated her—this was already an unchangeable fact.
“Leave.” Dong Tianyun said coldly, brushing past her. He walked to the chair she had just sat in and used his sleeve to summon a dust-removing breeze, carrying unspeakable disdain. What he swept away was Chilin’s dignity. Watching this, Chilin’s tears finally fell.
“You’re not killing me?” Even though Dong Tianyun’s magical power was halved, she still wasn’t his match.
Dong Tianyun had already sat down in the chair, leaning against the armrest at an angle. “After all, you’re still the Fire Governing Dijun. I’ll kill you on the battlefield instead, so as not to… dirty this place.”
Chilin’s body swayed. When it came to using words to hurt people, Dong Tianyun had already mastered it to perfection. “You… aren’t you even going to ask about that little girl’s whereabouts?” With dignity gone and hope gone, she knew she shouldn’t ask such a humble question. But this was the last blow she wanted to give him. She hadn’t expected him to be so indifferent.
“She and I are connected by spiritual blood. She’s not dead. Whether in heaven or earth, as long as I’m still alive, I can find her.” These words were perhaps not spoken for Chilin’s benefit. At least after saying them, he genuinely showed a faint smile. As long as she was still alive, he wasn’t the most lonely and pitiful person in the three realms.
Chilin didn’t know how she left. After riding Pure Feather for a while, when she looked back, the Nine Darkness Mountain was already enclosed in a magnificent barrier. It was the most beautiful and most powerful barrier she had ever seen. Dong Tianyun seemed… prepared to fight to the death.
Yanji, riding the Nether Fish, slowly descended onto the long stone steps before Yuanhou’s residence. Yuanhou governed earth—he excelled most at constructing magnificent palace buildings, yet his own residence was plain and simple. The stone steps extending from the foot of the mountain to the summit were solid and level, the only place that reflected the dignified bearing of the Earth Governing Dijun. Yanji signaled for the Nether Fish to knock on the door and announce their arrival. The Nether Fish obeyed the command, but unexpectedly, with just a push, the two vermillion lacquered gates creaked open. A strong smell of alcohol rushed out.
Faintly, there were musical pieces and singing, the crisp sound of striking pottery jars, women’s giggling laughter… gradually becoming clearer. Several female immortals with disheveled clothing staggered out from the great hall, teasing and playing with each other. Seeing the Nether Fish, they even cast a few flirtatious glances, displaying extreme dissolute behavior. They supported each other as they walked toward the gate. The Nether Fish, fearing they would harass Yanji, spread his arms to create a clear passage and invited Yanji to enter.
All along the way, there were drunken immortals, their steps unsteady as they came out to breathe, some still humming tunes they had just sung, others speaking false words of love, inviting female immortals to seek pleasure in the rear halls. Yanji frowned slightly and quickened his pace as he entered the main hall.
In the main hall, wine flowed freely and songs rang joyously. Female immortal singers all danced about, filling the hall with decadent fragrance.
Yuanhou reclined on the main couch in the hall. A beautiful immortal maiden nestled beside him, her eyes full of affection. Seeing the Water Lord and his servant arrive, Yuanhou merely raised the wine cup in his hand to show welcome. Though Yanji had recovered his spiritual consciousness, Yuanhou showed not the slightest surprise—or rather, he simply didn’t care at all.
Yanji walked slowly before him. Having recovered his consciousness as the Water Governing Dijun, he appeared clear and dignified. Though the female immortals all turned their attention to look at him, they didn’t dare approach and entangle themselves with him.
“Yuanhou,” Yanji looked at him for a while without saying anything accusatory. “The Celestial Clan has already besieged the Nine Darkness Mountain…”
As soon as Yuanhou heard this, he swirled his wine cup, saying very impatiently, “I’m no longer interested in these matters.”
Yanji paused. “These matters?” Had Dong Tianyun also become like ordinary mortals among the beings of the three realms in his eyes?
Yuanhou glanced at his expression, pushed away the immortal maiden on him, and stood up shakily, laughing loudly. “Before, I made all kinds of plans for others, but I can’t even figure out my own affairs! Who else can I help? The world is vast—everyone has their destiny. Everyone should be content with their station.”
Yanji lowered his eyes, as if unable to immediately decide something. When he looked at Yanji again, he asked lightly, “Do you call this being content with your station?”
Yuanhou’s body softened and he fell back onto the couch, looking at the deeply carved caisson ceiling above the hall. “Doesn’t it count? The first half of my life, I revolved around others, hoping to gain a little favor. Now I want others to revolve around me and please me. It’s fair.”
Yanji pressed his lips together. “Qingsui…”
Hearing this name, Yuanhou’s body shook violently. Immediately after, he took a drink of wine and pretended not to care as he laughed. The immortal maiden entangling with him saw him laugh and boldly pressed against him. He embraced her and planted a heavy kiss on her cheek.
Yanji looked on with indifference, his tone not changing in the slightest. “She only hoped you would live better.”
Yuanhou laughed heartily. “Mm, her wish came true. I’m living very well.”
“Do you want to know what she said to me the night before going to Dragon Binding Valley?” Yanji looked at him somewhat pitifully.
Yuanhou’s smile slowly stiffened. The hand embracing the immortal maiden probably used some force, as the immortal maiden frowned and moved uneasily.
“What’s there to know? Nothing more than saying she always liked you. Yanji, the person is already dead. Why must you still come here to show off to me?”
Yanji laughed softly. Yuanhou had failed Qingsui’s sincere feelings for him—knowing the truth would be his punishment. “That day she came to ask me if I liked her.”
Hearing this, Yuanhou laughed coldly, not knowing whether he was mocking Yanji or himself.
“Of course I answered her that I didn’t like her. I didn’t expect her to smile and say that now she could give up. She always thought she liked me, but I always ended up liking someone else. She was just unwilling to accept it. After you left the Nine Darkness Palace in a fit of pique, she wandered everywhere. The thing she most wanted to do was only one—to find you. She said… when she returned from Dragon Binding Valley, she would take the initiative to confess to you, to make up for all these years when she was confused and owed you.”
Yuanhou blocked his eyes with his arm, but the wine cup in his hand kept shaking continuously, spilling wine everywhere.
“Only no one expected that her final confession to you would be like that. You… understand what she meant, don’t you?” Yanji sighed. “If you don’t treat yourself well, Qingsui’s spirit in heaven won’t be at peace either. I’ve said everything I came to say. I’m going to the Nine Darkness Mountain now to help Dong Tianyun. I’m afraid I won’t be able to come find you again. Take care.”
Yuanhou didn’t get up, letting him and the Nether Fish walk out of the great hall. The wine cup in his hand finally fell. “Get out! Everyone get out!” The last word was already thick with choking sobs.
When Yanji arrived at the Nine Darkness Mountain, the barrier on the mountain no longer had its former dazzling brilliance, proving that Dong Tianyun’s magical power was being severely depleted. Ahead, the miserable screams of slaughter were endless. At the foot of the mountain, corpses piled up like mountains, and the Abyss River had been dyed red. The Celestial Clan’s war drums thundered continuously, urging the constantly reinforcing celestial beings to charge forward bravely. Yanji used the Phoenix Qin to kill his way through a bloody path. As he approached Dong Tianyun, who was trapped in the center of the bloody storm, Yu Mu, covered in blood, blocked his way.
He glared at Yanji with sinister, narrowed eyes. “What are you doing?”
Yanji glanced at him and smiled with disdain. This expression of Yu Mu’s was actually more genuine than his usual smiling face. “Can’t you tell?” he asked in return.
“You’re using a divine instrument bestowed upon you by the Celestial Clan to attack the Celestial Clan?!” Yu Mu shouted harshly.
Hearing this, Yanji disgustedly tossed the Phoenix Qin before him. “As long as you can find one person who can use this qin, I’ll return it to you.”
These words drove Yu Mu until his eyes turned blood red—this was exactly the kind of thing he couldn’t stand hearing most. “Someone come! Summon the water spirits here!”
Naturally, the Celestial Clan’s military campaign mobilized elite forces from all realms. At that time, Yanji hadn’t yet returned to his rightful position, so the water spirits were leaderless. When the Celestial Clan’s decree arrived, they naturally all followed, coming in large numbers. The wood spirits didn’t participate in this suppression because Jin Zhan held command. Though Yuanhou didn’t care much about earth spirit affairs, he had also issued strict orders not to participate. Therefore, the Celestial Clan’s great army was composed of fire spirits, water spirits, and metal spirits. Now that Yanji had appeared and openly opposed the Celestial Clan, the water spirits looked at each other in confusion, somewhat at a loss for what to do.
“Go take it! Whoever can lift the Phoenix Qin will be the next Water Lord!” Yu Mu shouted loudly, continuously inciting them.
Several ambitious water spirits came forward to try, all failing and returning. At this moment, Yanji withdrew the Phoenix Qin and stood up on the Nether Fish’s back. “This qin is an object passed down through generations of my water spirits. When did it become a gift bestowed by the Celestial Clan? Since the Phoenix Qin recognizes me as its master, the water spirits must obey my commands!” He raised the Phoenix Qin high—white robes fluttering, colorful qin dazzling. The assembled water spirits couldn’t help but kneel submissively in heartfelt admiration.
“Water spirits under my command, hear my order! Quickly return to your posts. Do not help tyrants commit evil or increase casualties needlessly!” he proclaimed clearly.
Yu Mu harbored selfish motives in his heart. He felt the fire spirits and metal spirits could be mobilized and counted as his trusted followers, so he had the water spirits serve as the vanguard. The water spirits already harbored secret dissatisfaction in their hearts. Hearing Yanji say “increase casualties needlessly” truly struck to the heart of the matter. They immediately obeyed the command in unison and departed.
Seeing this, Yu Mu looked up and laughed loudly toward heaven. “Excellent Yanji! Excellent Water Lord! However, this battle’s victory and defeat are already decided. Whether or not you have the water spirits’ assistance is insignificant!”
Yanji coldly lifted the corner of his mouth. “Not necessarily.”