This time, not only Xuan Yi but even Qi Nan, who had been lost in irrepressible excitement, froze in shock.
“Returning to the Northern Heavens so soon?” Xuan Yi murmured. “What’s so good about that Xuanming Dijun? The Northern Heavens are so far away—why not stay a few more years before going?”
Qi Nan also tried to persuade him: “Young Dragon Lord just returned three days ago. Why not stay a few more days to keep the princess company?”
When the Young Dragon Lord was not at Zhongshan, the smiles on the princess’s face became much fewer. After the lady’s death, Dijun locked himself in the Hall of Eternal Life day after day, ignoring outside affairs. Although Qi Nan himself devoted all his efforts to caring for these two children, he ultimately could not replace their parents. In the vast, frozen Zhongshan, only the two siblings had each other to depend on. Three hundred years without any news, and now just after their reunion, he was already talking about leaving—the princess would surely be melancholy for many days.
Qing Yan smiled faintly and ruffled Xuan Yi’s hair: “My Thousand-Year Dream was interrupted when I fell into the Sea of Severed Regrets. If I don’t return now, all these days of cultivation will have been wasted. There will always be plenty of time for us to be together in the future—there’s no rush for these few days. After Baize Dijun finishes handling recent miscellaneous matters, I should also return to continue attending classes and cultivating properly. Even if I don’t learn combat techniques or sword arts, I must at least study magical arts seriously, so that when I’m bullied again, I can at least fight back.”
Xuan Yi hugged his arm and looked up at him for a long while before finally slowly letting go. She said in a low voice: “A Thousand-Year Dream… does that mean I won’t see you again until a thousand years later?”
Qing Yan said gently: “A thousand years is just a general expression. Perhaps it will only be a few hundred years, or perhaps several thousand years. You can write to me often. This time after I wake, I will certainly read every single letter carefully.”
Xuan Yi stared at him: “Alright, then I’ll definitely write often… Tomorrow—no, how about leaving the day after tomorrow instead?”
Qing Yan shook his head: “I’m leaving immediately. I’ve already had the divine servants prepare a carriage at the mountain gate. It will take another day to reach the Northern Heavens. Any further delay would truly damage my cultivation, and my teacher would scold me too.”
Xuan Yi lowered her head. After pausing for a long moment, she said: “Then I’ll see you off to the mountain gate.”
Qing Yan actually laughed: “It’s not like we’ll never see each other again. Cheer up—don’t make Qi Nan cry. The swelling on his face still hasn’t gone down.”
Qi Nan had already been holding back two pools of tears, but being called out like this made him too embarrassed to cry. He quickly rubbed his eyes surreptitiously and forced a smile: “Let’s go then. We’ll see the Young Dragon Lord off to the mountain gate.”
He did not notify Zhongshan Dijun. Qing Yan certainly would not want him mentioning Dijun anyway. The relationship between father and son had now become like that of strangers.
Before boarding the carriage, seeing that Xuan Yi still looked gloomy, Qing Yan said: “You’re so young—being separated for a few thousand years feels like a lifetime, but it’s really just the blink of an eye. Don’t keep sulking.”
Finally, a trace of a smile appeared on Xuan Yi’s face: “You know I’m young, yet I just can’t bear to part with you.”
Qing Yan shook his head with a bitter smile, then suddenly remembered something. After hesitating, he said seriously: “Don’t get too close to that Qingyang Clan’s Shao Yi. Best not to even speak to him.”
Xuan Yi’s smile deepened: “You really let your imagination run wild. Better save that energy.”
Qing Yan raised an eyebrow: “True. I was actually worried about you being deceived—it would be good enough if you don’t play tricks yourself. As for that Fucang Shenjun you’re feuding with, when I come back I’ll help beat him up to vent your anger. Until I return, just keep pestering him however you want. You have your big brother protecting you—nothing to fear.”
Xuan Yi burst out laughing: “You really say such things.”
“Yes, I really do.”
Although he had encouraged the princess to feud with Fucang precisely because he worried about her loneliness, wasn’t the Young Dragon Lord’s attitude just making the princess even more mischievous? Qi Nan sighed as he watched the carriage depart into the distance. He looked down at Xuan Yi. There was a trace of tears in her eyes, but in the blink of an eye it vanished, leaving only a layer of clear melancholy.
It might have been better if those tears had actually fallen.
Qi Nan consoled her gently: “Princess, the Young Dragon Lord is right. You’re young, so a few thousand years feels very long, but it truly passes in a flash. In the future there will even be the realm of Ten-Thousand-Year Dreams. You’ll get used to it.”
Xuan Yi blinked. A Ten-Thousand-Year Dream—right now she wished she could enter a Ten-Thousand-Year Dream, and when she woke, no one would ever leave her again.
—
Before noon, another light rain fell on the summit of Taishan. The long, winding nanmu wood corridor was covered in damp marks. The distant Chengjiang Lake was shrouded in gauze-like mist. Occasionally, enormous golden carp leaped through the fog, their long tails trailing strings of clear water droplets, sending ripples spreading across the surface.
Inside the Pale Moon Pavilion by the lakeside avenue, white stone tables had already been neatly arranged. This Pale Moon Pavilion was constructed from ten-thousand-year-old pine. Slender and elongated, its roof was covered in verdant pine needles, while its floor was inlaid with fine fragments of stardust from the Celestial River, making it resemble a deep green moon by the lakeside. The pavilion was open on all four sides without even gauze curtains hanging down—only copper bells hung at each corner. Now, when the occasional breeze drifted across the lake surface, water mist pervaded the air, distant mountains appeared thinly green, and the bells rang crisply. Different from the opulent extravagance taken to its extreme at Zhuxuan’s Yuyang Palace, this simple elegance offered another kind of unique comfort.
By this time, most of the guests invited by Qing Di had already arrived. Fucang’s sword awakening was neither particularly significant nor entirely trivial. Since Qing Di had always disliked ostentatious displays, this time he only invited Fucang’s fellow students and a few close friends with whom he usually had good relations. Originally he had wanted to invite Baize Dijun, but unfortunately, the incident at the Sea of Severed Regrets had affected the flow of the Five Elements and Yin-Yang throughout the divine realm. That Dijun was so busy he hadn’t even returned to the Hall of Clarity, so it had to be abandoned.
There was still some time before noon, but those who associated with Qing Di were mostly people of refined elegance who valued propriety. Baize Dijun’s disciples each held noble status and would certainly not lose decorum in this regard—most had already arrived. Inside the Pale Moon Pavilion, laughter and conversation filled the air. Compared to the noisy bustle of Yuyang Palace that day, this was truly much more low-key.
Since Gu Ting had known Fucang since childhood, he was quite familiar with Taishan. Now he led his fellow disciples in a slow circuit along the lakeside, introducing as he went: “Qing Di’s palace is on the mountaintop across the way. This is Chengjiang Lake. The previous Qing Di raised two golden carp in it—by this year they should be even larger than ordinary dragon gods. This side path leads to the gardens. Inside are two beds of Immortal Apricot trees that Fucang planted with his own hands when he was five thousand years old. The apricot blossoms bloomed two years ago and still haven’t withered. Further along is the nanmu corridor, where the guest chambers and elegant rooms are located…”
Just as he was speaking, Fucang’s voice came from behind: “Gu Ting.”
Oh my! Today’s guest of honor has arrived! The disciples all turned and bowed in respect while offering congratulations. Rarely, Fucang was not wearing white today but instead had donned a dark blue robe and wore a jade crown. Standing by the misty, boundless Chengjiang Lake, he seemed to suppress the colors of the entire landscape.
He smiled and returned their bows one by one. Gu Ting couldn’t help but tease him: “Usually at the Hall of Clarity you’re like something carved from ice and snow, but today you’ve become a graceful young gentleman.”
Fucang smiled: “Since I’m playing host, naturally I cannot be impolite. The wine and refreshments should be fully prepared at the Pale Moon Pavilion now. Why don’t you all move over, and allow me to offer you a cup of humble wine to thank you for your generous regard?”
Zhi Xi really couldn’t help but laugh softly, saying quietly: “I’m so unaccustomed to Fucang Shidi being like this.” Even Tai Yao laughed along with her.
After laughing for a while, Zhi Xi suddenly discovered that the heart in her chest was actually steady, without the slightest flutter. In the past, whenever she saw Fucang dressed differently than usual, her heart would inevitably race wildly with her thoughts running amok. Yet today, somehow, her mind was not on him at all.
When they returned to the Pale Moon Pavilion, she instinctively looked around and caught sight of the pale purple figure sitting in a corner admiring a copper bell—her heart was suddenly given a gentle shake by a small hand.
You mustn’t go over! She sternly warned herself in her heart. She found a white stone table far from Shao Yi, sat down properly, and quietly listened to her fellow students chatting and laughing.
Fucang was pouring Luofu Spring wine into more than a dozen green jade cups when he suddenly heard the ceremonial official announce: “Zhongshan Dragon God, Princess Xuan Yi of the Zhuyin Clan, and Divine Official Qi Nan have arrived—”
His wrist trembled slightly, spilling a few drops of Luofu Spring onto the table. He immediately wiped them away with his fingertip, set down the wine pot, and rose together with Qing Di to greet them outside the pavilion. Moments later, they saw the divine official leading Xuan Yi and Qi Nan approaching along the lakeside avenue. The injury to her right leg had not yet fully healed, so today she had brought a wicker soft chair from home, floating gracefully forward.
Qing Di had always only heard rumors about this little princess of the Zhuyin Clan but had never seen her in person. Seeing her wearing a coral-colored dress with a shawl like fresh snow, golden rings gleaming in her hair, still somewhat immature due to her young age yet crystal clear and beautiful with fresh, vivid features—she would surely become a rare beauty in the future—he couldn’t help but praise her silently in his heart.
Soon she arrived before them with the divine official. Standing on one foot, she bowed gracefully in salute, her voice as gentle as a summer night’s cool breeze: “Your Majesty Qing Di, Fucang Shixiong, Zhuyin Clan’s Xuan Yi pays her respects.”
From the corner of his eye, Qing Di glanced toward Fucang. The boy’s eyelashes were lowered, his face expressionless and entirely proper. Qing Di couldn’t help but smile faintly.