After that incident, Huang Rang never saw Di Yiqiu again.

As time gradually passed, at the end of May, she finally submitted the twin serpent fruit saplings. She delivered quite a large quantity, yet Shi Wenyu did not summon her. He merely had Eunuch Fu escort her back to Immortal Tea Town.

On the day Huang Rang left, the weather was clear and fine. Sunlight draped over everything like a golden veil, covering the entire palace complex. Eunuch Fu led the way, guiding her and Dai Yue through the palace corridors.

On a distant pavilion, a figure stood.

Huang Rang knew, but she did not raise her head to look. She deliberately slowed her pace, taking a very long time to walk through this small pathway. This mortal world was desolate, the years long and endless. There would always be some nights without stars or moon.

And those who traveled alone through the leaking night could only be strong.

On the distant Wen Jing Pavilion, Di Yiqiu leaned against the railing, gazing in that direction.

He wore a black robe, the garment oversized with a hood that wrapped him up tightly from head to toe. He hid behind this mass of darkness like a monster unable to face the light.

That distant figure grew smaller and smaller, finally becoming a black dot that disappeared at the end of the palace path. Di Yiqiu gripped the railing tightly, lowered his head, and once again saw his own purple-black hands.

“You should be recuperating properly, not wandering about,” came a voice from behind him.

Di Yiqiu’s spine stiffened. He wanted to kneel, but his legs simply could not bend. He could only say, “This humble subject… pays respects to…”

“No need.” The newcomer wore black and white Daoist robes, holding a whisk in hand—it was none other than Emperor Shi Wenyu. Compared to an emperor, he seemed more like an enlightened immortal. He walked slowly to Di Yiqiu’s side, similarly gazing downward.

“I know you all have suffered these days,” he said, each word calm, showing neither much sorrow nor joy. “But lift your head and look at these ten thousand miles of rivers and mountains. Beneath the brocade splendor, how many bleached bones lie?”

He raised his hand, lightly placing it on Di Yiqiu’s shoulder, and said, “Now the immortal sects are powerful while the court is weak. The people’s hearts all turn toward the immortal sects. If we do not seek change, sooner or later we will be devoured by this fierce tiger. Since ancient times, any reform has required a price.”

Di Yiqiu finally asked, “So we are all the price?”

Shi Wenyu withdrew his hand from his shoulder and said, “You are the pillars of the court. Only by transforming your constitutions can the Si Tianjian compete with the immortal sects in the shortest time. Looking across the realm, there is no better treasure than serpent blood.”

Di Yiqiu stared at him, trying to see even a trace of a father’s compassion on his face. But there was none.

“Father Emperor.” Di Yiqiu revived this form of address and asked, “Those who died in the Yuanrong Tower—have you looked at them even once? They are all your own flesh and blood. Have you thought of any one of them?”

Shi Wenyu did not look at him, only saying, “I have already given all my blood and tears to the realm.”

So, you have not.

Di Yiqiu lowered his gaze. Shi Wenyu said, “Sooner or later, you will know that I am right. If the court cannot command the immortal sects, then it must have the strength to oppose them. Otherwise, how can we stabilize the realm? Rest well, for your own sake, and for the sake of all the people and the nation.”

With that, he turned and left.

Di Yiqiu quietly watched him go. The spring cold came biting, and he began to cough violently. The blood poison flared, and his entire body began to ache intensely—like ten thousand ants tearing at him, like raging fire consuming his flesh.

He slid down along the railing to sit on the ground, silently curling into a ball of black shadow.

—

Immortal Tea Town.

When Huang Rang returned to the Huang family with Dai Yue, the rewards from Shi Wenyu had arrived at the Huang household one step ahead of her. Huang Shu came out to greet them, beaming with joy: “My Little Ten is truly capable. She hasn’t even returned yet, but His Majesty’s rewards have already arrived first.”

How could Huang Rang not know his temperament? She immediately made a graceful bow to Huang Shu, saying, “What capability does your daughter have? It is all thanks to Father’s excellent guidance.”

Huang Shu laughed heartily, then said, “These past two years, you’ve let Dai Yue take credit for all the breeding accomplishments. As your father, I found it quite strange. So my daughter had such a brilliant scheme! Now you’ve turned the tide, and His Majesty and the Eighty-Sixth Prince must both be very satisfied, yes?”

Beside them, Dai Yue lowered her head, seeming to understand something, her eyes filled with resentment.

For five years, Huang Rang had let her gain fame—so it was only to use her as a stepping stone! But thinking carefully, this was quite possible. Huang Rang had always been someone who valued fame and profit. How could she be so kind as to benefit her for nothing?

It turned out she was waiting for her to make a fool of herself in public!

She bit her teeth secretly.

And Huang Shu continued, “So, has the Eighty-Sixth Prince petitioned His Majesty about when you two will wed?”

Huang Rang took his arm, and despite the disgust in her heart, her face wore a sweet and gentle smile: “With Father’s wisdom, why should you care about this tiny place like Immortal Tea Town? Arang is Father’s daughter, so naturally she too harbors great ambitions. Father can rest assured—your daughter has more thorough plans.”

“You don’t plan to marry the Eighty-Sixth Prince?” Upon hearing this, Huang Shu’s expression immediately darkened. “Have you gone mad? Right now, besides the court, who else can grant Immortal Tea Town as a fief to the Huang family?! Don’t think that just because your wings have hardened you amount to anything. Without my approval, you are nothing!”

A fierce intent showed in his eyes. Huang Rang held his arm and shook it, acting coquettish: “What are you saying, Father! Even if your daughter marries out, she must still wait for the right price. Right now, besides the court, there is another person who can pay an equally high price. Your daughter has only one father. If she suffers grievances in the future, besides Father, who else can stand up for her? Your daughter is not foolish—how could she go against Father?”

These words pleased Huang Shu. He snorted and said, “At least you understand. By the way, that lowly servant Dai Yue has caused such a huge mess that gossip is already spreading everywhere. Yesterday, there was actually a family willing to buy her. In my opinion, why not just sell her off?”

Beside them, Dai Yue’s face turned pale. People like them were worth less than livestock in Huang Shu’s eyes. Now seeing that her reputation was damaged, the only thing Huang Shu could think of was to quickly sell her for a good price.

He didn’t even mention to whom he planned to sell Dai Yue.

Upon hearing this, Huang Rang only smiled and advised, “Father, regarding Dai Yue’s matter, your daughter has her own plans. I will certainly not let Father suffer a loss.”

Huang Shu, hearing her oppose him again, immediately said, “After this trip out, you’ve certainly developed more of your own ideas! Why don’t you tell me—given the current situation, who else is there for you to scheme after?”

Huang Rang leaned close to his ear and whispered a name.

“Xie… him, eh?” Huang Shu frowned slightly, then looked at his daughter. Huang Rang’s eyes were like spring water, her glances flowing. Huang Shu thought for a moment, probably finding it worthwhile, and said, “If you have a plan, you might as well try. But regarding the Eighty-Sixth Prince, you must also keep him on the hook. Better than losing both prospects.”

Such words—how could they sound like a father instructing his daughter? Yet he spoke them as if they were perfectly natural, without any concealment.

Huang Rang gently helped him walk into the house, saying, “Naturally. Father can rest assured.”

In the main hall, more than a dozen chests were arranged neatly. Upon seeing them, Huang Shu immediately felt pleased. He opened one of them, and a flood of golden light poured out, gilding him like he was plated with gold. Inside, row upon row of gold ingots were stacked neatly and orderly.

Huang Shu was in high spirits and no longer dwelt on the earlier matter. He waved his hand, saying, “You’ve worked hard these days. Go and rest.”

Huang Rang knew he did not want her to see Shi Wenyu’s rewards. She tactfully made a courtesy and turned to leave.

As she walked outside the main hall, an official came forward holding a small chest, saying, “Tenth Miss, this is from Jianzheng.”

Ah, hearing that person’s name, the smile on Huang Rang’s face became much more genuine. She accepted the chest, thanked the official, and only then carefully opened it. Inside the chest, neatly arranged, were all pearl strings. This entire small chest contained no fewer than several hundred strands.

Ice silk thread, coral beads—each strand was meticulously woven with exquisite craftsmanship, as if formed by heaven itself.

Huang Rang picked up one strand, held it in her hand, and remained silent for a long while.

—

Over the next few days, Si Tianjian’s Deputy Supervisor Li Lu came again to inspect this year’s autumn planting matters. Huang Shu naturally still obsessed over Di Yiqiu’s matter. But no matter how he probed, Li Lu simply would not mention it.

Huang Shu watched the fat meat at his lips fly away, and that person Huang Rang had mentioned showed not even half a shadow. He couldn’t help but blame Huang Rang considerably. But fortunately, he was now addicted to the divine immortal grass and didn’t have many lucid moments.

Early one morning, Huang Rang carefully selected her dress and meticulously applied makeup. Only then did she take a half-basket of bean seeds and go out. Because she usually managed the Huang family’s farmland, carrying seeds at this time was not at all unusual.

Huang Rang silently rehearsed the logic of this trip, calculating the timing.

If she remembered correctly, today a major event would occur in Immortal Tea Town.

Today was the fifth day of the fifth month. The sky was a clear wash of azure, the sunlight bright and beautiful, yet not as domineering as summer days.

In the center of Immortal Tea Town stood a massive banyan tree. This was a good place for chatting and drinking tea. So villagers often gathered here to gossip idly. Seeing her approach, someone hurriedly greeted her.

—At this time, the Huang family was considered a major household in Immortal Tea Town. More than half the town’s villagers were tenant farmers of the Huang family. But in truth, the Huang family was pitifully poor. Especially for someone like Huang Rang who had been a sect master’s wife for a hundred years. At this time, she couldn’t even afford a storage treasure.

Within the immortal sects, magical treasures and artifacts were actually astronomically expensive. Especially treasures bearing the seal of Yuhu Xuanzong—no matter how useless, they were fought over by everyone and could not be bought for ten thousand gold. In the entire Huang family, only Huang Shu had bought a storage pouch to maintain appearances.

That immortal sect that towered above all living beings was as unreachable to the common people of these remote lands as the sun and moon overhead.

In the villagers’ mouths, they consumed clear dew and fresh flowers, and could form clouds and mist with a single breath. The common people even imagined that even the sect’s dogs were not ordinary dogs but heavenly hounds born able to speak human language.

These words naturally sounded absurdly laughable to the current Huang Rang.

But outside the dream, in the early years of the Chengyuan era, that young earth spirit who heard these bizarre, fantastic rumors had, after all, been moved in countless ways.

That had once been what her heart yearned for.

“Tenth Miss, what good seeds have you produced this year?” a villager asked. This was clearly a concern for everyone, and other villagers all crowded around. Huang Rang then opened the cover cloth on the basket and said, “These are this year’s bean seeds—fuller than last year’s, with a shorter maturity period.”

She handed the bean seeds in the basket to everyone to examine, but her gaze secretly watched the corner.

—In a corner not far away, several children with hanging hair were playing.

Sure enough, just as in her memory, they discovered a rat hole. Curious for a moment, they fetched boiling water to pour into the hole.

Huang Rang did not raise her head, but she knew that on this banyan tree, there was actually a magical treasure from Yuhu Xuanzong. The treasure was called the Eye of the World Cave. Like the Nine-Curved Spirit Pupil of Si Tianjian later, it could transmit the scene here into Yuhu Xuanzong thousands of miles away.

The crowd of common people took the bean seeds, turning them over and examining them repeatedly while discussing animatedly. No one noticed the children in the corner.

Outside the dream in the fifth year of Chengyuan, Huang Rang had only heard of Xie Hongchen’s demon-slaying deed. She didn’t know about the Eye of the World Cave on the banyan tree, so naturally couldn’t arrive beneath the tree in advance to wait. Back then, capturing Xie Hongchen had really cost her tremendous effort.

This time, it should be considerably easier.

And just at that moment, a wisp of light smoke suddenly dispersed from the corner. Huang Rang clearly saw a monster with a rat’s head and human body standing before several children. The children were frightened stiff, standing woodenly in place for a moment, mouths open but having forgotten even to cry out.

Huang Rang dared not raise her head. If she knew there was an Eye of the World Cave here, then obviously the effect of what followed would be greatly reduced. Watching as that rat-headed monster had already grabbed one child by the throat, Huang Rang shouted angrily, “Stop!”

As the words fell, she closed her eyes, steeled her heart, and with a fierce charge, leaped toward that monster!

—Heaven preserve me, may Xie Hongchen arrive on time. Otherwise I’m afraid I’m done for!!

Huang Rang had never done impulsive, brainless things, and even held such acts in contempt.

But at this moment, she had no choice.

Truly… lamentable.

She rushed before the monster and slapped at it with one palm. She had indeed been cultivating martial arts in recent years, but that was only the tiniest bit of foundation. Five years of martial cultivation—if she spoke of it, this monster would probably laugh its teeth off.

Sure enough, this palm didn’t even knock down a single rat hair from that monster.

As expected.

However, her interruption made the children react. They immediately scrambled to run away. The villagers nearby, seeing this, were all panic-stricken. That monster, seeing it had been discovered, immediately showed its vicious nature.

It grabbed Huang Rang in one motion, its sharp claws immediately piercing into her flesh. With a tearing sound, the hooked nails not only tore off a chunk of her flesh but also ripped the clothing on her shoulder.

Huang Rang struck back with another palm. But that bit of skill was really inadequate. This rat demon didn’t even dodge, directly biting toward her throat!

In that moment, Huang Rang even smelled the foul stench from its mouth.

And at precisely this moment, the cloudless sky suddenly erupted with a tremendous boom. In the distance, it was like rolling thunder. A fierce wind suddenly rose. People looked up to see a clear light breaking through the clouds in the sky—a white-robed sword immortal descending from heaven. The wind lifted his black hair. He seemed to come from the clouds, untouched by even a speck of dust.

Upon landing, his treasured sword dissolved into light and scattered. His silk shoes touched the dusty earth, truly giving a sense of nobility gracing lowly ground.

“Xie… Sect Master Xie! It’s Sect Master Xie!” In that moment, fear scattered like wind and clouds. The common people cheered loudly.

Xie Hongchen manifested clear light into a sword in his hand and made a phantom slash at the rat demon. That rat monster threw Huang Rang away violently, using this blocking force to flee into the distance. As Huang Rang landed, she pretended to be unsteady on her feet and stumbled forward.

Xie Hongchen’s heart sword caught up with the rat demon and severed it at the waist. And Xie Hongchen extended his hand, supporting the graceful beauty.

The beauty wore a pale apricot-colored dress, soft and radiant as she fell into his embrace. The tassels at her ears brushed past his cheek with a slight tickle. Her shoulder had been clawed by the rat demon, her dress torn open, exposing a large expanse of skin. Blood stained her entire shoulder.

Xie Hongchen averted his gaze, removed his white outer cloak, and casually draped it over her.

What a fine scene of hero saving beauty, eliminating evil and treachery! Anyone who saw it would cheer loudly and spread the tale as a beautiful story.

Huang Rang raised her head, maintaining exactly the right amount of lingering fear in her eyes. She straightened her body, made a slight courtesy, and said, “Thank you for the rescue, Sect Master.”

Xie Hongchen saw that face clearly and suddenly felt an inexplicable strangeness.

—This person, her aura, her appearance, her voice, were as if they had been entangled with him through countless dream souls, familiar to a heart-startling degree.

But who was she?