If someone discovered them hiding here, it would inevitably lead to misunderstandings. Therefore, merely hiding wasn’t enough – Lin Chengyou signaled Teng Yuyi to hold her breath using the internal cultivation technique he had taught her.

Teng Yuyi complied. The Peach Blossom Sword technique that Lin Chengyou taught her was said to have been created by a founding master of the Daoist Zhongnan Mountain. It followed a path of righteousness and grandeur, truly containing inner radiance. Since practicing this sword technique, she felt the true qi flowing continuously within her body, making both practice and breath control considerably easier than for ordinary people.

The two remained silent behind the tree.

Two people were approaching, one in front and one behind.

The one in front was a man who had practiced martial arts – his footsteps were light yet steady.

The one behind was a woman.

They quickly drew near. The man in front stopped, and after checking around and hearing no obvious voices, said very quietly: “This place is quiet enough. I’ll say a few words and leave.”

The woman replied: “Crown Prince, please speak directly. If I’m away too long, my sister will look for me.”

Teng Yuyi and Lin Chengyou were startled – it was the Crown Prince and Du Tinglan. Had they known it was them, they might as well have just greeted them earlier. Now they were stuck, neither able to hide nor reveal themselves.

The Crown Prince said softly: “Did you read the letter I had sent?”

Du Tinglan was silent for a moment: “I haven’t opened it yet.”

The Crown Prince faltered: “You always avoid me. Do you look down on me as a person, or do you have other concerns?”

Du Tinglan’s voice trembled slightly, whether from anxiety or embarrassment: “Your Highness speaks too seriously. Your Highness has dragon-like grace and a kind nature. This subject only feels admiration and respect for the Crown Prince – how could I look down on you?”

“Then why won’t you accept my gifts or agree to meet me? Are you afraid my feelings for you aren’t genuine? You should know that I’ve had feelings for you for more than just a day or two, and Mother likes you very much too.”

Du Tinglan said anxiously: “I’m grateful for the Empress and Your Highness’s misplaced affection. How dare I—”

After a moment, Du Tinglan seemed to gather some composure: “If I may be bold enough to ask Your Highness one question – you’ve only met me a few times and aren’t even very familiar with my temperament. Why have you decided you like me?”

The Crown Prince seemed to understand something: “Are you worried that my feelings for you are just a passing fancy?”

Du Tinglan remained silent, but there was a gentle stubbornness in her silence.

The Crown Prince was quiet for a moment, then laughed softly: “You’re very lovable like this. I like that about you.”

Du Tinglan’s breathing grew more irregular, but she still insisted: “Please… answer this subject’s question seriously, Your Highness.”

The Crown Prince paused, his tone becoming exceptionally solemn: “Rest assured, my feelings for you aren’t just a whim. There are some things I hadn’t intended to speak of, but since you want clarity, I’ll tell you in detail.

“The first time I saw you was at the Ledao Manor. Your refined speech and manner naturally inspired good feelings, but I know many in this world speak well but act poorly, few who are consistent in word and deed. So that time, I only knew you were Minister Du’s daughter and didn’t pay you much special attention. But in subsequent encounters, you impressed me time and again. At the Yuzhen Taoist Temple, you took the initiative to return the Ningxin Lotus you found to others. On Mount Li, you were the first to go back to help that injured farm woman. On the night of the Buddha’s Bath Festival, when your brother accidentally stepped on an elderly woman’s foot, you not only stayed to apologize but also gave all the silver you had with you to that grandmother and grandchild. When your sister was in trouble, you cried until your nose and eyes were swollen, and when she took refuge at Dayin Temple, you stayed with her there despite the danger. You’re not only sincere to others, but the bond between your sisters is also very touching. Though I haven’t interacted with you directly, I’ve seen all these things. Some people grow more distant the more you know them, while others become more endearing. Your heart is gentle, just like your name.”

“That time, before A-Da had told you the truth about Lu Zhao’an using gu on you, you had him tell me everything, saying your father taught you to be upright and honest, advising me to give up my intentions early. Later, when you learned that Lu Zhao’an had harmed people with gu, you weren’t afraid of damaging your reputation and voluntarily went to the Grand Court to testify, fearing he might harm other women. After I understood the whole story, I felt indescribable tenderness toward you, and through this incident, I realized you’re not only pure-hearted but also resolute and determined.”

Du Tinglan remained silent.

“Do you still think it’s just a passing fancy? You think I’ve only seen you a few times, but I’ve long known in my heart how wonderful you are. Why else would I request permission to make you Crown Princess?” The Crown Prince’s voice grew increasingly soft.

Du Tinglan moved to step away in confusion, but then her footsteps stopped – whether caught by the Crown Prince’s hand or drawn into his embrace was unclear.

Teng Yuyi heard the rustle of clothing and her heart nearly jumped out of her throat. Glancing aside, she saw that even Lin Chengyou’s ears had turned red.

Lin Chengyou frowned with closed eyes, internally lamenting.

Who could have imagined they’d stumble upon A-Qi confessing to Du Tinglan?

And of all people, he was with Teng Yuyi.

Coming out now would only make both parties uncomfortable, so they had to endure it.

Fortunately, the two quickly separated, with Du Tinglan struggling to say: “I… I must go.”

The Crown Prince seemed to have caught Du Tinglan again: “Can you leave the residence tomorrow?”

Du Tinglan didn’t speak, but her irregular breathing showed her current emotional turmoil.

The Crown Prince also seemed somewhat embarrassed and laughed: “I once heard someone say that when a man loves a woman, he’ll find ways to stay with her, coming up with various poor excuses just to see her once. From now on, I won’t bother making excuses like before – I simply want to see more of you.”

Lin Chengyou’s ears burned – this was what it meant to have a guilty conscience. Those words somehow seemed to describe him. He unconsciously glanced at Teng Yuyi, who was looking up at the moonlight with a casual expression.

Lin Chengyou silently cursed the Crown Prince. If he wanted to confess his feelings, fine, but why bring up such things? What “poor excuses” – his excuses had always been legitimate.

Even after the Crown Prince and Du Tinglan left, the atmosphere behind the tree remained inexplicably awkward.

Finally, Lin Chengyou spoke first: “…Demon hunting is important business. Remember to set out early tomorrow.”

His tone was very righteous and stern.

This time, Teng Yuyi didn’t look up at the moonlight, but instead seriously observed a cluster of lush jade hairpin flowers nearby. Hearing Lin Chengyou’s words, she made a sound of acknowledgment.

But then more people approached.

Lin Chengyou and Teng Yuyi exchanged glances and had to hide again.

This time it was a group of people. Two ladies led the way, followed by several maids.

Lin Chengyou and Teng Yuyi both internally complained: When will this end?

Then, they held their breath even more carefully.

They recognized both ladies – one was the wife of Minister Liu Guying of the Ministry of Revenue, and the other was Lin Furen, the daughter-in-law of the Marquis of Lin’an.

The two seemed somewhat tipsy, sighing as they walked: “It’s too hot inside, it’s more comfortable out here. This place is quiet, let’s rest a while. Oh, when I asked about the court arranging marriages for the children at Xiangxiang Academy earlier, why did you keep signaling me with your eyes?”

Lady Lin was speaking.

Lady Liu replied: “I saw you mention Prince Jun’an, and feared you’d be rebuffed. I was trying to help change the subject.”

Lady Lin laughed in surprise: “What do you mean? Everyone knows Prince Jun’an isn’t married yet. In the past, countless families wanted to form marriage ties with His Highness, but His Highness refused them all, saying he hadn’t found anyone suitable among Chang’an’s ladies. My niece is different though – she’s from the Lu family of Fanyang and just came to Chang’an this year. She excels in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. You’ve seen her appearance – like a lotus in water. She’s a bit young now, but she’ll come of age next year. If His Highness sees her, he might take a liking to her at first sight. I suggested letting her study at Xiangxiang Academy next year, hoping to play matchmaker.”

Lady Liu smiled: “We’ve been friends since childhood, so I can tell you this. Give up this idea. I heard from my husband that His Highness likely has someone in mind. The other day, His Highness was asking at court about how royal family marriages are arranged. He might directly request permission soon – why wait until next year if there’s already an arranged marriage?”

Lin Chengyou started – he’d been so busy investigating cases these past days that he hadn’t known his Royal Uncle had someone in mind.

Teng Yuyi was also surprised.

Lady Lin asked with a smile: “Which family’s daughter has caught the Prince’s eye?”

“Nobody knows. Some guess it’s the daughter of an official from another region, perhaps newly arrived in Chang’an – why else would His Highness not have shown interest before? Some say it might be General Teng’s daughter, as among the daughters of officials who came to court this year, she’s the most outstanding in both talent and appearance. During that incident with the great evil spirit at the Yuzhen Taoist Temple, I heard she led her companions to escape. His Highness is like an immortal – ordinary women probably wouldn’t catch his eye.”

Teng Yuyi secretly frowned – these rumors were getting too ridiculous.

It wasn’t strange for the ladies of the inner court to pay attention to such matters. Marriage alliances of the royal family concerned the court, and since their husbands couldn’t openly inquire about such things, they had the women of the inner court exchange information through casual conversation.

At this point, some maids came looking for them, and Lady Liu and Lady Lin left.

When Teng Yuyi turned her head, she found Lin Chengyou’s expression very unpleasant.

Though his expression was dark, Lin Chengyou feared there might be a third wave of people. He glanced at Teng Yuyi, quickly relaxed his brow, said “Remember to come out early tomorrow,” and slipped away in another direction.

***

The next day, Teng Yuyi didn’t sleep in but got up early.

After arranging her hair and changing into her Daoist robes, she sat at her dressing table and meticulously applied the false mask that Uncle Cheng had sent.

After applying it, she looked at herself from different angles in the mirror. The mirror showed a completely unfamiliar face – except for her eyes and lips, everything else was quite different from her original features. The more she looked, the more displeased she became. She frowned and said to Chunrong and Biluo: “Ask Uncle Cheng if this mask is a bit ugly – can we change it for a prettier one?”

Chunrong and Biluo looked at each other in surprise. Usually, their mistress only cared about not being recognized when in disguise – why was she being picky about the mask’s beauty today?

Biluo said helplessly: “This servant will go ask.”

Soon, Biluo returned with several masks: “Uncle Cheng says he has a few more, but none are very attractive. He says if the disguise is too beautiful, it will attract attention. Miss isn’t going to a banquet today, so why care about beauty? Better use this one – at least it won’t draw attention.”

Teng Yuyi propped up one cheek, impatiently examining the person in the mirror. Thinking carefully, she realized she was being somewhat unreasonable. The point of a disguise was to be unrecognizable, so she dismissed this strange notion: “Alright then.”

After getting ready, Teng Yuyi had Duanfu disguise himself as well, while she sat by the window carefully wiping the Xiaoya sword. Just as she finished cleaning it and was about to have breakfast, Uncle Cheng came to say: “The Prince of Cheng’s heir has arrived.”

Uncle Cheng’s tone was somewhat hesitant, finally understanding that the young miss was going out with the Prince of Cheng’s heir.

Upon hearing this, Teng Yuyi forgot about breakfast and immediately left with Duanfu. Lin Chengyou had repeatedly emphasized leaving early yesterday – he might have other arrangements after returning to the city.

Outside, she saw Lin Chengyou waiting on horseback.

The sky still held a faint blue tint. Lin Chengyou wore jade-colored clothes and a golden crown, his silhouette rimmed with golden light from the dawn. Behind him was a carriage from Qingyun Temple, complete with a driver.

“Get in,” Lin Chengyou said, glancing at Teng Yuyi.

Teng Yuyi happily agreed, having Duanfu sit outside with the Qingyun Temple driver while she lifted the curtain and entered the carriage.

After turning the corner and heading toward the city gate, they soon reached Silver Spring Lane. Ahead was a famous binfang shop in Chang’an.

Lin Chengyou reined in his horse: “I haven’t had breakfast. Let’s eat something before we go.”

Smelling the aroma wafting from the alley, Teng Yuyi realized she’d left too hurriedly to eat breakfast either, so she said from inside the carriage: “Alright.”

Lin Chengyou seemed very familiar with these street eateries. The owner warmly welcomed him as soon as he saw him: “Young Master is here. And this is—”

Lin Chengyou smiled: “A new junior disciple from Qingyun Temple. Just call her Wuwei.”

Teng Yuyi made an exaggerated ceremonial bow: “This humble Daoist pays respects.”

The owner was extraordinarily enthusiastic: “Venerable Daoist, please come in.”

“Do you want sweet or savory?” Lin Chengyou turned to ask Teng Yuyi.

Teng Yuyi thought for a moment: “Sweet, please.”

Lin Chengyou ordered four portions of binfang to be brought up – two sent outside for Duanfu and the driver, and two served at their table. His portion was savory with crab roe and Tianhua mushrooms, while Teng Yuyi’s was cherry binfang drizzled with dairy cream.

They sat quietly by the window, eating their breakfast as the golden morning light streamed in, casting a soft glow on their faces.

Teng Yuyi was very satisfied with the taste of her Binfang. Lin Chengyou often roamed the streets for cases, eating whatever he could find when hungry. When it came to finding good food, few in Chang’an could probably match him.

Lin Chengyou finished quickly, wiped his hands and face with a towel, and patiently waited as Teng Yuyi continued savoring her meal at a leisurely pace.

When she finished, he asked: “Are you full?”

Teng Yuyi cleaned her hands and face, then pointed outside and asked: “Are there other foods nearby? There won’t be as many eateries once we leave the city – why don’t we buy some other things for the road?”

Lin Chengyou smiled – it was a good idea, one he might have been too lazy to think of himself. After considering, he stood up: “Alright, come with me.”

He took Teng Yuyi around, quickly buying her many things, all famous local foods. He bought several types of pastries alone – one portion of Flame Cup pastries, one of Golden Millet Flat pastries, plus preserved pork, fish slices, various preserved fruits… all easy to carry and filling provisions.

“Did we buy too much?” Teng Yuyi asked Lin Chengyou. At first, she’d wanted to try everything, but even she felt it was excessive as they kept buying.

Lin Chengyou examined the stack of food boxes, considering: “This should be enough now. Hide your favorites in the carriage, and let Duanfu carry the rest.”

Teng Yuyi made a questioning sound: “Why hide them?”

“You’ll know later. Come, let’s buy wine.” Lin Chengyou led Teng Yuyi to a shop called White Family Wine Shop and had the owner bring out a wineskin. He unscrewed the cap and gestured for Teng Yuyi to smell it.

“Take a sniff.”

Teng Yuyi smelled it, her face lighting up with delight: “Boluo wine?”

Lin Chengyou’s eyes were full of mirth – he’d known Teng Yuyi would like it.

“How is it?”

Teng Yuyi couldn’t stop praising it: “Excellent wine, excellent!”

She was thoroughly impressed with Lin Chengyou. Who would have thought such an unremarkable wine shop would house such a skilled brewer? The aroma was as pure as snow, no worse than what the Imperial Brewery produced.

She eagerly asked about the price, surprised to find it wasn’t expensive. Lin Chengyou had the owner bring out ten skins, pay the bill, and turn to ask Teng Yuyi: “Do you want to buy anything else?”

Teng Yuyi was completely satisfied: “This is plenty, plenty!”

Lin Chengyou mounted his horse: “Then let’s get going.”

He led Teng Yuyi straight out of the city through Yanping Gate. After traveling some distance forward, they soon came upon an abandoned village at the end of the road.

Teng Yuyi lifted the curtain to look outside and saw five elderly Daoist priests waiting by the road, riding small donkeys.

“The Five Daoists?”

“Young Master,” Jiantian dismounted his donkey and led his junior disciples forward to greet them.

Lin Chengyou spoke to Teng Yuyi from outside the carriage: “You can get out now.”

Teng Yuyi got out and looked around, seeing that even Jianxi and Jianle had come. Since being injured by the corpse demon at Caifeng Tower, they hadn’t been out much. Their wounds seemed to have healed well – both looked ruddy and healthy.

Lin Chengyou must have notified them in advance, as the Five Daoists showed no surprise at seeing Teng Yuyi. They came over to look her up and down, greeting her cheerfully: “Young Daoist Wuwei.”

Teng Yuyi smiled and returned the greeting: “This junior pays respects to the venerable ones.”

Jianxi gave knowing looks between Teng Yuyi and Lin Chengyou: “A few days ago when we tried to find Young Master, he said he was too busy, but today he seems quite free, actually taking a whole day to hunt monsters outside the city.”

The air grew awkward. Lin Chengyou gave Jianxi an ambiguous smile. If not for Juesheng and Qizhi’s absence and Teng Yuyi’s insufficient spiritual power, he wouldn’t have bothered bringing these five old men along. But before he could counter this statement, Jiantian, fearing his junior disciple would be embarrassed, quickly intervened: “That was then, this is now. Young Master has his arrangements. Come on, stop chattering – the sooner we finish, the sooner we can return to the city.”

Now Teng Yuyi understood why Lin Chengyou had bought so much food – probably finding the Five Daoists too noisy, he’d bought provisions to stuff their mouths at appropriate times.

As if confirming her thoughts, Lin Chengyou said: “Wuwei, share the provisions with the venerable Daoists.”

Teng Yuyi waved Duanfu over with the food boxes and thoughtfully told everyone: “Catching demons is exhausting. Venerable Daoists, just keep the provisions in your robes and eat when you’re hungry.”

The Five Daoists noisily gathered around Duanfu, growing significantly quieter as they busied themselves dividing the provisions. Once finished, the group set out.

The village ahead was overgrown with weeds, with faint traces of yin energy passing through.

“Yesterday, a fellow Daoist discovered traces of evil spirits causing trouble here but didn’t dare investigate further. With such heavy murderous energy, it must be a Chi Kuo.”

Lin Chengyou quietly examined the village, shaking out his silver chain to transform it into a long sword, and instructed Teng Yuyi: “This place isn’t right. Remember to stay close to me later – no matter what happens, don’t run away.”

Teng Yuyi nodded cautiously, drawing her sword and following Lin Chengyou closely. She also had Duanfu check if the pouch around his neck was secure – it was the one Lin Chengyou had given her when dealing with Naizhong last time, containing talismans drawn by Daoist Master Qingxu himself, with spiritual power far beyond ordinary talismans.

Jiantian spoke as they walked: “By the way, Young Master, we’ve already set up arrays inside and outside the city to find the Chi Kuo. Why do we still need to send so many Daoists to patrol outside the city regularly these days?”

Teng Yuyi’s mind stirred. Last time, Wu Ji had said Master Jingchen mentioned Chang’an would soon face a “great disaster.” It seemed Lin Chengyou had not only taken these words to heart but had begun investigating what this “great disaster” might be.

Lin Chengyou replied unhurriedly: “Don’t you find the Chi Kuo’s appearance strange? These creatures form from the world’s murderous energy and shouldn’t appear except in times of chaos, yet we’re in a golden age. Naizhong and the corpse demon were trapped by arrays a hundred years ago – it’s not surprising they could be released by Haoyue Hermit and his people. But Chi Kuo is soulless beings that can’t be manipulated, much less trapped by an array of focal points. Their sudden appearance can only mean there are unusual phenomena in the world.”

Hearing this, Jianle looked up at the sky: “The celestial phenomena have been a bit strange lately, but if you ask what exactly is wrong, it’s hard to say. By the way, the ‘Demon Classic’ says Chi Kuo can also presage disasters. Their appearance might not relate to current events but could indicate future ones.”

Teng Yuyi thought to herself that this didn’t make sense. Chi Kuo was originally formless, only able to manifest through atmospheric murderous energy. So many appearing at once meant this murderous energy had been present for quite some time.

Lin Chengyou didn’t agree with Jianle’s theory either but didn’t argue. He only said: “During your recent patrols outside the city, venerable ones, have you seen any unusual evil spirits besides the Chi Kuo? For instance… the Five Strange Ghosts that only appear in times of chaos?”

The Five Daoists all shook their heads: “Haven’t heard of any. Why do you ask, Young Master?”

Lin Chengyou seemed lost in thought as they entered the village gates. The coolness in the air grew thicker. Despite the bright sunny day, everything was shrouded in fog. Walking through it, one could lose direction just a few steps away.

Teng Yuyi strained her eyes to discern direction when suddenly she heard the silver chain chime. Something from the fog wrapped around her waist, and then the chain quickly extended backward to bind Duanfu as well.

Teng Yuyi sighed in relief, while the Five Daoists seemed to notice something was wrong: “This doesn’t look like a Chi Kuo’s barrier. This fog… it looks a bit like…”

Before they could finish, something ran past behind them. A woman’s laughter echoed through the fog, extraordinarily seductive, pulling at their souls wave after wave.

The Five Daoists cried out in alarm: “Seven Desires Heaven!”

Lin Chengyou’s expression turned strange as he yanked Teng Yuyi to his side, took two steps back, and pulled her toward the exit: “We can’t fight this monster. Quick, run!”

Teng Yuyi followed in confusion: “We’re running without even fighting? Wait, Senior Brother, didn’t you say there’s no monster you can’t defeat?”

“That depends on the situation, doesn’t it?” Lin Chengyou argued righteously.

Jiantian and the others shouted: “Wuwei, listen to your Senior Brother! It’s bad enough we brought you today, but with you here we really can’t fight. Think about why it’s called the Seven Desires Heaven – it loves to bewitch young men and women. If you don’t want to be bewitched along with your Senior Brother… better listen to him!”

Teng Yuyi opened her mouth – from the sound of it, could this evil spirit in the fog be somewhat… improper?

Just then, Duanfu seemed to hit a wall in the fog. It was extraordinarily solid, sending him flying backward. Fortunately, he was tied to the silver chain, or he might have disappeared into the fog.

Lin Chengyou shook the chain, forcefully pulling Duanfu back, when suddenly Jianxi also screamed in pain, apparently having been thrown back by the same wall.

“It’s over, we can’t escape!” Jianle shouted.