The great assembly of the fifteenth day of the eleventh month in the seventh year of Deyou would, years later, still be remembered as legendary.

That young man’s brilliant swordsmanship and that conflict that dissolved into nothingness became the talk of many. However, at that moment, as the gathering storm clouds finally hung low in the sky and sporadic raindrops began to fall on the silent Tiger Hill, no one could have predicted the young man’s victory.

The Four Guardians of the Lingbi Sect stood at angles, forming a tight formation.

Scattered raindrops fell on the crisscrossing white silk ribbons, not seeping in but rolling slowly to form crystalline beads of water.

This was the Heaven-Binding Formation, a legendary undefeated formation that neither required high martial arts skills from its practitioners nor any specific terrain or weather conditions.

Once the Heaven-Binding Formation was deployed, victory was assured.

No one knew how many times the Heaven-Binding Formation had been publicly displayed throughout the long years, nor did anyone know exactly how many years had passed since the last time this almost mystical formation was witnessed.

What people did know was that under this white formation, which appeared almost frivolously gentle due to the floating ribbons, no one had ever broken through.

In the Lingbi Sect’s 180-plus years of history, no one had ever broken out.

The ribbons, woven from ice silkworm silk, neither burned in fire nor dampened in water.

The gentle snow-white ribbons encircled Xiao Huan in the center.

Within the formation, Xiao Huan slowly raised his arm to untie the jade band binding his hair.

His ink-black hair fell along with his lowered arm, cascading down.

Lowering his head, he smiled at the somewhat dumbfounded Cangcang: “Don’t worry, just wait for me over there.”

In Cangcang’s eyes, Xiao Huan with his loose hair possessed a quality different from usual. She couldn’t quite describe what this quality was, only vaguely feeling that something sharp seemed to emanate from him.

Handing the jade hair band to her, Xiao Huan smiled: “Cangcang, please hold this for me.”

Nodding and releasing his arm, Cangcang gripped the cool jade band tightly and turned to walk outside the formation.

These four ribbon-wielding maidens were the Four Guardians of the Lingbi Sect. Now the Second Guardian Li Banle looked Xiao Huan up and down, joking: “How enchanting! Young Master Xiao isn’t planning to use feminine charms, is he?”

“I just don’t want it to be troublesome later,” Xiao Huan smiled faintly, letting his hands hang at his sides, surprisingly not drawing his sword. “Ladies, please.”

“Enough talk!” First Guardian Wu Wushui snapped, her arm sweeping out a white rainbow as the ribbons crossed, launching the formation like ocean waves!

Snow-white colors spread, leaving no gaps on the Thousand-Person Rock. Within the swirling white, that cyan-robed figure seemed about to be engulfed.

The four maidens’ fingers twitched slightly, and a horizontal white ribbon like a blade surprisingly shredded the fabric at Xiao Huan’s sleeve into pieces. The cyan fragments fluttered down like butterflies, followed by several drops of blood. Xiao Huan’s injured right hand wasn’t very nimble, and he couldn’t dodge this strike.

Several white ribbons then threaded through his left leg, causing him to stumble.

The flying white ribbons were like a dance on rippling waves, but this seemingly graceful and enchanting formation, cloud-like and wave-like, contained killing moves in every strand.

After just a few exchanges, the ribbons had slid past Xiao Huan’s hands and feet several times, drawing fine cuts from which blood seeped into his clothes.

Li Banle laughed again: “But don’t worry, Young Master Xiao, we’ll only attack your body. We wouldn’t dare mar your handsome face.”

“Have the Guardian Ladies said enough?” Xiao Huan interrupted with a cold smile. “If the Ladies truly wish to see something, this humble one has something else to show you.”

As these cold words left his mouth, his long hair suddenly flew up in the wind, his sleeves billowed, and an increasingly strong gale burst from beneath them.

His pure black hair flew straight out as if caught in a powerful wind.

The misty rain scattered like sleet, drifting away strand by strand.

Wu Wushui, who controlled the formation, only now suddenly realized that Xiao Huan was standing at the formation’s center.

Among the crisscrossing ribbons, he stood at the convergence point of all the warp and weft.

He had never truly retreated – his earlier awkwardness had all been to achieve this moment, this true intention.

Before she could cry out to change the formation she could raise the ribbon in her hand.

Wu Wushui’s vision began turning blood-red.

Like raging infernal flames rising from the depths of hell, or like the legendary divine flames that covered the sky, red fire danced and raged.

The great fire that rose from the formation’s heart spread like fire dragons. Almost simultaneously, several screams rang out as the four formation-casting maidens threw down their burning ribbons and retreated.

The Heaven-Binding Ribbons were fireproof, so they had never thought to wear fire-resistant gloves.

But how could fireproof Heaven-Binding Ribbons burn?

A sudden chill ran through her throat as Xiao Huan’s fingers pressed against Wu Wushui’s neck: “Guardian Wu, perhaps I wasn’t clear enough, so let me say it again – I will not submit, and neither will the martial arts world of the Central Plains.”

On the crisscrossing ribbons covering the ground, flames still burned fiercely, but they automatically extinguished a foot from the edge of the Thousand-Person Rock.

The flames reflected off his long hair flying in the hot waves and his expressionless face, making his deep pupils appear even more mysteriously profound.

Nodding stiffly, Wu Wushui found her voice unprecedentedly hoarse: “We… concede.”

Releasing his fingers and stepping back, Xiao Huan cupped his hands: “Thank you for letting me win.”

The great fire had gradually subsided, leaving the fire-touched ribbons still snow-white, without even a trace of burning.

A faint fragrance wafted from the burned ribbons, very much like alcohol but much more pungent.

Wu Wushui suddenly understood somewhat: had he used this substance to make the non-flammable ribbons catch fire in the rain?

“Very good.” A light laughing voice came as Liu Huaixue slowly walked up the high rock through the parting disciples, still wearing his gentle and mild smile. “Congratulations to Young Master Xiao for breaking the Heaven-Binding Formation, the first in a hundred years. I am impressed.” He continued smiling, “Such skilled fire techniques – Young Master Xiao truly deserves to be called an unparalleled talent.”

Smiling faintly without responding to his words, Xiao Huan merely extended his hand: “Hall Master Liu, please.”

“Young Master Xiao misunderstands.” Liu Huaixue smiled. “I have no intention of crossing hands with Young Master Xiao today.”

This even made Xiao Huan somewhat stunned. He smiled: “What does Hall Master Liu mean by this?”

“Young Master Xiao has won several consecutive victories and is at the peak of his momentum. I dare not directly challenge such force.” Liu Huaixue bowed slightly, smiling with complete modesty.

Among the several leaders who had appeared from the Lingbi Sect, only his bearing was the most gentle and friendly, instantly dissolving much of the hostility in the scene.

“Since our sect’s various members cannot defeat Young Master Xiao, why don’t we discuss terms for peace?” Smiling, Liu Huaixue’s gaze swept around – this statement was now addressed to all the heroes gathered on the Thousand-Person Rock.

“So it ends just like this.” At the foot of Tiger Hill, beside the sedan chair surrounded by Lingbi Sect disciples, reported the white-robed young man with embroidery on his right collar lapel.

“Twenty years of not invading the Central Plains martial arts world.” The low and lovely voice repeated then laughed very softly. “Very well, let it end here this time. Let’s go.”

The light silk curtain fell, and the sedan chair was lifted, slowly moving toward the depths of Suzhou City.

Following behind the sedan chair, the young sect members wearing bamboo hats either dispersed or walked in the same direction as the sedan.

Several thin, winding streams of people scattered into the narrow streets and waterways of Suzhou City.

At the end of the crowd, that white-robed young man remained behind, standing in place with a golden blade at his waist.

Without a scabbard, the exposed blade of the short sword was cast entirely in purple gold – if held by that beautiful, slender hand, it would produce a dazzling color.

Someday in the future, there would likely be a chance to cross hands with that person, that cyan light that would excite any person in the martial arts world.

Smiling faintly, he bent down to speak to another unmoved sedan chair beside him, “Hey, you’re not dead yet, are you?”

This sedan chair was not surrounded by light gauze but by thick black velvet, covering it completely.

The chair shook slightly, then came a voice so muffled by the black velvet it was almost unclear: “If you don’t carry me back to sleep soon, I really will die!”

“Oh? I thought you were ready to risk life and limb for your soulmate, putting life and death aside!” Laughing as he spoke, the white-robed young man quickly patted the sedan bearer’s shoulder. “Please carry it steadily, there’s an injured person inside.”

Some mumbling followed, unclear whether due to the low voice or the velvet’s soundproofing.

Vaguely there seemed to be a phrase “would for you too.”

The white-robed young man hadn’t heard clearly, nor did he intend to listen. He just walked slowly beside the black velvet sedan chair, leisurely and content, his hand steadying the light jolts against the sedan’s body.

Avoiding the enthusiastic Liuyun Manor young lady who tried to pull them to the feast, Cangcang held Xiao Huan’s hand, deliberately keeping some distance from the enthusiastic martial artists.

After the Lingbi Sect’s retreat, these people had all rushed to Liuyun Manor at the foot of Tiger Hill to enjoy the customary banquet following the martial arts assembly.

The people who had been so agitated earlier were now gathered around a large table, engaged in pleasant conversation.

The Liuyun Manor’s master Qin Shiyue had even reserved a central seat for Xiao Huan, sending his daughter to invite them to join.

Their enthusiastic and forgiving attitude made Cangcang suspect that their true purpose for coming had been this noisy, happy feast.

Staying at the banquet would mean endless toasts. Just standing in the side hall dodging and declining, several groups of martial arts heroes had already come over with large bowls to offer drinks. If they sat down, it would be unbearable.

Finally, Cangcang simply pulled Xiao Huan through the side door and slipped out onto the main street.

“We’re never attending another martial arts assembly!” Coming to this conclusion through gritted teeth, Cangcang turned back, still holding the umbrella high to cover both their heads, carefully touching Xiao Huan’s injured right hand. “Does it still hurt a lot?”

While they were invited to the feast, Liuyun Manor had already had their doctor tend to Xiao Huan’s wounds early on. The several small wounds on his body were all shallow, but the sword wound that had pierced through his palm, though fortunately not severing any meridians, left an injury that wouldn’t heal easily. Even now, spots of blood were seeping through the fine white bandages.

“It’s fine.” Xiao Huan smiled down at her, shaking his head.

“Liar!” Wrinkling her nose and bluntly contradicting him, Cangcang paused, then suddenly said, “Brother Xiao, let’s go back to the capital.”

“Back to the capital? Why?” Somewhat surprised that she suddenly wanted to return to the capital she had always disliked, Xiao Huan asked with a smile.

“If I want to go back, we’ll go back, why ask?” Cangcang glared at him fiercely, then grabbed his sleeve. “Come on, come on, let’s go back to the inn to eat and rest. Standing around for so long is exhausting.”

As he tried to lift his leg to follow her pace, his chest suddenly tightened, his body momentarily unable to move.

This body was indeed not suited for fighting.

Using the fire technique had already been his limit. Later when Liu Huaixue came up, though he had made a welcoming gesture, he couldn’t guarantee he wouldn’t have collapsed from exhaustion in the middle of the fight.

He knew he shouldn’t have come, but if he hadn’t, then conquering the Central Plains martial arts world would no longer be just a threat from the Lingbi Sect. The entire jianghu would be drawn into a bloodbath, all to express the Lingbi Sect Leader’s determination: for that ultimate goal, she would use any means and sacrifice anything.

Merely to proclaim such an intention to him, countless lives would be lost, and countless bones would pile up.

“Brother Xiao?” Sensing his hesitation, Cangcang immediately turned back, examining his expression.

Smiling: “Let’s go.” Xiao Huan stepped forward, letting her pull him along.

In the misty rain-filled alley, that pale yellow umbrella was washed bright as a flower by the rain.

“Two martial matches, the opponent withdrew, victory in this campaign.” Standing with lowered hands before the hanging crimson gauze curtain, Imperial Guard Captain Ban Fangyuan reported with bowed head.

“I understand, thank you for your hard work.” The person behind the curtain spoke softly, her voice gracious and gentle. She paused, then asked, “The Emperor… when will he return?”

“In reply to Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, perhaps it will take a few more days.” Ban Fangyuan answered, then after a pause added, “His Majesty’s old ailment has returned, his health is not good.”

As if frowning, after a long while, the person behind the curtain finally sighed lightly: “How reckless, a ruler of the nation, exposing himself in the martial arts world like this, and delayed for so long.” She paused again, “Go inform the Emperor to return quickly, he must be back before the twelfth month.”

“Yes.” Ban Fangyuan bowed deeply with a lowered head.

“Wait,” the person behind the curtain suddenly called out to stop him, “what else are you carrying?”

“In reply to Your Majesty the Empress Dowager,” looking at the items in his hand, Ban Fangyuan answered, “It’s the list of officials requiring focused evaluation by the Ministry of Personnel at year’s end. His Majesty ordered me to bring it back to the Hall of Mental Cultivation.”

Nearly a hundred officials’ duties, birthplaces, experience, and abilities, each with concise evaluations. The neat, vigorous small script filled the long document meticulously. When handing these over, that person’s face still showed weariness from staying up all night.

In fact, throughout all this time of occasionally traveling in the jianghu, not once had it conflicted with important state affairs. Apart from the daily routine of writing vermillion comments on submitted memorials, he had never truly delayed any government business. Rather, due to concerns about the political situation, they as secret guards would occasionally be contacted to deliver inquiries or instruction letters to Princess Du, who was disguised in the Hall of Mental Cultivation substituting for the Emperor.

After a moment of silence, the voice from behind the curtain remained cold: “You may go.”

Ban Fangyuan bowed again and retreated.

“Brother Xiao!” The clear, joyful voice instantly filled the carriage as Cangcang exclaimed excitedly, “We’ve reached Bianliang!”

Slowly removing the book covering his face, Xiao Huan coughed lightly before sitting up, raising his hand to rub his temples as he smiled: “Are you that happy to reach Bianliang?”

“Of course!” Cangcang nodded vigorously, “I’ve never been to Bianliang before, I’ve wanted to come see it for so long!”

“Then let’s stay in Bianliang tonight.” Xiao Huan smiled.

“Wonderful!” Cangcang jumped up so happily she nearly hit the carriage roof, “Let’s go eat soup dumplings at the First Restaurant Under Heaven!”

They had traveled all day, and now dusk was falling. The carriage passed through the soon-to-close gates of Bianliang, entering streets paved with blue stones.

Six days ago when the rain hadn’t yet stopped, they had departed from Suzhou. These past few days they had traveled day and night, finally reaching Bianliang. When they left, that divine physician Li Mingshang’s expression hadn’t been very pleasant, his face dark as he remained silent, not coming along. So their traveling party consisted only of her, Xiao Huan, and two black-clad imperial guards who drove the carriage and arranged food and lodging.

The carriage traveled along roads much wider than Suzhou’s narrow streets. Before it had even stopped in front of the First Restaurant Under Heaven, Cangcang impatiently jumped down from the carriage, not forgetting to wave to Xiao Huan inside from the steps: “Brother Xiao!”

Smiling, he also jumped down from the carriage but suddenly froze for a moment.

“Brother Xiao…” Cangcang reached for his hand with some confusion, when she suddenly felt a palm clamp down on her shoulder.

Then, an extremely familiar voice sounded in her ear: “Little brat, are you trying to make your brother search for you until he dies?”

Cangcang quickly turned around, and sure enough saw a huge face almost pressed against hers, grinning broadly.

“Ah!” She jumped away, not even catching her breath as she darted behind Xiao Huan, grabbing his sleeve while shouting at the opposite party, “Don’t spank me again!”

Rolling up his sleeves, the handsome black-clad young man tried hard to make a fierce expression: “Not spank you? Without spanking you, how will you remember I’m your brother? Without spanking you, how will you remember I spent a whole month searching for you, exposed to the elements?”

“Hmph! You, exposed to the elements,” Cangcang stuck out her tongue rudely, trying to match his fierceness as she pointed at the huge golden sign of the First Restaurant Under Heaven before them, “You’re so exposed to the elements that you’re here eating soup dumplings!”

“You heartless little brat, you really want your brother to starve, don’t you?” The black-clad young man shook his fist threateningly, but in the next moment switched to a hearty smile, his long arm reaching out to pat Xiao Huan’s shoulder, “Yunzong, long time no see.”

Smiling and returning the shoulder pat, Xiao Huan’s face showed the joy of unexpectedly meeting an old friend: “Long time no see, Jueding.”

“Huh?” Cangcang was a bit confused by the scene before her, “Brother, Brother Xiao, you know each other?”

Her brother, the eldest young master of the Ling family, Ling Jueding, completely ignored her, smiling as he said to Xiao Huan: “Thank you so much, Yunzong, for taking care of this little brat for so long.”

“It’s nothing,” Xiao Huan smiled, “besides, Cangcang isn’t trouble at all.”

Ling Jueding looked him up and down, his handsome face showing a slightly teasing smile: “Speaking up for my little sister like this, Yunzong, you’re making me, her brother, feel like an outsider…”

Meeting his eyes without avoidance, Xiao Huan smiled: “Cangcang has never been a trouble to me.”

Also looking into his eyes, Ling Jueding suddenly smiled and sighed: “Alright, alright… she’ll end up in your hands sooner or later anyway.”

“I’m not an object, what do you mean ‘end up’?” Having realized they knew each other from before, Cangcang cut in with a “hmph,” asking: “Brother, how do you know Brother Xiao?”

Ling Jueding gave her a sidelong look: “Now you remember I’m your brother?” Despite the complaints, he still briefly explained how the two of them met.

It was quite simple really. Ling Jueding and Xiao Huan had met during a canal transport gang conflict near the capital. Both happened to be passing by at the time. Ling Jueding always enjoyed participating in jianghu affairs, so he stepped forward to help the person in charge resolve the fighting, and thus met Xiao Huan, who was treating the injured after the chaos subsided. They became nodding acquaintances.

Later, by coincidence, Ling Jueding once got very drunk in a capital brothel and, in his drunken state, grabbed someone and tried to roll into bed. He wasn’t sure what happened after that, only knowing that when he was awakened by a cup of cold tea splashed on his face, his face had an extra bruise, and he saw a young man in cyan robes smiling elegantly before the bed.

They were already sitting in the First Restaurant Under Heaven enjoying soup dumplings when hearing this, Cangcang almost spat out a mouthful of soup: “Brother, you tried to take Brother Xiao to bed?”

Ling Jueding wore a wry smile: “Actually, I was punched onto the bed by the person I tried to take to bed.”

Cangcang was very interested: “Then what? What happened after?”

“Afterwards I had to apologize,” Ling Jueding smiled, “it took two jars of aged wine to appease Yunzong’s anger.”

Cangcang suddenly understood: “Ah! Was that when you stole Master’s two jars of grape wine and got scolded terribly? I wondered how you dared to touch Master’s precious treasure!” She continued asking, “Then what? You and Brother Xiao became friends after that?”

“When two people share a jar of wine each while squatting on the Drum Tower roof until sunrise, of course, they become friends.” Ling Jueding smiled, “In my life, he’s the only person I’ve ever watched a sunrise with.” He touched his face, “Besides, that punch left my face bruised for a full half month.”

“Serves you right!” Cangcang stuck out her tongue laughing, “Who told you to always hang around brothels, Brother Xiao should have punched you a few more times!”

“Hey?” Ling Jueding protested, “Yunzong went to the brothel too, why don’t you scold him?”

“That doesn’t need saying!” Cangcang waved her hand, “If Brother Xiao goes to a brothel, it must be for something else, just to treat patients, not like you, just going to chase girls.”

“Little girl, you’re too biased! Your brother is getting angry!” Ling Jueding raised his two thick black eyebrows, pretending to be angry as he reached to pull Cangcang’s ear.

Cangcang giggled while dodging behind Xiao Huan: “Yes I’m biased, what are you going to do about it?”

The three of them dissolved into playful chaos. Facing this pair of siblings who started fighting as soon as they met, Xiao Huan smiled and raised both hands, indicating he wouldn’t help either side.

They finally finished the meal with some difficulty, then halfway back Cangcang dragged the two of them to tour around Dragon Pavilion Lake. It was deep into the night when the three returned to the inn.

After returning to the inn, Xiao Huan went to rest in his room. Although Cangcang was still excited, she held back from bothering him and returned to her room.

After washing up, Xiao Huan had just undone his hair bun when there were several knocks at the door.

It wasn’t Cangcang, she never knocked when entering his room. Walking over to open it, sure enough, Ling Jueding stood outside.

“Yunzong,” he waved the small wine flask in his hand, “have a drink together?” He smiled, “It’s very mild wine, will your health be alright?”

Xiao Huan smiled. Since they met, not a word had been mentioned about his health, yet he had already noticed.

Stepping aside to let him in, Xiao Huan tied back his long hair with a silk band and took out two teacups from the table to serve as wine cups.

The wine was warm, and the flask wasn’t large. Ling Jueding only poured half a cup for each of them, raising his cup: “I’ll drain mine, you drink as you please.”

Xiao Huan smiled, raising his cup for a small sip.

Setting down his cup, Ling Jueding smiled: “Yunzong, my little sister likes you.”

Xiao Huan paused, then smiled: “I know.”

“Though this girl seems carefree, she’s always very attentive to people she cares about.” Ling Jueding poured himself another half cup of wine. “One year when our father was sick and bedridden, she stayed in the medicine room for three days brewing medicine. Made countless mistakes, broke who knows how many medicine pots, got two cuts on her hands, and still absolutely wouldn’t let me tell Father, saying she was afraid of being scolded.”

He looked up at Xiao Huan: “The way she is with you now isn’t much different from then.” He smiled again, “Yunzong, you know what kind of place the imperial palace is, and so do I. If it wasn’t you, I would never hand her over.”

“I want you to promise me, Yunzong,” he paused, looking directly into Xiao Huan’s eyes, “promise that you will never harm her, no matter when. Whether it’s you now, or the you sitting on the dragon throne.”

Looking back into his eyes, Xiao Huan nodded: “I promise.”

As if not expecting such a straightforward answer, Ling Jueding was stunned, then smiled again, raising his wine cup: “Yunzong, sometimes I think, how good it would be if you weren’t that person.”

When, not long after becoming acquainted with him, he raised his head at the court assembly conferring his noble title and clearly saw that young Emperor’s face, he couldn’t help being shaken to his core.

That person, that young man with eyes both profound and clear, was imprisoned on the throne. Those things weighing upon him – imperial power and nation – were so heavy that even he, a mere observer, felt suffocated.

If he wasn’t that person, Ling Jueding dared not imagine what kind of brilliant, soaring life he would see, how much radiance would dazzle the eyes of the world.

After a pause, Xiao Huan smiled: “If I weren’t that person, wouldn’t I have to compete with the Emperor for Cangcang?”

Laughing heartily, Ling Jueding nodded: “That’s true.” Setting down his wine cup, he stood up, “It’s late, you’ve traveled all day, you should sleep.”

At the doorway, he suddenly tapped his forehead: “Oh right, when I came, my master asked me to bring a message to Cangcang, saying she should visit Daiyu City before returning to the capital, my master wants to see her.”

Xiao Huan nodded, asking: “Jueding won’t return to the capital with us?”

Ling Jueding shook his head: “I need to make a trip to Southern Yunnan, I’ll part with you after two days.” He smiled, “You must go, Master told me this a month ago, I’ve waited so long to finally catch that little girl.”

Xiao Huan smiled: “Alright, I’ll tell Cangcang.”

Ling Jueding smiled and pushed open the door to leave.

On a brilliant afternoon in Daiyu City in the eleventh month, golden maple leaves drifted in the sky.

Before returning to the capital, Cangcang dragged Xiao Huan to visit her master at the villa here. With no hurry, they stayed.

Now she walked with light steps toward the garden behind the courtyard, carrying a pot of freshly brewed tea, with three teacups arranged beside it.

She had gotten drunk the night before last and slept until the afternoon before waking. Just as she woke, she heard the servants say her master and Xiao Huan had gone to that garden, so she quickly washed up, brewed a pot of Biluochun tea, and headed there too.

The sunlight was beautiful, and as she walked, her mind wandered to yesterday’s events.

Too excited after seeing her master last night, she had drunk a bit too much, her whole body nestled in Xiao Huan’s embrace as she tilted her head to ask him: “Brother Xiao, I don’t just like you because you’re handsome, why are you so good?”

Xiao Huan was much more sober than her, smiling as he looked at her: “I’m not that good…”

She became earnest instead, shaking her head vigorously: “Don’t say you’re not good, you are good!” Squinting her eyes, “Brother Xiao, you came to Jiangnan to find me, and did so many things, is it because you like me?”

Smiling and nodding, Xiao Huan didn’t hesitate for a moment: “Yes.”

“Really!” She became excited, swaying as she grabbed his neck and kissed his face, “Such a good person likes me, I lucked out…”

Walking while thinking, her nose seemed to still carry that faint herbal fragrance from his body. Cangcang secretly wrinkled her nose – kissing him always felt so nice, surely it would be fine to kiss a bit longer next time?

As her smile grew wider and wider, someone said something very softly in the distance. She didn’t notice, taking a light jump to the round archway of the garden.

Then she turned, looked up, and saw the descending short sword.

The sword with beautiful cyan light swung down without hesitation, its blade cutting into flesh, making an extremely faint, indescribable sound.

Along with the blood gushing from the throat, the small head fell to the ground, that kind face she knew so well stained with mud.

The cyan-robed young man lifted his gaze from the pool of blood, surprise flashing across his face, still carrying lingering grief as he called to her: “Cangcang… why are you here, your master…”

“Ah! Ah! Ah…” The piercing screams seemed no longer to come from her throat as the teapot rolled from her hands onto the ground.

“Cangcang!” He was still calling her name, taking his first step toward her, but suddenly stopped, face pale.

Her fingers grabbed the flexible sword at her waist, the sword with a faint green light she had just received from her master yesterday, uncontrollably thrust from her hand. It pierced his chest.

Blood gushed forth again, spraying onto her face, mixing with her endless flowing tears.

Her body shaking violently, she turned her wrist, wanting to drive the flexible sword deeper.

The smell of blood was so heavy it covered that fresh herbal scent she loved, also dyeing her vision completely red.

A hand lightly brushed across her face, falling on her neck, the gentle force transmitted through the fingers, bringing her brief sleep.

On the third day of the tenth month in the seventh year of Deyou, before the blood spread in distant Daiyu City, before that grand martial arts assembly at Tiger Hill began, before that reunion in the Suzhou pharmacy, before the unsuspecting Ling Jueding smiled and said: “you must definitely go, Master told me this a month ago.”

In the Blowing Song Pavilion of the Ling family villa in the capital suburbs, after that white-robed beauty smiled and placed that green longsword with delicate inscriptions on the table, she turned and walked out of the courtyard.

Outside the courtyard gate by the carriage, a slender, straight figure stood quietly. A breeze blew past, stirring his white clothes and the thin veil covering his face. In the rippling movement, he laughed softly: “Congratulations, Sect Leader Chen.”

“Oh?” Walking past him, the white-robed beauty smiled faintly: “Congratulate me for what?”

With a deep, pleasant laugh, the similarly white-robed man bent sideways, extending his arm to lift the carriage curtain for her: “Naturally to congratulate Sect Leader Chen for arranging the grand plan, that person has reached his dead end.”

“You can tell so quickly that he’ll reach his dead end?” The white-robed beauty lowered her head to enter the carriage, “You don’t even know my plan yet?”

The man also followed her into the carriage. He removed his bamboo hat, revealing a face so beautiful it could topple nations behind the veil: “Because I understand what his weakness is.” Smiling enchantingly, he reached out to press his chest, “It’s here, a weakness that no amount of coolness or meticulousness can hide. His heart is too gentle.” Another smile, those light blue-black eyes sparkling, “My royal brother, that foolish gentleness of his is enough to be fatal.”

Glancing at him lightly, the white-robed beauty spoke: “You’re very clever. Then have you heard, there’s a martial art that advances with supernatural speed but harms oneself? People who practice this art, once they reach a certain age, begin to suffer its torment day and night, endless pain, living worse than death. So such a person will, in their final days, find someone they trust and have that person kill them by their hand.”

She continued, smiling faintly, “If such a person were your lover’s closest kin, and they came to tell you they were suffering from this martial art, desperately needing release, begging you to help cut off their head. Their words are so sincere, their manner so pained, that when you raise the sword to cut off their head, you don’t even think to find someone to witness it, or to get written proof, to ensure you won’t be seen as a murderer. Don’t think about whether when your lover sees this scene, they might from then on see you as an enemy, might want to kill you immediately…”

Listening with a smile, the beautiful white-robed man’s face didn’t change at all: “Indeed a good plan, but I think, even if already quite foolish, to accept such an utterly unreasonable lie, wouldn’t there still be some doubt?”

“This isn’t a lie,” the white-robed beauty smiled faintly, “This martial art is real, and that practitioners of this art ultimately seek release is also real.” She raised her eyes to look at him, “I might use a friend to achieve my goals, but I wouldn’t let them die for my purposes. This might also be a remnant of what you see as foolish gentleness.” She smiled, “Perhaps you won’t understand, because gentleness is something you’ve never possessed, Your Highness Prince Chu.”

The beautiful man also smiled, slightly inclining his head: “Thank you for the praise, Lady Chen.”

As the carriage began to move, the white-robed beauty smiled: “No need for courtesy, I wasn’t praising you.”

After speaking, she turned her head away and closed her eyes.

After a brief pause, the beautiful man’s smile remained perfect as he too turned his head.

Before his gaze lay the bustling streets of the capital, crowded with people and vehicles. In the capital’s busy market, he lowered his head, his voice very soft and cold: “Such things that only make people foolish? I don’t need them.”

At this moment, it was still a full year before he would appear in the main hall of the Palace of Female Tranquility, using his hands to rewrite the empire’s history.

It was even longer before he would finally understand that there could be such a girl whose mere smile could make him heartache.

In the late autumn of the seventh year of Deyou, after several rare clear days, came a dark snow moving from north to south.

For the capital, this snow’s arrival was quite ordinary. After a day of cold autumn rain, that night, it silently turned to drifting snowflakes, falling endlessly on streets and houses.

In the cold year-end, the capital’s massive city was decorated in pure white.

Before the wedding’s red glow filled the Palace of Heavenly Purity. Before the Empress, surrounded by magnificent ceremony and wearing the golden-red ritual robes with nine phoenixes and four dragons, aimed her cold, calm gaze at the young Emperor in full regalia atop the white jade steps.

What welcomed that turbulent eighth year of Deyou, recorded in history books, was a stillness more profound than many previous years.

Day after day, without end in sight.

When this severe winter was finally passing, in the capital during the twelfth month, on the cold, empty long street, the young Emperor in plain clothes quietly looked at the maiden standing before him.

That maiden who would soon become Empress, tightly holding a black-clad young man’s arm: “Though I was foolish enough to like you, I won’t be foolish beyond cure. The person I love now is Xian Xue.”

“I’m sorry, I cannot love you,” the Emperor’s tone was cold, “so whoever you love has nothing to do with me.”

As if not wanting to linger, he turned to leave after speaking.

“Wait!” The maiden suddenly raised her head, looking straight into his eyes, “In Jiangnan, were you good to me because you wanted to use me to control my father?”

He looked at her faintly, neither confirming nor denying, and turned to leave.

“Xiao Huan, I hate you, but I will still marry you, and become your Empress,” behind him, she spoke word by word, “You’d better remember, one day, I will take back everything you owe me, piece by piece.”

His steps didn’t stop as he walked straight away, out of her sight.

That was their last meeting before the grand wedding.

That day, the young Emperor of Deyou, for the first and only time in his life, walked aimlessly through the capital’s streets.

In the empty streets of the cold winter day, he followed the capital’s grid of intersecting alleys, walking on and on.

Walking until the sun set in the west, until dusk fell, as merchants packing up their stalls brushed past him.

He walked to a dilapidated, old courtyard where a studying child was still earnestly reading aloud even on such a day: “…The wild horses, the floating dust, living things breathing upon each other. Is the blue of heaven its true color? Or is it that it stretches so far that it has no end?”

The questioning tone, the clear voice of youth.

In life, it seems there are always too many questions. Why is the sky blue? How vast are heaven and earth? Why can the past never return? What is there to look forward to in the future?

He could finally stop, standing outside the wall silently listening, pressing his chest as he bent over to cough up the blood in his mouth.