Huijing Mountain, Bright Moon Tower.

A brilliant moon hung in the sky. The chill above the waters was quite intense, yet when gentle breezes blew, stirring thousands of withered lotus points, several cold-resistant herons spread their wings and took flight. The scenery remained captivating.

From within the magnificent Bright Moon Tower rose unprecedented black cooking smoke, and the fragrance of food drifted across the water’s surface, carrying a hint of winter’s warmth.

Atop Bright Moon Tower, under the clear moonlight, two rattan chairs were placed. Several roof tiles beneath the chair legs had already been knocked off, showing that people often moved chairs up to the rooftop to sit. A white-robed young master and a blue-robed scholar each sat in the rattan chairs, holding books and leisurely reading.

“I haven’t seen any good books in a long time,” the white-robed young master said, flipping through a stack of pages. “How’s that story of yours?”

The blue-robed scholar’s eyes were clear, as if he was reading with great concentration. “I’m still reading the beginning.”

The white-robed young master looked carefully and saw that the blue-robed scholar was holding his book upside down, reading character by character in reverse—no wonder he was reading so slowly. “What part are you at?”

The blue-robed scholar said calmly, “At the part where Miss Yang is combing her hair.”

The white-robed young master sighed. “Such poor taste. Look at this ‘Jade Fox Chronicle’ I’m reading. Even without reading it, I know there’s a fox that transforms into a beautiful woman who meets a fallen young master. Later, this young master will definitely pass the imperial examinations and become the top scholar, then marry a princess. That fox will remain devoted and decide to transform into a fox, pretending to be a white dog in the scholar’s household to accompany him for life.”

The blue-robed scholar said flatly, “Good story. Truly moving to hear.”

The white-robed young master covered his face with the book. “Reading books really isn’t a good idea. No matter how bright the moonlight or how elegant the scholarly atmosphere, at this time every day I always want to sleep.”

The blue-robed scholar said calmly, “Then sleep. I’ll wait for dinner.”

The white-robed young master’s voice came from beneath the “Jade Fox Chronicle.” “Even sleepwalking, I can eat dinner…”

These two young masters reading under the moon were naturally “Bright Moon Golden Physician” Shui Duopo and Mo Ziru. While the martial world surged with wind and clouds, here it was peaceful with clear wind and bright moon. The complex grudges and emotions of worldly affairs left no trace in this place. Tang Lici had been recuperating here for nearly a month. Liu Yan’s legs and face had also greatly improved. Shui Duopo had broken his legs again and reset them properly. Though he still couldn’t walk now, he could practice slowly with a crutch in the future, and perhaps one day he might be able to walk on his own. Regarding his face, which had been stripped of a layer of skin, Shui Duopo had originally wanted to conveniently give him a proper new face so he wouldn’t always think he’d run into a ghost. However, Liu Yan was stubbornly obstinate and insisted on refusing to change his face.

He wanted to keep that bloody, flesh-mangled ghost face. Shui Duopo ordered him to wear a veil every day to avoid frightening people, then couldn’t be bothered to persuade him further. He simply tampered with the facial medicine he applied daily, gradually making Liu Yan’s face shed its scars and grow new flesh. Though it couldn’t be as devastatingly handsome as before, it was much better than the original appearance.

Liu Yan was now sitting in a self-made wheelchair cooking. His culinary skills had never been particularly good, but in Bright Moon Tower they seemed greatly appreciated. Whatever he made that resembled “dishes,” Shui Duopo and Mo Ziru both ate with great pleasure. In these twenty days, he felt that the grudges and enmities of the martial world were already far from him. Unfortunately, no matter how distant they felt, it was all an illusion.

The oil in the pot heated up. He began stir-frying vegetables. The crisp, tender greens became even more appetizing once moistened by the oil. As cooking smoke rose, he served this portion of unsalted vegetables on a plate, then stir-fried another portion with salt added.

Someone leaned against the doorframe, standing behind him. Seeing this, their elegant eyebrows furrowed slightly. “How long must I eat this kind of food?”

Liu Yan had just finished stir-frying the other portion of vegetables. Hearing this, he paused. “Until… you’re completely recovered.”

The person leaning against the door wore white robes. His original clothes had long been damaged beyond recognition. This set of Shui Duopo’s white robes made him appear equally elegant and refined, with an otherworldly bearing. He changed the topic. “A’Yan, tomorrow I must return to Haoyun Mountain.”

Liu Yan turned his wheelchair around to look at him. “I’ve heard many things have happened recently. If you return now, it will certainly be dangerous.”

The white-robed person was naturally Tang Lici. Hearing this, he smiled slightly. “Missing one step naturally leads to losing the entire game.”

Liu Yan put down his spatula. “I’ll return with you.”

Tang Lici said, “At a time like this, I thought you should focus wholeheartedly on the antidote for the Crimson Ghost Nine Hearts Pills. Coming back with me would harm me, not help me.” He spoke lightly and thoroughly, leaving no room for argument.

Liu Yan’s expression immediately became agitated, looking somewhat fierce in the lamplight. “You—” For some reason, he abruptly stopped. “I’ll resolve the antidote matter, but you—you can’t go back alone.”

“Worried about me?” Tang Lici exhaled softly. “Rather than worry about me, you should worry about yourself. Bright Moon Tower isn’t a place for long stays. I won’t travel with you. If you’re alone and inconvenienced in movement, how will you proceed with the antidote matter? Have you thought it through?”

Liu Yan was stunned. “I…” He had been troubled and distracted recently, truly having thought of nothing. “I’ll always find a way.”

Tang Lici looked at him. After a long while, he sighed. “When will you learn what you should and shouldn’t do?”

Liu Yan said coldly, “Do you know what you should and shouldn’t do? I think you know nothing, which is why you’re so self-righteous and act recklessly…” He spoke halfway, then turned his head away and changed topics. “I have leads on the antidote matter. You needn’t worry. I’ll definitely produce the antidote before the next poisoning episode.”

“How?” Tang Lici’s voice was gentle and refined. “Don’t forget, someone said you’ll appear at Beautiful Lady Residence in Jiaoyu Town in five days.”

Liu Yan snorted, not knowing how to answer.

Tang Lici’s eyelashes lowered as he spoke slowly. “Someone who dares to make such bold claims has courage. I think he has ways to make you go whether you want to or not.”

Liu Yan said angrily, “If I don’t want to go, I won’t go. What methods could there be?”

Tang Lici smiled slightly. “For example—threatening with Fang Pingzhai’s or Yu Tuan’er’s lives. Would you go or not?”

Liu Yan was stunned. “I wouldn’t—”

Tang Lici raised a pale finger. “I’m not the one who needs an answer. You can respond after five days.” He turned to gaze at the bright moon in the night sky. “Someone wants your antidote, wants to use you to establish authority, to bestow favors, and also wants your life… Do you understand?”

“I know.” Liu Yan looked at the dishes on the table. “Let’s eat first.”

Tang Lici said slowly, “Sometimes I really don’t know what your brain is for… Things you should think about, you don’t think about at all. Things you shouldn’t think about, you obsess over day and night. Tell me, if I slapped you, would you become more clearheaded?”

Liu Yan said angrily, “My affairs don’t need your concern. You should worry about yourself! I’m an evil sect demon lord—I won’t follow you, this righteous Young Master Tang, and absolutely won’t let you create more trouble and complications at this time. Is that acceptable? Is that acceptable?”

Tang Lici said gently, “A’Yan, you’d better find Fang Pingzhai and that Miss Yu. Your disciple treats you well. If he hasn’t fallen into someone’s hands, traveling with him would be temporarily safe.”

Liu Yan laughed coldly. “He just wants to learn the Sound Killing technique.”

Tang Lici said, “You think he has talent, don’t you… Besides, there’s another reason.” His voice was tender, his tone very soft when saying this. “She’s with them.”

Liu Yan’s entire body shook. He suddenly fell silent, as if the air around him had grown several degrees colder.

Tang Lici turned around. “Do you want her to understand you? Want her to know how much pretense the Liu Yan she knew before had? Want her to know what kind of person the real Liu Yan is? Want to know whom she actually loves? Why doesn’t she love you? Do you dare let her know how much is in your heart?”

Liu Yan gritted his teeth in silence. Tang Lici smiled, his light smile carrying infinite meaning.

Suddenly, with a “bang,” Liu Yan slammed the table and stood up. “Yes! I want to! I very much want to! But does she want to listen? Does she want to know? She doesn’t care at all what kind of person I really am or what I’m thinking… I very much want her to know that in my heart I admire her greatly, that I love her very much and want to treat her well! But in her heart, there’s only you! Only her son! Why should I make her understand me? What must I make her understand? Even if she understood, so what? Would it make her think I’m more absurd, more of a bastard, more ridiculous, more incompetent?”

“She has neither you nor me in her heart,” Tang Lici said, unperturbed by Liu Yan’s fury, still wearing a light smile. “I don’t know who’s in her heart, and I don’t care… But you care. You’re concerned. You’ve never invested so much emotion in a woman before, have you? You very much hope she could truly care about you and value you highly. You need her to value you highly because you’ve lost too much, and she possesses what you’ve lost…”

Liu Yan raised his hand and with a “clang” smashed a plate. Broken porcelain scattered everywhere. “Yes! I admit it! I hope I could be someone like her. I hope she cares about me. But I don’t want what I desire to be given as charity by you!”

“You need to learn to fight for it,” Tang Lici smiled lightly. “Self-abandonment never gains anything.”

Liu Yan said coldly, “Then when will you learn to give up? You never abandon yourself—what have you gained?”

Tang Lici’s eyebrows rose slightly. “Say that again—”

Liu Yan turned his head away, unwilling to speak again. After a long, stiff silence, he said with difficulty, “I’ll go find Fang Pingzhai, but not for A’Shui.”

“I don’t care why you do it. As long as you’re willing to find Fang Pingzhai, I’m very happy.” Tang Lici walked over from the doorway and placed the two plates of vegetables from the stove onto the table.

Liu Yan suddenly raised his voice. “You—don’t you also care about her very much… Why pretend…”

Tang Lici put down the plate and turned around. “Me… I think she’s a very patient woman. She’s very intelligent, very restrained, knows what she should do and what she should obtain… She’s very self-conscious but not self-pitying; she’s unhappy but not resentful. Of course she’s very beautiful—but what interests me is… I want to see this woman cry for someone, go mad for someone, die for someone.” His voice was very gentle. “She lives so steadily, as if no matter what happens she can face it calmly. I want to see her mad, heartbroken, hysterical, or extremely despairing…”

Liu Yan’s chest rose and fell with his breathing. “You—you’re simply—”

Tang Lici smiled slightly and said gently, “You love her and want to protect her; I love her and want to hurt her.”