The Vermilion Bird Altar fell, and its leader, Xiong Qianjin, was torn apart by enraged villagers. Many others were captured, their fates hanging on Mu Qingyan’s decision. You Guanyue stood proudly to the left of the altar master’s throne, ordering his subordinates to bring the prisoners forward for Mu Qingyan’s judgment.
The first to be brought up was Zhang Xun, the left vice-altar master, bound tightly. He flashed a coquettish smile at Mu Qingyan, who sat calmly above. Despite years of rivalry, even You Guanyue had to admit Zhang Xun’s exceptional beauty.
Without even a flicker of his eyelids, Mu Qingyan ordered, “Crooked mouth, squinted eyes. Kill him.”
You Guanyue was stunned.
Next came the severely injured right vice-altar master, Li Zhang. Known for his perceptiveness, he immediately offered to hand over Xiong Qianjin’s hidden treasury and persuade the neighboring Azure Dragon Altar’s master to surrender.
Mu Qingyan lifted a finger and said, “Failing to read the situation. Kill him.”
“?” You Guanyue was bewildered.
Then came Xiong Qianjin’s trusted lieutenants.
“Shifty-eyed. Kill him.”
“Two-faced. Kill him.”
“Ignorant. Kill him.”
“Lazy. Kill him…”
“Wait, wait!” You Guanyue couldn’t bear it any longer. “He’s one of Xiong Qianjin’s top fighters. How can he be lazy?”
Mu Qingyan responded, “Oh, in that case, break his limbs before killing him.”
You Guanyue were dumbfounded. “Wait, Young Lord, you’re not planning to kill them all, are you?”
“Why not?” Mu Qingyan seemed even more puzzled. “Didn’t you already screen them? These remaining ones have repeatedly violated our rules and are covered in blood debt.”
You Guanyue laughed awkwardly. “Such a large Vermilion Bird Altar needs someone to maintain it, inside and out.”
Mu Qingyan replied, “Don’t we have you all? I think Wang Tianfeng is quite capable. With a few years of experience, he could manage on his own.”
You Guanyue brightened momentarily, then cautiously advised, “Thank you for trusting us, Young Lord. However, it’s better to keep some of the original people. After all, they are skilled…”
“What’s the point of keeping them?” Mu Qingyan interrupted. “To let the surrounding people continue to hate us, or to let them waver and secretly collude with Nie Zhe?”
You Guanyue paused, then said, “Young Lord has a point, but if we kill them all, what about the Vermilion Bird Altar? What if the Six Sects of Beichen attack now?”
“Then let’s disband the Vermilion Bird Altar for now,” Mu Qingyan suggested.
“Young Lord!” You Guanyue exclaimed in shock.
Mu Qingyan waved his hand, and Lian Shisan led his subordinates to deal with the remaining prisoners.
You Guanyue followed Mu Qingyan into the empty back hall, feeling uneasy. “Young Lord, I’ve asked too much. I should have followed your orders without question, like Brother Shisan…”
Mu Qingyan raised his hand to stop him.
He walked to the window and said, “Last night, before we stormed the Vermilion Bird Palace, I ordered you to leave a gap in the northeast, allowing some wavering members to escape. You advised me to set up an ambush there, but I refused.”
He continued, “I didn’t come with a large army, and I had no previous authority in the sect. There was no need to kill everyone who wanted to flee when faced with our small force. As Xiong Qianjin’s defeat became apparent, more people fled. Those who stayed until the end, whether captured or killed, were loyal to Nie Zhe and Xiong Qianjin. What’s the point of keeping them?”
You Guanyue’s eyes lit up. “So Young Lord had already screened the Vermilion Bird Altar members. I was short-sighted.”
Mu Qingyan nodded. “Thanks to Nie Zhe, the Six Sects of Beichen are now on edge. Their leaders are either busy investigating internal affairs or still recovering. They won’t provoke us for at least half a year. Even if someone comes to raid, we’ll maintain what we can and withdraw if we can’t. This applies not just to the Vermilion Bird Altar, but also to the Azure Dragon, Bai Tiger, and Black Tortoise Altars.”
You Guanyue pondered briefly, then smiled. “Young Lord has decided to reform and renew.”
Mu Qingyan turned to him. “When Nie Hengcheng died, you already took note. Do you think the Departure Sect under Nie Hengcheng is the same as the current one under Nie Zhe?”
You Guanyue chuckled. “How can a firefly compare to the bright moon?” After blurting this out, he added, “If even Nie Hengcheng achieved such prominence, I imagine the Divine Sect was even more powerful and impressive under the Mu family’s leadership.”
Mu Qingyan smiled. “You don’t need to cover up. Nie Hengcheng may have wronged the Mu family, but not the Divine Sect. During his decades of leadership, he managed the sect well, even surpassing my great-grandfather and grandfather in some aspects.”
You Guanyue was secretly delighted, thinking that although the new lord was young, he was shrewd, calculated, and remarkably open-minded.
However, just a few days later, he had to add ‘when dealing with official matters’ to this assessment. Regrettably, the new lord didn’t spend much time on ‘official matters.’
Mu Qingyan looked out the window towards the distant mountains. “It’s not the Hanhai Mountain range and these palaces that created the Divine Sect. It’s the ambitious leaders and loyal members throughout generations that built the sect into what it is today. As long as we work together, we have a great future ahead.”
You Guanyue, being extremely intelligent, finally understood Mu Qingyan’s determination. Smiling broadly, he bowed sincerely and said, “I understand now, Young Lord. Your talent and vision are unparalleled. From now on, I will follow your orders without doubt…”
“That’s not necessary,” Mu Qingyan seemed somewhat weary, his tone becoming casual. “Shisan has always been straightforward and single-minded, doing exactly as I say. You’re meticulous and capable, but without Elder Chou’s support in the sect, you naturally have more concerns. That’s not your fault—but you should leave now.”
You Guanyue were taken aback.
Mu Qingyan turned back. “Your smile now looks worse than a ghost’s.”
You Guanyue froze, finally realizing something. He quickly covered his swollen face and hurried away.
After he left, Lian Shisan emerged from the shadows, pouting. “That man is too talkative. Young Lord must have used up all his patience for the month. If you lock yourself in your room for a few days without speaking, Uncle will worry again.”
“The big task isn’t finished yet, so I won’t lock myself away,” Mu Qingyan said wearily, gazing out the window. The morning light illuminated half of his handsome face. “You Guanyue is troublesome, but intelligent people are never easy to win over. Elder Chou was once formidable with numerous disciples, but now only You Guanyue and Wang Tianfeng still secretly pay respects to him.”
“By the way, has Uncle returned?” he suddenly asked.
“He came back a few days ago and has already gone back to ‘Fleeting Beauty’,” Lian Shisan replied.
Mu Qingyan lowered his eyes, asking nonchalantly, “Did Uncle leave anything?”
Lian Shisan said, “The usual—telling Young Lord to be careful.”
Mu Qingyan turned around, displeased. “You should learn to use your brain more, like You Guanyue. Don’t get stuck in a rut. Since you know it’s the usual nagging, I’m asking if Uncle left anything new!”
Lian Shisan thought hard. “Oh, right! Uncle said, ‘Wonton should be eaten freshly made. If left too long, they lose flavor, and the eater gets angry’—what does that mean?”
A hint of joy slowly spread across Mu Qingyan’s face, blooming in a corner unknown to others.
If You Guanyue were present, he would surely have noticed, but Lian Shisan remained oblivious, asking bluntly, “With the fall of the Vermilion Bird Altar, one of the main altars, how will Nie Zhe respond?”
“He’ll certainly respond. As for how…” Mu Qingyan smiled. “I can pretty much guess.”
You Guanyue silently lamented in front of the mirror half the night, painfully resetting his nose bridge and applying the most precious ointment to his face. After half a day of rubbing, his reflection still looked pitiful.
His maid cried heartbrokenly, angering You Guanyue. “Why are you crying?! Stop it! From now on, at least I can choose who I sleep with. Isn’t that good?! Now go eat, or who will serve me if you starve to death!”
You Guanyue had planned to hide for a few days until he was more presentable, but Nie Zhe wouldn’t let him. Mu Qingyan sent two beauties, one after another, forcing the caring You Guanyue to show his face.
The first beauty was about seventeen or eighteen, with apricot eyes and peach cheeks, a slender waist, and stunning beauty when she looked up. She knelt timidly before Mu Qingyan, not daring to say a word, appearing pitiful and delicate.
“Your name is Chou Cuilan?” You Guanyue asked, his face tense.
The girl timidly replied, “…Yes.”
“You say you’re Elder Chou’s granddaughter?”
“Yes.”
“What did Nie Zhe send you here for?”
Tears welled up in Chou Cuilan’s eyes. “He told me to serve Young Lord Mu.”
Upon hearing this, Mu Qingyan seemed unable to contain his amusement. He rested his slender fingers on his forehead, chuckling, “…It’s like Dong Shi imitating Xi Shi. Nie Hengcheng should see Nie Zhe’s ‘achievement’.”
You Guanyue understood Nie Zhe’s intentions but still felt conflicted.
Although Elder Chou had a fiery temper, he fiercely protected his disciples and taught them martial arts diligently. The few years You Guanyue spent under Elder Chou’s wing after falling into slavery were his most peaceful. He felt a certain gratitude towards the old man.
“Young Lord, what should we…?” he hesitated.
Mu Qingyan: “Kill her.”
“??” You Guanyue exclaimed, “Young Lord!”
Chou Cuilan was terrified.
“Elder Chou never had a son, only a daughter with his late wife who married off early,” Mu Qingyan said nonchalantly.
You Guanyue quickly explained, “No, no, Elder Chou did have a son, born to a concubine in his later years.”
Mu Qingyan sighed, “See? Losing virtue in old age is worse than a retired prostitute reforming. Taking a concubine at that age is immoral. Still, let’s kill her. Elder Chou’s son never married, so how could there be a granddaughter?”
You Guanyue nearly choked—how did you know Elder Chou had a son?!
“Wait, wait! Although Elder Chou’s son never married, he had several favored maids. After Elder Chou passed away, his son lived aimlessly for two years before dying from alcohol poisoning. Months later, one of his maids gave birth to a posthumous child, who was taken in by the current Tianji Elder, Hu Fengge.”
“Is that so?” Mu Qingyan said lightly. “She doesn’t resemble Elder Chou at all. She must be an imposter sent by Nie Zhe to spy on us. To be safe, we should still kill her.”
“Young Lord,” You Guanyue said helplessly, “I’ve seen her from afar before. This girl is indeed Chou Cuilan.”
“Fine then,” Mu Qingyan conceded, gesturing to the kneeling girl.
Chou Cuilan, trembling with fear, crawled forward to kneel beside Mu Qingyan’s seat.
Mu Qingyan rested his chin on his left hand and smiled at the girl. His radiance was dazzling. “I like clever girls. Are you clever?”
Chou Cuilan seemed entranced, nodding dumbly, “…Cuilan is willing to learn to be clever for Young Lord.”
Mu Qingyan chuckled, “Good. Then I’ll be direct—I’m about to attack the Bai Tiger Altar, then the Azure Dragon and Black Tortoise Altars, and finally the Palace of Ultimate Bliss. I’ll kill Nie Zhe and reclaim the position of Sect Leader. So, don’t rush to place your bets. Watch for a few more days. Understand?”
Chou Cuilan bowed her head in confusion.
After the girl was led away, You Guanyue hesitated, “Young Lord, she was raised by Nie Zhe after all. Even if we can’t kill her out of respect for Elder Chou, shouldn’t we send her far away to avoid jeopardizing our plans?”
Mu Qingyan laughed softly, “The real Chou Cuilan died at age five. When I first entered the Divine Sect last year, Nie Zhe hurriedly found a beautiful girl of similar age to impersonate Chou Cuilan. But before he could finish grooming her, I escaped the sect, so this girl wasn’t put to use.”
“So that’s the truth!” You Guanyue were shocked. “In that case, we absolutely cannot keep her. We should eliminate her immediately!”
“No rush,” Mu Qingyan smiled. “This girl is quite pretty and acts well. It would be a waste to dispose of someone Nie Zhe put so much effort into grooming.”
You Guanyue was both surprised and impressed, feeling that Mu Qingyan was unfathomable, and dared not ask further.
The next day, Nie Zhe sent another girl. You Guanyue was so angry he nearly shattered his mirror. How could they use the beauty strategy one after another like this? He stormed out of his room, determined to vet this new vixen for the young new lord.
To his surprise, the newcomer wasn’t a coquettish young girl, but an extremely beautiful middle-aged woman with a heart-stopping name: Sun Ruoshui—one of the beauties sent to Mu Zhengming’s side by Nie Hengcheng over twenty years ago, and the one who ultimately succeeded.
Mu Qingyan’s birth mother.
You Guanyue didn’t dare say a word now, wishing he had never left his room.
Sun Ruoshui’s story wasn’t a secret among the sect’s upper echelons.
When Mu Zhengming was young, he had a tutor who soon left the Hanhai Mountains to live in seclusion, disappearing after an epidemic. To control Mu Zhengming, Nie Hengcheng went to great lengths to find the tutor’s only remaining granddaughter, groomed her for years, and sent her to Mu Zhengming’s side.
At that time, Mu Zhengming was in his prime and remembered his tutor fondly. Naturally, he favored Sun Ruoshui, especially given her exceptional beauty. The young man and woman, living together day and night, soon became intimate. Five or six months later, Mu Qingyan was born.
Elder Chou cursed furiously, but Nie Hengcheng was extremely pleased.
However, to everyone’s surprise, Sun Ruoshui’s heart belonged not to Mu Zhengming, but to Nie Zhe, her childhood sweetheart.
In Nie Hengcheng’s eyes, Sun Ruoshui was merely a useful tool. His nephew was officially engaged to Li Ruxin, the daughter of his deceased sworn brother. Before his unyielding uncle, Nie Zhe dared not say a word.
Later, Elder Chou died under mysterious circumstances, Mu Zhengming mysteriously disappeared after being severely injured, and months later, Nie Hengcheng was killed by Cai Pingshu. Zhao Tianba and Han Yisu gathered their forces for vengeful retaliation, only to face catastrophic defeat on the banks of the Qingluo River.
This series of bloody, chaotic events fulfilled Sun Ruoshui’s wishes.
She abandoned her not-yet-one-year-old son to a nanny and eagerly moved in with Nie Zhe. Although Nie Zhe couldn’t be intimate with her due to public opinion, Sun Ruoshui was happy just to see her beloved frequently.
Soon after, Mu Zhengming reappeared, took away his five-year-old son, and sent her a divorce letter. She officially married Nie Zhe as his second wife, living a life of honor as the (deputy) Sect Leader’s wife, surrounded by servants and living in luxury.
Strangely, after becoming husband and wife, their relationship became less harmonious than before. Nie Zhe would occasionally berate and neglect Sun Ruoshui.
Now middle-aged, Sun Ruoshui was still beautiful.
Sun Ruoshui tearfully recounted how she missed her son, how Nie Zhe prevented her from seeing him, how heartbroken she was, how difficult her life had been since Mu Qingyan and Nie Zhe fell out over a year ago, and how she hoped to turn swords into plowshares…
Mu Qingyan seemed like a cold salt sculpture, silently listening to the woman’s unbelievable lies.
“Why don’t we kill her too?” he said coldly.
You Guanyue didn’t dare utter a word, only forcing a foolish laugh.
Sun Ruoshui was shocked and scolded, “You, you unfilial son, how could you…”
A quick-witted maid beside her stepped forward to mediate, “Madam, don’t be anxious. The young master is just joking. Blood is thicker than water. After all, he came from your womb, how could he… Ah!”
A shrill scream, a pool of warm, thick blood. The maid lay dead on the spot, a deep, bone-deep sword wound from her left shoulder to her right waist, her intestines spilling out. Sun Ruoshui collapsed in fear, nearly losing control of her bladder.
Mu Qingyan placed his silver moon-like sword on the table and crouched in front of Sun Ruoshui, saying slowly, “Don’t talk to me about maternal love and filial piety. We both know what we are to each other. You don’t deserve to be a mother. I tolerate you and will support you in your old age, not because you gave birth to me, but because I promised my father.”
“So, don’t force me to break my promise and kill you. In our Divine Sect, we don’t taboo killing relatives. Do you understand?”
Sun Ruoshui nodded in terror.
Mu Qingyan turned his head, “Guanyue, do you have any Luanpo needles? Give her a few jabs. We’re taking action again tomorrow, and we can’t let her ruin our plans.”
You Guanyue felt greatly relieved and quickly affirmed that he did, adding that if he didn’t, he would forge needles overnight if necessary!
That night, Mu Qingyan had a dream he hadn’t had in a long time.
Before he was five, he didn’t know his name or who he was.
Other children in the crowded courtyard had fathers and mothers. Even if their parents had died, they at least knew who they were. Only he didn’t know, as if living in a haze. Worse, he was precocious, and this unknown confusion terrified him.
No one told him he couldn’t step out of the dilapidated room. Hard bedding, cold walls, feast one meal, famine the next, no matter how he cried, no one cared. Sometimes, watching ants in the cracks on the ground, he felt envious.
On sunny days, he would stretch his chilblain-covered little hand through the window bars, trying to grasp a bit of warmth.
But it was futile.
He grew to five years old in ignorance, only able to babble a few words, skeletal, pale, and sickly, barely human.
“Aiya, it’s a sin. Raising him like this is worse than killing him outright,” an old woman passing by would often mutter.
“Hush, old woman. Is this something we can discuss?” her husband would rebuke in a low voice. “After all, he’s a Mu family descendant. Killing him would look bad, but raising him well might lead to future trouble. Raising him like this is best. He’ll just be useless when he grows up!”
“Ai, his mother lives in luxury, dressed in silk and satin, not even asking once about her son’s life or death. How heartless!”
“People are naturally vicious. She just relies on her looks to deceive men!”
Five-year-old Mu Qingyan didn’t understand what these words meant, but he remembered them clearly.
His memory had always been good.
He remembered it was a drizzly evening, the sky dark blue, puddles dripping. Lice infested his messy hair, biting painfully and itchily. He scratched frantically with his chipped nails, leaving bloody scabs all over his scalp.
But the small, frail child didn’t cry, because he knew no one would come.
At that moment, a tall man pushed open the door of the dilapidated room and gently took him into his arms.
The man looked at him closely, called him ‘Yan’, and stroked his thin limbs with eyes full of heartache.
From then on, he had a father and a name.
His father bathed him, shaved his head, fed him, applied medicinal juice to each of his chilblains, and taught him to speak, write, and practice martial arts.
His father also guided him through extensive reading, pursuing knowledge from ancient classics, observing the sunrise and moon set, and feeling the exhilarating sensation of internal energy flowing through his meridians. His father wanted him to be elegant in behavior, courteous in speech, as lofty as mountains, as profound as vast seas, to appreciate the wonders of nature’s beauty, and to feel the fluidity of changing seasons.
Most importantly, his father told him, ‘Yan is the smartest and most understanding child in the world. I’m so happy to have such a son.’
Whenever Mu Qingyan recalled the past, what he felt most wasn’t joy, but grief for his father and fear of what might have been.
Deep, deep fear.
He often wondered, what if his father hadn’t survived his severe injuries and had died alone in some cave? What if his father had given up in despair and left? If no one had come to find him, would he have just rotted away day after day in that dilapidated little room?
He revered his father above all else in the world, more than his own life and death.
But if he had never come into this world, wouldn’t his father have been much freer?
…
The next morning, Mu Qingyan woke up as if nothing had happened, calmly directing the deployment of troops and explaining the strengths and weaknesses of the Azure Dragon and Bai Tiger Altars to everyone.
According to the plan, You Guanyue led a small force to feign an attack on the weakest of the altars, the Bai Tiger Altar. Its master, Sima Zhi, closed the palace gates tightly, refusing to come out, and desperately sent for reinforcements from the surrounding areas.
The Azure Dragon Altar’s master, Liao Tu, was his sworn brother. Hearing the news, he naturally came to the rescue, only to be ambushed by Mu Qingyan and Lian Shisan, who had laid in wait along the way with a large force.
A bloody battle ensued, ending with Liao Tu’s heart meridians being shattered by Mu Qingyan’s palm strike. Lian Shisan quickly cleaned up the aftermath and then gathered the troops to head towards the Bai Tiger Altar.
You Guanyue, who came to welcome them, wore a puzzled expression: “It was noisy at the gate earlier, but half an hour ago, all went quiet. I don’t know where everyone has gone.”
Seeing Mu Qingyan silent and looking weary, You Guanyue quickly ordered his subordinates to break open the Bai Tiger Palace gates with a battering ram. The victorious army charged in.
However, as You Guanyue had suspected, the front gate, front palace, and even the front hall were all empty. They rushed in and finally heard some sounds of fighting in the back hall of the Bai Tiger Palace, along with an angry child’s voice—
“You bunch of scoundrels! It’s bad enough that you harm righteous sects, that’s what your evil cult does. But now you’re even harming the common people under your rule? Are you even human? The people you took yesterday to make into corpse puppets, most of them have children serving in your evil cult! How can you be so immoral? You might as well die and be reborn sooner!”
Before You Guanyue could make sense of the situation, he noticed that Mu Qingyan’s expression had completely changed.
It wasn’t exactly joyful, but rather… alive. As if a cold ink painting had suddenly been filled with bright, vivid colors. The sparse blank spaces were instantly filled with the smoke and fire of the mortal world.
Breaking open the back hall’s great doors, they saw the motionless body of Sima Zhi, the Bai Tiger Altar’s master, lying in a pool of blood and corpses. Beside him stood a slender young girl, surrounded by two circles of Bai Tiger Altar disciples.
Lian Shisan led his men charging in, shouting orders to capture and disarm everyone they saw. The Bai Tiger Altar disciples, already badly beaten by the child, panicked even more at the sight of the invading army.
The child held a dazzling gold and red arm blade. Hearing the commotion, she suddenly turned around. Recognizing the newcomers, her face lit up with a delighted smile.
You Guanyue felt as if the girl was like a rising sun, bright and passionate, warming his heart. He glanced sideways and saw that Mu Qingyan had also been ‘warmed’ by this Sun, his eyes and brows softened into a smile as he slowly walked forward.
At this moment, a handsome young man holding a long sword, covered in blood stains, walked out from the side. He approached with a stern expression, “Zhaozao, I’ve cleaned up the other side. Is Sima Zhi dead?”
You Guanyue felt a chill beside him and noticed that his lord’s face had turned ashen.
—The warm sun had plunged into icy water with a splash, extinguished in an instant.