Vibrant winter jasmine grew beneath the windowsill. Nourished by the night’s rain, its fragrance deepened, wafting through the half-open window into the inner chamber. The room’s occupants felt as if they were in the depths of a secluded forest. The vegetation in the Hanhai Mountains grew more robust than elsewhere; even the most common winter jasmine exuded an otherworldly lushness.
Cai Zhao slept restlessly, her brow furrowed even in her dreams as if fixed by an intense gaze.
The bed curtains fluttered, admitting wisps of cool breeze. Amidst the fragrant flower scent, an unfamiliar aroma mingled. What was this scent? Certainly not the flowers, nor the incense from the burner. Cai Zhao couldn’t quite place it—refreshing yet tingling, filled with an indescribable, seductive allure.
—It was a man’s scent!
Cai Zhao awoke instantly. Her right hand, faster than her eyes could open, reached for the Yanyang Blade beside her. With a swish, a dazzling golden-red gleam cut through the darkness. Simultaneously, she felt the bed sink slightly as someone sat up beside her.
The blade’s edge hovered just before a clean, pale Adam’s apple!
Sweat beaded on Cai Zhao’s forehead. Her right hand, gripping the sword hilt, was taut as a bowstring. Just a fraction more, and she could slice open the intruder’s long neck.
The young man propped himself up on one hand, wearing a diaphanous, snow-white nightgown that barely concealed his well-defined chest.
He smiled at her, feigning innocence.
“What are you doing?!” Cai Zhao glared, wishing she could pierce him with her gaze alone.
Mu Qingyan lowered his head dejectedly. “I couldn’t sleep.”
“If you can’t sleep, go read, practice martial arts, or even perform an exorcism! Why are you in my room?!” Cai Zhao fumed.
Mu Qingyan spoke seriously: “I understand your concern. I swear to the heavens, I haven’t touched you in the slightest.”
Cai Zhao lowered the Yanyang Blade, following his gaze. Judging by the impressions on the bed, she realized he had been lying on his side at the edge, while she had been lying flat. There was at least a hand’s width between them.
Of course, this was partly due to the large size of the beds in the demonic cult.
“I couldn’t sleep all night and wanted to talk to you. Seeing you sleeping so soundly, I didn’t have the heart to wake you, so I just lay beside you waiting for you to wake up naturally,” Mu Qingyan explained righteously.
“Are you even human?!” Cai Zhao nearly exclaimed to the heavens. “Compared to you, those lechers and flower thieves killed by my aunt seem wronged!”
Mu Qingyan suddenly leaned closer, his warm breath brushing her face. “You’ve read so many novels; you should know that when lechers and flower thieves sneak into a lady’s chamber at night, they don’t just lie beside her and watch.”
Cai Zhao’s face reddened, nearly raising her blade again. “Get away from me!” —She had indeed tried to read those books, but they were confiscated after just a few pages, and that “content-rich” bookstore was even shut down. Wuwuwu.
Mu Qingyan rolled over and lay down, adjusting his pillow and pushing Cai Zhao’s pillow further away.
Cai Zhao stared straight down, eyes wide. “…You even brought your pillow.”
“Now you should believe me. I have no ill intentions,” Mu Qingyan said, lying on his side to look at her.
Cai Zhao deadpanned, “Oh? How so?”
“For improper acts, one only needs a single pillow.”
Cai Zhao: …
“My father taught me to maintain my integrity and not to debase myself. You should trust me; I won’t do anything untoward. Lie down and keep me company for a chat,” Mu Qingyan said, rolling onto his back with a calm expression.
Cai Zhao slowly relaxed her tense shoulders.
Mu Qingyan stared at the canopy for a moment before adding seriously, “Actually, what I said earlier wasn’t entirely correct. In some situations, multiple pillows might be needed for improper acts…”
Cai Zhao quickly lunged to cover his mouth. “Stop right there! I have deep faith in your father’s conduct and character. Let’s not mention pillows again!”
She dragged her blanket down as she lay, saying, “Just talk about whatever you wanted to discuss.”
—In truth, she had noticed the young man’s melancholic aura tonight, lacking its usual intensity. He did indeed seem preoccupied with worries.
Silence filled the chamber. After a long while, Mu Qingyan finally spoke, “I can’t think of what to say now. You go first, Zhao Zhao.”
Inwardly, Cai Zhao was exasperated—why should she start? She wasn’t the one who couldn’t sleep and wanted to talk.
“…Oh right, this evening I saw Altar Master Shangguan’s beloved maidservants—Yingying, Yanyan, and Honghong,” she said, lying on her side facing outward. “The four of them were embracing and crying, vowing never to part. You Guanyue and Lian Shi watched with twitching eyelids. Hahaha, it was more dramatic than a play.”
Mu Qingyan smiled but said nothing.
“To be honest, that young lady was indeed beautiful. Like spring orchids and autumn chrysanthemums, she stirred my pity,” Cai Zhao’s thoughts ran wild. “They say my master’s wife, Madam Sulian, is the most beautiful woman in the martial arts world. However, my aunt claims my mother was also very attractive, not far behind Madam Sulian. It’s just that my mother had a sharp tongue and would turn her nose up at other men, which rather spoiled the effect.”
“Why did your mother look down on other men?” Mu Qingyan inquired.
“Because of my aunt,” Cai Zhao explained. “My aunt was gentle, cheerful, invincible, and capable of anything. Next to her, my mother found all other men in the world unworthy of mention.”
Intrigued, Mu Qingyan asked, “Then how did your mother end up marrying your father?”
Cai Zhao furrowed her small brows. “Apparently, in the last few years – specifically the two years before my aunt killed Nie Hengcheng – she suddenly became very busy and couldn’t pay attention to my mother. My mother suspected she had found another sister to care for, so she dragged my father along, crying and wailing, to catch them in the act… well, not exactly, but to see what my aunt was up to…”
Mu Qingyan suppressed a laugh. “What was Lady Cai doing?”
“Nothing much. She was just searching everywhere for a way to counter Nie Hengcheng. In the end, she realized there was no other option but to confront him directly,” Cai Zhao sighed.
“During that time, my parents were inseparable, causing no end of amusement. One was quick-tempered, the other slow and steady. One wanted to go west, the other thought the east was safer. One wanted to drink wine, the other would only allow warm water. They even stumbled into the wrong bandit stronghold once – they say the bandit chief was so frustrated he cried, chopped off two of his fingers, swore an oath, and led his men down the mountain to become honest citizens.”
Mu Qingyan laughed out loud. “Your parents seem very affectionate now. It’s hard to imagine…”
“Not just you, no one could have imagined it. When my parents announced they were getting married, my master almost fell into a well in shock. Only my aunt thought it was good. She said, ‘Xiaofeng and Xiaochun are both kind-hearted and simple. For a married couple, compatibility of character is the most important thing. They’ll grow happier together as time goes on.'”
Cai Zhao continued enthusiastically, “I also secretly went to see your mother. I’m afraid you might not like to hear this, but your mother is truly beautiful. Even Madam Sulian pales in comparison. Ha! That old scoundrel Nie Hengcheng went all out! Oh, wait a minute… if that old Nie didn’t react to such beauty, could he have been like his nephew – you know, preferring men?”
Mu Qingyan’s expression had darkened at the mention of his birth mother, but he couldn’t help laughing at the last comment. “That wasn’t the case. Although Nie Hengcheng never married, he was very upright in his conduct. There were never any scandalous rumors about him. It’s said that when he was young, he had a sweetheart, but she either died or went far away.”
Cai Zhao sighed, “So you shouldn’t resent Nie Hengcheng for occupying your family’s property for decades. Look at him – no wife, no children, pouring his heart into the business. How could it not prosper?”
Though somewhat crude, the comparison was apt.
Mu Qingyan gradually opened up, speaking softly, “I’ve never hated Nie Hengcheng for occupying the Divine Cult. What I hate is how he manipulated my grandfather’s and father’s lives to maintain his grip on power, completely disregarding my great-grandfather’s kindness to him.”
“Even your grandfather was controlled by him?” The young girl was surprised.
Mu Qingyan nodded, “Nie Hengcheng was not only capable and ambitious but also extremely patient. To achieve something, he was willing to wait ten or twenty years.”
He continued, “My great-grandfather had arranged an excellent marriage for my grandfather. The woman was not only connected to both the Left and Right Guardians but also exceptionally talented and capable. With such a wife to assist him, my grandfather would never have lost control of the cult. Nie Hengcheng, though only in his teens, saw through my great-grandfather’s intention to maintain balance. He kept a straight face but secretly sought out women who could captivate my grandfather.”
“Having grown up together as foster brothers, no one knew my grandfather’s preferences better than Nie Hengcheng. Soon, my grandfather ‘coincidentally’ met my grandmother. They clicked instantly, finding common interests in reading, flower appreciation, playing the qin, and flute.”
Cai Zhao was shocked, “Don’t tell me your grandmother was also an agent arranged by Nie Hengcheng?!”
“No,” Mu Qingyan replied. “My grandmother was indeed the daughter of an ordinary altar master. Nie Hengcheng was careful not to leave any loose ends.”
“Soon, my grandfather’s engagement was called off. It’s said that the woman was so heartbroken she left for overseas and never returned. She was the only daughter of the Left Guardian’s deceased sister, and in his anger, the Left Guardian retired from cult affairs. The Right Guardian wasn’t pleased either.”
“What a waste of your great-grandfather’s efforts,” Cai Zhao sighed. “Nie Hengcheng killed two birds with one stone – he got rid of a formidable future cult leader’s wife and made your grandfather offend both Guardians.”
“No, it was three birds with one stone,” Mu Qingyan’s lips curled in a sneer. “I’ve interviewed some surviving cult members. During that time, Nie Hengcheng had found several girls who matched my grandfather’s tastes, but he specifically chose my grandmother.”
“Why is that?” Cai Zhao asked, puzzled.
“Because my grandmother had a decisive and intense nature, rarely seen in women,” Mu Qingyan explained. “For the first few years after marriage, my grandparents were deeply in love, living in peaceful bliss. Nie Hengcheng waited quietly on the sidelines, waiting for my great-grandfather to pass away, waiting for my father to be born. Then, my grandfather ‘happened to meet’ another woman who was very compatible with him.”
“My grandmother couldn’t tolerate this and immediately lashed out. My grandfather, raised as a young master always above others, couldn’t bear his wife’s endless sharp criticism. Their arguments escalated until they finally separated. My grandmother left the cult in anger and went far away.”
“My grandfather soon regretted his actions. He knew my grandmother was unfamiliar with the outside world and would struggle terribly. Years later, he found her, sick and frail, but she refused to forgive him until her death. After my grandmother passed, my grandfather became depressed and died not long after. At that time, my father was still young, and Nie Hengcheng finally achieved his goal of controlling the Divine Cult.”
Mu Qingyan’s tone grew increasingly intense, unconsciously gripping Cai Zhao’s hand.
“Do you know what’s most laughable about this? The ‘destined love’ my grandparents thought was so touching was nothing more than Nie Hengcheng’s behind-the-scenes manipulation. Their lifetime of joy and sorrow, life and death, was all in Nie Hengcheng’s grasp, ready to be triggered at any moment, and they might never have realized it until their deaths.”
“This is Nie Hengcheng’s formidable skill. He never directly harmed the Mu family’s descendants, but he killed their spirits invisibly, controlling them like puppets on strings. Next, it was my father’s turn.”
“This time, Nie Hengcheng didn’t use ‘romantic love’ as his tool, but rather ‘sympathy’ and ‘duty.’ He pitied my father, who had always longed to see the mountains, rivers, and lakes beyond, yet had never left the Hanhai mountain range in his life.”
Cai Zhao looked at the young man, able to perceive the intense hatred in his pitch-black eyes even in the darkness.
This was a helpless, hidden pain that she understood.
The Mu family’s fathers and grandfathers were not strong in life. They were either entangled in romantic affairs or trapped by responsibility and kindness, thus manipulated by the Nie uncle and nephew, living in misery.
Mu Qingyan, however, was strong. He acted decisively and made wise judgments, which made him feel even more stifled and resentful.
Cai Zhao felt pain in her hand but didn’t cry out. Instead, she raised her other small hand to touch the young man’s well-defined cheek. “He’s dead. Nie Hengcheng is already dead.”
Like cool spring water flowing over scorching iron, Mu Qingyan came to his senses. He slowly released her hand. “Yes, your aunt killed him. Not just him, but his remaining followers will soon be wiped out too.”
He slowly turned to his side, resting his left arm under his handsome face, his long black hair falling over his well-defined arm. “My father wasn’t incompetent. The ‘Primordial Qi Breathing Technique’ he created during his seclusion to recover from injuries is no less valuable than any of the core techniques passed down by our ancestors.”
Cai Zhao smiled gently, “I believe that. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have recovered on your own at Jiuluo Mountain. Well, it just took a bit longer, poor Young Master Mu had to be an ‘ugly monster’ for over a year.”
Mu Qingyan kept a straight face and lightly tapped the girl’s forehead. “Although the ‘Primordial Qi Breathing Technique’ is slow-acting, it’s gentle and pure, benefiting the meridians and dantian without any harm. Whether it’s internal injuries or poisoning, it can heal them completely without leaving any aftereffects.”
“Alright, alright, your father is indeed remarkable. This humble girl failed to recognize such a treasure,” Cai Zhao began to yawn.
“Let me teach you this technique. You might need it someday.”
“What use? Can’t you wish me something better?” Cai Zhao’s eyelids grew heavy, and her speech became slurred. “You might as well buy me a coffin, that’s something I’ll need in the future…”
“Just memorize this first – The sun rises for freshness, and Zhen receives Geng from the west. On the eighth day, Dui receives Ding, the first quarter moon straight as a rope. On the fifteenth, Qian’s body is complete, full, and bright, Jia from the east…”
Before Mu Qingyan could finish the first verse, Cai Zhao had tilted to the side, fast asleep.
Mu Qingyan carefully adjusted her position.
The girl’s lips were like fresh red petals, her cheeks soft and tender. Her silky hair, slightly wavy from being braided daily, spread over the pillow like satin, reaching down to her small hands that were exposed outside the covers. On the back of her hand were four round dimples.
He gazed at her for a long time, then kissed the sleeve of her clothes spread on the bed. Lying beside her, surrounded by her soft, sweet scent, he felt as if a warm spring had been hidden in his heart, filling him with peace.