The pair stepped out of the giant stone hall, embarking on their journey. Following Cai Zhao’s instructions, they adjusted the trigram positions at each Eight Trigrams map on the iron walls. After nearly an hour, they noticed fewer corpses and skeletons along the way, eventually seeing no signs of previous passage.
“This path hasn’t been used in over a hundred years,” Mu Qingyan observed, lightly brushing the iron wall with two fingers and glancing at the ceiling. “The areas we passed through earlier had varying levels of dust, with spider webs showing signs of being broken and reformed. But here, the dust and webs are completely undisturbed.”
Cai Zhao agreed.
Noting the girl’s solemn expression, Mu Qingyan gently reassured her, “Don’t worry, we’re on the right track.”
“I’m not concerned about being wrong,” Cai Zhao replied with a bitter smile. “I’m worried we might stumble upon my ancestor’s remains. If this path is correct, what chance did my ancestor have of survival after leaving these markers?”
They both silently concluded that a Luoying Valley ancestor must have somehow discovered this underground palace. Although they had figured out the layout, their situation was dire, forcing them to leave subtle escape route hints in the wall carvings.
Given that later Luoying Valley generations never heard of this, it was likely this ancestor died in the underground palace.
Mu Qingyan continued to comfort her: “Zhao Zhao, try to think positively. Didn’t you say earlier that Sect Leader Mu Donglie might have been kind-hearted and charitable? Perhaps he released your ancestor unharmed.”
Cai Zhao retorted, “…You sound more sincere when you’re lying.”
As they spoke, they suddenly encountered an iron wall blocking their path, with corridors branching left and right. They had faced a similar situation before entering the stone hall, exploring both directions to no avail. However, this time they had a map to guide them.
“This isn’t right,” Cai Zhao said, pulling out a silk handkerchief with a map she had traced using charcoal. “According to the map, we should be able to continue forward.”
Mu Qingyan frowned, carefully examining the wall. After a moment, his expression relaxed. “Here,” he said, reaching up to press something above his head, then bending down to press another spot at waist level.
Familiar mechanical sounds echoed behind the iron wall as chains clinked and moved. A small door opened in the wall, exciting them both.
To avoid traps, Cai Zhao waved her silver chain in the doorway for a while before they cautiously stepped through.
Instead of finding an exit from the underground palace as expected, they emerged into a surprisingly open space. Beneath their feet was soft earth, and above, a bright crystal ceiling cleverly reflected sunlight from the surface. Fresh air circulated, with gentle breezes caressing their faces, making it feel like they were outdoors.
“Is this… a vegetable garden?” Cai Zhao asked in astonishment, looking at the small fenced plots containing traces of dried, gray plants.
Mu Qingyan’s mouth twitched. “Vegetables are usually planted in rows. These plants are scattered artistically—it must be a flower garden.”
As they explored the extensive gardens, they passed several pavilions and waterside structures. Beneath these buildings ran a winding stream, now dry, revealing a bed of colorful stones.
Cai Zhao bent down to pick up two colored stones, realizing with shock that they were priceless gems.
On the western side, they discovered a small menagerie with three or four gilded peacock cages, seven or eight agate-adorned silver rabbit cages, jade-inlaid gold bird cages, and even chicken and duck cages woven from jade bamboo strips. Sadly, the exotic animals and birds inside had all been reduced to bones.
“Now I believe that Sect Leader Mu Donglie ruled during your Demonic Cult’s most prosperous time,” Cai Zhao marveled, dazzled by the cages. “Even a thousand rabbits wouldn’t be worth as much as one of these cages!”
Mu Qingyan looked perplexed. “Pavilions, streams, artificial mountains, gardens, and a menagerie… This seems to be the backyard of a mansion.”
Cai Zhao asked, bewildered, “Who would live underground?”
As they continued forward, an elegant, exquisite small palace appeared before them. With walls of white jade and a roof of golden tiles, its refined beauty had withstood over a hundred years, still gleaming under the reflected light from the crystal ceiling.
Entering through the back door, they first reached the bedchamber. Unlike Nie Zhe’s opulent inner chambers, which exuded an air of extravagance, this room’s array of precious objects conveyed a sense of noble elegance that transcended worldly concerns.
On the massive, ornate gold-patterned sea stone bed lay two pillows side by side, with two pairs of silk slippers—one large, one small—placed beneath.
Two dressing tables of coral and jasper stood next to each other, each with a silver mirror—one tall, one short. The shorter table was strewn with hairpins, earrings, and other female ornaments, while the taller one held several white jade boxes containing men’s hair crowns, jade hairpins, and dragon and phoenix pendants.
Everything in the room, from furniture to utensils and even washing items in the adjoining bathroom, came in pairs.
Oddly, near the floor on all four walls were palm-sized gold rings engraved with intricate pomegranate blossom patterns.
“Did a married couple live here?” Mu Qingyan asked, puzzled. “The historical records don’t mention Sect Leader Mu Donglie getting married. If he had a family, why pass the leadership to his nephew instead of his child?”
Cai Zhao had a clear understanding of this: “Who says marriage always leads to children? Let me tell you, the most successful doctor in Luoying Town isn’t the one treating injuries or rare diseases, but the one helping couples struggling to conceive!”
The handsome young man looked unusually bewildered. In his mind, even unmarried people could have children, so why would a married couple need medical help to conceive?
As they explored room by room, from the bedchamber to the banquet hall, from the study to the music room, they became increasingly certain that the palace’s owners were a married couple. While the husband’s identity remained unclear, the wife seemed to be a gentle yet internally strong woman.
She enjoyed misty, melancholic poetry, kept notes on flower cultivation and gardening, used tortoiseshell fingerpicks on three fingers when playing the zither, and had the patience to split a single silk thread into nine strands for intricate embroidery of landscapes.
Cai Zhao stood before the embroidery frame, straining to make out the pattern on the now-darkened silk. Mu Qingyan, however, glanced at it briefly and declared, “It’s two crooked-necked arhat pines.”
Cai Zhao realized, “Not crooked-necked arhat pines—they’re welcoming pines! A variant of arhat pines. I’ll take you to Changchun Temple someday to see the grandest welcoming pine in the world!”
Then she looked confused. “Could this lady have been from Changchun Temple? But Changchun Temple doesn’t accept nuns.”
Mu Qingyan’s brow furrowed as if something had occurred to him.
After exploring the entire palace, they finally discovered a hidden inner room adjacent to the study. It was barely concealed, shielded only by bookshelves and beaded curtains.
Inside stood a tall altar, with the faint scent of incense still lingering. The altar didn’t enshrine Taoist patriarchs or celestial deities, but a foot-tall jade statue of an elderly Taoist figure.
The statue exuded an otherworldly aura, with a slightly raised duster. Its familiar appearance struck Mu Qingyan and Cai Zhao—they had just seen it earlier.
Cai Zhao froze. “So this couple worshipped the North Star Elder.”
At that moment, Mu Qingyan suddenly reached out towards the jade statue of the North Star Elder. Cai Zhao jumped in fright and quickly grabbed him. “Don’t! Don’t! There’s plenty of gold and jewels outside that are quite valuable. Let’s not desecrate the Elder’s spirit.”
Mu Qingyan chuckled, “Look closely. What’s beneath the Elder’s statue?”
Cai Zhao looked and finally noticed two thin jade slips pressed under the statue. Because both the statue and the slips were white, an ordinary person wouldn’t have noticed them if not for Mu Qingyan’s sharp eyes.
Carefully, Mu Qingyan lifted the statue and extracted the jade slips. Cai Zhao, standing nearby, was excited. Something so solemnly placed under the Elder’s statue must be either a treasure map or a secret manual of some supreme martial art.
However, when Mu Qingyan opened and looked at it, he made a surprised sound. “It’s a marriage certificate.”
“A marriage certificate?” Cai Zhao was stunned.
Mu Qingyan spread the jade slip on the table, and they both looked at it. Inscribed on it was:
‘Rejoice on this day of auspicious ceremony, as a good match is made. Poems sing of love birds, elegant songs of unicorns. Affection as deep as mandarin ducks, hearts united till white hair, this resolve unwavering. We carefully make this vow, swearing to never betray each other.’
Below are the names of the newlyweds. First, in powerful strokes that seemed to pierce through the slip, was ‘Mu Donglie’. Next, in graceful and elegant female handwriting, was the woman’s name ‘Luo Shiyun’.
Mu Qingyan muttered to himself, “So Sect Leader Mu Donglie did get married. But who is this Lady Luo…” His voice trailed off as he noticed the strange, pensive expression on the young girl beside him.
“What’s wrong?” He narrowed his eyes. “Do you… do you know who this Luo Shiyun is? Where did you hear about her?”
Cai Zhao stammered, “I… I haven’t heard of this… this lady. But I can tell you who she is.”
Though her words were jumbled, Mu Qingyan’s mind raced. “The founder of Falling Petals Valley was originally surnamed Niu, then surnamed Gu, and then Luo, right? Is she… from your Falling Petals Valley?”
After a long internal struggle, Cai Zhao slowly nodded. “She should be. But this is a long story. Why don’t we go outside to talk about it?”
Upon hearing that Mu Donglie had married a woman from Falling Petals Valley, Mu Qingyan felt a surge of joy.
He smiled and pulled the girl to sit down. “The Demonic Sect Leader married your ancestor. Do you want to discuss this outside? It’s better to talk here. Take your time, there’s no rush.”
Cai Zhao sighed, “Actually, there’s not much to say.”
Like all long-standing sects, Falling Petals Valley had a family genealogy recording the deeds and anecdotes of past ancestors. Some entries were detailed, others brief; some were meticulously recorded, while others were vaguely glossed over. The noble explanation was to prevent later generations from emulating wicked deeds; the considerate explanation was to keep family scandals private.
For instance, ‘demonesses’ like Gu Qingkong.
Over two hundred years, Falling Petals Valley has seen many descendants. While not quite two hundred, at least one hundred and fifty were recorded in the genealogy. Cai Zhao couldn’t possibly remember them all, especially since most who made names for themselves in the martial world were men.
Yet, among this jumble of ancestors, a few women stood out. Apart from the heroic Cai Pingshu, the second most renowned was ‘Luo Shiqiao’.
“What were Luo Shiqiao’s accomplishments?” Mu Qingyan frowned.
Cai Zhao sighed, “She’s said to be the most graceful, virtuous, and talented lady of Falling Petals Valley in two hundred years. She also made the best marriage – my mother often uses her to criticize me.”
Coincidentally, Luo Shiqiao also grew up in Pei Qiong Manor and was betrothed to the young manor lord. However, compared to Cai Pingshu’s struggles in the inner court, Luo Shiqiao thrived.
Her mother-in-law, Lady Zhou, treated her like a real daughter, personally teaching her future daughter-in-law for several years before passing away. Luo Shiqiao completely avoided the typical mother-in-law conflicts seen in worldly stories.
When the old valley master and his wife of Falling Petals Valley passed away, leaving only a young son, it was Luo Shiqiao temporarily managed half the family affairs for her young brother.
Because her birth mother died early, her young sister-in-law was more attached to Luo Shiqiao than to her mother.
This sister-in-law later married into the Guangtian Sect.
According to the genealogy, within a few years, three of the Six Northern Chen Sects were under Luo Shiqiao’s control:
First was her childhood sweetheart and husband, known in the martial world for being henpecked and following his wife’s every word.
Second was the young valley master of Falling Petals Valley, still losing his baby teeth. With his elder sister as a mother figure, he never questioned Luo Shiqiao’s words.
Lastly was the young sect leader of the Guangtian Sect. Though skilled in martial arts, he was gentle and indecisive. Sometimes when the elders of his family belittled and oppressed him, he would sulk alone in his room. His wife, upon seeing this, would write a tearful letter to her family, and elder sister-in-law Luo Shiqiao would storm in to confront the offenders.
The old sect leader of the Qingque Sect once joked that during those years, Luo Shiqiao almost single-handedly decided everything at the Six Sects’ meetings, making his position as the head sect leader purely ceremonial.
This period of history made many self-proclaimed great men uncomfortable. Yet, Luo Shiqiao handled affairs justly, with strict rewards and punishments, and her words and actions commanded respect.
Although she berated all the Song family men except her brother-in-law as dogs and meddled in the Guangtian Sect’s affairs, she indeed mended the serious rifts left by the previous generation of the Song family, preventing an impending internal disaster.
Although she extensively reformed Falling Petals Valley’s flaws, offending countless Luo family elders, a few years later she handed over to her young brother a thriving and well-ordered family business.
Although she had her husband wrapped around her finger, Zhou Manor Lord himself was delighted with the arrangement. The entire Zhou family was obedient, and Pei Qiong Manor’s prestige soared for nearly twenty years, with none in the martial world daring to disobey.
Luo Shiqiao’s portrayal in various family genealogies was unique. While they wanted to praise this extraordinary woman, their praises were awkward and reluctant.
Mu Qingyan listened and laughed, “Did the Yin father and daughter take inspiration from this Lady Luo, intending to follow her example? Alas, they failed halfway through.”
“That’s what my mother says too!” Cai Zhao laughed.
Mu Qingyan asked, “Her name was Luo Shiqiao, so does she have a sister named Luo Shiyun?”
“I don’t know,” Cai Zhao sighed. “I only know that Lady Luo’s brother was named Luo Shi’an. There’s no record of whether they had other siblings.”
Her gaze dimmed, “Then, in the records of subsequent generations, it’s written ‘Four years after Gu Qingkong’s great chaos subsided, Falling Petals Valley unfortunately produced another wicked daughter.'”
Mu Qingyan blurted out, “Gu Qingkong’s disappearance was 106 years ago. Four years later would be exactly 102 years ago, which is when Sect Leader Mu Donglie abdicated and retired. So, so…”
“So this is likely another demoness of Falling Petals Valley,” Cai Zhao looked at the jade slip marriage certificate and sighed repeatedly. “Senior Gu Qingkong just had a bad temper, liked to oppose the Six Sects, and occasionally beat up her elders. This one is even worse, directly marrying the Demonic Sect Leader. I wonder if she drove her early-deceased parents to their graves.”
Mu Qingyan’s eyelid twitched, and he quickly said, “Don’t talk nonsense. Anyone with significant cultivation wouldn’t die so easily from anger.” He changed the subject, “Let’s search this shrine again. If there’s nothing unusual, we’ll continue looking for a way out.”
Cai Zhao glared at him and silently began examining the shrine. Due to a sudden surge of inexplicable anger, she accidentally knocked over a white jade box. As the lid flew open, a pile of dazzling golden objects scattered out.
They looked closer and saw it was a large bundle of thin gold chains coiled together, with a lock clasp at one end and a large circular ring at the other.
“What is this thing? It doesn’t look like a necklace…” Cai Zhao was laughing when she suddenly noticed familiar patterns on the gold chain. Her expression changed drastically.
Mu Qingyan, quick-witted, immediately understood. However, before he could speak, Cai Zhao exploded in anger.
“Bastard! You Mus are bastards!” She hurled the white jade box at Mu Qingyan’s head while simultaneously striking him with a palm transformed into a blade, her qi sharp and fierce.