#28: Man-Made Disaster (1)

Yao Yin was half-coaxed, half-forced by Hua Jun Yan back to her sleeping quarters, where he instructed the maidservants to prepare a bath and change her clothes.

The bathing pool was constantly filled with warm spring water, and mist swirled all around.

“Who exactly are you? Why are you treating me so differently?” Yao Yin asked, puzzled.

Hua Jun Yan sat by the bed, leisurely peeling an apple, and said faintly, “I’ll be away from Nightfall Palace for a few days, attending to some matters. Try not to go out. We’ll talk about everything when I return.”

Yao Yin swallowed, coughed dryly, and said, “But if you leave, I’m afraid I won’t be able to step out of this door.” She watched the maids bustling about, feeling that if looks could kill, she would have been slain a thousand times over by their sidelong glances.

Hua Jun Yan smiled faintly: “Don’t worry, I’ve already instructed Shi Yan. If even a single strand of your hair is missing when I return, I’ll have her bring me her head.”

“Pfft!” Yao Yin, hearing this, accidentally spurted out a mouthful of water.

“What are you laughing at?” Hua Jun Yan frowned.

Yao Yin stifled her laughter and shook her head: “Nothing.”

“Tell me.”

“Alright, I just find the image of Ghost Lord Shi Yan holding her own head very amusing.” She said, no longer hiding her laughter, bending over with mirth.

“...” Hua Jun Yan was speechless. He handed her the apple and said, “Finish the apple and go to sleep quickly. I’ll be back in a couple of days. You must stay well during this time.”

“Got it, got it, you can go now,” Yao Yin mumbled, burying her face in the apple, no longer looking at him.

“Then, I’m leaving.” Hua Jun Yan stood up, not lingering, and there was no hint of reluctance in his tone. Yao Yin kept her head down, silently gnawing on the apple. In this unfamiliar place, the only person she could somewhat consider close was leaving. To say she wasn’t scared would be a lie.

After a long while, the sound of the door opening and closing did not come as expected. Yao Yin suddenly looked up, meeting Hua Jun Yan’s concerned face. They were mere inches apart, able to feel each other’s breath.

Hua Jun Yan cupped her face, pressed a kiss to her forehead, and whispered, “Wait for me.” With that, he vanished into thin air. All of this was witnessed by the passing maids. Yao Yin’s cheeks flushed crimson, her face filled with despair. She simply pulled the quilt over her head, choosing to ignore the murderous glares around her.

“Young lady, please bathe and change,” the maidservants said in unison.

“I’m already asleep, you may all withdraw.”

“Understood.”

The group retreated, leaving Yao Yin alone, panting heavily under the covers.

“What is the Master thinking, bringing such a dirty woman into the palace?”

“I’ve never served a woman who doesn’t wash before sleeping.”

“No wonder the Master won’t let her serve him in bed. He must find her dirty too.”

A group of people chattered excitedly outside the door. Before long, the noise grew fainter, presumably as they walked away. Yao Yin truly hated that her ears were so sensitive; it was hard not to hear anything.

Yao Yin poked her head out from under the covers, her eyes a little misty, her nose slightly red, as if she had been crying. She jumped out of bed in indignation, wanting nothing more than to leave this troublesome place as quickly as possible. She walked to the door, opened it, and found two maidservants standing guard.

“Young lady, the Master has instructed that you are not allowed to go out. If you need anything, please feel free to command us to do it.” When they saw Yao Yin, they maintained a demure demeanor, seemingly unaware that she had overheard them.

Yao Yin was already furious, too lazy to play their hypocritical games. With a loud “bang,” she slammed the door shut. She leaned against the door, pondering for a moment. Then she pulled a piece of paper from her sleeve, drew a few strokes in blood, wrote her birth characters on it, and threw it towards the window. As the paper flew, it transformed into Yao Yin’s likeness and broke through the window.

The loud noise startled the maidservants outside the door. The door was immediately pushed open by the two of them, but Yao Yin’s figure was nowhere to be found.

“Oh no, she escaped through the window! Quickly, inform Madam Li Luo!” Over ten palace maids rushed over at the news. Everyone’s eyes were fixed on the paper figure gradually moving away outside the window, instantly throwing them into a chaotic mess. Meanwhile, the real Yao Yin had already transformed into a butterfly and openly flown out the main gate.

The gatekeepers were all Li Luo’s people. Yao Yin looked back at them, one by one, shouting about killing, and felt immensely fortunate that she had slipped away quickly. Otherwise, if she had fallen into their hands, she definitely wouldn’t have had a good time. Yao Yin flew and flew, not knowing where she should go, only knowing to stay far away from Hua Jun Yan’s sleeping quarters. To her, that place was simply the origin of all troubles.

Yao Yin flew for a while and found a kitchen ahead. She suddenly remembered Yun Yan once saying, “There are Bashe eggs in the Lotus Palace of Nightfall Palace.” So she stopped at the entrance of the kitchen and secretly slipped in. She happened to see two people walking by, carrying six snake eggs.

“The Master has been so strange lately. These precious eggs have been kept for a long time, but recently he instructed me to hatch them. They’ve been frozen for hundreds of years, can they still be eaten?”

“Just try. If they hatch, great. If not, just boil them in plain water, the effect is the same.”

“The Master must be getting old; he’s probably not as strong in that regard anymore. The new girl he recently summoned, I heard she’s especially pretty, said to be a princess of the Demon Tribe.”

“Women from the Demon Realm are the most taxing on a man’s physique. No wonder he’s digging out these highly nourishing items.”

Yao Yin listened to this conversation, initially finding it amusing. Later, realizing that the “Demon Realm princess” they spoke of might be herself, she felt speechless, lamenting how terrifying rumors truly were... A playful impulse suddenly struck Yao Yin, and she decided to trick the two. She formed a magic seal and transformed into Hua Jun Yan’s appearance.

Yao Yin cleared her throat, and said in a deep voice, “Cough, this Lord has been feeling weak lately. Are the Bashe eggs ready?”

“Master?” The two servants’ mouths gaped open, as if they had seen a god descend.

“Weren’t you already away from the palace?” The slightly older of the two stared at her with a confused expression.

Yao Yin feigned great anger: “Presumptuous! I can go wherever I please. You have no right to question me. Answer this Lord’s question!”

“Master, please forgive us!” The two immediately knelt trembling on the ground, kowtowing and saying, “This servant has already taken the Bashe eggs out of the ice cellar, but hasn’t had time to check them.”

“Just give them to me. I’m feeling very weak lately, can’t wait.”

“Understood.”

“You two may continue to kneel here and reflect.”

“Understood.”

Yao Yin took the snake eggs, lifted her head proudly, and walked out swaggeringly. After Yao Yin walked away, the two servants remained kneeling on the ground, trembling, not daring to look up.

After leaving the kitchen, Yao Yin reverted to her original appearance due to insufficient spiritual power. Fortunately, not far from her was the back gate, and outside the gate was the river that flowed through the city. Following the river would lead her out of Nightfall Palace.

Yao Yin walked casually along the path leaving the palace, a subtle unease in her heart. She knew that her presence in the Ghost Realm was superfluous, but what about Zi Chen? Since that day, she hadn’t seen Zi Chen again. Although she didn’t particularly want to see him, they had, after all, shared life-and-death experiences, so it was impossible to be completely indifferent.

Yao Yin walked and walked, suddenly finding the surrounding scenery somewhat familiar. By the willow bank stood a row of two-story small buildings; it was the side hall of the Lotus Palace, the wooden house where Zi Chen resided. The window on the second floor was open. Yao Yin hid in the opposite corner of the wall, secretly peeking, vaguely seeing the candlelight flickering merrily on the candelabra by the table.

Zi Chen sat by the table, looking at something with a grave expression, serious and focused. The curve of his jaw was perfect, his features meticulously carved. Although his clothes weren’t luxurious, they couldn’t conceal the nobility he exuded. Every movement was so graceful, even his frown was elegant enough to mesmerize Yao Yin. At this moment, just before their impending separation, Yao Yin had to admit that such a handsome mortal, even if he were just an ordinary woodcutter, would be more than sufficient for the daughter of the Azure Emperor. How then could he have had an engagement broken?

The Azure Emperor was truly blind.

“So, you’re here.” Just then, with a cold chuckle, Yao Yin felt herself confined by a powerful force, her body unable to move, and a tearing pain instantly coursed through her entire being. Soon, Hua Li Luo emerged from the darkness, and beside her stood a woman entirely clad in black. The woman’s face was as cold as ice, her black eyes glinting with a cold light, staring at Yao Yin, making her shiver.

“Let go of me!” Yao Yin struggled fiercely, but it was useless; her body seemed to be completely out of her control. Yao Yin frowned deeply, her eyes misty, her body glowing faintly red under the control of the spell, her face appearing even paler against the red light. The pain was evident. The guards were all stunned.

“What are you standing there for? Go and capture her for me!” Hua Li Luo’s voice was sharp, like a thunderbolt striking everyone’s hearts. The guards then snapped out of their daze and immediately rushed forward. Just as they were about to approach Yao Yin, several green wisteria vines suddenly exploded around her, shielding her within them. The guards were startled and hesitated, daring not to advance further. Immediately after, Shi Yan descended from the sky. Although she was an Asura woman completely clad in black, at this moment, to Yao Yin, she was no different from a goddess descending to earth.

“Get out,” Shi Yan said, her face cold, as she roared at the guards, making them retreat.

Everyone hesitated, unsure how to proceed. Ahead was the former Ghost Lord, behind were Demon Venerable Hua Li Luo and Jiu Qing. They couldn’t advance nor retreat. They looked at Hua Li Luo, who wouldn’t budge an inch, then glanced at Shi Yan, whose face was displeased, then at each other. Still, they couldn’t find a solution that satisfied both sides and remained rooted to the spot.

“This woman, by transforming into the Master’s likeness, has tricked away Nightfall Palace’s treasures. This trend cannot be allowed to grow, and this woman cannot be tolerated.” A not-so-strict female voice broke the silence in the arena. The voice was chilling to the bone, making everyone’s hair stand on end. The speaker was the woman beside Li Luo. The familiar voice, the familiar cold and captivating demeanor, resolute and firm in her movements. It was indeed the current Ghost Lord, Jiu Qing.

“Lock her in the water prison and hand her over to Hua Li Luo for disposal.” Although Jiu Qing’s tone was not harsh, it was impossible to ignore. After she spoke, Li Luo immediately beamed with joy, as if flowers were blooming from her heart. Even the rattan chair beside her couldn’t help but sprout several blooming other shore flowers.

“Quickly, take her away!” Hua Li Luo commanded the guards to take Yao Yin.

Yao Yin’s consciousness gradually blurred. Her gaze passed through the guards, seeing Zi Chen in the two-story building opposite, still sitting upright and reading, his brows gentle, composed and unperturbed, seemingly completely unaware of what was happening here.

No one would come to save her this time.

Yao Yin sniffed, no longer able to bear the pain caused by the Ghost Tribe’s forbidden spell, and fainted.

Shi Yan was startled, fearing that something might happen to Yao Yin. She anxiously said, “Your Lord, she...”

“What is your status? Do you have any say here?” Jiu Qing narrowed her eyes and said coldly, “I’ll settle the score with you later for harboring an immortal.”

“...” Shi Yan lowered her head, not daring to speak further. She watched everything unfolding before her, deeply puzzled: what wrong had Yao Yin committed to force Jiu Qing to act personally? Now, only Hua Jun Yan could save her... Thinking of this, Shi Yan dared not delay further. She bowed to Jiu Qing and then hurried away.