#12: Fengling

It was as if she had stepped into a painting. The mountains were covered with layers of maple leaves. From afar, the outlines followed the rolling hills, magnificent and beautiful. The mountains were a maple forest, and the maple forest was the mountain. Up close, each tree was elegant and lovely. The exquisite leaves were bathed in the rain, looking cool and lustrous.

These maple trees were a unique variety from the Yan Kingdom, extremely rare and precious. The shape of the leaves was beautiful, and in autumn, they would turn a red more vibrant than rouge, as fiery as flames. They didn’t grow very tall, at most two zhang (about 6.6 meters). The trees stood neatly in rows, looking as if they had been there for many years. The ground was clean and damp, with a stone-paved path extending forward, its end disappearing into the maple forest.

The scene before her was so dreamlike and real that it was hard to distinguish between the two.

Yan Chu gasped.

She had been in the Land of Eternity for a hundred years, and this was the first time she had been to this strange place. And yet, why did she have such a familiar feeling in her heart? The maple leaves, the stone path, and even the air around her felt like she had been here before.

Had she seen it in a painting? Or had she been here in a dream?

Seeing her standing there in a daze, Envoy Lan smiled and introduced the place. “This is Fengling, where the Lord of the Game cultivates in seclusion. Ordinary disciples are not allowed to enter or leave.”

Yan Chu came back to her senses and said, “The scenery here is very beautiful.”

Realizing that it was inappropriate for them to share an umbrella, Envoy Lan offered his to her. Yan Chu naturally refused. Seeing that the rain wasn’t heavy, they simply put away their umbrellas and walked in the rain, which was quite enjoyable.

Yan Chu suppressed the surprise in her heart and looked around carefully, noticing that every maple tree in the forest was extremely beautiful and graceful. She couldn’t help but praise them softly. “Lord Xiling must have planted these himself. They are truly extraordinary.”

Envoy Lan was surprised. “How do you know, Miss?”

Yan Chu was taken aback by the question. She had just said it casually, but it turned out to be true.

“Everyone knows that the Lord of the Game loves maple trees,” Envoy Lan said, not doubting her. “When the Lord of the Game rescued you, you were afflicted with the ice flow and cold poison, and there was almost no way to bring you back to life. Fortunately, there was that fiery stone to protect your heart meridian.” He seemed to remember something and smiled. “Speaking of that stone, it was also a gift from the Lord of the Game.”

Yan Chu was shocked. “The fiery stone I have was a gift from Lord Xiling?”

“The Yue general sought medical treatment for his daughter, and the Lord of the Game asked me to send it to the residence. If you wear this stone, it can suppress the Ice Dissolution technique and relieve the pain when it flares up,” Envoy Lan said. “Later, you were seriously injured and on the verge of death. The Lord of the Game brought you into this Fengling and worked for seven days and seven nights to save you. After that, he spent six months in seclusion to recover his vitality. You have a great affinity with the Land of Eternity. I even thought the Lord of the Game would take you as his disciple.”

Hearing this, Yan Chu was still very surprised. She said, “I think it’s because my blood flowed onto a leaf flower, and it chose me, so Lord Xiling had no choice but to save me.”

“Blood flowed onto the flower?” Envoy Lan was even more surprised.

Yan Chu asked back, “Wasn’t that the case?”

Envoy Lan quickly smiled and said, “I didn’t pay attention to that at the time. No wonder the Lord of the Game wanted you to cultivate the flower.”

Yan Chu didn’t suspect anything else and continued to walk forward with him.

After walking for a few dozen more steps, Envoy Lan suddenly stopped and reminded her, “There’s a very dangerous killing formation here. It was set up by the Lord of the Game himself, and even I cannot deactivate it. I’ll take you along the small path to bypass it.”

Yan Chu agreed and followed him onto the small path next to them.

As they went deeper into the dense maple forest, the sense of familiarity in her heart grew stronger. When a large open space appeared in front of them, Yan Chu was completely stunned.

In front of the open space was a cave dwelling with the words “Fengling” written on it. The stone door was ajar, so she couldn’t see what was inside, but an inexplicable pull made her want to get closer, to walk inside. The anticipation in her heart made her so happy.

When had she seen it? When had she been here?

Yan Chu was lost in thought, and as if possessed, she started to walk toward the door.

Envoy Lan discreetly extended his arm to stop her, explaining with a slight apology, “That is where the Lord of the Game cultivates. Even I am not allowed to go near it.”

Yan Chu stopped, still not fully back to her senses.

Envoy Lan looked at the sky and said, “It’s getting late, and the wind is cold here. Shall we go back, Miss?”

Yan Chu said “Oh” and her gaze swept around. Her heart was in a daze. She didn’t look like she was going back. Instead, she walked slowly to an old maple tree on the edge of the open space, looked at it quietly for a moment, then carefully reached out to touch the branches and leaves and closed her eyes.

The incomplete painting reopened, with red leaves all over the mountain like the evening clouds in the sky. The sound of a zither flowed out from among the leaves, a long and drawn-out melody...

“Then, don’t come again.”

“I really want to kill you.”

...

She didn’t know who was speaking. The cold voice suddenly exploded in her mind. It felt as if her heart was pierced by an icicle. She trembled violently. The cold and pain made Yan Chu clutch her chest and groan, unable to stand still.

A hand from behind held her, accompanied by a faint fragrance.

The pain disappeared quickly, like a nightmare. Yan Chu managed to stand up and realized that a layer of cold sweat had appeared on her forehead. Realizing something was wrong, she quickly moved a few steps away.

The person stood still, holding a simple umbrella. He wore a blue robe that fluttered, unstained by a single drop of mud. His dark eyes shimmered, as if cold rain was falling within them as well.

Envoy Lan didn’t have this scent on him, so it was him after all. Yan Chu calmed herself down and looked around. “Where is Envoy Lan...”

“He left first,” Lord Xiling said. “Let’s go back.”

Seeing that he was still standing still, Yan Chu understood and quickly walked two steps closer to him.

Lord Xiling took her wrist. “Did your old injury flare up again?”

At the touch of his fingertips, her breathing caught in her throat. Yan Chu pulled her hand back and lowered her eyes. “No.”

“Let’s go,” Lord Xiling motioned.

Yan Chu answered in a low voice and silently followed him.

If his previous easy-going demeanor had lessened her fear, Yan Chu now realized that that easy-goingness had turned into coldness, even though there was no change in his expression or tone.

What had caused his attitude toward her to change? Yan Chu was secretly puzzled and became more cautious. But then she thought that he was truly responsible for what had happened today, so Yan Chu didn’t want to share an umbrella with him and walk side by side. She deliberately lagged behind, trying to keep her distance from him, but he also slowed down and moved his umbrella over, so she had no choice but to step to the side again.

“You’ll trigger the killing formation,” a hand pulled her back under the umbrella.

The sky had unknowingly turned dark. The clouds in the mountains became heavier, almost obscuring the path. A few lanterns swayed in the night.

Yan Chu broke the silence. “My injury is fine.”

Lord Xiling said, “Two disciples of my sect colluded with outsiders, were incited by the Yan Emperor, and used my name to obtain the official seal of the Mu Feng Kingdom’s general’s residence, which led to someone’s death. I have dealt with these two people according to the sect’s rules. If you want to see the result, I will take you.”

Yan Chu didn’t show any emotion.

She had figured this out after she woke up. The Green Jade Art and the Mu Feng Kingdom’s official seal were enough to prove that someone from the Land of Eternity had been involved. She had been careful every step of the way, but she had not been on guard against the Land of Eternity, which led to a grave mistake, all because he was her savior. The Land of Eternity had gained the trust of the world by not interfering in external affairs, so he had taken the initiative to give an explanation and punished the offending disciples.

However, no matter how he dealt with it, how could what was lost come back? Could Qiuying’s death be settled with a single word of “punishment”?

Yan Chu said expressionlessly, “Are there also scumbags in the peaceful Daoist sect?”

Lord Xiling said, “There are wise people in the world, so there are naturally scumbags in the Daoist sect.”

Yan Chu said, “As the Lord of Eternity, don’t you have any responsibility?”

Lord Xiling said, “Since it has happened, it’s useless to pursue responsibility. What kind of outcome do you want?”

Yan Chu stopped. “Lord Xiling, do you promise you didn’t protect your disciples?”

Lord Xiling said, “In what capacity are you asking that question?”

Her life was saved by him. Without him, she would have become a lost soul in the ice flow, and where would she have had the chance to take revenge? The fact that he was willing to handle it and give an explanation didn’t mean she had the right to question him.

Yan Chu’s face turned slightly pale. She lowered her head and said, “In a moment of grief and anger, I lost my composure. Yan Chu should not have questioned Lord Xiling’s fairness.”

Lord Xiling said “Hmm.”

The umbrella over her head was like a small piece of sky, firmly held by him, covering her tightly. The suffocating feeling made her want to escape several times, but he mercilessly blocked her.

The long journey finally came to an end. He led her across the small bridge, and the small pavilion was in sight.

Seeing that he was about to leave, Yan Chu quickly said, “Lord Xiling, please stop. I have something important to discuss.”

Lord Xiling said, “It’s getting late. We can talk about it later.”

Yan Chu knelt down without hesitation. “It was my fault for releasing Lord Yanxie, and I am very uneasy for implicating you, Lord Xiling.”

Lord Xiling was unmoved by this. “It is indeed your fault, but fortunately, it can still be remedied.”

Remedied? Yan Chu said, “I heard that Lord Xiling agreed to their conditions.”

Lord Xiling said, “I promised Emperor Yan that I would keep this secret, and Lord Yuanjun will not reveal himself to the public.”

Yan Chu shook her head. “Xiao Qi may not watch me die. If you really want to help me, please withdraw your deal with Lord Yuanjun and send me to them to be dealt with.”

This was a rather ungrateful thing to say. Lord Xiling’s expression remained the same. “I never intended to interfere with the path you have chosen.”

Yan Chu breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Lord Xiling.”

Lord Xiling said, “You don’t need to thank me. I haven’t agreed to your request.”

Yan Chu was shocked. “But...”

“You want Lord Yuanjun to reveal himself,” Lord Xiling said. “As long as it is publicly confirmed that he has broken free from the Emperor’s Seal, the Yan Kingdom will be in chaos, and you will get what you want.”

“I don’t have much time to live. If I can get my revenge in my lifetime, I will die without regrets,” Yan Chu kowtowed respectfully and pleaded, “Please, Lord Xiling, grant my wish.”

Lord Xiling said, “I will not change your choice, but you have forgotten your promise. The leaf flower has not yet borne fruit. I cannot let you die now.”

Yan Chu was stunned.

Lord Xiling said, “I have my own purpose in making a deal with him. Saving your life is only a part of it. Do you have anything else to say?”

Is that so? Yan Chu murmured, “How much longer until the flower bears fruit?”

Lord Xiling said, “One year.”

Yan Chu was slightly happy. “After a year, can I make Lord Yuanjun’s matter public?”

“I saved your life, and you cultivate the flower as a form of gratitude. One year is just the duration of our deal. You have no right to make other demands. Lord Yuanjun will also only abide by his agreement with me and will not obey you.” After Lord Xiling finished speaking, he turned and left with his umbrella.

Yan Chu’s face turned even paler. She suddenly stared at his back and asked, “What if I must make a demand?”

Lord Xiling turned around.

Yan Chu slowly straightened up, staring at his dark eyes. Her voice was slow and firm. “What if I must?”

The night was boundless. The rustling of the rain, every drop, seemed to fall on her heart, so clearly.

His unfeeling gaze scrutinized her brazenly, not lewdly, but it made her heart beat suddenly faster, like the wind and rain outside the eaves.

He spoke, “Then it depends on what you have to exchange.”

Yan Chu said in a low voice, “I have nothing of value.”

“Exchange yourself.”

If she was still uncertain before, the meaning of this sentence was now extremely clear, leaving her no room to evade. The only thing she had left was her body, which could please him.

An excessive, even opportunistic, demand coming from his mouth sounded like the most natural thing in the world, like a simple transaction.

This direct approach was even more embarrassing. Yan Chu thought she would be angry, but she wasn’t.

She clenched her hands and forced a smile. “Lord Xiling, you must be joking.”

“Yes, I was joking.” His tone unchanged, he retracted his gaze without a second thought and turned around. The white umbrella was swallowed by the darkness of the night.

In the following days, Yan Chu didn’t see Lord Xiling again. After cultivating the flower in the snow cave as scheduled, she proposed to leave. Envoy Lan had probably received instructions, as he didn’t try to stop her. He had two attendants escort her back to the Dingwang Estate. It just so happened that Xiao Qi was not at the estate. After sending the attendants away, Yan Chu walked to the back garden alone.

After the rain, the sunlight was golden, and the tree shadows swayed in the wind, creating layers of coolness.

In the distance, Xiao Yan stood on the railing of the corridor, chatting with two guards. He had long black hair and a black robe, and he looked down on them with a serious expression. It was strange, but from the moment she entered the estate, Yan Chu felt that the atmosphere was not right. Most of the guards and attendants who were normally on duty were gone, and there were only a few standing outside the important corridors and the study. Seeing this, she couldn’t help but stop and listen.

“Besides eating, drinking, sleeping, women, and being loyal, what else do you have to do?” Xiao Yan sighed, looking at one of the guards. “What a boring life, day after day.”

There weren’t many people who dared to chat with him. The guard couldn’t run away, so he could only play along and said with a smile, “Lord Yuanjun is right.”

“You think so too?” A wicked red light flashed in his eyes. Xiao Yan leaned forward. “Then, I’ll reluctantly help you end it quickly and enter the next cycle of reincarnation to enjoy the next life.”

Before the guard could react, he disappeared under a flash of fire, turning into a pile of charred bones and ashes.

“I’m a good person,” Xiao Yan flipped his long hair at his temples and looked at the other guard. “What about you?”

Having witnessed the death of his companion, the guard broke out in a cold sweat. “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with this.”

Yan Chu frowned at the sight.

In fact, these guards were all well-trained and not afraid of death, but in front of this demon, normal people were easily made to feel vulnerable, because you never knew what the outcome would be. It was a fear of the unknown, and he enjoyed the panic of waiting for the result.

“There’s nothing wrong with it?” The more tense his victim was, the more Xiao Yan enjoyed himself. “It’s pathetic for an ignorant person to be alive.”

“You...” The guard clenched the hilt of his sword, ready to fight to the death.

The guards chosen by Xiao Qi were not simple. Now, he was toying with and killing a few of them from time to time. Yan Chu didn’t know if this was a good or bad thing. She stepped forward to block him. “I also think there’s nothing wrong with this.”

Acting on a man’s instinct, the guard immediately stood in front of her. “Miss, you don’t need to worry about me. Go!”

“A truly commendable act,” Xiao Yan clapped his hands and looked at him sympathetically. “Unfortunately, when the other person doesn’t need protection, this is not bravery, but foolishness.”

Yan Chu said, “Was my answer correct?”

Xiao Yan said, “Very brilliant.”

The guard was furious. “You!”

“The same answer, but you’re not convinced?” Xiao Yan patted his shoulder. “Do you know why I agree with her?”

The guard finally remembered the difference in their strength and answered with a dark expression, “I don’t know.”

“You’re so stupid,” Xiao Yan’s long eyelashes lowered, and his eyes curved into a charming arc. “Of course, it’s because I can’t kill her, so I have no choice but to agree with her.”

...

“And she’s a woman and prettier than you.”

...

Xiao Yan said, “See, there are too many reasons. Why can’t you think of one?”

The guard scoffed, “What kind of reasons are those?”

“Because I’m stronger than you, what I say is a reason. Do you not accept it?” Xiao Yan said. “Asking for a reason from someone stronger is a foolish act in itself.”

The guard sneered, “There’s no point in saying more. You just want to kill me.”

Xiao Yan held his forehead. “You just figured that out?”

...

His companion had died tragically, and the guard had been mocked by him. Although he hated him, he was helpless. He knew that he was crazy and unreasonable, and trying to fight him now would only be a waste of his life. He could only tightly close his mouth and walk away quickly.

Yan Chu looked at his back and said, “Is toying with the weak meaningful?”

“It’s not easy to cultivate a good guard. My brother can’t bear to part with them,” Xiao Yan elegantly stepped off the railing. “Because of me, the defense here is no longer so tight. It will be much more convenient for you to act, Master. Shouldn’t you thank me?”

Yan Chu said, “Thank you, and thank you for saving me the other day.”

“Master has lost a lot of weight, which breaks this disciple’s heart,” Xiao Yan took her hand and placed it on his face. “It’s only right for a disciple to save his master, but I still hypocritically want to hear my master thank me.”

The beautiful and crazy demon, who could save her but chose not to, deliberately made her lose and suffer, finding pleasure in it—how hateful!

“I thank you for saving me,” Yan Chu said maliciously. “But no matter what, Qiuying’s death is a result of you deliberately not helping. We are different. You saved me, but you also made me watch as I lost someone important to me. I will only resent you even more.”

“Resentment, you say,” Xiao Yan put his index finger on her lips. “Your resentment doesn’t affect my mood.”

Yan Chu viciously pulled his hand away. “You’re a lunatic!”

Xiao Yan said, “Is that a compliment?”

Yan Chu said, “Why don’t you go and mess with someone else?”

Xiao Yan said, “I promised Xiling Fengqi that I wouldn’t see outsiders, so I can only mess with you.”

Yan Chu was surprised. “You know Lord Xiling’s name?”

“I’ve existed since the primeval era. He came after me,” Xiao Yan lifted his face and raised his hand to catch a handful of sunlight. “The Path of Eternity is quite interesting. I’ve been through countless cycles of reincarnation, and he still looks as annoying as ever.”

He didn’t hide his likes and dislikes at all. Yan Chu couldn’t help but smile.

“Your injury is much better. He deserves some credit,” Xiao Yan held her wrist, and the evil light in his beautiful eyes grew stronger. “He must have given you a satisfactory explanation and punished a few people. Do you still trust him?”

Yan Chu answered calmly, “Of course. He has been kind to me.” Even though his intentions were no longer pure, and he had shown a clear desire for her.

Xiao Yan smiled. “Then I’m even more excited. You will no longer trust him. I look forward to that day.”

Yan Chu raised an eyebrow. “I also look forward to you replacing him and earning my trust.”

Xiao Yan said, “What should I do?”

Yan Chu said, “You just need to help me.”

Xiao Yan dropped her hand, losing interest. “No. You’ve forgotten my identity. I’ve seen too much of this revenge business in the endless cycles of reincarnation. It doesn’t give me any pleasure anymore.”

Yan Chu said, “But that doesn’t mean you can’t, does it? It would be easy for you.”

“Hmm...” Xiao Yan looked troubled. “But I promised him I wouldn’t reveal myself to the public.”

Seeing that he was wavering, Yan Chu immediately said, “You don’t need to reveal yourself. You just need to do one thing for me.”

Xiao Yan blinked and asked, “What is it?”

“Go and see old General Lushan for me,” Yan Chu explained the general location. “The Yue army is stationed at the foot of the mountain, but with your abilities, it’s possible to sneak up the mountain.”

Xiao Yan thought for a moment and agreed. “Okay.”

Yan Chu hadn’t expected to persuade him so easily. She was secretly happy. “You just need to deliver a message for me. Tell him that Yan Chu will come to see him another day, and he will understand.”

This was a very ordinary sentence, and it seemed like a fuss to ask him to deliver it. Xiao Yan didn’t find it strange. He leaned in and brought his beautiful face close to hers. “Taking a risk requires a certain reward. Let this disciple see your gratitude, Master.”

Yan Chu said calmly, “After you’ve done it, I will naturally show my appreciation.”

Xiao Yan seemed to be in a good mood and didn’t pester her. He slipped away quietly.