Chapter 92

The setting sun was like blood, immersing the entire Lingyong Academy.

The family crest of the Yinshan Clan fluttered in the chilly evening wind, and under the escort of the Tan Clan’s soldiers, Tan Ning, preparing to leave Lingyong Academy, glanced at the young man who was holding her horse.

“…Hey, Tan Wenhe, tell me honestly, does our family have any connection with this Ji Mo Gui?”

Tan Wenhe, a military officer who had the appearance of a cultured scholar, smiled gently upon hearing her question.

“Miss Ning, did you hear something from someone else?”

“There’s been a lot of talk,” Tan Ning replied, glancing behind her.

Countless golden magical tools formed the Wuxiang Law Gate, melting away in the fierce ghost fire. She watched the broad-shouldered, narrow-waisted figure stagger a few steps before being caught steadily by Ji Mo Gui, her emotions complex in that moment.

That demon, Mo Lin, was quite different from the cold, inhuman tyrant she had imagined.

He actually saved the innocent civilians caught in the crossfire.

He even risked putting himself in danger to do so.

Turns out, there was more to him than just looks.

Moreover, she felt that he and Ji Mo Gui seemed to make a good match… It was probably best her sister wouldn’t find out about this thought.

Tan Ning averted her eyes and said to Tan Wenhe:

“Some say the Ji Mo Clan and our Yinshan Clan are allies, while others say Yinshan is trying to use this opportunity to gain a legitimate excuse to strike back at the Zhongli Clan, beating a drowning dog—so which one is true?”

Tan Wenhe’s tone remained gentle.

“I don’t know, I’m just following orders.”

Tan Ning didn’t fully believe him.

It was one thing for others to not know, but for Tan Wenhe, who had been promoted by his mother to become the supervisor of the Tan Clan’s troops, everyone viewed him as her confidant. How could he not know anything?

He probably just thought she was too naive to understand these matters, so he didn’t want to tell her.

Not just him, but everyone in her family seemed to think so.

Her mood grew heavier as she decided to head home earlier, since tonight was New Year’s Eve.

On the other side, Liuyu couldn’t leave as openly as Tan Ning.

“…The dark river runs across half of Lingyong Academy, heading west into the Yi River, passing through the busiest Tian Gong Immortal City—formerly where the Colorless City was located. There, merchant ships come and go incessantly. After you change your clothes and appearance, you can disembark there, where the chances of being tracked are very small. From there on, where you go will be up to you.”

Several white-clad instructors of the academy, holding glass lanterns, saw Liuyu and the others aboard a red-painted boat docked in the dark river.

Mo Lin surveyed his surroundings, noticing that the boat was just large enough to accommodate them and, despite having been docked in the dark river for years, it was still in just the right amount of wear.

He lifted his gaze and saw a white-robed scholar casually sitting with his robes lifted. He was smiling faintly as he extended his palm toward Liuyu. Understanding his intent, Liuyu handed him a copy of the Complete Works of Immortal Farmers and the rubbing of the Shentu Clan’s military techniques, sitting beside him to ask:

“Isn’t it too bold to help us disappear from Lingyong like this? Have the other instructors in the academy agreed?”

After the boat passed through the rough waters, Ji Yu carefully opened the book and spoke gently:

“Help? Isn’t it because the demon Mo Lin threatened and coerced this old man that I had no choice but to assist you in leaving? The instructors intended to help, but they were severely injured by Mo Lin. It was really unavoidable… By the way, why doesn’t the Complete Works of Immortal Farmers have the Immortal Valley volume?”

“Don’t rush,” Liuyu blinked, playfully drawing up plans. “I said I would donate the texts to Lingyong, but I didn’t say when I would. When the world is at peace and everything is unified, not only will I get you the Immortal Valley volume, but I can even get the Nine Directions Clan’s military techniques for you.”

Ji Yu looked at the sly smile in Liuyu’s eyes, remembering how she had been straightforward and guileless when she first came to Lingyong, a child with no hidden motives.

How, in the blink of an eye, had she turned into a little fox?

“Miss Ji Mo is overthinking it,” Ji Yu said softly, turning a page.

“Having just the Complete Works of Immortal Farmers without a member of the Xianli clan who has spent years mastering it is like reading ancient texts without commentary. Even with commentary, it takes a good learner. Cultivation isn’t just theoretical; to apply it, you need enough territory and resources. The only person who has this condition is you, Ji Mo Gui. What’s there to fear?”

Liuyu knew this well, or perhaps it was because of Ji Yu’s teachings from years ago that she became aware of it.

The secret techniques of the immortal families weren’t created by their ancestors.

Instead, after the foreign demons invaded the Central Plains, the people had spent five hundred years searching in the dark, gathering the essence of their knowledge, until they managed to seal the demons behind the Cliff Mountain Heavenly Gate.

However, after the first year of Zhao Ye, with the world in ruins, the noble families rose.

The ancestors of each family were not only heroes of the demon sealing wars but also the creators of these secret techniques. To protect their own legacy, everyone monopolized these techniques and prohibited common people from practicing them, eventually turning them into the exclusive arts of immortal families.

These techniques had originally been the hard-earned knowledge of the people and never truly belonged to any particular family.

On the day Liuyu took first place in the Lingyong Immortal Dao Conference, beneath a blooming Yulan tree, a white-robed scholar stood facing away from the noble families in Zhengyang Palace, gazing into the distance:

“Today, you are the top of Lingyong, the best among your peers in Yujing. But Liuyu, look at the fishermen on the Yi River, the farmers in the outskirts, even the demons in the Nine Underworlds. These people might live their entire lives without seeing a single book, yet among them may be someone with greater talent than you.”

“Having seen the vast world, I still pity the green grass beneath my feet. Liuyu, you are so diligent and wise, and in the future, you will achieve great things. But do you wish to stand shoulder to shoulder with the heavens, or do you wish to pity the grass at your feet?”

The boat separated the waters and slowly sailed out of the narrow cave. As everyone’s sight opened up, the full moon hung high in the sky.

“Being cautious never hurts. You can never fully know a person’s heart,” Ji Yu remarked, glancing at the scholar’s expression in the moonlight.

“For example, today, Mr. Ji Yu so readily agreed to help us. Perhaps there’s something I don’t know behind it?”

Ji Yu did not lift his head, a smile on his lips:

“The Yishui is at Miss Jimo’s feet, please make yourself at home.”

Liuyu stared at him for a while, then really stood up and walked toward the bow of the ship.

“—Mr. Ji Yu’s lips are still so tight, not asking a thing.”

After sitting down next to Mo Lin, Liuyu isolated their conversation with Qi to prevent others from overhearing.

Mo Lin took a deep drink from a jug of water. The last stand at Qingyun Terrace had indeed drained him considerably, and now he tried his best to seal off his Qi Sea, waiting for his body to recover.

“I think it might be related to your mother… or even to Mu Cangshui.”

Liuyu was somewhat surprised: “Grandma Mu?”

She wasn’t surprised about her mother’s involvement; Tan Wen had arrived so timely today, clearly arranged by her mother.

But Mu Cangshui?

“That night when she first arrived at your house, the mountain demon came to report that Mu Cangshui went to the main courtyard at dawn.”

Liuyu recalled for a moment, tilting her head to look at him:

“Then you were quite busy that night.”

Mo Lin obviously also remembered the constant sound of bells that night. In hindsight… it had gotten a little out of hand, but it wasn’t just his problem.

He rubbed the tip of his nose and continued:

“It was after you fell asleep. I thought there might be something wrong with her identity, but she entered openly. An hour later, your father personally escorted her out of the courtyard, so I suspect she should know your parents, or at least have heard of each other.”

This wasn’t too surprising to Liuyu.

From the long volume of national policies that Mu Cangshui wrote, it was clear that she wasn’t an ordinary lady with just scholarly knowledge. Plus, she claimed her surname was Mu, and her ancestral home was in Zhongzhou Tianyu. It wouldn’t be surprising if she actually were from the royal family.

But it was surprising that Mu Cangshui would visit her parents.

“…Forget it, I can’t be bothered to guess.”

Liuyu tilted her head and leaned on the shoulder of the demon next to her, lifting her head to gaze at the snowy night sky and the moon.

“What Grandma Mu has done along the way, we all know well. Mr. Ji Yu may indeed have no position, but as long as we’re willing to donate secret arts to Lingyong, for the cultivation of the people, he will definitely stand by us. The Zhongli family lost troops today, and my mother will call back my uncle, who’s been touring the mountains around Yujing, and launch a full-scale attack on the Zhongli family—”

Liuyu heard that Yue Niang, who had just woken up, was speaking with Fang Fucang and turned to glance back.

“My parents have their own things to do, and I have mine.”

She wanted to destroy the Jiufang family.

She wanted to rescue Mo Lin, who had been taken from her.

The demon beside her seemed to sense something and squeezed her fingers a little tighter.

Although Liuyu had visibly recovered her spirits after taking Yue Niang back from the Zhongli family today, Mo Lin’s gaze lingered on the faint dark circles under her eyes.

Though Liuyu had never mentioned it, ever since she learned the identity of the Tianjia Thirty-One, she hadn’t been sleeping well.

She often woke up suddenly in the middle of the night.

Mo Lin didn’t know what she dreamed of, but whenever she woke up, she couldn’t fall back asleep. Sometimes she would stare at the ceiling, other times sneak out for a walk, returning only before dawn.

Occasionally, she would even cry in her sleep without waking.

Mo Lin could only quietly wipe her tears in the dark, but sometimes no matter how much he wiped, the tears never stopped, soaking the pillow bit by bit, like a night rain falling deep in his heart.

Sometimes he wondered, as long as it would stop her from being so sad, he would do anything.

But the one who made her so sad was himself.

The other him.

Mo Lin slightly tilted his head, resting his cheek against her soft hair, lowering his eyes and saying:

“Liuyu, you don’t need to treat me as your responsibility.”

Her long lashes trembled slightly.

The girl leaning on his shoulder seemed to pretend not to hear, pointing to a painted boat on the Yishui river:

“That painted boat is so big, much grander than ours. I want to ride on that one.”

After removing the barrier, this sentence was heard by Yue Niang and the ghostly woman behind them. Both of them exited the cabin and looked toward the large, grand two-story painted boat.

“Wait—”

The ghostly woman squinted her eyes, scrutinizing for a while before saying:

“That family crest… doesn’t it look like it belongs to the Yinshan family?”

Inside the cabin, Ji Yu sat under the Liuli lantern, smiling slightly as he turned a page.

On this night of New Year’s Eve, many families were taking boats on the Yishui River. Liuyu and their group had unknowingly blended into the crowd, and nothing seemed unusual.

Mo Lin instructed the mountain demon steering the boat and the others to come closer. Indeed, the opposite painted boat was heading toward them.

The wind on the water was strong, and it made Nangong Jing’s fox fur coat flutter slightly. She stood at the ship’s side and waved her hand decisively:

“Get on board.”

Liuyu and Mo Lin exchanged a glance.

Indeed, Nangong Jing was behind today’s arrangement.

Everyone abandoned their ship and boarded the Yinshan family’s painted boat. Liuyu was about to invite Ji Yu to join them, but saw that the figure in white pushed open a window and leaned under the light, speaking in a gentle voice:

“Go ahead and have fun. The old man, who’s been kidnapped by that terrifying demon, will wait to be rescued when someone finds him.”

“Mr. Ji Yu—”

Yue Niang, still a little dizzy from just waking up, but after learning his identity, her first reaction was still to show her sincerity:

“Your lamp is too dim. When spring semester starts, I’ll make a brighter Liuli lamp for you. You won’t strain your eyes reading at night!”

“Alright, then I’ll thank you in advance, little friend.”

The white-clad scholar smiled deeply and waved at her.

Liuyu turned to Fang Fucang and said: “Your disciple really is growing stronger by the day.”

Fang Fucang gave an awkward laugh.

“The wind is so strong, don’t stand outside anymore.”

Yinshan Ze’s voice sounded behind them. He wore a black fox fur cloak, the same style as Nangong Jing’s, but with more glittering beads and gems, exuding an elegant and noble aura as he walked.

“Go inside, change your clothes, take off the disguise. Up ahead is the Heavenly Palace Immortal Market. Once you’ve brought Ning Ning back, we can start the feast. Tonight is New Year’s Eve, we’ll enjoy the lake and fireworks while we feast.”

Chao Ming and Chao Yuan were already waiting by the cabin door to assist Liuyu with changing, but Liuyu leaned close to Yin Shan Ze and said:

“Father, don’t you think we deserve an explanation? How did you and mother end up here?”

Yin Shan Ze smiled with narrowed eyes, pretending to be surprised as he covered his lips with a fan.

“I thought for sure you’d guess. After all, hasn’t our Liuyu always been fond of Mr. Ji Yu? How could you not guess that we would use the things you did in Longdui City to negotiate with Mr. Ji Yu?”

“Things I did in Longdui City?”

Liuyu paused, realizing he must be referring to the time he openly talked about the “Complete Immortal Agriculture Text” and the establishment of the Immortal Path Academy.

This was indeed something Mr. Ji Yu had always wanted to do, but lacked the conditions to achieve.

But…

Feeling the gaze from behind, Liuyu lowered his voice to warn:

“Don’t bring up ‘fondness for Mr. Ji Yu’ again! The kind of fondness you’re talking about is not the same as what I meant!”

Yin Shan Ze looked at his daughter’s angry back as she walked away, then turned back to Mo Lin with a somewhat dissatisfied look.

“When Liuyu was little, she always mentioned Mr. Ji Yu. She didn’t care if I was jealous, but she’s very concerned about your thoughts. Looks like Liuyu really does like you.”

Yin Shan Ze leaned in, studying Mo Lin’s features carefully, then pinched his chin as if in thought.

“I never thought of it before, but with Liuyu’s love for beautiful things, she must have been charmed by your face…”

“Oh, maybe it’s because of that.”

Mo Lin, with a blank expression, opened his palm, revealing several poisonous insects he had taken from the Ghost Maiden.

They were dark, one as big as a thumb.

Yin Shan Ze’s smile suddenly froze.

Meanwhile, in the cabin, Nan Gong Jing, who was listening to Yue Niang’s report on the Zhongli family’s observations, saw Yin Shan Ze’s sudden pale face. Yin Shan Ze immediately grabbed her in panic.

“Insects! Such big insects!”

The Ghost Maiden, unaware of the turmoil caused by the insects she casually gave away, lay on the edge of the boat, looking toward the Heavenly Palace Immortal Market on the shore. The warm southern country was approaching spring, but tonight, snowflakes seemed to fall just in time for the season.

The Ghost Maiden held her face and admired the lights on the shore, her eyes sparkling with wonder.

“So many lights, so beautiful.”

Bai Pingting also said, “Yes, they’re quite beautiful.”

The mountain demons and Lan Zhu stood in the falling snow, silently looking at the land that had once been the colorless city.

They had never imagined they would have the chance to visit it again in this lifetime.

From an observer’s perspective.

At midnight on New Year’s Eve, fireworks lit up the Heavenly Palace Immortal Market, brightening the sky over the Immortal Capital of Yujing as if it were daylight.

Inside Yin Shan’s residence, the demons and ghosts had drunk several rounds of wine. As they gazed at the fireworks in the sky, they seemed somewhat dazed, unable to believe that one day, they would be sitting in Yin Shan’s residence, drinking and waiting to usher in the New Year.

On the painted boat, Tan Ning, pretending to sleep, secretly opened one eye and saw the demon, who had previously ignored her sister, bow down and kiss her when the fireworks lit up at midnight.

Outside Yin Shan’s estate—

The gatekeeper opened a small gap in the door and awkwardly looked at the two noble guests standing outside.

“Master Zhanghua, the master is at the Yi Shui painted boat tonight, waiting for the New Year’s Eve. We don’t know when he will return. It’s late, and the snow is cold. You should come inside…”

“No need.”

Jiu Fang Zhanghua, with a thin layer of snow on his shoulders, looked at the slightly waking Miao Yi by the stone lion and said:

“I’ll wait here. Miao Yi, you go back.”

Miao Yi, still sleepy, wrapped herself tighter in Jiu Fang Zhanghua’s cloak and shook her head.

She didn’t want to go back alone.

The Jiu Fang family never celebrated any festivals, as her father believed that festivals brought unnecessary risks to the family. Even New Year’s Eve was cold and lifeless.

She might as well stay here and keep her elder brother company.

Footsteps echoed from the top of the long staircase.

Jiu Fang Zhanghua’s eyelashes fluttered, shaking off a few snowflakes. His icy blue eyes seemed to warm a little.

Had they returned?

Nan Gong Jing’s calm voice came from behind:

“You shouldn’t indulge him. His body is not suited for alcohol. You should just leave him at the foot of the mountain to freeze overnight, and he’ll sober up.”

“You clearly can’t bear it. Don’t say such useless things, mother.”

Liuyu’s voice carried a smile as she spoke to someone else:

“Is he heavy? My father looks thin, but he’s so tall, he should still be pretty heavy, right?”

The young man’s voice was cold: “Do I have a choice?”

“Seems like not,” Liuyu smiled more broadly, humming lightly, “Wasn’t it you who used the poison insects to scare him into drinking to calm his nerves? Just bear with it. At least I didn’t make you carry Tan Ning as well.”

Chao Yuan, carrying Tan Ning, looked up seriously and said:

“I can do it. If the Lord can’t carry him, I can carry both.”

“… I can carry them.”

The sound of everyone laughing and joking floated from the snowstorm.

The snow on Jiu Fang Zhanghua’s shoulders seemed to melt with the laughter, seeping deep into his bones, making him shiver.

He had spent more than a dozen New Year’s Eves at Yin Shan’s place.

He once thought he would stay there forever.

But now—

Jiu Fang Zhanghua looked at the figure carrying Yin Shan Ze, and at the same time, holding the girl’s hand tightly.

A lowly, ugly demon who didn’t even know where it crawled out from. One who would die in the mud, never touching the moon in the sky, was now in his sight.

When did such a being emerge under his nose? When did it start…

Taking the place that once belonged to him?