When Ming Zhu woke from his slumber, they had indeed arrived at Shuoyu City.
The two disembarked from the sky-kite and entered the city. Attendants from the Moon-Plucking Tower had been waiting at the city gates for some time, standing beside an exquisite wooden wheelchair. Upon seeing the pair, they hurried forward to bow in greeting.
Na Lian waved them off, settled Ming Zhu—whose legs were weak from walking—into the wheelchair, and draped his own crane-feather cloak over him before pushing him onto the main thoroughfare.
Ming Zhu leaned lazily against the back of the chair, his elbow propped on the armrest as he watched the bustling crowds of the main street with a casual gaze.
After all these years, Shuoyu City remained as prosperous and flourishing as ever. There were even more people on the roads now, the clamor enough to make one’s ears ache.
Ming Zhu remarked, "Shuoyu City isn't like Shou’an; it’s a remote little city. How do you plan to take it over?"
Na Lian bought a sugar figurine and stuffed it into Ming Zhu’s hand. Looking at the sea of people around them, he said nonchalantly, "Shuoyu is the capital of the Ximu Kingdom, filled with many talented and eccentric individuals. I’m afraid the methods we used in Shou’an won’t work here. I originally thought we’d just fight our way in. Demon cultivators are naturally gifted; there are very few humans who have reached the Mahayana Stage. Anyone below that isn't worth mentioning. Though Nascent Souls are everywhere, to a demon cultivator, most are easily crushed."
Ming Zhu gave the sugar figurine a light lick and let out a muffled "mm." As they passed a wine shop, he suddenly said, "Stop."
Na Lian halted. "What is it?"
"I want to drink."
Na Lian seemed to let out a stifled chuckle. "Are you sure?"
Ming Zhu pointed at the wine banners fluttering in the alley, inscribed with flamboyant calligraphy. "Buy some Peach Blossom Wine. It doesn't get you drunk easily. I remember this shop’s Peach Blossom Wine being particularly delicious."
Na Lian felt he had to inform him: "Only women drink Peach Blossom Wine. Men should drink strong spirits."
Ming Zhu raised his hand, flashing his nails, and said eerily, "Do you want me to pluck the fur from your tail?"
Na Lian had no choice but to concede. "Fine, fine. Wait here; I’ll be right back."
With that, he parked the wheelchair under a cherry blossom tree and headed into the alley.
Ming Zhu ate his sugar figurine while he waited. Perhaps because his appearance—dressed in white with white hair and sitting in a wheelchair—was too peculiar, passersby kept glancing at him, whispering amongst themselves.
Zhou Fuxue and Lu Qingkong entered through the city gates and hurried toward the Moon-Plucking Tower without pause.
Lu Qingkong frowned. "Do you think Nan Qinghe will really give us the Linglong Jade?"
Because of the incident with Xi Chu years ago, Nan Qinghe had stubbornly decided that Ming Zhu was the one who killed him. The Execution Order had been active for many years, only being withdrawn after Ming Zhu’s death. Since then, he had ceased all contact with the people of Rizhao.
Zhou Fuxue replied, "A treasure like the Linglong Jade won't be sold openly. He’ll likely put it up for an exorbitant price on the Moon-Plucking Tower’s black market. As long as we have enough money, he won't turn down the deal."
Rizhao had accumulated some savings over the years. Although Martial Uncle Guihe was as stingy as ever, he was not at all miserly when it came to saving Shen Di’an.
Lu Qingkong nodded thoughtfully. "Let’s hope everything goes smoothly."
Zhou Fuxue didn't speak. Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a white-haired figure sitting in a wheelchair by the roadside. His pupils constricted, and he instinctively pulled Lu Qingkong aside to hide.
Lu Qingkong was nearly slammed against a wall by the force of the tug. He struggled and looked back. "What’s wrong?"
Zhou Fuxue didn't dare look directly at the person. For someone with a cultivation level like Buhui’s, a single glance could reveal one's intentions. He lowered his voice and said, "That person... is Buhui."
Lu Qingkong was startled. He took a quick glance before withdrawing his gaze. "He... didn't they say he was still in Shou’an? Why is he in Shuoyu City?"
Zhou Fuxue shook his head. "Tell Master about this and tell him to be careful..."
Just as he finished speaking, he saw a man in black robes emerge from the alley carrying two jars of wine. The man stopped before the white-haired Buhui with a smile and said something. The seemingly frail and vulnerable Buhui arched an eyebrow and reached out toward him, appearing to threaten him.
For some reason, Zhou Fuxue felt an instinctive pang of heartache, as if this scene was extremely eyesore.
Lu Qingkong whispered, "Is that Na Lian?"
He didn't look like the vicious demon who, according to rumors, tore Mahayana cultivators apart with his bare hands. Instead, he seemed quite harmless and approachable.
Perhaps Zhou Fuxue’s momentarily unshielded gaze alerted the two who were talking. Na Lian and Ming Zhu both turned their heads toward them at the same time, their eyes meeting Zhou Fuxue’s undisguised stare.
Zhou Fuxue’s pupils shrank, and his hand clenched tightly inside his sleeve.
A trace of killing intent had leaked out uncontrollably just now; those two had certainly noticed it.
Na Lian straightened up, looking at him with apparent interest. He looked as though he wanted to raise a hand and strike down the fool who dared to release killing intent toward him, but before he could move, Ming Zhu grabbed his sleeve.
Na Lian looked down, surprised. "He wants to kill me."
Ming Zhu didn't dare meet Zhou Fuxue’s eyes. He said flatly, "Did he kill you?"
Na Lian: "..."
Just whose family raised this unreasonable person?
Na Lian gave up on the confrontation with Zhou Fuxue and crouched down to be at eye level with Ming Zhu. He said helplessly, "Which junior brother is this one? Why are your junior brothers everywhere? And every single one of them wants to kill me. Shang Yanfeng and Yan Xueyu nearly wounded me severely; my chest still hurts."
Ming Zhu pursed his lips. After a long moment, he said, "Zhou Fuxue."
Na Lian’s expression instantly turned playful. He gave an ambiguous smile and said, "The one who stole a kiss from you?"
Ming Zhu’s pale face instantly flushed red. He kicked out at Na Lian, snapping in embarrassment, "Let’s go back!"
Na Lian felt immense admiration for the hero who dared to steal a kiss from this "ancestor." He moved behind the wheelchair and pushed Ming Zhu forward, his eyes meeting Zhou Fuxue’s one last time. The cold killing intent was gone, replaced by a look of great interest.
Zhou Fuxue had been waiting for Na Lian to strike, but he hadn't expected Buhui to say something to him. The look the man gave him afterward was strange, making Zhou Fuxue feel a chill run down his spine—it was even more uncomfortable than the previous killing intent.
Once they were far away, Na Lian leaned down and whispered, "Were you with that kid a few days ago? What, has the old flame been rekindled? Are you mending the broken mirror?"
Ming Zhu turned his head and looked at him gloomily.
Na Lian, oblivious, continued, "Did you kiss again? Did you dual cultivate? ... Oh, right, you’re so delicate and weak now. He’d make you cry from pain just by touching you. You probably can't go to bed yet. Have you thought about what you’ll do when you dual cultivate in the future?"
Ming Zhu wished he could slap Na Lian, but considering they were surrounded by people, he forced himself to endure it. He hissed through gritted teeth, "Na Lian, do you have a death wish? When did I ever say I was going to dual... with him?"
Though Ming Zhu was thick-skinned, he was inexplicably bashful regarding matters of the heart. He couldn't even bring himself to say the words "dual cultivate."
Na Lian was somewhat surprised. "He’s the one you’ve thought about most all these years. I thought you were deeply in love with him. Is that not the case?"
Ming Zhu was so angry his head spun. He enunciated every word: "When. Did. I. Ever. Think. Of. Him?!"
Na Lian pushed him around a corner. In the distance stood the Moon-Plucking Tower.
"You forgot? During those first few years at the bottom of the Cliff of Shrouded Sun, when you were so delirious with pain, his was the name you called most often," Na Lian said, raising an eyebrow. "I even asked Little Yu’er. He said the person you were closest to in Rizhao was that Zhou Fuxue. You shared a bed and lived together for many years."
Ming Zhu raged, "You believe what Yan Xueyu says? His brain is rusted; has yours stopped working too?"
Na Lian gave an "oh" and then asked, "So, did you really share a bed?"
Ming Zhu: "..."
Ming Zhu was about to faint from anger. He leaned against the back of the chair, panting slightly, his face turning even paler.
Although this demon body of Ming Zhu’s possessed powerful cultivation, the years of torture at the bottom of the Cliff of Shrouded Sun had destroyed its foundation. Not only was the body frail, but it was also prone to illness—if anyone heard that a Mahayana demon cultivator could fall ill from time to time, they would surely think the speaker was a fool.
Seeing that he was truly about to lose his breath, Na Lian’s conscience finally kicked in. "Alright, alright, I was wrong. Don't get so angry that something happens to you."
Soon, the two arrived at the Moon-Plucking Tower. An attendant recognized them and quickly led them inside.
Inside the tower, a man in black robes with a cold, stern aura stood in the middle of the vast hall. He was staring expressionlessly under a table, his eyes full of struggle.
Someone came forward to report, "Tower Lord, Lord Na Lian and Lord Buhui have arrived."
Nan Qinghe nodded to show he understood. He didn't go to greet the two distinguished guests. Instead, to the attendant’s astonishment, he lifted his robes and crouched down, reaching out toward a white ball of fur under the table.
The attendant hesitated. "Tower Lord, this..."
Nan Qinghe ignored everyone else, his eyes fixed on the little fox curled up under the table. "Come here."
He had presided over the Moon-Plucking Tower for so many years that majesty and coldness were ingrained in his very bones. Even when coaxing someone, his tone and expression remained commanding and cold.
Unsurprisingly, the little fox shivered and retreated further into the shadows.
A rare look of bewilderment appeared on the face of the decisive, ruthless man. He leaned closer and softened his voice. "Xi Chu, come here. It’s dirty down there."
Xi Chu ignored him completely, trembling incessantly.
Nan Qinghe had been coaxing him for half the day. Xi Chu, who possessed very little sentience, didn't remember him at all. Instead, he was too afraid to approach because of the man’s chilling aura.
A moment later, Na Lian and Ming Zhu were led in. The sound of the wheelchair slowly echoed through the hall. Only then did Nan Qinghe stand up, brush off his robes, and look coldly at the two.
The moment Ming Zhu appeared, Xi Chu sensed his presence. The fox’s pupils instantly brightened. He let out a tiny, high-pitched "a-woo" and darted out from under the table, racing to Ming Zhu’s side. His small body lunged toward Ming Zhu.
Ming Zhu caught him, cradling him gently in his arms. A soft expression appeared on his face. "There, there. I'm here."
Xi Chu whimpered, his pink tongue licking Ming Zhu’s hand, his eyes filled with nothing but devotion.
Nan Qinghe, who had coaxed him for half the day without receiving so much as a glance: "..."
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
---|---|---
说玉城 | Shuoyu City | A prosperous city in the Ximu Kingdom.
掠月楼 | Moon-Plucking Tower | Also known as Lanyue Tower; a powerful organization/location.
南清河 | Nan Qinghe | The Tower Lord of the Moon-Plucking Tower.
奚楚 | Xi Chu | A character associated with Nan Qinghe and Ming Zhu, currently in the form of a small fox.
玲珑玉 | Linglong Jade | An "Exquisite Jade" or specific treasure sought by Zhou Fuxue.
大乘期 | Mahayana Stage | Also known as the Great Perfection stage; a very high level of cultivation.
元婴 | Nascent Soul | A common cultivation stage.
析木国 | Ximu Kingdom | The kingdom where Shuoyu City is located.
桃花酒 | Peach Blossom Wine | A light, floral wine.
鹤氅 | Crane-feather cloak | A traditional formal overcoat.
行鸢 | Sky-Kite | A flying vessel or transport device.
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