Chapter 65 065 The Secret at the Bottom of the Well

Xiao Ruo's sudden departure without saying goodbye left the Shu Mountain disciples, who had hoped to travel with her for a while longer, deeply disappointed. Lu Yuanyuan was also taken aback when she heard the news.

Although the timeline of "The Enchanting Fairy Tale" has been subtly compressed, shortening the intervals between many major events, and even bringing forward Duan Lansheng's harbinger of heavenly tribulation by several decades, these changes are not major issues in a melodramatic Mary Sue novel, as long as the scenes of the female lead conquering the potential male leads are not cut.

Logically, the road to the royal city should be the perfect opportunity for Xiao Ruo, Duan Lansheng, and Yue Hong to create a love triangle. But things are still far from settled, so why did Xiao Ruo suddenly leave?

Lu Yuanyuan had a gut feeling that something was amiss. Perhaps she had overlooked something. But no matter how many times she went through the timeline, she still couldn't find a clue. These doubts were destined to remain unanswered.

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The plan to return to the capital was meticulous and well-thought-out, and the journey took much less time than expected. The military order had only reached the emperor in the morning, and they arrived at the Yong Kingdom's palace that afternoon.

Emperor Yongguo and Consort Xie secretly received the Shushan group in the palace that same day.

The magnificent hall was filled with the aroma of ambergris. Yue Hong refused the help of the palace servants and walked into the hall on his own.

From the moment he appeared, Consort Xie, who was seated high on the throne, could no longer remain seated and abruptly stood up. Yue Hong glanced at them, and without saying a word, he first bent his knees and knelt down.

His knees had barely touched the floor when a pair of fair hands caught him. Consort Xie, her beautiful eyes filled with tears, looked at him with immense heartache: "Hong'er! Get up quickly, let your mother see where you're hurt?"

Yue Hong lowered his head and said in a deep voice, "Your son is unfilial and has caused your father and mother to worry."

The Emperor of Yongguo helped the agitated and distraught Consort Xie up, offering her a few words of comfort before extending a hand to help Yue Hong as well. Yue Hong paused, then stood up.

Lu Yuanyuan stood in the crowd, her gaze fixed on the Emperor and Consort Xie.

Perhaps due to the heavy burden of state affairs, the emperor looked somewhat aged. Although he was not wearing a dragon robe, his authority as a ruler was not to be underestimated.

Consort Xie looked much the same as she remembered: her hair was jet black, adorned with pearls and jade, her skin was fair, and she was beautiful and charming. Every gesture she made exuded a gentle and noble elegance.

People in ancient times had children early. Yue Hong is already so old, while Consort Xie is only in her thirties. Having lived a life of luxury in the palace for many years, she is very well-preserved and looks only in her twenties. People would believe she is Yue Hong's older sister.

After the family had calmed down a bit from their reunion, the Emperor and Consort Xie finally turned their attention to a dozen or so strangers a little further away in the main hall.

In the secret letter delivered that morning, Yue Hong had already mentioned that his escape from danger was largely thanks to the help of the Shu Mountain disciples. Besides that, he had something else very important to report.

This is why the disciples of Mount Shu were received upon their arrival.

Mount Shu is the most famous sect in the cultivation world. The worship of powerful cultivators is ingrained in the bones of every mortal, even emperors who wield great power and command hundreds of followers.

As expected, the Emperor of Yong did not put on airs, nor did he require everyone to kneel before him. His gaze swept over the crowd, and when he saw Lu Yuanyuan, a sharp look of surprise flashed across his eyes.

Consort Xie clearly remembered her as well, and was also stunned.

Qi Chang nodded slightly and was the first to bow and introduce himself. When it was Lu Yuanyuan's turn, she smiled calmly and said, "Your Majesty, Your Highness, my surname is Yuan, and my given name is Yuan."

The palace was full of familiar faces, and she had long expected to be recognized. Fortunately, even if the Emperor of Yong recognized her, in the current situation, he had neither the reason nor the ability to behead her.

But some things are best left unsaid; it's better not to be too explicit in public, otherwise it'll be difficult to back down later. If she can't even let go of the surname "Lu," what's the difference between that and directly claiming to be a princess of Yan?

Therefore, Lu Yuanyuan gave herself a pseudonym that was essentially the same, and also informed her fellow disciples in advance.

Seeing his parents' expressions, Yue Hong's heart tightened slightly, and he suddenly spoke up: "Father, Mother, the one who saved me a few days ago was this... Miss Yuan Yuan."

The emperor paused briefly, and as Lu Yuanyuan had expected, he accepted the situation without revealing her identity, and even nodded slightly: "So that's how it is."

Yue Hong breathed a sigh of relief, his gaze searching for Lu Yuanyuan below, and winked at her.

Lu Yuanyuan was surprised by his boldness. To avoid revealing her secrets through her expression, she pretended not to see and lowered her head.

Only Duan Lansheng saw this brief interaction. His expression darkened slightly, and suddenly, as if unintentionally, he moved his toes to the side, firmly blocking Lu Yuanyuan's view of their eyes.

Yue Hong: "..."

After exchanging pleasantries, the disciples of Mount Shu took their seats. Qi Chang didn't waste any words and went straight to the point, telling the emperor and Consort Xie about the reason for their trip to the mortal realm, the tragic death of Consort Yu in the nunnery, the baby that was eaten, the escaped demons...

Qi Chang's words were straightforward, but they did not prevent the Emperor and Consort Xie from changing their expressions.

The fact that Consort Xie was pregnant was only discovered by the imperial physician a couple of days ago. Before that, she had thought she was just losing her appetite because of the cold weather. Now, the news hasn't even spread yet, and even Consort Xie's mother doesn't know about it, but the disciples of Mount Shu, thousands of miles away, already know. This is enough to prove that the evil spirit's spying on Consort Xie is real, and it also makes the emperor's side more convinced of the disciples of Mount Shu.

The emperor's expression was solemn, yet he possessed a certain imposing aura: "Issue the order to immediately dispatch additional Imperial Guards to guard outside the Consort's bedchamber."

Yue Hong frowned and said, "Father, that monster has already set its sights on Mother. The Imperial Advisor hasn't noticed yet. It seems he's no match for the monster. I don't trust him to handle this matter."

The emperor clearly thought so too. He shook hands with Consort Xie and said to everyone, "This matter still requires the assistance of the immortal masters of Mount Shu."

Qi Chang nodded: "That's exactly why we've come."

"Do any of you have any methods to quickly eliminate this monster? I do not wish to see anyone else suffer such a fate."

Qi Chang cupped his hands in greeting: "The two evil spirits always act in pairs. Now that one has been eliminated, the remaining one will certainly be a hundred times more cautious than before. But since it has already set its sights on the Imperial Concubine, and since the Imperial Concubine is the only pregnant concubine, it will eventually come. We cannot predict when it will appear. To be on the safe side, we can move into the palace and protect the Imperial Concubine closely."

The Emperor and Consort Xie exchanged a glance, neither objecting. To put it bluntly, the difference in combat power between mortals and cultivators was undeniable; a single sword cultivator could withstand ten thousand. If someone intended to harm them, there was no need for them to go through the roundabout process of residing in the palace.

To avoid alerting the enemy, the Emperor ordered the guards outside Consort Xie's palace to be secretly replaced with disciples of the Shu Mountain Sect, with some additional guards stationed outside the palace. However, due to the distinction between men and women, even cultivators found it inconvenient to enter and leave Consort Xie's palace. Fortunately, among the Shu Mountain disciples participating in this instance, there were two female cultivators: Lu Yuanyuan and Huang Ying. The two could take turns posing as Consort Xie's personal maids, staying by her side at all times.

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With this new identity, Lu Yuanyuan changed into a maid's clothes and moved into Consort Xie's palace, hiding her sword in her storage bag. Consort Xie, as expected of the highest-ranking concubine in the palace, provided her maid with the best treatment, living in a clean, tidy, and bright place.

Of course, being palace maids was just a cover for their identities. Normally, Consort Xie didn't need their services; their only task was to protect her. Therefore, they didn't actually live in the assigned maid quarters. For twelve hours a day, at least one of them, Huang Ying, would stay by Consort Xie's side, inseparable from her, and even sleep in a makeshift bed in Consort Xie's room at night.

The day after arriving at Consort Xie's side, Duan Lansheng and Qi Chang went to set up defenses outside the palace walls. Meanwhile, an elegant chrysanthemum-appreciation banquet was held in the inner palace, attended by concubines, noble ladies, and even princes' wives. Consort Xie, naturally fond of lively gatherings, would never miss such events in the past. Although she was being targeted by evil spirits, there's no such thing as being able to guard against thieves forever; she couldn't stay hidden in her palace all day long. Therefore, Lu Yuanyuan, Huang Ying, and Consort Xie's original trusted lady-in-waiting, Cui'er, accompanied her.

This time, Lu Yuanyuan and the others concealed their identities from unrelated individuals. Cui'er assumed the personnel changes were due to Consort Xie's pregnancy, which was why the Xie family had sent several new people. She didn't suspect the real reason and gently introduced the two of them to the palace environment.

"This is the Imperial Garden and the Koi Pond."

"In that direction, the layers of houses are the sleeping quarters of the princes and princesses. Go down that stone path and you'll find the study."

"The one with the highest roof is the East Palace, which is also the Crown Prince's residence. However, the Crown Prince is currently on the Emperor's orders to go to the east to handle state affairs and is not in the palace."

Lu Yuanyuan pretended to be clueless and nodded.

Being sent to govern in place of his father is a necessary step for the crown prince to become emperor. It seems that although the emperor is about to appoint a new empress, he has no immediate intention of changing his son as heir. Yueqi's position as crown prince remains secure.

Beside the Imperial Garden was a warm pavilion, draped with thick curtains. After admiring the flowers, the concubines moved into the warm pavilion and stayed until dusk before taking their leave. Consort Xie was the last to leave.

It was early autumn, and after a few autumn rains, the hottest season in the north had quietly passed. As soon as the sun went down, the temperature became even colder. Consort Xie, who was always afraid of the cold, shivered as soon as she stepped out of the warm pavilion.

Cui'er quickly closed the curtain of the warm pavilion and apologized, "It was Cui'er's oversight that I didn't bring enough clothes for Your Highness. Please punish me, Your Highness!"

Lu Yuanyuan thought for a moment and then said, "Your Highness, I'll go back and get you some clothes. I'll be right back."

Consort Xie looked at her and smiled slightly: "Alright, no need to rush."

Lu Yuanyuan's heart stirred slightly.

When she was a hostage princess, she rarely interacted with Consort Xie.

This time, Lu Yuanyuan wondered if Yue Hong and Consort Xie had spoken privately, or if it was simply a mother's gratitude to the benefactor who protected her son. She felt that Consort Xie's attitude towards her was somewhat different, showing more gentleness than towards others.

Lu Yuanyuan left Huang Ying to guard Consort Xie, then quickly returned to Consort Xie's bedchamber, grabbed a cloak, and retraced her steps. By the time she was halfway there, it was completely dark, but fortunately, Lu Yuanyuan's eyesight was unaffected.

As she passed a path, she suddenly heard a helpless sobbing coming from deep within the bushes. Lu Yuanyuan was slightly startled, parted the bushes, and went over. It turned out to be two young palace maids, about eleven or twelve years old, squatting in a corner and crying.

"You...you go ahead..."

"No, if you don't dare go in, neither do I!"

"The Ninth Princess likes Green Pearl so much. If we don't find her, Granny will definitely spank us until our bottoms are sore. Maybe the ghost story is just a rumor?"

"But I've heard it's really eerie inside; it was often haunted when the princess was still alive..."

"What happened?"

The sudden voice above their heads startled the young palace maids. The two looked up, flinched, and saw that Lu Yuanyuan was also dressed as a maid. One of them mustered her courage, pointed to a palace gate behind them, and said with a pale face, "Princess Ninth's cat, Green Pearl, ran in."

Lu Yuanyuan turned her head and looked in the direction she was pointing, and saw a very large palace. This palace looked very luxurious, in no way inferior to the East Palace, but it looked like it had been abandoned for many years, overgrown with weeds, and looked quite gloomy after dark.

What place is this?

Lu Yuanyuan tried to recall this place, but had no recollection of it. It seemed that even the original owner of this body had never set foot here. However, the palace was so vast that deaths were commonplace, and empty palaces were also quite normal. Over time, all sorts of strange rumors would circulate.

Lu Yuanyuan wasn't afraid. After thinking for a moment, she handed the cloak to the two maids: "You two hold this cloak for me, I'll go get the cat out."

The two young palace maids were overjoyed and nodded vigorously: "Thank you, sister!"

The palace was deserted, with cobwebs crawling under the beams, but the door was unlocked and opened with an unpleasant rusty sound.

Although there was no candlelight, Lu Yuanyuan could see clearly that there was a dried-up jade pond, artificial hills and flowers in the courtyard, as well as a well. The well had long been sealed, but the stone slab sealing it had cracked from years of neglect. She heard a faint meow coming from the bottom of the well, probably from a cat that had accidentally fallen in.

"I've found you."

Lu Yuanyuan's spirits lifted. She pried open the stone slabs with her bare hands, piled them aside, and nimbly slid down the well wall, using her spiritual power to help her land silently. The well was quite deep, with a wide bottom and a cool, stagnant smell.

This mischievous cat has a full coat of fluffy white fur and a pair of bright green eyes. No wonder it's named Green Pearl; it truly lives up to its name.

Lu Yuanyuan reached out to pick up the cat in the corner, but the cat seemed a little afraid of strangers and circled around her feet. Lu Yuanyuan turned around and nimbly pounced, finally managing to pick up the cat. However, she was moving too fast and lost her balance slightly. She held the cat with one arm and braced herself on the ground with the other.

She expected that the ground below would be covered in dried mud, but strangely, she pressed something odd into her palm: pieces of soft yet coarse gauze with a certain degree of stiffness.

Lu Yuanyuan hesitated for a moment, then secretly slid a section of sword out of her sleeve to illuminate the surroundings with its light in order to see more clearly.

On the dried silt at the bottom of the well, there was a pile of snake skins covered in dust.

No... wait, it doesn't seem to be a snake's shed skin.

Lu Yuanyuan slightly widened her eyes, picked it up, and held it up to the light of the sword to examine it carefully.

A normal snake shed skin, no matter how fragmented, should be roughly pieced together to form the cylindrical shape of a snake's body. But the thing she was carrying was... faintly...

It is the shape of a human face, with undulations, like the outline of facial features.

Not only human faces, but also fragments of snake molts that could be pieced together to form fingers and limbs... The assembled heads and limbs looked very thin, like the bodies of children.

She didn't know if it was a snake with a human body or a person covered in snake scales—in any case, the feeling this snake skin gave her was as if someone had shed their skin like a snake at the bottom of this dry well.

Lu Yuanyuan frowned.

Whose palace is this? And what is this strange thing?

When she thought of snake molts, an androgynous, beautiful face came to mind. But subconsciously, she felt she was just imagining things.

At the bottom of a well in an unknown, cold palace in the mortal realm of Yong Kingdom, the son of the sect leader of Shu Mountain in the immortal realm... She couldn't imagine that Yin Xiaozhu had ever stayed in such a place.

No matter how you look at it, there's no way these two things could be related, right?

Just then, Lu Yuanyuan heard a noise coming from the well, and Yue Hong's voice rang out in the quiet courtyard: "Yuanyuan, are you down there?"