Chapter 9 The Light of the Sky (Part 1) A night of snow covered it all
Moonlit night, Luoyang city.
The city was brightly lit, as bright as day. People gathered by the roadside, carrying peony lanterns for good luck, their faces showing either curiosity or regret.
The Emperor stood high atop the royal city, smiling as he watched the people who had come to witness the ceremony. Beside him, besides the guards and the chief eunuch, stood the silent Ding Yi.
Clad in a Taoist robe adorned with auspicious clouds, radiating a clear, undiminished brilliance, her ethereal beauty drew many onlookers who stood on tiptoe beneath the city walls to catch a glimpse.
Ding Yi looked at the stars in the sky, bowed slightly, and said, "Your Majesty, the auspicious time is approaching."
Upon hearing this, the Emperor raised his hand, and the guards not far away lit fireworks one by one. With three loud bangs, three golden fireworks exploded in the air.
Everyone knows that the Demon Lord has a fondness for the color gold.
The demons lined up in front of the city gate, their right hands on their left chests, bowing their heads in respect. Xun Feifei, who was at the head of the group, glanced into the city gate and spoke.
"The demon race welcomes Princess Mingyue."
Everything is ready. Tonight, the Human Emperor will marry off his daughter and the Demon Lord will take a wife. Although it is a bit rushed, it is a joyous day for the whole world to celebrate.
Bathed in moonlight, the other demons joined in, shouting, "Welcome Princess Mingyue!"
The human guards at the palace gates sounded horns and beat drums, their shouts echoing into the palace: "We are honored to escort Princess Mingyue."
...
The calls to the emperor rose and fell, growing ever closer, like waves washing over the inner palace.
Mingyue, dressed in her wedding gown, knelt in the corridor. There was no sound of anyone around, but she knew that the palace was already surrounded by a dense swarm of guards, making escape impossible.
She stared blankly at the tightly closed palace doors, quietly awaiting her fate.
Looking at her expression, the maid Xiaoling could no longer hold back and tears welled up in her eyes.
"Your Highness, they actually want you to go alone, without any attendants. Isn't that clearly a death sentence for you?!"
Mingyue looked up at the sky, her voice hoarse: "Envoy Xun said that the Demon Lord dislikes humans. Having me around is already the limit of his tolerance. No more can be tolerated."
The girl was exceptionally beautiful, bathed in a soft, clear light, as radiant as the moon, and anyone who saw her couldn't help but feel a pang of tenderness.
I just don't know if that demon lord is hard-hearted.
Xiao Ling spat and sniffed, "What demon lord? He's just a chicken spirit, daring to covet the bright moon. If you go there, you'll be tortured to death!"
Mingyue's back remained stiff: "It wasn't his insistence, it was Father Emperor... Anyway, we're going to have a marriage alliance, Sister Hong, Sister Min, now it's my turn. What difference does it make whether the Demon Lord is the heir of a vassal king or not?"
Xiaoling was even more heartbroken upon hearing this: "Princess, but you clearly have someone in your heart... It's hateful that dead fish is now missing, its fate unknown, and it's of no use whatsoever. All your sincere feelings have been wasted!"
Mingyue smiled and shook her head, then slowly stood up, saying only, "There's still some time, let me look at the moonlight in the palace again."
Xiao Ling helped her stand on the corridor, still unwilling to give up: "Your Highness, how about Xiao Ling goes to the Hall of Longevity again to plead with the Holy Palace Consort? As long as she speaks up, His Majesty won't..."
Mingyue raised her hand and gestured: "Things have come to this point, why anger Father Emperor any further? The kindness of being born and raised should be repaid."
The palace was so quiet that not even birds chirped, but a sudden clanging sound came from the inner room. The two were startled and turned to look back, then quickly looked outside the palace. The guards seemed not to have noticed anything.
Xiao Ling's face lit up with joy, and she lifted her skirt and walked into the inner room: "Princess, it must be that dead fish. Xiao Ling must give him a good scolding..."
She pushed open the door and saw the person inside covered in injuries, immediately covering her mouth to stifle her gasp.
*
The full moon hangs high in the sky, and fireworks light up the sky.
"We, your old servants, are honored to escort the princess to her wedding."
With a creak, the palace gates opened, and the guards who had been surrounding the hall rushed into the courtyard, along with an extremely beautiful bridal sedan chair.
The sedan chair is carved from nanmu wood and lacquered with gold. It has a rich woody fragrance and eight-cornered bells that jingle when the wind blows.
Another person stood beside the sedan chair. He was extremely tall, with a ponytail that reached his waist. He had a slightly aloof demeanor, and half of his lips and nose were covered by a silver mask. His voice was exceptionally mellow and pleasant to listen to.
"Your Highness, the demon envoy Xun Feifei respectfully invites you to enter the sedan chair."
Mingyue knelt under the eaves, holding a fan. Upon hearing this, she nodded slightly, and the hairpin in her hair swayed gently.
Xiao Ling swallowed hard and immediately helped Mingyue to her feet: "Princess, there are obstacles ahead and the road is difficult to walk on. Please be careful and walk slowly."
Mingyue nodded, and her steps became more dignified. The two walked for quite a while before arriving at the sedan chair.
As soon as the princess approached, Xun Feifei smelled a strong, warm fragrance that was too sweet and cloying, even a little pungent.
Perhaps it's because they've been in the palace for so long that they've become pickled and flavorful.
Xun Feifei pursed her lips, hoping the scent would dissipate on the way to the Demon Realm, otherwise the Lord might smell it...
He bent down and lifted the sedan curtain: "Please get in the sedan."
The sedan curtain was a white silk veil hanging down, embroidered with dragons and phoenixes in gold thread. As if knowing that white was not auspicious, a thin layer of soft red gauze was also draped over the curtain, as soft as flowing water.
Princess Mingyue bowed slightly as she entered the sedan chair, and only then did she finally receive the person.
"Set off."
As soon as the words were spoken, the bridal sedan chair, though unattended, rose up on its own in the wind, and from each of the golden bells under the eight corners emerged a silk ribbon adorned with pearls, fluttering gracefully as it took flight.
Xiao Ling looked at the sedan chair that had already risen halfway into the air and burst into tears. She ran after it for a few steps and said through her tears, "Princess, farewell!"
Fireworks lit up the sky, and the palace was brightly lit. Palace servants came out one after another, watching the bridal sedan chair that was suspended in mid-air and gradually disappeared into the distance.
"Your Highness, Princess Mingyue has also been married." In the brocade-filled palace, a maidservant supported the person beside her, and together they looked up at the faint light in the sky.
The person beside her watched silently, their rosy lips slightly parted, but ultimately remained silent.
Wherever the flying sedan chair passed, palace servants knelt and bowed to see it off, shouting loudly.
"Fortunately, Princess Mingyue was sent off to her wedding."
...
The calls to send off guests rose and fell, surging out of the palace like waves.
The Emperor watched the sedan chair slowly fly by, his heart filled with endless emotions. He sighed and said to Ding Yi beside him.
"In the blink of an eye, Mingyue has also married, and I still feel a lot of emotions. Minister Ding, you also have a daughter. Do you Taoist practitioners feel this reluctant to let your daughters go when they marry off?"
Upon hearing this, Ding Yi lowered his head and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty is joking."
The emperor chuckled twice, looked up at the bridal sedan chair flying over the city wall, and narrowed his slightly long eyes.
"Whether Mingyue gets married or not is not a big deal, but on the chessboard, we still need to make moves everywhere... Do you think it's worth it?"
Ding Yi remained largely calm, replying noncommittally, "His Majesty's decisions have always been reasonable."
There is only one moon, but that is the moon in the sky. The moon in the royal palace, of course, can be as many as you want.
The demon clan's wedding procession was outside the palace. Xun Feifei landed and glanced at the sky, her eyes filled with exhaustion. She had finally managed to pick up her bride, but now she still had to wait for all those boxes of dowry.
The bridal sedan chair rested quietly in the night sky, radiating a faint light. A breeze blew, causing the moon-white ribbons to flutter gently, and the curtains were half-rolled up, revealing half of the crimson skirt.
Everyone immediately looked up, but couldn't see anything clearly, and couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.
Of course, if they see it clearly, they'll probably be even more disappointed.
The person in the bridal sedan chair was not Princess Mingyue, but Lin Feiran.
She put down her fan, opened a crack, and looked out. From this height, the myriad lights of Luoyang City were clearly visible, making the nearby Sanqing Mountain appear even more silent and dark.
Perhaps they are now preparing to use the Omnidirectional Compass to find her.
Lin Feiran lowered the curtain and pulled out a jade pendant from her neck, which had a few fine cracks on it.
At that moment, the arrow pierced straight into her heart, with no way to avoid it. At the critical moment, the array on the jade pendant lit up, knocking the arrow tip away by half an inch, only piercing her right shoulder. Immediately afterward, the array in the jade pendant activated, bringing her to the Bright Moon Palace.
This was a birthday gift from her mother. If it weren't for today, she wouldn't have known that the jade pendant had this effect.
But why did it end up in the palace?
Lin Feiran turned to look outside the sedan chair. Countless mountains and rivers of Luoyang City were hidden in the night, but the guiding stone on Sanqing Mountain stood out.
At that time, Zhang Chunhe must have been determined to kill her, otherwise the jade pendant would not have activated on its own.
With a few thuds, the heavy dowry was placed on the carriage. Xun Feifei didn't even bother to count it. After having the things stacked up, she bid farewell to the Emperor.
"The ceremony is complete, the guests have arrived, and we are about to depart. Does Your Majesty have anything else to say?"
The Emperor waved his hand and sighed, "If I say a few more words, I'm afraid I'll have to part with her. Left Envoy Xun, take her away. I believe the demon race will give her the best care."
Xun Feifei nodded: "Of course."
He landed at the front of the procession, clapped his hands, and four adorable little girls flew out from the demon clan's support team. They carried umbrellas and flower wreaths beside the sedan chair. With a whoosh, the flower umbrellas unfolded, and layers of silk vines hung down from the edges, like a dream.
"Raise the sedan chair."
The copper bells rang, and amidst the clear, low calls of several white cranes, the procession slowly departed.
The Human Emperor watched them leave, and after a long while, he sneered, "They are indeed a demon race where everyone is born with spiritual veins; even a mere child can ride the wind."
Ding Yi watched the sedan chair disappear into the distance, his eyes calm, his hands clasped together and hanging down in front of him. He said softly, "Yes."
...
The demon realm and the human realm are separated by an endless sea, which is also the boundary gate between the two realms. After the last great war, the ancestors of the demon race closed the endless sea boundary gate. To enter or leave, one must obtain the consent of the demon capital and obtain an entry and exit permit.
Going to the demon realm is a one-way trip.
Lin Feiran lifted the curtain and looked back. Mountains, cities, and fields all seemed to be moving rapidly backward, just like her vanished past. Suddenly, the waves crashed, and the group had arrived at the endless sea.
In the starlit night, a pale figure sat quietly atop the coastline, the night wind blowing through his wide sleeves. He looked up and his eyes met those of Lin Feiran, who was lifting the curtain.
But it only lasted for a moment.
Upon reaching the Endless Sea, Xun Feifei stopped, gently knocked on the sedan door, and spoke in a clear voice.
"Your Highness, we are about to pass through the Gate of the Endless Sea. Remember not to lift the curtain and look out, or you may be swept into the sea."
Lin Feiran responded.
Xun Feifei nodded, said no more, and simply raised her hand to signal to the others.
Beneath the full moon, the waves roared, and dark blue ripples spread out and crashed back. The water's surface was like a mirror, reflecting a long, ethereal procession and the ever-approaching bridal sedan chair.
"Enter the sea".
A crane's cry rang out, and the damp sea breeze howled across the water. Silence spread across the sea, revealing a thousand miles of luminous light. Threads of light crisscrossed the surface, suddenly making it vast and distant. The sea surface was dotted with stars, like the Milky Way.
The sedan chair plunged into it, and in an instant, the stars shifted, the night dissipated, the Milky Way receded, leaving only blue sky and white clouds.
Separated by an endless sea, the human and demon realms are inverted, with day and night reversed.
The sky was clear and blue, with wispy white clouds. Below was a river as bright as a silver ribbon and a wide meadow covered with unknown flowers and grasses.
A flock of egrets flew past the willow trees, flew to the sedan chair, cawed curiously, and then watched them go into the distance.
After an unknown amount of time, the bridal sedan chair gradually came to a stop, and the fluttering veils also calmed down.
"Your Highness, we have arrived at Lan City, the Demon Capital. Please alight from your sedan chair."
*
The afterglow of the emperor's daughter's marriage at the foot of the mountain was still lingering, and the people were still immersed in the fireworks, while snow continued to fall on the mountain, and it was as cold as winter.
Inside the Tianyuan Hall, Zhang Chunhe sat at the head of the table, with Consort Wei kneeling below him.
He stood straight, his black hair was half-tied up with a bamboo stick, his eyebrows and eyes were like a painting, and his appearance was so beautiful that one could not take their eyes off him at first glance.
Zhang Chunhe sighed, seemingly helpless, but his expression remained calm and composed: "Lin Feiran has escaped, what are you going to do?"
Wei Changzai looked down at the floor, where the dim candlelight cast a cold and lonely glow.
"It's pointless. This disciple never wanted her sword bone."
“But all these years, you’ve never told her about the bone removal.” Zhang Chunhe stood up, swinging his whisk from left to right. “I always thought that you didn’t want to be with her back then.”
Wei Changzai lowered his head, his bangs fluttering at his temples: "Yes, if it weren't for Master's instruction, I wouldn't have been with her."
Zhang Chunhe raised his eyebrows slightly, slowly walked down the steps, and stopped in front of him. The flickering candlelight shone on his face, making it impossible to see his expression.
He said two words meaningfully: "Really?"
Wei Changzai looked up, his dark eyes devoid of emotion, and his thin lips parted slightly: "Really?"
"Why did that arrow miss?"
“This disciple is not skilled enough. The scene was chaotic and there were many people, so I was unable to aim in the snow. Please punish me, Master.”
Zhang Chunhe swung his whisk and slowly paced beside him: "The word 'emotion' has ruined so many of the geniuses of my Daohe Palace. Only by having nothing in one's heart, no emotions in one's heart, and no ego in one's heart can one ascend to the Great Dao. Your talent is exceptional, and I don't want to see you destroy your own foundation."
“We want to take her spirit bones. If we only take without giving anything back, the karmic consequences will be difficult to sever. In order to avoid ruining your Dao heart and to settle this karmic debt, I agreed to the engagement. But now she has refused herself. The karmic debt is settled, and there are no more worries. Besides, she is not a good match. You know that in your heart, don’t you?”
"This disciple will always keep it in mind."
The unspoken meaning was clear to both of them.
Zhang Chunhe said, "You saw it today, the shimmering sword bone, what power it possesses. It's good that she doesn't want to cause trouble anymore, but the spirit bone cannot be released. I will find her and spare her life, so she can still live out the rest of her days in Sanqing Mountain. What do you say?"
Wei Chang's throat moved slightly, his eyes seemed to be churning, but he eventually calmed down, and his voice became much softer.
"...Could you please give me the Myriad Manifestations Compass so that I may search for it?"
This answer seemed to be expected. Zhang Chunhe took out the Myriad Compass and said meaningfully, "I'm giving you this compass, so don't disappoint your master."
"yes."
The hall fell silent instantly.
The lamplight was dim, and Zhang Chunhe's features were mostly hidden in the darkness. He looked at his most beloved disciple, but his slightly yellowish eyes revealed no emotion.
Wei Changzai lowered his eyelashes: "Not a disciple."
"I will keep this in mind."
A cold wind was blowing when a sudden, light knock sounded at the palace gate.
Zhang Chunhe made no move, but Wei Changzai glanced to the side and saw the palace door being pushed open halfway, and a person walking in from outside.
Her black hair was half-tied up, she smiled brightly, a small mole under her lip caught her eye, she wore a straw raincoat that only ordinary people would wear, and held a finely patterned bamboo hat in her hand. Her eyes were full of spring, which was out of place with the cold snow blowing in.
"Oh dear, what's wrong, junior brother? Did you make a mistake?"
He walked over to Wei Changzai with a smile and reached out to help him up: "You can talk while standing."
Wei Changzai shook his head: "Senior brother, there's no need."
The man sighed softly and looked up. Before he could ask why, Zhang Chunhe spoke first: "Chang Ying, when did you come back?"
This man was none other than Zhang Chunhe's eldest disciple, Ji Changying, the senior brother of the Daohe Palace members.
Ji Changying raised his hand in a Daoist salute: "Reporting to Master, I just returned tonight. However, when I entered the mountain gate, I found the Daoist temple in a mess. I wonder what caused this. Should we send someone to clean it up?"
"It's nothing serious, and there's no need to clean it up. A night of snow will cover it all up."
Zhang Chunhe didn't explain much. He simply raised his hand, and an ancient octagonal compass fell into his grasp. He handed it to Wei Changzai and said, "Under the whole heaven, nothing is more than the size of a compass. Even an ant cannot escape its grasp. I'm giving it to you, so don't disappoint your master."
"Thank you, Master."
Wei Changzai kowtowed, rose, and then paid homage to Ji Changying before leaving the main hall.
Watching his retreating figure, Zhang Chunhe slowly closed his eyes and sat down in meditation.
"I just gave the Myriad Compass to Changzai. Tomorrow, you and he will lead people down the mountain to search for her. You must search the entire Taiwu Kingdom to find her."
Ji Changying paused slightly as she brushed the snow from her hand, and asked in confusion, "Who are you looking for?"
"The traitor, Lin Feiran."
A note from the author:
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