It's only because I'm in the mountain.
Zhu Xun and Zhao Hua have been at Chaoyun Mountain for over two months. Zhu Xun spends his days either attending classes or visiting You Youju at Yundi Peak, though he's mostly left to Chao Lan. Zhao Hua is clever and mischievous, with a kind and playful personality, always making everyone on Feihua Peak happy. Si Chuitang dotes on her immensely; in Chu Feishan's words, "Master wishes he could hold his little junior sister in his arms and teach her by hand."
Zhao Hua brought the spiritual fruit given to her by Si Chuitang to find Zhu Xun, hoping to curry favor with him, but as expected, no one was there.
After circling around Zhu Xun's dormitory, she flew towards Yundi Peak without hesitation.
Stepping into the courtyard, I found Chaolan already standing outside the door.
"Zhaohua, A-Xun is not here."
Zhao Hua smiled mischievously: "Are you lying to me! A-Xun isn't in the dormitory or on Beast Taming Peak, so he must be hiding here with you guys!"
Chao Lan smiled helplessly: "It's true, maybe he went to other places on business?"
Zhao Hua looked somewhat dejected: "How could that be? A-Xun doesn't like talking to others. He's usually close to just a few of us. Even in class, he only pretends occasionally. Who would ask him to do anything?"
Upon hearing this, Chaolan's smile faded: "You mean he..."
Before she could finish speaking, Zhaohua stuffed a fruit into Chaolan's mouth: "Here, I specially brought fruit for you and my master. I can't bear to eat it myself!"
Chaolan took the fruit down and urged Zhaohua to leave quickly, because the spiritual energy of Yundi Peak repelled demons, and Zhaohua's prolonged stay would be detrimental to his cultivation.
The day after meeting Zhaohua, Chaolan went to see her and asked what her purpose was in coming to Chaoyun Mountain. Zhaohua said that she had helped Chaolan rescue Qiye, and was therefore wanted by the people of the Demon Palace. She had no choice but to flee to Chaoyun Mountain to seek refuge.
Chao Lan asked in surprise, "Then why can't I sense your demonic aura? You even fooled the elders."
Zhao Hua smiled mysteriously and admitted that he had made a deal with someone and paid a price, cutting his losses to survive. Upon hearing this, Chao Lan felt guilty and promised Zhao Hua that she would keep the matter a secret if she didn't cause trouble.
When asked about Zhu Xun's background, Zhao Hua said that she met him by chance on her way here and decided to keep him company.
After that, Chaolan not only helped Zhaohua conceal the secret, but also frequently gave her pills to stabilize her spiritual power.
You Youju returned from Cangzhoushui looking listless.
He had just learned that the current emperor had passed away.
Logically speaking, the immortal sects shouldn't interfere in such matters, but Chao Lan is, after all, a prince, and should return to participate in the national mourning no matter what.
For You Youju, it was good that the scoundrel emperor was dead, but he just didn't know how to tell Chaolan.
Chao Lan's mother passed away when Chao Lan was thirteen years old. Chao Lan remembers crying uncontrollably at the time. The emperor forbade him to return, not wanting him to neglect his cultivation. According to the rules of Chao Yun Mountain, one should not mourn for mortal relatives for more than one year, but Chao Lan still followed the rules and mourned for his mother for twenty-seven months.
Unfortunately, at that time, I could only accompany him to the funeral from afar before I had to return to the Tree of Cause and Effect.
Although they are called empress and emperor, aren't they also parents to their children?
You Youju thought it over and over. She still wanted to wait until the Crown Prince inherited the throne before telling Chaolan. After all, things were peaceful now, and if Chaolan went back now, there might be unnecessary trouble, since there had been precedents before.
You Youju came to Chaolan's gate, wanting to say something to him, since next month was his birthday, and she wanted to make him happy first.
After knocking on the door several times, Chao Lan was indeed inside, but she did not answer or open the door.
You Youju pushed open the door and entered, walking straight to Chaolan. Seeing the urgent letter from the palace, she realized Chaolan already knew. You Youju frowned deeply. All firsthand information was urgently sent to the sect leader, or at the very least, to the elders. Who could be faster than them, getting it to Chaolan first?
It wasn't until she was enveloped by You Youju's figure that Chaolan seemed to awaken from her dream.
"Master...Master!" Chao Lan was acting strangely, unable to hide the panic on her face. The moment she saw You Youju, she immediately crumpled the letter into a ball and held it in her hand.
You Youju sighed softly, feeling sorry that the child was still worried about his master.
"I already know about your father's affairs. I was planning to wait a few days before telling you, but now that you know, pack your things and go back."
“I…” Chao Lan’s eyes trembled as she looked helplessly at You Youju.
You Youju sensed something was wrong and grabbed Chao Lan's wrist: "Chao Lan? Take a deep breath!"
Immediately, Chao Lan's hands trembled, and he even shook all over due to his overwhelming emotions. He stared blankly at You Youju, his eyes wide open, but there were no tears. His lips were slightly parted, as if he wanted to say something, but You Youju only heard the sound of his teeth clashing.
The pulse beneath his fingers quickened, radiating his unease, which even affected You Youju.
He reached out his other hand and, as always, gently stroked Chao Lan's hair. He knew that it was useless to persuade Chao Lan to calm down now, so he could only slowly transfer some spiritual energy to soothe her.
You Youju realized that Chaolan's expression didn't seem like sadness, but rather fear!
He bent down, trying to keep his eyes level with Chaolan: "What happened, Chaolan? Don't be afraid, tell your master, okay?"
Youju had never seen Chaolan like this before. He reached out to take the culprit that Chaolan was clutching in her hand. What exactly was written in the letter that made Chaolan look like this?
Chao Lan, as if startled by a bow, hid her hands behind her back.
Chao Lan was half a head taller than You Youju. He suddenly stood up, forcing You Youju to take a half step back.
"Master... I want to be alone."
You Youju was taken aback, realizing that she had been too abrupt. Chaolan was no longer a child, and he needed to process such a big matter on his own. There was no need for her to do anything more.
But seeing Chao Lan's distraught state, You Youju couldn't bear it: "Master is here, go back." He turned to leave, but Chao Lan grabbed You Youju: "Master...I don't want to go back. I...I..."
You Youju patted Chaolan on the shoulder: "I understand."
"No! Master, am I being too heartless? After all, he is my father..."
You Youju comforted him, saying, "Why would you think that way? If I were to die and you had a reason to come see me, then finish what you need to do before you come. Or if you don't come, I won't blame you."
Chao Lan shook her head: "Master, please don't say that. If... I mean, if one day I do something that hurts many people, would you kill me?"
You Youju was even more confused, and firmly said, "You wouldn't do such a thing." Then she added, "Then let me ask you, what if this happened to me instead? Would you have no choice but to eliminate the demon and protect the righteous path?"
"Master wouldn't do that."
"Don't mimic my speech."
"....meeting."
You Youju nodded with satisfaction.
"If there is ever a day when I have no other choice, I will follow my master."
You Youju nearly choked on her own blood: "Chaolan, don't let grief cloud your judgment. Get some rest and don't worry about this. If you want to go back, don't hesitate."
After seeing You Youju off, Chaolan nearly collapsed to the ground.
He hadn't mentioned what happened at the palace that day to anyone. Chao Lan walked to the bookshelf, opened the innermost small drawer, where his most precious possessions were kept.
Chao Lan first moved everything off the top, and at the very bottom, she found dozens of letters wrapped in red silk.
The letters were as new as when they were first received. To avoid damaging them, I used magic to unfold and read them. In the early days after arriving at Yundi Peak, when I missed my mother, these letters accompanied me to sleep.
Even when gently unfolded, the warm fragrance of magnolia blossoms can still be smelled.
Suddenly, a wave of bitterness surged from his heart without warning, as if he had suddenly sunk into water. Sadness enveloped and oppressed him, and tears streamed down his face uncontrollably.
In the rush of entering the palace, on the way to the imperial mausoleum after leaving the palace, Chaolan brought magnolia flowers for her mother.
Her evening attire, like a new dress, is adorned in delicate hues; her graceful figure stands tall and elegant in the spring palace.
A faint blush has already appeared on the rosy clouds, so the clear dew is used as fragrant dust.
In Chaolan's heart, there are only two people who can be described with the elegant and fragrant magnolia: her mother and her master.
The Empress Dowager must have loved magnolias very much, otherwise why would she have named herself Chaolan?
Before the mausoleum, not a single flower or tree could be seen.
Aunt Sufang was the Empress's personal maid before her death. After the Empress passed away, she came to guard the mausoleum. When she learned that Chaolan had come, she accepted the bouquet of flowers.
Fifteen years after leaving her mother, Chaolan learned for the first time that the Empress disliked flowers and plants.
"How could that be? Mother clearly mentioned in her letter that she liked magnolia flowers!"
"How could this be? Your Highness is unaware that Her Majesty develops rashes and coughs incessantly whenever she smells pollen. Therefore, Her Majesty dislikes flowers and plants."
"Does Aunt Sufang know where Mother usually keeps my letters?"
"This...this servant does not know. Your Highness, are you perhaps mistaken? This servant has never seen it before."
"Your Highness, please forgive me for speaking out of turn. Your Highness was born to walk the path of immortals, so please do not be greedy for worldly affairs."
......
My thoughts flashed back, and the letter in my hand still felt heavy.
For more than a decade, the only person down the mountain who cared about him was Song Song.
Even though the cycle of reincarnation and karma may repeat itself countless times, the real pain comes from the blows that strike you once you've truly broken free.
Chao Lan couldn't help but think about what had happened in the palace. She had ruthlessly killed that licentious and dissolute Imperial Advisor, the one who had boasted before his death that he would share his life with the Emperor. Now that the Emperor had truly passed away, her elder brother should have inherited the throne, right? Surely he wouldn't be like their father, listening to slander and forcing the people into labor?
Father... I killed Father.
But how could someone like that be a good emperor?
He was always too cowardly and too fragile. Left with no other choice, Chaolan could only force herself to ruminate and process the pain over and over again.
He indirectly murdered his father, which is unforgivable by heaven and earth.
"Chaolan!"
Sensing the unusual atmosphere, You Youju rushed over, while Chao Lan was already caught in a vicious cycle of self-reproach.
You Youju helped him sit up straight and divided his spiritual energy into three streams, channeling it into the three acupoints on his back.
How could this be? Just because that damned emperor died? He left the palace at a young age, yet he still has such deep feelings for it?
You Youju was filled with unease, and a bad answer gradually surfaced: even though Chaolan had consumed so much karma, his five poisons were still not eliminated!
The cause and effect of all things converge upon me, saving me from the arduous process of swallowing my pride and blood; compassion has become a sin.
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