Chapter 67 How Can a Loyal Heart Overcome the General's Resentment? When Fan Yu and Fu Ye arrived...
When Fan Yu and Fu Ye arrived, the Temple of Marriage had burned down to a blackened frame, with a few embers flickering and a pungent, burnt smell filling the air. Xu Weiqing stood like a stone statue before the ruins, clutching something tightly in his hand, his knuckles white. Beside him, Mo Li gazed sadly at the ruins before him, his figure appearing and disappearing in the shadows.
Fan Yu's anger flared, and she strode over, asking, "What's going on? Where is Lord Ren?"
Xu Weiqing abruptly turned his head, his icy gaze piercing straight at Fan Yu. His voice was hoarse as he said, "Dead. Burned to ashes." He opened his hand, revealing a small, charred fragment of jade in his palm—the remains of Ren Yuanshan's cicada crown. "She deceived everyone, and even more so herself. She wasn't the 'great person' you all praised!"
Fan Yu said, "What nonsense are you talking about!" He was so provoked that his veins throbbed, and he was about to throw a punch at Xu Weiqing.
Xu Weiqing just sneered, no longer looking at him, her empty gaze falling back to the scorched earth, her hand tightly holding Mo Li's.
Ignoring the tense atmosphere, Fu Ye's gaze swept across the ruins, as if searching for something. Charred beams, shattered tiles, thick layers of ash... Suddenly, she stopped, crouched down, and carefully brushed aside a small patch of ash with her fingertips. Beneath it lay something thin and black, icy to the touch, radiating an unsettling chill. She picked it up and handed it to Fan Yu, who approached.
Fan Yu frowned as she took it, saying, "What the hell is this?" The icy sensation seemed to seep straight into her bones from her fingertips.
Fu Ye stood up and said, "Found it in the ruins." But her gaze passed over Fan Yu and landed on Feng Xi, who was standing not far away. She seemed a little surprised, and her brows furrowed almost imperceptibly. "This aura is somewhat familiar. It seems like I've encountered it somewhere before."
Fan Yu said, "Familiar? Familiar with what?" He gripped the black thread tightly, the cold feeling making him feel uneasy.
Fu Ye did not answer, but simply shook his head gently.
Suppressing her irritation and doubts, Fan Yu tucked the black thread into her sleeve and said, "Whatever it is, it's a clue! Let's go back to Tiandu first." Before leaving, Fu Ye looked at the group in the distance and nodded in greeting.
As soon as the two left, a group of people who had been watching from a distance for a long time approached. Yan Chao said, "Who are they? The two of them even look somewhat alike."
Yi Shang said, "Those are the Summer God and the Autumn God." He chuckled helplessly, "This Summer God is really something. After all these years, he still gets all righteous and ignores everyone else when something like this happens."
Yan Chao suddenly realized, "So they are two of the four who ascended to immortality from the Xi Shi He Dian sect?"
Yi Shang said, "That's right. Although I ascended later than them, I know their deeds very well."
Back then, only a little over ten years had passed since the end of the Chaos of All Spirits, and the world was in turmoil. Xi Shi He Dian suddenly appeared, and in his lifetime he took in four disciples. Upon ascending to heaven, his four disciples were appointed as the gods of the four seasons.
Spring Goddess He Sheng was cheerful and generous, and extremely popular in the capital. She was exceptionally skilled at brewing wine, and even the gods of the capital who never drank alcohol loved her brew. This was because her wine never made anyone drunk. Whenever a god asked her for a drink, she would generously give him some, but not much. She said, "Wine may not make you drunk, but one should not overindulge, lest one make a mistake."
Even if the priests wanted more, they couldn't find her. She resided in the mortal realm year-round, her whereabouts unpredictable, only returning to the Heavenly Capital when necessary. The quantity of wine was also limited; once it was all delivered, or if one arrived late, they would have to wait until next time. But there was no guarantee of when that next time would come.
Summer God Fan Yu, with his upright and pure nature, was a paragon of "justice" among the priests. He handled his own duties meticulously, and in his spare time, he enthusiastically took care of other matters. No matter how small the task, once he noticed it, nothing was left unattended; his energy seemed inexhaustible. Therefore, some priests often tried to shirk their duties and delegate tasks to him, but he wasn't foolish. He would detect any suspicious activity and make vague excuses, and with the Autumn God's constant reminders, they ultimately failed. Because of his excessive diligence, believers in the mortal realm would go to Summer God's temple to pray for the eradication of laziness if they had lazy children.
Although he acted rashly, he mostly managed matters that were easily overlooked in the midst of busy affairs, which helped resolve some problems. The Emperor didn't criticize him too harshly, only reminding him to act more prudently. He listened, but hadn't changed his ways over the years. The officials also had mixed opinions about him.
Autumn Goddess Fuye was gentle and aloof. She bore a striking resemblance to Fanyu, but her heroic spirit was far more pronounced; those unaware of their relationship mistook them for siblings. During their time cultivating together, Fanyu felt an immediate connection with her, often inviting her to play chess and practice swordsmanship. After his ascension, he sought her out frequently, regarding her as his best friend. Fuye, being prudent and cautious, often reminded Fanyu of important matters, preventing him from committing serious offenses.
She often disguises herself as a farmer and descends to the mortal realm to cultivate the land, constantly monitoring the autumn harvest and collecting various grain seeds to predict the coming year. If someone were to wander through the fields, they might very well encounter a farmer who is none other than the Goddess of Autumn herself.
Winter God Wuchen is a proud and aloof figure, a notorious black-faced deity in the capital. He has a lifelong fear of inanimate objects, and many fearless priests try to scare him with them, only to be soundly beaten. He always wears a cold expression and never smiles, not even towards his fellow disciples, the gods of spring, summer, and autumn. He rarely speaks, but when he does, his voice is incredibly powerful.
Because of his early ascension and high seniority, coupled with his cold and aloof demeanor, the priests were all terrified of him. The most obvious example was that when people were arguing endlessly about someone or something in the Heavenly Palace, the moment he spoke, all fell silent. This very winter god was quite popular among mortals because he protected peace and family reunions.
These four people, with such different personalities, are the most united and are the Emperor's right-hand men.
Yan Chao said, "Their personalities are quite a good match for their divine positions."
Yao Xu looked at Xu Weiqing and Mo Li, who were still standing not far away, guarding the old temple keeper, and asked, "What about the other two?"
Feng Xi said, "Let them go to Wangsheng City." He walked up to the two of them and looked at Mo Li, "Your mind is unstable, you should not stay here any longer. Leave now."
Xu Weiqing said, "I want to go too!"
Feng Xi said, "It's up to you. But you'll have to go back to Tiandu sooner or later, so how long can you stay?"
The two were taken aback upon hearing this, and before Xu Weiqing could speak again, Ade took them away.
Yao Xu said, "Brother, you saw that thing just now, right? This matter is probably not that simple. I need to go back and take a look."
Feng Xi said, "Yes, I also want to go somewhere."
Yi Shang said, "Then I'll go back too! But before I leave, I need to bury this old temple keeper."
Everyone looked at the temple keeper, remaining silent. After he was properly buried, Mi Qing played a requiem for him, and the three of them returned to Tiandu together.
Yan Chao said, "I'll go with you."
Feng Xi said, "Okay."
Tiandu. Summer Temple.
Fan Yu slammed the piece of black spider silk heavily onto the jade table, making a crisp "smack" sound.
Fan Yu said decisively, "That's it! This chilling aura is exactly the same as the residue described in the nightmare case files of children reported from all over the country over the years! When those children were haunted by nightmares, they would occasionally find this thing by their beds or on their windowsills after they woke up! This 'nightmare demon' uses this despicable method to harm people in their dreams! Lord Ren's death is definitely related to it!"
The "Nightmare Demon" that Fan Yu spoke of was none other than Wang Yan Jushi, one of the Ghost Kings. He was occasionally lucid, but often went mad. When he was mad, he would smear his face with ashes and dab his lips with blood, dancing with skeletons and singing with spirits. His favorite trick was to frighten children in their dreams. He was rarely lucid; it was said that he liked to find a secluded and elegant pavilion to enjoy the scenery, drink wine, and play the flute. This was all said by the nameless ghost beside him.
Not long after he became the Ghost King, Nameless appeared. He wore a faceless mask, had no name or surname, and was determined to follow him. Because he was mostly insane, Nameless did many things for him.
Fan Yu grew increasingly angry. He pulled out a booklet from among several volumes on the bookshelf, a booklet specifically recording the Ghost King. He flipped through it quickly, then forcefully poked at a page, saying, "Fu Ye, look here! In the past thirty years, the places where children have been most severely plagued by nightmares, as reported by the human world, are mostly along the old border of the kingdoms of Mu Shu and Jiu Li. Look at these place names: Luo Ying Gorge, Yin Ma River, Duan Hun Slope... all ancient battlefields where the fighting was most fierce! But he has been causing trouble for hundreds of years, and in recent years he has frequently appeared in these places."
He moved his finger down to the section recording the children's accounts, his voice carrying a hint of unease he himself didn't realize: "And these children's descriptions! They say the ghosts in their dreams are sometimes as tall as mountains, with blue faces and fangs that are terrifying; sometimes they look like a general wearing tattered armor?"
Fan Yu looked up, puzzled, and asked, "How can a ghost king look like a general? What was the background of this 'Nightmare Ghost' in his previous life? And what is his relationship with the nameless person beside him?"
Fu Ye didn't immediately look at the dossier in Fan Yu's hand. She remained standing by the window, her gaze fixed on the flowing spiritual clouds outside the hall. When Fan Yu clearly uttered the words "Mu Shu" and "General," the fingertips resting on the window frame twitched extremely subtly, so quickly as to seem like an illusion.
Fan Yu asked, "Fu Ye?" He keenly noticed the unusual moment and walked a few steps to her, looking at her inquisitively. "Did you just think of something again? You said this aura was familiar at the Temple of Marriage."
Fu Ye slowly turned around, her face still calm and serene, but something seemed to flash in her clear eyes, and her gaze towards Fan Yu became complicated. In just a moment, she avoided Fan Yu's stubborn gaze: "Nothing." Her voice was steady, but her speech seemed a little faster than usual. "I just feel that someone who can manipulate dreams so skillfully and hates Tian Du so much must have been no ordinary person in life. He was most likely a person with deep obsessions and wielding power; there must be someone among the priests who has a connection to him. Fan Yu, you must be extremely vigilant when you investigate; don't underestimate him."
Fan Yu stared at Fu Ye's slightly lowered eyelashes, and the oak thorns in her evasive posture made the snowball of doubt in his heart grow bigger and bigger.
Fan Yu was certain that she knew something! But why did her reaction become so strange when "Mu Shu" and "General" were mentioned? Could this elusive Nightmare Demon have some connection to her? Or... to him? This thought flashed through his mind, carrying a strange unease, mixed with the burning desire in his chest to find the real culprit, making him increasingly agitated.
He was thrown into a border military camp from a young age, where he was toughened up and only met with the sounds of iron-fisted bugles and straightforward principles. Family? Father? Those complicated things were too far removed from him, as distant as another world. Time had passed, and all he knew was that he was now the God of Summer, and he had to fulfill his duties. At this moment, he found Fu Ye's unspoken words particularly irritating.
Fan Yu snorted and said, "Underestimating the enemy?" He turned around and strode towards the outside of the hall. "Even if he is the Heavenly King himself who has turned into a ghost, he has to pay the price for harming people! I'll go find the files, and I refuse to believe I can't dig out the truth about this 'Nightmare Ghost'!"
As Fu Ye watched his disappearing figure, the chill from her fingertips reached her heart. A faint trace of worry finally crept onto her usually calm brow.
Fan Yu arrived at Tianyin Pavilion, ignoring the junior priests who came forward to ask questions. He went straight to the bookshelf where the Mu Shu Kingdom of the human world was kept, picked out a book that recorded wars, and focused intently, his eyes like an eagle, carefully reading every word.
The rise and fall of the Mushu Kingdom, its major wars, and the list of its generals... the information was vast. He quickly searched, filtering out irrelevant dynastic changes and trivial political affairs, focusing on the names of generals who had achieved great military exploits but met tragic ends, as well as those related to the wars in the Jiuli Kingdom.
Time passed slowly. Countless names and deeds flowed across the pages: General So-and-so died on the battlefield, Marshal So-and-so retired with honor... Fan Yu's brows furrowed deeper and deeper; nothing seemed particularly suspicious. Had they gone in the wrong direction?
Just as he was about to give up on this lead, his gaze suddenly locked onto a description:
"In the autumn of the twenty-third year of the Zhaoming era, the Jiuli invaded, their army advancing directly towards Luoying Gorge. The Emperor ordered General Quan Shu, the Protector of the Nation, to lead the Quan family army to its aid. General Quan was renowned as the 'Jade-Faced Rakshasa' and the 'Stone of Mushu,' deeply loved by the soldiers and civilians. However, this battle was fraught with peril..."
Fan Yu's eyes lit up, and she immediately focused on reading. However, the following account became vague and ambiguous, only mentioning that the Quan family army was ambushed by the main force of Jiu Li, fought a bloody battle for several days, and was ultimately outnumbered and almost completely wiped out at Luoying Gorge. General Quan himself was missing.
Fan Yu pondered these four words, feeling that something was amiss. A general whose fame was widespread and who was deeply loved by the people suffered a crushing defeat, and all he got in return was a dismissive "his whereabouts unknown"?
He wanted to know more, so he used magic to access secrets. A minor priest noticed something was wrong and immediately spoke up to stop him, saying, "Lord Xia, you mustn't!"
Fan Yu pushed it away with one hand. Suddenly, light flashed on the page, and a string of hastily written words appeared:
"The Jiuli Army seemed to have known our movements beforehand... The ambush troops at Luoying Gorge all came out... General Quan fought bravely and refused to retreat, but... the poison took effect... He was trapped deep in the encirclement, and all his personal guards perished... The general roared in anger: 'A general should die on the battlefield in glory, and submit to the clear justice! Heaven is unjust!' Finally, he exhausted his strength... and died..."
boom!
It was as if a thunderbolt had exploded in Fan Yu's mind!
Poisoning? General Quan died from poisoning? Not from fighting? This isn't a normal battle report! It's clearly...
A chill ran down his spine. He suppressed his racing emotions and searched deeper. This time, it wasn't a battle report, but several secret letters exchanged. The signatures on the letters pierced Fan Yu's eyes!
Du Zhengsi.
That's his father's name!
"The Quan family army has become too powerful to control, and their achievements threaten the master's authority. We should use Jiu Li to eliminate them..."
"He has already been afflicted by the 'Heart-Corroding' curse, and his age of twenty is fast approaching. The battlefield will become his burial ground..."
"We must ensure that no one survives, to avoid future trouble..."
Fan Yu's face turned deathly pale instantly. His hand, holding the file, trembled violently, his knuckles cracking from the force. His father, whom he vaguely remembered as strict yet doting? Colluding with the enemy? Framed a loyal official? Poisoned? Silencing him?
"puff--"
A mouthful of blood spurted from Fan Yu's mouth. His vision blurred, and he swayed, managing to stay upright by grabbing the support frame. He murmured in a daze, "No...impossible...how could this be..."
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