Landmine Reopening
Qingyue spotted Su Yuyao and Hu Lingli in the distance, but the two were walking slowly, seemingly going around in circles. Unable to wait any longer, she got up and went to the door to greet them, calling out loudly, "Yao'er!"
"Mother!" Upon hearing Qingyue's call, Su Yuyao quickly lifted her skirt, walked briskly to Qingyue, took Qingyue's hand, and curtsied, saying, "Mother! I should be paying my respects to you, why did you come first?"
Qingyue, who had just been looking displeased, immediately calmed down upon seeing the obedient Su Yuyao before her. She raised her hand to smooth Su Yuyao's hair, only to find it all neatly coiled in a bun. A pang of sadness welled up in her eyes; this child was no longer the disheveled girl she once was. She blinked, suppressing her tears, and asked with concern, "Yao'er, how much suffering have you endured?"
Su Yuyao's eyes flickered, but she immediately put on a smile. "Mother, why do you say that? I haven't suffered at all. I've just grown up!" With that, Su Yuyao helped Qingyue to the main seat and asked directly, "Mother, is there something you need so early?"
Qingyue glanced at the palace gate, and Su Yuyao followed her gaze to Hu Lingli, who was waiting at the door. Hu Lingli understood, bowed, and retreated, closing the palace gate behind her.
Qingyue then turned to Su Yuyao and asked, "Yao'er, although you sealed Zeyuan, killed Hongzhu, and took control of Ruixinjun, Bifang has already escaped, and we don't know whether Chiyanjun, who hasn't shown up for a long time, is friend or foe. There are still many unknown dangers that we cannot predict! What are your plans?"
Su Yuyao took Qingyue's arm and sat down next to her, resting her head in Qingyue's lap and swaying as she said, "Mother, when we came yesterday, you were only busy doting on Miao'er! Today, why don't you dote on your daughter first, but instead question me?"
Anxious, Qingyue sighed helplessly as she watched Su Yuyao playfully whining in her arms. She gently put her arm around Su Yuyao's shoulder and said softly, "Yao'er, your return this time has been fraught with danger. Although the Heavenly Palace is temporarily stable, the Wuji Dao is far from peaceful! The Mother Goddess has lost power, Zeyuan has long lost the hearts of the people, and the Wuji Dao is now unmanaged..."
“Mother,” Su Yuyao looked up at Qingyue’s slightly anxious face and asked calmly, “Isn’t this exactly what you wanted to see?”
The gentle words struck Qingyue's heart like a thunderbolt, making her tremble.
Su Yuyao smiled, glanced down at the hand frozen on her shoulder, slowly sat up, took Qingyue's cold hand in her own, and said softly, "Mother, the mastermind behind this scheme may be Meng Yu."
Qingyue frowned slightly.
Su Yuyao stroked Qingyue's stiff hand and said with a smile, "It seems that Xianmingjun has already told you."
Qingyue was startled. "Yao'er, although Xianming is not young, she is still weak and her cultivation is shallow. She is no match for Meng Yu at all..."
"The secret of the Immortal Mountain was revealed to Meng Yu by Immortal Tea Lord, wasn't it?" Su Yuyao interrupted Qing Yue softly.
Qingyue's body stiffened again.
"If Xianmingjun hadn't had that thought back then, he wouldn't have been used by Mengyu, and some secrets wouldn't have become weapons to attack the Heavenly Palace."
Qingyue calmed herself down and asked in return, "Does Meng Yu think he would give up without the Immortal Tea?"
"No," Su Yuyao replied with a smile.
"Would the situation be better without Xianming?"
"Not necessarily," Su Yuyao replied with a smile.
"If that's the case, why keep harping on Xianming's mistakes?!" Qingyue said, slightly agitated.
“Because, a mistake is a mistake,” Su Yuyao said calmly. “Instead of shamefully shirking responsibility, it’s better to learn to take responsibility for your mistakes, isn’t it, Mother?”
Qingyue's body froze completely! She had only thought that Su Yuyao's feelings would influence Xuanfeng, but she never imagined that the whole world would be controlled by Su Yuyao!
"Mother, you didn't miss it?" Su Yuyao asked with a slight upturn of her lips. "If you hadn't missed it, how could I be here?"
Qingyue's heart suddenly rushed to her throat, stuck in her chest, unable to go up or down.
Su Yuyao calmly looked at Qingyue's shocked and even terrified eyes, slowly lowered her eyelids and continued to stroke Qingyue's cold hand, saying softly, "Mother, the current situation is too complicated to explain in a few words, but with Xuanfeng here, you don't need to worry."
Looking at the unfamiliar Su Yuyao in front of her, Qingyue suppressed her surprise and shock, calmed her mind, and slightly adjusted her Qi to gradually warm her cold fingertips.
“Yao’er,” Qingyue said, her eyes brimming with tears, her voice choked with sobs, “Mother cannot comprehend the hardships you have endured, but Mother knows you must have suffered greatly! Now, with Mother here, Mother can help you!”
Su Yuyao pursed her lips and nodded. She held Qingyue's warm hand tightly, slowly leaned down, and rested her face on Qingyue's palm, trying to find that feeling of dependence and happiness from before, but found that her heart was no longer moved...
The Heavenly Palace was slowly regaining its vitality. The bluestone bricks, corroded by insect mud, bore mottled scars, and the dried-up Heavenly Pool shimmered gently with the nourishment of celestial water. The wolf clan guarded the various palaces and halls, and the palace servants strictly followed Su Yuyao's orders, never venturing out at will. Only errand runners transferred from the Nine Suburbs Hall occasionally passed through to deliver messages. But there were always exceptions!
Xianming, dressed in a long white robe, strolled leisurely along the palace path, glancing disdainfully at the Heavenly Palace, which had survived the calamity. His eyes held not pity, but rather a hint of schadenfreude. He raised his eyelids to look at the Fuguang Palace not far away. Although the palace gates were tightly closed, several errand runners who had come to report had already gathered at the palace gate.
"Hmph, does this Su Yuyao intend to turn the Heavenly Palace into her own territory?" Xianming muttered to herself with a hint of sarcasm.
"Mother..." A faint voice came from the cuff.
Xianming lowered her eyelids and spread her arms, her long sleeves slowly sweeping across her smooth skin down to her elbows, revealing several fresh bloodstains on her forearms. A basket woven from tea leaves was draped across the bloodstains, and inside the basket sat Xuanhe, his face streaked with tears and his body stiff with restraint.
"That old hag is getting more and more ruthless!" Xianming, holding her nose, picked up the basket and glanced casually at Xuanhe, who was holding back tears. "You brat! If it weren't for you, I wouldn't bother with that old hag!"
Xuanhe tucked her small hands into her pockets, tilted her head back, and blinked her bright blue eyes at the stranger in front of her.
He only remembered being handed over from one old woman to another. Although both old women showed him affection and tenderness, he felt extremely uncomfortable with this feeling. The more they showed him kindness, the more frightened he became. He could only cry and look for his mother, crying until the two old women were at their wits' end.
Suddenly, a white light pierced the darkness and rushed into his vision, revealing a chaotic scene before him. He couldn't understand the old woman and the stranger's shouts, nor could he decipher the meaning of their struggle. He only remembered being enveloped by a fragrant green leaf, which finally gave him a sliver of safety…
"Huh?" Xuanhe cautiously pointed to Xianming's chin.
Xianming paused for a moment, then gently tapped her chin with her sleeve, instantly leaving a faint bloodstain on the white cuff. Xianming looked at the cuff and smiled, "You brat, you do know how to care for people."
"Huh?" Xuanhe pointed to the corner of Xianming's eye again.
Xianming then noticed that the corner of her eye was also throbbing slightly.
"Ah!" Xuanhe opened his little arms and stretched them toward Xianming's face.
Xianming paused for a moment, then lifted the basket and brought it closer to her, gently cupping her chin with her chubby, soft little hands.
"Whoosh..." Warm, milky breath sprayed onto Xianming's chin.
Xianming's heart ached, and his vision blurred. He lowered his head, looking at the little figure that resembled Xuanfeng through his shimmering gaze… If I had fought this hard back then, would I have been able to snatch Xuanfeng…? Hah, how could that be? If I had fought this hard back then, perhaps I wouldn't have seen this little guy…
Xianming laughed at his own foolishness. He shook his head helplessly, but tears had already streamed down his face and dripped onto Xuanhe's small hand.
Xuanhe couldn't understand Xianming's complicated expression, but he knew the emotions that tears represented.
“Not bald…” Xuanhe awkwardly began.
"Huh?" Xianming looked at Xuanhe in surprise. "What did you say?"
Xuanhe wiped away Xianming's tears with his chubby little hands. "Not bald."
"Don't...cry?" Xianming asked tentatively.
Xuanhe nodded. "Not bald."
In an instant, a huge boulder lodged in Xianming's heart seemed to be violently blasted away by a surge of molten lava. Long-accumulated grievances, resentment, and hatred exploded along with the boulder, transforming into endless tears that gushed from his eyes! He suddenly lost all strength; he had no strength to resist, no strength to hate. He collapsed to his knees on the ground, clutching the basket, letting the tears flow freely and without restraint.
Xuanhe, sitting in the basket, was startled by Xianming's sudden outburst of tears. He didn't know what he had done wrong, nor what to do next, so he could only grin and start sobbing along with Xianming...
"What are you doing?!" Xuanfeng's angry voice jolted Xianming out of her grief.
Before Xianming could even wipe away her tears, she saw a hand with bulging veins grab the basket in her arms, and in the blink of an eye, the basket was empty!
Xuanfeng frowned, his face full of anger, and carefully examined Xuanhe in his arms. After confirming that Xuanhe was unharmed, he glared at Xianming and said coldly, "Lord Xianming, the maid has already given an order that no one may enter or leave any palace or hall without permission. As an elder, how can you knowingly violate this rule?!"
Xianming glanced at Xuanfeng, whose face was ashen and eyes were icy, but did not argue. Instead, she slowly got up, lightly dusted off her sleeves, and turned to leave.
Xuanfeng glared unhappily at Xianming's retreating figure, then strode towards Fuguang Palace carrying Xuanhe. The errand runners waiting at the palace gate quickly made way for him, afraid of catching a whiff of Xuanfeng's anger.
As soon as Xuanfeng stepped into the palace gate, he was greeted by Su Yuyao and Qingyue, who had rushed over. Although Xuanfeng was angry, he did not lash out. He simply handed Xuanhe to Su Yuyao and said in a low voice, "Xuanhe was just a little frightened and is fine."
Su Yuyao quickly hugged Xuanhe tightly in her arms, and only then did her heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settle down.
“Aunt,” Xuanfeng turned to Qingyue, whose face was full of doubt, and asked in a stiff tone, “Why was Xianmingjun holding Xuanhe and crying outside Fuguang Palace?”
Although Xuanfeng's question was brief, it contained too much information, leaving Qingyue completely bewildered and unsure how to explain it.
Su Yuyao first handed the comforted Xuanhe to Hu Lingli's arms, and then gently explained to Xuanfeng, "Early this morning, Mother Yi sent Granny Guiyue to pick up Xuanhe, saying that she would take a look and then send her back. Who would have thought that it was Xianmingjun who sent her back."
Xuanfeng looked at Qingyue with a skeptical expression, "Aunt, you don't know?"
Su Yuyao hooked her arm around Qingyue's and said with a smile, "Although Mother and Xianmingjun are temporarily staying at the Yinmu Palace, they are not the palace masters after all. How could they know everything about Yinmu's actions? Besides, if Mother knew that Yinmu had taken Xuanhe away, then the person who sent Xuanhe back would definitely be Mother!"
Qingyue secretly breathed a sigh of relief, placed her hand on the back of Su Yuyao's hand, and squeezed it tightly.
Su Yuyao paused, then lowered her voice and said, "Xianmingjun and Empress Yimu have always been at odds. For him to be able to deliver Xuanhe to the gate of Fuguang Palace, he must have gone to great lengths..."
Xuanfeng then recalled the bloodstains on Xianming's forearm and the bruise around her eye. He turned to look in the direction Xianming had left, but that proud yet delicate figure had long since vanished. He sighed softly and was about to turn back when he saw the errand runners gathered in groups at the door, emitting hushed giggles.
"What are you laughing at!" Xuanfeng shouted, frowning.
The errand runners quickly lowered their heads and kept quiet, but their shoulders trembled as they tried to hold it in.
Xuanfeng knew his anger was unjustified, so he awkwardly rubbed his nose and pointed at the errand runners whose shoulders were shaking the most. "You lot! If you can't explain yourself properly later, I'll let you laugh your fill!"
Su Yuyao chuckled to herself, raising an eyebrow to look at Qingyue, only to find Qingyue's face serious and displeased. Su Yuyao immediately stopped smiling, cleared her throat, and the errand runners, hearing Su Yuyao's warning, gradually quieted down.
"Mother," Su Yuyao said softly, taking Qingyue's arm, "Xuanfeng still has things to attend to. Why don't you come with me to the inner courtyard to see Miao'er and Xuanhe? You haven't had a proper look at Xuanhe yet!"
"Yao'er," Qingyue patted Su Yuyao's hand and said softly, "The Heavenly Palace is not yet stable, and the world is still in chaos. I came today only to remind you not to let your guard down! Since you are aware of the situation, I have nothing to worry about!" After saying that, she gently withdrew her arm, lifted her skirt, and chased after Xianming in the direction she had left...
Xianming wandered aimlessly along the palace path. He wiped away his tears, pulled a strand of hair to cover his throbbing eyes, and then flung his sleeve to hide the scratches on his arm. He took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, his mind gradually calming down.
Hmm? A chill gradually spread from the soles of my feet throughout my body!
Xianming adjusted his soaked robe and realized he had stepped into the Heavenly Water! He looked up and saw his solitary figure reflected in a ribbon-like waterfall. He stepped forward and dipped his hand into the shimmering water, the warm water slowly flowing from his fingertips into his heart.
I wonder if Tide Lord is still around...
Xianming suddenly felt sad. Although his feelings for Chaoxi were more about using her than genuine affection, he had still fallen for her. The scratches from the Heavenly Waterfall began to throb again, the pain spreading from his forearm to his chest, then suddenly shooting towards his eyes. Xianming quickly withdrew his hand, bypassed the Heavenly Waterfall, and continued walking forward.
The path underfoot gradually softened, and the original bluestone bricks gradually turned into moist soil, covered with shrubs and grass. Among these shrubs and grass stood the branches and forest that Xuanfeng had created with his Qi field!
How did I get here?
Xianming stopped and looked at the dense forest before her, feeling both gratified and sorrowful. With Yi Mu out of power and Xuanfeng taking over the Heavenly Palace, wasn't this exactly what she wanted? But why did she feel like she had failed, and failed miserably?
Awooo... Waaaaah... The cub's whimpering voice came from deep within the dense forest.
Xianming frowned and carefully stepped into the dense forest, following the direction of the sound. Suddenly, a long, sticky eye peeked out from the bushes and stared right in front of Xianming!
Xianming was startled. Luo Fengyue? What was he doing here?
Luo Fengyue stared intently into Xianming's eyes, her gaze filled with vigilance and threat!
Xianming knew she wasn't well-liked and didn't want to clash with Luo Fengyue, so she wisely took a few steps back. Just as she was about to turn and leave, she heard the cub's whimpering sound coming from behind Luo Fengyue!
The instinct to avoid urged Xianming to leave quickly, but a hint of panic in Luo Fengyue's eyes made him stop in his tracks.
The groans grew louder and louder, and Luo Fengyue became increasingly nervous. He used his seemingly fierce gaze to intimidate Xianming, but he could no longer hide the gradually spreading smell of blood.
Xianming clutched her sleeve to cover her nose, trying to avoid Luo Fengyue's eyes. Seeing this, Luo Fengyue quickly raised her eyes, pouted her wrinkled lips, and spat a mouthful of sticky phlegm right in Xianming's face!
Xianming's eyes sharpened, and a green leaf flashed before him, blocking Luo Fengyue's phlegm. With a flick of his finger, the leaf curled up the phlegm and flung it towards Luo Fengyue's eyes! Luo Fengyue pulled his eyes back, dodging Xianming's counterattack, and then took the opportunity to spit a mouthful of phlegm at Xianming.
Xianming moved lightly, turned around to avoid the sticky phlegm, her white dress fluttered, and her hair fell slightly. Xianming glanced disdainfully at Luo Fengyue, then looked behind Luo Fengyue.
"Huh?! This?!" Xianming stared wide-eyed in horror at everything before her...
Qingyue hurried after Xianming. Although she was worried about Su Yuyao and Xuanfeng, as well as Xuanmiao and Xuanhe, she was more concerned about Xianming's condition. After all, it seemed that no one else cared about him except herself.
"Mother!" Su Yuyao followed closely behind Qingyue and gently advised, "You don't need to worry about Xianmingjun! Although Xianmingjun is still resentful, he is a smart man and won't cause any trouble at this time!"
Qingyue stopped and turned to look at Su Yuyao, saying unhappily, "You're only thinking about whether Xianming will encounter any unexpected trouble, but have you considered that someone might take advantage of this time to harm him?!"
Su Yuyao was taken aback, then lowered her head and replied, "Mother is right, it was my oversight that I didn't think things through."
Qingyue said sternly, "You should know that the Tea God, Master Zhang, was murdered, and Qingjin used this to pressure Mother Yi to take Xianming's life! The situation is chaotic now, and everyone has their own agenda. With your intelligence and wisdom, how could you not have considered Xianming's predicament?!"
“Mother, you’re right, I have indeed thought about it,” Su Yuyao replied, bowing her head. “However, I believe that those people are trying every means to smear Xianmingjun, and their ultimate goal is to weaken Xuanfeng’s reputation and power! But now, Xuanfeng’s power has turned around. If someone were to harm Xianmingjun at this time, wouldn’t it be a loss for them? Even if someone has ill intentions, I will never give them any chance! Please rest assured, Mother!”
Qingyue listened to Su Yuyao's words and said slowly, "It's good that you have a plan in mind. Remember, be careful in everything you do!"
"Yes, Mother! I will send more people and take extra precautions!" Su Yuyao replied solemnly.
Qingyue breathed a sigh of relief and looked in the direction Xianming had left. This was not the way back to the Female Mother Palace. Where did he go?
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