Arrival

The cave was so quiet a falling pin could be heard. It was Tianyan. Her face still bore an unhealthy flush, likely because traces of the Meishen flower poison lingered in her system, and the injury inflicted by Yuchu's final attack before entering the illusion seemed not to have fully healed either. The pale pink court dress was torn at the side, revealing the young woman's fair, translucent, slender waist. After a few breaths of silence, Tianyan smiled faintly. "I trust I am not interrupting the two of you?" Her voice sounded cool and calm—so calm that the instant Xu Yuan heard it, a chill ran down his spine, like the quiet before a storm. Of course, that was merely a figure of speech. After a moment of silence, Xu Yuan looked at Tianyan and replied, "If I said you were, would you leave?" "..." Tightening her hand beneath the sleeve of her gown, the girl curled her eyes in a smile. "No." "Then why bother asking? It's superfluous." Xu Yuan smiled faintly. "You're not interrupting. Have a seat." With that, Xu Yuan lifted a skewer of pork sizzling with fat from above the campfire. "Here, for you. Weren't you craving some too?" "..." Tianyan sneered and did not take it, merely glaring at him in silence. Xu Yuan held the roasted skewer out for several seconds. Seeing that Tianyan still showed no intention of taking it, he had no interest in pampering her temper. Pulling his hand back, he began eating it himself. The porcupine meat had an even mix of fat and lean. Taking a bite, the crisp exterior yielded to tender meat beneath, as the unique tingling aroma of the spices bloomed across his palate. Between bites, Xu Yuan said softly, "Well, if you want some, just help yourself." Saying so, Xu Yuan glanced at Ran Qingmo. "Ran Qingmo, put your sword away." Tianyan kept a grim little face, gathering her palace skirts as she sat down on a large stone off to the side. A heavy silence descended over the cave once more. Ran Qingmo rested her sword flat across her lap, watching Tianyan with wary eyes. Xu Yuan quietly ate his skewer. Tianyan sat nearby, glaring at the two of them with ill intent. By the time one skewer was finished, Xu Yuan wiped the grease from the corner of his lips with a silk handkerchief and glanced at Tianyan with a smile. "Tianyan, how did you track us down here?" Tianyan stared at him, answering with a question of her own, speaking each word deliberately: "Xu Changtian, you don't seem nervous at all." Xu Yuan pondered for a moment, then smiled and countered, "Why should I be nervous? If I were nervous, would you leave?" Hearing this, Tianyan narrowed her lovely eyes slightly. "No." That was twice now. Xu Yuan shrugged with shameless ease. "In that case, what reason do I have to be nervous? Life has to go on. Taking things in stride at least makes living a little less miserable." Tianyan gently bit her lip. Hearing him speak in that familiar tone, using those familiar words, she felt a powerful urge to wring this bastard's neck. Seeing that she remained silent, Xu Yuan paused for a second, glanced toward the cave entrance, and asked in a low voice, "There's no reason you should have been able to find us. I'm guessing you relied on outside help in the end." "Outside help?" Beneath her sleeve, the girl's fist clenched until her knuckles popped. "What outside help?" "Demonic beasts." "Demonic beasts?" Tianyan frowned. "..." Xu Yuan stared at Tianyan for several breaths before speaking softly: "Drop the act. That Ji Qingyue who came to kill me while Ran Qingmo was kidnapping me—that was your Overseeing Heaven Pavilion's doing, wasn't it?" "..." Tianyan remained silent. Xu Yuan shook his head gently. "I originally thought you were just playing the situation to your advantage and manipulating them. Looking at it now, you must be working together. Otherwise, there's no way demonic beasts would help you track us down." Tianyan's chest began to heave slightly. After a long pause, she said softly, "No..." "What?" "I said, we are not cooperating with Guyuan." Tianyan stared at Xu Yuan. Xu Yuan fell silent for a moment, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. "Fine, even if you aren't, it doesn't matter anymore." As he spoke, Xu Yuan picked up another skewer of porcupine meat and handed it to Ran Qingmo beside him, casually adding, "As long as you know what you're doing." Pausing, he turned to Ran Qingmo with a gentle smile. "Here—" "Xu Changtian!" Tianyan seemed unable to endure it any longer. With an angry cry, she sprang to her feet. "What do you mean by that?!" Xu Yuan turned his head, gazing at the young woman before him with surprise in his eyes. Outside the cave, it was quiet and pitch-black. Inside, the flickering firelight illuminated her furious countenance. Xu Yuan asked with a strange expression, "What do you mean?" Tianyan's breath trembled faintly. "What... what do I mean? Xu Changtian, do you really not understand what I mean?!" "Understand? How can I understand if you don't tell me?" "How could you not understand?!" "..." Xu Yuan took a deep breath and raised a hand to rub the bridge of his nose. His thoughts wandered. After a long while, he looked up and said, "Is it because of Yuchu's dream?" "A dream?" An ironic flicker touched Tianyan's eyes, but beneath it lay an unspeakable sorrow. Observing her expression, Xu Yuan pondered briefly before continuing in a low voice, "You're this angry because at the end of the dream, I had Yuchu temporarily trap you?" Tianyan breathed rapidly, but said nothing. For a time, silence fell over the cave once more. Ran Qingmo sat to the side holding her sword, looking between Xu Yuan and Tianyan, at a loss as to what the two were talking about. After a while, Xu Yuan let out a breath and murmured, "So it is." "It is." "Why?" "Why what?" "Wasn't it just a dream? Is there any need for you to be this ang—" *BOOM!* The upheaval struck without warning. A beam of golden light shot past Xu Yuan's head. Source Qi surged as the earth trembled and the mountain shook. A circular tunnel punched clean through the inner cave wall. Through the round opening, one could see the pitch-black sky outside. Drafts of freezing wind blew inward through the breach. Xu Yuan shrank his neck against the cold; he had been less than a fraction of an inch away from death. Gathering his wits, Xu Yuan realized that Ran Qingmo had already stepped in front of him. Seeing this, Tianyan glared at the two of them. "Xu Changtian, the two of you truly are very close, aren't you?" Ran Qingmo ignored her. Turning her head slightly toward Xu Yuan, she said softly, "Tianyan's Meishen flower poison and injuries haven't healed yet. Xu Yuan, call Senior Luo out. We can give it a try." Xu Yuan fell silent for a moment, then patted Ran Qingmo on the shoulder. "It's fine. Step aside for now." "...?" A hint of confusion flickered in Ran Qingmo's eyes. "Don't worry. Trust me." Xu Yuan offered her a faint smile. "..." Witnessing this, Tianyan bristled like an enraged kitten. "Xu Changtian, trust you?! Trust your Seventh-Rank Meridian Tempering strength?!" "I wasn't talking to you." Xu Yuan glanced at her. "..." Tianyan clenched her fists, golden light swirling around her entire body, looking as though the slightest nudge would push her into an uncontrolled frenzy. Ran Qingmo was quiet for a brief moment, but she stepped aside nonetheless. She chose to believe in him. Standing before Tianyan once more, Xu Yuan locked eyes with her furious golden pupils. "I don't know why, but from the look of it, that illusion Yuchu created wasn't merely a dream to you." Pausing, Xu Yuan asked with mild curiosity, "Tianyan, do you remember everything from the illusion?" Tianyan glared at him and sneered, "What business is that of yours?" "If you won't say, then forget it." "..." Tianyan gritted her teeth. Xu Yuan showed not the slightest intention of catering to her mood. At the same time, an immense surge of intent-soul ripples expanded from around his body. Seeing this, Tianyan offered a lukewarm warning: "I suggest you calm down. Right now, you don't have the cultivation you held in the illusion." Xu Yuan nodded and said in a low voice, "I have no intention of fighting you. I only want to show you one thing." With that, Xu Yuan raised his hand. In the blink of an eye, a cherry blossom petal radiating the enchanting, soul-bewitching allure of the Meishen formed in his palm. "You should know very well what this is." At the sight, Tianyan's golden pupils shrank slightly. Meishen Dao Charm. Biting her lip, Tianyan stared at Xu Yuan, enunciating each word: "How... how can you do this?" Xu Yuan shook his head. "I don't know. After waking from the illusion, I just could. I probably comprehended it while inside." Tianyan's delicate nose twitched, and she sniffled faintly. "What are you trying to prove by telling me this?" Xu Yuan shook his head. "I'm not trying to threaten you. I just wanted you to understand one thing, Tianyan: "We can actually speak as equals. At least until the Meishen flower poison in your body is completely purged, I have the standing to speak to you on equal footing." Using the Meishen Dao Charm to detonate the Meishen flower poison and Heavenly Desire aphrodisiac poison within Tianyan, combined with Ran Qingmo and the Saint's remnant soul, Xu Yuan's side held the capital to contend with Tianyan. Tianyan fell silent for a moment. A glistening tear flashed in her lovely eyes; she quickly looked away and sniffled again. "What... what do you want to say?" Xu Yuan looked at her, his gaze earnest. "Can you remember everything from the illusion?" Tianyan did not look at him. Lowering her eyes, she answered softly, "I remember most of it." "Why?" Xu Yuan was genuinely perplexed. "Didn't Yuchu say at the end that the memories in the illusion would fade like a dream?" Tianyan lifted her eyes to glance at him. "You're asking what you already know. Because of my Heavenly Yan divine soul." "Huh?" Xu Yuan blinked, his eyes flickering for a moment before he asked in a low voice, "What is the Heavenly Yan divine soul?" "..." Tianyan stared. Seeing the stunned expression on her small face, Xu Yuan suddenly understood. "I remember asking you about that at the very end of the illusion, but didn't you say you didn't know?" Tianyan ground her teeth. "Back then, I really didn't know." "..." The wind had rustled the blooming peach blossoms, fluttering Yuchu's long hair. Hearing her words, both Xu Yuan and Tianyan had fallen into a brief silence. After a long while, "Is there any way not to forget?" The girl had clenched her fists slightly. Yuchu looked at Tianyan and shook her head with a gentle smile. "There isn't." "..." The girl bit her lip with a delicate canine tooth and reached out, hooking her fingers around the hand of the young man beside her. Feeling the touch against his fingertips, Xu Yuan glanced at her and teased, "What's this? Can't bear to let go already? Didn't you say you wouldn't even if you died—hiss!" Before Xu Yuan could finish, a smooth, tender foot kicked him hard in the shin. Her cheeks flushed pink, the girl fixed her golden eyes on him. "Xu Changtian, do you have a death wish?!" "..." Xu Yuan bared his teeth in pain, yet said nothing more. He reached out to pat the girl's head, then offered her a gentle, warm smile. Having done that, he drew a deep breath and turned to face Yuchu. "Yuchu... will we really forget?" "You really will." Yuchu's tone was helpless yet sincere. "This was an illusion of life and death. By rights, both of you were supposed to die here." "Everything?" Xu Yuan asked. "Not everything. You can think of it as a dream. After waking, you will forget the vast majority, retaining only the impressions that cut deepest into your heart." After two seconds of silence, Xu Yuan turned to Tianyan and asked softly, "Hey, can your Heavenly Yan divine soul keep you from forgetting what happened in this illusion?" Tianyan was quiet for a moment, then shook her head gently. "I don't know." "...Is that so?" With a faint murmur, Xu Yuan lowered his eyes. And this time, he fell silent for a very long while. It felt like an instant, yet also like eternity. When he raised his eyes again, an inscrutable smile touched Xu Yuan's face. It looked self-deprecating, yet carried an unwavering resolve. "Hey..." The girl in the palace dress seemed to realize something and gripped his hand tighter. Xu Yuan paid her no heed. Looking at Yuchu, his voice was utterly calm: "Yuchu, could you grant me a favor? Regarding Tianyan." Yuchu was quiet for a breath, then smiled faintly. "I am about to dissipate. If it is within my power, I will do it." "Good." Xu Yuan nodded. Under the gaze of both women, he spoke in a calm, measured voice: "Yuchu... let me out first." "What?" "Let me out first, and trap Tianyan in this illusion." "..." A flicker of astonishment crossed Yuchu's eyes. "..." Tianyan's lovely eyes went wide, filled to the brim with utter bewilderment. After a second of silence, "Xu... Xu Changtian?" Tianyan looked incredulous for an instant, but then realization dawned. She violently flung Xu Yuan's hand away, glaring at him through gritted teeth: "What do you mean by this?!" "..." Xu Yuan did not look at her. His fist tightened slightly, yet he kept his eyes steadily on Yuchu. "Can you do it?" "Tianyan helped me as well." "You don't need to trap her until she dies. I just need time to escape." The girl's fists were clenched so hard her knuckles turned white, her breathing ragged. "Xu Changtian, you want to trap me here to death?! What... what do you mean by this? You don't trust me?!" Xu Yuan glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. "I trust you. But the person I trust is the you inside this illusion. Besides, once we're out, our relationship will return to how it was in the beginning." Tianyan's fists trembled, tears welling up in her beautiful eyes. "Xu... Xu Changtian... you're a complete bastard!" Xu Yuan looked at her no longer, keeping his gaze on Yuchu. After a prolonged silence, Yuchu nodded gently. "I can do that. But if you attack Tianyan, I will immediately wake her. She helped me, after all." "Thank you." Xu Yuan smiled faintly. Yuchu fell quiet for a moment, glanced at the furious Tianyan, and asked hesitatingly, "Do you need some... um, some time to reminisce together?" "We do," she said through gritted teeth. "No need," his voice was calm. "..." "..." "..." With his thoughts coming full circle, Xu Yuan roughly understood everything now. He looked at the young woman before him, his tone tinged with complicated emotion: "Tianyan, I don't regret the choice I made back then. Even if I had retained my memories just like you, I still wouldn't regret it." The cold wind blew into the cave, forming a draft that swept through the gaping hole in the rock wall and stirred the girl's smooth, long black hair. She stared at him, her lips trembling before she bit down hard. "You... you truly are a bastard." "A bastard?" Xu Yuan murmured the word, looking at her, and shook his head. "Tianyan, let me ask you a question." "What?" "Even if I trusted you, what could we possibly do?" "..." Tianyan fell silent. Xu Yuan gazed at her, enunciating each word with absolute clarity: "Are you capable of betraying the Overseeing Heaven Pavilion? "Or do you expect me "to betray my father?"