Success at Last

This substantial progress was what he had bought by placing himself in grave danger again and again. Only he truly understood the hardship it had entailed. After completing his third circulatory cycle, He Lingchuan slowly withdrew his power. He opened his eyes and was about to get up to find some water when the soul-snatching mirror suddenly yelled, "Hey, hey! Look at the sky, quick!" The sky? The window had been left open; He Lingchuan bounded out and tilted his head back. "What is it?" "The Tianluo Star has lit up!" The mirror's voice turned high and shrill. "Aha ha ha ha! The tenth star of the Northern Dipper—it's glowing, it's glowing!" He Lingchuan first located the nine stars of the Northern Dipper, then counted again. Sure enough, ten stars were glittering in the sky. Northwest of the Tianshu Star, an extra star shone brightly. Before He Lingchuan could get a closer look, it went dark. "Huh?" Holding his breath, he waited. Could the people Li Qingge sent be that unreliable? They had taken more than twenty days—already way behind schedule—and now it only flashed once? What if the Heavenly Palace hadn't noticed? Wouldn't all that effort have been like winking at the blind? Fortunately, after a quarter of an hour or so, the star lit up once more. "The people sent by the Master of Songyang Mansion finally reached Wange Marsh!" the soul-snatching mirror howled with delight. "You're safe!" Which meant it was safe too. Hurrah! All these days, it had been living in constant terror alongside its master. Looking at the twinkling star, He Lingchuan breathed a long sigh of relief, a massive weight finally dropping from his chest. As soon as he arrived in Lingxu City, he had asked Li Qingge to send people to take the latest version of the Dragon-Torture Pillar to a small kingdom northwest of Beijia and test it out in Wange Marsh. It was the latest item produced by the Dafang Pot and "very likely" bore its aura. He Lingchuan had hoped it would divert the celestial gods' attention, as he had been suffocating under their surveillance back then. Now that he had passed the Dharma Eye's test, the celestial gods and the Demon Emperor should have lost whatever interest they had in him. With the Tianluo Star flashing anomalously again and the divine artifact indicating a location out in Wange Marsh, he and Fu Shanyue should be completely cleared of suspicion. Well, late help was still help. "I hope this works," He Lingchuan muttered. His upcoming moves were critical; he could not afford to draw the celestial gods' gaze ever again. *** That evening, the toll of a bell echoed across Tianshu Peak. By the time Bai Ziqi hurried to Zhaixing Tower, Chief Duyun Emissary was already standing bowed before the Celestial Book. "What is it?" Chief Duyun Emissary pointed toward the stars in the night sky. "See for yourself." Bai Ziqi looked up, his expression turning solemn. "The Tianluo Star is lit... Where does the divine relic point?" Chief Duyun Emissary extended the tip of his staff and lightly tapped the sand table. "Here." "Ju Kingdom?" Bai Ziqi's voice was full of shock. "How could it be outside Beijia's borders?" He had thought... "It seems your original line of inquiry was mistaken," Chief Duyun Emissary said in a heavy voice. "This is Ju Kingdom. Going by the area shown by the divine relic, the Dafang Pot has surfaced around the Wange Forest and Wange Marsh region. Have you ever been there?" Bai Ziqi nodded. "I traveled there in my youth, though that was twenty years ago. Wange Marsh sees few travelers, but there are several towns around Wange Forest that deal primarily in forest goods. A few of those towns also link the north and south, serving as major trade routes." He paused. "Shall I go investigate?" Chief Duyun Emissary shook his head. "By the celestial gods' decree, you are to remain in Lingxu to continue investigating the case of the elixir of immortality. We will dispatch someone else to Wange Marsh." "Understood." Bai Ziqi stared at the sand table, reluctant to let it go. "When did the Tianluo Star light up?" "At the beginning of the Xu hour, around seven in the evening. It flickers and fades." Chief Duyun Emissary knew Bai Ziqi well; seeing his expression, he asked, "Have you made any progress investigating the Chiyan Crown Prince and his envoy?" Bai Ziqi shook his head. "None." "Celestial God Miaozhantian also tested that He youth with the touchstone, and nothing was amiss." Bai Ziqi immediately replied, "My judgment was flawed. I submit to punishment." Celestial God Miaozhantian's divine power was boundless, and the touchstone never erred. A vast amount of divine power had been squandered on a single youth purely because of Bai Ziqi's insistence. In the end, a complication had even arisen, preventing them from testing Fu Shanyue. Chief Duyun Emissary intended to remind Bai Ziqi that He Xiao had passed the touchstone test and been proven clean. Now that the Tianluo Star had lit up for a third time, indicating the Dafang Pot was thousands of li away, there was even less reason for the Heavenly Palace to waste manpower and effort on Fu Shanyue and He Xiao. "There is no need to investigate either of them further," Chief Duyun Emissary said. "Inform Fan Long as well." "Understood," Bai Ziqi answered with a quiet sigh. Even the best horse stumbled; his instincts were not infallible. So be it. *** That same night, Hong Chenglüe arrived at the Autumn Palace. The Autumn Palace sat on the shore of Frost Lake. Hong Chenglüe followed a small path enclosed by verdant trees. A first-time visitor passing by the lake would likely never notice this secluded trail. Moving forward another dozen zhang, light appeared. It was a two-story pavilion built beside an eddying bay. An old osmanthus at the entrance gave off a sweet fragrance, and a few tuberoses swayed in the breeze by the lotus pond. The courtyard was quite simple: square paving stones, a fish tank, and an ancient maple gracefully swaying, its branches twisting like claws, adorned with blood-red foliage. National Preceptor Shuangye sat in a bamboo chair in the courtyard, looking up at the sky. Hearing Hong Chenglüe arrive, he did not turn his head, merely pointing toward a chair beside him. "Sit." Hong Chenglüe sat down at once. Coming from a military background, his posture was as upright as a bronze bell, standing in stark contrast to the National Preceptor's leisurely nonchalance. "National Preceptor, you summoned me?" National Preceptor Shuangye did not answer immediately. Instead, he rested his head on his hands and mused leisurely, "When I was young, there was a red maple just like this near my dwelling. I had no playmates, and my mother could not keep me company. Year after year, I would often sit under the maple tree just like this, gazing up at the night sky." Was the National Preceptor explaining why he took 'Shuangye'—Frost Leaf—as his title? Hong Chenglüe held his tongue. National Preceptor Shuangye asked, "What about you when you were young?" "I was an orphan," Hong Chenglüe replied expressionlessly. "Only A-Jin was with me as I grew up." "Right, you were an orphan. Why do I keep forgetting?" National Preceptor Shuangye sighed and pointed toward the heavens. "Do you see anything different up there?" Hong Chenglüe looked up. The night sky was vast, filled with brilliant stars. He was unfamiliar with astrology. After watching for a while, apart from a few prominent stars, he could spot nothing out of the ordinary. "Forgive me, I do not." National Preceptor Shuangye pointed higher into the sky. "Do you recognize the stars of the Northern Dipper?" "I do." "Count them. How many are there?" Hong Chenglüe counted, surprise showing on his face. "Nine... No, ten? Huh, why has the Tianluo Star lit up?" He knew the Tianluo Star burned steadily every autumn and winter, but never flickered like this. "In truth, the Tianluo Star has already lit up unexpectedly twice this year, putting the Heavenly Palace on edge," National Preceptor Shuangye said slowly. "I'm told that around the time I was born, it often flickered without warning. Do you know what major events took place back then?" The National Preceptor had been born roughly a hundred and fifty or sixty years ago. Hong Chenglüe searched his memory. "The Baiyu Port Riot?" "Correct. Beijia failed to suppress it immediately back then, allowing the rift to grow wider and wider. Meanwhile in the west, Panlong City rose under Zhong Shengguang's rule, very nearly becoming too entrenched to be brought to heel." National Preceptor Shuangye smiled faintly. "Hence, unusual flickers from the Tianluo Star are often seen as an omen of impending chaos." Hong Chenglüe stared at the Tianluo Star. "Is chaos brewing once more?" "Why wouldn't it be?" National Preceptor Shuangye glanced at him. "A chaotic age is precisely when military talents like you can display their prowess. I previously petitioned the Emperor for your deployment to the east, and he has finally granted approval. The transfer orders and command tally will arrive shortly. In fifteen days, you may depart." Overjoyed, Hong Chenglüe stood up and bowed deeply to him. "Thank you, National Preceptor!" Having only recently returned to Beijia, his past achievements no longer counted; he urgently needed several great victories to cement his position. Yet Beijia saw few conflicts, making military merits hard to come by. Second Fan had been blessed in disguise by being reassigned to the front lines after his misdeeds, making countless people green with envy. Now his turn had finally come. National Preceptor Shuangye had spared no effort on his behalf. "Perform well," National Preceptor Shuangye admonished. "The battles in the east will not be easy." Everything was finally returning to a familiar track, yet Hong Chenglüe's heart was a tangle of mixed emotions. The opportunity to rise again was here, but A-Jin was gone. "My Lord, I would like to borrow an item from you." *** The next day, a guest paid a visit to Pianxiang Villa. The man wore a blue robe, and a faint smile seemed forever perched in his eyes. When He Lingchuan saw him, he was genuinely surprised. "Mr. Fang?" Wasn't this Fang Canran, the head manager of the Jinjiao clan? Though He Lingchuan had asked Old Ge to dig into his background, nothing useful had turned up. Caught up in his own busy affairs lately, he had pushed the man to the back of his mind. He hadn't expected the man to come looking for him of his own accord. Fang Canran set down his teacup, rose, and clasped his fists. "Young Master He, it's only been half a month since we last saw each other, yet you and the Chiyan Crown Prince have become the talk of all Lingxu City." Recently, the Chiyan people had been in the limelight across Lingxu City: first relentlessly pursuing the elixir of immortality case, then surviving two earth-shattering ambushes, followed by the Emperor personally granting a residence in apology and dispatching the Tongxin Guard to surround and protect the Crown Prince's lodgings. It had been a long time since anyone else had enjoyed such distinguished honors. "What are you talking about, Mr. Fang?" He Lingchuan forced a bitter smile. "All we've done is endure half a month of terror and sleepless nights." "To me, your complexion looks wonderful, Young Master He, and fortune clearly smiles on you. As for the elixir of immortality case, the truth will come to light sooner or later, so there is no need to trouble your mind over it excessively." After offering a few pleasantries, Fang Canran turned to business. "My visit today is to deliver an item to you." With that, he drew a box from his robes. Following his movement, He Lingchuan's gaze fell once more upon the signet ring on his finger. Inside the opened box lay a leather drum, larger than the sesame flatbreads He Lingchuan usually ate. The leather drum seemed to have some age to it, its drumhead aged to a pale yellow, but upon it were painted mountains, waters, dense forests, and a moon. Landscape paintings were common enough, and adding a moon was hardly unusual. But to paint such dense woods nestled among mountains with such vivid detail—as though the leaves would rustle at a gust of wind and mushrooms would sprout from the earth—was something He Lingchuan had never seen before. Tucked between the mountainside and the forest, a two-courtyard compound was also depicted. Before the house stood a fence, a roller, tables, and chairs; behind it lay a water well. Under the eaves hung a long string—whether of chili peppers or firecrackers, it was hard to say. This no longer resembled a simple landscape; it looked like meticulous court painting. "What is this?" He Lingchuan had never seen it before, yet had a vague inkling. "A sealed dreamscape."