A Decade of Nightscape Lights

Over a month later, under the horrified gaze of Old Madam Ning, the esteemed Sect Leader Mu cheerfully served tea, received red envelopes, and affectionately called her "grandmother" several times. He finally bid farewell to the Cai Family with great delight—just before Old Madam Ning fainted—forming a stark contrast to the ashen face of the third young master of the Song family, who had come to fetch his father.

On one side, there was the tragedy of brothers turning against each other, a family misfortune, and who knew how many Songs would die when the time came to restore order and reclaim the family leadership. On the other side, there was the radiant joy of a man blessed with good fortune— "How much sorrow can one bear? When the hero departs, may he never return."

Fearing that this scoundrel might provoke the Song father and son into an early grave, Cai Zhao, suppressing her reluctance, hastily dragged Sect Leader Mu out the door. Before leaving, the members of the Green Bamboo Gang once again tearfully saw them off.

When the group arrived at the Vast Sea Mountain Range, they passed by the Vermilion Bird Altar and found it adorned with lanterns and banners, the atmosphere as lively as a village tycoon hosting a grand feast. Cai Zhao assumed You Guanyue had arranged such a lavish display to welcome her, and feeling immensely pleased, she immediately put on the airs of a bewitching consort, urging Mu Qingyan to promote You Guanyue to an elder or some such position for his thoughtfulness.

Mu Qingyan: "He was promoted long ago. But You Guanyue has many old comrades at the Vermilion Bird Altar, and they wanted to celebrate for him. Though it’s not for his promotion—it’s for his marriage. You Guanyue is marrying Xing Er."

After returning from Nine Conch Mountain, whether it was the enlightenment of surviving a near-death experience or Shangguan Haonan’s earnest vow of "Should anything happen to you, I will care for your wife," You Guanyue proposed to Xing Er as soon as they returned. Xing Er laughed until tears streamed down her face and accepted without hesitation.

Cai Zhao wanted to ask Xing Er if she truly wished to marry You Guanyue, but first, she was nearly blinded by the dazzling array of brocades and jewels piled in her room. "How much dowry has You Guanyue saved up for you?" she marveled, her heart racing as she lifted a golden phoenix hairpin weighing over half a pound, its enormous wings studded with countless gemstones.

"He’s not afraid of breaking your neck with this. By the way, why did You Guanyue suddenly decide to marry you? Wasn’t he adamant about finding you a virtuous and capable man to entrust your future to?"

Xing Er blushed to the tips of her ears, twisting her handkerchief into a knot. "...He said that only when faced with life and death did he realize he could never bear to entrust me to anyone else. He trusts no one but himself to care for me."

After a pause, she added emphatically, "Especially not those philanderers with three wives and four concubines!"

The implication was too obvious. Cai Zhao snorted, then asked, "So You Guanyue finally came around. But what if he never had? What would you have done?"

"...In the past, our circumstances were very difficult. But no matter how much hardship he endured outside, he always comforted me when he returned, telling me not to worry, that he would handle everything. Since childhood, there’s never been anyone else in my heart but him. If he’s willing to marry me, that’s wonderful. If he never came around, then I wouldn’t marry anyone else—I’d serve him for the rest of my life." Though Xing Er’s voice was soft, her tone was resolute.

Lost in thought, Cai Zhao removed the twin pearl-and-jade bracelets gifted by Cai Pingshu and offered them to Xing Er as additional dowry. Xing Er recoiled in shock, waving her hands in refusal.

"You deserve them," Cai Zhao insisted, slipping the bracelets onto her wrists herself. "My aunt would have liked you too."

When she returned to Mu Qingyan, Cai Zhao was still moved. "May all lovers under heaven be like them—though they endure trials and hardships, may they eventually find sweetness in bitterness and enjoy a blissful union."Mu Qingyan rolled his eyes, finding fault even in a stone crevice: "Aren't we the same? Who has endured more hardships and tribulations than us? Why envy others?"

Cai Zhao: "Ah, yes yes yes, you're absolutely right."

Unexpectedly, Mu Qingyan's thoughts took a turn, and he laughed, "But you're right too—we're different from others. Their bitterness ends in sweetness, while you and I have always been heart-to-heart, forever sweet, never bitter." His smile was as radiant as spring blossoms, dazzling and bright.

Cai Zhao: "..." Whatever makes you happy.

Mu Qingyan's happiness didn't last long before he proposed taking Cai Zhao to see a place.

The two headed toward the back mountain. Cai Zhao found the path familiar. "This is the way to your ancestral burial grounds. Are you missing your father again? I don’t mind accompanying you to pay respects to Uncle Mu, but today is You Guanyue and Xing Er’s big day. With all the clamor of gongs and drums down the mountain, what exactly do you plan to say to your father?"

"Not to pay respects to my father. You’ll see when we get there." Mu Qingyan walked on, displeased. "...What kind of spectacle is You Guanyue making? When you and I marry, it’ll be ten times livelier. I’ll have the entire mountainside bathed in red, glowing brilliantly!"

"Fine, fine, but..." Cai Zhao took a deep breath and cautiously added, "Let’s not go overboard, okay?"

Mu Qingyan narrowed his eyes: "What are you scheming now?"

Cai Zhao grimaced: "My parents are, after all, the masters of Fallen Blossom Valley. For them to come to the Demonic Cult’s headquarters to marry off their daughter... it’s a bit inappropriate."

Mu Qingyan’s mind raced, and he immediately countered: "Then we’ll hold the wedding at Fallen Blossom Valley. Let the townsfolk join in the celebration."

"What if people later accuse Fallen Blossom Valley of colluding with the Demonic Cult and use it as an excuse to stir trouble?"

"Then we’ll hold it at Jade Pendant Mountain Manor. Lin Shu saved Zhou Zhixian’s life—the Zhou family owes us that much face."

"Getting married at your ex-fiancé’s home? Sect Leader Mu, you’re truly a genius."

"Fine, we’ll hold it at Vast Heaven Gate. It’s spacious, and the halls are grand. Since you keep insisting Song Yuzhi is like a brother to you, it’s perfect—consider it Song Yuzhi marrying off his sister!" His tone was clearly petulant.

"...Please spare Third Senior Brother."

On the day Song Yuzhi departed, he seemed to have much to say to Cai Zhao. But with Mu Qingyan hovering nearby, grumbling and glaring, Song Yuzhi ultimately said nothing except, "Take care, Junior Sister. Until we meet again."

Mu Qingyan: The last four words could’ve been omitted.

Cai Zhao was a little worried about Song Yuzhi. "Sigh, Third Senior Brother went to settle his family’s disputes. I wonder if it’s going smoothly."

Mu Qingyan’s tone turned sarcastic: "As I said, out of respect for our shared hardships, our sect could’ve lent Song Yuzhi full support. But he flatly refused, so he’s on his own. Ah, we’re here!"

Ahead lay the Mu Clan's Forbidden Burial Grounds.

Cai Zhao was puzzled. "Isn’t this your family’s forbidden tomb? And you said we weren’t here to pay respects to your father?" Even if you’re feeling bitter on someone else’s happy day, must you vent at your father’s grave?

"Truly not. I’m taking you to see someone else—Mu Zhengyang."

Outside the cavern, it was cold and eerie, the forest dark and gloomy. Inside, however, it was surprisingly dry and temperate.

Last time, Cai Zhao had fled in such a panic that she hadn’t noticed the cavern’s layout. Now, Mu Qingyan led her through two identical tunnels before stopping before Mu Zhengyang’s skeletal remains.Since Mu Qingyan discovered this twin cave, he had forbidden anyone from the sect to approach it. Mu Zhengyang's skeletal remains still maintained a half-sitting posture against the cave wall.

"Is this... Mu Zhengyang?" Cai Zhao couldn't quite believe it. The man who had ruined half of her aunt's life, the one who once stirred a sea of bloodshed, had lain silently in this desolate black cave for over a decade.

Mu Qingyan confirmed it, pointing to the Mystic Iron armor and the fatal fractures on the bones. "Here, here, and here—these were undoubtedly caused by the Bright Sun Blade."

Cai Zhao murmured blankly, "When I heard Auntie personally tell Master that she had killed Mu Zhengyang, I secretly doubted it. I wondered if Auntie might have softened and secretly imprisoned him somewhere instead. But Master firmly denied it. He said Auntie wasn’t that kind of person—since Mu Zhengyang had caused the deaths of heroes like Kong Danqing and the others, Auntie would never spare him. If she said she killed him, then she truly did."

"Master said... that Auntie wasn’t some ordinary woman who couldn’t distinguish right from wrong, trapped in love. Some things in this world are far more important than romance."

Mu Qingyan was silent for a moment. "Perhaps Qi Yunke is the one who understood your aunt best in this world. If Mu Zhengyang had realized this sooner, he would never have acted first and sought forgiveness later, thinking that even if his vile schemes were exposed, he could still coax her back."

"How could he do this?!" Tears streamed down Cai Zhao’s cheeks as she thought of her aunt’s frail and desolate state. She sobbed uncontrollably. "My aunt was such a good person—how could Mu Zhengyang harm and use her like this?! Auntie treated everyone with absolute sincerity. When she realized it was the man she loved who had killed the brothers hidden across the land, how heartbroken and guilty she must have felt! How could Mu Zhengyang be so heartless, so cold and cruel? Did he... did he have no heart at all?"

Mu Qingyan pulled the girl into his arms, gently patting her back. He kissed the top of her soft hair. "Actually, I don’t think Mu Zhengyang was entirely without feelings for your aunt."

Cai Zhao sniffled. "How would you know?"

Mu Qingyan bent down, shaping his hand into a blade and miming a slash toward the skeleton, then twisting his wrist. "This should be the final move of your aunt’s 'Gale Riving Clear Sky Saber Technique'—'Wind Howls, Water Chills,' right?"

Cai Zhao wiped her nose. "Mhm."

Through her tear-blurred vision, a few lines from her aunt’s journal surfaced in her mind—

[When I first obtained the treasured blade 'Bright Sun,' I was overjoyed.

The following month, as I passed by a calm river, I suddenly gained enlightenment on a clear, breezy day. I drew my blade and danced with it.

As the blade rose, a fierce gale swept across the river, splitting the clear sky and the blazing sun. Sand and stones flew, unstoppable in its force—thus, I named it the 'Gale Riving Clear Sky Saber Technique.']

"'Wind Howls, Water Chills' must be a mutual destruction technique," Mu Qingyan said. He had seen Cai Zhao practice this move many times and had heard her speak of its origins—this strike wasn’t part of Cai Pingshu’s original saber technique but was created later.

Though Cai Pingshu had lost her family young and lived under others' roofs, she was exceptionally talented, encountered many fortuitous opportunities, and had a bright and open nature. After stepping into the Martial World, she had rarely suffered true hardship. Unless the situation had become utterly dire, she would never have devised such a mutually destructive move.

When she swung this blade at her former lover, Mu Zhengyang, it was clear she had resolved to perish together with him."The martial arts passed down through the Mu family aren't mere decorations. Even if Mu Zhengyang was a fool who didn't master his skills, he shouldn't have been completely defenseless." Mu Qingyan pointed to the sleeves of the skeletal remains.

The finest woven silk still faintly shimmered with golden threads after more than a decade, revealing terrifying slash marks torn by blade winds on the sleeves. This indicated Mu Zhengyang must have engaged in combat with Cai Pingshu before his death. Yet neither the arm bones nor the fabric showed the decisive downward-slanting blade marks, proving Mu Zhengyang hadn't resisted when Cai Pingshu executed the "Wind Mourns, Water Chills" technique.

"If we say Mu Zhengyang resisted with his Inner Force or used hidden weapons, your aunt didn't sustain serious injuries," Mu Qingyan slowly stood up. "Calculating from when Kong Danqing was found dead to the Battle of Tu Mountain..."

"No need to calculate. Aunt did ascend Tu Mountain shortly after slaying Mu Zhengyang," Cai Zhao said. "While confined in Azure Tower Sect's back mountains, Master often visited to share stories about Aunt's past."

—Mu Zhengyang's martial arts were certainly no decoration.

According to Qi Yunke's account, that 'Young Master Yang' possessed rare natural talent and physique, though for unknown reasons, his foundation hadn't been properly established in childhood, leaving significant deficiencies. Despite this, among all people Qi Yunke had encountered, this 'Young Master Yang' remained virtually unmatched.

Mu Qingyan said coldly, "Qi Yunke hated Mu Zhengyang most. His repeated mentions were warnings for you to stay away from me."

Cai Zhao sighed, "You're like a hedgehog—every word makes you suspect others mean harm."

Ignoring him, she continued, "...Mother said that year Aunt returned deathly pale, telling Master she'd slain that traitorous 'Young Master Yang.' Soon after, Aunt engaged Nie Hengcheng in their final battle. Aunt never believed in certain victory against Nie Hengcheng—had she been severely injured, she'd never have gone to Tu Mountain."

Since her youth roaming the Martial World, Cai Pingshu never believed in nonsense like 'willpower conquers all.' Fighting seriously wounded would've been suicidal.

"So... Mu Zhengyang didn't fight back?" Cai Zhao suddenly realized—when Cai Pingshu disregarded her own safety to kill him, had Mu Zhengyang counterattacked fiercely, she'd have died or been gravely wounded.

"Or perhaps he hesitated momentarily, but..." Mu Qingyan added.

Cai Zhao completed, "But Aunt's blade struck decisively, and Mu Zhengyang died from that momentary hesitation?"

—In either scenario, Mu Zhengyang must have felt some reluctance. Or perhaps... guilt?

"If he knew how despicable his actions were, why did he do them?!" Cai Zhao fumed. "Seeking revenge is one thing, but obsessing over power and wealth—how many has he killed along the way!"

Mu Qingyan said quietly, "Perhaps a single thought turned him Demon. Regret came too late."

After a long silence leaning against each other, Mu Qingyan asked, "How will you handle Mu Zhengyang's remains? Scatter them to the winds?"

Cai Zhao looked lost. "He killed Aunt and many others... but Aunt killed him too. You decide."

Mu Qingyan nodded. "Then I'll bury him beside Father. I think Father would want that."

Curious, Cai Zhao asked, "Mu Zhengyang wanted to use you for demonic cultivation. Don't you hate him at all?"Mu Qingyan remained silent for a long time before pointing at the skeletal remains. "He lived in the mire of humiliation for fifteen years, trampled upon yet never yielding. At that time, Nie Hengcheng's influence was overwhelming and unshakable, yet he managed to find a tiny crack to drive in a wedge, gradually loosening Nie Hengcheng's foundation. Though his schemes ultimately fell short, he could still be considered a formidable figure of his era."

"In the end, Nie Hengcheng must have realized he had practiced the wrong technique and was on the verge of demonic possession, but he didn't know how to remedy it. He accidentally killed his most beloved disciple—during lucid moments, he must have been tormented by regret. The reason he secluded himself in Tu Mountain was likely to avoid harming other disciples and followers when his madness struck. His final days must have been filled with utter despair and sorrow."

"In the end, Mu Zhengyang's revenge succeeded. Nie Hengcheng was ungrateful, scheming in the shadows, and destroyed two generations of my family. My father was kind-hearted and defenseless. Yet in the end, it was Mu Zhengyang who avenged the Mu family. To be honest, deep down, I somewhat admire him. He lived more freely than my father, settling debts of gratitude and grudges alike."

Cai Zhao stared blankly. "But he harmed Auntie."

Mu Qingyan: "If he truly loved your aunt, then he also destroyed himself."

Cai Zhao exhaled deeply and shook her head. "I don't want to stay here anymore. Let's leave."

As they walked out of the cave, they continued talking.

Cai Zhao sighed. "Your uncle was so extreme and unyielding. If only his temperament and my master's could have balanced each other out. Hmm, since Uncle Chang vaguely sensed something amiss with my master, why did he entrust you to him on his deathbed? Wasn't he afraid my master would discover your identity? Even if he didn't, as the son of the Chang family, wasn't Uncle Chang worried my master would eliminate you to tie up loose ends?"

"That was precisely Fort Master Chang's cleverness," Mu Qingyan said, a faint smile appearing in his eyes. "Whoever could slaughter the entire Chang family overnight—whether it was our sect or not—must have been an immensely powerful force. In such circumstances, where else in the world could ensure the safety of his only son but the Azure Tower Sect? If Fort Master Chang hadn't entrusted his son to Sect Leader Qi, it would have been suspicious."

Cai Zhao suddenly understood. "I see. Uncle Chang sensed a hidden force at work, and my master also noticed Uncle Chang was investigating in secret. But he didn't realize Uncle Chang had already begun suspecting him. My master massacred the Chang family to eliminate a potential threat in advance. When Uncle Chang unreservedly entrusted his 'only son' to the Azure Tower Sect on his deathbed, my master assumed Uncle Chang hadn't uncovered the truth yet."

"A bit convoluted, but you're right," Mu Qingyan chuckled.

Seeing light ahead, Cai Zhao realized they had reached the cave entrance and skipped forward cheerfully. "Thank goodness Uncle Chang was clever, or your life would've been— Ow, what's wrong?"

"Don't walk ahead of me!" Mu Qingyan's expression suddenly darkened, veins bulging on his slender neck, his handsome eyes intense. He grabbed the girl's arm and yanked her firmly to his side.

Cai Zhao froze, a strange memory surfacing. "Actually, I've been meaning to ask—why do you always forbid me from walking in front of you?" This odd behavior had occurred several times already.Mu Qingyan's expression shifted several times. After walking a few steps, he stopped and turned back. "Do you remember when you rescued me from Grand Beginning Temple? Behind that hidden mountain cave, you decisively abandoned me."

"At that time, I was severely injured and powerless. I could only watch your back as you walked further and further away. For a long time afterward, I would wake from nightmares repeatedly, always seeing your retreating figure."

"You left me alone, all by myself, and walked away. You went off to places of warmth and liveliness, leaving me behind in solitude. In this lifetime, I will never watch your back again!" With these words, he flung his sleeve and left the cave, vanishing like a mountain breeze in an instant.

Cai Zhao stood frozen in place.

You Guanyue's wedding banquet was exceptionally lively.

Although the ambitious Elder Yan Xu believed that one should establish their career before settling down, and that everyone should take advantage of the Big Dipper Six Sects' weakness to eliminate their old rivals in one go—only discussing marriage after unifying the world—under Elder Hu Fengge's strong support (and not-so-subtle threats of force), the preparations proceeded joyfully nonetheless.

You Guanyue was well-liked, and leaders of the Nether Sect, big and small, came to toast him. Even the half-dead Ghost Doctor Lin Shu brought out two jars of his treasured scorpion wine.

After Mu Qingyan gave a brief speech and bestowed a pile of dazzling treasures upon the newlyweds, he tactfully excused himself from the banquet to avoid hindering his subordinates' revelry. Strangely, Shangguan Haonan, who usually loved lively gatherings, seemed unusually despondent for some reason. After just a few drinks, he excused himself to freshen up and disappeared.

Cai Zhao sat with Xing Er in the bridal chamber for a while, but her thoughts were preoccupied with Mu Qingyan. She wanted to have a proper talk with him about his strange behavior. Before she could take more than a few steps, she bumped into Hu Fengge, who was sobering up in the windy mountain pass.

Hu Fengge smiled at Cai Zhao. She was naturally beautiful, and even the scars on her face couldn't diminish her striking charm. "Zhao Zhao, you didn’t need to drink on You Guanyue’s behalf earlier. That boy has an excellent alcohol tolerance—his stumbling act was all fake. He even diluted his wine with water, afraid he’d miss his wedding night with Xing Er."

Cai Zhao gave a wry smile. "I did it for Xing Er’s sake. She was so anxious she nearly cried."

Hu Fengge laughed. "A cunning fox has married an honest little rabbit. I wonder what their child will be like—hahaha! By the way, Zhao Zhao, have you heard any news about Azure Tower Sect lately?"

Cai Zhao sighed. "A little. Third Senior Brother has decided to stay at Vast Heaven Gate. Lei Shibo wrote to me, asking me to return and take over as sect leader—he can’t command respect himself."

Hu Fengge nodded. "Yin Dai’s disciples are all dead, and most of his martial brothers’ disciples were also killed by him. Of your master’s seven disciples, Zeng Dalou perished in the underground palace, the second, Dai Fengchi, is crippled, the third, Song Yuzhi, is returning to inherit Vast Heaven Gate, the fourth, Ding Zhuo, is socially inept and obsessed with martial arts, the fifth, Fan Xingjia, isn’t skilled in martial arts and only excels in medicine, and the sixth, Qi Lingbo—well, let’s not even mention her. That really does leave only you."

"Among your generation, aside from Song Yuzhi, Zhuang Shu was the second most outstanding. I heard he was steady, kind, and capable—unfortunately, he was Li Wenxun’s direct disciple. So..." She fixed her gaze on Cai Zhao. "Zhao Zhao, will you return to become sect leader?"Cai Zhao shook her head. "I'm too carefree by nature. Being sect leader isn't my wish, but if the sect faces difficulties, I'm willing to help out for a few transitional years. However..." She smiled brightly, without a trace of gloom. "Can the sect leader bring her husband along? What if the sect leader's husband is the Nether Sect's leader?"

Hu Fengge couldn't help but laugh at the girl's radiant expression. "Perhaps it's possible, but young lady, you'll need to have a good 'discussion' with your fellow disciples about it."

Cai Zhao observed the composed and dignified female elder before her, who spoke and laughed with ease, showing no trace of the sorrow she once bore from Yu Huixin’s deceit and betrayal. Hesitating for a moment, Cai Zhao seemed on the verge of speaking but held back, which Hu Fengge noticed.

Hu Fengge asked directly, “Zhao Zhao, are you wondering if I’ve fully recovered from the harm inflicted by that scoundrel surnamed Yu?”

Cai Zhao nodded sheepishly.

Hu Fengge gazed into the distance where the mountain winds howled through the pass. “Yu Huixin and I were both orphans, growing up together and caring for each other. My devotion to him never wavered over a decade, yet he callously betrayed me. At first, my heart was filled with hatred—for that wretched pair and for all romantic love in this world. But later, when I was ordered by the sect leader to retrieve the remains of Commander Lu and prepare his burial, I found a small golden hairpin tucked inside his skull.”

“A golden hairpin?” Cai Zhao asked curiously. “Was it valuable? Did it hold some significance?”

“No, it wasn’t particularly valuable or significant—just something bought casually from a street vendor,” Hu Fengge shook her head. “Less than three inches long and lighter than half an ounce, it could’ve been blown away by a single breath. But it was the first thing I ever bought with my own savings as a child. Later, I accidentally dropped it off a cliff. I cried for days and even vowed that whoever retrieved it for me, I’d marry them.”

“Back then, Yu Huixin just laughed at my words, soothing me gently and warning me not to risk climbing the dangerous cliff. Instead, he bought me a larger golden hairpin. Though I missed the original one, I was grateful for his kindness. Little did I know…”

Cai Zhao softly added, “Little did you know that Lu Chengnan had secretly retrieved it for you and kept it with him all along.”

Hu Fengge’s expression softened. “He treated me like both a mentor and an elder brother—I never dared to think beyond that.” She exhaled deeply. “I was deceived by Yu Huixin for half my life, while he lay alone in a wild cavern for over a decade. Both of us were equally unfortunate. But just knowing we crossed paths in this lifetime is enough.”

Cai Zhao’s heart ached. As she walked away, she heard movement behind her and turned to see Chou Cuilan approaching Hu Fengge with sobering soup, followed by the bumbling Lian Shisan muttering incessantly.

Cai Zhao longed even more to see Mu Qingyan immediately.

But just as she reached his study, she spotted Shangguan Haonan trudging in with his head hung low. Curious, Cai Zhao slipped through the study’s hidden passage to eavesdrop on what troubled the mighty Shangguan.

Before she could get close, she heard loud, wailing sobs—it was Shangguan Haonan’s voice.

“Sect Leader, I can’t go on living! Waaah, waaah…” Shangguan clung to Mu Qingyan’s leg, bawling like a pig whose tail had been chopped off.

“Get up and speak properly!” Mu Qingyan snapped, casting a glance toward the hidden compartment behind him.

Shangguan continued to sniffle. “If this news gets out, I’ll never live it down! Right now, everyone’s caught up in Xiao Yue’s wedding festivities, but once that’s over, they’ll notice what’s happened to me!”

“Out with it already, or get out!” Mu Qingyan shot another look toward the hidden compartment.

Shangguan covered his face with his sleeve. “…Waaah, my—my wives, they—they ran away! Waaah, waaah…”Mu Qingyan was momentarily stunned. "Ran away? Those colorful ones? Where did they go? Back to their parents' home? Did they have a fight with you?"

Shangguan Haonan's face turned as red as pig liver. "No, no. 'Ran away' means they were unfaithful. They don't want to stay with me anymore—they want to live with someone else now!"

Mu Qingyan, rarely so shocked in his life, even forgot about the eavesdropping young lady nearby. "Unfaithful? You mean your wives left you. Which one of them was so bold as to cuckold you?"

Shangguan Haonan was overcome with grief. "All three! All three ran away! My Yingying, Yanyan, and Honghong—all gone, all ran away!"

Mu Qingyan's lips twitched, unsure how to console him. "Perhaps you should investigate first—maybe there's some misunderstanding..."

"No misunderstanding, they told me themselves!" Shangguan Haonan wailed even louder. "Honghong ran off with her distant cousin! I even helped his business when he came looking for relatives back then!"

"They told you themselves? And you just watched them elope?" Mu Qingyan raised his foot, ready to kick him.

Shangguan Haonan's tough-guy heart shattered into pieces as he wept. "Honghong isn't a bad woman. She could've run away when I went with you, Sect Leader, to attack the Azure Tower Sect—she could've taken a lot of gold and silver with her. But she was afraid something might happen to me, so she insisted on waiting until I returned safely before leaving. Wuwu, wuwu... All three of them knelt on the ground, begging me tearfully to let them go..."

Mu Qingyan, ever the cynic, thought to himself: Whether you live or die, anyone who dares to cuckold a high-ranking leader of our sect will be hunted to the ends of the earth by Hu Fengge. But if they softened your heart and you let them go willingly, wouldn’t that mean no future trouble?

"Alright, Honghong ran off with her cousin. Who did Yingying and Yanyan run off with?" Mu Qingyan asked patiently.

Shangguan Haonan's face darkened with grief and indignation. "They... they ran off on their own."

Mu Qingyan frowned. "On their own? Without a man? How is that an affair?"

Shangguan Haonan sniffled, shamefaced and mumbling. "No, Sect Leader, you don’t understand. Yingying and Yanyan didn’t run off with a man—they ran off with each other. They... they want to live together from now on..."

The ever-brilliant Sect Leader Mu was dumbfounded for a long moment, his mind spinning in circles before he finally recalled a certain book Young Lady Knight Cai had hidden under her pillow—one with no male characters, only two female leads.

Mu Qingyan seemed to understand something then, his sympathy swelling as he looked down at the burly man on the ground with pity. "You... you shouldn’t take it too hard. What’s done is done..." He couldn’t bring himself to finish.

Shangguan Haonan howled, pounding his chest as tears and snot streamed down his face, utterly inconsolable. "The four of us grew up together since childhood! I always thought of them as the personal maids my parents chose for me—I gave them everything they wanted! And to make sure they wouldn’t be short a player when gambling, I was even planning to find them a fourth sister..."

Mu Qingyan’s pity evaporated instantly. He kicked the burly man away. "Enough nonsense. Just tell me what you want, make it quick, and then get out."Shangguan Haonan wiped his tears. "Sect Leader, I can't stay in the Hanhai Mountains anymore. Once word spreads, I won't be able to show my face. Wuwu... I'll leave tonight and stay away for three, four, five, or six years until no one remembers this. Please tell the brothers I'm not running away in shame—say you sent me on a top-secret mission. How about that?"

Mu Qingyan found it both exasperating and amusing, so he temporarily agreed to the fool's request. Watching Shangguan Haonan exit with endless gratitude, he snapped irritably, "Come out already! Haven't you eavesdropped enough?!"

Cai Zhao, her face flushed from stifling laughter, bounded out and collapsed onto the desk, pounding it in silent mirth. "How could this happen? How is this possible! He’s always bragging about being some irresistible charmer, hahahaha, this is too funny..."

"Wonderful, just wonderful," Mu Qingyan sat down heavily with a cold laugh. "To what do I owe the honor of Young Lady Knight Cai's visit?" He randomly flipped through a book. "If it's nothing important, I'll—"

"I came to tell you I won’t make you watch me walk away anymore." Cai Zhao straightened up from the desk, fidgeting with her fingers. "But if you don’t want to hear it, I’ll leave." She pretended to go.

Mu Qingyan grabbed her by the waist and pulled her back, grumbling, "You’re utterly unreliable! You just said you wouldn’t make me watch you leave, and now you’re walking out right in front of me! Admit it—you came here just to mess with me!"

"Really, I didn’t! I came to say something nice." Cai Zhao wrapped her arms around his neck, acting sweet, then burst into laughter again. "I just didn’t expect to overhear something like this, hehehe..."

Mu Qingyan couldn’t help but chuckle too. "That idiot looks imposing and heroic, but he’s actually soft-hearted and clueless! Those three women saw right through him and dared to ask to leave outright. No doubt the fool even gave them dowries!"

After laughing for a while, Cai Zhao thought of her sect and sighed. "The Hanhai Mountains are full of joy, but my Azure Tower Sect is now suffering in bitter winds and cold rain."

Mu Qingyan knew exactly what was happening there and snorted. "Your master brought this on himself."

"It’s not entirely his fault. Yin Dai and Yang Yi’s group started it."

"Technically, it began with Nie Hengcheng practicing the Purple Star Sutra."

"The root cause was your uncle, Mu Zhengyang."

"Only because Nie Hengcheng left him stranded and alone."

"The true origin was your great-grandfather adopting a son in the first place."

At this, Mu Qingyan suddenly had a thought. "If my great-grandfather had realized his feelings sooner, and my great-grandmother hadn’t died young from melancholy... what would have happened?"

Cai Zhao paused, following the idea.

First, Mu Qingyan’s great-grandfather, Mu Lingxiao, wouldn’t have retired in his prime after losing his wife, nor would he have died so early. With his profound cultivation and robust health, he wouldn’t have needed to adopt a son—he could have waited for his own incompetent son to marry and have children, then properly trained his grandson. Then none of this would have happened.Mu Qingyan's unreliable grandfather, Mu Chen, might still have encountered the sect's young maiden Ouyang Xue, fallen in love with this beautiful yet extreme woman, and eventually fathered twin sons—one gentle and indifferent, the other ambitious and driven.

But with a robust grandfather holding the reins above, the elder grandson could freely roam the world and live in seclusion as he wished, while the younger could fully unleash his talents and conquer the Martial World.

Cai Zhao exclaimed in surprise, "Huh, that actually doesn’t sound too bad. Rather than letting Mu Zhengyang go mad and harm others, it’d be better for him to smoothly inherit the position of sect leader. As long as he doesn’t lose his mind, he wouldn’t create the Purple Star Sutra to hurt anyone! Ah, then all those brothers of my aunt, the nuns of Hanging Temple, and countless innocent warriors wouldn’t have died."

Mu Qingyan smiled and continued for her, "Your aunt would still have grown tired of Old Madam Zhou, broken off the engagement, and run away. While wandering the Martial World, she would still have met your mother, who would most likely have married your father anyway, and then given birth to a silly, slow-witted girl."

"Who’s silly? Who’s slow-witted?" Cai Zhao retorted indignantly. "Aunt said that my mother and father actually liked each other secretly—they just didn’t realize it themselves and kept bickering. But, but..."

As she pondered, she gradually sensed something amiss. She looked up at him hesitantly. "But... but you..."

"But then, I wouldn’t exist," Mu Qingyan said calmly. "Without Nie Hengcheng’s schemes, no one would have deliberately chosen Sun Ruoshui to ensnare Father with a honey trap."

Cai Zhao froze.

Flowers would still bloom, rivers would still flow, the sun and moon would rise and set as always, and the heroes and heroines of the Martial World would love and hate as they always had. The Nether Sect and the Big Dipper Six Sects would remain locked in their eternal standoff.

Only, there would be no Mu Qingyan in this world.

A sudden, overwhelming fear gripped Cai Zhao—what would her life be like without Mu Qingyan?

Trembling, she reached out and traced her fingers slowly down the young man’s face, from his forehead down the bridge of his nose to his crimson lips. She kissed him—deeply, lingeringly—and was met with an even more fervent response, the sensation of being devoured until it ached, like lovers reunited after lifetimes apart.

"Qingyan, from now on, let’s live well together and never part again," she whispered.

"You’ve said that many times before, and most of it was just to trick me," Mu Qingyan murmured, his fair skin flushed, his eyes brimming with emotion. "Let’s get married first."

Cai Zhao laughed. "Fine, we’ll arrange the wedding however you want."

"Won’t you worry about propriety anymore?"

"From now on, I’ll only worry about you."

[End of Book]