A Decade of Nightscape Lights

Only two small pieces of charcoal remained in the basket by the brazier, huddled together in lonely misery.

Cai Zhao sat on a small stool in front of the brazier warming herself, idly tossing scattered bamboo tokens from the floor into the fire to make the weak flames burn brighter.

Qi Yunke had people carefully inspect the Heaven-class room again. Though it had been deliberately cleaned and tidied, there were indeed no signs of struggle—no marks on the floor, walls, furniture, or bed frame, nor any indication they had been moved or replaced.

With no leads, Zeng Dalou ordered the disciples to turn the entire Yue Lai Inn upside down in their search.

Still, they found nothing.

Now everyone couldn't help but suspect that Cai Pingchun had truly left the inn on his own.

Qi Yunke coughed lightly, his brow furrowed. "Could Pingchun have encountered some extremely urgent matter that forced him to leave immediately? Otherwise, with Xiao Chun's skills, no one could have subdued him without a fight."

Cai Zhao seemed not to hear anything, her fingers splayed as she lowered her head to warm them by the fire.

As dawn broke, the fruitless search party had no choice but to return home.

Just as Cai Zhao stood up, she finished burning the last bamboo token. The flames gradually weakened, and a chill seeped into the room.

On the way back, Cai Zhao noticed many unfamiliar faces in their group—some she had even seen in town the day before.

They moved in unison, their breathing steady, their expressions silent and alert, like gray grains of sand slowly infiltrating without anyone noticing.

"Who are these people?" Cai Zhao asked.

Fan Xingjia answered in a hushed voice, "Actually, I don't know either. A few days ago, Shifu said the Demon has been making frequent moves lately, and their ambitions are no small matter. The Martial World might be in for troubled times. So he ordered the senior brother to take his token and summon some reinforcements to the mountain. He also told me to quickly prepare the guest courtyard."

"Reinforcements?" Cai Zhao was skeptical. "Are they all from the sect?"

Fan Xingjia first said he didn't know, then leaned in closer and whispered, "But I don't think so. I've seen inner and outer sect disciples before—they don't look like this. These people are gloomy, barely speaking a word. Just looking at them gives me the creeps."

At that moment, Zeng Dalou approached. "What are you two talking about?"

Fan Xingjia repeated Cai Zhao's question. Zeng Dalou smiled, then lowered his voice mysteriously. "As the leader of the six major sects, Shifu can't just rely on what's visible on the surface. He needs to keep some hidden cards up his sleeve too."

Seeing the girl blink her big eyes, half-understanding, Zeng Dalou added, "In the past, Sect Leader Yin kept many capable and unusual people under his command. Shifu's current numbers are still modest in comparison."

Chang Ning turned his face away, a faint, mocking smile on his lips.

Cai Zhao asked, "Did senior brother know Shifu had these people stationed within the sect all along?"

Zeng Dalou paused, looking embarrassed. "I only found out recently. Ah, my martial skills are lacking. Shifu probably didn't want to burden me with the risk."

Cai Zhao said nothing more.

Then, Chang Ning suddenly pointed into the distance. "And where did those people come from?"

The group looked over to see Song Yuzhi surrounded by a group of martial artists who had appeared out of nowhere. Each wore vigilant expressions, moved with steady poise, and was dressed in vermilion robes embroidered with golden suns.

Zeng Dalou sighed. "Those are from Vast Heaven Gate. Sect Leader Song already knows about Yuzhi's injury. He wrote saying he fears the Demon might attack again, so he's arranging Vast Heaven Gate's defensive formations before coming himself—it'll take a few more days. These guards were sent ahead for Yuzhi's use."

"For his use?" Chang Ning's tone was distinctly amused.Zeng Dalou was also troubled and sighed, "I think Sect Leader Song is just upset. Ah, why must it come to this? Although Yu's cultivation has been damaged, the Azure Tower Sect would never let anything else happen to him. There was no need to send people from the Vast Heaven Gate."

With that, he shook his head and left.

Only after watching the senior brother walk away did Fan Xingjia dare to speak. "If I were Sect Leader Song, I'd be angry too. He has three sons, and the third brother is the most promising. Xiuzhi is average in talent, and Maozhi's temper... well, no need to say more. And now, the son with the best potential was entrusted to the sect, only to end up possibly crippled in martial arts. I bet when Sect Leader Song arrives this time, he’ll have a huge argument with Master!"

Chang Ning, though inwardly gloating, wore a sincere smile on his face. "Blades and swords are blind, and the sect never intended for Young Master Song to get hurt. Let’s hope Sect Leader Song doesn’t hold a grudge against Sect Leader Qi."

Fan Xingjia was quite moved. "I hope it turns out as Brother Chang says."

Finally returning to the Quiet Dwelling, it was already broad daylight.

Before leaving, Fan Xingjia kindly comforted, "Junior Sister, don’t worry too much. Your father might have encountered some urgent matter that forced him to leave in haste. Just wait a while—Master will surely have an explanation."

Cai Zhao remained silent, but Chang Ning smiled warmly and thanked Fan Xingjia for his concern, then eagerly saw him out.

Once inside, Chang Ning immediately dropped his smile. "Zhao Zhao, let’s rest well during the day and regain our strength. By evening, when everyone goes for dinner, we’ll leave the mountain."

Cai Zhao seemed not to understand. "Leave the mountain? Didn’t we just arrive? The inn’s been turned upside down, and there likely won’t be any more clues. Why leave?"

Seeing the girl’s naive expression, Chang Ning grew more anxious. "Can’t you see? The sect’s situation isn’t right. I have a bad feeling—it’s best we leave as soon as possible. Once we’re away, we can slowly investigate your father’s whereabouts."

To his surprise, Cai Zhao remained unmoved. She slowly sat down and poured herself a cup of cold tea. "Didn’t you hear them? My father might have left on his own for something urgent."

Chang Ning studied her for a moment. "Are you wary of me?"

Cai Zhao met his gaze calmly.

Chang Ning relented with a sigh. "Don’t be wary. I would never harm you or your family."

Cai Zhao turned away slowly. "You’re right. I shouldn’t suspect everyone."

She added, "Then tell me, do you also think my father left on his own?"

Chang Ning smirked disdainfully. "If Valley Master Cai left on his own, then who cleaned up the entire room?"

A faint smile appeared on Cai Zhao’s lips. "Seems this person is a fool. If they wanted others to believe my father left voluntarily, they should’ve left half-slept bedding and half-drunk tea. Making everything spotless only raises suspicion."

Chang Ning raised an eyebrow. "What are you getting at?"

Cai Zhao spoke slowly. "Usually, it’s me listening to you. This time, I’d like Brother Chang to listen to me."

Chang Ning arched his brow. "I’m all ears."

Cai Zhao set down her cup. "First, I absolutely refuse to believe my father encountered some urgent matter and left on his own. In our family, only my aunt is truly fiery. My mother is about half fiery, and my father—maybe two or three parts at most, reserved only for close family and a few old friends.""My mother and Xiaoya are currently hiding in a safe place. With me at the Azure Tower Sect, our family is complete, so there's nothing truly urgent that would concern my father. A matter of life and death? Hmph, even if the entire Martial World were turned upside down or Fallen Blossom Valley burned to ashes, my father wouldn't be anxious. To say something you might not like—even if someone dangled clues about the Chang family massacre, Father would never leave without saying a word to me."

Chang Ning was quite startled, his thoughts racing: "So Valley Master Cai has indeed met with misfortune!"

"Is there anyone in this world who could make my father surrender without putting up a fight?" Cai Zhao retorted.

Chang Ning immediately dismissed the idea: "I've witnessed your father's skills. I wouldn't say he's reached the pinnacle, but he's rarely matched in this world. In a duel, killing or injuring him wouldn't be impossible, but to render him powerless to even strike back—even if Nie Hengcheng were resurrected, he couldn't accomplish that."

"Exactly, that's what I think too." Cai Zhao gazed at the few strands of sunlight filtering through the window cracks.

Chang Ning continued, "Then there's only one possibility—the person was someone your father knew well and even trusted, catching him off guard with a single strike." He glanced at the girl and added with a hint of bitterness, "But those familiar to your father are surely familiar to you as well. I'm afraid if I say the wrong thing, you'll turn against me, so I'd better not mention it."

Cai Zhao shot him a look. "Who do you want to say?"

"During the ceremony, I observed carefully. Your father was distant with everyone, even showing more respect than closeness to Sect Leader Qi. The only exception was Master Zhou—he truly regarded him as an elder brother." Chang Ning decided to lay it all out at once.

Cai Zhao pondered this. "Naturally. My father grew up at Jade Pendant Mountain Manor and genuinely saw Uncle Zhou as a brother—but isn't Uncle Zhou severely injured?"

"Without seeing it with my own eyes, it could very well be a ruse."

Cai Zhao smiled and changed the subject. "Did you notice an extremely faint fragrance in the Celestial Room?"

Chang Ning frowned.

"Fallen Blossom Valley is abundant with flowers and leaves. My mother loves making and blending incense, so I've been accustomed to scents since childhood," Cai Zhao explained. "That fragrance was so subtle even I barely noticed it after a long while. Perhaps it didn't have to be someone my father knew well and trusted—just an acquaintance who quietly dispersed a drug while speaking to him, then captured him alive."

"But my father must have realized it in the end. Before losing consciousness, he overturned the teapot, brazier, or something, leaving the room in complete disarray. That's why those people had no choice but to thoroughly clean the entire room. And because they feared complications, they rushed to silence him permanently, not thinking to leave traces of my father having stayed there."

Chang Ning was half-convinced and chuckled. "You make it sound like you witnessed it yourself."

"Those people not only knew my father—they must have known the innkeeper as well," Cai Zhao added.

Noticing the odd tone in her voice, Chang Ning asked seriously, "What have you noticed?"

Cai Zhao replied, "Did you see the wall behind the innkeeper? There used to be many bamboo plaques hanging there with red cords."

Chang Ning recalled their arrival at the inn yesterday—it was indeed so.

Cai Zhao explained, "Those are tools for running an inn. Small bamboo plaques are inscribed with the names of each guest room and hung on the wall. When a room is rented or reserved, its plaque is flipped over, making it clear how many rooms are still available."

Chang Ning suddenly realized, "The plaque for the room your father stayed in yesterday wasn't flipped. Could there be more to it?" He distinctly remembered the innkeeper pointing out the Celestial Room.

"No, that was just because the innkeeper was lazy."Chang Ning: …

“These bamboo plaques need to be sun-dried first, then shade-dried, then oiled, then shade-dried again… That way, even when hung on the wall, exposed to the fumes of alcohol and the constant coming and going of people, they won’t easily grow mold. More particular shops might even go through several rounds of sun-drying, shade-drying, and oiling.” Cai Zhao recounted with familiarity.

Chang Ning smiled. “How do you know so much about this?”

“Because when I was eight, I vowed to open an inn in the future.”

“Didn’t you want to open a restaurant when you were little?” It wasn’t that Chang Ning was being difficult—he just couldn’t help himself.

“That was when I was six. Later, I realized an inn could serve both food and lodging, so an inn was better.” Cai Zhao answered earnestly.

Chang Ning: …

“Bamboo plaques made this way aren’t easily damaged,” Cai Zhao said.

Chang Ning recalled how the girl had been burning bamboo plaques earlier, and suddenly, inspiration struck. “That brazier—did you find a clue in the plaques on the ground?”

Cai Zhao tilted her head slightly, as if recalling something. “When we entered, the brazier was already cold. It had burned through the night, and everything inside had turned to ash. But I still noticed a small, charred fragment of bamboo wrapped in the charcoal remnants.”

She lightly tapped the table. “I think the innkeeper threw it into the brazier before he died.”

Chang Ning held his breath slightly as he listened.

Cai Zhao continued, lost in thought. “I stayed at that inn before and remember a few things—there were about twenty guest rooms in total, numbered with the characters for Heaven, Earth, Mystery, Yellow, Sun, Moon, Qian, Kun, as well as Fortune, Prosperity, and Longevity.”

“The innkeeper was quite capricious, assigning room numbers as he pleased. There were three ‘Heaven’ rooms, but only one ‘Earth’ room. ‘Mystery’ and ‘Yellow’ each had two rooms. ‘Kun’ had a full five rooms, while ‘Qian’ only had one—and that was used for storage.”

“Earlier, to avoid drawing attention, I pretended to warm myself while burning the bamboo plaques on the ground one by one. After they were all burned—” Her eyes gleamed. “I found that one plaque was indeed missing.”

Chang Ning tensed. “Which one?”

“Moon Room No. 3.”

A faint flush colored the girl’s pale, delicate face. “I remember clearly—though the innkeeper assigned room numbers haphazardly, he didn’t skip any. Moon Room No. 2 and No. 4 were both there. Only the plaque for No. 3 was missing—because the innkeeper had personally thrown it into the brazier.”

“Moon Room No. 3?” Chang Ning was puzzled. “What does that mean?Cai Zhao dipped her finger into the cold tea in her cup and wrote the character for ‘three’ on the table, then the character for ‘moon’ beneath it.

Chang Ning: “March? Does someone’s name or birth date relate to March? Ah… the innkeeper’s bloody message…” He had figured it out!

Cai Zhao nodded, meeting his eyes. “It’s the vertical stroke the innkeeper drew on the ground.Then, right in the middle of the 'three', she drew a short, heavy vertical stroke.

—It formed the character 'qing'!

A shadow of malice flickered across Chang Ning’s brow. “So, it was someone from the Azure Tower Sect.”

Cai Zhao watched the fine dust dancing in the light and said slowly, “Do you remember what that fool Dai Fengchi said this morning? He claimed my father was exposed by a servant, and to silence them, he killed his way out from the door.”

“In fact, he was half right. The killer did fight their way out from the door of the Heaven Room—but it wasn’t my father. It was the real murderer.”

“Not long after we left yesterday, night fell. My father once told me he noticed the innkeeper had suffered a severe internal injury in his youth, making him especially sensitive to cold. Every night, he would light a brazier for warmth. Last night, I imagine he did the same, lighting the brazier early.”"Around midnight, the innkeeper saw only two small pieces of charcoal left in the basket and figured it was about time to retire. Just then, unexpected guests arrived—members of a sect whom the innkeeper recognized, forcing him to muster his energy to attend to them. That person..." Cai Zhao shook her head, "No, those people. He must have had accomplices."

"That person stayed downstairs in the main hall while going up to the second floor alone to see my father—because he didn’t want to arouse suspicion, he couldn’t kill the innkeeper and the servant beforehand."

"When that person ambushed my father in the room, the commotion alerted a servant who ran upstairs to check. That person chased after him and subdued him. Then, that person pushed the door open and, right at the doorway, face to face, took out the servant’s—!"

Chang Ning suddenly understood: "So the wounds on the bodies were slightly slanted."

"Right," Cai Zhao said. "'Flower Picking Leaf Plucking' is terrifying precisely because it can accurately pluck a person’s heart even in the midst of fierce combat. But if the servant and the innkeeper were restrained, then as long as one’s technique was ruthless enough, they could break through the chest and extract it. Uncle Chen’s 'Great Compassion Hand' or Uncle Ouyang’s 'Vajra Finger' could both achieve this."

"The innkeeper had once survived a pile of corpses. When he saw the servant on the second floor killed, he immediately realized he couldn’t escape either. So while those people were distracted, he first took the bamboo plaque for 'Room No. 3, Moon Wing' and threw it into the brazier. Then, during the struggle, he overturned the counter, scattered the ink, account books, and all the bamboo plaques on the wall..."

"They killed the servant, then the cook who came after hearing the commotion, and finally subdued the innkeeper. After breaking his limbs, they extracted his heart from the front—or perhaps the other way around. With his last breath, the innkeeper drew a short vertical line on the ground. Those people didn’t understand its meaning, assuming it was just a random scratch from his agony, and paid no attention."

"I’ve finished speaking."

Cai Zhao slowly stood up, her gaze calm yet resolute. "So, I won’t leave Nine Conch Mountain. There’s no need to persuade me—I know what I must do."

She could have fled all the way back to Fallen Blossom Valley, then sought help from all directions, waiting safely for news.

But no.

When Cai Pingshu was fifteen, she had already made a name for herself across the land.

At fifteen, Cai Zhao only wanted to protect her family.

Before today, every decision in her life had been made by her parents and aunt.

This was the first time she had ever chosen a path on her own.

"Auntie would approve of me," she said, lifting her youthful face as if gazing at the sky. "Auntie will watch over me from heaven."