A Decade of Nightscape Lights

Song Yuzhi joined the Azure Tower Sect at the age of seven and began receiving martial arts instruction directly from Qi Yunke when he was eight.

Although Zeng Dalou and Dai Fengchi had entered the sect earlier than him, the former was of mediocre talent and had long abandoned cultivation to busy himself with mundane affairs, while the latter had grown up by Yin Sulian's side since childhood.

From a young age, Song Yuzhi had witnessed the daily lives of Qi Yunke and Yin Sulian as a married couple.

As one might expect, Qi Yunke was extremely indulgent toward Yin Sulian. Whenever the couple quarreled over Yin Sulian's favoritism or excessive pampering of their daughter, as long as Yin Sulian showed the slightest sign of weakness, Qi Yunke would always be willing to make peace—sometimes even if he appeared cold in the moment, he would reconcile with her soon after.

And then they would quarrel again the next time.

Though Song Yuzhi never voiced his thoughts on the matter, he had disapproved of this dynamic since childhood. In his eyes, many of Yin Sulian's actions had already crossed the line of what was acceptable for the wife of a sect leader.

He remembered one year when Qi Lingbo took a fancy to a newly initiated disciple's personal dagger—truth be told, the dagger was exquisitely crafted, but more importantly, it was an heirloom left by the disciple's parents.

Qi Lingbo, spoiled since childhood, would stop at nothing to get what she wanted. Song Yuzhi reported the matter to Qi Yunke several times, and though the girl was scolded and admonished, she would only pretend to cry and act wronged in front of others, then turn around and harass the disciple again with Dai Fengchi's help.

In the end, the disciple tearfully "gifted" the dagger to Qi Lingbo. Qi Yunke had initially intended to punish his daughter severely, but under Yin Sulian's unreasonable interference, the matter was dropped. This left the twelve-year-old Song Yuzhi furious.

In a fit of anger, he said nothing and proceeded to beat Dai Fengchi—who was older than him—half to death right in front of Qi Lingbo. No amount of persuasion could stop him, not even Yin Sulian's outbursts.

Terrified, Qi Lingbo hastily returned the dagger, and from then on, she feared him more than her own father.

Later, during a visit to Vast Heaven Gate, Song Yuzhi recounted the incident to Song Shijun. His usually unreliable father surprised him with a rare moment of insight—

Qi Yunke had grown up in poverty, raised with great difficulty by his widowed mother. To secure him a spot as an outer disciple, she worked day and night, pleaded with influential local martial artists for a recommendation letter, and scraped together travel expenses.

Unfortunately, Qi Yunke showed little progress in the sect for years, and his mother passed away in poverty and illness, her heart full of regret.

Just two years later, Cai Pingshu accidentally discovered Qi Yunke's "Heavenly Fire Dragon" aptitude. Under her encouragement, he finally broke through his limitations and soared to prominence.

Song Shijun asked his son to imagine himself in Qi Yunke's shoes—a lowly outer disciple, insignificant as dust, lying awake night after night in disappointment. How must he have viewed Sect Leader Yin Dai and his daughter Yin Sulian back then? To him, they were likely celestial beings beyond his reach.

Finally, Song Shijun urged his son to understand Qi Yunke. The fact that he had sent his young son to Nine Conch Mountain proved his trust in Qi Yunke's character—he might be weak-willed and overly principled, but he was undoubtedly kind, honest, and selfless.

Indeed, Qi Yunke treated Song Yuzhi with more care than his own flesh and blood, imparting all his knowledge without reservation.

But this time was different.

When Yin Sulian tried to reconcile with her husband, Qi Yunke not only remained cold toward her but also showed no intention of seeking her out afterward. Song Yuzhi waited patiently for several days—Yin Sulian even visited Dusk Micro Palace twice more with tonics, only to be turned away both times.

He couldn't help but grow suspicious.

After listening to Song Yuzhi's words, Cai Zhao let out a long sigh of relief. "Thank you, Third Senior Brother, for clearing things up for me."Song Yuzhi had been harboring doubts in his heart for several days, but out of consideration for Cai Zhao's difficulties, he hesitated before asking, "Junior Sister... what have you discovered?" Before the girl could answer, he immediately added, "If it's inconvenient for you, then there's no need to speak."

Seeing such an understanding senior brother, Cai Zhao nearly shed tears of emotion—after spending so much time with Chang Ning, that half-mad eccentric, she had almost forgotten that there were still reasonable people in the world.

She slapped Song Yuzhi's arm heartily and declared boldly, "What kind of talk is that, Third Senior Brother? Since you were willing to share your doubts with me, how could I keep secrets from you? Though now isn't the best time, we can talk later..."

"What are you doing?!" Chang Ning's wide sleeves fluttered as he approached from afar like a dark cloud.

He had already removed his disguise.

Recognizing the newcomer as hostile, the guards of Vast Heaven Gate immediately gripped their sword hilts, ready for battle.

Song Yuzhi raised his hand to signal the guards to stand down upon seeing Chang Ning.

Chang Ning's expression was extremely grim, the poison sores on his face even darker, as if he had been poisoned anew.

Delighted to see Chang Ning safely escaped, Cai Zhao exclaimed, "You came so quickly! I thought I'd have to wait another half-hour."—Before infiltrating the courtyard, they had agreed that if separated, they would meet at the teahouse on the eastern street corner.

Chang Ning sneered, "Perhaps I should have come later, so as not to interrupt your conversation with Young Master Song."

Song Yuzhi frowned, catching the sour tone in his words.

Most of the time, Chang Ning's words were infuriating, but unfortunately for him, he had met Xiao Cai Guniang.

Cai Zhao beamed, "Interrupt all you like! Once we're back at the sect, Third Senior Brother and I will have plenty of time to talk. No one can interrupt us then, so no need to worry."

Song Yuzhi couldn't help but laugh outright.

"You! How can you say such things to me?!" Chang Ning's chest heaved with rage. He had been prepared to risk his life to protect the girl, only to turn around and witness such an outrageous scene!

"..." Just as he was about to vehemently denounce Xiao Cai Guniang's heartless behavior, a loud shout erupted from the teahouse across the street.

Everyone instinctively turned to look.

"You! How can you say such things to me?!" The burly teahouse owner, eyes brimming with tears, roared at his middle-aged wife, "I've worked day and night for this family, even risking my life! And just as I stoke the fire in the kitchen, I come out to see you pawing at some pretty boy—how could you do this to me?!"

Chang Ning: "..."

Cai Zhao: "..."

Song Yuzhi: "..."

The guards: This is way too damn fitting.

With their roles perfectly mirrored, they all turned their burning gazes toward Song Yuzhi's left arm, where Cai Zhao's small hand still rested.

Chang Ning's eyes nearly spat fire.

Cai Zhao hastily withdrew her hand—though she wasn't sure why she felt guilty.

"Alright, alright, I've finished talking with Third Senior Brother. Let's go quickly." Knowing nothing good would come from prolonging this, she decided to cut her losses. "Third Senior Brother, you must be busy. We'll meet again—farewell!"

She grabbed Chang Ning's sleeve and tried to drag him away, but before leaving, she hesitated and turned back. "Third Senior Brother, have you heard of the 'Thousand Faces Sect'?" Noting the sudden tension in Song Yuzhi's pupils, she added, "I think your suspicions aren't unfounded."

With that, she fled like a debtor chased by creditors, just before Chang Ning could erupt.

Song Yuzhi stood motionless.

A moment later, he cupped his hands in farewell toward the now-empty path ahead, maintaining proper etiquette even then.

...Cai Zhao dragged Chang Ning all the way to the restaurant where she had stolen the teapot earlier. She requested the private dining room on the top floor with windows on three sides and left the door wide open before they both took their seats.

Chang Ning elegantly adjusted his sleeves. "Quite alert, choosing this kind of room where eavesdropping is easier. Pity we ran too fast earlier—otherwise we could have invited Young Hero Song to join us."

Cai Zhao paused in pouring tea and glared. "We've already found my father, yet you're still picking fights! And who has time to chat with Third Senior Brother while desperately fleeing? I have questions for you."

Heaven knows Chang Ning hadn't paid attention to anyone's moods since he was five years old. Thanks to Young Lady Knight Cai, he'd recently rediscovered this skill. Seeing impatience clearly written on the girl's face, he could only give a light hum to indicate he'd drop the subject.

Cai Zhao quickly recounted Song Yuzhi's suspicions.

Chang Ning's expression shifted slightly. "So Sect Leader Qi has already been..." He broke off as three or four waiters came wobbling up with large trays of food.

The generously tipped waiters swiftly laid out all the dishes before Cai Zhao dismissed them, instructing them not to return unless called.

Only after the waiters disappeared down the stairs did Cai Zhao lower her voice. "That's exactly why I'm asking you. What's the deal with this... uh... 'Body Transformation Art'? And what's this Thousand Faces Sect? I've never heard of it."

Chang Ning organized his thoughts. "Not just you—if I hadn't occasionally browsed through... ancient texts across the Nine Provinces, I wouldn't know such a sect once existed either."

Cai Zhao seemed not to notice his odd pause, listening with rapt attention.

Somewhat relieved, Chang Ning continued, "The earliest records of the Body Transformation Art date back two hundred years. During Old Ancestor Bei Chen's Great War of Demons, there was said to be a man with extraordinary abilities who could transform people's appearances and figures flawlessly. After the Ancestor's demise when North Star split into six branches, this man went into seclusion and was never heard from again. The tale was considered fabrication due to its antiquity—until Young Master Qian's performance just now shocked me. I never thought anyone from that sect still lived."

Cai Zhao listened enthralled. "So impressive... why has Aunt never mentioned..."

Chang Ning: "About seventy or eighty years later, this man's descendant—who knows how many generations removed—suddenly emerged to establish the Thousand Faces Sect, recruiting disciples and amassing forces. For a time, the sect flourished in the Martial World. But as the saying goes, the highest prosperity precedes decline..."

Cai Zhao snorted dismissively. "Don't blame 'prosperity preceding decline'—that sect was never meant to last. Their specialty is impersonation. Let's be honest—it's just 'fraud'! Building a sect on deception—how could that last? Even the Demonic Cult works hard at martial arts, schemes diligently, and expands their territory through blood and fire."

"Zhao Zhao's words are crude but accurate." Chang Ning picked up his chopsticks and habitually piled food into Cai Zhao's bowl. "The Thousand Faces Sect wreaked havoc for nearly twenty years. Their last leader was nicknamed 'Thousand-Faced Demon Butcher'—legend says his family was massacred when he was young."

A chill ran down Cai Zhao's spine.Chang Ning: "By all accounts, the Demon Slayer of Thousand Faces indeed had a pitiable background. However, his vengeance went too far, dragging many innocent people into the slaughter. Infants in swaddling clothes, babbling toddlers, even kitchen servants tending the fires—all were exterminated without mercy. How could righteous sects turn a blind eye to this? So he had no choice but to take his entire sect and seek refuge with the Demonic Cult. At first, the Demonic Cult held the Thousand Faces Sect in high regard. But as that hook-nosed man said today, the greater the Thousand Faces Sect's capabilities grew, the more uneasy others became, until..."

"Until the Demonic Cult wiped out the Thousand Faces Sect?!" Cai Zhao tensed.

Chang Ning chuckled: "Wrong. The Demonic Cult didn't do the deed themselves. After all, they'd recruited these people—it wouldn't do to break ties without cause. They simply leaked the Thousand Faces Sect's hideout location and its surrounding traps and formations."

Cai Zhao was astonished: "...So it was the righteous sects who acted?"

Chang Ning nodded: "That day, under the pretense of celebration and rewards, the Demonic Cult gathered all Thousand Faces disciples at their hideout in advance. Then the Big Dipper Six Sects sent forth their finest, joined by nearly every renowned hero of the time... In short, rivers of blood flowed, and not a single member of the Thousand Faces Sect survived."

Cai Zhao found this too cruel and shook her head slightly. "Actually, punishing the evildoers severely would have been enough. There was no need for complete extermination..."

Chang Ning smiled meaningfully: "Wrong. If it were merely about punishment, total eradication wouldn't have been necessary."

Cai Zhao froze: "...They... they wanted to completely eradicate the sect's techniques?"

"Exactly," said Chang Ning. "As long as someone knew those techniques, no one could sleep peacefully."

—At its core, it was a sect-wide massacre carried out through the silent collusion of both righteous and demonic factions.

Cai Zhao remained dazed for a long while before murmuring to herself: "No wonder there's not a single record of this in my family's ancestral journals. Probably other righteous sects wouldn't document such things either. Maybe even Aunt doesn't know."

Whether cooperating with the Demonic Cult or exterminating an entire sect out of fear—neither was particularly glorious.

Perhaps the Demonic Cult was happy to keep this quiet too. So everyone worked together to completely erase all traces of this sect's existence, burying this chapter of history in the river of time.

"After all this digression, how exactly does one counter those techniques? Pressure point strikes can be reversed, but how do you expose someone after the Thousand Faces Sect's body-switching?" She finally remembered their original purpose.

Chang Ning spread his hands: "I don't know either."

He added, "Few have even heard of these arts—how would anyone know how to counter them?"

Cai Zhao muttered to herself: "Still, we should have captured that Young Master Qian. We made quite a commotion, and Senior Brother Fan discovered the drugged Senior Brother Zhuang. They'll probably search the surrounding alleys soon—I wonder how that man will evade questioning?"

"How to evade? Easy." Chang Ning looked out the window toward the western part of town. "Burn it all down."

Cai Zhao gasped in shock and rushed to the window. Sure enough, roaring flames were rising from the western district, thick smoke billowing into the sky. She cried out, "They actually set the houses on fire?!"

"Only by burning everything can they leave no traces. When the commotion dies down, they'll find another residential hideout." Chang Ning poured himself another drink. "Who knows where we'll find them next time."

"These people... are they from the Demonic Cult?" Cai Zhao returned to the table. "How many people have they replaced anyway? Did they kidnap Father to replace him with an imposter?"

"Your father should be safe for now," Chang Ning said, piling more food onto the girl's plate. "From what Young Master Qian said, his last replacement was half a month ago, but your father only disappeared yesterday."

He continued, "Besides, do you know what's most difficult about impersonating someone?"Cai Zhao guessed accents, handwriting, movement habits, and so on, but Chang Ning dismissed them all. "Martial arts. Especially someone with skills like your father's—where would the Demonic Cult find a master of similar caliber to impersonate him? Damn it all!"

He suddenly put down his chopsticks. "Now I know why they ambushed Sect Leader Qi! Only if Sect Leader Qi was injured would the imposter need to avoid showing his true skills!"

Cai Zhao's eyes widened in realization.

Chang Ning slapped his chopsticks onto the table. "Originally, Sect Leader Qi was supposed to be 'severely wounded,' but because he was intercepted, he only suffered minor injuries. That's why the imposter later had to claim 'lingering poison and recurring wounds'!"

After a pause, he added, "Maybe they originally planned to replace Song Yuzhi! Hey, what if Song Yuzhi is already a fake?"

Cai Zhao scoffed. "If Song Yuzhi were fake, wouldn’t all those people at Vast Heaven Gate be blind? I heard that among the returning guardians, two watched Song Yuzhi grow up, and two stayed with him at Azure Tower Sect for seven or eight years!"

Chang Ning let out an "oh," sounding somewhat disappointed.

"I thought they'd replaced a lot more people." Cai Zhao took a deep breath, her expression thoughtful.

"From what Young Master Qian said, it seems the longer the disguise lasts, the more energy it consumes. Replacing Senior Brother Fan for just a few days left Young Master Qian exhausted as if he'd shed a layer of skin. For key figures, they’d need replacements lasting months at least. And I suspect they have more than one 'Young Master Qian' at their disposal."—If replacing people were easy, they would’ve just replaced Chen Guan, bribed him, and gone through the usual formalities.

Chang Ning thought it over and nodded in agreement.

Cai Zhao pulled out a handkerchief-wrapped golden needle from her sleeve. "I took this from Senior Brother Fan’s neck. Do you recognize it? It’s the 'Soul Confusion Needle' Chen Guan mentioned earlier."

Chang Ning examined the needle closely. "Yes, that’s it. A trivial trick from the unorthodox sects—utterly useless."

"Useless? It seemed pretty effective to me. We were fighting like mad beside him, and Senior Brother Fan didn’t even wake up."

"Truly useless." Chang Ning tossed the needle aside disdainfully. "The Soul Confusion Needle is potent—a needle dipped in knockout poison that knocks the victim unconscious when inserted into an acupoint. But it has a major flaw: the smell is overpowering and lingers for a long time. Unless you have no nose, anyone within ten paces would notice it."

"The user must carry a sealed needle case to block the odor, because the moment it’s opened, the scent spreads instantly, alerting everyone. In short, the Soul Confusion Needle can only be used in a surprise attack, striking a vital point with lightning speed. But if you can already ambush someone, why not just use a poisoned blade or needle with no smell? This thing is only useful when you want to capture someone alive—which means, given the effort they’ve put into abducting people, your father and Sect Leader Qi are likely unharmed for now."

Cai Zhao stared blankly for a moment before murmuring, "No wonder I always liked the bitter medicine smell in Master’s room. Now that I think about it, it was probably used to mask the scent of the Soul Confusion Needle."

"We’ve gained a lot today, but now we face two difficulties. First, how many people have been replaced? Second, how do we counter this Body Transformation Art? To answer both, we’d need to question Young Master Qian. But after today’s commotion, who knows where they’ve moved him?"

Chang Ning tapped his wine cup absently with a chopstick, looking every bit the carefree, disheveled drinker.

"I know," Cai Zhao suddenly said.

Chang Ning stopped tapping, thinking he’d misheard. "What did you say?"Cai Zhao demanded, "Tell me, where might Young Master Qian be hiding?"

Chang Ning's eyes were cool, tinged with a hint of intoxication from the wine. "...What kind of pill did Young Master Qian take earlier?"

Cai Zhao gave a bitter smile. "Just like the Soul Confusion Needle, it's something rather useless."

She glanced at the sky outside the window. "It's about time. Let's go buy a hunting dog."

...

The town of Qingque nestled against the majestic and perilous Nine Conch Mountain, surrounded by vast, dense forests.

Where there were forests, there were naturally abundant birds and beasts.

And where there were birds and beasts, there were inevitably hunters.

And where there were hunters, there were hunting dogs.

Thus, Cai Zhao easily found a small hunter's shop at the edge of town. She spent all the Silver Grain in her purse to buy a small but keen-nosed hound. Leading the dog to a secluded spot, she took out a tiny wax pill from her pocket, crushed it, and smeared the oily contents onto a handkerchief, which she then held under the dog's nose to sniff.

Night had fallen, and the sight of Chang Ning and Cai Zhao strolling through town with a hunting dog appeared rather refined to outsiders.

As they walked, Cai Zhao explained softly.

"That thing Young Master Qian took is called the 'Hidden Fragrance Pill,' made by my mother."

"When she was young, my mother loved fragrances—well, many girls do. But when traveling, who has time for incense? If you simply douse yourself in perfume, you’ll end up sweating it out during a fight, which just makes things awkward. So she wondered if there was a pill you could take that would make your body naturally emit a fragrance. Unfortunately, even by the time of the Tushan War, she hadn’t figured it out."

"Later, after settling in Fallen Blossom Valley, she finally had the leisure to tinker with it and created the 'Hidden Fragrance Pill.' Half an hour after taking it, the person’s body begins to emit a scent—ah, but who knew it would be so time-consuming and expensive to make, and the smell isn’t even pleasant. My aunt joked that it smelled like the cheap perfume a flirtatious innkeeper might use to lure customers—left out for three years, rained on, and then doused with a ladle of vinegar."

"My mother was so angry she threw the whole box of pills away. My aunt said it was a waste, so she picked them up to play with. We fed the Hidden Fragrance Pills to chickens, ducks, pigs, dogs, horses... and, of course, people."

"The scent lasts longest on humans—about two hours. Other animals fare worse. Once the time’s up, the smell vanishes completely. Later, my father said that while the fragrance wasn’t pleasant, it could be used for tracking. But when we actually tried it, we found it was pretty useless."

Chang Ning seemed intrigued. "What’s the drawback?"

Cai Zhao sighed. "As long as the person who took the pill has Inner Force, they can expel the medicinal effects as soon as they notice it."

Chang Ning chuckled. "Well, nothing in this world is perfect."

Then he stopped and turned to look at the girl. "You seem so confident. Do you really think Young Master Qian won’t expel the scent?"

Cai Zhao tilted her head and counted on her fingers. "First, Young Master Qian’s martial skills are weak, and he just exerted himself using the Body Transformation Art. Even if he had some Inner Force left, there wouldn’t be much by now."

"But he could have someone else expel it for him," Chang Ning challenged.

"True," Cai Zhao conceded. "But there’s a second point: this Young Master Qian is vain. He already wears perfume, and they’re in a hurry to set fires and hide. They might not even notice the Hidden Fragrance Pill’s scent. We can take that gamble."

Chang Ning nodded first, then smiled—a smile utterly devoid of worldly concern."With gambling, that Young Master Qian wasn't willing to be imprisoned," he said. "You might not have noticed, but when he was groping Fan Xingjia, he took the chance to slip a paper ball into his palm. After the spell was cast and he collapsed next to Fan Xingjia, upon hearing those men wanted to kill Fan Xingjia, he quickly took the paper ball back and tucked it into his own sleeve."

Cai Zhao's eyes widened. "You mean..." She found the sight of a man touching another man rather disturbing, so she hadn't paid close attention.

"I'd guess the paper ball contained some kind of plea for help," Chang Ning said.

For the first time in two days, Cai Zhao showed a relieved smile.

...

The town of Qingque had only two main exit gates.

The southern and eastern gates, and the western and northern sides led to Nine Conch Mountain.

Chang Ning and Cai Zhao first took the hounds to the two main gates to confirm whether the group had left Azure Tower Town—but they hadn’t. They were still in town.

Then the two searched through all the residential areas, including the alley that had just been burned down—just in case the group decided to double back.

Yet they found nothing.

So they had no choice but to wander around taverns, teahouses, and restaurants. Such places were thick with the smells of alcohol and food, but fortunately, the scent of the Hidden Fragrance Pill was distinctive. Cai Zhao had tested it before in the bustling district of Fallen Blossom Town, and the hounds could still pick it out.

But again, there was no trace.

With nearly two hours gone and the pill’s effects about to wear off, Cai Zhao grew anxious.

Chang Ning suddenly said, “Let’s check Nine Conch Mountain.”

Cai Zhao was stunned.

At first, she thought Chang Ning was being absurd—only a madman would willingly walk into the enemy’s den. Even if Qi Yunke had been replaced, the inner and outer sects were filled with highly skilled martial uncles and masters, and hundreds of disciples who were no pushovers. A mere imposter hiding in a sickroom couldn’t possibly control everything—so why had they specifically targeted Fan Xingjia?

But then she reconsidered—what if?

So the two hurried to the northwestern side. The moment they reached the foot of Nine Conch Mountain, the hounds began barking fiercely—trained hunting dogs knew to charge toward their prey without hesitation. If Chang Ning hadn’t held the leash tightly, the hounds would have bolted up the mountain.

A chill ran down Cai Zhao’s spine as she turned to Chang Ning in alarm.

Chang Ning scooped up the hound and said gravely, “Hurry up the mountain.”

Channeling their Inner Force, the two dashed through the woods like startled birds, swiftly ascending the mountain.

When they reached Wind Cloud Peak, Chang Ning quickly set the hound down.

The moment its paws touched the ground, it sprinted straight toward the cliff, barking incessantly.

The commotion drew the attention of the disciples guarding Wind Cloud Peak.

It was late, and the Iron Chain should have been locked by then. But when Song Yuzhi had crossed earlier, he had instructed them to ensure Cai Zhao could still pass, lest she be stranded outside and run into danger.

Song Yuzhi’s authority in Azure Tower Sect was second only to Qi Yunke’s, and his fairness even surpassed it. The guards naturally obeyed.

Thus, in the dead of night, the horn sounded once more at Wind Cloud Peak. Upon seeing the correct flag signals and recognizing Chang Ning and Cai Zhao, the disciples on the opposite side swiftly released the Iron Chain.

The two quickly carried the hound across the Iron Chain. The moment they landed on the edge of Myriad Waters, Thousand Mountains Cliff, the hound in Chang Ning’s arms struggled free and dashed off—Chang Ning tapped his toes and followed immediately.

A senior disciple by the Iron Chain box chuckled, “Did you buy a dog to keep you company, Junior Sister?”

Cai Zhao forced an awkward laugh. “Ah… yeah.”

“The dog seems well-tempered. You’ll have your hands full,” the disciple mused, assuming Cai Zhao had bought the dog to distract herself from her father’s disappearance. Poor girl.

Cai Zhao hurried after Chang Ning, but before she had gone far, she spotted him and the hound near a patch of grass.

The hound sniffed and circled the area but could no longer pick up the trail.

Chang Ning stood nearby, frowning.

Cai Zhao looked up at the sky.

The first watch of the night—the moon hung high, and the pill’s effects had worn off.