Mount Huijing, Bright Moon Tower.
Under the bright moon, the chill over the water was quite biting, yet as the gentle breeze swept by, stirring the remnants of withered lotus and sending a few hardy egrets fluttering into the air, the scenery remained captivating.
From the opulent Bright Moon Tower rose an unprecedented wisp of black smoke from cooking, the aroma of food drifting across the water, carrying with it a hint of winter warmth.
At the top of the tower, beneath the radiant moonlight, two rattan chairs were placed. The tiles beneath the chairs had been chipped away by their legs, evidence that someone often moved them up here to sit. A young man in white robes and a scholar in blue sat in the chairs, each holding a book, leisurely reading.
"I haven't come across a good book in a long time," the white-robed gentleman said, flipping through a stack of pages. "How's that story of yours?" The blue-robed scholar's gaze was clear, as if deeply engrossed. "I'm still at the beginning." The white-robed man took a closer look—the scholar was holding the book upside down, reading each character in reverse, which explained his slow progress. "Where are you now?" The scholar replied calmly, "It's about Miss Yang combing her hair." The white-robed man sighed. "How tasteless. Look at mine— The Jade Fox Chronicles . I haven't even read it yet, but I already know there's a fox who transforms into a beauty and meets a down-and-out scholar. Later, the scholar will surely pass the imperial exams, marry a princess, and the fox, unwavering in her devotion, will decide to turn back into a fox and disguise herself as a white dog in the scholar's household, accompanying him for life." The blue-robed scholar remarked indifferently, "What a touching story." The white-robed man covered his face with the book. "Reading really isn't a good idea. No matter how bright the moonlight or how refined the scent of books, I always feel like sleeping at this time of day." The scholar replied placidly, "Then sleep. I'll wait for dinner." The white-robed man's voice came muffled from beneath The Jade Fox Chronicles , "Even sleepwalking, I'll still eat..."
These two young gentlemen reading under the moonlight were none other than the "Golden Physician of the Bright Moon," Shui Duopo, and Mo Ziru. While the martial world churned with storms, here, beyond the mundane realm, the breeze was light and the moon bright—no trace of the world's tangled web of grudges and passions lingered. Tang Lici had been recuperating here for nearly a month, and Liu Yan's legs and face had improved significantly. Shui Duopo had broken his legs again and reset them properly. Though he still couldn't walk now, he would eventually be able to practice with crutches, and perhaps one day move on his own. As for his face, which had been stripped of a layer of skin, Shui Duopo had originally intended to casually replace it with a decent one to avoid constantly feeling like he was running into a ghost. But Liu Yan was stubbornly obstinate, adamantly refusing a new face.
He insisted on keeping his ghastly, bloodied visage. Shui Duopo ordered him to wear a veil daily to avoid frightening people, then gave up trying to persuade him. Instead, he quietly tampered with the medicinal ointment applied to Liu Yan's face, gradually fading the scars and encouraging new skin to grow. Though it would never be as mesmerizing as before, it was still far better than its original state.
At the moment, Liu Yan sat in a self-made wheelchair, cooking. His culinary skills had never been anything special, but in Bright Moon Tower, his "dishes" seemed oddly popular—both Shui Duopo and Mo Ziru ate them with delight. Over these twenty days, he had begun to feel that the grudges of the martial world were far behind him. Unfortunately, no matter how distant they seemed, it was all just an illusion.The oil in the pan was hot, and he began stir-frying the vegetables. The crisp greens glistened with oil, looking even more appetizing. As the smoke rose, he scooped out a portion of the unsalted greens onto a plate, then proceeded to stir-fry another batch with salt.
Someone leaned against the doorframe behind him, watching with a slight frown on their delicate brows. "How much longer do I have to eat this kind of food?" Liu Yan paused briefly after finishing the second batch of greens. "Until... you're completely recovered." The person by the door was dressed in white—his original clothes had long been torn beyond repair, but this set of Shui Duopo's white robes suited him just as well, exuding an elegant and ethereal grace. He changed the subject. "A-Yan, I'm returning to Good Cloud Mountain tomorrow."
Liu Yan turned his wheelchair to face him. "I've heard many things have happened recently. Going back now would be dangerous." The man in white was, of course, Tang Lici, who smiled faintly. "One misstep, and the whole game is lost." Liu Yan set down the spatula. "I'll go back with you." Tang Lici replied, "At a time like this, I thought you should be focusing all your efforts on the antidote for the Ape-Demon Nine Heart Pill. Coming with me would harm me, not help me." His tone was calm, his words clear and uncompromising. Liu Yan's expression twisted with sudden agitation, looking almost fierce under the lamplight. "You—" For some reason, he stopped himself. "I'll handle the antidote, but you—you can't go back alone."
"Worried about me?" Tang Lici exhaled softly. "You'd be better off worrying about yourself. Bright Moon Tower isn't a place to stay long. I won't travel with you. How will you manage the antidote alone, with your mobility issues? Have you thought it through?" Liu Yan faltered. "I..." Lately, his mind had been too chaotic to think clearly. "I'll find a way." Tang Lici studied him for a long moment before sighing. "When will you finally understand what you should and shouldn't do?" Liu Yan retorted coldly, "And do you know what you should and shouldn't do? Seems to me you don’t, which is why you act so recklessly..." He trailed off, turning away and changing the subject. "I have leads on the antidote. Don’t worry. I’ll have it ready before the next poisoning."
"How?" Tang Lici's voice remained gentle. "Don’t forget, someone claimed you’d appear at Beauty Abode in Jiaoyu Town five days from now." Liu Yan snorted, unsure how to respond. Tang Lici lowered his lashes and spoke slowly. "Whoever dared say that has nerve. I imagine they have a way to force you to go." Liu Yan snapped, "If I don’t want to go, I won’t. What can they do?" Tang Lici smiled faintly. "For example—threatening Fang Pingzhai or Yu Tuan'er’s lives. Would you go then?" Liu Yan stiffened. "I wouldn’t—" Tang Lici raised a pale finger. "I’m not the one who needs an answer. You can decide in five days." He turned to gaze at the moon in the night sky. "Someone wants your antidote, wants to use you to assert dominance, to gain favor, and even wants your life... Do you understand?""I know." Liu Yan looked at the dishes on the table. "Let's eat first." Tang Lici spoke slowly, "Sometimes I really don't understand what goes on in your mind... You never think about the things you should, yet you obsess over the things you shouldn't, day and night. Tell me, would slapping you make you any clearer?" Liu Yan snapped angrily, "My affairs are none of your concern! Worry about yourself instead! I'm a demonic cult leader—I won't follow you, this righteous Young Master Tang, and I certainly won't let you stir up trouble or cause more complications at a time like this. Satisfied? Are you satisfied?"
Tang Lici replied softly, "A-Yan, you'd do best to find Fang Pingzhai and that young Miss Yu. Your disciple treats you well. If he hasn't fallen into enemy hands, traveling with him would be safe for now." Liu Yan sneered, "He just wants to learn the Sound Assassination Technique." Tang Lici said, "You think he has talent, don't you... Besides, there's another reason." His voice was gentle, the tone softening as he spoke, "She's with them."
Liu Yan stiffened, suddenly falling silent as if the air around him had turned colder. Tang Lici turned to face him. "Do you want her to understand you? Do you want her to know how much of the Liu Yan she once knew was a disguise? Do you want her to see the real Liu Yan? Do you want to know who she truly loves? Why she doesn't love you? Do you dare let her see everything in your heart?" Liu Yan clenched his teeth, refusing to answer. Tang Lici smiled faintly, the expression laden with meaning.
Suddenly— bang! —Liu Yan slammed the table and stood up. "Yes! I do! I want that more than anything! But does she want to hear it? Does she care to know? She wouldn’t give a damn about who I really am or what I think... I want her to know how much I envy her, how much I love her, how badly I want to treat her well! But her heart only has room for you ! And her son! Why should I make her understand me? What’s the point? Even if she did, what then? So she can think I’m even more absurd, more despicable, more pathetic, more worthless?"
"There’s no place in her heart for you—or for me." Tang Lici remained unbothered by Liu Yan’s fury, his faint smile lingering. "I don’t know who occupies her heart, and I don’t care... But you do. You care. You’ve never invested so much emotion in a woman before, have you? You desperately want her to truly care about you, to value you—because you’ve lost too much, and in her, you see what you’ve lost..." Liu Yan flung his hand out— crash! —shattering a plate, shards of porcelain scattering across the floor. "Yes! I admit it! I wish I were like her! I want her to care about me! But what I want, I won’t accept as charity from you!"
"You need to learn how to fight for it." Tang Lici’s smile remained light. "Self-abandonment will never get you anything." Liu Yan said coldly, "Then when will you learn to let go? You never abandon yourself—so what have you gained?" Tang Lici’s brow lifted slightly. "Say that again—" Liu Yan turned his head away, refusing to repeat it. After a long, tense silence, he forced out stiffly, "I’ll go find Fang Pingzhai. But not for A Shui.""I don't care about your reasons, but I'm glad you're willing to go find Fang Pingzhai," Tang Lici said as he walked over from the doorway, placing two plates of greens from the stove onto the table.
Liu Yan suddenly raised his voice, "You—you care about her too... why pretend otherwise..."
Tang Lici set down the plates and turned around. "Me? I think she's a very restrained woman—intelligent, disciplined, knowing exactly what she should do and what she deserves... She's insecure, but not self-pitying; unhappy, but not resentful. Of course, she's beautiful—but what interests me is... I want to see this woman cry for someone, go mad for someone, die for someone." His voice was gentle. "She lives so steadily, as if she could face anything with calm detachment. I want to see her wild, heartbroken, hysterical, or utterly desperate..."
Liu Yan's chest heaved. "You—you're absolutely—"
Tang Lici smiled faintly, his tone soft. "You love her and want to protect her. I love her, so I want to hurt her."
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