Early the next morning, beneath the Ten-Mile Red Pavilion, Hong Guniang, Bai Suche, and Fu Cui brought Chi Yun—still tightly bound—to exchange for A Shui with Tang Lici. Liu Yan remained absent, his whereabouts unknown. The prisoner exchange proceeded surprisingly smoothly. Although the Dissolute Shop had stationed dozens of assassins around the pavilion, Hong Guniang failed to find the perfect opportunity to strike, ultimately allowing Tang Lici to leave with Chi Yun unharmed.
"Tang Lici is not an opponent to be underestimated," Bai Suche remarked coolly. "Killing him one day would be quite an achievement." Hong Guniang's face was icy with hatred, but she remained silent. Fu Cui, however, laughed heartily. "The deal is done. Let's all head back. There will be plenty of chances to kill Tang Lici in the future." Bai Suche turned and took a few steps forward before suddenly pausing, her hand resting on her blade. "The Western Princess left without a word, yet you seem to be in high spirits?" Fu Cui grinned. "Oh? You noticed I'm in a good mood?" Bai Suche hesitated briefly before continuing on without answering. Hong Guniang followed her, and the two boarded the Dissolute Shop's white carriage, disappearing behind its curtains.
Fu Cui watched the departing carriage with a giggle. That girl Suche was becoming more and more admirable. Perhaps she could suggest replacing Xiao Hong with her—Suche might even do a better job in that position. Xiao Hong was clever and beautiful, yes, but her greatest flaw was being Liu Yan's person.
When Chi Yun was finally untied and spat out the gag, Tang Lici was sipping tea, smiling at him with serene composure and refined elegance. Shen Langhun, expressionless, tossed the ropes aside. Feng Feng stood on a chair, gripping its arms tightly and rocking back and forth, watching Chi Yun with excitement.
A person bound into a ball does indeed resemble a headless, tailless lump. Chi Yun glared at Tang Lici, teeth clenched. Tang Lici responded with an even gentler smile. "Feeling better?" Chi Yun spat. "Worse!" He shot Tang Lici a cold sidelong glance. "And how do you feel?" Tang Lici took a sip of his fragrant, exquisite tea. "Quite well."
"That wretched woman dosed me with something called 'Azure Spring Water.' Supposedly, even touching it is poisonous, but it seems she was just bluffing." Chi Yun flexed his numb limbs and staggered to his feet. "A cunning old fox like you—even the Ape-Demon Nine Heart Pill couldn't kill you. What's some 'Azure Spring Water' to you..." Tang Lici watched him sway upright, the corner of his lips quirking. "I wasn't poisoned because the toxin on you had already been neutralized. Bai Suche wasn’t bluffing. Does that satisfy you?" Chi Yun snorted. "How did you get the antidote?" Tang Lici smiled. "A secret." Chi Yun pressed further. "And how did you know I was poisoned?" Tang Lici took another sip of tea. "The Dissolute Shop specializes in poison. With such a valuable hostage, how could they not use it? It was obvious... They were almost polite not to lace you with thirty or fifty different deadly toxins.""So you're saying that bitch showed some mercy?" Chi Yun said coldly. Tang Lici set down his teacup. "If you wish to think so, that’s fine. But if you insist on painting others as utterly wicked, there’s nothing I can do about it. Ah... Chi Yun, serve the tea."
Chi Yun snapped, "Serve the tea?" Tang Lici brushed his sleeve lazily and propped his chin on his hand. "You kept me up all night. Serve the tea, then go buy some food. Everyone’s hungry." Chi Yun’s limbs still ached fiercely. Though the poison had been neutralized, his entire body was exhausted. Gritting his teeth, he spat, "You—"
With a flick of his sleeve and a faint smile, Tang Lici urged, "Why aren’t you going?" Chi Yun had no choice but to turn on his heel and storm off.
Shen Langhun remarked coolly, "You don’t look well." Tang Lici pressed a hand to his abdomen, weariness flickering between his brows. "It’s nothing. Did anyone scout this place last night?"
"There were two petty thieves looking for silver. I tossed them into the magistrate’s office," Shen Langhun replied. After a pause, he added, "I thought you’d barge into that feast last night and come back covered in blood, dragging your feet."
"Barging in is Chi Yun’s style, not mine," Tang Lici said with a smile. "Being bloodied and stumbling around is too undignified. Whether facing enemies or friends, one should always smile, humble and courteous—that’s how you get invited for tea."
Shen Langhun chuckled dryly. "Hah, isn’t that usually called ‘sly’?" Before Tang Lici could respond, Feng Feng suddenly flailed her arms, rocking her chair, her face alight with glee. "Eeeh... eeeh-eeeh... buh-jee!"
Shen Langhun laughed. "Seems someone understands you very well." Tang Lici’s brow relaxed slightly, his expression hovering between amusement and something else.
"So, what’s the next move?"
"Next, I’m going to Piaoling Mei Yuan—to Bodhi Valley, to find a grave," Tang Lici said. "Also, Liu Yan has vanished. Given his current state of mind, he’s definitely plotting something."
"A grave? You’re looking for Fang Zhou’s remains?" Shen Langhun frowned. "He’s already buried. By now, rats and maggots might’ve gnawed his face beyond recognition. Still not giving up?"
"Hmm. Until I see the coffin and bones," Tang Lici smiled, "what does ‘giving up’ even mean? Who knows—maybe he was buried directly in an ice coffin filled with Ice Spring. Maybe the soil where he lies has unique properties that preserve the body. The world is full of wonders." Shen Langhun glanced at him but said nothing, exhaling slowly.
At the market in Jiufeng Town.
Chi Yun, his white robes filthy and disheveled, scowled as he scanned the streets for any sign of wine or meat. Unfortunately, Jiufeng was a remote little town—its single cobblestone street stretched barely twenty zhang from end to end. Aside from a stall selling chicken gizzards, not even a steamed bun vendor was in sight under the broad daylight.
He had no doubt Tang Lici was messing with him—because he absolutely was. Just as he’d paced the street two or three times, unsure how to report back empty-handed, he suddenly spotted a figure. "Huh?"
By the roadside stood a woman in purple, leading a horse, her brows slightly furrowed as if weighed by unsolvable sorrow. Hearing him, she blinked in surprise. "Chi Yun?"
Chi Yun grinned. "Little Zhong girl, you’re here for that white-haired fox, aren’t you? Follow me." To him, Zhong Chunji was nothing but a dull, tiresome brat. But right now, she was the perfect excuse for his lack of food and wine—and that made him downright gleeful.Why is it that when you wish to meet someone, the search is so arduous, yet when you don’t, you run into them with just a turn of the head? Zhong Chunji stared blankly at Chi Yun, who was rarely smiling at her. At this moment, she truly did not wish to see Tang Lici, but could she really avoid him just because she didn’t want to? Perhaps after this parting, they would go their separate ways, and she would never see him again... The vial of medicine in her embrace had been warmed by her body heat, its presence barely noticeable, but could mere temperature conceal the coldness of what lay within? After a moment’s hesitation, she forced a smile at Chi Yun. "How has Young Master Tang been lately?"
"Even if everyone in the world were dead, he’d still be just fine," Chi Yun replied coolly. "Come on."
In the opulent mansion of Jiufeng Town, Shen Langhun and Tang Lici had just reached a pause in their conversation when they heard two sets of footsteps outside the door. Chi Yun strode back in, followed by someone. "Well, Jiufeng Town’s streets don’t sell food or wine, but I’ve brought back someone who might interest you."
"Young Master Tang." Zhong Chunji avoided Tang Lici’s gaze. "I..."
"Miss Zhong is truly prescient, always managing to cross paths with us in this vast world," Shen Langhun remarked mildly. "What brings you here this time?" Tang Lici smiled. "Miss Zhong’s journey south merely coincides with ours—nothing more. Brother Shen, there’s no need to mind." He stood, his sleeves swaying slightly. "Please, have a seat."
The room held more than just the chair he had been sitting in. Aside from the chairs occupied by Feng Feng and Shen Langhun, there were three others empty. Yet his gesture of rising to offer her a seat made Zhong Chunji feel an involuntary sense of being honored, and she sat down almost without thinking. "I... I..." She steadied herself. "I was only following my master’s trail, and it happened to align with Young Master Tang’s path."
"Is that so? I can assist in tracking Xue Xianzi’s whereabouts," Tang Lici said. "If there’s any news, I’ll inform you promptly. How does that sound?" Zhong Chunji nodded, then suddenly shook her head. After a long pause, she murmured, "Actually, I... don’t have urgent business in finding my master. I just don’t know where to go..." Since descending Green Peak Cliff, she had lost her sense of direction. What had once driven her to wander the martial world now eluded her completely. The world felt vast, the stars and moon desolate. Though she had many friends, not one could truly share her thoughts or resolve her doubts. Where was she to go? What was she to do? What meaning did her existence hold in this boundless world? Everything seemed to have become an unfathomable mystery... Life, apart from some utterly impossible fantasies, seemed devoid of meaning.
Tang Lici smiled faintly. "If Miss Zhong has no pressing matters, why not travel with us?" The moment he spoke, both Chi Yun and Shen Langhun shot him a glare. Zhong Chunji froze, as if his words had only deepened her confusion. "Where is Young Master Tang headed this time?" Tang Lici replied, "To find a corpse and save a life." Zhong Chunji lowered her head, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. Softly, she said, "I see... Then Chunji will naturally do all she can to assist."Chi Yun's lips parted, but Shen Langhun gave a low cough. Chi Yun had been about to blurt out—what use is a little Zhong girl like you when even Chi Yun, Shen Langhun, and Tang Lici can't solve the problem? Damn reckless fool! But since Shen Langhun stopped him, he kept silent, though his face clearly showed disdain. Tang Lici was heading to Piaoling Mei Yuan's Bodhi Valley to find Fang Zhou's corpse—what did he need this little girl for? Did he expect her to move mountains, split rocks, or dig up graves? Meanwhile, Shen Langhun stared intently at Zhong Chunji as if trying to bore a hole through her, showing no surprise at Tang Lici's invitation.
"But where is this place? How could such a remote village have such a grand mansion?" Zhong Chunji glanced around, taking in the lavish decorations, the intricately carved furniture—clearly the residence of a wealthy family, yet not a single servant was in sight. Tang Lici bent down to pick up Feng Feng. "This was the secluded home of a dear friend years ago. This town was once breathtakingly beautiful, with vast plum groves." Zhong Chunji frowned slightly. "But I don’t see any plum trees now." Tang Lici replied, "That’s because he set fire to them all. The flames half-destroyed the house, and I later restored it to its current state." Zhong Chunji's chaotic heart jolted. "The friend who wrote poetry?" What she truly wondered was: The one who poisoned you, threw you down a well, and then set everything ablaze? After such cruelty, why do you speak of him without resentment? Could it be that you were truly so irredeemably at fault back then?
"Hmm..." Tang Lici picked up Feng Feng but then handed her to Chi Yun. "I come here once a year, but I’ve never seen him again." Zhong Chunji murmured, "I see."
Chi Yun took Feng Feng. There was half a bowl of rice broth left on the table, and he sat down, feeding her spoonful by spoonful with practiced ease. Zhong Chunji watched in mild astonishment, while Shen Langhun observed her impassively. Tang Lici looked weary, and her already turbulent heart raced like a startled deer. For a moment, she wanted nothing more than to fling the vial of medicine hidden in her sleeve away. Suddenly, Tang Lici rested his cheek on his hand and closed his eyes, motionless. In that instant, overwhelming pity surged within her. No matter his past, no matter his future, whenever he was before her, he seized her heart, made her act against her will, filled her with strange imaginings. Could she really... really let him go, never again finding a reason to meet?
"Miss Zhong, having traveled far and wide, do you know where Soul Prayer Mountain is?" Tang Lici's eyes remained closed as he rested, merely conserving his energy. Zhong Chunji was taken aback. "Soul Prayer Mountain? It’s a hill within the Wuyi Mountains, surrounded by deep wilderness and rarely visited. How does Young Master Tang know of its existence?""From what the lady says, such a mountain truly exists in this world..." Tang Lici remarked, "The lady is indeed erudite." Zhong Chunji shook her head, "No, Soul Prayer Mountain is a strange place. I’ve never been there myself, but I’ve heard my master speak of it. It’s a sacred burial ground, with white peculiar soil behind the mountain. Graves built from this soil are indestructible, and bodies buried there remain preserved for decades without decay." She lowered her voice, "My master... buried my mistress’s remains on Soul Prayer Mountain." Tang Lici exclaimed softly, "Is that true?" Zhong Chunji nodded, "But only my master knows the exact location. It’s remote and hidden, with few visitors. Unless one is part of the Martial Arts World, very few would know of the mountain’s benefits."
"In that case, it seems we must venture there?" Shen Langhun said coolly, "We’ll leave tomorrow." Zhong Chunji steadied herself slightly, "What about the matter of Dissolute Shop? Is Young Master Tang simply going to ignore it?" Tang Lici opened his eyes slightly and smiled, "The affairs of Dissolute Shop are someone else’s concern. Nothing drastic will happen in the short term."
Afterward, Zhong Chunji prepared a hearty meal for the three of them. Following the battle at Green Peak Cliff, none had rested properly, and now that they had relaxed, exhaustion set in. Each retired to their rooms to meditate and recuperate.
In Tang Lici’s room.
"There’s something I must make clear." Deep into the night, Tang Lici had just finished meditating and remained seated on his bed when Shen Langhun’s voice drifted in through the window, his tone as indifferent as ever, "The master of Dissolute Shop, the Black-Clothed Lute Player Liu Yan—since you can’t kill him, I will do it in the future." Tang Lici opened his eyes, "Is that a warning?" Shen Langhun replied coolly, "No, just a statement of my stance." Tang Lici sighed softly, "He is my friend." Shen Langhun stood outside the window, the red serpent mark on his cheek unusually vivid, "I never said you can’t consider him a friend. But—until the day he gets you killed, will you ever learn what it means to give up?" Tang Lici did not respond. Shen Langhun turned to leave, "Before that happens, I will kill him." Tang Lici watched Shen Langhun’s retreating figure, his gaze distant and peculiar, murmuring, "If one day, he could turn back..." Shen Langhun’s voice echoed from afar, "If he strangled the woman you loved, murdered your parents and elder brother, poisoned your master and friends—what would you do?" Tang Lici fell silent as Shen Langhun departed.
"A-Li," another voice came from a different window, "Why do you treat that irredeemable scoundrel so well?" Tang Lici did not turn to the window behind him, "I have few friends." Chi Yun spat, "Are you saying that bastard Shen and I don’t count as your friends?" Tang Lici replied, "No." Chi Yun was stunned, "What...?" Tang Lici exhaled softly, propping himself up with one hand as he slowly turned around, "You... none of you know what I’m thinking, do you?"
"I sure as hell don’t know what the fuck you’re thinking! But even though I don’t, I still care about you. That bastard Liu is as cunning and vicious as you are, but even if he knew what you were thinking, he’d only want you dead more. I think you’ve got a screw loose—you don’t even understand what a friend is!" Chi Yun said coldly.Tang Lici stared at him intently, while Chi Yun glared back. Yet sometimes, Chi Yun felt those eyes were laughing, and other times, they seemed to weep. After a long while, Tang Lici slowly withdrew the hand propped on the couch and wrapped both arms around himself. In a very soft, very quiet voice, he murmured, "I just wanted a friend to confide in..."
Chi Yun was bewildered, staring at Tang Lici in utter confusion. What on earth was this "confiding" business? Tang Lici quickly released himself, shook his head, and smiled faintly at Chi Yun. "Go rest. After having your acupoints sealed for days and just recovering from poison, you need proper recuperation." Chi Yun frowned, but Tang Lici gently urged, "Go on." With an angry glare, Chi Yun flicked his sleeve and left.
No matter how hard he tried to be a well-behaved, virtuous person, he remained... inherently difficult to get along with. Tang Lici sat on the couch, gazing at his own feet. Outside the window, the moonlight shone as pure as frost and jade, casting his shadow on the ground—strangely vivid, strangely dark.
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