Whispers of Fate (Shui Long Yin)

Azure Fall Palace.

Afternoon, Bixiao Pavilion.

Wan Yu Yuedan had recently adopted a rabbit—a small, snow-white rabbit with black eyes and drooping ears, slightly different from ordinary white rabbits. But Wan Yu Yuedan couldn’t see it; he could only feel its soft, warm fur and its tiny body, no larger than a palm. He had once tried feeding it meat, but unfortunately, the rabbit would only eat grass and was terrified of cats, far from the rabbit he had imagined.

"Reporting to the Palace Master, those two have been deteriorating lately. If we can’t find a solution soon, I fear..." Tie Jing approached Wan Yu Yuedan’s room at a measured pace. "We’ve tried all the usual methods, but none have worked." Wan Yu Yuedan cradled the rabbit, stroked its head, then lifted it by the scruff and set it down on the floor. "Still can’t speak?"

"They can’t speak. Not only that, they can’t eat or even sleep." Tie Jing frowned deeply. "I’ve never seen people controlled so thoroughly. Every bite of food and sip of water these past few days has had to be fed to them by maidservants." Wan Yu Yuedan said, "Young Master Tang mentioned that these two are under the influence of the String-Pulling Soul-Seizing Technique. Only the person who cast it can undo it—they must hear the exact same song that was played when the control was first set. If the guess is wrong and the song is incorrect, their qi and blood will reverse, their meridians will shatter, and they’ll die on the spot." Tie Jing’s frown deepened. "But according to Uncle Ren’s examination, these two aren’t just affected by the String-Pulling Soul-Seizing Technique. Long before that, they were poisoned with a rare toxin that robs one of their senses—so much so that they can’t even sleep. After losing their minds, they were then subjected to the String-Pulling Soul-Seizing Technique, embedding the music deep into their consciousness. That’s why the effects are so severe."

"The String-Pulling Soul-Seizing Technique—Hong Guniang might be able to undo it. And even if she can’t, once we find Liu Yan, he’ll surely have a solution." Wan Yu Yuedan raised his brows slightly. "I wasn’t originally worried about the String-Pulling Soul-Seizing Technique. The fact that these two remain unconscious must have another cause. Are they still in the guest room?" Tie Jing nodded. "Does the Palace Master wish to see them?" Wan Yu Yuedan smiled. "The Seven Cloud Traveling Guests—legendary figures. Since I have time today, why not? Once they wake up, I won’t get the chance." Tie Jing coughed lightly, somewhat puzzled. Wan Yu Yuedan was blind—what was there for him to see? Yet Wan Yu Yuedan seemed eager, stepping out the door and heading toward the guest quarters.

Tie Jing followed behind him. The Palace Master’s memory was truly remarkable. Azure Fall Palace was still in its early stages, with many areas newly built, yet Wan Yu Yuedan only needed to walk through a place once to remember it, rarely requiring assistance. The two wound through several corridors before entering one of the guest rooms in the newly constructed wing.

Plum Blossom Numerology and Raging Orchid No Trace stood rigidly in the room, their faces pale and haggard, their clothing and posture identical to how they had been at Green Peak Cliff. Time was running out—if the poison and technique afflicting them couldn’t be undone soon, even their peerless martial arts wouldn’t save them from exhaustion and death. Wan Yu Yuedan stepped into the room, extending his right hand to slowly trace Plum Blossom Numerology’s face, carefully feeling his features. The skin beneath his fingers was cold and stiff, barely resembling a living person except for the faint breath still present. Tie Jing watched as Wan Yu Yuedan examined him meticulously—so this was what he meant by "seeing." If these two hadn’t been unconscious, they certainly wouldn’t have allowed such scrutiny."So this is what Plum Blossom Numerology and Raging Orchid No Trace look like." After carefully feeling both men's faces with his hands, Wan Yu Yuedan retreated a few steps and sat on the couch. "Tie Jing, you may leave first. Let me think this through." Tie Jing complied, closing the door behind him as he exited, though he couldn't help feeling puzzled. But since becoming palace master, Wan Yu Yuedan had made every decision with meticulous precision, never erring. If he needed solitude to ponder, he must have some strategy in mind.

Wan Yu Yuedan lay back on the guest room bed, quietly listening to the breathing of Plum Blossom Numerology and Raging Orchid No Trace. Their breaths were mismatched—one fast, one slow; one deep, one shallow—clearly indicating their internal cultivation techniques were entirely different. What kind of poison could keep a person from relaxing their joints even in extreme exhaustion, unable to close their eyes, unable to think clearly or even faint? Perhaps... He sat up and lifted Plum Blossom Numerology's robe, feeling along his joints. Though past thirty and no longer young, the man's skin and bones remained supple. Blind as he was, Wan Yu Yuedan's fingers were more sensitive than most. Pressing firmly, he detected something within the joint of the arm that didn't feel like bone.

What was it? A long spike? A tiny needle? Or just an illusion? Wan Yu Yuedan took out a magnet from his sleeve and pressed it against the joint, but there was no reaction—the object wasn't metallic. What could it be? He pulled up Raging Orchid No Trace's sleeve and found a similar fine spike embedded in his joint as well. A thought struck him, and he reached to feel the man's eye socket.

Beside the eye... there seemed to be something inserted there too, not too deeply. Wan Yu Yuedan withdrew his hand and flicked his fingers. Suddenly, two steel rings with slender needles appeared on his thumb and index finger. Gently stroking Raging Orchid No Trace's right eye with his left hand, he inserted the needles beside the eye socket and gave a light pinch. The spike was short and small, but Wan Yu Yuedan wielded the needles with perfect control. With a deft motion, he extracted a pale yellow splinter, thin as bamboo fiber, from the corner of the man's eye. Immediately, he felt the eyeball move beneath his touch as the eyelids closed. Wan Yu Yuedan smiled warmly, his expression reassuring. "Can you hear me? If you can, blink once." But Raging Orchid No Trace's eyes remained tightly shut, refusing to open again.

"Tie Jing." Wan Yu Yuedan held up the tiny splinter, and Tie Jing slipped back into the room. "Palace Master." Wan Yu Yuedan handed him the splinter. "What is this?" Tie Jing took the nearly invisible pale yellow fragment. "This seems to be a small spike from a plant... or perhaps an insect." Wan Yu Yuedan nodded. "Have Uncle Wenren examine it. These two men have had such spikes embedded in their joints—even their eye sockets—rendering them immobile. This substance must be extraordinary." Tie Jing frowned. "How did the Palace Master discover this spike?" Wan Yu Yuedan gave a light cough. "That... we'll set aside for now. If this is a poisonous thorn, identifying the toxin could save them both." He had thoroughly examined Plum Blossom Numerology from head to toe—if the renowned wandering swordsman were to wake and learn of this, it might prove awkward. He might even hold a grudge. Best not to mention it.Tie Jing left on orders, and Wan Yu Yuedan placed his hand on Raging Orchid No Trace, swiftly examining all his joints once more. He felt a slight surprise—Raging Orchid No Trace had far more fine needles embedded in him than Plum Blossom Numerology. Sometimes, two or even three needles were inserted into the same joint. Was this intentional torture, or was there another reason? Human joints subjected to such prolonged damage would find it difficult to fully recover. These tiny needles could pin down a person’s joints and even their eyeballs, yet why were these two able to fight as if nothing was wrong at specific times? Could it be that the needles were removed before combat and reinserted after the mission? That seemed unlikely...

Unless—when the String-Pulling Soul-Seizing Technique was activated, it made these two forget their restraints entirely, numbing them to pain, allowing them to fight as if unharmed. But this method would only worsen the damage to their joints, making recovery even harder. Even if they were saved, they might lose the ability to move, becoming permanently disabled.

What a ruthless method!

Wan Yu Yuedan straightened Raging Orchid No Trace’s clothes and sat back on the bed, resting his chin on his hand in quiet contemplation. After a while, he smiled faintly toward the door. “Hong Guniang, please come in.”

A snowy-white figure swayed slightly outside before stepping in—it was indeed Hong Guniang. Seeing Plum Blossom Numerology and Raging Orchid No Trace standing rigidly, her eyes brightened momentarily, but upon noticing their haggard, barely alive appearances, her gaze dimmed again. “How are they?”

“They’re fine—or perhaps they might recover, or perhaps they’ll die,” Wan Yu Yuedan said with a faint smile. “Hong Guniang, do you think you can undo the String-Pulling Soul-Seizing Technique on them?” Hong Guniang stared intently at Plum Blossom Numerology and Raging Orchid No Trace. “The technique on them wasn’t cast by me, but I do know which melody was used. However...” She sighed softly. “Even before the technique was cast, they were already mentally deranged. And someone had placed something on them—these two wailed endlessly, rolling on the ground like madmen. Master saw them suffering worse than death in the dungeon, so he used the String-Pulling Soul-Seizing Technique to completely rob them of their senses. Undoing it now would only make them suffer to death.” Her gaze remained fixed on Wan Yu Yuedan. “Do you truly want me to undo it?”"Hmm." Wan Yu Yuedan sat on the bed, leaning against the brand-new bedding in a posture that showed he was quite comfortable. "Please have a seat, Hong Guniang." Hong Guniang smiled charmingly. "Do you want me to sit on the bed like you, or on the chair?" The gentle creases at the corners of Wan Yu Yuedan's eyes relaxed slightly. "Sit wherever you like. Sometimes, I don’t particularly like overly polite women." Hong Guniang sighed softly and sat on the chair. "That’s a thought-provoking statement, one that invites deep reflection." Wan Yu Yuedan turned his clear, striking black-and-white eyes toward her. "Do you really not know what was planted on them? If you say you know, perhaps... I could tell you the latest news about Liu Yan." Hong Guniang suddenly stood up. "You’ve heard news of our master?" Wan Yu Yuedan placed his feet on the bed, wrapped his arms around his knees, and sat even more comfortably. "Hmm." Seeing him step onto the bedding with his shoes on, Hong Guniang couldn’t help but pause. Though his shoes weren’t dirty, for someone of his status—a palace master renowned throughout the martial world—to behave this way was simply unbelievable. After a brief moment of shock, she bit her lip slightly. "I... I don’t know how to cure the poison, but I’ve heard that Plum Blossom Numerology and Raging Orchid No Trace were afflicted with Poisonous Thorn, a tiny thorn from a peculiar bamboo called Bright Yellow Bamboo."

"Bright Yellow Bamboo?" Wan Yu Yuedan mused. "Where does it grow?" Hong Guniang shook her head. "I don’t know." She widened her eyes at Wan Yu Yuedan. "What about our master’s whereabouts?" Wan Yu Yuedan said, "The latest news about Liu Yan... well... is..." Hong Guniang pressed, "Is what?" Wan Yu Yuedan waved his sleeve. "Is... nothing." Hong Guniang was taken aback. "What do you mean, nothing?" Wan Yu Yuedan replied softly, "There’s simply no news about Liu Yan recently." A flush rose on Hong Guniang’s fair face. "You—" Wan Yu Yuedan closed his eyes and leaned against the bedding, radiating ease and contentment. She sighed again, more wistfully this time. "Bright Yellow Bamboo has long been extinct. No one knows where it grows. But in the imperial palace, it’s said that among the many pearls on the emperor’s golden crown, there’s one called 'Green Charm.' When thrown into a well on a moonlit night, it emits an eerie green glow. The powdered form of Green Charm can neutralize the poison of Bright Yellow Bamboo."

"If this story is true, I’ve already guessed half of Hong Guniang’s origins," Wan Yu Yuedan said gently. "There truly has been no news about Liu Yan recently. But not long ago, someone spread word that if anyone could make the newly appointed abbot of Shaolin Temple kowtow three times to him and compose a poem in his honor, he would reveal Liu Yan’s whereabouts."

"Judging by this message, the person spreading it must know our master’s current situation very well. Perhaps our master has fallen into his hands and is suffering torment..." Hong Guniang bit her lower lip, her face paling slightly. "Who is the one spreading this message?" Wan Yu Yuedan shook his head. "This is just a rumor—it may not be entirely credible. No one knows where it originated. But..." he said softly, "Liu Yan’s condition must be very dire."Hong Guniang nodded slightly. If things weren't amiss, Liu Yan wouldn't have disappeared without a trace, nor would he allow such rumors to spread unchecked. "What are your plans?" she asked.

Wan Yu Yuedan replied slowly, "To find Liu Yan, we must start with Shen Langhun. Shen Langhun won't easily give up his chance for revenge. Unless Liu Yan is already dead, he will never let go. Shen Langhun bears the mark of a red serpent on his face—it's only a matter of time before he's found."

Hong Guniang exhaled deeply. "Could the one spreading these rumors not be Shen Langhun himself?"

Wan Yu Yuedan lifted his gaze toward the canopy above the bed, though he could see nothing. His expression remained serene, as if he could. "The one who wants the Shaolin abbot to kowtow three times to them—that wouldn't be Shen Langhun. What do you think?"

Hong Guniang's eyes flickered. "A man full of arrogance, conceit, and a lust for fame and fortune."

Wan Yu Yuedan smiled. "Why couldn't it be a woman with wild fantasies, a love for battle, and a touch of self-admiration?"

Hong Guniang laughed softly. "Then let's see who appears in the future—whether they match my words or yours."

Wan Yu Yuedan rose from the bed. Hong Guniang stood and reached out to assist him, her slender fingers faintly gleaming with a crimson light—the sign of Rouge Intoxication . Since entering Azure Fall Palace, she had coated her nails daily with this lethal poison, which seeped into the body upon contact, killing painlessly within a day.

Wan Yu Yuedan lightly flicked his sleeve, steadying himself without her aid. "Thank you for your kindness, Hong Guniang, but I can walk on my own." As his sleeve brushed past, a faint woody scent reached her nose, and she stiffened, swiftly retracting her fingers.

He carried Shen Xiang Shan —perhaps dusted with its powder. This substance could combine with numerous toxins to form new poisons. If Rouge Intoxication and Shen Xiang Shan came into contact, the consequences would be unthinkable.

What a man, Wan Yu Yuedan.

She watched as he walked out the door with a smile—his pale blue robes, his gentle, youthful face, his carefree demeanor—yet carrying poisons that ensured mutual destruction. Such cunning, such composure, such elegance, such courage. She couldn't help but smile faintly.

Shen Xiang Shan... She reached into her robe and grasped a porcelain vial. She carried it too, but even she wouldn't dare apply it to her own body.

Had she never met Liu Yan, perhaps... the one she followed might have been different.

Hong Guniang quietly observed Wan Yu Yuedan's retreating figure. He had left Plum Blossom Numerology and Raging Orchid No Trace in the room—was he so certain she wouldn't dare tamper with them?

Then—should she act, or not?

Turning back to the two, she pondered briefly before making her decision.