Volume One: Chaos in Yan and Yun Chapter Seven: The Changing World
Victory takes many forms, and unconsciousness is undoubtedly the clearest. For Windrise, winning was only natural. And so, his departure was equally natural.
He grabbed Murong Xue by her sash, lifting her with one hand, refused the physician’s offer to treat her, and, under the astonished gaze of the crowd, strolled calmly back to the Eastern Estate of the heir apparent. There, he tossed Murong Xue onto the bed, then ordered the servants to heat water.
The water was for bathing. Bathing required undressing. Windrise had been away for a long time, so his bath was, inevitably, thorough.
Thus, when Murong Xue opened her eyes, the scene before her nearly made her faint again.
Windrise lay in the bath barrel, both hands resting on the rim, watching her with amused interest.
“You’re awake?”
“Shameless!”
“How can there be shamelessness between husband and wife?”
Murong Xue’s expression grew colder, her voice angrier. “I will never marry a rogue like you!”
Windrise replied, “I think you should thank me.”
Murong Xue scoffed, “You’re delirious!”
Windrise spoke earnestly, “If not for me, you’d still be lying on the martial stage.”
Murong Xue said, “Even if I died, what concern is it of yours?”
Windrise chuckled, “Whatever happens to my fiancée is my concern.”
The conversation returned to the engagement.
Murong Xue said, “I won’t marry.”
Windrise said, “How fortunate, I don’t wish to wed either.”
Murong Xue was momentarily stunned, wondering why, then, all this?
Windrise explained, “Circumstances were urgent, so I had no choice but to act this way.”
He meant bringing her directly into his chambers.
Murong Xue pointed at his upper body, wet and exposed.
Windrise said, “I’ve been away for two months, facing danger step by step. Without a bath, I feel dreadful.”
Murong Xue sneered, “Even generals suffer from pampered ailments?”
Windrise answered seriously, “Is bathing at home a pampered ailment?”
He paused, then sighed, “If so, there must be many pampered families in the Divine Dynasty.”
Murong Xue grew agitated, “You know full well that’s not what I meant!”
Windrise replied, “Whatever you meant, I assure you I meant nothing of the sort.”
He continued sincerely, “All I know is, whether you wish to marry or not, you need my help.”
Murong Xue suppressed her anger, finding a certain logic in his words.
So Windrise doesn’t wish to marry her either?
Why not?
Is it really because of that young constable?
Thinking thus, she felt a pang—not because of Windrise, but because of his choice.
She was the beloved daughter of heaven; how could she be inferior to a mere constable?
“Don’t overthink it. Little Xing is only a very important friend to me.”
Murong Xue frowned slightly. “I’m not interested.”
Windrise smiled, “Then let’s talk about something you are interested in.”
He opened his palm, and the steam rising above the barrel stilled, transforming into droplets.
Murong Xue stared in disbelief.
Though the use was simple, it was unmistakably the Snow-Stepping Intent!
She practiced the Snow-Stepping Sword and was highly sensitive to such energies. From the feel of it, Windrise’s Snow-Stepping Sword Intent surpassed hers by far, perhaps even rivaling her master’s.
Her hand trembled, pointing at Windrise.
Windrise nodded with a smile.
“Your grasp of the Snow-Stepping Sword Intent isn’t deep yet. You must not have been in the Snowcloud Sect long. Therefore, you should call me senior brother.”
Murong Xue could hardly believe it.
Windrise said, “I am the top of the Elegant Talent Ranking. And, though it sounds conceited, I am acclaimed as the greatest genius in Yanbei’s history.”
Murong Xue finally realized.
Beneath his frivolous exterior lay unmatched talent, crowned atop the Elegant Talent Ranking.
Her opinion of him improved somewhat.
He, however, remained unchanged toward her.
“What do you intend to do?” she asked.
“Breaking off the engagement is impossible. No matter how much we insist, your father and mine won’t agree.”
“Why?”
“Because this union… is the Emperor’s will.” Windrise rolled his eyes, thinking this girl couldn’t see through even this—was she truly foolish, or just angered to stupidity?
No, if she could be angered by such a trivial matter, then there was no difference between genuine stupidity and anger-induced foolishness.
The Murong family had traveled north from afar, Windrise had rushed south by night—evidence of both families’ investment in this union.
A marriage between the head of civil and military families would never proceed smoothly without the Emperor’s approval.
The Divine Dynasty, after all, bore the surname Dugu.
“What should we do then?” Murong Xue asked, worried.
She aspired to the Way, but as the prime minister’s daughter, cutting off all worldly ties was impossible. Hearing such news now, she could not help but worry.
“So it goes. You don’t want to marry, I don’t want to wed—what else is there?”
Windrise pulled up the bath curtain; the lamp’s glow cast his silhouette clearly upon it.
Murong Xue forced down her embarrassment. “But the Emperor is still the Emperor.”
Windrise spoke from behind the curtain, “That’s true. But we are not the Emperor.”
Murong Xue was puzzled.
Windrise drew aside the curtain, clad in thin white robes, his soaked black hair draping over his shoulders, water dripping from his bangs.
“What I mean is, the Emperor’s thoughts are his own, and we are simply ourselves.”
Murong Xue couldn’t understand how he could be so indifferent to the Emperor’s intentions.
She voiced her question.
Windrise answered seriously, “Heaven, earth, ruler, parent, teacher—heaven and earth come first.”
If I wish to seek heaven and earth, how could I be bound by a ruler’s will?
To be free of a ruler’s will, one must first understand what it is.
…
…
Martial Council Hall.
Feng Muyun pondered the news from the training grounds, wondering why this child acted with such disregard for propriety.
He never doubted Windrise’s manners, as those were taught by Late Smoke.
Therefore, there must be a reason.
Windrise and that girl had just met—couldn’t be old history.
No old history, so it must be new developments?
The engagement?
He hadn’t objected when told of it, nor would he now.
Could something else have changed his mind?
He wanted to glance at Luo Xing, but remembered she had just been taken away by Luo He.
His gaze met Murong Baihair’s.
Murong Baihair didn’t look pleased, likely having learned of the training ground incident through some channel.
Feng Muyun felt a headache coming.
Suddenly, Murong Baihair said, “Upon entering Yanyun, I heard certain rumors.”
Feng Muyun replied, “Rumors are rarely reliable.”
Murong Baihair was silent for a moment. “True.”
Feng Muyun knew the elders of the Murong family already harbored misgivings, but could say nothing for now.
The one who tied the knot must untie it.
Where was Windrise?
Housekeeper Fei hurried into the council hall, leaning in to whisper something in Feng Muyun’s ear.
Feng Muyun’s expression grew grave. “Are you certain?”
Housekeeper Fei squinted, shaking his head, “It’s only Chief Luo’s judgment—no solid evidence.”
He paused, then added, “But the matter is serious enough that even a hint warrants attention.”
Feng Muyun said, “Should you go have a look?”
Housekeeper Fei agreed, bowing in salute.
Murong Baihair realized something must have happened, though he didn’t know what.
Otherwise, Feng Muyun’s expression wouldn’t be so dark.
Had his face ever looked this grim during barbarian raids?
For the Wind family, what could be more serious than a barbarian incursion?
Wuyang?
Or somewhere else?
“I thought it was merely the revival of the Bloodshed Pavilion, but now the Corpse-Control Pavilion has emerged as well.”
Murong Baihair was shocked.
Had he learned this two months earlier, he would not have left Wuyang.
Had he learned it half a month earlier, the Murong family’s carriages would not have entered Yanbei.
Even had he heard it yesterday, he would not have risked stepping into Yanyun.
“The Green Robe Tower… has reappeared?”
Perhaps even he hadn’t noticed the tremor in his voice.
It was trembling from fear.
The Five Pavilions of the Green Robe Tower had been the greatest terror in the hearts of cultivators for the past century.
“The Green Robe Tower itself hasn’t reemerged. Its master was suppressed in the Celestial Prison by the old emperor. Aside from the Bloodshed Pavilion, the other four suffered near annihilation. Recovery will not come easily.”
Murong Baihair said, “Yet now both the Bloodshed and Corpse-Control Pavilions have appeared—it’s unsettling.”
Feng Muyun replied, “Let’s wait and see.”
Murong Baihair asked, “Wait for what?”
Feng Muyun said, “Housekeeper Fei has gone to the Carefree Pavilion. We’ll await his report.”
Only then did Murong Baihair realize Housekeeper Fei’s destination.
He felt slightly reassured. “That’s good, then.”
Feng Muyun thought it might not be so good.
At least, not for the Wind family’s warehouse.
…
…
“So you mean the cult may have regained its strength?”
“The Crimson Moon has lasted for several decades. The Bloodshed Pavilion’s master is a rare hero; regaining strength is only natural.”
“But the dragon’s head is missing…”
“Who says so?” Windrise sat behind his desk, quietly transcribing the messages sent by carrier pigeon. “The Bloodshed Pavilion master is the dragon’s head.”
Murong Xue didn’t quite understand. “Why do you admire the Bloodshed Pavilion master so much? Sixteen years ago, he couldn’t even match a single sword light from Sword Supreme.”
Windrise silently added, that sword light was empowered by the Grand Array of Ten Thousand Swords.
“At that time, the Bloodshed Pavilion master only used a single Blood Transformation move. It was barely comparable to a single sword light from Snowcloud Sword Supreme. Had his true form appeared, few in the world could stand against him.”
Murong Xue protested, “How do you know?”
Windrise said, “Perhaps because I’ve read more books than most?”
Murong Xue recalled that this man had read the entire Dao Canon.
The legends left by Dao Spirits on this continent are few, for humanity’s history these past millennia can mostly be summed up by a handful of names.
Wei Sanmu.
Li Jinxing.
Dugu Feiyun.
And then the Sword Supremes of Snowcloud Sect and Dao Saints of Taixuan Mountain.
Even the strongest of Dao Spirits could barely match these figures.
But reading the Dao Canon was different.
Everyone who read the Dao Canon left a bold mark in the annals of history.
Lai Fan of Western Capital founded the Grain Palace and established the separation of mortals and immortals.
Li Jinxing of the Tang was a mortal wise immortal, twice thwarting the demon race.
Dugu Dou Xiao founded the Carefree Pavilion, bringing all events under the stars into humanity’s grasp.
Countless examples.
Murong Xue truly had no way to refute him.
“So… if the cult revives, what does it mean?” she asked softly.
“Who can say?” Windrise sighed. “Perhaps they’ve been cooped up too long and just want to stir things up?”
He shook the message paper on his desk, and said seriously, “One thing’s certain—the world is about to change.”