Volume Six: The God-Monarch Returns to the Shattered Continent Chapter Eighteen: Whispers in the Woods
Within the Spirit Perception Palace, Song Xiang sat astride the golden throne as boldly as ever. His purple court robe was embroidered with a lifelike giant python.
“Do any of you have matters to present today?” Song Xiang’s voice was solemn, yet his expression was one of utter satisfaction. Clearly, he was thoroughly enjoying his present position.
A newly appointed member of the Python Clan stepped forward and reported, “My lord, nearly all those within the Cloudtop Heavenly Palace who harbored treacherous intentions have been dealt with. However, Lin Bai, Qin Ying, and the other former ministers of Zhuo Hua remain in the celestial prison and still refuse to submit. Should we perhaps…”
Song Xiang gave a contemptuous smile. “If they truly refuse to serve the Immortal Lady, then kill them all. After all, they were personally promoted by Zhuo Hua. They are unlikely to win the Immortal Lady’s favor. You should know how much she values the purity of the Cloudtop Heavenly Palace. The palace belongs to the Primordial Clan—how could its master possibly be a member of the Demon Clan, or even the Monster Clan? And that fellow Yao Bogong—although his mother was of the Primordial Clan, his father was a common mortal. To think that such a bastard could rise to become a Star Lord is an utter laughingstock.”
Suddenly, he remembered that he himself was a demon. He immediately changed his tone.
“Ahem! I—I am merely acting as the Immortal Lady’s regent and managing the Cloud Palace on her behalf.”
The Horned Marten of the Wood Mansion gathered his composure, stepped forward, and said, “My lord, although you govern the Cloud Palace as the Immortal Lady’s regent, we have all witnessed your wisdom and might. Naturally, we know whom we should follow.”
Song Xiang’s face broke into a pleased smile, and he hurriedly waved his hand. “It is still not enough. Not enough.”
The Horned Marten gave a faint smile and continued, “What you said just now is entirely correct. The Cloud Palace is a sacred land of the Primordial Realm. Since ancient times, only those carrying the bloodline of the Primordial Clan have been permitted to serve as Palace Master, Star Lords, or members of the Twelve Guards of the Cloud Palace. Yet ever since the Immortal Lady went to confront the Dark Tyrant, the dual sovereignty of the two sages has been reduced to Zhuo Hua alone. He acted arbitrarily, listened only to one side, ignored our loyal counsel, and recklessly promoted members of the Four Great Demon Clans and the Monster Clan, placing them in every vital position within the Cloud Palace. He even disregarded everyone’s objections and gathered an army to wage war against the neighboring void, causing countless deaths and injuries—countless deaths and injuries! Poor sons of the Primordial Realm, they perished in foreign lands, and even now their bones have not yet grown cold!”
By the time he reached this point, Ri Xuluo’s eyes were streaming with tears, and he was sobbing uncontrollably.
Moved by such emotion, Song Xiang rose involuntarily, descended from the golden dais, and went to comfort him.
“Old Palace Master, you must not grieve so deeply. The Immortal Lady has not forgotten you former ministers. Although she has yet to arrive here, she entrusted me long ago with restoring her rule over the Cloudtop Heavenly Palace. She has not forgotten you!”
Song Xiang patted Ri Xuluo on the shoulder and continued, “You have all seen the Immortal Lady’s handwritten decree. It states clearly that the Primordial bloodline must remain the foundation of the Cloud Palace, and that members of the Four Great Demon Clans must be removed from all critical posts. As for the Monster Clan, well… apart from serving as slaves and servants, they have no other path.”
Ri Xuluo’s sorrow turned to joy, and he repeatedly thanked Song Xiang.
Song Xiang, however, wore an embarrassed expression. “You flatter me. I am unworthy of such praise.”
Suddenly, he noticed Yu Heishi, the Wolf of the Kui Mansion, standing behind the Horned Marten. From beginning to end, he had remained utterly silent and motionless, his eyes lowered in quiet contemplation.
“Wolf of the Kui Mansion!” Song Xiang called in a deep voice. “What do you think of the proposal to purge the Four Great Demon Clans and the Monster Clan?”
Song Xiang narrowed his eyes and fixed him with a chilling stare.
“They are our comrades-in-arms. How could we possibly—”
The Wolf of the Kui Mansion had not finished speaking when the Horned Marten cut him off.
With a broad smile, the Horned Marten said to Song Xiang, “My lord, what he means is that if they refuse to swear allegiance to the Immortal Lady, then even former comrades must be purged.”
The Wolf of the Kui Mansion was about to argue again, but the Horned Marten gave his sleeve a vicious tug. He immediately changed his words.
“I have no objection.”
“Good! Since no one objects, then let the Horned Flood Dragon of the Wood Mansion, the Wild Horse of the Well Mansion, and the others in the celestial prison all…”
Song Xiang held a command token aloft. He had not yet thrown it when a messenger came running breathlessly into the hall. Trembling, the man cried out:
“Report! The Cloud Stele has opened—it has opened!”
“What?”
The entire hall erupted in uproar.
Song Xiang abandoned all concern for dignity and decorum. He strode down the imperial steps, rushed to the messenger, seized him by the collar, and demanded, “Speak clearly! How did the Cloud Stele open? Who has entered?”
The young soldier had already been frantic with anxiety. Under Song Xiang’s furious interrogation, he became even more tongue-tied.
“I—I do not know who came. The Star Lords of the Celestial Observatory reported that the intruder used an ancient passage command. As for the rest… I do not know anything else.”
“The Celestial Observatory?” Song Xiang released his grip on the messenger’s collar and slowly turned toward the Horned Marten.
“I shall investigate at once! At once!”
The Horned Marten hurriedly bowed and withdrew from the Spirit Perception Palace.
The Wolf of the Kui Mansion considered the situation for a moment, then stepped forward and reported, “I request permission to reinforce the Cloud Palace’s defenses and strengthen the security around the Spirit Perception Palace.”
Song Xiang’s thoughts were in complete turmoil. He waved his hand impatiently.
“Go! Go at once!”
The Wolf of the Kui Mansion said nothing more. He bowed and withdrew from the hall.
Zhuo Hua and the others moved quietly through a valley in Verdant Mist Mountain. Towering trees rose on either side, their leaves blotting out the sky and sun. Shafts of sunlight filtered through the gaps in the foliage, dappling the low shrubs below. Small flowers bloomed in brilliant profusion, competing for the scant sunlight by leaning eagerly to one side and greedily bathing in the golden radiance.
Beside them, a stream flowing down from Verdant Mist Peak wound forward with a gentle murmur.
“What a beautiful valley,” Yu Changsheng exclaimed sincerely. A thin veil of mist lay across the low shrubs like a blanket.
“Yes,” Su Mengling said, utterly enchanted. “Listen to the birdsong, and to the gentle murmur of the stream. Walking here is pure delight. I have already fallen in love with the Cloudtop Heavenly Palace.”
She clasped both hands over her chest, her face radiant with intoxication.
Yu Qingshu and Zhuo Hua exchanged a smile. Yu Qingshu scolded him, “You foolish boy, why did you abandon the proper road and bring us along this narrow mountain path? It is not only a detour—the road is difficult to walk. Are you indulging some private motive, taking your little sister sightseeing through the Cloud Palace’s scenic wonders?”
“Ancestress, you misunderstand me! I brought everyone this way for two reasons. First, to avoid the Eagle Clan scouts’ patrols. Second, although this path leads farther from the Spirit Perception Palace, it takes us closer to the celestial prison.”
Yu Qingshu nodded. “You intend to rescue your trusted followers first?”
Zhuo Hua gave a quiet assent. “When I think of the old Flood Dragon, Qin Ying, and the others suffering there, my heart cannot rest for even a moment.”
The corner of Yu Qingshu’s mouth lifted slightly. She looked up at the sky and said, “You said the Eagle Clan scouts patrol overhead, but I have been watching all morning and have not seen a single eagle fly past.”
Zhuo Hua also looked upward, puzzled. “I noticed that too. It makes no sense.”
Yu Changsheng interrupted, “By that logic, they should also still be patrolling outside the Cloud Stele, yet they failed to spot us there either. We cannot keep relying on what is supposed to happen, my lord.”
“Could it be…” Zhuo Hua began hesitantly.
“Could it be that someone has prevented them from flying—or that they are no longer able to fly?” Su Mengling squatted beside the path and gathered a large handful of wildflowers. As she walked, she began weaving them into a wreath.
“Then we must hurry.” The thought of so many of his ministers being imprisoned sent a sharp pain through Zhuo Hua’s heart.
“By the way, there is something I have wanted to ask you for a long time,” Yu Qingshu suddenly said. “I have wondered about it ever since I went into seclusion here in Verdant Mist Mountain.”
“Please ask, Ancestress.”
“Why did you promote members of the Demon Clans—and even the Monster Clan—to important positions within the Cloudtop Heavenly Palace? The ancestral laws of the Primordial Clan state that its bloodline must not be diluted and that its supremacy must never be shaken. Have you forgotten?”
“Zhuo Hua has not forgotten. But this is not the Primordial Void. Those ancestral laws were suited to the old void because, at that time, the overwhelming majority of those living there belonged to our clan. Naturally, foreign subjects from the vassal voids were not permitted to hold office or participate in government within the Primordial Realm. But what of this place? The descendants of the Immortal Primordial Clan are only a minority here. Even after ten million years, we would account for no more than thirty percent of the total population. If I continued to uphold those old laws, the Cloud Palace would soon have no one left to employ and no soldiers left to recruit.”
Yu Qingshu smiled. “We did not misjudge you. You truly are a ruler accomplished in both civil and military affairs. Lanling, on the other hand, can only serve as a vanguard.”
“In truth, I could accept the dual sovereignty of the two sages. It is merely that Lanling is too impulsive by nature. In her eyes, everything is either right or wrong, black or white. She cannot see the shades of gray.”
“Indeed. What in this world is ever so simple? If every matter were merely black or white, how wonderful that would be.”
Yu Qingshu let out a long sigh.
Zhuo Hua opened his mouth, wanting to ask her something, but when the words reached his lips, he found he did not know how to begin.
Yu Qingshu noticed his hesitation.
“If you have something to ask, then ask.”
Zhuo Hua scratched his head. After a moment, he asked awkwardly, “I still wish to know why you suddenly abandoned your position as ruler and forsook all the people of the world to assassinate the Dark Tyrant alone. You must have known that it was no different from a moth flying into a flame—certain destruction.”
Yu Qingshu stopped walking. She raised her head toward the dense canopy overhead. The interwoven leaves formed a vast green umbrella, pressing down upon them and making it difficult for her to breathe.
“It was because of this.”
She held up the Flowing Cloud Dagger.
“Because of the Flowing Cloud? I do not understand.” Zhuo Hua shook his head.
“It was because of the man who forged this dagger—Ouye Jinge.”
“What? Because of Grandmaster Ouye? My own master?”
Zhuo Hua stared at her in disbelief.
“That is right. Ouye Jinge and I were childhood sweethearts. We grew up together, innocent and inseparable. I devoted myself to martial cultivation, while he was obsessed with mechanisms and formations, especially the forging of weapons. Does that sound familiar? Much like you and Lanling?”
As she spoke, Yu Qingshu glanced at Zhuo Hua with a smile in her eyes.
Zhuo Hua nodded somewhat sheepishly. Then he suddenly sensed that something was amiss. Raising his head, he asked, “Were you and my master originally… a couple? But he never mentioned it to me.”