The gates of Cloud Embroidery Manor opened in the middle of the night. Midnight visitors were surely unexpected guests, and the manor's guards tensely watched the two figures before them. Among these guards were cultivators, but none exceeded the Golden Core stage, so they couldn't see through the disguises of Mu Xuanling and Xie Xuechen. They only knew that the two before them weren't cultivators, but they sensed something ominous about the visitors.
"Report to the Master immediately!"
Just as the guard captain finished speaking, a familiar and gentle voice came from not far behind them. "I already know."
Everyone was startled. The guards, who had formed an iron-barrel formation, turned around in unison, bowing their heads in greeting to the newcomer. Their expressions and movements showed their genuine respect and affection for this Manor Master.
"Greetings, Manor Master!"
The crowd parted, and a young man wearing a plain cloud-patterned robe walked slowly under the moonlight. He didn't move quickly, and ordinary people might not notice, but to the keen senses of cultivators, it was obvious that he had difficulty walking. Despite this, the young man's demeanor remained unaffected, still composed and elegant.
"Sleepless tonight, I observed the stars and knew distinguished guests would arrive," Nan Xuyue nodded to Xie Xuechen, smiling. "It's been a while." Then to Mu Xuanling, he said, "We meet again."
Mu Xuanling was slightly surprised. That he could recognize her was understandable, as in both their meetings, she had worn a magical artifact to conceal her true appearance. But he wasn't a cultivator, so how could he see through Xie Xuechen's disguise?
"These two are my friends, you need not be on guard," Nan Xuyue said to the guards, and the tense atmosphere immediately dissipated. The crowd dispersed orderly, and Nan Xuyue made a welcoming gesture to Xie Xuechen and Mu Xuanling.
"Brother Xie, please come in for a chat."
Nan Xuyue addressed Xie Xuechen as "Brother Xie," suggesting a close relationship between them.
Mu Xuanling pondered this as she followed Nan Xuyue and Xie Xuechen into the manor.
The interior of the manor was elegantly serene. Artificial mountains were scattered about, flowers bloomed in profusion, and the faint sound of flowing water could be heard. Rounding a rockery, they came upon a pond of night-blooming lotuses. This otherworldly paradise quietly soothed the guests' anxiety and unease, bringing a sense of contentment from the surrounding landscape.
They hardly noticed their host's slightly slower pace.
Nan Xuyue led the two into a water pavilion by the pond. The pavilion was open on all sides to catch the breeze, with a table in the center. There was a chess set, tea, a zither, and flowers. Though not spacious, it was refined and tranquil.
"There's a protective formation here. Even if a demon god were to come, they couldn't eavesdrop," Nan Xuyue said as he invited the two to sit. He took tea leaves from a wooden box and poured in boiling water. The fragrance of the tea immediately wafted up with the steam, filling the air and refreshing everyone's spirits.
"Brother Xie, it seems you were badly injured in the Demon Realm," Nan Xuyue poured tea for both, filling the cups to eight-tenths. His bright eyes looked at Xie Xuechen with a smile. "Was it Miss Mu who saved you?"
Xie Xuechen raised his cup and drank, saying calmly, "You're incredibly perceptive, naturally understanding everything."
Mu Xuanling stared at Nan Xuyue with suspicion. "How did you know?"
Nan Xuyue replied, "The bloodstains on the Exquisite Shackles."
Mu Xuanling was still confused. "The bloodstains on the Exquisite Shackles indeed show it's the blood of a Fashen cultivator, but how can you be certain it's Xie Xuechen?"
Xie Xuechen glanced at Nan Xuyue. "So it was you who removed the Exquisite Shackles for her."
Nan Xuyue smiled. "Though I can't identify people by their blood, I'm quite confident in recognizing people by their talisman imprints. I'm very familiar with Brother Xie's handwriting."
Mu Xuanling looked at Xie Xuechen, who explained, "He taught me the Exquisite Shackles."
Mu Xuanling realized that the relationship between these two was likely more than mere acquaintance. Such a private matter... even her master probably didn't know...
Nan Xuyue, seemingly noticing Mu Xuanling's curiosity, patiently explained, "Several years ago, my father unfortunately passed away. Brother Xie came to pay his respects and stayed for half a month. We had many pleasant conversations. Just now, when Brother Xie said I taught him the Exquisite Shackles, he was being too modest. Without Brother Xie's guidance, this formation wouldn't have taken shape."
Mu Xuanling doubted the phrase "pleasant conversations." The taciturn Xie Xuechen probably let Nan Xuyue do most of the talking. However, for someone as cold as Xie Xuechen to sit and discuss matters with Nan Xuyue for half a month showed that Nan Xuyue was not only knowledgeable but also exceptionally good at drawing others out.
"I've heard that Cloud Embroidery Manor now belongs to the secular world, not part of the Immortal Alliance, yet your information is extremely accurate. The news of Sect Leader Xie being ambushed by demons is known to very few in the Immortal Alliance. How did Young Master Nan come to know this?" Mu Xuanling probed.
Nan Xuyue seemed unperturbed by Mu Xuanling's subtle hostility and suspicion. He smiled warmly and said gently, "Although Cloud Embroidery Manor has been removed from the Immortal Alliance, my father had many friends during his lifetime and maintained connections with all five sects of the Alliance. It's not difficult to ask old friends about matters unrelated to secrets. Yesterday, when I saw Brother Xie's handwriting on the Exquisite Shackles, I had my suspicions. I tried to contact Brother Xie but received no response. After making some inquiries with other sects, I learned that the elders and sect leaders of the five major sects were not in their sects, and Snow-Embracing City was under strict guard. I concluded that something must have happened to Brother Xie, and the person who set up the Exquisite Shackles was undoubtedly him."
"Brother Xie's sword can break ten thousand spells. Unless necessary, he wouldn't harm himself. Using Fashen spirit blood to set up a formation likely means he's severely injured or his Divine aperture is sealed. I observed the stars and Qi, noticing that the demonic energy at Two Realms Mountain was much stronger than usual. I suspected Brother Xie's trouble was related to the Demon Realm, and Miss Mu might have come to pursue him. Worried that I might have mistakenly released Miss Mu and brought disaster to Brother Xie, I was about to divine Brother Xie's whereabouts when I calculated that two distinguished guests would arrive tonight." Nan Xuyue paused here, his gaze moving between Xie Xuechen and Mu Xuanling. He smiled lightly and continued, "Brother Xie has always hated evil and shown no mercy to demons, yet he's exceptionally kind to Miss Mu. If not for a life-saving grace, I couldn't think of any other reason."
Mu Xuanling hadn't expected that the blood talisman on the Exquisite Shackles could allow Nan Xuyue to deduce everything as if he had witnessed it personally. While impressed, she also felt some wariness.
She used to think she was clever, but that was only in comparison to those foolish demons. In front of truly intelligent people, her wit was insignificant.
But his words were quite pleasing—Xie Xuechen did treat her specially, with exceptional kindness—Mu Xuanling thought sweetly.
Although Xie Xuechen had only known Nan Xuyue for half a month, he had already witnessed this person's extraordinary nature, so he wasn't surprised that Nan Xuyue could deduce everything.
Xie Xuechen was a year older than Nan Xuyue, and both were born with ten apertures, naturally inviting comparison from others. However, after the age of ten, three of Nan Xuyue's apertures were destroyed, leaving Xie Xuechen as the only one of his kind in the world.
Nan Wujiu passed away six years ago when Nan Xuyue was eighteen. Fashen Lords usually lived for a thousand years and had numerous offspring, but Nan Wujiu was fond of battle and not of women. He had very few children, and some died young. In the end, the one who took up the heavy responsibility was Nan Xuyue, who was considered a cripple.
Dressed in mourning white, Nan Xuyue knelt beside the mourning hall. The young man's thin, handsome face bore the sorrow that follows great grief, his eyes clearer from having been washed by tears. He calmly and thoughtfully arranged Nan Wujiu's funeral affairs, supporting the operation of Cloud Embroidery Manor on his slender shoulders. Other sect leaders and elders from the Immortal Alliance came to pay their respects, all sighing behind his back that Cloud Embroidery Manor's decline was now irreversible. The child who once astounded the world, Nan Xuyue, on whom the cultivation world had placed great hopes, was now nothing more than a cripple.
And there stood the nineteen-year-old Xie Xuechen, silent beside him, like a towering snow peak, awe-inspiring, and like a peerless divine weapon, dazzling with its sharpness.
This contrast truly made people pity that young man even more.
Xie Xuechen glanced at Nan Xuyue. He inexplicably sensed that the young man pitied by everyone didn't feel he needed pity. Though he appeared youthful, he possessed a maturity beyond his years. While he seemed frail, his spiritual strength was extraordinarily powerful.
As a fellow born with ten apertures, he understood the difference between those born with ten and those who opened them later. The world they saw was inherently different from others.
Perhaps out of respect, when Nan Xuyue greeted him, he didn't keep him at arm's length. After conversing with Nan Xuyue, he was surprised by his erudition. However, Nan Xuyue just smiled and said, "I've merely spent time on frivolous pursuits and odd skills because I can't cultivate. If Brother Xie set his mind to it, he would surely do better."
Xie Xuechen said, "Though you can't cultivate, you can still use spiritual objects to set up formations for self-protection and to harm enemies."
Because of this comment, the two began to study formations. In half a month, they came up with dozens of new formations.
Nan Xuyue said with some joy, "I'm glad Brother Xie doesn't pity me."
Xie Xuechen replied, "Why would you need pity?"
Nan Xuyue smiled. "Someone once said the same thing. I was born with so much, even if I've lost some, I still surpass billions in this world. Why should I pity myself, and why should others pity me?"
He didn't see himself as tragic. Walking slower just meant he could see a bit more of the world's scenery.
"Nan Xuyue, I need to return to Snow-Embracing City. May I use your teleportation formation?" Xie Xuechen asked directly.
"Of course, but activating the formation takes two hours. You've had a long journey, why not rest here for a while?" Nan Xuyue agreed readily, but then added, "Brother Xie, Miss Mu is half-demon. If she goes to Snow-Embracing City, it could be dangerous for her."
Mu Xuanling grabbed Xie Xuechen's hand firmly, saying resolutely, "I want to go."
Xie Xuechen, remembering her words about dispersing her cultivation, understood her determination. He found himself involuntarily considering how to help conceal her.
Nan Xuyue's gaze fell on their hands, a hint of something unusual flashing in his eyes.
"If Miss Mu is worried about her demonic energy leaking, I have a method," Nan Xuyue said. "We can inscribe a formation on a personal item to conceal her aura using its power."
Mu Xuanling said, "I know a bit about formations too." She didn't dare claim expertise in front of Nan Xuyue. "We've been using this method to avoid detection by demons on our journey."
Nan Xuyue nodded slightly. "Brother Xie's hairpin and Miss Mu's ring are indeed excellent magical tools, but deceiving the senses of a Fashen Lord is no easy task."
Nan Xuyue's ability to see through their disguise tools made Mu Xuanling nervous. Though he couldn't cultivate, his innate ten apertures gave him extraordinary perception, both meticulous and piercing.
"I've been researching formations in my spare time recently and made some progress. I have a formation that might be able to deceive even a Fashen Lord's senses."
Mu Xuanling's eyes lit up at this, and she quickly asked, "Really? Can you teach me?"
Such an important formation shouldn't be taught to demons, as it could allow them to infiltrate the human realm undetected, endangering humanity. But these two, one dared to ask, and the other dared to give. Nan Xuyue smiled. "Of course. I have no spiritual power, so you'll need to inscribe it yourself."
Whether it was human spiritual power, demonic energy, or beast energy, all could power formations, which was why the half-demon Sang Qi could become a formation master. Mu Xuanling, having been personally taught by Sang Qi, understood formations far better than others. Although Nan Xuyue's formation was extremely complex, Mu Xuanling's exceptional intelligence allowed her to memorize it perfectly in one go.
Nan Xuyue sighed. "Miss's intelligence is admirable. It's a pity that as a half-demon, your cultivation is difficult. Otherwise, your achievements could rival Brother Xie's."
"Young Master Nan flatters me," Mu Xuanling waved her hand with a smile. "Sect Leader Xie focuses on one path to reach the peak, and his concern for all living beings earns him universal respect. I merely have a bit of cleverness, no grand ambitions. I just want to be with the person I like."
Mu Xuanling's gaze shifted to Xie Xuechen.
She had always been like this, passionate and sincere, unafraid of others knowing, only fearing they might not know.
Nan Xuyue saw this clearly but didn't comment. He smiled and asked, "Miss Mu can choose a personal item to inscribe the formation. If you don't have a suitable treasure, I have quite a collection."
"I wouldn't dare trouble Young Master Nan further," Mu Xuanling politely declined. "A Bao has many spiritually potent treasures, and I've already made my choice."
Mu Xuanling took out a gold-inlaid jade bracelet from her storage bag. The jade was a deep, lustrous green, but it was broken. Its most precious aspect was that it had been repaired with gold by a Fashen Lord, imbuing this mundane object with spiritual power, its green color brimming with vitality.
Mu Xuanling removed the ring that concealed her aura and appearance. Instantly, demonic and beast energy dispersed. However, Nan Xuyue, being mortal, couldn't see the energies. What he saw was Mu Xuanling's true appearance.
The Desire Demon had said it was a beauty rare in all three realms. He had seen the inner demons of countless lustful people but had never found a face so beautiful.
Nan Xuyue was slightly dazed. Mu Xuanling keenly noticed his unusual reaction. If he were simply struck by her beauty, that wouldn't be unusual. His reaction was strange because the emotion it conveyed was surprise.
Mu Xuanling's eyes sparkled with curiosity as she looked at Nan Xuyue. "Young Master Nan, you seem surprised to see me?"
Nan Xuyue didn't avoid the question. He carefully observed Mu Xuanling for a moment before gently shaking his head. "When I first saw Miss's true face, you somewhat resembled an old acquaintance of mine."
"Oh?" Mu Xuanling smiled. "I'm quite curious about who this person is, or if they're even human."
Nan Xuyue opened his fan, hiding the intrigued smile on his lips.
"Looking closer, the resemblance isn't there. I must have been mistaken. Please forgive me, Miss. I'll go ahead to prepare for the formation. If you two feel tired, you can rest in the side room to the west of the water pavilion."
With that, Nan Xuyue left.
Mu Xuanling watched Nan Xuyue's figure disappear around the corner before turning to Xie Xuechen. "He wasn't telling the truth. Sect Leader Xie, are there humans in your realm as beautiful as me?"
Xie Xuechen kept his gaze straight ahead, taking a sip of tea before replying coolly, "All physical forms are illusory. In a hundred years, all return to bones."
This was typical of Xie Xuechen.
Mu Xuanling smiled. "I suppose in Sect Leader Xie's eyes, the only differences between people are good and evil, strong and weak. Do you know what differences I see between people?"
Xie Xuechen turned slightly, his cool phoenix eyes reflecting Mu Xuanling's suddenly close face. She leaned in, lowering her voice to whisper in his ear, "Apart from Xie Xuechen, everyone else is just 'other people.'"
They were so close that her warm, fragrant breath brushed his cheek. A turn of the head would have resulted in a kiss.
But she quickly withdrew, a mischievous smile of triumph on her lips, pretending to focus seriously on inscribing the formation on the bracelet.
Xie Xuechen looked away, absently touching the porcelain white teacup, beginning to ponder a matter seriously.
In his twenty-five years of life, few problems had stumped him. The questions he had pondered deeply, seeking answers from every angle, were only three.
The first question was: What is the heart of the Dao?
The second question was: What is the heart of the sword?
The third question was: Why was Mu Xuanling so fixated on him?
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