Chapter 24: Fleeting Past, Clear Present

Chapter 24: Fleeting Past, Clear Present

Xixuan Gate - the western gate of Jiu Li City, and the first portal to the royal palace.

At this moment, the area inside and outside the gate was swarming with people, packed like sardines.

Someone, unaware of the situation but drawn by the commotion, inquired, "Who are those two on the city wall?"

"Their identities are...," the responder squinted for a better look, then exclaimed in disbelief, "Shen Yuan?! It's Shen Yuan, the one from the wanted posters plastered all over the Imperial Capital?!"

Then, someone wondered aloud, "How dare he come back?! I heard from a relative who just returned from Xun Wu that Shen Yuan pretended to treat the plague but actually killed the only doctor in Xun Wu! On that day, he was escorted back by Empress Dian Chan and the Lord of Peng Lai Island!"

A knowledgeable person added, "Rumor has it that his detention wasn't just because of that. It's said that he caused the sinking of the Eastern Sea's Daiyu and Yuanqiao islands, drowning many people!"

"Oh dear, what a calamity he's brought upon us! Jiu Li, once a prideful son who dared to single-handedly storm a military camp, has fallen so low."

"Why didn't they execute him immediately then? How did he manage to escape?"

"Foolish ones who aren't afraid of the consequences can watch from here!" Dian Chan suddenly shouted angrily from behind the crowd.

Subsequently, a large crowd of people retreated hastily, like receding seawater, to the outskirts of the Xixuan Gate.

Dian Chan observed this and realized that these onlookers were eager for excitement, settling for observing the spectacle from outside the gate.

Unable to do anything else, as the ruler of Jiu Li, it was her duty to prioritize the welfare of the people. With a sweep of her sleeve, she activated the imperial palace's protective barriers.

Moments earlier, Dian Chan, He Mengfang, and their troops had arrived at the Xixuan Gate. All they could see beyond the sea of heads was Shen Yuan standing atop the city walls.

Aside from his blood-stained green robe fluttering in the wind, his appearance had drastically transformed.

A dark aura encircled his body, and even from dozens of paces away, they could sense his malevolence.

His black hair had turned silver, beneath which glowed an eerie crimson light in his eyes, exuding an intensely sinister vibe.

"Heavenly Sovereign Shen Yuan!" He Mengfang frantically wiped away tears, yelling, "Why did you kill my father and mother?!"

Shen Yuan sat down and replied coolly, "Your mother, Fu Wan?"

He Mengfang responded anxiously, "They had no enmity with you!"

"Whether it exists or not, you'd best ask the spirits in Ghost Realm themselves," Shen Yuan said sincerely. "After what happened at your home last night, I doubt you'd believe me anyway."

Though he spoke the truth, He Mengfang wouldn't take his words for it. His brows furrowed, and anger and killing intent seeped from his eyes.

With his white hair fluttering in the wind, Shen Yuan, feeling somewhat exhausted, sat down. Looking up, he saw the flickering barrier and scoffed, casting aside the dragon tendon whip in his hand.

Dian Chan and He Mengfang both lowered their heads to see the dragon tendon whip. It was still slightly squirming, with blood connecting one tendon to another, sticky and seemingly freshly plucked from a true dragon's body.

Shen Yuan began to explain the origins of the dragon tendon whip, "My mother..."

"Dian Chan!" she bellowed, interrupting him.

Shen Yuan's mouth hung open, swallowing back the words he was about to say. That sharp rebuke was enough for him to grasp many things. Standing up from the city wall, he gazed downward.

While the Human-Deity Clan could come back to life once, the height of this wall would be enough to shatter their internal organs upon impact.

Without an intact physical body, they couldn't be reborn.

Now, rather than waiting to be killed, it was better to take matters into his own hands and die with dignity—look, he took his own life, doesn't that show he realized his mistake?

Before he could leap down, Peng Lai Island's Lord Wang Wanhe appeared out of nowhere, his arm piercing through Shen Yuan's chest, forcefully grabbing his heart.

"Why must you destroy me to this extent?"

Tragic.

Dian Chan was Shen Yuan's mother, not An Zhi's.

In any case, Shen Yuan was already dead.

An Zhi said, "I know that from the moment Dian Chan gave birth to me, it was all part of a scheme – deciding when I would be born and when I would die... Do I want to die? I very much wish to live, but it's just that you won't let me... Also, at least treat me kindly before I die. I'm so foolish, I can die for your sakes..."

As he spoke, his voice suddenly turned grave and stern. "The past is faint, and present matters are settled. I won't believe you anymore."

"Ayuan—" Xiang Yan held An Zhi's hand that gripped his collar, gently patting his wrist as if in consolation. He gazed at An Zhi with a pained expression and said, "It won't happen again. I promise. Everything has already passed."

An Zhi shook his head. "No, it didn't happen to you, so of course you can say it's in the past."

Xiang Yan spoke earnestly, "You can distrust anyone, but I've never harmed you. Don't you even trust me?"

Indeed.

Xiang Yan had always trusted Shen Yuan until the very end.

An Zhi relaxed slightly and slowly lowered his arm.

...

Xiang Yan administered another vial of Forgetful River Water to An Zhi.

The wind blew in their faces again, sending silver hair fluttering as they descended towards Yudu Ridge.

Falling from thousands of feet above, the sensation of weightlessness was immense. Afraid of falling, An Zhi quietly reached out and clutched at Xiang Yan's clothes around his waist with force.

Yudu Ridge was a hidden town. Dark-brick houses and aged, whitened thatched cottages were scattered irregularly, forming a pattern reminiscent of a Taiji diagram when viewed from afar, and a fiercely contested Go game when seen up close.

It complemented Xiang Yan's righteous and commanding general's aura perfectly.

They landed at the very center of this household in Yudu Ridge.

The residence was ancient, its grand gates imposing and solemn, exuding an aura of quiet dignity.

Perched above the entrance, a black wood plaque with gilded edges shimmered, the two golden characters "Xiang Mansion" revealing a refined elegance and wealth.

As expected, the doors of the Xiang family opened, and a woman in simple attire, her face clean and serene, emerged.

"Ayuan? ——"

From her voice, it was Dian Chai.

Her anxiety was palpable, as she hurriedly approached them, her footsteps rapid like a rainstorm, yet controlled, tapping incessantly against the ground.

Jiu Li, the mistress of the house, carried herself with the poise of a well-bred lady, her demeanor neat and composed.

As she stood before the pair, the earrings hanging by her ears remained perfectly still.

"Ayuan—" Dian Chai clasped An Zhi's arms and pulled him into an embrace with force.

An Zhi remained unresponsive.

Back then, Shen Yuan had bared his heart to Wang Wanhe, but she hadn't shown any response. Dian Chan's disdain for him was obvious. If he were to address her as 'Mother' like before, it would seem that he was ungrateful and shamelessly seeking her affection.

He dared not even breathe loudly, fearing that Dian Chan might strike him down again.

Seeing An Zhi in a daze, Xiang Yan reached out and patted his back forcefully, saying, "Dian Chan. Your mother. With mother and son reunited, why are you still standing there dumbfounded?"

"Oh…" Only then did An Zhi return Dian Chan's embrace.

His actions were gentle but stiff, their brief touch almost reluctant.

Seemingly sensing this, Dian Chan furrowed her brows slightly, releasing An Zhi. After a moment of disappointment, she retracted her jade-like fingers, intending to take hold of An Zhi's wrist.

Dian Chan was indeed about to make a move!

An Zhi's heart trembled, and he immediately took a step back, putting distance between them.

Her clean face showed surprise. After a moment, Dian Chan smiled and said, "There's some Yi Zi Chun, an ancient wine, stored in the manor's cellar. It's over a thousand years old, with a mellow aroma. Would it be alright if I take Ayuan there?"

"…" An Zhi remained silent.

Dian Chan promptly added, "Then I'll have someone else take you."

An Zhi shook his head, explaining, "I don't drink."

"Hmm... I see," Dian Chan said with a disappointed look.

Just as she spoke, another woman dashed out from the open entrance of the Xiang residence.

She was neatly dressed but bouncing around erratically, her eyes unfocused, and behaving wildly. "Hahaha! Another drinking companion! Hahaha..."

She shoved Dian Chan aside, grabbed An Zhi, and dragged him into the residence.

Despite being a woman, she possessed immense strength. An Zhi couldn't break free no matter how hard he tried. He could only plead for her to be gentle, "Gentle, gentle!..."

Seeing this, Dian Chan quickly regained her balance, leaped up, and firmly held the woman down, sternly ordering, "Let him go!"

The woman, with gray-streaked hair indicating middle age, threw a tantrum. "No, no! I won't! I won't!"

"Empress Dian," Xiang Yan called from behind. He took a step closer to An Zhi but then stopped, remaining stationary as he said, "Aunt Master won't hurt Ayuan. Let Empress Dian be."

Dian Chán trembled slightly.

Aunt Shi immediately dragged An Zhi into the manor with a burst of laughter, her words floating in the air like echoes toward the estate: "Let her be, let her be… Always letting her be… Haha, they're all selfish, abandoning their wives and children… Hahaha…"

True to its status as an ancient vintage, the Yi Zi Chun wine's aroma wafted through the air even before they reached the cellar. An Zhi, not being a drinker, couldn't help but salivate at the scent.

Aunt Shi led An Zhi into the cellar, shutting the door behind them.

There, they beheld the towering stacks of Yi Zi Chun wine jars stretching deep into the dim recesses of the cellar.

An Zhi chuckled dismissively.

At that moment, Aunt Shi left An Zhi behind and lifted a jar of Yi Zi Chun for herself, beginning a binge drinking session.

With six thousand years of aging, the Yi Zi Chun had become more mellow, its taste richer, and its intoxicating effect more potent.

After consuming only half a jar, she began to feel dizzy and drifted off to sleep leaning against the mountain of wine jars.

The still-full jar tumbled from Aunt Shi's arms, rolling down with a gurgle until it stopped at An Zhi's feet.

The wine jar was stopped in its tracks. An Zhi bent down to pick it up and said, "Is this all you can handle?" With that, he placed the wine back by her side and turned to leave.

Suddenly, his robe felt heavier.

He turned around to see Aunt Shi with her eyes closed, her hand reaching out to grab his sleeve, preventing him from leaving.

Aunt Shi leaned lazily against the tall wall of wine jars. She raised her other hand to support her head and slowly opened her eyes. Tilting her head, she looked up at An Zhi and asked, "Has your mother ever been abandoned?" After being drunk, her tone was steady, and her eyes were clear, making her seem less erratic.

An Zhi was unsure if she was asking about Shen Yuan's mother, Dian Chan, or his own mother.

Uncertain, he shook his head and nodded simultaneously.

Seeing this, Aunt Shi burst into laughter. "So, did she or didn't she?" As she spoke, she swayed unsteadily to her feet, transforming before his eyes.

A cool breeze greeted An Zhi as something heavy pressed down on top of his head. Looking upward, he saw nine fluffy, white tails dangling down, swishing back and forth across his nose.

Taking a closer sniff, he detected the scent of a fox.

He exclaimed, "Wow! You're a living fox spirit!"

Aunt Shi spoke with a mix of seniority and arrogance, "This old lady is the grandmother of the former Queen of the Demon Realm, Shi Liuli. You should be addressing me as Fox Deity."

The fox's tail wrapped around An Zhi's neck like a white fox fur scarf. He asked, "You're not acting crazy anymore?"

Aunt Shi flicked her ear and said, "I've always been quite lucid."

An Zhi was puzzled. "Then why were you pretending to be crazy just now?"

Auntie Master said, "I'm waiting for you."

An Zhi found it even more perplexing. "Waiting for me?"

Auntie Master replied, "I'll tell you a story. Whether or not you understand it is up to you."

An Zhi scoffed. "You'll have to tell the story first before you know if I can understand it."

And so, Auntie Master narrated a tale.

With that, her tail left An Zhi's neck, gently brushing against his cheek before coiling around her own body. "My fur is wet in one spot. Did you cry?"

Wiping his face, An Zhi replied, "Men don't shed tears easily."

Shi Yi stood up on An Zhi's head. "Did you understand the story?"

An Zhi was about to nod but, considering Shi Yi's balance on his head, he feared she might fall if he moved. So, he said instead, "I understood it very well."

Shi Yi sighed in relief. "I hope you truly did." With that, she jumped off An Zhi's head.

Landing gracefully on all fours, she swiftly transformed back into the middle-aged woman with salt-and-pepper hair. "If you truly understood, then I believe you'll come looking for me again soon."

"What do you mean?" An Zhi asked, puzzled.

Just as she finished speaking, the door to the wine cellar opened from the outside.

A beam of light poured down from above, accompanied by Xiang Yan's voice, "Dinner's ready, Ayuan."

--------------------