6

The path to Yueluo Gu wound through the mountains, veiled in mist and mystique moonlight. Even before the gates came into view, Kaolin could feel it – the stillness in the biting air and even how the snow-capped mountains themselves held their breaths.

Then, at last, the goody structure revealed itself.

White stone walls rose from the cliffside, carved with ancient runes that shimmered in the bluish moonlight. Crescent moons were etched into every archway, and high above, flowing banners caught the breeze, moving to the cadence of the wintry wind. Disciples in pale robes moved along the walkways, some floating just above the ground, others kneeling in meditation among the plum trees.

Kaolin passed beneath the towering gate. His boots touched the flagstones of the outer courtyard, which was wide and open with silver lanterns swinging gently from the poles. In this place, much to his surprise, the air smelled faintly of sandalwood and cold pine.

At the far end, just out of sight, a familiar voice broke through the hush. "You sure took your time, Kaolin."

Wei Lan stood beneath a flowering moon-pear tree. His arms were crossed, and his black robes were streaked with the dust of travel and combat. A faint grin played at the edge of his lips.

"How's Immortal Lord Zhenhai?"

"How would I know? You think those foolish Immortals will let just anybody in on His Highness' well-being?"

"I'm not just anybody, am I? Besides…" Kaolin glanced at the Moonshadow Guards at the inner gates, who bowed in respect as he passed through the entrance, where the crescent seal of the Tuo household shimmered above as if recognising Kaolin's presence. "It looks like those Immortals you insult are the ones who lured us here."

"Lured us? What do you mean? Hey, Kaolin!"

"They wanted us to come, those Cultivators of Jinlian."

Wei Lan frowned. "Are you saying Zhenhai is truly ill? That the rumours about his health—"

Wei Lan never finished his words. He was interrupted by the sudden presence of the Moonshadow Guards, who now surrounded them from all sides with their spears and swords aimed directly at them both.

Wei Lan leaned in. "What's going on? It's like they've been waiting for you. Kaolin?"

But Kaolin neither replied nor looked fazed by this sudden development. Had the guards wanted to kill him, they would've done so the second he passed through the entrance and the seal reacted to him. Something else was going on. And if he was right, that meant Immortal Lord Zhenhai indeed was severely ill and his invitation to the Cultivators' Night was deliberate, not a mistake.

The guards then parted as if they were a single entity and revealed Commander Taohua approaching them. Following him were two Immortal guards from the Jianlin Sect.

"Please follow me… Master Kaolin. We've been waiting for you."

Wei Lan locked eyes with Kaolin as soon as he heard the commander say those words. Neither of them had uttered his name or given away his identity, so how did the commander figure it all out?

Then, Wei Lan recalled the instance he arrived at the clearing and bit his lower lip – angry with himself for acting rashly and exposing his master's identity to the Cultivators of Tuo and, worse, the members of the Jinlian Sect and its equally savage Immortal guards.

"Follow you?" Kaolin smirked, amused for the first time since he arrived here. "Tell me, Commander, since when have I listened to the orders given by Jinlian?"

Commander Taohua's expression hardened, albeit only briefly, before he regained his bearing. "It's not an order but a humble request. We, as members of the Tuo household, only wish to share our heartfelt gratitude to you." He paused before continuing, clearly not glad about what he was asked to relay, bowing down. "Please. I hope to repay your kindness and bravery over a cup of White Jade Orchid. Don't turn me down, Master Kaolin."

Wei Lan whispered, "Orchid tea? That's the kind of tea you serve a wandering sage before begging for sword lessons! Not for a man who just saved—"

"Shh! Keep your voice down. This isn't about the tea. They want something from me."

"What do you mean? Like what? Like what, Kaolin?"

Kaolin drew a deep breath. Even if he refused this false offer, neither the commander nor those two guards from the Jinlian Guards were going to let him off the hook. And today, of all days, he didn't feel like spilling more blood. He had seen his fair share of it already, not to mention snacking on that white wolf had taken too much of his spiritual energy.

Besides, he was curious. What kind of illness had brought Immortal Lord Zhenhai to Yueluo Gu, and why were those Cultivators so adamant about speaking to him in private?

"Then I shall not decline such a generous offer, only I wish to bring my good friend here with me. You won't mind, will you?"

Although Commander Taohua's expression gave away that he didn't like this idea one bit, he didn't object to his demand. This piqued Kaolin's interest even more. Just how seriously ill was the Immortal?

"This way, then."

The Moonshadow Guards all bowed down as Commander Taohua took the lead away from the entrance, closely followed by Kaolin and Wei Lan.

The deeper they walked into Yueluo Gu, the quieter their surroundings became. Moonlight filtered down through veils of gauze hanging between the pillars, casting pale beams across the stone floor, and incense smoke drifted slowly through the air – a blend of frost lotus and spirit pine to calm one's qi and ward off evil.

Commander Taohua walked ahead in silence. His boots echoed against the polished tiles, and the weight of his armour no longer clinked as it had outside. He was hurt, though, slightly limping, yet it seemed to Kaolin that the commander didn't mind such a minor inconvenience, which caused him to smile unwittingly.

The Tuos, he thought, were indeed foolish enough to take such things as loyalty too seriously, so much so that they'd rather die for their Immortal lords than think of themselves in the face of danger.

Kaolin followed with light steps, his gaze shifting to the carvings along the walls with depictions of Demons and Devils, Immortals in flowing robes, and ancient battles painted in delicate brushstrokes of gold and jade. The symbols glowed ever so faintly, reacting to the qi of those who passed.

Wei Lan walked beside him, arms loosely folded, eyes scanning everything with a look that gave away his caution.

"I have a bad feeling about this…"

Kaolin didn't reply. It wasn't that he didn't feel it either, but he didn't want to admit it. Something about Immortal Lord Zhenhai's strange illness and Commander Taohua's adamant endeavour to bring him to the Immortal triggered something in him, and whatever it was, he couldn't help but want to find out what it was or could be.

At last, they reached the inner sanctum. It was a wide chamber built into the cliff itself. Here, almost instantly, the air grew cooler. Immortal guards in pale armour stood at either side of the entrance, heads bowed, hands clasped at their waists in silent vigilance. They did not speak as the trio passed, but their presence was a warning in and of itself – that was sure.

Inside, the chamber opened into a vaulted space of stone and moonlight. A lotus-shaped stand rested at the centre, bathed in grey light from a hanging crystal that pulsed with a slow, heartbeat-like rhythm. Petals of mirrored jade fanned outwards beneath the figure lying atop it.

Kaolin's eyes narrowed as he observed the motionless Immortal lying there as if he were already too far gone to be saved. His robes were the colour of fallen starlight, his hair splayed like ink across the platform. A barrier of translucent energy shimmered around his body. His chest did not rise, and yet he had not passed into the void, either.

Around him, talismans of warding floated mid-air, rotating slowly in quiet orbits. Dozens of spirit candles lined the edges, none of them flickering, and the flames burned straight upwards in eerie stillness.

Commander Taohua stopped just short of the stand and bowed deeply. Kaolin followed suit, though his eyes remained on the Immortal, trying to figure out the strange spectacle unfolding before him. How could the Immortal be dead, yet still alive?

"He hasn't stirred since the incident," the commander said as he straightened and locked eyes with Kaolin. "The Elders fear his soul remains bound somewhere… or worse, caught between realms."

Wei Lan tilted his head slightly. "You're sure he's not dead—"

"No," Taohua cut in. "His qi is still present. I was there when his spirit flared two nights ago! His pulse is strong enough to fracture half the seals around Yueluo Gu! He's… he's not gone. Not yet."

Kaolin stepped closer, feeling the pull, not a physical but spiritual one, as if the Immortal's very presence called to something within him. But what was this feeling? So familiar yet… so distant? Like a memory he had forgotten but still felt deep within the marrow of his bones.

Commander Taohua, "Master Kaolin…" Kaolin broke off, turning to face the commander, whose face now revealed the despair in his whole being. "Please… save him. Save His Highness."

"Save… him? And what makes you think I have such power?"

"You've outwitted fate by mastering the Forbidden Arts, and yet, you haven't lost all morality or suffered a violent death." Commander Taohua paused briefly. "If you can't save him, then no one can."

Kaolin looked away, a faint smile creeping on his lips before he met the commander's eyes once again. "Even if I could, why would I?"

Now desperate, Taohua, "Then you'd rather watch Shenzhou go up in smoke and chaos break out?"

Kaolin closed the gap between him and the commander. "You think I care about Shenzhou, Commander?"

"You do not?" Taohua didn't know how to form his words, now agitated, fearing the worst. "Then why have you lived such a long life, Master Kaolin, and defied your destiny?"

To this bold remark, Kaolin broke into laughter, before his smile faded once more, and he looked solemn. "Defied my destiny? Then, tell me, Commander, what is my destiny?"

"The Chronicles record that you were supposed to die in battle but exchanged your own life with that of your friend, your sworn brother—"

"Friend? Brother?" Kaolin snapped, his eyes turning wild, his qi activating. "You call someone who betrayed his family and sent them all to die a brother, Commander!?"

"I'm… I'm only stating what was written down—"

"Written down by who!? Those good-for-nothing Cultivators from Jinlian!? Let me give you a piece of advice, good Commander, the members of Jinlian have never once been loyal to the people of Shenzhou. Your silly loyalty means nothing to them! And when they have no use for the Tuos in the future, they'll discard you! Turn brother against brother, rape your women, and kill your children!"

Wei Lan, "Kaolin… Enough. Enough."

Taohua, "Seems like I was mistaken about your character, Master Kaolin, and misjudged your assistance earlier tonight…"

Kaolin calmed down, his eyes drifting to the Immortal still lying motionless. Misjudged his assistance? Now that he thought it over, the reason for this misunderstanding was indeed on him. He told Wei Lan that they wouldn't stop or interfere with any attempt to assassinate Immortal Lord Zhenhai, but had done exactly the opposite.

But why? Why did his body move before his mind could decipher what was going on? And why couldn't he help but be drawn to this lifeless Immortal even now, at this very moment?

"Since when… has Immortal Lord Zhenhai become like this?"

Taohua, flustered, took a few seconds to respond. "H-His Highness was born with an unusually weak qi. But it has since been steadily growing weaker, even though His Highness has cultivated for many moons. The Jinlian Sect has done everything to stop it, but all attempts have failed. Nothing could stop the deterioration of his qi."

"Deteriorating qi?"

"Yes. Do you know what could be the reason? Or how to restore it?"

"I won't know until I read his qi. But even then, what I can do or cannot do, all of that will depend on Immortal Lord Zhenhai's illness. Moreover," Kaolin took his eyes off the Immortal and faced the commander. "Reading someone's qi is highly risky, even if I use the Forbidden Arts to do it. Worst case, Immortal Lord Zhenhai may never recover. Do you still want me to proceed?"

"If there's no other way than this, then you have my permission and that of the Jinlian Sect as well as their representative. Please, save His Highness." Commander Taohua now bowed to him. "As a member of the Tuo household, I humbly beg you to save not only His Highness' life, but also that of Shenzhou's, Master Kaolin."

"Rise, Commander. I'm no god or deity, nor your lord or saviour. But I shall do my best to save Immortal Lord Zhenhai."

"Thank you! Thank you, Master Kaolin!"

"Thank me not. I'm not doing this to save Shenzhou or a member of Jinlian."

"Then why…?"

Kaolin took his time answering. "I'm not sure why. Who knows? Maybe reading his qi will give me an answer."

To this, Commander Taohua said nothing. Wei Lan, on the other hand, now leaned in and whispered so that Kaolin would be the only one who could hear him:

"You think it's him? That guy you've been looking for?"

"I don't know. But it seems my soul recognises Immortal Lord Zhenhai from a past life. Whoever he is, he must've been someone I've once taken to."

"And you want to save him? I thought you—"

"Why would I kill someone who owes me answers only he gave?"

"In that case, go ahead. I shall cast a spell and keep Yueluo Gu safe until you finish."

Kaolin nodded to confirm this and proceeded to advance towards the motionless heir of the Jinlian Sect. Although he wasn't feeling nervous up until that point, his hands were now slick with cold sweat, and his heart was hammering out of control. Could this person really be Rongjie? But why was his qi so weak? Why was this body rejecting his soul? It made little sense! Something didn't add up. But whatever it was, he was now only inches away from finding out.

Kaolin lowered himself beside Immortal Lord Zhenhai's resting form. The pale glow of protective talismans flickered in the chamber, casting soft halos of golden light across the Immortal's unmoving chest. The air was heavy with sandalwood smoke and spirit-binding incense, yet beneath it pulsed something deeper. Something familiar. And, even though he tried to dismiss those strange feelings, he was afraid of them.

With a breath both solemn and sharp, Kaolin pressed his hand gently to Zhenhai's brow and closed his eyes. A pulse answered him. Not of blood, but of spirit. His qi stirred, curling up from within him like mist awakening after centuries of sleep. It flowed through his fingertips in strings of white-blue light, snaking into Zhenhai's spirit like vines.

The two energies touched, and time unravelled.

The world around him dissolved, and light twisted into shadow.

Noise folded into silence and Kaolin… plummeted into memory.

"Must you go?"

The voice hit him like a punch to the gut, so abruptly that it took him a few seconds to recognise her voice.

He stood in the doorway of a great celestial chamber, where moonlight poured in through an open lattice. Behind him, Yue'er stood, alive, dressed in a flowing robe of white and silver, embroidered with the Korran emblem in hoary thread. Her hand trembled slightly at her side; her eyes were full of grief.

Kaolin, from where he stood in his armour across from her, opened his eyes wide in disbelief. The wind stirred his black hair, pulling at him like the summons of war itself. What was going on? Why was Yue'er here? Why was—

"Kaolin!"

He looked up only for a second, shaking, but couldn't look at her.

"Kaolin!" Her voice cracked, the sorrow in her eyes was like the edge of a sharp blade to his throat, threatening to spill blood. "Kaolin? Don't you owe me… an answer?"

His body moved on its own; he had no control over it. And instead of answering her, just like back then, fifteen thousand years ago, he turned his back on her and vanished, leaving her behind, abandoning her and the child he would never see brought into this world.

Then, his spirit dragged forwards, and smoke billowed, showing him a palace corridor drenched in chaos. Even the moonlight was fractured by broken windows, and the silky curtains were torn and bloodied.

A single cradle in the corner now arrested him, overturned.

Yue'er stumbled into view, her long hair tangled, her robes ripped and soaked with crimson. One hand clutched her swollen stomach, the other the hilt of a dagger she didn't know how to wield. Her eyes were wild with terror. From the far corridor, a dark figure emerged. Cloaked and hooded, someone in the robes of the Demon Army. Taking each deliberate stride like someone who knew exactly what he came for, yet unfazed by the cruelty of his intentions.

Kaolin tried to scream. To run. To save her. But the vision held him motionless, voiceless. Here, he was a spectator, someone who held no power to turn back time and make things right.

The sword rose, shimmering silver-blue in the flickering light. Then fell and struck his beloved wife across her chest. A single choked gasp left her throat as she lay there on the bloody floor, convulsing. Her legs were the first thing to give out.

Crimson blood pooled rapidly beneath her, seeping from her back, spreading out in a slow, merciless ring. One hand remained curled around her stomach. Her lips moved as she now suddenly looked in his direction as if she could see him, forming words Kaolin couldn't hear or decipher.

Even so, he tried to run to her. To hold her. But the world had already gone dark and perished. And with the blink of an eye, he jolted awake and gasped as if surfacing from water with eyes wide and his lungs on blazing fire.

Beads of cold sweat slicked his brow, and the scent of incense grew thicker at one, and choking – choking him out of air and making his head spin like a top.

The lights around the bed now pulsed dimly, flickering with residual energy. Zhenhai lay still before him. Yet Kaolin no longer saw the ill Immortal; he saw her. Her face. Her grief. Her untimely and gruesome death.

He pulled his hand back, trembling. For a moment, he could feel her blood on his fingers, the warmth of it, the life that was never meant to end.

"Yue'er?" he whispered. A name that no longer belonged to the body before him and yet had never belonged to anyone else. Zhenhai's chest rose faintly at that moment, as if her soul heard him. Peaceful. But Kaolin's soul blackened, turning dark with grief and anger at leaving her behind like a fool and causing her death. "Of all people, why you? Why…?"

Behind him, both Commander Taohua and Wei Lan, who had been waiting for him for over two days, rushed to his side. But neither had heard him, only witnessed his sudden jolt from the strange trance and were now alarmed to see him in such a poor state, asking questions over and over again.

But Kaolin heard none of them. His mind was too occupied with questions. Why Yue'er? Of all people, why had Yue'er reincarnated as Immortal Lord Zhenhai? Yet, this perfectly explained the Immortal's deteriorating qi. A female trapped in a man's body…

If he didn't do something, at this rate, not only would Zhenhai lose his life, but Yue'er's soul would shatter and become one with the cruel high winds as well. And once that happened, she would neither reincarnate nor have a second chance to live a happy and fulfilling life in a body that accepted her spirit.

He couldn't let her down. Not this time! He had already failed her once, and if… and if he let it happen again, then he would truly never be able to forgive himself. But how?

Right then, a thought crossed his mind, one that made him cast another glance at the Immortal with shaking eyes. There was indeed a way to force the Immortal to accept a female's soul, but it required the Jade of Tears, which was lost in Wujing Yuan fifteen thousand years ago. It was also the only means to achieve godhood in a world long since deprived of gods, for only a god could defy nature and seal what did not belong into another body.

But with his cultivation skills, entering the abyss would not only injure him severely, but finding his way out would be more than just difficult, if not impossible. He would have to snack on thousands more Demons and Devils before such an option could be feasible. But leaving Yue'er's fate to the ancient Gods and Goddesses was not an option, either. For every second he wasted, the closer to annihilation she was.

Thus… there was only one thing left to do.

He placed his hand over the Immortal's forehead once again, forcing his spiritual power into the Immortal to temporarily seal Yue'er's spirit into him. Threads of qi thus writhed like hissing snakes, surging from his hand into the Immortal's body, and the air thickened with raw energy.

Ancient glyphs ignited across the chamber walls, reacting to the sheer density of power. This process, however, was by no means easy and caused excruciating pain. Still, he endured the pain with clenched jaws. Even as blood spilt from his lips and his body convulsed to the rhythm of the spiritual transfer, he kept going until he no longer could.

"Kaolin! What are you doing? Your qi—"

Kaolin shoved Wei Lan aside with his free hand as he tried to stop him, so that he flung right across the chamber and hit the wall with such force that not even the Moonshadow Guards dared to intervene. They felt it too, the presence of a power too ancient to defy, too sacred to interrupt. This was indeed the true power of the Forbidden Arts!

Kaolin's body trembled violently; his veins glowed through his skin, and blood trickled from the corner of his lips still, then poured. His back arched as the agony pierced through him, unseen chains tearing at the edges of his soul. He clenched his jaw so hard it audibly cracked, and his eyes turned bloodshot, not from weakness, but from the unbearable weight of holding two souls in one body.

Still, he endured. The Immortal's body beneath his hand began to pulse with responding light, slow at first, then steadily in rhythm with Kaolin's energy. A faint symbol then began to develop across Zhenhai's chest like blooming frost across a watery surface during the coldest of winters. It was the very sigil of his qi.

He gasped for air as his strength faltered and his knees gave way beneath him, but he endured and kept going. Then, with a final, shuddering exhale, he broke the connection, and his hand fell away from Zhenhai. The seal flared once more, then dulled to a resting shine.

Zhenhai's qi had stabilised, not healed, but become anchored with his own qi and the sigil of the Korran Clan.

Kaolin swayed. His vision dimmed around the edges as his body gave out beneath him. He stumbled sideways and nearly fell. But was caught. Commander Taohua stepped in without a word, bracing Kaolin's collapsing frame. The commander then lifted his arm over his own shoulder and turned to lead him away from the inner chamber.

Behind them, Wei Lan rose shakily, rubbing his shoulder, groaning. His eyes burned, but not with worry. He was furious. He stared at Kaolin's retreating form with a clenched jaw and then turned his attention to Immortal Lord Zhenhai, who was now glowing faintly beneath his ceremonial shroud, qi threads still flickering across his skin – the very qi that belonged to Kaolin, and Wei Lan's fists curled at his sides.

He said nothing, only stared at the Immortal, too stunned by what he had witnessed. Why? Why would Kaolin risk his own life to save the Immortal? Just… why? Could it be that this person… was truly the one Kaolin had been looking for all these years? Then why save his doomed life? Why!?