Into The Sea

Rongan, the capital city, sat right at the heart of Yunhuang, making it the most bustling and prosperous city in the region. As Lan Wu stepped through the southern gate, she was met with the impressive sight of Yong’an Street, the widest street in the city. The residential districts on either side were neatly arranged, and in the distance, she could make out the silhouette of the imperial palace, the highest structure in the city.

Perhaps due to its location on the western edge of the continent, facing other continents across the sea, there were many foreigners with blonde hair and blue eyes. Lan Wu blended in surprisingly well among them.

She turned her head, wanting to share her thoughts with Ji Lingyue, but was met with a cold expression. She immediately closed her mouth, swallowing back the words she had wanted to say.

Lan Wu sighed internally. It was Ji Lingyue who had insisted on forming a contract, yet now, after Lan Wu had called her “master” in bed, she was acting all cold and distant.

She was almost sixty years old, yet her temper was still so volatile.

Lan Wu couldn’t understand her at all. Feeling like she had already compromised enough, her own stubbornness flared up, and she refused to take the initiative to make amends.

Ji Lingyue walked ahead in stony silence, leading them to a respectable-looking inn. She placed two spirit stones on the counter. “One room.”

The dozing inkeeper suddenly awakened, just starting to smile when he glimpsed the stones on the counter and started in surprise. “Oh, esteemed cultivators…” He hesitated, then stammered, “I’m afraid we don’t… we can’t accept this kind of currency. It’s best if you use silver…”

Only then did Ji Lingyue realize her mistake. She instinctively reached for her pouch, but stopped, frowning.

After so many years, she was experiencing the feeling of being penniless again.

After thinking for a moment, she turned to look at Lan Wu. Lan Wu started, saying irritably, “Why are you looking at me? I don’t have any silver either.”

Ji Lingyue raised an eyebrow. “Who said you didn’t?”

Lan Wu suddenly had a very bad feeling about this.

Ji Lingyue’s lips curled into a smirk as she pushed Lan Wu into a corner. After setting up a barrier, she retrieved a handful of Shalan from her storage ring.

Lan Wu’s eyes widened in alarm. “What are you doing?”

“What does it look like?” Ji Lingyue countered, noticing Lan Wu’s attempt to back away. “Don’t move.”

Lan Wu froze, fear washing over her. All she could do was watch helplessly as Ji Lingyue pressed the Shalan against her face.

As if that wasn’t bad enough, Ji Lingyue cupped her other hand under Lan Wu’s chin. It didn’t take long for several large, perfectly round pearls to fall into her palm.

Lan Wu was furious and humiliated. But she couldn’t disobey Ji Lingyue’s command. Trapped in the corner, she could only shed tears obediently. After a while, her eyes turned red and puffy, and her cheeks flushed, making her look extremely pitiful.

Ji Lingyue watched her with interest, even going as far as pushing Shalan closer. Lan Wu felt like she was going blind. She blinked, and more pearls fell out. “Alright! Enough!”

Ji Lingyue knew not to push too far and obediently withdrew the Shalan, handing Lan Wu a handkerchief. “Wipe your face.”

Lan Wu quickly wiped away her tears, but her eyes still felt sore and uncomfortable. She couldn’t help but raise her voice angrily, “Ji Lingyue!”

But when she looked up, Ji Lingyue was already walking away, her back turned. Lan Wu stared after her for a moment, then, with a resigned sigh, shoved the handkerchief into her robes and hurried after her.

Ji Lingyue easily sold the pearls at a jewelry shop. The shopkeeper repeatedly exclaimed over the excellent quality of her pearls, hinting at his curiosity about their origin. Ji Lingyue, glancing at the fuming Lan Wu standing outside, simply said, “I grew them myself.”

Without waiting for the shop owner’s response, she left with Lan Wu.

Lan Wu trailed behind, her annoyance practically radiating off of her. If not for the invisible bond of the contract, she would have walked away already. Ji Lingyue discreetly observed her, contemplating whether or not to give them both an opportunity to reconcile. However, before she could make up her mind, the crowd ahead of them parted, and several armored soldiers emerged, stopping directly in front of her.

“Can I help you?” Ji Lingyue asked, stopping in front of them.

The middle-aged man leading them studied her before clasping his hands together in greeting. “Are you Immortal Master Ji Lingyue?”

Ji Lingyue frowned. “Do I know you?”

“Then it is you,” the man chuckled, extending a hand. “The Imperial Advisor requests your presence in the palace.”

“The Imperial Advisor?”

“Yes,” he confirmed. “The Imperial Advisor said you were looking for him, is that not correct?”

Ji Lingyue was taken aback. “Your Imperial Advisor… is Lu Ziqi?”

“No, he is the disciple of Master Lu, Yuan Zhen.”

As they made their way to the palace, Ji Lingyue learned about Yunhuang’s current situation from the soldiers.

It was said that the current emperor, Xiao Yan, was a rare romantic who had only his empress by his side for many years. They had only one daughter, whom he loved dearly. He even went against popular opinion to change the law that only princes could inherit the throne. After that, Princess Xiao Qingyu became Yunhuang’s legitimate heir apparent.

The family led a blissfully happy life, but two months ago, the empress fell into a deep sleep and could not wake up. Xiao Yan summoned every renowned physician in Yunhuang, but none could diagnose the cause. Her health deteriorated as she couldn’t eat or drink, and it seemed she wouldn’t last much longer.

Meanwhile, Yuan Zhen, once a teenage prodigy, was now nearing forty. His mastery of divination and astrology had earned him a formidable reputation. He had become the Imperial Advisor years ago, second only to the Emperor in power, and his counsel was highly valued by Xiao Yan.

Desperate, the Emperor turned to Yuan Zhen, begging for a way to save his beloved Empress. And Yuan Zhen, through his divination, had found a glimmer of hope.

“Do not worry, Your Majesty,” he had said, dispersing the image of a golden lotus revealed in his divination. “The person who can save the empress will appear in two days.”

“How can he be so sure that I can save her?” Ji Lingyue asked, bewildered.

“I do not know,” the soldier admitted. “Perhaps the Imperial Advisor will explain everything when you meet him.”

Ji Lingyue raised her head, looking at the golden roof tiles shimmering in the distance, and silently sighed. Just as she stepped onto the white jade steps carved with dragons and phoenixes, a handsome and refined man approached her excitedly: “Are you Immortal Master Ji?”

Before she could respond, the guards leading the way knelt down. “Greetings, Your Majesty!”

Xiao Yan didn’t even notice the guards as he hurried forward, almost reaching out to grasp Ji Lingyue’s hand. “Immortal Master, can you really save my Empress?”

Ji Lingyue, subtly stepping back from his eager approach, frowned slightly. “I can’t make any promises,” she said cautiously, “but I can take a look.”

“Good, good…” Xiao Yan’s heart surged with hope. “The Imperial Advisor is waiting for you in the Shuyue Palace. Please, come quickly.”

Ji Lingyue nodded and began walking forward. As they turned, Xiao Yan caught sight of Lan Wu trailing behind and paused, and frowned. “And this is…?”

“She’s my contracted beast,” Ji Lingyue replied simply.

Xiao Yan’s eyes widened in alarm. “A contracted beast?! But isn’t that… isn’t that a demon?”

Ji Lingyue reassured him, “Your Majesty, rest assured. I have formed a contract with her. Without my permission, she absolutely cannot harm anyone.”

Despite her reassurance, Xiao Yan couldn’t help but eye Lan Wu with apprehension. “Immortal Master Ji,” he began, his voice hesitant, “it’s not that I don’t trust you, but… but the Empress is in a critical condition. Please forgive my impoliteness, but I cannot allow her inside.”

Ji Lingyue narrowed her eyes, her expression growing colder. Before she could respond, Lan Wu spoke nonchalantly, “It’s fine. I’ll stay outside. Go in by yourself.”

Ji Lingyue looked at her, pressing her lips together. “Don’t wander off.”

“Where would I go?” Lan Wu chuckled, still resentful about being forced to cry pearls not long ago. Her tone was laced with sarcasm. “Wherever I go, I have to come back obediently when my master calls, right?”

Stung by her words, Ji Lingyue chose not to respond, heading towards Shuyue Palace without another word.

Even after they left, Lan Wu found herself under the watchful eyes of several armed guards. Every time she moved, they tensed, their hands hovering near their weapons.

Lan Wu let out a sigh of frustration and gazed out at the lake in the distance, lost in thought.