A Good Start Bodes a Bad Ending

Xiao Dao looked at her young master, half joyful and half heartbroken.

Suddenly she heard Chen Weichen ask, "What day is it now?"

"It's April 27th. You've been asleep for three days, young master."

"It's getting late," Chen Weichen rubbed her hair. "In the future, if there's nothing to do, you don't need to go to the capital. Go home early, and have your wedding with Ah Hui. The dynasty will fall within a month. Although there won't be war everywhere, it also won't be peaceful. Tell the family to be careful."

"Young master..." Xiao Dao smiled slightly upon hearing him mention the "wedding" again. Then she recalled Wen Hui's absent-mindedness these past few days and exchanged a glance with him.

Wen Hui signaled to her with his eyes.

Xiao Dao understood and thought to herself that it would be better to wait a few days until the young master was well before telling him - telling him now would just make him worry.

They chatted a bit more. Xiao Dao attended to Chen Weichen as he finished a bowl of light lotus leaf porridge. Seeing a hint of weariness on his face again, she lowered the gauze curtain and carried out the bowls and plates with Wen Hui.

Chen Weichen took off the prayer beads wrapped around his wrist and held them loosely in his hand. The beads had a glossy texture and were engraved with some scriptures, gently rubbing against his palm.

He wasn't sure how long had passed when he heard the door creak open. From the sound of the footsteps, it was Ye Jiuya entering.

Chen Weichen looked over through the soft gauze curtain.

A hazy barrier separated the two, making that figure seem illusory and indistinct like a flower in a mirror or the moon in the water.

Chen Weichen turned his head and continued to look at the prayer beads in his hand.

"When did you realize something was wrong?" he asked softly.

"From the very beginning."

Chen Weichen smiled slightly, "I thought after losing the Nine Nether Spring Water, you would immediately go after it, with no time to think of anything else. Looks like I still underestimated you."

Ye Jiuya didn't say anything.

Chen Weichen opened the bed curtain and hung that layer of light, misty fabric on the small hook beside the bed.

"It's in the way, making me seem like a maiden in her boudoir." His tone was slightly teasing, not much different from usual.

After lifting the curtain, Ye Jiuya reached out to take his wrist, still checking his condition as always.

Only this time, just as he was about to touch it, that hand seemed to flinch away slightly.

Chen Weichen had his eyes lowered, looking for all the world as if he was about to fall asleep—despite having just slept for three whole days and nights.

"After you fainted, Lord Lanshan came with his disciples, saying the Heart Tempering Mirror had changed."

"A mirror that can reflect heart demons is strange to begin with." Chen Weichen said, "So it really does have a use in connecting the two realms."

The words "heart demons" made Ye Jiuya recall the scene at the South Sea Sword Platform - at that time, Chen Weichen was extremely unwilling to be brought before the Heart Tempering Mirror, refusing to open his eyes no matter what.

In that mirror, there was nothing but emptiness before Chen Weichen.

He had even made up many specious words about it, like being unattached and seizing the day, the person in the mirror being the person in one's heart, and so on.

He had also said "I have no heart demons" several times.

Just as he was silently pondering, Wen Hui knocked on the door, "Swordmaster Ye, Lord Lanshan has come to visit."

Chen Weichen then said, "He hasn't left?"

"He wants to investigate the origin of the heart demons." Ye Jiuya said.

Chen Weichen leaned against the head of the bed and smiled upon hearing this, "In that case, I should be thankful that you saw me fighting against those heart demons. Otherwise, I'm afraid you all might have hunted me down - he probably saw what state I was in. Did he give you any trouble?"

"He hasn't directly mentioned this matter yet," Ye Jiuya said, "only that the immortal way doesn't know how to deal with heart demons and that you were likely harmed by them. He wanted to come see you."

"I..." Chen Weichen was quiet for a moment before saying, "I also don't know. To be precise, the heart demons and I are not of the same origin. I only know that humans and heart demons are not of the same kind and can't be understood with common sense. Besides your sword intent, you all need to find other ways to deal with heart demons."

Ye Jiuya made an "mm" sound and hesitated before asking, "Then you-"

Chen Weichen knew what he wanted to ask, nothing more than how he came to the human world and such. He smiled and interrupted him, "Hurry and go see Lord Lanshan. You two probably have matters to discuss. When you return, I'll tell you."

Ye Jiuya gave him one last look and left him with a "rest well" before getting up and leaving the room.

After a while, there was a light tap on the window. Xing Qiu slipped in through the window, nearly tripping on his own robes as he landed.

Chen Weichen laughed at him, "Since when did you become so sneaky?"

Xing Qiu didn't avoid the topic and sauntered over to sit on his bed, "That one in your house has been watching you so closely lately. If Lord Lanshan hadn't come, I wouldn't have dared to come see you."

Chen Weichen asked, "Why did you come to see me?"

Xing Qiu let out a sigh, "I was kindly thinking of you, but you don't appreciate me."

Chen Weichen looked at him, "I didn't know you had learned those empty human courtesies of visiting."

The Demon Emperor looked around guiltily, confirming Ye Jiuya had no time to pay attention here and that no one else was present, before grinning, "First, I came to apologize to you. Second, I came to give you something."

"Oh?" Chen Weichen said, "What are you apologizing for?"

"On the mountain top, when you fainted and fell that time, the little Daoist's state of mind was shaken and he was too frightened to react to save you. However, I could have caught you then."

After a pause, seeing Chen Weichen not responding, he continued, "But at that time I also saw Ye Jiuya at the edge of the sky, so I gave up the thought of intervening. I thought, it would be best if he wanted to save you. If he wasn't even willing to save you, then let you fall to your death and be done with it cleanly - although the corpse would look a bit unsightly, I figured you wouldn't mind. I actually thought to let you fall to your death, that's the thing I'm apologizing for."

Chen Weichen made an "mm" sound, "You understand me, so there's no need to apologize or give me anything, right?"

Xing Qiu had a hint of wistfulness in his eyes. He swiftly and lightly stuffed something into Chen Weichen's hand. It felt cool and moist to the touch, seeming to be engraved with some talisman scripts. Then he curled his lips in a smile, "I heard an interesting line at the theater that day. Let me tell it to you."

After speaking, he let out a gentle hum. When he wasn't deliberately putting on airs to tease others, his voice was extremely pleasant to hear.

Chen Weichen held the object, stunned for a moment, and said, "I never thought that a trip to the demon realm would lead me to encounter such a kindred spirit like you."

The Demon Emperor stood up. "I thought you might want this item, and it just so happened that I had it, so I brought it over. It's also a good opportunity for me to let go of my own desires."

"When I'm gone, where will you go from now on?"

Xing Qiu thought for a moment. "I don't know. Returning to the demon realm is pointless. I'll probably just wander around."

"In that case, I have a favor to ask of you," Chen Weichen said calmly. "Go to the South Sea on my behalf and take a look at that mirror. It doesn't matter if you can't figure out its purpose. Just be careful not to let that thing possess you again. When I recover my cultivation, I'll be able to meet you in the South Sea."

"Alright." Xing Qiu glanced at him and threw a charming wink. "Then I'll take my leave. You, with your troublesome background, should also be careful, my adversary."

Chen Weichen was amused by his teasing and smiled. "Your Majesty, until we meet again."

Even after the deep purple-robed Demon Emperor disappeared into the vast clouds outside the window, the lyrics he sang still echoed in Chen Weichen's ears.

The lyrics were: "He taught me to let go of lingering resentment, avoid coquettish anger, and start anew. Don't cling to the passing water; turn back from the bitter sea and quickly realize the beautiful fate."

After a long while, he opened his fingers, revealing a Buddha seal in his palm - the token for entering Zhichen Temple.

Meanwhile, Xiao Dao and Wen Hui were shopping at the market. Wen Hui was holding some items and also carrying a bolt of expensive-looking black fabric with subtle silver patterns.

As they walked, Xiao Dao kept glancing at the fabric and said with a smile, "The young master has never worn black clothes from childhood until now. That day on the mountain top was the first time I saw him in black - I didn't expect him to look so good in it. This place produces top-quality silk. When we return home, I must have the embroiderers make it carefully."

Wen Hui, holding the fabric, said, "But I feel like he doesn't like the color black. Otherwise, why would he have never worn it before?"

Xiao Dao thought for a moment. "That's not the case. Think about it, from childhood until now, has he ever disliked anything?"

"That's true. The young master is used to not being picky about things."

When they returned to the inn where they were staying, they saw Lord Lanshan walking out and paying his respects. In the corridor, they followed Ye Jiuya, who was heading towards Chen Weichen's room. The two couldn't help but exchange a subtle glance.

I see Swordmaster Ye is treating the young master better and better.

- Indeed!

They watched Ye Jiuya push open the door and followed him inside.

Inside the room, the warm fragrance had not yet burned out, leaving wisps of lingering smoke.

But looking around, there was not a single person to be seen.