Refining the Mountains and Rivers

Qin Yu didn't stay in the Northern Capital for much longer. After making arrangements with the Dao Arena Master, he quietly left. Solitary Westgate didn't have any interest in speaking to Yuan Shi who was standing guard outside. He directly used his supernatural arts and pierced through space, returning to his mountainside courtyard.

When he pushed open the door and walked in, the moon and stars were shining bright outside. He stood in front of the bed and watched the sleeping mother and child. An excited look filled his eyes.

"Yun Niang, Anning, I have finally confirmed that I have found that person, and he has also agreed to help. It won't be too long before you two can truly live."

He lowered his head and gently kissed the foreheads of his wife and child. Then, he pushed open the door and walked out. A strange three-legged bird was standing outside. When it saw him it laughed and said, "Westgate, congratulations!"

Although it had urged him to give up before, it didn't want him to waste away his golden years like this. It knew how much Solitary Westgate loved his wife and child and also knew that if they were revived, his dao heart would reach perfection.

Solitary Westgate nodded. "Mooncrow, in a while, you will need to join me in accompanying Qin Yu to the Immortal Sect."

The strange three-legged bird screamed, "Good! I have already had enough of those bastards from the Immortal Sect! If I have the chance I would like to ruthlessly beat them up!"

Solitary Westgate didn't respond. He looked up at the star-studded skies and recalled the words Qin Yu had told him. He couldn't help but smile. That fellow should be going back by now…he feared that the Demonic Path was going to be in turmoil for some time!

…

Eastern Sun City, Holy Son Palace.

The lush flowers of the past had now become wilted and withered. The square was empty and the streets were bleak and miserable.

A squad of True Demon Guards stood on watch at the entrance, bored out of their minds. They all thought that this assignment didn't give them any chance of establishing themselves and wanted to find a way to be transferred away from here.

These damned dull and monotonous days were simply torture!

Suddenly, a black-robed figure appeared in front of them. A True Demon Guard impatiently scolded, "This is a forbidden place. All non-related personnel cannot approach. Hurry up and screw off!"

The black-robed figure stopped. He looked up at the palace that seemed to be decaying all around him. Then, he flicked his sleeves. Boundless strength gushed through the void like a storm passing across the sea. It swept over the several True Demon Guards, sending them flying away.

He continued walking forward. The Holy Son Palace that had been sealed for dozens of years began to open on its own volition. Then this was followed by a second set of gates, a third, a fourth…

Layers of palace gates opened. The deep and dull sound spread throughout the Holy Son Palace, sending flocks of startled birds flying away.

Perhaps they already knew that the master of this palace had returned!

…

Ning Liang stood in a daze in the garden, watching spirit flowers and spirit grass that had slowly withered away after the array formation that powered them had stopped.

Of course, the most precious parts had been dug out in the name of various reasons before the Holy Son Palace had been sealed up. All that was left behind were strikingly ugly pits.

Sister Lanlan's condition was becoming increasingly worse. She likely wouldn't be able to last much longer. As Ning Liang thought of this, bitter despair surged in her heart and tears fell down her cheeks.

Your Highness…if you were still alive, what would the world be like…? But the past cannot be changed and all of these thoughts are just my fantasy…after Sister Lanlan leaves, maybe I should end my life and follow her…

As she was caught in her dark thoughts, a deep sound rang out from behind her. Ning Liang was stunned for a moment before she looked up, her reddened eyes instantly widening into circles.

That voice…although dozens of years had passed since she last heard it, she still vividly remembered it…the palace gates had been opened…

One sound after another, from far away to the depths of the Holy Son Palace…

The Holy Son Palace had been sealed under the command of the Demonic Path. Just who dared to violate this order? Could it be…?

A thought drilled out from her heart. Ning Liang rose up, brushed off her skirt, and ran towards the palace gates. Her thoughts were in chaos and she didn't even use her movement abilities. When she reached the closest palace gate, her forehead was already covered with drops of sweat.

Pa -

Pa -

The clear sound of footsteps echoed through the long hallway. Ning Liang's eyes stung as large drops of tears tumbled down. Still, she kept her eyes glued tightly to the palace gates.

With a light tremor, the palace gates that had been sealed for dozens of years were slowly thrust open. Dust sprinkled down, curling into the skies.

A black-robed figure appeared in her line of sight. She lifted her hand and covered her mouth, falling to her knees as she sobbed.

Qin Yu lifted his hand and drew back the hood of his robes. His lips moved as he smiled, "Don't cry. I'm back."

…

A mysterious black-robed cultivator had forced his way into the Holy Son Palace!

This news was like a great stone that crashed into the lake that was Eastern Sun City, immediately setting off great waves. In particular, this person had suppressed the True Demon Guards that defended the Holy Son Palace. Without a doubt, this was a provocation against the entire Demonic Path.

This was absolutely unforgivable!

The Eastern Sun City Lord's complexion was pale. "Gather all the experts in the mansion and capture that person. I don't care whether he lives or dies!" He had just recently ascended as the City Lord and he should be perfectly managing the city right now. The eruption of this matter was a great stain upon his reputation.

Moreover, the Demonic Path was currently arguing whether or not they needed to establish a new Holy Son. He had been given the specific mission of suppressing the Holy Son Palace so that it thoroughly vanished from everyone's attention.

The City Lord was enraged and the City Lord Mansion reacted with unprecedented speed. Dozens of experts flew into the air, howling towards the Holy Son Palace.

All the influences throughout the city learned of this event, some of them even earlier than the City Lord Mansion. Knowing that an incident occurred at the Holy Son Palace, they quickly sent people to follow behind and see what was happening.

There was currently a fierce contest underway for what to do with the throne of the Holy Son. All sorts of turbulences were surging through the Demonic Path right now. If someone suddenly intruded into the Holy Son Palace right now, none of them could say with confidence that there wasn't some other matter behind all of this.

…

Ning Liang shoved open the temple doors. Even if it faced the sun, when sunlight shined through the windows, the temple still felt dark and cold.

The thick scent of medicine floated in the air. As if hearing the sound of the opening door, a weak voice sounded out from behind a thick curtain. "Ning Liang? Can you please help pour a cup of water for me?"

These few simple words seemed to exhaust all of her strength. A succession of rapid coughs reverberated through the empty temple.

Qin Yu lifted his hand to stop Ning Liang from speaking. He walked into the temple and found the teapot. He carried it along with a cup, and then parted the curtains and entered. The light here was even dimmer than outside, but he could clearly see Hai Lanlan lying down on a bed.

Perhaps because she had been coughing just now, her thin and pale face had a strange red flush to it. Her eyes were closed and her chest heaved up and down.

Qin Yu paused. Guilt flashed in his eyes. He suddenly discovered that he was far too irresponsible. He only cared for himself and never made the appropriate arrangements for those that followed by his side.

Taking a breath, Qin Yu quickened his step. He sat down by the bed and lifted Hai Lanlan up, placing the cup against her lips.

After drinking the water, Hai Lanlan's heavy breathing calmed down a little. She opened her eyes and faintly smiled, "Ning Liang, I really dragged you down with me."

Qin Yu stiffened. Those cold and indifferent eyes that carried with them a hint of arrogance were now dark and lacking any light.

When Hai Lanlan realized something was off, her hands tightened and a vigilant expression came across her face. "You aren't Ning Liang? Where is she, what did you do to her!?"

She immediately began to cough again.

The crying Ning Liang wiped her tears away. "Big sister, I'm here, please don't worry about me!"

Hai Lanlan gasped for breath. "Ning Liang, who is he, how did he get in here?"

Before Ning Liang could reply, Qin Yu let out a breath and said with a deliberately carefree tone, "Little Lanlan, just a short several dozen years have passed and you don't even remember me. It really leaves me disappointed."

Hai Lanlan suddenly lost her voice. She turned and looked towards the direction of the palace gates as if she were trying to prove something.

Ning Liang sobbed and smiled at the same time. "Big sister, you're not wrong, His Highness has returned…His Highness is doing well…he is still alive…"

Hai Lanlan reached out a shivering hand and touched Qin Yu's face. Although she couldn't see, she would never forget the face that she had allowed to enter her heart.

"Your Highness…Your Highness…I knew you wouldn't die…I knew it…"

Tears fell from Hai Lanlan's gloomy eyes. The hand she was gently stroking Qin Yu's face with suddenly fell down, powerless.

"Big sister!" Ning Liang screamed in panic.

Qin Yu placed a finger between her eyebrows and sensed her rapidly fading soul aura. He shouted out, "Purple moon!"

Hum -

A crescent purple moon phantom appeared atop Qin Yu's head. Moonlight continuously sprinkled down like rain, sinking into Hai Lanlan's body.

Ning Liang bit her lips, not daring to make even the smallest sound. She was extremely anxious, afraid that Qin Yu would make a foreboding expression.

After some time, Qin Yu drew back his finger and the purple moon phantom vanished along with it. "Don't worry, if I don't let her die, she won't die." He looked up at Ning Liang, "Tell me, how did she receive such severe injuries?"

Ning Liang wiped away her tears. "It was me, it was all because of me!"

After the Holy Son Palace was sealed away, for some unknown reason Ning Liang became deathly ill and her life was in danger. The Holy Son Palace had been plundered dry so there was nothing that could be done to help treat her. Hai Lanlan had taken a risk to connect to the outside world. Together with two other court ladies that stayed in the palace, they sought a cure for Ning Liang's illness.

They obtained the medicine and Ning Liang was pulled from death's door. But for some reason, their mission had been exposed somehow. During the last outing when they tried to obtain the recipe, the two other helping court ladies had been killed on the spot and Hai Lanlan had barely managed to escape.

Qin Yu narrowed his eyes. "Who did this?"

Ning Liang hesitated. But at this time, there was a sudden enraged roar from outside.

"Who is it, who dares to intrude into a forbidden area of my Demonic Path! Come out and die!"

Ning Liang trembled and her face paled. "It's him! It's him!" When Hai Lanlan was injured she had heard this voice. Even if she died she wouldn't forget it.

Qin Yu laid down Hai Lanlan. "Stay here and look after her." He walked outside.

The sunlight illuminating the temple formed a halo of golden light around him. The fear in Ning Liang's heart retreated like a falling tide.

"Big sister, His Highness has returned. No one will be able to harm us any longer. Everything will be good now so…please wake up as soon as you can!"

…