Under the full moon, a lone girl walked through the abandoned palace. The light of lanterns glimmered. Letting the patrol pass, she walked out from darkness to the backside of the only guarded building.

Shuixian Juan raised a hand to the plastered wall and knocked below the small window. “Senior, are you in there? Should I break you out?”

Inside, confined to a dark wooden cell, a chained figure stretched their neck. All over his bare chest and back were Old Script words written in ink. ‘Man.’ ‘Heaven.’ ‘Sword.’ ‘Disperse.’ ‘Capture.’ The ink blocked ‘man’ from ‘heaven’ and blocked ‘heaven’ from ‘earth’.

“Yes.” The man’s voice contained no inflections. “I am in here.”

Outside, thin lips folded. The breeze blew between a pause. “Who are you?”

“Of course, I am Leung Lakse. Who do you think left you Separation Sword?”

More memory problems? No. Shuixian Juan fell a step back. “...heavenly demon.”

“I admit that’s what they call my type in this land. But, it is a heavenly demon that saved you from that pit. It is a heavenly demon which you owe a debt to.”

Past the wall was a heavenly demon bound in a defenseless state. The instructions for any Bamboo Garden disciple in this situation was to raise their sword and cut. She held up her hand.

“Will you kill Leng Lakse?”

The red string that had already left her finger paused. “Is he still alive?”

“Leung Lakse and I converse very much, even now. I always did tell him that once he showed weakness, I would take over. Now is that, not because he was injured, but because he lost. At that moment of defeat, his will faltered beautifully. Very beautifully-” The voice caught.

The red string resumed speed and dug into the wall. Shuixian Juan did seem to be listening. “Too long. Speak faster.”

Oddly enough, the voice quickened. “Impatience or fear. I never understood the Human’s irrational fear towards those similar to I. In the end, animosity is meaningless. They always choose one and another. Between family. Between neighbors. Between towns. Between regions. Between states. Between continents. Between worlds. Between myself and a giant, which do you fear and despise more?”

She blinked. Her shoulders settled. “I don't fear or despise the Giants for how they treated me. I simply pity them.” Grey strands of hair fell past her face. Then, she proceeded to speak the words that could have her condemned by all of mankind. “ Heavenly Demon, what is your single wish and how can I grant it?”

After a pause, the voice attempted to laugh which resembled three hums. “I want to escape.”

“This prison?”

“This world.” That was the true prison. ”Those that believe they understand it are in fact the most ignorant. This ugly world is doomed and I will be gone before then.”

“Do you… wish to ascend?”

“Ascension? No. I already arrived with a path, so I will leave with that path. Every entrance is also an exit. I enter this world through a stone disk, therefore I can also leave through a stone disk.”

“A stone disk?”

She did not understand but the demon continued anyway. “Unfortunately, that disk, something thought to be unbreakable, has since been destroyed by a stone sword. However, the disk still exists. It should exist as a concept recorded inside another stone object. After all, the purpose of the Relics that the human historians carry is to record.”

She attempted to parse what she'd been told. “So, you are looking for a stone object held by people you call historians?”

“Chroniclers... Record Keepers… here they are referred to as Historians. What they-”

“Wait,” a static voice interrupted.

On the building’s roof, a young woman in a dark tunic had been sitting below the moonlight the entire time. Behind her loose scarf was a face Shuixian Juan recognized from some days ago. The waitress of the teahouse in Shangsuo. The Tang Clan.

“Senior Al, If you want to allow her into the circle, at least be able tell her intentions,” the woman said.

“I did not perceive any malice.”

Black eyes set upon the girl. “Ill will is not what you should look for. It should always be deceit. Humans easily harm others without the intention to.”

“At least let the girl explain herself,” the demon said.

The woman leveled her gaze, “So?”

Shuixian Juan tilted her head.

“You’ll perish in a short moment if you don’t explain,” the woman said.

A cold bit of metal pricked the back of her neck. “I see.” She was not any closer to explaining herself.

The odd chuckled sounded again. “What she wants to know is if you genuinely want to help a demon feared more than any other?”

Shuixian Juan gave a small frown. “There is a single thing you said wrong. You did not save me. Unless you were the one who swore nonstop the entire time they climbed up a hole with broken bones and a child slumped over their shoulder. There is only a single person I owe anything to. That is why I will help. The faster you return Leung Lakse’s body, the better.”

“Are you satisfied now, Tang Xirong?”

Tang Xirong settled on a dismissive frown and nodded. “You don’t want to be freed now, do you?”

“I don’t. Allow the Imperial Guards to confine me to the capital. While the Bamboo Garden won’t seek Leung Lakse’s release anytime soon, the Emperor won’t decree an execution either.“

Tang Xirong momentarily glimpsed in the direction further within the abandoned palace. “Justifiable. With the appearance of the True Heart Sect, we know at least one Sage is near. For caution, I should take my leave. I assume I’ll be taking the girl?”

“Correct. No one’s role has changed. However, Leung Lakse’s original wish for her to challenge for Seed Placement is too eye-catching. If she becomes capable of reaching the final competition, obtaining a token is fine. Although we don’t know which Relic will be used, anything becomes easier with the more participants on our side.”

The girl in question who was being ignored interrupted. “I am still here.”

Tang Xirong answered. “We all have our roles. You just need to know that although a Historian is difficult to find, an opportunity presents itself near the capital once every three years. The Center Conference always uses one of the Relics as the final competition.”

…

“The Fourth Miss doesn't want to see anyone!” The two maids continued to block the hall to the western wing of the main manor.

Danlu signed through pressed teeth. “She can say this herself.”

“Go back, Retainer.”

“Retainer?”

“You are a servant that can’t work. A retainer with no pride,” the first maid said.

“I bet the Ninth Master will throw you out onto the streets eventually,” the second maid continued.

Danlu’s lips twisted in weary amusement. Are these actually supposed to be insults? Who cares about that nonsense? Giving up, his shoulder slumped and he went back the way he came. He actually believed that two maids told the truth. They never need to make something up in the first place. Which means something is seriously wrong.

He crossed the manor and returned to the courtyard. Inside was nothing. In front of Xiyun’s locked room was an empty bowl.

Danlu sat down at one of the table’s stools and sighed when the door creaked.

Qiu Gaokang entered.

Danlu raised his head. “What are you here for?”

“I’m supposed to ensure all the masters are debriefed on the state of the capital. This is my last stop.”

“Don’t you usually just leave a report that we never read.”

Gaokang walked up to the table and began serving himself a cup of tea. “I figured you might say that. Do you know what occurred in the capital?”

“I think I’ve heard some of the rumors.” Danlu’s perspective on the pieces of information he could get was simple. The First Master’s smuggling wasn’t for profit but to build political connections. After getting caught within the gang wars of the capital, the First Master was also the one blamed by the Back Manor… even though the Back Manor must have had knowledge in the first place. Complicity. “Even I know the Xiao Family no longer manages the West Market.”

Both the West Market and East Market stretched multiple wards. The West Market in particular facilitated foreign trade with the North and West. The western trade routes alone made it more profitable than the East Market.

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Gaokang hummed. “The First Master losing the West Market is obvious. More importantly, the Family gave up our foundation within the palace, something the Old Master and the Third Lady helped establish. I see that as the greatest loss. This also ensured other families to temporarily make a stance of distancing themselves from our businesses.”

“So it’s all the First Master and the Old Master’s failures. How does it affect us in any way?”

“Did you forget who the First Master is?”

Danlu frowned until he choked a breath. “...Xuexu’s father!”

“Interested now? With how close the matter of succession is, Xiao Tuangan wants to recover from the blow. This is when the Cui Family family visited the Xiao Family Manor in Taiping.”

“Why does that name sound familiar?”

“Many people should have heard of them. ‘The Cui Family of Anying’. One of the seven.”

Danlu knew what he meant. “...The Seven Families.”

“They brought something, a marriage proposal for the First Master’s only daughter. It is something that is rare to see. Usually, The Seven Families will always refuse to marry outside the traditional families. They have never gone out of their way to approach like this. Even when Emperor Zhenzong attempted to outlaw marriage between the seven, he failed.”

Danlu suddenly understood everything. “Who is on the other side?”

“There is not a decision on who yet. Xiao Tuangan only agreed to an engagement with someone with a direct blood connection to the Cui Family’s mainline. The Old Master has already been made known and does not oppose the action.”

A hollow pit formed in Danlu's stomach and began to fill with boiling water.

Chu Su once failed. Instead of quitting then and there, he brought Danlu with him to Jiyang. Those days were definitely the hardest for them, but Danlu could say one thing. He had never once gone hungry. Even if one night Chu Su’s bowl was empty, his own would always be filled.

His teeth pressed together. “...failures,” He directed the mutter to both the First Master and the Old Master.

Gaokang raised an eyebrow.

Danlu looked up. “What type of father can’t pay for their own failures? What type of elder pass on their failures to the younger generation?”

Gaokang closed his eyes and turned around. “That's what I wanted to make sure the Ninth Master's courtyard knew.”

“Xiyun!” Danlu called.

“I heard everything, and...” the voice within the closed room began. Steps sounded. Xiyun had walked up to the door, but he did not open it. “I don’t care.”

...

From the gate, Danlu was guided by the silent city guard past the empty buildings. Finally, they pointed him towards the yard he had previously left.

He opened the gate.

A distant figure sat on a small rickshaw. The two large wheels attached to the comfy seat could only be pulled by the long handle which stretched outward.

Yeon raised her head. “Physicians are so annoying. They want me to remain stuck in this thing all day. Something about preventing my stitches from opening, but I can already ensure they won’t while I’m conscious anyway.”

Danlu took a view of the yard. No one was around. “Then are you just stuck in place?”

She smirked. “Don’t bother looking for anyone. I’ve already shooed anyone away. They kept offering a lackey as a personal driver, but it’s unneeded. Watch this.”

Yeon’s left arm remained immobile but she was able to push it off the armrest. Her right hand went past its own armrest and touched the wheel. Then she leaned back. Slowly, the rickshaw began tilting back until it balanced itself on its wheels without the legs of the handle. Finally, with her hands pressed against the wheels, they began turning.

She lapped around Danlu once with perfect control.

Danlu closed his open mouth. Seeing the rickshaw move without being pulled was too odd. “Good thing carriage can’t move without horses like this, or we’ll be out of business.”

She rolled past him to the gate. “Let’s go. I'm not staying any longer than needed. On the way, you can catch me up on everything I’ve missed.”

Danlu stumbled across the gate.

...

The courtyard gate opened once again. Yeon's rolling rickshaw stopped inside.

Her cheeks rested on her palm against the armrest. “I have a question, Danlu.”

“Yes?”

“Where’s the banquet?”

An uneasy smile crossed Danlu’s face. “There is no banquet.”

“Where is Xiyun and why isn’t he here congratulating me?”

Sweat dripped. “He’s locked himself in his room…”

“Where is Xuexu?”

“...she’s doing the same thing as Xiyun.”

The silence continued until a light sigh. “I was only gone for a day.”

Danlu immediately looked away.

Tap!

The rickshaw settled on the ground. Yeon pushed herself up onto her own two feet. In three steps she stood in front of the door with a raised foot. She kicked and the door opened.

Sunlight illuminated a single figure center of the door. Xiyun held his travel case behind his shoulders and had returned to wearing his original white robe.

Within the room, all the previously scattered books and scrolls have been neatly stacked against the wall.

While Xiyun focused on the limp left arm and multitude of stitches, the other two caught the tells of Xiyun.

Danlu’s eyes slowly widened. He turned towards Yeon when Xiyun spoke first.

“Are you going to stop me?”

Two opposing eyes met.

Yeon finally reacted and took a step back. Her narrowed gaze softened, posture relaxed, and expression loosened. She did not reply and instead shifted where she stood, leaving space for Xiyun to walk past.

Xiyun expected many things, yet this wasn’t one of them. “This isn’t fair.”

Yeon shook her head. “What isn’t fair? Choice is the fairest thing in the world. Just walk past.”

His frozen expression slowly creased.

“I do not regret it,” Yeon said.

“I do.”

“That’s because as different people we each have our own perspective. What I did not want to see happen did not happen, so I’m content. For your perspective, I will say I’m sorry for worrying everyone. In the end, I believe the risk was entirely worth it.”

“The risk could have not existed.”

“You don’t know that. Even if you understand everything about yourself, you can’t say the same for everyone else.”

“Then I don’t want to be a part of it.”

“You can’t stand it?”

“I can’t,” he confirmed.

The history books were different from the world. The past was already determined. Written tragedies have already occurred. Written disasters have already happened. The one who wrote Memories of Withering Flower is already dead. It was impossible to feel pain from words.

Yet, this world was a story that has yet to end. He did not want to flip the page. He would rather throw the book away. Only overwhelming apathy could alleviate twisted empathy.

Yeon did not argue any further and simply looked directly in front of her, only keeping Xiyun in the corner of her gaze. “Try to step past. You can’t. If you could, we wouldn’t have found you but an empty room instead. You already care too much about the consequences.”

His shoulders slumped. Since the very beginning, he has been entangled. Xiyun never stood a chance. “Everything will go wrong,” he said in a final struggle.

“Then gamble. Not just in yourself but others as well. I for one look forward to seeing how wrong everything will get. Will the end result be a contest and struggle of strength? Aren’t you confident that I can beat down anything that stands in our way? Except for our safety, I don’t care about anything else. Do you? ‘A monk without a temple gate, what does he possibly fear?’ So, what do you have to lose?” She took a glimpse next to her. “Danlu, even with just the two of us, you’ll follow me to raise fire won’t we?”

Danlu has since learned not to question this type of thing. “Of course! What would we possibly do besides acting without regard to consequences?”

“Xiyun, even if you are no longer here, we will cause the largest mess imaginable.” Yeon steadied her gaze. “The world will keep moving even without you.”

Xiyun dropped the travel case and breathed a sigh. “How many doors can you kick?”

“Which doors do you need kicking?”

...

Once, the Fourth Master banged on the doors of the Back Manor until his hand numbed. In the end, the Old Master did not agree to meet him.

Today, a single stamp from Yeon’s foot opened the door. Xiyun stepped inside alone while the surrounding servants watched without any way to interfere.

The Back Manor was a hallway that connected a number of rooms and a study in the very end.

All the True Guards remained hidden. Only one person interrupted him.

Steward Qiu stood blocking the hallway. “The Old Master doesn’t want to meet anyone today.”

Xiyun's leveled eyelids remained stable. “Step aside.”

Qiu Lin thinned his lips. Surprisingly, he bowed his head and stepped to the side. If anyone outside saw, they would have been amazed. There was only one person Steward Qiu was mannered towards and that was the Old Master.

Xiyun entered the final room. A study surrounded by closed cabinets and calligraphy scrolls decorating the wall.

Setting down a document, Xiao Song turned around to face him.

The moment the two met gazes, the Old Master's lips crept into a childish smile. He knew that Xiyun would appear before him. What else other than an old monster would trade a granddaughter for the submission of a grandson?

Xiyun spoke first. “If you want to give it to me, then I’ll take it.” As offhandedly as he said it, ‘it’ meant the entire Xiao Family.

The old man raised his already stretched lips. “Do you think I can’t tell? You haven’t given up yet. The family is still not within your heart.”

The boy wanted to retort but he knew Xiao Song was right. If he got it, he had planned to pass it along immediately. Therefore, it was true that his heart was not with the family. “Then, when will you retire?” Anyone else would have thought Xiyun was cursing the Old Master’s death.

“Qiu Lin!”

Steward Qiu appeared behind Xiyun. “Yes?”

“Send out this message to all my children. In a year from today, I will officially retire. Just as what is stated on my will, the next head of the family will be decided by the descendant which holds the majority of the main family's revenue shares.” He turned to Xiyun. "Are you satisfied?"

During the meeting of the ancestral hall, when the Forth Master asked to expel Xiyun, Xiao Song allowed it. When Xiyun himself voted, Xiao Song answered with his own vote instead of dismissing him. The Old Master still abided by his own rules. He played the games he himself created in his own form of fairness.

For this sole reason, Xiyin could only nod. A year to accumulate and direct plans. A year to capture the position as head of the family. It was plenty of time.

He bowed and turned around, following Steward Qiu as they left. “Are you visiting the western wing first?”

“I am, Young Master.”

Xiyun frowned at the honorific. “I am heading the same way.”

As they crossed the door, a runner with a torn expression ran into them in the same direction they headed. “Steward Qiu!” He came from the western wing.

“Take a breath and speak. What’s wrong?”

At that moment, the servant’s eyes passed Xiyun. The corners of his lips twitched.