The Emperor appointed the eldest prince, Lu Yuan, as the crown prince seven years ago.

During these seven years, the crown prince has been benevolent and self-disciplined, earning praise both inside and outside the court.

However, the Emperor has always been harsh and distant towards the crown prince.

Rumors abound. Some say it's because the crown prince was adopted and lacks a deep blood connection. Others claim the Emperor was pressured by ministers to appoint the crown prince early, and has never felt secure on the throne.

In the past two years, the Emperor has become obsessed with the pursuit of immortality, neglecting state affairs, which have gradually been taken over by the young crown prince.

The Emperor seeks immortals and medicines, builds altars, and spends gold and silver like pouring them into a bottomless pit.

The Emperor's obsession has unsettled the palace, while the crown prince's power rises in secret.

Now, with his wings fully grown, he plans to dethrone the Emperor.

Tao Mian briefly read the letter Xue Han sent him, and nearly crushed the table in anger.

Utterly absurd!

Lu Yuandi is Tao Mian's personal disciple. If she wanted immortality, why seek it elsewhere?

This is clearly a setup.

He gave a brief explanation to his two bewildered disciples, saying he needed to go on a long journey.

Chu Suiyan nodded and asked blankly, "Shi Fu, are you bringing the Second Disciple back to the mountain?"

Chu Liuxue pinched his arm, signaling him to hold his tongue.

As Tao Mian hurriedly left, he left behind a single remark—Shi Fu will consider it.

Tao Mian traveled swiftly, and by dusk, he arrived outside the palace after receiving the letter in the afternoon.

Like an immortal entering an uninhabited realm, he easily slipped inside without alerting anyone.

In the vast palace, a person seemed like a grain of sand. Tao Mian looked around, planning to coerce a palace servant to inquire about Lu Yuandi's whereabouts.

Someone emerged from behind a white magnolia tree.

The crown prince stood tall in a red python robe under the flowers.

"Little Taoist Tao, you have indeed come."

Tao Mian was momentarily at a loss for how to react to this young man. He had spent some time in the palace when the crown prince was just an ordinary prince. Though precocious, he would show his innocent nature when quarreling with the other three children. He would either be studying or chasing after his sister to prevent her from causing trouble.

It turns out he had grown so much, his every move subtly carrying an imperial demeanor.

There were no signs of palace servants or guards around, perhaps intentionally by the crown prince, who might have anticipated Tao Mian's return and waited here.

Tao Mian said, "Crown Prince, why such heartlessness?"

The crown prince did not offer much defense but pointed Tao Mian in a direction.

"I have her locked up there. Go."

Upon hearing this, Tao Mian rushed straight in the direction indicated, not bothering to question why the crown prince had imprisoned the Emperor.

The palace was remote and desolate, and the deeper Tao Mian went, the more he frowned.

An elderly blind palace maid seemed to hear footsteps, turned her head slightly toward him, then slowly turned back, staring blankly at a cluster of wild grass in the garden.

Tao Mian passed by her and stopped outside the tightly closed palace doors.

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He placed his hands on the doors, closed his eyes briefly, and then pushed them open.

The old wooden doors creaked, stirring up a few strands of dust. The interior was deep and dim, with only the twilight pouring through the window cracks.

Lu Yuandi sat sideways by the window, having shed her dragon robe and changed back into the clothes she wore when she first left Peach Blossom Mountain.

When Tao Mian pushed the door open, she withdrew her gaze from the distance and looked at the immortal standing at the door.

"You've come."

Lu Yuandi's eyes curved, her attire simple and elegant, reminiscent of the past.

The master and disciple looked at each other from afar, one sitting, the other standing, separated by the glow of the setting sun, as if they had found the days gone by.

"I've kept this old outfit," Lu Yuandi said, rising from the worn chair, lifting her arms slightly, and turning halfway around, "Some parts were cut by sharp objects, but I found a skilled embroiderer to mend them. You can't see any traces, can you? Just like before."

Tao Mian remained silent.

The smile at the corner of Lu Yuandi's mouth froze, and she withdrew her hand, letting it fall to her side.

She seemed helpless, shaking her head lightly.

"How can it be the same as before? Clothes aren't as good as new, and people aren't the same as they used to be."

"Yuan Di," Tao Mian finally spoke, uttering his first words, "You've lost weight."

Lu Yuandi felt a surge in her heart, tears nearly falling.

He didn't ask why she ended up like this, nor why she went through so much trouble, only concerned about her weight loss.

She blinked quickly, turning her gaze back to the window.

"The food sent from the palace is decent, but I've lost my appetite lately and don't feel like eating."

Tao Mian sighed softly.

"If you don't want to stay here, why not return to the mountain with Shi Fu?"

"Is Little Tao willing to let me go back?" Lu Yuandi smiled, "When I left, I swore I'd burn your mountain down."

Tao Mian gave a soft "hmm."

"Shi Fu permits it, let you burn the mountain."

Lu Yuandi's eyes flickered, her long lashes fluttering like butterfly wings, even her breathing slowed.

For a moment, deep pain flashed in her eyes, quickly suppressed and buried.

With slender fingers, she pointed to the chair opposite.

"Little Tao, keep me company for a chat."

Tao Mian approached and sat on the empty chair.

Lu Yuandi mentioned there was no good tea or wine in the palace, apologizing for the lack of hospitality. The immortal shook his head, telling her not to mind.

The master and disciple hadn't seen each other for a long time, with much to talk about. It was mostly Lu Yuandi asking, and Tao Mian answering.

Tao Mian spoke of the osmanthus blooming in the mountains, and the autumn fruits ripening. The two disciples bickered all day, throwing persimmons at each other. The persimmons, which Shi Fu didn't get to eat, were wasted by them. The courtyard was filled with the sweet scent of persimmons, and he wondered when the children would grow up.

Wu Changzai had aged and couldn't walk anymore. Recently, it often moved to the courtyard gate, gazing at the distant mountains and clouds. Can a chicken feel sorrow? What is it thinking about, what is it longing for? As it watched the clouds, he would sit on a small stool and watch it, and before he knew it, a whole day had passed.

He had handed over the shops in the mortal world to Xue Han, with contributions from both Lu Yuandi and Gu Yuan. He was never good at managing those things. Xue Han excelled in this area, running everything smoothly. One day, Xue Han showed him the money in the accounts, and he was shocked to realize how wealthy he was. Xue Han said he had wealth but didn't enjoy luxury. He told Xue Han that the cockroaches at home were getting rampant again, and he needed to hurry back to curb their arrogance.

Little Girl Wang's descendants finally had a granddaughter after four boys. The full moon celebration was lively, with firecrackers booming. He took the two little ones to join the festivities. The family's daughter-in-law recognized him, approached with the baby, and handed him a basket of red eggs. He touched the child's forehead with his finger, blessing her with longevity and peace.

Lu Yuandi listened to Tao Mian recounting these trivial matters, always smiling slightly, not interrupting him.

When Tao Mian finished his ramblings, she said it was wonderful, that life in the mountains was always rich with interest, unlike her palace, which could only draw on the breath of the living, filled with a sense of decay.

"Yuan Di," Tao Mian said again, "come back to the mountain with Shi Fu."

Lu Yuandi smiled faintly, as if she wanted to cough, but covered her mouth with her hand, suppressing it.

"Shi Fu, I still have... unfinished business."

"What more do you want to do," Tao Mian sighed, "you've done enough."

On the way here, the immortal was angry. The crown prince, whom Lu Yuandi personally established, though not close to him, wouldn't harm him. She let him study, practice martial arts, and taught him the way of a ruler. When he grew up, he would turn against the Emperor.

But when he saw the crown prince for the first time, he realized that perhaps things were not so simple.

Lu Yuandi said that nothing could be hidden from Shi Fu.

"You and the crown prince are putting on a show? Yuan Di, even if you want the crown prince to ascend, it doesn't have to be like this. There are many ways."

As soon as Tao Mian finished speaking, the Second Disciple shook her head.

"It's a play, but not a play..."

Lu Yuandi didn't finish her sentence before suddenly covering her mouth and bending over.

"Yuan Di!"

Tao Mian immediately rose from his seat, supporting her back, bending down to look at his disciple's face.

Lu Yuandi's eyes were red, dark circles under her eyes, and blood seeped through her fingers, a sign of poisoning.

"The crown prince I established... cough, cough, is ruthless," she said with a smile, "I didn't choose wrong."

"Don't speak now, Shi Fu will find medicine for you."

Tao Mian reached into his pocket for the mustard seed pouch, his hands trembling slightly.

A bloodstained hand stopped him.

"Shi Fu," Lu Yuandi looked up, shaking her head gently, "it's useless, the poison has been in the food for many days. Accumulated to this point, no elixir can save me."

Tao Mian felt the blood from his disciple's hand inevitably smearing his hand, almost burning, his heart aching with each beat.

"Why... go to such lengths."

Lu Yuandi released Tao Mian's hand, leaning back in the chair, her breathing growing more labored.

She said the crown prince was deeply hidden.

In the palace, more than one person coveted the throne, and her adopted crown prince lacked a strong foundation, easily falling if not careful.

She worried whether the young man could bear the burden, thinking, why not give him a test? If he passes, he passes; if not, she'll find someone else.

A mortal's life ultimately has a limit, and Lu Yuandi knew this well. Staying on Peach Blossom Mountain might bring immortality, but she was no longer a person of that mountain.

Even so, immortality was still a good excuse.

She fabricated a lie with it.

She saw clearly the crown prince's secret maneuvers but did not stop him.

There were even a few times when the crown prince almost exposed himself, and she cleaned up the mess.

Lu Yuandi was no longer young. She was tired, weary.

She needed a successor to take her place.

She scrutinized the leaders of several factions, still feeling that the crown prince she raised was the best.

She was paving the way for the crown prince.

Whether the crown prince understood her intentions, she didn't care; she only wanted the result.

After removing other obstacles, the reigning Emperor naturally became the last obstacle.

The crown prince began to deal with her.

This game of chess was protracted, and Lu Yuandi naturally wouldn't let the crown prince smoothly ascend the throne.

After countless overt and covert attacks, she successfully lost.

Entering this secluded palace, Lu Yuandi could finally be herself. She slept until she woke naturally during the day and counted on her fingers at night how many days the poison the crown prince gave her would take to kill her.

She didn't tell Tao Mian, thinking her death would eventually become public.

If Tao Mian found out early, he would be sad once. At the time of Great Mourning, he would be sad again.

Lu Yuandi thought she was so contradictory, hoping Tao Mian wouldn't forget her, yet hoping he would.

But Tao Mian came.

She watched the sun set outside the window, the sunset as red as the blood on her lips.

She said, "Shi Fu, I want to go back to the mountain and take a look."

In the 26th year of Yuan An, a fire broke out in the palace, and the Emperor died in Changhua Palace. Crown Prince Lu Yuan ascended the throne, taking the era name Jianxing.

That night, as everyone was busy fighting the fire, no one noticed a figure climbing over the palace wall, disappearing far into the sky.