Where Immortals Once Walked

“What?” Fushan Yue remembered, of course.

“You said you’d seen it in your father’s study.” He Lingchuan said, “My final condition is that you find those materials and bring them to me. And if there are related passages in other books, I want all of those too!”

Ever since that night, he had been obsessed with the secret represented by the black flood dragon design. He wanted to get to the bottom of it. But sneaking into the Chiyan King’s royal study was far too risky; it would be better to have the Chiyan Crown Prince attempt it instead.

Besides, that place was an ocean of books. Who knew which forgotten corner the volume he needed was buried in?

“Huh? You want that book for...” Fushan Yue’s gaze flicked to the hilt at He Lingchuan’s waist, and realization dawned upon him. “You think the royal study is somewhere you can just stroll into?”

“For you right now, isn’t it a small matter?”

Fushan Yue did not look thrilled, but after thinking it over, he had no choice but to agree.

It was just a matter of time, and he had plenty of that.

So the three profound crystals served as a down payment. The rest would be paid once He Lingchuan completed the job and came to collect.

After it was done, Fushan Yue would pay three rare materials as well, along with the writings concerning the black flood dragon design.

Even with Fushan Yue’s exalted status, he still felt a bit of pain at the price.

But this was the very first task his father had assigned him after the death of Fushan Ji. He had to complete it, or his competence would be questioned immediately.

He Lingchuan was right. If it were an easy errand, his enraged father would not have handed it to him.

He Lingchuan snatched the profound crystals, stowed them away, and only then smiled. “Why not ask someone else? Don’t tell me the heir apparent has no one under him.”

From Demon Nest Swamp until now, he had practically earned nothing while spending nonstop. He was broke to the point of hearing coins rattle in his dreams.

And what he lacked even more than money was profound crystals. These crystals were treasures that you could not buy even if you had the coin. Their uses were countless, and for the most basic example:

His golden-armored copper man could finally be powered up and run.

Yes, he could have borrowed money from Li Qingge, but the way that woman kept smiling at him made it clear that if she ever turned vicious, she could skin him, split his bones, and swallow him whole without blinking.

So he much preferred an... aggressively wealthy patron like Fushan Yue.

Fushan Yue hesitated before answering, “My people are all out too. And those who’ve only just come over to my side, I simply don’t trust.”

“In fact, the courier’s disappearance directly caused missed timing on the eastern front. The consequences still haven’t been resolved. I’ve heard the Lord Emperor has already thundered in rage twice. So this matter must be investigated to the bottom. There’s no faking it.”

“And where did the courier go missing?”

“No idea.”

“...”

“This eastern imperial eagle also had a tuft of white feathers on its chest.” Even Fushan Yue sounded troubled. “The last place anyone saw it was Tai’an City in the north. You’re heading north too, so you’ll be passing through there anyway.” He then sighed and said, “You may run into obstacles. You absolutely must... dig to the root! Those four words were my father’s exact words.”

“Obstacles?” He Lingchuan caught the implication. “Like what?”

“The eastern imperial eagle’s flight route is top secret. Very few people knew it... at the time, even I didn’t.” Since He Lingchuan had already agreed, and since Fushan Yue knew he kept his word, he stopped hiding things. “I hope it was an accident. But if it wasn’t, then the mole most likely lies in Lingxu City. If I send Chiyan officials to investigate, they’ll be hamstrung.”

Above every vassal monster state sat Lingxu City. Who did not know you could not afford to offend Lingxu City’s aristocrats and officials?

Not challenging your superiors, was that not the natural law of the world?

“But you’re different! You can investigate boldly and without fear. Whatever happens, I’ll take responsibility.”

He Lingchuan gave him a flat look.

So that’s why this bastard insists on making me the special envoy, eh? It’s mainly because I’m an outsider with no entrenched interests in Beijia.

“And if even you can’t shoulder it?”

Fushan Yue laughed loudly. “If I can’t shoulder it, then Chiyan can’t shoulder it. And if Chiyan can’t, Lingxu City will have to think carefully too.”

He Lingchuan replied evenly, “I’m afraid that when you can’t shoulder it, you’ll cut off your tail to survive, and I’ll be the tail.”

“Don’t worry.” Fushan Yue sobered, his tone turning serious. “If I’m fine, you’ll be fine. If anyone obstructs you, throw my father’s name at them. As for the other pressure—” he thumped his chest, “—I’ll bear it!”

He Lingchuan smiled a smile lacking warmth. “You just want to pull off something big, don’t you?”

Fushan Yue slung an arm around his shoulders. “Brother, you really do get me!”

He Lingchuan sighed. “I never should’ve stepped into this muddy water.”

By now, how could he not see it? There was likely friction between the State of Chiyan and Lingxu City. As a vassal monster state, Chiyan wanted a pretext to jab Lingxu City in the ribs to express its dissatisfaction.

Between superior and subordinate, between ruler and subject, there was always a delicate balance.

“If I’m going to investigate, I’ll need authority.” He Lingchuan held out his hand. After money, he wanted power.

Fushan Yue was prepared. He handed over a blood-red token. “This is a special envoy token made from my blood. It reacts to origin energy. Along the way, you can show it to officials large and small, and they will have to act as if I were present. If necessary, you can even mobilize several units of troops, though the number is limited. To move an army, you need a commander’s tally.”

He Lingchuan was not Chiyan-born and held no office here. This was a compromise.

“And I’ll give you one guard.” Fushan Yue shoved open the window and snapped his fingers. A tiger head popped up outside, eyes like bronze bells as it stared at He Lingchuan.

“This isn’t Uncle Da, is it?” He Lingchuan remembered Uncle Da had been injured by him. Besides, the beast in front of him had darker fur, a larger frame, and its cheeks bulged with thick white whiskers.

“No, that’s Uncle Da’s son, Jiao Yu.” Fushan Yue snapped his fingers at the tiger monster again. “This is He Xiao. Your father lost to him!”

“...” Are you trying to start a fight here?

But the tiger monster Jiao Yu merely stared at He Lingchuan for a few breaths, then leaped through the window and landed neatly inside. It stood there, neither resentful nor angry.

“The clan, which is based in Mount Bai, reveres strength. Your worries are unnecessary. With it, you can act with broad discretion anywhere within our territory.” Fushan Yue then added, “I can let you see and take a pick from the materials Fushan Ji collected as well. Anything else you want?”

He Lingchuan thought for a moment. “Do you have a bird monster?”

He had wanted a bird monster for a long time.

* * *

After Fushan Yue left, He Lingchuan told the inn clerk to buy twelve kilograms of fresh beef. “Get the ones with the bones removed, and get belly meat if possible.”

It was dinner for his new subordinate, Jiao Yu.

Of course, Jiao Yu received a salary, and he would have to pay it himself.

The beef came back still wet with blood. The tiger tore into it in great chunks.

As He Lingchuan watched the tiger eat, a door beside him opened. Li Qingge stepped out.

“Young Master Fushan has already gone back?” She leaned against the doorframe, also watching the tiger’s eating show. “You didn’t get yourself into any trouble, did you?”

“Why do you ask?”

“He’s the crown prince now. Whatever he came to tell you in private is probably confidential.”

He Lingchuan met her gaze; her smile was bright and effortless. He returned a small smile and said, “An eastern imperial eagle courier sent by Lingxu City disappeared within Chiyan territory. Fushan Yue wants me to investigate.”

Li Qingge’s expression tightened. Her smile faded. “It involves Lingxu City? You might want to think it over a few times before accepting it.”

“I already accepted.” He Lingchuan spread his hands. “He’s offering too much, and I’m broke. What can I do?”

“If you’re broke, why didn’t you come to me?” Li Qingge shot him a look. Her eyes were like water, rippling in a way that made one’s heart sway.

But she knew that He Lingchuan was only joking.

“An eastern imperial eagle only carries top-secret intelligence. This isn’t a small matter.” Li Qingge’s tone turned serious. “Anything involving Lingxu City, whether it be their people or their affairs, must be approached with extreme caution. You’re an outsider. Why wade into such muddy waters?”

If he were truly just a drifter with no roots, of course, he should avoid getting himself in murkiness such as this. However, he could not tell her that the moment he heard Fushan Yue’s commission, he had immediately thought of what the Red General once said: If he was destined to face a powerful enemy that he could not avoid, then while it still did not have him in its sights, he should observe it and study it. The more he understood the enemy, the better his chances when he stood against them.

His own thought went further: Join it!

He Lingchuan did not believe an empire that had lasted six hundred years was without chronic disease.

But if you only passed through as a tourist, all you would ever see is the surface.

Fushan Yue’s commission was an opportunity. He needed to sink deeper, using Chiyan royal authority as a protective talisman to test just how fierce the undercurrents ran.

And besides, though he trained day and night and advanced quickly, he could already faintly sense a barrier ahead.

It was a problem every martial artist or warrior eventually faced.

He practiced “Wave-Cleaving.” It was only by facing storm-tossed waters head-on that he could break through that barrier and surge forward, and that was not only about physical opponents, but it was also, more importantly, a tempering of the mind.

He had to enter the current, strike the water midstream, and use the waves to stay the speeding boats.

“It’s precisely because I’m an outsider that I have to seize this chance.” He Lingchuan scratched his head, carrying that uniquely youthful air of careless bravado. “Fortune is found in danger. If I want to build merit and make a name for myself, isn’t Beijia the best place to do it?”

Working for royal power, drawing closer to the pinnacle, how many ambitious young talents would dream of such an opportunity?

Li Qingge studied him for a long moment.

For his age, the answer seemed flawless. When it came to hot-blooded youth, who among them did not crave rising straight into the clouds? And besides, Young Master He had always been impulsive and bold.

But would the Chiyan Crown Prince truly entrust such an important case to someone with that temperament?

There are too many contradictions wrapped up in this young man.

“Fine, then I can only wish you good luck.” Li Qingge’s gaze flickered as she brought up something that sounded casual. “Oh, by the way, are you still going back to Yuan?”

“Ah, it looks like I won’t be able to, at least not any time soon.”

“Do you want me to pass a message to your family?”

“Hm...” He thought for a moment. “Alright, then I’ll have to trouble you, Your Lordship.”

How could I even say no to that?

This woman really is no simple thing. She had just bumped into a soft refusal from me, and in the next breath, she’s already probing and counterattacking.

Li Qingge smiled faintly. “It’s a small matter.”

He Lingchuan’s thoughts stirred. “By the way, what were you going to Lingxu City for this time? Last time we drank, I got too carried away, and I actually don’t remember.”

“To find someone.”

“Your Lordship really does have friends everywhere.”

“Well, you may have met them too.”

He Lingchuan’s curiosity was piqued. “Who?”