Where Immortals Once Walked

The cushion was made from “Yanghu White[1]” floral brocade. It was soft, lustrous, and plush, and rising from it was a piece of hardwood.

The hardwood forked near the top, with a few green leaves still sprouting from it.

Every servant in the hall dropped to their knees as one because coiled upon that branch was a green snake.

Its body was as thick as He Lingchuan’s fist, with a green back and white belly. Every scale was glossy as jade, utterly lacking the cold, sinister feel common to ordinary snakes.

Its head, however, did not look much like a snake’s. Its brow ridges were high, its eye sockets deep, and its nose was blunt and broad like an ox’s. At the very tip of its tail grew a small tuft of soft fur.

“Where is Fushan Yue?”

Its voice was milky and childish. If one closed their eyes, they would think it was a little boy speaking. Yet the moment it opened its mouth, it revealed a full maw of jagged fangs, crooked and uneven like crocodile teeth.

The servants trembled. “His, His Highness has gone out!”

“Where?”

“W-we don’t know!” Did Crown Prince Yue have to report his movements to them?

Besides, Crown Prince Yue had been going out frequently of late, leaving early and returning late. Most servants barely had any chance to see him.

“What about that special envoy?” More disgust entered the childish voice. “Bring him out!”

“Lord He is also, also not here!” The servants cried inwardly in misery.

“Where did he go? You don’t know that either?”

The Lingxu Crown Prince suddenly lifted its upper body upright like a striking snake. A great wind swept into the main hall, sending the hanging paintings on the walls and the silver pots on the tables swaying violently.

Everyone pressed their foreheads to the floor. “Your Highness, spare us! We truly don’t know!”

One person added, “I heard, I heard the special envoy went out today to wander around the main city.”

The main city was huge, and He Xiao had legs. Who knew where he had run off to now?

The Lingxu Crown Prince said coldly, “Is that so? Then this Crown Prince will wait here!”

If it wanted to wait, who dared object?

The servants hurriedly served tea, snacks, and fruit to the guards.

As for the Lingxu Crown Prince, no one knew its tastes. They wanted to ask, but the guards ignored them completely.

And so the wait lasted a full two hours.

During that time, the Lingxu Crown Prince urged them several times and sent several the Mount Pan Residence servants out to search.

But those sent to search and those being searched for alike vanished without a word.

As time dragged on, the Lingxu Crown Prince grew increasingly irritable. It slithered down from the brocade cushion and circled the hall several times, its scales opening and closing faintly all over its body.

The atmosphere grew heavier by the moment.

With a sharp crack, the Crown Prince lashed out with its tail and smashed a chair to pieces.

A snake’s tail might be long, but it should rarely possess such force.

One guard said, “Your Highness, why not take a stroll in the gardens?”

“This pathetic little garden? You want this Crown Prince to walk through such an ugly place?”

Everyone fell silent. Every moment felt like a year.

Not only the main hall of the Mount Pan Residence, but even the two nearby buildings were caught in the Crown Prince’s fury. It was too tired to do the work itself, so it ordered, “Smash everything!”

Its guards said nothing, simply doing as they were told. And so, a storm of crashing and clattering followed.

Doors, windows, furniture, antiques, artificial hills, and garden scenery, anything within sight was smashed to pieces.

The Mount Pan Residence did have guards, but no one dared stop them. The chaos outside struck each person’s heart like a hammer.

By the time the sun was nearly setting, neither Fushan Yue nor He Xiao had returned.

A guard leaned closer to the Crown Prince and said quietly, “Your Highness has been out for too long. If we don’t head back soon...”

The Crown Prince snorted. “I’m not going back!”

Returning late would be troublesome. From here to Heaven-Reaching Peak on Tianxin Island, where the royal palace stood, the journey was not short.

But its anger had not yet been vented.

No, not only had it not been vented, being pent up all afternoon had only made it burn hotter.

“Those slaves are annoying just to look at!” It pointed at the dozen or so servants kneeling in a row by the wall. “Kill them. Leave none alive!”

The servants were horrified. Some collapsed on the spot, screaming for mercy. Others could no longer care about anything else and bolted for the doors.

Several guards rushed out, drawing their blades and cutting them down.

Cries of shock and screams rang out everywhere.

Two young servants had quick legs and outran the rest, charging all the way to the main gate.

A guard caught up and slashed at one servant’s back. By sheer chance, the latter stumbled and avoided a fatal blow, but the changdao chopped into his left shoulder. His scream was more piercing than a pig being slaughtered.

“Why run?” The guard kicked him down, stepped on his back, and swung again.

This time, the blade stabbed cleanly into the heart from behind, even twisting once.

Death came instantly.

The scream stopped cold.

On the other side, a giant ape thundered past him, caught up to the other young servant, and punched him squarely in the head.

The man was unconscious before he hit the ground.

The giant ape walked over and struck him again and again, smashing him into pulp.

Task complete.

The guard spat at the corpse, then returned to the main hall to report.

At the Mount Pan Residence’s main gate, two corpses lay sprawled, blood and shredded flesh everywhere.

When the palace guards began killing, the gathered onlookers scattered like frightened birds, terrified of being caught in the disaster.

Yet once blood ran down the steps, they gathered again to watch, pointing and whispering.

This was the State of Chiyan’s lodging place, Crown Prince Yue’s residence in Lingxu City. And yet the Lingxu Crown Prince had stormed in and killed people here. Oh my, oh my, this was no small matter!

The cause and consequences behind it sent the crowd’s imagination racing.

Another two hours passed. Night had already fallen, yet the people they were waiting for still had not appeared.

“Fushan Yue offended Little Xing[2]. I won’t let him be comfortable.” The Lingxu Crown Prince was restless with rage. “Burn his residence down!”

Before long, flames rose from the estate.

In deep autumn, everything was dry. The guards used oil as well, and with the wind feeding the flames, the blaze soon grew impossible to control.

The Lingxu Crown Prince’s carriage set off again, rumbling out through the Mount Pan Residence’s main gate and racing toward Chiqian Peak in the center of the lower city. The node for the Startled Swan Crossing was located there. Entering it would take them directly to Tianxin Island above.

Commoners along the way scrambled aside in fear.

Meanwhile, the front of the Mount Pan Residence was packed so tightly that not even water could pass through. People of every sort came to watch the excitement and gossip.

Today, in all of Lingxu City, this was probably the liveliest place.

Among the crowd were many scouts as well. They took in everything that had just happened, then hurried back to report to their masters.

* * *

Two more street corners, and he would reach the Mount Pan Residence.

He Lingchuan held credentials and a token as a special envoy of Chiyan, which meant he could ride his bighorn cliff ram at any hour, leisurely making his way home.

The perfume houses of Lingxu City were more luxurious than anywhere else, though “perfume house[3]” meant bathhouse, not a shop selling perfume. The place was huge, and the attendants’ hands were skillful. He Lingchuan had been tense for days, but after soaking in hot springs for half the day and having his bones loosened, his whole body felt relaxed, as though he had come back to life.

Venerable Muling’s prophecy, “Upon meeting Huan, leave your dwelling,” seemed not to have come true.

He had been outside all day and had not encountered anything new or unusual.

As for the Mount Pan Residence, where he lived, he had never imagined anything could happen there.

Right now, those from Chiyan were at the height of attention in Lingxu City. Who would dare brave universal condemnation by making trouble at his Mount Pan Residence?

Could it be that “Huan” did not refer to the white huan bird?

He let the cliff ram walk on its own. Suddenly, the sound of flapping wings came from above.

He Lingchuan looked up and saw a goshawk diving down toward him. It landed on the cliff ram’s great horn and, before it even folded its wings, said urgently, “Stop. Don’t go any farther!”

He was startled. In a low voice, he asked, “What happened?”

“Turn back at once. Go to the Mount Lan Residence. I’ll explain on the way.”

He Lingchuan patted the cliff ram on the head, and it immediately turned around, breaking into a quick trot.

The Mount Lan Residence was five kilometers away. With the goshawk guiding the cliff ram, there was no risk of getting lost.

Standing on the pair of massive horns was far more comfortable than perching on a tree branch. The goshawk shook out its feathers, then said, “His Highness specifically sent me circling over the Mount Pan Residence to stop you from returning. The Lingxu Crown Prince is currently inside the Mount Pan Residence!”

He Lingchuan thought he had heard wrong. “Who?”

“The Crown Prince of Beijia, the Lord Emperor’s only son!”

“Why would it leave its perfectly good palace and run to my residence?” What does it have to do with... Hm, no, perhaps there’s a reason after all.

Cen Boqing, whose crimes he had helped confirm, had a capable wife: Yao Xingning.

How had Fushan Yue and Bai Ziqi explained it to him?

Yao Xingning was the Beijia Crown Prince’s childhood companion!

It could even be said that Yao Xingning had preserved the young Crown Prince’s life. Their bond was as deep as siblings’.

“Hiss...” What good could come from the Beijia Crown Prince showing up now?

Most likely, it had come looking for trouble.

The goshawk did not dare criticize the Beijia Crown Prince behind its back. It only said, “His Highness had already been about to return, but he received this news on the way and went straight to the Mount Lan Residence.”

Even Fushan Yue had chosen to avoid its edge. He Lingchuan had even less intention of throwing himself at it.

If the Beijia Crown Prince beat him to death, it would probably receive nothing more than a few scoldings from its father.

If he beat the Beijia Crown Prince to death, Lingxu City would slice him into ten thousand pieces.

No matter how he looked at it, he was the one who lost.

The cliff ram trotted along with the flow of carriages, soon arriving at the Mount Lan Residence halfway up the mountain.

This was an elegant pavilion hidden amid bamboo groves, with a mountain behind it and a stream before it. Even in late autumn, roses and garden balsams still bloomed, bees and butterflies drifting among them. Its charm lay in offering quiet leisure in the middle of a bustling city.

People came here to drink tea, play chess, and discuss business. Naturally, they could also dine. It was a fine place for meetings and hosting honored guests. The price was simply a little higher than elsewhere. A dish of crispy fried little fish served as an appetizer cost half a qian of silver[4].

Outside, that price could buy over five kilograms of dried fish.

Fushan Yue had taken an entire small pavilion to himself. Seeing He Lingchuan approach, he quickly waved.

“Come, eat. Tonight, I’m treating!”

Jiao Yu was lying to one side. Upon seeing He Lingchuan, it immediately stood and gave a rumbling purr in greeting.

He Lingchuan looked at Fushan Yue. “So kind?”

This fellow had been eating, drinking, and staying at his place for free these past few days without paying a single coin.

“Courtesy demands reciprocity.” Fushan Yue laughed. “Where’s the wine?”

Someone immediately came forward to pour.

Fine dishes streamed in one after another like flowing water.

Before all the dishes had been set, Fushan Yue waved the servants away. The goshawk flapped its wings and flew back out the window.

It still had a task, and that was to return to the Mount Pan Residence and scout from above.

He Lingchuan stroked the tiger’s large head. “Because of Yao Xingning?”

The question lacked a beginning and an end, but Fushan Yue understood. “Most likely.”

“When can we go back?”

“After it leaves.” Fushan Yue lifted his cup and sipped lightly. “The Lord Emperor has only one heir and treasures him like a jewel. I don’t want to touch his reverse scale.”

“What if it comes again tomorrow?” He Lingchuan casually picked up a dried fish. Mm, very fragrant. “Can you guarantee you’ll dodge every time?”

“Tomorrow’s trouble can wait until tomorrow.” Fushan Yue was not good-tempered either. Though his mouth was curved in a grin, there was no smile in his eyes. “After it returns, the news will most likely reach the Lord Emperor’s ears.”

“So everything depends on the Lord Emperor restraining it?”

“What else?” Fushan Yue gave him a dark glance. “In all Lingxu City, who dares lay even one finger on it?”

He was hardly the only coward here.

1. Previously mentioned in Chapters 470 and 492. ☜

2. He should be referring to Yao Xingning here. ☜

3. I’ll probably be translating it as bathhouse in future instances, there’s no need for the possible confusion. Anyway, this clarification is really just being made because in modern Chinese, 香水 typically only refers to perfume. However, in older Chinese usage, 香水 typically referred to fragrant or scented water for bathing. ☜

4. Reminder that a qian is a tenth of a tael of silver. ☜