Where Immortals Once Walked

He Lingchuan began half-bluffing. “Do you know the ruins of Qianxing City?”

“I do. The old royal capital of the State of Yuān.” It had become famous because of the war of destruction more than a century ago.

“In the ruins of Qianxing City, illusions sometimes appear after violent sandstorms and torrential rain, replaying the battle that destroyed Yuān.” He Lingchuan shrugged. “What I saw was about the same, except it happened somewhere else.”

Fang Canran knew perfectly well the other man was baiting him, yet he still could not help asking, “Where?”

“Not within Beijia.” He Lingchuan smiled. “Farther west, farther west still.”

“What did you see?”

“I saw Shao Jian traveling through an ancient city. Oh, that place was very prosperous over a hundred years ago. It could not compare with Lingxu City, but it was more orderly and wealthier than most cities.”

If he wanted to pry open Fang Canran’s mouth, he first had to make the man believe both of them had some connection to Shao Jian.

Anyone who understood Shao Jian’s life could probably guess what “the ancient city west of Beijia” referred to.

“I also saw Shao Jian speaking with a friend in a secret chamber. He said he had a seven-year-old daughter. Her nickname was Little Swallow, and her formal name was Yingying.” He Lingchuan said slowly, “He was grinning from ear to ear, full of pride.” He then sighed and added, “Though he himself was obsessed with revenge, he hoped his daughter, Shao Yingying, would live peacefully and smoothly, an ordinary life.” He Lingchuan still remembered the light in Shao Jian’s eyes when he spoke of his daughter.

Fang Canran was silent. “And?”

“He said that when he took his daughter to the West Street Temple Fair in Linhe City of Xuan, he had someone tell her fortune. The divination he received was the fourteen-word oracle I said earlier.” Only then did He Lingchuan pretend to remember. “Oh, right, the State of Xuan is long gone, and who knows whether Linhe City still exists.”

That was why Fang Canran knew He Lingchuan was playing him the moment he heard the place name “Linhe City.”

Fang Canran swallowed and thought for a long time before asking, “In other words, you saw all this by chance, and it has nothing to do with your coming to Lingxu City?”

“You know why I came. I was entrusted by the Crown Prince of Chiyan to investigate the case, and only through a chain of coincidences did I arrive in Lingxu City.” He Lingchuan said each word clearly. “But when I saw that ring on your hand, I felt I still needed to ask and understand the matter clearly.”

Fang Canran immediately asked back, “Why ask clearly? What does Shao Jian have to do with you?”

“Of course there is a connection.” He Lingchuan lowered his voice before continuing, “He never stood at the front of history, yet he disrupted the order of the divine realm. So, broadly speaking, what he did is connected to everyone. Thanks to him, the speed at which spirit qi vanished from heaven and earth slowed. From more than a hundred years ago to sixty years ago, imperial nectar was a frequent visitor to the mortal realm.”

Fang Canran listened without expression, but inwardly, waves crashed through his heart.

To be honest, the relationship between the divine realm and the mortal realm, between imperial nectar and spirit qi, was not some terrifying secret among true upper-level figures. After all, the world had no shortage of intelligent people, and those in the know simply pretended not to understand.

But the frightening thing was that He Xiao could accurately state the connection between imperial nectar and Shao Jian.

That meant the youth before him knew quite a bit about Shao Jian’s life and convictions.

Fang Canran even felt as if he had become transparent before He Xiao. The fear of having eight generations of his ancestors seen through chilled him to the bone.

Where had this person come from, to stab through the secrets he had guarded so carefully one by one so easily?

He Lingchuan stared at him and said, “I’m telling you this so that you understand that I bear you no malice. Otherwise, I would have gone to the Heavenly Palace to report you long ago. You know perfectly well how the gods and the Monster Emperor treat descendants of old Yuān, especially anyone connected to Shao Jian. Whether what I said was true or false, they would seize you at the first opportunity and interrogate you severely!”

If Fang Canran had not suddenly attacked him, He Lingchuan would still have preferred to observe him cautiously for a while longer. After all, he already had more than enough trouble.

But Fang Canran had been the one to pierce this layer of paper first, so He Lingchuan decided to follow the momentum. He did not require Shao Jian’s descendant to become his friend, but he did need help.

He had far too little support in Lingxu City, and this operation was difficult to complete by relying on himself alone.

Fang Canran had worked hard in Lingxu for years. His resources and connections were far richer than He Lingchuan’s. If He Lingchuan could borrow them, Fang Canran would be a very useful helper.

Of course, the two sides first needed a foundation of honesty and mutual trust, and that was the hardest first step.

Fang Canran said nothing.

Just as He Xiao had said, whenever anything involved the ancient State of Yuān, Lingxu City became irrationally frantic. Its reaction could only be described as trauma, and that was without even mentioning the name “Shao Jian.”

The young man before him seemed to know the Heavenly Palace’s Deputy Cloud Envoy as well. If he went to Bai Ziqi and said just a little too much, lightning and thunder would descend.

The Golden Horn Clan’s chief steward sounded powerful to ordinary people, but before divine might, he was worth nothing.

Many thoughts flashed through Fang Canran’s mind. “Why haven’t you reported me?”

“No matter how others judge him, I admire Mr. Shao as a person, and I don’t wish for his descendants to suffer persecution again.” He Lingchuan’s expression was solemn. “Of course, we still need to settle the losses you caused me tonight properly.”

“...” Fang Canran felt his heart loosen. Since the other party had started talking money, it meant his greatest crisis had passed. “Of course. I will give Young Master He 50,000 taels as compensation for the shock.”

When money entered the conversation, everything became easier. A few days ago, He Lingchuan had even bought frost-veined silver on credit from Li Qingge. “That flash grenade you threw earlier was pretty good. What’s it called?”

“Soul-Shocking Bomb.” Fang Canran swallowed. “I still have two more. I bought them from elsewhere over ten years ago.”

“I want five.” He Lingchuan pointed to the shattered mirror near the door. “That Heart-Piercing Mirror can be repaired, right?”

“...I’ll find someone to try.”

“Alright, once it’s repaired, it belongs to me too.”

Every treasure this kid asked for was expensive, but what right did Fang Canran have to refuse now?

“Oh, and I’ll need a lot of intelligence in the future. Chief Steward Fang has many channels and broad connections—” He dragged out the final words.

He had given Fang Canran a chance. He had better not be useless.

Fang Canran closed his eyes and said, “I will do my best to inquire.”

Only after He Lingchuan had basically obtained all the benefits he wanted did he rub his hands together. “Alright, if Brother Fang doesn’t trouble me again in the future, we can shake hands and make peace now. Let’s pretend nothing happened tonight. How about it?”

Fang Canran fixed his gaze on him for a long while before finally nodding. “Agreed!”

He Lingchuan gripped the knot on Fang Canran’s arm and tugged lightly. The intricate bindings suddenly loosened by themselves so fast that Fang Canran did not even see how it happened. Then, he felt the back of his neck lighten.

He Lingchuan had pulled out the silver needles sealing his acupoints.

Fang Canran flexed his wrists. The look he gave He Lingchuan was complicated and hard to read.

Though he did not think this youth would actually kill someone in Pleasant Enjoyment Manor, releasing him so cleanly while holding every advantage still exceeded Fang Canran’s expectations. Money and magical artifacts were external things, and at a time like this, they no longer counted for much.

On the surface, it seemed as if He Lingchuan was showing sincerity.

But Fang Canran understood that generosity came from confidence: confidence that he could control him at any time, and confidence that he did not fear retaliation.

Just as He Lingchuan himself had said, it would be far too simple for him to deal with Fang Canran. He only needed to report that he was Shao Jian’s descendant to the Heavenly Palace. Fang Canran, on the other hand, had no leverage against him.

If it were someone else, they might have blackmailed him to death.

But this young man...

Sigh, how did I lose so thoroughly tonight? Fang Canran sighed inwardly, then counted out 50,000 taels in silver notes and handed them over. “The money first. The rest needs preparation. I will present them to you in a few days.”

This was as good as admitting he had at least five Soul-Shocking Bombs.

The hearth in the hall had been burning low all this time, keeping the room as warm as spring.

Fang Canran picked up the cast-iron kettle, went outside to draw a pot of spring water, set it over the hearth to boil, then took a persimmon from the table and handed it to He Lingchuan. “Want a sizhou persimmon[1]? It’s from the two-hundred-year-old persimmon tree out back. It’s very sweet.”

This kind of persimmon had clear vertical grooves in its skin, making the whole fruit look like a small cube rather than round like other persimmons.

He Lingchuan waved it away. “I don’t dare. The antidote pill I took has already worn off.”

Fang Canran smiled awkwardly and bowed to him. “I greatly offended you earlier. I hope Young Master He will forgive me!” Then he personally carried a chair over. “Please sit.”

Hoh, it’s impressive how quickly he’s able to adjust his mindset. He Lingchuan wanted to hear what he had to say next, so after sitting down, he remained silent.

Fang Canran said seriously, “I can see that Young Master He is a man with secrets, just like me.”

Both of them had been constantly probing one another. “If we cannot be sincere and build trust, then conversations like the one we had earlier at Fleeting Thoughts Manor are nothing but a waste of time.”

He Lingchuan nodded. Without a foundation of trust, there was no way to have a deeper exchange.

“So I have a suggestion.” Fang Canran rose and went upstairs. A dozen or so breaths later, he returned with something in his hand.

He Lingchuan was somewhat surprised because the chief steward had brought with him a pair of shackles.

“What is it?”

Fang Canran tossed the shackles into the hearth. After several dozen breaths, he took them out and placed them in He Lingchuan’s hands.

They were cold.

The heat of the flames had not transferred to the shackles at all.

“This is a good item. It is called the Chains of Oath. I acquired it five years ago from an overseas alchemist[2]. There are only two sets.”

He Lingchuan lifted them to examine. The two cuffs were heavy and black, and the chain connecting them was engraved with countless inscriptions, all in the language of the immortals.

“An object from the Ancient Era?”

“And it can still be used.” Fang Canran pointed to it. “The moment you took the chain, you received a prompt, didn’t you? This is a rare object forged in the Demon-Heart Furnace. When two people make a pact or trade, each wears one cuff and then swears an oath to it. If either party refuses to carry out the pact or breaks the oath, they will suffer severe punishment, typically in the form of instant death by inner demon backlash. Even ancient immortals could not resist this punishment, so it was widely used for contracts. Very few of these have survived to today. Mm, and if an execution date is set, deliberate delay by either side will also be punished.”

There’s actually such a treasure? He Lingchuan understood. “Mr. Fang wants to make a pact with me?”

No wonder Fang Canran had not been afraid of offending him earlier. So he had planned to use this supreme treasure all along.

“Correct. Let us make a gentleman’s agreement: neither of us may harm the other in any form. That means no direct or indirect attacks, reports, framing, or betrayal. Otherwise, the oath-breaker will immediately die by inner demon backlash.”

1. According to Google, the sizhou (四周) or saijo (often referred to in the context of high-quality Japanese or Chinese persimmons) is a highly regarded, traditional, and exceptionally sweet variety. ☜

2. The word for alchemist used here is not the more commonly known pill-refining version. Instead, it’s more of a magic or witchcraft-oriented alchemist or necromancer. ☜