Volume Three: Unconstrained Chapter 104

Just as Jinli was about to leave, Geng Yuan called out to her, “Ah Jin, look.”

Geng Yuan pointed toward the canopy above the bed. Jinli looked up, and sure enough, she saw it this time—hidden earlier by the curtains—but now clearly visible were several characters written in blood:

“Leave quickly, death.”

The last character, meaning “death,” was incomplete; the final stroke, usually hooked upward, dragged down in a long, trembling line.

Jinli glanced at the blood on the Taoist priest’s fingers and found it consistent with the writing. The crooked, uneven strokes looked as if they were penned in fear and panic.

It seemed truly urgent.

The two fell into silence, pondering.

Then, exchanging a meaningful look, Jinli spoke slowly, “It appears this Taoist priest wanted us to leave immediately. What secret could be hidden here?”

Geng Yuan had not asked why Jinli was so obsessed with this matter, nor who exactly the Lord Yao Cen was.

Footsteps and voices approached; Li Duan and his group arrived.

“Sir,” they greeted.

Jinli nodded and then signaled for them to carry the Taoist away. As they lifted him, something fell to the ground. A young man silently stepped over and crushed it underfoot without a trace.

They returned to their quarters. Jinli sat before the table, gazing steadily at the flickering candlelight.

When Geng Yuan returned, she said softly, “Ah Yuan, sit. I have something to tell you.”

“What is it?” the young man asked, looking at her.

Jinli took a deep breath and said, “You’ve accompanied me for over a month now. It’s time for you to go back.”

The road ahead was no longer for him to walk with her. The Taoist’s death was a warning from that person. That individual certainly knew she was investigating the truth, which meant the fall of Tushan Yan was far from simple.

There might be an even greater conspiracy ahead. She could not guarantee they would always escape danger unscathed. The young man had a longer path to walk and must not continue following her. To do so would be selfish.

“Why?” he asked cautiously, studying her expression, a flicker of fear crossing his eyes. Had she discovered something?

But Jinli was silent for a moment before continuing, “Wait for me. When you ascend to immortality, I promise I will return.”

Having said this, she rose to leave. Geng Yuan lacked even the strength to raise his hand to stop her. His vision blurred; Jinli’s figure faded away, and he collapsed face down onto the table.

The girl looked at the candle, then gently touched the young man’s face, her expression tender, her eyes misted with tears. “Ah Yuan, thank you.”

They parted without knowing when—or if—they would meet again.

She extended her hand and formed a twin-finger seal. A golden wheel-shaped talisman appeared by the young man’s feet. Chanting the incantation softly, the wheel began to spin, and his figure slowly vanished before her eyes.

Tears spilled down her cheeks in that moment.

So be it. It was good to end it this way.

At dawn the next day, Jinli left Peach Blossom Village, heading west into the wilderness.

She traveled past vast rivers and towering cliffs, the rushing water clear and pure, leaves glittering like emeralds on the branches.

A haze of immortal mist enveloped everything, growing thicker with each step.

Riding the clouds and walking, after half a month she arrived at an ancient city called Shanjing. Towering mountains rose sharply here; standing on a cloud ladder and looking down gave a conqueror’s sense of surveying all beneath.

The local customs seemed simple and honest. It was said that in this city, women ruled all—women held power and authority. As an outsider, Jinli sat in a teahouse, watching the guards at the city gate screening arrivals. The men wore sheer veils over their faces, some masked halfway, revealing only their chins and mouths.

“A guest, here’s your tea,” a young woman offered.

“Hmm. Hey, waiter, what are those soldiers checking for?” Jinli asked.

“They’re screening outsiders,” the girl replied.

“Just by looking at their wrists?”

“Miss, are you new to Shanjing? You won’t get in that way. Best leave quickly. Things weren’t like this before, but after that incident, everything changed.”

“What incident?” Jinli inquired.

The girl glanced around furtively, then quietly sat beside Jinli, whispering, “Have you heard of the Kunlun Mirror?”

Jinli’s heart skipped a beat as she listened.

“There’s a legend that the Kunlun Mirror from the Ninth Heaven ended up here and was stored in the city treasury. But just the night before last, there was a theft in the treasury.”

“A theft?” Jinli repeated.

The girl nodded mysteriously. “The treasury guard, Lord Siniang, saw the thief that night. The thief’s hands lacked the distinctive markings that every Shanjing woman has.”

“Markings?”

“Yes. They’re everywhere now, screening everyone. Miss, you should leave soon.”

Jinli smiled. “Aren’t you afraid I might be the thief?”

“Of course. Lord Siniang is very capable. The thief is still in the city. No outsiders can enter, and those who come out must prove their identity, men and women alike.”

At that moment, a crowd gathered at the gate. The girl who served Jinli tea excitedly whispered, “Lord Siniang is here! Lord Siniang has arrived!”

Lord Siniang? To captivate all the women in the city so, Jinli held her teacup, leaned back in her chair, and watched the city gate.

Amid the clatter of carriages and horses, the crowd parted to reveal a tall, powerful red-maned horse. Atop it sat a man wearing a silver mask etched with intricate patterns. Beneath the mask, his eyes were dark and cold. His lips pressed lightly together, his face unnaturally pale.

He wore a brocade robe tailored for strength, silver gleaming on his wrist guards. Silver threads embroidered magpie patterns on his collar, lifelike and vivid.

His hairpin was exquisitely fashioned and magnificent, unlike the others who wore simple pins or headbands. He exuded noble majesty and heroic spirit.

There was such a high-ranking man in Shanjing City—he must be closely related to the city lord.

“This is the city lord’s own younger brother, born of the same mother. The city lord has honored him with the title ‘Lord.’ He is currently the only male lord in Shanjing, a person of great status and prestige.”

Jinli nodded, watching as he sat tall atop his horse. Two men dragged a woman from the crowd. The man neither lowered nor turned his head; he spoke only a single word.

The woman’s face drained of color, terror-stricken, and she collapsed to her knees, begging for mercy. The man ignored her, turned his horse, and entered the city.

The captured man was dragged inside as well.

“No wonder Lord Siniang is so formidable—catching a thief with such decisiveness.”

Jinli watched Lord Siniang’s departing figure, then glanced at the infatuated young waitress. She felt no joy, only a weight in her heart.