Volume Three: Unfettered No Longer Chapter Eighty-Six

“Ali, come on. The fireworks festival is about to begin.”

As he spoke, he reached for Jinli’s hand. Seizing the moment, Gengyuan strode forward and caught Sangli’s hand instead.

“...”

“!!!”

“……”

Jinli was thoroughly stunned by what she saw. Gengyuan looked somewhat displeased, while Sangli’s expression remained perfectly calm. He said, “Immortal Lord Huaigui, what exactly are you trying to do?”

Gengyuan lowered his head and looked at the hand clasped in his own. For a moment, he had not yet grasped the gravity of the situation. Meeting Sangli’s eyes, he said, “I want to go with the Divine Lord.”

“!!!”

Jinli, who had been watching the spectacle from the side, stood dumbfounded. What sort of shocking declaration was that? Though, truth be told, the sight of these two beautiful men together was not without its peculiar charm. Embarrassment flickered across Sangli’s face. He turned his head aside, and a faint flush rose on his cheeks. He withdrew his hand from Gengyuan’s grasp.

After a light cough, he said, “Let’s go.”

Gengyuan glanced at his own hand, then wiped it against his robes with frank distaste, his face showing open revulsion.

He had actually held hands with another man.

Still, as long as he had not touched Jinli, that was all that mattered.

Turning back, Jinli smiled at him. “Why are you standing there in a daze? Lord Sangli has already gone ahead. Hurry and catch up.”

Had A-Jin misunderstood something?

He hurried forward and grabbed Jinli’s hand. She turned back, startled, only to see the boy’s face suffused with embarrassment, a flush spreading across his cheeks. His eyes were lowered, and he looked like a child who had done something wrong. Biting his lip, he finally stammered, “I... I... I don’t fancy men.”

Jinli was taken aback. He had actually said something like that. Could it be that he had truly seen through the thoughts she had just been entertaining?

When Gengyuan saw that she still did not answer, he grew even more anxious. But just as he lifted his head, Jinli raised her hand and gently touched his face. At the warm, soft contact, the corners of the girl’s eyes curved in a smile.

“All right, I know,” she said. “Now... can you let go of me?”

Only then did Gengyuan come to his senses and hastily release her hand. The girl smiled. “Come on.”

The finest place in Summer Capital to watch the fireworks was Flying Crane Tower. From there, one could take in the whole of the city’s splendor: lamps stretching endlessly below, stars strewn thick across the heavens, and one brilliant firework after another blooming in the night sky. It was truly a scene fit for verse: stars gazing with fair towers beside one’s beloved, moonlight flowing eastward into the city’s streams.

By the time the three of them arrived at Flying Crane Tower, it was already teeming with people. Silently, Gengyuan took Jinli’s hand, guiding her as much as possible through the wider spaces so that the human tide would not jostle her.

Jinli saw through the boy’s intention and smiled softly.

The feelings of youth were indeed the purest—without concealment, without awkward restraint.

With that thought in mind, she lifted her eyes to the figure of Sangli walking before them.

Inside Flying Crane Tower, people flowed like woven threads. The pillars stood lofty and majestic, carved with vivid white cranes. The walls were covered with murals as well: heavenly deities cloaked in sacred radiance, descending on cranes to slay demons and banish evil, guarding peace beneath the skies. The illustrious achievements of kings through the ages—their obedience, diligence, and virtue—were likewise painted across the walls. The artistry and technique were enough to leave one in awe.

And yet, at that moment, the tale of one king abruptly ended halfway through. The wall there was left bare and broken, as though in one corner of the mural one could still glimpse worn and mottled pigments. It looked almost as if a piece had been forcibly cut away.

But who would dare such a thing?

Seeing the puzzled look on the boy’s face, Jinli explained, “That mural was cut away by a visiting mortal long ago. I saw it recorded in the Celestial Register. The man found the painting astonishing at first sight, but the whole wall was interconnected—disturb one part, and the rest would be affected. Even so, he ordered someone to chisel off a section and take it away. Look—those pigments are rather old. Perhaps because it is the Mid-Autumn Festival, they had people restore some of it.”

After hearing her explanation, Gengyuan looked more closely. It was true—the paint above had aged, and it really did seem old and weathered.

Sangli stayed close in protection of Jinli, smiling as he listened.

Gengyuan nodded with a smile. “What became of that piece of mural?”

Sangli answered, “Its whereabouts are unknown. No one knows where it went. Even the Celestial Register mentions it only in passing.”

A mocking smile touched Jinli’s lips. “Taken away by another land. For all we know, it has long since been claimed as theirs.”

Gengyuan nodded. Turning back, he caught the sorrow in Jinli’s eyes. Following her gaze, he saw the mural: amidst rolling clouds, sacred light poured down. A goddess, wreathed in radiance, spread her wings to shield the dawn she cherished. Yet in her arms she held the image of her beloved.

“A...”

He wanted to speak and comfort her, but Sangli was quicker. He took her hand and said, “Come. Let’s go watch the fireworks.”

Jinli nodded. Gengyuan remained staring at the mural, lost in thought. The Demon God had been destroyed, the goddess had fallen—surely the fate of all things being born and perishing should finally have come to an end.

Below them, the fireworks bloomed one after another, brilliant in every color, dazzling beyond compare. The full moon shone clear, and beauty stood at his side. This was the dream Gengyuan had never once been able to fulfill.

Gazing deeply at Jinli’s back, he said softly, “A-Jin, happy Mid-Autumn Festival.”

Sangli turned his head and saw the smile on Jinli’s face. He smiled as well, gentle and warm.

He wished only that Jinli might always wear that same happy smile, no matter what happened.

After the fireworks ended, the people on the streets gradually thinned. Carrying pastries and mooncakes in their hands, they went home to sit together with their families, admiring the moon and eating mooncakes.

Jinli waited at a street corner, watching the smiles bright on people’s faces and the disciples of the immortal sects hurrying everywhere to deal with malevolent spirits. Perhaps if things continued this way, peace would truly come to the world.

Yet the matter of sealing the Demon God still left her with lingering doubts. She had not taken part in that sealing. Such a feat could never have been easy. Without a sacrifice from the divine race, how could the Demon-Sealing Rite ever have been invoked?

Unless someone else had offered up their life.

“Ali, look.”

“Elder Sister, I bought you crystal mooncakes.”

The two of them spoke at the very same moment.