Volume Six: The God-Monarch Returns to the Shattered Continent Chapter Fourteen: Upheaval in the Cloud Palace

"That is correct, I was alone. I fought that Great Demon Lord in the Temple of Dark Malice." Yu Qingshu tightened her grip on the Qinghe Sword, a look of frustration crossing her face.

"Unbelievable! Our Ancestor is truly the Valkyrie of our Xuanhuang race. Since ancient times, you are the only one who has ever been able to storm the Dark Sacred Temple and return unscathed," Zhuo Hua said with genuine admiration.

"Unscathed? I am not as formidable as you claim. He did indeed take a few hits from me, but I was also severely wounded."

"What? Even you, Ancestor, could not deal a mortal blow to the Emperor of Dark Malice?"

"It took me over a month to infiltrate the Void of Dark Malice, and another month to slip into their sanctuary. I only had three breaths of time to strike. I unleashed thirteen bursts of energy; he used his servants to block seven or eight, but the remaining hits struck his vital points. However, I was struck by the hidden weapons he threw, which were coated in a deadly poison. I barely managed to escape the void, but I could no longer tear through space to return to Xuanhuang. I drifted in nothingness for I know not how long. Perhaps it was fate that led me here to encounter the King of the Zhu Yuan tribe."

As she recounted these past events, Yu Qingshu spoke with a light, indifferent tone, yet Zhuo Hua understood all too well how much suffering and hardship she had endured in that endless void—things that could never be captured by a few simple words.

"Ancestor, how has your cultivation recovered since then?" Zhuo Hua asked, still maintaining his respectful demeanor.

"When you stepped into this tavern just now, did you perceive the presence of any powerful spiritual source?" Yu Qingshu poured herself another cup of wine and downed it in one gulp.

Zhuo Hua frowned and shook his head. "To answer you, Ancestor, I did not."

Yu Qingshu laughed self-deprecatingly. "My wounds were too deep; my power has all but vanished. To the point where my spiritual source cannot even attract the notice of a junior of your low cultivation. How can I still be called the Valkyrie of Xuanhuang, or be worthy of entering the Palace of the Seven Sages and Seven Virtues?"

With a sharp crack, the wine cup in her hand shattered into dust.

Zhuo Hua wanted to step forward to comfort her, but he did not know where to begin.

After a long silence, Yu Qingshu spoke again: "I had intended to hide away from the world for the rest of my life, ignoring the affairs of mortals. But I saw you falling into despair after Lanling left, throwing the world into chaos, and I knew I had to come out of seclusion. For years, I have been watching you from the shadows, holding back, until I saved old man Su Kuang in Guanyue City."

"It was you who saved Elder Su?" Zhuo Hua was pleasantly surprised.

"I had originally intended to let him die in the mass grave, but after waiting for a long time, I saw he still had a breath left. Since he had helped the descendants of Xuanhuang, I felt a spark of compassion."

Zhuo Hua nodded. "On behalf of Su Mengling, I thank you, Ancestor."

At the mention of Su Mengling, Yu Qingshu rolled her eyes at him. "That girl is a good person. Don't you dare ruin her."

"How could you say that, Ancestor? Mengling and I have always addressed each other as siblings; I have never crossed that line."

"Hmph! See that you don't." Yu Qingshu gave him a meaningful look, her eyes filled with a lingering attachment to the world.

Another long silence followed.

This time, Zhuo Hua asked, "Ancestor, why did you choose to reveal yourself now?"

"To help you one last time."

"Does this mean I am in danger?"

"Have you noticed anything strange along your journey here?" Yu Qingshu asked.

Zhuo Hua pondered for a moment. "As I returned north, the prefectures of the Central Divine Continent were in ruins and the people displaced. I felt such shame that I did not stop to bother the local officials, hurrying north without delay."

"It is only because the riots of the Sun-Worshipping Cult were recently suppressed that you were able to travel so smoothly. Otherwise, you would have faced bandits and road-blockers at every turn," Yu Qingshu said, feeling a mix of frustration and anger toward her dull-witted junior.

"I have heard of the Sun-Worshipping Cult's affairs. Once I return to the Cloud-Top Heavenly Palace, I plan to assemble the Twelve Heavenly Guards to cleanse the world and restore peace." Zhuo Hua knew that even if he died to atone for the current chaos, it would not be enough to earn the world's forgiveness. Rather than engage in meaningless debate, he preferred to take concrete action to minimize the damage.

"It seems you have no idea how severe the situation truly is. Think deeper—is there nothing suspicious about this matter?" Yu Qingshu sighed at his lack of insight.

Zhuo Hua straightened his back, tilted his head, and thought for a moment. "Usually, the Sun-Worshipping Cult operates from the shadows. Even with the support of the Dark Malice army, they are but a few tens of thousands of scattered soldiers. They have no reason or ability to assault fortified cities. Furthermore, even if the enemy was strong enough to attack, the garrison would have sent for aid from the Cloud-Top Heavenly Palace. Why is it that smoke rises everywhere and the land is riddled with holes? Senior, why is this?"

Hearing this, Yu Qingshu’s anger subsided slightly. "When you were in Tianshui City, was your opponent strong?"

"Quite formidable!"

"Then did you not realize why they would insist on attacking the heavily fortified Tianshui City? Could it be that they paid such a heavy price just for the treasures within?"

"The Holy Relic of the Smoke Tribe was in the city!" Zhuo Hua stood abruptly, slamming his palm onto the table and making the cups rattle. "Damn it! I was so focused on lifting the siege of Tianshui that I overlooked this."

"It is not too late yet!" Yu Qingshu righted the wine cup on the table and filled it. This time she did not gulp it down; she elegantly held the cup with her fingertips, sipping the fine wine slowly. A soft gulp echoed as the nectar slid down her throat. Her grace was so captivating that the candlelight seemed to stop flickering, and the moonlight, shy to be outshone, hid behind the clouds.

"Ancestor, out of the seven clan relics, how many have fallen into the hands of the thieves?" Zhuo Hua asked anxiously.

"Apart from the Smoke Tribe’s Flowing Cloud Cauldron, only the Blue Tribe’s Cloud-Suppressing Umbrella and the Tian Tribe’s Crystal Neon Garment remain in our hands."

"Four out of seven lost in such a short time? Are Jiaojiao and Kuimulang nothing but useless sacks of meat?" Zhuo Hua’s anger was beyond containment. Had Yu Qingshu not been present, he would have stormed to the Cloud-Sky Monument and dragged the four palace masters out to run them through with his blade.

"They are barely holding on themselves! The Cloud Palace has already changed hands. Do you still expect them to send troops to suppress this riot?" With the cup empty, Yu Qingshu reached for the flagon, but finding it dry, she shook her head with a weary smile. "Even if I can drink a thousand cups without getting drunk, if there is no wine, what can drown my sorrows?"

"Ancestor, what did you say? What do you mean the Cloud Palace has changed hands?" The shocks Zhuo Hua had received today were coming one after another, and his supposedly strong heart was beginning to crumble.

"Song Xiang—that fine Song Xiang of yours!" Yu Qingshu stood up, grabbed another flagon from a nearby table, and sat back down to pour for herself.

Zhuo Hua did not fully understand. Seeing her resume drinking, he felt a flicker of annoyance, but he remained silent, waiting for her to continue.

"I had been hiding in a snow cave in Cangwu Mountain, restoring my power and remodeling the cave in the style of the old void. By chance, I met Lanling. We hit it off, so I revealed my identity and brought her to my sanctuary. Lanling was a good child. She told me the environment inside the Cloud-Sky Monument would aid my recovery, so she brought me there and I gifted her my cave dwelling. This silly child—did she not know that the first owner of the Cloud-Sky Monument was me?" A rare look of joy appeared on Yu Qingshu’s face.

"So that is why it felt like returning home when I first entered. But Ancestor, you still haven't told me about Song Xiang!"

Yu Qingshu scoffed. "That old fox, Song Xiang, is cunning and treacherous. He was once a powerful figure, but he has been doing nothing but filthy, despicable things. Seeing you missing and the Cloud Palace leaderless, he colluded with the Palace Masters of the White Tiger and Black Tortoise, imprisoned those loyal to you, and seized control of the Cloud Palace. That is when I decided to come out of seclusion to find you."

Zhuo Hua’s chest heaved as his rage boiled over. He bowed to Yu Qingshu and said, "Thank you, Ancestor, for telling me this. The Cloud Palace needs me to restore order, and the traitors must be purged immediately. I cannot let my comrades who support me suffer any longer. Please, Ancestor, have a few more drinks. I must take my leave."

As Zhuo Hua turned to go, Yu Qingshu called out to him: "Foolish boy, how do you intend to enter the Cloud-Top Heavenly Palace when you reach the Cloud-Sky Monument?"

Zhuo Hua did not turn back, but looked over his shoulder. "As the original owner of the Cloud-Sky Monument, you know that every owner has a unique pass-code."

"You are correct. But what if your pass-code has been erased or altered?"

"Impossible. Lanling never entered the Cloud-Top Heavenly Palace, and her soul is no longer in this void. Even if Song Xiang wanted to, he could not activate the Xuanhuang Mirror without... unless..."

As he uttered the word "unless," a chill surged through Zhuo Hua’s heart.

"Unless that old fox forced the four palace masters to insert their artifacts into the Xuanhuang Mirror simultaneously, forcibly erasing your pass-code. Am I not right?" Yu Qingshu watched his retreating back, a frame that had once stood tall, now trembling with fury.