Volume Three: Blossoms in Pair, A Lone Tree Cannot Bear the Weight Chapter Sixteen: Zhu Yuan

The gravely wounded, mysterious visitor was immediately carried to the palace by the long-prepared imperial guards. The palace shaman labored greatly to revive him, after which King Zhuyuan spoke with him privately for over two hours. It was said that they spent much time gesturing and guessing before finally understanding each other's intentions. Upon learning the circumstances of the void in which he found himself, the mysterious visitor insisted on leaving the palace alone, despite his injuries.

No one knew what was discussed, yet afterward, in King Zhuyuan’s consultations with the shaman, one word appeared again and again: Xuanhuang.

Though the king immediately ordered the news to be strictly sealed, the astonishing message still spread rapidly, causing an uproar throughout Lanling Void. Every major faction, driven by ulterior motives, sought to find the mysterious visitor from beyond. Some speculated he had brought an unparalleled cultivation method, mastering which could dominate the void. Others guessed he knew the location of a legendary treasure, containing artifacts from the age of myth, granting earth-shattering power to whoever could find it. More fantastic rumors claimed that this outsider had visited the void before, leaving behind secret portals for traversing between divine realms; finding these would allow effortless passage among celestial voids, a dazzling prospect. For a time, rumors abounded.

Beyond the desire to find the visitor, the factions also coveted the sanctuary that had brought him. The sanctuary capable of summoning outsiders inspired deep fear—they worried that next time, it might bring an army instead of a lone man. Thus, they resolved to find and destroy the sanctuary.

So, joint armies of demon and immortal clans, under the pretext of a Demon-Sealing Conference, massed at the edge of the Great Forest, demanding King Zhuyuan disband his people and military and migrate inland.

The last king of Zhuyuan, his ambitions unfulfilled, did not live to see his moment of glory, but instead faced the ruin of his kingdom. Yet he was a man of principle. As soon as the news began to leak, he swiftly ordered a national conscription, spending a year to bury the entire Moon-Shrouded Valley along with the sanctuary. Then, as he dismissed his subjects and soldiers, he secretly sent Huang Guangtong and the imperial guards of the sanctuary, bearing maps marking its true location, away in the dead of night, young and old alike, vanishing without a trace. None knew where they went or what they intended. After the departure of these guards, King Zhuyuan took his own life to answer to the world. From then on, the sanctuary’s location was lost to all.

When the allied armies entered the deserted kingdom, they found nothing but ruins and devastation. They spent months searching the forest, yet found neither the mysterious visitor nor the fabled sanctuary of Moon-Shrouded Valley. As summer crept in, they could no longer withstand the miasmas and plagues of the Great Forest and retreated hastily.

At this point in the tale, the old man was exhausted, standing there, swaying unsteadily. Lang Xian hurriedly supported him and offered a chair. The elder, startled by the gesture, protested repeatedly. Yuan Ji, rough and hearty, placed his large hand firmly on the old man’s shoulder and said, “Sit down, elder, you deserve it! There’s no need to say it—we’ve already guessed you are a descendant of General Huang Guangtong. General Huang preserved the last treasures of Zhuyuan and the secret of the sanctuary. He’s a hero, and his descendants deserve respect.”

Yuan Ji spoke as he moved behind the old man, placing both hands on his shoulders, asking gently, “But why haven’t you investigated our identities first, before deciding we’re the ones you’ve been waiting for?” Though his tone was soft, his hands were tense, ready to snap the elder’s neck should he sense any threat.

The old man laughed heartily. “General, you’re too cautious. Ten years ago, a woman in purple told me that a group would arrive near Moon-Shrouded Valley wearing helmets made of white fox or white dog fur. Two months ago, our scouts spotted you as soon as you entered the forest. Many in the clan suspected you were enemy spies and wanted to muster troops to wipe you out. I preferred to observe you longer. In this forest, disposing of a thousand people is easy enough. So our scouts took turns shadowing you day and night—marching when you marched, camping above you in the trees when you rested. It was a strange situation; both sides lived together, their sounds mingling, yet never met.”

He spoke with a kindly smile, but Lang and Yuan’s clothes were soaked with cold sweat—they realized they had been watched for more than two months, fortunate their observers had not struck, or they’d never have known how they died.

“You need not be afraid; nothing has happened to you. Our scouts recorded your every word and deed, so we know you are not spies but truly of the Zhuyuan clan.” The old man turned to Yuan Ji, smiling. “We’ve investigated your backgrounds. You are a descendant of the Yuan royal family of Zhuyuan.” He turned to Lang Xian, still smiling. “And you are from the illustrious Lang family. Am I right?”

Yuan Ji and Lang Xian exchanged glances. Yuan Ji rubbed his hands awkwardly and said, “Your methods are indeed profound, elder. We are impressed by your thorough investigation.”

Lang Xian stepped forward, saluting respectfully and asked in a composed tone, “May I ask, elder, the purpose of your visit today?”

The old man stroked his white beard, squinting as he countered, “Why don’t you tell me first why you seek the Zhuyuan sanctuary?”

Lang Xian glanced at Yuan Ji, who nodded. He then replied, “We won’t hide it, elder. We came because of that woman in purple. Ten years ago, she found the Yuan brothers and asked if they wished to restore Zhuyuan.”

Yuan Ji continued, “Our reaction was much like yours, believing the woman to be mad, rambling nonsense. Then…”

The old man interjected, “Then she demonstrated a shocking martial art and revealed her identity?”

Yuan Ji nodded in astonishment. “Exactly so, elder—how did you know?”

Lang Xian, quicker to grasp the situation, asked, “Did she similarly win your trust?”

The old man stroked his beard thoughtfully and nodded.

Yuan Ji sighed, “The Lady of Lanling is truly skilled.”

The old man looked up. “And then?”

Yuan Ji went on, “She instructed us to join an organization called the Sun-Worship Sect, and to gather all those who still supported Zhuyuan’s restoration.”

The old man sighed, “After so many years, who knows how diluted the blood of the clan has become? Gathering them is no easy task.”

Lang Xian agreed, “You are right, elder.”

Yuan Ji nodded as well. “It was indeed difficult. But as the Yuan family was royal, we still maintained connections with some old noble clans, so after seven years, we managed to gather a thousand.”

The old man nodded in approval. “Such perseverance! Perhaps the Yuan family will restore Zhuyuan yet.”

Lang Xian, unmoved, continued, “Then, as instructed by the Lady, we scoured the void for spiritual fox and dog pelts, working day and night to craft spirit helmets.”

The old man asked, puzzled, “Why is that?”

Lang Xian explained, “To receive the primordial souls of the Vanguard of the Dark Cry within the sanctuary of Zhuyuan in Moon-Shrouded Valley. They will break out of the forest and launch a counterattack against the Celestial Palace atop the clouds.”

The old man sighed in deep anguish, “Who would have thought that our noble Zhuyuan would have to rely on the vile Dark Cry clan to reclaim the kingdom?”

All fell silent. After a while, the old man rose and said, “Well, now I know why you seek the sanctuary. Let us go.”

“Where? For what?” Yuan Ji and Lang Xian asked in unison.

The old man paused, looking back at them. “To excavate the sanctuary, of course.”

Yuan Ji asked, “Elder, do you know where it is? You’re not going to tell us it’s somewhere in Moon-Shrouded Valley, are you?”

The old man silently took a sheepskin map from his robe, identical in material and texture to the one Yuan Ji and Lang Xian had previously held. Lang Xian pointed at the map, comparing it with theirs.

The old man interrupted, “No need to compare. These two are from the same era, cut from a single piece of sheepskin.”

Seeing Yuan Ji and Lang Xian’s confusion, the old man explained, “The map you hold, I personally handed to the Lady years ago.” Suddenly, he noticed a hole in the map held by Lang Xian and flew into a rage. “You wastrels! Our ancestors left us precious little, how could you treat it so? To open the Zhuyuan silk scroll, you should have used a dagger to cut from the side!”

Lang Xian immediately pointed at Yuan Ji, “Yuan Ji damaged the map, not I.”

Yuan Ji scratched his head, apologizing, “I was indeed reckless, but the Lady of Lanling never mentioned anything about a dagger.”

The old man shook his head, sighing, “Well, let me find a craftsman to see if it can be repaired. Since you’ve already read the scroll, you must know how to enter the sanctuary?”

At this, Yuan Ji slapped the chair, “That’s Lang Xian’s fault. He only understood a small part—I’ve already scolded him for his incompetence.”