Chapter 130: An Uninvited Guest

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Stay? He would not.

It was not that Huai Yin did not wish to remain, but that the circumstances made it impossible.

He had never imagined that Yun Xingyu, whose eyes had always been raised above the crown of heaven, would take Zhou Jiren so seriously. Given that man's abilities, if he forcibly drew close to Su He, it would not be long before his identity was exposed.

In any case, that would run counter to his purpose.

Thus, lowering his eyes, he declined gently. “One matter is one matter. Seeing that you are safe is enough to set my mind at ease.

“For now, we should attend to this girl first.

“We are all in the Royal City now. It will not be difficult for us to meet again.”

With that, he looked toward Sui Yuren.

Sui Yuren was no less quick-witted. From a single glance, she understood his meaning and hurriedly said, “Yes, my father said he will not confine me anymore. I can go wherever I want.

“I just cannot travel alone. But with my life-saver here, that will not be a problem.”

She lowered her head and bashfully rubbed her fingers together. “My father may not think much of me, but he does show him a measure of respect.

“From now on, we can simply go out together.”

After hearing this, Su He was slightly taken aback. With a faint smile, he said, “Very well. Since you have already made up your mind, I will not insist on keeping you here.

“Please.”

Huai Yin’s heart gave a sudden, inexplicable flutter, as though something had passed before his eyes—something he had failed to grasp.

Collecting himself, he smiled. “Do not make it sound as though I will never return. Once things have eased somewhat on this girl’s side, I will still come back.”

He called out to Que Yunzi, “Old Que, is that not so?”

Que Yunzi cursed him with a laugh. “You little brat. If you are leaving, then leave. Must you take advantage of me as well?”

He waved a hand, urging them to hurry away.

Parting was such a sentimental business that it became unbearably melodramatic if everyone hesitated and fussed. Someone had to step forward and play the villain.

After they parted ways, Huai Yin accompanied Sui Yuren back to Xiyuan Garden, apparently lost in thought. Thereafter, he stood alone beneath the corridor, deep in contemplation.

Sui Yuren did not go over to question him. She merely watched him quietly from a distance.

By nightfall, the Royal City was no longer tranquil and carefree.

In Baode Hall, Xian Buyue was reviewing memorials while the palace attendant Yang Yun reported to him.

Xian Buyue raised his head from the memorials. “Who are they?”

Yang Yun replied respectfully, “Your Majesty, most are people from the various sects who have come to investigate the matter. Some others of unknown identity have also entered the city. The city guards have already dispatched men to keep watch over them.

“I believe we shall have an answer before long.”

“Tell Eldest Brother that these are extraordinary times. He must be careful. The safety of the Royal City cannot be allowed to suffer any mishap.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. I shall inform His Highness the Brave King at once.”

Yang Yun bowed, then hurried out of Baode Hall and made his way toward Ruijin Palace.

Xian Buyue set down the vermilion brush in his hand, and for no apparent reason a wave of unease rose within him. He stood and paced back and forth across Baode Hall. At last, he turned toward the entrance and called, “Go and summon Chancellor Wen. Tell him I have something to discuss with him.”

The words had barely fallen when an aura outside the door suddenly vanished.

Meanwhile, Xian Buyue’s blood churned restlessly, leaving him unable either to sit or to lie down in peace.

Elsewhere, those who had slipped into the city under cover of night had already begun to act.

The great sects had learned of Su He’s battle by the riverbank. They seemed to share an unprecedented understanding on the matter: do as you please, while I remain unmoved.

The people in power might think that way, but those beneath them did not necessarily accept it.

There were many who wished to investigate the truth. The leaders of the various sects knew this perfectly well, yet all of them chose to turn a blind eye and let their subordinates make trouble.

At the same time, another group of mysterious figures entered the city.

In his sleep, Su He heard movement from the room opposite. He rose, draped a robe over himself, and went out to investigate. Yi Qingchen’s door stood half open, but Yi Qingchen herself was nowhere to be seen.

He then checked on Que Yunzi and the others. All were sleeping soundly.

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Just as he was about to return to his room, he caught sight of a white shadow darting past.

“Again?”

He immediately sprang after it, pursuing it a great distance. The commotion also awakened those sleeping inside.

Que Yunzi had not even put on his shoes. He staggered out, poked his head through the doorway, and asked, “Who is it? Why are you wandering around instead of sleeping in the middle of the night?”

Zhou Jiren yawned repeatedly. “I have no idea.” Then he suddenly noticed that Su He’s door was still open and instantly came fully awake. “Why is Baili Su He’s door open?”

“Oh no. That boy must have gone out again.”

Que Yunzi opened his door at once and shot from his room. In a few strides he reached Su He’s doorway, only to find that Su He was gone.

When he turned back, he saw that Yi Qingchen’s door was open as well.

He could not help asking in confusion, “Neither of them is here? Did they leave together?”

Zhou Jiren did not have time to think about it. He hurried back, put on his clothes, and rushed outside.

Que Yunzi caught him by the arm. “Hey, where are you going?”

“I am going to help.”

“Oh, relax. Did you not notice that Yi is missing too? Perhaps the two of them went together.”

“But what if they did not? Given Baili Su He’s situation, the eyes of the entire world are fixed on him. If someone means him harm, how many opponents can he handle in his present state?”

“Er…” That did seem reasonable, but Que Yunzi still said, “Your wounds have only just begun to heal. Even if you went, you might not be of much use.

“You would be better off staying here and waiting calmly. Besides, you do not even know where to look for them. What if this is a stratagem to lure the tiger from the mountain? What if they deliberately separate us, intending to defeat us one by one?”

Hearing this, Zhou Jiren stopped in the middle of the passageway, caught between advancing and retreating.

At that moment, Yun Xingyu opened his door and said to Que Yunzi, “Why do we not go together? At least we can watch one another’s backs.”

The depth of the newcomers’ abilities was still unknown, but the city was certainly a tangled mixture of dragons and snakes.

Rather than sit in the inn and wait anxiously, they might as well go out and search.

Seeing that Yun Xingyu thought the same, Que Yunzi simply returned to fetch his shoes, putting them on as he walked. “Then where do we search?”

“We will know once we are outside. Come on.”

The three of them immediately left the inn and headed south, following the strongest aura.

Yet the five people had split in three directions, each rushing along a separate path.

Above the Floating Cloud Summit, they climbed into the highest reaches of the heavens.

The Three Evils concealed themselves within the clouds and gazed down below.

Even the darkness of night could not diminish their fearsome presence in the slightest.

The Red Widow was still playing with her Blood-Pattern Spider in her arms. It had been some time since she had last seen it, and it seemed to have grown considerably, its colors more vivid than before.

She swept her languid gaze over the other two. “What do you see?”

“We have seen him. Should we go down and capture the boy? We can break one layer of the seal first, then deal with the rest slowly. I refuse to believe that if we capture and kill everyone from those sects, one of them will still manage to slip through.”

The Insect withdrew the radiance from his eyes. Baili Su He had come out alone. If they did not seize the opportunity now, when would they?

Chang Da also thought it feasible. They had already been out for quite some time. If they did not find a way to solve the problem of the seal, their master would soon demand an explanation.

The Red Widow smiled. “How certain are you that this person is truly the one?”

“Not certain,” said the Insect. “But it is better to kill the wrong man than to let even one escape.”

“Foolish. How many sacrifices have we captured during these days to establish communication with the island? If anyone can simply claim to be the Unsealer, then would the Sevenfold Kala Seal still be a blade hanging over our heads?”

The Insect said, “You mean this is a plot by the Unborn Gate? They deliberately sent out a bait to lure us into revealing ourselves?”

“If not, what do you think it is? The identities of the seven Unsealers have always been shrouded in mystery. Why would word of them suddenly spread throughout the Desire Sea Heaven? Anyone with sense could guess the reason.”

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“Besides, you only recently sent letters to the various sects to provoke them. Now the Unborn Gate’s Unsealer has entered the world immediately afterward. Do you not find the coincidence excessive?”

“I understand your reasoning, but if this really is the one, would it not be a pity to let him slip away for nothing? Chang, what do you say?”

Chang Da nodded. According to the messages sent from the island, ever since Eight Winds Island had been sealed, its spiritual energy had dwindled to an extreme degree, while every aspect of the island’s condition continued to deteriorate at terrifying speed. Breaking the seal had become an urgent necessity.

The small amount of vital energy they had sent over was nothing more than a drop in the ocean.

The Red Widow glanced sideways. “And what do the two of you intend to do?”

Let it be said now: she had no intention of offering up her own head.

The Insect’s face shifted from green to white beneath the Red Widow’s contemptuous gaze, which stripped away whatever dignity he had left. Yet he could not bear to surrender the meat already at his lips.

He said, “The three of us capturing one man would be effortless.

“Red—Sister, you are making far too much of this. How much weight can Baili Su He possibly carry?”

“He may not amount to much, but are you certain that once we reveal ourselves, we will not become a dish on someone else’s table?”

The Insect fell silent and looked toward Chang Da.

Chang Da, too, sank into thought. The Red Widow continued, “We are powerful, that much is true. But do not forget: our strength comes from Eight Winds Island.

“Taken individually, there is indeed little in the Desire Sea Heaven for us to fear. But do not forget that the world has never lacked powerful people. We have not been idle all these years, but neither have our enemies necessarily been fools.

“Have you not noticed that those who have emerged are all small fry? Are you rushing forward merely to become someone’s appetizer with his wine?”

“That cannot be,” the Insect said. “These people call themselves righteous cultivators. They would not have so many twists and schemes. Otherwise, back then they would have done more than seal us away. If we had taken action, we would have slaughtered them all.”

The Red Widow could not help sneering. “They may indeed call themselves righteous, but are you saying the true reason was not that they lacked the ability to destroy us completely?

“When have those righteous cultivators ever shown mercy while exorcising demons and defending the Dao?

“When people who hold righteousness in their hands become ruthless, you will find that they are more wicked than demons and fiends.

“Human nature is evil. Nothing could prove it more clearly.

“The only question is whether you have infringed upon the other side’s interests.”

“If the various sects of the Desire Sea Heaven had not each acted independently at the time, giving us the chance to destroy them one by one—if the Chan Sect had not fallen, the Southern Cloud Sea had not withdrawn, and the Mirror Scripture Abyss had not departed—do you think those so-called righteous cultivators would ever have given us an opportunity?

“The seal was merely a last resort.”

Chang Da suddenly broke the silence. “Even so, the Chan Sect still laid down the final seal.

“That means that even if we gather the other six, there is still one final person—the most crucial of them all—whom we cannot find.”

“One could say that. But do you truly believe the Chan Sect was completely destroyed?”

Chang Da and the Insect widened their eyes at once. Only after a long while did they stare blankly at the Red Widow.

“You suspect that remnants of the Chan Sect still survive?”

“But if that is so, why have we never seen a single temple with incense burning as we passed through so many places? Never mind incense—even intact temples are rare.

“And as for monks chanting ‘Amitabha’ all day long, we have seen not a one.”

The Red Widow stroked the Blood-Pattern Spider. Her waist swayed slightly as she turned toward him and asked, “What is the greatest difference between the monks in your eyes and ordinary people?”

“What a question. Every one of them has a smooth, shaven head. Apart from the戒 scars, they do not have a single hair.”

“Exactly. Not a hair. So what if they simply kept it all? When the time comes, how will you know whether a man is a monk or an ordinary person?”

As soon as she finished speaking, the expressions of the Insect and Chang Da changed drastically.

If that were truly the case, how could they hope to find one man amid the endless sea of humanity? The other Unsealers could still be traced through their sects. The Chan Sect alone offered them no place to begin.

Chang Da said, “Could it be that the Chan Sect’s destruction was a stratagem from the very beginning?

“They used feigned death to conceal themselves behind the scenes, guarding against the day when everyone might escape from Eight Winds Island?

“In this way, even when matters reached the brink of collapse, a final shackle would still remain, tightly gripping everyone by the throat.”

At this, the corners of the Red Widow’s lips curved upward.

“Who knows?”