Chapter Fifty: Waiting

Waiting—a word that can be unbearably tormenting at times.

Those waiting outside are tormented by anxiety, while those within are battered by internal storms. Yi Qingchen understood this, as did Huai Yin, and even A Xiao within the inner chamber…

She said nothing, but she too waited. Waiting for the right moment, waiting for the conclusion of her life’s story.

At the very heart of the tempest, the Third Prince and the First Prince found themselves in much the same position.

They looked at each other, both fully aware that the decisive moment had come.

Each opened his mouth to spit out a fiery red inner core, blazing like the midday sun. The brilliance was so dazzling it seemed to drain the world of its color.

Both cores radiated formidable power, clashing again and again in a primal contest of strength.

With every impact, the Teng Sea erupted in towering tsunamis that surged back onto Renhuang Island.

Instantly, flocks of birds scattered from the island, and creatures fled in terror. Mountains collapsed, rocks tumbled—no one could say how many.

High in the clouds, the Second Prince led his followers, watching from the shadows.

A subordinate asked, “Master, should we intervene?”

The Second Prince glanced aside and smiled, “Why intervene? It’s best if they fight to the death.”

“But what if the Emperor awakens and disrupts everything?”

“Do you really think Father has any chance of waking?” If that were the case, why would he have gone to such lengths?

The eldest is ruthless, the third does not act. In such a situation, he would inevitably become the eldest’s next target.

And he, how could he sit and await his doom?

If they would not move, then he would create the opportunity to force their hand.

Only if the eldest and third fought would he sleep easy at night. If all went according to plan, he could clear away all obstacles.

Why not relish it?

Such was the tradition of Renhuang Island, its custom. Only their father, favoring the third, wished to imitate humans by naming an heir.

He never stopped to consider how he himself came to his throne…

After a brief pause, he said, “Send some trustworthy men to keep watch over the Third Prince’s Juanxi Terrace. As soon as they make a move, direct them toward the Eldest’s Qianbo Cave.

As for what to say and do, I trust you know.”

“At your command.” As soon as the words left his mouth, the man transformed into a short-tailed skua and flew off.

The Second Prince’s gaze grew profound as he watched the battle in the sky grow ever more intense.

The short-tailed skua found a gap in the fighting and slipped into Juanxi Terrace. He kept vigil as ordered, waiting until the dead of night.

At last, battered by fierce winds, the great doors of Juanxi Terrace opened. A Xiao led three people out.

The skua thought to himself: So it was the Third Prince who hid them away.

If he perished today, it would not be an unjust fate.

Soon, A Xiao and her group slipped out of Juanxi Terrace against the wind, and the skua vanished.

Huai Yin clutched the Jade Fragment, glancing back anxiously at every step, and approached A Xiao with great caution. “Madam, where are we going?”

A Xiao shielded her eyes from the wind and sand, “To do what you came to do.”

Huai Yin raised his sleeve to protect the Jade Fragment and exchanged a knowing look with Yi Qingchen.

Yi Qingchen covered her mouth and nose, asking, “Where should we strike?”

A Xiao paused. Yes, where should they go?

Since meeting her, the Third Prince had never again touched a human woman, nor permitted his subordinates to do so; thus, Lingyun Cave lacked the stone they sought.

If they were to seize it, it would have to be from the First or Second Prince.

But the current situation was that the First and Third Princes were locked in combat—a perfect opportunity. Yet they had no idea how many guards remained in Qianbo Cave.

The Second Prince was even more unpredictable. Anything was possible today.

As she hesitated, the short-tailed skua revealed himself and spoke bluntly, “My master has sent me to lend you a hand.”

Yi Qingchen and Huai Yin exchanged glances, then looked to A Xiao.

Madam, who is this…?

A Xiao was startled, but quickly gathered herself. “Lead the way.”

She glanced at the sky and said no more.

It seemed the Second Prince intended to reap the spoils. This also meant that Qianbo Cave was now poorly defended—a golden opportunity.

But why, then, did her heart ache?

The short-tailed skua fluttered its wings, guiding the four past all surveillance as they slipped quietly into Qianbo Cave.

“Make haste, all of you,” he urged. “If the First Prince returns, none of us will escape.”

“Let’s do it,” A Xiao nodded.

At her command, Yi Qingchen and Huai Yin split up to search the cave, but found nothing.

“Did you find it?”

“No.”

“How could this be…”

A Xiao frowned. “Step aside, let me try.”

She produced a mirror from her sleeve and held it in her palm. The prism spun, casting rays of light.

With a soft command, “Open,” the prism halted and a stone door appeared on the wall, slowly opening.

Huai Yin, seeing this, quickly tossed the Jade Fragment to Yi Qingchen and dove inside.

“Watch her, I’m going.”

How could he let a woman take such a risk? Of course, he would go.

Inside, he found an entirely different world. Dim and winding, the ground was littered with bones—be they human or animal, none were whole.

From time to time, a ghostly white glow flickered, as if narrating the last of their sorrows.

He pressed on for half the time it took an incense stick to burn, when he heard, faintly, a woman sobbing in the northeast corner.

He called, “Is anyone there?”

At his words, the sobbing ceased. Moments later, several haggard women appeared.

“Are you… prisoners of an illusion?” Huai Yin gestured at them, inspecting them from head to toe.

Could these be the captured female immortals?

One of them fell to her knees, weeping, “Please, Immortal, save us, show us a way out.”

“I… please, get up. You can leave with me later; no need for such ceremony.” Though he’d heard the story of the Renhuang Stone before, seeing this with his own eyes was a different matter.

Especially when he saw the rounded bellies—his chest tightened with unspeakable heaviness.

One woman, clutching her belly, crawled forward in desperation, nearly falling several times until Huai Yin hurried to help her up.

He sighed, “To be honest, my friend, I came here for the Renhuang Stone.”

“What?” The woman recoiled, snatching her hand away and running to her companions.

“Wait! Don’t be scared, I want it to save someone, nothing more.” Huai Yin reached out to stop her, then awkwardly pulled back.

“Save someone? Who? Are you one of the demons sent to take our children?” one of the women asked, summoning her courage.

These days, they had been consumed by terror. They wished they’d never been born, yet a mother’s instinct forced them to cling to hope and endure.

Huai Yin answered solemnly, “No, my brother’s younger sibling needs it to restore his soul. That’s why I came.

As for your so-called demon, he’s fighting the Third Prince right now and won’t be back soon.

I can’t save you all, but I can help you leave.”

But one of them suddenly retreated, her face twisted in madness. “I won’t go! How can I face anyone in this state? If people learn we came from Renhuang Island, do you think they’ll let us live?”

The human heart is rarely better than a demon’s.

Death awaited them either way; she would rather die alone.

At least, no one would ever know the depths of her humiliation.

She could keep her last shred of dignity.

How pitiful, and yet how absurd…

At her words, the women who had wanted to escape fell silent. Then, incredibly, they all decided to stay.

They would not leave.

For they would not give up even their last dignity.

One woman looked hesitantly at Huai Yin. “Go. We won’t leave. As for the Renhuang Stone, follow us.”

She led him behind a boulder, where a woman lay dead on a pile of straw.

“She is…?”

“We cannot take our own lives, but Sixth Sister could bear it no longer. She chose to end it, and her child matured early and left her body.

That—there—is what you seek.” She pointed at a bloodstained stone beside the corpse, the size of a baby’s fist.

It was hard to imagine that this was the treasure for which lives were sacrificed, for which the world fought.

Once, they had hoped to be rescued, but now that the chance arrived, they realized they could never leave.

Huai Yin draped his coat over the corpse and picked up the Renhuang Stone. It was heavier than any stone should be.

It felt like a mountain, like the sea—life force swirling endlessly within.

After a moment’s silence, he bowed to them. “Take care.”

“Wait.”

“What is it?”

“We have a favor to ask.”

“Please, tell me.”

“When you leave, bury these where no one will disturb them, so that we may have a resting place after death.” The woman broke off a lock of her hair and handed it to him, taking another from the corpse.

The others followed suit.

Huai Yin accepted the locks, tucked them into his sleeve, and bowed in farewell.

He left the passage and rejoined Yi Qingchen and the others.

Seeing him return, Yi Qingchen asked with concern, “Well? Did you get it?”

“Yes. Let’s go.”

“Go? Did you ask Lord Yan San?”

They turned to see Yan Sanbei had returned with the Sea Swallow Tribe, ready to attack.

The short-tailed skua retreated to a corner, and while Yan Sanbei’s focus was on the humans, slipped away.

He returned to the Second Prince. “Master, all is done as you ordered. What next?”

The Second Prince, pleased as he looked to the now decided battlefield, replied, “Nothing. Let’s return and see to my dear father.

He needs to know who is truly worthy.”

With that, he led his followers back to the Emperor’s palace.

Meanwhile, the battle of the inner cores reached its climax. A terrifying tempest burst apart in all directions.

One core shattered; the other circled the First Prince.

“Brother, forgive me.”

Blood gushed from the Third Prince’s mouth as he plummeted toward the earth.

The First Prince swallowed his core, then unleashed dozens of wind blades, each several yards long, slashing down to claim the Third Prince’s life.

Without his core, the Third Prince had no strength left to resist. He closed his eyes and awaited death.

Suddenly, a sword pierced forth, intercepting the deadly wind blades. The blade’s tip surged upward, its radiance shattering the oncoming assault.

From the shadows, Egret Boy seized the moment, spirited away the Third Prince, and vanished.

“I knew you would come.” The First Prince’s eyes blazed with fury as he faced the newcomer.

Su He stood, sword in hand, one arm behind his back. “Unfinished business must be settled; how could the crane not come?”

“Very well. Let me see how strong you can become in just a few days more of life.”

With that, blades rained down like a storm, the gales his wings, stirring chaos in heaven and earth.

He struck like lightning, thunder at his heels.

The ground beneath their feet was destroyed, stones and sand hurled skyward by the force.

“I will not disappoint you.” With that, Ling Tian’s True Technique was unleashed once more.

In an instant, the sword of Mingshu split into two extremes, water and fire entwined, ensnaring every blade hurled by the Renhuang Bird.

It was the same move as before, yet with entirely different power.

This time, the First Prince was forced back, though only a few steps before he steadied himself.

His eyes flashed with lethal intent. “Good. Now you’re finally worth killing.”

“Is that so?”