Chapter 145: Shuyu is Terrified

Interacting with strangers and trying to make them accept and like her was something that plunged the immensely powerful Shuyu into a state of utter helplessness.

Killing a person was probably easier than this, and by a much wider margin.

The young maiden Shuyu had changed into an all-white feminine outfit, her hands crossed and clutched in front of her abdomen. With the heavy rain pouring outside, she could only pace back and forth inside the room, fluctuating between joy and anxiety. The hesitant, fearful, and yet expectant expression unique to a young girl who had just found someone she fancied was written all over her face.

Furthermore, Luyang was an entirely unfamiliar place to her. She was unfamiliar with everything there, and some people might even draw their swords against her, mistaking her for an envoy of the Great Rain Palace.

Such heavy thoughts inevitably brought about a touch of sorrow.

Gu Yi stayed alone in his room, trying to comprehend the Heavenly Dao. It was not that he had grown greedy upon entering the Hedao realm once more; rather, during his battle with Mo Chi, he had indeed faintly heard a majestic voice chanting the Heavenly Dao.

The Emperor of the Li Dynasty had said that if there were any developments, word would be sent to Shuyu, but three days had passed, and nothing had happened.

It was still raining outside.

Gu Yi did not dislike rainy days. While Shuyu could easily prevent him from finding peace of mind, the heavens themselves could not manage to bring him serenity through a bit of rain.

After waiting for three days, he was still able to casually repeat the same routine.

When it was time for a meal, he went to Shuyu's adjacent room, expecting to find her seated quietly. Instead, Shuyu wore a rare expression of restless anxiety.

Assuming she was growing impatient waiting for the Li Emperor, Gu Yi consoled her, "There's no need to rush so much. When the time comes, the signal will arrive."

*I'm not anxious about that at all,* Shuyu thought to herself.

Whether it came sooner or later, it would eventually arrive; what was there to be anxious about?

Yet, to fully voice the true thoughts in her heart felt a bit embarrassing, so she kept them to herself and simply sat down to eat.

However, Gu Yi had other considerations on his mind. He said, "I'm not in a hurry either, but I still have to return to Luyang. If we wait another three more days and still receive no signal, I will leave first. You can stay here with the Long-Legged Cat and Yan Lang accompanying you. That way, you'll be safe, and I'll be at ease."

Shuyu froze, a sudden, tender look filling her eyes as she stared at Gu Yi, making him feel a bit self-conscious. "W-what is it? Is there a problem?"

"N-no problem." The young woman shook her head happily. "I just wanted to say, I'm not necessarily weaker than you."

Gu Yi: "..."

"You still want to argue with me about this?"

"Of course not. It's just that whenever I used to go out on missions for the Great Rain Palace, no one ever worried about my safety. I never even thought about it myself."

Reflecting on this, Gu Yi realized that his arrangements did indeed sound a bit peculiar.

Yet, Shuyu was immensely fond of it. "Ever since my parents passed away, it was only when I was by your side that I regained the feeling of having a home and stopped wandering."

In the past, no matter how difficult the mission or how far the journey, the Palace Master would probably never have expressed concern for her safety in such a tone.

Only then did Gu Yi understand why she had reacted the way she did a moment ago. He also remembered what Shuyu had said some time ago—that someone whose heart was filled with bitterness did not need a massive amount of sweetness; a tiny speck of it was quite enough.

His own heart stirred with a sense of tenderness.

This sentiment, however, was abruptly shattered by a tremor from the earth.

Just as the romantic atmosphere lingered, the bowls and chopsticks on the table suddenly began to rattle, the very house beneath their feet shook, and a rumbling sound rolled in from the outside.

Gu Yi's first reaction was that it was an earthquake, but he remained unpanicked; regardless of the magnitude, an earthquake would find it difficult to crush him to death.

Yet, upon carefully distinguishing the source of the sound, he realized it was likely something else.

"A fight has broken out in the imperial palace."

Shuyu closed her eyes, sending her spiritual energy spreading outward. This was a method of perceiving situations beyond the reach of the naked eye through the disturbance of the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.

The roaring sound stopped as abruptly as it had begun, leaving complete silence afterward. Nearby residents emerged from their homes, none of them knowing what had happened.

After roughly several dozen seconds, Shuyu opened her eyes and said, "It is indeed the palace. Two Hedao practitioners are there."

Gu Yi could sense it as well. "But it's a clash between these two individuals, not two peaks sending two Hedao masters."

"His Majesty... possesses no cultivation base to speak of." Shuyu was somewhat concerned. As she had mentioned, although the ruler of the Li Dynasty was a woman, she was broad-minded and benevolent, making her a genuinely good monarch.

"It should be fine; there are plenty of people in the palace protecting him," Gu Yi analyzed. "On the other hand, regarding the Two Peaks, since they are after an artifact, it hardly makes sense to forcefully barge in during broad daylight. Who knows, they might be holding back some hidden tricks. We should still wait and watch how things unfold, and only act once the Emperor actually gives the signal."

"Mm."

Shuyu put down her chopsticks. Perhaps it was just Gu Yi's imagination, but he noticed the young woman suddenly growing tense—a reaction starkly contrasting with her usual demeanor.

He remembered the first time he had met her; she had remained utterly calm in the face of enemies.

Moreover, she possessed a considerable degree of confidence in her own strength.

Yet at this moment, it was entirely different. Her delicate brows were furrowed, and she wore a somewhat sighing expression.

Interacting with strangers and trying to make them accept and like her was something that plunged the immensely powerful Shuyu into a state of utter helplessness.

(End of Chapter)

"What is the matter?" Gu Yi asked in bewilderment.

Shuyu said nothing, instead walking over to the window and gazing out in the direction of the imperial palace. Yet this did nothing to lessen her tension and worry.

Gu Yi stepped closer. "What on earth is wrong with you?"

The young woman looked up at him and finally voiced the thoughts in her heart, "I used to be the one who feared death the least."

Gu Yi smiled. "I know. When you encountered Mo Chi, you looked as though you'd be quite happy to die."

Shuyu wasn't afraid of his teasing. "Back then, there was nothing in life to cling to, only endless sorrow and bitterness. Death meant nothing; I feared no enemy, no matter how powerful. But now, I am afraid. I am truly terrified."

The intricacy of a young girl's inner world far exceeded Gu Yi's imagination, and he felt a mild shock in his chest because he knew the reason behind this change.

Shuyu slowly drew closer to him, leaning proactively against his shoulder. By the window, Gu Yi wrapped his arms around her.

"I am terrified of battles like this. I'm afraid of someone hurting you, and I'm afraid of someone hurting me. I'm afraid of dying, and I'm afraid that because of these factors, we might be separated forever by the boundary of life and death."

"This is just like how I feel wanting Yan Lang and the Long-Legged Cat, two Hedao masters, to protect you. Many things in heaven and earth have two sides: where there is high, there is low; where there is good, there is evil. Love can make a person strong, but love can also make a person incomparably fragile."

Shuyu was probably genuinely frightened, as she suggested, "Why don't we just leave? Anyway, I'm already prepared to disobey the Palace Master's orders, and I don't need to listen to His Majesty either. Let's ignore this meddling business, and let the people of the Two Peaks fight whoever they want."

Gu Yi was left between laughter and tears.

"Only two people came from the Two Peaks, and there is still another Hedao master by the Li Emperor's side. The remaining one is merely at the Returning to Simplicity realm. Are you really worried about that? Isn't this going a bit overboard?"

That was his perspective, but upon seeing Shuyu's deeply worried expression, Gu Yi suddenly realized that Shuyu might genuinely be terrified.

"Why are you like this?"

Shuyu replied, "I don't know either. I am simply afraid of anyone harming you."

"At this rate, if you couldn't see me for a single day, you'd probably end up tearing down the house."

"Well... I wouldn't tear down my own house. I'd tear down someone else's instead; otherwise, rebuilding it would be too much trouble."

Gu Yi: "..."

"Stop joking. What I mean is, you seem to have poured all twelve parts of your heart into me. Living like this will constantly keep you in needless tension. Relax a little. I am also very strong and won't be easily injured." Having said that, Gu Yi understood. "Though, having said that, doing so is probably very difficult. The notions of fighting to the death and giving one's all that you all talk about probably stem from this very reason. To like someone is to tie yourself to them entirely; and when hatred takes root, you end up wiping out the other person's entire lineage."

"Would you dislike it?"

"It's not that I dislike it, but I always feel that going to extremes is not necessarily a good thing."

"Then you can teach me. I don't understand these things very well and simply follow my heart. If I do something wrong, just tell me and I'll change."

Gu Yi truly didn't know what to say anymore. He was beginning to understand why everyone loved marrying women of the Mo clan.

Bang!!

A massive tremor struck from beneath their feet once again, accompanied by flashes of spiritual light erupting in the distance.

"Fighting like this in a busy commercial district?" Gu Yi grew somewhat concerned. Given the scale of a battle between Hedao practitioners, if they truly went all out, the house they were staying in would soon be reduced to nothing.

Shuyu shared the same hidden worry. "The people in the palace should have foreseen this. If they were truly going to fight, they ought to have lured him elsewhere."

"Putting that aside, are those pages truly that important? By your account, there are only two pages; how much technology can they possibly record?"

"That's not how it works." Gu Yi smiled and explained, "The so-called technology isn't just writing, but past memories. When I said I had perused the Dream Paper, I didn't mean I merely saw the words upon it; rather, I entered into the Dream Paper itself. I imagine the Talent Paper must be the same, and even if it isn't, there must surely be other ways to unlock it."

Shuyu marveled, "That is rather arcane."

"Your Imperial Majesty is actually quite strange as well. Since he is not a cultivator, how does he judge the battle situation and determine when the signal should be given to you?"

"Perhaps he won't give it at all. That person in the palace is formidable and will directly wipe out the thugs from the Two Peaks, sparing you from putting yourself in danger again."

"Who is that person in the palace?"

Shuyu said, "The Grand Empress Dowager."

"The Grand Empress Dowager?!" An image of an old hag flashed through Gu Yi's mind. "She must have entered the Hedao realm to possess such longevity, and at her age, her strength naturally cannot be underestimated."

That was indeed good news.

Perhaps, just as Shuyu had said, an elder in the house really could resolve everything single-handedly.

"Let's not dwell on it. Let's eat first."

Bang!!!

Suddenly, a violent tremor struck, causing the dishes on the table to clatter down to the floor in a flurry.

Gu Yi's expression stiffened, causing Shuyu to burst into unrestrained, hearty laughter.

(End of Chapter)

......

......

Outside Luyang City, although the Third Princess had convinced His Majesty that the garrison troops of Xingyuan City could not be moved—otherwise Xingyuan would be handed over on a silver platter, leaving Luyang forever as an isolated city exposed to the enemy—the life of the Emperor was of paramount importance.

Therefore, some troops had trickled back from Xingyuan City to bolster Luyang's defensive capabilities just in case.

Among the returning troops, the leader was Zhu Da.

He was the Chancellor of the Luyang Academy, holding the same rank as Fan Ling, the Chancellor of Talent.

He also possessed a well-known trait: he loved to eat, could never control his appetite, and was especially fond of the embroidered perch from the Imperial Delicacy Pavilion.

Furthermore, he harbored a well-known secret: he was deeply enamored with Mistress Ye, the one who cooked that very embroidered perch.

This matter had originally been a genuine secret.

It was four years ago, back when Mistress Ye had not yet fallen ill. She was in robust health, her culinary skills even superior to the present, and her signature embroidered perch had already made her famous throughout Luyang City.

Zhu Da had come, tasted a dish, and laid eyes on a person. From then on, he fell in love not only with the embroidered perch, but even more so with Mistress Ye.

They said that meeting the right person could ruin a lifetime.

Zhu Da could never forget Mistress Ye, no matter what.

For a very long time, however, no one knew of this. Even Mistress Ye herself mistakenly believed that this high official of Luyang Academy simply adored the embroidered perch.

It wasn't until Mistress Ye fell ill...

That the most anxious person in the entire Luyang City was none other than Zhu Da.

He spent money, hired people, and searched everywhere for physicians, exhausting nearly every possible method, yet the results were pitifully meager.

Watching Mistress Ye's health deteriorate day by day, he burned with anxiety and spent his nights sleepless.

Later, the Emperor sealed off Xiaoyuan Mountain, and the Vice President led the three Chancellors north to support Xingyuan City. Imperial orders could not be disobeyed, and Zhu Da had no choice but to follow.

Now that he had secured an opportunity to return to Luyang, he hadn't even had time to report back to the Luyang Academy; after checking in at the Ministry of War, he rushed straight to the Imperial Delicacy Pavilion.

Those familiar with him kept telling him that Mistress Ye's health had improved and she was currently at the Imperial Delicacy Pavilion.

People told him this to set his mind at ease, though they were also teasing him.

Zhu Da didn't mind in the least; hearing such news, he hurried over with a heart full of joy.

Little Yue was delighted to see him in the front hall, but alongside her joy was a touch of... a headache...

Well...

What on earth should she do now?

Zhu Da was gentle and magnanimous by nature, merely a bit plump, and otherwise quite fine. Unlike Chancellor Fan Ling, who constantly threw his weight around and flaunted his status, Zhu Da was approachable, rarely lost his temper, and had always enjoyed good popularity.

"Little Yue, it's been a long time. Are you happy to see me?" The chubby man strode in and, without waiting for Little Yue to reply, asked, "Where is Mistress Ye? I heard Mistress Ye's health has improved?"

Little Yue suddenly felt a surge of sympathy for this kind-hearted, plump man. She nodded, "It has improved. It has improved a lot."

Zhu Da was overjoyed. "That's wonderful! I always said Mistress Ye is a good person, and the heavens wouldn't take her! Haha, I'll go find her right now. Is it convenient? If not, I can come back later."

*What an understanding person,* Little Yue thought to herself, *what a pity.*

She decided to let Mistress Ye tell him herself.

"She's here. There aren't many guests, so she's not in the kitchen; she's in the front courtyard."

Zhu Da happily trotted all the way into the inner courtyard. What Little Yue said wasn't entirely accurate; Mistress Ye wasn't in the front courtyard at all, but rather in the courtyard of the inner compound. Nor was she engaged in elegant pursuits like flower pruning or tea-drinking.

Mistress Ye was dressed in tight martial attire, holding a powerful bow and practicing archery.

Seeing this, Zhu Da was pleasantly surprised, failing to dwell on the somewhat bizarre sight. "Mistress Ye, I'm back!"

Mistress Ye released her small hand, and the arrow shot forward with the force of a cannonball, producing a sharp whistle before piercing straight through the target and embedding itself deeply into the stone wall of the courtyard.

Zhu Da thought his eyes were playing tricks on him. "Splendid shot, splendid shot! It's truly wonderful that Mistress Ye's health has recovered so completely—to think you can now draw such a powerful bow!"

(End of Chapter)