Chapter 61#

Reality and Illusion#

Chaoge, State Preceptor’s Mansion.

Unwittingly, summer had arrived. The vegetation was lush and green, and the air was filled with the sounds of birds and insects. Li Guanghan was by the lake, selecting lotus seeds with a focused expression.

Cultivating lotus was not the work of a single day. The seeds planted this year might only sprout a few leaves by the next. Yin Yuheng had once meticulously tended to them for five years before achieving that pond full of emerald lotuses. Unfortunately, a single fire had eventually razed it all, leaving only withered branches and ruined leaves within half a day.

Now that Li Guanghan wanted lotus flowers to bloom here again, he realized the bitterness involved.

Li Guanghan threw the carefully selected lotus seeds into the lake, stirring up ripples. Only at this moment could his heart find a moment of peace.

The State Preceptor’s Mansion no longer saw snow. It was surrounded by flourishing flowers and trees, and the warm breeze brushed through the branches and leaves, swirling around the ends of his hair. Li Guanghan threw the last lotus seed in his hand and sat in the wind.

Now that the State Preceptor’s Mansion no longer saw snow, would that person come back to take a look?

At this moment, he seemed to see someone boating on the lake, coming toward him. He tried hard to discern and found that it was indeed his youth. The youth waved at him, a bright smile on his face, his white clothes moving with the wind like a ray of light. Li Guanghan stood up excitedly, and before he could speak, his eyes revealed trepidation and joy.

“Yuheng…”

He subconsciously took a few steps forward and reached out his hand infatuatedly: “Yuheng, I…”

Before he could finish, the emerald lake suddenly surged with a shocking red, like churning blood. Li Guanghan’s breath hitched as he saw the youth’s smile fade. The youth clutched his chest in panic and said blankly: “Teacher… it hurts…”

The youth leaned against the side of the boat, his body drooping powerlessly, seemingly about to fall into this pool of blood. Li Guanghan was devastated and was about to rush forward, but with a “splash,” he fell into a pool of icy water.

Li Guanghan woke up with a start and raised his head. There was no pool of blood, nor was there his youth. He had just accidentally fallen into the lake, shattering the reflections in the water.

…Another hallucination.

Li Guanghan climbed onto the shore in a disheveled state, water dripping down his hem. He lowered his head and covered his eyes with his hand. Anyone who saw him now would never imagine that this was the Penglai Sword Lord, Li Guanghan, whose single sword could reach a thousand miles and chill the nine provinces.

Since the incident with the Crown Prince of the Li Dynasty, Yin Yuheng, Li Guanghan often stayed behind closed doors in the State Preceptor’s Mansion, looking lost, half-insane. He was like a wandering ghost who could not find release, trapped in the prison of his memories.

Li Guanghan could not forget his Yuheng.

How could he forget? It was as if a knife was repeatedly scraping against his heart; the longer the time passed, the more the wound bled.

He had once almost had everything. Clearly, Yuheng had liked him so much once, looking at him with such earnestness and focus. With a turn of the head or a lift of the eyes, he would contain the tenderness of the entire spring in his gaze, giving all his affection to him alone. But he had lost it himself.

Walking through the State Preceptor’s Mansion, traces left by Yuheng were everywhere. The plum tree where Yuheng often practiced his sword was still there, and Li Guanghan came to sit there for a while every day. When he fell into hallucinations, he seemed to see the youth’s sword moving like a swimming dragon, the long sword like a startling swan, the sword wind brushing off a few plum blossoms. At these times, he couldn’t help but reveal a trace of a smile. It wasn’t until he wanted to stand up and reached out to hold the youth’s hand, only to grasp empty air, that he would suddenly realize it was just another illusion.

Back then, he rarely watched Yuheng practice his sword and rarely taught him with care. Now, Li Guanghan found he had no one left to teach.

Yin Yuheng was gentle and soft-hearted enough, but also ruthless enough. He left him the past to reminisce about, then turned his head and never looked back.

But who could be blamed? It had always been he himself who didn’t know how to cherish it.

The past cannot be chased.

His youth had found the person who truly saved him… and would never look at him again.

Lu Yan.

Li Guanghan recited this name once, a mocking smile appearing on his face.

At the thought of Lu Yan, Li Guanghan’s heart went mad with jealousy. But he could say nothing and do nothing.

The last few lotus seeds slipped from his hand. Li Guanghan closed his eyes and stood by the lake for a long time. Finally, he turned and left the mansion, taking a step toward the direction of the Demon Tribe.

A Transcendent Sword Lord could cover a thousand miles in a single step. From Chaoge to the Sahuang Mountain of the Demon Tribe was only a moment’s journey.

…

On Sahuang Mountain, when Li Hu came looking for him, Yin Yuheng was painting a fan. He was carefully outlining the fan with gold, his expression focused. The fragmented light and shadows from outside the window hit him, making his features look gentle and refined like jade.

Li Hu stood at the door, for a moment unable to bring himself to disturb this silence.

“Young master?” In the end, it was Yin Yuheng who raised his head first, calling out with a smile.

Li Hu came back to his senses and remembered what he was there for, quickly putting on a sweet smile: “Brother Bai Heng! Something big is happening today. Do you want to come and see the excitement with me?”

See the excitement? Yin Yuheng was somewhat curious: “What is it?”

“Come with me,” Li Hu lowered his voice, “You’ll know once you take a look outside!”

Li Hu grabbed Yin Yuheng’s sleeve and ran outside excitedly. As soon as the door opened, Yin Yuheng froze for a moment.

Fine white snow was falling from the sky. Yin Yuheng reached out his hand and caught a snowflake.

Where did snow come from in summer?

Yin Yuheng blinked, and before he could react, Li Hu had already quietly leaned into his ear and said: “I heard it’s a Sword Lord from the human race who has come! He cultivates the Path of Nine Colds; wherever his sword wind reaches, the moisture turns to snow.”

In the human race, the only one qualified to be called “Sword Lord” was Li Guanghan.

Yin Yuheng’s gaze shifted, and out of the corner of his eye, he looked at Li Hu. He seemed to be dazed for a moment, raised his hand to touch his neck, and forced a smile: “It’s him…”

“Brother Bai Heng knows him?” Li Hu asked as if casually.

“I met him once before,” Yin Yuheng replied with some difficulty.

Li Hu had investigated Yin Yuheng’s affairs in private, so he naturally knew what had happened, and he knew that at Kunwu Mountain in the Demon Realm, Li Guanghan had pointed his sword at Yin Yuheng, which could almost be considered a public humiliation.

Being treated as a substitute who couldn’t be shown in public, Brother Bai Heng must be very sad in his heart. Who would be willing to live in the shadow of another person, unable to turn over?

Looking at the lonely expression on Yin Yuheng’s face, a fleeting sense of pity suddenly appeared in Li Hu’s heart. But in the end, he hardened his heart and said with a grin: “I heard this Sword Lord doesn’t have a good relationship with our Majesty.”

“Is that so?” Yin Yuheng forced a smile, “It makes sense, after all…”

After all, they had both liked the same person. When rivals in love meet, how could their relationship be good? Yin Yuheng was dazed for a while, then suddenly asked: “That Crown Prince of the Li Dynasty… what kind of person is he exactly?”

How good must that person be to make everyone unable to forget him?

Since Yin Yuheng woke up in the Demon Realm, everyone looked at him and smiled at him, but who they were thinking of in their hearts was not him. Xue Ciling gave him away at will; Li Guanghan held a sword to his neck; Lu Yan was polite yet distant toward him. Clearly, they looked so much alike, yet one was the white moonlight in the sky, and the other was a replica that no one cared about.

Looking at Yin Yuheng’s lost appearance, Li Hu thought to himself that the other rarely asked about the Crown Prince of the Li Dynasty, which was likely a form of avoidance.

Driven by some strange impulse, Li Hu moved a little closer to Yin Yuheng.

Li Hu had never seen that legendary Crown Prince of the Li Dynasty. In his eyes, Brother Bai Heng was the best-looking and most refined person he had ever seen, so good-looking that even with a disappointed expression, there was a kind of fragile beauty. At this moment, the words Li Hu wanted to say faltered for a second before he found his voice again.

“The Crown Prince of the Li Dynasty, Yin Yuheng—I don’t know much about him, but I’ve heard some things,” Li Hu’s voice unconsciously softened, and he quietly observed Yin Yuheng’s face, “It’s said that he was a very formidable person. Back then, he implemented the Immortal Promotion Order in the Li Dynasty, a feat that would benefit generations. The worldly sects of Chaoge were all subdued under his hand. When he’s mentioned, there’s hardly anyone who doesn’t speak well of him…”

Li Hu spoke in detail about how the Crown Prince was a young genius, how he was loved by the people, and mentioned how much Lu Yan liked him.

“When His Majesty was in peril back then, it was all thanks to the Crown Prince’s full support that he found a glimmer of hope.”

Yin Yuheng listened quietly, lowering his head slightly so that Li Hu couldn’t see his expression.

“I see,” Yin Yuheng said in a low voice, “He truly is a very good person. No wonder His Majesty likes him… What happened after? How is the Crown Prince now…”

Li Hu looked around and whispered: “Before, everyone said the Crown Prince was in seclusion. But after the matter with the ‘Biluo Yin’ came out a few days ago, there have been many rumors. It’s said that the Crown Prince is gravely ill and needs the Biluo Yin to save him, which is why His Majesty personally went to Kunwu Mountain.”

Yin Yuheng touched the Biluo Yin in his robe and gave a bitter smile.

While speaking, Li Hu continued to pull Yin Yuheng along, turning left and right, and climbed up to a balcony where they could see the main hall from a distance.

“Accompany me to see the excitement. They’ll definitely pass by here in a while,” Li Hu smiled, “I haven’t seen that Sword Lord of the human race yet. Let me take a look from afar.”

Yin Yuheng couldn’t stop him, so he could only let him have his way.

“I also brought you here to see His Majesty, it’s for your own good,” Li Hu smiled, “Don’t you want to see him?”

Yin Yuheng was startled: “What are you saying?”

Li Hu gave him a gentle push and winked at him: “Don’t think I don’t know… You suddenly started learning to paint a few days ago. Isn’t it His Majesty you’re painting? Sometimes when you see His Majesty from afar, your eyes are all on him. I understand everything.”

“I…” Yin Yuheng wanted to argue, but couldn’t find the words. He lowered his head in panic, but what flashed through his mind was the scene on Kunwu Mountain when Lu Yan walked up to him and said, “It’s not your fault.”

Perhaps since then, he had unconsciously been paying attention to the other.

“His Majesty is a heroic ruler; it’s normal to like him,” Li Hu comforted, “Many in our Demon Tribe like him! Unfortunately, His Majesty has no heart or mind for the ‘flowers and grass’ around him. But you look so much like the Crown Prince, he definitely… Oops, I said something wrong. Brother Bai Heng, don’t be angry.”

Yin Yuheng shook his head and remained silent with his head down.

Li Hu pretended to be annoyed and quickly changed the subject, but he was very satisfied in his heart.

He was very confident in his methods. He understood that sometimes, a mix of true and false hints could quietly guide a person. Amidst reality and illusion, Yin Yuheng would pay more and more attention to Lu Yan and like him more and more.

Li Hu thought somewhat maliciously: facing a substitute who looks so much like your beloved and who also likes you… can Lu Yan really refrain from being moved?

If he is moved, Lu Yan will have a weakness.

Even if Lu Yan really isn’t moved… Li Hu’s eyes flickered, and he thought with a curl of his lips, the drama of a substitute’s love turning into hatred would also be very interesting.

…

Yin Yuheng was indeed somewhat distracted, but not for the reasons Li Hu thought.

He habitually put on the lonely expression Li Hu expected and began to daze, but what he was thinking about was the rumored Crown Prince of the Li Dynasty.

What Li Hu had just said, combined with what he had gathered overtly and covertly, allowed Yin Yuheng to gradually sketch out the image of the Crown Prince in his mind. Whether it was Li Guanghan or Lu Yan…

From the moment he realized the plot of the novel had been disrupted, Yin Yuheng had been trying to trace the source. Every result has a cause, and all the plot deviations started with one person.

The Crown Prince of the Li Dynasty, the protagonist of the novel.

Yin Yuheng actually really wanted to meet this person. On Kunwu Mountain, Yin Yuheng saw Li Guanghan’s eyes that seemed possessed, and he also saw Zhu Anning infatuatedly calling out for “Senior Brother.” He watched them go crazy for that person but felt an inexplicable urge to sigh.

The feeling the “Crown Prince of the Li Dynasty” gave him was too subtle, with a strange sense of familiarity. So familiar that he could surmise the other’s thoughts and retrace their actions.

Moreover, there was the Immortal Promotion Order, which was so much like something he would do himself.

If he… if he were the Crown Prince of the Li Dynasty…

Such a thought flashed through Yin Yuheng’s mind, and he suddenly woke up from his thoughts.

Was he getting too into character as a substitute? Yin Yuheng mocked himself inwardly, but he felt his mood becoming increasingly subtle. It wasn’t until he was interrupted by Li Hu’s voice that he came back to his senses.

“I see the Sword Lord coming out!” Li Hu pulled him excitedly, then his expression tightened, “They don’t seem to have had a very good talk…”

Yin Yuheng could see it too. The moment Li Guanghan stepped out of the palace gates, the snow falling from the sky intensified, his bad mood evident. Yin Yuheng looked at him a few more times, and the other suddenly raised his head.

Their gazes met. Despite being far apart, Yin Yuheng felt a layer of cold ice form on his body. The spiritual pressure of the Transformation stage was too strong, and the other didn’t restrain it at all. Yin Yuheng couldn’t help but lower his head and cough.

He couldn’t cough up blood because a puppet does not bleed.

In the next moment, Yin Yuheng felt a blast of wind and snow coming toward him. The light in front of him dimmed, and Li Guanghan was already before him.

“Yuheng…”

Li Guanghan’s gaze fell on him, and he couldn’t help but reach out his hand, only for it to turn cold and sharp in the next instant.

“You’re not dead yet?” Li Guanghan placed his hand on Yin Yuheng’s neck, slowly rubbing it, “Indeed… you have to be kept for the time being.”

Yin Yuheng coughed even harder.

“Li Guanghan!”

The wind and snow melted into the sunlight in an instant. Lu Yan’s sword struck, and Li Guanghan abruptly withdrew his hand.

Li Guanghan turned back and gave a cold smile.

“Lu Yan, what’s this? Have you really fallen for this substitute?”