Chapter 66#
Divine Fire#
Yin Yuheng was first stunned, then lowered his head, lightly curling his lips, his beautiful eyes losing their luster.
He didn’t say anything, but in Li Hu’s eyes, his expression was lonely to the extreme, like a begonia flower scattered in the rain.
Li Hu pursed his lips and said softly: “You should know what His Majesty’s purpose is for taking you to Chaoge this time.”
“I know,” Yin Yuheng managed a small smile, “It’s alright… to be able to save someone is also a good thing.”
Li Hu’s eyes flashed: “A good thing? You might die! Lu Yan intends to use your life to exchange for his sweetheart’s life!”
Feeling Yin Yuheng’s body stiffen slightly, Li Hu darkened his gaze and said deliberately: “He said the Biluo Yin wouldn’t harm the user’s body, but if it really didn’t place any burden on you at all, why would he need to nourish your soul for so long?”
Li Hu lowered his voice: “Using the Biluo Yin could very likely cost you your life!”
Yin Yuheng was dazed for a long while, his eyes showing a look of struggle and hesitation.
“Do you believe me or that cold and heartless Demon Emperor? He doesn’t care about you at all!” Li Hu approached Yin Yuheng, his tone gentle, “Brother Bai Heng, I am the one who truly wants to be good to you.”
Yin Yuheng opened his mouth, looking at Li Hu somewhat lost. He seemed to waver, and after a long time, he whispered: “Only you…”
The wind blew, ruffling Yin Yuheng’s water-colored cyan robes, adding a few hints of bleakness and sorrow. Li Hu’s breath hitched, and he subconsciously leaned against Yin Yuheng’s ear, softening his voice: “Don’t be afraid, I will save you, I will be good to you.”
Yin Yuheng asked blankly: “What should I do?”
Li Hu smiled slightly and said enticingly: “Just make sure that Crown Prince doesn’t wake up… Why use your own life to save him? Don’t be afraid, it’s very simple, after all, the Biluo Yin is in your hands…”
As Li Hu spoke, he thought playfully: if that little prince were truly lost forever, would Lu Yan go completely insane and collapse?
He still remembered when the news of the Crown Prince’s accident arrived, Lu Yan’s expression suppressed madness. At that time, Li Hu only caught a distant glimpse and understood what Lu Yan’s reverse scale was.
The Golden Crow was born, and all demons surrendered; the Fox tribe had to avoid its sharp edge. Lu Yan was like a sword out of its sheath, and Li Hu couldn’t find a way to break this sword until Yin Yuheng appeared. That day, Li Hu had a bold idea.
He would use Yin Yuheng as a blade to destroy Lu Yan.
He planted the seeds of jealousy in Yin Yuheng’s heart precisely to pry at the reverse scale of the Crown Prince of the Li Dynasty, causing Lu Yan such pain that he would rather be dead.
Li Hu thought with satisfaction that after so long, this day had finally arrived. He lightly hooked the corners of his lips, showing an expectant gaze.
…
Yin Yuheng looked at Li Hu’s departing back and also thought that this day had finally arrived.
Somewhat disappointed.
He thought Li Hu had some sophisticated conspiracy, but it seemed to be nothing more than this now; it really wasn’t worth his many days of anticipation.
Yin Yuheng shook his head in boredom.
Believe Li Hu or believe Lu Yan? This wasn’t a question worth choosing at all. A person like Lu Yan disdained conspiracies and deception, and even more so wouldn’t plot against him regarding the Biluo Yin.
Lu Yan was sometimes so upright that Yin Yuheng found it novel.
Stepping out of the door, Yin Yuheng saw Lu Yan standing in the sunlight from a distance, the edges of his hair dyed with a layer of pale gold, but his features were shrouded in a patch of dark shadow.
Seeing him come, Lu Yan gave a faint nod: “We go to Chaoge today. If you feel any discomfort, inform me immediately.”
Lu Yan paused and added: “I originally wanted you to rest for a while longer, but A-Heng’s soul has been detached for too long, and the final deadline has been reached; it can’t be delayed any further.”
“I understand, I will do my best.”
Lu Yan lowered his eyes: “Thank you.”
When Yin Yuheng stepped onto the carriage, he suddenly looked back. He saw Lu Yan standing among his subordinates, yet felt that this person was somewhat lonely.
“I just saw the young master of the Fox tribe.”
After saying this, Yin Yuheng no longer looked at Lu Yan, boarded the carriage, and let down the curtain.
…
The Demon Emperor’s carriage rode on the clouds and mist at an extremely fast speed. Without much effort, it crossed layers of drifting clouds and dozens of prefectures, landing outside Chaoge City.
This place was about fifty li from Chaoge, surrounded by wild mountains and ridges, with only a single small inn.
Lu Yan got off the carriage.
“A private visit shouldn’t be ostentatious. There is, after all, a gap between the Human and Demon races,” Lu Yan explained, “There is no need to enter the city by carriage.”
Yin Yuheng followed him out, lifted the veiled hat on his head, and looked around curiously. The wind blew across the wilderness, and the grass swayed.
“You…” Lu Yan looked at him and suddenly asked, “Do you have any special feelings?”
Yin Yuheng blinked in confusion: “What?”
Lu Yan fell silent, shook his head after a long while, and said: “Nothing, it’s just that I’m still unwilling to give up hope.”
This was the place where Lu Yan first met A-Heng. Lu Yan still remembered the time when Yin Yuheng lied and said his name was Bai Heng.
Bai Heng… Lu Yan’s gaze swept over Yin Yuheng, he gave a self-deprecating smile and said: “Let’s enter the city.”
Yin Yuheng gave a soft “mm” and smiled: “Your Majesty, don’t be nervous.”
Even after arriving outside Chaoge City, he still hesitated to move forward.
Yin Yuheng thought to himself, Lu Yan was afraid.
Lu Yan took a deep look at Yin Yuheng, raised his hand to perform a hand seal, and the scenery before him changed instantly. With Lu Yan’s level of cultivation, spatial distance was sometimes not an obstacle.
When Yin Yuheng opened his eyes, he saw a stretch of red palace walls. He quickly reacted: “The Crown Prince’s East Palace?”
Lu Yan’s deep voice came from behind: “Yes.”
“Go in,” Lu Yan said with lowered eyes, “The First Prince and the Second Princess are waiting outside the door.”
Perhaps they also didn’t dare to see this person who looked exactly like their younger brother, fearing they couldn’t control their emotions; even more so, they feared that the Biluo Yin would fail to attract the soul, adding only ethereal hope.
Hearing the title of First Prince, Yin Yuheng recalled the dream he had before. He looked back at the main gate and gave an “mm.”
Sunlight passed through the bamboo forest, casting mottled shadows that changed with the wind. As Yin Yuheng walked through the courtyard, he suddenly felt a strange sense of unreality.
He would soon meet the protagonist of this book, the white moonlight in the hearts of countless people, the Crown Prince of the Li Dynasty who was known only by name, and the person with the same name as himself.
This experience was truly novel.
Yin Yuheng lifted the bead curtain of the sleeping palace and saw the light shining through the window, falling on the brocade quilt and the youth’s hair. The other party lay quietly in the bedding with eyes closed in a long sleep, not even his chest rising and falling. His face was pale, his lips colorless, and his ink-black hair was spread out like a piece of flawless jade carving.
Yin Yuheng was dazed for a moment, thinking that he indeed looked so much like his current appearance, with only the slightest difference.
Yin Yuheng took out the Biluo Yin and stepped forward. He sat by the bed, gazing at the person on the bed, and couldn’t help but reach out and touch the other person’s cheek.
…Can the Biluo Yin really recall the scattered soul of the Crown Prince? If this person doesn’t wake up, what will Lu Yan do?
Yin Yuheng came back to his senses, moved his finger away, and silently recited the incantation.
The Biluo Yin emitted a faint green glow. In an instant, a mysterious Daoist charm filled the entire space.
…
Lu Yan stood at the door, his whole body stiff and straight.
The day had finally arrived. Whether the Biluo Yin was useful, whether his A-Heng could wake up… it all depended on this day.
He couldn’t imagine what he would do if A-Heng really never woke up again. He tried his best not to let himself think about this possibility; he was afraid he would truly go insane and no longer have the strength to move forward.
He had to stay well and wait until A-Heng woke up.
“I haven’t told you I love you yet,” Lu Yan said in a voice that was barely audible, “Even if you want to reject me, at least let me hear your voice with my own ears.”
Lu Yan’s fingernails dug into his flesh from tension. After an unknown amount of time, the spiritual energy inside the sleeping palace suddenly became turbulent. Lu Yan’s face changed, and he rushed into the room, only to see Yin Yuheng leaning against the bedstead gasping for breath, the Biluo Yin fallen nearby, its faint green light gradually dissipating.
In an instant, Lu Yan felt the blood in his whole body turn so cold it almost solidified.
He moved his feet mechanically and walked to the bedside.
Yin Yuheng’s eyes were vacant, as if he had had a dream.
Sensing someone approaching, Yin Yuheng murmured: “Searching high in the blue sky and deep in the yellow springs, but nowhere can he be seen…”
The Biluo Yin did not find A-Heng’s soul.
The color drained from Lu Yan’s face bit by bit. He was expressionless as he leaned down and supported himself against the bed, without saying a word.
A thread of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth, dripping onto the bedding.
Had A-Heng’s soul already dissipated?
…He was speechless, unable even to shed tears. When the pain reached its extreme, even sadness and anger seemed sluggish.
At this moment, Lu Yan understood Li Guanghan, who had fallen into a state of possession. With the spiritual energy in turmoil, he also felt as if he were falling into possession. He was naturally a Golden Crow divine bird, born from dazzling fire and light, enjoying countless honors. But at this moment, Lu Yan felt that if he could bring back his A-Heng, he would be willing to give up everything.
As long as A-Heng could wake up.
“Yin Yuheng…”
Lu Yan felt a chaos in his mind. In the chaos, Lu Yan suddenly noticed that from the front of the person on the bed’s inner garment, a feather burning with golden flames had slid out.
The golden light stung his eyes, and Lu Yan recognized that it was his own feather. Lu Yan had once given it as a gift, placing it cherishedly in Yin Yuheng’s embrace.
The Golden Crow Divine Fire on the feather sensed Lu Yan’s mood, flickering restlessly, growing more and more intense, emitting a terrifying temperature, yet it didn’t burn the fair skin of the person on the bed.
The Golden Crow Divine Fire could incinerate everything in the world, yet it could also gently nourish a person’s heart and pulse. When this feather was given to Yin Yuheng by Lu Yan, it became tainted with the aura of Yin Yuheng’s soul. From then on, the Golden Crow Divine Fire could never harm Yin Yuheng in the slightest.
Lu Yan’s love was so earnest; his kindness to his sweetheart was cautious and sincere.
Lu Yan stretched out his hand in a daze, wanting to catch the falling feather, but someone else beat him to it. Lu Yan said subconsciously: “Don’t touch it, it will—” except for A-Heng, anyone else touching this feather would be burned by the flames.
“What’s wrong?”
Yin Yuheng seemed not to have recovered from his dazed state; he held the feather and belatedly showed a confused expression.
And the Golden Crow Divine Fire on the feather swayed gently and tenderly wrapped around Yin Yuheng’s finger.