Wei Wuji’s expression was a picture of astonishment. A fine sweat beaded on his forehead. He had always felt a chilling, unsettling aura from Xiao Man, a palpable pressure he had only ever sensed from Du Gu Man. Back then, he’d thought this woman was no ordinary person, never imagining they were one and the same!
However, Wei Wuji quickly banished the thought. “Your Majesty, you are deluded. Her Imperial Majesty, the Empress Dowager, has ascended to immortality.”
Murong Shengrui let out a self-deprecating laugh. He knew Wei Wuji wouldn’t believe him. It wasn’t just Wei Wuji; even he found it hard to accept. He knew Du Gu Man was dead, better than anyone. Yet, he was unwilling to admit it. Countless nights he had held her cold body, trying to warm her, but there was no life, no warmth. But the moment he first saw Xiao Man, he knew. She had returned, even if she looked different. Her eyes, however, he could never mistake.
Wei Wuji interpreted Murong Shengrui’s silence as his inability to refute him, choosing to indulge in self-deception. If deception made him feel any better, Wei Wuji was willing to humor him.
“Wei Wuji, do you remember the fireworks in Jinling city that night?” Murong Shengrui asked after a long silence, his voice faint. “The Lycoris radiata blooming in the night sky, didn’t they resemble the guiding flowers by the River of Oblivion?”
“Your Majesty, are you tired? It’s dark. Please, have something to eat and rest.” Wei Wuji believed Murong Shengrui was exhausted and hallucinating. Anyone could set off fireworks. The blooming Lycoris radiata didn’t necessarily mean it was Du Gu Man; it could be a deliberate misdirection.
Murong Shengrui stopped and sat down, leaning against the wall. He was indeed tired. His life had been a constant struggle, each day lived amidst schemes and counter-schemes. He had schemed for Du Gu Man’s affection, her heart, her very being, only to end up with nothing. If he had been honest, would he and A’Man have had a different ending?
Murong Shengrui closed his eyes and fell asleep. In his dream, he and Du Gu Man had not broken apart. They had conquered the world together, invincible. Their hearts were in sync, with no barriers between them. They lived happily, with a pair of adorable children, growing old together, still cherishing each other as their whole world.
The dream was beautiful, and he wished he could stay in it forever. But dreams are just dreams. Wei Wuji gently shook Murong Shengrui awake. “Your Majesty, it’s dawn. Shall we continue?”
Murong Shengrui took the water Wei Wuji offered, took a sip, stood up, brushed the dust from his clothes, and walked forward resolutely. He had come here, and he had no intention of turning back!
As Nangong Yu and Chu Qingge navigated through the area, they unexpectedly encountered Xiao Man and another person, who were in pursuit of Feng Moran.
“A’Yu, Sister-in-law.”
“A’Man!” Chu Qingge, upon seeing Xiao Man, was overwhelmed with tears of joy. She had thought she might never see her again. To encounter her so soon was a miracle.
Xiao Man rushed forward. “Are you both alright?”
Nangong Yu, noticing Xiao Man’s thin clothing, frowned. He took off his outer robe and draped it over her. “You are weak. Why aren’t you wearing more? If you catch a chill and it settles into your bones, it will be detrimental.”
Cen Yu chuckled upon seeing this, his gaze falling on the child in Chu Qingge’s arms. “Is this Xiao Luo’s child?”
“No, it’s an abandoned infant. Zi Yang and Yin Zhu, have you seen him?” Nangong Yu asked gently.
Xiao Man nodded. “We’ve seen him. Sister-in-law, Zi Yang is well and safe. Don’t worry.”
“It’s good that Zi Yang is alright. As long as he’s okay, I’m relieved,” Chu Qingge breathed a sigh of relief.
“Cen Yu, could you escort my sister-in-law out?” Xiao Man asked, looking at Cen Yu.
“No,” Cen Yu refused without hesitation. “I followed you in only to ensure your safety. I don’t want Mo Han’s child to lose his mother after losing his father.”
Xiao Man didn’t press the issue. In the Demon City, she couldn’t send a signal, as it would expose their location and put them in danger. Moreover, she didn’t feel comfortable letting Chu Qingge return alone, so she had to continue forward with her.
“It feels like we’re going down,” Chu Qingge said, a hint of confusion in her voice. “Did we take a wrong turn?”
“No, we didn’t,” Xiao Man said, holding up a luminous pearl for light. “The treasury is underground. The Demon City above is merely a facade. There are no treasures, and even if there were, they’ve all been taken.”
“How did you know that the treasury of the Former Qin was hidden beneath the Demon City?” Cen Yu asked, perplexed.
“Didn’t you and Mo Han study the puzzle box? You must know something about the secrets within. Why are you asking me now?”
Cen Yu was taken aback. “It was Mo Han who studied the puzzle box, not me. I can’t understand those complicated symbols. Even Mo Han couldn’t fully decipher them, let alone me.”
“The script of the Former Qin is indeed obscure. However, with Mo Han’s intelligence, it wouldn’t be an insurmountable challenge. Even if he couldn’t decipher everything, he could certainly grasp most of it.”
“That’s true. I’ve never met anyone as clever as Mo Han. If he hadn’t met you, he would have…” Cen Yu stopped mid-sentence. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to say more, but the deceased were gone. No amount of words could change that, and in the end, it was Wen Mo Han’s own choice.
“You are his nemesis.”
Xiao Man nodded in agreement. Wasn’t that the truth? Mo Han should have had a brilliant future, but because of her, he abandoned everything and followed her to Blue Moon, content to be the man behind her. It was a difficult feat for most men to achieve.
Hearing them discuss Wen Mo Han, Nangong Yu felt a pang of discomfort, but he didn’t retort. The living must look forward. No one could deny Mo Han’s sincerity towards Xiao Man, not even him. Furthermore, he had died for Xiao Man. In Xiao Man’s heart, no one could surpass him, not even him.
“By the way, Your Imperial Majesty Yu, why aren’t you guarding your throne and instead running around in the Demon City? Are you here to snatch treasures?” Cen Yu asked provocatively.
Nangong Yu, leading the way, remained unperturbed by Cen Yu’s taunt. “Watch your step. The path here is uneven.”
“Nangong Yu, you think that now that Mo Han is gone, you can just step in?” Cen Yu, not receiving an answer from Nangong Yu, retorted sharply. “They have a child, and you are merely a passerby.”
“Yes, I know. Jun Yan will call me Father-in-law in the future,” Nangong Yu said faintly.