"Master!"
In the moment before death within the dream, the Qing Mountain Sect Leader seemed to hear Ah Huan's voice.
As if sensing something, a tear traced its way down the Qing Mountain Sect Leader's cheek.
"Ah Huan, using heart's blood... a sacrifice, to exchange for a chance for you to start over..."
"The vengeance Master cannot personally deliver for you... you must deliver... with your own hands..."
The scenes in the dream vanished completely, plunging the Qing Mountain Sect Leader into darkness.
In the room, Song Shihuan's eyes were bloodshot, her teeth biting her lips until they bled, her thin shoulders trembling uncontrollably.
Song Yu was also stunned, wanting to speak but his throat felt blocked, wanting to reach out and pat Song Shihuan's shoulder, yet he forcefully withdrew his hand.
The current Song Shihuan looked as if she couldn't bear even the weight of a feather.
She might collapse at any moment.
Mei Zhilin rushed in, losing his composure as he checked the Qing Mountain Sect Leader's pulse. Feeling a faint flutter, Mei Zhilin let out a heavy sigh of relief.
As long as he wasn't dead.
If this old man died just like that, I'm afraid Mei Zhilin's lifelong reputation would be ruined!
"Your Highness, Princess, the Mystic Physician from the Qingyun Sect has arrived in the capital and will be here shortly."
Song Yu nodded, his mind still occupied by the Sect Leader's two faint, fragmented sentences.
He knew of the events of the past life, so he understood, and that's why he was so heartbroken.
And what about Ah Huan?
This was the first time he had seen Ah Huan like this. Ah Huan must have understood too.
After a few breaths, Song Yu raised his hand and slapped himself hard.
The noise made Song Shihuan turn her stiffened face. Seeing Song Yu's reddened cheek and tears, Song Shihuan raised her hand and numbly wiped them for him.
After wiping for a long time, Song Shihuan's hands seemed to lose all strength and dropped heavily.
"So it wasn't the heavens favoring me, it was Master favoring me."
Her chance to start over was bought with her master's life.
...
The Mystic Physician from Qingyun Sect was practically dragged into the palace by Gu Mingning, like a whirlwind.
Pushing the door open, the physician saw a Crown Prince with a swollen face and a princess with tear-streaked makeup.
Resigned, the Mystic Physician sighed, took out a pre-prepared pill, and administered it to the Qing Mountain Sect Leader.
"Will Master recover after taking this?"
"No." The Mystic Physician's reply was surprisingly gentle.
Song Shihuan couldn't hold back her tears again, wiping them futilely until her face turned red.
"I must trouble Your Highness to personally seek out the Holy Maiden of Miaojiang to retrieve the Gu insect," the Mystic Physician said, then his expression changed slightly. "You haven't, by any chance, also attacked Miaojiang, have you?"
"No, we have not provoked Miaojiang," Song Yu replied immediately.
In fact, it was the Qing Mountain Sect Leader who had proposed peaceful coexistence with Miaojiang.
"That's good. Otherwise, if Miaojiang were to switch the life-saving Gu insect for a poisonous one, it would be over." The Mystic Physician was rather talkative. "The people of Miaojiang are the most petty and hold the longest grudges. Take this letter with you as well. You must be fast. My pill can only preserve his life for one month."
Song Yu left without the slightest hesitation.
The dangers of Miaojiang ranked low in Song Yu's mind at that moment; his head was filled with only one thought... the Qing Mountain Sect Leader absolutely must not die.
The room was left with only Song Shihuan and the Mystic Physician as the healthy, living occupants.
The Mystic Physician watched Song Shihuan for a moment. This young girl, whom the Sect Leader treasured like the apple of his eye, seemed like a string stretched too tight, her eyes clouded with mist.
The physician instinctively felt he should comfort the girl.
"After the Sect Leader left the capital, Princess, have you been well? Has everything gone smoothly, with peace and happiness?"
Song Shihuan cried even harder.
No matter how well or happily she had lived, it was all given by her master.
The Mystic Physician stiffened slightly. It seemed he had said the wrong thing.
"If I speak to Master now, can he hear me?" Song Shihuan looked up at the physician. In that moment, the Mystic Physician finally understood why the Qing Mountain Sect Leader was so deeply concerned for this child with no blood relation.
"Yes."
The Mystic Physician pressed his tongue against his teeth, telling the first lie of his life.
The man was barely hanging on; perhaps the King of Hell was already below, preparing to check his name off the ledger. What could he possibly hear?
Yet the young girl believed it.
She gathered a pile of ancient books and, from early morning, would run over to read to the Qing Mountain Sect Leader, never seeming to tire.
Every hour, she would put down the book to talk to him, recounting in minute detail how she had driven the Ping Wang Manor faction into a corner.
Listening to it made even the Mystic Physician's hair stand on end.
After finishing with Ping Wang Manor, she moved on to Heng Wang Manor, Chu Wang Manor, Qi Wang Manor...
After recounting everything, the young girl rested her face on the Qing Mountain Sect Leader's hand.
Her voice was very soft:
"Master, I have avenged all these grievances, one by one."
...
"How can the Princess's health endure this daily routine?" Yingchun worried so much she also lost weight. The matron prepared all sorts of delicacies every day, yet Song Shihuan barely ate a few bites.
A figure in bright yellow flashed by, and everyone in the courtyard knelt down, their expressions shocked.
"Pay me no mind."
Emperor Yuanyou spoke as he pushed open the door to the room. The Mystic Physician was dozing in a chair, while Song Shihuan kept vigil by the Qing Mountain Sect Leader's bedside.
Hearing the noise, Song Shihuan turned and saw Emperor Yuanyou.
He stopped her attempt to bow, and Emperor Yuanyou lovingly touched Song Shihuan's face. "Don't be afraid. I am the Son of Heaven, protected by the true dragon. I will keep watch with Ah Huan. Even the King of Hell wouldn't dare come."
"Imperial Grandfather..."
The emperor of a nation was, at this moment, merely an old man doting on his granddaughter.
"Sect Leader Qing Mountain has shown you immense kindness. I, too, am grateful to him." Emperor Yuanyou looked at the old man on the bed, whose breath was as thin as a thread. "Your father will certainly bring back the life-saving Gu insect."
He knew the dangers of Miaojiang, yet he did not stop Song Yu.
Emperor Yuanyou understood better than anyone.
Without the Qing Mountain Sect Leader, there would be no Ah Huan today.
Without today's Ah Huan, there would be no Crown Prince of Great Qi today.
The cycle of cause and effect dictated that it should be Yu'er who sought the life-saving Gu insect for the Qing Mountain Sect Leader.
The month passed swiftly, and Song Shihuan's anxiety grew, often staring blankly at the Qing Mountain Sect Leader.
She asked several times a day if her father had returned.
The rainy season arrived, bringing constant drizzle.
Except for holding court, Emperor Yuanyou spent all his time accompanying Song Shihuan. Shen Qingping held off the murmurs of the court officials, working late into the night to handle difficult affairs.
Then, with only two days left until the month's deadline.
A clamor arose from outside the courtyard.
Song Shihuan sprinted outside.
There stood Song Yu, soaked through by the rain. His once meticulously groomed hair was disheveled, plastered wetly to his forehead and the nape of his neck. He looked utterly exhausted.
"Why didn't you use an umbrella?" Song Shihuan rushed towards Song Yu.
"I was riding. I was afraid I'd be late."
