Chapter Thirty-Four: The True Martial Sovereign

After a long silence, the old immortal finally spoke to Qin Xiaomo, “Miss, it’s time for you to leave this place. Outside, your friends are waiting for you.”

Seeing the old immortal about to cast a spell with a wave of his hand, Qin Xiaomo quickly spoke up, “Wait, may I ask one last question?”

“Speak!” The old immortal paused.

“What is this place? Who are you?”

“This is the inside of my turtle shell.” Another burst of hearty laughter followed, and a blinding white light flashed before Qin Xiaomo’s eyes. The brilliance was dazzling, and then she vanished into the radiance.

The old immortal squinted, stroking his beard with the satisfied air of a benefactor expecting gratitude. “Come out! Hiding in the shadows to eavesdrop is hardly befitting an Emperor’s demeanor! If word got out, it would make your master, the Sage of Primordial Chaos, laugh his whiskers off.”

“Ahem! You old turtle…” Qian Mubai and Jiang Wei stepped out from the darkness. Before Qian Mubai could finish his complaint, he suddenly felt a weight on his foot. Looking down, the little white ball of fluff clung to his leg as if reuniting with a long-lost family member, refusing to let go. Only then did Qian Mubai remember that Qin Xiaomo had left without taking it. Fortunately, it couldn’t speak yet, so he let it hug him as it pleased.

“Oh, the Devourer Beast is still here. Why not let it stay and keep me company?” The old immortal laughed as he reached out to take it, but Qian Mubai was quicker, scooping the creature into his arms and shielding it from the old immortal’s grasp. His wife’s spirit pet couldn’t be handed over so carelessly—what if she couldn’t find her little white ball and started to cry?

“Look at how stingy you are! I helped you by opening all her meridians. Don’t you think I deserve a proper thank you?” The old immortal boasted shamelessly.

Qian Mubai deliberately turned his body, keeping the white ball farther away, clutching it tightly like a koala afraid of being snatched away. The little creature clung to his arm with all four limbs.

“All right, all right! The wine from Flower Valley City will do.” The old immortal relented. “I suppose after searching for your wife for ten thousand years, it’s only natural you’d be so protective. But tell me, is that girl from the modern world really her?”

Qian Mubai drew a jade bottle from his sleeve. Even before the cap was off, the aroma reached the old immortal’s nose. He snatched it away, took two hearty gulps, wiped his mouth, and finally looked satisfied. “Since I settled here by West Bridge Lake, I haven’t tasted such fine wine in many years.”

“It’s her,” Qian Mubai replied without raising his eyes, recalling Qin Xiaomo’s gentle look and her slender fingers stroking the white ball’s fur.

“You’re certain?”

“She can wield the Xuanli Blade,” Qian Mubai said softly.

“What! You mean that priceless treasure, the Xuanli Blade, which has been kept at Wenyao’s shop for generations?”

“Yes.”

“Incredible, incredible. The Xuanli Blade was your wife’s weapon—crafted from Xuan gold. After all these millennia, even its descendants have transformed into serpents, let alone the blade itself! It’s surely become sentient by now and chosen its master. Then it must be her.” The old immortal mused.

“By the way, did you know there’s been a problem with the Heavenly Cycle Wheel?” Qian Mubai’s expression turned grave.

“I’ve heard about it. But there’s something strange about the matter.”

“What do you mean?”

“I sent a message to your master to ask about the celestial signs at the time. There was indeed an eclipse, which coincides with the day of energy renewal. Though the renewal requires several times more energy than usual, it still shouldn’t have been enough to damage the wheel.” The old immortal pondered.

“You mean… it was deliberately sabotaged?”

“Exactly!” The old immortal nodded emphatically.

“With what purpose?”

“That remains unclear, but it’s always the same—power struggles, cultivation, and the like.”

“Recently, activity in the Three Counties has increased. Master Yangliu of the Heavenly County is holding open selections for disciples. Could it be…?” Qian Mubai began, but the old immortal cut him off, “Oh, so that’s why you suddenly appeared at my turtle’s den! You want her to become Yangliu’s disciple.”

“Not entirely. I did want to discuss the matter of the Heavenly Cycle Wheel with you. After all, no one in the Four Seas keeps secrets better than you—and you’re the cleverest.”

“That’s true!” The old immortal preened, stroking his beard. “But tell me—your cultivation far surpasses mine. Why not teach her yourself? Why bring her to my cave?”

“The Dao of Heaven must not be defied. I guided her here, and if you choose to accept her and open her meridians, that is fate. If I were to force it, I’d be breaking the natural order and destroying the law. Heaven’s thunder would not rest until it struck me for three days and nights, and I don’t have time to waste on that.” Qian Mubai finished his explanation and drained the tea on the old immortal’s stone table in one gulp. “Enough, old man, it’s getting late. My wife is probably already outside the cave. I’ll see you next time.” Qian Mubai grabbed two red immortal fruits from the table, handed one to Jiang Wei, and the two of them left together.

The old immortal hurried after them, shouting, “You’re stealing my immortal fruit again! And stop calling me old man—I’ve told you a thousand times, my name is Zhenwu, Emperor Zhenwu!”

When Qin Xiaomo opened her eyes again, she found herself standing by a vast lake. The shore was lined with weeping willows and blossoming peach trees, the sun had risen above the horizon, and birdsong mingled with the fragrance of flowers and the enticing scents of buns, fried dough, and noodles. A road led from the lakeside to the marketplace, and already people were bustling about, hurrying to sell their homegrown produce, poultry, and livestock at the market.

“Miss Qin, isn’t that Miss Qin? At last, we’ve found you!” Red Mole’s voice trembled with relief, tears nearly in his eyes. “If we hadn’t found you soon, the young mistress would have had us turn the whole city upside down.”

“I’m back now, everything’s fine.” Qin Xiaomo looked around, then asked Coldface, “Where is Qian Mubai?” She didn’t even know why she blurted out his name.

“The young master is waiting for you in the carriage!” Coldface was equally excited. Perhaps it was the relief of finally finding her—they wouldn’t have to run around in confusion anymore.

Without another word, Qin Xiaomo headed straight for the carriage not far ahead. “Huh? Jiang Wei, what are you doing here?”

“The young master sent me a message by carrier pigeon. As soon as I heard the young mistress was missing, I hurried straight here.” Jiang Wei stood beside the carriage, smiling at her.

There was something odd about Jiang Wei’s smile that Qin Xiaomo couldn’t place. It was as if he knew everything, but just wouldn’t tell her.

She turned to look at the horse. Its coloring matched the one from before. “You found the horse?”

Red Mole scratched his head, puzzled. “The horse was never lost!”

“Wait—where’s my white ball? Oh no, did that old immortal eat it?” Ever since she’d crossed over, she hadn’t seen her white ball, and the more she thought about it, the more convinced she became. She was about to turn and leave.

“Miss Qin, come back! Your spirit pet is with the young mistress,” Red Mole called after her.

Everything felt strange this time. As if nothing had changed, and yet everything had changed. Details didn’t match up, but she couldn’t say exactly why.

“Let’s find a tavern and have a proper meal first. We can talk over food,” Qian Mubai’s voice finally came from within the carriage.