Chapter Nine
1148 Words
The wind stopped.
Even the Spirit Spring became unnaturally still.
Mo Xuanyuan slowly turned toward the heavenly guard.
His jade-green eyes were colder than frozen stars.
“Repeat what you said.”
The guard immediately knelt.
“My Lord…”
“The Heavenly Archive has been breached.”
“The Seventh Seal was broken.”
“The Chronicle of Forgotten Lifetimes is gone.”
Every immortal present paled.
Lingxi looked from one face to another.
“What is the Chronicle?”
No one answered.
Even Lady Mingyuan remained silent.
It was as though merely speaking its name invited disaster.
Mo Xuanyuan finally spoke.
“When was it stolen?”
“Less than half an incense stick ago.”
“Casualties?”
“Three Heavenly Guardians.”
“They…”
The guard lowered his head.
“…their souls were erased.”
Lingxi’s breathing caught.
Not killed.
Erased.
…
Mo Xuanyuan’s expression darkened.
He looked toward the northern sky.
The clouds above Heaven had begun turning black.
Someone…
Had entered the most heavily guarded place in the Nine Heavens.
Killed three immortal guardians.
Escaped with the most f*******n record ever written.
Whoever it was…
They wanted war.
“Seal every Heavenly Gate.”
His command echoed across the valley.
“No one enters.”
“No one leaves.”
The generals struck their fists against their chests.
“Yes, My Lord!”
One by one…
They vanished into streaks of light.
…
Lingxi watched in confusion.
“What exactly is written inside that scroll?”
Lady Mingyuan answered before anyone else could.
“The truth.”
Lingxi frowned.
“The truth about what?”
The old woman smiled sadly.
“The truth…”
“…that Heaven buried.”
Before Lingxi could ask another question—
“My Lady.”
Mo Xuanyuan’s voice interrupted her.
Lady Mingyuan looked at him.
The meaning in his eyes was unmistakable.
Do not tell her.
Not yet.
The old woman sighed.
She lowered her gaze.
“As you command.”
Lingxi looked between them.
“What are you hiding?”
No answer.
She folded her arms.
“I dislike it when people talk as though I’m not standing here.”
Mo Xuanyuan finally looked at her.
“You are not ready.”
“I’ll decide that.”
“No.”
“I deserve the truth.”
“When you can survive it.”
His words struck strangely.
Not cruelly.
Sadly.
Almost…
As though he feared the truth himself.
…
Moments later…
The Jade Palace erupted into chaos.
Immortal soldiers flew across the heavens.
Protective formations activated one after another.
Ancient bells rang endlessly.
Every citizen of Heaven knew.
Something terrible had happened.
…
Lingxi wandered toward the palace library.
No one stopped her.
Everyone was too busy.
As she rounded a corner…
She heard voices.
“… Did you hear?”
“The Chronicle recorded every life ever lived.”
“So the rumors are true?”
“It even includes futures that never happened.”
“And the names of those whose destinies have been rewritten.”
Lingxi froze.
Rewritten?
Could destiny…
Be changed?
Before she could hear more—
A hand suddenly covered her mouth.
She nearly screamed.
A young man whispered urgently,
“Don’t make a sound.”
He pulled her behind a stone pillar.
The footsteps of several heavenly guards passed by.
Only after they disappeared did he let go.
Lingxi immediately stepped back.
“Who are you?”
The young man smiled.
He looked only a few years older than she was.
Unlike the solemn immortals around the palace, his robes were untidy.
His long dark hair wasn’t tied properly.
A bamboo flute hung lazily from his waist.
He looked more like a wandering scholar than an immortal.
“My name is Feng Yan.”
He bowed dramatically.
“Official troublemaker of the Jade Palace.”
Lingxi blinked.
“That’s… a title?”
“I gave it to myself.”
She laughed.
The first genuine laugh she’d had in days.
“You are definitely not like everyone else here.”
“I take that as a compliment.”
He glanced around cautiously.
“So…”
“You’re the famous mortal.”
“I’m famous?”
“Oh yes.”
“The girl who broke Lord Xuanyuan’s jade pendant.”
“The girl who argued with him.”
“The girl who called him impossible.”
“The servants are placing bets.”
Lingxi groaned.
“Bets?”
“On how long you’ll survive.”
“…Wonderful.”
Feng Yan grinned.
“My money says you’ll last a month.”
“Only a month?”
“I was being generous.”
She punched his shoulder lightly.
“You’re awful.”
“So I’ve been told.”
Their laughter echoed softly through the corridor.
Far above…
Standing on a distant balcony…
Mo Xuanyuan watched them.
His expression remained unreadable.
A heavenly general approached carefully.
“My Lord…”
“The investigation has begun.”
Mo Xuanyuan didn’t answer.
His eyes remained fixed on Feng Yan.
Specifically…
On how close he was standing to Lingxi.
The general hesitated.
“My Lord?”
Without looking away…
Mo Xuanyuan calmly asked,
“Who permitted Feng Yan to leave his punishment?”
The general swallowed.
“He… escaped.”
“I see.”
Silence.
Then—
“Double it.”
The general blinked.
“My Lord?”
“His punishment.”
“Double it.”
“One thousand copies of the Heavenly Discipline Manual.”
“… Now make it two.”
Far below…
Feng Yan suddenly sneezed.
He rubbed his nose.
“Strange.”
“I suddenly have a terrible feeling.”
Lingxi laughed.
“You finally developed a conscience?”
“I hope not.”
“It sounds unpleasant.”
She laughed even harder.
Watching her smile…
Mo Xuanyuan slowly closed his eyes.
For just a heartbeat…
He saw another woman.
Another lifetime.
Standing beneath blooming peach blossoms.
Laughing…
Exactly the same way.
His hand instinctively reached toward the cracked jade pendant at his waist.
It pulsed with a faint emerald light.
A memory flickered—
A young woman in white reaching toward him.
Blood on her hands.
Tears in her eyes.
“Xuanyuan…”
“Don’t wait for me…”
The vision shattered.
Mo Xuanyuan opened his eyes sharply.
His breathing was uneven.
For the first time in centuries.
Lady Mingyuan appeared silently beside him.
“You remembered again.”
“It grows stronger.”
She looked toward Lingxi.
“The seal is weakening.”
Mo Xuanyuan nodded once.
“I know.”
Lady Mingyuan’s voice became heavy.
“If she remembers before the right time…”
“…the cycle will begin again.”
He looked toward the endless heavens.
His answer was almost a whisper.
“Then…”
“I will break the cycle.”
Even if it meant…
Defying Heaven itself.
- Writer
