In a barren landscape, an icy river winds through plains where semi-wild deer roam. The cityscape is shrouded in smoke from foggy mountains, and in the distance lies the Qinghai state. At the center is Chaka Salt Lake, home to wild swans, with the Chu Jing Kingdom situated nearby.
Snow begins to fall on the snow-capped mountaintops, signaling the arrival of winter as the autumn leaves fall. A man sits in meditation amidst this wintry scene. The Yuwen parrot, still sleepy, remains quiet, but the master is awake, even with his eyes closed.
Dark hawk birds circle the Chu Jing Kingdom, which is surrounded by thorns and thistles. After an hour of travel, you reach a labyrinth of green tea fields. The area is filled with traps, mounted killing machines, and dungeons, leading to the underworld spy headquarters.
Though now inactive and poorly maintained, the headquarters still bears remnants of its former grandeur, despite the damage from Yuwen Hao's "celestial warfare" operation.
In the inner courtyard, the old ruins of the Chu Jing palace and its training grounds are partially restored by some residents. The lake nearby is stunning: it reflects the golden sun by day and mirrors the moon at night. Wild swans glide across its calm waters, which are partly covered in snow and partly clear blue.
The lake, known as the "Mirror of the Sky," is a breathtaking sight. It features a landscape of flowers and birds of paradise. From a distance, it's hard to tell where the lake ends and the sky begins, creating an illusion that the lake and sky are seamlessly blended.
Before the captured men could wake up from their confusion, Viper had already gathered them in Chu Jing's prison, known as the "prison with no walls."
The men began to question their situation, asking, "Where are we? Why are we here? Where are Zuo and Master brother?" They were bewildered by their surroundings and the beauty of the place.
Chu Qiao, dressed in a white casual princess costume with a rattan hat and an indigo veil covering her face, walked by. The men were captivated by her appearance, with the lake and landscape serving as a stunning backdrop.
After meditating, Yuwen Yue and his brothers descended into a scenic landscape they had never seen before. They had traveled for seven days to reach this new area, starting from the First Mountain Pass of the Great Wall of China.
Yuwen Yue gave a final briefing to his group: "Zuo and everyone, in every battle, we must adapt our strategies. The women who captured our brothers are both clever and dangerous. We must maintain our cover, or we risk falling into their hands."
Their previous success against a thousand troops had seemed like child's play, but now they faced a more daunting challenge with just two women.
As they awaited updates from their five spy brothers, Zuo relayed some troubling news to Yuwen Yue, who looked visibly angry.
"Our rapid blade, flashing spear, and flying dagger brothers are missing. Additionally, there's a dark kingdom in the middle of the area that remains unexplored. Our spies report that no one has dared approach its borders," Zuo said.
Yuwen Yue gave Zuo a cold look and said, "We'll need more time to scout and study the terrain."
Zuo asked, "Can we survive hell and come out as angels?"
Yuwen Yue replied, "It's not the world that's cruel, but the people in it."
Zuo responded, "Then we'll teach these cruel people a lesson."
Yuwen Yue added, "It's not as cruel as it seems. A crime scene with no crime is a clever trap." He smiled at Zuo, who understood.
Zuo, still not pleased, said, "To hell we go!"
Yuwen Yue urged, "We don't want to find our brothers in darkness. Move out!" They proceeded down with their warriors, spies, and staff.
Once in the city, they blended in and conducted surveillance, careful not to draw suspicion. However, a group of bystanders framed the stick warrior by planting stolen fruit in his pocket.
When the fruit vendor confronted them, he found the persimmon fruit in the stick warrior's pocket. The vendor and the bystander leader accused him of theft, despite his protests.
One of the staff warriors was about to confront the vendor and leader, but Zuo stopped him. The scene attracted attention from the crowd.
With his eyes closed, Zuo said, "This isn't right. Let my friend go," signaling for the stick warrior's release.
The bystander leader accused the stick warrior of stealing persimmon fruit and said he would report him to the Qinghai ministerial office.
Zuo replied, "I saw one of your bystanders put the fruit in his pocket and then run away. He didn't steal it. Let my friend go." Zuo gave them a cold look and twitched his palms.
When the bystander leader struck Zuo, Zuo anticipated the attack, sliding and dodging with his eyes closed, mimicking Yuwen Yue's fighting style. This surprised the bystander leader and made him more furious.
"I said, let my friend go," Zuo repeated with his eyes still closed. When they ignored him and attacked again, Zuo continued to sidestep them. The bystander leader kicked the stick warrior and tried to push him aside, but Zuo intervened, grabbing the bystander leader's foot and throwing him to defend his friend.
The bystander leader, realizing Zuo was a Shaolin monk, rallied his colleagues to fight Zuo. A chaotic scene unfolded in the marketplace.
Yuwen Yue, gathering information nearby, was informed by his spies about the fight. He rushed to the scene but arrived to find Qinghai palace officers already capturing Zuo, the stick warrior, and the rest of their group.
Yuwen Yue confronted the Qinghai palace guards, asking, "Wait, what happened? Where are you taking them?"
The head guard, initially dismissive, noticed the Poe Yue Jian sword at Yuwen Yue's waist and was stunned. He looked at Yuwen Yue with a mix of shock and disbelief, unable to speak.
Yuwen Yue, noticing the guard's reaction, asked, "Are you alright?" He bent down to check on him, puzzled by his behavior.
The head guard, shorter than Yuwen Yue, finally spoke, "Why are you dressed like this, mister? You didn't inform us you'd be touring this afternoon."
Yuwen Yue was confused by the comment but recalled a similar figure he had seen before. Adopting an aristocratic tone, he said, "I would appreciate it if you could let my friends go."
The head guard, still in awe, replied, "We will let them go, but you must come with us."
Zuo, bound and frustrated, shouted, "He can't go with you!"
The head guard, with a fatherly tone, said to Yuwen Yue, "Even if you are a prince, outside you're just an ordinary person. Please come with us for your own safety."
Before Yuwen Yue could respond, Zuo said, "If he goes, we all go."
The guards escorted Yuwen Yue and his brothers to the Qinghai palace. Yuwen Yue saw this as an opportunity to gather more information.
The head guard was deep in thought. He was puzzled by the resemblance between Yuwen Yue and Qinghai's 2nd Prince, Viceroy Ra Zheng, and the significance of the Poe Yue Jian sword. He wondered if they might be the same person or if Yuwen Yue was someone else entirely.
Upon arriving at the Qinghai Palace grounds, Yuwen Yue marveled at its grandeur. The palace was majestic, with every corner guarded by soldiers wielding spears. The guards showed deference to Yuwen Yue, their eyes lingering on the Poe Yue Jian sword at his waist. The band of brothers observed the reverence with a mix of awe and curiosity.
Yuwen Yue remained vigilant, sensing an underlying danger despite the palace's splendor. His demeanor was guarded, eyes sharp, as he noted the subtle tension in the air.
The head guard directed Yuwen Yue to a waiting area, where he would meet the 2nd Prince Viceroy Ra Zheng. The rest of Yuwen Yue's band was untied and waited outside, prepared to act if needed. They kept a close watch, ready to protect their Master brother at a moment's notice.
The secret spy, known only to Prince Ra Zheng, reported that someone outside the palace resembles him and is carrying the Poe Yue Jian sword. This spy, rarely seen by others, is tasked with monitoring and informing the prince of events both inside and outside the Qinghai palace.
Prince Ra Zheng, dressed in pure white silk Hanfu with a cold demeanor and delicate features, looked outside and speculated, "Could he be the crown prince or my younger brother? If so, I must meet him and introduce myself."
Prince Ra Zheng, feeling a mix of excitement and anticipation, instructed his servants to let Yuwen Yue enter the palace, leaving his sword with him. Yuwen Yue was escorted inside to meet the prince.
Meanwhile, the King of Qinghai had spun a different narrative about the missing sword and his son. He told his ministers and the public that the crown prince had been hidden away for years in a secret palace and was being trained to return with the Poe Yue Jian sword to defend the empire.
As Yuwen Yue entered the palace, Prince Ra Zheng turned to face him. With a warm but authoritative tone, he greeted Yuwen Yue as "Crown Prince Ra Yue" and gave him a slight embrace. Yuwen Yue, initially surprised and unsure, accepted the hug. Despite the earlier jest about being the prince's brother, Yuwen Yue felt a genuine welcome from Ra Zheng.
Prince Ra Zheng, with his hands on Yuwen Yue's shoulders, said warmly, "What took you so long to return to our kingdom? You look as handsome as your brother. Come, let's eat together."
He instructed the Head Eunuch to prepare a feast and ensure Yuwen Yue's private army was well-treated.
Yuwen Yue, unsure how to address himself without his usual attire or insignia, decided to introduce himself as the Master brother. He was puzzled by the prince's belief that they were twin brothers.
Ra Zheng, sensing Yuwen Yue's confusion, reassured him, "I know this is new to you, but you'll get used to it."
As they walked to the banquet hall, Yuwen Yue was surprised to see Zuo and his band of brothers waiting there. They bowed respectfully, and Ra Zheng remarked, "Your Highness, are these the private armies Father gave you?"
Yuwen Yue gave Zuo a sharp look, signaling him to stay silent. He then addressed Ra Zheng, "Prince Ra Zheng, I refer to them as my band of brothers."
Ra Zheng responded, "You must have been through much together. We are brothers, not just in name but by blood."
Yuwen Yue, wanting to avoid upsetting the prince, merely nodded and acknowledged the prince's sentiment.
At the banquet, Prince Zheng welcomed Yuwen Yue and his brothers, emphasizing their resemblance as "twin brothers." The band of brothers were surprised by this, but they remained silent.
As they dined, Zuo and the others were awestruck by the royal feast. Prince Zheng toasted with a jade goblet, "To my brother, the Qinghai Crown Prince Ra Yue," and Yuwen Yue toasted in return.
The afternoon was filled with lively conversation, shared stories of brotherhood, and a sense of comfort as Yuwen Yue and Prince Zheng enjoyed their time together, reflecting on their shared history.