A man dressed in peasant farmer clothes, with a straw hat that hides his face and worn-out footwear, was walking through a city market. Although he appeared healthy and well from a distance, he drew the curiosity of a group of ten bystanders who surrounded him. The peasant stopped in the middle of the street, bowed his head, and clenched his fists. The leader of the bystanders, who approached him from behind, noticed something unusual: the peasant's hat obscured his face, but the leader saw a symbol resembling sword-shaped eyebrows on the peasant's closed eyes.
The bystander leader put back the straw hat and said: "teach him to become humble,"
He went back to the surrounding men and started to pick a fight.
Suddenly attacks from left and right came out from the men surrounding him and started to punch and kick towards the peasant man. The man being evident as outlandish from the city did not fight back. He was beaten hard by this bystander group. When he was almost crawling in the ground the bystander leader came forward, sat down and lifted the jaw of the peasant man.
Looked at him, he said: "isn't this enough?"
The bystander leader looks at him and seems there is no hint of humbleness shown from his bloody face.
The leader ordered the group to take the man and said: "if humbleness is not enough, then we'll teach you what underworld is all about."
The bystander leader sends the eye signal to the group, they took the peasant man in the mossy forest.
For some reason, the peasant man although he is able to fight back, he lets these bystanders do what they wanted to do to him, leaving them all tired for the day. The peasant man now hanged to a gigantic pine tree. The neck is tied in a thick rope strangling it, there is a lone post standing on the ground, and the feet is tied above.
One of the bystanders is axing the lower part of the post. Quite halfway, before it falls. Maybe its the end of the peasant man's world who can tell? No humbleness is shown, in his face or his eyes. It remains expressionless. Already as if dead in the inside yet, looking proud in the outside. His defined angled face shows tired eyes.
He thought of himself: "If this is the only way to find you again then so be it."
Afternoon came, a cold mossy forest is waiting for the sundown. Many dark hawks birds started to fly, and the bat caves flew in circle direction. Different insect sounds heard, and an eerie feeling of ferocious beasts makes their presence known.
The bystander group knows this route very well, and they told themselves to teach what underworld looks like to this poor man who is just hanging over the tree and almost shows no hope at all.
The bystander leader made fun of the erected post, In three, swinging of ax could make this gigantic tree fall.
The peasant man have nothing in mind, listens, and never fought back. He already accepted this fate may be better rather than go back to see the brothers to let them know the real thing.
On the last swing of the ax, suddenly someone showed up.
She took it by force.
Everyone looked at the long-stranded rope that binds the axe, then a strong pull from its hands.
All of a sudden a hellish face, an eyes like the bloody red vampire, thirsts in the blood of their necks.
Exposing her face, came in the middle facing all of them.
Their knees like a soft bamboo, a creepy feeling issued on air, seems they were the ones who are going to taste the underworld before their victim does. The woman got the ax on her hands and swings the whip, everyone then we're all caught by it. Feeling its pain, it left a mark to their arms. Like a fang of bite to their muscles.
"How many times must you learn not to make a joke of the underworld?" she said in a husky, menacing voice, echoing with a hint of an owl's hoot.
"It looks like it's you who needs to learn humility now."
Spoken on a foxy, husky voice, a hint of bass howling sounds of owls.
Suddenly, everyone's attention was fixed on her. She was stunningly beautiful, with a black hood and a captivating, foxy face. A fragrant scent, like the early dew of plum blossoms, surrounded her. As the cold wind blew, the scene felt dreamlike, pulling everyone back to reality and focusing their gaze on
One of the bystander leaders yelled, "They're enchanted from the underworld! Everyone, get out! Run for your lives! They'll take your souls to the underworld!"
The group fled the mossy forest, leaving the peasant man hanging from the tree. The woman, seeing the straw hat on the ground, and the other woman with a hellish face, used the ax to cut the rope. The whip quickly caught the peasant before he fell.
As the rope was removed from his neck, the peasant saw the woman's face and asked softly, "Is this what the underworld looks like?" He then closed his eyes and passed out.
Feeling pity, Chu Qiao told Viper, "Put him on the horse. If we don't help him now, he'll be dead by tomorrow."
"Yes," Viper replied. She lifted the peasant, placed him on a black horse with his feet hanging down and his body resting against the horse's back.
The night fox howls into the deep of mossy forest.
The three warm bodies slowed down a bit on their journey trailing a thousand caves.
As the sun rose, Yuwen Yue woke up feeling better. He looked around and asked, "Zuo, where are we?"
Before Zuo could answer, Zao interrupted, "Your Highness, didn't you ask about the keys to the secret doors of Chu Jing Kingdom?"
Realizing he was being carried on Zuo's back, Yuwen Yue felt a bit embarrassed. He straightened his clothes and adjusted his appearance, standing tall.
Zuo, seeing his master's concern for his appearance, thought to himself, "Thank the gods, he's okay."
Noticing a murmured comment, Yuwen Yue asked, "Are you praying to the gods?"
Zuo replied, "Your Highness, why would I pray when I am walking with one?"
Zao smirked and added, "Yes, only a god could save you from that poison."
Yuwen Yue gave them both a cold stare, as if annoyed.
Zuo then said to Zao with a smile, "If you're a god, then you're the worst one!"
Zao smirked and responded, "Young people nowadays! If you weren't like Yue Qi, this god wouldn't have saved you!"
Curious, Zuo asked, "Who is Yue Qi?" with a sly smile.
Zao said, "Why ask me?" and looked at Yuwen Yue, who was deep in thought.
Sensing Zao's gaze, Yuwen Yue said, "Enough of this. Both of you, stay still." A bird then landed on his shoulder and tweeted, "Yue Qi dead, dead, dead."
"Yue Qi is dead?" Zuo asked, but there was only silence between Zao and Yuwen Yue.
Suddenly, the skyshadow woman arrived, showing Zao an ax and a thick rope. "All is clear except for this," she said.
Yuwen Yue examined the items and noticed signs in the mossy forest: horses' hooves and footprints. "Someone was here. It might have been a group," he said.
With his sharp investigative skills, Yuwen Yue decided to let his company rest while he and Zuo explored further. He muttered, "A bonfire, a stand post, a gigantic pine tree, a rope, an ax, horse hooves, footprints, and tiny petals of plum blossoms."
In a quick flashback, Yuwen Yue mentally replayed the scene. He said to Zuo, "Someone was strangled here. There's no trace of blood. The victim was hanged from the tree. Someone was chopping at the post, and just before the final swing, someone stopped it. It looks like many people fled, scared of someone who has a fragrant plum blossom scent."
Yuwen Yue then opened his eyes and said, "No need to search further. This happened yesterday afternoon, and the perpetrators left by twilight. We can't track them now; the sun is up."
Zuo, amazed by his master's keen sense of smell and ability to piece together the events, scratched his head. Yuwen Yue didn't share everything with Zuo but suspected it involved the secret princess, her spies, and a victim taken from the pine tree.
Left alone, Zao and the Skyshadow woman discussed the situation. The Skyshadow woman asked, "Are we going to help the man with the Poe Yue Jian sword?"
Zao explained, "I've known Yuwen Yue since he was a child, the esteemed fourth young master and son of Yuwen Hao, the master of the Eyes of God. I saw him with the Poe Yue Jian sword when he visited my boutique with his female spy. I even trapped them in a cave but didn't kill them. I gave the female spy some of my belongings to help her, including maps, wings, underworld clothing, and a black sword, to aid in killing Yuwen Yue's uncle, Yuwen Xi, and avenge Chu Jing Kingdom. At that time, I didn't realize Yuwen Yue was the lost son of the Qinghai King."
The Skyshadow woman asked, "Why can't just anyone use the Poe Yue Jian sword?"
Zao replied, "Only someone bestowed by the Qinghai King can wield it. Yuwen Hao might have given the sword to Yuwen Yue during the chaos and recognized him as his true son. There are also stories about the icy lake tragedy and rumors that Yuwen Yue's mother might have hidden him with a noble family, but nothing is confirmed."
Zao concluded, "Yuwen Yue is the lost son of the Qinghai King, as shown by his use of the Poe Yue Jian sword. It's not the right time to reveal more secrets in the mossy forest."
Zao paused and added, "There are many stories, and Luo He, our underworld spy leader, knows them well. I'm not sure how everything came together today, but only the Qinghai King can truly understand the power of the Poe Yue Jian sword and pass it to the rightful heir."
Looking directly at the Skyshadow woman, Zao noticed her realization. She was struggling to accept that the son of the man who destroyed Chu Jing Kingdom was also the son of the Qinghai King. It didn't make sense to her.
Zao then asked, "So, you've met Mimi Gongzhu?"
"Yes," replied the Skyshadow woman, "I've been with her for over a year. Unfortunately, she has lost her memories."
"Lost her memories?" Zao said, recalling something about Xinger.
The Skyshadow woman updated Zao on the situation. "Viper and I have been trying to help her. With her aid and the help of some returning residents, we've been able to start rebuilding Chu Jing Kingdom."
She continued, "There was also an attack by the Chasing Sand Drizzle master. Viper and Mimi Gongzhu decided to meet you and are now on their way to the Thousand Caves."
"You need to help her recover her memories before winter comes," she urged. "I came ahead to ensure you would be in the Thousand Caves before their arrival."
Zao, both surprised and somewhat excited, shouted, "You should have told me sooner! That mooncake was meant for you, not as a bribe! I have other missions, including one with the Qinghai crown prince. Now I have to deal with Mimi Gongzhu too. This is all unexpected because you didn't inform me right away!"
"I used the mooncake to inform you. Before my curse was lifted, I was blind. I thought Viper and Mimi Gongzhu, who came to us, had pure intentions. But they seemed to disguise themselves for protection, so I let them pass," the Skyshadow woman explained.
"But why did you attack us afterward?" Zao questioned. "Were you willing to break the rules just for Mimi Gongzhu?"
The Skyshadow woman explained, "I sensed blood and poison, but since I was blind and couldn't see who was in the cave, I allowed anyone with the coin to pass. I was concerned for Mimi Gongzhu's safety and worried she might have been attacked by you. Remember, I haven't seen you for a year, and you only arrived yesterday."
Zao, anxious and excited, said, "We need to hurry back to the Thousand Caves to find Mimi Gongzhu."
As they were about to leave, Zuo stepped in front of them and asked, "Where are you two going?" Yuwen Yue, calm and composed, appeared behind and inquired, "What's going on here?"
The Skyshadow woman stepped forward and said to Zuo, "We can't tell you. It's a secret."
Zuo, looking formal, responded, "After everything we've done for you, this is how you repay us?"
"We're sorry, but we can't go any further," the Skyshadow woman insisted.
Yuwen Yue spoke calmly, "We have allies in Chu Jing Kingdom. Zao mentioned you could help us find the key."
The Skyshadow woman sneered and said, "Why would I help the son of the man who destroyed Chu Jing Kingdom?" Yuwen Yue raised his eyebrows, understanding she was referring to his father, Yuwen Hao.
Zao Baocung intervened, trying to mediate, "Your Highness, I apologize for her actions. She's confused about your status. I'll explain later. For now, we need to return and meet Mimi Gongzhu."
Yuwen Yue asked, "You mean the secret princess?"
"How do you know her?" the Skyshadow woman asked.
Zuo and Yuwen Yue exchanged glances.
Yuwen Yue answered coldly, "No."
Tensions rose, and a fight began between Zuo and the Skyshadow woman. Suddenly, an unknown attacker appeared, showering the forest with sand drizzle needles before vanishing.
Yuwen Yue fought back, turning the attackers to ashes but losing track of Zao and the Skyshadow woman, who managed to escape. Yuwen Yue and Zuo were left alone.
With time running out and the need to return to Qinghai, Yuwen Yue let the two escape, while Zuo fumed over their abandonment.
The peasant man suddenly woke up, feeling better. He opened his right eye, the other half-closed from exhaustion, and asked, "Am I in the underworld?"
Viper, about to react harshly, saw him fall from the horse. The man grimaced in pain, unsure whether it was from the fall or his many bruises from the bystanders' hazing.
Viper approached and inspected his battered face. "Did you let them punish you, or were you trying to impress their leader?"
The man replied hoarsely, "None of the above."
"Fine. Stand up and come to the stream to get cleaned. Undress," Viper ordered.
"What?" the man groaned, still in pain.
"If you don't obey, I'll drag you myself and you'll get a taste of this," Viper said, slamming her whip on the rocks with impatience.
"Okay, okay, I'll obey," the man said, reluctantly.
"Good! Move!" Viper commanded, though she seemed to enjoy his predicament. Despite his strong build, he was helpless and complied.
The man muttered, "I don't take orders from anyone except my general, not even from this underworld girl who seems like she lives in a bat cave."
"Did you just call me a bat cave girl?" Viper snapped.
The man smiled and said, "No, I said you're a nice girl helping someone out. Or a nice boy, I mean."
"You better be nice, or I won't hesitate to use this whip again and repeat the hazing session from yesterday!" Viper warned, slamming her whip on the rocks once more. The man, slightly scared, quickly moved towards the stream.
As he undressed and prepared to clean himself, Viper stood at a distance, chewing on a stalk of grass and stealing glances at him.
The man swallowed when they caught their eyes together, and he paused for a while, but he continued to undress when he saw the girl's whip. Viper narrowed her eyes and seems to be enjoying the scene with the man's buff body and perfect muscles in place even if its full of bruises and wounds, a rare view, like that of an Adonis statue in Italy with fountains all around, a gift from the gods.
The man suddenly complained: "I can't take a bath if someone is looking at me," he said to Viper.
"And my whip cannot control itself if I turn around and see you escape. Continue or die!"
The man did not have any choice but to become a stripper in front of his batgirl and Viper still not changing her fierce, full of ridicule eyes, looking at his body, he continued. The man began to take out his shirt and another shirt inside and his outer pants and other inside pants leaving only his inner wear pants and his bandana in his head. The man on his buff body, perfect shape muscles on display made Viper swallow on her throat and seems she is sweating, but really the weather is cold.
After a few seconds, Viper looking pleased with the view, she suddenly came over to the man and held his waist and swayed him to the other side and slammed her whip to the water. Suddenly the crocodile mouth opened wide and the man to his fear like he was grabbing a sword, but he has no sword was caught in surprise when Viper leaped in the water like a fierce beast used her whip and bound the mouth of the croc.
Viper, feeling pleased with herself for saving the man, said: "I am not the only eyes who is watching you, so move fast! Now!" Viper shouted.
The man quickly got dressed and both of them left the stream.
As they walked uphill, they encountered Chu Qiao halfway. She addressed Viper, "Did you get jealous of the crocodiles and rush him without letting him properly wash his clothes?"
The man suddenly surprised, and he stared on his big eyes looking at the divine lady in front of him and frozen on his knees.
Viper responded with a gruff tone, "No, I'll let him eat first and then feed him to the crocodiles later!" She still looked displeased.
Chu Qiao smiled coldly and said, "Both of you, come over! Ciao!"
During the meal, the man frequently glanced at Chu Qiao, who noticed and felt a bit awkward. To break the silence, Viper asked, "What is your name?"
The man replied, "I am He Xiao," but he hesitated and didn't say anything more.
Chu Qiao, curious, asked He Xiao, "Where are you from?"
He Xiao was lost in thought and didn't answer right away, hoping Chu Qiao would recognize him. However, Chu Qiao simply stared at him blankly.
Viper then asked, "Why did you come here and mention the underworld?"
He Xiao looked at Viper and replied, "I came to search for someone and ended up discovering the underworld."
Viper retorted, "No one who finds the underworld survives. Obviously, you haven't truly discovered it yet." She pressed further, "Why did you come here?"
Chu Qiao and Viper's attention was fixed on He Xiao. He finally said, "I came because of her."
Chu Qiao stopped eating and stared at him, while Viper followed up, "Because of her?"
He Xiao said, "Yes, you are my General, the leader of the Xuili Army from Yanbei."
Viper looked at Chu Qiao, who stood up, walked a few steps away, and left them.
He Xiao, still limping, approached Chu Qiao and said, "I'm sorry if I disturbed you. Please come back and let's continue eating."
Chu Qiao asked calmly, "You said I am your General and the leader of the Xuili Army?"
He Xiao nodded and continued, "Yes, you went missing a year ago from the frozen lake. We thought you had died there." He noticed a change in Chu Qiao's demeanor and added, "If it's too much, we can take our time. I'm here to give you all the information about the current state of the Xuili Army. They are exhausted from the Prince of Yanbei's orders and are facing overkill and suicide missions."
Chu Qiao felt a sudden wave of empathy and asked, "Where is the Xuili Army now?"
He Xiao replied, "They are at the Meilin border. They might already be dead by now. It's been six months since I left them in the care of the next in command. We have no food or weapons and are constantly at war with Prince Yuan Che's Xiaoqi cavalry. We feel abandoned by our commander, Prince Yan Xun." He Xiao's voice cracked, and tears began to flow from his bloodshot eyes as he looked down, stirring the dried autumn leaves on the ground.
Chu Qiao stood silently, lost in thought.
A cold wind blew through the forest, causing the trees to shed their leaves. The ground was covered with a colorful carpet of autumn leaves—red, yellow, and brown. Heavy gray clouds gathered overhead, and a distant rumble of thunder announced an approaching storm. Soon, thin droplets of rain began to fall, misting the mossy forest.