Dusk Returns to the Ruined Building

Life is like a game of chess, the world is far away, and the night is filled with storms and thunder, making it hard to sleep.

On the sleepless night that Shen Yichen spent in the Northern Meng Mountains, it rained in the Ji family's imperial city.

Spring rain splashes ink like paint, thunder roars across the sky.

A person stands on the star-gazing platform of Wangyue Tower, listening to the thunder and bathing in the spring rain, with eyes slightly closed, letting the wind blow.

Of course it's Ji Qingfeng! Even the head of the Ji family can't sleep at night!

Another person arrived at Wangyue Tower. She walked slowly up from the pavilion. She was a nun dressed in gray. She did not step into the wind and rain, but bowed at the entrance of the pavilion!

"Master Jiche of the Ling Shuang Valley's Zhidian Hall greets the Patriarch!"

Ji Qingfeng remained silent for a long time.

Master Jiche quietly looked at Ji Qingfeng, who was already soaked to the bone, and said nothing more.

A bolt of lightning streaked across the sky, instantly illuminating the entire Wangyue Tower observation deck. Ji Qingfeng suddenly opened his eyes, followed by rolling thunder that seemed to threaten to collapse the entire Wangyue Tower.

"The Holy Envoy of the Hall of Orders has been dispatched from the Imperial City. Senior should have informed this junior beforehand!"

Master Jiche bowed slightly.

"Ling Shuang Valley received a message from Hong'er that the child had gone to Yanquan on her own. This humble nun was worried and sent a holy messenger to Yanquan solely to protect her, nothing more!"

Ji Qingfeng remained silent for a long time.

After a muffled clap of thunder, Ji Qingfeng sighed:

"Go down!"

"This humble nun takes her leave!"

In the pouring rain, Ji Qingfeng turned to look at the entrance of the pavilion, muttering to himself:

Why do I always feel afraid when I'm around her?

Ji Qingfeng's true energy surged, dispelling the wind and rain, and also dispelling the fear in his heart!

Where is Nan'er?

A person sat on the roof of Wangyue Tower, his face obscured, his entire body concealed within a black umbrella.

"We've entered Youzhou, but we encountered the God-Slaying Army from Yunxia Mountain once. I don't know the specifics of what happened!"

"Still no news about Shen Yichen?"

"It might be in Yanquan, and..."

"Tell me, what strange things have happened to the Ji family? I'm used to it!"

"The Holy Envoy's Soul Messenger was probably sent for Shen Yichen. Ji Yihong's plea for help had already arrived, but the Holy Envoy's Soul Messenger left the imperial city only after Xing Faling sent the message!"

"Has the reason why the Ji family members went to Yanquan not yet been found out?"

"It's difficult. With the Cuijianling around, it's inconvenient for my people to act. Moreover, the Imperial Guards are not allowed to interfere in the affairs of the Ji family's various feathers. You should go to Yinyan Residence and ask!"

After a long silence, Ji Qingfeng let out a soft sigh:

"Alas, the people of Shengyinling are under my control, but the news goes to Yongqing Prefecture. Things here are not so simple!"

"How about we let the Imperial Guards take over Yongqing Prefecture?"

"Hmph, it's not that easy. I've been thinking about it for a long time. I'm going to transfer the people of Saint Hidden Feather out of the capital and to Yanquan!"

"You want to return her to her? But didn't the person in Hidden Smoke Residence hand her over to you?"

Ji Qingfeng gazed intently into thought, and after a long while, said softly:

"I think I'll go to Hidden Smoke Residence one more time!"

Ji Qingfeng rushed to Yinyan Residence in the pouring rain, but the rain subsided when he arrived outside Lingyan Mountain.

Ji Qingfeng walked step by step through the ginkgo forest to the entrance of Yinyan Residence.

The lights in Hidden Smoke Residence were on, but there was no music playing.

"Junior Ji Qingfeng requests an audience with Senior!"

"Hidden Smoke Abode keeps quiet about matters outside its courtyard; seek the answer in your heart beneath the Emperor Tree!"

Ji Qingfeng was taken aback upon hearing this!

Since the day the zither music began to play at Yinyan Residence, this was the first time he had ever heard Ji Xuanyan's voice.

Ji Qingfeng stood quietly for a long time, when a flash of lightning illuminated the couplet in front of the door.

Ji Qingfeng only saw eight words:

"Hidden yet orderly, amidst the mountains and rivers!"

Ji Qingfeng took a deep breath, turned around and left.

The sound of a zither rose again from Hidden Smoke Residence, seemingly bidding farewell to Ji Qingfeng.

"Senior still can't let go of Qingfeng!"

There was a man's voice coming from Hidden Smoke Residence.

"In the grand scheme of things, I cannot outwit you; in the game of chess, I am far more skilled than you. Ji Qingyun, why waste your time on me?"

At either end of the chessboard in the Hidden Smoke Residence sat two people: Ji Qingyun and Ji Xuanyan in white.

Behind Ji Xuanyan, dressed in white, is an ancient zither.

"Senior, I want to take over Yongqing Prefecture!"

"Impossible, she would never agree to that. That belongs to Ji family's Holy Hidden Feather, not to me and her!"

"But Sheng Yinling only obeys you and her!"

"You only have yourself to blame. You gave the Qiankun Jade Pendant away to someone else without asking!"

Ji Qingyun gazed at Ji Xuanyan in white for a very long time.

“Senior, I can leave Yongqing Prefecture untouched, but Yongqing Prefecture must abide by the Ji family’s rules. Without the Qiankun Jade Pendant, no one is allowed to obtain any information about Yongqing Prefecture!”

Ji Xuanyan smiled slightly!

"Don't worry, I promised you that I would live a solitary life in the Hidden Smoke Abode and never interfere in your affairs. Friendly reminder: you are simultaneously playing two games, one for the Ji family and the other for the world. Be careful that the beginning and the end don't connect, or you will lose the whole game!"

"The hidden order is orderly, concealing the chessboard of the world; amidst mountains and rivers, a grand scheme is laid out for the world. Truly, nothing can be hidden from you, senior. It seems you were letting me win!"

Ji Xuan Yan, dressed in white, slowly rose and looked at the pouring spring rain outside the courtyard.

"A thousand years ago, there were three people in Yanquan who did not belong to the righteous or the evil, and the world called them the Three Heroes of Yanquan. The first of the three heroes founded Jiheng Hall, the second of the three heroes founded Wulang Academy, and the last of the three heroes was known as Shenghuang Angui. The world did not know who Shenghuang Angui was, but the Ji family knew that he was the current lord of Luowu Ancient City."

"To deal with them, mobilizing the Five Feathers is far from enough!"

"Senior, you are truly righteous and have the Ji family in your heart. To be honest, the God-Slaying Army, commanded by Qian Zongshan and Yun Shuiyao, will be leaving Zhongzhou tonight!"

Baiyi Ji Xuanyan suddenly turned her head and exclaimed:

"That's impossible! You've been expelled from the Ji family by the Imperial Household Department and the royal family. The royal family would never listen to your orders!"

"Haha... Senior, Chen'er is still here. They just want to win back their young master!"

The white-clad beauty, Xuan Yan, frowned deeply in thought!

"Sigh, it seems you've planted quite a few hidden agents within the royal family!"

Ji Qingyun got up and went to the window railing, his brows furrowed in deep thought.

"Senior, the Ji family is like the dark night, impossible to see through. I have revealed all my trump cards to you, please help me to see the Ji family clearly!"

"I can't help you. The one who can truly help you is Ji Xuanyu, the leader of the Refined Feather!"

“For five hundred years, even the senior has not dared to make any rash moves. How could I possibly dare to approach him? To be honest, senior, I have always had a feeling that the Ji family has a pair of eyes that can see through not only the Ji family’s situation but also the situation of the world. Yet I have never been able to touch them!”

"Is this why you set up Yanquan?"

"The trouble with the Ji family lies in the capital, but if the world is not at peace, the trouble with the Ji family will forever remain hidden in the capital!"

Ji Xuanyan turned her head to look eastward.

"Are you aiming your sword at Yunxia Mountain?"

"If the world is not at peace, Yunxia Mountain will not fall, and the Ji family will not be at peace. Senior, it is time for Yongqing Prefecture to sever ties with Yunxia Mountain!"

Upon hearing this, Baiyi Ji Xuanyan remained silent for a long time. Finally, she sat down beside the guqin, and a piece called "Ambush from Ten Sides" resounded throughout Lingyan Mountain.

“The Yongqing Prefecture has always upheld the rules of the Ji family. If the head of the family comes to me with the Qiankun Jade Pendant one day, I will obey. You, Ji Qingyun, are truly unworthy!”

Ji Qingyun sighed softly:

"Alas, senior, the woman in Yunxia Mountain's painting has entered the martial world, accompanied by the God-Slaying Army. If I'm not mistaken, she's probably after Chen'er. Chen'er has the bloodline power of the Ancient Miao Region within her. After experiencing the crisis of the Sword-Facing, she should have awakened it by now. Do you think Yunxia Mountain will let Chen'er go?"

"Are you... Ji Yichen really your son? Why are you treating him like this?"

"Chen'er is the biggest obstacle to the Ji family's conquest of the world. Senior, you should think twice!"

Ji Qingyun is gone!

Ji Xuanyan ran her hand across the strings of the zither, blood flowing from her five fingers.

"Ji Qingyun, you're a bastard!"