“I think our goals align,” Xiao Kun said. “We all want to defeat the Demon King and prevent him from reincarnating as the Heavenly Demon.”
Mu Qingshan didn’t answer. Xiang Xian knew Xiao Kun had taken a liking to recruiting him. Regardless of the White Deer’s strength, his ability to purify the Black-Winged Great Peng meant he was undoubtedly very powerful. Adding such a companion to the team would provide fresh troops for the battles ahead.
“How much do you know about King Mu and the Heavenly Demon?” Xiang Xian asked again. He feared Mu Qingshan might leave again soon, so he needed to get the information first.
Mu Qingshan merely let out a “hmm.”
Xiao Kun pondered how to get closer to Mu Qingshan, speaking in a way that suited his temperament to recruit this expert.
After a quiet moment, Mu Qingshan took the initiative to reply. “I don’t know. Everything I know comes from some knowledge left to me from my past life during reincarnation. I can’t even read, and I don’t understand the ways of the world.”
Xiang Xian hadn’t expected such an answer at all.
Mu Qingshan rubbed his nose and said, “From childhood to now, I’ve made a living herding sheep. After my homeland was burned down, my only obsession was finding the Black-Winged Great Peng to avenge my family. Now that’s done. I thought I’d perish together with it, so I flew to Kunlun—half by chance, half hoping to find a quiet, undisturbed place to die properly.”
“It’s not over, Qingshan,” Xiao Kun said. “King Mu is still around. If we don’t eliminate him completely, who knows how many more villages will suffer your homeland’s fate.”
Mu Qingshan stared into his cup of plain water and let out an exasperated breath.
Chaosheng said, “We’re heading back to White Jade Palace. Would you come with us?”
“I know you,” Mu Qingshan said, finally looking Chaosheng in the eye. “Li Chaosheng, prince of Western Xia. The Kunlun Immortal reincarnated in the mortal world—you’re the second Jumang’s Immortal Fruit.”
Everyone looked at Chaosheng with doubt.
Chaosheng thought for a moment and explained, “Yes, I’m Lord Jumang’s second child. He once bore another fruit.”
“But that fruit was stolen!” Xiang Xian recalled the important information they’d discussed.
“Yes,” Chaosheng said with regret. “Then Lord Jumang nurtured a new fruit—me.”
Xiao Kun stood up. “With so many questions, we’ll surely get answers in Kunlun. Everyone, rest first.”
Xiang Xian signaled Chaosheng with his eyes, hinting for him to keep Mu Qingshan around. This time, Chaosheng understood. He took Mu Qingshan’s hand and asked, “Will you come home with me?”
Hulü Guang caught on and said, “Brother, you have nowhere else to go, right?”
“Fine,” Mu Qingshan agreed.
At dusk, a thin layer of mist rose in Pulang Village. The gray-blue dim sky seemed within reach. Outside the stone houses, melted snow flowed along the stream. Sparse grass dotted the black-brown mountains, with black rocks exposed on the ground. Cooking smoke rose lazily from dozens of homes.
Xiang Xian came to the streamside and gazed toward distant Kunlun.
A small pebble flew over. Xiang Xian nimbly sidestepped and caught it between his fingers.
Xiao Kun leaped along the stream to the village pond, crouched in an archer’s stance. Xiang Xian didn’t understand, but following Xiao Kun’s graceful move, a pebble skipped across the still pond surface, trailing comet-like ripples as it flew toward Xiang Xian.
Xiang Xian laughed and faced Xiao Kun, starting a game of skipping stones. Then Xiao Kun grabbed a handful of pebbles and shouted, “Go!”
With a splash like heavenly maidens scattering flowers, countless blossoms seemed to bloom on the water, reflecting the evening stars. Xiang Xian cheered immediately.
“How did you master that trick?!” Xiang Xian said in disbelief.
“Born with it,” Xiao Kun said modestly.
They stood facing each other for a while before Xiao Kun asked, “What’s wrong? You seem troubled.”
Xiang Xian quickly signaled it was nothing. Xiao Kun walked toward him along the pond and asked, “Worried about something?”
Xiang Xian’s concerns were always written on his face. Hearing Mu Qingshan’s words today, and seeing the dream realm with his own eyes, had made him think of many things—especially the dream from last night where he embraced Xiao Kun, entangled passionately, kissed, and even went further. It vaguely planted a strange notion in his mind.
He had come out alone to sort his thoughts, but Xiao Kun had followed. Now Xiang Xian’s mind was filled with images of them embracing and kissing.
“I’m thinking about Shuhu’s Prophecy,” Xiang Xian said, somewhat afraid to meet Xiao Kun’s eyes directly.
“Tomorrow, we might have answers,” Xiao Kun said, coming to his side. They gazed at the horizon together, where thick clouds gathered. “It’s going to snow. Let’s head back.”
That night, the six stayed in a house provided by the villagers, who gave them two narrow beds. Xiao Kun and Xiang Xian slept on the floor, Chaosheng shared a bed with Wu Yingzong as usual, and Mu Qingshan was assigned to Hulü Guang—they were similarly built and squeezed onto one bed. At dawn, Xiang Xian heard Mu Qingshan leave the room briefly before returning and speaking softly to Hulü Guang.
“Here, your clothes back.”
Hulü Guang said, “You cold? If so, keep wearing them.”
Mu Qingshan had washed the bloodstained shirt clean and tossed it onto Hulü Guang’s head.
In the early morning, they took the supplies from Pulang Village and set off on the final, most arduous section of the Yuzhu Ancient Path—the heavenly ladder. Horses could go no further; they had to walk. It was Chaosheng’s first time hiking the mountain. Everyone held staffs and proceeded one by one along the sheer cliffs whipped by howling winds.
“Kunlun,” Xiang Xian looked up and said. “White Jade Palace was a place Master once wanted to visit.”
“You fulfilled his wish,” Xiao Kun said.
Xiao Kun and Xiang Xian pressed on along the rugged path. At the narrowest points, there was barely room for one foot; they had to press their backs against the steep cliff and inch along carefully, lest they plummet into the abyss.
“Where are your bird friends?” Xiang Xian asked A Huang.
