Chapter 49 Part 4

“I cannot help you distinguish which memories are truly real and which are dreams fabricated by obsession,” the stag said in a low voice.

“I am the Heir of the Wisdom Sword. I have no obsessions,” Xiang Xian replied.

“Is that truly so? With the abundant spiritual power of the White Jade Palace and the power of the Sacred Tree Jumang, I can temporarily make you recall these dreams, but it may not reveal everything. Prepare yourself to detach from the dream realm at any moment…”

“I grant you the peace of the night.” A faint glow rose from the stag’s towering antlers, and countless light points floated up, merging into Xiang Xian’s body.

Xiang Xian wanted to say something more, but the dream realm crashed over him like thunder, dragging him into the abyss of the river of consciousness. Torrents of memory fragments swept him toward the deepest darkness.

The next moment, white light burst forth, and Shuhu’s voice rang in his ears.

“You will fall in love with each other amid the trials of time, as long as you can join hands and pass through together…”

“…Trust each other, entrust yourselves to one another without reservation—that will be the one remaining light in this vast, dark calamity.”

The past appeared in the form of a dream realm.

“I am the Grand Demon-Exorcist of the present world.” Xiao Kun pressed down on the Golden Dragon and parted ways with Xiang Xian in the wilderness.

“Scram!” Xiang Xian said dismissively and turned to leave.

Outside Chengdu:

Xiang Xian approached Xiao Kun’s campsite. Xiao Kun sat by the campfire, lost in thought—he had to keep watch, but it was clear he was exhausted.

“Is that your friend?” A Huang asked.

“Is he? Hard to say.” Xiang Xian replied, “Watch me go over and scare him.”

Xiang Xian reached the campfire, where Xiao Kun was so drowsy his awareness blurred. Xiang Xian appeared suddenly from the side, startling Xiao Kun badly. He drew his blade and spun around, but Xiang Xian raised his hands with a mischievous grin of success. Xiao Kun thrust the Tang Dao against Xiang Xian’s throat.

“Hey!” Xiang Xian said seriously. “You’re serious?”

Xiao Kun recognized Xiang Xian and sheathed the blade. He glanced at the crude tent, and Xiang Xian curiously peeked inside.

“How did you find this place? What do you want?” Xiao Kun asked warily.

Xiang Xian replied, “Whatever you came for, that’s what I came for.”

Xiao Kun’s head throbbed terribly; he hadn’t rested properly the entire journey. He waved it off.

Xiang Xian said, “If you’re tired, rest. You look like your essence was sucked dry.”

Xiao Kun sat back down, head bowed in silence. Xiang Xian sat by the campfire, poked at the embers, and asked, “Where did you go after we parted last time?”

Xiao Kun replied, “I went through Guanzhong into Shu…”

Halfway through his words, his voice trailed off. Xiao Kun slumped sideways and fell asleep right there. Xiang Xian removed his outer robe, draped it over him, and went to check the front of the tent. Inside lay a young boy he didn’t recognize.

At dawn, the boy emerged from the tent and spotted Xiang Xian at once.

“Who are you?” the boy asked, full of wariness and hostility.

Xiao Kun woke up. Though the night outdoors was uneasy, he had finally slept soundly, much better than the exhaustion of the previous days’ rushing about. His spirits fully recovered. Xiang Xian also opened his eyes but didn’t rise, merely sizing up the boy.

“This is Prince Yali,” Xiao Kun introduced. “Sa Luan, this is Xiang Xian.”

Xiang Xian considered Xiao Kun’s identity and guessed this was the Liao Crown Prince, so he nodded, rose to fetch water, and prepared to boil some hot tea.

“What is he?” Sa Luan demanded of Xiao Kun behind Xiang Xian’s back.

“My friend,” Xiao Kun answered calmly. “Like me, he’s an exorcist. He’s the Great Song Exorcism Envoy.”

“Song dog?” Sa Luan said incredulously.

“What did I tell you?” Xiao Kun furrowed his brows deeply. “You can’t say that! Have you forgotten all my warnings along the way?”

Xiang Xian returned with the water bag and merely smiled. Naturally, he wouldn’t stoop to the level of a mortal boy, especially given the Yelu clan’s fall.

“Sorry, Xiang Xian,” Xiao Kun apologized to him. “Sa Luan grew up in the palace without proper discipline.”

Sa Luan snorted angrily. Strictly speaking, all Song People were his enemies—after all, the Jin-Song alliance had destroyed the Liao Kingdom. But with millions of Song People in the world, he couldn’t hate them all. He could only slam down the tent flap and sulk inside.

Xiang Xian and Xiao Kun sat facing the nearly extinguished campfire. After drinking tea, Xiao Kun was fully alert and asked, “What are you investigating?”

“Ba She,” Xiang Xian said. “Where did you go after we parted last time?”

Xiao Kun told Xiang Xian about being betrayed in Yinchuan and explained, “The Western Xia route was full of ambushes. Riding the Flying Dragon, I couldn’t stay airborne forever—it would be too easy to track. So I took Sa Luan south instead, through Hanzhong into Shu, to the Chengdu Demon Exorcism Office for help, inquiring about the Heart Lamp’s location.”

Xiang Xian had just returned from Shan Yu Hong and nodded sympathetically.

“But I got some unexpected news,” Xiao Kun said. “The previous Heart Lamp Master, Ge Liang, retired to Chengdu before his death.”

Xiang Xian: “!!!”

Xiang Xian never expected Xiao Kun to stumble upon a crucial lead by accident.

“What are we waiting for?” Xiang Xian said. “Let’s go.”

Xiao Kun nodded. Xiang Xian went to the tent and called, “Little Highness, come out. I’m packing the tent.”

Sa Luan, only fourteen, stormed out angrily and glared at Xiang Xian.

“Tell him to get lost,” Sa Luan said to Xiao Kun.

Xiao Kun thought for a moment and said, “Sa Luan.”