Heaven’s Shadow

A sudden shiver ran across the hideous face as He Gang stared at He Yi and asked, “Big brother, do you mean…?”

He Yi nodded slowly and then said to He Gang, “Heaven pity, I’ve suddenly found a rare opportunity to escape this predicament. But I need your help.”

He Gang sat up abruptly, his eyes revealing excitement. “That’s wonderful… but,” his expression suddenly darkened, “how can I help you in my current state…?”

Before He Gang could finish his words, He Yi interrupted him with a firm tone. “You’re the only brother I have in this world. I only trust you.”

He Gang’s body trembled, and he stared blankly at He Yi. Gradually, his terrifying and hideous face seemed to brighten, and even his eyes became somewhat gentle.

He gritted his teeth and crawled to He Yi. “Big brother, whatever you need me to do, I will do my best to help.”

He Yi looked at him with a hint of satisfaction and shook his head. “No need to go to extremes, but you need to be careful about hiding your whereabouts. For example, change your clothes and wear a mask or something, so no one can recognize you.”

Saying this, He Yi took out a package from behind him and tossed it to He Gang. “I’ve prepared everything inside. Once you disguise yourself, go to the major shops in the city.”

He Gang received the package and then, with a flash of ferocity in his eyes, asked, “Big brother, is someone still watching us from the mountain?”

He Yi sneered. “There are many people watching us, and they are eager for me to make a mistake. Don’t worry about them. However, the task I need to accomplish cannot be interrupted, and it’s inconvenient for me to go personally. That’s why I need you to help.”

“Rest assured, big brother, I’ll do it well. But why am I going to the major shops in Kunwu City?” 

He Yi took out a small paper packet from his chest and handed it to He Gang.

He Gang took it with some confusion, glanced at He Yi, then opened the folded paper. Inside was some crimson powder. He examined it carefully and then sniffed it, exclaiming in surprise, “Cinnabar?”

“Yes. Pretend to be a wealthy guest and find out which shops in the city have recently bought a large amount of this stuff,” He Yi instructed.

He Gang nodded and put away the packet. “Understood.”

He Yi smiled faintly, stood up, and looked at the distant setting sun, which was almost completely gone. After a moment, he suddenly sneered, “We need quite a lot of cinnabar for the reincarnation array.”

—

On Kunlun Mountain, the sunset lingered longer in the high altitude compared to Kunwu City.

The Flying Goose Platform on Purple Cloud Peak was a great place to enjoy the sunset. The vast sea of clouds and the fiery glow of the sunset created a breathtaking scene. However, on this particular evening, the people on the Flying Goose Platform had no interest or leisure to appreciate the sunset.

The woman who had come to the Flying Goose Platform also appeared to be from the Su family, as Su Qingjun seemed very familiar with her. During the woman’s sobbing and complaints, she appeared to be both lamenting and scolding someone, eventually ending up in tears.

Su Qingjun’s attitude toward this woman was different from her attitude toward Su Biao, Su Mo, and Su Qian. She was noticeably more sympathetic. But after the woman seemed to have made some requests or pleas, Su Qingjun displayed an expression of difficulty.

Lu Chen watched the scene with interest, recalling the woman’s light steps and calm demeanor when she arrived on the mountain, which starkly contrasted with her current desperate and tearful appearance.

The two women seemed to be in a standoff. Su Qingjun sighed and said a few words to the woman, even pointing to the spirit fields over here.

Although Lu Chen couldn’t hear their conversation, it was clear that Su Qingjun was explaining the situation about the eagle fruit and why it was difficult for her to come down the mountain.

To Lu Chen’s surprise, the woman cried even harder upon hearing this. She even hugged Su Qingjun tightly, rubbing her head against her as if she was about to collapse.

Su Qingjun’s face showed a look of helplessness. She advised the woman in a low voice for a while, but it seemed to be of no use. Eventually, Su Qingjun, seemingly out of options, gave a bitter smile, shook her head, and whispered a few words to the woman.

The woman’s face suddenly lit up with joy. She stood up quickly, as if her wish had finally been fulfilled. After hugging Su Qingjun tightly, she hurriedly descended the mountain, moving at a rapid pace as if afraid Su Qingjun might call her back.

Su Qingjun silently watched the woman’s figure gradually disappear, her face showing a trace of mild helplessness.

—

In the distance, Lu Chen withdrew his gaze, lay down on the bed, and began to rest with his eyes closed. The light outside the grass hut gradually dimmed, likely because the sun was finally setting, and night was approaching.

At this moment, a faint sound of footsteps suddenly came from outside the grass hut, passing by. At this time, only two people were left on the Flying Goose Platform—Lu Chen and Su Qingjun.

The sky had turned completely dark, and she had yet to return to her cave dwelling—why was she still out here?

Lu Chen sat up and glanced outside the hut, frowning slightly. After a moment of contemplation, he opened the door and stepped out.

The night was still setting in, with only a golden edge of the setting sun remaining on the horizon, as if it was reluctant to leave the world.

On the edge of the Flying Goose Platform’s cliff, where the shadows were thick and dark, Su Qingjun stood alone. The mountain wind howled fiercely, causing her garments to flutter wildly.

She seemed like a delicate leaf, ready to be blown away by the wind, or a small pine tree planted on the cliff’s edge, enduring the harsh elements. In the night’s darkness, she appeared to have an air of frost-enhanced beauty, unaffected by the trials of time.

Her silhouette against the night was like a whisper, strikingly beautiful in the serene twilight.

Lu Chen walked over slowly but stopped about ten feet away from her. After observing her for a while, he turned around, seemingly intending to go back to the hut.

“Why aren’t you coming over?” Su Qingjun’s calm voice came from behind, as if she could sense the situation without even turning around.

Lu Chen halted and looked at her. Su Qingjun remained in the same position, offering him only a beautiful and profound back view.

“Well, I was actually a bit worried you might be considering jumping off,” Lu Chen said calmly. “But now it seems like it’s nothing, and I’ve overthought it. So, I’m going back to sleep now.”

Su Qingjun’s back slightly shifted, and then she turned around to face Lu Chen. Her expression was somewhat peculiar as she asked, “Do you think I wanted to jump off?”

Lu Chen didn’t seem at all embarrassed. With a serious tone, he said, “Misunderstood, sorry.”

Su Qingjun listened to his insincere apology, shook her head, and after a moment of silence, said, “Everyone who came today was from the Su family. You saw them all, didn’t you?”

Lu Chen thought for a moment and replied, “I saw them all. However, since Su Biao was the closest, I had a general idea of what was happening. For the other two groups, I was at the hut and couldn’t hear much, so I don’t know exactly what transpired.”

Su Qingjun nodded slightly, her gaze softening. After a while, she said, “Your initiative to avoid trouble has spared me some embarrassment. I appreciate it.”

Lu Chen looked at Su Qingjun with a hint of admiration, thinking that she was indeed unique. Besides her stunning beauty, her insightful and clever nature was evident.

With a touch of appreciation in his eyes, he said, “It’s getting late. Sister Su, take care not to catch a cold from the wind and dew here. I’ll head back now.”

“The scenery here is quite nice,” Su Qingjun said, seemingly not hearing Lu Chen’s words. “The sea of clouds is vast and rolling, looking like an ocean. It’s a rare sight, even more remarkable at night compared to the daytime. Don’t you want to see it?”

Lu Chen paused, looked at Su Qingjun, and then smiled. Without any pretense or humility, he simply nodded and said, “Thank you.” He then stepped toward the cliff’s edge.

Below the mountain, the cliff was steep and dangerous. As he ascended, the mountain wind became much fiercer, howling as if sweeping down from the heavens. Thick clouds swirled beneath him, stretching endlessly into the sky, with waves of mist rising and falling unpredictably.

In the midst of the wind and clouds, the world seemed vast. Looking back, a full moon slowly rose.

The night was deep.

He stood beside her.

As they stood side by side, their clothes fluttered like chaotic waves, and the fierce wind against their faces gave a sense of having wings under their ribs.

Su Qingjun turned to glance at him with a calm expression, neither happy nor sad, while Lu Chen did not look at her. He merely gazed at the distant sea of clouds, the moonlight casting a gentle glow over the boundless clouds. The majestic scene prompted him to exclaim, “It truly is a breathtaking view.”

Su Qingjun smiled slightly, as beautiful as a lily in the night, and then also turned to look. The two of them gazed at the moonlit sea of clouds together for a long time.

When the moon reached its zenith, Su Qingjun finally withdrew her gaze. After a moment, she suddenly said, “I need to go down the mountain tonight.”

Lu Chen, still looking into the distance, showed no expression but calmly replied, “It’s not worth it.”

“Hmm?”