The girls had turned pale upon receiving the news.
Ji Lingxi swayed on her feet but did not forget to extend her arm to hold on to Yue Ru Lan, crying out, "Sister Lan!"
Yue Rulan’s eyes had lost all its radiance as she murmured, "Ji Lingfeng, where are you?"
As she finished her sentence, she coughed and blood spurted from her rosy lips as she fell into a dead faint. The long search had finally taken its toll on her, Yue Rulan had long been exhausted both physically and mentally.
She had been holding on without ever breaking down all this while because of the slim hope that she held in her heart.
Yet as one piece of news after another was proven false and each sliver of hope was shattered like a popped bubble, Yue Rulan was left without anything other than her footprints all over the continent.
The crushed hope this time was the last straw; she could no longer hold herself up.
Ji Lingxi’s eyes were rimmed red. Brother, where are you?
Why can’t I find you after searching the entire world?
"What do we do now?" Yu Xiang’er asked in a trembling voice.
All the girls were silent, staying silent for a long time.
Ji Lingxi stood rigidly, her mind blank. It was at this moment that she suddenly felt her own feebleness and helplessness.
Sister Rulan, who had accompanied her and comforted her for so long ever since her brother went missing, had finally crumbled herself. Lost as she was, a dispirited feeling of loneliness in a vast world was roused; she mumbled instinctively, "What should I do? Where do we go?"
A shard of pain struck her heart as tears streamed down her face.
Yu Xiang’er said softly, "We have been out for so long… My family wanted me to go back immediately… Lingxi, why don't you and Sister Lan come play at my place for a while? Let’s think of something, there must be something we could do to turn the situation around…"
Xia Yuhan said in a low voice as well, "My family wants me to go back too, they’ve urged me to do so for a few times now… Lingxi, we can’t go on wandering aimlessly like this…"
Yue Rulan gradually stirred and sighed in exhaustion. "Sisters, you have all helped so much... Please go back. We will continue the search when there is news or perhaps, we’ll gather again when we have the time."
"Don’t worry about Lingxi and I. We will go back as well." Yue Rulan said listlessly, "We have so many guards following us and they’re all experts… we will be alright."
Yu Xiang’er asked in concern, "Where will the both of you go back to?"
Persistence shone in Yue Rulan’s orbs as she clenched her teeth gently, saying, "Locations where the more precise news came from previously… one was this Young Master Lingfeng while another was in Tiantang City."
She said with resolution, "Since we have confirmed that it isn’t the former, we’ll return to Tiantang City!"
Hearing Tiantang City being mentioned, Ji Lingxi’s eyes suddenly radiated with hope.
Tiantang City!
The night passed without many words being said.
The next morning, the sisters bid each other farewell with tears in their eyes. Yu Xiang’er sobbed for quite a while, hugging Ji Lingxi before she was finally persuaded to part ways.
Both Ji Lingxi and Yue Rulan began their journey back, bringing forty to fifty guards along with them.
Their journey back was spent in silence but Yue Rulan seemed to have made a determined decision in her heart.
Upon confirming that the Young Master Lingfeng they heard about was not Ji Lingfeng, Yue Rulan had lost all hope – the hopelessness had come from her heart, a feeling that death would be welcome as there was no longer a love in her life. It was exactly the reason she had suggested to return to Tiantang City.
It was all because Yun Yang was still there.
Young Master Yun.
A man that Ji Lingxi was fond of.
I’ve tasted the heartbreaking anguish of losing my love forever. I must figure out a way not to let Lingxi feel the same.
Lingfeng, even if I can’t find you in this life, I will continue to search for you in the next.
Even if I can’t find you forever, I will take good care of your sister.
Your only sister!
Yue Rulan’s hair fluttered alongside her white dress in the wind; an indescribable calmness spread on her delicate face.
Ji Lingfeng, do you remember what I’ve told you?
Even if you soar thousands of miles through the wind and leave no trace of yourself in the world, the moonlight remains for life1, as it has since ancient times. It remains gentle and lingering, forever unchanged.
Even if I no longer guarding anything in this life, I’ll wait in silence for the person who can smell the fragrance of my orchid2.
…
All the sisters who left left with loud sighs. They could all return home now but Ji Lingxi and Yue Rulan could not.
Once they returned home, they would be forced into marriage, a union that could not be refused.
"I can only wish that both of you can find Brother Lingfeng…"
Yu Xiang’er turned around and looked at the vast scenery, the luster of her unshed tears glimmering brightly.
"Never forget to… come look for us if ever you encounter any difficulties."
…
Yun Yang could vaguely tell that something was wrong.
He had been waiting for days for the old marshal to come to him with the emperor but no one came.
What was going on?
Yun Yang firmly believed that his Endless Divine Art could soothe His Majesty’s poison and his physical condition. He was the only one who could do so without causing harm to him. He believed that both the emperor and the old marshal understood this but why had they not come to look for him? It was fine if it was just the emperor but there was no news even on the old marshal. It was mind boggling!
Besides, Towering Wind Pavilion’s Shui Wuyin was gone without a trace for the dozens of times Yun Yang had gone there. There had been no news of him at all as well.
Where had Shui Wuyin gone to?
Yun Yang was certain that Shui Wuyin was still in Tiantang City and was watching over Towering Wind Pavilion in the dark, yet he could not find him, no matter how hard he looked.
Yun Yang was bewildered. Shui Wuyin was indeed eighth brother Supreme Wind’s right-hand man, a talent to behold. He was a difficult man to locate indeed!
…
Yun Yang was on his way to Cirrus House when an entourage came from the opposite direction.
They were the people from the crown prince’s residence.
Yun Yang could see Han Wufei in a single glance.
He was watching him with an irritated expression, his finger pointing all over the place.
Beside him, four middle-aged men dressed in black turned their heads to focus their gazes on him as well.
Yun Yang could distinctly feel as if four arrows had struck his face at the same time.
These four men were all experts – first class experts!
As he thought of it, Yun Yang halted his steps as he directed his eyes towards the entourage before him.
These guys did not come with kind intentions.
He watched as the team of people part as a youth in royal yellow robes strolled forward with his arms behind his back; his gait was majestic while his manner aristocratically graceful.
He wore a warm smile, one that roused a pleasantly comfortable feeling in anyone who saw it.
The aristocratic grace that exuded naturally from him reflected his superiority, an otherworldly aura that overlooked the world.
This person before him was the crown prince.
The second son of His Majesty – Yu Chenglong!
The crown prince had not spoken a word since he appeared but the authoritative presence that surrounded him had made everyone who was prepared to make a scene retreat timidly; no one dared to disobey him.
"This orphaned one3 has long heard of Young Master Yun’s name and couldn't wait to meet Young Master Yun in person. I didn't expect to be able to see Young Master Yun in person today. It is indeed better to see one in person than to hear of their name."
The crown prince smiled as he said, "Young Master Yun’s charm is extraordinary, the top in Tiantang and most superior in the world!"
Yun Yang observed the face in front of him quietly; the more he studied it, the more he was upset.
The person before him reminded him of the face he had seen in his dream when he had been severely injured.
If this face were to be more mature, friendlier, darker, without eyebrows as thick, it would be as if his eldest brother, Supreme Earth, was standing before him, alive.
It was these minuscule differences that made it odd.
Yun Yang suppressed the wave of emotion he felt as he replied gently, "Your Highness’ royal elegance renders Yun Yang in awe. I have long heard that Your Highness is a gentleman among gentlemen and has a great thirst for talent; Your Highness has never assumed supremacy as well. Seeing it for myself today, it is indeed true to its name. This is the perfect example of the saying 'It is indeed better to see one in person than to hear of their name'."
The crown prince chuckled lightly and said, "This world is the world of its people. These so-called royalties are only supervising for the worldly people and acting as a moderator to all; what supremacy can there be? Young Master Yun cracks a good joke."
Yun Yang laughed and said, "Though, I wonder what noble errand it is for Your Highness to stop this subordinate like this."
The crown prince said with sincerity splayed across his face, "This orphaned one has always wanted to meet Young Master Yun and thus, previously sent someone over to extend an invitation. Who would have known that Wufei had misunderstood my intentions and has offended Young Master Yun; Young master is not at fault for this while Wufei cannot be blamed as well. This orphaned one should be held responsible for not making things clear instead. Since we’re fated to meet today, this orphaned one must apologize to Young Master Yun and explain the situation thoroughly."
As he spoke, he straightened up and spoke loudly and clearly, "Young Master Yun, I apologize. The affair earlier was all this orphaned one’s mistake."
Han Wufei, who was standing by the side, was shocked.
Although he belonged somewhere else and was not sincerely serving the crown prince, he was still grateful to see the crown prince’s actions.
He knew the crown prince was putting a front just to win people over but it was definitely not easy for an empire’s crown prince to stoop to such a low position.
He was really doing what others could not have done and enduring what others could not have endured!
Yun Yang bowed as he said, "Your Highness has spoken fairly. Just like what Your Highness has said, it was just a simple misunderstanding the other day. There is no need to be so official and ceremonious."
The crown prince smiled but was inwardly critical of this young man, "Small misunderstanding? It was because of your small misunderstanding that this orphaned one is in such an uncomfortable position these days. Doubt was written on the civil and military officials’ faces when they look at me."
That has almost put this orphaned one on a grill to be barbecued.
You have it easy, speaking of this as a small misunderstanding, but can this orphaned one not manage it carefully? I have to be this ceremonious and official to reflect my generosity and my absolute lack of ill intention!
The criticism remained internal as the crown prince wore an amicable expression. He chuckled again and said, "Since Young Master Yun takes no offense, an encounter is always preferred to an arranged meeting, does Young Master Yun have the disposition to have a drink with this orphaned one?"
1Even if you soar thousands of miles through the wind and be void of traces in this world, the moonlight remains since the ancient times for life. (纵然你凌风千万里,天下无所踪,但月光依然亘古存在,生生世世.): wordplay on Ji Lingfeng’s first name and Yue Rulan’s family name where Lingfeng (凌风 líng fēng) means soar through the wind literally while Yue (月 yuè) stands for moon.
2I’ll wait in silence for the person who can smell the fragrance of my orchid. (但我也要默默地等待,那个能够闻到我兰香的人.): wordplay on Yue Rulan’s first name where ‘lan’ (兰lán) means orchid.
3This orphaned one (孤gū): first person pronoun employed by the crown prince or the kind out of respect to his father who usually (though not always) had predeceased him.
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