Love & Redemption
Chapter 137: Volume 3 Heartless Xuanji - 44 Lize Palace (Part 1)

Chapter 137: Volume 3 Heartless Xuanji Chapter 44 Lize Palace (Part 1)

Although she had long been prepared in her heart, when Xuanji returned to the inn and found that Yu Sifeng wasn’t in the room, she was still greatly shocked.

The bedcovers were still half-folded, his bundle was left by the bedside, and the curtains were only half hooked. There was no mess, nor any signs of a struggle; it was as if he had just vanished into thin air. Xuanji slowly walked to the bedside and suddenly lifted her hand to flip over the blanket—its warmth was still there, but the person was gone.

"Oh, I’m still a step too late!" Liu Yihuan knocked on his head helplessly, searching around the room, trying to find some clues. "All his belongings are still here... The boy didn’t even take his sword! Huh, he didn’t even get dressed! Could it be he was carted away stark naked?!"

Before his words had finished, Xuanji had already kicked the door and rushed downstairs. Knowing her temper could wreak havoc, they hurriedly followed her. They saw her running all the way to the back kitchen, seemingly looking for someone, and eventually, she grabbed an old man in grey next to the medicine stove, and fiercely questioned him, "What are you doing here?! I asked you to take care of Young Master Yu; how could you not keep an eye on him?!"

The old man, frightened by her shout, dropped the medicine pot he had just picked up, spilling hot soup all over the floor, the bitterness spreading everywhere.

"Girl... you ordered me to take good care of Young Master Yu... I was just... brewing his medicine..."

The scattered materials on the floor were indeed for Yu Sifeng’s medicine. Xuanji paused for a moment, her voice rough as she asked, "How long... have you been brewing it?"

"About half an hour or so... it had just finished brewing when you... uh..."

Seeing an elderly man being manhandled by Xuanji, Liu Yihuan quickly stepped forward to intervene and calm the frightened old man, and then he turned around and said, "Don’t be impulsive! It’s not the old man’s fault!" He then persuaded the old man to leave and asked the people around, "Has anyone seen anyone wearing a mask and a green robe come in?"

Everyone shook their heads. Ting Nu pondered for a long while and then said, "If they were really acting, they surely wouldn’t make it known to everyone. It seems likely that Si Feng has been taken away by someone from Li Ze Palace, perhaps even under coercion, which is why he wasn’t allowed to take his sword."

Liu Yihuan exclaimed, "Not just his sword! They didn’t even let him wear his outer clothes! They abducted him stark naked!"

Xuanji, disturbed, didn’t want to listen to their idle talk, and turned away to run out of the kitchen. She stared blankly at the sky, hoping to catch a glimpse of any trace.

Liu Yihuan followed her and sighed, "What should we do, girl. Are you planning to go to Li Ze Palace?"

Xuanji didn’t say a word. Actually, there was no need to say anything; the answer was obvious. Whether it was four years ago at Little Yang Peak or four years later on Fuyu Island, her promise would never change. No one could coerce Yu Sifeng’s will, whether it was Li Ze Palace or anyone else; she would go to Li Ze Palace and take him back if necessary.

"There will always come such a day," Ting Nu whispered softly, "One must face countless adversities alone to truly understand right from wrong. We’ve been waiting for this for a long time."

Liu Yihuan sighed, squatting down and fiddling with his disheveled hair, as if making up his mind. After a long while, he fiercely punched the ground and shouted, "Alright! Let’s make a trip, as if going back to visit our homeland, what’s the harm in that!"

Seeing Xuanji suddenly turning back to look at him, he couldn’t help but give a sheepish smile and said, "Uh... never mind, I was just talking to myself. When are we leaving?"

Xuanji softly said, "Brother Liu, you have the Heavenly Eye, can you see Si Feng’s current situation?"

Liu Yihuan bitterly smiled and said, "How can I use the Heavenly Eye now! After that fight with the Snake Demon, I was utterly exhausted, and I haven’t been able to use it recently. Sorry, I can’t check."

Blast, if he could use the Heavenly Eye to see what was about to happen, would he be this anxious? The little girl’s brain doesn’t really work in turns; she truly is a fool.

Xuanji took a deep breath and softly said, "I need to go to Li Ze Palace now. I need to ask Si Feng face-to-face whether he wants to leave with us or stay at Li Ze Palace. If he wishes to leave that place, then, no matter who comes out to stop us, I will not yield. I swear it here today, even at the cost of my life!"

Saying this, she slapped her hand on the stove, turned around, and walked away. Ting Nu and Liu Yihuan saw the stove slowly dipping in where she had hit, as if it had been softened by an invisible flame and had collapsed, forming a vague handprint. They looked at each other and saw the horror in each other’s eyes.

An awakening might lie in the not-too-distant future. Such a prospect was both exhilarating and terrifying.

*****

To the west, mountain ranges stretched endlessly, their ends unknown. Few people knew that beyond the mountains lay an infinite ocean. In the sea was an isolated island, perennially shrouded in rain and cloud, with only a rare few days brightened by brilliant sunshine.

Today was indeed a rare and sunny day of the year, with a cloudless sky and the sun generously sprinkling light across the entire solitary island. A vast and splendid palace stretched over dozens of miles on the island, where the glazed tiles shone brilliantly under the sunlight, a spectacular sight.

The disciples of Li Ze Palace cherished such a rare sunny day; many of them took advantage of the fair weather to fish and frolic in the sea. At this moment, the shoreline was crowded with excited youth, laughing and making various large and small jokes. Some bold children even climbed up the highest two White Jade Pillars in front of the palace, gazing into the distant sea where the deep and light blue merged together at the horizon, stirring the imagination. Others turned to face the endless mountain ranges behind, imagining the bustling human world beyond, their minds running wild.

Yu Sifeng stood at the windowsill, staring blankly at the frolicking youths outside, his thoughts unclear. He had just recovered from a severe injury and still looked pallid. Although it was quite warm, he draped a dark cyan cloak over his shoulders. His cold hands occasionally rubbed together, causing the black tassels on the cloak to tremble slightly.

Perhaps standing too long for his strength, he leaned on the wall to slowly seat himself back in the chair. After a long while, he suddenly spoke, "Master, I cannot agree to this."

Sitting across from him on a long bench was a green-robed man in his forties, with long eyebrows and starry eyes, quite majestic-looking. The man lifted his teacup, took a sip, and with a raised eyebrow, chuckled, "Si Feng, this is not a matter for discussion but a necessity. Even though you are my beloved disciple, you cannot break the many years of rules in Li Ze Palace just for one person, otherwise how can I command respect from others?"

It turned out this middle-aged man was Yu Sifeng’s master, the Great Palace Master of Li Ze Palace. Yu Sifeng’s face turned even paler, his delicate eyelashes trembling slightly as he whispered, "But... the mask was indeed removed by her... I dare not lie..."

The Palace Master waved his hand, took out the sorrowful-looking mask from his bosom, examined it for a moment, and said, "In this world, there are eight or nine out of ten things that cannot be anticipated, let alone such a trivial mask. Moreover, even though the mask was removed, the spell remains—what meaning does it hold then?"

Seeing that Yu Sifeng remained silent with lowered eyebrows, knowing he had touched his sore spot, he softly continued, "Many people in the world are heartless. You, young and inexperienced, were tricked, which is inevitable. As the saying goes, ’a fall into the pit, a gain in your wit.’ If you still insist now and would abandon everything to follow that girl, wouldn’t you be a fool?"

Yu Sifeng slightly stirred, whispering, "I... was not deceived."

The Palace Master laughed, "Not deceived? Then why is the spell still there?"

He was left speechless.

The Palace Master continued, "Stubborn till the end. All right, if you do not admit to the matter of the mask, I will not trouble you further. What about the issue of the seals? Breaking seals without permission, do you know the severity of such a crime?"

Yu Sifeng replied with a trembling voice, "On that day... I was gravely injured, I had no other choice..."

"Heh, today you had no choice, tomorrow someone else will have no choice, what then are the rules of Li Ze Palace established for?"

Yu Sifeng was left speechless once again.

The Palace Master softly said, "Si Feng, I have watched you grow up. You are a child with pride and never willing to be outdone, and you should not be bewitched by a woman. You must understand, she is your demon, and once a man is possessed, there is no cure. Listen to your master, forget her, and come back properly. This is your home, how can a person not want their home? Come back, and I will ensure your safety. Just stay in the Water Prison for a few days, endure some physical hardship, and I can overlook your previous defiance. I will also find a way to break the Lover’s Curse for you."

Seeing Yu Sifeng hanging his head silently, seemingly unmoved, he slightly hardened his voice, "If you continue to be stubborn, are you not afraid of being abandoned by everyone?"

Yu Sifeng closed his eyes, then suddenly collapsed to the ground, kowtowing three times with a trembling voice, "I have failed to live up to Master’s great expectations! But for me... there is no turning back! I ask Master to punish me, and I will have no complaints!"

The Palace Master coldly chuckled, "Very good! Very good!"

Yu Sifeng continued, "Any punishment from Master, I am willing to accept! But there is one thing I do not understand, and I ask Master to hear me out!"

The Palace Master coldly said, "Speak."

"My injury was inflicted by a fellow disciple, Ruo Yu... I take the liberty to ask, does Master know about this?"

The Palace Master suddenly stood up, both surprised and furious, his voice harsh, "Ruo Yu injured you?!"

As soon as these words fell, they heard disordered footsteps outside, and a guard disciple rushed to report, "Reporting to the Palace Master! Three outsiders have intruded into Li Ze Palace and clashed with the disciples at the main gate!"

Yu Sifeng’s body shook, and he quickly rushed to the window. Below the massive White Jade Pillars, there stood a young lady in white, her beauty and black hair plain to see—it was Chu Xuanji.

(To be continued. To find out what happens next, please visit www.qidian.com. More Chapters are available. Support the author, support genuine reading!)