A familiar yet strange voice suddenly came from behind us.
"The people here have long since left. Perhaps they went to North Divine Capital, perhaps to West Purple Kingdom, or perhaps they died on the way."
Hearing the voice, Liu Shinian and I turned around abruptly. We saw a figure faintly emerge from the dark corner.
A person holding a large pipe, dressed in a green one-piece dress, with blue-pink eyebrows painted above their eyes, and lips as red as fire.
Anyone else would not have chosen such a combination, but that person was the owner of Qingfang Tower… Sister Qing.
Only she could carry off these colors that appeared somewhat domineering yet individually beautiful.
"Sister Qing!"
Liu Shinian and I shouted in unison.
Sister Qing burst into laughter, raised the large pipe in her hand, took a puff, then exhaled a wisp of smoke before looking at Liu Shinian and me.
Slowly, she spoke of her melancholy over the past few days.
"I heard you were going to attack Dongyue Town, but I didn't expect you to come to Nanhai City instead. I should have guessed, so I didn't run with the others."
Hearing her words, I felt a surge of gratitude and said to her.
"Sister Qing, I'm truly happy that you stayed."
"The first time I saw you, I felt you weren't a bad person. Now that you've become the leader of the Ghost Clan, I still don't think you're a bad person.
We are just ordinary people. You people fight amongst yourselves, and it doesn't matter to us who is right or wrong.
As long as you treat us well and let us have enough to eat, that's enough."
What she said was not far from my own wishes.
Liu Shinian patted my shoulder and assured her.
"Sister Qing, don't worry. Muye is a very reliable person. With her here, everyone can live a good life."
"I hope so. This place has become so desolate, not like my Qingfang Tower.
Would you like to come to my place? Shinian, you haven't been to Nanhai City since you returned from the Ten Thousand Ghost Forest, nor have you been to my Qingfang Tower.
Thinking about it, it's been a long time."
Liu Shinian smiled knowingly and said playfully.
"Sister Qing, you've been working hard for days, how could I dare to disturb you? It's better for me to live my leisurely days."
"You, you're still so glib."
She looked at me slightly and spoke of her inner feelings.
"Muye, I must admire you. You've taken Nanhai City in just three years.
Many people spend their entire lives without even getting half a mountain, you are truly amazing."
Her sudden praise caught me off guard, not because of the compliment, but because I noticed the three years she mentioned.
"Three years? Has that much time passed?"
In a daze, I remembered it as if it were yesterday.
She, however, smiled faintly and said.
"You are someone who looks forward, so you naturally haven't noticed the passage of time. It's just that things have changed, and it feels like a dream."
"Yes, things have changed, and it feels like a dream..."
I murmured to myself.
Sister Qing invited us again.
"Would you like to come to my Qingfang Tower? It's just as it was when you left, not much has changed."
Liu Shinian vaguely recalled his days at Qingfang Tower, where the sisters treated him very well.
Especially Sister Qing, whenever he visited, regardless of whether he had money or not, she would always arrange good food and entertainment for him first.
However, now, Liu Shinian was no longer the wandering swordsman of the past, but a man who followed his heart and moved forward bravely.
He said.
"No, Sister Qing. Someone is still waiting for us."
She took a puff of her smoke and looked at Liu Shinian's change, sighing with emotion.
"You've truly matured..."
"Would you like to come to the palace for a few days?"
I invited her.
She waved her hand, making a gesture as if I had already been there, then turned her back and said.
"My place, with its clear winds and bright moon, cannot keep you two. Since that's the case, I'll be going back on my own."
With that, she was about to leave.
"Wait a moment!"
Liu Shinian suddenly called out to her.
"Hmm?"
Sister Qing turned around, looking at Liu Shinian with confusion.
Liu Shinian recalled past events and felt grateful to Sister Qing.
"Thank you, Sister Qing. I was once plagued by inner demons, idle all day, drowning my sorrows in alcohol.
You appeared when I was at my lowest, not only providing me with free food and lodging.
You also instructed those sisters to take care of me constantly. I truly don't know how to repay your great kindness."
Sister Qing was very surprised by his words.
"Why say such things? I helped you with selfish motives too."
Liu Shinian asked curiously.
"What selfish motives?"
"Because you are handsome, hahaha."
However, her inner thoughts were different:
Because I wanted you to live well. Fortunately, everything is fine.
Liu Shinian knew she was joking again and also laughed.
"Hahaha, Sister Qing is joking again. How could I be so handsome?"
"I'm telling the truth. Since you're not coming, I'll be going back on my own."
"Alright, Sister Qing, goodbye."
"Sister Qing, goodbye."
She waved her hand and slowly disappeared into the shadows.
After Sister Qing left, Liu Shinian and I returned to the Nanhai Royal Palace together.
Not long after we left, a gentle breeze blew, and a man in white suddenly appeared before the entrance of Qianji Hall.
His gaze, filled with sorrow, slowly fell upon the sachet and embroidered handkerchief in front of the red door. He then bent down, picked them up, and put them into his embrace.
"You're back?"
A sudden voice surprised him. He turned around and saw Sister Qing standing behind him.
"You didn't leave?"
He had been watching all along.
"I just wanted to see when you would come out."
He smiled faintly and said nothing.
Sister Qing suddenly said.
"Is he really that good, worth your following?"
There was no need to guess who Sister Qing was referring to, as the person before her was Jin Yulan.
Jin Yulan turned his head away and said indifferently.
"You will never understand."
Sister Qing shook her head with regret, sighed, and looked towards the boundless starry night.
"Alas! The young men of the past are no more, only grown children remain."
With that, she turned and left silently. It was not difficult to see that she knew everything about Jin Yulan's affairs. As she walked, she lamented.
"Those who should have left have left, and those who shouldn't have left have also left. It seems we can only meet again by fate."
Jin Yulan watched Sister Qing's receding figure. He didn't want to say much, but he couldn't help but whisper.
"See you again by fate."
He looked at Qianji Hall, once bustling with people, now desolate, and felt an unspeakable sense of dejection and low spirits.
But what could be done? Nothing was eternal, except time.
He smiled faintly and his mind unconsciously drifted.
"If I had met Muye first, would things be different? Perhaps the outcome would be the same."
He shook his head, appearing very helpless, opened his fan, and resumed his cold and ruthless handsome appearance.
He walked towards the distant dark and hollow place, where a faint light shone, gradually disappearing into the dark night.
...
When Liu Shinian and I returned to the Nanhai Royal Palace, it was already late at night. However, the boisterous banquet had not yet ended. Everyone was waiting for our return.
We sat down in our original seats again. The steaming hot dishes had long since gone cold, yet few people had touched their chopsticks.
I was a little surprised and asked them.
"Why aren't you eating?"
Lin'er replied.
"We were all waiting for the Demon King and Shinian to return. By the time we waited, the dishes had gone cold."
I complained.
"In the past, I never saw you wait for me like this. Now that you're here, you start waiting for me.
Elder, when I was away, you were the decision-maker. You need to take the lead. If no one eats, what's the point of holding this celebration banquet?"
"The Demon King is right. The dishes are cold. I'll have someone heat them up."
"No need. If we fuss around any longer, the sky will be light."
I picked up my chopsticks and tasted a bite. It was exceptionally delicious, so I quickly called out to them.
"Mmm, it's delicious. Even cold dishes can be this fragrant. You all try them too."
Everyone then picked up their chopsticks and started eating and chatting again, one bite after another.
Wang Yuan had someone bring wine and place it by his feet. Just as we returned, he picked up the wine pot and said to me.
"Demon King, I want to issue a challenge. I challenge the best drinker among you."
I looked at everyone and encouraged them.
"Quick, quick! The Protector has spoken, and you can't refuse the challenge.
If I didn't get tipsy after three cups and drunk after two, I'd really want to go myself."
My words made everyone burst into laughter.
Xue Gucheng stepped up without hesitation and said.
"Protector."
"Just call me Wang Yuan."
"Alright, Brother Wang Yuan, I'll accept the challenge."
"Refreshing. Whoever falls first loses."
"Okay."
"Then please."
"Please."
Saying that, they both slapped the table, and the wine pot was immediately shaken into the air. Then, they both raised their hands, caught bowls of wine, and started drinking heartily.
Mu Han and Qing Yu, their mouths dry, also responded.
"Come, come, let's join too."
It seems the characteristic of the Merfolk tribe is their love for drinking, unlike the people of the Four Cities who only know how to fight.
Ye Changfeng and Zhu Yan also stood up to accept the challenge.
"Let us brothers challenge your drinking capacity."
"Alright."
"Please."
"Please."
The four of them immediately grabbed wine pots and started drinking as if it were water. Watching them drink was like watching them drink water, gulping it down.
Soon, wine pots were piled up on the ground. Before the cleaners could clear them, they were filled again, so they simply stopped caring and let them drink.
The group made noise until dawn.
Having stayed up all night, playing and drinking, my small human body felt quite sleepy.
Seeing them still competing in drinking, I suddenly remembered the soldiers of Nanhai City and West Purple Kingdom in the dungeon.
So, I ordered the people beside me to prepare a sumptuous breakfast for them.
With a sleepy head, I brought a portion of breakfast, the same as theirs, to the dungeon.
As soon as I entered the dungeon, I heard killing intent rising from all four sides. The soldiers who had seen me before also cursed me fiercely.
"Myriad Demon King, you want to watch us make fools of ourselves? Dream on!"
"Don't try to appease us with food fit for beggars. We don't need your pity!"
Then, I heard the sound of someone kicking over a rice bowl.
I said nothing and quietly sat down in the middle aisle, eating my meal.
Seeing that I wasn't speaking, they became even more enraged. They grabbed the bowls in their hands and hurled them at me.
I raised my hand to catch them and then collected every grain of rice back into the bowl.
I admonished them earnestly.
"Why is there waste of food everywhere? Do you know how long it takes to grow a grain of rice?
In spring, seedlings must be nurtured. In summer, fields must be plowed and planted with the rain. In autumn, harvests must be rushed.
Truly, 'Hoeing the crops at noon, sweat drips onto the soil. Who knows the meal in the bowl, each grain is hard-earned.'"
They didn't understand what I was saying and just cursed.
"What are you talking about, hoeing and crops? What do you mean? Are you insulting us? If you want to eat it, I'll let you eat your fill!"
Saying that, I saw bowls being thrown from the cells, covering the sky. I patted my chest and said to the King of Ten Thousand Ghosts.
"Brother, help me collect them."
Instantly, a black mist flew out, catching all the bowls and placing them on the ground.
Perhaps he couldn't stand it anymore. He flew quickly through each cell from top to bottom, flipping everyone inside onto the ground.
Only then did he slowly fly back into my body.
I couldn't help but laugh out loud.
"Hahaha, you guys look so cute like this! I used to fall even more awkwardly than you."
Then, I seemed to recall something and said to myself.
"When I was at home, I heard my grandfather tell a story about his personal experience.
When he was young, his family often had nothing to eat. To support his children, he and his nephew went to the other side of the mountain to hunt.
They would return very late every day, but fortunately, everything was safe.
Until one day, they reached the foot of their mountain in the middle of the night.
Passing by a mass grave, they suddenly heard whispering behind them, as if old people and children were talking.
He turned around but saw nothing, which was very strange.
He didn't think much of it and continued forward. Suddenly, he heard what sounded like many people following them from the woods on both sides of the path.
My grandfather was originally brave, but encountering such strange events made him inevitably fearful.
The two of them immediately quickened their pace towards home, but the whispering and footsteps behind them kept pace with them.
They finally couldn't bear it anymore and fired a shot into the sky. Only then were the strange sounds dispersed, and they hurried home."
By the time I finished this story, I had also eaten most of my meal.
Although they disliked me, they still listened with great interest. Bai Cheng, a young general from West Purple Kingdom, said disdainfully.
"What's there to be afraid of? Don't try to scare us with imaginary things."
I found it amusing but said nothing, only pointing to the food on the ground.
"If you're hungry, tell the jailer to distribute the food to you."
With that, I walked out.
After I left, they looked at the delicious food and their mouths watered.
Although they didn't have to eat, no one could escape the law of "true fragrance."
Everyone's eyes widened, carefully looking at the white rice topped with a small piece of peach blossom, white bamboo shoots, and green vegetables.
Then, drizzled with circles of savory and sweet soy sauce and purple seaweed, they couldn't help but drool.
Finally, unable to resist the temptation, they called out to the jailer.
"Jailer! We want to eat! We want to eat!"
The jailer came over reluctantly, grumbling.
"You didn't eat when it was hot, and now you want to eat when it's cold. I really don't know what to say about you."
Despite the complaints, he still called for people to distribute the food to them. Everyone ate with relish, except for Zuo Men, who didn't touch his food and fell asleep.
After returning from the dungeon, Lin'er had already arranged for someone to wait for me.
Seeing me return, she led me to the former residence of the Nanhai City Lord to rest.
The former residence of the Nanhai City Lord was called Yixuan Hall, located behind the main hall.
Entering this spacious bedroom, I immediately saw a circular yellow bed in the empty room.
In front of the large bed was an eight-panel screen, and by the windows were several candlesticks of the same size.
There were also various paintings, calligraphy, and carvings. If one were to speak of grandeur, there was some.
I lay on the bed with my arms spread wide and called over the waiting maid.
"You try it too, it's really comfortable."
She shook her head, but dared not. I got up, pulled her onto the bed, and asked her with a smile.
"How does it feel?"
She smiled shyly and replied softly.
"So soft."
I lowered my head slightly, looked at her delicate and beautiful smile, and patted the bed.
"Then you can lie down and rest too. I'm going to sleep."
The maid became nervous and said anxiously.
"I am just a small maid, how can I sleep on such a good bed? No, no."
Saying that, she carefully got up.
Turning her back, she didn't hear me speak, so she curiously turned her head back and saw that I had already fallen asleep.
She let out a sigh of relief, smiled with relief, carefully covered me with a blanket, and then left.
In the vast open space, the grand banquet from last night had only a few solitary figures still engaged in drinking.
Ye Changfeng finally couldn't take it anymore and surrendered for the first time.
"No more drinking, no more drinking. I admit defeat, I admit defeat. I need to go back and rest."
Mu Han had also drunk a lot, but he was like nothing had happened, and teased him.
"You can't handle it already? I can drink for three days and three nights."
Ye Changfeng held his head slightly, a hint of sigh appearing on his helpless face.
"Alas! I can't anymore, I can't anymore. My stomach is full of water, I need to relieve myself."
Saying that, he swayed and got up.
Mu Han couldn't help but laugh at him.
"It seems Brother Ye is indeed not a good drinker. If that's the case, then you may go."
"I can't anymore either. I surrender too."
Zhu Yan also raised his hand in surrender.
"You can't anymore either?"
Qing Yu, who was drinking with him, also showed some confusion.
"No, no, I'll go with my elder brother."
It seems he still couldn't be separated from his elder brother.
"How about we stop here for today? Everyone hasn't had a good rest for the past few days. After arriving in Nanhai City, we should get some good rest."
Xue Gucheng suggested.
Seeing Xue Gucheng speak, Tian Long also agreed.
"Brother Xue is right. Let's end it here."
"Then let's go back and rest."
"Okay."
With that, Ye Changfeng took Zhu Yan and the two brothers who had accompanied them all night and left.
Xue Gucheng then left with Yan Wushuang, and the three protectors also left, embracing each other.