Chapter 2184: Alone in the World

"Creation is truly wondrous," the beauty sighed, yet dared not glance a second time at the burden-bearing toad.

The toad itself is ugly enough, its back covered in tiny holes, enough to trigger trypophobia in anyone who sees it.

Shuangye slowly opened her eyes: "Do you think they are so hideous they shouldn't have been born into this world?"

His tone was gentle, yet the beauty inexplicably shuddered. If she dared utter a "yes," it seemed great calamity would befall her.

"No no!" she hastily protested, "This humble concubine merely thought that not all tadpoles become toads. If by chance one or two fail to transform, what then becomes of them?"

She glanced hastily—how many holes at least were on the burden-bearing toad's back?

"An excellent question, truly excellent." Shuangye lightly stroked her delicate face, satisfied: "Then of course they have only one death. Since they cannot control their own lives, what good end could they possibly have?"

How did the topic develop so strangely? The beauty regretted it—why had she brought up these ugly freaks?

Fortunately, at this moment Shuangye sat up: "You may go."

"Yes." The beauty, as if pardoned, dressed, bowed to him, and hurriedly withdrew, closing the door behind her.

After she left the room, Shuangye grabbed a gold ring and casually tied up her loose hair.

With no one else in the room, Xi Yunhe then bowed to him:

"My lord, you summoned me?"

Xi Yunhe rarely dared to look up at him.

Judging by appearance alone, the National Preceptor lord was more beautiful than the beauty who had just hurried away, even with disheveled hair, possessing a kind of decadent beauty. Yet this beauty was not lively, making one feel uneasy deep down upon seeing it.

Shuangye casually pulled open the hidden compartment beside the couch, taking out a crystal vial from within and handing it to him:

"Take this to the Thousand-Eyed Cavern on Nantao Lie Island."

On the sea southwest of Between Between Between Beijia, there is a chain of islands; one large island's center collapsed, eroded by sea winds and tides, forming a cavern similar to the burden-bearing toad's back—the Thousand-Eyed Cavern.

"Yes." Xi Yunhe received it, seeing the vial contained dark red liquid.

Blood.

He had long grown accustomed to it; every so often, the National Preceptor Shuangye would have him secretly send various items to different places—sometimes blood, sometimes materials, sometimes he didn't even know what it was.

Xi Yunhe had once stayed a long time in the Qing Palace and was quite well-traveled, yet the items Shuangye sent out always managed to broaden his horizons.

"After delivering the items, you must also retrieve the latest intelligence from Ashmo Na."

"Yes." It turned out that monster had been sent to the Thousand-Eyed Cavern.

Ashmo Na is an important demonic construct personally modified by Cao Wendao, master of the Red Lu, captured and sent back to Between Between Between Beijia by Bai Ziqi. When it was escorted back, Xi Yunhe had seen it once.

Such a monster molded from mud, yet it too is a demonic construct?

"But Cao Wendao's most important work is not Ashmo Na, but a boy-like yaksha called 'Xiao An,' now in Dong Rui's hands."

Hearing that familiar name, Xi Yunhe started: "Dong Rui? Owner of the Snail Toad?"

He and Dong Rui had crossed paths before; back then he thought this man talented yet reclusive, but hadn't realized how important he was.

"His attainments in demonic constructs are extraordinary, already achieving astonishing breakthroughs. Yet the Heavenly Palace has never managed to capture him; the Great Emperor of Jiuxiu has hidden him deeply." Shuangye the National Preceptor glanced at him, "But you also know Dong Rui's weakness—send a few capable ones to Cangyan to find him."

"After finding him?" The Heavenly Palace will also send people to seek Dong Rui; why must the National Preceptor go through the trouble twice?

But Xi Yunhe will only bury such doubts in his heart, never voicing them.

"After finding him, you need not intervene—just keep watch. I estimate the protection the Great Emperor of Jiuxiu provides him is also thorough; the Heavenly Palace would not easily seize him. After Cangyan established its state, the Great Emperor of Jiuxiu did not let Dong Rui come out to serve as an official; given his temperament, he will likely hide somewhere in Ju City, unseen by daylight, and probably won't run about recklessly."

Xi Yunhe assented.

Shuangye the National Preceptor donned a fire-cloud robe, sat behind the desk. Xi Yunhe felt compelled to step forward and grind ink for him.

The furnishings in this study were as exquisite, intricate, and splendid as the robe Shuangye the National Preceptor wore.

There were also many unique items, none to be found elsewhere outside. Xi Yunhe casually glanced and saw a pot of green coral placed by the window.

"Green coral" is a land plant, not marine. It bears this name because its shape resembles coral, with fine, antler-like branches.

However, ordinary green coral is entirely emerald green, whereas this one bears streaks of pale blue, pale white, even pale pink—these streaks ranging from semi-transparent to opaque, with a jade-like texture, as if a small window had been rubbed out on jade.

Xi Yunhe knew this was a variegated green coral. So-called variegation simply means an uncontrollable mutation has arisen.

Due to its uncontrollability, even if it is the same plant, the colors after variegation differ each time.

Shuangye the National Preceptor followed his gaze to the green coral and casually asked: "How are the green plums of Fenhe Labor Manor blooming?"

Xi Yunhe's heart clenched.

He went to Labor Manor for private reasons, not on a mission or official business, yet Shuangye the National Preceptor knew his movements as well as the lines on his palm.

"Only a few blossoms have opened; most are still flower buds."

"Is that so? This plum blossom is not easy to keep alive." In the world, plum blossoms range from white to pale pink to blood red, but green is extremely rare.

Plants rarely have green flowers, as they struggle to attract insect pollinators.

Thus, that one green plum tree at Labor Manor is also a unique specimen.

Shuangye the National Preceptor continued: "Was the day before yesterday the birthday memorial for Qingyang?"

"……Yes." Only at Labor Manor was there a tablet for Qingyang; Xi Yunhe had gone there to offer her a stick of incense.

Qingyang perished on the Flash Gold Plains; Labor Manor preserves some of her personal effects, hence the tablet was erected.

Xi Yunhe stayed at Labor Manor for half a day, reflecting on the past, but felt life was like a dream.

For so many years, what sustained him to live was hatred, the obsession to overthrow Qingyang. Yet upon hearing the news of her death, he felt no joy, only a sense of loss.

At Labor Manor, he drank all night.

In this world, suddenly it became dull and tasteless.

What was Qingyang thinking at her final moment? He suddenly very much wanted to know.

But this question is destined to have no answer.

"Qingyang once held power over court and wilderness; after her death, few still offer her incense." Shuangye began flipping through the documents on the desk, "Among those who remember her, you count as one."

Xi Yunhe felt a sigh rise: "Qingyang had no sons or daughters, departed alone and solitary, a lonely widow—indeed……refreshing."

People like us, after death, still have someone thinking of us enough to offer a stick of incense—already quite remarkable.

Frostleaf didn't even lift his head, letting out a soft "hah": "Who isn't?"

Xi Yunhe didn't want to mention Qingyang again, quickly changing the subject: "My lord, news from the north—Hong Chenglüe has been forming an army at Tiānyuán Mountain, training for over half a year already."