Chapter 1391: with translation of chapter title

For Hu Xiaotian, this is not hard to understand; if these people return to their homeland, they will surely bring back all the information here, perhaps followed by a massive force of avengers, or perhaps their kind will occupy this place, even destroying everything here.

Just from that light sword, Hu Xiaotian could already tell that the civilization level of the world those people inhabit, and even the level of its Science Level development, far surpasses the world he lived in before his transmigration, let alone this land dominated by cold weapons before him; if truly an extraterrestrial legion were drawn here, even if all military forces were gathered, they would likely be no match before the enemy. Chu Fufeng must have foreseen this, so he abandoned those companions.

Ji Feihua whispered: "So Hong Beimo went to such great lengths to maintain Long Xuan'en's rule, with the ultimate goal merely to return?"

Hu Xiaotian nodded: "Your grandfather is likely the same; what they want to do requires enormous material, financial, and human resources, so they had no choice but to cooperate with Long Xuan'en, and only longevity could move Long Xuan'en."

Ji Feihua sighed softly: "Only today do I understand why Hong Beimo spares no effort to maintain Long Xuan'en's rule—not because he is loyal, but because his interests are inseparably tied to Long Xuan'en."

Hu Xiaotian secretly thought: Now that Long Xuan'en is dead, Hong Beimo and his people all support Qiqi; perhaps the imperial mausoleum's completion is not far off, yet this makes him feel an inexplicable crisis. If his speculation is completely correct, and if a spaceship truly lies hidden in the mausoleum, then after Hong Beimo repairs that spaceship, he could return to his homeland; would his actions draw a terrifying legion to this world? If everything turns out to be true, then only destruction awaits everyone.

Ji Feihua saw Hu Xiaotian silent for a long time and whispered: "What are you thinking about?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "Someone must stop Hong Beimo."

Ji Feihua asked: "Why?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "If there truly is a legion, with everyone equipped with light swords like that, facing such a legion, even if the forces of all nations were united, they probably wouldn't be a match."

Ji Feihua nodded, a look of appreciation on her face; Hu Xiaotian indeed stood out. His vision was clearly far broader than most people in this world, and his mind remained clear. He whispered: "According to what you said, there should have been two blue skulls."

Hu Xiaotian said: "I only saw one; I suspect the other is inside the imperial mausoleum."

Ji Feihua said: "If we can destroy one of those skulls, then Hong Beimo and his people's plan should no longer be realizable."

Hu Xiaotian, hearing him use that word, felt both surprised and delighted; it seemed Ji Feihua had already decided to come out of retirement and join forces with him against Hong Beimo's group. He recalled Ji Feihua's earlier internal injury, but seeing her performance tonight, her martial arts should have largely recovered.

Ji Feihua said: "Do you find this time's Tianxiang Kingdom's consort selection strange?"

Hu Xiaotian nodded: "Indeed strange; Long Xuanjiao had no need to make such a fuss—just the applicants for consort numbered ten thousand, and with tens of thousands of attendants flooding into Piaoxiang City, it would surely invite unnecessary trouble; when a woman's head gets hot, she'll do anything."

Ji Feihua said: "Actually, this idea came from your father."

Hu Xiaotian, hearing him mention his father, fell silent, feeling odd; given Hu Buwei's perspective, he shouldn't have done such a thing. Long Xuanjiao was his former lover, and Yang Longjing was his biological son. Proposing such a bad idea would hardly avoid bringing them unnecessary trouble; to say Hu Buwei is indeed strange—he pitied them in Dakang, then came to Tianxiang Kingdom and continued to pit another couple.

Ji Feihua said: "The ninth day of the ninth month is actually the day of the public consort selection; before that, most people will have been eliminated. And during these twenty-plus days, there will be no peace; even I don't understand why Long Xuanjiao would do such a thankless, laborious thing—Hu Buwei is deep‑minded, perhaps he used Long Xuanjiao in this matter, but I cannot guess his true purpose."

Hu Xiaotian lifted his gaze to the night sky, looking at the round moon, and involuntarily wondered whether he would have a chance to meet Hu Buwei this time; if he did, he would surely ask him in person why he abandoned their mother and child, causing his mother to die resentful, and whether he and Xu Fengyi are truly half‑brothers sharing the same father.

At this very moment, in the Dakang imperial palace, Qiqi stood alone and quietly on the Piaomiao Peak, gazing lonely at the bright moon in the night sky; a feeling of loneliness unprecedented welled up in her heart, and she did not know why, tonight, she had been compelled by some ghostly impulse to come here. She stood alone, her mind awash with wandering thoughts.

Behind her came light footsteps; Qiqi turned around and saw Quan De'an walking toward her.

Quan De'an's face was full of concern; he stood behind her and said softly, "Your Highness, you should return."

Qiqi nodded and whispered, "Any discoveries?"

Quan De'an said: "We have searched the entire Yilan Palace and found no other skull."

Qiqi frowned; this news clearly disappointed her somewhat.

Quan De'an lowered his voice: "Could it be that Hu Xiaotian stole that skull when he sneaked into Long Ling Shengjing?"

Qiqi shook her head: "No, he has no interest in the skull at all; otherwise he would never have left it behind."

Quan De'an said: "Then it's strange; I've combed through the palace treasury's accounts and found no record of this."

Qiqi however said: "Both skulls should have been left in the palace at that time; according to what this palace knows, one was suppressed beneath Piaomiao Mountain, and the other should be buried under the Seven‑Treasure Glazed Pagoda."

Quan De'an, not knowing how she knew so well, gave a wry smile: "Your Highness, the Seven‑Treasure Glazed Pagoda collapsed a hundred years ago; Yilan Palace was built on its site, and Yilan Palace itself burned down in a heavenly fire fifteen years ago. During this time, this old servant, under the pretense of renovation, has practically combed through every tile and rubble of Yilan Palace, digging three feet deep, yet found nothing."

Qiqi asked: "Did Long Xuanjiao reside in Yilan Palace before her marriage?"

Quan De'an nodded: "Yes!" He understood what Qiqi meant by asking, and gave a wry smile: "Back then, when she married, she was merely a seventeen‑year‑old girl; moreover, she could not possibly have taken a skull with her to Tianxiang Kingdom."

Qiqi said: "Hu Buwei should now be in Tianxiang Kingdom; he once taught Long Xuanjiao to play the zither and often came and went from Yilan Palace—perhaps the problem lies with him."

Quan De'an said: "Your Highness, the Hu family residence has also been basically turned over, and there's nothing to be found at Hong Beimo's place either."

Qiqi shook her head, her gaze returning to the bright moon; after a while she broke the silence: "Is Hu Xiaotian perhaps in Tianxiang Kingdom?"

Quan De'an said nothing, knowing that silence was best at this moment.

Qiqi seemed to be speaking to him, or rather talking to herself: "I know he will not miss this opportunity."

On the night of the full moon, joys and sorrows differ. The Tianxiang Kingdom's dowager empress, Long Xuanjiao, waited alone all day, and finally, before midnight arrived, she met Hu Buwei.

Hu Buwei, weary from travel, entered Long Xuanjiao's sleeping quarters; the eunuch Zhou Desheng, sensing the situation, chose to withdraw. As soon as Zhou Desheng left, Long Xuanjiao rose and rushed to Hu Buwei's side, throwing herself into his arms like a little girl, tightly embracing him, her voice trembling: 'Buwei, I thought you wouldn't come back tonight!'

Hu Buwei reached out, lifted her chin, and gazed at Long Xuanjiao's face; the years had left their mark of wind and frost on her temples unbeknownst to her, and he smiled: 'How could I not come? How could I bear to let you spend this Mid‑Autumn night alone?'

Long Xuanjiao smiled warmly, took Hu Buwei's hand, and led him to the table; the food and drink were already prepared, awaiting his arrival. Before Hu Buwei, Long Xuanjiao no longer bore the haughty air of one who stands above ten thousand; now she was merely a virtuous, gentle woman, attentively serving her husband who had returned from afar.

She filled Hu Buwei's cup to the brim, poured one for herself, raised her glass, and said: 'Buwei, let's have a drink.'

Hu Buwei nodded, clinked cups with Long Xuanjiao, and they drank them dry. He whispered softly: 'Longjing didn't keep you company?'

Long Xuanjiao, hearing him mention her son, sighed involuntarily and shook her head gloomily: 'He did come by, made a quick round, then left; he surely resents me deeply.' She had harbored a wish for years: to see her family of three sit together and share a meal. Though simple, their status made it hard to fulfill, and perhaps she would never get the chance in her lifetime.

Hu Buwei smiled: 'Longjing enjoys admiring the moon.'

Long Xuanjiao said: 'His thoughts have never been on state affairs.'

Hu Buwei said: 'Everyone has their own aspirations; you need not force yourself.'

Long Xuanjiao said: 'Buwei, all these years I've struggled to get by, hasn't it all been for him? Now he has finally ascended the throne, yet I find him growing ever more distant from me…' Saying this, tears welled up in her eyes.

Hu Buwei reached out and took her hand, saying: 'Xiaojiao, when children grow up they are no longer under their mother's control—especially since he is the ruler of Tianxiang Kingdom, he now has his own ideas and intentions, and is no longer the child who once obeyed your every word.'

Long Xuanjiao sighed: 'I even feel some regret; perhaps I have harmed him.'

Hu Buwei said: 'Xiaojiao, why trouble yourself with worries? At least now our family can be together, at least we can still share this Mid‑Autumn and enjoy the same bright moon.'

Two updates delivered, please support with monthly tickets. (To be continued...)