"Your master certainly never imagined that during the time Monarch Chixiao lived incognito at your Yaoyue Palace, not only did his injuries fully heal, but his strength also increased dramatically. With his eighty-one Golden Cores, he condensed a Three-Headed, Six-Armed Heavenly Fiend Nascent Soul."
As an ardent admirer and worshipper of Monarch Chixiao, Ouyang Ye was intimately familiar with his life story and legendary tales. She knew very well that after Monarch Chixiao's identity was exposed back then, he was besieged by numerous experts from the Great Northwest Frontier. Monarch Chixiao, fearless and undaunted, fought alone against the crowd of heroes, slaughtering in all directions, leaving those Daozun from the Great Northwest Frontier who had encircled him either dead or wounded.
Everyone knew that Monarch Chixiao, relying on his eighty-one Golden Cores alone, could slay Daozun. How much more formidable must he have become after living incognito at Yaoyue Palace for over a year and condensing a Three-Headed, Six-Armed Heavenly Fiend Nascent Soul?
Blazing True Body, the might of True Fire!
Eighty-one Golden Cores, vast and boundless power!
Heavenly Fiend Nascent Soul, intimidating all directions!
This was the state of Monarch Chixiao's heaven-defying path back then. From the Blazing True Body, to the Eighty-one Golden Cores, and then to the Heavenly Fiend Nascent Soul—he was already peerless and unmatched in the world, free to roam anywhere with no one as his match.
Originally, Monarch Chixiao could have left openly and honorably, or departed peacefully without incident.
Back then, if he had wanted to leave, no one could have stopped him.
Absolutely no one!
What no one expected was that, back then, Monarch Chixiao did not simply leave like that. Instead, in front of the Borderland Queen, Feng Zhuyue, he severed his own cultivation.
Some said Monarch Chixiao severed his cultivation to repay Empress Zhuyue's kindness.
Others said Monarch Chixiao severed his cultivation solely to sever the deep affection Empress Zhuyue held for him.
Still others said that the Immortal Dynasty had already intervened back then, and Monarch Chixiao severed his cultivation to avoid implicating Empress Zhuyue and to avoid implicating Yaoyue Palace.
As for why Monarch Chixiao severed his cultivation back then, opinions remain divided to this day, and no one knows the true reason.
"Master has always been deeply troubled by this matter, unable to forgive herself, sinking into profound self-blame, unable to extricate herself," Han Dong said, gazing at the sunset glow beneath the evening clouds with a long sigh. "She often mutters that if she hadn't revealed Monarch Chixiao's identity to the Third Elder back then, Monarch Chixiao wouldn't have been besieged, much less severed his cultivation. If Monarch Chixiao hadn't severed his cultivation, Empress Zhuyue wouldn't have become melancholy and despondent, wouldn't have been driven mad by longing, lost her sanity, and disappeared in madness... Master has always felt that all of this is her fault. She has been living in remorse and self-blame...
Especially after Empress Zhuyue disappeared and entrusted Yaoyue Palace to her, the palace's status plummeted, which made Master even more dispirited and unable to recover..." Ouyang Ye might not have understood the meaning behind Han Dong's words earlier, but now she somewhat comprehended. She nodded, suddenly enlightened. "So, you're saying that when your master learned you had formed a Dao-companion bond with Young Lord Chiyan, and also learned that Young Lord Chiyan was the heir of Monarch Chixiao, that's why she was so overjoyed?"
"Master...
She truly believes it. She not only genuinely believes that Young Lord Chiyan isn't dead, but also genuinely believes that Monarch Chixiao and I have formed a Dao-companion bond, and simultaneously genuinely believes that Young Lord Chiyan is the heir of Monarch Chixiao."
Closing her eyes, Han Dong's coldly beautiful face was filled with sorrow, as well as self-blame and remorse. "Finding someone to impersonate Young Lord Chiyan already made me feel I've wronged Master. Falsely claiming to have formed a Dao-companion bond with Young Lord Chiyan is even worse. Yet, Master even regards Young Lord Chiyan as the heir of Monarch Chixiao. Whether the real Young Lord Chiyan is or isn't the heir of Monarch Chixiao is still an unknown, let alone a fake one."
This time, Ouyang Ye chose silence and did not respond, because she could completely understand Han Dong.
In her mind, finding someone to impersonate Young Lord Chiyan wasn't a big deal.
Falsely claiming it wasn't a big deal either.
But finding a fake Young Lord Chiyan and falsely claiming he is the heir of Monarch Chixiao—that was a big deal.
After all, Han Dong's master, Daozun Feiyan, because of the events of the past, has always lived in guilt and self-blame towards Monarch Chixiao. If she cannot obtain Monarch Chixiao's forgiveness in this lifetime, so be it. But if she could gain the forgiveness of Monarch Chixiao's heir, that would count for something, at least alleviating a small amount of her guilt and self-blame.
However.
If the truth were exposed.
What then?
Imagine, finally obtaining the forgiveness of Monarch Chixiao's heir, only for that heir to be fake—how could Daozun Feiyan possibly withstand such a blow?
And that's not even the most agonizing part. If Daozun Feiyan were to learn that not only is Monarch Chixiao's heir fake, but even Young Lord Chiyan is fake... this...
Would be far too cruel.
Ouyang Ye shook her head, truly not daring to continue thinking about it. To her, it was like lifting someone high into the sky and then brutally smashing them to the ground. Or like giving a starving person a steamed bun, only to inform them after they've eaten it that the bun contains a deadly poison...
The cruelest thing in the world is giving someone immense hope, only to instantly plunge them into despair...
No one could withstand such a tremendous blow.
"Sister Han Dong, then...
What do you think we should do..." Initially, Ouyang Ye had felt quite proud and excited about finding someone to impersonate Young Lord Chiyan, not only helping Han Dong overcome her difficulties but also gradually improving Daozun Feiyan's condition. But after hearing Han Dong's words, her heart was no longer filled with pride or joy, only self-blame, remorse, and a sense of guilt.
"I'm sorry, Sister Han Dong, at first...
I only wanted to help you...
I never thought about so much...
I..." As Ouyang Ye spoke, Han Dong gently shook her head and offered a faint smile. "Silly girl, you've misunderstood and haven't grasped my meaning. I'm not blaming you, nor am I complaining to you. I want you to help me."
"Ah...
Sister Han Dong, you don't blame me?
And you still want help?
What do you mean?"
"I plan to take Lao Jiu to meet my master."
As these words fell, Ouyang Ye's expression froze. She hadn't expected Han Dong to say this at all and was momentarily stunned. "Sister Han Dong, haven't you always been...
very resistant...
to finding someone to impersonate Young Lord Chiyan?"
"That was before. Now I've figured it out."
Han Dong said with a faint smile, "Before, perhaps I bore too much, doing everything with excessive caution, worrying about this and that. This way, I would only sink into endless passivity."
"So your meaning is..."
"Take Lao Jiu to meet my master. I not only want him to continue impersonating Young Lord Chiyan, but I also want him to impersonate the heir of Monarch Chixiao. I want...
him to use the identity of the Monarch's heir to resolve the knot in my master's heart."
"But...
But...
What if the truth is exposed? She, the elder...
knowing you deceived her like this...
wouldn't she..."
Han Dong smiled and reached out to gently tap Ouyang Ye's nose. "When you gain, sing aloud; when you lose, let it rest. Excessive worry and hatred are but fleeting. If there's wine today, get drunk today; tomorrow's worries can wait for tomorrow..."
Ouyang Ye blinked, feeling the phrase was very familiar. Thinking carefully, she exclaimed in surprise, "This...
This phrase...
Isn't it...
what Lao Jiu has been saying these past few days?"
Han Dong nodded. "I think what he said makes a lot of sense...
Listening to it, I don't know why, but I suddenly figured things out...
And...
the cultivation bottleneck that has troubled me for many years also broke through in an instant..."