On this early morning, as the sun first rose.
A grand carriage drawn by spirit beasts was speeding wildly through the skies above the Star Moon Great Domain.
The spirit beasts were three white elephants. Each elephant was like a mountain peak, massive in size, their bodies like white jade. They did not appear fierce, but rather gave off a dignified and majestic feeling. The three white elephants ran side by side, pulling an exquisite grand carriage of white jade.
Almost every cultivator in the Great Northwest frontier region knew this was the unique Jade Elephant Grand Carriage of Yao Yue Palace, once the exclusive mount of the famous Borderland Queen, Feng Zhuyue.
It was said the three jade elephants were ancient rare beasts—White Cloud Jade Elephants—representing an auspicious sign. At the end of the ancient era, when the Great Northwest frontier was ruled by Yao Yue Palace, no one who saw this Jade Elephant Grand Carriage was unafraid.
But now...
Few paid it much mind.
Everyone knew that after the Borderland Queen Feng Zhuyue disappeared, the Jade Elephant Grand Carriage was passed down to Daozun Feiyan. And now that Daozun Feiyan was severely injured, bedridden year-round, the Jade Elephant Grand Carriage had been passed on to Heir Apparent Han Dong.
Han Dong might be the Heir Apparent of Yao Yue Palace, but she was only an isolated Heir Apparent.
Even if her talents were outstanding, hailed as an exceptional heaven-favored daughter of the Great Northwest frontier in this era.
No one feared her. Not to mention fear, there wasn't even anyone who regarded her with caution.
For this isolated Heir Apparent prodigy, people in the Great Northwest frontier felt more sympathy and pity.
The only puzzling thing was, normally, Han Dong had always kept a low profile. Even when attending grand events, she had never ridden this Jade Elephant Grand Carriage that once intimidated the Great Northwest and made people flee at the mere sight. No one knew why today she was speeding so openly through the Star Moon Great Domain.
Indeed.
Han Dong had never ridden this Jade Elephant Grand Carriage that carried the glorious history of Yao Yue Palace before.
However, since her enlightenment two days ago, she had come to terms with many things.
Her world used to be gray and gloomy; now her world was clear skies for ten thousand miles.
Starting today, she decided she would no longer hide, no longer evade, and certainly not be timid and hesitant. She decided to meet difficulties head-on, ride the wind and break the waves, and take the initiative. Whether others acknowledged her as the Heir Apparent of Yao Yue Palace was not important; what was important was that she herself must acknowledge that she was the Heir Apparent of Yao Yue Palace. If even she did not acknowledge herself as the Heir Apparent of Yao Yue Palace, how could others acknowledge it?
This statement was not something she realized herself, but something she heard someone say.
She heard it from Gu Qingfeng.
Yesterday, while drinking, Gu Qingfeng had casually said that line, and for Han Dong, it was like a sudden enlightenment.
Standing outside the Jade Elephant Grand Carriage, Han Dong looked at the white-clothed man lying inside, laughing and chatting with Ouyang Ye, her heart filled with gratitude.
She never could have imagined that she would achieve enlightenment and breakthrough because of this person's line: 'When you gain, sing loudly; when you lose, let it rest. Much worry, much hatred, also leisurely... Drink today's wine today, tomorrow's worries come tomorrow...' Even more unimaginable was that because of this guy's casual remark about acknowledging herself as the Heir Apparent, the pressure that had weighed on her for so many years instantly vanished like smoke, making her feel as if a great burden had been lifted.
She was very grateful.
However, besides gratitude, there was more confusion.
From the moment she first met this person, she felt he was different from ordinary people. As for where he was different, she couldn't say. He was just different—a very strange feeling. The longer she spent with him, the more she felt this person was extraordinary. As for how he was extraordinary, she similarly couldn't say.
What puzzled her even more was that after half a month of contact, she no longer knew whether this guy was truly lazy, or if he was pretending to be lazy to impersonate Young Lord Chiyan?
Was he truly casual, or was it an impersonated casualness?
Was he truly indifferent, or was it an impersonated indifference?
The free and easy manner revealed in his speech, the laziness in his leisure, the unrestrainedness while drinking, the playful teasing in his banter, even the flirtatiousness in his jokes—all made Han Dong feel a unique charm and held a deep attraction for her.
She gazed at him like this, momentarily entranced.
Suddenly.
When she noticed Gu Qingfeng's eyes looking over, Han Dong's coldly beautiful face couldn't help but flush slightly, like layers of an ice-carved rose blooming, exceptionally beautiful.
"What's up?"
Gu Qingfeng lay inside the carriage, legs crossed, waving a white jade fan, holding peach blossom wine in his hand, and laughed: "Heir Apparent Han Dong, why is your face red...
Have you taken a fancy to me?
Hmm?
Hahaha!"
"You!"
Han Dong's delicate face turned even more shy and red. She turned away, not daring to look again, and just said: "Young Master, please don't misunderstand, I just..."
"Just what?"
Gu Qingfeng took a sip of wine, a playful smile hanging at the corner of his mouth, and asked: "Tell me."
"I just...
am very grateful for Young Master's guidance, which allowed me to gain enlightenment. There's...
no other meaning."
"You mean those two lines? That's right, I intentionally guided you...
Look, how are you going to repay me?"
"Hey, Lao Jiu, don't flatter yourself, okay? Intentionally guiding?
Aren't you ashamed!"
Ouyang Ye glared at him disdainfully and said with annoyance: "You just spouted a few lines of nonsense after getting drunk, completely a blind cat stumbling upon a dead mouse, a pure accident, and you dare call it intentionally guiding Sister Han Dong?"
"Little sister, you can't say that. I saw Sister Han Dong was burdened with worries, and her cultivation had been delayed for a long time because of it. If this continued, it would inevitably give rise to inner demons, so I spoke up to guide her...
How can you say I was a blind cat stumbling upon a dead mouse?"
Gu Qingfeng said with a half-serious, half-joking smile: "And you...
Without my secret guidance, do you think you could have comprehended the mysteries of the Cloud-Color Sword so quickly with your little bit of comprehension talent?"
"I spit on that!
You're given an inch and you take a mile!"
Ouyang Ye spat fiercely and said disdainfully: "This Grandaunt has seen shameless people, but never someone as shameless as you! You accidentally helped Sister Han Dong achieve enlightenment, fine, but you dare say this Grandaunt comprehending the mysteries of the Cloud-Color Sword was also due to your secret guidance?
And what do you mean by 'your little bit of comprehension talent'?
This Grandaunt's comprehension talent is peerless in the world. Comprehending the mysteries of the Cloud-Color Sword still needs your guidance?
Look how pleased you are with yourself. A few words of praise and you don't know your place anymore."
"I say, Sister Ouyang, how can you tell lies without blushing? If I remember correctly, yesterday you said someone guided you in a dream, that's why you comprehended so quickly. Today you say you comprehended it yourself..."
"That was this Grandaunt talking nonsense!
I didn't want to hurt your self-esteem!"
Even with her lie exposed, Ouyang Ye's face didn't redden nor her breath shorten. She explained righteously: "And...
even if someone guided this Grandaunt in a dream, it was Aunt Xue. What does it have to do with you?
What qualifications do you have?
What abilities do you have?
Why don't you take a piss and..." The little girl was sharp-tongued and never lost in a war of words. When mocking people, she had a whole set of phrases. Gu Qingfeng listened, not knowing whether to laugh or cry, and raised his hands in surrender: "Alright, alright...
Your comprehension talent is peerless in the world...
Okay?
I was a blind cat stumbling upon a dead mouse, alright?"
"Hmph!
That's more like it."