Chapter 5

Lin Yu's heart skipped a beat. Without making a sound, she grabbed the man's arm and twisted free from his grasp. She moved to counter him, but he caught her hands instead.

Just as her back was about to slam into the wall, the man reached out and cushioned her, so she hit the wall without a sound.

Instinctively, Lin Yu channeled her magic into her palm and struck at him. Fu Ming dodged, and before she could throw another blow, he seized her wrist and pulled down his mask.

"It's me," Fu Ming said.

"Who are you?" Lin Yu had lost her memory and become A Si, so she didn't recognize Fu Ming. She ignored his explanation and hit him square in the chest again.

What kind of good person sneaks up behind someone and attacks them?

Fu Ming hadn't expected Lin Yu not to recognize him. He took the blow without dodging and tried to speak, but another hit caught him. The force of her magic sent him stumbling back.

He had no choice but to wait for the right moment. As Lin Yu began forming another seal, he circled his arms around her, pulling her into an embrace from behind.

"You—!"

Just as she started to struggle, Fu Ming said, "Keep listening."

Lin Yu stopped. She thought about how Fu Ming hadn't fought back and had taken several hits, so he probably wasn't a threat, not some vicious criminal.

Worried that Lin Yu might attack again, Fu Ming kept her hands pinned and held her close. The two of them stood pressed against the corner in an awkward pose.

Wrapped in Fu Ming's arms, Lin Yu could hear his steady heartbeat mixed with the muffled voices of the conversation.

"Liangcheng is too far for the new emperor to reach. You can act however you wish. Our Crown Prince will handle the rest."

"I offer these two hundred thousand lives to the Mountain God, asking him to bless the Crown Prince with sole control over Liangcheng, to swallow the surrounding cities and border states, and to eventually return to Jincheng and claim the throne."

The temple fell silent for a long moment. The Mountain God must have been thinking; Lin Yu heard no reply.

It went on long enough that Lin Yu began to wonder if the people inside had already left.

A breeze blew in, lifting the hem of Lin Yu's dress. The shadows of the two of them swayed on the ground.

"Who's there?!" Suddenly, the sound of pounding footsteps echoed from inside the temple.

Lin Yu's breath caught. They'd been discovered!

She heard footsteps moving toward them, drawing closer and closer. She held her breath and didn't move.

But the hoarse, sickly voice of the old man seemed unconcerned. "Just mortals. They won't even make it down the mountain..."

The Mountain God didn't care whether anyone had overheard their words. Mortals could do so little. They couldn't possibly get in his way.

They might not even survive the walk down the mountain. If they dared interfere, it would be suicide. So the Mountain God paid them no mind.

Listening to the footsteps, Lin Yu could tell he was only a wall away from her. One more step and he would have seen them.

The Mountain God couldn't be bothered to deal with them, but they both knew they shouldn't linger.

Fu Ming pulled Lin Yu away from the temple, following the river downstream until they reached the middle of the mountain.

Lin Yu studied Fu Ming for a long time before finally speaking. "Do you know me?"

Fu Ming: ...

Know her? He was the reason she was trapped here without her memories...

He just hadn't expected Lin Yu to destroy the first illusion of the Feixian Ling. By the time he and the Imperial Preceptor reached the teahouse, all they saw was a flash of white light, and then they were pulled into the second illusion by a tremendous force.

Once inside, the Imperial Preceptor had vanished. Fu Ming searched for a long time before ending up on Gujin Mountain. He hadn't found the Preceptor, but he'd run into Lin Yu in the Mountain God's temple.

"I am..." Fu Ming struggled to find the words to introduce himself. He sorted through the memories that had appeared when he was pulled into the illusion. "I am Fu Qing, the Commander of Liangcheng. We knew each other before..."

Afraid she wouldn't believe him, he continued, "That jade token on your waist is a gift from me. It glows with a water-blue light under the moonlight. You can wait until the moon rises and see for yourself."

He was referring to the Feixian Ling that hung at Lin Yu's waist.

Lin Yu frowned and considered for a moment. Perhaps she accepted his words. "Then why did you sneak up and cover my mouth like that? I thought someone had come to kill me!"

Fu Ming didn't know how to answer. "I..."

Fu Ming stammered for a while without giving a reason. Lin Yu leaned against a tree trunk with her arms crossed, staring at him in a way that felt like judgment.

After a long pause, Fu Ming suddenly realized—why was he explaining himself to her? Who was the emperor here?

A vine spirit suddenly appeared, breaking the awkward silence.

"Oh my, a young lady so deep in these wilds!" A vine appeared on the branch above Lin Yu's head, crawled down the trunk, and transformed into a kindly-looking old man who stood before them.

"Have you made an offering to the Mountain God?" the vine spirit asked with a smile.

Lin Yu brushed a leaf off her clothes and straightened up. She shook her head, somewhat deflated. "No. The temple is empty. There's no Mountain God there."

At her words, the vine spirit's expression changed. "Empty? How could it be..."

Suddenly, as if remembering something, the vine spirit said, "Young lady, you'd better head down the mountain. Once you've entered the temple, you've made your offering, so you can leave Gujin Mountain. It's just..."

The vine spirit paused in stroking his beard, then continued, "Just don't ever come back to Gujin Mountain again."

Before Lin Yu could ask why, Fu Ming asked first. "Why?"

"You're not faithful. The Lord Mountain God dislikes unfaithful worshippers. Go on down. Unfaithful worshippers are cursed." With that, he turned back into a vine, coiled onto the branch, and merged with the ancient tree.

At that moment, the Xuanyang Mirror in her sleeve stirred. Lin Yu pulled it out. She didn't notice the shift in Fu Ming's expression as he caught sight of it.

"Master! Your soul is inside the Mountain God's temple! I sense it, underground," the mirror spoke again. "Whether he likes it or not, we're going back!"

Lin Yu traced the cracks on the mirror's surface without answering.

She thought about it—if one of her souls was buried beneath the temple, then her failed Ascension must have something to do with the Mountain God. And that meant she had to see him first.

But she couldn't even get into the real temple. How was she supposed to see him?

She couldn't exactly barge in and drag him out, could she?

Thinking back to what she'd overheard from just a wall away, Lin Yu felt a chill. From the way he'd spoken, barging in would probably get her killed.

She looked up toward the peak, then caught a glimpse of the vine on the treetop. The vine spirit had said the wedding procession swallowed up by the earth had gone to serve the Mountain God.

And she herself had been attacked on her way to a marriage alliance; all her guards and maids had disappeared. Could it be... that the Mountain God liked wedding processions?

Lin Yu turned her gaze to Fu Ming, who was staring at her with a strange expression.

Or rather, at the Xuanyang Mirror in her hand.

Lin Yu's eyes traced his brow, down to his nose, and to his lips. Fu Ming was rather handsome, and a Commander at that. He was passable enough.

She touched the jade token at her waist. Dusk was settling, and a faint water-blue light flickered around the jade. He hadn't lied.

If what he'd said was true, they knew each other from before, and he'd given her the token...

She shot him another appraising glance.

"Let's get married." It wasn't a question, nor a test. It was a statement.

Fu Ming froze. Shocked, he let out a bewildered laugh. "You? And me?"

Lin Yu shrugged, leaning against the tree. "Mm. You and me. If not, I'll find someone else."

Fu Ming's face stiffened. "Someone else? Who else is on this mountain?"

"No humans, but plenty of spirits. If that fails, I'll go down the mountain and find someone. There's always someone." She looked Fu Ming up and down. "You're... average. Marrying me is your good fortune."

Fu Ming fell silent. He hadn't expected that after being turned down, she wouldn't even try to convince him—instead, she turned around and criticized him. He was the emperor of a nation, and she'd just given up on him without a second thought?

Didn't she know a good deal when she saw one?

He couldn't hold back. "I... I'm average?"

"Mm. Average." Lin Yu nodded in agreement. "Someone like you—"

Suddenly, she closed the distance, reaching up to pinch his chin and force his head down. Her other hand almost came to rest on the back of his neck. They were close, startlingly close.

In the dim blue night, Fu Ming's amber eyes wavered. He met her gaze, and the girl before him was looking at him with a smile. He turned his head away awkwardly.

Lin Yu curved her lips. "Someone like you is more than ordinary for me. I'm a princess, you know?"

Fu Ming froze. "What did you say?"

The Xuanyang Mirror... a princess... Fu Ming stared at the woman before him. Someone who fit all those criteria could only be A Si from twenty years ago.

Lin Yu's identity in this illusion was the Divine Maiden A Si?

It looked like she had no memories, and didn't recognize him at all.

"A princess," she repeated, confused. "Didn't you say you knew me?"

"Ah, forget it. I won't tease you anymore." She released him, losing interest. "I'll find someone else. You're not good enough for me."

Fu Ming: "...?"

She turned to leave. Instinctively, Fu Ming grabbed her arm. Lin Yu couldn't help but smile, and she began to coax him. "Look, I actually have a marriage arranged. You and I would just be pretending—it's all an act."

"A fake marriage?" Fu Ming was puzzled.

"My wedding procession was attacked near here, and someone stole my soul. I don't have much time left. I also saw another wedding procession swallowed by the mountain, so I suspect the Mountain God is interested in weddings."

"You saw it too—we can't get into the real temple. We can only see an empty one. I don't know what you want from the temple, but I need to go there to find my soul. Consider it a good deed to save one more life."

"You came here seeking something too. Since we both can't get in, why not get married, lure him out, and let him bring us in? It benefits both of us, doesn't it?"

Fu Ming remained silent. Lin Yu clasped her hands behind her back and stared down at the pebbles at her feet. She kicked one away absentmindedly, as if waiting for his answer.

"So? If not, I'll find someone else." After a long pause, she asked.

Lin Yu figured that if he didn't agree, she could always go down the mountain and find another partner. She didn't have time to waste on Fu Ming.

Seeing her actually getting ready to leave, Fu Ming pulled her back. "Fine!"

Even he was startled by his own words.

Lin Yu's lips curved into a slight smile, and she happily dragged him down the mountain.

...

The Mountain God had said that mere mortals couldn't even get down the mountain. Lin Yu stayed alert the whole way, expecting demons or monsters to attack. But their descent was oddly smooth.

By the time they reached the foot of the mountain, darkness had fully fallen. They found an inn nearby.

The moment they walked in, they saw a raised platform in the center of the room where a storyteller was performing with great enthusiasm. Lin Yu caught a faint scent of burning.

"Today, we'll tell the tale of how the Chancellor helped the new emperor Zhang Ni ascend the throne and drove the former Crown Prince Zhang Dian out of the Imperial City!"

The patrons erupted in eager applause, and the inn buzzed with excitement.

"They say the new emperor Zhang Ni spent his whole youth fooling around and drinking, inferior to Crown Prince Zhang Dian in every way, but he was unbelievably lucky..." The storyteller paused, and the patrons urged him on.

"Zhang Dian's mother wasn't the Empress Dowager. But Zhang Ni's was. And the Chancellor, when he was young, was once engaged to the Empress Dowager. It didn't work out, but that's why he devoted himself to elevating the rightful heir, Zhang Ni."

"The new emperor is benevolent. He didn't wipe Zhang Dian out entirely. He turned a blind eye, and so even after his defeat, Zhang Dian kept flaunting his position as he fled all the way to Liangcheng. Now, dear patrons, guess who Zhang Dian met when he got there?" The storyteller paused at just the right moment, drawing the crowd's anticipation to its peak.

Goaded by the audience, the storyteller swept his gaze across the patrons and finally spoke. "Zhang Ni once dreamed of an immortal maiden. When he woke, he painted her portrait, and pined for her for over ten years."

He shifted the story, "And now, not far from here in Liangcheng, Zhang Dian met a woman. They say she looks exactly like the woman in Zhang Ni's painting, as if she'd walked right out of it!"

Lin Yu blinked in confusion. She watched the storyteller's animated gestures and the cheering crowd, puzzled. Something about the story felt familiar, but she couldn't remember.

Fu Ming saw her spacing out and tapped her shoulder, signaling for her to follow.

This place was still on the outskirts of the border, so most buildings were old and worn. The lodgers came from all walks of life—all sorts of people passed through. Outside the inn, wind gusted and swept sand through the air, a desolate scene.

Lin Yu followed Fu Ming up a creaking wooden staircase to the second floor. Perhaps curious about the story, Fu Ming pulled her to a seat with a good view so they could keep listening.

But Lin Yu was uneasy. She couldn't explain why she felt afraid. Maybe it was because she had no memories—hearing a familiar tale she couldn't quite grasp left her feeling adrift and powerless.

"Go find some armed escorts who can protect themselves, as few as possible. We'll head up the mountain at dawn. We need to move quickly."

Fu Ming nodded. He picked up the teapot on the table, poured a cup, and slid it in front of Lin Yu. He was about to speak when someone interrupted.

"Miss Fu?" A familiar female voice sounded suddenly.

Lin Yu turned at the sound and saw an extremely beautiful young woman. The woman saw Lin Yu clearly and rushed over in a panic.

Hearing her call Lin Yu "Miss Fu," Fu Ming paused as he poured tea. He shot Lin Yu a quick glance.

He recognized the newcomer as the Prince Dai's consort. It seemed this illusion wasn't just limited to him and the Preceptor—it had sucked in the consort as well.

Zhou Yuan had never met Fu Ming, so she walked right past him and sat down beside Lin Yu, taking her hand. "Miss Fu, do you remember me? We met at the teahouse."

Lin Yu studied Zhou Yuan for a moment, her eyes full of confusion. She genuinely couldn't recall who this woman was. "You are?"

"It's all right if you don't remember." Zhou Yuan grasped her hand, her voice trembling. "Zhang Dian—that deposed prince. He's not going to stop at dragging two hundred thousand people of Liangcheng down with him. He wants to kill me as a sacrifice for his war banner!"

Lin Yu frowned. Two hundred thousand people? Wasn't that what the people in the Mountain God's temple had just spoken of? Then, combined with the storyteller's tale, it all seemed to connect into one line...

The new emperor Zhang Ni had been enthroned. The Crown Prince had fled to Liangcheng, plotted with the neighboring Jiang Kingdom to attack the new emperor, and lost disastrously. To make amends, the Jiang Kingdom sent A Si, who had just returned, for a marriage alliance.

On her way through Gujin Mountain, A Si encountered the Tribulation of Ascension. But during it, someone stole one of her souls, causing her Ascension to fail and her to die out in the wild.

Zhang Dian wasn't willing to accept his fall from grace, so he wanted to ally with the Mountain God and slaughter the people of Liangcheng as a sacrifice in exchange for divine aid, using Liangcheng as a base to swallow the surrounding cities and march on Jincheng to claim the throne.

Zhang Dian must have been among the people speaking in the temple today.

Zhou Yuan's voice broke with tears. "I have nowhere to go. I managed to escape, but please, Miss Fu, save me. I can't die here..."

Lin Yu wiped the tears from Zhou Yuan's eyes, unsure how to respond. If she couldn't get her soul back, she didn't have many days left either. She might even die before Zhou Yuan and the people of Liangcheng. How could she save anyone?

"What is my Crown Princess doing?"

At the same moment, a man with a scar across his face appeared behind them, grinning like a vengeful ghost. Both women jumped in fright.

Zhou Yuan recoiled in terror, gripping Lin Yu tighter as she sobbed. Instinctively, Lin Yu put herself in front of Zhou Yuan. "What do you want?"

Zhang Dian ignored her. He stared at Zhou Yuan's tear-streaked face, his hand clenching the dagger until his knuckles went white. His expression was hostile, his voice cold.

"Come here. I won't say it twice."