Chapter 742 - The Black Crow Turns Azure, and the Prisoner Dwells Deep in the Mountains - Part 2

Far away, in the imperial capital, the current Crown Prince was seated in court, a youth with delicate features and a composed demeanor.

This Crown Prince wasn’t the crippled heir from before, nor was he the Second Prince, the one everyone had believed most likely to ascend the throne. No, this was the Emperor's youngest son, Li Dao’s last-born child.

Li Yuan slowly shook his head.

Affairs of the imperial household, especially matters of succession, were always absurdly unpredictable. No one ever knew who would wear the crown until the very end.

He watched for a while...and then noticed something that made his brow twitch.

The Crown Prince was exchanging flirtatious glances with a young imperial concubine.

That concubine belonged to the Emperor.

And the Crown Prince was the Emperor’s son.

Li Yuan stared, expressionless, but the fire in his chest was unmistakable.

Was his Li Clan’s bloodline really this shameless?

Since when did sons flirt with their father’s women?

He was almost about to step in, to give the brat a good scolding. But then he remembered what Yan Yu had told him. So with a sigh, he let it go.

Instead, he remained seated atop the drifting cloud, watching the distant palace drama while sipping from what was left of his wine, brow furrowed.

Inside the palace, the young prince and the concubine were still meeting in secret. They had no idea they were being watched from the sky by a very annoyed immortal.

Li Yuan kept watching for a while. Eventually, the irritation in his heart faded a little. Though it had been a secret rendezvous, their behavior was, at least for now, restrained. There was nothing scandalous beyond stolen glances and whispered words.

He was just about to turn his gaze north to check in on the war when he heard a voice echoing from the palace.

“Wu Cairen!”

The concubine, startled, hurried away through the snow. As she moved, red plum blossoms drifted softly through the air around her.

Li Yuan had already begun to look elsewhere, but the name pulled him back.

“Wu Cairen...”

The name stirred something in his mind.

In his past life, before transmigrating, there had been a woman in history named Wu Cailian, better known as Wu Zetian.

His thoughts came to a halt.

Wu Zetian...here?

He blinked, stunned, before shaking himself back to the present. Then, finally, he turned his attention to the north.

The Tang army’s formations were tight and disciplined. But it was winter, and the advance had stalled. They were being blocked by a fortified barbarian stronghold, unable to press forward.

Still, Li Yuan didn’t concern himself with that. He wasn’t here to meddle in imperial warfare.

Instead, he shifted his focus again, this time to familiar faces, Xie Yu, Lady Yu, and Tang Nian.

All three women were still in the Greater Insight Realm, still short of the next major breakthrough. But each of them had begun training in the precepts of the True Will Realm.

Xie Yu, having been reincarnated, had lost all her previous cultivation. She and Lady Yu had started anew from the ninth rank. And after all these years, they had only just reached the eighth.

Tang Nian had continued her cultivation by training with the resources Li Yuan had brought back from the Deathless Tomb. But even so, her soul power had long since been depleted. What she had now was the result of rebuilding everything from scratch, barely scraping her way back up to eighth rank.

It was telling. The mortal world might permit cultivation of the Three Souls, but the resources here were pitifully scarce. Even with great talent, even when starting over with prior knowledge, progress was slow.

Perhaps soul cultivation in this new era needed new methods altogether.

Li Yuan shifted his gaze toward the Church of Light.

There, his divine statue had been restored once again, towering dozens of meters high, it loomed above the capital like a silent guardian.

As for Li Ying, the Shadow Pontiff of the Church, he had also reached the Great Insight Realm.

Seeing that all of them were immersed in diligent cultivation, a faint warmth stirred in his chest. Their dedication kindled his own desire to train once more.

He turned and stepped into the voidveil, entering the great nothingness again.

Raising his eyes, he saw the Underworld. Once a separate world outside the Ancestral Land, it was now slowly stretching out like a thick black membrane, spreading wider and wider.

It hadn’t yet completely enveloped the Ancestral Land, but it was getting close.

Far above, faint threads of red energy had begun to return. But these wisps were sparse, nothing like in the previous era, when they flowed freely through Heaven and Earth, forming oceans of spiritual energy, or even manifesting meat fields and spiritual tides.

The Yang energy in the world was fragmented and unevenly distributed. Higher elevations received more of it than the lowlands.

Some rocks and plants, touched by these traces of Yang, had begun to change, becoming subtly different from their ordinary counterparts. But such occurrences were rare and limited.

˙·٠✧🐗➶➴🏹✧٠·˙

Several months passed.

Deep within the Underworld, in the heart of the palace, a soft laugh rang out from a black-draped bed. It was Yan Yu.

“What are you doing? If your little Church of Light followers saw you now, wouldn’t they die laughing?”

Her voice faded as the bedding was pulled up, and the clouds stirred, rain falling in waves.

A long while later, long enough for the stars to shift and return, the covers stirred again, and a small hand emerged, tugging the blanket down just enough to reveal Yan Yu’s black hair clinging to her brow, her breath still unsteady.

The room fell into quiet.

The ruler of the Underworld slid a foot from the bed, and in moments had already dressed in her full ceremonial finery, sweeping out of the palace with regal composure.

Li Yuan let out a long breath and sat cross-legged on the bed.

A string of data flickered before his eyes.

「

You spent a harmonious night with Yan Yu and gained 807 stat points.

」

That number hadn’t changed in a long, long time. It seemed he’d hit the current ceiling.

He glanced again at his current stats.

「 Name: Li Yuan

Stat Points: 1,609,089

Realm: Rank 2 (256,000/256,000)

Skills:

...

World Destroying Finger - Rank 2 (160,000/160,000) 」

“It’s time... I need to find a way to develop a new power,” Li Yuan murmured to himself.

He rose, draping a loose, dark robe over his divine, statuesque frame. Then, stepping out, he boarded his voidship and descended to a remote, deserted cliffside in the human realm, preparing to cultivate.

But the moment he closed his eyes, before even a few breaths had passed, a ripple stirred in his heart, an inexplicable sense of unease that made it impossible to settle his mind.

Li Yuan paused and thought carefully.

Then it struck him. He understood the source of that unease.

“Wu Cairen,” he murmured.

This world’s Wu Cairen didn’t seem particularly special. Just another palace concubine.

But in the history of his past life, back on Earth, the name Wu Cairen was infamous.

Wu Zetian, the woman who very nearly exterminated the entire Li royal family.

Li Yuan could, in theory, completely ignore the affairs of the mortal world. But deep down, he couldn't shake the strange sense of overlap between this world and his old one. Two realities, somehow echoing one another.

And in that overlap,

this

Wu Cairen became a thorn in his heart.

After all, the Li royal family now...was his family.

He mulled it over for a long time.

He was not the kind of man to leave thorns unchecked.

Yan Yu and Ji Hu were firm believers in non-interference, and Li Yuan understood their reasoning. But this situation was different.

“If that’s the case...” His eyes suddenly opened. “Then let Wu Cairen disappear from the mortal world.”

He didn’t mean to kill her. That wasn’t necessary.

He simply intended to bring her to his side and keep her under his gaze within arm’s reach. Better that than letting her quietly rise in power behind his back.

Once he made up his mind, he acted without delay.

He turned his gaze toward the palace and what he saw made his pupils narrow slightly.

The Emperor had returned.

But the northern campaign had clearly taken a toll. The Emperor was gravely ill, bedridden, and now making arrangements to entrust the realm to his successors.

His concubines, perhaps for their safety, perhaps out of piety, had been sent to the capital’s Church of Light to serve as holy women, spending their days chanting scripture before the divine. Among them was Wu Cairen.

Li Yuan decided to first retrieve his ailing son and bring him to the Deathless Tomb.

This son was the one he had interacted with the least, the most distant to him emotionally.

But blood was blood. Anyone who carried his lineage belonged in the Deathless Tomb.

And so, he waited patiently.

Once the imperial ministers had received their final orders, once the Emperor had completed his farewell rites, Li Yuan suddenly appeared inside the palace.

The Emperor's name was Li Dao. He wasn’t particularly old, only 57, but he suffered from an ailment of the soul. It had hollowed him out, and now he looked frail and ancient, a dying man.

The moment had come. The ministers had left. Li Dao lay weakly on his bed, waiting for the end.

His eyes, once fierce and commanding, the eyes of an emperor, now stared blankly in front of him, lifeless and dazed.

Memories of his reign, his youth, his triumphs and regrets, flitted across his vision like ghosts, playing out one last time before death took him.

And then, the air before him rippled.

A figure suddenly emerged.

On the figure’s shoulder perched a crow, its feathers shimmering with a lustrous azure hue.

It was a stunning creature, its long tail feathers trailing behind it like ribbons of silk, bearing the grace and majesty of a phoenix from myth.

Its feathers shimmered faintly with a mist-like glow, the aura of an immortal lingering like morning dew.

Ever since Sheng’er had gone to the Underworld, eaten the Immortal Peaches, and spent her days soaking in the Jade Pool to strengthen her soul, her little black crows had all begun to change. One by one, they shed their old forms and transformed into little azure birds.

Now, one such azure bird stood on Li Yuan’s shoulder as he descended into the mortal world. Anyone who laid eyes on them, man or immortal, would immediately recognize the presence of a divine being.

Li Dao looked at the figure who had appeared before him, at the bird with feathers like green jade, and smiled.

He had heard the legends.

“The azure bird is the messenger of the Divine Mother of the West... So it’s real after all,” he said, as if he’d discovered a delightful secret just before death. He chuckled, genuinely amused.

Li Yuan said quietly, “She’s your eldest sister.”

“...” Li Dao froze.

Li Yuan went on, voice calm: “Come. She and I are here to bring you to the Deathless Tomb.”

But Li Dao slowly shook his head.

𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

“Father...my life has been enough,” he said softly.

A flicker of surprise passed through Li Yuan’s eyes.

Li Dao’s tone grew gentler, his expression touched by distant memories. “My Empress passed away long ago. Her tomb is only 15 kilometers from here. When I stand atop the tower, I can see it in the distance. I want to stay near her. To be buried beside her. So please, Father...forgive me for refusing your kindness.”

Li Yuan fell silent.

“That was my oversight,” he finally admitted.

Truth be told, he didn’t even know the name of this daughter-in-law.

Li Dao smiled faintly. “No, it wasn’t your fault.”

The wrinkles around his eyes smoothed as he spoke, each one carved from years of hardship and rule.

“My Empress always told me a ruler must not let personal feelings interfere with state affairs. Even if I wanted to wear finer clothes or build a better palace, she’d chide me, saying an emperor must lead by example.”

Li Yuan listened in silence.

Li Dao continued, “That’s why I want to offer a bit of advice, Father. Don’t let personal affection cloud the needs of the world. You are a god now, far above us. Let the mortal world follow its own laws and rhythms. Only if you lead by example will the rising tide of extraordinary beings know their place. Only then will they not dare to descend and meddle. The gates of Heaven may be closed... But if their shadow still looms over us, how can the world ever know peace...?”

He rambled on, voice growing thinner with each word.

And at some point, he didn’t know when, but the divine figure and the azure bird had already vanished from his chamber.

Li Dao smiled, serene.

He turned his body slightly, lying on his back.

In that moment, he saw her, the woman from his memories, drifting toward him from the clouds, calling out to him across time and space.

“Your Majesty! Your Majesty!”

And he ran to her.

He was young again.

People said his life had been charmed, born into royalty, with a divine father and a future paved for him. But they didn’t see the weight he carried every step of the way.

Even so, he had become a great ruler.

And among his many wives, none had been as wise or left him as soon as his empress.

“Yin’er...I can finally come find you now.”

The Emperor closed his eyes, and on his face was a peaceful smile.

˙·٠✧🐗➶➴🏹✧٠·˙

At the summit of a nearby mountain, Li Yuan stood quietly, watching the faint smile that still lingered on the Emperor’s face. Then he turned slightly, gazing out at the sea of clouds rolling through the valley below. For a long while, he said nothing.

He had never really known this son. Not truly. And yet, it was clear that this son had lived a life of his own, one with weight and meaning, a legend in its own right.

A legend that, in the end, had nothing to do with Li Yuan.

“I’ll send you back to the Jade Pool,” he said, glancing at the azure bird on his shoulder.

But the little bird shook her head quickly. “No need, no need! There are plenty of azure birds back at the Jade Pool. I’d rather stay with you, Papa. Wherever you go, I’ll follow!”

Li Yuan gave a small nod. Then, after a quick glance around, he moved his hand slightly. And in the next instant, the trees nearby groaned and cracked, snapping free from their roots. The trunks floated into the air and began assembling themselves rapidly.

In a matter of moments, three wooden cabins stood neatly lined up on the mountaintop.

“I’m going to cultivate here for a while,” Li Yuan said.

The bird tilted her head, curious. “Then why build three houses? One for you, one for me...who’s the third for?”

“There’s someone else,” Li Yuan replied.

“Who?” she chirped, hopping a bit closer. “Who’s the other person, Papa?”

“Wu Cairen,” he said plainly.

“Cairen? Which Cairen?” she asked, but then her eyes lit up with realization. “Oh! Wait, don’t tell me... Papa, you can’t be serious—”

But before she could finish, the little bird added quickly, “Don’t worry! I won’t tell Mama!”

Li Yuan gave her a flick on the head with his finger, speechless.

Then he said, “I calculated her fate. This girl might bring disaster to the world. So I’m bringing her here, where I can keep an eye on her.”

“Ooh.” The little bird blinked, now understanding.

Li Yuan rose to his feet. With a sweep of his gaze over the three cabins, he began shaping a few simple wooden tables and chairs with leftover logs. Then he turned his attention toward the Church of Light.

Within moments, he locked onto Wu Cairen kneeling within the statue hall, reciting blessings in a low voice.

He shifted form, becoming a white-haired old man. Stepping onto his voidship, he vanished in a blink and just as suddenly appeared beside her.

Without a word, he grabbed her.

And in the very next instant, they were back atop the mountain.

Poor Wu Cairen. Orphaned young, bullied in her youth, chosen as a palace concubine, only for the Emperor to die before she ever had a chance to share even a moment of favor. She’d barely begun her new life as a holy woman in the Church of Light, offering daily prayers to the Lord of Light...

And now, kidnapped.

Snatched away without warning, dragged to the summit of some strange and desolate mountain by a man she’d never seen before.

Fear flickered across her delicate, pretty face, panic and confusion flashing through her eyes. But it passed quickly.

Then a voice spoke from above her.

“From now on, you’re staying here. You’re not allowed to go anywhere. If you need anything...”

The voice shifted, becoming crisp and cheerful, like silver bells.

“Tell me!”

A little azure bird landed in front of her, head held high, eyes gleaming like cut gems. It looked down imperiously at the girl now sprawled on the ground, long legs tucked to the side, utterly bewildered and pitiful.