Ballad Shines, Prophecy Burns

"Your country stood by and watched today—that was one thing. But the men of the Demon Sect had already been captured, and Your Majesty still allowed that boy to slaughter people as he pleased! How should this debt be settled?" Shangguan Hui demanded loudly.

"Shangguan Hui, you are far too presumptuous! Even if your father, Shangguan Longxing, were here, he would still have to show my lord some respect!" Grand Commandant Zhou Yuanliang gripped his sword hilt and stepped forward.

The man standing above Shangguan Hui slightly turned his head and sent him a voice transmission. "Nephew Shangguan, your identity has already been exposed. Go down and rest first!"

"Yes, Martial Uncle Qiwu!" Though Shangguan Hui was deeply dissatisfied, terror appeared in his eyes. Beads of sweat slid down his forehead as he slowly backed away, then strode out of Jianzhang Palace.

"I did not know that Mister Qiwu Huiming had come. I should have gone fifty li beyond the city to welcome you. I beg your forgiveness!"

The moment Shangguan Hui left, the Han Emperor seemed to put on an entirely different face. Brimming with warmth, he descended from the imperial throne and seized the demonic sect man's hand in greeting.

Qiwu Huiming neither fawned nor acted arrogantly. Smiling, he returned the courtesy. "Your Majesty is burdened with affairs of state. Huiming is merely an idle man of the wilderness and would not dare trouble Your Majesty to come in person!"

Though the other party's manners were flawless, he merely bowed his head and did not respond. The Han Emperor gave an awkward smile and returned to the dragon throne.

"Brother Qiwu, regarding the cooperation between our country and your sect..."

"Yesterday's matter was but a triviality, not worth mentioning. Our cooperation shall remain as before." Qiwu Huiming's smile was unfathomable as he continued to stand respectfully.

The Han Emperor said happily, "It is rare for you to be so magnanimous, Mister. I have no more concerns."

"If there is nothing else, I shall take my leave first!"

"Please."

After Qiwu Huiming departed, the Grand Commandant's face darkened with anger. "That old fox is truly cunning beyond measure. He neither forms an alliance nor opposes us."

"Ever since Ou Yezi and his three disciples ascended, the master craftsmen of Huaxia capable of forging immortal weapons and divine artifacts have become increasingly scarce. Over the past several centuries, their inheritance has nearly been severed. Yet now, in this age of great contention, three mighty masters have appeared at once, while my Great Han has not a single one. How could this not worry me?"

Grand Commandant Zhou Yuanliang dropped to his knees. "When the lord worries, his ministers are disgraced; when the lord is disgraced, his ministers must die! It is this minister and the others who are incapable!"

"This is not your fault, my lord. Rise quickly!" The Han Emperor helped Zhou Yuanliang up. His brows furrowed into deep vertical lines as he stroked his beard and paced back and forth. "Madam Zhao of Chu needs no mention. Lay Buddhist Zhang Moneng is even more reclusive, hidden deep in the mountains with his whereabouts unknown. Only this man... though he belongs to the Demon Sect, he has not changed his lofty and pure aspirations. If I can keep him in our country, why fear that our great undertaking will not be secured?"

The Grand Commandant asked doubtfully, "When did this man join the Heavenly Demon Sect? Why was he previously unknown throughout the Nine Provinces, only to suddenly become renowned?"

"What does Mister Qi Hong think?"

The Han Emperor smiled as he asked toward the screen behind him.

"Your Majesty, who are you speaking to?" Zhou Yuanliang was utterly astonished and turned to stare behind the emperor.

The screen was quite peculiar, seemingly like a landscape painting divided into seven panels. The first displayed Records of Hexi Figures. The second depicted dozens of musicians performing. The third was the Nine Steeds Painting. Beyond that, the view was obscured by the angle, making the remaining panels indistinct.

Most strangely, each panel of the screen seemed to have an "object" hanging upon it.

"When did this thing appear in the palace? When court was held yesterday, the screen behind Your Majesty was still the Myriad-Mile Landscape!"

(Note: fuyi, the screen behind an ancient emperor's seat, painted with axe-shaped patterns.)

"Mister Qi?" The Han Emperor turned sideways and asked again.

In an instant, a great hand lightly tugged the screen. Ripples spread across it like those on a lake, then immediately turned into a whirlpool. In an inconceivable sight, it was drawn into a middle-aged man's sleeve.

The man emerged from behind the true screen of the imperial throne, revealing his face. He was none other than Qi Hong, the wealthy merchant escorted all the way by the heroes of the Four Swords Sect!

The Grand Commandant cried out and stared at the Han Emperor. The emperor smiled and waved a hand. "Mister Qi cares for the common people. I invited him here, so there is no need for concern."

Qi Hong smiled, cupped his hands, and walked before the emperor. "In my opinion, this man's schemes are as deep as the sea, and his intentions are unclear. I fear he will be difficult to control. Even if he is enticed with great wealth and lavish gifts, whether fortune or calamity follows remains impossible to predict!"

"Oh? Schemes as deep as the sea? Like Mister Qi himself?" Zhou Yuanliang was filled with hostility toward Qi Hong, yet for some reason his heart also trembled.

"Do not be rude."

"Yes!" The Grand Commandant retreated several steps.

Qi Hong smiled. "Brother Zhou has misunderstood! This commoner is already crippled and is poor at dealing with people. That is why I have repeatedly declined His Majesty's gracious offers!"

The Han Emperor rose and supported Qi Hong. "That you are willing to offer plans and counsel already greatly comforts me."

"But this commoner must still speak some heartfelt words. 'To continue a lineage of the Way for the strong through unrighteous acts'—even if those harmed are not subjects of Great Han, I fear it would still grievously offend Heaven's harmony and damage the kingdom's fate. I hope Your Majesty will think thrice!"

Zhou Yuanliang was greatly shocked, and a trace of admiration rose in his eyes. This old fellow has some nerve. Not a single civil or military official in the entire court dares touch the dragon's scales, yet he speaks without reservation?

Sure enough, displeasure appeared on the Han Emperor's face. Yet he still supported Qi Hong and escorted him out of the hall.

"Your Majesty, Qi Hong's words are not without reason..."

"Withdraw!!"

The Han Emperor rudely cut off the remonstrance. Zhou Yuanliang bowed and backed away. After leaving the great hall and walking a hundred paces, he let out a long sigh. "Even that stinking blind man can see the truth, yet His Majesty alone turns a blind eye! Including this month, he has already slaughtered who knows how many hundreds of innocent people because of 'prophecies'! It seems my Great Han truly has exhausted its fortune!!"

After the Grand Commandant left, the Han Emperor sat alone on the jade steps of the hall with a gloomy face. Several shadows abruptly appeared in the corners of the palace.

"Your Majesty, why have you summoned us?"

The Han Emperor rose and turned his cheek. The sun's wheel shone in through the palace gates, illuminating half his face. "Have you recently heard the Heavenly Capital Ballad?"

"This..." The several shadows looked at one another, not daring to speak.

"When the golden crow falls, the crimson talisman splits; nine dusky double pupils shine upon Han's palace towers;

When the fusang withers, the sundial's shadow slants; the sun chariot drives backward and burns the dragon steps!" The Han Emperor slammed a palm heavily against a courtyard pillar, leaving five claw marks an inch deep!

The three shadows respectfully said, "Your Majesty, these are merely children's rhymes. Why should they be believed?"

"My Great Han rose in the world through the virtue of fire. The golden crow falling and the crimson talisman splitting are no auspicious omens. And how should 'nine dusky double pupils shine upon Han's palace towers' be interpreted?"

The Han Emperor paced back and forth while one shadow below seemed to want to speak, yet hesitated.

"If you have something to say, say it!"

"Your Majesty, that youth who wielded a sword to slaughter demons yesterday possessed a pair of double pupils!"

The Han Emperor's expression changed drastically. He hurried forward and stared at the three men. "Is that true?!"

The three men nodded slightly.

Killing intent surfaced on the Han Emperor's face, his expression savage. "Then everything makes sense!!"

"Your Majesty, throughout history, there have been countless people in the world with double pupils. To act because of a single verse..." The shadow on the left still wished to remonstrate, but the man in the middle stepped on his foot and cut him off even more urgently. "Your Majesty, this humble minister means that we should first investigate the boy's background. If he truly possesses extraordinary talent, surpassing ability, and is descended from loyal and worthy subjects, then it would be better to have him serve Your Majesty."

The Han Emperor calmed down. His entire face was bathed in sunlight as he nodded slightly. "Very well! Go investigate him at once! The sooner, the better!"

"Yes!"

The shadows vanished into thin air. The Han Emperor collapsed onto the dragon throne, his face once more buried in shadow, unaware that Empress Yang and Yu Wan outside the doors had heard the entire conversation clearly!

"Nephew Shangguan, you should not have contradicted the emperor today. After all, our sect needs something from him."

Qiwu Huiming sat upright in the guesthouse and took a sip of tea. Shangguan Hui, standing at the side, trembled slightly. "Yes, Martial Uncle's rebuke is correct!"

"You must think that it is not our Demon Sect that needs something from the Han Court, but the Han Court that needs something from our Demon Sect. Am I right?" Qiwu Huiming smiled at him. Shangguan Hui replied with a smile, "This junior did think so, but Martial Uncle surely has deeper insight. This junior is all ears!"

"Sit!" Qiwu Huiming pointed to the seat beside him. Shangguan Hui hesitated slightly, but still sat down.

"How formidable was that boy yesterday, to force you into such straits?" Qiwu Huiming asked softly with a smile.

"Martial Uncle, the formidable one was not that handsome boy, but the eldest young master of the Gu Family."

"The Gu Family? These great clans and aristocratic houses have been moving about frequently of late! Earlier, the Zhu Family of Zhou Kingdom was also active everywhere." Qiwu Huiming frowned deeply.

"Martial Uncle need not be surprised. Someone from the Zhu Family is also cooperating with our sect, just as those from other countries are. But things went badly." Regret appeared on Shangguan Hui's face before he sneered again. "Though the Zhu Family's foundations run deep, their future family head's cultivation is exceedingly low."

"We are doing such things for several great nations. I wonder whether we will suffer Heaven's condemnation." Qiwu Huiming looked worried, then his pupils suddenly contracted. "No, would that not make us mere..."

As the two spoke, Shangguan Hui's expression abruptly changed. He hurriedly pulled a spirit stone from his robes! A cross-shaped seam ran across the spirit stone, with lightning flickering at its center. The lightning blazed brilliantly, splitting the stone into four from the seams as a light screen three chi long and wide appeared!

"Shangguan Hui!"

"Palace Lord!"

Shangguan Hui dropped to his knees in terror and looked toward Qiwu Huiming beside him.

The master of the Palace of Delusive Thoughts, Great Dream Venerable, appeared within the light screen. The Venerable's eyes were hidden beneath a mask, making his emotions impossible to discern. "Mister Qiwu is here as well!"

"Venerable!" Qiwu Huiming bowed in salute.

Great Dream Venerable nodded, then fixed his gaze on Shangguan Hui. "You botched this mission. Even your father cannot protect you!"

"Please grant this lowly one another chance, Venerable!" Shangguan Hui was drenched in cold sweat as he repeatedly kowtowed.

"So be it. I will send someone over shortly..." Before Great Dream Venerable could finish speaking, an enormous, ugly skeleton appeared behind the light screen. It seemed to be formed from countless human bones piled together, with innumerable heads above, below, and on every side.