095 Like Father, Like Son

Yun Feiyue rested her chin in her hand and looked at Beichen Yi with a smiling expression. “Are you trying to drive a wedge between us?”

A trace of helplessness curved at the corner of Beichen Yi’s mouth. Perhaps he had been mistaken.

For so many years, he no longer knew whether he had been right or wrong.

But people were always like this: once they resolved to do something, it was hard to climb out of it. Beichen Yi was especially such a man.

“That is still your way. You always make me afraid to come near, unwilling even to let me tell you the truth about certain things. But today, I’m afraid I can’t do as I used to.”

Beichen Yi looked at Yun Feiyue in earnest. The pale yellow dragon robe fluttered in the wind, along with his hair, which whipped wildly about.

It was as though, in that instant, the wind might carry him away. Frail.

Seeing the frail man before her, Yun Feiyue frowned slightly. Perhaps she had spoken too harshly.

She had originally wanted to talk properly, but her temper simply was not one suited to gentle conversation.

She curled her lip. “I really did want to speak to you properly just now. But I’m impatient by nature, and I couldn’t help saying a few unpleasant things. Don’t take it too much to heart. That is just how I am.”

As she spoke, Yun Feiyue turned and prepared to leave.

In this lifetime she had never said anything sweet or tender, and saying such words now genuinely made her feel a little embarrassed, as though she had truly wronged Beichen Yi.

She naturally remembered his kindness. But that did not mean that for the sake of that kindness she would do things she did not like.

By now, Beichen Yi was probably also planning to say something unflattering about Mo Feiyuan.

It was not that she was being difficult and unwilling to listen; it was just that she more or less guessed what Beichen Yi wanted to say. Her time in the Mo family had not been spent in vain.

Yun Feiyue exhaled softly. One should understand one’s own people oneself; she did not want to hear anything bad about him from another person’s mouth.

That was the sort of woman Yun Feiyue was: she protected her own, fiercely and without hesitation.

But Beichen Yi thought that Yun Feiyue simply could not accept reality, that she would only be happy if everything were said plainly.

“Mo Feiyuan gave me this position and received a great deal of benefit from my State of Chu. Does Sister Yue not want to know what was traded for this current position?”

A trade...

Yun Feiyue considered it for a moment, then turned back to look at Beichen Yi, very seriously. “If you’re willing to say it, you can tell me. I don’t mind listening. But since it was your own choice, you can’t blame anyone else. Today Beichen Yu’s army is pressing upon us. Shouldn’t we be thinking about how to deal with him, rather than discussing what you paid for the throne you have now?”

At those words, Beichen Yi froze, as if he had suddenly understood something.

After a long while, his eyes dimmed slightly. “You are becoming harder and harder to read. I only wanted to speak to you from the heart.”

At that moment, Yun Feiyue’s own mind was in some confusion.

She was thinking of the old man, and here they were speaking of a subject she did not wish to raise. Her whole person grew somewhat irritable.

“Could it be that Sister Yue simply does not wish to accept it in her heart?” Beichen Yi looked at her.

Yun Feiyue stopped in her hurry to leave. “Maybe.”

She left only those three words before preparing to go and meet the old man. At that moment, Copper Bell rushed over in great haste.

“Miss! Bad news, bad news! The young master has been taken away.”

Yun Feiyue’s expression tightened. “Taken away? By whom?”

“By the people of the Ghost Path. They said they want you to go in exchange.”

“Ghost Dark?”

“No, it was Gongsun Ziyan.”

Gongsun Ziyan! It had been a long time since she had heard that name. Even Beichen Yi’s face turned cold at once when he heard it.

“When did Gongsun Ziyan join the Ghost Path?”

Copper Bell bit her lip. “I don’t know either! I’m afraid things are not going to be so easy. We’re all anxious too. But the young master has already been taken.”

Yun Feiyue forced herself to remain calm. “I’ll go. Where are they?”

Copper Bell pointed toward the direction of Beichen Yu’s army. “Gongsun Ziyan said you must go alone in exchange. Otherwise she will kill the young master.”

“Nonsense!” Beichen Yi was angry as well.

He knew Gongsun Ziyan very well. For all those years, she had stayed by his side. Though there was no love between them, they understood each other.

Now that Gongsun Ziyan was demanding Yun Feiyue go alone, it was nothing less than an attempt on Yun Feiyue’s life.

“Sister Yue, don’t go. Let me go! That woman deserves no courtesy!” Beichen Yi shouted in resentment.

Yun Feiyue kept a dark face and did not speak. After a long while, she finally exhaled. “What she wants is me to go. If you go, it will only make her angrier. Leave it at that. I’ll go meet her.”

Yun Feiyue somewhat regretted not having killed her back then. To leave such a menace alive, only to have her now harm little Mu Mu.

She mounted her horse and turned away at once.

Beichen Yi kept his lips pressed together, watching Yun Feiyue depart.

As soon as Yun Feiyue reached the city gate, Mo Feiyuan blocked her path. “Madam.”

“I’m going to save little Mu Mu. Wait for me.”

“I will naturally protect Madam.”

“Gongsun Ziyan said I may go only by myself!”

There was no time for Yun Feiyue to think further. Little Mu Mu had been seized by Gongsun Ziyan, and with the enmity between them, who knew what she might do to him?

Just thinking of it made Yun Feiyue unable to delay for even a moment.

She spurred her horse forward, racing toward the enemy camp.

Mo Feiyuan followed tightly behind her.

The two of them galloped ahead together.

The sand and dust outside Xiapi City rose in layers, like wisps of thin mist. The scene before them was indistinct, and only one thing was clear: nothing waiting ahead of them would be good.

They rode on.

Yun Feiyue and Mo Feiyuan moved at the fastest speed possible.

Mo Feiyuan knew Yun Feiyue was anxious, and naturally he was anxious too. His cold face was already heavy with anger.

Outside Beichen Yu’s camp, perhaps they had not expected Yun Feiyue to come, and Beichen Yu himself was somewhat startled.

Following Gongsun Ziyan’s instructions, he waited there for Yun Feiyue.

Across from them stood a vast army, while Yun Feiyue and Mo Feiyuan were only two people.

“Where is my son?”

Facing that army, she uttered only those four words.

Beichen Yu smiled. “I did not expect you to come. Your son is naturally in the camp. What we want is only your life.”

“Bring my son over. As for my life, that’s easy.”

All Yun Feiyue cared about was finding little Mu Mu.

Beichen Yu waved a hand, sending one of the officers beside him down.

Yun Feiyue and Beichen Yu faced each other in silence. The sand and dust seemed to grow even worse, blurring the eyes and faces of the other side.

After a short while, someone came from behind. She heard little Mu Mu’s voice.

“Mother.”

Yun Feiyue looked in the direction of the sound and saw little Mu Mu being held by Gongsun Ziyan. There were several claw marks on his face and body. Clearly, Gongsun Ziyan had not missed the chance to teach Yun Feiyue’s son a lesson.

Yun Feiyue frowned, a cold smile touching her lips. “So it’s you. Using such despicable methods suits you perfectly.”

“Despicable?” Gongsun Ziyan widened her eyes, those eyes brimming with hatred and dissatisfaction. “If I’m despicable, then you are hardly any better. You, Yun Feiyue, killed my brother with your own hands. Your Yun family destroyed my Gongsun family with your own hands. With such a blood feud, what do you expect me to do? Treat your son kindly?”

As she spoke, she drove a blade into little Mu Mu’s wrist.

Blood instantly poured from the fair, tender wrist.

Yun Feiyue’s heart twisted with pain. Seeing little Mu Mu grit his teeth and refuse to cry only made her feel even worse.

“Gongsun Ziyan, let go of my son.” Flames raged around her entire body.

The temperature around them rose with her movement.

Those flames seared the entire area, hotter and hotter. Some of the soldiers could not withstand the pressure and stepped back on the spot.

Beichen Yu was also shocked. He had not expected Yun Feiyue’s cultivation to be this formidable. Martial Dao, eighth realm strength!

Among the entire Golden Spear Continent, such power was among the very best.

For a moment, he was a little afraid.

But Gongsun Ziyan laughed at her fury. She laughed with great delight.

“So pitiful.” She pulled out the blade from little Mu Mu’s body.

Blood dripped from the blade to the ground. Smiling sweetly, she said, “Yun Feiyue, either cripple your own cultivation, or I’ll kill your son.”

She knew how important little Mu Mu was to Yun Feiyue, which was why she dared to act so boldly.

It seemed now that little Mu Mu was essentially Yun Feiyue’s life itself.

“Like this?” Yun Feiyue suddenly sighed and lifted her head to look at Gongsun Ziyan.

Gongsun Ziyan did not understand what Yun Feiyue meant, but she nevertheless felt, to some degree, uncomfortable.

Yun Feiyue held the reins, turned her horse, and said, “If that’s the case, then little Mu Mu, in your next life, be born again as your mother’s son. This lifetime, I can only wrong you.”

She rode away at once.

Gongsun Ziyan stared at Yun Feiyue in astonishment, wanting to call her back, but she could not.

“Hey! Hey!”

Yun Feiyue showed no reaction at all.

Her figure had already vanished, leaving only Mo Feiyuan behind.

Mo Feiyuan did not know what Yun Feiyue was up to, but since she had left, he would take care of the rest.

“Gongsun Ziyan, hand my son back.”

His voice was calm and measured, yet it carried irresistible pressure.

Perhaps many here still did not know who he was, but as they watched him step by step approach, the heat from earlier seemed to vanish and turn into ice.

Everything here was slowly freezing.

Including...

Just as Gongsun Ziyan tried to act, she discovered that her hands had already gone numb with cold.

Little Mu Mu had fallen to the ground.

He tilted his head and looked at Gongsun Ziyan. “Don’t you realize something is wrong with you?”

He glanced at the wound on his own arm and sighed faintly. “You should never have hurt me. My mother has a cleanliness obsession and a habit of perfectionism. Now that you’ve hurt me, why would she still want me?”

As he spoke, he slowly made his way toward Mo Feiyuan.

Only then did Gongsun Ziyan react. She moved quickly to seize little Mu Mu again.

But Mo Feiyuan’s blade had already arrived without warning.

Now she had no room left to resist.

The fear of death spread rapidly in her heart. The Ghost Path energy on her body and hands seemed utterly useless before Mo Feiyuan.

Mo Feiyuan looked at Gongsun Ziyan and gave a light smile. “How pitiful.”

Those words had originally come from Gongsun Ziyan’s mouth. Now they had been turned back on her.

Snap.

The sound of bones breaking.

Broken...

There was almost no ability to resist.

Gongsun Ziyan screamed, “Quickly! Beichen Yu!”

But Beichen Yu was only watching at this moment. To be precise, no one dared resist Mo Feiyuan.

At that moment, he looked like a deity, terrifying and impossible to approach.

Beichen Yu felt the scent of death and could only stand rigidly in place.

The countless soldiers looked like wooden puppets as they watched little Mu Mu fall into Mo Feiyuan’s embrace and watched Gongsun Ziyan be dealt with by little Mu Mu.

Gongsun Ziyan slowly twisted and distorted.

That power was simply not something she could contend with.

She thought she was going to die, but then a surge of supreme martial energy came from beside her, suddenly filling her whole body with strength.

Turning her head, she saw Ghost Dark.

“You... came out?” Gongsun Ziyan looked at Ghost Dark in shock.

Ghost Dark gave a cold snort. “I came out. So what?”

Gongsun Ziyan’s expression stiffened. Her heart, however, was not feeling any better. Though Ghost Dark had saved her, that did not guarantee he would not turn on her.

She had rather kicked him when he was down before, had she not?

Ghost Dark held the sickle of death and smiled at Gongsun Ziyan. After quite a while, he suddenly laughed.

“You’re wondering whether I’ll kill you?”

Gongsun Ziyan’s expression changed. “No! No! I wasn’t thinking anything. I’m just very happy!”

Ghost Dark gave a soft laugh. “Very happy? You’re lying to me. You must be hating me to death right now. You probably wish I were dead. There is no way you’re happy.”

Gongsun Ziyan had been seen through, but she still denied it desperately. “No, no. That’s not the case at all. How could I possibly think that way? You’re overthinking it.”

Ghost Dark raised his sickle, then let it fall.

“Gongsun Ziyan, I gave you life. Naturally, I can also take your life away.”

He severed Gongsun Ziyan’s head and kicked it aside.

Her mouth even moved twice, as though she were still saying something.

But nothing came out. She was dead...

She died before she even felt it...

And so quickly...

So unexpectedly...

She looked at Ghost Dark in utter confusion, staring wide-eyed. Yet in that instant, Ghost Dark leaped to Mo Feiyuan’s front.

Beichen Yu quickly led his army away.

Such a battle of this level was best not joined.

The Yun Feiyue who had left earlier had now returned, holding little Mu Mu in her arms and watching the spectacle from the side.

Little Mu Mu lifted his little face and looked at Yun Feiyue. “Mother, you were so clever!”

In truth, Yun Feiyue had been uneasy the entire time. Though she knew Mo Feiyuan would surely save little Mu Mu, there was still a trace of uncertainty.

If there had been even the slightest mistake, she would never forgive herself for the rest of her life.

Thankfully... there was none...

The battle between Ghost Dark and Mo Feiyuan was ferocious.

Both of them were above Yun Feiyue in strength, so naturally she would not rush in and disrupt Mo Feiyuan’s rhythm.

Watching from the side and striking Ghost Dark at the right moment would be better.

But this battle seemed not to need her at all.

Mo Feiyuan had held the upper hand throughout.

Ghost Dark, unlike usual, did not flee when he could not win. Instead, he stayed.

Mo Feiyuan was equally unmerciful, every move aimed at Ghost Dark’s life.

After some time, Ghost Dark was wounded in several places, on his hands and body, while Yun Feiyue was completely unharmed.

Ghost Dark looked deeply at Yun Feiyue. Knowing that if he continued to drag this out he would only be waiting for death, he prepared to leave.

However, Mo Feiyuan had no intention of letting him go this time.

He had hurt his son and thought he could leave so easily? Impossible.

He gave chase at once. Ghost Dark flicked his hand, and a threadlike substance shot out from his palm.

Mo Feiyuan surged toward the thread, and the two quickly became locked in fierce combat.

For the final strike, both attacked at once: Ghost Dark’s Ghost Path energy, and Mo Feiyuan’s divine radiance.

They collided...

Ghost Dark spat out blood and retreated rapidly.

This time, Mo Feiyuan gave him no further chance or choice.

This time, Mo Feiyuan drew his sword and advanced.

He thrust straight for his heart.

At that moment, a wooden tablet at Ghost Dark’s waist fell free.

Mo Feiyuan’s gaze was drawn to it, his eyes suddenly going still. He abruptly withdrew his sword.

It was in that instant that Ghost Dark escaped.

He lowered his head and picked up the wooden tablet.

On the way back, he said nothing.

Yun Feiyue knew the tablet was suspicious and perhaps had something to do with his identity.

She asked seriously, “What’s the matter with that wooden tablet?”

Mo Feiyuan smiled and shook his head. “Ignore it.”

“What? Now you’re lying to me too?”

Mo Feiyuan pressed his lips together. “Let me tell you a story.”

“Mhm,” Yun Feiyue answered. “Go on.”

“Once, there were two brothers, and their relationship was excellent. They were twins. Both had talent for cultivation, but because of a conflict with an elder during martial practice, they were sent out for training. One was sent to Ghost Desolation, and the other to the Forest of Phoenix Heaven. The one sent to Ghost Desolation was certain to die, while the one sent to the Forest of Phoenix Heaven could live quite well. At least compared with Ghost Desolation, the Forest of Phoenix Heaven was paradise.”

After saying only that much, Mo Feiyuan fell silent.

Yet Yun Feiyue had already guessed a rough outline. Could it be that Ghost Dark was Mo Feiyuan’s long-lost brother?

“Are you sure? Just from a token?”

Mo Feiyuan shook his head. “I’m not sure. I once had Youtong investigate this matter, but there was no result.”

Yun Feiyue had never seen Mo Feiyuan troubled before; this was the first time.

She did not want to disturb him, so she quietly stayed to the side.

Gongsun Ziyan was dead, Ghost Dark had left, and the armies of Beichen Yu and Beichen Yi collided. Very soon the truth was revealed.

Beichen Yi won.

There was almost no suspense.

Beichen Yu died on the desert sands.

His three-year-old son was brought back to the imperial city by Beichen Yi and placed in the care of Consort Yun.

The Mo family’s assessment was about to begin, and Yun Feiyue and Mo Feiyuan returned to the Mo family.

After returning, life seemed to settle back into peace.

Yet somehow it still felt as though something was missing.

Yun Feiyue could not find Luo Yunhuang in the Mo family.

Indeed, no one knew where Luo Yunhuang had gone.

After returning home, little Mu Mu began mentioning every few days that he wanted to find Wei Ziyou.

Five times he had tried to run away from home, and five times Yun Feiyue had brought him back.

One morning, the weather was fine, and Yun Feiyue lounged in the sun, enjoying a life of eating, sleeping, and sleeping, eating.

Today, Mo Mei also rarely came to pay her respects to Yun Feiyue. “Mistress, today Mo Mei brought some small items. I wonder whether you will like them.”

Yun Feiyue turned her head to look at Mo Mei and smiled faintly. “What sort of items?”

Mo Mei smiled gently and handed Yun Feiyue a pink glass jade ornament. “This one. It is quite lovely.”

Yun Feiyue nodded and smiled softly. “Then thank you.”

It was only an ordinary flower, and she was not especially interested in it. It was not as useful as the mirror she had tricked out of Sunlight and Moonlight last time.

Thinking of that, Yun Feiyue took out the mirror and studied her own face in it carefully.

Back then, Sunlight and Moonlight had said it could reveal past and present lives, but after looking at it, Yun Feiyue found the mirror had no special function at all. It could only reflect.

She ignored Mo Mei and lazily looked at the mirror, basking in the sun...

Mo Mei looked somewhat embarrassed and smiled at Yun Feiyue. “Mistress, I’m afraid the young master has run off again today. I saw him leaving with a small bundle just now.”

Yun Feiyue froze. She had just seen the little one, and now he was gone in the blink of an eye. He was asking for a beating, wasn’t he!

“I’ll go find him.”

Mo Mei quickly bowed her head. “Then please go.”

Yun Feiyue went out and searched twice, but found nothing.

She wondered if the little fellow had really run away.

However, she did not rush to search for him herself, instead sending the Mo family’s children to look.

Since there were now people she could order around, she was too lazy to exert herself.

Stretching, she returned, and just then she happened to see Mo Mei still there.

Originally, Yun Feiyue had wanted to ask why she was still there, but before she even approached, she saw Mo Feiyuan coming.

Perhaps out of a mischievous impulse, Yun Feiyue did not walk closer, instead deciding to see how Mo Feiyuan and Mo Mei would act.

When the two met, Mo Mei remained as respectful as ever, offering tea to Mo Feiyuan.

No one knew what they said, and Yun Feiyue, hiding nearby, felt extremely uncomfortable.

Fortunately, Mo Mei left soon after.

As soon as Mo Mei left, Yun Feiyue was also preparing to turn away, when she heard Mo Feiyuan’s voice.

“Wife. What are you doing?”

Yun Feiyue froze for a moment, then stopped at once and turned back to look at Mo Feiyuan with a helpless smile. “Cough, I was looking for little Mu Mu.”

Mo Feiyuan drew Yun Feiyue into his arms casually. “How could little Mu Mu be here?”

Yun Feiyue: “...”

Mo Feiyuan looked at her seriously. “Could it be that my wife is jealous?”

Yun Feiyue’s expression grew awkward. “No! What nonsense are you saying? Little Mu Mu—your son is missing! Aren’t you going to look for him?”

Mo Feiyuan gave a sound of assent. “Look for him, of course. Shall we go together?”

Yun Feiyue sighed. “Forget it, I’ll go myself. Tomorrow is the assessment.”

Mo Feiyuan agreed. Indeed.

“Wife, if you meet a strong opponent tomorrow, don’t push yourself too hard. I will help you.”

“You’re telling me to cheat?” Yun Feiyue smiled at him.

In truth, Mo Feiyuan was cold on the surface, but in reality he cared for Yun Feiyue deeply.

He had even thought up the idea of cheating.

Yun Feiyue smiled at him, lightly stroking his cheek. “Actually, I like you just like this.”

Mo Feiyuan wrapped an arm around her waist. “Since you like it so much, shouldn’t you reward me with something?”

Yun Feiyue bared her teeth. “I won’t!”

Yet for some reason, Mo Feiyuan’s smile turned a little strange at that.

Yun Feiyue coughed. Had she made him misunderstand something?

“Actually, I am a very proper person.”

Mo Feiyuan nodded, as though agreeing with her, and smiled faintly. “Understood. Then what next?”

“Then let’s go to sleep.”

The two leaned on each other and returned to the room. Mo Feiyuan looked at Yun Feiyue, a smile hidden at the corner of his eyes.

The next day, at dawn.

The supposedly missing little Mu Mu was sitting at the doorway chatting with a beautiful young lady.

“Pretty sister, have you seen my mother?”

“The mistress and my lord are resting inside the room.”

Little Mu Mu nodded earnestly and looked at the pretty sister. “Sister, my eyes feel a little uncomfortable. Could you take a look?”

So the pretty young lady looked after little Mu Mu’s eyes, and the two of them appeared to get along very well.

When they waited for Yun Feiyue to open the door, little Mu Mu blinked and turned to look at her. “Mother.”

Yun Feiyue gave a soft hum. “What is it? What are you doing?”

Little Mu Mu curled his lips. “I was waiting for Mother. I heard that a lot of people want to challenge you today, and the martial arena is very lively.”

Mo Feiyuan adjusted his clothes.

Little Mu Mu’s eyes were sharp, and he stared at Mo Feiyuan’s neck, examining it carefully. “Father, what happened to your neck? Were you bitten?”

Mo Feiyuan’s expression stiffened, then softened again. He very seriously lied to the child. “Perhaps it was brushed during sword practice. Nothing serious. What about little Mu Mu?”

Little Mu Mu pouted and sighed helplessly. “I came to see Mother.”

Yun Feiyue grabbed little Mu Mu and yawned. “Don’t think I don’t know. Yesterday you were already interested in the new little girl, and today you’re using your mother as a pretext to flirt with her, aren’t you?”

Little Mu Mu was seen through by Yun Feiyue at a glance and sighed helplessly. “They say a son takes after his father, but I inherited my mother’s excellent genes. You can’t blame me for that!”

The corner of Yun Feiyue’s mouth twitched twice. This little brat was truly infuriating.

“Fine. When your mother wins big today, I’ll come back and deal with you.”

“Oh yes, Mother, I met my master today. Master said he wants to challenge Mother too. He told me to remind Mother to be prepared.”

First published by the Xiaoxiang Academy. Please do not reproduce.