Fairy, Please Listen to My Explanation

Chapter 15: Xu Changge

In Ancient Origin, entering the cave dwelling was as simple as jumping off the Suspended Heaven Cliff. The screen would fade to black, then brighten, and the player would find themselves inside the cave.

But when all this transformed into a tangible reality, the midair descent seemed endless.

With the wind whistling past his ears, a strange drowsiness gradually crept over Xu Yuan’s mind, swiftly turning into a heavy exhaustion that spread through his limbs.

Time lost all meaning during this descent. Xu Yuan eventually closed his eyes as his consciousness slowly slipped away.

Between the endless clouds and mist, all that remained were two figures locked in an embrace.

***

Atop Suspended Heaven Cliff, cold winds blew desolately.

Not long after Xu Yuan boldly jumped off the cliff, four or five figures arrived at the summit one after another within that short time span.

After a moment of silence, a gust of wind brought another pair of figures—one male, one female—who landed at the mountaintop.

The stubble-faced man with a sword strapped to his back swept his gaze across the surroundings, his lips curling into a grin as he cheerfully waved at the others.

“You’re all here early. Where’s the Third Young Master?”

“…”

Silence fell over the mountaintop. No one answered him.

The bearded man didn’t seem embarrassed; having worked with these people for so long, he was used to it.

These bastards all liked to stay silent and act mysterious.

Just then, a slender man leaning against a tree trunk with his arms crossed looked at him. A hint of amusement flickered in his eyes, but his voice remained indifferent.

“Zhou Chen, the Third Young Master was taken by a woman. The mist below the Suspended Heaven Cliff blocks soul perception.”

Zhou Chen’s eyebrows shot up as he turned toward the man.

In the next instant, he appeared right beside his old friend. A grin was plastered on his face.

“Hah! Si Ziyu, your Qi Concealment Art has gotten even better. I wouldn’t have noticed you if you hadn’t spoken.”

As he spoke, he tried to sling an arm around Si Ziyu’s shoulders.

“Long time no see! Weren’t you accompanying His Highness the Crown Prince on a diplomatic mission to the Northern Barbarians? When did you get back? Once this is over, I’ll treat you to drinks at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion—”

But before he could finish his words,

Hum—

A faint ripple of air pulsed from Si Ziyu’s body, repelling Zhou Chen’s outstretched hand as he coldly reminded him.

“The Eldest Young Master has already gone down into Suspended Heaven Cliff. Show some restraint.”

Zhou Chen felt his palm go numb and shook it lightly. He didn’t continue trying to be familiar with the other party.

“Fine, we’ll talk about drinks later.”

With that, Zhou Chen also shed his lazy demeanor and turned his gaze toward the giant snake head at the center of the mountaintop.

The eyes of the Seven Lives Python were still wide open, and after half a day of settling, the death qi emanating from it had almost enveloped the entire summit.

When a Great Demon dies, its corpse will corrupt the land and breed malevolent beings if not handled correctly. But the level of death qi here was nothing to the gathered experts.

After staring for a while, Zhou Chen’s eyes carried a trace of lamentation.

Just two days ago, he had been tracking this giant python by following traces of battle, and now all that remained was its head.

A Great Demon that had cultivated for hundreds of years died just like that.

Lost in thought, Zhou Chen suddenly casually asked Si Ziyu beside him, “Ziyu, who got here first?”

Si Ziyu didn’t answer his question, only looking silently in a direction.

Zhou Chen followed his gaze.

About a dozen meters away, a benevolent-looking bald man sat cross-legged against a boulder, meditating.

Sensing their attention, the bald man opened his eyes and nodded at them.

Si Ziyu knew what Zhou Chen was really asking.

“Juexing and I rushed here together. After Ran Qingmo’s soul perception locked onto him, we sent her a message.”

Zhou Chen’s pupils constricted. His eyes snapped toward the cliff’s edge.

“What? Monk Juexing sent a message, yet Ran Qingmo still fled with the Third Young Master?”

Si Ziyu nodded slowly.

“Yes. You know what this means, don’t you, Zhou Chen? The State Preceptor and the Grand Chancellor—“

“No, Si Ziyu, shut up,”

Zhou Chen frantically waved his hands to interrupt Si Ziyu’s words.

“I don’t know what this means. I know nothing. I’ll buy you a drink another time. I’m leaving now.”

Without another word, he clapped Si Ziyu on the shoulder and turned away, giving Si Ziyu no chance to speak.

“…”

Si Ziyu gave his peer a somewhat helpless look but didn’t say anything more, leaning back against the tree to rest.

Zhou Chen walked back to the athletic-looking woman with a ponytail, his expression visibly troubled.

He knew what Si Ziyu wanted to say.

If Ran Qingmo hadn’t known their identities, it would’ve been one thing. But now that she knew they were from the Grand Chancellor’s estate and still fled, it confirmed her as the Third Young Master’s kidnapper.

If the culprit had been anyone else, it wouldn’t be an issue. But Ran Qingmo was backed by the Sword Sect—by the current State Preceptor himself!

The emergence of such an incident might indicate some unknown rift between the Grand Chancellor and the State Preceptor.

And with rumors that His Majesty’s health was deteriorating, if these two were to clash…

Zhou Chen quickly stopped his train of thought.

This isn’t something a mere retainer like me should be worrying about.

He should just wait quietly for the Eldest Young Master’s arrangements.

With even the most talkative among them falling silent, the entire mountaintop became deathly quiet.

All seven people present silently waited for the arrival of the Eldest Young Master.

Time trickled by.

Then, a sudden gust of wind swept across the summit as a figure dressed in cyan robes silently appeared from the cliff below, landing on the edge of the precipice.

The newcomer was a handsome man with sword-like eyebrows and piercing eyes. He wore an exquisite black robe with golden cloud patterns embroidered on the sleeves and a vermillion-and-white jade belt at his waist, and his ink-black hair was tied back, fluttering in the mountain breeze.

Accompanying him was a slender woman dressed as a shadow guard.

The woman wore a black veil covering her face, revealing only a pair of cold eyes. Dressed in thin, form-fitting black clothes that accentuated her curves, her outfit exposed her two fair arms. A pair of sleeve swords on her forearms gleamed coldly in the sunlight.

With the man’s arrival, the seven people on the mountaintop all rose to their feet.

Xu Changge in his cyan robes paid no immediate attention to the people behind him, his gaze fixed on the sea of mist below.

After a while, Xu Changge shook his head helplessly and to himself.

“The Divergent Origin Illusionary Mist Array, hmm? So it was premeditated. I’m surprised Ran Qingmo knew of such a maze formation in this place.”

As he spoke, Xu Changge slowly turned to face the others behind him, offering a faint smile.

His voice was soft, but infused with Yuan Qi, it carried clearly to every ear on the mountaintop.

“This formation is tied to Tianmen Mountain and cannot be forcibly broken. However, after a month, when its Yuan Qi is depleted, the mist will disperse on its own. Until then, I must trouble you gentlemen to keep watch here.”

After saying this, Xu Changge clasped his hands and bowed to everyone present.

Zhou Chen and the others returned the gesture in silence.

Then, Xu Changge looked at the woman behind him and said gently, “Oh, and Ying’er, you should stay here as well. No need to follow me for now.”

The slender woman dressed as a shadow guard’s eyes froze slightly, her voice somewhat hoarse.

“Eldest Young Master, where… where are you going?”

Xu Changge’s gaze drifted to the lifeless eyes of the Seven Lives Python. He didn’t answer her directly.

Ying’er seemed to realize something, but before she could open her mouth to speak, a gust of wind had already lifted Xu Changge into the air.

And rising with him was the massive snake head from the mountaintop, dozens of meters in size.

Xu Changge stood firmly in midair, his long hair fluttering behind him, his dark eyes sweeping down at those below. His voice was soft, almost serene, “Gentlemen, I need to make a trip to the Ancient Abyss. The journey is long, and I may not return within a month. As for Ran Qingmo… handle her as you see fit. No need to hold back and kill her on sight. As for Changtian…”

His tone shifted.  The gentle light in his eyes turned ice-cold and piercing as he slowly swept his gaze over everyone present. His next words were deliberate, spoken in a soft yet chilling tone.

“As for Changtian… He may be foolish. He may be a worthless waste. But no matter how useless he is, it’s not for outsiders to discipline him.”

“I implore you all to ensure Changtian’s safety.”

“Three years ago, Chang’an had already left us. If anything happens to Changtian now, I cannot stop what my father might do.”

“…”

Silence.

The air atop Suspended Heaven Cliff seemed to freeze at the cyan-robed man’s words.

The last time the Second Young Master had died, the Imperial Capital had drowned in blood.

After a long silence, Xu Changge’s handsome face once again resumed its usual warm gentleness as he smiled and said clearly, “I leave Changtian in your care. Your efforts will not go unrewarded. I will report them to my father personally.”

As his words fell, Xu Changge once again clasped his hands in respect to the people below. Then he and the giant snake head transformed into a streak of light, breaking through the sky toward the west.