CHAPTER 74.1: EMBRACE ONE'S SHADOW WITHOUT SLEEP

Night has fallen. The lakeside must be swarming with mosquitoes. Is Jin Li still waiting for me? Damn it, where exactly is this so-called Seventh Moon Lake?

Qi Yuan’d reached the general area, but he still couldn’t locate the damn lake. He should be close, but he couldn’t pinpoint the exact location. His map, though marked, lacked details. Unlike Blue Planet’s precise maps, the buildings weren’t noted, and the smaller hills weren’t even drawn accurately.

Just then, he heard some faint noises ahead.

Qi Yuan’s eyes lit up. People! At last there is someone I can ask.

Moonlight shone softly by the lakeside, yet the air reeked with blood stench.

Two groups of cultivators faced each other, weapons drawn. The tension was thick, as though a single spark could ignite battle any moment.

An eyepatch-wearing brute barked menacingly, "Is this how the Moonlight Clan treats its guests?! We’ve traveled thousands of miles from the Blackcloud City just to seek an audience with your priestess. And you dare refuse us?!"

The green-haired man opposite of him answered coldly, "When ill-mannered guests come, we have every reason to refuse them."

The brute roared, hefting his broadsword with rage. "It seems like the Moonlight Clan doesn’t know the price of offending us!"

"The Moonlight clan fears no threats!" the green-haired man replied firmly.

The two sides went at each other’s throat, about to pounce.

At that moment, Qi Yuan stepped forward, asking earnestly, "Excuse me, do you know where Seventh Moon Lake or Seventh Moon Town is?"

The two froze, staring at him with odd looks on their faces.

The brute answered gravely, "We’re standing at the Seventh Moon Lake’s shore."

Qi Yuan was stunned. "This place is?"

Then, he noticed a lake about the size of a pond behind them.

Isn't it supposed to be a big lake? This is far too small! Then where is Jin Li?

He scanned the area, but couldn’t find her anywhere. Did I come to the wrong place?

Feeling disappointed, Qi Yuan gave a polite nod to the brute, murmuring, "Many thanks!"

Where is Jin Li? Where is Seventh Moon Town?

He decided to circle once around the Ancient Qichun Tree before leaving.

Smirking, the brute called after him, "Hold on, Little Brother. Don’t be so hasty. Why don’t you be our judge first? Tell us who’s right and who’s wrong!"

Clearly, the man was in the mood for some fun.

"I’m in a hurry. I must reach Seventh Moon Town to meet an old acquaintance," Qi Yuan declined flatly.

The brute sneered. "I know where Seventh Moon Town is. Do this for us, and I'll tell you!"

"I’m all yours!" Qi Yuan replied without hesitation.

The brute shook his head. "This is no fun at all."

Qi Yuan forced himself to remain calm, reluctantly assuming the role of a judge.

The green-haired man glanced at him and warned, "It's best that you leave, stranger. The Hundred-Cities Alliance is hunting wandering cultivators. If you stay here, you may be dragged into trouble."

The brute's lips curled into a mocking smile. "You Moonlight Clan are always so quick to slander. Do you have proof that we've been hunting this friend of yours?"

"We hardly need proof. Your infamy speaks for itself!" uttered the green-haired man.

The brute roared back, "Infamy? Our alliance is harmonious—fathers kind, sons filial, elders respected. What is this infamy you speak of? If anything, it’s you Moonlight Clan who lack basic courtesy. We come seeking your priestess, yet you turned us away! Are you mimicking Great Luo?"

Qi Yuan listened, utterly lost. To him, both sides sounded equally righteous.

The green-haired man bellowed, "Hmph! We Moonlight Clan will never surrender. If one Hundred Cities Alliance dare set foot here, I’ll slay one. A hundred come, and I slay a hundred!"

Qi Yuan’s brow twitched. Wow! Slay a hundred? Well, there you have it...

The brute roared louder, "Three thousand of Great Luo's clan were slaughtered by our hands!"

That shocked Qi Yuan. This one’s even more powerful!

"Enough. I’ve heard enough. You are wrong, they are right!" Qi Yuan declared impatiently, pointing directly at the Hundred-Cities Alliance. He didn’t forget his main goal. "Now, tell me where Seventh Moon Town is."

The brute froze, then burst into laughter. "Come again? We’re in the wrong?"

Seven martial cultivators behind him glared at Qi Yuan with mocking eyes and murderous intent.

Qi Yuan’s voice remained calm. "Where is Seventh Moon Town?"

The brute laughed wildly. "Seventh Moon Town? I’ve never even heard of it! There is no Seventh Moon Town here!"

His companions roared with laughter.

The green-haired man urged once more, "Leave quickly, these men are evil!"

However, Qi Yuan paid no heed to him. His gaze locked onto the brute. "So you admit you deceived me?"

The brute sneered. "Yeah? Are you gonna do something about it?! You’re just a rogue cultivator! You’re courting death!"

Qi Yuan's expression turned grim. "I despise liars, especially when the matter is this important."

Time was slipping away. A wrong turn could result in not meeting Jin Li at all.

He was furious. "Die for deceiving me!"

Qi Yuan struck like thunder, leaving the crowd stunned. So swift was his strike that none of them had time to react. They couldn’t even catch a glimpse of his afterimage. In the blink of an eye, neat cuts appeared across their necks.

As his sword tip pressed against the brute’s neck, blood spurted simultaneously from the eight men behind. The sight is spectacular and grim. They collapsed one by one, thudding heavily to the ground.

Qi Yuan pressed his sword deeper against the brute’s Adam's apple. Fresh blood streamed down. "Do you truly not know where Seventh Moon Town is?"

The brute faltered, unable to answer.

"Die!"

With a single thrust, his sword pierced through the brute's throat. Qi Yuan stood drenched in a murderous aura. For some reason, his robes slowly changed color, as if dyed by the blood itself. One slash to kill eight men, yet to Qi Yuan, it was no more than crushing insects!

The green-haired man watched with awe and caution, probing cautiously, "Are you looking for someone?"

Qi Yuan replied sorrowfully, full of dejection, "Mm. I want to go to the Moonlight Kingdom. A friend awaits me at Seventh Moon Town. Yet though I stand beside the Ancient Qichun Tree, I cannot locate both places."

His voice was downcast, a stark contrast from the ruthless slaughter moments earlier. With a cold and severe gaze, he tightened his grip on his sword. For a moment, it seemed as though he’d cleave the Ancient Qichun Tree apart the same way he did those men.

The green-haired man thought carefully before answering, "Of all the kingdoms and cities surrounding the Ancient Qichun Tree, only our Moonlight Clan matches your description. Perhaps your friend misspoke, or there was some misunderstanding. Our clan has a branch on the Seventh Moon Lake. Why not stay in our clan for a while? Tell us what you know, and we shall help you search."

Qi Yuan’s eyes swept over them, cold and unyielding. "You wouldn’t lie to me?"

He ran his fingers along the sword, wiping away the fresh blood. Yet, the brute's blood clung stubbornly to the sword.

The green-haired man shuddered faintly. "We wouldn’t dare! Though, we cannot guarantee success in finding your friend."

The reason he did this was because he was impressed with Qi Yuan's power. Now, with the Hundred-Cities Alliance attacking and the Moonlight Clan struggling to defend their ground, having one strong ally could make a difference.

Qi Yuan finally nodded, not having better leads. "Very well."

Perhaps he could learn more within the Moonlight Clan.

The man warned, "Our clan is under siege by the Hundred-Cities Alliance. If you remain, you may be drawn into danger."

"It doesn't matter."

All that matters is meeting up with Jin Li.

The man asked respectfully, "Then, may I know her name and appearance?"

"Her name is Jin Li, Empress of the Southern Qian Empire. As for her appearance, I do not know for sure. She should be beautiful. She isn’t very old. When snow covered the Ancient Qichun Tree, she was twenty-nine and had her coming-of-age ceremony." [1]

The man silently noted every detail and asked, "So this lady waits for you at Seventh Moon Town?"

"Yes."

"May I know your name, sir? We can spread the word. If she hears that you’re looking for her, she might come here."

"Qi Yuan."

The green-haired man memorised the information. "Good! Come with us to the Moonlight Clan."

Qi Yuan cast one more glance at the lake and the ancient tree. "No. I’ll wait here. If there's no news after half a month, I will leave."

Walking slowly toward the lake, he sat on a stone by the shore. He stared blankly at the emerald waters, lost in his own thoughts.

The green-haired man exchanged glances with the Moonlight Clan’s members. They proceeded to quietly dispose of the bodies scattered on the ground, before silently withdrawing.

Qi Yuan remained alone by the lakeside, hugging his sword. Moonlight spilled across his shoulders as he stared into the water.

1. On Moonwatch Continent, women reached adulthood at age eighteen. ☜