"Ah, I haven't seen the Censor1 since I arrived." The fifth prince, Nuan Lin Che casually mentioned.

"Yes, the Censor is always out on behalf of His Majesty's official matters." The Duke joined the prince for tea. "May this subject ask the reason your Highness rushed here?"

Huang Li Yun worded it like that but he was sure the prince had his own share of sightseeing. He received the prince's letter almost a month ago but he only arrived now.

And yet, the prince didn't bother correcting him.

"Oh, nothing much. The Imperial City's getting more boring as time passed." The fifth prince said this as though he didn't have responsibilities back in the Imperial City of Huo Ai.

Well, it was practically correct. Every task that was handed to him would be tossed to someone else.

If he wasn't the favorite son of the Emperor, he would drown under the court ministers' spit, receiving all sorts of damaging words.

But since this blasted son of b-tch was a favored prince, he was untouchable. Even if he spent his days idling away in the brothels, no one would speak ill in front of him.

However, it was a different matter once he was out of sight. Even Huang Li Yun who didn't have the time to socialize knew just how bad the prince's reputation was.

"By the way, this prince heard that the Emperor of Great Han invited you to his palace?"

The Duke's hand paused in lifting his teacup. "Answering your Highness, that's correct. But this subject hasn't found time to agree."

Saying it like that showed just how low the people of Huo Ai saw the other nations. Even if the Duke was staying as a guest in this country, wasn't it still proper etiquette to answer invitations promptly?

Nuan Lin Che chuckled in a malicious manner. His sunken eyes flashed with his nasty thoughts.

The members of the upper crust in Huo Ai all hated the prince for this look of his. He always showed this face when he did something immoral and unforgivable.

Like that time he stole a pretty maiden from a poor family. Another time when he ordered a peddler to be flogged to death for stepping on the hem of his elaborately long robes. And many other times he displayed how shameless and unscrupulous he was.

But this time, the air inside the study was silent. Duke Li didn't give a false front of tolerating a person of royalty. He was just waiting for the prince's next words.

It was true the prince was also trash in his eyes and Nuan Lin Che annoyed him to death but his views on the prince were a bit different.

"Go accept the Emperor's invitation for this prince."

"As your Highness wishes."

There was no hesitation in the Duke's voice. It wasn't the strained tone of an unwilling subordinate that the fifth prince always heard from others.

On the side, Yemin wasn't new to this scene but if any outsiders saw this, they would pass it off as the Duke adhering to propriety at all times. Because, what else could be the reason for Duke Li to act so humble in front of a worthless prince?

Nuan Lin Che had done too many horrendous acts to warrant enough respect to be called a human. And yet, Yemin's master was as dutiful as always.

Who would know the secretive darker side of the story?

---

At the same time as the foreigners were having a nice chat, a person in the palace was grumbling over her life choices.

"Lady Huang, her Majesty, the Empress has summoned you to the Palace of Earthly Tranquility." A rigid palace maid in traditional wraparound robes bowed in front of a lady with untameable ginger locks.

This kind of hanfu, not the short top tucked in a long skirt type

Source: made-in-china.com

"Oh, we don't want to keep her waiting now... Come with me, Si Hai."

At her call, a figure came from the corner of the small palace. His sticky yet sulking voice reverberated inside the hall. "Why must I come?"

Huang Qiaoli blinked at the kid who looked no more than ten years old. Her left eye still couldn't help but twitch every time she saw him.

Any girl could melt in a poodle of fluff seeing the fair child with his pitch-black irises and rosy lips but not her. Huang Qiaoli's fists only wanted to pound him into pulp.

Quite confusing, wasn't it?

For one to understand what happened here, one must turn back in time. In fact, we should.

---

While Huang Qiaoli was unconscious, the black nine-tailed fox was busy trying to take control of the spiritual energy coming from what the senior fed him. It must have been a rare treasure because he felt the purity of the qi as it went down to his core.

In all his years of living, he never had the chance to cultivate like there was no tomorrow. His body was changing in more ways than he expected. Was this what felt like to cultivate in Huo Ai?

As the black fox was struggling with all his might, there was a different struggle at Wu Yun2 Peak of Huo Ai.

"Master, I still find it hard to believe." Surong was just letting out some steam. It was too late to reverse her master's situation and she expected this to happen.

Qin Yu, who was sitting in a lotus position felt his clone of moonlight vanishing in Great Han. At the same time, blood dripped from the corner of his lips.

Looking at his serene back profile, it was hard to tell that the ancient spirit was regressing to his mortal self. Centuries of his cultivation were escaping from his core that Surong was starting to fear for his master's life.

Outside, heavenly lightning was trying to reach the Wu Yun peak. Heavy rain came pouring in torrents as though the skies wanted to pummel the whole mountain to the ground.

The paper doors to the grand courtyard were open and all the members of their Qin sect were present.

"Liste-" Before Qin Yu could continue his speech, he was assaulted by a series of coughs.

The herald of the goddess was reduced to spitting blood in his sacred home.

Surong tried soothing the sect master with her spiritual energy and she found him smiling gratefully at her.

The hundreds of members of the Qin sect witnessed their master's weak state and no one said a word.

"Listen well, the goddess is merciful and you don't have to suffer with me. I, Qin Yu, don't have enough words to speak of my gratitude. We have spent countless years serving the goddess and guarding mortals. But here is the end of my journey with you."

Qin Yu's silver eyes traveled to each of the spirits in the crowd. The air that smelled like wet grass and sea salt due to rain was solemn and sadder than he thought it might be.

"I know I'm a worthless master. But you, my dear family, can still choose to stay and uphold our Wu Yun peak."

His voice had always been like a balm to the soul and right now, the sect members couldn't help but weep.

They had never expected a day would come that Qin Yu would be punished by the heavens. Their sect master was the epitome of perfect obedience to the ways of the gods. But who among them knew that their master was long tired of living as the herald?

They only knew their beloved sect master would be dismissed from his post and his cultivation was now deteriorating to the mundane level.

"We are also useless for not knowing the master's condition." Surong was the first to kneel in kowtow.

She was the closest to Qin Yu's side but she only knew now that her master had already lost Cai Xie's blessing fourteen years ago. For whatever reason, the goddess allowed him to retain his duties until now.

Surong wanted to know that reason but the situation wouldn't warrant her to ask.

It was also worrying about what would happen to her. As Qin Yu's only summoned familiar, she would probably lose her cultivation too.

But Qin Yu himself just smiled. "There's no point blaming whoever now. Wu Yun peak's Qin Yu is no more."

Although there was a hint of regret, Qin Yu only felt at peace with the fact that he would no longer be a herald. He thought only death was the answer but today, he was finally free.

"As for Surong..."

Surong, the ethereal beast, was shaken when she heard that. Before Qin Yu could say anything more, she immediately stopped the master she had sworn to serve.

"Don't! Qin Yu, don't you dare say that you will end our contract. That will be worse than death. For what reason will you free me?!"

The master was taken aback. When was the last time Surong called him using that name?