Chapter 1583: It's All in the Past. Take Care!

"Yes!" Yuan Fang accepted the order.

Tears streamed down Aque's face as she kowtowed through her sobs. "Thank you, Master Dao."

The women sighed with emotion. As women, all of them pursued beauty. Only today did they truly understand how excess could be as bad as deficiency.

After Aque was taken away, Xia Hua, Zheng Jiuxiao, and Fei Changliu gathered around Niu Youdao, speaking with great respect and trying their best to curry favor.

Niu Youdao had no interest in talking at length. He simply told them to return and prepare for the migration.

The three naturally obeyed. Before leaving, however, Fei Changliu still asked, "The sons and daughters of those three traitorous disciples are still under the control of our three sects. Does Master Dao have any instructions concerning them?"

If Fei Changliu had not mentioned it, Niu Youdao would almost have forgotten.

He remembered the three people who had betrayed him inside the Tiandu Secret Realm. Back then, he had placed their children under control because he intended to use them as a way to interfere in Xiaoyao Palace and Lingjian Mountain. But events afterward had escaped his control. He had been sent into the Sacred Realm and had no attention left to spare for Xiaoyao Palace or Lingjian Mountain.

The three sects had originally taken advantage of the situation to attach themselves to Zijin Cave, hoping Zijin Cave would handle the matter for them.

But Gong Lince later learned that Niu Youdao was still alive and never acted in his place, so the issue had simply remained unresolved.

"Give them back their freedom."

With one generous sentence, Niu Youdao let the entire matter pass.

Those people no longer had any value to him. There was no reason to keep troubling them.

Yuan Fang took Aque away.

Shang Chaozong had also returned to Nanzhou. When he learned that Feng Ruonan had privately made the decision, hidden it from Lan Ruoting, and sent Aque to Maolu Villa, he flew into a rage and cursed Feng Ruonan until she could barely raise her head.

He had never even seen Aque. What thoughts could he possibly have about her?

He was naturally curious about exactly how beautiful this legendary woman was and would not have minded seeing what she looked like, but he would never sacrifice everything for the sake of one Aque.

Mu Zhuozhen had not.

Shang Jianxiong had not.

Nie Zhenting had not.

Neither would Shang Chaozong.

His fury at Feng Ruonan had nothing to do with losing the chance to see a beauty. It was because of Shang Shuqing.

The matter between Shang Shuqing and Niu Youdao had still not been settled with certainty. Yet Feng Ruonan had sent such a peerless beauty directly to Niu Youdao. If Niu Youdao took a liking to her, wouldn't Feng Ruonan be lifting a stone only to smash it onto her own foot?

After all, Shang Chaozong's final position as Regent had not yet truly been secured.

Besides, Aque had once been his uncle Shang Jianxiong's woman. How could Shang Chaozong possibly stoop to something so sordid?

He had not fallen so low that even that basic line could be crossed, especially now, when the supreme position had yet to be settled.

He truly had no idea what kind of damned nonsense filled the heads of women like Feng Ruonan. They could actually think of such things—and then dare to act on them.

His furious scolding finally woke Feng Ruonan up to what she had done.

Ashamed and regretful, she wished she had never done it.

After Aque had been sent away, Lan Ruoting learned what happened and immediately took action.

At once, he mobilized the Shang faction's intelligence network and launched a wave of arrests.

Someone had dared turn his calculations toward Maolu Villa itself. Lan Ruoting immediately realized something was wrong.

The person who had planted the idea in Feng Ruonan's head was seized and subjected to severe interrogation. From there, a whole chain of conspiracies aimed at Shang Chaozong was uncovered.

The realm had not yet fully settled, but a new struggle in the shadows had already begun!

Just as Shang Chaozong had feared, some people had hoped Niu Youdao would take a liking to Aque.

Others wanted to attack Shang Chaozong at the root, overturn the unfavorable situation, and even turn defeat into dominance.

The investigation exposed arrangements Han had put in place earlier.

Shang Chaozong was enraged.

At a single order from him, his forces controlling the former Han territories moved. A bloodbath followed. Several surrendered officials lost their heads, while homes were confiscated and clans exterminated as a warning to others.

Those matters were secondary.

For Shang Chaozong, even while rebuilding the framework of the realm, the highest priority was still the migration of every cultivator beneath Heaven into the Fifth Domain. Orders went out to every region requiring active organization and cooperation.

No side dared delay.

At the broadest level, nearly every faction hoped the cultivators who had manipulated the realm for so many years would hurry up and leave.

Cultivators from sects large and small.

Demons, monsters, ghosts, and spirits from the Four Seas.

The remnant forces of the Nine Saints.

Independent cultivators throughout the realm.

The families and dependents of cultivators.

Prisoners released under the general amnesty.

People who had become too deeply entangled in the previous order and feared being implicated by the upheaval.

People dissatisfied with their lives in the secular world.

From every direction and every walk of life, people began making their way toward the Boundless Desert.

Some groups required Shang Chaozong to coordinate wagons and horses from various regions for transport.

The number of ordinary mortals entering the Fifth Domain was also substantial. Shang Chaozong had to coordinate food supplies as well, squeezing out enough grain to ensure that the first arrivals could eat until their first harvest came in.

People continued converging on the Boundless Desert from every corner of the realm.

Those who arrived early received Yuan Gang's personal assistance.

He summoned vast numbers of sand scorpions to transport them across the desert. Then, after entering the Fifth Domain, he summoned large numbers of Scorpion Emperors. With cultivators assisting from the side, the early groups were transferred into the Fifth Domain one after another.

The immense and spectacular migration continued in successive waves...

At the Jinzhou Governor's Residence, Wuxin sat beside a sickbed and examined the sleeping Hai Ruyue.

The plumpness she once possessed was gone.

White strands had appeared in her hair, and her entire figure looked gaunt and withered.

Ever since the day she saw her son Xiao Tianzhen and was cursed and reviled by him, she had fallen ill and never truly recovered.

Her spirits had collapsed.

She often spent entire days in tears.

Myriad Caves Heavenly Mansion possessed no shortage of cultivators, yet none could cure her.

An illness of the heart had taken root.

Medicines were useless, and even spiritual power could do nothing.

After finishing his diagnosis, Wuxin withdrew his hand and fell silent.

Li Wuhua asked carefully, "Mister Wuxin, how is my wife's condition?"

Hope lingered in his eyes.

They had spent so long helplessly trapped in this torment that the sudden arrival of the Ghost Doctor's disciple naturally gave him reason to hope.

Wuxin sighed softly.

The condition was just as his master had expected after hearing the reports. His master had also taught him the method he was to use on this trip.

Originally, there had been no good solution.

It was Luo Fangfei's illness that gave his master inspiration.

Of course, Luo Fangfei's case had been far more severe than this one. A difference of a hair's breadth could lead a thousand li astray; the two conditions could not be treated as though they were identical.

After considering his words, Wuxin said, "An illness of the heart still requires medicine for the heart. If there is no medicine for the heart, then we can only interfere by other means. There is one method, but I fear it may bring other consequences."

Li Wuhua said respectfully, "I would like to hear Mister's judgment."

Wuxin said, "Let Madam lose a portion of her memories. If she forgets certain unhappy events, she will naturally be released from them."

Li Wuhua seemed to understand. He asked again, "How long a period does 'a portion' mean?"

"Roughly two years. My master only recently worked out this technique, and I cannot guarantee perfect control over how much is affected. It may be longer."

"Madam has been governing Jinzhou. I did not dare use the method without permission, for fear of interfering with her responsibilities. So the decision must still be yours."

Li Wuhua nodded. "I understand. Mister, please treat her. She's already in this condition. What governing of Jinzhou is there left to discuss?"

With permission granted, Wuxin had nothing further to say.

He had Hai Ruyue moved into a cleaner and quieter room, then began inserting needles throughout her head...

After the dense forest of silver needles had all been removed, Wuxin took out several pills and handed them to Li Wuhua.

"Give these to Madam at the proper times. She should awaken within three days."

"This is all I can do. I cannot say with certainty how effective the result will be."

"Mister Li, remember this well: do not let anyone mention those unhappy events to Madam again. Do not tell Madam that I came here to treat her either."

Li Wuhua accepted the medicine with both hands and nodded repeatedly. "Understood. Understood."

Wuxin did not linger and prepared to leave.

Li Wuhua personally escorted him out.

When they reached the courtyard, Wuxin suddenly stopped, as though remembering something.

"Mister Li, concerning the migration into the Fifth Domain—are you going or staying? Will Madam and her son remain here?"

Li Wuhua sighed. "My wife has already lost all heart for this place. There is little meaning in remaining."

"Once I leave, I would worry about mother and son's situation as well. If they come with me, I can at least look after them."

"Besides, she believes Mister's junior brother will also be going to the Fifth Domain. So she has decided to leave with me. We'll all go together."

"The affairs of Jinzhou have already been reported to the Regent. It shouldn't be long before the Regent sends people to take over."

Wuxin nodded and made a gesture with one palm. "There is no need to see me farther."

Then he turned and left, with Guo Man accompanying him.

Li Wuhua stood there with cupped hands, silently watching them go.

By the time Wuxin and Guo Man left Jinzhou's prefectural city, evening had already fallen.

They entered a mountain forest and joined the Ghost Doctor and the others.

Wuxin explained how the treatment had gone.

The Ghost Doctor turned his head and looked at the silent Wuxiang, then sighed.

"Let's go. Matters here are settled. We can leave with peaceful hearts."

At that very moment, a group had already arrived outside the Governor's Residence.

They were people Shang Chaozong had sent to assume control of Jinzhou.

Hai Wuji had come with them.

The former emperor of Zhao finally dared show himself openly again.

He had come to welcome his mother, Shang Youlan.

Shang Chaozong had already learned that Hai Ruyue intended to go to the Fifth Domain, so he had arranged for Hai Wuji to take his mother back and care for her.

There would be proper provisions for them.

No matter what else could be said, Shang Youlan was still Shang Chaozong's grandaunt. So long as the Hai clan abandoned any improper ambitions, they would naturally be given a place where they could spend the rest of their lives in peace...

Outside Beizhou's prefectural city, a carriage stopped beside a quiet bamboo grove.

Shao Liuer stepped down and waved for the driver to take the carriage away first.

When she turned back, a man had emerged from the farmhouse beside the bamboo grove and was smiling at her.

It was Wuxin.

The two looked at one another for some time.

Then Shao Liuer's gaze slowly swept across the bamboo grove and the farmhouse.

The grove had expanded considerably, and the farmhouse had been rebuilt, but she could never forget this place.

Years ago, when she eloped with Tan Yaoxian, this was where the two had privately pledged themselves to one another for life.

She would never forget that time.

It had been engraved into her heart.

The simplicity and purity they possessed then had been lost, and once lost, could never be recovered.

Wuxin had chosen this place to meet her, which meant he had not forgotten either.

Her heart fluttered with unease.

She did not know whether she should step through that doorway.

If she went inside and he wanted to repeat what had once happened, if he wanted something from her, she did not know whether she should refuse.

In the end, she still walked toward him.

But Wuxin avoided even the appearance of impropriety.

He did not invite her inside.

Instead, he gestured for them to walk outside together.

Wuxin had come to say farewell.

He had come to see her one last time.

He would be migrating to the Fifth Domain with his master, the Ghost Doctor.

Shao Liuer grew anxious when she heard this.

"Yaoxian, you're not a cultivator. You don't have to enter the Fifth Domain. With your medical skill, there is still so much you could accomplish in the human world."

"Stay in Beizhou. If anything happens, the two of us can still look after each other."

Walking beside her, Wuxin shook his head.

"Liuer, it wouldn't be appropriate. There are too many people here who know us. If anyone saw us associating, it would be bad for you, and difficult to explain to Hao Zhen as well."

Shao Liuer said, "If Beizhou won't do, you could settle somewhere else. We could simply try not to see each other."

The Shao family's position was still uncertain.

To a certain degree, both now and in the future, she needed Wuxin's help.

With so many cultivators leaving the human world, the influence created by a physician of Wuxin's ability would only become greater.

Such influence could certainly help her.

Wuxin stopped.

He stared at her.

Settle somewhere else, and try not to see her?

Then what meaning would there be in his staying?

What meaning was there in her asking him to stay?

He was no longer the simple scholar he had once been.

He had gone through the world, weathered storms, and learned to understand things he once could not see.

His gaze became deeply complicated.

He was still the same man with a sincere heart.

But the Liuer he had loved had already changed.

"Yaoxian, if you go to the Fifth Domain, we may never see each other again. Stay!"

After hesitating, Shao Liuer actually reached out first and caught Tan Yaoxian by the hand.

The plea in her eyes was unmistakable.

Wuxin looked at her for a long time.

Then he slowly raised his other hand, pressed hers away, and stepped back twice.

He cupped his hands.

"Liuer, it's all in the past. Take care!"

He turned away smiling.

And as he turned, he felt released.

At last, he had truly let go.

There was no attachment left in his heart, and he walked away lighter than he had been in years.

From that smile, Shao Liuer understood something.

She watched his back recede.

Mist gradually filled her eyes.

At last she covered her face with both hands, slowly crouched down, and began to cry...

[End of Chapter 1583]