Chapter 5

Death is cold. Even after her death, her soul remained, watching as people prepared her body for burial. She died, vomiting blood, fearing some illness. She watched her body turn to ashes, scattered by the wind.

To be disgraced and scattered to the wind is the punishment only the most wicked would encounter, and it is also the divine punishment for the Ji family.

With a heart filled with pursuit and passion for the Ji family’s unique skills, she couldn’t even cross the Naihe Bridge. She wandered around the old Ji family house every day. There were still many things she wanted to do, and she didn’t want to die.

She could only stay in the old house, guarding it day by day, floating in the chair where she once sat, wanting to use a brush to draw out those wonderful thoughts.

She didn’t know what the outcome would be. Perhaps one day a powerful figure would capture her as a haunting ghost, or perhaps she would finally wait for the day of reincarnation across the Naihe Bridge. Maybe she would just float there forever, holding onto her fervent heart.

That was her final memory of the mortal world.

When Tanyin woke up, it was raining heavily outside, and she didn’t close the window, so the ground was damp.

Now she was back to being a mortal; only mortals dream. Whether she liked it or not, those long, yellowed memories would invade her mind at midnight, as if reliving her frail life.

Perhaps subconsciously, she was hoping to dream of that person. She could no longer see her face or hear her voice, so even if it was just a dream, being able to relive it would bring her the utmost joy.

Outside the window, the rain showed no signs of stopping. Tanyin walked to the window, intending to close it, when suddenly she heard a series of melodious bird chirps outside, accompanied by a shimmering golden light that gently scattered. Almost in the blink of an eye, a magnificent golden carriage stopped outside the window. Ancient golden characters adorned the carriage like rippling waves, emanating a serene and elegant fragrance—a display of the grandeur of the Fox Clan, something she had never seen before.

The curtain of the carriage was lifted by a hand wearing a black silk glove, revealing the face of a rather ordinary passerby. Yuan Zhong had clearly changed his appearance again; this man truly was a master of disguise.

He looked at her with shining eyes, especially excited. “Xiao Ji! Are you awake? Do you want to come out and play with me?”

Initially, Tanyin wanted to refuse without hesitation. It was rare for someone to make her feel such dislike. But she couldn’t decline; she had to ensure he stayed close to her at all times.

She hesitated for a moment, but Yuan Zhong’s upper body was already leaning out of the carriage, twisting like a curly fry. “Xiao Ji, there are so many bad people outside. Only your broad shoulders can protect me! You must come! Oh, by the way, do you want to see a face-changing trick?”

Yuan Zhong rubbed his face triumphantly. This was his specialty, his unique skill, with no other like it.

Tanyin was indeed curious about his countless masks, crafted with such precision. How did he manage to wear them all without a flaw?

“Why do you always change faces?” she asked.

“Do you wear all those masks regularly?”

Yuan Zhong smirked mysteriously, whispering, “You want to know? Come with me, and I’ll tell you.”

Suddenly, Tanyin understood why Tang Hua hated him so much and why he threw him into the pond. Dealing with someone who never seemed serious was unbearable; it was impossible to communicate with him.

With a soft sigh, Tanyin said, “Alright, I’ll go.”

Yuan Zhong, ever the opportunist, swiftly returned to the carriage, and the next moment, she gracefully floated in. The carriage was spacious, with soft cushions for resting and even a small sandalwood table. On the table sat a glass vase filled with grapes, green and purple. Yuan Zhong eagerly picked the biggest and roundest grape and popped it into his mouth.

Eating grapes so early in the morning? Tanyin suddenly remembered the legend about foxes loving grapes. She couldn’t help but smile, feeling her disdain for him soften slightly.

Yuan Zhong noticed her frequent glances at the grapes. He was very stingy and hurriedly declared, “This is the breakfast for His Highness the High Priest.”

Tanyin remained silent, only pulling back a corner of the curtain to quietly watch the changing scenery outside. Suddenly, her sleeve was gently tugged, and as she turned around, two golden sesame balls wrapped in oil paper were presented to her.

Yuan Zhong held the steaming sesame balls and looked at her. “This is for you.”

Rarely did he show such consideration. Tanyin accepted it and smiled slightly at him. “Thank you.”

Yuan Zhong clapped his hands intoxicatedly and whispered, “Xiao Ji, girls should smile often. You look beautiful when you smile.”

…Those words seemed like something someone else had once said to her.

Tanyin silently took a bite of the sesame ball and then asked, “Has no one seen your face? Does no one know your name?”

He seemed momentarily surprised. “You want to know my name?”

Tanyin shook her head, then nodded after a moment. “I’m just a little curious.”

Curious as to why he kept himself so hidden, with no known appearance or name. Although she didn’t fully understand the mysterious status of the High Priest of the Fox Clan, it was evident from his demeanor that he didn’t need to conceal everything. So why the mystery?

Yuan Zhong toyed with a grape between his fingers. His fingers were long and slender, with distinct joints, yet incredibly agile. The green grape spun around his fingertip but never fell.

With a beaming smile and bright eyes, he spoke in an unusually soft tone, “Xiao Ji, they say when a woman becomes curious about a man, it’s the beginning of affection. You quite like me, don’t you?”

He was filled with pride, his face glowing with confidence as the grape danced from his right hand to his left, then back again, thoroughly enjoying himself.

Without hesitation, Tanyin vigorously shook her head.

“Oh dear, oh dear,” Yuan Zhong said, covering his face, appearing very coy. “You’re making me so sad, so upset, so bashful…”

Dealing with this person required cultivating an attitude of indifferent tolerance, pretending not to notice any of his unusual behaviors, lest she lose her sanity and do something terrible, just like Tang Hua.

“Even if Xiao Ji likes me, I still can’t tell you my name,” Yuan Zhong sighed, winking at her. “My name is also a priceless treasure.”

Tanyin pretended not to hear, biting into the sesame ball. She had decided that, no matter what he said along the way, she would not respond.

The birds of paradise pulling the carriage were several times faster than ordinary spirit beasts, and before noon, they had already traveled thousands of miles. Tanyin noticed signs of human habitation outside—no longer the endless forests and mountains. She couldn’t help but stare outside, fascinated by the changing scenery.

She had only lived for seventeen years, and throughout her life, she had never left the area within a hundred miles of the Ji family’s ancestral home. Later… she had never even set foot in the mortal world. Everything outside was still new to her.

As she watched the landscape change outside the carriage window, she saw small villages with only a few farmhouses and smoke rising straight up like white smoke dragons. Then came small towns with old men selling colorful windmills—so many windmills that they looked like a colorful flower garden flashing by.

Finally, they arrived in a huge, bustling city. The birds of paradise flew slower and lower, and there were acrobats performing on street corners. Several children under the age of ten were somersaulting one after another, drums pounding loudly. At the entrance of a gambling den, a crowd had gathered, likely because some gambler had lost all his money and was being thrown out. Across the street, there was a vendor selling fried tofu, and the scent of cooking oil mixed with the smell of fireworks wafted away in the breeze.

Tanyin stared intently; this was a town she had never visited before. The style and color of the buildings, even the clothing and attire of the people, were completely different from everything she was familiar with. She found it both interesting and intriguing.

The carriage stopped, and everyone around respectfully kept their distance. Although nowadays there is a mix of humans, demons, and immortals, it is still rare to see a carriage pulled by birds of paradise used with such grandeur. It could be a powerful immortal from the mountains, someone not to be offended.

Yuan Zhong glanced at Tanyin, who was still gazing outside. Across the street was just an ordinary pottery shop, yet she could watch with such interest for so long. Was it really that fascinating? He rarely made such grand gestures when going out, as standing out could bring trouble. But seeing Tanyin enjoying herself today, he deliberately drove the carriage into town. Surprisingly, she didn’t seem to notice anything unusual. He couldn’t help but ponder.

“Let’s find an inn to stay,” he finally said, but his tone was far from serious.

“I’ve always hoped for the chance to share a room in an inn with a beautiful lady. Xiao Ji, how about we have a candlelit chat tonight?”