Following the Lantern Festival and the completion of its thorough renovations, the White Lotus Temple prepared to reopen its gates.
On the day of the reopening, a multitude of pilgrims arrived. A small fraction came simply to watch the commotion, but the vast majority were ordinary townsfolk who had once received kindness from Abbot Tang.
“You must be that little novice from back then! To think you have grown up so much. No wonder whenever I ran into you in town recently, you looked so familiar; you were an old acquaintance all along!” an incense-bearer remarked with emotion.
“Abbot Tang was a man of boundless mercy, saving many locals around here. When the famine struck, countless people fled south or sought refuge with relatives. Ever since then, the White Lotus Temple changed abbots, and we had no inkling of the truth behind the scenes. Had we known Abbot Tang was murdered by that scoundrel Gongsun Bai, we would have demanded justice for the abbot ourselves.”
“Now that the White Lotus Temple has returned to your hands, Abbot Fu, you must guard it well and never let villains destroy it again.”
“Abbot Tang truly was an exceptional man. Such a tragic loss.”
Pilgrims streamed through the gates in an endless procession.
Lying stretched out across the trunk of a peach tree, Lu Fenghuo bathed lazily in the winter sunlight. The breeze carried no chill, offering instead a pleasant, refreshing warmth accompanied by the faint fragrance of grass and trees. Inside the temple courtyard, the wind chimes rang out in soft, melodious intervals whenever the wind stirred, creating an exceptionally soothing atmosphere.
With pilgrims flocking to the White Lotus Temple in droves, many coming from afar, the temple needed to prepare midday meals and lodging rooms for the visitors. Fortunately, the temple was well-prepared; the kitchens had recruited numerous cooks, and the meditation rooms had been stocked with clean bedding.
Madam Zhu had already decided to spend the remainder of her life cultivating within the White Lotus Temple. She was willing to take on any chores the temple required, no matter how menial, asking for nothing more than a place among them. Her demands were minimal: a bowl of rice to eat and a bed to sleep on was more than enough.
Seeing her sincerity, Fu Yunming placed her in charge of the temple’s internal affairs.
The White Lotus Temple had formerly overseen the Heavenly Prison, which still held various criminals. These prisoners were handed over uniformly to the Tianyang Sect and the local authorities for disposal.
Today, the White Lotus Temple was once again just an ordinary monastery. Everything seemed to have returned to the state it was in eighteen years prior, save for the absence of the gentle, white-haired monk who once resided there.
Every day, pilgrims visited the temple in an unbroken stream, and everything seemed to have returned to the right track. What was lost had been recovered, and the wicked forces had ultimately been brought to justice. Human nature naturally leaned toward justice and light, standing resolutely opposed to evil and darkness. In the end, human nature remained fundamentally kind and benevolent.
Heaven watches our every action, and justice ultimately prevails in this world.
This was the ultimate truth.
Once Song Guyang finished handling affairs there, he returned to his sect. Following his departure, the temple felt inexplicably quiet and detached.
After lingering at the White Lotus Temple for a few more days, Lu Fenghuo prepared to take his young disciple back to the Mirror Moon Palace. Having taken on an apprentice for three years, he had yet to reveal his true identity. Continuing like this was proving inconvenient!
Previously, he had withheld his identity because they had not spent enough time together. By now, the young disciple should be familiar enough with his character and conduct that discovering his status as the lord of the demonic cult wouldn’t cause him to flee.
If Shen Yuansi could not accept the demonic path, parting ways to walk separate paths in the future remained an option. Lu Fenghuo was remarkably open-minded about it.
With this thought in mind, Lu Fenghuo bade farewell to Fu Yunming.
On the day of their departure, Fu Yunming and Lu Fenghuo stood outside the temple gates to talk.
Looking at Lu Fenghuo, Fu Yunming knew that parting ways today meant they had no way of knowing when, or even if, they would meet again. Perhaps an accident would befall one of them, causing them to vanish from the rivers and lakes forever. If so, today’s farewell would be their final meeting.
For a brief second, Fu Yunming wanted to say something. Yet he quickly suppressed the impulse, revealing nothing of his inner turmoil.
“Come on, what is with that expression of eternal parting? It is not like we are never going to see each other again! I will be back,” Lu Fenghuo said with a smile.
“So, Abbot Fu, until we meet again. May our green mountains and clear rivers endure!”
“And Madam Zhu, the dumplings you make are delicious. I hope to taste them again the next time I visit.”
Standing behind Fu Yunming, Madam Zhu smiled and nodded at his words. “Whenever you come by, I will certainly make them for you.”
Shen Yuansi trailed behind Lu Fenghuo. He nodded respectfully toward Fu Yunming and Madam Zhu, offering a parting smile. “Until we meet again.”
With that, he followed his master away.
The master and disciple walked side by side under the winter sunlight, casting long, slender shadows upon the ground.
Lu Fenghuo waved his hand backward, signaling that there was no need to keep watching them go. Yet the red-robed monk stood outside the temple gates for a long, long time, only pulling back his gaze after the two figures had completely vanished from sight.
Madam Zhu couldn’t shake the feeling that Abbot Fu seemed somewhat distracted. Although he appeared entirely normal, an inexplicable air of melancholy hung about him.
“Should the temple close its doors for a few days of rest?” Madam Zhu inquired.
Suppressing the thoughts in his heart, Fu Yunming answered calmly, “There is no need.”
Guiding Shen Yuansi through a winding path, Lu Fenghuo led him up to the peak of a mountain cliff. Snow was falling heavily across the summit, blanketing everything in a pristine layer of white. Amidst this snowscape, the magnificent and imposing architecture of a grand palace loomed vaguely into view.
Shen Yuansi looked stunned. “That is the Mirror Moon Palace.”
Lu Fenghuo teased, “That’s right. That is the number one demonic sect in the martial world, and it’s bound to hold plenty of gold and silver treasures. Today, your master is going to take you on a looting spree!”
Shen Yuansi stared blankly.
A vague realization began to take root in his mind.
The two approached the palace gates.
Two guards stood watch at the entrance. Upon spotting them, the guards instantly swung the heavy gates wide open and dropped respectfully to one knee, displaying absolute loyalty.
Having traveled for ten days, Lu Fenghuo was covered in dust from the road. Returning to the Mirror Moon Palace felt precisely like coming home. Yearning for a hot bath to relax, he instructed a maidservant to settle Shen Yuansi into his quarters before heading off to the bathing chamber himself.
After washing away the fatigue, his entire body felt wonderfully refreshed.
By that time, Lu Fenghuo had changed into a dark purple robe embroidered with subtle floral and lunar patterns. His silver hair cascaded like a waterfall all the way down to his waist. Across his face rested a silvery-white mask etched with delicate rose motifs.
When Shen Yuansi arrived, this was the sight that greeted him.
With a hint of amusement in his voice, Lu Fenghuo spoke. “What? Just because I changed my appearance, you no longer recognize your master?”
Dazed, Shen Yuansi stepped forward.
A moment later, a low chuckle escaped his lips.
I knew it.
Lu Fenghuo, my master.
You are the Palace Master of the Mirror Moon Palace.
“Any thoughts, Shen Yuansi, our esteemed young master of the demonic cult?” Lu Fenghuo asked playfully.
“No particular thoughts. Wherever Master is, that is home. Be it the demonic path or the righteous path, I recognize only Master,” Shen Yuansi replied softly.
Hearing this brought a genuine wave of happiness to Lu Fenghuo.
Hearing such words from an apprentice he had raised for three years filled him with immense gratification.
Over the next few days, Lu Fenghuo summoned all the members of the Mirror Moon Palace to hold a general assembly. The agenda was simple: he formally introduced Shen Yuansi to everyone in the cult so they could recognize their new leader.
“From this day onward, Shen Yuansi is the Young Master of the Mirror Moon Palace. His authority ranks second only to my own. Whenever I am away from the palace, all affairs of the Mirror Moon Palace shall be handled by Shen Yuansi,” Lu Fenghuo announced.
Not a single soul present dared raise an objection.
In the days that followed, Lu Fenghuo handed all administrative duties over to Shen Yuansi, slipping comfortably into the role of a hands-off boss. The Mirror Moon Palace had already begun its transition; all past activities involving the underworld or gray industries had been entirely abandoned, replaced by legitimate trades and commerce.
Through three years of effort, Lu Fenghuo had managed to clean up the Mirror Moon Palace to the point where it was practically spotless, retaining little more than its reputation as a demonic sect leader. Observing how smoothly and flawlessly Shen Yuansi handled affairs, Lu Fenghuo decided to entrust all responsibilities to him entirely.
It made sense. Coming from Luoyang’s premier merchant family, Shen Yuansi’s business acumen was beyond question. Entrusting him with the cult’s commercial ventures gave Lu Fenghuo absolute peace of mind.
Four years still remained before the events of the original plot unfolded. By now, Lu Fenghuo had already forged connections with numerous key figures, and the transition of the Mirror Moon Palace was nearly complete. Averting the original tragic ending would be remarkably straightforward. Even so, Lu Fenghuo needed to keep a watchful eye on a particular faction known as the Heartless Temple.
Utterly despicable! To think they operated under the borrowed banner of the Mirror Moon Palace! In hindsight, that organization had likely pinned no small share of blame on the cult. Lu Fenghuo needed to hunt down this faction and wipe them out completely. Otherwise, the reputation of the Mirror Moon Palace would only continue to rot.
With this in mind, Lu Fenghuo dispatched additional scouts to scour the rivers and lakes for any trace of the Heartless Temple.
Peaceful days passed swiftly. Over half a month later, late one night, Shen Yuansi suddenly fell ill.
Practitioners of martial arts possessed robust constitutions and rarely fell ill, though sickness remained an occasional possibility. Lu Fenghuo promptly summoned the head of the cult’s medical division to examine Shen Yuansi.
The physician quickly diagnosed the condition as a severe case of a cold. He prescribed several medicinal formulas and instructed servants to brew the decoction immediately.
Sitting beside Shen Yuansi’s bed, Lu Fenghuo sank into rare contemplation. Had he perhaps pushed things too far, burdening Shen Yuansi by dumping all the cult’s affairs onto his shoulders and exhausting him? Furthermore, the Mirror Moon Palace was perpetually blanketed in snow and bitingly cold, which likely contributed to Shen Yuansi collapsing from illness.
A grave mistake on his part.
Lu Fenghuo resolved right then and there that he couldn’t be quite so lazy in the future.
While Shen Yuansi burned with a high fever, Lu Fenghuo stood vigil by his bedside. The medicinal broth was brewed quickly, and after a few doses, Shen Yuansi’s high fever finally broke.
Fearing the fever might return in the dead of night, Lu Fenghuo chose to stay and watch over him.
Around midnight, Shen Yuansi stirred from a nightmare, and the sight that greeted his waking eyes was this very scene. The Palace Master, draped in purple and crowned with silver hair, sat quietly beside his bed resting his eyes. Sensing movement from the bed, the man turned his head to look, his gaze still slightly hazy with sleep.
Yawning, Lu Fenghuo asked, “You’re awake. Are you hungry?”
Shen Yuansi shook his head. “No.”
“Does anything still hurt or feel uncomfortable?”
“No.”
Reaching out to test his forehead, Lu Fenghuo felt that the heat had subsided, finally letting out a sigh of relief.
Shen Yuansi pushed himself up into a sitting position beneath the blankets.
Lu Fenghuo hurriedly grabbed a thick outer robe and draped it over his shoulders, terrified he might catch a chill again.
Gently wrapping his arms around Lu Fenghuo, Shen Yuansi pressed his forehead against his chest and remained silent.
Why do you treat me so well?
When we first met, you took me in as your apprentice, and afterward you helped me avenge my family’s slaughter. You not only taught me martial arts and protected me from harm, but now you have even bestowed upon me such supreme power and status.
The position of Young Master of the Mirror Moon Palace, an honor countless people would spend lifetimes begging for.
You handed the entire Mirror Moon Palace over to me to manage, washing your hands of all responsibilities. Weren’t you afraid I would turn the cult into my own private faction?
To think you trust me this much.
And now that I’ve fallen ill with a cold, you personally stay up to tend to me. You are far too good to me, and Shen Yuansi truly does not know how to repay you.
Ever since we met, you are the only one who has given so much for me. I have nothing to offer you in return save for this single life. For the rest of my days, I am yours to command.
Assuming Shen Yuansi felt emotionally fragile due to his illness, Lu Fenghuo allowed himself to be held without pulling away. However, Shen Yuansi was only draped in a single outer garment over his nightclothes, which was far too thin.
Tucking Shen Yuansi back beneath the heavy covers, Lu Fenghuo slipped into the bed beside him. Wrapping one arm loosely around the young man, he offered a silent word of comfort.
Exhaustion finally claimed Shen Yuansi, and he drifted back to sleep.
A faint, sweet scent of roses lingered around him, the familiar scent of his master.
He slept soundly through the night.
When Shen Yuansi woke up the next morning, his master was nowhere to be seen. He was alone in the room.
Morning sunlight streamed through the window.
Recalling the dreams of the previous night, a wave of shock washed over him.
Without needing to check, he could already feel the dampness beneath the blankets.
With a hollow, vacant stare, Shen Yuansi wore a dazed expression across his delicate features. The tips of his eyes were tinged with a faint blush, making him look as though he had been thoroughly bullied.
A moment later, he let out a soft sigh.
I am so filthy.
To think I actually wanted to force Master underneath me.
Shen Yuansi recovered swiftly from his cold. Fearing he might overwork the young man again, Lu Fenghuo reluctantly transformed into an overworked corporate worker, taking on all the difficult problems himself and leaving only the simplest tasks for Shen Yuansi.
Yet ever since the illness, Lu Fenghuo couldn’t shake the feeling that Shen Yuansi was acting a bit strange.
Shen Yuansi remained his usual self, but he had suddenly grown much clingier, frequently seeking embraces and occasionally staring blankly into space while looking at him.
Skin hunger? Or perhaps a lack of a sense of security?
Lu Fenghuo couldn’t be certain.
Raising children truly was a demanding endeavor requiring endless care and effort. Yet it was also an experience uniquely rich in moments of happiness and satisfaction. To sum it up, it was a process of pain mixed with joy!
A few hugs were no big deal, so hugs it was! It wasn’t an unreasonable request.
The child he had raised deserved to be spoiled, naturally.
Another two months flew by.
Throughout this period, Lu Fenghuo never stopped searching for clues regarding the Heartless Temple. Hard work pays off; one evening, he finally received intelligence regarding the temple, and it was a major breakthrough!
His hidden guards had finally located the exact whereabouts of the Heartless Temple!