I want to tread the heavens

Holding Fa Cai in his arms, Ling Xiao practically tumbled and crawled back to the courtyard.

As soon as he entered, he collapsed to the ground, panting heavily, his undershirt soaked with cold sweat. Fa Cai was also exhausted, lying at his feet with his tongue lolling out, but still clutching the dagger he had snatched from Guo Si tightly in his mouth.

Where did you go?

Yue Rong's voice came from behind, calm, but carrying a sense of impending doom.

Ling Xiao froze, then slowly turned around. Yue Rong stood at the doorway, holding the broken knife in his hand, his gaze sharp as lightning, sweeping over Ling Xiao's disheveled appearance before settling on the dagger in Fa Cai's mouth.

"Uncle Rong, I..." Ling Xiao opened his mouth, not knowing where to begin.

"Speak," Yue Rong said, uttering only one word.

Ling Xiao gritted his teeth and recounted in detail what had happened that morning: following Guo Si, the transaction in the cave, the man in black robes, and how Fa Cai had defeated the other party. He didn't dare to hide anything, including his own actions of secretly hiding the note and acting on his own.

After listening, Yue Rong remained silent for a long time. So long that Ling Xiao felt uneasy, thinking that Uncle Rong was about to get angry.

But Yue Rong simply walked up to him, squatted down, took the dagger from Fa Cai's mouth, and examined it carefully. The dagger was ordinary, a standard short blade commonly seen among the outer courtyard servants, but the blade had an abnormal dark green tinge, clearly indicating it was poisoned.

"The black-robed man... the ghost-faced man..." Yue Rong repeated in a low voice, a sharp killing intent flashing in his eyes, "He is a 'guide' of the demon race, specializing in developing informants and collecting intelligence in various realms. They usually don't show themselves easily unless... there is a major discovery."

He looked at Ling Xiao: "You're saying he can sense the aura of the 'Star Key' on you?"

Ling Xiao nodded, subconsciously touching the jade pendant around his neck: "He said it was very rich in essence, and that I must come into contact with it frequently..."

Yue Rong's heart sank. He reached out and pulled the jade pendant from Ling Xiao's neck. The warm jade shimmered with a faint glow in the morning light, and when it touched the broken sword, both of them resonated slightly.

"As expected..." Yue Rong closed his eyes briefly. "This jade pendant is not only a token, but it also contains the power of the Starfall Clan. You've worn it for many years, and its aura has already tainted you. Demons are extremely sensitive to the power of Starfall, and they can indeed sense it at close range."

"What should we do?" Ling Xiao asked anxiously. "What if they come knocking on our door?"

"Not for now." Yue Rong shook his head. "After all, the Guo family is one of the three major cultivation families in the Old Land. They have a protective formation, so the demons don't dare to openly attack. But they will definitely increase their investigation efforts and use various means to force you to reveal yourself, or... find the entrance to the ruins."

He stood up and paced back and forth in the room, his brow furrowed. After a long while, he stopped, looked at Ling Xiao, and said with a complicated expression, "Xiao'er, there's something I've been keeping from you."

Ling Xiao held his breath.

"This jade pendant was left to you by your father," Yue Rong said slowly. "It's not just a token, but also a 'key.' A key that can unlock a certain important place."

"Key? Opens where?"

"I don't know." Yue Rong shook his head, a trace of pain flashing in his eyes. "My memory is too fragmented. I only remember that this jade pendant is very important. It is related to your background and also to... the sacrifice of your parents. But I can be sure that the 'lock' is definitely in the Guo family, and it may even be near us."

He walked to the window, gazing in the direction of the alchemy room: "Last night, my memories returned, and I recalled some fragments. Your mother... was the last princess of the Starfall Clan. She was skilled in star formations and could manipulate the power of the stars. And beneath the Guo family's tomb, there are extremely faint stellar fluctuations of the same origin as hers. I suspect that something left behind by her, or by the Starfall Clan, is there."

Ling Xiao's heart pounded: "The alchemy room?"

"Very likely." Yue Rong nodded. "Places with abundant earth fire are often also places where the earth's spiritual energy gathers, making them the most suitable for setting up formations and hiding secrets. Moreover, the fact that Guo Si stole fire moss to refine magic potions, and that the black-robed man specifically wanted that stuff, indicates that fire moss is useful to them—either for refining medicine or... for breaking some kind of seal related to earth fire."

He turned to look at Ling Xiao and said, word by word, "Xiao'er, we must go and check the area beneath the alchemy room. And we must be quick, before the demons."

Ling Xiao nodded vigorously: "I'll go with you!"

"No, I'll go alone." Yue Rong shook his head. "You stay here and keep an eye on Fa Cai. The situation underground in the alchemy room is unknown and might be dangerous. Besides, Guo Dahai's men are definitely watching us. It would be too conspicuous for both of us to disappear at the same time."

"But Uncle Rong..."

"Listen to me." Yue Rong pressed down on his shoulder, his gaze deep. "If there's real danger down there, I can easily move in and out on my own. Besides..."

He paused, his voice low and somber: "If I really don't come back, you must take Facai with you and live well. Never mention the jade pendant to anyone again. When you have the chance, leave this old land and go to a wider world to find the path you should take."

Ling Xiao's eyes reddened, and he bit his lip hard to keep the tears from falling. He shook his head vigorously, "No! Uncle Rong, you will definitely come back! I'll wait for you!"

Looking at his stubborn little face, Yue Rong felt a pang of tenderness in his heart. He reached out and gently ruffled Ling Xiao's hair, a rare hint of a gentle smile appearing on his face.

"Okay, I promise you, I will definitely come back."

Yue Rong spent the whole day making preparations.

He sharpened the broken knife again and again. Although the rust could not be removed, the blade was able to be polished to a slight shine. He then used rags and thin rope to tightly bind the handle to prevent it from slipping from his grasp.

He dragged the broken earthenware jar from under the bed and poured out all the fire moss pills inside—a total of twenty-three pills, which he had painstakingly saved up over the past three years. He divided them into three portions using oiled paper, hiding one portion close to his body, stuffing one portion into Ling Xiao's arms, and leaving one portion for Fa Cai.

"If I'm not back in three days, take Facai and go find Guo Yun." Yue Rong handed the last packet of pills to Ling Xiao, his voice calm. "Tell her everything, and beg her to protect you so you can leave your old home. Consider this packet of medicine my payment to her."

Ling Xiao gripped the oil paper package tightly, his nails digging into his palm until blood seeped out, but he felt no pain.

"Uncle Rong, I'll go with you." His voice trembled. "I... I've practiced the 'Swimming Fish Step' now, so I can run very fast, and I'm also very good at making money. We can help..."

"No." Yue Rong said firmly, "The dangers down there are beyond your capabilities right now. Remember, if anything happens to me, your primary task is to survive, not revenge, not finding out the truth, but simply to survive. Only by living can there be hope."

Ling Xiao could no longer hold back, and tears streamed down his face. He rushed forward, hugging Yue Rong tightly around the waist, his body trembling as he cried, "Uncle Rong, don't go... Let's run away, let's run far away, anywhere is fine..."

Yue Rong stiffened for a moment, then slowly raised his hand and gently patted Ling Xiao's back, his voice softer than ever before:

"Xiao'er, some things can't be escaped. The opportunity your parents risked their lives for wasn't meant for us to live a life of ignominy. Some responsibilities, some truths, must be borne and revealed by someone."

He lifted Ling Xiao's face, wiped away his tears with his rough thumb, his gaze as firm as a rock:

"You are the son of Ling Zhan and Su Yingxue, a descendant of Xingyun and Tuntian. Your path is destined to be extraordinary. But no matter how difficult the road ahead, Uncle Rong will accompany you. This time, let Uncle Rong go and scout ahead first, okay?"

Seeing the unwavering determination in his eyes, Ling Xiao knew further persuasion was futile. He nodded forcefully, forcing back his tears, his young face revealing a resolve beyond his years.

"Okay, I'll wait for you. But Uncle Rong, you have to promise me you'll come back. Otherwise... otherwise I'll bring Fa Cai and break in to find you!"

Yue Rong smiled, this time a genuine smile of relief: "Okay, it's a deal."

Night falls.

Yue Rong changed into a dark gray coarse cloth outfit—the closest color he could find to a nightclothes. He tucked the broken knife into his waistband, and carefully concealed the Fire Moss Pill and Yang Pendant close to his body. He then smeared his face and hands with charcoal ash, and checked them one last time.

Ling Xiao and Fa Cai stood at the door, looking at him expectantly.

"I'm leaving," Yue Rong said in a low voice. "No matter what noise you hear, don't come out. If I'm not back by sunrise tomorrow, proceed as planned."

"Mm." Ling Xiao nodded emphatically, stuffing the packet of pills in his arms even further inside.

Yue Rong glanced at them one last time, turned around, pushed open the door, and disappeared into the night like a gray shadow.

Fa Cai tried to follow, but Ling Xiao held it tightly. It struggled a few times, then finally gave up, letting out a very low, sorrowful whimper in the direction Yue Rong had disappeared.

Ling Xiao, holding Fa Cai, stood at the door, gazing at the deep night, motionless for a long time.

The cool moonlight shone on his tender yet taut little face, reflecting a pair of eyes burning with fire.

Uncle Rong, you must come back.

for sure.