The small sitting room fell into a strange, quiet stillness. Tan Yin felt like she should leave and retreat to her messy workshop on the second floor, maybe work on something else to distract herself. But she couldn’t bring herself to go. The warmth from the fire made her feel cozy, and her thoughts were pleasantly hazy.
After what felt like a long time, or maybe just a moment, she heard Yuan Zhong say, “Once the snow stops, let’s go visit a larger town. There are some things I need to buy.”
She remembered Yuan Zhong once saying that he wanted to leave Fangwai Mountain to travel and enjoy the scenery, yet here they were, having lived in this small cave dwelling for several months. He didn’t seem eager to leave at all. In a way, this was for the best—staying far from the mortal world, away from the battle spirits swayed by Lady Han’s schemes. He could live quietly here, until he grew old and died...
The sudden thought made Tan Yin feel uneasy. The final purpose she had almost forgotten suddenly jumped back into her mind. She was here with him, waiting for him to die. The idea made her uncomfortable, and she realized she didn’t want to think about it too deeply.
But really, there was nothing wrong with it. He didn’t know, and she didn’t say. A celestial being’s life might span thousands of years, so spending his lifetime with him… why not?
She was willing to live as a mortal craftsman for those few thousand years, sweating in the summer, shivering in the winter, making odd little things every day, living peacefully in this serene cave dwelling. It would just be the two of them for his entire life.
It wasn’t just for Tai He that she was willing to do this, so there was nothing wrong.
There was nothing wrong.
The door curtain lifted again, and Yuan Xiaozhong entered with his usual expression of a dutiful wife, kindly bringing them two bowls of hot soup. Tan Yin wasn’t sure what ingredients were used, but the soup was a pale red, smelling sweet and carrying a hint of wine.
Tan Yin took a spoonful, tasting its soft, smooth sweetness, rich and fragrant. She was stunned. “Yuan Xiaozhong, this is delicious!”
Yuan Xiaozhong shyly twisted the hem of his clothes and said with a smile, “As long as you like it.”
He glanced bashfully at Tan Yin, then sneaked a look at Yuan Zhong, whose face was as dark as thunderclouds, before saying lovingly, “You two… be sure to get along well…” He quickly covered his face with the tray and ran out.
Yuan Zhong suddenly felt he couldn’t stand being in this cave dwelling any longer, fearing that if he stayed, he might just take this nauseating mechanical man apart. He needed to leave—immediately, right now.
The snowstorm, which had dragged on with soft, continuous flakes for four or five days, finally stopped. During those days, Yuan Zhong had locked himself in his bedroom almost from morning to night, and Tan Yin had no idea what he was up to. Sometimes, when she came to check on him, she’d hear a racket coming from inside, and when he finally opened the door, it would be just a crack—just enough to stop her from peeking inside.
Even though he’d said they would go out shopping once the snow stopped, he delayed for several more days before grudgingly taking the Jile Bird and leading Tan Yin out of the cave. It seemed like he hadn’t slept for days; his hair was coming undone from its bun, hanging by his ear, and there were even patches of unshaven stubble on his chin.
Tan Yin had rarely seen him in such a disheveled state. Normally, no matter how careless he acted, his clothes and hair were always perfectly neat. After all, the Fox Clan took great pride in their appearance.
Yuan Zhong wrapped her in a blanket, as if bundling up a piglet, and tossed her onto the back of the Jile Bird. He then jumped on behind her, whistling for the bird to slowly take flight.
It seemed he was lost in thought, his chin resting on her head, while his long fingers idly plucked at the bird’s feathers one by one. The bird let out a series of dissatisfied screeches.
Tan Yin, wrapped tightly in the blanket, wasn’t just not cold—she was almost sweating. She wriggled slightly and asked, “Are you working on a mechanical man? Did you run into some trouble? I can teach you.”
Yuan Zhong snorted. “I don’t need you to teach me.”
“You’ve never learned how, and you don’t have the craft passed down to you. After just a few months, of course, you wouldn’t be able to make one.”
“Be quiet.”
Tan Yin had only been guessing, but now she was almost certain he was working on a mechanical man. Her curiosity got the better of her. “Are you really making one? What kind are you trying to make?”
Yuan Zhong sighed and adjusted her head to face forward. “If you don’t stay quiet, I’ll throw you off.”
This fox’s temper was always so bad. Tan Yin kept her mouth shut, and luckily, the town wasn’t far. The Jile Bird flew for less than half an hour before landing in front of a city gate. Unlike the smaller towns, even immortals and demons had to pass through strict checkpoints here. This had to be Qiong Kingdom’s capital, Guixu.
It was said that in recent years, Qiong Kingdom had been plagued by peasant uprisings. In the past, a Piaoqi General had guarded Jiaping Pass, but the general had mysteriously disappeared, allowing the rebels to advance rapidly. The unrest had left Guixu City in a state of panic. From a distance, Tan Yin could see the crimson walls of the imperial palace, almost every five steps guarded by a soldier, and every ten steps a checkpoint. Any idle passersby were immediately chased away.
Sitting on the back of the Jile Bird, Tan Yin gazed at the crimson walls and felt a strange sense of familiarity. It was as if she had been here before, yet she couldn’t quite recall when or why.
In her daze, she realized that Yuan Zhong had tied the Jile Bird outside a shop. When she looked back, she saw him slip inside, so she quickly followed him in. Yuan Zhong turned and glared at her. “Wait obediently outside. Don’t follow me.”
“Oh…”
Tan Yin stopped, glancing around at the shop’s wares. Most of the items were handmade: camphor wood masks, intricately crafted wooden boxes for holding incense, and small bronze figurines. The centerpiece was a porcelain basin displayed in a glass case in the middle of the shop. It was about five inches tall, with a delicate light blue glaze. Inside, exquisite lotus leaves and flowers were painted with remarkable realism.
Noticing her gaze, the shopkeeper, eager to make a sale, approached with a smile. “Miss, this porcelain basin has quite the story behind it.”
Tan Yin, not used to dealing with merchants, was instantly hooked. “What’s the story?”
The shopkeeper smiled mysteriously. “Have you heard of Master Qi?”
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