After seeing off the Second Prince and Chu Chu, the imperial mausoleum fell completely silent.
Seasons came and went, and over a year passed in the blink of an eye.
Throughout this year, the Great Zhou Dynasty remained on high alert, repeatedly attacking the Great Han's border to demand an explanation for Prince Su's assault on their capital.
After repeated explanations from the Great Han and numerous疑点 (doubts) in the case, the Great Zhou royal family calmed down and finally agreed to peace talks.
The border situation thus began to ease!
Rumors even spread that the two dynasties intended to exchange hostages to prevent further war.
In Yin Cloud Ridge, the Heavenly Demon Sect's Bone Palace was lit by flickering phosphorous fires, their green glow casting an eerie light.
"Damnation! What happened? Why is Great Zhou negotiating peace with Great Han? If they make peace, how will the Blood Demon Lord awaken?"
The Heavenly Demon Sect Master looked阴沉 (gloomy), glaring at the elders below. "Who can tell me how to resolve this?"
"Your Majesty, it's said the two sides plan to exchange hostages. Perhaps we can ambush the escorts and assassinate the hostages? That would force them to war." A goateed elder stepped forward, eyes gleaming sinisterly.
"Good! Elder Wang, I entrust this to you. Monitor both royal families. Once the hostage exchange begins, prepare for the assassination. I'll lend you this corpse puppet to ensure success." The Sect Master pointed to the corpse puppet of Prince Su beside him, laughing wildly.
...
In the imperial mausoleum, Lin Yu slowly opened his eyes.
After previous advancements, his gaze would spark electricity in dim rooms, as if thunders lurked in his eyes. But now, his eyes were clear and his presence内敛 (restrained), giving off an unfathomable aura.
"Lad, is this the last Demonic Being in the Demon-Sealing Tower?" Cauldron Lord's voice sounded in Lin Yu's mind. "Too bad—these Demonic Beings were imprisoned too long, their cultivation退化 (degenerated) greatly. Otherwise, you could've reached Myriad Manifestations Seventh Grade."
"Cauldron Lord, advancing to Myriad Manifestations Fourth Grade satisfies me." Lin Yu smiled.
"The Qilian Mountains are drained of demonic beasts, and the Demon-Sealing Tower is empty. It'll be hard to cultivate this fast again." Cauldron Lord sounded无奈 (helpless).
Since Lin Yu awakened it, it had first relied on Qilian's beasts, then the tower's Demonic Beings, refining them happily. Now both sources were exhausted; even occasional heavenly materials couldn't satisfy its appetite.
Lin Yu shook his head with a bitter smile. Cauldron Lord was right—his cultivation speed would surely slow.
Even with his flying sword allowing him to traverse thousands of li in an instant, hunting Myriad Manifestations demonic beasts was still like searching for a needle in the ocean. He would have to cultivate the Saint Emperor Art honestly.
But Lin Yu had more pressing matters now.
After slaying each Demonic Being, he sold their weapons for silver to secretly aid the families of fallen southern expedition soldiers in the capital.
He took the Demonic Beings' weapons and headed for the capital.
Though it was daytime, few in the capital recognized him, so no one knew the Third Prince, supposed to be confined in the mausoleum, now walked its streets.
Lin Yu went straight to the capital's largest pawnshop. Before entering, he heard a woman pleading desperately: "Shopkeeper, can you give more silver? This hairpin was bought for me by my husband—it's worth one tael of gold, but you'll only pawn it for three taels of silver. That's too little, please!"
"Nonsense! The selling price and buying price can't be the same! Three taels, no more. If you want one tael of gold, go back to the shop that sold it and see if they'll buy it back!" The shopkeeper snorted, urging, "Sell it or not? Leave if not—don't delay other customers!"
"I'll sell... I'll sell..." The woman's voice was凄冷 (mournful). Moments later, she lowered her head, wiped her tears, clutched the purse of silver, and rushed past Lin Yu.
Before Lin Yu could speak, she vanished into the crowd.
He shook his head, handed the Demonic Beings' weapons to the shopkeeper, exchanged them for silver, and left.
Even after being refined by the tower's thunder and eroded by time, the Demonic Beings' weapons—at minimum Xiantian Realm treasures—remained top-grade, fetching much silver.
Carrying the silver, Lin Yu wandered the capital's streets, tossing ingots into the yards and homes of every southern expedition soldier's family, as before.
"Must be the Third Prince sending silver again. Dear, take this ingot to the Shen family's widow next door."
"Good idea—her life is too hard."
"Yes! Her husband Shen Chong didn't die in the Southern Wasteland, but at the First Prince's hands in the north. How will she and her child survive?"
"Such a good man—wrongly accused of desertion by the First Prince, beaten till he lay in bed for months before dying. So tragic."
Standing outside Ding Yong's house, Lin Yu froze on hearing the old couple's words.
Shen Chong had been a captain under him—brave, fearless in battle, and a repeated merit-winner. He was one of those who followed Lin Yu through barbarian encirclement, yet the First Prince had beaten him to death.
Knowing Shen Chong, Lin Yu was sure he wasn't a coward. The First Prince must have冤枉 him.
Heart aching, Lin Yu realized he'd focused only on the families of fallen soldiers, ignoring the living, assuming they could manage after returning from the Southern Wasteland. He was deeply wrong.
His surviving soldiers also lived hard lives.
Asking for directions, he found Shen Chong's home.
From afar, he saw burly ruffians surrounding the gate, with shouting and a woman's cries from the courtyard.
"I have silver—three taels! Take this first; don't take Xuan'er! Please, give me a few more days; I'll repay you! Please!" A woman sobbed heartbreakingly. Neighbors watched the hoodlums from a distance, too afraid to help.
"Mrs. Shen, you owe thirty taels. Three taels can't even cover the interest. I'm in a difficult position." A man's lecherous voice came from the yard. "This girl is pretty—selling her to Yihong Courtyard will fetch a good price, enough to repay the thirty taels."
"Manager Chen, I borrowed fifteen taels and repaid ten! How does it become thirty now?" The woman asked in astonishment, as a girl's soft sobs sounded.
"Don't you know 'nine out, thirteen back'? Mrs. Shen, don't be ungrateful. I'll take one today—you choose: come with me, or let the girl go." Manager Chen sneered dismissively, and more sobs came from mother and daughter.