My enemies became my companions

Chapter 639 No Need to Interfere (Part 2)

Wu Meng struggled, ignoring the excruciating pain of his severed arm, and knelt several times in Chen Yi's direction, his forehead slamming heavily against the cold floor tiles with a dull thud.
“Holy One above! He enjoys joy without affliction; to say that there is suffering is not true. He is always in the midst of joy and light; to say that there is illness is not true.”

He cried out hoarsely, tears streaming down his face, and then, in an ancient and strange tone, he began to loudly and recklessly recite obscure scriptures:
"If anyone dwells in that country, they will ultimately be free from all sorrow. Their dwelling place will be adorned with purity, and all evil and impurity will be absent there."

He acted like a madman, crying and laughing, bowing and worshipping Chen Yi. The sound of chanting echoed in the silent Zhigesi Hall, filled with an indescribable eeriness and fanaticism.

Yue Tingyun and Liu Hanyan were dumbfounded, completely bewildered by what had happened.

"He's gone mad," Chen Yi said coldly.

Wu Meng knelt on the ground, chanting incessantly, looking completely insane.

Chen Yi waved his hand slightly, and without saying a word, the jailer took Wu Meng back and locked him up in the cell again.

"The thief went mad on the spot." Chen Yi paused, glancing back, "It's time to ask you guys."

Yue Tingyun and Liu Hanyan couldn't help but shudder. Having witnessed what had just happened, they were both still shaken, knowing that no matter what this person's background was, he must have a close relationship with the Demonic Sect.

Moreover, this person is highly skilled in martial arts; even someone as strong as Wu Meng is powerless against him. Since he is willing to communicate properly, they will naturally tell him everything they know.

"Let's get to the point. You've accepted a bounty from the Prince's Palace's Zhige Division. Do you know who the bounty hunter is?"

"Your Honor, we don't know. We just came to the Southern Frontier to beg for some money to make a living, relying on our martial prowess." Yue Tingyun paused, then said, "The master of the bounty might... be a member of the Divine Cult?"

"Stop talking nonsense, I can find out that."

“Yes…” Yue Tingyun continued, “After we accepted the reward, we planned to search for the person in the locations mentioned in the notice. We searched for several days without success, so my wife thought…”

Liu Hanyan muttered, "Who's your wife?"

“If you’re not, then who is?” Yue Tingyun said quickly.

Liu Hanyan felt a sweet warmth in her heart and was about to continue speaking.

Then the man abruptly interrupted, saying, "Don't flirt."

Both of them paused for a moment, then nodded silently.

Yue Tingyun inwardly scoffed. The person in front of him was somewhat aloof, and his appearance was far too young for his martial arts skills. Moreover, he was associated with some kind of demonic sect's Mingzun, and might even be practicing virginity training.

Despite his inner grumbling, he quickly replied, "Yes, she was thinking of doing the opposite. Maybe Wumeng is hiding in the dark at Gaoliang Mountain. Once she goes there, she'll find him."

He was about to elaborate on the details when he saw the man glance at Liu Hanyan and ask, "How did you come up with that?"

Liu Hanyan paused for a moment, then replied, "It just...it just came to mind all of a sudden."

What were you doing when you thought of it?

"How...can you explain...that I was...practicing swordsmanship?"

"Demonstrate the sword moves once."

Under Chen Yi's unquestionable voice, Liu Hanyan had no choice but to draw her sword and demonstrate her swordsmanship on the spot. Her swordsmanship, sword posture, and sword intent were all mediocre, just second- or third-rate skills in the martial arts world.

The expected trope of using swordsmanship to communicate did not appear in martial arts novels.

He had suddenly found himself in a dead end, and the whole matter seemed shrouded in mystery. Chen Yi didn't know which clue was crucial and which was insignificant.

Or perhaps we could communicate with Wumeng through spirit mediums?

Chen Yi thought for a moment, then shook his head. He had tried to communicate with a demonic sect elder before, but the elder died and his soul was scattered, making communication impossible. If he tried to communicate this time, he might trigger some kind of restriction.

It would be better to keep him alive and let the jailers hear his ravings.

"You two don't sound like people from southern Xinjiang, why did you come here?" Chen Yi asked casually.

Liu Hanyan and Yue Tingyun exchanged glances. After hesitating, Liu Hanyan took the initiative to say, "I come from an insignificant sect in the Central Plains. I am the daughter of the sect leader. This time, I eloped with my senior brother. In order to escape my father, we went south. I had little experience in the martial arts world, so I made a lot of enemies and fled all the way to the Southern Frontier."

Chen Yi did some quick calculations and confirmed that she was not lying.

There's nothing left to investigate, so we'll have to call it quits tonight.

………………

It landed early the next morning.

Chen Yi didn't sleep all night. Apart from interrogating the old saintess in the field, he took out the Sacred Flame Token to study and play with it.

Although it is just a fragment, you can feel its extraordinary texture, which suggests that it once played an extraordinary role in the demonic sect.

What Wu Meng said was true; this was the root cause of his defection and the key reason why the Light and Dark Cult was relentlessly pursuing him.

Including this Sacred Flame Token, he already possessed quite a few items from the Bright and Dark Cult, especially the two gold papers from Gongsun Guan.

The lineage of the World-Supporting Envoy...

Chen Yi's eyes narrowed slightly.

I had originally planned to wait a few more days until my relationship with Qin Qingluo was more stable before going on my search and exploration, but now it's time to put it on the agenda as soon as possible.

So now...

Let's go have some fun... no, let's go play with Qin Yue.

Having children is meaningless if it's not something to be enjoyed.

Chen Yi never wanted to be a strict father; his personality eliminated that possibility. He would discipline Qin Yue, but she wouldn't make mistakes, and he would spend more time playing with the child.

When I found the grassy area in the back garden, I indeed saw that small figure.

Qin Yue was sitting on a flat, large rock, her little hands holding a red lacquered rattle drum, shaking it unconsciously, making a monotonous "dong, dong, dong" sound.

Sunlight shone on her soft hair, casting a fuzzy halo around it. As Chen Yi took a few steps closer, he noticed a trace of white milk residue on the corner of her mouth.

Chen Yi thought to himself that the wet nurse must have just finished feeding the baby, and walked over.

"Yue'er," he called out.

Qin Yue stopped shaking the drum, looked up, her little mouth slightly pouting, glanced at Chen Yi, and then looked back at the rattle drum, clearly not very interested.

She still didn't really like this "father".

But... yesterday he rescued her and her mother from the "ghost" again...

The little guy hesitated for a moment, then slowly slid down the rock, stood still, and whispered, "...Dad."

Why are you so unwilling?

Chen Yi gently rubbed her head. Qin Yue wasn't used to it, so he said softly:
"Dad brought you candy."

Qin Yue paused, then took two steps back.

Chen Yi said, both amused and exasperated, "It's real candy, delicious candy."

Qin Yue was skeptical, but still wanted some candy, so she asked, "Where's the candy? Where's the good candy?"

“In my hands,” Chen Yi squatted down to look her in the eye, a smile on his face: “How was Daddy yesterday?”

Qin Yue looked into his eyes, unable to resist the temptation, and nodded: "...Daddy is good." "Isn't Daddy the best?" Chen Yi deliberately asked, with a hint of teasing.

Qin Yue frowned slightly, as if she was thinking seriously, then opened her little hands and made a very big gesture: "The best!"

Children's flattery, whether genuine or not, is always pleasing to others.

People always think that children don't lie, let alone two-year-olds, and even if they do lie, it's just innocent childish talk.

"Yes, Daddy is the best." Chen Yi went along with it, leaned over and kissed her smooth forehead, then rubbed her little head. "Yue'er is such a good girl."

After saying that, Chen Yi opened his hands, and Qin Yue's eyes lit up. Sure enough, there was candy.

She took one from Chen Yi's hand, examined it carefully, popped it into her mouth and smacked her lips. Before she could even taste it, she tried to take another one, but Chen Yi closed his hand.

"Tangtang..." Qin Yue's voice carried a hint of pleading.

"Giving Yue'er candy is fine, but she has to play a game with Daddy first."

"……good…"

After last night, they finally became a little closer, Qin Yue nodded.

"Come on, let's play tag with Daddy!" He suddenly stood up.

Before Qin Yue could react, Chen Yi had already shouted with a smile, "Let's start!" and turned to run into the grass next to him.

The little girl was stunned for a moment, but then her interest was piqued by the sudden chase. Her previous slight hesitation vanished instantly. "Wait for me!"

She took short strides and chased after him.

Children are always playful and don't hold grudges, especially since she's only two years old.

Grass blades brushed against his calves, damp with the morning air. Chen Yi deliberately ran in a stumbling manner, occasionally letting out an "Ouch!" as if he was about to fall, which made the little girl behind him scream with a mixture of tension and excitement.

He ran around the big tree and hid behind the artificial hill. Qin Yue, like a persistent little hunting dog, chased after him relentlessly, her little face flushed and her eyes shining like stars.

"Catch him! We've got him!"

Finally, just as Chen Yi clumsily tripped over a blade of grass and slowed down, Qin Yue pounced on him, grabbing his leg and letting out a cheer that echoed throughout the back garden.

"Yue'er, you're so good at catching it! I'm so happy you won, Daddy caught it! Tangtang, Tangtang!"

Chen Yi lay down on the soft grass, laughed heartily, picked up the little girl who was clinging to his lap, and lifted her high: "Yes, yes, yes! Yue'er, have some candy."

For a moment, the laughter of the father and daughter echoed across the grass.

Not far away, in the shade of an ancient tree with lush foliage, a figure in black stood quietly.

Qin Qingluo had somehow gotten there and had witnessed the entire scene.

She watched the two children, one big and one small, rolling around on the grass, seeing the pure, unreserved joy on her daughter's face, and also seeing the equally pure, indulgent, and doting look in Chen Yi's eyes.

When did those two start...?

Is things more harmonious now?

The hard lines of his lips softened for a fleeting moment, almost imperceptibly, in the shadows where no one could see them.

"Insignificant."

.....................

The laughter of the father and daughter seemed to still faintly echo on the grass. Just as Chen Yi handed the still-enjoying Qin Yue back to the wet nurse he had found, a maid came to him, bowed and whispered: "Lord Chen, the Prince is in the study and summons you to an audience immediately."

Chen Yi's smile faded, and he regained a more serious expression. He straightened his slightly wrinkled robes and followed the maid.

The study was dimly lit and filled with a faint scent of ink.

Qin Qingluo sat upright behind her large desk, her tall figure almost blending into the shadows, with only a lone lamp on the desk illuminating her profile.

She was reviewing something with a pen, the strokes as sharp as a knife.

"Your Highness," Chen Yi bowed respectfully.

Qin Qinglu did not look up. She finished writing the last stroke on the memorial before putting the pen down. She raised her eyes and got straight to the point: "Tell me about what happened last night."

"I obey your orders."

The female prince paused slightly, then scoffed, "Even your humble servant has arrived..."

"In my opinion, we should keep our work and life separate," Chen Yi said, bowing. "Please address Your Excellency as 'Your Excellency.'"

Qin Qinglu nodded. It was indeed inappropriate to call him by his name directly, as it would appear to be too much favoritism to those with ulterior motives.

Chen Yi knew she was asking about Wu Meng's madness and the Sacred Flame Token. He concisely and clearly recounted the events of the previous night's interrogation, from Wu Meng's dejected confession to his sudden, fanatical worship of the Sacred Flame Token fragments, chanting sutras and calling it "Ming Zun," to his interrogation of Yue Tingyun and Liu Hanyan, which yielded little result.

"...He enjoys happiness without suffering, and it is impossible for him to say that there is suffering...The place is adorned and pure, and he has no evil or impurity..." Chen Yi repeated two or three sentences of the scripture, "Wumeng is like a madman, repeatedly calling me 'Mingzun'. He has been re-detained. I have observed his words and actions and he is not faking it. He seems to be truly mad."

Qin Qinglu listened quietly, her eyes lowered, her fingertips unconsciously tapping lightly on the desk, making an almost inaudible tapping sound.

For a moment, only this faint sound remained in the study.

"The Cult of Light and Darkness..." After a long pause, she slowly spoke, her voice low and deep, "Its origins are complex and its doctrines are bizarre. What I remember are only some superficial old stories. Indeed, there was a period when there were many factions and fierce infighting within it. It is hard to tell how much truth and how much madness Wu Meng spoke of."

She raised her eyes, her gaze sharp as she looked at Chen Yi: "What do you think of that fragment of the Sacred Flame Token?"

"Its texture is extraordinary and contains supernatural power," Chen Yi said truthfully. "Last night, I interrogated him in detail. He seems to be a heretic of the Divine Cult, and this object is also a heretical object. He said it is related to a long-standing case within the cult. Someone was proclaiming 'light and darkness have no boundaries, and humans can replace gods,' and this object was the root of the trouble. It was subsequently purged by the cult leader. But when asked for more details, he went mad and stopped responding."

Chen Yi answered truthfully, but omitted the mention of the old saintess.

"Master Gongsun Guan... purge..." Qin Qingluo repeated softly, a faint thought flashing in her eyes before falling silent. She clearly knew only a limited amount about this secret. "Since it is the root of disaster, we must be careful. This item in your hands is both an opportunity and a danger."

Chen Yi nodded: "I understand. Although Wu Meng is mad, there may be clues hidden in his mad words. I wish to investigate this decree and the lineage of the 'Envoy of the World' in depth. Perhaps we can follow the clues and clarify the connection between the Divine Sect and the Southern Frontier."

Qin Qingluo remained silent for a moment, then stopped typing. "This matter has far-reaching implications and even touches upon the very foundations of the Divine Cult. You should exercise caution and investigate discreetly. You may use the resources of the Zhige Division."

"Yes," Chen Yi replied. He hesitated for a moment before speaking, "Your Highness, Princess Zhu... she is also a Holy Maiden. Perhaps... we could ask her a few questions? Maybe she could learn more about the secrets of the sect?"

"No need."

Qin Qingluo's answer was decisive and without the slightest hesitation. Her eyes were slightly cold, carrying a hint of barely perceptible aloofness and warning.
“The saintess acts in a mysterious and eccentric manner, and her thoughts and ideas are beyond the comprehension of reason. The ‘divine pronouncements’ she receives are often obscure and difficult to understand, and even… contradictory.”

Instead of listening to their mystical pronouncements, it's more practical to verify things yourself.

Do not disturb her about this matter.

"Your subordinate obeys." Chen Yi understood.

But then he suddenly wondered, besides the legitimate reason, was Qin Qingluo's decision not to let him ask Zhu E about this matter this time also... a hint of jealousy?
Perhaps he was indulging in fantasies.

"Go." Qin Qingluo picked up his pen again, his gaze returning to the memorial, as if the conversation that had just taken place was merely a trivial interlude. "Keep a close eye on Wumeng; he might still be useful. As for the couple, since they have already been interrogated, if there are no major issues, send them away from the palace."

"Yes."

Chen Yi bowed again, then turned and left the dimly lit study.

(End of this chapter)