The mountain was timeless. Only when a bright red “fortune” character fell out of the assignment his rebellious disciple had sent back did Zhi Xiu realize that the twenty-eighth year of Taiming was about to come to an end. 

In the big assignment scroll, there was no need to look at any of the proper things—the precise arrays and the neatly copied inscriptions had certainly been done for him by Xi Yue. That brat Xi Ping had nails under his buttocks. If you wanted him to sit still for one shichen, you first had to break his lousy legs. 

Zhi Xiu roughly flipped through the assignment, then suddenly thought there was something stuck in it. He pulled it out to look and unexpectedly encountered a karma beast stamping with fury on a paper card. 

The karma beast was trapped on the paper card and had inflated into a furry ball from anger. It was roaring silently, baring a pair of little triangular fangs, when the waste paper over its head was unexpectedly lifted, and it saw Zhi Xiu. The little beast instantly settled down, the fierceness in its eyes vanishing without a trace. It wagged its tail appealingly and sat down. 

Zhi Xiu knew without having to touch it that there was an invisible array on the paper card. This array was extremely peculiar. It wasn’t anything standard; it was actually something original. 

It wasn’t that arrays couldn’t be created. It was just that every classic array had undergone revisions from countless masters since its creation before being handed down to posterity. It had to be precise, simple, and subtle in order to conserve spiritual stones to the utmost degree. Blindly altering an array, you wouldn’t necessarily blow up if your luck was good, but you would definitely waste money. 

Looking at Xi Ping’s superfluous spiritual threads made Zhi Xiu’s head hurt. He thought, If you wanted to activate this thing, wouldn’t you need to burn up a white spirit? 

“Can’t even crawl and you already want to run. It’s pure waste. You ought to be beaten…” Zhi Xiu sighed and asked the karma beast, “What did he want you to show me?” 

The karma beast motioned for him to put the card down on the snow, then indeed spat out a white spirit. Seeing it made Zhi Xiu’s eyelid twitch. 

The array on the card only activated half a beat late. It went halfway, then stuck and stopped. The karma beast looked at Zhi Xiu in dismay for a moment, also seeming very helpless. It ran back to the middle of the array and put down a blue jade. 

Zhi Xiu: “…” 

He had actually underestimated how wasteful this kid could be. 

This time, the array at last came to life. The dizzying spiritual threads tangled together, and fragmentary flames suddenly burst out of the card. 

Its prohibition vanished, and the karma beast immediately leapt onto another piece of paper. Then there was a faint whistle, and a dazzling fireball ran counter to the snow in the sky like a shooting star. It broke through the hazy sky and exploded into glittering fireworks—it was a crooked picture of a brocade carp. 

Next, another fireball flew out of the array. A karma beast with a face that was nothing but eyes, a Zhaoting sword, a bust of the peak master of Flying Jade Peak that made Zhi Xiu clench his fists…. The rich colors of the fireworks splashed on the pure white snow, bright and grand, appearing in the sky above Flying Jade Peak for half an incense stick. 

Finally, a line of big, vigorous cursive wound it up: Happy New Year, Shizun! 

Zhi Xiu put his hand on his forehead. There was a rumble, and another corner of the north slope collapsed. 

Cultivators passing by heard the commotion and without exception stopped to observe. The karma beast had nowhere to hide. It buried its face in its front paws and cried. 

“Hey, don’t cry. That monkey’s brought the perfectly good north slope down twice now, and even I haven't cried.” Peak Master Zhi stroked the paper where the karma beast was hiding and gently consoled it. “I’ll go wrap up a red packet for him and put in a beating as a New Year’s gift.” 

The sacred beast couldn’t take this. It crawled up the auspicious embroidery on Zhi Xiu’s sleeve and wouldn’t come out. 

Zhi Xiu picked up the expensive array paper and saw the blue jade turned to powder and the dim white spirit; it was painful and ridiculous. Pinching the edges, he carefully put the paper card levelly into his mustard seed for safekeeping, unconsciously wearing a faint smile. He didn’t want to train with the sword anymore. He called Zhaoting back and was planning to return to the cottage to warm a pot of wine and have a drink. 

Just then, Zhaoting moved on its own, pointing to the northern sky. 

Zhi Xiu abruptly turned his head and frowned—a corner of the thick clouds dropping snow tore open, revealing a few unusually bright stars. 

The Sea of Stars was calling. 

The Sea of Stars was in the depths of the Xuanyin Mountains. It was an abyss like a wound. No matter what the weather was in the mountains, above this “wound,” the sky was always cloudless, always showing a clear thread of starry sky. The Sea of Stars took its name from this. 

Looking down from beside the precipice, there was dense fog in the abyss. When the mountain mists passed through, it let out an echo like a large bell ringing, like the rambling warnings of fate. 

When Zhi Xiu arrived, nearly all thirty-six peak masters had assembled. 

Apart from the lineage of the Dignitary of Fate High Elder, no one dared to go down into the Sea of Stars casually. Therefore, everyone was only waiting beside the precipice. 

There were eight or nine people who had the surname Zhao or were connected to the Zhao family, enough to put together two card tables; the Lin family valued quality over quantity; the few remaining peak masters of the Li family stuck together, keeping a clear distance from the Zhaos and the Zhous; the rest were unremarkable, standing together because they were in the same situation. 

Rosy Cloud Peak¹ was Flying Jade Peak’s neighbor. Peak Master Wen Fei beckoned to Zhi Xiu, gave him a derisive look, and waved a fan in midair. A line of small gold writing flashed on it: Just watched your fireworks. Very exciting. 

Zhi Xiu sighed. “If you like excitement, why don’t you take him? I’m all right, but Flying Jade Peak won’t be able to handle much more.” 

As he spoke, he looked around. Suddenly, he frowned. There were two people who weren’t associating with anyone else: there was no need to mention Princess Duanrui; she had never been approachable to strangers. The Zhou family members were all gathered not far from her but were maintaining a careful distance. Standing almost directly opposite from Duanrui was a man in convict’s clothes, of middle height, with fine features, so delicate he was a little feminine. 

Zhi Xiu lowered his voice. “Lin Chi-shixiong is here, too?” 

In the mortal world, the common people might not necessarily be able to say who the high elders of Xuanyin were, but they definitely all knew Lin Chi—member of the Lin family’s main branch, peak master of Moon Plated Peak, creator of Moon Plated Gold, the unprecedented and unequaled genius of the toolmaking path, born with the golden touch. But though they were both peak masters, Zhi Xiu could count on one hand the number of times he had seen this Master Lin. Lin Chi was always in seclusion. If someone requested an immortal tool, he handed the task over to his disciples without exception. He had even more “clarity” than Princess Duanrui. 

Wen Fei shook his head, and another line of writing appeared on his fan: When all thirty-six peak masters gather, nothing good will come of it. Last time so many of us assembled, it was the time Li Yuelan’s spiritual bones were removed.

Zhi Xiu said, “Crow’s mouth…crow’s fan.” 

Just then, all the ascended spirit cultivators raised their heads simultaneously. A cluster of white frost floated out of the Sea of Stars. It flew with the wind to the precipice, landed next to Zhi Xiu, and turned into a man. 

The man had his eyes closed and seemed like he was made out of frost himself. Unless a cultivator came to the end of his lifespan, he normally wouldn’t show any signs of aging, but this person had deep wrinkles on his brow; he was so haggard that he seemed middle-aged. 

As soon as this person appeared, the sound of the wind in the deep valley suddenly calmed for a moment. Then the mountain wind swirled and rose, tearing open a thread of sky over the Sea of Stars. It was raining all around; only above the heads of the peak masters did the stars extend forever, so clear they seemed to be right before their eyes. 

Everyone greeted: “Dignitary of Fate High Elder.” 

Zhi Xiu said, “Shifu.” 

The Dignitary of Fate High Elder pricked up his ears and turned in Zhi Xiu’s direction. He gave him a very faint smile, and the notches in the center of his brow became shallower for a moment. But soon they knotted back up. 

He didn’t make small talk, simply said, “The Sparkling Deluder stands guard, the Imperial Star is dim—the twenty-ninth year is ill-omened.” 

Before the change of date at midnight, the Dignitary of Fate High Elder’s words meant there was no way to celebrate the New Year.

The High Elder turned to Duanrui. “What does the Zhou family say?” 

Duanrui said, “The Zhou family has always put the state first.”

“In ancient times, the Zhou family fed demons with their own bodies and sealed the Impassable Sea, creating thousands of years of tranquility in the mortal world. Bear the common people in mind.” The High Elder of the Office of Fate nodded slightly to her. “The Zhou family is good.” 

Then the Dignitary of Fate High Elder turned back to Zhi Xiu. “Strange manifestations appear in the Sea of Stars. Disaster brews in the south.” 

The corner of Zhi Xiu’s eye twitched. “In fact, a Heavenly Question flew up the mountain from Heaven’s Design Pavilion recently, saying they were concerned someone in the southern mines was colluding with Shu and embezzling spiritual stones. This has yet to be verified… Can it be connected with this matter?” 

The peak master of Nine Questions Peak, who was an expert in arrays and inscriptions, immediately said, “I will request a talisman to leave the mountain and send people to tour and inspect the great arrays at the southwest border.” 

The Dignitary of Fate High Elder shook his head and said, “Please prepare yourselves, peak masters. A miasma has come up from the Sea of Stars. There is a great tribulation on the way. I fear it will not only be a bit of discord on the border.” 

All the peak masters looked at each other in dismay. The clang of a clock striking came from a distance—

The change of date at midnight. The twenty-ninth year of Taiming had begun on schedule. 

The Sea of Stars sighed. 

Prince Zhuang was startled awake by the New Year’s firecrackers. His heart beat like a drum, but it was soon slowed by the snow lotus on his chest. The paper man silently appeared beside his bed and poured him a cup of water. 

Prince Zhuang raised his eyebrows, and Bai Ling quietly reported: “I went to the place Your Highness indicated. I was in haste and only found some fragments…” 

“I see,” said Prince Zhuang. “Tell me about it.” 

“Last year alone, Suling’s factories had a dozen and more accidents big and small, all of them hushed up. In the worst case, a human life was repaid with only two liang of silver. The number of casualties is unknown, though at a conservative estimate it was over a hundred people. Witnesses and physical evidence can both be found. Suling is a near neighbor of Jinping, and matters are already so bad, so never mind those places that are far from the capital…” At this point, Bai Ling hesitated, then said, “Your Highness, you really ought to have taken Mr. Wang along on this trip. These political affairs are outside of my realm of expertise.” 

“No need. These are not complex matters,” Prince Zhuang said indolently. “They’ve only put a piece of paper over the head of a bald man. Lift it, and you’ll know how many lice there are at a glance.” 

Bai Ling lowered his head, wanting to speak but holding back. 

“What is it?” said Prince Zhuang. 

Bai Ling said, softly, “I also went by a ‘Village of the Living Dead’ today. It used to be a graveyard, but now it has been occupied by the living. These old or crippled laborers have nowhere to go. They sleep beside the tombs, living off of sacrifices to the dead…” 

Prince Zhuang listened absent-mindedly, eyelashes drooping very low, as if he was about to fall asleep. Bai Ling stopped talking. 

Only when another round of joyful firecrackers sounded did Prince Zhuang frown as if disturbed. Somewhat wearily, he said to Bai Ling, “How is it that in the years since returning to the human world, you’ve learned to be sentimental?” 

Bai Ling sighed to himself and changed the subject. “Your Highness, the power networks behind the factories are complex. Once you begin to investigate, it will inevitably implicate Xuanyin Mountain. In this inspection tour of the south, the difficulty isn’t in investigating, it’s in how to close the case and report it. By convention…” 

“By convention, I should choose a sufficient number of scapegoats, pick out a few other problems, apply a bit of pressure, and move on. If you were to ask Wang Ziqian, he would arrange a name list for you this very night—which to help up, which to take down—analyze everything neatly.” 

Prince Zhuang said carelessly, “Nothing new about it at all. If it were so dull, wouldn’t that disappoint His Majesty?”

He stood and opened the window. The smell of firecrackers floated in on the wind. “Do you know how the air above Suling looks to me at this moment?” 

Bai Ling quietly said, “No one on earth has a spiritual sense like Your Highness. What you see and hear, we have no way to fathom.” 

“Resentment so thick it can’t be dissolved. There are at least two or three groups of evil cultivators mixed in, ready to drag people down into their mire. I think a single spark would be enough,” Prince Zhuang said. “Tomorrow I’ll leave Suling Prefecture, and before leaving, I’ll give Ling County’s sham factories a commendation and bring everyone to hear it.” 

Bai Ling thought in astonishment, Are you deliberately fanning the flames to aggravate the people’s resentment…? 

“Do you know why I took you with me instead of Wang Ziqian?” Prince Zhuang said. 

“Please instruct me, Your Highness.” 

“We went out to fan the flames. Why would I take along a useless, delicate scholar?” Prince Zhuang turned. “Let them have their last meals tomorrow. The next day, before zi hour, I want the heads of that chamber of commerce’s arrogant president and County Magistrate Zheng separated from their bodies.” 

Bai Ling was startled. “On what charge, Your Highness?” 

“What are you saying? What charge? Evil cultivators are running amok. What reason do they need to assassinate court-appointed officials?” A peculiar smile appeared on Prince Zhuang’s face. “The evil cultivators in the factories have been idle too long. It makes even me anxious on their behalf to see it, So I’m going to give them a demonstration. These evil cultivators’ nests are obvious at a glance. I’ll tell you where to find them, and when the time comes, you’ll divide up the bodies, give equal shares of the credit to those people. Remember to be fair and impartial. Don’t play favorites.” 

Bai Ling: “…” 

“It’s annoying to investigate these trifles. His Majesty has lost his mind, and I don’t feel like joining him in his madness. I’m also not planning on going about the arduous and thankless task of bringing balance all over the place… Since the people are resentful, then let the ‘people’s resentment’ deliver the punishment.” 

What could the immortal mountains say about it? At worst they would blame him for being incompetent—as a chronic invalid who had hardly ever left Jinping, wasn’t it normal for him to be incompetent? 

Prince Zhuang laughed cheerfully. “Only I don’t know whether these evil cultivators who feed off the people’s resentment can handle the heroic office of ridding the people of a scourge.” 

For a moment, Bai Ling looked at his profile that seemed to be carved out of jade and suddenly thought, His Highness isn’t actually concerned about the nation, and he doesn’t care about the people’s livelihoods and hardships. 

He hates everyone. 

Wang Jian and those others followed him around cautiously and conscientiously and put forward plans for him, all thinking that Prince Zhuang was burning with ambition, that he was shrewd and profound, and that if they did well in assisting him, in the future perhaps there would be imperial honors for them… Only Bai Ling sensed that whether His Highness was shifting his ground or sowing discord, none of it was for the sake of inheriting the throne. 

All he wanted was to see the world sunk in chaos. He found new ways to torment his father and brother, created farces, and obtained a brief bit of pleasure from it, like a person drinking himself into a stupor on snow wine. 

What had His Majesty let out of the capital? 

Just then, a beam of soft white light slipped by the corner of Zhou Ying’s eye. The two of them turned simultaneously and saw the white jade proximal light up—since opening his spiritual eyes, it had been easy for Xi Ping to control the downgraded immortal tool. His white jade board connected to two others, and he could contact either one whenever he wished. It wasn’t like before, when anything he wrote would appear on all three boards. 

On the white jade board was a joyful series of auspicious phrases; from all the way across the border, it was still possible to sense the writer’s tail sticking up ingratiatingly. As expected, the final sentence brought up the main topic: I’ve used up all my spiritual stones. Send emergency aid, san-ge! 

Prince Zhuang: “…” 

Bai Ling watched his lord’s expression change several times. He seemed to be about to open his mouth and curse. Before he could speak, he was cut off by another firecracker and choked the words back. 

After a long moment, the din calmed, and His Highness forgot what he had been about to say. All he could do was helplessly wave a hand and say, “…send him some through a transport array.” 

Xi Ping had failed six or seven times before working out the array with Xi Yue’s help. It was only at times like these that he regretted not working harder. As soon as the array was activated, a big brocade box popped out of nowhere and crushed his half-baked array. 

Abundant spiritual energy at once swept through the room. Xi Ping leaned back and heaved a sigh of relief. “Finally I’m back in business. Hss…oh, my back…” 

He spent money without keeping count, and he spent spiritual stones without keeping count, too. Injuring his hand had accelerated the looming crisis in his financial affairs. 

Although…

Xi Ping looked down at his healed left hand. The sensation in this hand was different from before. It was very subtle—before, the bone qin had felt like a qin that was attached to him; though he could play it by curling his fingers, it had been like the evil cultivator Liang Chen, always external, separate from him. 

The newly-grown left hand was entirely his own, as if he had brought it out of his mother’s womb. 

Yesterday he had tried it out and found that his left hand could now play a kind of silent music that only Wei Chengxiang could hear. And when she heard the music, her heart moved with the strings. She had originally been tossing and turning somewhat from being alone in a strange place. Hearing the faint comfort in the music, she had quickly settled down and fallen asleep… Though perhaps some people were naturally sensitive to music. If he had an opportunity, he would have to try it on someone else. 

There was a gentle knock on the door of his guest room. Someone respectfully said, “Viscount Xi, the Mine Governor has requested to see you and Commander Pang.”