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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 6 Prince Huixin
“Vermilion Bird Essence?” Lin Chuyu had never expected the boy to mention this term, and she was quite surprised as she said, “You know about Vermilion Bird Essence?”
The boy looked at Lin Chuyu with equal surprise at her tone. “So you know too?”
Since Lin Chuyu was not very familiar with him, she hesitated and replied, “Um, I know a little…”
The boy shared what he had heard. “I’ve heard that there are many doors in this world, which are the Gaps left by the divine beings. However, most people do not notice or see the existence of Gaps, nor do they have the fortune to enter one and take a look. Most people just treat it as dinner table talk and spend their lives discussing curiosities. It is said that Vermilion Birds exist in this world, but we cannot see them because they move within the Gaps.”
“Vermilion Bird Essence is equivalent to the Vermilion Bird. With Primordial Dan, one can see the Gaps. The Vermilion Bird is the guardian beast of Divine Dawn. I believe that the Divine Dawn Ruins are hidden within the Divine Realm Rift.”
Lin Chuyu was greatly astonished; she had never considered this point before. However, she thought this theory was quite good. Breathing rapidly, she exclaimed, “Your ruins are hidden in the Gaps!”
The boy nodded confidently. “I think so. I’ve heard that outside the Desolate Central Plain, there’s a place called The Divine Alliance Under the Covenant, where many experts search for ruins. If the Divine Dawn Ruins aren’t hidden in the Gaps, then why can’t those treasure hunters find them in the real world?”
Lin Chuyu suddenly understood and agreed wholeheartedly. “Right! Why didn’t I think of this? If the Divine Dawn Ruins existed in our world, they should have been discovered long ago.”
The boy continued excitedly, “I’ve heard that there’s a lot of wealth in the Divine Dawn Ruins, as well as Divine Tears that can heal any disease. Having that wealth would mean having the power to fulfill any wish.”
At this point, he clenched his fists tightly, seemingly eager to obtain that wealth. Although there was desire in his eyes, it wasn’t greed; rather, it was a sense of hope as if he wanted to do something meaningful with that wealth.
He added, “It’s said that Divine Dawn appeared once a thousand years ago, and some people entered it.”
Lin Chuyu widened her eyes in curiosity and asked urgently, “How do you know this?”
The boy waved his hand dismissively as if to say it was enough for her to listen. He chuckled casually, “I heard about it, but I think it’s fake. I heard that two brothers found the ruins a thousand years ago; the elder brother used his wealth to establish a nation while the younger brother trampled over many nations with his riches. I’ve searched through many ancient texts but found no clues about these two brothers. If they really existed, they must have descendants, yet I couldn’t find anything.”
"You're so focused on the Divine Dawn Ruins," Lin Chuyu suddenly said, "It seems you want to find it too. If you discover the ruins, what would you do with all that wealth?"
The boy's expression turned serious. Lin Chuyu's casual question seemed to present him with a significant dilemma. After a moment, he smiled and replied, "Actually, wealth and Divine Tears aren't what I desire most. My greatest wish is for Eternal Life. I've heard that some gaps can grant a person Eternal Life."
Lin Chuyu reacted strongly, "No! Eternal Life is not something you should wish for! Even if you obtain it, you won't be happy!"
This was the first time the boy had seen Lin Chuyu so vehement. Although they hadn't known each other long, her reaction was quite strange. He stared at her in confusion and said, "What do you mean? It's as if you've experienced Eternal Life yourself."
With sorrowful eyes, Lin Chuyu spoke earnestly, "I have experienced it, but you might not believe me. Wanting Eternal Life comes at a heavy price. Eternal Life may grant you immortality, but don't be mistaken—Eternal Life does not mean living forever without suffering!"
The boy suddenly said, "Forget that. My wish is for wealth instead; is that okay?"
Lin Chuyu was taken aback and glanced at him incredulously. "How can your wish change so easily?"
He laughed, "After hearing how terrifying Eternal Life sounds, I'd rather not pursue it. A person's wishes aren't set in stone; they serve as goals for me. If I no longer want one goal, I simply choose another. It's that simple."
Lin Chuyu couldn't help but laugh in frustration. "You're quite fickle."
The boy replied half-jokingly, "I'm not fickle! Listen carefully: my family is quite well-off; I have ten older brothers." He spread his fingers to illustrate. "I'm the youngest." He wiggled his fingers and continued, "Do you think the youngest has a chance to inherit the family business? I originally thought that if I could attain Eternal Life and outlive my brothers, then the family business would naturally be mine. But now I understand that Eternal Life comes with a price of misfortune."
"Then I suppose I'll pass on that," he concluded. "I've chosen wealth instead. If I can acquire Ruins Wealth, I can start anew."
Lin Chuyu found this amusing. "You're quite an odd person, just like Brother Ji."
The boy laughed and asked, "Brother Ji? Not Brother Ji?"
Lin Chuyu's face flushed slightly as she glanced at the sky, which was nearing dusk. "It's getting late; I need to head back."
The young man reluctantly said, "Oh, if you really want to learn some real skills tomorrow noon, I can teach you."
Lin Chuyu replied, "Great! Let's meet by the oak tree then."
After taking a few steps, Lin Chuyu noticed the young man watching her leave. She asked, "What's wrong? Aren't you going back to the inn?"
The young man chuckled inwardly and replied, "I’m not staying at the inn." He continued, "You should head back first. I still have some things to do. See you tomorrow."
Lin Chuyu nodded and walked away.
Once Lin Chuyu's figure disappeared down the distant street, the young man finally set off. In Qingyang City, as soon as the sun set, the night market sprang to life. The market was brightly lit, and the nights in Qingyang City were even livelier than the days. The streets were bustling with traffic, thriving with activity.
Women on the street were dressed flamboyantly, unafraid of men's gazes.
The young man exuded confidence as he walked through the streets, while women cast curious glances at him. Though he was in his youth and full of vigor, he did not spare a glance at any of those women.
As he strolled along, pedestrians and carriages made way for a luxurious carriage flanked by over twenty cavalrymen on either side. The carriage approached slowly and suddenly stopped right in front of him.
People around were surprised and turned their gazes toward him. An officer on horseback halted before the young man and dismounted to bow respectfully. "Prince Huixin, please get in the carriage to return to the city."
The young man smiled and said, "Wei Deputy, what brings you here?"
Wei Deputy admonished him, "Your Highness, I've been looking for you. We soldiers have important matters to attend to as well. Wherever you go, you should inform us."
Prince Huixin replied apologetically, "I just wanted to take a walk alone. Thank you for your trouble."
Wei Deputy sighed and said, "Your Highness should return now. I've heard that a demon beast has entered the city; you cannot stay outside. Please do not forget your identity."
Prince Huixin's good mood had all but vanished. He ignored the surrounding houses and passersby, feeling utterly dejected. With a bitter smile, he murmured, "How could I forget my own identity? It's truly regrettable that my status as a prince weighs on my deputy. This nominal title of prince is nothing but my fate."
He climbed into the carriage, which hurried away.
The stars shone brightly in the sky as Lin Chuyu rushed back to the inn. "Oh no, I didn't realize I had wandered so far from the inn," she thought.
Reflecting on Prince Huixin's speculation, Lin Chuyu felt invigorated. "The Divine Dawn Ruins are in the Gap; I can't be mistaken about that. I need to tell Brother Ji quickly to avoid taking another wrong turn."
When Lin Chuyu returned to the inn's entrance, she found the door already shut tight. "It's so late..." she muttered.
She knocked on the door and called out, "Hey, hey, open up!"
After calling for a while with no response, she decided to go around to the back door.
At the back door, her knocking disturbed Er's dreams. Er was resting in a shabby room behind the door and woke up grumpily to light a lamp. Seeing that no one had answered after a long wait, Lin Chuyu called out again, "Is anyone there?"
Er approached the door with the lamp and peered through the crack. "Who is it...?"
Noticing the light inside, Lin Chuyu looked through the door as well. She saw Er's eyes peering out at her and said, "Open up! It's me! I'm the guest you brought here today."
Still groggy and unable to see clearly, Er recognized her voice and replied, "Oh, it's you! There are Demon Beasts in town tonight. Why are you back so late? Your friends have been looking for you! Just wait a moment; I'll open the door."
As Er reached for the latch, unbeknownst to them both, the Green Demon Eagle that Lin Chuyu had seen earlier had stealthily landed on the wall of the alley behind.
Er pulled open the latch and swung the door wide, only to find it empty outside. "Guest?" Er exclaimed in surprise.
Peering out into the dark alley on both sides, Er saw nothing but shadows. "Where did everyone go?"
The oil lamp on the table flickered brightly. Meng Hai slammed his palm down on the surface, causing the lamp to flicker erratically. He glared fiercely and shouted, "What are you doing! She was just outside calling, and you saw her too. How could she disappear the moment you opened the door?"
The attendant, intimidated by Meng Hai's imposing presence, stammered, "Sir, I-I’m telling the truth... I also think this is strange..."
Ji Zichen waved his hand dismissively at the attendant. "You can go now."
The attendant hurriedly retreated, as if granted a pardon.
Shen Bifan, unable to make sense of the situation, said, "Brother Zichen, no matter what, we should go out and look for her."
Ji Zichen pondered for a moment before turning to Meng Hai. "Do you think this has anything to do with Mad Bull?"
Meng Hai exclaimed in surprise, "Are you saying Mad Bull took her?"
Ji Zichen replied, "She doesn’t know lightness skill. If it weren’t for that, there’s no way she could have vanished from the alley in the blink of an eye."
Shen Bifan frowned. "It's that Mad Bull again!"
Ji Zichen addressed Shen Bifan seriously. "You heard about the Green Demon Eagle incident too. I’m worried about you going out alone. Her sudden disappearance must be related to Mad Bull. Today’s situation is different from yesterday’s. You should go with Uncle Meng while we split up to search for her."
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