Tiangong Mansion is a colossal faction somewhat akin to a sect, yet distinct from it, resembling a hybrid of a sect and a merchant guild. It is renowned throughout the Jiuzhou Continent, with its products—be they spiritual treasures or handicrafts—almost always fetching exorbitant prices. Even works by apprentices can spark frenzied bidding wars.
The jade pendant Li Tan discovered inside the envelope, regardless of its craftsmanship or design, was extremely exquisite, undoubtedly the work of a master artisan from Tiangong Mansion. Why would such a precious treasure appear inside the bedroom of a concubine from the small, remote Lin family in Linjiang?
This remains unknown. No matter how intently Li Tan stared at the pendant, he couldn’t figure it out. For now, he set it aside and picked up the letter.
The letter paper was faintly yellowed, clearly aged. Li Tan shook off the dust and read it word by word.
“It was pouring with rain that day; the entire forest was shrouded in gray. That’s how I barely managed to escape my pursuers.
Do you remember?
I was covered in injuries, unable to move even slightly. When you suddenly appeared, I thought you were one of my pursuers. But you turned out to be just a clumsy fool who accidentally wandered into the domain of fallen immortals.
You vowed earnestly that you would take me away, but we ended up getting lost several times, almost becoming snacks for ferocious beasts. Eventually, we hid in a cave for several days before finally leaving the domain and returning to Linjiang. Because of my injuries, I stayed at your home to recover, and those days were truly joyful. If possible, I wish they could have continued forever.
But in life, there are always things beyond our control.
Now I must leave. Please forgive me for not saying goodbye in person—I fear I wouldn’t be able to bear parting if we met.
I want to apologize.
Sorry, I can’t tell you anything.
Sorry, I can’t take you with me.
Sorry, even knowing how things would turn out, I still helplessly fell in love with you.
Now, I can only leave behind these few items as a token of apology. Please keep them safe—they will ensure you live a worry-free life.
Finally, please forget me.
Sincerely,
Cui Hao”
This was a farewell letter. The writer of the letter and Jiang Xin apparently shared a moving and sorrowful story. However, there were too many pitiful people in the world for Li Tan to feel sympathy for Jiang Xin. Yet the name “Cui Hao” struck Li Tan like a heavy hammer, stirring up waves of emotion within him.
“Cui Hao? Cui Hao? This can’t be real. It must be fake, right?”
Li Tan repeatedly flipped through the letter and examined the pendant. His reaction was just like Lin Cui’s when she heard he had defeated Lin Jingwu.
The reason for his shock naturally lay in Cui Hao.
The explanation must also begin with him.
Cui Hao was the heir of an ancient family on the Jiuzhou Continent, and he had a deep friendship with Li Tan.
He had always been an outstanding peer, and after growing up, his cultivation was terrifyingly powerful. He was almost perfect, except for one minor flaw: he kept his distance from women.
Li Tan once teased him for having homosexual tendencies, but Cui Hao merely laughed it off, his expression slightly melancholic.
At that time, Li Tan sensed that Cui Hao must have been hiding some sorrowful secret in his heart, never imagining that the incomparable Cui Hao would have had such an experience in his youth, sacrificing his emotions for a mere mortal woman.
“Brother Cui, why did you go through all this unnecessary hardship?”
Seeing the handwriting of an old friend here, Li Tan felt a pang of sorrow. He stuffed the letter back into the envelope, paused for a moment, and then picked up the pendant again.
This jade belonged to Cui Hao, so it couldn’t possibly be merely for nurturing one’s soul. There must be a hidden function yet to be discovered.
Under the moonlight, the jade became translucent, and Li Tan’s spiritual energy wrapped around it like moonlight.
No matter how closely he examined it, it looked like nothing more than an elaborately crafted trinket without practical use. But Li Tan didn’t give up. He continued his focused study until he finally noticed something unusual.
The pendant could absorb spiritual energy! Excited, Li Tan poured more spiritual energy into it, and the pendant began to emit a golden glow like sunlight.
Li Tan grew even more excited, patiently waiting for the pendant’s next reaction. His biggest concern now was cultivation restrictions, which constantly placed him in dangerous situations. There were too many enemies in Linjiang, and if he could obtain a mysterious artifact from Tiangong Mansion, he could definitely escape this plight.
The golden glow gradually intensified, converging directly in front of him into a human figure.
Li Tan was stunned, his expression turning odd.
The transformation continued, and the figure became increasingly clear.
White robes, a laurel crown, exuding an ethereal elegance like a celestial being from a painting—it was actually Cui Hao!
Then, the figure moved and spoke, “Xin’er.”
Li Tan immediately withdrew his spiritual energy with a startled “clap,” realizing what this item was. It could preserve a person’s appearance, voice, and movements, replaying them when infused with spiritual energy.
“Cui Hao must have intended this as a memento for Jiang Xin, but he was too careless—he forgot that only cultivators at the Xiantian level or above could use spiritual energy.”
“But no, something like this shouldn’t be an oversight. That guy must have left this image for some other purpose.” Li Tan speculated on the reason Cui Hao left the image behind, unaware that far, far away, a man atop a snowy mountain peak, locked in battle with a hundred-meter-tall beast, shivered slightly.
Because of Cui Hao’s letter, Li Tan’s calm and composed mindset was disturbed. For a moment, he even lost the mood to cultivate. He decided to take a break and stroll around the courtyard, hoping to encounter the legendary vengeful ghost.
Previously, he had only been curious and interested in the ghost story out of boredom. Now, however, his perspective had changed—he intended to get involved.
Cui Hao had left behind more than just one treasure, hoping Jiang Xin could live safely and peacefully.
But Jiang Xin ended up marrying into the Lin family, and all that remained was this seemingly useless pendant. This had already stirred a hint of murderous intent within Li Tan.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage