Chapter 63
The courtyard froze.
Mei blinked.
Ming immediately looked toward the pavilion doors.
Even Hua Hua stopped moving.
And Wuming—
Smiled slightly.
Small.
Faint.
Almost invisible.
But real.
The demon infant burst into laughter instantly.
"HAHA— there it is."
It floated backward happily before stretching lazily in the air.
"Oh right," it added casually, "I want a name too."
Its crimson eyes shifted toward Wuming playfully.
"Try asking Wei Zhi or Yinghua for one."
Then—
Its body dissolved into black mist.
Vanishing directly back inside Wuming's soul.
Xuan Ming's expression changed instantly the moment the scream echoed from inside the pavilion.
Worry crossed his face for the first time tonight.
Without hesitation, he pushed Hua Hua toward Wuming in a hurry.
"Hold her—"
Wuming didn't move.
Hua Hua slipped straight from his arm and landed softly on the grass with a confused little sound while Ming had already rushed forward toward the pavilion entrance.
Wuming finally spoke.
"Children aren't allowed inside, Ming."
Ming stopped abruptly.
"But it's Mother."
Wuming's golden eyes remained calm.
"Abide by the rules."
His tone carried neither concern nor urgency.
"Guards and maids are already inside. They'll be safe."
Before Ming could answer—
The pavilion doors burst open.
Several guards and maids rushed out in panic, sheltering Yin Fu and Fang Meihua between them while smoke drifted faintly from inside the hall.
Both women were injured.
Blood stained near their foreheads and temples while the maids hurriedly helped them onto the soft grass outside the pavilion.
"Mother!"
Ming rushed forward immediately.
Mei and Hua Hua followed right after him, surrounding Yin Fu and Meihua anxiously while servants scrambled everywhere trying to stabilize the situation.
Wuming remained where he was.
Still.
Detached.
Watching.
Ming looked toward one of the guards sharply.
"What happened?"
The guard looked shaken himself.
"We—we don't know, Young Master. It seemed like… some kind of fire suddenly erupted inside."
Mei looked close to tears while clutching Meihua's sleeve gently.
Yin Fu winced faintly as the maids treated the wound near her head.
Meanwhile—
Wuming stood alone beneath the moonlight.
And smiled slightly.
What a little evil creature.
His thoughts moved lazily.
The demon infant had not only ignited the fire through the pavilion candles—
It had sealed their qi meridians temporarily as well.
No spiritual defense.
No internal force.
No protective instinct fast enough to react.
Nothing.
For several seconds, both women had been reduced to ordinary humans trapped inside sudden flames.
A dangerous joke.
A deadly one.
Wuming's smirk deepened faintly.
He genuinely intended to kill them.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
It seemed Fang Meihua and Yin Fu had somehow ended up on the bad side of the little monster living inside his soul.
Mei looked toward Wuming, her small eyes already brimming with tears while Hua Hua sat beside Meihua clutching her sleeve tightly with trembling little fingers.
The smell of smoke spread everywhere.
Then—
Footsteps.
Fast.
Wei Zhi came running through the main gates of the estate.
The moment she entered, heat slammed into her face violently.
The pavilion was burning.
Not partially.
Completely.
Orange flames crawled across the wooden pillars and ceiling while thick smoke curled upward into the dark night sky. Guards shouted over one another trying to organize formations while servants rushed around carrying water buckets desperately.
Spiritual spells erupted one after another.
Water qi.
Wind suppression.
Barrier formations.
Yet the fire continued spreading wildly as though something inside it refused to let it die.
The entire courtyard had fallen into chaos.
Wei Zhi's eyes swept across the scene quickly.
Burning pavilion.
Terrified maids.
Injured guards.
Yin Fu.
Meihua.
And finally—
Wuming.
Standing quietly beneath the moonlight with his hands behind his back as if none of this concerned him.
Wei Zhi immediately jogged toward him, slightly out of breath from rushing here.
Loose strands of black hair stuck against her pale face while her chest rose and fell unevenly.
"What happened, Wuming?"
Wuming's golden eyes rested on Yin Fu calmly.
"A fire broke out."
His voice remained completely nonchalant.
As if he were commenting on the weather.
Wei Zhi narrowed her eyes instantly.
"Liar."
Wuming finally looked at her sideways.
Cold.
Sharp.
"What makes you think I'm lying, Wei Zhi?"
Wei Zhi stood beside him quietly for a moment, catching her breath. Then she slowly folded her arms together and straightened her posture again, regaining her composure.
"I know you."
Her voice lowered.
"It's almost been a whole year since I started living beside you. Don't forget that."
The fire crackled loudly behind them.
Wuming looked ahead again.
"So what?"
His tone remained indifferent.
"You're saying you can read my next move?"
Wei Zhi immediately shook her head.
"No."
A pause.
"I can't."
Then quieter—
"No one can."
Her green eyes lingered on his face briefly.
"But at least… I know what you're like."
The flames reflected faintly in her eyes.
"I know what you can do."
Wuming's expression didn't change.
"That's merely an alias."
Wei Zhi sighed softly through her nose.
"Still… I don't know what's happening inside your head right now."
Then after a small pause—
"But you should go near Lady Yin Fu at least."
"No."
The answer came immediately.
Cold.
Absolute.
Wei Zhi frowned slightly now.
"Just go, please."
Wuming's golden eyes dimmed faintly beneath the moonlight.
"I won't repeat myself, Wei Zhi."
His tone remained calm.
"I came here for answers."
A brief silence followed.
"But it seems my actions have been futile."
Wei Zhi's gaze shifted away from him briefly.
Toward the others.
The guards secretly glancing at Wuming.
The terrified maids whispering nervously among themselves.
Xuan Mei staring at him fearfully while trying not to cry.
Even Hua Hua kept clutching Meihua silently as though afraid something worse would happen.
And Xuan Ming—
He kept watching Wuming carefully.
Trying to understand him.
Yet unable to.
Wei Zhi lowered her voice quietly.
"If you sit beside Lady Yin Fu…"
"…and hold her hand like her son should…"
"…I'll get you your answers."
Wuming finally turned toward her fully.
"Why?"
Wei Zhi looked directly into his eyes.
The fire behind them reflected across both their faces.
Then she answered quietly—
"I'll use my powers."
A small silence followed.
"Yes."
"I will."
Then firmer—
"So go. Please."
Wuming stared at her for a few seconds longer before exhaling softly.
Almost annoyed.
Then finally—
He walked toward Yin Fu.
The moment he approached, the surrounding maids instinctively moved aside. Several lowered their heads quickly while others hurried back toward the burning pavilion carrying water buckets.
None of them dared stay too close.
Not because of authority.
But because Wuming himself felt dangerous.
Cold.
Unreadable.
Wuming sat down beside Yin Fu silently on the grass.
Then calmly took her injured hand into his own.
The nearby maids secretly tried glancing toward him—
But the moment his golden eyes shifted slightly, every servant immediately lowered their gaze again.
No one dared look at him directly for long.
Hua Hua cried quietly while clutching Meihua's sleeve harder.
Mei kept watching Wuming silently.
Confused.
Fearful.
Curious.
But Wuming never spared any of the children even a single glance.
And Xuan Ming—
Continued observing him carefully from nearby.
Yet no matter how much he looked—
He still couldn't understand what kind of person Xuan Yin Wuming truly was.
The pavilion room had long fallen silent after the chaos outside.
Only the soft crackling of distant fire and the faint clinking of porcelain could still be heard through the half-open windows.
Moonlight spilled quietly across the wooden floor.
Wuming sat beside the window on the edge of the bed, one leg lowered while the other remained folded slightly inward. His elbow rested lazily against the frame beside him, silver-black hair shifting lightly whenever the cold night wind entered the room.
His golden eyes remained fixed outside.
Unreadable.
Wei Zhi stood nearby beside the table while a maid quietly cleaned the room in the background, carefully avoiding eye contact with either of them.
Yet Wei Zhi's attention never left Wuming.
Her eyes lingered on him silently.
What exactly did he do…?
Her fingers tightened slightly behind her sleeves.
Was he truly desperate enough to attempt killing Lady Yin Fu?
The thought appeared—
Then immediately disappeared.
No.
Wei Zhi lowered her gaze faintly.
How can you even think something so stupid?
She knew this Wuming.
Or at least… she knew enough.
He was cold.
Detached.
Distant from everything around him.
But not because he lacked emotions.
No—
Because he refused to keep them.
She had seen it herself countless times.
The brief flicker in his eyes whenever Yinghua spoke too much around him.
The strange curiosity hidden beneath his irritation whenever Weiyang laughed loudly beside him.
Even during his coldest moods—
There were moments.
Tiny moments.
Small enough that ordinary people would never notice.
But Wei Zhi always noticed. Because she observed people carefully. Far too carefully. He feels things. Her solemn eyes remained on his side profile. He simply doesn't wish to. Something had happened to him. Something terrible enough to make a child willingly abandon attachment itself.
And that frightened her more than his cruelty ever could. Her mind drifted further. Toward the promise. Toward the previous Wuming. Toward the sacrifice. The deal between both Wumings could never be something simple. She already knew that much.
Sometimes…Wei Zhi truly wished the previous Wuming had never sacrificed himself at all.
Because he had promised her something once. And yet—He still disappeared.
He still left.
Which meant only one thing.
He had been dying.
Wei Zhi already knew that.
So why did her heart still continue clinging to false assumptions? Why did she still keep hoping she was wrong? Her eyes softened slightly. I just hope you finally find the stillness you always wanted…The heaven you desired so much. Then quieter—And I wish the same for this Wuming too.
"Do you have something to say?" Wuming's voice suddenly interrupted her thoughts. Wei Zhi blinked once. His golden eyes were now looking directly at her.
Sharp.
Aware.
As though he had sensed every shift in her breathing despite never turning toward her once.
Wei Zhi sighed lightly.
"Yeah."
She folded her arms.
"You can start by telling me what really happened." Wuming looked away again toward the moon outside. "Why do you want to know?" Then after a pause—"And what about Meihua?"
Wei Zhi answered calmly. "Both ladies are fine."
"They only suffered minor injuries." She leaned slightly against the table behind her.
"Their meridians and internal force were blocked temporarily, so neither of them could use martial arts or spiritual power to protect themselves." Then her eyes narrowed slightly toward him. "Thankfully both still carried protective barriers given by the Marquise of Wu An."
Silence followed.
Then Wuming finally spoke.
"I wasn't asking what caused it." His voice remained calm. "I asked how long before my mother wakes up." Wei Zhi stared at him quietly. Then slowly—"You know…" she began softly, "you chose this yourself." Wuming's eyes shifted slightly.
Wei Zhi continued. "You're someone capable of feeling emotions."
"But you intentionally distance yourself from them." A pause. "Even then…"
"You should at least pretend to be human sometimes." The room fell quiet again. The maid in the background stiffened slightly hearing those words. Wuming finally turned toward Wei Zhi fully now. Moonlight reflected faintly within his golden eyes. "Just because we're alike," he said quietly, "doesn't mean you understand my mind or my position, Wei Zhi." His gaze remained steady. "I respect your concern."
"But you're still a child."
"Leave such matters to me."
Wei Zhi smiled faintly upon hearing that. "Even though I'm a child," she replied softly, "I understand humans better than most adults." She walked slowly toward the window now. "I observe people carefully."
"Their habits."
"Their personalities."
"Their expressions."
"The reasons behind their actions."
Her eyes shifted toward him slightly.
"That's why I don't hate people easily."
"Because I usually understand why they became the way they are."
Wuming looked away again.
"Don't concern yourself with me."
Wei Zhi watched him quietly for a few seconds.
Then suddenly smiled.
End of 63