Song of Adolescence

The moon was high in the night sky.

The bustling streets of Heavenly Revelations City were finally quiet and even in the imperial city, the only sounds were from the night watchmen when they made their rounds. Li Fansong and Fei Xuan hid near Tianzheng Emperor's sleeping chambers as they watched silently over the peaceful imperial city.

"In the middle of the night, even the most prosperous city under Heaven will be so quiet." Li Fansong yawned. "Where could the trouble be?"

Fei Xuan frowned slightly and did not answer him. After a while, he heard Li Fansong snoring softly beside him. Fei Xuan sighed and continued to focus on any signs of movement in their vicinity. But, after another two hours, all remained still and Fei Xuan felt a wave of sleepiness dulling his senses. Slowly, his head started to droop a little.

The soft chirping of birds could be heard in the sky.

Not a single bird had called all night, so why would one suddenly appear now?

Fei Xuan thought to himself, but he couldn't resist the sleepiness taking over. He laughed softly to himself, it's just a few birds chirping away. He buried his head into his elbow and fell into a deep sleep.

In his dreams, he saw a middle-aged Daoist dressed in Daoist robes that fluttered without wind as he stood at the top of the mountain. The Daoist smiled at him and said, "Fei Xuan, when you go down the mountain, can you tell me some stories about life outside the mountain?"

"Sectmaster shizu…" Fei Xuan ran over with a smile.

"Ding!" The ringing sound from a sword struck like lightning and instantly shattered the dream. Fei Xuan bolted awake, his back drenched in cold sweat. He raised his head and realised that Li Fansong was also awake and the Azure Empyrean sword strapped to his waist was vibrating with a cry.

Fei Xuan was stunned for a moment, then he looked up at the sky. "It's a severed space."

Li Fansong nodded. "A very powerful Severed Space Array." He looked in the direction of the chirping bird. "I hear a bird chirping but I don't see the bird. Is the bird outside the severed space?"

Fei Xuan closed his eyes and listened for a while before he shook his head. "No, there's no bird chirping. It's a flute imitating the sound. The sound of the flute caused us to fall into a dream, and within the dream, everything is under his control."

Li Fansong gripped his Azure Empyrean sword. "Whoever's playing this flute must be the one plotting to harm the Son of Heaven. Can you find him?"

Fei Xuan took out a talisman from his clothes and flung it forward. "Take us to him."

"Don't bother searching. I'm right here." The voice carried the hint of a smile as the scenery around Fei Xuan and Li Fansong suddenly transformed. They were instantly transported from outside the emperor's sleeping chambers to the courtyard of a standalone mansion. There was an old bench in the middle of the courtyard and sitting on the bench was a young Daoist man wearing a feathered robe. He was looking at them, a smile on his face. "I thought I could trap you using that severed space art. I didn't expect it'd be broken by a sword.

Li Fansong looked at the newcomer's appearance, and immediately guessed an answer. "Longhu Mountain's feathered-robe high minister. You're Wang Chuan."

Wang Chuan nodded. "Very perceptive."

In the martial world, Longhu Mountain was an orthordox Daoist sect in no way inferior to Wudang Mountain and Qingcheng Mountain. Although none of their members had been admitted to the Directorate of Astronomy, they were highly regarded by the Xiao Clan imperial family. Then why would he suddenly enter the imperial palace to plot against the Son of Heaven? Fei Xuan couldn't understand and was about to speak, but Wang Chuan waved a hand. "Don't ask, because I won't tell."

"Rumours say that you're the most talented disciple in Longhu Mountain's current generation. Aren't you afraid that your current actions would end up destroying Longhu Mountain?" Li Fansong said coldly.

Wang Chuan shrugged. "Did you know that whenever Daoists like us enter Heavenly Revelations, we would be monitored by the Court of State Ceremonial?"

Fei Xuan and Li Fansong were taken aback, and Wang Chuan continued, "The Court of State Ceremonial is in charge of all religious affairs under Heaven, including Buddhism, Daoism and Manichaeism are all under its jurisdiction. Although the Directorate of Astronomy is the head of the Daoist factions, it's still monitored by them. Since the day I stepped into Heavenly Revelations City, the Court of State Ceremonial already had their eyes on me. And in order to step in here… your State Preceptor had placed three restrictions."

Fei Xuan and Li Fansong exchanged a glance and came to a sudden realisation. "The Son of Heaven brought you in."

Wang Chuan smiled. "I didn't say it."

"Why though?" Fei Xuan didn't get it.

Li Fansong figured it out though. "Just because we're friends of that person, the Son of Heaven will never allow us to stay in Heavenly Revelations City, right?"

Wang Chuan stood up, waved his hand, and pushed the chair he was sitting on back. "A lot of people understand this relationship but you just don't get it. The Son of Heaven is magnanimous and will allow you to stay in the Directorate of Astronomy. He can also allow your Qingcheng Mountain to continue expanding. But, what he can't allow is for his State Preceptor to be loyal to someone else more than himself."

"State Preceptor?" Fei Xuan frowned. "Are you referring to me?"

Wang Chuan chuckled. "Before Qi Tianchen died, he instructed the old celestial masters to name you as the successor of his position. A Daoist boy who is barely nine years old will be appointed the State Preceptor. That's indeed a good story. It's just a pity…"

Li Fansong snorted coldly, and instantly unsheathed his Azure Empyrean sword. "So, all of this was just a plot. The Son of Heaven being cursed, this great Severed Space Array, they were all just tricks to draw us into this plot. In fact, if the Son of Heaven wants to kill us, why bother with all this? Just send someone to kill us."

"You're wrong. The Son of Heaven doesn't want to kill you. If he kills you, that legendary Prince will never let the matter go. All he wants me to do is to delay the two of you." Wang Chuan looked up at the sky as he spoke, his tone ambiguous.

Li Fansong frowned. "Delay us until when?"

"Around this time tomorrow should be fine." Wang Chuan continued to stare at the sky, even though the sky was completely dark and there was nothing to be seen.

Fei Xuan exhaled a sigh. "It's the Daoism Congress. His Majesty is worried that I would win at the Daoism Congress and with the support of the old celestial masters, I would legitimately be appointed the State Preceptor."

Wang Chuan did not reply. He simply watched the sky as slowly, very slowly, a few clouds started to form. He laughed and exclaimed, "The array is finished!" He lowered his head, raised a hand and dropped it again.

Three lightning bolts struck!

"Little shishu!" Fei Xuan shouted, and Li Fansong immediately stabbed forward with his sword, completely ignoring the sudden lightning bolts.

Wang Chuan was startled and he retreated hurriedly. "Aren't you afraid of death?"

"Pull!" Fei Xuan raised his head and shouted again. As if drawn by his command, the three lightning bolts fell on him. A diffuse layer of purple qi surrounded his body and blocked the three lightning bolts. Although the lightning bolts were extremely powerful and the purple qi appeared rather diffuse, there was not the slightest breach.

Wang Chuan clamped the Azure Empyrean sword in his hands and whirled around, creating a bolt of lightning that he sent towards Fei Xuan. But, it was easily deflected by Fei Xuan's palm.

Fei Xuan's forehead was covered in sweat, and he was panting softly.

Li Fansong withdrew his sword and stood where he was, as if he did not intend to use his full power for now.

Wang Chuan staggered back three steps and said wryly, "I originally thought why we had to spend so much effort on a little Daoist child, but now I get it. This is really a very powerful Great Dragon and Elephant Strength!"