Underneath The Moonlit Night

Chapter 71 - The Shattering Silence

The sight of Qing Yi, alive and present, shattered Lan Xichen's composure. A whirlwind of emotions surged through him - relief, joy, and a deep longing. The world around him faded, his focus narrowing solely to Qing Yi. Lan Xichen's heart raced, each beat echoing the anticipation he'd felt since suspecting Ghost's true identity.

An irresistible force seemed to pull at him, and without conscious thought, Lan Xichen took a step forward."Qing Yi," he breathed, his voice barely audible yet charged with feeling. His hand reached out, trembling slightly, as if drawn by an invisible thread.

As their gazes locked across the crowded court, Lan Xichen felt a jolt of connection, as potent as it had ever been. All his questions, all his carefully prepared words fled his mind. There was only this moment, only Qing Yi, the reality of his presence overwhelming all other thoughts.

The noise of the room faded back in, reminding Lan Xichen of their surroundings. With visible effort, he halted his advance, his outstretched hand curling into a fist at his side. But his eyes never left Qing Yi, drinking in every detail as if to make up for lost time.

A small, genuine smile tugged at his lips. Whatever came next, whatever explanations or challenges lay ahead, he silently vowed to never let misunderstanding come between them again.

The chamber filled with a cacophony of murmurs and hushed discussions, the courtiers' shock palpable in the air. Ming Zhe stood rooted to the spot, his face a canvas of raw emotion. His eyes, wide with disbelief, were fixed on Qing Yi. His breath came in short, sharp gasps, and his hands trembled at his sides. The sight of Qing Yi, alive and transformed, seemed to have shattered something within him. His mouth opened and closed, but no words came out, as if the sheer magnitude of his emotions had robbed him of speech.

Following Qing Yi's lead, the two Silent Serpents who had entered with him also stepped forward and removed their masks. One revealed the face of Wen Ning, recognized by the cultivators present. Wen Ning had been loyally protecting Kai Ze throughout their struggles, his unwavering presence a silent testament to the bond they had forged. The other was Xinyu, one of the shadow assassins who had bravely accompanied Qing Yi into the cave of Baihu. Their unexpected presence alongside Qing Yi added another layer of tension to the already charged atmosphere.

King Chengli's voice cut through the din like a knife. His face, usually a picture of regal confidence, now betrayed a complex mix of emotions. Shock at seeing his son and Qing Yi alive warred with fear of what their return might mean for his reign. Anger flashed in his eyes - anger at being deceived, at being challenged in his own court. Yet beneath it all, a flicker of uncertainty, a father's long-buried grief suddenly uprooted.

Despite this inner turmoil, Chengli straightened his posture, clinging to the last vestiges of his royal bearing. When he spoke, his voice carried a forced mix of disdain and false bravado, an attempt to mask his true feelings.

"So, the dead rise," he sneered, his tone brittle with suppressed emotion. "And not just one, but two. Tell me, Qing Yi, how does a mere apothecary and a spoiled prince survive an encounter that has felled warriors far greater?"

Qing Yi's gaze, steady and unflinching, moved from Lan Xichen to meet the King's. Before he could respond, Chengli continued, his words dripping with skepticism, each one a shield against the truth he feared to face.

"Let me guess. You struck a bargain with a dying beast? How convenient. A tale spun from desperation, no doubt. Where is this great Baihu now? Or are we to simply take your word, the word of a traitor and a fraud?"

The King's eyes narrowed, scanning the room as if expecting the mythical beast to materialize. His hands, usually steady, trembled slightly at his sides. "No, I think not. Your survival was a fluke, nothing more. The beast, if it ever existed, was likely as good as dead. You merely scavenged its remaining power like vultures."