Chapter 165: Feeling Unequal to the Task

The Snow Bamboo Land was enveloped in a profound silence. Neither Blue Water nor Jilin had any peace of mind; they could only wait anxiously for their master's return.

Without Snow Marsh and the lotus seeds, the pair felt completely hollowed out, and the Snow Bamboo Land had lost its very soul.

At last, Thousand Returns returned, his expression looking somewhat eased.

"Master, where is Snow Marsh?" Jilin asked.

"Snow Marsh is in the Ice Palace and should be fine! Jiucang and I went to the Snowy Domain again to reinforce the formation. We should be able to weather this ordeal!"

Blue Water thought for a moment and said to Thousand Returns, "Counting the days, the Celestial Master is about to come out of seclusion as well. Once that happens, Snow Marsh won't have to shoulder the responsibility for the Snowy Domain alone, right?"

"Hmm, not necessarily. The Celestial Master's emergence from seclusion is imminent, and the spiritual energy of Mount Tian has grown much stronger lately. With the Celestial Master present, we certainly won't need to worry, but there are still three days left! In these three days, it remains uncertain whether Snow Marsh can come out, so we must watch over the Snowy Domain. Above all, nothing must go wrong!"

"Naturally. Jilin and I will patrol the perimeter of the Snowy Domain every day!"

Thousand Returns nodded, and remembering Jiucang's words, his heart tightened involuntarily: To prevent the mole from causing trouble, we must first secure their allegiance. But how should I broach this to my two disciples?

"There is one more matter that both of you must attend to," Thousand Returns looked at them and said in a lowered voice, "This concerns the mole within us!"

Jilin was startled and smiled. "Could it be that you want us to eliminate the mole? Wonderful, we've finally waited for this moment!"

"No, we cannot eliminate them yet. That can only be done after the Celestial Master emerges from seclusion!"

Blue Water was taken aback, looking at Thousand Returns with confusion. "Master, what do you mean then?"

"To maintain strict and comprehensive defense, we must be united as one, and even more so, ensure there are no moles within Mount Tian. Your suspicions of the two spirit maidens are indeed well-founded, and you have recently imposed punishments upon them. For these three days, however, you must cease your actions for the time being. We must not alienate them and drive them straight into the hands of the fiends, for that would bring boundless disaster!"

Jilin and Blue Water exchanged glances and remained silent, as if the matter had already gone too far to be reined in.

"What? You seem reluctant?" Thousand Returns smiled faintly. "Actually, I would also advocate for severe punishment without leniency, but Jiucang insists on upholding the camaraderie of Mount Tian. He accused me of being driven by a thirst for vengeance, and I had no counter-argument. Therefore, we can only stabilize the situation first and wait for the Celestial Master to come out of seclusion! After all, they are both disciples of the Hundred Spirits Celestial Master, and their lives and deaths are not in the hands of the Heavenly Sovereign!"

"Master, I'm afraid this will be rather difficult. If we want to prevent them from aiding outsiders, only you can speak to them. Imposing punishments might be more effective than treating them with gentleness," Jilin said in a low voice.

Thousand Returns sighed, walked between the two of them, and looked at them intently.

"I know you hold resentment toward them, and so do I. I am well aware of the schemes you have recently inflicted upon them. However, we must prioritize the greater good. If they were to be utilized by the fiend, just how massive would that disaster be? Right now, Shuo is attempting to infiltrate the Snowy Domain and will undoubtedly seek accomplices, making the spirit maidens the prime candidates. If you continue to play malicious tricks at this juncture, wouldn't you be playing right into the enemy's hands?"

Blue Water nodded, comforting Jilin. "Let us simply get through these three days first! There will be plenty of time in the future. Once the storm blows over, we can deal with them according to the rules!"

"I still think it would be better to lock them up directly. Wouldn't that cut off all contact with outsiders?" Jilin lamented bitterly.

"I know you find this difficult, but in this game, we must steady people's hearts. If locking up the spirit maidens and trying them for crimes were a viable solution, why would we be wasting words here? We lack solid evidence on one hand, and the Celestial Master on the other. Everything must wait until the Celestial Master emerges from seclusion; otherwise, what would all the other disciples think? The Snowy Domain is the sacred ground of Mount Tian and must not be trodden upon by outsiders. This time, you must listen to me!"

"What would Master have us do?" Blue Water asked.

"Jilin, you need do nothing. Just avoid provoking Jian Rong. As for you, White Feather's weakness can only be controlled by you. You understand the reasons behind this; leave this matter to you!"

Blue Water was momentarily stunned, showing a trace of reluctance. "I have recently been getting along well with her and even bestowed the Frost Fragrance Dew upon her. How am I supposed to manipulate her now?"

"I know you intended to use that ice pool to break her spiritual power, but that method is far too slow. The dark Frost Fragrance Dew you brewed is also an item of extreme cold and ice, which will cause White Feather to lose her sanity. She also wishes to seek the Moonlight Cup, a quest of perilous uncertainty. While such torment is effective, it also appears somewhat vicious. You should put a stop to this matter soon and give her the beneficial bright Frost Fragrance Dew instead. Furthermore, soothe her mind, converse more with her on positive matters, and guide her away from the crooked path!"

"This? Doesn't this mean I must spend more time in her company?"

"Indeed, how else could it be? Rest assured, only the three of us know of this. Consider this a strenuous mission and complete it with sincerity!"

The Empress Dowager lay leisurely and comfortably on the couch, while Herui applied essence lotion and tender softening cream to her.

The faint fragrance and refreshing touch defied Herui's senses, yet amidst the multitude of scents, she still caught a peculiar aroma.

The scent fluctuated between subtle and rich, resembling a mixture of cypress, sandalwood, and bamboo, intertwined with the scent of datura powder.

"Why is there the scent of the Soul-Returning Tree here? And imbued with such fragrance—this must surely be the sole flowering branch of the Soul-Returning Tree. Yet, this is a treasure of the West Sea Estate; why would the main hall bestow it upon the Empress Dowager? Could there be another conspiracy lurking behind this?"

As Herui pondered, she immediately reined in her emotions and hurriedly continued applying the medicine to the Empress Dowager with meticulous care.

"Are you thinking of the Emperor?"

Herui was startled and coughed awkwardly a few times.

"There is no need to be alarmed; such little thoughts are entirely natural. Still, I advise you to win the Emperor's heart sooner rather than later, lest things become far more complicated in the future! Time waits for no one. If you do not strive forward now, he might soon encounter the one who truly holds his heart!"

"Thank you for the Empress Dowager's reminder, but I know what I am doing."

Herui disliked every well-meaning word from the Empress Dowager; she feared she might lose her way and sink into emotional entanglement. "I must remain steadfast. No matter who you are to me, you will never share any bonds of kinship with me. Every consideration I show you is merely to repay the debt of saving my life, nothing more!"

"You know what you are doing? Hahaha, very well!" The Empress Dowager glanced at Herui. "You are actually quite attractive, no less than those imperial concubines. If you wished to enter the inner palace, opportunities would likely abound, and things would be much more convenient for you. Although the Emperor is busy now, he will inevitably have moments of fatigue, and that will be the prime moment for you to capture his heart!"

"Why is the Empress Dowager suddenly so concerned with my life? Is there something you need my help with?"

The Empress Dowager turned her head with an ambiguous smile and sighed, "You truly are incomparably clever! Although I promised you I would not plot against the Emperor, I intend to reclaim my power, and therefore I must plant informants in every corner of this palace. The women of the inner palace are all simple-minded creatures, far inferior to you!"

"So, you want me to enter the inner palace and become your informant?"

The Empress Dowager nodded. "What, is that not to your liking? I should think you would enjoy such a prospect!"

Herui thought for a moment, suppressing the turmoil in her heart, and refused, "I do not find it appealing at all, yet I can still provide you with information regardless. The inner palace is not the only place where concubines can serve as informants, as you surely understand. Furthermore, if the Emperor were forced to marry me against his will, it would do no good for the affection between him and me. You had best stop meddling to no purpose!"

The Empress Dowager let out a cold snort and leisurely closed her eyes. "Is that so? Then I shall wait until you have thought it through before issuing a decree for your marriage!"

"Very well!" Herui stared coldly at the Empress Dowager, thinking to herself: Isn't she merely trying to test me? Why must you harbor such heavy thoughts? The moment I lay eyes on you, that simple and pure Herui ceases to exist. I am becoming more and more like you; what should I do?