Chapter 103: The Waning Moon That Cannot Be Whole

Xue Shan abruptly ceased his celestial technique, shattering the dreamscape he had woven for Jiang Ye in an instant. Jiang Ye sat up on the bed, drenched in sweat and shouting hoarsely. Xue Shan had already grabbed me and swiftly retreated beyond the boundary, flying away. With remarkable speed, he brought me back to the inn.

“Grandmother, you should rest early,” Xue Shan said, frowning as he turned and returned to his own room.

I understood why Xue Shan was like this. Even though it was just an illusion, having created such a harrowing scene, it was only natural that his heart was deeply moved. I felt heavy-hearted as well and thought it unfair to let him bear the full weight of these visions alone. I feared it might aggravate his chronic heartache. So, I went to the night attendant and requested a pot of calming herbal tea, then carried it upstairs.

I knocked on his door but received no reply. “Are you asleep?” I asked.

“No,” he replied softly.

I pushed the door open and closed it behind me.

He sat silently by the window, gazing absentmindedly at the bright moon in the sky. I poured a cup of the calming tea and handed it to him, also pouring one for myself. I sat opposite him.

“Drink some. Don’t let the illness take hold again,” I said.

“I won’t. Grandmother has healed me,” he said, holding the steaming cup quietly. Wisps of steam rose like clouds or mist, as if yearning to reach the distant moon, but dissipated helplessly before leaving the window.

“Those were only illusions, not real,” I comforted him.

“The reality is far more cruel,” Xue Shan said calmly.

“That’s why we do these things—to prevent cruel events from happening,” I said.

“Grandmother, have you ever felt powerless?” Xue Shan asked, eyes fixed on the distant bright moon.

“Yes, I have. And so have you. One person’s strength is too insignificant,” I replied.

“Have you ever felt weary?” he continued.

“Yes. When I’m tired, I rest. You should rest when you’re weary too. Let me take your burden, let all living beings help you.” I lifted the cup of calming tea and offered it to him. “Drink it, for yourself and for those you wish to protect.”

Xue Shan took the tea and sipped it.

“The soup may be bitter, but sweetness follows bitterness,” I said.

He drained the cup, clutching it tightly in both hands. After a moment, he pressed his hands to his forehead, furrowing his brow and lowering his head for a long time.

I waved my hand to cast a barrier in the room, blocking sound and sight.

“Xue Shan, when you can’t hold on, rest. When you can’t bear it, cry... It’s okay. Sometimes tears make us stronger and more resolute,” I urged him.

His voice choked with emotion. “Grandmother, I truly feel powerless... I’ve saved thousands of innocents, yet I couldn’t save her! Time and again!”

The composed, wise Xue Shan finally broke down and wept like a boy.

I did not ask who “she” was, nor did I want to pry into his sorrow. This nightmare had shaken him deeply.

“You did your best. There’s no perfect solution in this world. Maybe next time she can save herself,” I said.

“I can’t find her... I don’t know where she is...” Xue Shan sobbed uncontrollably.

“Amongst the countless living beings. Perhaps one day she will find you,” I said.

These were heartfelt words I spoke to Xue Shan, and ones I had often told myself.

That night, by the window bathed in pure moonlight, my silver-white hair like snow, I gently patted the heartbroken Xue Shan, soothing a soul deeply wounded on a path of bitter seeking.

Though the moonlight was bright, the moon in the sky was still missing a fragment—never fully whole.

At some unknown hour, I had fallen asleep resting my head on the table. When I awoke, dawn had already broken. But Xue Shan was gone. On the table, using celestial magic, he had left a few words: “Farewell, Grandmother.”

I thought to myself, truly a young lad—too embarrassed to cry in front of me, he ran off first. Well, I should return too. I wondered if the penniless Sea God Gui Er had been dealt with yet. The Sea Wolf Clan had done their part; if Jiang Ye still refused to see reason, then only Zhen Yu could come to persuade him.

I returned to the Crystal Palace of the Western Sea. At the entrance, I saw Chun Feng directing some crustacean soldiers searching for me. Upon seeing me, he abandoned them with a joyous face and rushed over.

“Little Crow, where have you been all these days? Did you encounter any danger? Don’t ever issue flying immortal orders without consulting me; you nearly scared me to death!” Chun Feng asked anxiously.

“No. It’s a long story. Has that Western Sea God been dealt with?” I asked.

“You’re quite informed. That wretched fellow has been dismissed from his post by the Sea Duke through supervisory authority. Tian Sheng has just arrived and is preparing to handle matters,” Chun Feng said.

“Would the Crown Prince really let Tian Sheng take care of this?” I felt that these affairs were deeply linked to Tian De; the octopus and Tian De seemed to have a close relationship.

“The Sea Duke hasn’t reported to the Celestial Palace yet. Tian Sheng was sent by the Celestial Palace to eradicate the Sea Wolf Clan,” Chun Feng explained.

“Looks like my testimony arrived just in time. Let's thoroughly investigate this wormhole of corruption,” I said with a smile.

“Testimony? You were present when they made the deal?” Chun Feng asked.

“Yes, and I saw everything clearly. If they dare deceive our Chun Feng Supreme God, I’ll make them pay!” I said.

Chun Feng smiled like a blossoming flower. “Little Crow, you’re the best! That guy’s seasonal accounts have problems too; he thought he could fool me, but I’m no pushover!”

“His biggest mistake was making our Chun Feng Supreme God eat vegetables—without seasoning. He wasn’t pleased. So we have to investigate thoroughly and find out where all the feng shui efforts by Chun Feng Supreme God were actually used,” I chuckled, thinking that the Supreme God’s intentions were far beyond the grasp of a gluttonous worm like the Western Sea God. If he were so easily fooled, how could he manage the celestial seasons?

I transformed into the form of the White Butler to identify the prisoners in the dungeon. Gui Er, the Western Sea God, looked like a frost-bitten eggplant, his appearance deteriorated in just two days. He kept pleading helplessly, saying he had to survive in the cracks between powers, constantly currying favor with those above, while protecting his family’s safety; below, he was coerced and tempted with money and beauties. His cousin hurried to defend him upon seeing me, asking me to prove that Gui Er was the mastermind behind the illegal trade of Sea Wolf oil. The cousin claimed he was compelled by Gui Er’s tyranny, and without cooperating, he couldn’t conduct business in the Western Sea. I sneered. Greedy men, though many, all look the same.

Xing Qi tearfully claimed she was only eating and drinking, unaware of what had happened, only remembering that I had given her a handful of golden leaves. I could confirm that, but whether she was involved earlier would have to wait for interrogation. Xing Yan remained silent; her reaction surprised me. Xing Yao was also locked in the dungeon, sitting quietly. Upon seeing me, she rose and grabbed the iron bars, asking, “Is Young Lord Xiao well?”

“He’s well,” I replied.

“Is he guilty?” Xing Yao asked with concern.

“He’s not guilty. This was his plan to capture them,” I said.

“Oh, that’s good,” Xing Yao sighed with relief.

“Don’t you want to ask if you’re guilty?” I asked.

“He promised to protect me and never let me participate in these things. He is a gentleman; he will make sure I get out,” Xing Yao said.

“Whether you get out depends on yourself too. When you are interrogated, just truthfully tell them your situation and what you know,” I advised.

During the interrogation, the old Sea Duke arrived. Xue Shan was absent. Ming Su delivered a detailed report to Tian Sheng, documenting the matters Gui Er was involved in. It revealed that a large portion of the wealth Gui Er collected from the nine continents and seas was sent to the Celestial Palace. After several rounds of questioning, the Western Sea God finally broke down and confessed everything.

“Who do you curry favor with above?” Tian Sheng demanded.

Gui Er remained silent.

“You said it yourself: the Second Prince, the Jade Pure Realm, the Emperor of the Nine Continents, and our Great Sound True God protect you,” I said to Gui Er.

Gui Er was shocked. “You are the Great Sound True God worshipped by so many beings?”

“Yes,” I answered.

“The Great Sound True God who can bring the dead back to life?”

“Yes.” In his presence, I need not be modest.

“I’m giving you a chance to walk the path of rebirth. It’s up to you whether to take it,” I said.

“I...” Gui Er hesitated.

“If you don’t confess, one day you’ll be quietly dragged away as a Sea Wolf to be rendered into oil, your soul burned to ashes by the Three Realms of the Netherworld’s dark flames. Even I won’t be able to save you then. Don’t say we didn’t warn you. You should know the nature of your master. He has done this too many times,” I continued.

Gui Er sighed. “You must protect me and my family! He coerced and tempted me! I followed him to gain fame and fortune; disobeying him would mean my entire family’s death.”

“Who exactly?” Tian Sheng asked.

Gui Er finally revealed, “Crown Prince Tian De.”

Gui Er laid bare the entire scheme of smuggling Sea Wolf oil with Crown Prince Tian De, the funds from various parts of the nine continents flowing to the Western Sea, and how the profits were secretly divided with Tian De. One detail caught my attention: Gui Er said that five hundred years ago, to obtain the position of Western Sea God, he had handed over the Infinite Cauldron sealed by his family to then-Prince Tian De.

“The primordial chaos artifact, which refines heaven and earth. You didn’t know?” I asked.

“I did,” Gui Er said.

“Why would you give such a precious item to Tian De?” Tian Sheng questioned Gui Er.

“Because I was poor! Delivering it to the Celestial Palace might earn me a minor official post. I had to protect myself before protecting the world. Besides, he was the Crown Prince. That artifact was safer in the Palace than with me. Keeping it brought no benefits,” Gui Er explained.

“What function does the Infinite Cauldron have?” I inquired.

“The Infinite Cauldron refines heaven and earth. No other primordial chaos artifact can do what it does,” Gui Er replied.

Everyone was stunned.

“How do you know that?” I asked.

The Infinite Cauldron itself bore seals placed by my grandfather and father. Our descendants only learned the sealing technique, not the unsealing. The unsealing method could only be obtained by one with power equal or greater than my grandfather, the Sea King of the Four Seas. Moreover, only the Scarlet Flame Demon Star could break the cauldron’s seal. The Scarlet Flame Demon Star’s soul perished forty thousand years ago. Actually, the cauldron is a relic, preserved only to keep the inscriptions,” Gui Er said.

“What inscriptions? What happened to the Scarlet Flame Demon Star forty thousand years ago?” Tian Sheng asked.

“Second Prince, this involves the Celestial Palace and the Jade Pure Realm,” Gui Er said.

Tian Sheng ordered the others to leave, leaving only Chun Feng, myself, and the old Sea Duke.

“Speak, but you must swear to protect my life!” Gui Er said.

“Who would we be if we lied? Unlike your petty master!” Chun Feng rebuked.

“Speak all that you know. It will only benefit you, not harm. Otherwise, the more you know, the sooner you will die,” I said to Gui Er.

Gui Er nodded. “This is a secret from the Celestial Palace forty thousand years ago... My grandfather, the Sea King of the Four Seas, was involved...”