As the demon-purge campaign in Western Ox Continent entered its final phase, the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace finally confirmed the battle that had erupted right at its doorstep.
"So, the defeated force at Blossom Mountain that day truly belonged to King Broadgaze of South Heaven Gate?" Gavin Ao stroked his dragon whiskers and asked.
"That should be the case," the Turtle Chancellor said, bowing slightly. "But it seems General Lee does not want outsiders to know. He has yet to report this to the Heavenly Court. If not for Third Prince learning the truth through other channels, we would all be lost in a fog, unable to see clearly."
"Doesn't want it known?" Gavin Ao raised his dragon brows slightly, his eyes narrowing to slits.
"Exactly."
"Ten thousand Heavenly soldiers lost, and the warships abandoned by South Heaven Gate are still docked at Blossom Mountain's coast. How could Lee hope to keep it secret? His actions are truly puzzling." As he spoke, Gavin Ao turned to look at Tina Ao, who stood to one side.
Tina Ao bowed gracefully and said, "In my view, this battle was far more than a simple defeat."
"Oh?"
"General Lee is a man of deep cunning and skilled in maneuvering. Unless absolutely forced, he would never risk concealing such a matter. After all, a defeat looks bad, but hiding the battle report looks even worse. Therefore..." Tina Ao covered her mouth with a gentle smile, her brows soft yet her words straying into political matters not usually spoken by daughters: "Therefore, something far more serious must have happened in this battle—something that would make Lee willing to risk the crime of hiding a report. And it must be something that can be covered up, at least for a while, by buying time."
Having said this, she gazed at her father with meaningful eyes.
Gavin Ao's eyes shifted. "Could it be... King Broadgaze was captured?"
"It's highly likely," Tina Ao replied.
Gavin Ao immediately drew a sharp breath and said to the Turtle Chancellor, "It seems that monkey's cultivation truly is extraordinary. When Tina said he fought Yang Jian to a draw, I was half in doubt. Now, I can't help but believe it."
During the battle, the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace's spies were observing from the sea. Though they kept a safe distance to avoid trouble and couldn't see everything clearly, they did catch the general shape of events.
To defeat ten thousand South Heaven Gate soldiers so swiftly and decisively, Blossom Mountain's strength far surpassed that of the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace. Gavin Ao couldn't help but feel it was wise to have changed the reception protocols when hosting Monkey.
Yet after the battle, Gavin Ao had expected General Lee to respond with fury, sending troops for retaliation and ordering the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace to cooperate. But nothing happened—only a few warships remained docked along the Eastern Sea coast, reminding Gavin Ao that the matter was far from over.
To uncover the truth, Gavin Ao specially sent the Turtle Chancellor to Heaven to request help from his third son, Ao Bing, who was made a god after being killed by Nezha during the War of Investiture.
This investigation revealed that General Lee was hiding the battle report...
"My daughter," Gavin Ao sighed helplessly and shook his head. "What do you think the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace should do next?"
Tina Ao replied calmly, "Naturally, we should restrain our forces and take no action for now. Have no dealings with Blossom Mountain, and avoid any disputes. Above all, do not mention the battle at Blossom Mountain to outsiders. As for those warships on the Eastern Sea coast, simply pretend not to notice. In this way, we offend no one and remain secure."
Gavin Ao couldn't help but look at Tina Ao a few more times, stroking his beard and, after a long silence, said, "If only you had been born a son."
......
At dusk, on the Eastern Sea shore, Belle stood on a rocky outcrop, travel-worn and carrying her bundle, gazing blankly out over the vast ocean.
She had journeyed with Lord Lao all this way; it had been more than half a year since she left Crescent Star Cave. At last, she had arrived here.
"Elder, won't you come with me to Blossom Mountain?"
"No," Lord Lao replied, shaking his head behind her. "But as for you, young lady, are you truly sure you want to go to Blossom Mountain? That place is home to demons—a world wholly different from anything you can imagine. If you regret it now, I can take you back to Crescent Star Cave at once."
Belle lowered her head slightly. After a moment, she turned and bowed deeply.
Lord Lao was taken aback. "Why are you doing this?" he asked.
Belle lifted her head and smiled sweetly. "Thank you, Elder. All this way, it must have been you who brought me here, right?"
"Traveling together—how could you call it 'bringing' you?"
"Please don't deny it, Elder. I know myself well; in such a short time, there's no way I could have traveled over ten thousand leagues. The map that was burned was actually correct. It's just that you, Elder, 'edited' a good portion of the journey for me. From chatting with Monkey in the past, I know this road is perilous. Yet my journey was smooth—surely you must have dispelled those dangers. Without you, Elder, I don't know when I would have reached Blossom Mountain, or even if I would have survived. Yet I was still dissatisfied, even thinking of relying on you if I ran into trouble at Blossom Mountain. Now that I reflect, I feel ashamed. So..."
With that, she pursed her lips, smiled sweetly again, and bowed once more. "Please forgive me, Elder. I have nothing to offer in return for your great kindness but my deepest thanks."
Staring blankly at this stubborn young girl bowing so deeply, Lord Lao was momentarily stunned.
After a long while, a smile slowly bloomed across his aged face, wrinkles crowding in, making him look like a true old man.
He shook out his sleeves, reached out to help Belle up, and, after a long hesitation, spoke: "Let me be honest with you—you cannot go to Blossom Mountain. All this time, I've taken detours and made things complicated just to keep you from going there. But you, stubborn girl, never gave me a chance to say so."
"Why can't I go?" Belle asked, looking at Lord Lao.
"It's hard to explain, impossible to make clear. All I can do is urge you: don't go to Blossom Mountain."
"But Monkey is at Blossom Mountain."
"It's precisely because he's there that you mustn't go."
The two stared at each other. Belle's expression grew faintly fearful.
After a long moment, Belle shook her head, her blue eyes blinking as she looked at Lord Lao. "No, I have to see him for myself."
Lord Lao released her hands, shook his head too, and sighed helplessly. "I knew I couldn't persuade you. In that case, let me carry you across the sea, so you won't have to suffer."
Belle shook her head. "No, I'll go by myself."
"Why?"
"I don't want to trouble you any further, Elder."
"Can you make it across?"
"Monkey crossed it before he ever cultivated immortality—why shouldn't I be able to?"
Lord Lao blinked his aged eyes, glanced at the ground, then at the sky, and finally at Belle. "If I'd known, I wouldn't have told you the truth."
Belle burst out laughing and bowed. "In that case, Elder, I bid you farewell here."
Lord Lao watched Belle from the corner of his eye and chuckled.
"You're going to meet your Monkey like that?"
"Otherwise... how?"
He swept back his sleeves, revealing his aged, withered hand. With a casual flick, the clouds above seemed to respond to his summons and began to swirl.
He drew the purest strand into his palm and, with a push, transformed it into a seamless white veil that draped over Belle.
"What is this..." Belle was stunned, taking step after step backward.
"We've spent half a year together—consider this a parting gift."
He drew a streak of purple from the sunset at the horizon, letting it settle on Belle and become a flowing purple gown.
He plucked golden light from the shimmering sea, turning it into jeweled hairpins for Belle's hair.
The afterglow of the setting sun became lip color.