In the Yisi year of the Dasheng Dynasty, the teahouses and wine shops along Zhuque Avenue in the imperial capital were all abuzz with whispers. The bizarre incident at the Palace of Earthly Tranquility twenty years ago remained a taboo topic hotly debated on every street corner: Empress Shuning had suddenly vanished on the night of the full moon, and the infant princess of the direct line had also disappeared without a trace, leaving behind only an empty empress seal and a baby wrapper embroidered with twin lotus flowers. Every thread and trace of these hanging mysteries seemed to converge upon an ancient, century-sealed tomb deep in the Western Hills. At this moment, heavy leaden clouds hung low, staining the firmament like ink, and the mountain wind swept past carrying a fishy, sweet scent—the very omen of a mountain storm about to sweep through the pavilions.
Shen Mingyue carried Gu Jinghong on her back, moving with extreme difficulty through the damp, narrow passageway of the ancient tomb. The dark martial arts attire she wore was already soaked through with cold sweat, the fabric clinging tightly to her spine, and with every step she took, her knees sent a piercing, aching pain through her body. Gu Jinghong's weight pressed heavily upon her back, his warm breath puffing against the side of her neck, carrying a thick, heavy stench of blood. The four walls of the passageway were covered in dark green moss, and brownish-black water stains seeped from the gaps between the b…
Chapter 24