The Three's Journey Under the Moon and the Initial Discussion of the Holy Gate

On the third knock on the wooden door, Li Xian finally took a deep breath and opened the door.

The moonlight, like water, poured down on Binglan. She seemed to have just bathed; her hair was still damp, and her plain white dress fluttered slightly in the night breeze. Upon seeing Li Xian, a complex emotion flashed in her eyes—joy, shyness, and a hint of barely perceptible bewilderment.

"Young Master Li..." She handed the food box forward, "I...I brought you some food."

The food box is made of bamboo and is very exquisite. The lid is engraved with ice patterns from Linghan Palace.

Li Xian took the food box and stepped aside, saying, "Come in and let's talk."

The cabin was dimly lit by only an oil lamp. Binglan walked in and curiously looked around the simple dwelling—a wooden bed, a broken table, some dry food and medicine pouches piled in the corner, and the magnetic razor hanging on the wall.

"You live here?" she asked softly.

"For now," Li said, putting down the food box. "Have a seat."

The two sat facing each other, the atmosphere somewhat awkward. The oil lamp crackled, casting flickering shadows on their faces.

Finally, Binglan spoke first: "Father... I've settled him in a farmhouse outside Linghan Palace. He's lost all his cultivation, but his mind is clear. Now he spends his days chanting Buddhist prayers, saying he wants to atone for his sins."

Li nodded first: "That's fine too."

"Those three days..." Binglan's voice lowered, "Thank you for helping me break through the bottleneck. I've been stuck at the initial stage of the Heavenly Origin Realm for five years. If it weren't for... if it weren't for the resonance of dual cultivation, I'm afraid I would never have made any progress in this lifetime."

She was telling the truth. At this moment, her aura was restrained and concentrated, already firmly established at the mid-stage of the Heavenly Origin realm, and even showing faint signs of breaking through to a higher stage.

"That was your own good fortune," Li Xian said, not daring to take credit.

Binglan looked up at him, her eyes brimming with tears: "But during those three days, who was closer to me... who was it, you, or the 'manager' within you?"

The question gets straight to the heart of the matter.

Li Xian remained silent for a long time before slowly saying, "The body is mine, the senses are mine, but the one who controls the behavior... is him."

"And what about you?" Binglan pressed. "Where are you?"

"I'm watching, I'm feeling, but I can't control it." Li Xian smiled bitterly. "It's like... like having a vivid dream where you know everything but can't change the course of the dream."

Binglan was stunned. This answer unsettled her more than a simple "yes" or "no".

"So you knew all that time...?" Her voice trembled slightly.

"We all know."

"Then...did you ever have even a shred of genuine affection for me?"

Looking at the expectation and fear in her eyes, Li Xian finally couldn't lie: "Yes."

Although it started as an accident, and although it was orchestrated by the manager, after three days of physical intimacy and close companionship, he wasn't a wooden person. Binglan's complex and genuine emotions, from resistance to acceptance, from pain to pleasure, had already left their mark on his heart.

Binglan smiled, but as she smiled, tears streamed down her face: "That's enough."

She wiped away her tears, took out an ice-blue jade pendant from her bosom, and placed it on the table: "This was left to me by my mother. She said... if I ever find someone I love in the future, I should give this jade pendant to him."

The jade pendant was cool to the touch and carved into the shape of an ice lotus, gleaming faintly under the oil lamp.

Mr. Li did not answer.

"Miss Binglan," he said solemnly, "Those three days, though not my intention, I did indeed take your virginity. If you are willing, I can marry you. But you should think carefully—I already have Miss Chunmeng by my side, and my heart still belongs to Xiao Lingshan, and now you're added to my list. Am I worthy of your trust?"

This is a frank, even cruel, statement.

Binglan shook her head: "I don't care how many women you have. In Linghan Palace, it's common for a woman to serve multiple male concubines, or for a man to have multiple concubines. What I care about is... whether I have a place in your heart."

She stood up, walked to the window, and turned her back to Li Xian: "From childhood to adulthood, my life has been arranged for me. My father wanted me to infiltrate Linghan Palace, Aunt Xiao wanted me to seduce men, and even the cultivation techniques and the path I was to take were all predetermined by others. Only those three days... Although I was initially forced to, later, when I felt the joy of breaking through in my cultivation technique, when I... when I truly accepted you, that was the first time I made a choice for myself."

She turned around, her gaze resolute: "So, Mr. Li, I don't ask you to love only me, I only ask you... not to push me away."

Moonlight streamed in through the window, gilding her with a silvery edge. At this moment, Binglan was breathtakingly beautiful.

Just as Li Xian was about to speak, a cold laugh suddenly came from outside.

"That sounds nice."

The wooden door was kicked open!

Miss Chunmeng stood at the doorway, her crimson dress fluttering in the night wind. She held a sword in her hand, its tip still dripping blood—clearly, she had fought her way here.

"Miss Chunmeng?" Li Xian was surprised.

"Don't call me!" Miss Chunmeng's eyes were icy. "Mr. Li, you're something else. Hiding in these mountains, keeping a mistress? Or... are you reliving your old flame?"

Her gaze swept over the food box and jade pendant on the table, then turned to Binglan: "The enchantress of Linghan Palace certainly knows how to seduce men."

Binglan's face paled, but she straightened her back: "Madam Meng, it seems that my affairs with Young Master Li are none of your business."

"Not my turn?" Miss Chunmeng laughed, a chilling laugh. "In Peach Blossom Village, who was it that married him? Who cared for him day and night when he was seriously injured? Who nearly died from the Gu poison while trying to save him? It was me!"

She pointed her sword at Binglan: "And you, you merely took advantage of his vulnerability, using despicable means to climb into his bed!"

"Enough!" Li shouted.

Both women looked at him at the same time.

Li Xian felt a headache coming on. In his mind's eye, the manager sighed, "I told you, this kind of thing was bound to happen sooner or later."

"Now is not the time for sarcastic remarks!" Li Xian roared inwardly.

He stepped between the two, first looking at Miss Chunmeng: "Madam Meng, that night in Peach Blossom Village, our wedding ceremony was a temporary measure, as we both know. I am deeply grateful for everything you have done for me since then, but gratitude is not love—"

"Then who do you love?" Miss Chunmeng interrupted. "Do you love this vixen? Or Xiao Lingshan? Or that innocent and carefree little doctor?"

Li was speechless.

A flicker of pain crossed Miss Chunmeng's eyes, but she forced a cold laugh: "Mr. Li, I, Chunmeng, have been traveling the world for many years and have seen many men. Someone like you is neither the best nor the worst. I originally thought... you were at least someone with a sense of responsibility."

She sheathed her sword and turned around: "That's enough. You all continue, I'm leaving."

"Wait a minute." Li grabbed her wrist.

Miss Chunmeng trembled, but did not break free.

"Madam Meng," Li Xian said in a low voice, "I am not heartless towards you. During those days in Peach Blossom Village, you healed my wounds, taught me martial arts, and shared hardships with me... I remember all of that. But matters of the heart are not black and white. I have feelings for Ling Shan, a sense of responsibility towards Bing Lan, and... I also feel guilt and pity towards you."

That's a terrible thing to say, but it's the truth.

Miss Chunmeng had her back to him, her shoulders trembling slightly. After a long silence, she finally spoke in a hoarse voice, "So? What do you want? To take us all in? Like an emperor with three palaces and six courtyards?"

"I……"

"Young Master Li does possess this potential," Binglan suddenly spoke, her tone calm. "He has the inheritance of a celestial sage within him, the assistance of a high-dimensional consciousness like that of a manager, and the ability to create holy water and manipulate energy. Given time, it's not impossible for him to establish a sect and dominate a region."

Miss Chunmeng whirled around, staring at Binglan: "What did you say?"

"I say," Binglan met her gaze, "instead of fighting over love here, we should think about how to help Young Master Li gain a foothold. Now the imperial court, the demonic sect, and Linghan Palace are all watching him. If he doesn't have his own power, he will be devoured sooner or later, leaving not even bones behind."

These words coincided with the manager's previous suggestion.

Miss Chunmeng was stunned. She carefully examined Binglan, as if she were seeing this woman from Linghan Palace for the first time.

"What do you want to do?" she asked.

Binglan looked at Li Xian: "Young Master Li, did the administrator mention to you... the establishment of an organization?"

Li nodded first.

"That's it," Binglan said. "In my Linghan Palace, there are at least thirty women like Bingwei and me who are not in control of their own lives. They were either sold into the palace by their families or kidnapped as children and forced to cultivate techniques to seduce men, becoming pawns of Aunt Xiao and the other elders. If you can rescue them, they will surely be loyal to you."

Miss Chunmeng frowned: "You betrayed Linghan Palace, aren't you afraid of Aunt Xiao's revenge?"

"I'm afraid," Binglan said frankly. "But I'm even more afraid of being someone else's puppet for the rest of my life. Besides... although my father has lost all his cultivation, his understanding of the orthodox demonic sect and his research on Gu techniques are invaluable resources. If Young Master Li is willing to take us in, my father and I are willing to serve him faithfully."

She spoke sincerely, her eyes gleaming with an almost fanatical light—the light of someone long bound, finally seeing the hope of freedom.

Miss Chunmeng fell silent. She looked at Li Xian: "What do you think?"

Li Xian smiled wryly: "I think...it's too crazy."

"Crazy?" Miss Chunmeng suddenly laughed, a hint of relief in her smile. "Mr. Li, from the first day I met you, what wasn't crazy? Being chosen by Boltzmann's brain, having a drone squad, producing holy water, and now having a high-dimensional consciousness residing within you—establishing a cult, what's that?"

She walked to the table, picked up the ice lotus jade pendant, examined it for a moment, and then put it back in Binglan's hand.

"Keep this jade pendant safe." She looked at Binglan. "You can give it to him when he officially marries you."

Binglan was taken aback: "You..."

"I'm not admitting defeat," Miss Chunmeng said calmly. "I've just suddenly realized something. The world is so vast, and there are so many men. Why should I, Chunmeng, hang myself on one tree? Besides..."

She looked at Li Xian with a complicated expression: "Your tree is growing too crooked, with too many branches. I really can't hug it all by myself."

These words carried a self-deprecating tone, yet also contained a degree of sincerity.

Mr. Li didn't know what to say.

The manager thought to himself, "This girl, Chunmeng, is quite open-minded. She's more optimistic than you."

Just then, footsteps came from outside.

This time, it was a Superman drone. Hovering over the window, it spoke urgently: "Boss! Emergency! Miss Xiao Lingshan has gone into the mountains alone, saying she wants to find you to get some answers! Lord Han sent men after her, but they couldn't catch her!"

Li Xian's expression changed: "Which direction did she come from?"

"This is it!" Superman said. "We should be there in about fifteen minutes! Also, Young Master Han Yunyang came out with you. He said... he said he wants to duel with you to win over Miss Xiao Lingshan!"

The atmosphere inside the room immediately became tense again.

Miss Chunmeng sighed, "This is going to be interesting."

Binglan then looked at Li Xian: "Young Master Li, do you want to see them?"

Li Xian paused for a moment, then shook his head: "It's not the right time yet."

He walked to the wall, took down the magnetic beam knife, and gathered the necessary items.

"Are you leaving?" Miss Chunmeng asked.

"Hmm." Li nodded first. "I need time to sort out my thoughts, and also to sort out... my relationship with each of you."

He looked at Miss Chunmeng and Binglan: "Would you... be willing to wait for me?"

Miss Chunmeng turned her face away: "Who wants to wait for you?"

Binglan nodded: "I'll wait for you."

Li Xian smiled, slung his bag over his shoulder, and headed for the door. Before stepping over the threshold, he turned back and said, "Please tell Ling Shan... I'm sorry. Also, tell her... not to wait for me."

"You should say that yourself!" Miss Chunmeng suddenly said. "Mr. Li, you can hide for a while, but you can't hide forever. You'll have to face it sooner or later."

Li Xian paused, but ultimately stepped into the night.

Inside the wooden house, the oil lamp was still burning.

Miss Chunmeng and Binglan remained silent for a long time. Finally, Miss Chunmeng sighed, "What are we arguing about here? The real target is about to run away."

Binglan said softly, "He will come back."

"Are you that sure?"

"Hmm." Binglan looked out the window in the direction where Li Xian had disappeared. "Because there are people he can't let go of here, and responsibilities he must bear."

Miss Chunmeng was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, "You really can't tell whether you love Mr. Li or the manager?"

Binglan thought for a moment, then shook her head: "I can't tell. But I think... it might not matter. They are a symbiotic whole; to love one of them is to love the whole."

These words were spoken in a mysterious way, but Miss Chunmeng understood them perfectly.

She gave a wry smile: "You understand things better than I do."

Outside the window, the moonlight was even brighter.

Deep in the mountains, Li Xian walked briskly. The manager spoke in his mind: "Have you thought about your next step?"

"I've made up my mind." Li Xian's gaze was firm. "We'll first rescue the women of Linghan Palace, then gather those controlled by the Demonic Sect. Based on them, we'll establish the 'Creation Sacred Gate'."

"You want to use the power of the Holy Gate to protect them?"

"Not entirely," Li Xian said. "More importantly... I want to use this power to change some of the rules of this world. At the very least, to prevent women from becoming bargaining chips, and to prevent the weak from being slaughtered at will."

The manager smiled: "That's an interesting goal."

Will you help me?

"Of course," the manager said. "We're one team, aren't we?"

Li Xian smiled too. He quickened his pace and disappeared into the depths of the dense forest.

In Han Family Fortress, Xiao Lingshan finally found the wooden house. Pushing open the door, she saw Miss Chunmeng and Binglan sitting opposite each other, with the still-burning oil lamp on the table.

"Where is he?" Xiao Lingshan's voice trembled.

Miss Chunmeng pointed out the window: "Let's go."

Xiao Lingshan's eyes reddened, but she forced herself not to cry.

Binglan said softly, "Miss Xiao, he asked me to tell you... I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry?" Xiao Lingshan smiled, a sorrowful smile. "Is one 'I'm sorry' enough?"

No one answered.

Moonlight streamed in through the doorway, casting long shadows on the three women.

At this very moment, inside the post station in Tonghai Prefecture, Chu Huaizhou was writing a secret memorial under the lamplight. The last sentence of the memorial was:

"I believe that Li Xian possesses a celestial inheritance and the power to create things. If he cannot be used by the court, he will surely become a major threat. I urge Your Majesty to quickly send the Imperial Preceptor south, which may allow him to be subdued."

The brush falls, the seal is applied.

The carrier pigeons fluttered into the night sky, heading towards the capital, and disappeared among the stars.

(End of Chapter 41)