“Guard against fire, guard against thieves, safe through the long night!”

*Bang—Bang! Bang! Bang!*

As this voice echoed, a sense of relief washed over the several figures.

Ah, it was merely the night watchman!

The rhythm of his clapper—one slow, three fast—signified that the fourth watch of the night had already arrived. The watchman’s strikes held a distinct meaning: one slow, one fast, followed by three rapid strikes, announced the beginning of the watches, marking the descent of night. A continuous series of strikes signaled the second watch. The third watch was one slow, two fast; the fourth, one slow, three fast; and the fifth, one slow, four fast. Thus, merely by the rhythm of the bamboo clapper, one could discern the hour.

They had lingered at the Ku Rong Courtyard without realizing how much time had passed, utterly absorbed in whatever had transpired. Yet, with but a flicker of thought, their hearts seized up once more. Ku Rong Courtyard had lain desolate for years, with no human habitation nearby. Why, then, would a night watchman patrol here?

All three were cultivators of no mean skill, their courage substantial. Demons and monsters held little fear for them. However, the recent bizarre encounter involving Jiang Wang had instilled a degree of vigilance.

They exchanged knowing glances. Fourteen, encased in his Yue Armor, silently led the way. Jiang Wang, his hand already on his sword hilt, and Chong Xuan Sheng positioned themselves to his left and right, naturally forming a small Three Talents formation—a tacit understanding honed on the battlefield.

As mentioned earlier, outside the ruins of Ku Rong Courtyard lay a pool of stagnant water, said to be a large pit left behind after the “Pulling Mountain and Melting Buddha” event, now filled with rainwater. As the three emerged from the ruins, they beheld a slightly stooped figure standing by the edge of this dead water, his back to them. He wore a worn leather hat, his body wrapped in ragged clothes, and in his hand, he held a lantern crafted from white paper, suspended above the water.

Fourteen, in his heavy armor, made no effort to conceal his movements as he advanced. The friction of his armor against itself inevitably created sound.

“Who goes there?”

The figure by the pool of dead water abruptly turned his head. The eerie white light of the lantern illuminated an aged face, his eyes wide open, yet devoid of any spirit – he was blind! Dead water, a blind man, a white lantern… And his hand continued its rhythmic knocking of the bamboo clapper.

*Bang—Bang! Bang! Bang!*

The fourth watch of the night!

“Passersby,” Chong Xuan Sheng said, his voice low.

The hunched blind man ceased his knocking. He merely said, “Do not think to deceive this old man because his eyes are blind. This old man’s heart is bright!”

From his person, they detected no trace of cultivation. Yet, his words alone cast an invisible pressure, keenly felt by all three.

Within the Tong Tian Palace, a sudden voice emanated from the Ming Candle – Jiang Yan’s voice. “If I were you, I’d have fled from here the moment I could! Damn everything else!”

Jiang Yan’s voice was laced with caution. Given the speed of his eruption back in Yan Liu Xing, he might indeed have escaped faster than Chong Xuan Sheng and Fourteen.

But Jiang Wang simply tightened his grip on his sword hilt, disregarding Jiang Yan’s suggestion. “Dare not deceive old sir, we are merely on our way back.”

The watchman’s figure remained utterly still, the white lantern seemingly solidified in the air. He only spoke slowly, “May I know where this is?”

Jiang Wang was indeed more sincere, and thus more likely to be trusted. Chong Xuan Sheng remained silent, allowing Jiang Wang to negotiate.

Jiang Wang pondered for a moment before replying, “Ruins of a broken temple.”

“Have you seen aught?”

“In my eyes, I saw broken walls and ruins. In my heart, I saw only the obstacles within!”

The watchman asked again, “Do you know the way back?”

“Clearly remembered!”

Jiang Wang’s words held no falsehood.

The watchman paused slightly, then said, “Mind your steps on the road, and do not disturb the four neighbors.” Saying this, he pulled the white paper lantern to the side, seemingly to illuminate the path for the three.

“Thank you, old sir,” Jiang Wang said, preparing to pass by.

Chong Xuan Sheng suddenly spoke up, asking, “Old sir, why does your watchman’s lantern hold a white color? It looks more like a sacrificial offering.”

The watchman replied, “Perhaps the paint has worn off. This old man’s eyes are blind, unable to see.”

Chong Xuan Sheng said, “Old sir, where does your home lie? I will send someone back to repaint it for you.”

The watchman brought the white lantern closer to his face, as if his blind eyes might thus perceive some worldly colors. However, the light from the white lantern shining upon his wrinkled face made him appear extraordinarily strange.

He slowly said, “If you are sincere, you may accompany me home, and the repainting can be done at that time.”

Chong Xuan Sheng recoiled slightly. “No need, old sir. Your duty as watchman is important.”

With no further words exchanged, the three departed the area, their steps seemingly casual but in truth, filled with vigilance. Only when they had walked a great distance and looked back could they no longer see the light of the white lantern.

Chong Xuan Sheng then spoke solemnly, “There is indeed strangeness within Ku Rong Courtyard, otherwise there would be no need to specially station such a profound and unfathomable watchman here.” A watchman was merely an ordinary occupation, but after all, they were in the service of the imperial court, and in a certain sense, belonged to the official class. And watchmen also had different levels. It was well known that watchmen, besides reporting the time and reminding people to guard against fire and theft, had another function – driving away ghosts. Ordinary watchmen, of course, could not handle supernatural matters. The watchman outside the ruins of Ku Rong Courtyard was likely of that most terrifying category. With the current strength of Jiang Wang and the others, they could not even begin to fathom his depth.

What kind of secret led to such a powerful watchman patrolling Ku Rong Courtyard so many years after it had been razed? And why could it trigger the change of the Ten Thousand Characters, questioning the very Dao heart?

Jiang Wang, of course, knew why Chong Xuan Sheng attached such importance to this matter. The “strangeness” within Ku Rong Courtyard was very likely related to the changes his father had undergone that year.

Jiang Wang asked within the Tong Tian Palace, “Just now, about that watchman, what do you understand?” Jiang Yan’s reminder to escape earlier suggested he had made some judgment.

However… The Ming Candle remained motionless, and Jiang Yan made no sound. Heh, he was quite temperamental.

“We can only temporarily put it aside,” Jiang Wang said seriously. With insufficient strength, dwelling on such thoughts was useless.

Chong Xuan Sheng also nodded. “I know.” He then turned to ask, “We didn’t have time to ask just now, what did you gain in Ku Rong Courtyard? I feel your aura is more agile, and your momentum more stable.”

“Life and death wither and flourish, life and death turn as one. Ku Rong Courtyard must have been a very remarkable place in its time,” Jiang Wang said. “My Dao heart is firmer, and at the same time, I have become aware of some problems within myself.” In his heart, he had a kind of enlightenment: “My lifespan is not complete. This will be an obstacle hindering my further cultivation.” After knocking and asking his inner heart, after questioning his heart without guilt, while solidifying his Dao heart, he became aware of his regrets. The lifespan consumed by using the White Bone Escape Method in Feng Lin City, although he had a Nourish Year Pill and a Lifespan Fruit, had still not been fully compensated. Perhaps this was one of the reasons why he had delayed stepping into the limit of the Tong Tian Realm back then. This was the disadvantage of lacking the guidance of a famous teacher; many problems could only be recognized after hitting a wall, and even bleeding might not necessarily lead to awareness. Chong Xuan Sheng’s initial gift of the Lifespan Fruit was meant to help him supplement his regrets, but it was still somewhat short.

Chong Xuan Sheng nodded and said, “Problems can be discovered, only then can they be solved. Whatever you need, tell me anytime.”

Fourteen, in his heavy armor, walked soundlessly on the long street. The three quickly disappeared into the night of Lin Zi.

And behind them, in the vast expanse of the night, a white paper lantern flickered and passed by.

*Bang—Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!*

The fifth watch of the night.

***

*(Note: The concluding paragraphs are standard filler text often found at the end of online novel chapters, encouraging readers to share and bookmark the site. They are not part of the narrative itself.)*