Outside Jian Zhi's chamber, Xuè Lán stood trembling, the magnitude of what she had just absorbed rendering her speechless. A silent tear traced a path down her cheek, the shock settling into a cold, heavy stone in her chest.

  [Xuè Lán]: "Róng *bǎo*… why were you silent? Did you… Did you already know this would happen?" Her voice was a fragile thing, cracking under the weight of understanding.

  Lǐ Róng did not answer immediately. His eyes swept the corridor, ensuring they were alone. Then, he took her arm, his grip firm and urgent, and guided her swiftly back to the privacy of their own chambers. Xuè Lán’s gaze was a storm of betrayal, anger, and profound disappointment. The moment the door was locked, the storm broke.

  [Xuè Lán]: "[Her anger a sharp, wounded thing] What are the two of you hiding from me?! Why wasn’t I told? Lǐ Róng! I am speaking to you! Answer me!"

  He turned to face her, releasing a long, weary breath. His eyes, usually so keen and alive with foresight, were hollow, reflecting only a profound, helpless defeat.

  [Lǐ Róng]: "I failed. I failed to stop him. He has been planning this… for months."

  (Two Months Ago)

  In Jian Zhi’s private chamber, Lǐ Róng had found the king pale and gaunt, the light in his eyes dimmed to embers.

  [Lǐ Róng]: "Hey, you idiot! What are you doing to yourself? You look half-dead! What madness were you practising in your Xīnyù?"

  Jian Zhi’s reply came in a voice scraped dry of all vitality.

  [Jian Zhi]: "Developing a new skill. If I can encode my knowledge—the very blueprint of acquiring a power—into a transferable form, anyone could master it swiftly. It is efficiency. A strategic resource for urgent times. I intend to give one to Xuè Lán."

  Lǐ Róng had lunged forward then, seizing Jian Zhi by his robes, forcing the younger man to meet his furious, frightened gaze.

  [Lǐ Róng]: "Your thoughts are ingenious, Your Majesty. But at what cost?"

  Jian Zhi’s answer was absolute, leaving no room for debate.

  [Jian Zhi]: "What greater purpose does a king have than to protect his people? By any means. With every resource."

  The fight had drained from Lǐ Róng instantly, replaced by a chilling helplessness. He had released Jian Zhi and turned away, unable to bear the sight of such calculated self-annihilation.

  [Lǐ Róng]: "I don’t know what ghosts haunt your soul, or what your past demands… but a purpose can be changed, you stubborn fool."

  (Present)

  Back in their chamber, Xuè Lán absorbed the truth.

  [Xuè Lán]: "Why didn’t you tell me?"

  [Lǐ Róng]: "Because I did not want you to carry this pain. I hoped… I prayed I could change his mind before you ever had to know."

  [Xuè Lán]: "Ah, you morons… both of you!" Her anger softened into a raw, aching frustration. "Think of yourselves for once! Grieve! Rage! I am your *wife*. My purpose is to share your burdens!" The air grew thick with shared, suffocating sorrow. Suddenly, Lǐ Róng’s memory sparked.

  [Lǐ Róng]: "*Bǎo*… his eyes. They are always cold, but… have you ever noticed a secret longing in them?"

  [Xuè Lán]: "A longing? [She paused, searching her memory, then gasped softly] Yes. Once, in the courtyard. A family passed by—a father laughing, a mother scolding gently, a child clinging to them. His eyes… they held an uncanny light for just a moment. A faint, almost painful smirk. You think…?"

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  [Lǐ Róng]: "Are you thinking what I am thinking?"

  Their eyes met, a silent, grim agreement passing between them.

  [Xuè Lán]: "This fool believes his only purpose is to die after forging an unbreakable shield for his people. What if… we could give him a new purpose? One that connects him to life, not just duty?"

  [Lǐ Róng]: "You forget the elemental truth. He lacks Water. His body has no capacity for that kind of sustaining, emotional balance."

  [Xuè Lán]: "You’re right. [Her shoulders slumped, then lifted with a new idea] But what if he didn’t need to generate it himself? What if he fell in love with someone whose soul is rich in Water? A partner could be his balance… and his new purpose."

  [Lǐ Róng]: "A poetic notion. But have you forgotten he is the Mountain Devil? He has sealed his own heart. Poor Lian loves him, and he cares for her deeply, yet he coldly states he sees her only as a subject he saved. His care is an act of stewardship, not passion."

  [Xuè Lán]: "With Lian, his care is born of duty—protecting what is his. We need someone who can save him from himself. Someone not cowed by his devilish aura. And why do you call him that? Mountain Devil?"

  [Lǐ Róng]: "From his uncle, Captain Zhào. After his mother died in his arms when he was twelve, he ascended the mountain. That was the moment, I believe, the last of his Water element evaporated. He made a pyre for his parents and set his old life ablaze. On that mountain, he became the apex predator. The throne in Liánhuā District… it is fashioned from the bones of bears and panthers. A panther’s skull crowns it."

  [Xuè Lán]: "[A heavy, sorrowing sigh] A poor, fractured soul. With no one to talk to, no one to share his grief… his soul must crave a mother’s embrace, a warmth forever lost. I think… his only purpose on that mountain was to die. To find where his mother went. But his pride refused a coward's death. That fearlessness in the face of his own end… it turned him into a gatekeeper of hell, sending others before him. The Mountain Devil. What if we could change the trajectory of his thoughts?"

  [Lǐ Róng]: "It may be possible. But he listens to no one. Almost everyone in this kingdom is rightfully intimidated by his aura."

  Xuè Lán paced, her mind racing. Then, she stopped, a spark igniting in her eyes.

  [Xuè Lán]: "That princess. What was her name? [She snapped her fingers] Wǎn Lù! Did you see? She was *furious* at him, not intimidated. She stood her ground."

  [Lǐ Róng]: "She did. But by her own words, she thinks him a tyrant. It is a foundation of conflict, not affection. Getting two such stubborn, independent minds to see each other differently… it would be like moving mountains."

  [Xuè Lán]: "*Bǎo*, Wǎn Lù has a Water-aligned apotheosis. A Phoenix. I saw her wings myself in a moment of panic. First, we must make them truly *see* one another. If her Water can balance his raging Fire and unyielding Metal… there is a chance. For his body, and for his soul."

  [Lǐ Róng]: "It will be a mission more perilous than any battle. But… we must try."

  A pact was forged in that moment, not with words, but with a shared, determined look. Their secret mission had begun: to make the Devil of the Mountain fall for the Celestial Phoenix.

  In Wǎn Lù’s room, Lian had brought dinner, and the two women shared a comfortable meal.

  [Lian]: "Wow, sister… You have an uncanny aura about you. How is that?"

  [Wǎn Lù]: "[With a playful mouthful] I was simply born this way."

  [Lian]: "You must have had suitors lining up at the palace! With your beauty, they must have been endless."

  [Wǎn Lù]: "[Laughing] Oh, nobles tried. But I am stronger than they were. I want a man who would protect me and cherish my soul, not just admire my form."

  [Lian]: "That may take time. But there will be someone strong enough to stand with you, not just before you."

  [Wǎn Lù]: "We shall see. [Her tone softened] And you, Lian… how did you come to care for the… the king?"

  [Lian]: "He liberated me from hell." Her voice grew quiet, reverent. "This land was called the Cursed Earth because of a mountain teeming with beasts… and villages where women outnumbered men, living in fear. I was born in such a village. Sold to a tavern as a child… forced to live as a slave without even the dignity of rags. We prayed every day for salvation. Then, one day, the devil of that very mountain came. The Mountain Devil. He was also called the Crimson General. He conquered the mountain and its beasts, and he saved us." A smile of pure, satisfied peace touched her lips.

  [Wǎn Lù]: *[After a moment of deep, unsettled thought]* The Mountain Devil? Devil’s Mountain? He has… a history like that? [She shook her head, offering Lian a warm smile] Don’t worry. I am rooting for you. I will try to help you win your king’s heart.

  [Lian]: "[Turning a brilliant scarlet, stuttering] Oh! I—I—I should go! I will see you later!"

  Wǎn Lù watched the flustered girl retreat, a gentle smile on her own face that faded into deep contemplation the moment the door closed.

  [Wǎn Lù]: *(Internal Monologue)* The Devil’s Mountain… a conqueror of beasts… a liberator of enslaved women? Is that who he truly is? The stories here are layers deep. I need to see this village. I must find the origin of this ‘Mountain Devil’ and learn what truly happened. But still… it is hard to reconcile such a past with the dead-eyed tyrant I see now.