十六
Far above the Demon Palace, in a secluded tower wreathed in cloud and starlight, the High Heavenly Grandmasters convened. Their banquets and pleasantries were masks; in this hidden sanctum, their true faces were revealed, cold, calculating, hungry for power.
The eldest Grandmaster traced a constellation on his desk, voice low and heavy with old resentment. "Cang Yan grows bolder. He gathers strength, and now the Moon Healer is at his side. If she is the one from prophecy, she could tip the balance of every realm."
"He is too dangerous," the golden-haired Grandmaster added, her words like silk drawn over a blade.
"For centuries, the demon lords were content to fight among themselves. But this one, he united them. He survived the Heavenly Fire and rules as if he were born for it. With the healer, he might become unassailable."
The youngest, sharp-eyed and restless, drummed his fingers on the table. "We cannot break her barrier. But we can break her trust. If she doubts him, if she fears him, she may turn to us instead. We must create a rift between them."
The elders nodded, plotting with the confidence of immortals who had shaped the fates of empires.
"Then spread the rumor," the eldest commanded.
"Let it be known that Cang Yan seeks to use her as a weapon. Let her believe she is only a pawn. And when the time is right, we will show her his true nature."
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In the days that followed, the palace grew tense with whispers.
Courtiers eyed Yue Lian with pity or suspicion.
Servants averted their gaze, their tongues loosened by carefully planted rumors: The Demon Lord only protected the Moon Healer because he planned to use her power to destroy his enemies.
Once he had what he wanted, he would cast her aside as he'd done to others before.
Yue Lian heard the rumors, at first dismissing them. But they grew, feeding on her own doubts and loneliness. Even Zheng Yu seemed troubled, his usual jokes falling flat.
One afternoon, as rain lashed the windowpanes, she found herself alone in the library, leafing through ancient scrolls in search of anything that might explain her past.
She turned a page and found a story of the Moon Goddess, her power to heal, her curse of loneliness, and the way she was betrayed by those who claimed to love her.
The words struck a chord. Was she now repeating that ancient pain?
Lost in thought, she did not hear footsteps behind her until Cang Yan spoke. "Searching for answers, small healer?"
She looked up, startled, her heart thudding. "I... I don't know what to believe anymore. Why won't you tell me what you want from me? Why am I really here?"
He hesitated, then replied, voice low and unreadable. "You are here because you are dangerous. Because I cannot let you fall into the hands of those who would destroy everything I've built."
She flinched, his words confirming her fears. "So I am a weapon after all."
He moved closer, his presence overwhelming. "You are what you choose to be. But as long as you are in my realm, you are under my protection. I will not let anyone take you from me."
His words, meant as reassurance, sounded too much like a promise of possession. The longing in her chest twisted into something colder, desire edged with fear.
She stepped back, shaking her head. "I don't want to be protected. I want to be free. I want to know who I am, not what others want me to be."
For the first time, Cang Yan's mask slipped, and she saw pain, raw and unguarded, in his eyes. He reached out, but she turned away.
That night, the Grandmasters' agents struck.
A trusted palace attendant, corrupted by promised power, slipped into Yue Lian's chamber with a vial of enchanted ink, meant to reveal the true form of any spirit.
The attendant whispered apologies as they pressed the ink to her forehead, but the barrier flared, throwing them across the room with a force that shattered glass and sent servants fleeing.
The palace erupted in chaos. Cang Yan arrived moments later, his eyes blazing, his fury barely contained. For a terrible instant, Yue Lian thought he would tear the world apart.
He knelt by her side, his hand trembling as he checked for injury. "Who did this?"
She shook her head, tears blurring her vision. "I don't know. I don't know who to trust anymore."
Cang Yan's jaw tightened. "You trust me. That is enough."
But she looked away, doubt and longing warring within her. The Grandmasters' scheme had worked, a crack had opened between them, and neither knew how to bridge it.
As the storm raged outside, Yue Lian sat in the wreckage of her chamber, feeling more alone than ever.
In the distance, she heard the White Fox Twins calling her name and Zheng Yu's frantic footsteps.
But for the first time, she was not sure any of them could save her, not even the Demon Lord whose protection was beginning to feel like another kind of prison.
And somewhere, high above the palace, the Grandmasters watched and smiled, knowing that the first seeds of betrayal had finally taken root.
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