Three days passed.
Mu Qingye arrived in Guazhou. The villagers greeted him politely. He continued riding his horse until he reached the residence.
"Young Master Mu," the gate guard exclaimed, standing straight and bowing.
Mu Qingye nodded slowly, weariness evident in his eyes. However, as the house door opened, an old man with a silver beard rushed to greet him. "Qingye, you took so long," said his adoptive father, Mu Chengyu, embracing him tightly.
Qingye sighed deeply. "I have obtained evidence of this illegal trade and will report it to the emperor. The villagers of Guazhou should be safe now."
"In that case, we must celebrate," his adoptive mother, Mu Shuyan, chimed in with a proud smile.
"Mother, I can't. I must quickly go to Tianxia. I just wanted to say goodbye to you both," Mu Qingye said.
Unable to hold Qingye back, they simply accepted his decision. His mother gave Qingye some provisions, her eyes welling up with tears.
"This full moon, we should have gathered," Mu Chengyu said softly, as if hoping Qingye would change his mind.
"Full moon?" Qingye turned. "What date is it?"
"The eleventh. And this month is called the Strawberry Moon. The moon will be pink tonight," Chengyu replied, gazing at the darkening sky.
Suddenly, Qingye's body tensed. His eyes widened. He remembered Qingyuan village; they would become sacrifices to the greed of the Red Moon Sect and the Dark Sect.
Qingye fell silent. He would need 10 days to return to the village, which would be in vain. And the minister's execution would happen in three days, while it would take him 4 days to reach the capital.
"There's a rebellion in Qingyuan village. I would be very grateful if you could help," Qingye said softly.
Mu Chengyu looked at him for a long time. Then he patted his shoulder. "You've grown into a true man, Qingye. Trust others as they have trusted you. Go to the capital. I will take care of Qingyuan."
"Really?"
Mu Chengyu nodded yes.
That night, Mu Qingye rode his horse again.
The sky slowly revealed a soft glow. The Strawberry Moon began to rise. Its color was not ordinary white, but a reddish pink, like blood merging with the light of hope.
On the quiet road to Tianxia, Mu Qingye looked at the sky and murmured to himself, "Forgive me, Qingyuan..."
And the horse continued to gallop, charging through the night fog, carrying a man who had chosen his own path.
In the dark dungeons of the Tianxia palace, Grand Minister Feng Yuan sat cross-legged. His hands and feet were chained, but his face remained calm. In his twilight years, he had seen more betrayals than victories.
"Prince Ningyuan..." he whispered softly. "Don't come back."
Outside, guards patrolled. The sound of heavy rain poured on the stone roof. An executioner peered inside, then grinned.
"Three days, Grand Minister. The palace has prepared a grand ceremony."
Feng Yuan simply closed his eyes. He remembered two young boys whom he had once taught how to read war tactics, who secretly eavesdropped on generals' discussions, who one day swore to defend the people with swords and principles.
"Prince Ningyuan... your choice will determine more than just my life. I am more at peace with this punishment. I will meet my son, Feng Yuelin."
Meanwhile, in Qingyuan village, the Strawberry Moon night brought no beauty, only anxiety. The reddish-pink sky felt like a bad omen. Small children were not allowed out of their homes. The men guarded the village borders, but the shadows of the Red Moon Sect followers were already visible in the distance.
The old innkeeper grandmother hugged a small boy who was clutching a small bamboo stick.
"If that martial artist were here, he could drive them away again!" the innocent boy exclaimed.
"Quiet, Lei. He's far away... and he might not come back," the grandmother said softly, though her heart also hoped for a miracle.
Heavy footsteps began to be heard from the east. Villagers began to gather in the village hall, their hearts pounding in panic.
On the hilltop, a figure in a red robe stood, a sly smile clearly visible. "Three days. The full moon will be perfect, and their blood will open the gate of ancient power."
That night, the dim moonlight seeped through the lattice window of Su Lianyue's residence. She was pouring tea when she heard a faint voice from behind the family room. Her mother's voice was gentle yet contained a threat.
"Everything will begin when the moon is full. Qingyuan village must be sacrificed. Their blood will complete the ritual of opening the Blood Gate."
Su Lianyue held her breath. She crouched behind the wall, her body frozen.
"Don't worry. No one will suspect me. Not even my own daughter."
Lianyue almost dropped the cup in her hand. Her breath caught. Her mother... was part of the Red Moon Sect?
Her body trembled, but she couldn't cry. She wouldn't let hundreds of innocent lives vanish for bloodthirsty power.
Without a sound, Su Lianyue slipped out of the house. She invited people one by one to come with her.
"If we just stay still like this, it won't save our lives. Follow me north. We will hide in the pine forest, near the water cave."
Children were carried by their mothers, and elders were helped by young men of the village. They moved silently, carrying only what they could. Su Lianyue led the way, her eyes sharply observing every corner of the path.
Behind them, her house remained lit. Her mother knew nothing.
"Help us," she whispered, looking at the moon.
They all hid inside the cave, while in Qingyuan village, the Red Moon Sect found the villagers' houses empty.
As they embraced their fear inside the cave, footsteps were heard from outside. A martial artist arrived. Long hair tied back, with sharp eyes and a sword on his back.
"Don't come here!" Su Lianyue exclaimed, blocking the man.
"I want to help you," the man replied calmly.
"How did you know we were in danger?" Su Lianyue still couldn't accept it.
"I just happened to pass by; they mentioned this village a-"
"Silence!" Su Lianyue pulled the man inside.
"Yesterday, a great martial artist helped us. I'm sure another one will come next," an innocent boy said, hugging the martial artist.
The martial artist only nodded, not particularly interested in the boy's words.