Chapter 22: My Lord, May I Borrow a Light?

Once they stepped out of Luohe Town, the illumination from the street lanterns vanished, and the landscape plunged into a heavy, impenetrable darkness.

Fu Heng did not ask any questions; he simply stared intently at Chu Li. Since this was their first time in the area and they lacked a guide from the town—not even the local magistrate—he was unsure of the direction himself. He wanted to see exactly how this woman intended to investigate.

Earlier, on the town streets, he had noticed something strange: despite her complete lack of internal energy, her speed and agility rivaled that of a seasoned martial artist. Furthermore, she appeared frail and sickly, yet she ran without even catching her breath. He refused to believe that someone so contradictory could be without secrets.

Chu Li gazed solemnly at the pitch-black sky. Not a single star dared to peek through the dense, suffocating clouds. Yet, a dark, crescent moon hung high like the eye of hell, glaring down at the mortal world. The moonlight provided no warmth or clarity; instead, it cast an eerie, ominous pallor over everything. This was a bad omen. Tonight was destined to be a night where the yin energy thrived and ghosts roamed. It was fortunate she had come out to investigate; otherwise, by dawn, Luohe Town would likely be shrouded in a fresh shroud of death.

"Your Highness, may I borrow a flame?"

After a moment of thought, Chu Li turned to Fu Heng and asked, pulling a piece of paper from her cloth pouch.

Fu Heng hesitated for only a second before nodding. "How do you intend to borrow it?" He did not carry a flint.

Chu Li curled her lips into a smile—a smile that sent a shiver down Fu Heng’s spine. In the next instant, she stepped forward, reached out a slender hand, and lightly grasped the air above Fu Heng’s shoulder. She blew a soft breath onto her hand, then tossed it toward the paper in her grasp. Before Fu Heng could even ask what she was doing, a golden flame suddenly erupted from the white paper, burning with a brilliant, dazzling intensity.

Fu Heng’s pupils contracted. A premonition of dread washed over him. "What have you done to me?"

Chu Li shrugged, explaining as she continued her work. "Nothing much. I simply borrowed some of your yang fire. You were the one who said you would not sit idly by. Since you offered your help, I am merely putting it to good use."

Fu Heng: "..."

"Just by grasping at the air above my shoulder, it’s done?" Fu Heng checked his body, and feeling no immediate changes, he felt slightly relieved. Perhaps this woman was just exaggerating to trick him.

Chu Li, as if reading his thoughts, let out a soft laugh. "Your Highness, you don't understand. A human body possesses three fires, which can be thought of as three lamps. One sits atop the head, and the other two reside on the shoulders. During the day, they absorb yang energy; at night, they stand guard against the yin, shielding us from malevolent spirits. I just took the flame from your right shoulder. It’s right here."

Chu Li squinted, playfully shaking the golden flame in her hand. Without him noticing, the previously blank paper was now covered in complex, glowing patterns that looked incredibly mystical.

Listening to her, Fu Heng felt a sudden, chilling draft against his right side, and his right shoulder began to feel inexplicably heavy. He stared at her with a dangerous gaze, radiating waves of cold. "What happens if these three fires are extinguished?"

Chu Li blinked. "You die, of course. When the three lamps go out, the life-fire dissipates, and not even the gods could save you. That is why, when walking at night, one must never turn their head unless absolutely necessary. Whichever way you turn, the yang fire on that side becomes vulnerable. You should also avoid letting people pat you on the shoulder; it’s easy to extinguish the fire that way."

As she finished, she saw Fu Heng’s face darken to an unprecedented degree. She felt a surge of triumph, nearly laughing aloud. It was strangely satisfying to see this man look so sour. However, she was careful not to push him too far; she knew the God of War, Prince You, would not hesitate to draw his blade and end her life in an instant.

"Alright, alright, I won't scare you anymore. In truth, these three fires aren't that fragile. As a practitioner of the mysterious arts, I have more methods than ordinary people. You possess the aura of the Ziwei star; I only borrowed a fraction of your yang fire. A bit of rest tomorrow and it will return."

Fu Heng felt more and more that this woman was not to be underestimated. He asked coldly, "So, you mean to say you have the means to take anyone's yang fire at will? Or to put it another way, you have the ability to extinguish anyone's three lamps?"

The air seemed to freeze, and the surroundings turned deathly quiet. Fu Heng stared at her, his heart surging with alarm. If this were true, then this 'Chu Meng' was terrifying—capable of killing without shedding blood, taking lives with ease.

Suddenly, Chu Li let out a sharp laugh, her eyes shimmering with an eerie light. "Your Highness, you flatter me. How could I have such power? Do you remember that when I took your yang fire, I asked for your permission?"

Fu Heng paused, recalling that she had indeed asked if she could 'borrow a flame.' He had assumed she meant using a flint. Who could have known she was asking for something so vital?

Chu Li smiled and continued, "For a favored son of heaven like you, borrowing a bit of flame does not affect you in the slightest. But to the common folk, borrowing fire is akin to borrowing their life; it requires consent... Besides, I do not enjoy killing. Why would I take a life so casually?"

She winked at him, then stopped talking and tossed the glowing, fire-wreathed tracking charm into the air. The flame instantly illuminated the path for nearly a hundred meters ahead and began to drift forward at an angle.

Chu Li’s eyes brightened. "Your Highness’s yang fire is truly effective! Follow me quickly; it’s leading the way." With that, she tapped the agility charm on her chest and, like a wisp of blue smoke, vanished into the darkness, chasing the light.

Fu Heng’s gaze flickered as he gathered his energy and followed. She was not her. His Li'er did not possess such bizarre methods, nor would she ever disregard his well-being by draining his yang fire just to light a path. If it were Li'er, she would be far more concerned for his safety. Chu Meng was not Chu Li.

He would wait and see what other unfathomable tricks this woman had up her sleeve. If she could do something as sinister as stealing someone's yang fire, she was surely capable of using Eight Characters to track people. He would be waiting.