Chapter 230: Tears of the Moon Goddess – When Chance Becomes Destiny

Traveling north, they didn’t know how long they had gone, but judging by the darkening sky and the setting sun, at the speed of “Wind-Chasing Horse,” they must be nearly a thousand miles away from the Thunder Sun Star Palace. Liu Yi had thought that once they reached the palace, he could find Lord Thunder. Even though there had been some tension between them in the arena, it shouldn’t be too difficult to find out July’s whereabouts.

However, upon arriving, Liu Yi realized that Lord Thunder wasn’t in the palace. As they traveled, his worries grew. Lord Thunder was now the only one who could locate Yu Chenxing, but since he was missing, finding July would be even more troublesome. With these thoughts, Liu Yi sighed.

Ye Luobaihua glanced at Liu Yi and asked, “What? Worried about July?”

Liu Yi shook his head. He himself wasn’t sure either, but one thing was clear: since Lord Thunder couldn’t be found, it would be even harder to get any news about Yu Chenxing and July. Considering his limited time, if things continued like this, he might not achieve much before falling into darkness.

Ye Luobaihua looked at the sky and then at the endless desolation around them. She took out the sketch and said, “It’s getting late. Let’s find a place to rest. According to the markings on the map, there should be a town ahead.”

Liu Yi nodded without saying anything.

Ye Luobaihua folded up the sketch and said, “Worrying won’t help. After tonight, if we still have no news, we’ll go to other palaces of the Lan family. Surely the palace masters aren’t all absent. If Yu Chenxing really belongs to their royal family, I think other rulers must also know her whereabouts.”

Hearing this, Liu Yi looked at Ye Luobaihua and nodded. “That’s the only option. Let’s rest well tonight and plan tomorrow.”

About another fifteen minutes passed, and indeed, at the speed of “Wind-Chasing Horse,” they soon found a bustling small town. Although it was already dark, the town was lively with people coming and going. The street stalls, the fragrant food in the restaurants, and the lanterns along the roads all reflected the joy and happiness of its inhabitants.

Liu Yi and Ye Luobaihua dismounted from “Wind-Chasing Horse,” led their mounts, and walked inside. It had been a long time since they had seen such a lively scene. As they walked, Ye Luobaihua said, “It’s really bustling here—more so than in the city.”

Liu Yi nodded. “It’s too lively for this town. Look… there are so many people, but most of them don’t seem to be from here.”

After Liu Yi pointed it out, Ye Luobaihua also began to notice the crowd. He was right—only a few people here seemed to be doing small business or being locals. The rest wore strange outfits and carried various weapons, appearing to be cultivators. But what were they doing here?

Ye Luobaihua asked, “It’s strange. Something seems to be going on.”

Liu Yi nodded and said, “That restaurant over there looks very busy. Let’s stay there today… I think we can find out what we need to know there. Maybe Lord Lei’s trip is related to this as well.”
Ye Luo Baihua smiled and nodded, “There’s no such coincidence.”
As they talked, they walked up to the large restaurant by the road. There were small stalls everywhere around it, and under the eaves, more than a dozen yellow lanterns added to its beauty. When the waiter saw Liu Yi and Ye Luo Baihua, he hurried over with a bow, saying, “Gentlemen, let me help you take care of your mounts.” Then he took the reins from their hands.
Liu Yi didn’t say much and entered the restaurant. Inside, it was bustling with activity—there wasn’t a single empty table. Liu Yi frowned. The people there clearly weren’t ordinary; how could such a small town suddenly have so many people? Just as he was thinking, the waiter came over and said, “Gentlemen, the first floor is full. Let’s go to the second floor.”
Liu Yi nodded and followed the waiter, asking, “Is business good here? So many people…”
The waiter replied quickly, “You’re an outsider, so you might not know. Business is actually good, but it’s not always this busy. These past few days, for some reason, many outsiders have come to the town, all seeming to be important people.”
Liu Yi nodded. “I am indeed an outsider, just passing by.”
The waiter smiled and led them upstairs. The second floor had dozens of tables, all occupied, but not completely full. Liu Yi and Ye Luo Baihua found a table by the window and sat down. Then Liu Yi ordered some dishes from the waiter and reserved two rooms.
He poured tea for Ye Luo Baihua and himself, then began observing the people around. From what he saw, almost everyone there was a cultivator—definitely not ordinary people. While drinking tea, he thought, “What could be going on?”
Ye Luo Baihua, however, spoke directly from her thoughts, saying to Liu Yi, “The people here are so strange.”
Liu Yi nodded. “I don’t know what’s happening, but it must be something that brought so many people… It’s not as lively as your marriage selection, but it’s probably similar.”
Ye Luo Baihua took a sip of tea and said anxiously, “What are you talking about?”
Liu Yi glanced around and laughed. “Oh, nothing. Just a joke. But… we should be able to get some information here. There are all kinds of people in this restaurant. With so many people, if we pay close attention, it won’t be hard to figure out what’s going on.” As soon as he finished speaking, a monkey climbed up from below—it was Tie Shi.
Tie Shi looked around at the people and then at Liu Yi, saying, “I’ve seen this kind of thing many times. So many people together usually means nothing good—either a treasure or some secret manual. Only those things can interest them.”
Liu Yi nodded. “Even if it’s a treasure… what kind of treasure? I’m more concerned about Lord Lei’s whereabouts.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the waiter brought over the drinks and dishes Liu Yi had ordered. While drinking, Liu Yi listened carefully to the conversations around him, hoping to find the answers he wanted. Indeed, people who drank too much couldn’t keep their mouths shut, and there were quite a few such people in this restaurant. Soon, the people at the third table to Liu Yi’s left began discussing something.

Liu Yi gathered his spiritual energy and listened intently. One voice said, “I heard the ruler of the Lan family is here too. It seems our chances are really slim.” Another rough voice replied, “So what? Even if they’re strong, what does it matter if we can’t find or get it?” The first voice continued, “Brother, you can’t say that. People with such high cultivation levels surely have a better chance of getting it. I heard the Mingyue family is here too to compete for it. Hey, it’s strange—why would these two things appear together?”

Although Liu Yi didn’t fully understand what the two were talking about, he already had a clear idea. As the greedy monkey at the table said, it must be some treasure or precious item; otherwise, these people wouldn’t be so focused. But what could possibly make the entire Lan family mobilize? And… even the hidden Mingyue family was interested in it?

Liu Yi continued drinking while listening. One voice asked, “What’s the use of these two things anyway?” Another voice paused before answering, “I’ve only heard they’re treasures, but no one knows what use they serve. But since they appeared together this time, I think there’ll be quite a stir at the Rotation Peak.”

After hearing their conversation, Liu Yi drained his cup in one gulp. Ye Luobaihua, while eating, said, “There’s no need to worry now. Not only do we have news from Lord Lei, but if I’m guessing right, with good luck, we might even meet July. Then everything will be fine.”

Liu Yi looked at Ye Luobaihua, seemingly puzzled, and asked, “Meet July? How so?” Ye Luobaihua replied, “Think about it—Yuchenxing’s behavior during that matchmaking event. She’s not the kind to stay put. Now that some treasure has appeared and the ruler of the Lan family has shown up, do you think she’ll stay alone? Given her personality, she’ll definitely go to the Rotation Peak too. There’s at least a 50% chance we can meet July.”

Liu Yi nodded at Ye Luobaihua and then said, “Since when did you become so smart?” Ye Luobaihua quickly replied, “When have I ever been stupid?” Liu Yi took a sip of wine and said, “Well, you’re not stupid, but compared to Yuchenxing’s eloquence, you’re still far behind…” The two continued talking while eating. Before long, time passed, the moon set, and the sun rose. After washing up, they left the restaurant and headed outside the town. Once outside, they mounted their mounts. Liu Yi placed Tieshi in front of the mount and asked Ye Luobaihua, “Do you know what the Rotation Peak is?” Ye Luobaihua nodded and said, “Yes, its location is marked on the map. It doesn’t seem very far. There should be a town there. We can go there first to gather information and keep an eye on the Lan family’s movements.” Liu Yi nodded and said, “Good, let’s go.”

After days of long journeys, despite taking breaks, Ye Luobaihua was still an ordinary person and appeared somewhat tired. Yet whenever she saw the concern in Liu Yi’s eyes for July, she forgot her own fatigue. She seemed even more anxious than Liu Yi to find July. For some reason, all she could think of was helping him overcome all his troubles, including finding July.

The “Wind-Chasing Horse” was fast. Although the distance seemed short on a map, it was actually about a hundred miles. But on the back of the “Wind-Chasing Horse,” the two of them only took a little over an hour to reach the town at the foot of the Rotating Peaks.

The town appeared larger than the previous one. The houses were scattered without any pattern, and the streets were crowded with people. Workers inside and outside the restaurants shouted loudly, making it seem very lively. But having passed the previous town, Liu Yi and the others naturally understood why there were so many people. It seemed everyone had come for those two unknown items. At that moment, a familiar figure flashed before Liu Yi’s eyes. Looking at the man in green, Liu Yi felt both familiarity and strangeness. An impulse made him jump off his mount and say, “Sir ahead, please wait a moment.”

As soon as Liu Yi spoke, the man in green stopped and slowly turned around. It was a young man in his twenties, with fair skin, sharp eyebrows, and a strong build. His long black hair was neatly tied back, and he had no weapons in his hands. Hearing Liu Yi’s question, a hint of confusion appeared on his handsome face.

Although Liu Yi thought the man’s attire was ordinary and he carried no weapons, his robust build indicated that he must be a skilled cultivator at some level. Moreover… he seemed familiar to Liu Yi, though he couldn’t recall where he had seen him. Seeing the man’s confusion, Liu Yi didn’t know what to say and even forgot why he had called out to him.

Just as the awkwardness grew, Ye Luobaihua also dismounted and stepped beside Liu Yi. Looking at the handsome young man, she blurted out in her sweet voice, “Is it you?”

Hearing Ye Luobaihua’s words, Liu Yi asked, “Do you know him?”

Ye Luobaihua shook her head and said, “No, don’t you remember? Two days ago at the border restaurant, a man from the Mingyue Clan killed Lan Laojun. If I’m not mistaken, it should be him.”

The young man across looked at Liu Yi, then at Ye Luobaihua, and suddenly smiled. “Princess Baihua has a great memory. After just a brief encounter, you still remember so clearly. I guess if you hadn’t mentioned it, the man beside you would still be wondering for a while.”

Liu Yi wasn’t surprised that the young man knew Ye Luobaihua’s identity; he found it quite interesting. But looking at the people coming and going around, he realized this wasn’t the right place to talk. The people from the Mingyue Clan were already suspicious, and this young man had even killed the son of the Yan Emperor. Staying here might bring trouble. So Liu Yi stepped forward and said, “Friend, could we find a place to have a drink?”

The young man in green gave them a emotionless glance and casually replied, “Sure.”

Later, the three of them entered a nearby restaurant that was crowded. They sat in a corner. Liu Yi was puzzled why the young man had agreed to his request so readily. What was even more strange was that after killing Lan Laojun, the young man dared to show up in a crowded place—was he not afraid of Yan Jun’s revenge? They ordered some small dishes, and Liu Yi poured himself some wine. He wanted to ask questions but didn’t know where to start. At that moment, the young man across from him took a sip of wine and said, “Sir, you didn’t call me here just to drink, did you?” Liu Yi looked at the young man and asked, “Why not just for drinking?” The young man in green glanced at Liu Yi, nodded slightly, then looked around and said, “Look… do all these people come here just to drink? I think what they really want are those two precious stones from the Rotating Peaks. If I’m not wrong, sir, you wouldn’t have come to this desolate place for no reason, right?” Hearing this, Liu Yi realized the man knew quite a lot about the treasures in the Rotating Peaks. Though that wasn’t what he had in mind, the man’s words piqued Liu Yi’s curiosity about these items. What could possibly attract so many people, even prompting the entire Lan family to mobilize? Liu Yi smiled and nodded, saying, “I’m Liu Yi.” The young man in green glanced at him and said, “I suppose you already know I’m from the Mingyue family. You can call me Wuxin.” Ye Luobaihua heard the names and repeated, “Mingyue, Wuxin. Mingyue Wuxin… it sounds like a famous name.” Liu Yi didn’t care much and continued, “Young man Wuxin, you’ve misunderstood. I’m not here for those precious stones at all. In fact, I don’t even know what they are. It’s just that a friend of mine has gone missing, and I’m here to look for clues. But… since you’ve already guessed, it doesn’t hurt to explain. I’m curious too.” Mingyue Wuxin blurted out, “Oh? You came for a friend? Then it seems I was wrong. But if Sir Liu wants to know, I can tell it as a story. Anyway, the older generation already knows it.” Liu Yi nodded and said, “Then please go ahead.” Mingyue Wuxin thought for a moment before continuing, “Those two precious stones are more like a legend. No one can confirm whether they really exist, nor do they know what use they serve. But they’re definitely rare treasures. As for their appearance, they’re said to be no different from ordinary gems, just larger and with different colors—deep blue and black.” Liu Yi nodded and smiled helplessly, saying, “There are such ridiculous things in the world—people fight desperately to get them without even knowing what they’re for.” Mingyue Wuxin added, “The stones aren’t useless. Those who obtain them will naturally know their true use. These two stones have different names, different stories, and different legends.” Ye Luobaihua hurriedly asked, “There are stories and names too?” Mingyue Wuxin nodded and said, “Yes. It’s a very sad love story—a legend that shouldn’t have existed.”

Hearing Mingyue Wuxin’s words, Liu Yi felt a sudden sharp pain in his heart. He didn’t know why this pain arose suddenly, but an intuition told him that the story Mingyue Wuxin was about to tell was likely related to him, to those two stones.

Mingyue Wuxin took a sip of wine and continued, “The deep blue stone has a beautiful name—‘Tears of the Moon.’ As for its powers or abilities, no one knows, because no one has ever tried it. It only exists in legends, where it is said to have appeared when the Moon Goddess shed a tear. Since then, the people of the underworld have taken an interest in this stone.”

Ye Luobaihua seemed very interested and asked, “Who is the Moon Goddess? How could a tear turn into a gemstone?”

Mingyue Wuxin replied, “The Moon Goddess is just a legend. No one knows if she really exists, or perhaps it’s just a name people gave to the moon. You could also say that the stone is the moon’s tear. On Earth, sixty years ago, at Yuecang Mountain…”

Ye Luobaihua quickly asked, “How can the moon have tears?”

Meanwhile, Liu Yi’s mind was racing as he recalled Mingyue Wuxin’s words. Back in the distant past, it was necessary to gather nine kinds of tears to make the flowers and leaves of the Other Side Flower grow together, and one of those tears was the moon’s tear. Could it be… that the moon’s tear was that stone? And since that tear came from Earth, from Yuecang Mountain sixty years ago, then was this story his own story?

Suddenly, an indescribable feeling choked Liu Yi. Was everything… predestined? Was the outcome sixty years ago meant only for a process sixty years later? Liu Yi felt as if he were being manipulated by some invisible force, as if he were being led by something unseen…