The Mountains and Rivers Are Waiting for Your Return

Pei Nai, the last heir of the Pei family and commander of the Pei Army, died heroically in the Battle of Cliff Valley ten years ago. She sacrificed her life alongside the enemy general Tuoba Huo to protect the nation, leaving behind a legacy as the Supreme Peerless Divine Martial Grand Lady. However, her soul did not pass into oblivion. Instead, she awoke in the body of Tang Mingzhi, a frail noblewoman who had died from illness. The resurrection was orchestrated by the Monk of Zhongchuan, an ancient master who had been a friend of Pei Nai’s father. The monk revealed that a Hun Tree Fragment, embedded in Mingzhi’s tongue, had preserved Pei Nai’s soul and facilitated her rebirth. Though Pei Nai regained her consciousness and martial prowess, she found herself in a world ten years changed: her former lover, Gu Jinheng, had risen to become the Duke of Duanding and served as the regent for the current emperor, Xiao Yi. The emperor, whom Pei Nai had once rescued from assassination, now ruled under the Chongde era name.

Pei Nai initially kept her true identity secret, posing as Tang Mingzhi while investigating the circumstances of her return. She discovered that Gu Jinheng had devoted himself to a woman named Lady Xuanwu, who owned the famous Mingyue Tower and bore a striking resemblance to Pei Nai. This revelation caused Pei Nai significant emotional turmoil, compounded by fragmented memories of past betrayals and the harsh reality that Gu Jinheng had never explicitly loved her. Meanwhile, the capital was plagued by a series of assassinations targeting government officials, creating an atmosphere of suspicion and fear. Pei Nai’s search for answers led her to encounter Ju Liancheng, the son of Gu Jinheng’s strategist Ju Yan, who possessed an eidetic memory and correctly identified Pei Nai despite her new appearance. Ju Liancheng agreed to keep her secret, recognizing the unique mannerisms and combat habits that belonged to the legendary Lady Yingwu.

As Pei Nai adjusted to her new life, she continued to train in secret, refining the Ten Thousand Hatreds Palm and the Fixed Light Compassion Palm taught to her by the monk. Her path crossed with envoys from the State of Qilu, including Gongyang Zisheng, the master of the Southern Wuqiang Sword. During a confrontation in the woods, Pei Nai demonstrated her superior spear techniques, forcing Gongyang to acknowledge her skill while noting the peculiarities of her palm strikes. These encounters highlighted the shifting dynamics of the martial world, where the Upper Three Mountains still held sway but new powers were emerging. Pei Nai also learned that her death had not been entirely voluntary; Gu Jinheng believed she had chosen to die to avoid seeing him, a misunderstanding that deepened the emotional complexity of their past relationship.

The narrative unfolds against the backdrop of political intrigue within the imperial court. Gu Jinheng, though powerful, faced growing tension with Emperor Xiao Yi, who sought to consolidate his own authority. The Duke mourned Pei Nai publicly, standing before her portrait in the ancestral hall, yet his emotional distance from her during their lifetime remained a source of regret. Pei Nai, now inhabiting Mingzhi’s body, found herself entangled in these web of secrets. She interacted with Wang Yixi, the Princess Chenzhao, who provided insights into the public perception of Pei Nai and Lady Xuanwu. The story moves toward a reckoning where Pei Nai must decide whether to reveal her identity to Gu Jinheng and Xiao Yi, or continue operating from the shadows to uncover the true purpose of her rebirth and the conspiracy that led to her death.