While Su Lingling and Chu Youtong were discussing things that would make Su Qianqian tremble with fright if she heard them, Su Qianqian herself was starting a two-person “date” with Lin Muxue.
“Muxue, this one’s tasty, try it.” Su Qianqian picked up a fried dumpling with a bamboo skewer and naturally brought it to Lin Muxue’s lips.
Lin Muxue felt the warmth so close to her lips, chuckled softly, and opened her mouth, taking a bite…
“It really does taste good.” Lin Muxue responded gently, her voice filled with warmth.
“Let’s bring some back for Lingling, she’s always liked these.” As Su Qianqian ate, she was still thinking about her younger sister.
It was the most natural thing in the world—even though Lingling had gotten up to mischief the day before, the bond of family was something that couldn’t be severed.
Of course, Lin Muxue didn’t see anything wrong with this.
Both Su Lingling and Su Qianqian were her good disciples; having a close relationship was a good thing.
“Let’s go check over there, it looks lively.” Su Qianqian suddenly pointed to a place where a crowd had gathered, curiosity shining in her eyes, and she pulled Lin Muxue along with her.
Although she could have used her divine sense to scan and immediately know everything, since she was out having fun with Lin Muxue, she didn’t want that kind of all-knowing feeling.
That would defeat the purpose of wandering the streets.
It was clear Lin Muxue felt the same; she could have covered the whole city with her divine sense with ease, but never used it.
With the one you love, you want to see everything with your own eyes…
Holding that soft hand, Lin Muxue suddenly felt as if it were all unreal, as if she had suddenly gained everything she ever wanted. A warm current flowed through her entire body…
“So this is… the feeling of happiness?” Lin Muxue couldn’t help but smile, her eyes and lips curving into a radiant expression never before seen!
“Muxue, let’s go a bit further—”
Su Qianqian turned to look at Lin Muxue, but stopped mid-sentence.
She had never seen Lin Muxue smile so brightly, like a flower in bloom—so brilliant, so dazzling…
Su Qianqian’s heart skipped a beat, her cheeks flushed uncontrollably.
She stared blankly at Lin Muxue, completely forgetting what she was about to say.
Only when she noticed Lin Muxue’s slightly puzzled look did she snap back to her senses, continuing her words, though a bit stammering: “A-little further up, my height—I can’t see over there without divine sense…”
“Is that so… Then how about over there? I’d really like to try it.” Lin Muxue pointed in a direction.
Turning to look, Su Qianqian saw a father holding up his young child so the child could see what was going on in the distance.
Before Su Qianqian could respond, she was already lifted up—indeed, it was embarrassing to be held like that in front of so many people, but… it felt pretty nice.
Now held high, her field of view widened. Even though Swordflight could offer a much more sweeping view, at this moment there was an indescribable sense of wonder…
Taking advantage of her vantage point, Su Qianqian looked to the center of the crowd.
“Is it a street performance? It’s pretty interesting, even better than that over there…”
As she watched, a series of vivid memories suddenly surfaced in Su Qianqian’s mind—memories of going out with Luo Wuhen.
The familiar setting triggered a flood of recollections, finally freezing on Luo Wuhen’s hopeless face as they parted, an image that wouldn’t leave no matter what…
Su Qianqian suddenly felt exhausted, and her expression fell.
Lin Muxue, who had been watching her closely, quickly set her down: “Sorry, Qianqian, do you not like this…”
“It’s nothing, just seeing the performance made me remember some things.” Su Qianqian replied to Lin Muxue.
But in her heart, she kept murmuring…
[In the end, I still had feelings for her… But that’s the ending she deserved, there’s no need to pity her, no need…]
After comforting herself for a long time, Su Qianqian looked at Lin Muxue with a smile again: “Master, let’s go, let’s look somewhere else.”
“……”
“Let’s go, this city is big, there are so many places to see.” Lin Muxue felt that Su Qianqian’s smile was a little forced, but today, she would accompany Su Qianqian no matter what.
The past couldn’t be erased, so she would fill it with a new, beautiful memory…
Walking down the road, Su Qianqian once again took the initiative to grab Lin Muxue’s hand.
She’d already made up her mind—she would be the one to take the lead, and for now, she’d start by taking the initiative to hold hands…
Happy times always pass quickly, and that’s even truer for cultivators. Before they knew it, night had fallen…
Throughout the whole day, memories of Luo Wuhen would surface now and then, triggered by various sights.
But… her experiences with Lin Muxue were slowly starting to take their place…
No one noticed that the karmic bond between Su Qianqian and Luo Wuhen was quietly fading…
But for now, Luo Wuhen could be set aside, because a very important moment was at hand!
The two returned to the Cave Dwelling, which was quiet and still inside.
“That’s odd, Lingling’s not back yet?” Su Qianqian was getting worried—she really was anxious that something might happen to Su Lingling while she was out with Chu Youtong!
It might seem like she was being overprotective, but… Lingling had never stayed out overnight before!
“Eh, there’s a note… It’s from Lingling? ‘You two have something important tonight, so I won’t stay here to get in the way. Wishing you a night unlike any other—Love, your sister and disciple, (‘o’)’”
Su Qianqian and Lin Muxue looked at each other, Lin Muxue’s face openly radiating anticipation.
“Master, shall we go to your room?”
“Mm, alright, but… I’m not very good at this, so…”
“Hehe, that’s why this time, I’m going to take the initiative~” Su Qianqian grinned mischievously at Lin Muxue, her eyes twinkling, making Lin Muxue’s heart itch. Now that she had permission…
“Eh—?” Su Qianqian was swept up in Lin Muxue’s arms, and Lin Muxue strode quickly toward the room!
At that moment, a full moon hung in the sky—the largest it had been in months.
……
On the other side, though Su Lingling had left a note to reassure her sister, she was still inexplicably agitated!
“Calm down, calm down…” Su Lingling sat cross-legged, but every time she thought about what might be happening right now, her mind just wouldn’t settle.
“Hey, what if we just barge in and catch them in the act? That’d be hilarious!” Chu Youtong said with a teasing laugh.
Su Lingling shot Chu Youtong a glare: “Go ahead, but do you really dare? At worst I’ll get scolded and be accused of being led astray by you, but as for you… are you sure you’ll make it out in one piece?”
“Tch, you’re no fun. Su Lingling, you have no sense of humor~”
“Heh…”
……
Time passed silently, the moon approaching its largest, brightest phase…
Chu Youtong started to feel sleepy, but with her cultivation, how could she feel drowsy unless she wanted to?
But… she really was sleepy. Her mind grew sluggish…
Su Lingling looked over at the now slouching Chu Youtong, a bit puzzled. Did she, like her sister, also have a habit of sleeping every night?
But Su Lingling’s cultivation was too low to notice the Heiqi slowly rising from Chu Youtong’s body…
That dark, corrosive power inched closer to her without her knowing…
But when it was still half a meter away, a light she herself could not see suddenly burst from Su Lingling’s body—the very Power of Taiyin that had protected Lin Muxue and Luo Wuhen!
In an instant, Su Lingling was shrouded in an exceptionally dense white aura!
The encroaching Heiqi was immediately purified and dissipated, and even its unintentional backlash dealt heavy damage to the core of the blackness within Chu Youtong!
It was as if the aura had a will of its own; it started to avoid Su Lingling, retreating to hide inside Chu Youtong again.
But suddenly, within Chu Youtong another surge of the Power of Taiyin emerged from nowhere, and in an instant, the Abyssal Power was completely wiped out, the Power of Taiyin fading as if it had never existed.
Just then, Chu Youtong woke up with a start and immediately began checking herself—how had she fallen asleep so naturally?
That was not normal! Unfortunately, she found nothing amiss, only making Su Lingling think she was being jumpy and neurotic.
……
Not far away, Su Qianqian, who had resolved to “take charge” and be proactive, hadn’t lasted long before being completely routed!
Now thoroughly passive, at a certain critical moment, two figures flashed through Su Qianqian’s mind!
Luo Wuhen did not appear, but for some reason, Chu Youtong did! And not only her—why was Lingling there, too?!
Embarrassment washed over her, and along with it, something else.
……
Far away, in the Ziyuan Kingdom, Luo Wuhen’s belly was now round and full. She had decided not to attend court until Siqian was born.
All major affairs were to be reported to her; her ministers were all trusted aides now, so no big problems were expected.
Feeling the movements in her womb, Luo Wuhen’s face shone with maternal radiance—a side of her no one had ever seen.
Grow quickly, grow up healthy. Everything I owe her, I’ll repay to you…
But what she didn’t realize was that Ouyang Wen, the Prime Minister she had entrusted with great responsibility, was already being subtly eroded by an unconscious power, one that was silently spreading through the ministers and into the very faith of the nation.
And at that moment, this situation, using everyone who had ever been to Duanyuan City as a nexus, was quietly spreading… until, at last, it would fully ignite!
……