Han Yi’s pupils suddenly contracted.
For the first time, a look of astonishment appeared on her usually expressionless little face.
‘Can’t even protect herself?’
‘This peak master who seemed so powerful in her perception?’
Su Wan’er pressed her hand to her chest, her fingertips turning white.
“On the day I was returning to the peak, I encountered a villain from the Joyous Union Sect. Although I killed him, I forcibly suppressed that overbearing… medicine’s effect, then rushed back to the peak at full speed. In the end, it damaged my foundation and left a hidden danger.”
“That was no ordinary charm poison. Mixed within it was an extremely sinister curse power that erodes the spirit soul. I used my cultivation level to forcefully suppress it. On the surface, nothing seemed wrong, but in reality, it’s like an ant hole in a dam— the hidden danger runs deep.”
She raised her eyes and looked at Han Yi, her gaze earnest.
“Recently, I’ve often felt my spiritual power flow sluggish, and my spirit soul occasionally aches. Even… sometimes I see phantoms that shouldn’t exist.”
“I secretly examined myself and found cracks in my Dao foundation. That curse power is like a gangrene clinging to the bone, slowly eroding my Nascent Soul. If I can’t find a targeted method to dissolve it, I’m afraid… the best outcome would be a severe drop in cultivation. In the worst case, Nascent Soul dispersal, soul backlash, and death—body and spirit obliterated—is not impossible.”
Each word struck Han Yi’s heart like an ice awl.
Although she was newly born and had only shallow understanding of cultivation matters, she still understood the severity of these words.
‘This cold, icy woman she didn’t even like… was she actually about to die?’
“This matter concerns the foundation of my cultivation, even my life and safety, and is also the secret of Jiaoyue Peak’s continued existence. I have not told anyone, not even Shen Mo.”
“I am telling you because… I trust you. I trust the strange connection between you and Mo’er. I trust that you… will protect him.”
“But this matter must never be known to a third person.” She spoke each word solemnly, a sharp glint appearing in her eyes. “Especially… do not tell your master, Shen Mo.”
“His nature is kind and pure. If he learns of this, he will be worried sick, seeking doctors and medicines everywhere, and might even… do something irrational, putting himself in danger.”
“He finally… these past few days he’s calmed down a little. I cannot… let him be frightened and worried again.”
“Currently, Yunyin Mountain seems calm on the surface, but in truth, dark currents are surging.”
“The matter of Chaoyun Peak is not yet resolved, and the attitude of Heavenly Sword Peak is unpredictable. There are also other forces watching covetously. If my cultivation is intact, I can still intimidate them a little. But if my severe injury is leaked, Jiaoyue Peak will immediately become the target of all attacks, and Shen Mo will bear the brunt.”
She leaned forward slightly, looking earnestly at Han Yi, speaking each word clearly and heavily:
“So, Han Yi, I am telling you this today not because I want you to do something for me.”
“It’s just… if that unfortunate day really comes, I ask you, for the sake of your master Shen Mo, please stay by his side and protect him completely. On this Yunyin Mountain, there is no one else I can trust to entrust this to besides you.”
After saying these words, Su Wan’er’s body swayed slightly, and she leaned against the cold jade table, closing her eyes to regulate her breathing.
After a long while, Han Yi nodded once, forcing out a few dry words from her throat:
“…Han Yi understands. Won’t… tell.”
“Thank you, Han Yi.”
“Today’s training ends here. You should go back. Don’t keep Shen Mo waiting.” She said warmly, as if that life-and-death entrustment had never happened.
Han Yi silently stood up, gave Su Wan’er a stiff bow, then turned and quickly left Qingyin Pavilion.
Her footsteps were much heavier than when she arrived, her silver hair silently trailing behind her.
……
When Han Yi found Shen Mo, he was in the Spirit Beast Garden bandaging the hind leg of a spirit rabbit.
The rabbit had somehow scraped its skin, leaving a shallow blood mark on its hind leg.
He crouched there, cleaning the wound little by little with spirit spring water, his movements so gentle as if afraid of hurting it.
“Master.” Han Yi stood at the door and called him.
Shen Mo didn’t turn around, just responded with a sound: “Mm.”
Han Yi looked at his crouched back.
That back was very thin; the shape of his shoulder blades was clearly visible through the thin fabric.
He had lost more weight recently, she could tell.
Since the day she came out of the eggshell, Su Wan’er taught her day and night, and he single-handedly supported the peak’s affairs, busy until late every day, sometimes even forgetting to eat.
She walked in, crouched down beside him, and told him the whole story.
Shen Mo stood frozen in the study of the main courtyard.
A common book about spiritual plant cultivation that was open in his hands slipped and fell to the ground with a “pat,” but it didn’t snap him out of his daze.
He looked at Han Yi, watched her mouth open and close, speaking words he couldn’t understand.
‘Cultivation falling, foundation damaged, might die.’
His mind went completely blank. Only those three words echoed over and over—might die
“Master?” Han Yi looked at his pale face, a little panicked. “Master, are you all right?”
Shen Mo did not answer.
He just slowly stood up, his legs a bit weak. He staggered and grabbed hold of the cage.
The spirit rabbit in the cage was startled, curling into a ball with its ears drooping, trembling.
He looked down at the rabbit, at its curled-up form, and suddenly remembered Su Wan’er’s appearance when she returned from Heavenly Sword Peak that day—covered in blood, unable to stand steadily, yet carrying a human head and smiling as she said, “I’m back.”
She killed that person. She didn’t let him succeed.
She dragged that body, walked two hours on the mountain path, and came back.
She thought she was fine, thought she would recover with rest, thought everything could still be redeemed.
But she wasn’t fine.
She had been enduring, hiding, pretending nothing happened.
And what was he doing?
He was afraid, he was hiding, desperately concealing those unspeakable secrets, pretending in front of her to be an innocent husband who had never done anything.
Shen Mo closed his eyes, and tears slid down from the corners.
“Master…” Han Yi’s voice trembled. “You’re crying.”
Shen Mo shook his head and wiped away his tears with the back of his hand.
“It’s nothing,” he said, his voice as hoarse as sandpaper grinding stone. “What else did she say?”
Han Yi hesitated. “She said not to tell you. She said you’ve waited so long, finally waited for her to return…”
He remembered that night when she held him and said, “I won’t make you wait anymore.” Her tone was so light, so genuine, like a promise she would definitely keep.
But she lied to him.
She had been lying to him from the very beginning.
She clearly knew she was about to die, yet she still smiled in front of him, said “Let’s have a child,” and pretended to be a wife who would stay with him for a lifetime.
He should hate her.
But he couldn’t bring himself to hate her.
He just felt heartache, a pain like something twisting in his chest, twisting until he couldn’t breathe.
Wan’er can’t be in danger.
Absolutely not.
It was he who had dragged her into this mire. He must find a way, at any cost, to save her.
But what could he do?
His cultivation was low. In front of those Nascent Soul and Deity Transformation great powers, he was like an ant.
He had no connections or resources to turn to, and even within Jiaoyue Peak, not everyone was necessarily reliable.
As for Yunyin Mountain… even the Sect Leader and Discipline Hall might not be trustworthy.
Then… who else?
A cold and powerful figure suddenly emerged in his chaotic mind.
If she could make Su Wan’er live, if she had a way to save her, if she would act—
He would do it.
He would do anything.