Qingyao woke up and opened her eyes to see the man before her with eyes brimming with deep affection. The warmth in his palm spread throughout her body, instantly reviving her. From this moment on, she was no longer a person of the past, but one of this life, to accompany him.
"I'm fine," she shifted her body, fine beads of sweat appearing on her skin. The pavilion was bathed in flickering lamplight, her face as beautiful as a flower, all traces of her previous indifference gone, replaced by a smile as light as the wind. "Thank you, Master."
Following Liu Zun, she affectionately called Elder Chi Xia "Master." The elder nodded with satisfaction and spoke with profound meaning.
"Everything in the world has its destiny. Time is fleeting, so cherish the people and things around you. I hope you will take care of yourself."
After speaking, he put away the crystal ball and led his young disciple slowly out of the pavilion. Silence returned to the pavilion. Qingyao turned to look at Liu Zun behind her, finding him gazing at her with unwavering devotion. His long fingers gently caressed her smooth, delicate face.
"What was your name before?"
Qingyao smiled. He had known all along and had accepted her as she was.
"Su Chen."
"Su Chen, I have always only loved Su Chen," he declared persistently, reaching out to pull her into his embrace. Her initial charming smile and reserved demeanor as she first entered the palace flashed through his mind.
Back then, she was already herself, not the person she was before, and that was what truly attracted him. Because she was Su Chen, a wisp of soul from another world, but the woman he truly loved.
"Thank you, Liu Zun."
She nestled in his arms, motionless. His embrace was now her home. Where he was, she would be. She would no longer feel lost or lonely, no longer afraid, no longer distrustful of men.
Liu Zun remained silent, holding her tighter. A faint fragrance wafted through the air as they both gazed at the moon in the sky. A full moon, reunited loved ones; everything was so beautiful...
The next day, early in the morning, a crowd gathered at the edge of the cliff in front of Yun Jian Valley. Liu Zun, Qingyao, and Xiao Yu'er, leading a few subordinates, kept looking back.
Amidst the distant mountains and nearby water, a natural landscape unfolded. The valley was still quiet. They were preparing to quietly leave the valley and return; they could not delay any longer. Who knew how chaotic Lin'an City had become?
"Let's go," Liu Zun said, taking Qingyao's hand and leaping onto the iron cable. Nan'an Wang followed closely with Xiao Yu'er, then Mo Chou, Bing Xiao, and Shen Yu, and in a blink, they had left Yun Jian Valley.
As everyone looked back from a distance, about to depart.
Suddenly, a gust of fragrant wind swept through, and a sweet, bell-like voice called out, "Wait a moment."
It was Ruan Xiaolian. She lightly hopped on her toes, her long sleeves dancing, and floated across the iron cable as if she were an immortal arriving through the mist. In a flash, she stood before the group.
Her expression had shed its previous boisterousness, and she was now incredibly elegant and serene. Without looking at the others, she walked directly up to Qingyao.
"Sister, it's been a pleasure meeting you. You are someone I admire. I didn't mean anything by what happened yesterday; I just wanted to spar with you."
Qingyao knew Ruan Xiaolian's nature was pure and that she was not a bad person. Perhaps she had admired Liu Zun before, but knowing he was not interested in her, she had let go. Such a person was worthy of respect.
"It's alright, what's past is past. Come find us in the capital when you have time."
"Okay," Ruan Xiaolian smiled, her white teeth like shining shells. She reached into her sleeve and took out a transparent glass bottle filled with a green liquid.
Even without opening it, a clear, faint fragrance wafted into the air, extremely pleasant. Everyone took a breath and felt refreshed, realizing this must be something precious.
Ruan Xiaolian placed the glass bottle into Qingyao's hand and spoke slowly.
"Since we've met, this is a gift from your sister. It's called 'Qun Fang Sui,' extracted from a hundred flowers. It can detoxify and beautify the skin. Please take it with you."
After speaking, Ruan Xiaolian did not wait for Qingyao's reply. With a swift movement, she gracefully departed. Qingyao watched her retreating figure and sighed softly, "She is truly a person of genuine emotions, incapable of any pretense. If she likes something, she likes it; if she dislikes something, she dislikes it."
As she spoke, her gaze drifted subtly towards Nan'an Wang Murong Liu Zhao. She knew Liu Zhao had once liked her, but in the river of time, many things slowly sink away, and he would surely find his destined match.
"This is Qun Fang Sui," Ming Yue said with interest, taking the bottle from Qingyao's hand and examining it closely before returning it to her. Qingyao raised an eyebrow in surprise, "What is it? Is there something unusual about it?"
"This Qun Fang Sui is said to be a rare detoxification pill and an excellent beauty enhancer, something priceless. I never expected it to come from Yun Jian Valley. No wonder Madam Yaochi, at sixty years old, still looks as beautiful and radiant as a young girl."
"So it's truly that magical."
Qingyao carefully put it away and smiled at everyone. Now that Liu Zun was well, they felt as if they had seen hope.
"Let's go, back to the capital."
"Yes," several people responded simultaneously. Qingyao glanced at Mo Chou and calmly commanded, "Mo Chou, immediately send a signal to the people at Feng Chen Palace and have them send Father back to Lin'an City. I fear Lin'an City is in great chaos right now, and there are many matters to attend to."
"Yes," Mo Chou nodded. The group, stepping through the morning mist, quickly descended the mountain.
The thin mist coiled in the air, and clear dewdrops hung on the emerald grass, reflecting a moist sheen. The dense forest was even more humid, and the group's clothes and hair quickly became damp and stuck to their faces.
As they walked down the mountain, rays of sunlight broke through the clouds. At the foot of the mountain, a clear spring flowed, and a blue lake rippled, presenting a beautiful scene brimming with the vitality of spring...
At the foot of the mountain, carriages and horses remained. Everyone mounted their horses or boarded their carriages with swift, neat movements, and departed Yun Jian Valley.
It wasn't just Murong Liu Zun and Qingyao; everyone else also knew that their journey back to the capital would likely involve a fierce battle.
Because Shangguan Hao would undoubtedly have laid a trap for them. What he feared most now was facing Murong Liu Zun.
On Tianshan Mountain, he rarely had the chance to defeat Liu Zun. Therefore, he knew that as soon as Murong Liu Zun appeared in Lin'an City, his game would be lost.
Thus, he spared no expense in hiring the most elite experts from the martial arts world to kill them. All the way to the capital, there were eighteen layers of defense. He refused to believe that he couldn't kill these people, couldn't stop them, and was determined to fight to the bitter end.
The victor becomes king, the loser becomes a bandit.
Murong Liu Zun and his group rushed day and night, not even bothering to disguise themselves, heading straight for the capital.
Although those martial arts experts were skilled, facing this group of people, each of whom was a top-tier fighter, and with Xiao Yu'er also preparing many hand grenades, they were outmatched.
Those individuals had never encountered such things. Sometimes, without even engaging in a full-blown fight, they were blown to pieces, their deaths gruesome.