“Do you think these medicinal ingredients are enough?” Xuan Qing placed a large pile of spiritual plants and herbs on the table in Bai Shengyi’s room, asking gently, “If not, your senior brother will find more for you.”
“It’s enough.”
Without needing to look closely, Bai Shengyi knew that Xuan Qing had bought almost double the amount of every herb she had requested.
She was genuinely ill, not feigning sickness to trick Xuan Qing. Therefore, upon receiving the herbs, she wasted no time. She took a wakefulness pill to clear her head and began refining the Cold Breaking Powder.
However, Xuan Qing did not leave.
“May I take a look, Senior Brother?” Xuan Qing’s eyes revealed a hint of curiosity.
Bai Shengyi, thinking of her own plan, replied, “Of course.”
So, Xuan Qing sat down in the room. He sat quietly beside her, making no sound. After a long while, Bai Shengyi almost forgot that someone was in the room.
Refining the Cold Breaking Powder was effortless for Bai Shengyi. She finished quickly and, taking out a jade bottle from her storage bag, poured half of it to give to Xuan Qing.
“This thing is quite useful for cultivators suffering from colds and fevers.”
After handing it to Xuan Qing, she did not observe his reaction. Instead, she took her medicine and began to usher him out.
“Senior Brother, I am tired and wish to rest.”
Xuan Qing felt both joy and heartache. Had his junior sister suffered greatly outside, to have acquired these skills? If only he had found her reincarnation sooner.
“Alright, alright. The State Lord also has some matters to discuss with me, so I must be going out. Junior Sister, you rest well.”
After speaking, Xuan Qing left with hurried steps.
Bai Shengyi faintly saw that the corners of his eyes were a little red.
“Could he have been crying?” Bai Shengyi murmured to herself.
Unseen by anyone, as soon as Xuan Qing left the State Preceptor’s mansion, the newly grown vine in Bai Shengyi’s courtyard slowly pulled itself out of the soil, twisting and wriggling, it stealthily crept along the wall and into Bai Shengyi’s room…
“Master~ Master~”
“Little Vine Leaf?”
Bai Shengyi had not encountered the Qíng Mèng Vine for three years and thought she would need more time to find it. She hadn't expected the Qíng Mèng Vine to come to her.
The probing vine tip that stretched in rejoiced.
Sob sob sob! It’s really Master! It’s not an illusion trying to trick Little Vine Leaf!
Little Vine Leaf has suffered too much!
It had gone to find spiritual value for Master, but unexpectedly, it was dragged into this accursed place without paying attention. Upon entering, it fainted and was planted in the Star Gazing Tower like any ordinary plant. When it finally regained consciousness, two Nascent Soul stage cultivators, bored while guarding the entrance, actually broke off its vine sections one by one to relieve their stress!
It was simply insane!
The key point was that the Qíng Mèng Vine knew it was no match for two Nascent Soul cultivators, so it dared not reveal that it was a spiritual plant with consciousness. It had no choice but to pretend nothing had happened.
When Bai Shengyi and Xuan Qing were fighting in the beast arena, it sensed Bai Shengyi’s aura and followed the two cultivators into the arena. However, it was caught in the spiritual energy waves from Xuan Qing’s battle with the two Nascent Soul cultivators. The entire vine was burned into a withered state and blown by the wind to a corner in a courtyard within the State Preceptor’s mansion.
There, it saw Bai Shengyi and immediately rushed over to recognize her. Unexpectedly, it turned out to be an illusion! And an illusion imbued with killing intent. The Qíng Mèng Vine almost lost its entire form.
“Sob sob sob Master, this is the spiritual plant Little Vine Leaf found for you…” It cried while spitting out spiritual plants.
Its delicate jade-green leaves curled up, looking both adorable and pathetic.
Bai Shengyi couldn’t help but affectionately stroke its leaves. “Thank you, our Little Vine Leaf. You’ve been wronged.”
She took out a large handful of top-grade spirit stones and placed them before the Qíng Mèng Vine. “Quick, replenish yourself.”
The Qíng Mèng Vine had not seen such abundant spiritual energy for a long time. Since entering this cursed place, the spiritual energy within had a very peculiar smell, which it disliked intensely.
It happily rolled in the spirit stones, filled with bliss.
“Where is that courtyard with the killing-intent illusion you encountered before? Can you take me there?” Bai Shengyi needed to confirm.
“Of course! Master, let me tell you, that courtyard was truly strange. I clearly sensed your aura, but upon entering, everything was fake…”
Bai Shengyi didn’t understand what the Qíng Mèng Vine meant at first. It was only when she followed the Qíng Mèng Vine to the depths of the snow lotus flowers and pushed open the door that she instantly understood.
At a glance, the courtyard was filled everywhere with flourishing snow lotus flowers, in the gaps of the fence, on the eaves, under the tree’s shadow… everywhere were these slender yet pure white and soft moonlit sprites.
Countless flowers swayed in the wind, blooming, like a fairyland—but only if one didn’t look at the maidens in the courtyard, some sitting, some standing, some practicing swordplay.
“This…” Bai Shengyi’s mouth gaped open.
These maidens all had the same face, bearing a six or seven-tenths resemblance to her. Without much thought, Bai Shengyi knew who it was.
It was Sheng Yi.
An unspeakable feeling surged into Bai Shengyi’s heart. She forgot even the Qíng Mèng Vine Leaf and instinctively stepped into the courtyard.
Upon entering, the boundless flowers swayed even faster, as if welcoming her.
Moonlight cascaded down like a waterfall, its gentle light falling upon Bai Shengyi. She walked among the snow lotuses, as if becoming one with the sea of flowers.
Her fingers touched an illusion, and the illusion shattered like bubbles with a “poof.” However, it did not present any danger as the Qíng Mèng Vine had said.
Bai Shengyi walked all the way into the house.
Upon entering, she discovered that there were no extra furnishings inside. It was also filled with snow lotuses, but here, the pure white petals of the snow lotuses were tinged with a faint red at their tips.
A transparent ice coffin, wide enough for two people, was placed in the center of the sea of flowers.
Inside the ice coffin, on the left lay a maiden with a smile on her lips but a pale face. On the right, however, lay—
Xuan Qing!
“Isn’t that the State Preceptor? Why is he in there?”
The Qíng Mèng Vine had also seen Xuan Qing twice and, due to its great apprehension of his aura, had a deep memory of him. It recognized him instantly.
Bai Shengyi frowned and raised her hand, intending to push the ice coffin away.
At that very moment, a sharp gust of wind pierced the air!
“Swish!”
Bai Shengyi drew her sword to block. As her gaze lifted slightly, she saw Xuan Qing, who had claimed to be going to see the State Lord, standing not far away. Clad in flowing green robes, he appeared elegant and ethereal, like a banished immortal.
“Junior Sister, why aren’t you being good?”
Bai Shengyi’s fingers gripped her sword, her fingertips trembling slightly from the pressure in the air, but her heart felt much steadier than before.
“You are not Xuan Qing. You are merely the artifact spirit.”
She did not ask a question but stated it with absolute certainty.
Xuan Qing smiled slightly, his gentle yet cold eyebrows revealing a hint of wickedness.
“So?”
He raised his head, tugging at the corner of his mouth silently. When he looked at Bai Shengyi again, his eyes were filled with a dark, blood-red hue.
“Junior Sister, I have already followed your command, allowing you and Xuan Qing to be together in life and death. Yet, you wish to break your promise? You clearly said that if there were a next life, you would accompany me to conquer battlefields and live a life of freedom.”