The commotion Tian Yao made last night was too severe. Trees were broken. Earth was ripped up. The surroundings today were still a mess. However, the waters in the icy spring had already become clear and clean. It didn't look any different than the previous days.
Yan Hui knelt by the water and look at her reflection in the water. Her mind swirled with what Xian Ge had just told her. They raced around in the thoughts. She suddenly reached out and swatted at her own reflection. Then without even taking off her outer robes, Yan Hui dove in.
The spring was actually very deep. Yan Hui held her breath and kept swimming down. Her mind was filled with the image of Ling Xiao teaching her xian magic and cultivation. For the past 10 years, he was there every moment, accompanying her. Yan Hui continued to swim down like she wanted to spend every ounce of strength.
10 years of memories revolved through her mind like a carousal. She squeezed her eyes shut and let herself sink to the bottom. She stayed here until the suffocation made her chest hurt. Then Yan Hui shot up to the surface and gulped in a deep breath of air.
The sudden rush of fresh air turned her vision black for a split second.
Her head was above water, and then Yan Hui relaxed the rest of her body. She floated on top of the spring water like a withered leaf.
The night sky was filled with dazzling stars. Yan Hui closed her eyes and tried hard to clear her mind. Perhaps she was too tired because her mind really did clear not long afterwards. She quickly sank into darkness. Just a few moments later, Yan Hui saw a dark figure standing there in front of her.
This time after seeing that dark figure, she didn't try to chase after it. She just stood where she was and looked: "Head Senior Disciple." Her voice was extremely quiet. "Sooner or later, I will avenge you."
When Yan Hui said those words, the figure that was quietly standing there seemed to frown. His face was worried.
She didn't know what he was concerned about, but then suddenly her body swayed. Yan Hui immediately woke up.
She opened her eyes and saw she was wrapped in a very warm embrace.
Tian Yao's forehead was tightly furrowed. His lips were pinched together, and he didn't say a sound. It made Yan Hui concerned: "What is it?"
"I thought....." Those two words spilled out of his mouth without control. Tian Yao realized he sounded anxious and immediately stopped talking. He turned his head and released Yan Hui. Tian Yao stood up. He patted at his clothes before mildly saying: "It's nothing."
Yan Hui looked at the spring. She then looked at the awkward Tian Yao and guessed: "You thought I committed suicide?"
Tian Yao turned to leave: "It's good that it wasn't anything serious."
"I won't do something like that." Yan Hui didn't care that Tian Yao's back was facing her. She looked at the night sky. "I didn't do it the day you rescued me from Chen Xing Mountain, so from then on I won't do it either. I'm staying alive because I have more important things to do."
Tian Yao's footsteps paused. He slightly turned his head to look out of the corner of his eyes at Yan Hui.
To his surprised, she was smiling. Yan Hui left the spring and walked toward him. Her tone was a little lighter: "As for you, were you always following me?"
Tian Yao lightly coughed: "You can continue soaking. The earlier you heal, the better...." Saying that, he took a step to avoid her, but his sleeves was lightly caught by Yan Hui. Tian Yao was a little stunned. He turned to look at Yan Hui.
"Although we both said there's no need to thank each other," Yan Hui gazed at Tian Yao as she talked. Her bright eyes seemed to reflect the multitude of stars. "But I still have to say it. I'm really thankful that at times like these, you are here."
Tian Yao's eyes seemed to also be lit up with stars by her words.
Yan Hui released her hand and freely swung about: "You go back. I'm going to keep soaking."
It wasn't until Tian Yao saw Yan Hui entering the spring that he snapped back to his senses. He silently turned and left. He entered the dark forest and under the starlight clenched his fist-------
Actually, those words clearly should have been said by him.
How thankful he was to meet a person named Yan Hui. How fortunate he was to meet that kind of person.....
Xian Ge returned to Qing Qiu, but there wasn't much for her to do every day. Yan Hui would go soak in the spring at night. In the day, she would study "Demon Bestowal" techniques with Tian Yao. There was only time around dusk for Yan Hui to chat and eat with Xian Ge.
Today, the two of them were eating dinner when once again Huan Xiao Yan came in through the window again. Her eyes lit up when she saw the table full of food: "I also want to eat! I've been hungry the whole day!" She reached her hand towards the food.
Yan Hui raised an eyebrow and smacked Huan Xiao Yan's hand with a pair of chopsticks. Yan Hui glanced at Huan Xiao Yan's face which looked like it was about to cry. However, Yan Hui took no pity: "I looked forward to this meal the entire day. If you dare to grab any, then I'm going to take off your ring."
Huan Xiao Yan gritted her teeth and felt wronged: "I was also hungry the whole day and had nothing to eat. I'm feeling a little dizzy."
As the two of them were talking, Xian Ge had already waved over an attendant to bring over another bowl and pair of chopsticks. She laughed: "The little illusion demon you raised has personality. I like it. I'm sure she's been hungry the entire day, so don't make things difficult for her. Let her eat with us."
Yan Hui snorted: "I didn't eat at all because I've been practicing. Did this brat not eat because someone sewed your mouth shut? She probably played too much and forgot...."
"I didn't play!" Huan Xiao Yan's mouth was already filled with food. She chewed and talked at the same time: "I was listening to stories."
Xian Ge smiled: "What story was it that you listened for the entire day?"
Huan Xiao Yan inhaled the food. Then she looked at Xian Ge with large eyes: "Miss Princess, I heard there's a man in Central Plains that was absolutely captivated by you. Now that you're back in Qing Qiu, he thinks you're dead. He's in a fugue every day and has no more dignity."
Xian Ge's face immediately froze when she heard those words.
Yan Hui slapped down her chopsticks and reprimanded: "You need a spanking! Don't say garbage while we're eating!"
"I wasn't saying rubbish! They were all saying it!"
"Who is spreading this?!"
Xian Ge shook her head and stopped Yan Hui: "Let her speak. What else did they say?"
Huan Xiao Yan rubbed her nose: "They talked for a long time today. It's a long story starting from when Miss Princess left Central Plains. Then they said when Miss Princess returned to Qing Qiu, that man held your 'body'. It had already been several days but he didn't let people touch. He wouldn't let your body be buried nor for anyone to get close. He said he wanted to protect you. Your body was already rotting and smelling, but he wouldn't bury you. No matter how much other people begged, he didn't listen. He was deranged like he went crazy." Huan Xiao Yan continued, "I heard he has one hundred concubines, but now he doesn't pay attention to a single one."
Yan Hui turned to look at Xian Ge at those words. Xian Ge, who always had a smiling expression which confused others, now looked stricken. Her eyes were vacant, and she was absent-mindedly looking into the distance. Her lips were pressed into a flat line.
In the end, only Huan Xiao Yan ate with satisfaciton.
Yan Hui waited until the attendants cleared the table before asking: "Xian Ge, how do you feel after hearing Feng Qian Shuo acting like that?"
Xian Ge finally stirred after hearing Yan Hui's question. She mockingly smiled with bleakness: "Saying I wasn't touched would be a lie. But what's the use even if I was touched?" She cast her eyes down.
"Qi Jue Clan is an intelligence organization which also does assassinations. With this kind of business, what Feng Qian Shuo hates the most is betrayal. The second is deception. And I exactly did his most two hated things. So...its better to let him think I really died. This way, the best image of me is kept in his heart. At least this way when he thinks of me in the future, he won't remember....how repulsive I was."
Yan Hui was silent for a moment before immediately laughing. She patted Xian Ge's shoulder: "Xian Ge, don't feel bad. I'm still here."
Xian Ge smiled, but her face was still somewhat pained: "I'm not hurt." She continued, "But I'm afraid he's hurting."
Yan Hui placed her hand on Xian Ge's shoulder and lightly patted it several times. A long time passed before Yan Hui spoke up: "It'll get better."
It didn't matter whether it was an injury of the body or heart, time would heal hurts as long as you didn't die.
The mood in Qing Qiu became more and more strained. Everyone knew a big battle was coming and was forming their own plans. Yan Hui didn't care about what others thought. She just blocked it all out and focused on cultivating.
Tian Yao turned to be an exceptionally good teacher. Under his guidance, Yan Hui's cultivation advanced by leaps and bounds.
Once again casing Propelling Sword, Yan Hui used demon magic to urged the sword on. She rocketed up into the sky and flew high for a long time before finally coming back down. She steadily landed in front of Tian Yao, face flushed with a healthy glow. Her shining eyes looked at Tian Yao: "I can fly again!"
When Tian Yao saw how happy Yan Hui was, he couldn't help also smiling: "You knew how to before, so you always will know how to."
Yan Hui knew that. However, there just wasn't enough time. Her current cultivation level was still far from what it used to be. But if she continued to practice like this, then maybe she could over take her previous 10 years of cultivation in just one year.
Xian Ge and Yan Hui were eating dinner together again when Xian Ge lightly brought up: "Your appearance seems much more gorgeous."
Yan Hui was stunned. She waited until she went to the healing spring before taking a look. That's when she discovered her eyebrows and eyes seemed to have changed a little after those 10 days of demon cultivation. It actually looked....
More pretty and flirtatious.
Her body....really seemed to suit demon cultivation.
Yan Hui concentrated entirely on cultivating. Tian Yao also didn't waste his time. He would mediate with Yan Hui every day. He was also circulating his inner breath. Without his dragon heart, Tian Yao's magic was very unstable. Since his heart was in Guang Han Sect, Tian Yao had to prepare himself to battle with Su Ying under these circumstances.
Tian Yao's concern was hidden away deep inside. He knew better than anyone that at his current strength with no one else to assist, a battle with Su Ying would be....extremely difficult.
At this time, a suddenly piece of news came from San Chong Mountain. Its explosive contents caught Qing Qiu completely unprepared.
Guang Han Sect's Su Ying led several hundred xian cultivators, crossed over San Chong Mountain, and attacked into Qing Qiu. There was a battle at the southern part of the mountain with the demon cultivators. The demon guards were caught unawares and retreated in defeat.
What shocked everyone was that for every demon soldier Su Ying caught, she would rip out their neidan. Their corpses left abandoned in the wilderness.
The Nine-tailed Fox Demon Clan was incensed. Immediately, two princes were sent to the front lines. Qing Qiu lack manpower, so Xian Ge, who had been idle every since returned, was also sent along with her uncles to the front lines. They were to hold off Guang Han Sect in a surprised attack.
When Yan Hui heard this piece of news from Zhu Li, she became concerned over Xian Ge's safety. Tian Yao suddenly rapped on the table: "Are you certain Su Ying herself is leading the xian cultivators?"
Zhu Li frowned and was a little angry at those words: "Do you really think we Qing Qiu are useless? If it wasn't for Su Ying, then our troops wouldn't be faced with defeat again and again. And their neidan wouldn't be ripped out!" He angrily slammed on the table. "Guang Han Sect's Su Ying is truly evil! If she falls into my hands..."
Without waiting for Zhu Li to finish, Tian Yao cut in: "Does Qing Qiu have more troops available to send out?"
Zhu Li was startled: "What are you going to do?"
Cold light flickered in Tian Yao's eyes: "Enter Guang Han Sect and take back my dragon heart."
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Tender moment for Yan Hui. Bitter moment for Xian Ge. Shocking moment for Qing Qiu. And go kick Guang Han Sect's butt moment for Tian Yao!