When Meng Shuying saw Jiang Ye, she realized that Yun Fei hadn't exaggerated—Jiang Ye was truly gravely injured.
The once arrogant and domineering person had lost her usual vibrant color, now lying weakly on the bed with a face as pale as gold paper.
But... what did that have to do with her?
Meng Shuying's expression remained cold.
From the very first time they met, Jiang Ye had never hesitated to show her hostility. She bullied her, excluded her, and after entering the Ten Directions Blessed Land, she targeted her at every turn, wishing to eliminate her.
If it hadn't been for Senior Sister Luowei's assistance, Meng Shuying didn't know how many times she would have already died.
So, in her view, whatever miserable state Jiang Ye ended up in was her own doing.
Yu Qing, the senior sister of Qiong Hua Peak and someone who was close to Jiang Ye, had always known how poorly Jiang Ye treated Meng Shuying. So now, Meng Shuying was unsure why Yu Qing had called her here.
Her gaze fell on the figure sitting by the bed.
Yu Qing was sitting at Jiang Ye's bedside, holding a delicate porcelain bowl in her hand. She carefully scooped up some medicinal broth, blew on it to cool it down, and then fed it to Jiang Ye. After each spoonful, Yu Qing gently wiped Jiang Ye's mouth with a cloth, her actions patient and tender.
Meng Shuying stood there for a while before finally speaking up, "Senior Sister Yu, why did you call me here?"
Yu Qing finished feeding the last spoonful of medicine, placed the porcelain bowl back on the tray, and then tucked Jiang Ye's loose strands of hair behind her ear.
"Master wants to see you. She'll probably summon you tonight."
Meng Shuying didn't understand the meaning behind these words, so she simply responded with a neutral "Okay," waiting for Yu Qing to continue.
Yu Qing didn't mince words.
"Jiang Ye didn't bring back the Nine-Turn Spirit Grass this time. Master is very angry. Despite knowing that she's gravely injured, she refuses to treat her."
"So?" Meng Shuying raised an eyebrow.
Whether Jiang Ye was injured or dead, what did it matter to her?
"I wanted to ask you," Yu Qing turned around, looking at Meng Shuying intently. "Do you have the Nine-Turn Spirit Grass? If you give it to me, I can agree to any condition you have."
"I don't understand what you mean, Senior Sister," Meng Shuying denied without hesitation and then asked her in return, "Why would you think that I have the Nine-Turn Spirit Grass?"
No one else knew about the Nine-Turn Spirit Grass except for her and Su Luowei.
At most, there was the Qinglong.
The Qinglong might suspect her after discovering the missing spirit grass upon returning to its lair.
But the Qinglong was elusive, and as of now, the people of Qingxu Sect were unaware of its existence, so Meng Shuying wasn't worried at all.
Yu Qing didn't answer her. She turned back around, lowering her eyes as her fingers gently stroked Jiang Ye's cheek.
Jiang Ye had lost a significant amount of weight, her cheeks sunken and her complexion ashen, no longer resembling her once vibrant self.
She was like a rose planted in a garden, with all its moisture drained, now wilted and withered.
It had only been half a month.
Yu Qing remembered Jiang Ye's cheerful words before she left, promising that this time she would definitely find the Nine-Turn Spirit Grass in the Ten Directions Blessed Land and present it to their master, hoping the master would help restore her foundation.
"Because of me, Senior Sister, you haven't been able to advance your cultivation. This time, I'll make sure to repay you," she had said with such innocence and sweetness, like a ray of sunshine that had brightened Yu Qing's dark heart.
Yu Qing knew that the Nine-Turn Spirit Grass was incredibly rare and had only smiled, wishing her success.
Yu Qing had entered the Ten Directions Blessed Land many years ago and knew that it posed no danger, so she had assumed that they would reunite soon.
But when they met again, Jiang Ye was on the brink of death.
"Legend has it that the Nine-Turn Spirit Grass can 'bring the dead back to life and regrow flesh on bones.' During this trial, all the disciples of Qiong Hua Peak were severely injured—except for you."
Upon hearing her reasoning, Meng Shuying almost wanted to laugh.
So, because she was the only one who was unscathed, they suspected that she had the Nine-Turn Spirit Grass and had used it to heal herself.
Despite being the "victim" from the beginning, now she was being suspected because she wasn't injured.
She curled her lips into a smile, though her eyes were devoid of any warmth.
"You should first ask Senior Sister Jiang or You Wen about what really happened in the Spiritual Herb Garden and how they schemed to use me as a disposable pawn."
Yu Qing remained silent for a moment, and after a long pause, she spoke softly, "So, you do remember what happened in the Spiritual Herb Garden."
Before speaking to Meng Shuying, Yu Qing had questioned the other disciples.
But for some reason, they only remembered entering the Spiritual Herb Garden, with no recollection of what had transpired within it, as if that part of their memories had been erased.
They knew they had emerged from the garden with injuries, but how they got out and how they were injured was a complete blank.
Yu Qing had also questioned the disciples of Bai Zhan Peak, who had had similar experiences. Even Rong Xuan, the most advanced among them, had no memory of what had occurred in the garden.
"I remember part of it," Meng Shuying admitted without pretense, her expression untroubled. "I entered the garden with them, and after encountering a fierce battle between the beasts, we hid at a distance. Later, You Wen scattered the scent of the Niche Flower on me, causing the beasts to attack me. I ran for my life and got separated from them. I only learned about their injuries after meeting with Senior Uncle Yun Fei in the Ten Directions Blessed Land."
After finishing her explanation, Meng Shuying keenly observed that Yu Qing's face showed no surprise, indicating that she had already heard about their plan from You Wen.
"It seems Senior Sister has already spoken with You Wen, and she has told you about their scheme."
"They didn't consider our bond as fellow disciples and used me as bait to distract the beasts in the garden, yet I haven't even confronted them about it."
Meng Shuying let out a soft laugh, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
"And Senior Sister Yu actually questions me for not being injured."
"How do you know I wasn't injured? Because of their scheme, I was chased by beasts, and my injuries were no lighter than Senior Sister Jiang's. I was just fortunate enough to have a senior sister who cared deeply for me. If it weren't for Senior Sister Su saving me, I would have been dead long ago."
After saying this, Meng Shuying didn't care about Yu Qing's reaction and turned to leave.
The room fell into silence.
After a long while, Yu Qing lowered her head, gently stroking Jiang Ye's hair, her gaze full of guilt: "She had a good senior sister, which is why she survived."
"It's my fault; I didn't take good care of you."
The person lying in the bed remained still, her eyes closed.
Even though Jiang Ye couldn't respond, Yu Qing continued to murmur:
"But don't worry, Ah Ye, I will find a way to heal you."
As the sun was about to set, someone came to fetch Meng Shuying, informing her that the master had specifically summoned her.
Meng Shuying had always harbored no good feelings toward this so-called master. However, she couldn't disregard the Qingxu Sect's teachings of "respecting one's master and valuing the Dao," so despite her reluctance, she put on a show of respect.
When Meng Shuying arrived, Min Lanmeng was leisurely arranging flowers.
There were many roses placed in front of her, and a white jade vase sat on the table beside her.
These roses must have been freshly picked, as their petals were still dotted with dew.
Holding a pair of scissors in one hand and a rose in the other, Min Lanmeng tilted her head, seemingly deep in thought about how to trim the flowers.
Today, the place seemed particularly quiet; Jiang Ye was bedridden with serious injuries, leaving only Yu Qing to attend to her.
No matter when they met, Min Lanmeng always appeared as a picture of charm and allure.
She was dressed in wide-sleeved court attire, with a green gauze cloak draped over her body, the broad hem of her skirt trailing behind her. A golden hairpin adorned her head.
She looked more like the kind of enchantress from folktales who seduced and drained the life force of men than a cultivator.
Standing below the dais, Meng Shuying silently speculated.
Why did Min Lanmeng summon her? Could it be about the Nine-Turn Spirit Grass?
In front of Yu Qing, Meng Shuying could confidently deny having obtained the Nine-Turn Spirit Grass. But in front of Min Lanmeng, she didn't dare to be so bold.
This old witch, who had lived for who knew how many years, likely had methods beyond others' imaginations if she truly wanted to find something out.
As Meng Shuying pondered Min Lanmeng's intentions, Min Lanmeng turned her head, smiling as she assessed Meng Shuying from head to toe.
Her tone was casual, as if they were simply chatting at home, but her words sent chills down Meng Shuying's spine.
"I recall that you haven't been in the Foundation Establishment stage for long, yet you've advanced to the mid-stage so quickly. It seems this trial has been quite fruitful for you."
Meng Shuying lowered her hands and gave a vague reply, "There were some gains."
She wasn't sure if it was due to the demonic cores consumed by Xuan Feng or the pills given by Senior Sister, but after leaving the Ten Directions Blessed Land, Meng Shuying found that her cultivation had advanced rapidly. She had already broken through to the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment, and her progress showed no signs of slowing.
At this rate, it wouldn't be long before she could form a Golden Core.
Yu Qing, who had initially suspected Meng Shuying of possessing the Nine-Turn Spirit Grass, was now even more convinced by the rapid growth in her cultivation.
A flash of determination crossed her eyes as she suddenly spoke up, "Senior Sister, are you referring to the Nine-Turn Spirit Grass as your gain?"
Meng Shuying's heart tightened, her mind racing to find a response when she heard Min Lanmeng chuckle softly.
"Yu Qing, have you gone mad? Why do you keep asking everyone about the Nine-Turn Spirit Grass?"
Min Lanmeng turned the rose in her hand so the stem faced upward and, with a small golden pair of scissors, ruthlessly snipped off all the leaves and thorns.
"I don't like seeing you like this, Yu Qing."
Her voice was sweet, but her words were merciless.
"Look at these flowers. The reason they're placed in front of me isn't just because I love flowers but also because they have value when trimmed."
"The flowers that bloom just right can have their dead leaves pruned away, then placed in a vase to brighten someone's mood for a few days."
"But if a flower doesn't know its place, if it's crooked from the bud, then it loses all its value."
"Do you understand what I mean, Yu Qing?"
Yu Qing's body stiffened as she lowered her head, responding with a quiet "Yes."
Satisfied, Min Lanmeng nodded, placing the trimmed flower into the white jade vase before picking up another.
As she examined the flower, her gaze seemed to fall upon it, yet for some reason, Meng Shuying felt as though she were the one being watched.
"There's an old saying among mortals that good things come in pairs. I also think this room looks a bit lonely with just one flower. What do you think, Meng Shuying?"
Meng Shuying didn't understand her meaning, so she looked up, puzzled.
No one noticed Yu Qing discreetly clenching her fists at the side.
Seeing Meng Shuying's confusion, Min Lanmeng smiled, setting down the scissors before gracefully extending her hand.
Her nails were painted a soft pink, and her fingertips were a delicate shade.
Then, Meng Shuying witnessed something utterly shocking: the revered Senior Sister Yu Qing, who was known for her strict demeanor, knelt before their master, humiliated yet submissive, as she took her master's fingers into her mouth.
Min Lanmeng casually twirled her finger, her eyes growing more intense with meaning.
"Just like what you see."
"Follow me, and you'll obtain everything you desire."
"Whether it's the Golden Core or the Nascent Soul."