Upon hearing second senior brother's question, Su Yishui leisurely replied, "Someone will take care of it."
As he said this, the straw men that had just come out of the cave took out bags of sand from the carriage, along with tools like a trowel, and started meticulously patching the hole in the wall with rocks.
The straw men, driven by spirit talismans, all seemed very skillful, and it seemed they could finish repairing the large hole before dawn.
Now, everyone finally relaxed and hurried back to the city in the carriage to catch up on sleep.
Because of the commotion caused by the killings in Wangxiang River, the military had been on edge, and no one had used the military station these days, so when the mud and sand used to fill the hole dried, no one noticed.
The next day, in the night, Su Yishui also pasted the accelerating wine-brewing charm from Elder Jiu on the newly patched mud and sand. The newly patched area immediately dried and aged, leaving no trace of having been dug open.
As for Qin Xuanjiu, these days he had been accompanying his Master Mu Qingge. They had almost traveled all over Wangxiang Pass, but they had not seen any anomalies.
Lin Yeting said to Mu Qingge, "Master, Qin Xuanjiu offended the son of a general who came here for training before, which is why the incident with the water demon caused such a stir. Someone above wanted to deal with him, and they found a ready-made excuse. It might even just be someone creating a scare with a deformed person. Why bother staying here? His Majesty has been hoping for your early return to the capital."
While Mu Qingge was on the way here, she had seen the corpse of the water demon. Due to much time had passed since death, it had mostly returned to its original human appearance, although wrapped in lime. However, the strong fishy smell was overwhelming, and Mu Qingge was unable to discern anything.
After hearing Lin Yeting's words and thinking about Su Yishui's cold attitude towards her, Mu Qingge smiled coldly.
After instructing Lin Yeting to leave, she couldn't help but look in the mirror. The woman in the mirror had bright eyes and white teeth, stunningly beautiful.
This must be the face that Su Yu couldn't forget right? He possesses vast lands and power, yet he could not embrace a beautiful woman. It truly is a regret one could not let go of…
However, as Mu Qingge looked at herself, she suddenly smashed the tea cup in her hand against the copper mirror—still not like her! Although there was a fifty percent resemblance in appearance, she just couldn't replicate "her" carefree and disdainful attitude towards the world!
Could it be because of this that Su Yishui continued to ignore her?
Thinking about this, the beautiful face in the copper mirror suddenly revealed a trace of uncertainty. She slowly extended her hand, revealing a blood-red line on her white arm, like a winding snake, curling up her arm—this was the evil created by Wei Jiu! He actually came up with a way to use grudge water to nourish the Rebirth Tree!
As a result, after absorbing enough grudge water, her spiritual power became abundant upon arrival. However, the consequence of this expedited method was that after using spiritual power each time, she felt a discontinuity in her true qi flow, and the red line on her arm was clearly a sinister object.
This should be the evil thing that Wei Jiu had planned to use to control Mu Qingge's life force when she was reborn, which is why he easily agreed to making a Soul oath with Su Yishui.
Because this grudge water had been used before the Soul oath was made, even if she died because of it, Wei Jiu wouldn't be considered in violation of the oath.
Initially, this red line was not very noticeable, but in these past few days, it had grown wildly.
Mu Qingge dared not disclose her weaknesses to the crafty Elder Kaiyuan of Jiuhua Sect. She could only wait for Wei Jiu to come and threaten her, then see how to deal with him.
Thinking of this, Mu Qingge became frustrated again, unable to stop herself from wondering how "she" would handle such a situation if it happened to her?
Probably be as carefree as always, drinking wine under the moon, singing freely with friends? What in this world could make "her" feel the torment of sorrow that cannot be resolved?
Thinking of this, she gritted her teeth, took a deep breath, and slowly lowered her sleeve.
But what was so great about being carefree? Now, she was the unforgettable Mu Qingge in front of everyone.
Just then, Qin Xuanjiu suddenly came to call on her.
It turned out that when Qin Xuanjiu was washing up tonight, he suddenly remembered what Master had instructed him before, so he quickly explained everything to Mu Qingge.
Mu Qingge's *pupils slightly contracted when she heard about the Netherworld Spirit Spring. This was extremely crucial information, but Qin Xuanjiu claimed that he had just remembered it. This kind of talk seemed suspicious, like he was trying to fool her.
*pupils dilates in response to increased cognitive activity, such as increased levels of arousal or mental effort ( apparently Chinese novel writers like to use this phrase lol )
However, the urgent matter was to take possession of the Netherworld Spirit Spring. As long as she had the power of the Spirit Spring, resolving the grudge water in her body should be easy, right?
Now the Elder Kaiyuan of Jiuhua Sect was only using her as a stepping stone, so that he could have easier access to the Emperor. Although he appeared polite on the surface, he was still wary of her.
Because although the spiritual power taken by the another spirit fruit was not much, it still had a great impact on her. If she followed the rules to cultivate and advance, it would probably take twenty or thirty years to recover it back.
In recent days, Mu Qingge had also been inquiring about the whereabouts of the spirit fruit that fell prematurely sixteen years ago. However, even Wei Jiu did not get any answers, she naturally gained nothing either.
These past days, Mu Qingge had been restless, always worried that something unexpected might happen.
If she could benefit from the Netherworld Spirit Spring, it would be a completely different situation. Even if "she" were still around, there would be nothing to fear.
Thinking of the power that the spring holds, Mu Qingge was very tempted. Even though she knew the Spiritual spring's demonic nature was great and mishandling it could easily backfire, she could overlook it.
But still she had to keep this matter hidden from the people of Jiuhua Sect. Thinking of this, Mu Qingge's gaze turned to Qin Xuanjiu who was following her…
He was the garrison guarding this place, so if he could assist her, everything would be easy. Indeed, when she prompted him, Qin Xuanjiu readily agreed without hesitation.
In Qin Xuanjiu's view, this thing was entrusted by Master, so if she were to take it away now, it is as it should be.
However, Qin Xuanjiu really didn't know where it was. Master had only told him to diligently watch the compass but hadn't informed him of the location of the object.
Mu Qingge asked again, "Has Su Yishui left the city these days?"
Qin Xuanjiu suddenly remembered that after being driven away by Master Mu Qingge, he couldn't find Su Yishui and his disciples, so he called the city guards. After inquiring, he found out that they had left the city three nights ago.
Early the next morning, Mu Qingge went to visit Su Yishui.
When she pushed open the gate, she saw pieces of mushrooms scattered all over the floor being dried, as well as other mountain products.
The girl named Xue Ranran, with an apron tied around her waist, came to open the door, and upon seeing Mu Qingge, immediately turned and called for Shifu.
However, Mu Qingge stared at Ranran.
This young girl was quite delicate and lovely. But without the aura of youthfulness, she would just be an ordinary-looking woman.
But Mu Qingge found that every time she saw her, she seemed to have become more beautiful each time. It wasn't a change in her facial features, but rather… an inexplicable charm that made people involuntarily stare at her.
Being stared at so intently by Elder Mu, Ranran blushed and touched her cheek, asking, "Elder, is there something dirty on my face?"
Mu Qingge came back to her senses and smiled slightly, "No, I just feel like I've seen you somewhere before, but for a moment, I can't remember who you resemble…"
Ranran nodded, "I look a bit common, so naturally I tend to be similar to many people."
Mu Qingge was about to say something when she saw that Su Yishui was already standing behind Xue Ranran.
"May I ask why you're here?" Su Yishui asked.
Mu Qingge looked at Su Yishui's face and slowly said, "I have some private matters to discuss with you. Could you accompany me for a walk by the Wangxiang river?" As if she was afraid that Su Yishui would rebuff her again, she urgently added "It's about the Spiritual Spring and not our personal affairs."
Without any change in his expression, Su Yishui thought for a moment and then turned to Ranran, saying, "If the food is ready, you all can eat first. No need to wait for me."
Ranran, who always respected her master, quickly said, "I'll save you some food. The steamed egg with cured meat won't be ready for a while, I'll also save it for you."
Su Yishui nodded, and Ranran hurried to fetch a cloak for her master and helped him put it on—since it was windy and cold by the Wangxiang river, even though her master was already a half-immortal, it wouldn't hurt to wear something warm.
Moreover, her Shifu is tall and sturdy. Wearing this cloak with fox fur trim, he exudes an ethereal charm and looks ridiculously handsome. Ranran felt that since her master was going out for a walk with Mu Shizun, they might renew their relationship, talk about fine wines behind waterfalls, so she should dress him up a bit.
Mu Qingge watched this master and disciple, and could not help feeling a lingering discomfort in her heart.
The pair before her looked similar in age. With the man tall and handsome, and the woman petite and gentle, they definitely don't look like master and disciple? They seemed more like newlyweds and the wife was seeing her husband off…
This Xue Ranran was still young and didn't seem to have much worldly experience. It was reasonable for her to be infatuated with her handsome master… But Mu Qingge knew Su Yishui too well. He was someone with very high standards, admired by many women, but in the end, *it was only wishful thinking on their part.
*落花有意流水无情 literally means the flowers that fall into the stream have intent, but the moving water heartlessly washes them away
But for now, finding the Spirit Spring's whereabouts was the most important.
Once they left the courtyard, Mu Qingge silently followed Su Yishui. As both of them have a strong foundation they moved swiftly. In no time, they arrived by the Wangxiang river with its constantly flowing waters.
Mu Qingge asked tentatively, "You should know that I hid the Soul Hosting Stone containing the sealed Spirit Spring here before, right?"
Su Yishui didn't answer but said mildly, "Since you were the one to hide it, how would I know?"
He didn't answer directly, deflecting the question, like a slippery fish in the water difficult to grasp.
Mu Qingge decided to be straightforward, "Qin Xuanjiu has told me. He also said you have been searching for it already. Since you arrived here first, you should know more about it. After I reincarnated from the tree, I have forgotten many things, so I hope you can help me find the Spirit Spring to prevent another tragedy."
At this, Su Yishui lifted his eyes. He looked at Mu Qingge and said with a mocking tone "Don't you have the current emperor backing you? And the disciples of Jiuhua Sect are at your beck and call. Why bother me, a person in seclusion to be mixed up in this? Besides, what does your affairs have to do with me?"
Hearing this, Mu Qingge couldn't help but smile knowingly, "Are you upset? Actually, Su Yu and I are just working together. Although he is an Emperor in the mortal world, in the eyes of us cultivators, he's just a flesh and blood body. How can he compare to you in my heart?"
Saying this, Mu Qingge couldn't help but look down at the water's surface, where the reflection of a beautiful and charming woman's face could be seen… In the previous life, this face, so similar to hers, captivated many men, who were willing to go through fire and water for her.
How this face had been enviable and made many women jealous! And this was what Su Yishui liked…
"There's no one else here, so you don't need to pretend to be indifferent. Others may not know, but I know that you have feelings for me… It's just that at that time, I had too many admirers and inadvertently ignored you, hurting you…"
As she spoke, she took a few steps forward, almost falling straight into his arms. She raised her head slightly, tears in her eyes as she said, "Only in times of adversity can you see the true hearts of people. When my soul was shattered, only you were willing to give up everything and exchange it for my reincarnation. Even if I can't become an immortal, I will never disappoint you again…"
After speaking, she leaned forward as if to offer a kiss, but was suddenly pushed away by Su Yishui with great force.
He used so much strength that Mu Qingge almost fell into the Wangxiang river.
Su Yishui took two steps back, looking at the river calmly, and said flatly, "I think you've misunderstood something. As you say it was the past life. Since you were fortunate enough to be reborn, you should cherish it. After all, there were people who hoped for your well-being, even willing to sacrifice their lives to redeem your sins."
Su Yishui's words were not false. Back when Mu Qingge's soul had scattered, those disciples who cried their hearts out were grieving like they were losing their own parents. Some even cut their flesh and blood on the spot just to give Mu Qingge a chance at rebirth.
And Su Yishui sacrificed most of his cultivation just to save her wandering soul which had not yet dissipated. It was precisely because of this sacrifice that she was certain that he had Mu Qingge in his heart.
But now, it seems that Su Yishui intended to clear all debts. From now on, their ties are severed and they would have no further entanglement.
Mu Qingge was caught off guard. She felt quite embarrassed when he shoved her away.
She looked at him in some disbelief, a cold expression on his face. She took a deep breath and suddenly changed to a light tone, "If that's what you think, then it's fine too. But… you already know the whereabouts of the Spirit Spring, don't you?"
Su Yishui and his disciples had gone out of the city at night before, heading outside the city, and returned at dawn.
Qin Xuanjiu was sure he had never told anyone this secret, and Su Yishui had only asked about it before.
Given Su Yishui's intelligence, after getting some clues from that boorish man, it was not impossible for him to figure out where the Spirit Spring was hidden.
Moreover, Qin Xuanjiu also said that it was the Mu Qingge from the past life, who repeatedly instructed him to seek out Su Yishui.
With this, Mu Qingge softened her tone and said, "Yishui, you already know how dangerous the Spirit Spring's backlash is. It shouldn't have appeared in the human realm in the first place, and you were also harmed by it before. Even I am not completely sure I can control it, so why don't you hand it over to me to handle? Otherwise, if the righteous path finds out you've secretly hidden the Spirit Spring, you should know best what happened to me before."
Although her words seemed caring, upon closer examination, they carried a hint of threat. It was as if she was saying, "If you don't help me obtain the Spirit Spring, I will reveal it."
When Su Yishui heard this, he suddenly smiled and turned towards her.
The man who usually had a cold expression, once he smiled, he exudes a charm that was hard to resist, like an ice river melting, elegant and delicate.
As far as she could remember, she had never seen Su Yishui smile at her like this, so she couldn't help but feel a bit dazed.
At that moment, Su Yishui leaned over and whispered in her ear in a low voice, "The red line on your arm should be wrapping around your shoulder soon, right? If you delay a few more days, you'll turn into a walking corpse, at the mercy of Wei Jiu's torment."
Mu Qingge's originally rosy face turned extremely pale in an instant, staring at Su Yishui in shock and suspicion. "How… how do you know?"
Su Yishui still had a smile on his face, but his eyes carried a chilling coldness that made one shiver from the core. "You think that hanging on the Rebirth Tree for twenty years would allow you to enjoy the blessings left by your past life without worries? The Grudge Water is the most Yin substance in the world, fermenting in the abyss for thousands of years. Even Wei Jiu doesn't fully understand this thing. If I were you, I wouldn't be thinking about Spirit springs or rivers. It is completely useless to you and will only intensify the toxicity inside you, becoming increasingly uncontrollable. You'd better think about how to prolong your life and protect yourself."
Mu Qingge gritted her teeth, took a deep breath, and said softly, "Yishui, you wouldn't be able to bear watching me fall into Wei Jiu's hands, right? In the past, even if I just smiled at other men, you would sulk for days without talking to me…"
Su Yishui's expression grew even colder, but his tone softened as he looked at the rushing river water. "I will prepare some pills to suppress the Grudge Water for you. But Wei Jiu will probably come looking for you soon. If you can get the key to the Netherworld from him, I will have a way to solve the Grudge water problem for you."
He had given the key to Wei Jiu before, but he didn't know if Wei Jiu had destroyed it out of anger after he found out he was tricked. If it was still intact, returning the Spirit Spring to its original home would be simpler.
Mu Qingge stared at him wide-eyed. "How can I ask him for that? Why would he give it to me?"
Su Yishui half-closed his eyes, his words seeming to imply something else. "You've always been capable. If you want something, you can get it by any means necessary. It's a matter of life and death for you, and I believe you'll find a way. I shall await for good news."
With that, he no longer bothered with her response. He turned around, and prepared to go back for dinner. His little disciple's steamed egg dish was very tender, if delayed too long, it wouldn't taste the same.
Mu Qingge watched him leave with eyes full of hate, digging her nails into her palm until it bled. Just a moment ago, she couldn't even be sure if Su Yishui was talking to Mu Qingge or to…
That damned Wei Jiu actually did such a vile thing to the Rebirth Tree, causing her to be poisoned by the Grudge water even before she was reborn. In hindsight, the other Spirit Fruit had fallen earlier and avoided the Grudge water. If "she" were still alive, it would have been a blessing in disguise after all…
For a moment, countless thoughts swirled in her mind. Eventually, she took a deep breath and calmed herself down.
Since Su Yishui was willing to suppress the poison for her and delay its effects, it was now easier to handle. Others might not know, but she knew very well that the men who were once charmed by Mu Qingge's beauty wasn't just Su Yishui alone.
Even Wei Jiu, that demonic cultivator, was probably acting out due to unrequited love, right?
With so many powerful and capable men around her, how many people would long for that? With just a bit of charm, she could manipulate them as she pleased. Unfortunately, someone didn't know how to use it. Instead of using her charms, she only liked to roam mountains and rivers in their spare time, drinking with some old, decrepit old men…
But this life was different. She was the one with the captivating appearance that could mesmerize anyone. With a little tactics, the situation could change immediately.
Su Yishui didn't know his own weight. Despite halving his cultivation, he still wanted to claim the Spirit Spring for himself? Mu Qingge didn't know that Su Yishui had plotted against Wei Jiu, acquiring part of his golden core. She sneered, turned and also left.
When she returned to her residence, Wei Fang was instructing someone to unload a pill furnace from the carriage. Seeing her return, he greeted her respectfully, "My Master wrote a letter and borrowed a Purple Fire Pill Furnace from the Leader of the Flying Cloud Sect. Its firepower is slightly inferior to your previous pill furnace but still usable. Since we're not far from the Flying Cloud Sect, I had someone transport the furnace here first. Do you want to start refining now, considering the urgency on His Majesty's side…"
Mu Qingge lowered her eyes and looked at the pill furnace, nodding in satisfaction, then ordered, "Place it in the hall for now. This place is full of danger; we'll discuss it later after we go back."
But after everyone dispersed, Mu Qingge's expression completely fell. After the failed attempt to ask for the furnace from XiShan, she had tried using other furnaces back home several times, but they all ended in failure.
What the Emperor wanted wasn't just common fundamental pills like a Cleansing Pill. Cultivators all know that pills could be divided into gold and silver tiers. Silver Pills are easy to refine, but Gold Pills often required extremely high aptitude and mentality.
Only those with a heart untouched by worldly desires could concentrate fully and refine Gold Pills.
Her heart, tainted by two lifetimes of worldly affairs, was obviously not calm enough. Even if she got the Nine Revolutions Profound Iron Furnace, it would probably still be difficult to refine pills.
This made her feel rather anxious. After all, everyone knew that the demonic cultivator Mu Qingge had extraordinary talent in alchemy. Earlier she had used the excuse that her furnace was not suitable, but now that Elder Kaiyuan, that old fox, had borrowed the precious Purple Fire Pill Furnace, she could no longer find an excuse anymore.
Thinking about how she had encountered one obstacle after another since falling from the tree, she couldn't help feeling enraged. All of these could be blamed on Su Yishui!
Su Yishui… he's just a cold block of ice that can't be warmed! She shouldn't have given in to her feelings and fallen for this man with a heart of stone!
As for Ranran, she thought that her master and Mu Qingge were catching up, and it might take a very long time. She was afraid the steamed egg dish would get tough if left for too long. After some thought she decided to eat it first.
Later, she would steam another bowl, which would be perfect for Shifu when he returns. But unexpectedly, as soon as she took two bites, Shifu came back. When he entered the kitchen he saw his disciple sitting on a small stool eating her master's share.
His expression slightly darkened, and he took the bowl and spoon from Ran Ran's hand.
Ranran gulped down the piece of cured meat in her mouth and hurriedly exclaimed, "Shifu! Please let me explain!"
Su Yishui didn't even bother to change the spoon and directly used Ranran's, tranquilly eating what's left of the steamed egg.
Ranran thought that her Shifu must be starving after exposure to the cold winds by the river, so she quickly scooped some rice for him onto the small table and brought out the reserved half of the dried Tangerine Peel Duck to go with it.
"Shifu, why did you come back so soon? I was thinking you might be going to the restaurant in the nearby town with Elder Mu for a meal!"
Su Yishui took a few bites of the duck, then looked up at her and asked, "Why would I eat with her?"