Miss Zhan, looking forward to our next meeting.
Since their positions were completely different, Zhan Yunwei did not press further.
She handed the booklet to Yue Zhiheng, who flipped through it. A look of contemplation crossed his eyes.
"Do you have any clues?"
Yue Zhiheng's gaze lingered on the blurry character "纹" (pattern). As one of the inheritors, he naturally knew much more than Zhan Yunwei.
"Twenty-six years ago, four people entered the forbidden area. One was the current revered master of Penglai, another was the owner of this booklet, known as Lord Hongyuan, who was said to have brought out an item named 'Hundred Kill Lu.' And one more was Yue Linxian."
"Yue Linxian..." The name sounded familiar. Zhan Yunwei was surprised. "You mean, the eldest son of the Yue family?"
The husband of Madam Xuan, Yue Zhiheng's nominal father.
That made sense. The eldest son of the Yue family must have gone to Du'e City years ago to save his beloved wife. Later, Madam Xuan was rescued, but he tragically died in Du'e City.
That's why Madam Xuan had resented Yue Zhiheng and the Yue siblings for so many years.
Zhan Yunwei increasingly felt that the "纹" on the booklet was related to the "Compassion Lotus Pattern" on Yue Zhiheng's body. Unfortunately, there were things he was unwilling to talk about, and she couldn't ask.
She had seen the power of that lotus pattern, able to disregard the Eight Trigrams of Heaven and Earth, the Five Elements of the world. If it could rival the divine sword, it would make sense.
"And the fourth one?"
Yue Zhiheng replied, "Unknown."
Zhan Yunwei didn't expect him to not know either. It seemed that someone had deliberately protected that person and concealed what they took out from the forbidden area.
"So this booklet was written by Lord Hongyuan, and he came here over twenty years ago?"
Yue Zhiheng glanced at the pile of bones in the corner of the tomb, his voice cold. "He died here."
Zhan Yunwei frowned. "Did he die because he possessed the Hundred Kill Lu? Is it also a divine weapon?"
It didn't seem like it from the name.
Yue Zhiheng saw her curiosity and had to explain, "It's a cursed artifact. It's said to be a tool for curse killings."
According to legend, writing the name and birth date of the target on the Hundred Kill Lu could cause them to die instantly.
Such an item was far more sinister and cruel than a divine sword. Even if one had no malicious intentions, they would fear becoming a soul trapped within the Lu. Having a precious item like that was a crime in itself. It seemed that despite Lord Hongyuan hiding in the secret realm years ago, he couldn't escape death.
There was no Hundred Kill Lu in the tomb; it was either taken or destroyed.
Most of the magical weapons inside were damaged, and the few that could still be used didn't appeal to Yue Zhiheng. As a top-tier artifact refiner, he could forge the best magical tools and didn't lack money.
As a spirit master, Zhan Yunwei didn't need them either.
In the end, Zhan Yunwei only took the booklet, while Yue Zhiheng grabbed a book titled "Records of Strange Objects," which contained bizarre stories that contradicted history, half-true, half-false.
Zhan Yunwei realized that he really liked reading. Yue Zhiheng seemed to be the most studious artifact refiner.
While he wasn't paying attention, Zhan Yunwei picked up the transparent stone he had discarded.
What was this? Why did Yue Zhiheng look so indifferent when he saw it?
This trip to the tomb had yielded quite a lot. When they boarded the Ghost Crane to leave the cliff, Zhan Yunwei looked at the artifact soul in her hands.
"Master Yue, has it grown bigger since the beginning?"
Yue Zhiheng glanced at the artifact soul, which had intentionally shrunk for her to hold. "Mm, it leveled up."
"Already sixth level?" Zhan Yunwei was envious. It was only at the fifth level before, but after consuming all the heavenly materials and treasures in the tomb, it had progressed rapidly. "Does it have a name now?"
As far as she knew, very few artifact souls as powerful as this one didn't have a name.
Yue Zhiheng paused, silent.
Huh? Does that mean it has a name now? Zhan Yunwei was puzzled why Yue Zhiheng didn't tell her.
But soon, she understood. After an artifact soul was named, it would have its own fate plate. Usually, only the master could see it, unless the soul itself chose to reveal it.
For some reason, the artifact soul didn't seem to want to introduce itself. It rolled around, and a golden fate plate appeared on it. Zhan Yunwei leaned in to take a closer look, and saw that it clearly said "First Seventh."
First Seventh... July 7th, the night she left the Yue family and returned to the Immortal Sect.
If it had been before, Zhan Yunwei wouldn't have understood. But now, just seeing the name, she knew that Yue Zhiheng had already made up his mind to never have any ties with her.
At that time, she too had felt she would never return.
If Yue Zhiheng had developed feelings for her that night, it must have been painful. Something must have reminded him of the differences in their positions and identities.
Zhan Yunwei quietly turned the artifact soul over, deciding to pretend she didn't see it.
She also remembered not seeing the sachet she had embroidered for several days on Yue Zhiheng. It turned out he didn't dislike it, but knew they couldn't be together, so it was better to sever the connection completely.
Actually, the past few days had been unreasonable. One was a spirit master from the Immortal Sect, and the other was a power minister of the royal family. Yue Zhiheng himself had admitted that his feelings for her were only three out of ten.
If it weren't for the lingering feelings, perhaps they would have never met again since the night of the Qixi Festival.
Sitting on the Ghost Crane, Zhan Yunwei realized that although things were much better than before, they would still be parting soon.
The Kun Yuan Secret Realm opened for only half a month each year. If one didn't leave within that time, they would have to wait for the next year's opening to exit.
Zhan Yunwei felt a faint sense of melancholy.
The artifact soul was puffing up with indignation. Why was it that when others had a name, everyone called them by it? But now that it had a name, its master wouldn't call it, and even Miss Zhan quietly pretended not to see it.
It was furious!
When it entered Yue Zhiheng's artifact, the mist in the mountains swirled as the sun rose in the east. The Ghost Crane flew aimlessly, seemingly not intending to land.
As Zhan Shujing and the others appeared below, Zhan Yunwei was happy they were safe. However, she suddenly realized something was wrong. It seemed like she had forgotten something.
Controlling the Ghost Crane, Yue Zhiheng glanced at her. Seeing her stiffen for a moment, he paused as well.
She had hastily put on her robe yesterday but had forgotten to wear her undergarment. And now that thing was right over his chest. Yue Zhiheng stayed silent for a moment, unsure whether to ask her if she was wearing it.
He wasn't particularly embarrassed, and though the people criticized him for lacking moral integrity, Yue Zhiheng knew that Miss Zhan minded.
She had always been shy about such matters, and he gave her some time to react without saying anything.
Zhan Yunwei felt quite frustrated. Being dragged down into the cold pool had been so sudden, and then nearly having her soul taken over, who could remember something like an undergarment?
She guessed it might have fallen to the bottom of the cold pool, but it would be too awkward to ask Yue Zhiheng if he had seen it.
Luckily, her outer robe was loose enough that nothing showed.
As long as she didn't mention it, no one would know!
Her expression shifted several times before she sighed lightly, trying her best to regain her composure.
Yue Zhiheng glanced at her and felt a bit amused. Seeing her act like everything was fine, he didn't say anything more.
Fine.
He had come to understand Zhan Yunwei's character. Sometimes, she had a tendency to deceive herself. If it had been before, he would have ruthlessly exposed and mocked her, but now he found it interesting to see her try to remain calm.
As soon as the Ghost Crane appeared in the sky, Pei Yujing noticed. His divine sword whined in his hand, and with it, he looked coldly at Yue Zhiheng.
Yue Zhiheng's gaze swept over his waist, where there hung an old sachet.
He sneered. Miss Zhan could be quite infuriating sometimes.
Soon, the disciples of the Immortal Sect below noticed Yue Zhiheng's presence, and they whispered anxiously as though facing a great enemy. Some impulsive disciples even drew their bows and aimed at Yue Zhiheng.
Zhan Yunwei furrowed her brows.
Yue Zhiheng sneered, catching the arrow that flew toward him without even lifting his eyes, then flicking it back with his hand.
The Immortal Sect disciple screamed as he was pinned to a tree behind him.
The scream seemed to shatter the warm atmosphere of the past few days. Zhan Yunwei knew that Yue Zhiheng had actually spared the disciple. If he had wanted to kill, the disciple's core would probably have shattered.
But even if Yue Zhiheng did nothing, his and the Ghost Crane's mere presence could make people anxious.
She sighed inwardly. "Master Yue, I'll go down. You should go find Master Fang and Miss Qu."
Yue Zhiheng raised his eyes to look at her. The Ghost Crane hovered in place. After a long pause, he replied, "Alright."
Zhan Shujing came forward, frowning. "Are you alright?"
Zhan Yunwei shook her head. "What about you? Are you injured?"
Zhan Shujing ignored his still-healing wounds and scoffed, "Who would be that useless?"
Zhan Yunwei knew he liked to put on a brave face and couldn't help but laugh quietly in her heart. Sensing someone was watching her, she turned her gaze and met Pei Yujing's eyes.
In the few days since they last met, Pei Yujing seemed to have lost his previous energy. His lips were pale, and the light in his eyes appeared dimmed.
She remembered the collapse of the tomb and wasn't surprised, nor was she disappointed.
Pei Yujing remained silent for a long time before nodding to her and gently saying, "Junior sister."
Zhan Yunwei nodded back and greeted him.
The disciples of Penglai frowned. One of them couldn't hold back and asked, "Junior Sister Zhan, why are you with that royal scoundrel…"
Before they could finish, they met Pei Yujing's gaze. His look wasn't cold, but for some reason, it made the disciple feel intimidated. Realizing they shouldn't question the future wife of the young master, Pei Yujing also forbade anyone from asking, so the disciple awkwardly shut up.
Zhan Shujing saw the underlying tension but didn't show any appreciation. He thought to himself, what had they been doing all this time?
He noticed that Zhan Yunwei didn't seem to feel grateful, which satisfied him.
Zhan Shujing pulled Zhan Yunwei aside and took out something from his pocket. "Take a look at this."
Zhan Yunwei took it and exclaimed with surprise, "The Earth Spirit's core, flower nectar?"
Seeing her delight, Zhan Shujing smiled proudly.
In critical moments, he was the reliable one!
He narrowed his eyes and gave a warning look to Zhan Yunwei. "When you make the antidote, don't give any to that scoundrel, understood?"
If that scoundrel keeps acting out, they wouldn't need to lift a finger—he would die on his own.
"But Master Yue was also trying to save me before. I promised him that when I find the antidote, I'll give him a share."
Zhan Shujing was about to explode. Save you? That scoundrel had taken advantage of so much. He deserved to die!
Zhan Shujing said, "This is my Earth Spirit's core. I said no, so it's a no!"
Zhan Yunwei paused for a moment and said calmly, "Fine, I'll give it back to you. I'll figure something else out."
She would go back to the collapsed Earth Spirit area and look for the fragments.
Zhan Shujing didn't expect her to really not want it. Thinking of the consequences, he finally relented.
He thought to himself, giving it to her would avoid any further entanglement. It would be better than if Yue Zhiheng got desperate and came after them in a fit of rage.
Zhan Shujing said, "Fine, I'll take it to him for you."
Zhan Yunwei looked at him with a strange expression.
"What, are you planning to go yourself?" she asked. "Isn't that like sending a lamb into a tiger's den?"
"No," she replied slowly. "The Immortal Sect and the royal sect are already at odds. Is it necessary to personally deliver it? Can't we use a spirit bird?"
Didn't the teachings at Changya Mountain also encourage the use of one's brain?
"..." Zhan Shujing was so angry that he forgot what to say.
After leaving the Kunyuan Secret Realm, Qu Lanyue handed something to Yue Zhiheng.
As the elixirs scattered, she took the opportunity to pick up a piece.
Yue Zhiheng said, "Thank you."
Qu Lanyue smiled and said, "As long as you're not angry at me for meddling, you don't need to worry about Miss Zhan. I saw it—her brother and that Immortal Sect woman each picked up a piece."
Yue Zhiheng had also noticed who picked up the fragments, but after Qu Lanyue moved, he stopped paying attention. He saw that Zhan Shujing had picked up one too.
Inside the cave, aside from him and Pei Yujing, only Qu Lanyue was an eighth-level spiritual cultivator.
Qu Lanyue asked him, "Have you thought it through? Once the entanglement of emotions is resolved, will you truly let go?"
Yue Zhiheng stroked the fragment, glanced at her faintly, but didn't respond.
Qu Lanyue was somewhat surprised. In just a few days, she didn't know what had happened, but Yue Zhiheng seemed to have regained some of his vitality, and the decisions he had made earlier had changed.
When Zhan Yunwei walked towards Pei Yujing earlier, Yue Zhiheng had been so furious he almost spat blood. But even if he didn't give up, Miss Zhan had returned to the Immortal Sect, and it would be hard to meet again in the future.
This was beyond her control, so she raised her hand and said, "I'm leaving now. Recently… things haven't been peaceful. Remember to come by my courtyard in half a month."
After she left, Fang Huai also seemed ready to leave. He had become quite haggard after the dangerous experiences in the Secret Realm and realized how far he still had to go.
But he didn't leave.
Yue Zhiheng looked up. "Brother Fang."
Yue Zhiheng rarely called him that; he usually referred to him coldly and politely as Master Fang. Although the Fang family had initially wanted to use Yue Zhiheng, Fang Huai had deliberately sought to please him.
But after so many years, he hadn't gained any advantage, and Yue Zhiheng remained indifferent, ungrateful.
Hearing his sudden address, Fang Huai felt a bit flattered.
"What's up, Brother Yue?"
Yue Zhiheng said, "My belongings—thanks to Master Fang for taking good care of them these past few days. Could I have them returned? I'll express my gratitude with a great gift in the future."
What belongings?
Fang Huai was stunned for a moment before he remembered—it was the sachet.
He smiled, then generously took it out and handed it to Yue Zhiheng.
Yue Zhiheng held the sachet, remaining silent for a long time. "Thank you."
True to his word, in early August, Fang Huai received the artifact mirror he had longed for. He almost thought he had seen it wrong.
Master Yue was so generous!
He hadn't expected that picking up a sachet that day would lead to receiving such a treasure!
By August, the Spirit Realm had already entered autumn.
The Yue residence seemed no different from before, but somehow the days felt longer.
Yue Huilu and Yue Wujue had recently been considering marriage partners. The house wasn't lacking in bustle, yet Yue Zhiheng's courtyard had grown quieter.
Shihu, who was absentmindedly on duty, didn't dare ask if the young mistress would be returning.
Yue Zhiheng continued his usual routine.
Every day he went to the royal city to take his shift, killing when needed. Days passed, and Shihu couldn't tell whether Yue Zhiheng had ever liked the young mistress.
It wasn't until one morning, before going on duty, that a spirit bird flew to the Yue residence.
Yue Zhiheng reached up to catch it and found that the bird was carrying a small vial of flower nectar.
In autumn, the phoenix tree leaves scattered across the ground.
Shihu, watching from the window, saw him lower his gaze and smile for the first time.
Yue Zhiheng gently stroked the porcelain bottle. "Miss Zhan, I look forward to our next meeting."