(17) Poison

Two years later.

A maid dressed in a light-blue uniform wiped the courtyard stone table even if there was no sign of dust on it. She suddenly halted and watched the silent wind carry beautiful flower petals from the garden towards her. Her pale fingertips gently grabbed one and she sighed as she placed it on her palm. How beautiful it looked… but she had to sweep the roads again since they loved to pile up. Blowing the petal so it could flow alongside its friends again, she went back to wiping the non-existent dust on the table.

Cheng ChunHua has basically been doing the same things these two years, and she felt a little lonely even if she had more time to go out and chat with the other servants managing other parts of the sect. This would have been a dream long ago, where she wished her masters would go on vacation and never return so she wouldn't have to walk on ice as she served them. But now…

No other footsteps could be heard within the manor except for hers, and the swishing sound of the sword she was used to seemed so far away. The silent manor was like an abandoned cave, dreary and desolate now that the two people who used to live here had not returned for two years. She suddenly wondered if her aloof master was ever going to come back…

Suddenly, as if on cue, the maid noticed a sign of movement near the entrance. She turned her head and her brows lifted. With hurried footsteps, she quickly approached the elegant figure.

"Master! You've come back!" Cheng ChunHua smiled as she held onto her wet cloth. She took in her master's face, which seemed to have matured a bit and also had a healthier complexion compared to when she left. She used to look like she was in her late teens, but now she actually looked more like her age. Her straight brows were in a neutral position, no sign of obvious emotions reflected in her pupils, and her pink lips closed.

Wu LiJing's shoulders were straight but relaxed, giving her an aloof feel as she calmly looked at her maid.

Cheng ChunHua could already tell her master must have broken to the next stage, feeling that the air around her master was slightly different!

Wu LiJing nodded. "Is Master in his manor?"

Cheng ChunHua nodded. "Would you like to eat first?"

"Have the food ready. I'll report to Master first."

"Yes, Master." Cheng ChunHua bowed and hurriedly left.

The disciple walked towards Sect Master Wang's manor with calm steps. She spotted her refined master sitting outside and drinking tea under a large blossom tree in his elegant courtyard. His posture was relaxed as he sat and stared at the clouds that were moving at the pace of a snail.

When Wu LiJing reached him, she saluted with a low head bow. "Master, this disciple has returned."

"Get up," Wang WeiYue said with a smile as he observed her. "You've worked hard." He gestured towards the seat next to him, "Now, come sit next to me."

Wu LiJing carefully sat down while he stood up. He gracefully poured her a cup of tea and his sleeve lifted slightly, revealing the edge of a jade bracelet that twinkled slightly from the sun rays, shining through the tree branches above them.

"I never had time to share your hard work with you."

"Master means…"

Wang WeiYue grinned. "I put some Red Rosemary in here. Taste it."

She took a sip and closed her eyes.

"How is it?" the sect master asked with slight anticipation.

"Good. Very refreshing. The bitterness is still there, but there is now a natural sweetness and a more pleasant aroma that stays with one's senses. It's like a different tea."

Wang WeiYue nodded. "Mm hm! Good! Ah, I love having a disciple that understands tea! Unlike that useless first disciple of mine!"

Wu LiJing blinked a few times and stared at her master. "Master… does Senior Brother know that you like talking about him this way?" This has happened a few times - where her master has said similar things about the senior brother she's never met since he is literally never inside the sect.

"Huh? Does it matter? I'm his master - I can say whatever I want. All he ever says about my tea is that it's too bitter, it's too sour, it's too plain, it doesn't taste right. And when he says it's good, he can't even understand to appreciate it, taking big gulps like swallowing saliva. Completely useless!"

Wu LiJing couldn't help but show a small smile. It seems when it comes to her senior brother, her master had a lot to complain about. "Then it's good I like to drink tea." Doesn't that mean she has the upper hand against her senior brother?

"Speaking of him, the competition is coming up in a few months, so I told him to return. If he doesn't come back, I'm disowning him." Sect Master Wang's tone was light but it didn't sound like he was joking.

"But Master, isn't Senior Brother gone because of the missions you gave him?" Wu LiJing took another sip of the good tea. And he probably can't even partake in the competition. He must have already reached the Immortal Realm since he was older than her by more than a few years. Most of the disciples taken in by Sect Masters of major sects were those who were talented and had limitless potential. After all, one of them will most likely become the next sect master. She was sure her senior brother was just as talented, after having heard from others as well.

Wang WeiYue's eyes widened. He pointed at himself. "How is that my fault? His investigation skills are garbage! He's being unfilial, not even returning back once. Did I tell him to work so hard? No!"

He turned to look at his second disciple and sighed, shaking his head. "How did my only two disciples turn out this way? Always too busy to spend quality time with their master, the one who provided them with resources and made them as strong as they are now with his heavenly advice." He looked up at the sky, as if he had much to contemplate about.

The small smile on her lips twitched and Wu LiJing decided to keep silent as her gaze went to her cup.

Wang WeiYue then looked at his disciple again and smiled, patting her head with his left hand. "I hope my dear disciple doesn't hold it against me for punishing her."

Wu LiJing froze and shook her head with a warm smile. "Why would I, Master? It was this disciple's fault in the first place."

The sect master nodded and sighed in relief - his second disciple is always so sensible. Then he frowned when a sudden thought passed through his mind regarding the past events in her absence and he looked at Wu LiJing with a concerned gaze. He hesitated but just voiced, "You've just returned. Go rest. I trust you'll be prepared for the competition."

"Yes, Master."

"If you can, maybe learn a few flashy moves too. I need to show the other sect masters how great my disciples are compared to theirs…" He smiled evilly as he tapped a finger on the table, already imagining things that had not yet happened.

Wu LiJing also decided to stay silent once more as she quickly finished her cup of tea, not wanting to even guess what her master was thinking about right now.

After Wu LiJing ate lunch, she entered her garden to take a walk and noticed a blue bird flying towards her. The blue bird landed in her hand and dissipated into mini lights, leaving a letter behind.

When she opened the letter, her calm expression changed. After she informed Cheng ChunHua that she would not return until late, she flew out of her manor. A few disciples spotted the aloof violet figure and realized that their Eldest Senior Sister was back… however, she was in a hurry and did not notice the odd and vigilant stares that were aimed at her back.

…

Leaning back on the chair, Jin RuiYing fanned himself casually as he looked at Wu LiJing's dark face.

"Don't worry about it. Their clan may have grown stronger, but they probably can't even match the top ten clans."

"They're getting conceited just because a few of them can use lightning spells now," Wu LiJing scoffed.

Jin RuiYing advised, "You have plenty of time to deal with them. Take it slow. Besides, you already got rid of their slave bases in one night, which is already quite a feat." He could imagine those people swearing and crying to the heavens from completely losing one of their businesses in one night.

"Oh, take it slow… like you?" Wu LiJing raised an eyebrow.

The elegant white fan held by the masculine hand paused and a scowl appeared on his handsome face. "Hey! I took a few years because I started from the bottom, okay?! I was only a First Tier cultivator then! It's amazing I am already at the peak-stage of the Second Tier now, isn't it?!" He only needed a few more years to be a Third Tier cultivator!

Scanning her body, he suddenly realized that she probably went up another tier from those two years in seclusion, and thought it was unfair. They were both born with a green core!

Wu LiJing pondered and then just stayed silent as she glanced to the side.

Jin RuiYing grumbled and fanned himself harder, causing his blond bangs to fly away from his face like curtains. His eyes suddenly brightened when he thought of something. He coughed and glanced at her.

"Hey, so… you never answered me."

Wu LiJing turned to him and raised an eyebrow.

He leaned in. "About… your engagement. So… did you actually really like this Mo ShiLan guy so much, you broke off your relationship with your cousin? No wait, did you go into seclusion for two years just to try and forget him?!" He gasped and covered his mouth, looking at Wu LiJing in a new light. He never thought this cold beauty would ever get her heart broken! Were those sparks of heartache he saw in her eyes?

Wu LiJing stared at the delusional companion - no stranger. "How did you find out?" she spoke monotonously.

Jin RuiYing's large eyes stared at Wu LiJing for a moment before he sighed and hit his fan on the table, sitting back again. Nevermind, those were sparks of irritation he saw.

"I should have known." He sounded a bit dejected for some reason, making her narrow her eyes at him. "Someone like you…" He clicked his tongue. "You wouldn't fall for someone like him. He's below you! So all the rumors… were fake?" He frowned and his curiosity grew again. "But then why did you stay with him for more than four years?!" He leaned in closer to her.

Wu LiJing took a sip out of her cup. She knew he would willingly sit here for three days and three nights and wait until he heard her answer, so she replied honestly, "Honoring my parent's wills."

Jin RuiYing nodded. "Oh… So you have been engaged since young?" He sighed, leaning back again. Not as much drama as he had hoped to find. His eyes narrowed. "But did you really feel nothing for him at all, even after these four years? Really? You've been engaged with him at a young age." He really emphasized the words, 'nothing', and 'really', making her want to roll her eyes.

"Romantically, no." She didn't really have to think about it to answer. Suddenly, a man's handsome profile with dark narrow eyes flashed in her mind.

Jin RuiYing laughed. "Do you know how ridiculous those rumors regarding your engagement with Mo ShiLan is? They claimed you went into seclusion because you couldn't stand the heartache from the break-up! Psh, ridiculous!" He waved his hand as he cracked up.

"It doesn't matter," she sighed.

"But then… are you interested in anyone? I've never seen you interested in a man since I've known you. Even I was tricked into thinking you were into your fiancé."

Expressionlessly, she retorted, "And why do I have to tell you? Just hand me the information regarding their bases."

He gasped once more. "Don't tell me you actually fell for me long ago but know you have no chance with me, hence you haven't been able to find someone else?!" That would explain everything! He touched his face - had his face sinned once more?

Wu LiJing stared at him with a deadpan expression.

"Fine. Fine." He sighed and slipped a hand into his sleeve, taking out a piece of fine paper. If he messed with her longer, his last words may be the ones he spoke in this room. If he was going to die, it had to be at the perfect place, one that could handle his celestial figure. "The first thing you do after coming out of seclusion is this? Why not take a day off?"

Wu LiJing opened it and after scanning it, she stood up. She showed a small smile. "And did you take a break when you tried to take revenge for your sister?" Then she walked out.

Jin RuiYing sighed and rested his face onto his hand as he stared at the door. "Maybe only… once," he admitted. "Wait… Wu LiJing!" He quickly got up and ran. He wheezed when he reached her, who already exited the restaurant. "I need to inform my men first so they can prepare to help you. Which base are you going after first?" This time, it was a different business.

"Probably… the nearest one? I need to change out of my robes first." So she entered a clothing store and he followed her.

"You're not planning to go through all of them by tonight… right?" Jin RuiYing scratched his chin with a nervous laugh. That would be ridiculous… once again.

She quickly skimmed through the aisles and then nodded. "That's the plan."

A worker noticed new customers and walked over with a bright smile. "Is there anything I can help this miss or sir with?"

Wu LiJing waved her hand and the worker bowed before he walked away.

"Wu LiJing! Think about my workers! Think about how long it'll take! Last time, I got a few complaints and had to pay them more than they're worth… How about you keep it to a maximum of two bases today?" He put up two fingers with pleading sparkling eyes. "Okay? Please?" He followed after her wherever she walked, eyes blinking every few times he thought she was looking at him. She picked out a simple dark blue outfit and brought it to the store clerk.

Jin RuiYing slightly frowned when he saw the robes she picked.

"Fine," she answered. She suddenly remembered her master telling her to rest… She usually didn't follow those orders but since he was back, if he noticed she was gone all day and night, she would probably have to answer to him.

"Great! You're the best!" Jin RuiYing opened his fan with a wide grin and hummed as he walked out of the store. He also mumbled, "I should just buy her a robe next time."

Wu LiJing paused when she saw a beautiful pink butterfly hairpin. She picked it up and spun it a few times then handed it to the store clerk as well.

…

When Wu LiJing returned to the sect, she noticed the eyes that followed her figure as she walked towards the outer disciples' main quarters. They were more intense than usual, giving her no respect.

Her indifferent eyes narrowed. Why were they giving her that look? She definitely changed back to her robes before she returned. They were greeting her properly, but their gazes were obviously filled with something else… Was it doubt and suspicion that she saw?

Once she reached the bed quarters for outer disciples, she stopped one of them.

"Excuse me."

The outer disciple who had seemed to want to fly away flinched and quickly saluted, "Y-yes, Eldest Senior Sister."

"Where is Wu QiaoHua staying?"

"Um! S-she lives in that room!" She quickly pointed to a room and hurried away.

What was wrong with her? Wu LiJing walked towards the room and took a deep breath before she knocked on the door.

No one answered and she frowned. She took another deep breath and after a moment, she knocked again but after waiting for a while, no one came to open the door. So she opened it herself and walked in.

Sniffling sounds could be heard and her aloof figure came to a halt at the entrance of the medium sized room that contained a large bed enough for four people, placed on the left side of the room.

"QiaoHua?" she called when she noticed a girl sitting on the bed. The sniffling sounds stopped and suddenly became muffled.

She frowned. "QiaoHua, are you alright?" She walked closer and saw her cousin covering her face while sitting on the bed with a small blue mark on her arm and a red cheek that her hands tried to cover.

"What happened?!" She pulled QiaoHua's hand and saw the swollen cheek. "Who did this to you?!" Wu LiJing's eyes turned dark and her voice turned frightening.

Wu QiaoHua stared at her cousin with red rimmed eyes as large tears fell. She bit her lips. "Isn't this what you wanted?" she whispered as her gaze became hostile and she suddenly stood up. She shook off Wu LiJing's grip.

"You're the one who did this to me!" she screamed as she pointed at Wu LiJing. Then she gestured to the outside. "Everyone in the sect looks down on me! They treat me like trash!" Her voice was hoarse as her voice became louder. "Now I really became trash…" she whispered, her eyes unfocusing for a moment.

Wu LiJing's eyebrows dropped and she took a step back unconsciously, perturbed. "QiaoHua…" She closed her eyes and clenched her hands, letting out a breath.

"I'm sorry," she whispered with a barely shaking voice. "However… I punished you because you did something wrong." She opened her eyes and looked at her cousin with sincere eyes. "I didn't do it on purpose…"

"It doesn't matter anymore…" QiaoHua looked at the ground and chuckled, covering her crying face. "I can no longer cultivate anyway…" Then her body fell over and Wu LiJing quickly caught her.

"QiaoHua!" LiJing carried her cousin and put her gently on the bed. "QiaoHua!" She gently shook her shoulder but QiaoHua did not respond. Then she noticed the abnormal temperature of QiaoHua's body and put a hand against her cousin's forehead, finding out that it was burning hot. QiaoHua's face looked ashen and her body was completely unresponsive.

Wu LiJing felt the pacing of her heart run wild and her hands shook. Flashes of pale faces and blood appeared and she stumbled back. No matter who she called, no one could respond… A woman with closed eyes and a pale face with a line of red on her chin… An unnatural stillness of a man's breathless body that was laid perfectly in a black box…

LiJing clenched her chest and found it hard to breathe as her knees collapsed. Her vision blurred but she forced herself to look at QiaoHua. She raised her shaking hand and felt for the motionless girl's breath. Only after feeling soft air brush against her finger did she sigh in relief and close her eyes, digging her nails into her knees with her head hanging down. Though her heartbeat was unyielding, the shaking of her hands calmed so she stood up, and quickly ran out to get one of their sect doctors even as her back was drenched in sweat.

"How is she?" LiJing asked once the female doctor finished checking QiaoHua's body.

Doctor Dai sighed. "Wu QiaoHua's body is currently weak… and she is distressed, thus she fainted due to a small fever. The most important is…" She quickly glanced at Wu LiJing and then looked down again. "Wu LiJing, you may not know this, but Wu QiaoHua is poisoned."

Wu LiJing felt her wild heart suddenly drop. It was extremely silent in the room where only the three of them were present. "What?" she finally croaked out with wide eyes.

Doctor Dai took a deep breath and repeated, "Wu QiaoHua… is poisoned." Then she added, "She can no longer hold any spiritual energy inside her body."

A threatening pressure pressed down on the room and Doctor Dai bit her lips, wanting to escape as she felt her limbs tremble. "W-Wu LiJing, please calm down." Doctor Dai didn't want to lose her life yet when she was still only twenty-six and has yet to marry! She had spent a lot of time learning how to heal others that she now could be considered an old maiden, especially since her cultivation was also not too high.

Wu LiJing noticed how frightened the doctor was and quickly calmed her emotions, but her eyes were still cold. "I apologize," she said.

"Huh?" Doctor Dai looked up at Wu LiJing, who looked sincere in her apology.

"Can you tell me how this poison can be cured?" Wu LiJing's tone was heavy.

Doctor Dai stared at Wu LiJing. "Unfortunately… it is not curable."

"You have to try!" she demanded. "There must be a way!" Her body emitted a cold pressure again.

"This poison is unknown," Doctor Dai quickly explained. "That is why we cannot do anything. Please be understanding, Wu LiJing!" She bowed her head. After a moment, the hairs on her body that were standing went back to normal, but it was still dead silent.

Doctor Dai suddenly wondered if she could leave yet.

"How long has it been like this?" the doctor heard Wu LiJing ask in a quiet voice.

"About one year ago."

"One year…"

Doctor Dai couldn't help but notice the clenched hands in front of her since her head was still lowered. She blinked a few times and then decided to courageously look up. Wu LiJing was staring at Wu QiaoHua with a pained expression, one filled with sadness and regret.

Doctor Dai's eyes slightly widened. She sighed inside. Feeling sympathetic, she said, "Wu LiJing… I don't know if you are aware. However, there is a rumor that you are the one who poisoned Wu QiaoHua…"

Wu LiJing's body went rigid for a moment before it returned back to normal. "I see…"

"I'll have someone bring medicine for Wu QiaoHua. Also… you don't look too fine yourself. Perhaps I should check on you as well?" Doctor Dai has actually never met Wu LiJing before. She entered this sect as a doctor five years ago and only ever got a glimpse of their second direct disciple. She wondered if the Moon Sect direct disciples ever got hurt since she nor any of the doctors in the Moon Sect never really directly met them.

She asked around and only one or two of them have personally treated them. Right now, however, it looked like Wu LiJing was slightly pale and looked a bit sick; her overall complexion did not look good.

"I'm well. I'm not the one on the bed" Wu LiJing muttered. She turned to Doctor Dai and with a small bow, "Thank you, doctor. I can take care of the rest."

Once the doctor left, Wu LiJing silently stared at her weak cousin with a haggard face, eyes as deep as an abyss. "Do you think so too?" she whispered.

When Wu LiJing exited the room, she bumped into Xin Mei, who looked like she was in a hurry.

Xin Mei's eyes widened and she smiled, bowing. "Eldest Senior Sister! You're back!"

"Are you here to visit QiaoHua?"

Xin Mei nodded, remembering why she came. "How is she?" she asked worriedly. "I just heard what happened…"

"She's alright now, I've already called for a doctor." Wu LiJing paused. "I hope you can look after her for me." She was sure QiaoHua wouldn't want to see her face currently, so she shouldn't show up here until QiaoHua got better.

Xin Mei nodded and was about to enter the room.

"Wait." Wu LiJing felt for something in her sleeve and took it out. She looked at it for a moment before she handed it over to Xin Mei with a small smile. "Can you give this to QiaoHua? Don't tell her it's from me." Then she turned around and left.

Xin Mei's eyes slightly widened and she stared at the pink butterfly hairpin in her hands. Her expression had a hint of anguish as she gripped it with lowered lashes.