chapter 55

"Do you miss her very much?"

A few days later, Zhan Yunwei received an apology from Penglai.

Madam Pei confessed to her crimes.

At first, she hadn't planned to admit anything, knowing that no one could do anything to her. But she couldn't withstand Pei Yujing's cold vow of soul-binding.

Pei Yujing stood in front of the hall and said that if Madam Pei were truly guilty, he would never be able to achieve the Dao and would perish by the sword.

Before he could finish his soul oath, Madam Pei, pale-faced, interrupted him and acknowledged her wrongdoing. The hall fell silent. Penglai's respected elder let out a soft sigh and shook his head.

"According to the laws of the Immortal Sect, she will be punished with a cane and imprisoned in an ice chamber." Pei Yujing closed his eyes. "As a son, I will take the cane punishment for my mother."

But Madam Pei still had to stay in the ice chamber for a year.

Zhan Yunwei knew that Pei Yujing was fulfilling his last promise to her, ensuring that his mother received the punishment she deserved.

Zhan Shujing felt a sense of satisfaction but was also afraid that Zhan Yunwei might be moved by Pei Yujing's actions and reconsider. Seeing her reaction was not particularly emotional, he sighed in relief.

It seemed that these past few days were not a dream.

He couldn't help but glance at the Fate Jade at Zhan Yunwei's waist. Her Fate Jade had been personally carved and forged by the Mountain Lord of Changya Mountain.

The Mountain Lord, a master of talismans, was not skilled in weapon forging or jade crafting, yet Zhan Yunwei's Fate Jade was beautiful and exquisitely made, clearly showing the Mountain Lord's love for his daughter.

With the Fate Jade on her waist, it signified that she had no engagement in the Immortal Sect.

Now that the entanglement had been resolved, Zhan Shujing said, "Let's go find Elder Wan and the others, and wait for the Mountain Lord to emerge from seclusion. As for the Dynasty's Spirit Emperor, we'll discuss it later."

If he had suggested this before entering the Kunyuan Secret Realm, Zhan Yunwei might have agreed.

But now, she had new considerations.

Now that the Fate Jade was returned, many things had changed. But calculating the time, it wouldn't be long before a rare treasure would appear in Du'e City, attracting the attention of many.

In her past life, before Pei Yujing could rescue her, he had been ordered to go to Du'e City to seize the treasure. Zhan Yunwei remembered that, at the time, Yue Zhiheng had also been sent by the Spirit Emperor to Du'e City.

She only knew that the treasure was incredibly important, and neither Pei Yujing nor Yue Zhiheng had managed to obtain it.

The two of them had both been severely injured, and in the end, the treasure was destroyed in the Dark River.

Because of this outcome, when Yue Zhiheng returned, he was punished severely, enduring the pain of a hundred insects gnawing at his heart for nearly half a year.

In her previous life, Zhan Yunwei had no idea what that treasure was, but now she had an inkling.

If that treasure was the "Main Killing Lu," which had disappeared for years, it made sense. It was more terrifying than the divine sword, and the Immortal Sect might use it to turn the tide, but the Spirit Emperor would never allow Pei Yujing to obtain it.

Zhan Yunwei remembered the days when Yue Zhiheng was punished, and she hadn't felt any sympathy then, thinking it was well deserved.

When working for the Dynasty, that was the inevitable outcome.

Perhaps her gloating had been too much, and Yue Zhiheng, who had returned to live in Chitian Mansion, had caught her looking. He had coldly scrutinized her for a long while, then smiled through gritted teeth.

Soon after, he issued an order that on the days when his hundred insects gnawed at his heart, Zhan Yunwei was not allowed to eat.

Zhan Yunwei felt indifferent.

One day without food didn't seem like much of a punishment for a cultivator, but his pain was certainly real.

However, looking back now, she felt a twinge of discomfort.

Zhan Yunwei didn't know how much that pain truly was. Most of the time when Yue Zhiheng had his episodes, he was at Chitian Mansion.

The only time he had an attack in the estate, he locked himself in the study for an entire day, and the next day, aside from being a little pale, there was almost no sign of it.

When they crossed paths, they only brushed past each other.

Zhan Yunwei knew how cruel the Spirit Emperor was. If things developed similarly to her previous life, when winter came and the treasure surfaced, Yue Zhiheng would once again endure the same punishment.

So, in response to Zhan Shujing's questioning gaze, Zhan Yunwei said, "I need to return to the Dynasty for a while."

Zhan Shujing was horrified. "Are you crazy?"

You just managed to escape, right?

"No." Zhan Yunwei replied, "I want to get to the truth. There are things I didn't get to do before, and now I want to try."

In her past life, from the time she met Yue Zhiheng until his death, she had only observed him coldly, never doing anything for him. This time, however, she wanted to try and change the fate of everyone.

Yue Zhiheng had once said in the Cold Pool Cave that she only had three parts of affection for him, and if she wanted him to leave the Dynasty, that was a different matter.

Zhan Yunwei didn't know how much "three parts" meant, but as long as Yue Zhiheng hadn't outright rejected her or pledged absolute loyalty to the Dynasty, it meant there was room for negotiation.

She didn't want the lives of the 158 members of the Yue family to be slaughtered, nor did she want Yue Zhiheng to end up as he had in her previous life.

Even if Yue Zhiheng's feelings for her weren't deep enough to make him leave the Dynasty, with the changing tides and the cruelty of the Spirit Emperor, Yue Zhiheng would have to reconsider.

Moreover, this time, she also wanted to go to Du'e City. If she could obtain the Main Killing Lu and end the conflict, it would be the best outcome.

Zhan Yunwei also had another thing on her mind: the medicine for Yue Qingluo's condition.

She had always wanted to save Yue Qingluo and hoped that Yue Zhiheng wouldn't be hindered by the Spirit Emperor any longer.

"You know where to find the Buddhist Robe Jia Lan?"

Zhan Shujing frowned. "You mean the spiritual herb in the Spirit Emperor's possession?"

Zhan Yunwei nodded.

"You're asking about this... from what I know, the Spirit Emperor is the only one who has it."

Zhan Yunwei wasn't surprised, so she wasn't disappointed.

He didn't know, but the Qiuqiu Pavilion, which had the most up-to-date information, might know. But to ask Qiuqiu Pavilion to act, spiritual stones were necessary.

Zhan Yunwei sighed again at her lack of funds. If only she had taken her reward before leaving the Yue family.

Zhan Shujing obviously didn't have any money either.

Zhan Yunwei couldn't use the wealth left at Changya Mountain, nor could she sell her Fate Jade, and she wasn't willing to sell the Cave World Mirror.

After thinking for a while, she figured the only way was to go back to Changya Mountain and dig up the birthday gift she had buried beneath the Phoenix Wood when she was a child.

"Are you missing her a lot?"

To avoid alerting the people of the Dynasty, Zhan Yunwei deliberately concealed her and Zhan Shujing's auras using Spirit Control techniques along the way.

Zhan Yunwei realized that ever since absorbing those lingering souls in the underground palace, her spiritual sea had almost doubled in size.

Previously, her spiritual power was fine and dense, but now it had gained an added resilience. She used to only be able to control living things, but now, she could control even inanimate objects.

In the end, she truly managed to move through the heavily guarded soldiers as if walking on flat ground and retrieved her belongings.

Zhan Yunwei sold her magical tools and went to inquire about news at the Qiuqiu Pavilion. Fortunately, this time she got a lead. The Qiuqiu Pavilion mentioned rumors that someone had seen the Buddhist Robe Jia Lan in the northern part of Du'e City.

It seemed that going to Du'e City was inevitable.

Zhan Shujing almost laughed in anger when he saw her return just for a few broken beads. And the Buddhist Robe Jia Lan was a rare item that few would use. He remembered the rumors he had heard and gritted his teeth, saying, "You came all this way for these? Are you really starting to care for that scoundrel?"

The matter of the Main Killing Lu next month was inconvenient to discuss with him beforehand. But when it came to the matter of seduction, Zhan Yunwei had no intention of hiding it from him. She remembered the sensation she felt when the Earth's spirit collapsed, and after a long pause, she nodded.

Regardless of whether Yue Zhiheng believed in her sincerity, this time she truly wanted him to live well.

Sometimes, Zhan Shujing hated her straightforwardness to the core.

"It's not all just for this," Zhan Yunwei explained. "I always feel like there's something hidden behind the Yue family's surrender to the Dynasty. I want to get to the bottom of it, and I want to see if it's possible to pull the Yue family away from the Dynasty."

Even if it had nothing to do with love, with the Ninefold Spirit Veins, don't you think it's a huge asset for the Immortal Sect?

Zhan Shujing remained expressionless, not at all tempted. He hoped Yue Zhiheng would rot in the Dynasty for his entire life.

"Stop wasting time. It's impossible," Zhan Shujing said. "Even your father said it—this man is cold-hearted and without feeling."

The past few days had been filled with a rollercoaster of emotions for Zhan Shujing.

He spared no effort to speak to Zhan Yunwei, "He couldn't care less about you. Even if he saved you in the secret realm, it doesn't mean he truly cares for you. You've asked him, right? Does he want to leave the Dynasty and give up the immense power he holds now?"

Inside, his heart felt like it was about to explode.

It was already autumn. After all the struggles Zhan Yunwei and Zhan Shujing had gone through, she had even sold her jewelry to gather spirit stones just for such a meager clue.

As a Spirit Master, she rarely found herself in such a state of hardship.

Dressed in a light-colored cloth skirt, her pale face had a scratch from accidentally brushing against a guard while trying to avoid detection.

If Yue Zhiheng found out about this, even if he had only one part of true feelings for her, it would surely grow into ten.

Zhan Shujing thought, if someone was willing to do this much for him, let alone leaving the Dynasty, it would even motivate him to kill the Spirit Emperor.

He was glad Yue Zhiheng didn't know, and he hoped he would never find out.

With the weather cooling, it was the season for new clothes in the Yue family.

Since Zhan Yunwei left, Yue Qingluo had finally picked up the jade token and ledger to read.

She didn't want to let down her younger siblings and the carefully organized affairs she and Zhan Yunwei had worked hard on.

At first, it was quite difficult, but recently she had finally started to understand some things, even if it was still a bit clumsy.

It was almost October, and Yue Zhiheng had rarely returned to the estate in the past few days. Since he had been traveling more, Yue Qingluo had heard more news.

She knew that Yue Zhiheng had led people to massacre a village that had fallen into evil ways two days ago, and this morning, something had been found in the river that was meant to curse him.

The people of Fenhe County were all cursing him behind his back. Although Yue Qingluo knew Yue Zhiheng had probably long been used to this, she still couldn't help feeling a little sad.

Her younger brother had never received much care, and now, not only was there no care, but curses surrounded him from all sides.

It had been a while since Zhan Yunwei left, and Yue Qingluo couldn't help but ask Chen Ye about her. Now that she could write, she wrote on paper:

— "Will my sister-in-law return?"

Chen Ye replied, "I don't know."

— "Has A-Heng gone to find her?"

This question Chen Ye knew the answer to: "He has not."

With the power of Chitian Mansion, it wouldn't have been difficult to investigate Zhan Yunwei's whereabouts. Since Chen Ye said he hadn't searched, it meant he really didn't know where she was, and Yue Qingluo couldn't help but feel a little down.

But the events of that night during the Mid-Autumn Festival were still fresh in her mind. Yue Qingluo understood why Yue Zhiheng hadn't looked for Zhan Yunwei. He was in the Dynasty and could no longer afford to have any weaknesses. Not asking or looking for Zhan Yunwei was the safest option for her.

As the autumn deepened, Zhan Yunwei remained silent and absent. Yue Qingluo couldn't help but think about her sister-in-law more and more. She thought, her younger brother would only miss her more.

The worst thing was that, according to Chen Ye, Zhan Yunwei had met up with that sword immortal from the Immortal Sect and left the secret realm with him.

Yue Qingluo dreamt the night before that her sister-in-law had married the sword immortal and would never return. When she woke up, the ground was covered with dry leaves, and the autumn air felt cold and desolate. She couldn't help but sigh.

That night, the wind picked up. Yue Qingluo knew Yue Zhiheng was wearing thin clothes, so she thought of sending him some garments.

Others didn't dare enter his room, so Yue Qingluo had to go and find a cloak herself.

She walked to the front courtyard, bypassed the screen, and from a distance, she saw a hint of pale pink fabric peeking out from the bed.

The fabric looked delicate, and it didn't seem like Yue Zhiheng's clothes.

She was about to approach and take a closer look when a voice suddenly came from behind: "Sister."

Yue Qingluo turned around.

Yue Zhiheng asked, "Are you here for something?"

Yue Qingluo smiled and shook her head, miming that it was getting cold, and the clothes needed to be made. Yue Zhiheng calmly acknowledged it.

Seeing that he had returned, there was no need to send the cloak. Thinking of the nightmare from last night, Yue Qingluo felt uneasy. She wondered if it were true—whether her sister-in-law still liked her former fiancé, and what Yue Zhiheng would do.

The difference in status was like an impassable chasm. She had been naïve before, not knowing much, but now she realized how slim the chances were for Zhan Yunwei to be with him.

After a moment's hesitation, she asked uncertainly: "Do you miss her?"

Yue Zhiheng raised his eyes, his gaze淡淡. He naturally knew who Yue Qingluo was talking about.

Yue Zhiheng was silent for a moment before responding, "It's okay."

Yue Qingluo knew this was his nature—she couldn't expect much from him. She could only return to her courtyard for now.

After she left, Yue Zhiheng took a bath and changed his clothes. When he came back, his gaze fell on the bed.

It was a small pink and white garment. If Yue Qingluo had approached just a little more closely, she would have recognized what it was.

Autumn had arrived, and there were no more fireflies in Fenhe County, nor the sounds of insects that kept people awake at night. The Immortal Jade bed was unoccupied, and no one sneaked in to bathe like a thief.

It was as if everything had returned to the way it was before, but the night was eerily long and quiet.

Yue Qingluo's unease, he knew it too.

Would she ever come back? Where was she now? Had she returned to the old grounds of Changya Mountain, or was she with Pei Yujing, rekindling their past love? Such a ridiculous scenario wasn't uncommon in the Dynasty.

All of this he suppressed with a calm demeanor. It was a road he had chosen, one he had to walk.

"Zhan Yunwei's belongings in the Yue household were already few, and her presence grew fainter by the day.

Only the soft things in his palm, accompanied by memories, could suppress his thoughts and bring some peace.

His breathing grew hurried, and after a long while, he slowly closed his eyes, a light rumble in his throat."