chapter 74

Lord Yue, Let's Go Home

The storm raged on as Zhan Yunwei boarded the cloud boat, the Black Armor Guards failing to catch up.

She did not feel relief. Instead, something in the endless darkness behind her seemed to pull at her, urging her to turn back.

The rain poured harder. She sat at the stern of the cloud boat, staring blankly at the cinnabar markings in her palm.

Pei Yujing silently observed her for a long time. He had already guessed what had happened to Zhan Yunwei. She had been distant from him for too long, but today, she seemed to have returned to their days at the academy.

Ever since Qiu Yining had taken over her body, her spiritual consciousness and physical form had struggled to align.

Even so, was she still thinking about that man?

"Senior Brother Pei, why did I write these words?"

She trusted him today like she used to. Pei Yujing walked over and gently covered her hand with his. "Do you not remember what happened in the City of Tribulation?"

The words on her palm had already disappeared. Zhan Yunwei pressed her lips together and shook her head.

In the darkness, Pei Yujing's lips were pale. The divine sword behind him dimmed as he spoke in an eerily calm voice: "You were deceived by demonic beings in the forbidden land, and your body was taken over."

He gripped Zhan Yunwei's hand tightly, erasing the last trace of the cinnabar markings. "It was just an illusion created by evil forces. Don't think about it anymore. It's alright, Yanyan. We'll be home soon."

She frowned slightly, feeling an inexplicable discomfort.

Seeing the change in her expression, Pei Yujing's gaze darkened. He covered his lips and coughed lightly.

Sure enough, his condition finally pulled Zhan Yunwei's mind away from her thoughts. "Senior Brother Pei, are you alright?"

He lowered his eyes and shook his head gently.

Zhan Yunwei knew she was being inconsiderate. Earlier, the Crown Prince had brought so many formation masters and Black Armor Guards. Pei Yujing was severely injured. She should have been more concerned about his wounds instead of letting her mind wander, but she felt no guilt at all.

As Pei Yujing's body swayed slightly, Zhan Yunwei reached out to steady him. "Don't stand here. You should go rest."

They had lingered too long in the City of Tribulation. Now, the Spirit Realm had already turned to snow, and the stern of the boat, against the wind, was the coldest place.

Pei Yujing lay down and gazed at her. "Yanyan, will you stay with me?"

His voice softened, his complexion pale.

From the time they had known each other in their youth, Zhan Yunwei had rarely seen him so vulnerable. As the future heir of the Immortal Sect, Pei Yujing had never shown weakness to anyone.

She quietly sat beside his bed, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't focus. Though the cinnabar markings had been erased, the place where she had once worn the Spirit Shackling Bracelet was now adorned with a jade-green bracelet.

This new artifact had appeared out of nowhere—an exquisitely crafted spiritual guard, specifically designed for spirit tamers. It was undoubtedly created with great care.

No wonder she had been so powerful in the battle against the Demon King. Despite the fight, she had almost no injuries.

She traced the delicate silver lotus patterns on the bracelet, momentarily stunned.

Pei Yujing noticed her reaction, and a flash of coldness flickered in his eyes.

He took her hand in his, his voice gentle. "Do you remember the incomplete Taming Arts manual that the academy ordered to be burned?"

Zhan Yunwei nodded.

After she had been accused of practicing spirit-taming techniques, the academy had confiscated and destroyed the half-written Taming Arts manual. She had been heartbroken over it for a long time.

But Pei Yujing said, "It wasn't destroyed. I buried it beneath the apricot tree in the academy. I also found the missing second half. I was supposed to give it to you long ago, but I never got the chance."

Zhan Yunwei stared at him in shock. "You…"

In her memory, Pei Yujing had always been one to follow the rules—he was the future heir of the Immortal Sect. She had never imagined that he would go against the academy's orders to secretly preserve something for her.

Although her senior brother had already defied the rules before to help her learn the art, the burning of the manual had been personally overseen by his master. For Pei Yujing to dare deceive his own sect was practically an act of treason.

Pei Yujing chuckled, his voice hoarse. "Yanyan, do you know? For you, I would do anything."

It was the first time he had said such words to her, and for a moment, Zhan Yunwei saw a stubborn resolve in his eyes.

She realized that he truly meant it. This was not a joke.

She found the person before her unfamiliar, yet somehow, it also felt inevitable. Pei Yujing held her hand close to his lips as if to kiss it. "Let's forget everything from the past. Once we return to Jade Loft, let's get married."

Just before his lips could touch her skin, Zhan Yunwei recoiled as if burned.

She didn't know why she reacted that way. In a low voice, she said, "I'm sorry."

Pei Yujing's expression was strange—icy, yet as if he had expected this all along.

Zhan Yunwei took a deep breath, almost struggling to breathe. "Senior Brother, you should rest first. I'll come find you later."

She stepped off the cloud boat.

The boat was not flying high, and below, she could see the quiet county of Fenhe.

Dawn was approaching, and spring was near.

Fishermen and fisherwomen were already working along the riverbanks. A sharp pain struck her consciousness, and memories of Fenhe overlapped chaotically in her mind.

It was as if, on a similar morning, she had been unable to climb into the Xuanwu carriage. Someone, wearing a terrifying ghost mask, had lifted her up with one hand.

That man, reviled and feared by the people, had shown her an unusual gentleness.

Suddenly, she had the urge to go down and see—no, to look back.

But at that moment, a divine sword blocked her path.

Zhan Yunwei looked up and saw that the once radiant sword had now been tainted with threads of dark energy.

Behind her, Pei Yujing's voice was cold. "No matter what I do, you still want to leave, don't you?"

Zhan Yunwei turned around, her expression heavy. "Senior Brother, when did your sword heart become corrupted by demonic energy?"

Pei Yujing smiled but did not answer. "It will be alright, Yanyan. Believe me—I won't become what you saw in the broken mirror."

Zhan Yunwei didn't understand his words but knew they were tied to this so-called 'broken mirror.'

She shook her head. "Don't go down the wrong path. Don't forget who you are."Pei Yujing had already realized that she was determined to go back. His expression turned cold. "Are you really going to fight me?"

Zhan Yunwei remained silent, using her actions to show her resolve. She leaped off the cloud vessel. In that instant, she saw the crimson glow in Pei Yujing's eyes, his divine sword growing even dimmer.

In his fury and jealousy, he truly sent his sword after her.

Zhan Yunwei found it absurd, yet at the same time, she felt a sense of relief.

She did not dodge. Instead, she raised her hand, releasing her spiritual power to grasp the sword. The divine sword trembled within her aura, and the jade bracelet on her wrist exerted all its strength to protect her, eventually cracking under the strain.

But Zhan Yunwei ignored it, pouring all her power into purifying the sword.

Finally, the divine sword shone once again with golden light. She let go and saw Pei Yujing withdraw his weapon, kneeling on the cloud vessel, his face pale and stunned.

His eyes returned to their usual shade, now filled with fear and pain. His lips trembled as if he could not believe what he had just done. The demonic aura he had absorbed in the forbidden ground had finally dissipated.

Zhan Yunwei steadied herself, noticing that he wanted to apologize.

But she did not care for apologies. Without looking back, she simply waved her hand at him.

"Pei Yujing, hold on to your sword. From now on, wield it only against true evil."

She did not feel disappointment or resentment—there were far more urgent and important matters to attend to.

The bracelet on her wrist had nearly shattered to protect her.

She carefully placed it close to her heart and leaped downward.

There was still some time before dawn, but the diligent people of Fenhe County were already lighting lamps and casting their nets into the river. This was the first fishing trip after the snow had melted, and many wealthy families had arrived early to buy fresh catches.

Zhan Yunwei clutched her chest as she approached. Several fisherwomen were calling out to sell their fish, but upon seeing her pale face, none dared to ask if she wished to buy one.

Yet, she stopped in front of a fisherwoman. "Is this box for sale?"

The fisherwoman was momentarily stunned before quickly nodding. "Yes, it is."

Her husband had pulled it from the river that morning. It seemed finely crafted but could not be opened, so they had kept it aside as a decoration. They had considered taking it to a pawnshop to inquire about its value, but now that someone wanted to buy it, they were happy to sell it.

Zhan Yunwei paid in spirit stones and took the jade box away.

She felt unwell everywhere—her head ached as if it were splitting—but the box in her hands looked familiar.

The fisherwoman's family had been unable to open it, but when Zhan Yunwei infused it with her spiritual power, the jade box unlocked.

Inside lay a jade plaque and a half-carved jade pendant.

The plaque was old, but she recognized it instantly—it was her childhood initiation plaque. Its edges were smooth and well-preserved, as if someone had treasured it and often stroked it with care.

The pendant, on the other hand, was only partially carved, but its shape suggested it was meant to be a Life Jade.

How terrible—her eyes had begun to sting.

Zhan Yunwei wrapped her robe tightly around herself and retraced her steps.

Dawn was approaching.

A ghost crane let out a mournful cry and, having lost control, plummeted from the sky.

Beside the city moat, all was cold and silent. The willow trees had yet to sprout new buds, and the ground was thick with mud.

Yue Zhiheng lay collapsed in the murky water, his wounds still bleeding, the scent of ice lotuses spreading through the air.

His consciousness wavered, and his body burned—not only from his injuries but also from sheer exhaustion.

He had slaughtered all of the Crown Prince's elite soldiers and Black Armor Guards. Completely drained, he had not even made it to Fenhe County before collapsing.

The world was vast, and the rain had yet to cease.

Raindrops pelted the river's surface in a chaotic symphony.

Dawn was nearing, and Yue Zhiheng was utterly alone. He panted heavily, intending to rest for a moment before getting back up.

This scene was nothing new to him.

When he and Yue Qingluo had wandered homeless in their youth, they had often ended up like this. He had long since grown accustomed to it.

It was fine, he told himself calmly. There were no fatal wounds—he just needed time to recover.

His pale hand lay submerged in the muddy water. Several times, he attempted to stand. Even in his weakened state, his mind was still analyzing the situation—his shadow army was incomplete, and he needed to devise a strategy to face the Spirit Emperor upon his return.

The Crown Prince was dead, which would undoubtedly cause trouble.

But he had been thorough—no one would discover the truth. Yue Zhiheng knew that the Spirit Emperor, with his nearly perfected Twelve Spirit Meridians, would not truly care about losing a useless heir.

The road ahead was long and bleak. His thoughts were tangled and chaotic, but amidst them, he fleetingly wondered if Qu Lan Yue had already returned after dealing with the Ghoul King. It was nearly time to raise the shadow army—nothing could go wrong.

The ghost crane could not be stored away and had also fallen into the mud, landing not far from him.

Yue Zhiheng had considered countless things—none of them allowed for his own weakness.

He closed his eyes, his eyelids heavy. He would rest just a little longer and then find a way to contact Shen Ye.

He always handled things well.

When Zhan Yunwei found him, this was the sight that greeted her: Yue Zhiheng, covered in wounds, collapsed in a pool of blood. She did not know how long he had been lying there, his hands submerged in the mud, deathly pale.

His face was smeared with dirt, and the talisman he clutched had been soaked through, unable to transform into a spirit bird and fly.

Just laying eyes on him from afar made her tears well up.

She was injured too, her spiritual power nearly depleted, and her whole body ached. But she ran to him—she had never run so fast in her life, not even when she was powerless.

She lifted Yue Zhiheng, letting him lean against her. Then, she gently took the talisman from his hand, infused it with the last of her spiritual energy, and sent the spirit bird flying.

"It's okay now, Lord Yue. Let's go home."

The man in her arms moved his fingers slightly. Zhan Yunwei knew he was not unconscious—he was simply in too much pain, too exhausted.

The rain continued to pour in the Spirit Domain, making it impossible to tell how disheveled the tears on her face were.

Zhan Yunwei only wiped the dirt and blood from his face, letting him lean against her, holding him gently.

She could not shield him from the rain, but she tried her best to warm him with her embrace.Fragmented memories gradually became clear—so clear that they brought a sharp pain.

She brushed aside the messy strands of hair on his face. Just as Yue Zhiheng had never minded her filth when she was at the bottom of the dark river, she did not mind the blood on his face. She pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead.

It's okay now. Everything will be fine, Lord Yue.

The Fate Stone hidden in her sleeve slipped out, falling into the muddy water. It flickered faintly, its glow dim and unremarkable in the dreary morning light.

Yet, it fell into Yue Zhiheng's gaze.

His silence grew so heavy that his eyes ached, the pain laced with something unbearably bitter.

After a long moment, his trembling hand lifted, pulling her into a tight embrace.