Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Lu Yuanyin put away her longsword and stepped back two paces. In the past, facing Gu Lingqiu and the others' accusations, she might have been angry and hurt, but now she had just obtained a precious pill furnace.

In the eyes of an alchemist, the pill furnace is both their wife and their livelihood—an indispensable part of their life.

Yet she had found a mysterious pill furnace of unknown rank, one that was both resilient and durable, with just five low-grade spirit stones. This overwhelming fortune washed away the sadness in her heart.

Before she could even feel upset, the corners of her mouth involuntarily lifted, and she almost laughed out loud.

Seeing the smile on her face, the others’ expressions grew even more sour. Tong Lanyi’s face twisted for a moment before she shrieked, “What are you laughing at? You harmed us like this, and you still have the nerve to laugh?!”

Gu Lingqiu’s expression turned cold.

Lu Yuanyin looked at Lu Sisi and the others indifferently. “Harmed you? I’d like to know where the honey on my clothes actually came from.”

At her words, there was a moment of silence.

Earlier, when the swarm of insects chased only Lu Yuanyin, they had sensed something was off, but they didn’t like her. It suited them that she led the swarm away, so they pretended not to notice.

Now that Lu Yuanyin had brought it up, their expressions grew uneasy, and they averted their eyes in silence.

Lu Sisi shifted her gaze, instinctively tightening her grip on Gu Lingqiu’s sleeve and timidly hiding behind him. “A Yin, isn’t this all just a misunderstanding…”

Tong Lanyi, brow furrowed, scolded sharply, “What nonsense are you talking about? You probably got it on yourself somewhere and now want to blame someone else!”

Lu Yuanyin’s gaze lingered on their faces for a moment. She saw their eyes flicker as they instinctively avoided her gaze. Lu Sisi bit her red lip and said softly, “I know you’re angry, but you can’t just say things like that carelessly, A Yin. I believe no one among us would do such a thing…”

Lu Yuanyin snorted coldly. “So you mean I’m framing you?”

Tong Lanyi sneered, her face full of contempt. “Who knows?” It wasn’t like she hadn’t done similar things before!

She wanted to curse more, but when she saw Lu Yuanyin’s icy expression, she faltered. Thinking about how they still needed this trash for something later, she couldn’t afford to offend her too badly. She opened her mouth but said nothing.

Lu Sisi tightened her grip on Gu Lingqiu’s sleeve but stayed silent, tacitly agreeing. The others also looked at her in silence.

Lu Yuanyin stared at them for a long moment, knowing she would not get a resolution today. She picked up the longsword that had fallen to the ground and turned to walk into the forest.

Behind her came Lu Sisi’s anxious voice as she took two steps forward, trying to grab her hand. “A Yin, listen to me…”

Lu Yuanyin sidestepped her reach without turning back. “Don’t follow me anymore.”

Lu Sisi froze, at a loss, and looked to Gu Lingqiu, her eyes reddening. “Brother Gu, is A Yin angry because I didn’t save her earlier? But I was so scared…”

She tugged at the corner of his robe pitifully, tears glistening on her cheeks, ready to fall—a truly pathetic sight.

Gu Lingqiu frowned deeply, watching the direction Lu Yuanyin had gone. Irritation flickered in his handsome eyes. He shook off Lu Sisi’s hand and offered a perfunctory comfort, “Don’t overthink it.”

With that, to everyone’s surprise, he strode after Lu Yuanyin.

Lu Sisi swayed slightly, watching his retreating back, her face growing paler.

She wanted to say more, but before she could, Gu Lingqiu’s figure had already vanished into the dark night after Lu Yuanyin. She bit her lip, her hand clenched inside her sleeve until her nails dug deep into her soft palm. The pain made her finally loosen her fingers.

Lu Sisi took a deep breath, forcing down the grievance in her heart. Staring at the direction the two had gone, she lowered her eyes. She didn’t understand why Brother Gu still refused to give up on Lu Yuanyin. Lu Yuanyin was so unworthy. She had met Brother Gu first. Why was he engaged to Lu Yuanyin instead of her? Besides her face, what did she have that could compare?…

Her expression shifted repeatedly. Having just narrowly escaped death, her emotions were already raw. Now, with all these complicated feelings surging in her heart, she was pushed to the edge of collapse. She bit her lip again. Even if she didn’t want to admit it, she truly hated Lu Yuanyin… The pent-up emotions finally erupted. She hated her so much she wished she would die, disappear without a trace, and never bother Brother Gu and the master again.

So much so that for the first time, she had taken action to harm someone.

Lu Yuanyin already had someone as good as Brother Gu, yet she wasn’t satisfied. She didn’t know how to cherish him, and even greedily tried to seduce the master. A person like that didn’t deserve Brother Gu.

Lu Sisi tightened her grip on her longsword, then seemed to think of something. She wiped away the tears on her face with her fingertips, with teary eyes, but she showed the others a sweet smile. “Wait for me. I’ll be right back.”

Without waiting for a reply, she hurried into the forest.

The others’ gazes lingered on the three of them for a moment. They had long known that the relationships among them were somewhat unconventional. Gu Lingqiu and Lu Sisi were close—he, a rising star, and she, the genius of Chongyao Sect. They seemed a perfect match. Just as everyone thought they would become dao companions, news suddenly broke that Gu Lingqiu actually had a fiancée.

What was even more shocking was that his fiancée was the notorious Lu Yuanyin!

At the time, this had caused quite a stir in Chongyao Sect. Yet the three of them had never mentioned it publicly. This was the first time everyone had seen them all together…

The others’ expressions grew even more complicated.

Gu Lingqiu strode quickly toward Lu Yuanyin, but she didn’t even raise her head, just kept walking forward expressionlessly. Seeing that she didn’t spare him a glance, Gu Lingqiu felt inexplicably irritated. His temple throbbed, and he blocked her path directly. “Lu Yuanyin, what exactly are you making a scene about?! What’s the point of straining our relationship like this?”

Lu Yuanyin paused, lifting her head slightly to look at the man blocking her way. “You think I’m making a fuss?”

The bright moonlight quietly fell on her snow-white cheeks, light and shadow casting across her delicately beautiful face. Traces of crimson blood still stained her pale skin, like red plums in the snow—so stunning it was almost blinding.

Gu Lingqiu was momentarily stunned, staring at the person before him. Lu Yuanyin lifted her head, and those eyes that had always been full of smiles were now filled only with coldness. He had never seen her like this.

Gu Lingqiu’s thoughts drifted for a moment. He had always known that Lu Yuanyin was extremely beautiful—more beautiful than the women carefully selected for his father. But in the few months they had been apart, she seemed to have changed. The once youthful features had matured, and her eyes had a captivating beauty.

Her features vaguely resembled past memories, and the young girl before him slowly merged with the one in his mind.

Gu Lingqiu was silent for a moment, then softened his tone. “I’m not blaming you. I don’t want to argue with you. I just don’t understand why you have to target Lu Sisi. She hasn’t done anything to you. Or is it because I’ve been spending time with her? It’s not what you think.”

He couldn’t understand why Lu Yuanyin hated Lu Sisi so much. Lu Sisi had always been considerate of her, thinking of her in every way, even saving her life once.

Lu Yuanyin was irritated by his attitude. She couldn’t be bothered to deal with him anymore and walked past him expressionlessly. “It’s none of your business.”

Gu Lingqiu frowned deeply, suddenly grabbing her slender wrist. His voice was heavy, carrying a hint of reproach. “Maybe someone wanted to harm you, but have you considered that your actions could have gotten this entire group killed?”

Lu Yuanyin paused, looking up directly into his eyes. “So what? Their lives or deaths have nothing to do with me.”

Gu Lingqiu stared at her for a long moment, as if seeing her for the first time. His voice was strained with suppressed anger. “How did you become like this? How can you be so vicious now?”

His expression turned grim, his handsome face full of bewilderment. The person before him had become unrecognizable, and he barely recognized her.

The old Lu Yuanyin, although a bit eccentric, would always retract her thorns in front of familiar people. She was lively and cheerful, kind-hearted, open-minded—the most cheerful and wonderful young girl he had ever known.

Not like this bitter, selfish person who would endanger so many lives just for personal grudges and repeatedly harass someone who had saved her life.

Lu Yuanyin sneered. “Aren’t you ashamed to say that?”

She found his words laughable. They had known each other for years, possibly better than anyone else knew each other. Gu Lingqiu had never been a good man. In the past, to cover his tracks, he had heartlessly slaughtered the entire family that had taken him in, leaving no survivors.

Now, she was merely returning the same methods they had used against her, and he thought she was vicious.

Or perhaps it was only because Lu Sisi was among them that human life seemed precious to him.

Lu Yuanyin lowered her eyes slightly, casually wiping the dirt off her sword. Gu Lingqiu was usually cold and impatient, but he would restrain his temper around her. They had known each other since youth and rarely argued. However, since Lu Sisi had appeared, almost every encounter ended in discord.

Even the last time they met, they had a huge fight about Lu Sisi, nearly coming to blows.

It wasn’t her who had changed—it was Gu Lingqiu.

She had long grown weary of this relationship.

Lu Yuanyin gently pulled her hand free from his grasp, met his dark eyes, and said softly, "Gu Lingqiu, you are truly hypocritical."

Gu Lingqiu was stunned.

But Lu Yuanyin could not be bothered to say more. She brushed past him and quickly walked into the forest.

Watching her retreating figure, Gu Lingqiu felt an unusual sense of helplessness. His chest heaved violently, veins bulging on his forehead, his expression thunderous. His fingers unconsciously curled.

He had a vague sense of having lost something incredibly precious, like sand slipping through his fingers—no matter how tightly he clenched his fist, he could not hold onto it. This tangled feeling stirred up an indescribable irritation in him.

His hand clenched inside his sleeve as he stared distractedly at the long sword in his grip. Hanging from the hilt was a slightly worn jade pendant; the red cord was faded, and the tassels swayed, making him inexplicably uneasy.

Gu Lingqiu clutched the jade pendant tightly—it was the first birthday gift she had given him after they met... Dazed, he looked up at the night sky.

He did not know how they had come to this point.

Gu Lingqiu was originally the Demon Lord's Son, born with a supreme Heavenly Demon lineage, destined to walk the Great Dao. He was the pride of his father, the most promising heir of the Demon Clan. His early life had been smooth, and he had never known what setback meant.

Until recent years, the Spirit Beast Clan migrated en masse, plunging the entire cultivation world into turmoil. The Demon Clan faced threats from within and without. The Gu Worm Cultivators of the Western Regions allied with several forces to besiege the Demon Lord. His mother took a fatal blow meant for his father and perished on the spot, while his father disappeared in the chaos.

Several loyal deathsworn warriors fought desperately to escort him out of the demon realm.

He fled in disgrace into human territory, but due to severe injuries and exhaustion, he fell into the sea. The icy water engulfed him. Just as he thought he would perish in that vast ocean, eaten by fish, a small figure broke through the waves and plucked the Demonic Jade Sea Lotus beside him.

After taking the lotus, she was about to leave.

At that time, he still had a sliver of consciousness. He instinctively reached out and grabbed her slender ankle. She eventually dragged him out of the sea.

Still young, she scrunched up her chubby face in a frown, stepped heedlessly on his stomach, and made him spit out the seawater.

He forgot what they said afterward, but in the end, she used spirit stones to hire a medical cultivator for him and secretly brought him back to her sect. Only then did he learn that she was a cultivator from the Hehuan Sect, whose name was Lu Yuanyin, whose parents had both died.

She always wore pale red dresses, tied her hair into two buns, and was like a ray of sunshine, spending her days gathering spirit herbs.

At that time, he was filled with resentment about his mother's death, his father's disappearance, and the Bone Clan’s betrayal. He thought only of revenge, training day and night. In yet another reckless breakthrough, his spiritual power reversed, nearly driving him insane.

Just as he thought his life would end there, the little Lu Yuanyin climbed over the high wall, smashed the secret chamber door open, and dragged his bloody body to the medical hall.

Later, Lu Yuanyin’s grandmother discovered his existence.

He could tell the grandmother didn’t like him and even wanted Lu Yuanyin to send him away from the Hehuan Sect. At that time, he even considered killing the grandmother so that Lu Yuanyin would never leave him.

Fortunately, the grandmother later died in a Spirit Beast attack.

He and Lu Yuanyin left the Hehuan Sect. They wandered all over, crossing countless mountains, rivers, and seas. They relied on each other; they were each other’s closest companions. In the presence of an elder, they were betrothed, planning to marry once Lu Yuanyin formed her Golden Core.

That was the only joyful time in that dark period of his life.

Until they reached the Chongyao Sect. Lu Yuanyin seemed to change. She became sharp-tongued and distant toward him.

While searching for spirit herbs for her, he was accidentally injured and on the verge of death. He sent someone to deliver a message to Lu Yuanyin, wanting to see her one last time.

He bled almost dry, but never saw that familiar figure.

When he recovered, he heard from sect disciples that during his injury, Lu Yuanyin had an ambiguous relationship with Immortal Lord Changye. It was said that the Immortal Lord had carried her out of his bedchamber, witnessed by many disciples.

He believed Lu Yuanyin was not that kind of person, yet every subsequent meeting between them was filled with arguments, and their relationship grew increasingly strained.

Gu Lingqiu took a deep breath, trying to suppress the irritation in his heart, but the restlessness spread like wildfire. He suddenly raised his hand and smashed it into a giant tree beside him. The thick tree crashed to the ground in an instant, sending dust flying.

*

Lu Yuanyin avoided the crowd, selected a tree and sat cross-legged on a thick branch. She closed her eyes and meditated for a while to calm her emotions. In this forest, a single misstep could cost her life; she could not dwell on irrelevant matters anymore.

From the moment Gu Lingqiu argued with her over Lu Sisi, there was no hope for them.

Lu Yuanyin took out a gourd and carefully washed the wound on her arm with water. She changed her clothes and stored the bloodstained dress in her storage pouch.

Just then, several cultivators walked beneath the tree, their expressions ecstatic. One of them grinned, his face full of joy. “I can’t believe our luck! To stumble upon such a treasure as soon as we arrived!”

The person beside him nudged his arm. “Keep your voice down! When the Heavenly Fragrant Epiphyllum blooms, it won’t be easy to handle…”

The first one immediately replied, “Then we’ll just guard it until it blooms. As soon as it opens, we’ll pick it and leave the secret realm. I doubt those people would give up their spots just to chase us!”

Lu Yuanyin quietly stood up, a hint of surprise in her eyes as she watched the direction the cultivators had left.

She had heard of the Heavenly Fragrant Epiphyllum—a legendary top-grade spirit herb. As long as a cultivator still had a breath left in them, this flower could save them. She hadn’t expected such a rare herb to appear in this secret realm.

Her gaze flickered. She concealed her aura and silently followed behind them.

Lamps were lit, and the moon shone through the window.

Several figures silently crossed the forest. The surrounding spirit beasts seemed to sense something and cowered on the ground in fear. They silently surveyed the area, noting the broken trees, dried bloodstains, and shattered insect carcasses everywhere.

The leader’s brow furrowed so deeply it could crush a mosquito. He paused, sniffed the air slightly, and then suddenly dashed toward the cliff.

Their speed increased rapidly as the scenery constantly changed. Sensing a familiar aura, a flash of madness lit their eyes. “Go!”

In a moment, the view before them suddenly opened up. The bright moon hung high beyond the forest, revealing a steep cliff. A waterfall plunged down, splashing a misty spray everywhere.

A tall figure stood silently on the cliff edge. The mountain wind billowed his loose sleeves and robe. The male cultivator wore a wide black robe adorned with mystical patterns that shimmered under the moonlight, forming intricate lines.

Upon seeing the figure, several people’s eyes lit up. They hurried forward, prostrating themselves on the ground, their voices trembling with excitement. “Milord!”

The male cultivator lowered his gaze expressionlessly, watching the crowd bustling below the mountain. Only after the figure completely disappeared into the dense jungle did he withdraw his gaze and look coldly at the people behind him.

The man was taller and broader than ordinary people. Twisted horns grew among his white hair, and a long, shoulder-length crimson tassel hung from his right earlobe. Most of his face was hidden in shadow, revealing only the sharp outline of his chin.

Hong Rong stepped forward, bowed respectfully, and then called out, “Milord! We have searched for you for so long. You have finally shown yourself!”

Hong Rong’s tiger-like eyes were wide. He dared not look directly at the Dragon Lord’s face, instead fixing his gaze on the jade belt around Huo Wuyan’s waist, his eyes filled with reverence. His heart surged with immense pride; the man before him was the one he had dreamed of meeting!

Back when Huo Wuyan rose to power, he killed his elder brother and grandfather, seizing the Dragon Lord’s throne through ruthless means. Many considered his methods brutal, but Hong Rong admired him immensely!

In his eyes, their Dragon Lord was meant to be fierce and warlike, not some timid worm!

Hong Rong trained tirelessly until he finally stood out among the dragons, earning the position of Huo Wuyan’s guard. Yet before he could meet the Dragon Lord, Huo Wuyan had already disappeared!

It was only today that he sensed the Dragon Lord’s aura again and immediately rushed here with his companions!

Hong Rong’s heart pounded; he could hardly contain his joy. Their eyes burned with fervor as they looked at the man before them. With just one command from their lord, they would go through fire and water without hesitation.

However, Huo Wuyan only stared expressionlessly at the forest below.

A moment later, Hong Rong raised an eyebrow in surprise, his gaze lingering on Huo Wuyan’s neck. His pupils contracted. He saw several healed scratch marks on the Dragon Lord’s neck—dark traces clearly visible against the white hair.

Hong Rong opened his mouth in shock, finding it hard to believe. What kind of powerful being could leave marks on such a sensitive spot of the Dragon Lord…

Hong Rong was puzzled, feeling something was off. He scratched his head in confusion, only to see Huo Wuyan turn around expressionlessly, his crimson eyes coldly staring at a corner of the mountain. He said coldly, "Follow her."

Hong Rong nodded instinctively. Seeing that Huo Wuyan had no other instructions, he and the others silently withdrew.

Hong Rong hung his head and thought for a while, feeling as if he had missed something crucial. He scratched his head again, then his eyes flew open—he finally realized what was wrong!

Even though the Dragon Lord’s aura had mostly faded, he could still detect a faint, distinctly feminine fragrance.

Hong Rong’s pupils constricted. He was horrified to find that the Dragon Lord’s primordial yang essence was gone…

Author's note:

Here~ Good night!