Chapter 17

Chapter 17

As Gu Lingqiu finished speaking, Lu Yuanyin paused, her steps faltering briefly.

However, she only gave him a quiet glance before walking past him and following the guards without a word.

Gu Lingqiu's words were basically an admission that all those things were her doing. If she hadn't known the storyline, if she hadn't known those past karmic ties, she might've bothered explaining to Gu Lingqiu. But now, she couldn't even be bothered to say a word.

It was pointless.

From the very beginning, they never believed her—or more like, they refused to. Between Lu Sisi and her, they wouldn't hesitate at all. What they cared about was never the truth.

So even though the matter was full of doubts, even though anyone with discernment could see the irregularities at a glance, they still refused to look into it. They trusted Lu Sisi without question and looked down on her. They always assumed the worst of her.

Even Gu Lingqiu wasn't any different.

The Gu Lingqiu in front of her wasn't the boy who'd die for her and protect her at every turn.

The Gu Lingqiu she liked—the one who trusted her unconditionally and protected her—had died the second he met Lu Sisi, along with countless memories of their past, all faded into the depths of her memory.

No matter what she said, they'd just think she was lying and making excuses.

Saying more would only make things worse.

Gu Lingqiu stared blankly in the direction she had left. The bright sunlight scattered through her hair, outlining a delicate golden halo around her figure. Her silhouette grew smaller and slowly disappeared among the endless mountains.

His heart felt strangely restless and lost, as if something precious was slowly slipping away with her, like sand slipping through his fingers, impossible to hold onto. This strange feeling made his fingers tremble a little.

He thought Lu Yuanyin would explode in anger, would scream at him, fight him, refute him. He'd pictured every possibility, but never once had he thought she wouldn't even look at him.

Like he was just some stranger passing through, not worth her gaze lingering for even a moment.

The darkness in Gu Lingqiu's eyes deepened. He glared at where Lu Yuanyin had disappeared, then slammed his fist into the pillar!

A sharp sting shot through him, and blood seeped from his fingertips. Beside him, Lu Sisi let out a startled cry...

Lu Yuanyin didn't spare another thought for him.

The Reflection Cliff sounded simple enough, but it scared almost every Chongyao disciple out of their wits. There were no seasons, no day or night—just bitter cold and scorching heat, blazing flames and solid ice, and endless, suffocating darkness.

Almost every disciple locked up here had done something serious.

They had no evidence, but they threw her in here anyway, just because the Lu family had fallen from grace and bullied her since she had no protection.

Lu Yuanyin sat at the edge of the cliff. Half her body felt like it was in an ice cave, while the other half was on fire. One side freezing, the other burning—it was miserable.

She'd lost count of how long she'd been on Reflection Cliff. It was dead silent all the time. In the darkness, all she heard was her own breathing, sometimes shallow, sometimes heavy, each breath echoing in her ears.

Here, both meditation and sleep were a luxury. Every time she closed her eyes, she'd fall into the same nightmares. When she woke, the surroundings were still the same unchanging darkness.

She could see in the dark, but this place was like endless layers of black. All she ever saw was that familiar, sickening black.

The darkness made her anxiety and fear grow.

Lu Yuanyin had secretly cried a few times in the dark. Why did she have to be so unlucky, born as some wicked cannon fodder, to end up with people like Lu Sisi causing her misery? Why did she have to suffer all this?!

She even thought about just finding a cliff and jumping, smashing to bits and ending it all, so she wouldn't have to take this crap.

But when she got to the edge, she couldn't help pulling back. Eh, better a live coward than a dead hero.

She wanted to call for help, but didn't know who to turn to.

No one could save her, and those who could save her were unwilling. She was like a trapped beast in a cage, with nowhere to escape.

After who knows how long, just as Lu Yuanyin felt she was about to be driven mad by the endless darkness and silence, faintly, she seemed to hear a crisp bird chirp.

Lu Yuanyin almost thought she was hallucinating, but the next second, a round, fragrant fruit landed squarely in her arms. Her eyes lit up. This fruit was like a drop of rain falling into her parched heart; she regained the will to live.

She didn't care whether the fruit was poisonous; she wolfed it down. She only knew that if she continued like this, she would truly die of pent-up frustration.

After that, Lu Yuanyin began to vomit frequently. Even though she hadn't eaten and her stomach was empty, she would still inexplicably throw up.

Lu Yuanyin tried to take her own pulse, but after this period on the Cliff of Reflection, she was nearly mentally deranged, and the pulse under her fingers was chaotic. For the first time, she couldn't understand her own pulse.

Lu Yuanyin could feel herself growing thinner day by day. Originally, though thin, she had a layer of soft flesh at her waist and could occasionally pinch a bit of belly fat. Now her waist was pitifully thin, and her sash was gradually loosening.

Lu Yuanyin returned to her previous half-dead state. She lay on the ground, staring blankly at what might be the sky or somewhere else, when she felt a sting in her eyes. A beam of light abruptly appeared before her.

Lu Yuanyin almost thought it was an illusion. She opened her eyes wide in disbelief.

The light did not disappear; instead, it grew stronger!

Her eyes stung. She had gone too long without seeing anything beyond the darkness. The light caused a layer of tears to well up in her eyes, blurring her vision, yet she still couldn't bear to look away.

She could faintly sense a blurry figure slowly stopping in front of her. A faint fragrance of mountain bamboo silently lingered around her nose. Lu Yuanyin's eyelashes trembled, and she suddenly grabbed the hem of her skirt under her palm.

This fragrance—she would never forget it even in death. He had accompanied her through several seasons, staying by her side all night when she was sick. She had once loved this scent dearly.

But now, she only wanted to skin him, break his bones, and tear him into pieces.

Lu Yuanyin's lips moved slightly. She lowered her eyelashes, the long lashes hiding the expression in her eyes. She did not call him "Master" as before, but said weakly, "Immortal Lord Changye..."

His breath caught slightly, but he gently ruffled her soft hair, his voice cool, "I've come to take you home."

Lu Yuanyin's nose tingled, and her eyes felt astringent. She almost couldn't help wanting to demand why he had treated her like that.

Since he had done so many evil things, why bother putting on a hypocritical act of being good to her?

He had coaxed her into circling around him like a fool.

That place was not her home either.

Immortal Lord Changye had long since personally destroyed her home.

But in the end, she couldn't say anything. She was now exhausted from the Cliff of Reflection and had no energy left to argue. She just wanted to close her eyes and rest for a while.

Her vision gradually returned. Lu Yuanyin blinked, trying to ease the soreness in her eyes. She saw a tall figure standing before her. His dark hair was loose, his brows and eyes handsome, his pupils like dots of ink, as if painted by a master artist. The mountain wind lifted his blue robe, making it rustle.

Just like the first time they met.

Lu Yuanyin's gaze froze. She saw a faded tassel hanging at his waist. The warm sunlight fell gently all over him, softening the coldness in his eyes.

She avoided his hand, lowered her eyelashes, and walked past Immortal Lord Changye with a cold expression.

At this distant action, Immortal Lord Changye's fingers paused. His gaze lingered on Lu Yuanyin for a moment. He saw her small face wooden, having spent two months on the Cliff of Reflection without seeing light. Her skin was pale to the point of translucence, her lips also pale, and her whole being so weak she seemed about to scatter with the wind.

There was a hint of pent-up oppression, as if she could collapse at any moment.

In just a few short days, she seemed to have had her edges smoothed away, losing her former brightness and liveliness.

Immortal Lord Changye watched her back in silence. He'd expected Lu Yuanyin to argue with him when she came out, or be mad he didn't come save her earlier, or throw a tantrum. But he never expected her to react like this—so calm, as if there was nothing she could do.

They had walked this path together countless times, but never with this kind of silent distance between them.

Facing her cold expression, the usually aloof and eccentric Immortal Lord Changye didn't get mad. He quietly trailed behind Lu Yuanyin and said in a low voice, "Lu Sisi's spiritual root is destroyed. She can no longer cultivate."

"Tong Jinyu died tragically. The Tong family won't let this slide."

Lu Yuanyin's eyelashes trembled. A bad feeling welled up inside her. She almost didn't dare to hear what he'd say next. She quickened her pace to escape, the howling mountain wind scraping against her cheeks, stinging a little. She gasped but still heard Immortal Lord Changye's voice slowly coming from behind.

"The Sect Leader consulted ancient texts and decided to use your body to reshape her spiritual root."

His voice was cold, like a chilly mountain spring flowing.

Lu Yuanyin lowered her head and ran straight ahead. She'd already guessed this would happen.

When she was young, her parents scoured the world for rare medicines, and she had been surrounded by spiritual herbs and pills for years. The spiritual energy from the herbs had soaked into her, making her the best medicine for Lu Sisi.

Lu Yuanyin stopped outside the Blue Sea Pavilion. The vermilion gate was tightly shut, yet she could still smell the strong smell of blood inside, mixed with the low sobbing of a woman, which continuously reached her ears.

She pushed the door open slightly and saw Lu Sisi, draped in a moon-white robe, sitting pale-faced in the courtyard. Tree shadows fell on her face. Her once round cheeks were hollow now, her eyes looked unnaturally huge, and her wrists looked so thin they might snap.

Lu's mother fussily adjusted her clothes, looking distressed. Seeing her emaciated and pale, she couldn't help scolding, "That ungrateful wretch! If I had known she was so ruthless, we should never have kept her back then!"

Then she broke into a tearful smile and said, "We raised her all these years, might as well have fed the money to a dog. But at least now she's useful for something. Once the Sect Leader takes her spiritual root, you can cultivate again!"

A few female cultivators gathered around, cooing comfort, "Yes, don't worry, Si Si. With Immortal Lord Changye's help, it's sure to be fine. Don't bother about that bitch; she's not worth it!"

At that, Lu Yuanyin shoved the door open. Taking in the stunned faces of Aunt Lu and Lu Sisi, she gave a cold laugh. "You've been stealing my parents' inheritance all these years and helping yourselves to my spirit pills—what exactly did you raise me on?"

"A true gentleman doesn't hold favors over others. You never took care of me, yet you always act like my benefactor. That takes some nerve!"

Lu's mother hadn't expected Lu Yuanyin to show up just then. She turned red under everyone's shocked stares. "You..."

Lu Sisi's expression also turned ugly. Her nails dug into her palms inside her sleeve, anger flashing in her eyes. But remembering what was coming for Lu Yuanyin, she took a deep breath. Let her have her fun now—we'll see if she's still smiling later!

This trash just couldn't beat her.

Lu Sisi put on a weak, pitiful smile. She said softly, "A Yin, you misunderstand us..."

Lu Yuanyin scoffed. Pushing through the crowd, she walked into the room, stone-faced. "The heavens are watching. You'll all get what you deserve."

Leaving Reflection Cliff felt like she'd never left. She was stuck in this pretty little courtyard, where only Immortal Lord Changye and Lu Sisi's group came and went.

Sometimes she'd hear Lu Sisi's desperate crying, mixed with Aunt Lu's comforting and cursing, shrill and grating.

They'd trade words now and then, but mostly she just focused on her precious pill furnace.

It seemed she had accepted what was about to happen.

When Lu Sisi's condition got worse and she fell into another coma, a male cultivator with narrow eyes and a flame-cloud mark on his forehead entered the courtyard alongside Immortal Lord Changye. As soon as he entered, he stared right at Lu Yuanyin, his look full of undisguised disgust.

Immortal Lord Changye did not see her.

They had not met since the last time.

After sizing her up, Wang Sanshan squinted and sneered, "Just as I thought—doesn't look like anything good!"

Lu Yuanyin shot him a blank look. She vaguely remembered him—one of Lu Sisi's most loyal simps, who'd done plenty of terrible things for her.

In a spot Immortal Lord Changye couldn't see, Wang Sanshan silently mouthed, "This worthless life of yours can buy Si Si a new spiritual root. At least that's some use."

Wang Sanshan took out large amounts of spiritual herbs and pills from his storage pouch and laid them in order on the table. Then he left the room, respectfully bowed to Immortal Lord Changye, and spoke quietly with him. Occasionally, he glanced with a smile toward Lu Sisi, who was sitting by the window, a look of adoration in his eyes.

Lu Yuanyin watched their composed demeanor. She raised her head slightly and stared fixedly at the pitch-black ceiling. Her eyes inexplicably stung, and a sense of pent-up anger settled in her heart. She felt like a pufferfish about to explode.

Her chest was filled with such fury and indignation that it nearly drove her to the edge of collapse.

They didn't seem worried she'd try to escape.

Or rather, there was no way out. Besides Immortal Lord Changye, the mountain had Sect Leader Chongyao and all the elders. Even if an immortal showed up, they'd be trapped.

To them, she was just an ant on the roadside—easy to crush.

For a second, Lu Yuanyin thought it might be worth it to take Lu Sisi down with her.

But as if sensing her murderous intent, an invisible pressure bore down on her, a silent warning. She couldn't move.

When Lu's mother heard the news, she hurried over, overjoyed. She looked at Wang Sanshan, her face pleading. "Please, healer, save Si Si. I'll never forget your kindness!"

"Si Si is still so young. If she can't cultivate, she won't be able to handle it!"

Wang Sanshan quickly assured her, lowering his voice, "Don't worry, Auntie. That bitch's spiritual root will fix Si Si right up."

Lu Yuanyin gave a cold laugh. She sat stone-faced at the table while Wang Sanshan sliced her palm to check her pulse.

She waited in silence for the verdict.

Even though Immortal Lord Changye hadn't specified, she could guess most of it. Spiritual roots were arcane, far beyond mortal comprehension. Now that Lu Sisi's spiritual root had been destroyed.

To reshape a spiritual root for her, a complete one had to be taken.

Over a decade ago, the entire Lu family was slaughtered over Lu Sisi's spiritual root.

Now it was her turn.

Lu Yuanyin stared at her pale wrist, a dark gleam in her eyes. Even if she had to destroy her own spiritual root, she'd never let Lu Sisi take it.

But before she could do anything, Wang Sanshan's face changed completely. He shot up, glaring furiously, and practically ground his teeth as he demanded, "You're pregnant?! Why didn't you say so? You slut, how could you be so shameless? Getting pregnant! Why didn't you tell us?!"

Lu Yuanyin was shocked.

She looked at Wang Sanshan's furious face, then slowly lowered her eyes to stare in disbelief at her own flat stomach.

A thought dawned on her.

Author's note:

None