This night was especially long. Huang Rang sat by the bed, watching over Xie Hongchen.

Because of Kunbahuan’s restriction, Xie Hongchen didn’t even have the strength to struggle. Poisoned and injured, he was extremely exhausted. Huang Rang could see this, so she said, “Let me light a Spirit-Guarding incense for you.”

After speaking, she walked to the incense burner and indeed took out a stick of incense to light for him.

Xie Hongchen finally could not resist and sank into slumber.

Huang Rang sat beside him, watching his eyes bleed continuously. She couldn’t help but fetch medicine to apply to his wounds.

Half-unconscious, he still felt pain and hissed softly. Huang Rang lightened her touch further. Outside the window stretched thick darkness, while inside the hall candles burned high and bright. Though the night had deepened, Huang Rang couldn’t bear to sleep even for a moment.

—She hadn’t realized before, but now she understood how precious this time of freedom, flowing like water, truly was.

Si Tianjian, Zhuque Si.

Di Yiqiu was working through the night forging a magical treasure, with Shaojian Zhu Xiang keeping him company—not because she wanted to curry favor, but because she simply hadn’t managed to escape. She’d been just about to leave when Di Yiqiu arrived.

Zhu Xiang accompanied her Jianzheng. She wasn’t wearing official robes, as Zhuque Si constantly needed to refine elixirs and forge artifacts, so the higher-ups weren’t too strict about their attire.

Tonight, Zhu Xiang wore a short crimson shirt with sleeves rolled up past her upper arms. Her long hair was also tied high in a bun, making her look quite spirited.

Di Yiqiu focused intently on forging—he had many peculiarities: working during the day, and still enjoying artifact forging at night. While his hands moved, his mind wandered. He was used to it—even the most delicate magical treasures didn’t suffer from his divided attention.

Zhu Xiang quite admired his talent. As a subordinate, when her superior didn’t speak, she naturally should take the initiative to break the awkwardness. So she said, “Jianzheng has made Si Tianjian his home for so many years—don’t you find it dull?”

Oh, of course he didn’t find it dull. He was inherently a person dull to the extreme. Zhu Xiang silently complained in her heart.

Sure enough, Di Yiqiu answered, “No.”

Zhu Xiang could only say, “Actually, I have a cousin who has always greatly admired Jianzheng. If Jianzheng doesn’t mind, I could arrange for us to have a meal together and get acquainted. How about it?”

Di Yiqiu glanced at her and asked, “Does your cousin resemble you in appearance?”

Zhu Xiang said, “There is indeed some resemblance. She…” She was planning to continue when Di Yiqiu interrupted her, saying, “I mind.”

…

Zhu Xiang raised her iron hammer and struck the iron forcefully, each blow as if landing on Di Yiqiu’s head.

Di Yiqiu seemed to realize his words had been inappropriate. He actually took the initiative to ask, “Have you married?”

“Ah?” Zhu Xiang’s heart jumped as she quickly said, “This subordinate is so busy—where would I find time to marry?” Though she spoke thus, her thoughts had already turned several rounds—could he be interested in me?

Zhu Xiang carefully calculated—this could work! Though the person was rather dull, he was handsome, so this was definitely not a losing proposition. Moreover, he had power and influence, and for the past hundred years or so, he’d eaten and slept at Si Tianjian. He didn’t even have an outer residence, which showed his private life was quite clean.

Furthermore, all his external expenses were covered by the court, so he’d probably never touched his salary.

In other words, he was rich!

Calculating it this way, this was an absolute windfall.

Zhu Xiang blushed and said hesitantly, “Speaking of which, this subordinate has indeed reached the age when I should marry.”

Di Yiqiu hummed and, after pondering for a moment, said, “In the future, you’d better stay busy.”

Hm? Zhu Xiang asked, “Why?”

Di Yiqiu had already poured the mold and began carving formation runes into it. His brow furrowed slightly as he said, “This way, when you don’t marry, you still have the excuse of being busy with official duties. If you become idle and still can’t marry, people will discover that you…”

“Jianzheng!” Zhu Xiang didn’t care about politeness—she interrupted him. “This subordinate will brew you a pot of tea.”

Di Yiqiu hummed and buried his head to continue drawing.

While brewing tea, Zhu Xiang cursed inwardly—why must you, a perfectly fine person, insist on having a mouth! If I ever worry about your marriage prospects again, I’m a complete fool!

After that, the two became like sealed gourds.

But this was the most familiar thing to Di Yiqiu. Since he’d taken over Si Tianjian, countless nights had passed this way. Those carbon pencils and furnaces didn’t speak. He was like a mechanism, operating in cycles, rarely resting.

Zhu Xiang figured it was probably because he had a mouth that, in the past hundred years, there had been no girls around him. No wait—he deserved it! So why was she herself still alone?

Zhu Xiang brought down her hammer with a clang, and the red-hot stubborn iron scattered sparks.

—Really, incomprehensible.

Yuhu Xuanzong, Yeyun Hall.

As daylight brightened, birds in the forest woke first. They came seeking food, scattering a forest full of clear birdsong. Outside the door, Xie Hongchen’s junior martial brother Xie Shaochong had been waiting for quite some time.

With no movement inside for so long, he couldn’t help but wonder. He clasped his fists and said, “Today the disciples will demonstrate martial arts. Will the sect master personally attend?”

Huang Rang stepped out from the inner hall, wearing a light golden dress that was both dignified and bright. She bowed to Xie Shaochong, who didn’t suspect anything and quickly bowed in return: “Madam.”

“Today is my birthday, and Hongchen…” Huang Rang showed appropriate shyness, taking quite a while before saying, “He’s preparing some surprise or other and has been at it until now. He won’t even let me look. I’m truly making Junior Martial Brother laugh.”

The beauty’s powdered face showed bashfulness, her words all about marital affection and sweetness. How could Xie Shaochong have any suspicions?

After all, Huang Rang had always been virtuous and beautiful in the sect. Moreover, she and Xie Hongchen appeared quite loving in others’ eyes. Though she observed wifely propriety and never set foot in Yeyun Hall, if today was her birthday and Xie Hongchen was devoted to his wife and preparing something, it was perfectly natural.

Xie Shaochong looked understanding: “I see. Then it seems the sect master won’t have much time today. Please tell him for me that I came by.”

Huang Rang, graceful and elegant, gave him a flowing bow: “I’ve made Junior Martial Brother laugh.”

How could Xie Shaochong actually laugh at this? He said, “The sect master and madam are harmonious partners, united in heart for a hundred years—a model for the immortal sects. Shaochong envies you; how could I mock?”

Huang Rang escorted him out with dignified steps. Upon returning to the hall, she saw that Xie Hongchen had fallen from the bed. He’d even knocked over a flower vase. Clearly, he’d just heard Xie Shaochong’s voice and tried to alert him.

Huang Rang helped him up and supported him back onto the bed, saying, “You can’t get out, and he can’t hear you. I activated a Sound-Isolation Barrier. This little thing might have been useless against you before, but it’s more than sufficient for dealing with you now.”

Sound-Isolation Barriers were common trinkets in immortal sects, blocking sound between inside and outside.

“Huang Rang, have you gone mad?!” Xie Hongchen’s long-suppressed emotions finally erupted. He grabbed Huang Rang’s collar and raged, “You’re colluding with Xie Yuanshu! You know full well what kind of person he is! What can he possibly give you?!”

Huang Rang brushed away his hand and helped him sit properly on the bed. Seeing his eyes bleeding again, she had no choice but to change his medicinal gauze. At this moment, she even softly advised him, “Your wounds and poison are erupting. You shouldn’t give in to anger.”

Xie Hongchen grasped her wrist, patiently reasoning with her: “Xie Yuanshu has low cultivation and no real talent. He can’t lead Yuhu Xuanzong. Moreover, if he gains power, how could he treat you wholeheartedly?! Arang, release me. I’ll subdue him. No one else will know about this. I also guarantee I won’t pursue the matter. All right?”

“Hongchen is truly magnanimous and righteous.” Huang Rang curiously stroked his face, asking, “I had intimate relations with him—you won’t pursue that either?”

Xie Hongchen shook his head, saying, “No.” This he said with certainty. “You wouldn’t like him.”

Huang Rang’s fingertips lightly traced over his nose as she asked, “Why not?”

“Because…” Xie Hongchen reached this point but suddenly fell silent. Because you probably still like me after all. This thought suddenly surfaced in his heart. So it turned out that after a hundred years, even a stone or a piece of wood would eventually have some feelings.

He didn’t continue. For some reason, his heart ached with countless threads, branching pain.

Huang Rang’s voice was very calm as she said, “Sometimes I think he’s quite good too. At least he knows my birthday and knows to give me some little trinket on that day. Hongchen, do you remember my birthday?”

Xie Hongchen froze. He’d never asked.

Huang Rang didn’t mind. She said, “In all of Yuhu Xuanzong, only Xie Yuanshu knows. Some disciples in the sect asked about it, but I didn’t tell them. Hongchen, I spent a hundred birthdays alone at Qilu Terrace, and I often felt lonely. So actually, Elder Brother isn’t bad—at least when I cry, he offers words of comfort. He doesn’t turn and walk away. He’s not indifferent.”

Xie Hongchen was furious: “That’s why he’d do such a foolish thing! I’ve long known your thoughts were improper, but I didn’t expect you to be this malicious and stupid!”

Huang Rang ignored his rage. Instead, she grasped his hand and gently pressed it against her own face, saying, “Xie Hongchen, you truly are the most ruthless man I’ve ever met. Hearing you say this, I really want to make you experience heartbreak and soul-rending pain. Just once. Even just once.”

Xie Hongchen shouted sternly, “So this is your revenge against me?!”

“Not quite.” Huang Rang slowly shook her head. Remembering he couldn’t see, she continued, “What I’m doing is rather hasty, but if I were to proceed step by step, I fear I wouldn’t have time.”

She touched that transparent tea needle, feeling its icy temperature. Sighing, she said, “I have more important matters to attend to, so I can’t worry about this.” Her fingertips lightly traced across his face, following the line of his ear to his earlobe.

Xie Hongchen avoided her in disgust. He began to suspect whether something really had happened between Huang Rang and Xie Yuanshu.

—Huang Rang’s earlier words had destroyed his judgment. He was no longer as confident as before.

Huang Rang smiled and turned his face back. Xie Hongchen suppressed his inner discomfort and said, “Huang Rang, if you release me now, there’s still a chance to turn things around. You can’t hide this for long. Once Master learns of it, even I won’t be able to protect you!” Even at this moment, he didn’t soften his tone.

But Huang Rang didn’t really care. She said, “You wouldn’t protect me. You’d only imprison me quietly at Qilu Terrace for the sake of your own reputation, then claim publicly that I’m gravely ill and in seclusion for recuperation. From then on, you’d let me live or die as fate would have it.”

Xie Hongchen paused slightly. This was exactly his innermost thought. The woman before him, though deeply calculating, was also truly perceptive and intelligent.

—Lies were useless. A hundred years as husband and wife—she understood him too well.

Huang Rang withdrew her hand, stood up, and silently gazed at the man on the bed.

Unable to see, Xie Hongchen’s heart suddenly felt lost, as if he’d lost his support. Huang Rang watched for a long while before saying, “Look at you. Even after I’ve said all this, I still couldn’t get a single tear from you. Hongchen, in these hundred years, Huang Rang as a person couldn’t even earn a single tear from you.”

She walked out dejectedly, looking at Yeyun Hall’s thousand jade steps, like a heavenly ladder connecting the mortal and immortal realms.

Xie Hongchen, my entire life isn’t worth even a bit of your grief. How truly unwilling this makes me. If there were still a chance, I’d really want to reach out and pluck your heart, to see you in unbearable pain.