Qilutai was always silent. Especially now, when even Xie Hongchen wouldn’t come.

After Huang Rang had changed her clothes, she turned to see Di Yiqiu still facing away from her and said: “Help me to the dressing table, will you?” Her voice remained soft and weak, the kind that could melt one’s heart.

Di Yiqiu said nothing, only reached out to support her, walking all the way to the dressing table.

Huang Rang loosened her long hair and re-styled it.

Di Yiqiu stood behind the bronze mirror, watching silently. Though weak, her hair-styling was far too practiced. And here, she also had many hair ornaments—strange, why would he use the word “also”?

Several boxes on the dressing table were filled with her jewelry. Huang Rang quickly arranged her hair in a Suiyun bun, pinning in hairpins and ornaments. Then she opened those various bottles and jars and began applying makeup. Di Yiqiu watched helplessly as she transformed from sallow-faced to rosy-complexioned, her skin seemingly supple enough to be broken by a breath.

What?!!

The Director felt as if he’d witnessed a disguise technique. Huang Rang thought of his wall-plastering makeup skills and couldn’t help but laugh. Di Yiqiu instantly withdrew his gaze and looked elsewhere instead.

Everything here was arranged with extreme elegance and warmth. The curtains and carved bed were all exquisite and magnificent. A tender trap must be just like this, right?

Xie Hongchen must have been quite reluctant to leave it.

Thinking of this person, the Director immediately felt displeased.

He turned to look at Huang Rang again and saw her features had become very animated. Over these hundred years, her appearance and bearing had even surpassed her unmarried days.

Did this mean that Xie Hongchen had actually treated her quite well? Di Yiqiu felt resentful in his heart.

But Huang Rang pointed to a room. He hurried over to open it—inside were all embroidered shoes. Fine, fine.

“Cream white, the pair tied with coral beads.” Huang Rang directed. Di Yiqiu searched for ages among row after row of wooden racks before finally finding them for her. Then, very naturally, he crouched down, removed her old shoes, and put on the new ones.

After completing all this, he raised his head, seeming to realize this was improper, and said: “My apologies.”

Huang Rang naturally didn’t mind—in front of Di Yiqiu, she had long since lost any sense of propriety between men and women. Think about those five basins of hot bath water!

She said: “Did the Director come tonight just to find me?”

Di Yiqiu froze, then immediately denied it: “This seat came to examine whether Xie Lingbi and Xie Hongchen’s injuries are genuine.”

Huang Rang made an acknowledging sound—so that’s why you’ve been keeping me company at Qilutai, wasting half the night?

She didn’t say this latter sentence aloud. She never did things that exposed others’ pretenses.

She said: “Xie Yuanshu absorbed their cultivation. To the Director now, they’re no longer a threat. As for Xie Yuanshu, stupid and ignorant, sooner or later he’ll be defeated at the Director’s hands.”

Di Yiqiu finally couldn’t help but ask: “What exactly happened? Who hurt you?”

Huang Rang wanted to laugh, but laughing made her choke on blood: “Don’t ask.” She coughed while shaking her head. These matters, it was fine to tell Xie Hongchen about them. But Di Yiqiu was after all an outsider—there was no point telling him.

Huang Rang covered her mouth to prevent blood from dripping onto her just-changed clothes. Di Yiqiu pulled out his silk handkerchief and handed it to her. So Huang Rang used the handkerchief to cover her mouth, coughing continuously. Di Yiqiu stood before her for a while and said: “After I deal with Xie Yuanshu, I’ll take you to White Bone Cliff to find Miao Yunzhi.”

Huang Rang shook her head, silently wordless.

Di Yiqiu waited a while. Getting no response, he finally asked: “Huang Rang, do you regret it?”

“Regret?” Huang Rang was slightly stunned, then laughed again, saying sarcastically: “Regret not accepting your marriage proposal? Of course I don’t regret it. Even if I had married you, things wouldn’t necessarily have been satisfactory.” She lowered her head, then suddenly murmured: “Besides… I do have some sincere feelings for him.”

Probably more than just some sincere feelings. Only no one would believe it if she said so.

Di Yiqiu turned his face away. In this world, those with deep feelings pretended to be numb, while the numb pretended to have deep feelings.

In the dim night, he stood in this warm, hazy candlelight and asked: “I’m asking, do you regret leaving Xiancha Town?”

Huang Rang’s smile gradually faded. She said nothing more.

Di Yiqiu grasped her hand and said: “After dawn, I’ll deal with Xie Yuanshu, then I’ll take you back to Xiancha Town. Find Miao Yunzhi to treat your illness.”

In Huang Rang’s hand she held that tea needle, moisture seeping through her fingers like dripping water. She raised her head, looking at Di Yiqiu with a beaming smile, her voice shallow as she answered: “Alright.”

When the first rays of dawn arrived, Di Yiqiu prepared to return to Diancui Peak.

Seeing Huang Rang alone in the room, he felt inexplicably uneasy and said: “I’ll help you sit in the pavilion. I’ll return very soon.”

“Good.” Huang Rang also disliked staying in the room. Outside was so much better—the sky high and earth vast. She let Di Yiqiu help her outside. The sunlight made her squint. She sat down in the triangular pavilion. The early morning of August bathed the earth in flowing gold.

Di Yiqiu descended the mountain. He didn’t avoid people, having learned the information he wanted to know.

Xie Yuanshu was a fool. He thought that with Xie Lingbi and Xie Hongchen’s power in hand, he could rest easy. But there were so many capable people in the immortal sects. One person with two hands, using absorbed internal power from others—how long could that last?

When he reached Yeyun Hall, Xie Yuanshu was just emerging.

Yuhu Xuanzong’s three-day-and-three-night flowing banquet—today was the third day.

Because He Xijin had spent an entire day yesterday reading the Heaven Congratulation Memorial, everyone was quite exhausted. Only now were people gradually gathering. Xie Yuanshu raised both hands to quiet everyone and said: “Today, this Sect Leader will officially assume the heavy responsibility and become…”

Suddenly, someone said: “Wait.”

Everyone turned to look. They saw Bao Wu pushing someone forward.

Seeing that person, Xie Yuanshu’s expression immediately changed drastically.

“Xie Hongchen!” he said through gritted teeth.

The person Bao Wu pushed forward was indeed former Sect Leader Xie Hongchen. Only his eyes were wrapped in plain silk. He sat in a wheelchair, his face pale as paper, his entire person very weak. All the guests at the banquet stood up in alarm.

Xie Shaochong and Nie Qinglan also rushed over and protected Xie Hongchen.

Xie Yuanshu naturally knew whose man Bao Wu was. He said angrily: “Di Yiqiu, what is the meaning of this?”

Di Yiqiu walked slowly to Xie Hongchen’s side. Though he didn’t want to see him, he still said: “Can you still speak?”

Xie Hongchen struggled to stand up. Though his eyes were blind, his cultivation lost, his injuries and poison both flaring, he still stood perfectly straight. Word by word, he said: “Everyone, Xie Yuanshu schemed against his elders and severely injured Old Ancestor. A disciple who has lost virtue and betrayed kindness cannot succeed to the position of Sect Leader. I, in the name of Yuhu Xuanzong’s Sect Leader, order Junior Brother Xie Shaochong to succeed to the position of Sect Leader. My disciple Nie Qinglan shall be Peak Master of Anlei Peak.”

At these words, everyone fell silent. This wasn’t strange—many had guessed it.

But now, Xie Hongchen had lost all his power, while Xie Yuanshu possessed the cultivation of both him and Xie Lingbi. How to deal with him?

Xie Hongchen had obviously thought of this too. Though he couldn’t see, he still turned his head slightly and said: “Since you had someone bring me here, you must have a solution?”

Di Yiqiu said: “I brought He Xijin and the others. You see, I’m quite sincere. But what will you trade for it?”

Smart people didn’t need to say much. With Di Yiqiu’s current standing, he might not be able to command the immortal sects. But if He Xijin came, that meant Zhang Shujiu and Wu Zichou had come. With those three supporting him, the other immortal sects would work with one heart and mind.

Xie Hongchen’s expression was icy cold, showing neither sorrow nor joy: “What do you want? Yuhu Xuanzong?”

“Of course not.” Di Yiqiu said: “Once you and Xie Lingbi are gone, Yuhu Xuanzong will be mine sooner or later. Why would I be in a hurry?”

Beside them, Xie Yuanshu was already enraged, cursing: “I’ll finish off you, this waste, first!”

He was about to charge forward immediately. Xie Shaochong and Nie Qinglan could only lead Yuhu Xuanzong’s disciples to rush forward first and contain him. But with his current power, the two couldn’t hold on for long. Di Yiqiu said: “Xie Hongchen, I want a divorce document.”

“A… divorce document? What divorce document?” Xie Hongchen frowned. After a long while, he finally reacted. What other divorce document could there be?

Di Yiqiu stood before him, waiting for his answer.

After his daze, Xie Hongchen actually laughed and asked: “She asked you to do this?” Di Yiqiu didn’t answer. Xie Hongchen wanted to laugh, but a line of blood seeped through the plain silk over his eyes. He paused for a long while and said: “Fine.” Finishing, he laughed again: “Anyway, now I’m like a废人. I’m no longer the phoenix tree where she’s willing to nest.”

Di Yiqiu waved his hand. Bao Wu dipped the brush in ink and handed it to Xie Hongchen. Xie Hongchen gripped the brush, his wrist trembling. When Bao Wu spread out the paper, he pressed down his wrist and began to write.

Di Yiqiu didn’t watch further. He trusted that Xie Hongchen’s word was worth a thousand gold.

He joined the battle circle, besieging Xie Yuanshu. Xie Yuanshu roared and struck with a palm. Bao Wu flexed his hands, drew his golden blade, and with one slash shattered his palm wind. He Xijin and the others weren’t idle either—it was a tag-team battle, after all. No one should slack off.

At this time, at Qilutai.

Huang Rang leaned in the pavilion. She had already heard those sounds of killing and combat.

She didn’t look toward Diancui Peak. Actually, Qilutai was remote—one couldn’t see Diancui Peak from here. Over these hundred years, she knew this all too well. She lay on the stone table. The tea needle in her hand had melted down to just a small piece.

Such a pity to part with it.

Unfortunately, beside her, there was only this Nianjun’an tree, silent and wordless.

Huang Rang reached out, wanting to break off a branch, but she no longer had such strength. Now the sky hadn’t snowed, so naturally the flowers weren’t blooming either. So this plum tree had no leaves or flowers, only these branch shadows stretching diagonally.

I actually cultivated such a tree—blooming with flowers covering the tree in heavy snow, empty branches when ice melts and snow dissolves.

Huang Rang gently stroked the bare branches. Hazily, it was again that August from a hundred years ago.

She broke off a branch of Nianjun’an and saw Xie Hongchen off from Xiancha Town. At parting, she gave him the flowering branch and said: “Hongchen, on this journey, I don’t know if we’ll have another chance to meet. This flower blooms when it sees snow. I’ve named it ‘Nianjun’an.’ Hereafter, no matter the ends of the earth, morning or evening, when the flowers bloom, I’ll think of your peace.”

A hundred years of time had passed like a shuttle, quietly disappearing through her fingers. Many people and events had faded without a trace, yet she still remembered the expression on that youth’s face when he received the flowering branch.

Xie Hongchen, perhaps after all I do have some sincere feelings.

How pitiful that after all I still have sincere feelings.

Diancui Peak.

Blood from Xie Hongchen’s eyes seeped out, dripping onto the paper. The brush tip absorbed the blood—every character weeping red. Yet he finally finished writing that divorce document. Though his eyes were blind, his characters were still beautiful. Just like his character—orderly and proper. Some wanted to see a trace of dejection or wretchedness on his face. But there was none.

Though he knew his circumstances, he remained like clear wind and bright moon—gentle and pure.

Di Yiqiu fought one round with Xie Yuanshu, then withdrew. He calmly accepted that divorce document, folded it, and tucked it into his chest. Xie Yuanshu was still cursing, but no one paid him attention.

Those present were all masters of their domains. In terms of skill, each was no slouch.

Now with someone leading, rooting out treachery and evil, even for the sake of reputation, these people would definitely not stand by with folded arms.

And dealing with evil villains with profound cultivation—they had the most experience with that. Mob tactics. What justice or morality was there to speak of? So each held back some strength, purely wearing him down. In the end, Xie Yuanshu’s natural talent was poor, he lacked combat experience, and he hadn’t yet fully digested others’ internal power.

After being worn down for several rounds like this, he lost his fighting spirit.

The immortal sects besieging him took a total of three hours.

But among them there were only a few light injuries—a negligible price. The loss of treasures was greater, since many talismans and pills were consumables. Di Yiqiu didn’t mind—he had more important matters.

He arranged for Bao Wu to accompany Xie Shaochong in cleaning up the scene, then was about to leave Diancui Peak. As he was leaving, Xie Hongchen suddenly said: “Di Yiqiu!”

Di Yiqiu stopped. Xie Hongchen suddenly asked: “Between you and her… is there something between you and her that I don’t know about?”

Actually he shouldn’t ask. He had always been calm and rational. At this point, getting to the bottom of it was meaningless.

Yet in the end he still asked this question.

Probably… his heart still couldn’t find peace.

Di Yiqiu didn’t acknowledge him and quickened his pace toward Qilutai.

He stepped through the half-moon archway and saw in the triangular pavilion, Huang Rang leaning against the pavilion railing. Sunlight shone on her body. Her dress was golden-red, casting a hazy, illusory shadow.

“Let’s go. I’ll take you back.” He reached out his hand to her, but his fingertips couldn’t touch her.

The world began to twist and distort. All things became illusory, returning to formlessness.

The ice in Huang Rang’s hand finally melted completely away.