Su Zhuyi thought Qin Jianglan would carry her away on a flying sword.

What she didn’t expect was for him to lift her horizontally into his arms. One hand even passed through under her armpit to hold her, very close to her chest, yet his expression remained calm, as if he wasn’t aware of where his hand was placed.

Old Dog Qin looked too aloof and composed, exactly like that righteous cultivator from back then. But Su Zhuyi understood clearly that he wasn’t the same person as the Wangtian Tree. At least the Qin Jianglan from that time wouldn’t have taken the initiative to hold her in his arms, and certainly not this tightly…

Su Zhuyi thought that after holding her, Qin Jianglan would whoosh into the air like a shooting star across the sky. She didn’t expect him to weigh her in his arms…

Though he didn’t say anything.

Did he think she was heavy?

Qin Jianglan thought to himself, “She’s gotten thinner.”

On the Wangtian Tree, she didn’t like to move, and there wasn’t much space for her to move around. He had nourished her daily with spiritual energy, so she had been more plump than now. Now she was too thin—holding her was somewhat uncomfortable.

Very thin, very light, very weak, very heartbreaking.

His face showed no particular expression, but subconsciously, he held her tighter. Su Zhuyi nestled in his arms, only feeling a bit cold.

Qinghe and the others’ coldness was imposing, a cold treatment of people. Qin Jianglan’s coldness was bodily—he was ice-cold, without any body warmth. Su Zhuyi’s heart jumped. She wrapped both hands around his neck, pressed her cheek against his chest, and then she couldn’t even feel a heartbeat. When she tried to use her weak divine sense to look, she heard a great deal of clamoring voices.

She thought Qin Jianglan would leave directly, but didn’t expect him to open the barrier.

In other words, he was holding her like this and walking directly in front of the Gujian Sect disciples.

Su Zhuyi: …

In the previous life, you loved me and hid me in a tree where no one knew.

In this life, are you planning to announce it to the world? Walking directly in front of everyone holding me like this—how do you expect those senior brothers in the sect who admire me to feel?

You’re so powerful, just now you killed so many demonic cultivators with a single sword. Who would dare compete with you for a woman in the future?

Who would dare flirt with me now? Hm?

Su Zhuyi felt like cursing in her heart.

There were many people on Luoxue Peak—not only Gujian Sect disciples, but also people from Yunxiao Sect, Xundao Sect, Danhe Sect, and even Dong Fushang Sect had sent people. The first to arrive were all elders above the Nascent Soul stage—only they were fast enough to activate magical treasures and rush to rescue the Gujian Sect in such a short time.

No one had expected this crisis to already be over, with all the demonic cultivators who invaded Gujian Sect annihilated.

Now, the bodies of those demonic cultivators had all been dragged over and arranged in rows. Ninety-nine percent were killed by Qin Jianglan, without even a wound on their bodies. It was precisely this divine swordsmanship that caused disputes between sword cultivators from the Yunxiao Sect and the Gujian Sect, creating a commotion outside.

“I say, now isn’t the time to argue about superior swordsmanship, is it?” An elder from the Danhe Sect came out to mediate. “Gujian Sect suffered this disaster with so many disciples injured. What’s the point of arguing with them now?”

“Looking at these sword wounds, it’s our Yunxiao Sect’s Stellar Sword Technique.” The person from the Yunxiao Sect was Elder He, Qin Chuan’s master. He pointed at a demonic cultivator’s corpse: “The naked eye can’t see the sword wound. The sword was like meteors and lightning, directly breaking through defensive barriers to strike the forehead and destroy the soul…”

He crouched down and wiped the corpse’s forehead with his hand. Originally, there were no wounds on the forehead, but after his hand passed over it, a very small red dot appeared with a drop of blood seeping out. “This is the supreme realm of Stellar Sword Technique!”

Qin Jianglan had created the Songfeng Sword Technique, but when he emerged to kill just now, he used the Stellar Sword Technique. Songfeng Sword Technique was too straight and righteous—for defense against others’ attacks, the Songfeng Sword could be like a pine tree standing proud against wind and snow, able to block all storms and huge waves. But for actively killing people, its power was slightly inferior.

To be precise, Songfeng Sword Technique focused on defense, while Stellar Sword Technique focused on attack.

“What Yunxiao Sect! This is our Gujian Sect’s Sword Venerable!” A Gujian Sect disciple immediately pulled out a portrait, pointing at Qin Jianglan in the picture: “Look, this is our Gujian Sect’s Sword Venerable. All our disciples have one hanging in their rooms for worship. How did he become someone from your Yunxiao Sect?”

The original portrait was painted by Su Zhuyi, and all the subsequent ones were magically copied to look the same. Because the painter’s heart was filled with love, the Sword Venerable in the painting was incomparably handsome, like a banished immortal, with a noble and cold temperament. Just seeing the portrait gave one a feeling of looking up at a high mountain.

No one from the Yunxiao Sect doubted whether this portrait was real or fake. They only argued: “This Sword Venerable used Yunxiao Sect’s Stellar Sword Technique, so naturally he’s our Yunxiao Sect’s Sword Venerable…”

The people from the Danhe Sect were speechless. Someone said, “How about ‘World’s Sword Venerable’?” Being able to kill so many high-level demonic cultivators in the blink of an eye, including quite a few vicious Nascent Soul stage demonic cultivators and some villains wanted by the righteous path—calling him the World’s Sword Venerable, even the Danhe Sect people were convinced. Probably all cultivators in the world would be convinced.

“No way!”

They started arguing again…

Some people continued arguing, some tended to the injured, some collected fellow disciples’ bodies, some secretly shed tears for dead fellow disciples, and others went to investigate the identities of those demonic cultivators.

The people from Dong Fushang Sect had guilty consciences, afraid that the identity of the elder hidden among them would be exposed. They planned to find a way to destroy the appearance—after all, he was currently wearing concealment magical treasures, so temporarily, no problems could be seen. As long as the appearance was destroyed, a body without a soul wouldn’t stand out among so many corpses.

They took advantage of the chaos to approach, but before they could get close, they discovered that the arguing suddenly stopped.

Someone walked out of the ruins of the small wooden house.

The person from the portrait that the Gujian Sect disciples had produced. The real person was as handsome as the painting—not a bit more or less would do. His outstanding otherworldly handsomeness was just right, as if blessed by heaven, meticulously carved with twelve parts of effort put into sculpting him. In comparison, other men were all crooked melons and split dates, clay figures randomly pinched by heaven.

He was even holding Gujian Sect’s Su Zhuyi in his arms, appearing so abruptly before everyone. For a moment, the entire Luoxue Peak became silent as death.

Su Zhuyi was stunned at this moment. She was still pressed against Qin Jianglan’s chest, with one hand on his heart.

After being stunned for a moment, Yunxiao Sect’s Elder He strode over with large steps. Without even glancing at Su Zhuyi, he directly bowed to Qin Jianglan: “Senior, may I ask if what you just used was Stellar Sword Technique? Could it be that Senior has some connection with our sect?”

Su Zhuyi buried her face in his embrace. She wouldn’t feel embarrassed, but with her current appearance—disheveled hair, tattered clothes, and such a poor complexion—it was better not to show her face under everyone’s gaze, as it would damage her image. She thought that Elder He was Qin Chuan’s master and also Qin Jianglan’s master in the previous life. Originally, their master-disciple relationship had been very harmonious, though Elder He died quite early, about two or three hundred years later. Since Qin Jianglan had lost so many memories, he shouldn’t remember Elder He.

But unexpectedly, Qin Jianglan said, “You once suffered sword qi backlash. Though you think your meridians have recovered, you have a hidden ailment.” His face showed no expression, and his voice was very calm. “The Stellar Sword Technique you cultivate is too fierce and rigid. If you continue to impact the next realm, your hidden ailment will relapse, and you won’t last long.”

After speaking, he stepped to one side, carrying Su Zhuyi as he brushed past Elder He. But after taking three steps, he stopped: “Take care.”

Elder He’s expression changed drastically, his expression struggling. After hesitating repeatedly, he finally said: “Thank you for Senior’s guidance.”

Su Zhuyi’s heart was pounding.

“The Liuguang Mirror has recognized you as a master, so your memories have returned, too?” she transmitted.

“Mm.”

Continuing forward, Qin Jianglan held Su Zhuyi with both hands. He hadn’t drawn his sword at all, yet a sword qi appeared on his body, falling on a corpse on the ground. Then a mask fell from that corpse, revealing a face that surprised everyone.

“Dong Fushang Sect!”

“How could a Dong Fushang Sect cultivator be mixed in with the demonic path?”

That Dong Fushang Sect elder’s expression changed drastically: “We never thought Elder Xu would fall into the demonic path. We will investigate this thoroughly and give everyone an explanation!”

He was responsible for pulling people out. As for how they would handle things next and whether people would believe Dong Fushang Sect, that wasn’t something Qin Jianglan wanted to manage right now.

Little Skull had already taken the unconscious Xiaoxiao to the snowy mountains of Luoxue Peak. Qin Jianglan gave a few instructions, telling Little Skull not to run around and wait for their return, then carried Su Zhuyi away from Gujian Sect, flying toward Qinghe’s direction.

After walking that circle, the Liuguang Mirror had collected several more wisps of souls that hadn’t completely dissipated.

And at this time, in the stone on Su Zhuyi’s body, there was also a soul.

He knew that was Su Zhuyi’s master, Luo Ying.

The soul was weak and unconscious, but hadn’t completely dissipated.

She had always wanted Qinghe and Luo Ying to live. Presumably, knowing that her soul hadn’t scattered, she would also be somewhat happier. Unfortunately, the young Qing Gu fed on emotions. Su Zhuyi not only no longer loved him, but her feelings for Qinghe and Luo Ying had also become indifferent. She thought he saved them only because he wanted to defy heaven, but forgot that she had desperately wanted to save their lives only because she liked them.

“Luo Ying’s soul hasn’t dissipated yet.”

Su Zhuyi said, “In that case, it’s somewhat different from the previous life, isn’t it?” But she didn’t know whether in the previous life, after Luo Ying died in the forbidden land underground, her soul was completely devoured by the Longquan Sword, or if there was a possibility that a trace returned to the Sword Heart Stone.

“We’ll talk after finding Qinghe.”

He flew carrying her. After flying until Gujian Sect was no longer visible, Su Zhuyi reached out with both hands to circle Qin Jianglan’s neck: “You’re so cold, I’m cold.”

“Old Dog Qin, what exactly is your situation now?” She couldn’t help but want to ask to the bottom of it.

“Cold?” His originally ice-cold body suddenly had warmth, as if a fire had been lit inside his body. Indeed, it was nice and warm. Holding him was like holding a small furnace.

She had experienced too much these past few days. Her divine sense was exhausted, and her injuries were severe. Being warmed like this, she felt somewhat drowsy. Too tired, she wanted to rest. Her upper and lower eyelids were starting to fight, but Su Zhuyi tried hard to keep her eyes open, wanting to persist a bit longer.

“Sleep.” Qin Jianglan said gently. She had burned five hundred years of lifespan to forcibly increase her cultivation. Now her body was suffering backlash…

However, she was originally only in her teens in bone age. The gap between them was quite large, but now it had closed by just a tiny bit?

“Can’t sleep.” Su Zhuyi murmured: “Haven’t seen Qinghe yet.”

Her eyes were already squinting, her voice nearly like sleep talk.

Qinghe…

Her attitude toward Qinghe was truly different from others.

Thinking of Qinghe, Qin Jianglan’s brow furrowed, and then he gently blew a breath.

Su Zhuyi closed her eyes and fell asleep in his arms.

Afraid she would sleep uncomfortably, he summoned the Songfeng Sword.

“Make yourself wider.”

Songfeng Sword: “…”

The Songfeng Sword became both long and wide, suitable for use as a bed. Qin Jianglan placed Su Zhuyi on the Songfeng Sword bed. After thinking, he knelt upright, letting Su Zhuyi pillow her head on his legs.

His fingers gently caressed that face, wandering bit by bit across her face, lightly tracing her eyebrows, brushing past her lip line, his fingertips lingering, just like when she had used her divine sense to explore his entire body in the Liuguang Mirror. All he sought was to be able to touch her again, to be by her side.

Not letting her face the Heavenly Dao alone.