The damp, cold cave halfway up the mountain couldn’t shake off its chilling atmosphere, even with the recently lit fire. Mu Qingyan raised an eyebrow slightly, his pale face resembling fragile white paper in the dim firelight. Unfazed by Cai Zhao’s words, he calmly inquired, “Why do you want to kill me? Are you afraid I’ll question you about the black-robed man’s formation?”
“You’re perceptive,” Cai Zhao smirked. “Indeed, the black-robed man’s formation seemed familiar, similar to what my senior brothers practiced in the Qingque Sect. However, upon closer inspection, I realized the two formations only appear alike. While both originate from the Big Dipper’s step patterns, their inner workings differ greatly.”
Mu Qingyan replied, “That’s a relief. I thought you might have discovered a connection between the black-robed man and Qingque Sect, fearing I’d uncover your sect’s involvement with Nie Zhe, thus killing me to silence me.”
Cai Zhao coldly retorted, “Even if it were related to the Qingque Sect, that’s for the master and elders to worry about. Why should I burden myself? I’m no righteous hero saving the world.”
“If not for that, then why kill me?” Mu Qingyan pressed.
“For myself,” Cai Zhao answered.
Mu Qingyan blinked, then understood. “You’re trying to get rid of me?”
Without hesitation, Cai Zhao confirmed, “Correct.”
Exhaling deeply, Mu Qingyan mused, “It seems you harbored murderous intent since that night in the elegant dwelling at the foot of Wu’an Mountain…”
“Indeed,” Cai Zhao’s face turned cold, exuding an icy aura. “That night, you said as long as you lived, you’d never let me go. I realized then that killing you was my only escape.”
“True. If I don’t die, I’ll keep haunting you. Eventually, someone would notice,” Mu Qingyan agreed.
Clenching his jaw, Cai Zhao’s gaze grew colder. “You understand. Once you’re dead, I can return to my carefree life without a demonic cult freak bothering me.”
“Half your troubles stem from me. Eliminating the source makes sense,” Mu Qingyan conceded.
Growing angrier, Cai Zhao exploded, “What do I care if Zhou Yuqi and Min Xinrou truly love each other? I just want to live comfortably. I don’t care if he’s happy. Why did you have to meddle?”
Mu Qingyan weakly nodded, “Well said.”
Slowly drawing his Yanyang sword, Cai Zhao advanced. “Your life is unfortunate, filled with half a lifetime of hatred. But I didn’t cause your suffering, so why should I suffer with you?”
“You’re right,” Mu Qingyan responded.
Cai Zhao approached, his expression icy. “Seek your revenge alone. Suffer alone. I want to live my carefree life. If I don’t kill you and someone discovers us, what then?”
“What are you waiting for?” Mu Qingyan challenged.
The damp firewood produced more smoke than flame. Cai Zhao halted three steps from Mu Qingyan, his eyes like cold stars.
As tension filled the cave, Mu Qingyan spoke mournfully, “I always knew you could be heartless…”
Before he could finish, Cai Zhao suddenly slapped himself hard, turned, and shattered a protruding rock at the cave’s entrance with his palm. He then fled like the wind, leaving Mu Qingyan alone in the smoky cave.
Choking on the thickening smoke, Mu Qingyan – who had faced numerous ordeals since youth – found himself genuinely shocked. After a while, he muttered resentfully, “At least stab me once. This is worse than a novel.”
According to the latest “Qinghuanyinyuanlu,” the Immortal Lord’s sword missed by inches, and seeing the Demon State’s young master bleeding, his heart softened. They embraced, crying, their love deepening.
As the cave filled with more smoke, Mu Qingyan struggled to his feet despite his severe injuries. He mumbled, “Today’s writers are increasingly unreliable. What nonsense they write, so inaccurate…”
Suddenly, a faint cry from outside caught his attention – it was Cai Zhao’s voice.
Tensing, Mu Qingyan gritted his teeth, summoned his energy, and rushed out to find her. His barely closed wounds reopened, but he pressed on, leaping through branches and vines until he found Cai Zhao in an odd, immobile position at a cliff’s edge.
Observing closely, Mu Qingyan quickly understood what had happened. An iron-grey cliff pine jutted from the precipice, its farthest branch entwined with a green vine. At the vine’s tip hung an inconspicuous cluster of pale purple flowers.
Cai Zhao had reached for the flowers, half her body suspended in the air. However, recent rains had weakened the cliff’s edge. Just as her right hand nearly grasped the flowers, the rocky soil crumbled, causing her left side to lose its grip.
Fortunately, surrounded by vines, she managed to entangle herself, avoiding a fall. Now, she faced a dilemma: she could either flip back to safety or pluck the trembling purple flowers, but not both. Reaching for the flowers meant releasing the vines, leaving her with nowhere to land. Returning safely would disturb the cliff pine, causing it to fall with the crumbling rocks, putting the flowers out of reach.
Upon understanding the situation, Mu Qingyan shook his head and sighed, as if looking at a troublesome child. He scolded, “Is this all you’re capable of? Trying to act tough and kill someone! What’s so special about this herb that you’d risk your life for it? If I hadn’t come, how long would you have hung there?”
While speaking, he picked up a fallen vine to wrap around Cai Zhao’s waist. The young girl blushed, embarrassed that the “skin demon” had seen her in such a predicament. She had tested the ground before leaning out, and it had seemed solid. Who knew even cliffs were unreliable these days?
With Mu Qingyan’s help, she swiftly plucked the purple flowers and leaped back to safety as the pine crashed down the cliff. Landing, she immediately tossed the flowers to Mu Qingyan.
He examined them curiously. “What are these? Do they grant immortality?”
Cai Zhao huffed, “I forget the name, but they’re rare and can heal wounds and replenish energy. My mother only has a few dried ones from my aunt. With these, you could fight another 300 rounds immediately.”
Mu Qingyan held the flowers, bemused. “Weren’t you just trying to kill me?”
Cai Zhao declared proudly, “My aunt never killed for herself. I can’t tarnish her reputation!”
Mu Qingyan tucked the flowers away. “So, will you still kill me? After all, I’m a demonic cult leader. It wouldn’t be purely for yourself.”
“No, I won’t,” Cai Zhao said dejectedly. “It’s better to live peacefully in this world.”
“Zhao Zhao finally understands,” Mu Qingyan smiled approvingly. “What now?”
“We won’t find the Shi Twins. Let’s go back. I’ll face what I must,” Cai Zhao sighed. “You’re right. Even if Yu Qi is ordinary and Min Xinrou is affected, at least they’re sincere. I shouldn’t interfere. I’ll honor the engagement, despite Qi Lingbo’s mockery.”
Mu Qingyan placed a hand on her shoulder, speaking earnestly: “You’re doing well. I didn’t tell you, but the night Zhou Yu Qi asked you to break the engagement, Qi Lingbo publicly announced her intention to end her betrothal to Song Yuzhi. She said if you can’t treat each other well after engagement, it’s better to end it early.”
“She finally couldn’t take it anymore,” Cai Zhao sighed. “Even someone as vain as Qi Lingbo understands that forced relationships don’t work. I’m no better than her.”
Mu Qingyan stood tall, looking dignified: “Young Master Song is at fault. If he didn’t like her, he shouldn’t have waited until she couldn’t bear it anymore to end things.” In truth, he knew Song Yuzhi had planned to end the engagement before the Wu’an expedition, but he was stirring the pot.
“Ah treasures are easy to find, but true love is rare. If only everyone could understand this,” he added, serving up more emotional advice.
Cai Zhao rolled her eyes: “Hey, that’s enough! Stop with the sighing and preaching! Remember, you’re the demonic cult leader, and I’m the righteous disciple. Don’t be so preachy!”
Mu Qingyan laughed heartily: “No wonder everyone wants to be a hero. Despite the constraints, their words always seem more righteous in an argument.”
“My aunt said that,” Cai Zhao couldn’t help adding. “When she first entered the martial world, she was criticized for being reckless and unruly. But once she became known as a hero, the same actions were praised as righteous and just.”
As Mu Qingyan chuckled, he suddenly felt the ground give way. “Oh no!”
Cai Zhao’s face paled.
They barely grasped hands before the entire cliff collapsed with a thunderous roar. They plummeted, engulfed by a landslide of earth and stone.
…
Cai Zhao awoke later, her body aching. She opened her eyes to find herself in a simple village house. To her right was a bamboo table with purple flowers and an incense burner. Across from her, Mu Qingyan lay pale and injured on a bamboo bed.
Seeing her awake, his dark eyes lit up with joy.
As Cai Zhao was about to speak, a bearded uncle entered with two bowls of medicine, followed by his plump, chatty wife.
Cai Zhao recognized them from the village. “Uncle Qiao, Aunt Qiao! Did you save us?”
The man awkwardly scratched his head, unsure how to respond.
His wife sat beside Cai Zhao. “How many times must I say it? Call us brother and sister! I just look mature.”
Cai Zhao smiled sheepishly.
The plump sister continued, “You’re mistaken on two counts. First, my father-in-law saved you, not us. Second, my husband’s surname isn’t Qiao. We lied earlier.”
Confused, Cai Zhao just said, “Oh.”
Mu Qingyan, sensing something amiss, asked, “Not Qiao? May I ask your surname, brother?”
The woman winked. “My husband naturally shares my father-in-law’s surname.”
Patiently, Mu Qingyan pressed, “And what might that be?”
The blacksmith, unable to contain himself, blurted out, “Shi! I’m surnamed Shi, my father is surnamed Shi, my whole family is surnamed Shi!”
Cai Zhao’s eyes lit up, but before she could ask, a burly old man entered the room.
He looked at Cai Zhao affectionately. “Never dreamed I’d see little Zhao in my old age. You look more like Xiaofeng, but your eyes are all Pingshuzhen’s.”
Surprised and delighted, Cai Zhao stammered, “You… you are…”
The old man stroked his beard: “I am Shi Tieqiao.”