That bow, in the end, had its effect.
The mist in the pool rose again.
Yan Huirou felt a strange gravitational pull on her hand. With a splash, she shifted forward a few inches on her knees.
The water from the pool splashed around, soaking her sleeves.
Just as Yan Huirou was about to be pulled over the edge, Jiang Xidai grabbed her sash in the nick of time and pulled her back, yanking her back to her feet.
She crashed into Jiang Xidai’s body, choking on a mouthful of water and coughing endlessly.
Yan Huirou covered her mouth and coughed for a long while. Before she could even lift her head, she felt the cool object in her hand, which she hadn’t even had time to warm up, being taken by Jiang Xidai.
“Looks decent?”
Holding the sword up to the faint light, Jiang Xidai examined it carefully.
The System had said that whatever was drawn out would be related to the female lead’s state of mind.
The blade was thin and bright, with a faint, elegant, pale golden glow.
“Not bad at all.”
A flash of appreciation appeared in Jiang Xidai’s eyes. She let go of Yan Huirou and raised a hand, gently running her fingertip along the edge of the blade.
It felt a little rough.
Jiang Xidai examined the pattern on the sword. It was also quite ornate—she had thought that, given Yan Huirou’s disposition, she would have drawn a simpler sword.
The sword felt a little familiar.
She drew her own “A Ten-foot Soft Red” and compared it with this pale golden sword. The styles were very similar; both were soft swords.
You couldn’t tell without comparing.
Jiang Xidai’s sword was embroidered with the bustling mortal world, while the other sword was engraved with heavenly clouds and palaces.
Jiang Xidai had thought it was a coincidence, but when she looked at the spot where the sword’s name was inscribed—
In the same position as her own life-bound sword, Yan Huirou’s sword also had a name: “Golden Tower Jade Palace.”
Hm? This sword is called “Golden Tower Jade Palace.”
Even the font style was the same.
Could this be a pair?
But she had never heard that her own sword had another half.
Jiang Xidai was stunned for a moment, her eyes narrowing slightly. Unwilling to believe it, she knocked the two swords together to compare.
With that knock, the two precious swords fit together perfectly, as if they were made for each other.
The patterns on the blades seemed independent, but when joined, they formed the four complex characters for ‘Heaven and Earth.’ The design was truly ingenious.
“…”
Now, even if she didn’t want to believe it, she had to.
“Yan Huirou.”
Yan Huirou had just recovered a bit, still covering her mouth. She looked at Jiang Xidai’s indescribable expression. “What’s wrong? Is the sword alright?”
“I’m rather curious,” Jiang Xidai said. “What sort of nonsense were you thinking about when you drew the sword?”
“It was asking for my opinion of you.”
Yan Huirou’s words were logical and irrefutable. “So I must have been thinking of you.”
Jiang Xidai was choked by her words. She couldn’t help but sigh softly. The fate between her and Yan Huirou was truly strangely long-lasting.
A pity it’s a disastrous fate.
But on second thought, it had its benefits.
This “Golden Tower Jade Palace” was a pair with her own life-bound sword, and even the feel of it in her hand was nearly identical.
Jiang Xidai no longer needed to be on guard about taking Yan Huirou’s sword.
After all, who didn’t have one now?
She tossed Golden Tower Jade Palace to Yan Huirou, thinking with some indignation—Why is Yan Huirou “Heaven” and I am “Earth”?
Has the Heavenly Dao’s favoritism become so blatant?
How disgusting.
Yan Huirou took the sword and looked at it, her expression also freezing for a moment. It was clear she now understood why Jiang Xidai had looked that way earlier.
She carefully sheathed it, composed herself, and asked, “Sect Master Jiang, are we going back now?”
Jiang Xidai, still thinking about that “unknown cultivation technique,” didn’t readily agree to go back.
However, she searched the cavern high and low, even pestering Yan Huirou to help her look, but it was clear the female lead was just as clueless…
They still couldn’t find it.
Remembering Li Xinghe was still outside, Jiang Xidai hardened her heart, determined not to leave him even a scrap.
With a single strike of her sword, she emptied the pool and shattered every stalagmite.
Under Yan Huirou’s hesitant gaze, Jiang Xidai wrecked the place.
Perhaps the mountain, having been blessed by the heavens for many years, had gained some intelligence of its own and could no longer tolerate this wicked woman’s wanton destruction.
The mountain gradually opened its cracks and spat Yan Huirou and Jiang Xidai out, like spitting out a sunflower seed—
Of course, it wasn’t that crude. It just felt as if it was getting rid of something unlucky, forcefully closing the stone crevice they had entered through.
It closed very quickly.
The scene from before vanished, and once again, only a lone, large rock stood on the west side of Wugou Mountain.
The sky was no longer dim, and light fell evenly on the two of them.
Jiang Xidai found it glaring, so she opened her umbrella. She tilted her head and examined the rock for a moment, then turned the umbrella handle.
With a powerful strike, the giant rock crumbled to dust.
Seeing that the area was now completely flat, with no possibility of any “fortune” left, she and Yan Huirou returned to their original spot. The male lead was still lying silently in the grass, sleeping so soundly he was unaware of the passing seasons.
Jiang Xidai averted her gaze, her lips curling into a smile.
“Yan Huirou? Let’s go.”
When Wen Xianyin welcomed Jiang Xidai back to the Shasheng Sect, she noticed that Miss Yan was holding a slender, thin, golden sword.
She glanced at the style and immediately understood.
Was there any need to ask?
The style was clearly something the Sect Master had made for her.
The ever-tactful senior sister immediately suggested to Jiang Xidai that since Yan Huirou now had her own life-bound sword, which was a major event in the cultivation world, shouldn’t they celebrate?
Jiang Xidai naturally didn’t think it was necessary, as it would make it seem like she was being too good to the little brat. But after a moment’s thought, she ordered, “Go and fetch the wine I have in my cellar.”
Yan Huirou heard this and knew exactly what was going on.
She suspected that Jiang Xidai had probably gotten a craving from watching others drink and wanted some herself, which was why she was being so proactive.
She turned her head to look, and the woman happened to turn her head at the same time.
Jiang Xidai smiled at her first. “What are you standing around for? You’re the one with the best cooking skills in the Shasheng Sect. Hurry up and make some side dishes to go with the wine.”
So, Yan Huirou was ordered to slice some beef, drizzle it with sauce, and stir-fry a plate of small bamboo shoots.
The deep red liquid was poured from the wine jar into a silver cup, like crimson gauze veiling moonlight, giving it a hazy glow.
The wine cup was lifted and swirled, clinking softly against the string of red agate beads on the woman’s wrist.
“You’re just staring at my hand. You really don’t know how to drink?”
Her fair hand slid up her wrist. “Or have you taken a liking to this? Hm?”
The string of agate beads was slipped off and tossed towards Yan Huirou, landing squarely on her knees.
“A reward for you.”
“…” Yan Huirou snapped back to her senses. “I was thinking, the robe you wore out today was torn by me, but it looked quite luxurious… Don’t just throw it away. I’ll mend it when I have time.”
“No need, what’s there to mend?” Jiang Xidai said. “It’s nothing precious.”
In the eyes of the master of the Shasheng Sect, besides sweet fermented rice balls, bayberry Sweet Ice Mountains, milk cakes, and rock sugar pear desserts, there was nothing precious in this world—after all, they couldn’t be tasted, so they were as cheap as the jewelry and gold she tossed to her disciples.
Yan Huirou lowered her head and picked up the string of agate, or rather, red jade, of surprisingly good quality. She sighed and joked, “…Such a spendthrift.”
As expected.
The woman raised her eyes and shot her a glare. But because she was slightly tipsy from the wine, it was like a sword’s reflection striking spring water, the sharpness shattering into shimmering ripples, softening it considerably.
“You seem very happy today?” Yan Huirou smiled.
“Of course I’m happy.”
The wine cup rested against Jiang Xidai’s lips, even rolling lightly along the rim. She licked the remaining wine from the edge of the cup with the tip of her tongue and raised an eyebrow. “I went out and intercepted all of that boy’s fortunes. Of course I should be happy.”
“…You always seem to know things that will happen in the future, as if you just knew there was a precious sword in that place.” Yan Huirou asked, “Is this some kind of ability to see the future?”
The woman said nonchalantly, “It’s not surprising for a cultivator to be able to tell fortunes.”
“Can you tell your own fortune?”
Jiang Xidai frowned. She studied Yan Huirou for a moment, feeling as if the little brat was mocking her. But Yan Huirou’s expression was gentle, showing no hint of ridicule.
Jiang Xidai didn’t get angry, perhaps due to being slightly drunk. She just took a small sip, lowered her lashes, and murmured, “So many unfaithful people, reflections in a mirror, flowers in the water… what’s there to tell.”
She was a bit drowsy from the wine and uncharacteristically said a few more words. Watching Yan Huirou’s lips open and close before her, she couldn’t help but feel a little moved.
“Yan Huirou.”
The wine cup was pushed forward, pressing against Yan Huirou’s lips. “I can, however, tell your fortune.”
“Open your mouth.”
Yan Huirou felt her chin being lifted.
“Me…?”
Yan Huirou looked up, bewildered. “What kind of fortune will it be?”
The spicy, sweet wine was poured into her mouth. She didn’t move, obediently accepting it, choking until tears welled up in her eyes.
The woman’s voice sounded by her ear. “Perhaps many people will love you in the future, Yan Huirou. Just like Li Xinghe. Even though you’ve only met a few times, he thinks to invite you whenever something good happens.”
Yan Huirou quietly and with difficulty swallowed the last bit of wine. She had almost never drunk such things, and it made her choke until tears streamed uncontrollably from her eyes.
A finger pressed against her lips, rubbing them gently.
Too close.
Why… so suddenly close?
She thought, somewhat breathlessly, but she allowed the woman to lean in and use her finger to wipe away the remaining liquor from her lips.
“And many people will come to help you, just like the fortune today.” Jiang Xidai continued to slowly rub the spot, her voice low. “Perhaps this world even revolves around you, you just never knew it. Otherwise, why do you think you’ve lived until today…”
The woman’s tone was uncharacteristically gentle, or perhaps not gentle, just calm—calmly sketching out a life of good fortune for Yan Huirou, one of initial hardship followed by sweet success, fame, and the hearts of the world.
Her words were like showy but insincere flowers, tied into bouquets and presented to Yan Huirou, congratulating her on the happiness she would receive in the future without any real sincerity.
A happiness that, for herself, she would not dare to hope for.
“Ah, perhaps you will even become famous and kill the world’s number one demon lord.” The woman tilted her head, leaned in closer, and smiled, her eyes shimmering as she looked at her.
