In the backyard of Tranquil Shade Herb Hut, Apothecary Yang Xia sipped her tea, finally unable to hold back.
“If you want to see her, go find her.”
Don’t put on this act in front of me; it makes people feel quite vexed seeing it. A’Ling wanted to leave, and I couldn’t force her to stay. She’s been gone for several days now. If you truly want to see her, just go find her. It’s not like she’s at the ends of the earth.
Shi Qingqian raised her head blankly, looking at Apothecary Yang Xia. She seemed to have heard her speaking to her just now, but hadn’t quite caught it.
Apothecary Yang Xia set down her teacup and pointed at the item in Shi Qingqian’s hand. “That Four Seasons Flowing Light Vine in your hand already has two thousand strands pulled from it.”
Speaking of which, Apothecary Yang Xia felt a moment of awkwardness. She was quite bored herself, to have actually counted to two thousand.
It was livelier when A’Ling was around. As soon as she left, the Herb Garden felt half-empty. After the chirping sounds disappeared, the Herb Garden became quite boringly quiet.
It had always been this way before, but after a few good days, Apothecary Yang Xia suddenly found herself unaccustomed to it.
She had only enjoyed a few days of comfort! It was all A’Ling’s fault for leaving too quickly. The moment she left, Qingqian became like this, completely lost in thought. She didn’t even make meals, let alone pastries.
She spoke just as little as before, but before, if you asked her a question, she would at least respond. Now, it’s as if she’s hard of hearing, and often seems distracted, constantly wondering what she’s thinking about, looking unsettled.
Apothecary Yang Xia felt that since she had lived for several hundred years more, at critical moments, it still had to be up to old folks like them to impart life experience.
“Feelings between people are nurtured through interaction. See each other more, talk more, eat together more. The more things you do together, the deeper the feelings become. Understand?”
Shi Qingqian had already put down the Flowing Light Vine, which she had torn into a tangled mist, and picked up a new one, starting to tear it from the beginning. Hearing this, she was somewhat bewildered. She looked up at Apothecary Yang Xia, who had a knowing expression. “Feelings?”
What feelings? She had just been analyzing the emotions of that Spirit Mountain Tiger-Headed Spider. Since it was willing to offer its demonic core as a sacrifice, why did it ultimately choose A’Ling?
Apothecary Yang Xia saw Shi Qingqian’s confused expression. She realized that if she didn’t explain herself clearly, this child would probably never understand. “Tell me, what kind of feelings do you have for A’Ling now? Why have you suddenly become so concerned about her?”
Shi Qingqian’s tearing motion paused. She looked up, bewildered, at Apothecary Yang Xia, who was getting increasingly off-topic. “Concern? What am I concerned about? A’Ling?”
Apothecary Yang Xia didn’t know if she was truly foolish or feigning ignorance. Since things had already reached this point, she might as well make it clear. And more importantly, she was curious too.
“You refined magic artifacts for A’Ling, you secretly took other people’s letters, when she was in danger you went to save her, you used precious life-saving healing medicine to treat her ordinary bite wound, you even cooked sweet soup for her! If A’Ling hadn’t mentioned it, I wouldn’t have known there was a saying about drinking sweet soup to calm nerves. Don’t tell me that sweet soup was cooked for me. And the meals these past few days, with pastries more exquisite than the last—surely you can’t say you suddenly developed filial piety out of respect for your elder, can you?”
Apothecary Yang Xia said it all in one breath, without concealing the probing curiosity in her gaze. Her gaze landed directly on Shi Qingqian, quietly waiting to see how she would explain these matters.
After hearing these words, Shi Qingqian frowned slightly. Her eyes still held a hint of blankness.
Her expression had always been unemotional, but now, facing Apothecary Yang Xia’s questions, it seemed to stir a bit of emotion.
Shi Qingqian first thought of the sweet soup. She actually didn’t know about that saying. No one had ever told her. Moreover, most cultivators like them often subsisted on spiritual energy, and they never encountered situations that required calming their nerves.
That day on Kaiyao Mountain, when Gu Hongjue mentioned it, A’Ling clearly took it to heart. She saw A’Ling’s hope and expectation in her eyes when she heard Gu Hongjue say he was going home to cook sweet soup for Gu Jingyang and the others to calm their nerves.
For some reason, her heart felt as if something had pressed against it, a light touch that quickly returned to normal, yet left an imprint upon it.
After bringing A’Ling back to the Herb Garden, she still remembered this matter, but she didn’t know how to cook this nerve-calming sweet soup, and wasn’t sure what kind of ingredients would have a calming effect.
She had always suppressed her cultivation, not breaking through the Nascent Soul realm. At the Nascent Soul realm, as long as one’s Nascent Soul remained intact, even if the physical body died, one could seize another’s body.
However, a Nascent Soul realm spirit did not possess the ability to scout or perceive remotely. That night, she directly broke through her cultivation, advancing her Nascent Soul realm, and sent her primordial spirit out to the Gu family.
After watching Gu Hongjue prepare the sweet soup from start to finish, though she didn’t understand how this ordinary sweet soup had a calming effect, she still perfectly replicated the sweet soup according to Gu Hongjue’s steps.
Now, hearing Apothecary Yang Xia’s questions, a ripple formed in Shi Qingqian’s heart. “Is this concern?”
Because of a hopeful look, she wanted to give her what she desired. Is this concern?
Shi Qingqian’s heart was suddenly flustered. “Isn’t this it? When did she start to care about A’Ling?”
She had clearly despised this person’s foolishness before, her inability to see the current situation clearly. She couldn’t even discern the despicable intentions of the Huo family’s sycophants, and always targeting the wrong people.
She had only hoped this fool would stay far away from her and stop bothering her. She was already troubled enough.
That time she was cornered on Kaiyao Mountain was the peak of her annoyance. At that time, though she was in the Nascent Soul realm, demonic energy permeated her soul. To suppress the demonic energy, she used all her internal energy to refine it.
At that time, she didn’t believe A’Ling was innocent. She didn’t believe A’Ling genuinely wanted to save her. She thought A’Ling was only feigning sincerity out of fear of punishment.
Shi Qingqian didn’t want to defend her mistakes. The events that followed had made her regretful to this day.
Afterward, she wholeheartedly wanted to make amends, but A’Ling didn’t give her the chance.
Moreover, after that, she felt A’Ling had changed. A’Ling seemed to fear her, and never actively provoked her again.
Shi Qingqian originally thought this was exactly what she wanted, but for some reason, she felt that something was missing instead.
Later, Gu Jingyang appeared by A’Ling’s side. When she was with Gu Jingyang, she always smiled so happily, completely different from the arrogant and unruly A’Ling in Shi Qingqian’s memory.
After she began to notice A’Ling, she slowly discovered that many things were different from what she had thought.
When A’Ling first returned to the Huo family, she demanded that Huo Zhen kill Jin Siliu. Shi Qingqian didn’t think she was wrong for doing so; Jin Siliu had indeed almost killed her. But just like Huo Zhen and the others thought, A’Ling was a ruthless person.
Now she knew that was merely A’Ling’s painful vent after being emotionally deceived. She was only ever harsh with her words.
She would even give all the remaining spiritual stones from her own healing to the person she had repeatedly vowed to kill, and would notice Jin Siliu’s worn-out shoes, secretly going to deliver new ones.
A person like that, even if Huo Zhen had genuinely wanted to kill Jin Siliu then, she would have stopped him.
She was different from those people in the Huo family.
That’s why she fell into such a trap. That’s why those people used her soft-heartedness to set up such a scheme. Shi Qingqian felt that she was the foolish one. She had actually never noticed before.
What shocked her most was that A’Ling actually knew her true background. That was Shi Qingqian’s biggest secret and pain.
When Jin Siliu sought her out, she was solely determined to have her avenge her master, to avenge her ‘mother’ by killing her ‘father’.
She didn’t know what kind of people her ‘mother’ and ‘father’ were. She had never seen them even once, nor did she know their names, or what kind of people they were. Yet, from birth, she had been burdened with a life.
Among the items Jin Siliu brought back that her master left behind, after Shi Qingqian gained the ability to activate them, she heard her master’s last words.
She told her not to go to Mystic Crane Mountain and to live well.
From the information Shi Qingqian had originally learned from Jin Siliu, she and Apothecary Yang Xia had analyzed that the person should be in the Inner Sect. But there were so many people who fit the description that it was difficult to confirm.
But this time, in the Spirit Mountain Tiger-Headed Spider’s cave, which she had fallen into because of A’Ling, after Shi Qingqian realized it was a great demon’s sacrificial cave, taking advantage of A’Ling and the others’ inattention, she took the sacrificial demonic core, and as expected, she was fine.
She could confirm that A’Ling was a child of the Huo family. Therefore, the person connected to Qiongdian Peak was A’Ling.
These past few days, she had been thinking about this matter, searching everywhere for information about Qiongdian Peak, but the news she gathered was very scarce.
From the information obtained so far, the person from Qiongdian Peak was a sage who harbored great righteousness and aimed to benefit the world. Would such a person kill someone just because of a demonic identity?
Furthermore, given that person’s cultivation level, what kind of demon could conceal their identity before them?
There were simply too many inconsistencies here. Shi Qingqian had thought for several days but found no clues. Originally, she had also considered whether to obey the last words and not go to the Inner Sect, to not meddle in this matter.
But in the great demon’s cave, what A’Ling said greatly moved her. A’Ling was the truly brave one, knowing full well she might be killed, yet still wanting to return and take a look, naively believing she could change everything.
Although she had been somewhat trapped in the Huo family’s mire for the past two years, upon discovering that Huo Zhen was truly despicable, she was able to decisively sever ties with the Huo family.
Shi Qingqian felt that the more she understood A’Ling, the more she discovered A’Ling’s brilliance was dazzling, the more she regretted her past mistakes, and the more she wanted to make amends.
She wanted A’Ling to smile at her the way she smiled at Gu Jingyang.
But she didn’t know how to do it.
Apothecary Yang Xia waited for a long while. The tea by her hand had grown cold, but she still didn’t get Shi Qingqian’s answer, and watched as her emotions seemed to grow increasingly somber. She didn’t know what Shi Qingqian was thinking of.
She thought for a moment, to prevent Shi Qingqian from continuing to ruin her Four Seasons Flowing Light Vine. She pulled out an item and placed it before Shi Qingqian’s eyes, calling back her wandering thoughts.
“Go deliver this item to A’Ling for me.”
On Kaiyao Mountain, A’Ling lashed out with her whip, scaring Lin Nianli, who had tried to climb out of the cave again, back down.
“You wretched girl! Are you crazy? Let us out quickly!”
Lin Nianli’s internal energy was almost exhausted. There were too many Armored Beasts at the bottom of the cave. She couldn’t cope at all. She had already sustained injuries of varying degrees.
Huo Changsheng, his face covered in snot and tears, cowered behind Lin Nianli. His entire body was trembling violently. Just now, he had personally witnessed an enraged Armored Beast throwing Qi Leshan away.
Now, the person lay in a corner, unconscious. His mother’s Jade Dragon Butterfly Tail had also lost its deterrent effect due to exhausted spiritual energy.
There were nine Armored Beasts in this cave, all of them now awake, roaring furiously at them, as if they wanted to crush them alive.
Huo Changsheng wanted to cry but couldn’t. His throat felt as if it was choked with coarse blood clots. Even the saliva welling up in his mouth carried a burning, bloody stench.
He hadn’t expected that little bastard A’Ling would actually dare to lay a hand on them.
After he was caught by A’Ling outside the gambling house, she then used him to trick Lin Nianli out. When they woke up and found themselves in the Armored Beast cave, along with the terrified Qi Leshan, who had wet himself, they knew that A’Ling had figured out they were behind the Kaiyao Mountain incident.
Huo Changsheng was filled with regret. They should have set up a fatal killing formation in that Armored Beast cave back then. Because they wanted to create the illusion that A’Ling had accidentally fallen into the Armored Beast cave and been killed by enraged Armored Beasts, they allowed A’Ling to still bounce around in front of them now.
If you don’t cut the weeds at the root, troubles will be endless. Lin Nianli was also deeply regretful. She shielded Huo Changsheng in a corner, using her body to block another round of Armored Beast attacks.
After repelling the attacking Armored Beasts once more, Lin Nianli’s condition was truly poor. Her entire body was covered in injuries. Blood flowed profusely from wounds all over her body. She could no longer hold on and knelt to the ground.
Only her usually noble head remained tilted upward, looking at the face at the cave entrance that was very similar to hers.
She hated so much. She should have dealt with this ill-fated star the moment she showed up.
A’Ling clearly saw the hatred in Lin Nianli’s eyes. She also saw how Lin Nianli had desperately fought for Huo Changsheng just now.
She had always thought Lin Nianli’s coldness was her nature. She simply believed Lin Nianli was not capable of being a mother.
Later she discovered that wasn’t the case. Lin Nianli simply didn’t like her, this child.
Lin Nianli was a truly good mother to Huo Changsheng, giving him whatever he wanted, and now, it seemed she could even risk her life for him.
A’Ling looked up at the somewhat dim sky as the sun began to set in the west. Though it was a bit dark, stars were gradually becoming visible in the dark blue sky.
A’Ling finally understood a truth today: that feelings between people are not predestined to be loving just because of blood ties.
As long as one is human, there will be emotional bias. Not every parent will unconditionally love their child.
Since that was the case, if she was the one who wasn’t liked, instead of reflecting on herself, it was better not to like the other person either.
A’Ling’s dull heart seemed to shed its gloom, welcoming the vast expanse of stars. She looked down into the cave beneath her, at Lin Nianli and Huo Changsheng, huddled together.
These two malicious wretches, if they weren’t her blood relatives, she wouldn’t even spare them a glance. How could such trash be worthy of her concern and affection?
The sun set in the west, and weary birds returned to their nests. A’Ling dug out that last trace of concern buried deep in her heart. After fiercely discarding it, she suddenly felt how vast the world was, and how light and carefree the wind.
Amidst Lin Nianli and Huo Changsheng’s terrified, desperate wails, she walked down the mountain with light steps.
A’Ling, in a great mood, didn’t expect that just as she reached her doorstep, this good mood would abruptly come to a halt.
Seeing Shi Qingqian in her white robes standing under her simple doorway, A’Ling’s heart jumped, and alarm bells rang loudly in her mind. She had just dealt with Lin Nianli and Huo Changsheng, and this person appeared right after. She couldn’t be here to make trouble for me on their behalf, could she?
“Why are you here?”
A’Ling walked around Shi Qingqian and stepped onto the stairs. Only then did she turn to ask Shi Qingqian, who was standing at the foot of the stairs.
Their gazes met in the air. A’Ling suddenly realized Shi Qingqian seemed a little taller than before. She slightly raised half an eyebrow. Even some of her aura seemed to have subtly changed.
“Is your leg okay now?”
Shi Qingqian suddenly spoke, interrupting A’Ling’s scrutiny and conjectures.
A’Ling thought, isn’t that obvious? Apothecary Yang Xia already said her leg recovered very well.
“Do you need something?” A’Ling didn’t think Shi Qingqian was here to visit on Apothecary Yang Xia’s behalf to check on a patient’s recovery.
Her vigilance grew even stronger. She stood blocking the doorway, and had no intention of letting Shi Qingqian in to talk.
Just then, the door suddenly opened from inside. Sun Juhao walked out, her face filled with pleasant surprise.
“It truly is Qingqian! I heard some noise just now, sounds like someone was talking at the door, and it sounded just like you, Qingqian.” Sun Juhao said, looking at A’Ling, “You’re back early today, why are you both standing at the door? If there’s something, come inside and talk.”
Shi Qingqian nodded a greeting to Sun Juhao but didn’t respond. Instead, she looked at A’Ling. Her expression seemed to be seeking A’Ling’s permission.
A’Ling didn’t look at her. Her gaze rested on Sun Juhao.
Sun Juhao immediately realized her mistake. She had forgotten, this house was A’Ling’s home now, not the Huo family’s anymore.
Her heart was filled with chagrin. Her eyes were red with anxiety. She quickly prepared to apologize to A’Ling.
But at this moment, A’Ling shifted her gaze, looking at Shi Qingqian on the stairs, and said: “Come in.”
Saying this, A’Ling led the way inside.
Sun Juhao’s eyes were tearful, and she still felt a lingering fear. Hearing A’Ling allow her in, she still felt a bit flustered. How could she have forgotten that A’Ling used to dislike Qingqian?
It had been too long since she’d seen Qingqian, and she had forgotten in her momentary joy.
They were sure to argue if they were together. Sun Juhao was now filled with regret for having invited Qingqian in just now.
A’Ling must have let her in because she didn’t want Sun Juhao to feel too awkward.
Thinking of this, Sun Juhao felt somewhat relieved. A’Ling, this child, was just tough on the outside but soft-hearted.
She really hadn’t seen Qingqian for a long time either. After the two sat down in the reception room, which was originally the west wing, Sun Juhao quickly served them tea.
She then brought out various tea pastries she had developed for A’Ling.
After A’Ling returned this time, for some reason, she developed a habit of enjoying tea and tea pastries. Every day after finishing her work and returning home, she would always rest in this west wing and drink a pot of tea.
She would also chat with her friends for a while. Sun Juhao initially thought A’Ling was talking to herself.
A’Ling watched as Sun Juhao went in and out several times, filling the tea table with food. Only then did she speak: “Aunt Sun, that’s enough.”
Sun Juhao took a look, feeling a bit embarrassed herself. She quickly nodded and withdrew.
A’Ling casually picked up a pastry and put it in her mouth. Looking at Shi Qingqian in front of her, she felt that Shi Qingqian wouldn’t like eating these. Aunt Sun’s creations weren’t even as tasty as her own.
Shi Qingqian indeed had no intention of eating. She simply watched A’Ling, her brows slightly furrowed. “Where did you just go?”
A’Ling’s heart sank. Could she have guessed right? Was she really here because of Lin Nianli and Huo Changsheng?
She was displeased and her face darkened. “Does it concern you?” She had just been about to curse her, asking if she was the Huo family’s dog, but then she remembered Shi Qingqian’s experiences in the Huo family, and swallowed the words that were on the tip of her tongue.
With that restraint, her expression became even uglier.
“You have a bloody scent on you.” Shi Qingqian didn’t know A’Ling had misunderstood. She was just a little worried.
“Are you a dog? Sniffing out scents wherever you go.”
A’Ling mentally admonished herself to speak more politely. But facing Shi Qingqian, the words that left her mouth were faster than her thoughts. She couldn’t control herself.
Shi Qingqian had already thoroughly scrutinized A’Ling. She didn’t find any injuries on A’Ling, and felt slightly relieved. She didn’t pay attention to what A’Ling said.
Compared to before, A’Ling was now inexplicably much more polite to her.
Seeing Shi Qingqian remain silent, only watching her with her eyes, A’Ling furrowed her brow. “What exactly are you here for?”
Shi Qingqian came back to her senses, and handed the item she had been holding to A’Ling.
“What is it?”
“Apothecary Yang Xia gave it to you.”
A’Ling was half-believing, half-doubting. She took it and glanced at it. It was actually an armor made from Four Seasons Flowing Light Vine! This was a good item!
But why would Apothecary Yang Xia give it to her?
Was it because she had diligently processed the Four Seasons Flowing Light Vine? This item was indeed troublesome to handle.
Few people ever gave her gifts. There were almost none in her previous life, and in this life, only Gu Jingyang had.
A’Ling couldn’t help but slightly curl her lips. She carefully touched the vest-style armor. Apothecary Yang Xia gave her such a good item, what should she give in return? She glanced at Shi Qingqian. Thinking it over, she decided not to ask her, and she also didn’t plan to let Shi Qingqian deliver it. She certainly didn’t want any more interactions with Shi Qingqian. In the future, it was best to stay away from this person. Nothing good ever happened when she was near her.
“Is there anything else?” The unspoken meaning of A’Ling’s words was very clear, meaning, if there was nothing else, Shi Qingqian could leave.
Shi Qingqian also heard A’Ling’s hint for her to leave. But she had something to say.
All the way here, she kept recalling what Apothecary Yang Xia had said. Her heart was in turmoil. She wanted to tell A’Ling about her abnormality.
She was about to speak, but a flash of crimson light appeared behind A’Ling.
A’Ling followed her gaze and looked behind her. It was a transmission mirror stone. She had placed it there last night after chatting with Gu Jingyang, to prevent it from disturbing her sleep.
Ever since she got this item, A’Ling’s helpers were out of a job. She had to personally take the night shift every day.
She spun a circle of rouge-colored beads on the mirror stone. Gu Jingyang’s face clearly appeared in the mirror stone. A clear and pleasant voice, carrying a tone of dissatisfaction, came from the mirror.
“A’Ling, why are you still at home? What time is it already? My dad’s Fire-Roasted Mountain Sea Pouch, which he’s going to show off his skills with, is almost ready. Why haven’t you left yet?!”
A’Ling glanced at the sky. It was indeed late. She had promised to go to the Gu family for dinner tonight. “Coming right away.”
Gu Jingyang let out a soft huff. “Hurry up! If you’re not here in another quarter of an hour, I’ll come personally to catch you.”
“Right away, right away.” A’Ling decisively spun the rouge-colored beads again. Gu Jingyang’s urging words abruptly stopped, and the mirror returned to its stone appearance.
A’Ling let out a soft breath.
“You’re going to eat with Gu Jingyang?”
Shi Qingqian’s voice suddenly rang out in the room. Her tone was quite awkward.
A’Ling glanced at Shi Qingqian, who had inexplicably raised her voice. “Why?”
Couldn’t she go eat? What a strange question.
Shi Qingqian thought of what Apothecary Yang Xia had told her today. She had said that the more they ate together, the more their feelings would naturally deepen.
“Did you take the wrong medicine at the Herb Garden?” A’Ling rubbed her arm, which had suddenly gone numb. Shi Qingqian’s gaze on her just now was truly awkward. “Don’t look at me like that.”
A’Ling thought, it’s quite scary.
She was rushing to leave. But since Shi Qingqian had come knocking on her door today, A’Ling thought it over and decided to make some things clear.
“Since you’re here today, let’s just make things clear today.”
A’Ling kept looking at Shi Qingqian as she spoke. Shi Qingqian also watched her intently. Seeing her remain silent, A’Ling continued.
“Well, I’ve learned some things. I know now that I misunderstood you before. I misunderstood you as living a pampered life in the Huo family, and thinking you had stolen everything that should have been mine. I used to target you a lot. Rest assured, I now know that all of that was a misunderstanding.”
“From now on, I won’t bother you anymore because of those past events. As for your matters with the Huo family, whether you want to seek revenge on the Huo family, or have other plans, it has nothing to do with me. I’ve already severed ties with the Huo family. Just don’t involve me.”
“From now on, you and I will be like earth and sky. You on your side, me on mine, we’ll go our separate ways. If we meet, it’s best to pretend we don’t know each other. We’ll go our separate paths, and mind our own business. You are you, I am I, we’re not involved with each other, okay?”
After A’Ling finished speaking in one breath, she waited for Shi Qingqian to agree. From then on, everything from her past would draw a full stop today.
She lowered her head slightly, as if seeing another corner of her heart, once blocked, now emptied.
The light in the room completely dimmed at this moment. The night wind rustled, and the leaves in the courtyard rustled.
When A’Ling raised her eyes, she couldn’t quite make out Shi Qingqian’s expression. Seeing her remain silent, she assumed it was an unspoken agreement.
She was about to stand up and end the conversation, when she heard a low, trembling voice carried by the night wind. The voice sounded as if mixed with gravel, somewhat dry, and also as if spoken through gritted teeth.
“What if I say no?”
