Chapter 34

In an instant, Feng Jiutian's words suddenly echoed in his mind: "hanging high on the city tower" and "exposing the corpse for seven days"—they were enough to terrify anyone who heard them and bring tears to anyone who saw them.

In the end, it was Yuan Bushu who came to rescue Sheng Ningyu.

The Palace Master of Yunwang Palace stood in front of Sheng Ningyu, his robes, engraved with ink plum blossom patterns, swaying like plum blossoms in bloom. The person wearing this robe had a stern expression, like a towering tree, blocking all outside prying eyes.

Feng Xiaosheng remembered that the Fragrance Lady, who was extremely skilled in perfumery, used a piece of black plum blossom as her magical artifact.

Then, she remembered that Madam Xiang had once saved a Phoenix Clan disciple, and she remembered that the disciple kneeling in front of her, with her repulsive appearance, seemed to be Madam Xiang's sister.

Boring.

Feng Xiaosheng withdrew his hand, feeling bored, and waved casually at them.

"Take her away."

Feng Xiaosheng turned around, her skirt wide and long, white phoenix feathers trailing behind her, curving layer upon layer, forming a flower that was gradually blooming.

"Since the former palace master won't let me erase her face once and for all, I'd better be careful. You can protect her for a while, but not forever."

In the blink of an eye, accompanied by a phoenix phantom, Feng Xiaosheng in the main hall had vanished without a trace, leaving only a lingering voice.

“Looking like this is not a good thing.”

Yuan Bushu remained expressionless. He grabbed Sheng Ningyu by the collar and, without any further hesitation, kicked her into his sleeve, instantly returning to the scene of spring.

Sheng Ningyu: "..."

For someone with little cultivation, being forced to pass through the magic array in this way was quite a test of her physical strength.

Sheng Ningyu knew she had been too reckless today, so she obediently followed behind Yuan Bushu, which aroused the curiosity of the Yunwang Palace disciples who were also in Sishijing.

Yuan Shuhe took the opportunity to slip a box over and whispered, "Remember to eat."

Sheng Ningyu nodded, touched, and whispered, "Don't do that again next time, or your brother will beat you up."

Yuan Shuhe: "My brother won't punish me for this."

He paused, then added in a low voice, "If that's the case, I can immediately send a letter to Ling Huanwu to let my sister-in-law know, so my brother won't blame me."

This child is teachable!

Sheng Ningyu gave a thumbs up, expressing her great admiration.

The person walking ahead: "..."

They don't learn the good things, but instead imitate Sheng Mingyue.

Sheng Ningyu, carrying the box, entered the room and said with a pale face, "Senior Brother Fei, I know I was wrong."

I won't believe it if I don't forgive.

He tossed a bag of pills onto the table and said coldly, "Eat."

Sheng Ningyu obediently sat down and began to eat the pills like candy. Finally, still not satisfied, she opened the wooden box that Yuan Shuhe had given her.

The small wooden box was not large, but it contained a whole world inside.

So cute.

She couldn't help but smile, until she was hit hard on the head again.

Yuan Bushu coldly asked, "What did I just say?"

Sheng Ningyu immediately said, "From now on, you must think thrice before you speak or act. Words are like water, once spilled, they cannot be retrieved; actions are like a shadow, once cast, they cannot be removed. You clearly said before that it is difficult to distinguish friend from foe, and you do not know the details of the person who harmed you. Yet your actions today were reckless. Have you considered that if you are not careful, it may bring you disaster? I know that you have been exceptionally intelligent and kind since childhood..."

Yuan Bushu tapped her on the head lightly again, saying expressionlessly, "I didn't say the last sentence."

Sheng Ningyu covered her head and said obediently, "Oh, I've been memorizing too much."

Yuan Buqi: "..."

I laughed in exasperation.

You didn't listen to a word I said before.

At this point, nothing she said would be right. Sheng Ningyu placed her hands on her knees and, as always, lowered her head and obediently admitted her mistake.

This time, however, Yuan Bushu did not speak again.

From time to time, curious voices from the disciples could be heard from outside.

"It seems our Palace Master pulled someone in just now?"

"Hiss, it looks like Fellow Daoist Wang."

"Isn't that all over? Does that mean Senior Sister Wang is going to get scolded again?"

"Heh, that's what your fellow disciples deserve! Why did you have to provoke the Chu family and the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion?"

Hey! How can you talk like that?!

The long silence swallowed all the noise. Sheng Ningyu held the pastry without eating anymore, when she suddenly heard a sentence.

Sheng Ningyu was taken aback and looked up at Yuan Bushu.

As the dust settles, the past becomes hazy and indistinct.

The young man before him wore a small gold and jade crown, with a small ink plum blossom at the end of his hairpin. His robes were no longer the ordinary Yunwang Palace disciple's attire, but were entirely dark green. In addition to his solemnity, there was a more resolute look between his brows.

The person who was once as upright as a pine tree has grown into a towering tree, able to shelter everyone behind him.

Familiar and intimate, yet also strange.

Sheng Ningyu's eyes curved slightly as she picked up a piece of pastry and put it in her mouth: "That sounds familiar."

In those bygone years, Sheng Ningyu engaged in battles of wits with Yuan Bushu and her senior brother, and was often summoned for instruction, attracting many onlookers to spy on her.

Looking back now, it feels like a distant memory, as if shrouded in mist.

As Yuan Bushu approached, Sheng Ningyu instinctively covered her head, but this time it wasn't the Lingzhi Ink Jade Brush that fell, but a broad and warm hand.

"Sheng Ningyu, you should trust us more."

The next second, Yuan Bushu opened his palm, and floating on it was a fragment of her spirit bone!

"Brother Fei Fou!"

Since we recognized each other, I have never seen her so eager.

Yuan Bushu: "No."

He didn't mention how difficult it was for him to obtain this piece of spirit bone, nor what price he had paid for it. He simply patted Sheng Ningyu's head somewhat awkwardly and placed the spirit bone in her hand.

"Only a quarter of it was in Chu Jiye's body, and because of the urgency just now, it was contaminated with demonic energy when it was taken out. You must promise me that you will not put it back into your body until the demonic energy has been completely eliminated."

Sheng Ningyu: "...Okay."

She said, "I will listen to Senior Brother Fei Fou."

She's the type of person who responds better to gentle persuasion than force, and I've known that for a long time.

Yuan Bushu: "If I'm not mistaken, the Chu family originally stole half of your spirit bone, but it was later intercepted by someone else, so only half is left."

Sheng Ningyu held the piece of spirit bone, sensing the ghostly energy swirling around the broken bone, and suddenly laughed.

"It's the eldest brother."

No wonder the eldest brother slept for such a long time this Ghost Day.

Yuan Bushu smiled faintly.

He was pleased that his friend's character had not changed, and he was also comforted for Sheng Ningyu.

In this world, she has gained another person she can trust.

"Oh right, I've lost my mask. Senior Brother, you'll have to give me another one," Sheng Ningyu said. "You arrived so just in time, was it because the array on the mask was broken?"

I nod in apology.

"Besides, someone else reminded me."

Sheng Ningyu was slightly surprised. Before she could speak, a gust of wind suddenly blew into the room.

A faint fragrance drifted in the breeze, gradually coalescing into threads. At first, it was just a blurry light and shadow, like an illusion, elusive and hard to grasp, but eventually it gradually outlined a human figure.

Dressed in snow-white robes with silver threads, her figure was as beautiful as jade.

Sheng Ningyu felt a sense of relief, and a smile unconsciously appeared on her lips.

She didn't ask him where he had gone, but instead crossed her arms and raised her eyebrows: "Why are you here?"

Her long hair was originally tied up by Yu Huan, but Feng Xiaosheng suddenly made a move, and Yuan Bushu shrank his body and brought him back, and even patted him a few times, so her hairstyle was inevitably a bit messy now.

Xie Qianjing smiled and strolled over to her side. "Something came up earlier." He then looked at Yuan Bushu, his smile fading.

"May the former Palace Master rest in peace."

I couldn't help but nod, but in my heart I thought, if you could take your hand off Sheng Mingyue's head, I would probably feel more at ease.

Thinking about it this way, Yuan Bushu's smile, which had been slightly smiling, became even more flat, and he said expressionlessly, "Everything went smoothly?"

Xie Qianjing: "For now, we have little doubt about the Chu family."

The Chu family?

Sheng Ningyu narrowed her eyes: "Is it related to my spiritual bones?"

Seeing her bring it up so bluntly, Yuan Bushu felt a lump in his throat, sighed, and frowned: "I don't remember a single word I said to you before."

Sheng Ningyu blinked: "That's why I'm trying again."

Yuan Bushu paused for a moment, then belatedly recalled their previous conversation.

Yuan Buqi: "..."

The black wooden chair beneath his feet turned to dust in an instant.

Xie Qianjing smiled and gently re-tied Sheng Ningyu's hair before softly explaining the whole story.

In the East Sea, "a demonic seed seems to have been born," causing puppet barriers to rise up all around. Demonic cultivators even took advantage of this to cause trouble. In addition, rumors spread from an unknown source that this encounter was retaliation for the Chu family's past plundering of spiritual power by sword cultivators. Some even said that the sword cultivators sought out by the Chu family had been turned into nourishment for the Chu family... In an instant, rumors spread and danger lurked everywhere.

Many cultivators who were already dissatisfied with the Chu family took the opportunity to stir up trouble, claiming that the "Bright Moon Heart" that is now hanging high in the Bright Moon Pavilion at sea could be used as a sacrifice to appease the Chu family. It all depended on whether the Chu family head was willing to do so.

The Chu family retainers were overwhelmed and repeatedly wrote letters requesting the family head to return and take charge.

Sheng Ningyu initially smiled, but upon hearing this, she almost jumped up, nearly swearing to the heavens: "I really never gave him that thing!"

Xie Qianjing gently scolded, "Don't move, your hair isn't done yet."

Sheng Ningyu obediently sat down: "Okay."

She didn't care much about Xie Qianjing's behavior and was lost in thought about her own spiritual bones.

As for tying her hair up? From childhood to adulthood, her second senior brother had tied her hair up countless times, and Sheng Ningyu did not consider it an intimate act.

But to outsiders, it doesn't seem that way.

The two, one standing and one sitting, seemed to be leaning on each other, intimately close.

How can someone like this be called a "friend"?

That's absolutely ridiculous.

Yuan Bushu thought to himself, perhaps that fool Sheng Mingyue thought so, but this demonic cultivator in front of him was definitely not going to behave.

Once this thought popped into his head, Yuan Bushu couldn't stand the sight of this demonic cultivator.

He's clearly a demonic cultivator, so why is he wearing white? What's more, the cinnabar-like mark between his brows makes him look like a mountain ghost that devours human essence, yet his face is pale, with thick eyebrows and dark eyes, and he's putting on that otherworldly air.

No, not at peace, not well.

I cannot forgive him, he thought to himself.

Back then, when he saw Chu Jiye standing next to Sheng Mingyue, he didn't have such a strong premonition.

Even though the other party was the son of her father's old friend, Yuan Bushu simply couldn't stand it.

However, Xie Qianjing had just helped him obtain the spiritual bone, and as a gentleman, he couldn't bring himself to do something like discarding someone after they've served their purpose. So he didn't make a move, his voice even colder, his brows furrowed and his eyes gleaming: "It seems that Lord Xie is not worried about the demon seed."

Xie Qianjing continued working, placing a small lotus flower on Sheng Ningyu's hairpin, and said casually, "My demonic cultivators are still behaving themselves. Thank you for your trouble, Palace Master Yuan."

Yuan Bushu said, "If Your Excellency has nothing else to do, why don't you come with me to Chunyisheng, so that I can do my part as a host?"

Xie Qianjing: "Thank you for your kind words, Palace Master, but I have other important matters to attend to."

This statement is somewhat contradictory.

Yuan Bushu stepped forward, spreading his spiritual power: "What is it?"

Xie Qianjing remained unmoved: "Tie your hair up."

Yuan Bushu, unable to contain himself any longer, looked at the person who was still lost in thought: "Sheng Mingyue!"

Sheng Ningyu snapped out of her daze and looked up in surprise: "Senior Brother Fei Fou?"

She knew Xie Qianjing's personality well and knew that he was not as harmless as he appeared when they first met, but when she actually saw him, she was still surprised.

His words were subtle and understated, his words concealing his true intentions.

Truly, the mountain peaks are covered in crystal-clear snow, and the ponds are filled with Bodhi lotus blossoms.

"What's wrong?" Xie Qianjing looked down and smiled, taking a mirror from somewhere with a gentle smile on her lips. "Do you like your new hairstyle?"

It was clearly the face of an ethereal being, so aloof and distant, yet when the eyebrows curved upwards, it resembled snow about to melt under the moon, imbued with the pure beauty of the mortal world.

Sheng Ningyu was momentarily stunned, then smiled and said, "I like it." She looked at herself in the mirror, then peeked out, "Senior Brother Fei Fou, what did you call me for just now?"

Yuan Bushu: "...Get out."

Yuan Bushu: "You two."

Yuan Bushu: "Let's go out together."

Sheng Ningyu coughed lightly, "Then we won't disturb you any longer, Senior Brother." Almost as soon as she finished speaking, she grabbed Xie Qianjing's hand and slipped away as fast as she could.

Yuan Bushu's expression clearly showed that he had reached the limit of his patience, and Sheng Ningyu dared not provoke him any further.

Along the way, they encountered many disciples in the spring scenery, and they greeted each other warmly.

"Fellow Daoist Wang, how many times do you need to copy the palace rules?"

"So many?! You'd better hurry."

"Hehe, I knew Fellow Daoist Wang wouldn't be so particular about these things... We'll secretly bring you a bottle next time we come back from the sect!"

Sheng Ningyu responded to everyone's greetings with ease until she pulled Xie Qianjing into her room.

"What's going on with you and Senior Brother Feifou?"

Even if she was slow to notice, Sheng Ningyu could sense that Senior Brother Fei Fou had been cold towards Xie Qianjing, and even a little annoyed.

This is extremely rare for someone as steadfast as a pine tree, as Yuan Bushu is.

Back then, even when facing Chu Chang'an, Senior Brother Fei Fou didn't show such obvious impatience; at most, he was a bit cold and reduced the number of times they met.

Xie Qianjing: "Really? I thought it was just the original Palace Master's nature; she didn't like to talk much with others." He looked at Sheng Ningyu's furrowed brows as she pondered, and smiled. "Or perhaps, the original Palace Master saw my actions and misunderstood our relationship?"

Sheng Ningyu asked in confusion, "What's your relationship?"

"Hmm." Xie Qianjing pondered for a moment, then said lightly, "They probably think of me as one of those wicked people who abduct other people's Daoist partners, right?"

Sheng Ningyu choked on her tea and exclaimed incredulously, "How is this possible?!"

She does love Xie Qianjing's appearance, but there are countless things in the world that she loves. If she follows this line of thinking, she could hold a Daoist Couple Ceremony every day for thirty or fifty years without stopping.

"I'll talk to Senior Brother Fei Fou next time," Sheng Ningyu said, both amused and exasperated. "My Second Senior Brother Rong Que used to comb my hair often, but it was just a small thing, why make such a fuss about it?"

Xie Qianjing raised his eyes and looked quietly at Sheng Ningyu: "I heard that you met this acting leader of the Sword Pavilion today. Didn't you acknowledge him?"

Sheng Ningyu still had a smile on her face, casually swirling her wine glass: "Not ready yet... My junior sister is here today too. I didn't expect she's already the wife of the city lord of the Mountain and Sea Never Sleeps City."

But for some reason, not many people followed him. Feng Xiaoming was clearly a perfect and noble young master in public, but when he looked at Ning Jiao, he seemed to dislike her even more than before.

"Yes, she shouldn't have come to Qingyi Academy."

Sheng Ningyu: "Why?"

Xie Qianjing got up and lit the pear blossom incense in the Sheng Ningyu wooden box. With a gentle lift of her fair fingertips, the red flames flickered, and the refreshing fragrance filled the room.

Sheng Ningyu tossed her own spirit bone in one hand and propped her head up with the other as she looked at him.

The man was quite at ease in his own room, without any restraint, showing a sense of freedom in coming and going.

Xie Qianjing withdrew his hand, his voice clear and cold: "She married Qi Baiya of the Mountain and Sea Never Sleeps City, while Yan Wurong, the current acting sect leader of the Half-Body Sect, is Qi Baiya's former Daoist partner."

He turned around and smiled gently.

Amidst the flickering light and shadow, he stood at the boundary between light and darkness, a single vermilion mark between his brows, appearing both celestial and ghostly.

"Do you think the people of the Half-Site Sect will let her go?"

These words seemed to have triggered something, and without warning, something from a long time ago that Sheng Ningyu hadn't thought of for ages popped into her mind.

-----------------------

Author's note: Our senior brother Fei Fou works quietly and never lies. (Stands up, applause.jpg)

When the spiritual bones are restored, memories will also be gradually restored! After deceiving Chu Chang'an in the next chapter, our Qingniao Yiye Flower Sect Master will also be arriving.

Hmm, if I do the math, our Young Master Feng will recognize the person within three chapters. [Sunglasses]

[Correction made on December 20th]

I miscalculated last time, I'm choking a starfish.jpg