Chapter 124 The Cold War's Soft Thorn
"The appearance of these demonic beasts is very strange."
As soon as Pei Yuanfang opened his mouth, he received a telepathic message from the Tianyan Sect.
I opened it immediately, and it was Dongxuan's voice.
"Demons and monsters roam freely, the Tianyan Sect is in chaos, return immediately."
After hearing this brief telepathic message, the group fell silent for a moment.
Bai Yuheng said, "For Dongxuan to send such a message so urgently, the matter must be quite troublesome."
Pei Yuan nodded, still somewhat weak from his injuries, and said slowly, "Yes, it's time to go back."
Cui Mingcan and Cen Ying nodded and asked, "When shall we leave?"
Bai Yuheng said, "Let's set off now."
Cui Mingcan asked, "Aren't we waiting for Emperor Yuanguang?"
“We can’t wait any longer,” Bai Yuheng shook her head, worried about Tianyan Sect. “Dongxuan will send him a message. He has other ways to leave. Let’s go first.”
The group nodded in agreement.
Cen Ying gave the remaining medicine and its formula to Bai Zhixing, who had arrived with a group of soldiers, and instructed him on how to use it.
Then, Bai Yuheng spoke about leaving: "Our sect has important matters to attend to, and we can set off immediately if needed. Thank you for taking us in during this time, Lord Bai."
Bai Zhixing brushed aside their thanks, intending to persuade them to stay, but knowing the priorities, he said regretfully, "Then I won't try to keep you. If you have time in the future, you must come and stay for a while. I want to thank you properly on behalf of the people of Nanshao City!"
"Well, we'll talk about that another day."
The group nodded; after spending time together, they had developed some feelings for each other.
"Until we meet again, take good care of Xichun!"
The group waved goodbye to him.
Bai Zhixing and his group watched them go until they became a tiny dot on the horizon before they slowly came back to their senses.
They came in a hurry, and they left in a hurry.
Along the way, we killed many troublesome demonic beasts and monsters, and also saw many cultivators from various sects slaying demonic beasts.
After rushing all the way, they finally returned to Tianyan Sect at the tail end of summer.
The sect was in complete chaos, with demons causing trouble every now and then, only to be slain by disciples who appeared out of nowhere.
Chongguang Hall.
The elders from several sects were inside, and the atmosphere was tense. Everyone looked rather grim, and it was unclear what they were saying.
Pei Yuan, along with Bai Yuheng and the others, paid their respects to Dongxuan and Emperor Lingzhen, and recounted the events that had transpired along the way. Only after learning that all the fragments of the Four Directions Mirror had been retrieved did the elders in the main hall relax.
Jiang Anlan and Liao Mingyuan, who had split up, also found a spot. Dong Xuan said, "Immediately! Hand over the item to me! I'll repair this square mirror right away!"
Having said that, he hurriedly got up, took a few steps, and then said to Yan Li beside him, "Go and inform Sui Qing! Tell him to come with me to the Fire Melting Cave!"
Yan Li cupped his hands in greeting: "It is the Emperor!"
Dongxuan left in a hurry. The other elders, having been interrupted by this incident, lost interest in arguing and took their leave.
"Do you think Dongxuan and Lingzhen really don't know, or are they pretending not to know that Empress Hengluan has returned?"
Before they even reached the palace gate, some people couldn't help but ask others.
"Who knows? Those two are shrewd; they're probably just pretending not to know!"
"Now that demons are wreaking havoc on the world, why are they still hiding their true intentions?"
"If Emperor Hengluan were to return, wouldn't that put the hearts of the people at ease?!"
Some people have different opinions.
"I think the news of Hengluan Emperor's return is fake. We witnessed her death back then, how could she still be alive? It's probably just Yuanguang Emperor releasing it to scare people..."
"I think so too, especially since Emperor Dongxuan can't keep secrets. If Emperor Hengluan really comes back, she definitely won't be able to hide it!"
"Moreover, if Empress Hengluan truly returns and learns of the suffering the people of the world are enduring, she certainly won't stand idly by. Either this news is false, or she has indeed returned but is unable or no longer capable of sealing those demons away..."
"That makes sense..."
"Alas, I truly wish it were true. If it weren't for Empress Hengluan's self-sacrifice back then, when would the demons and monsters of this world ever be completely eradicated..."
"Monsters roam freely, causing immense suffering to countless people..."
"..."
The elders gradually walked away, and their conversations faded into the Chongguang Hall.
Bai Yuheng, who was still hiding her identity, lowered her eyes, deep in thought.
It wasn't until Pei Yuan called her from beside her that she came back to her senses. Lost in thought, she followed them out of the hall. Cui Mingcan and Cen Ying were a little tired, so they left first.
Bai Yuheng looked at Pei Yuan, who was silently staring at her, and assumed that he wanted to hold her hand, so she took his hand and they went back to Wangxian Mountain together.
The sleeping quarters remained unchanged, both in their arrangement and the items placed there.
It was spotless, and a faint, cool fragrance emanated from it, the kind of incense she used to burn.
Finally back in her bedchamber, Bai Yuheng took off her outer garment, lay down on the bed, and let out a long sigh.
In the bedroom, only the bronze incense burner with gold and silver dragon patterns on a rosewood base was in operation, emitting wisps of cool fragrance. After a moment of silence, Bai Yuheng finally noticed that Pei Yuan seemed to be acting strangely.
She sat up and looked at Pei Yuan, who was sitting on the soft couch, staring silently at the wisps of smoke. The light from outside the hall shone through the half-open window, illuminating his back, making his expression unclear in the dim light.
Bai Yuheng walked beside him, sat down, rested her head on his lap, and looked up at him.
"What’s wrong with you?"
Pei Yuan focused his gaze on her face, looking at her slightly furrowed brows due to worry and her puzzled eyes. He leaned down and kissed her, forcing her to close her eyelashes and cover her vision.
"nothing."
Bai Yuheng could tell that Pei Yuan wasn't telling the truth.
He was unhappy.
But she couldn't tell why he was unhappy.
Pei Yuan tried to kiss her lips, silencing the question she wanted to voice.
Bai Yuheng turned her head and looked at him seriously.
"Don't try to fool me. I know you're unhappy. Why? Can't you tell me?"
Pei Yuan: "..."
Pei Yuan noticed that she was unusually persistent at times.
He could only hold her and pull her down to lie down with him.
Bai Yuheng lay on his chest and pinched his face, suddenly remembering what she had heard in Chongguang Palace.
"You...you're not sad because of me back then, are you?"
Pei Yuan lifted his eyelids and stared at her intently.
"Silly girl, haven't I already returned? If it weren't for your help back then, I probably would have truly vanished into thin air." Bai Yuheng chuckled. "I'm back now, aren't I? Don't be upset, okay?"
Pei Yuan frowned, grabbed her mischievous hand, held the back of her head, and kissed her fiercely.
The kiss felt like a battle; as their lips and tongues intertwined, Pei Yuan's anger could be faintly detected. He was acting very strangely today, his kiss was unusually forceful.
It was as if they wanted to devour her.
Between breaths, Bai Yuheng touched his face, her watery eyes looking into his, and asked softly, "What are you afraid of?"
If I can no longer figure out why Pei Yuan is sulking or unhappy, then I'm really not a good enough partner.
"Afraid that I'll die again?"
"Are you afraid I'll abandon you again?"
"Um?"
Pei Yuan gently rubbed his hand against her soft palm, his eyes seemingly welling up with tears, and hugged her tightly, saying, "Yes, I'm scared..."
He was terrified by every guess she made.
He was afraid she would die again in front of him, afraid she would abandon him. Who dared to say that he would have the same luck this time?
What if?
Pei Yuan dared not think about it, nor did he want to. As soon as he had that thought, it felt as if he had been pierced by ice spikes, as if a hole had been torn in his chest, skin and flesh.
But he also knew that if the only way to eliminate those demons was to sacrifice herself, she would inevitably embark on that path again.
Pei Yuan dared not ask, dared not ask her, dared not ask for an answer, and dared not even ask her for a promise.
Bai Yuheng didn't know how to comfort him. This matter was like a soft thorn that had pierced through their skin and flesh, long since rotting inside. It couldn't be touched or pulled out; it could only be wrapped and buried by the flesh that grew day and night.
A fierce and domineering kiss, filled with revenge for the past and unease about the future, marks the beginning of a tacit, hard-lined, and clearly antagonistic cold war between the two.
Even during the Cold War, the world still needed to be protected.
The two hadn't seen each other much since that kiss. When they did meet, it was always just a fleeting glance. One hurriedly went down the mountain, while the other entered the palace with a solemn expression to report something.
Bai Yuheng thought to herself that after she went back from her shift, she would definitely have a good talk with Pei Yuan. Even the deepest feelings would be worn away by repeated indifference and avoidance. Even if they didn't get a clear answer in the end, even if they broke up and separated, it wouldn't be as bad as being angry and stuck in a rut.
Bai Yuheng put the matter aside and went down the mountain with Cui Mingcan and the others to investigate potential dangers.
Yuan Guang, along with Cen Ying and others, was treating the wounded in a village destroyed by demons when they happened upon the scene. Yuan Guang glanced around and handed the matter over to his two trusted disciples, Cen Ying and Yan Li.
Bai Yuheng received his signal, told Cui Mingcan, and the two of them went into the forest one after the other.
“I forgot to tell you last time about the mole you’re looking for…” Yuan Guang said in a low voice, “I leaked the information and had Yan Li keep an eye out for anything unusual, and he actually found out…”
Bai Yuheng frowned and asked, "Is Yan Li trustworthy?"
She remembered that his most prized and trusted disciple was not Yan Li. Yan Li was a disciple she took in after her death, so she didn't know much about him and asked him a question.
Yuan Guang nodded and said, "He is Canglan's son."
Canglan was the disciple he cherished.
“Canglan passed away for some reason back then, leaving behind only a young son. I watched him grow up. He is gentle and steady, and can be trusted.”
Upon hearing this, Bai Yuheng said nothing more. She had met Yan Li a few times and found him to be a steady and kind-hearted child.
What did he discover?
Getting back to the main point, Yuan Guang hesitated for a moment, his face showing a hint of uncertainty. Under Bai Yuheng's gaze, he said with difficulty, "He found Sui Qing to be highly suspicious..."
Sui Qing, a disciple of Dong Xuan, has an eccentric personality and a strange background. He never participates in sect affairs and spends his days hiding in the courtyard tinkering with objects.
Bai Yuheng was taken aback for a moment and asked, "Why?"
Although Yuan Guang hadn't spent much time with Sui Qing, he had heard Dong Xuan praise the child, saying that he was exceptionally intelligent and a once-in-a-millennium genius. Apart from being a bit eccentric, not liking to socialize, and being obsessed with objects, he had no flaws.
"After the news that you were still alive was released, he secretly went to Tian Shu Pavilion. Since the bombing, Tian Shu Pavilion has ordered that no one is allowed to enter... That's one reason. Secondly, he also went to your back mountain. These two places are where the most demons appeared this time. Dong Xuan and Ling Zhen sent people to check them out, and both places have been marked with Yin-Yang Paths."
The so-called Yin-Yang Path is a forbidden object that allows free travel between two places. Those who use it are pure Yin beings or objects from the demon and monster realms. If ordinary people use it, at best their lifespan is reduced and their cultivation is lost, and at worst they will be lost in the Yin-Yang Path and never see it again.
“Lingzhen said that the back of that object leads to the place where you sealed the demons.”
"..." Bai Yuheng pondered for a long time before saying, "If what he said is true, then Suiqing is very likely a spy planted by Gu Pingzhi for many years."
“Hmm, he’s highly suspicious, but there’s no concrete evidence. Let’s leave this for now and observe his unusual behavior. If it’s true, then inform Dongxuan and let him handle it personally!” Yuan Guang’s brows furrowed, and a chilling aura emanated from him.
Bai Yuheng followed his instructions, and after exchanging a few more words about the matters the elders had been discussing in secret, she removed the barrier and, one after the other, discreetly walked out of the dense forest and returned to their respective posts.
After inspecting four or five villages and slaying all the remaining demons and monsters, they led their team back to the Tianyan Sect to hand over to the next team.
After leaving the handover center, Bai Yuheng planned to find Pei Yuan and have a good talk with him.
I had just said goodbye to Cui Mingcan when someone blocked my way.
"Junior Sister Bai, wait a minute!"
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