Chapter 200 Ruthless, Give Me Back My Mother's Life!
"Qiu Tong, why are you always staring at this?" the Tai'a Sword Spirit asked, puzzled.
In the dormitory of the disciples of Sanqing Mountain, Qiu Tong sat at the table, resting her chin on her hand, her fingertips idly fiddling with the yin-yang pendant on the table, as if lost in thought.
This was a gift from Wei Changzai to her on the day she returned to the mountain.
"It's nothing, it's just that looking at it reminds me of the past."
Daohe Palace has a unique terrain and is filled with spiritual energy, so the snow here is colder and colder than elsewhere, especially in winter, which is difficult for many cultivators with low cultivation levels to withstand.
However, this is beneficial for calming the mind and concentrating the spirit, so many disciples not only do not wear warm clothes, but also intentionally wear less clothing in order to temper their character and cultivate their spiritual practice.
When Qiu Tong first entered the sect, she did not yet understand the pain of such severe cold. Although she also felt a bit cold, she did not think much of it when she saw that some people were still wearing thin Taoist robes to go out for morning lessons. She put on a gauze robe and followed them out.
The morning lesson was sword practice, which lasted at least half an hour. Halfway through her practice, she felt the biting cold wind, like steel knives scraping against her cheeks and ears, making her shiver uncontrollably.
When she used her spiritual power to resist the cold, the chill only subsided slightly, and her whole body gradually stiffened, her hand holding the sword trembling like a sieve.
At that time, Wei Changzai, as the junior disciple of Daohe Palace, was the one who supervised the morning lessons.
The disciples practiced their moves meticulously in the square, while he moved among them, his face aloof and his posture as slender as a pine or plum tree. With his eyelashes slightly lowered, he exuded a coldness that kept people at a distance.
But everyone knows that he is a cold-faced but warm-hearted person.
If anyone's movements are incorrect, he will pause slightly and whisper instructions until that person has mastered them before leaving.
Among this new batch of disciples, Qiu Tong had the worst foundation. She would slack off and rest after holding a sword for less than a quarter of an hour. Whenever Wei Changzai walked by, the two would exchange a glance, and then she would immediately straighten her posture and quietly stick out her tongue.
She was shivering from the cold, and her lips were even a little bluish. Wei Changzai walked over from the front, stopped and looked at her for a moment. There was no impatience in his dark eyes, which were as black as lacquer. In fact, he even looked a little gentle.
Qiu Tong pursed her lips for a moment, then said, "Senior Brother Wei, it's not that I can't hold the sword... it's just a little cold."
Wei Changzai sighed slightly and shook his head, then brushed past her, the sound of his light footsteps fading into the distance.
Qiu Tong felt a fondness for him when they first met. The two had recently gone through some things together, and at this moment, her feelings for him had quietly changed. Therefore, she thought she had disappointed him, and she couldn't help but feel lost, so she lowered her head.
But after a short while, the sound of snow came from behind, growing louder as it approached.
A soft sigh suddenly came from beside me.
Qiu Tong glanced to the side and saw Wei Changzai walk up to her. Amidst the scrutinizing or envious gazes of the other disciples, he took out a sky-blue yin-yang pendant and showed it to her so that she could recognize it clearly.
Then he said softly.
"This is your first winter at Daohe Palace, so it's normal that you don't know how cold it is. The wind and snow of Sanqing Mountain cannot be resisted by spiritual power alone. Disciples below the Wenxin realm who do not have the intention to endure the cold and cultivate their minds must obtain such a spiritual pendant, otherwise they will catch a cold like ordinary people."
Qiu Tong was currently focused on a particular sword move, and upon hearing this, she could only nod stammeringly, her voice barely audible: "Thank you, Senior Brother..."
Wei Changzai did not reply, nor did she let her do it herself. Instead, she leaned forward slightly, her long, ebony hair falling down, with a few strands occasionally drifting to Qiu Tong's waist, as smooth and silky as satin.
He extended a finger and hooked a little off the colorful sash around her waist, then tied the red thread from the Yin-Yang pendant into it.
The movements were fluid and beautifully executed, yet a collective gasp rippled through the crowd.
The reason was simple: it was the first time they had ever seen their junior brother Wei do such things for others, and their gazes toward Qiu Tong changed.
However, Qiu Tong only had eyes for Wei Changzai.
She only saw him straighten up, his gaze flickering slightly, but there was a smile in his eyes. He smiled and said to her, "Practice your sword well."
The young man was handsome and refined, his dark eyes, like ink, quietly watching her with a hint of a smile unknown to others, once again striking Qiu Tong's heart.
With the jade pendant on her body, her body temperature quickly warmed up, but no matter how fast she warmed up, it couldn't keep up with the rapid reddening of her face.
No matter how much time passed afterward, Qiu Tong always carried that yin-yang pendant, remembering that undisguised smile.
Having been reborn, she thought the Yin-Yang Pendant would return to her, so she never went to claim it.
But after waiting for a long time, it never came.
Now that I've finally arrived, I no longer have that mindset.
But it was precisely this longing that made her unable to resist looking at Wei Changzai, and it was precisely this desire to relive the past that made her unable to resist moving closer to him.
She longed for Wei Changzai to hold her like he used to and call her "little fox."
"..."
She sighed softly, her eyes fixed, as if trying to vent all the frustration in her heart. Her fingertips unconsciously moved the jade pendant across the table, making a grating, unsettling sound.
"Stop dawdling!"
How could Blade & Soul possibly tolerate such a sound?
"It's just a cold-resistant spirit pendant. Many disciples of Daohe Palace have them, but I've never seen them treasure it like this." The spirit of the Tai'a Sword became increasingly agitated as it spoke. "What kind of drug did the Kunwu Sword Master give you?"
Qiu Tong paused upon hearing this, then turned to look at her: "He didn't drug me. No, he drugged me before, but he hasn't now... Never mind, you're a sword spirit, how would you understand these complicated matters of the heart?"
The Tai'a Sword was extremely powerful, but it couldn't deny it, so it could only let out a dissatisfied snort from its nasal cavity.
"Considering your good behavior these past few days—not going to see him, but instead burying yourself in searching for items in various libraries—I won't argue with you. You do know how to prioritize. However, does Daohe Palace really have a way to temporarily awaken cultivators who are under a spell?"
Upon hearing this, Qiu Tong simply nodded and began fiddling with the jade pendant again.
Although she couldn't help but revel in the tenderness and affection of the past, she also had to face the coldness of the Wei Changzai before her.
Yao Du Yixin was present the whole time and naturally saw Wei Changzai trying to snatch the flower and follow him. She was not stupid, so how could she not see his strange behavior?
A chilling thought even crossed her mind.
Perhaps Wei Changzai has feelings for Lin Feiran.
In her past life, he also had feelings for Lin Feiran, but he said it was just a rumor. Now, everything is happening right before her eyes, and she can't help but doubt the truth of his words in her past life.
But when she thought about all the little things between the two of them, she couldn't convince herself that someone like that could have feelings for Lin Feiran.
I can't figure it out.
Even though Qiu Tong has lived two lifetimes, her growth in those two lifetimes is not as great as that in the past year. She can no longer see Wei Changzai clearly.
She covered her head and vented softly. Out of sight, out of mind, she casually hung the jade pendant on her waist and secretly took out a portrait of Lin Feiran practicing swordsmanship. She looked at it for a while and her emotions finally calmed down.
Be like Lin Feiran, remain calm and composed in the face of adversity!
The spirit of the Tai'a sword tapped her head with a look of exasperation, then hovered in mid-air with his arms crossed: "Since you're afraid to see him and your heart is conflicted, why did you agree to meet him a few days ago when he invited you?"
She breathed a sigh of relief, her mind finally clearing: "I need him to take me into the library."
During the days since Qiu Tong returned to the mountain, she has not made any effort to connect with people. When asked by her fellow disciples, she only exchanged a few perfunctory words.
Aside from her teaching hours, she spent her days searching for classic texts in the disciples' library and her nights burying herself in recalling the details of Zhang Chunhe's medicine preparation from her previous life, as she didn't want to search for a needle in a haystack.
She did find a few books that she recognized in the library, but after flipping through them several times, none of them seemed to be of any importance.
But one night, she was so tired that she fell asleep as soon as she covered her head, and she actually dreamed of a crucial clue.
In her dream, she seemed to return to the days when everyone worked together to wake Wei Changzai from his nightmare.
Hasty, anxious, timid.
The day before Zhang Chunhe developed the pill, she went to find him, wanting to obtain some medicine to delay the five signs of aging in the celestial being.
At that time, this old man, who had always been indifferent to worldly affairs and had a calm expression, simply sat slumped on the ground, his hair slightly disheveled, his robes seemingly unwashed for a long time, his whisk covered in ash, and various books scattered around him.
He was just like any other elderly man in his eighties at the foot of the mountain, murky, haggard, and helpless.
When Qiu Tong entered the room to get the medicine, he was intently looking at something. Even after hearing her purpose, he simply pointed to the table and said, "Take it."
From beginning to end, his gaze remained fixed on the book, and he didn't look up at her even once.
Qiu Tong was too preoccupied with her own energy to pay attention to his attitude. After getting the medicine, she turned back for a quick glance before leaving.
The cultivators all had good eyesight, so the book title came into view.
In the blur, she suddenly saw clearly.
Before preparing the medicine to bring Wei Chang back to consciousness for a moment, Zhang Chunhe repeatedly read this book.
However, this book was originally a relic of my master. It was originally kept in Liuzhu Pavilion. Later, Liuzhu Pavilion was destroyed, and the books were transferred to the more strictly guarded library.
She had only recently returned and had not done anything of great benefit, nor was she a direct disciple, so she was not qualified to enter for the time being unless Wei Changzai took her with him.
"It's almost time for our meeting, let's go."
Qiu Tong got up, took the Tai'a sword, and went out the door.
When they reached the small pine forest, there was still a quarter of an hour before their agreed time. Wei Changzai had not yet arrived, so Qiu Tong started wandering around in the forest.
She was to see him, but she didn't want to see him, yet she had no choice but to see him. All these conflicting emotions turned into a clump of snow covered with pine needles at her feet, which she quickly kicked away.
In the pine forest, a pale blue figure slowly approached. With the bearing of a pine tree and the spirit of a plum blossom, she was as pure and aloof as snow. Her dark eyes, like phoenix eyes, were unforgettable. The person who came was none other than Wei Changzai.
Qiu Tong stood still, her eyes tracing his outline and face. Although there was no change, she could only see the unyielding coldness in his eyes.
It was a chilling cold that made her feel even when she was near it.
When will I finally see the warmth of him tying the yin-yang pendant on my wrist?
"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting." Wei Changzai subconsciously cupped his hands in a salute.
Qiu Tong bit her lip, but didn't get as close as before, only nodding: "I haven't been here long either."
Wei Changzai nodded, raised his left hand slightly, and said, "Since you want to go to the library as soon as possible, then let's not delay and go now."
The two walked side by side in silence.
Unable to bear the silence, Qiu Tong tried to find a topic to talk about. Her gaze wandered and landed on the Tai'a sword in her hand. Suddenly, she spoke.
"Why didn't I see Senior Sister Pei Yu this time when I returned to the mountain?"
Thinking back to her past life, Pei Yu was furious for three whole months when he saw her obtain the Tai'a Sword, and he picked on her several times.
Wei Changzai was not surprised by his sudden mention of Pei Yu; in fact, it was hard for others to understand his surprise.
He said in a clear voice, "You haven't been back to the mountain for a long time, so you probably don't know that after Senior Sister Pei returned from Pilgrimage Valley, she asked to go down the mountain herself."
Qiu Tong paused, her eyes widening in surprise: "Go down the mountain? Is it to exorcise demons, or... leave Daohe Palace and start walking down the mountain from now on?"
These two are worlds apart.
“Neither.” Wei Changzai pondered for a moment, turned his head to look, and explained, “For her, she should want to leave Daohe Palace, but she has some connection with her master after all. The two talked for a night and agreed that she would travel and gain experience, rather than never being able to return.”
Qiu Tong was naturally aware of this connection.
Pei Yu's master was a senior sister who came from the same school as Zhang Chunhe. He respected her very much. That senior sister passed away early and only took Pei Yu as her disciple, so Zhang Chunhe took good care of her.
Otherwise, how could Pei Yu have repeatedly provoked and harmed her in her previous life without being severely punished?
Even knowing this connection, Qiu Tong was still surprised: "Why would she come down the mountain?"
Daohe Palace is the number one sect in the world. How could Pei Yu possibly give up this identity and go down the mountain to travel instead?
"I haven't asked, so I dare not make any assumptions."
Wei Changzai gave this answer, but he knew perfectly well what was going on in his heart.
Since returning from retrieving the sword in the Valley of the Holy Spirit, Pei Yu's ambition and resentment have become increasingly apparent. Without needing anyone to tell him, he simply looked into those eyes and knew that she would eventually lose her temper.
Lin Feiran went down the mountain and found his own opportunity. His spiritual veins improved and he even broke through his cultivation realm. Pei Yu saw this and was not indifferent.
Her coming down the mountain was exactly what he had expected.
It takes about fifteen minutes to walk from the small pine forest to the library. After exchanging a few words, the two were already halfway there.
Looking at the snow-covered path before him, Wei Changzai suddenly spoke: "Qiu Tong, do you consider us acquaintances?"
Qiu Tong was taken aback and didn't know how to speak for a moment.
Wei Changzai asked with some doubt, "Why are you hesitating? We've known each other for several months now. Is this question really that difficult?"
His tone wasn't interrogative, but rather one of simple confusion.
Qiu Tong couldn't help but refute in her heart, "What do you mean by several months? It's clearly been a year!"
She pursed her lips, not answering as she usually did, but instead throwing the question back at her: "Do you consider us acquaintances?"
Wei Changzai answered fluently: "No."
Qiu Tong hadn't expected his answer to be so direct and quick, so she turned her head and asked incredulously, "Doesn't it count?"
Qiu Tong couldn't help but ask, "Then why did you read with me under the tree back then? Why did you break your contract with Lin Feiran? Why didn't you refute anyone when others teased us?"
Wei Changzai's gaze was clear and sharp, tinged with some confusion, before he lowered his eyes and sighed, "So, sometimes I don't like talking to others."
He has always been aware that he has a difference in perception compared to others.
For them, the sky should always be blue, the grass should always be green, love should bring joy, and separation should bring sorrow.
But for a long time, he was unable to perceive why red was not blue, yellow was not green, what joy was, what love was, and why separation was so painful.
The master thought they should stay together, so he stayed with Qiu Tong.
He remained unmoved.
After all, he was all too familiar with that look; Zhang Chunhe would look at him the same way.
He could keenly sense that they were trying to find another person in him.
But so what? There's no one else here, only Wei Changzai.
At that time, he only thought about cultivating with Lin Feiran and how to cure her weak pulse. The rest was all fate. Since he was destined to fall in love with Qiu Tong, he would just go with the flow. That was all.
Even if he doesn't understand what liking someone means.
Lin Feiran had told him to do as she said, and that she would never lie to him.
Qiu Tong stopped and stared at him for a long time. The snow wind howled past her, and it took her a while to find her voice again.
"I thought we were at least friends."
Wei Changzai looked at her intently and replied softly, "I will only have one friend."
Such an answer implies that this friend is not her.
Looking into his eyes, Qiu Tong felt a surge of warmth. She walked straight ahead at a very fast pace, with Wei Changzai following behind. There was no trace of guilt or emotion on his face.
That's the kind of person he is.
The coldness in her eyes could no longer be touched by such youthful passion, and her sticky heart could not be cleansed by these tears.
The journey, which originally took 15 minutes, was shortened by more than half.
When the two arrived at the library, she stood aside and waited. Wei Changzai stepped forward and used his token to unlock the barrier. The two pushed open the door and entered. Only then did she turn around and say something.
"What are you trying to say by suddenly asking me this question?"
Wei Changzai lowered his eyes slightly, observing her expression.
He didn't understand. He had seen Qiu Tong's fear of him from a very early time, so why was she showing such an expression now?
She simply saw a deeper part of herself.
The library was filled with the scent of ink, mixed with the cool, pine-snowy smell emanating from Wei Changzai, which kept wafting towards Qiu Tong's face, causing her to involuntarily take a half-step back.
Wei Chang was puzzled, but comparing his previous feelings towards Lin Feiran, he seemed to understand her a little.
He paused for a moment, then softened his tone, becoming much more tactful: "I asked you this not for any other reason than that Lin Feiran said you are very familiar with my past, and if I have any questions, I can come to you for answers."
I asked you that because I didn't understand.
Even after hearing his explanation, Qiu Tong still felt very conflicted.
But she could indeed sense the distance from Wei Changzai, and coupled with the coldness in his eyes, she had actually expected it. When the two of them made such a statement, she was only shocked for a moment, and the rest was more of a mixed feeling.
She was reborn into this world precisely to prevent him from falling into the nightmare and the desperate situation of the Five Signs of Decay...
original……
Qiu Tong calmed herself down and exhaled. She naturally didn't think that Lin Feiran had told Wei Changzai about her rebirth; she wasn't that kind of person.
She turned around and said, "So, you agreed to bring me to the library not to help me, but in exchange for letting me answer your questions?"
Wei Changzai nodded.
Qiu Tong lowered her eyes: "What do you want to ask? Lin Feiran is right, I do know some things from the past."
Wei Changzai was not a person who pried into things, or rather, he rarely showed curiosity about others.
He wasn't curious about how Qiu Tong knew; he just wanted to know the answer in his heart.
"I want to ask you, where is my hometown?"
Qiu Tong looked at him with a puzzled expression: "You don't even know where you came from?"
Wei Changzai's expression shifted slightly: "Sometimes, what you see is not necessarily the truth."
Qiu Tong closed her eyes, turned her back, and said in a deep voice, "Your hometown is to the east."
Wei Changzai once told her that his hometown was in the east, where there were the most fragrant wheat fields, the clearest streams, and the most delicious pheasants.
She said, "To the east, in Pingfen Town, Dongyuzhou, is Dongpingcang."
Upon hearing this answer, Wei Changzai's eyelashes fluttered slightly, and his dark eyes fell on Qiu Tong once again.
Her account coincided with the location of their first meeting as recorded in Zhang Chunhe's notes.
Qiu Tong said that he was born in Dongpingcang, and the notes also recorded Dongpingcang, but he clearly remembered that he was born in Youfang Town in the north, where there were withered autumn leaves and endless snow.
On a bleak, rainy day, in a bamboo forest, he met Zhang Chunhe.
He lowered his eyes and said, "Is that so?"
Qiu Tong didn't hear any extra emotion in his words. At this moment, she only felt the grievance in her heart. After answering, she prepared to go find the book of songs, but before leaving, she stopped and asked him with her back to him.
"Why did you send me a message before, asking when I would return to the mountain?"
Wei Changzai paused, now genuinely puzzled: "I have never sent you such a letter."
Qiu Tong turned to look at him, her expression blank: "If it wasn't you, then who was it..."
He got the answer almost without thinking: "Only two people know my communication seal, one is my master, and the other is..."
He didn't continue, only saying, "The one who sent you the message should be my master."
It was at this moment that Wei Changzai suddenly realized why Zhang Chunhe had taken him to Guanlantai to drip blood; he must have discovered some clues in his conversation with Qiu Tong.
He probably felt that their relationship didn't fit his definition of "love".
Thinking of this, regardless of Qiu Tong's unpleasant expression, Wei Changzai suddenly looked up.
He used to think that there were other ways to solve some problems before they happened, but he later realized that wasn't the case. Lin Feiran had said that he shouldn't have kept it a secret...
"Qiu Tong, I cannot explain the reason to you, but after you find what you are looking for today, go down the mountain as soon as possible, return to the fox clan, and do not come back."
After the shock she had just experienced, it was already difficult for Qiu Tong to calm herself down. How could she possibly discern the emotions behind his words?
Are you trying to send me down the mountain?
After a moment's thought, Wei Changzai nodded and said, "That's the idea."
The spirit of the Tai'a sword had already come out to eavesdrop. She couldn't stand it any longer, grabbed Qiu Tong's arm, and angrily walked towards the mountain of books: "Never mind him! We'll go back to the demon realm once we find the books. Isn't Qingqiu better than this cold and creepy place?"
Heartbroken, Qiu Tong didn't look at Wei Changzai again and turned to walk into the Book Mountain.
Wei Changzai simply pushed open the door and went out, sitting upright on the steps in front of the building with her long sword standing to one side, as if to protect her, while also pondering the news she had received that day.
A person cannot have two origins; one of them must be wrong. Now it seems he is more inclined to believe the latter.
He might have come from Dongpingcang. If my memory is not mistaken, then there must be something wrong with it.
He recalled Zhang Chunhe's probing gaze, which resembled Qiu Tong's. He slowly closed his eyes, his fingertips stroking the Kunwu sword sheath, and began to speculate.
...
In the city of demons, a cold wind blew from somewhere, and Lin Feiran couldn't help but shiver.
"Strange, where did that eerie wind come from?"
She murmured to herself as she walked out of the street.
She had gone from East Street to Zhang Siwo's sword-making shop, but found the gate closed. She jumped over the wall to look and found that in his courtyard, besides ironware, there were only about a dozen stray cats rolling around, and no other figures.
She saw Zhang Siwo and Li Changfeng leave together when they were almost trapped in Luoyang, so nothing should have happened.
If they are not in the demon realm, are they still in the human realm?
She came not only to ask him to hide the spiritual vein, but also to ask why they suddenly appeared in Luoyang City and even lend her a hand. Unfortunately, she came empty-handed.
On the way back, Lin Feiran subconsciously walked through the city gate and found that the group of people were still sitting cross-legged outside the city gate, and there were many more of them than before.
The onlookers from the demon capital had vanished. Guards arrived below the city gate, saluted Lin Fei, and then lined up to completely block the gate.
"Lin Feiran!" Bi Qing leaped down from the city wall, the pearls and jade hanging on her body jingling, and the quiver at her waist trembled slightly.
Her eyes darted around, and she smiled, "Why did you leave the palace today?"
"My injuries have healed, so I left the palace to look for someone to do something for me." Lin Feiran paused for a moment, her gaze involuntarily shifting to the corpse at the city gate. Although she had already expected it, she still asked, "Was that corpse struck like hailstones?"
Bi Qing nodded, then suddenly paused, looking at Lin Feiran with a strange expression.
"Ru Xie?"
She didn't speak, but asked in a whisper.
"Even if it's just the two of us here, we can't make any noise, or the Lord might hear us!"
Lin Feiran immediately nodded and readily asked, "Why did Your Majesty nail this person there for all to see? What offense or crime has this person committed? And what are those people outside the city doing?"
Three questions in a row left Biqing at a loss for words. Her mouth opened and closed, but she kept quiet.
Just then, Xun Feifei appeared on the city wall. He leaped down like Bi Qing, his silver face drawing an arc in the sunlight before landing in front of him.
“Ask him!” Bi Qing immediately threw out the question.
Xun Feifei glanced sideways and stared at Bi Qing, who had hidden behind Lin Feiran, before he looked away, pointed to the person hanging on the wall, opened the red-lettered note in his hand, and wrote on it.
"Kill the chicken to scare the monkey, and execute him."
Lin Feiran looked at the four words with a slightly deeper gaze, and immediately leaped onto the city wall, with Bi Qing and Xun Feifei following closely behind.
As soon as they entered the city, the noisy roars from outside the city surged in like a tide. Everywhere, there were small groups of demons. Among the demons sitting cross-legged in front, some wore cloud-patterned robes of the Tantric sect, while others were dressed simply.
Meanwhile, on the side, someone was also weeping with their face covered.
They wore flowers in their hair, white ornaments, and snow-white clothes. Their ritual implements were half an inch shorter, and their faces were painted with several red marks.
That was a symbol of mourning for the demon race, and at that moment, heart-wrenching cries could be heard.
Lin Feiran looked closely and discovered that there was a magic array on the city wall, preventing outside sound waves from entering, which made her feel that the city was quiet.
Biqing looked reluctant, gently put her arm around Lin Feiran's shoulder, and whispered, "There's nothing to see, shall we go back first?"
Xun Feifei didn't speak, but just looked down.
Just then, someone in the crowd looked up and spotted Lin Feiran. He wiped away his tears and raised his head to curse angrily.
"Lin Feiran, I knew you humans had no good intentions! Give me back my mother's life!"
The sound was like a thunderclap that spread throughout the crowd, and hundreds of faces looked up at the same time, their eyes like black holes, all reflecting Lin Feiran's appearance.
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