Chapter 18
Hua Liuyan stared blankly, desperately wanting to see the expression on the person in front of her, yet trembling from her own filth, she wanted to shrink back.
The handsome, ethereal young immortal squatted down in front of her without a care in the world.
"If you still believe in me, I can take you to a place where there are people like you and a suitable cultivation method for you. But from now on, you must never kill innocent people indiscriminately, understand?"
As she got closer, Hua Liuyan finally saw Xiao Xianjun's face clearly.
Bright as the moon, serene and ethereal like a fairy.
If that were all, it might have instilled some fear in people, but when she spoke, her tone was light and unpretentious, even a bit carefree, as if she were saying whatever came to mind.
It was as if, in her eyes, Hua Liuyan was not some filthy demon, but a friend she knew, and that this was not a moment of crisis, but a casual chat with a friend.
Hua Liuyan stared at the little immortal in front of her with near-obsession.
Pure white, dazzling... gentle.
When she appeared, all the stars in the sky turned to dust.
Hua Liuyan trembled as she reached out her hand, but when she saw her skeletal finger bones, she suddenly came to her senses and frantically tried to pull it back.
"Hey, there's no going back on that!"
The little immortal lord smiled and took her hand, using some kind of magic to stop the black blood and ghostly energy that she was constantly releasing. Then, he smiled and tore off a piece of his dress to bandage the wound on her arm.
The little immortal coughed lightly and rolled his eyes uncomfortably: "I didn't bring everything I needed when I went out. Luckily, this sleeve of mine has a built-in defensive magic array... I'm sorry, I'll just have to make do with this for now."
Moonlight and blood hues intertwine, tenderness and coldness entwine.
At this moment, it was a magnificent sight comparable to what Hua Liuyan had ever witnessed in her lifetime.
Demons and ghosts don't feel pain, but at that moment, Hua Liuyan felt a lot of pain.
“That’s enough,” Hua Liuyan murmured. “That’s enough.”
If this is all a dream, then let her die now; that would be enough.
But she did not die.
The little immortal attached a wisp of sword energy to her, successfully deceiving everyone and taking her to the place that suited her.
Before parting, she finally learned the name of the Little Immortal Lord.
Hua Liuyan suddenly asked, "If you do more good deeds, will you also receive blessings?"
Sheng Ningyu laughed, her eyes crinkling, her expression flamboyant and unrestrained: "Who knows? But it's never wrong to do more good deeds."
"I understand."
After that, there was no news of Sheng Ningyu for a long time.
The second time they met, she suddenly appeared in the Ghost Cang Tower from the sky and threw a cultivator in front of Hua Liuyan.
“It’s him,” Sheng Ningyu said succinctly.
Hua Liuyan was stunned for a moment, and then a fierce aura suddenly arose.
Just a few hours later, looking at the cultivator on the ground who was trembling and pale from her torment, Hua Liuyan suddenly felt indifferent.
"May I ask the Immortal Lord to take action?"
"Me?" Sheng Ningyu tilted her head and jumped down from the tree.
A swirl of snowflakes stirred up fallen petals and stamens, swirling and mesmerizing the eye, as if one were falling into its embrace.
"Hey, don't be afraid of me."
Looking at Hua Liuyan's regretful and uneasy expression, Sheng Ningyu raised her eyebrows and smiled, her long hair swaying behind her head.
"Killing a cultivator is nothing, of course I can. You have no idea how long I've been holding back all this time."
She drew her sword, and a swift, snow-like blade flashed past, leaving the person on the ground lifeless.
This was the first time Hua Liuyan had seen Sheng Ningyu draw her sword.
Having spent the time she spent in the Ghost Cang Tower, she had come to realize that Sheng Ningyu was not worthy to draw her sword against such a person.
But she still drew her sword.
Hua Liuyan didn't know how to describe her feelings; she only felt overjoyed yet also apprehensive.
Sheng Xianjun helped her so much.
But what could she possibly do to repay the immortal lord?
"To be honest, I have another matter to discuss with you today."
The little immortal swiftly sheathed his sword and walked up to her: "I know you are very skilled at perfumery, so I would like to ask you to create a fragrance for me. Do you have time?"
Hua Liuyan immediately replied, "I have plenty of time! May I ask, Immortal Lord, who needs it?"
Sheng Ningyu raised her eyebrows: "Of course I'll use it myself."
Hua Liuyan looked up in astonishment, her scarred face filled with panic: "How could the Immortal Lord use the incense I blended?!"
Why not?
Sheng Ningyu lowered her head, seemingly extremely disappointed, and the tassels beside her lotus crown stopped swaying: "If you don't want to, I won't force you."
Hua Liuyan panicked even more: "I'm willing! Of course I'm willing!"
"That's great. By the way, since you've already agreed to help me blend the perfume, you don't need to be so polite with me. If you'd like, just call me by my name."
This time, Hua Liuyan refused no matter what, only saying that Sheng Ningyu should call her "Yan Nu".
This is her childhood nickname.
She changed her way of addressing her, which sounded a little strange, but it was so pleasant to hear.
Just from the smiling and cheerful appearance of the young immortal lord, Hua Liuyan knew that her relationship with her unmarried Daoist partner must be excellent.
That's great.
Hua Liuyan thought that if such a good little immortal had a Daoist partner, she would definitely treat her extremely well, so that their Daoist path would be smooth and their lives would be successful without any more setbacks.
So she smiled and asked Sheng Ningyu about her requirements, but in the end, she refused to accept any spirit stones.
Hua Liuyan said, "I have already received too much kindness from you. Now I can support myself in Gui Canglou. Please take these spirit stones back."
Sheng Ningyu did not insist. She flung her sleeves, which were like clouds and mist, and the tassels of her lotus crown swayed triumphantly. "That's great! There's actually a free lunch in the world. I won't stand on ceremony with you."
Hua Liuyan unconsciously let out a slight smile.
“But since we’re talking about gratitude…” Sheng Ningyu drawled, “Sister Ayan, I’d like to ask you to do one more thing for me, how about it?”
Hua Liuyan eagerly raised her head: "What does my lord need me to do? Please give your instructions."
At that time, Hua Liuyan did not understand Sheng Ningyu's intentions; she was only happy that she could finally help the little immortal.
Although the idea of traveling made her hesitate for a moment, Hua Liuyan would never refuse her little fairy lord.
She hesitated for a moment, then took out a piece of white silk and cautiously asked, "My lord, could you imbue this hair ribbon with sword energy...?"
This wasn't a hairband, but rather the outer robe that Sheng Ningyu had torn off when she bandaged her wounds that day.
Hua Liuyan couldn't bear to throw it away, nor could she bear to let others touch it with their spiritual power. Over and over again, she personally washed the bloodstains off the cloth.
"...Is that alright?"
"certainly."
Hua Liuyan was stunned for a moment, then shook her head repeatedly: "We don't need any, this one is enough."
She watched Sheng Ningyu's retreating figure as she turned away.
Under the sunlight, they were like celestial beings.
Hua Liuyan asked as if possessed, "Can you become a Sword Master?"
"Me?" Sheng Ningyu stood at the doorway, turning around against the light, the light and shadow dancing around her. She laughed heartily, "No way! Sister Ayan, you overestimate me!"
"If someone as unruly as me were to become a Celestial Lord, then Heaven would truly be blind!"
No, that's not true.
Hua Liuyan thought that if such a good little immortal lord became a sword master, there would be more hope for the world.
Later, for reasons unknown, she actually came true. The once flamboyant and unrestrained Little Immortal became the "Bright Moon Sword Master" of the Sword Pavilion, and the Ghost Cang Tower also changed its master.
She rarely came to Guicanglou anymore, and she no longer asked her for perfume blending.
But Hua Liuyan never forgot.
"...I have accumulated a lot of incense and established the Half Wall Sect, which is dedicated to taking in and helping women, regardless of whether they have natural talent or not, they can come to the Half Wall Sect to work."
Moreover, the Half-Site Sect has now developed a certain scale. Xiang Bieyun has never given up on the idea of finding and containing Sheng Ningyu's soul, and in recent years she has been exchanging information with Gui Canglou.
Xiang Bieyun spoke faster and faster, until the word order was almost reversed. Sheng Ningyu poured her a cup of tea and said, "Don't rush, speak slowly."
These words seemed to ignite something, and Xiang Bieyun's eyes welled up with tears again.
She gripped Sheng Ningyu's left hand tightly, her bright eyes gazing at Sheng Ningyu with a heartbreaking mix of expectation and humility, like an innocent child yearning for their wish to come true: "You...you are, right?"
It seemed that if Sheng Ningyu denied it, the tears in her eyes would shatter like broken pearls.
This was not part of her plan.
"I am."
Sheng Ningyu smiled lightly.
"Sister Ayan, I heard you. You've done a great job all these years. You're really amazing."
Just like the first time we met.
The sunlight was dim, there was no wind or rain, yet it resembled that night, a night of blood and tears.
The moon is still the same moon, gently yet boldly casting its light down, unchanged.
Xiang Bieyun stared blankly as she traced the outline of the person in front of her, her expression suddenly softening, a smile appearing in her misty, tearful eyes.
It's her.
Only her.
Throughout the ages, across the vast oceans, there has only ever been this one bright moon.
Under Sheng Ningyu's curious gaze, Xiang Bieyun wiped away her tears and began to recount her experiences over the past sixty years.
She talked about changing her name, establishing the Half-Body Sect, meeting Yuan Bushu, and many other past and present events, but at one moment she suddenly caught a glimpse of Sheng Ningyu's hand hidden under her sleeve.
The scars on his wrists were gruesome, some new and some old, yet each one was glaringly obvious.
Heartbroken, Xiang Bieyun endured the pain, struggling to control her emotions, and asked softly, "Where is the Immortal Lord?"
"Me? I'm nowhere near as wonderful as Sister Yan." Sheng Ningyu leaned back in her chair, gazing at the bright sun over the lake outside the pavilion, a smile on her face.
How wonderful that she can still see such beautiful lake scenery.
Sheng Ningyu said in a light tone, "I suffered a minor injury, so I rested for a while and didn't do anything interesting."
Just like back then, the little immortal spoke in the lightest tone and with a nonchalant expression.
But Xiang Bieyun knew that her little fairy lord must have suffered a lot over the years.
So much suffering.
But she knew nothing and couldn't help at all.
In an instant, immense pain and guilt overwhelmed her, and the tears she had been holding back finally burst forth, leaving Xiang Bieyun's face covered in tears.
Xiang Bieyun knew she shouldn't have done that. After a moment, she finally realized what she had done and suddenly widened her eyes: "Did I...did I ruin your plan?"
“Recognizing you was indeed not part of my plan.” Seeing Xiang Bieyun’s face growing paler, Sheng Ningyu raised her eyebrows and smiled arrogantly, “But you know, I never do things according to plan.”
Yes, Little Immortal Lord never does things according to plan.
She would save demons and ghosts she shouldn't save, and meddle in things that had nothing to do with her.
Xiang Bieyun gazed at her intently, her knuckles on her knees turning white from the pressure, yet she smiled again: "Yes, the Immortal Lord has always been like this."
Sheng Ningyu recognized the look in Xiang Bieyun's eyes.
Not long ago, she looked at Yuan Xiaoer with the same gaze.
Sheng Ningyu accepted it readily, and even went so far as to act coquettishly: "It's been so many years, Sister Ayan is now 'Madam Xiang'! Speaking of which, I also knew Yuan Bushu back in the academy. You two must make up for my wedding banquet sometime in the future."
Xiang Bieyun looked at her with loving kindness, her demeanor as serene as a plum blossom by the water: "Whenever you wish, it's fine."
As long as she is still alive in this world.
Xiang Bieyun lowered her eyes slightly, her pupils suddenly dilating, the blackness almost filling her entire eye.
In that instant, she was neither the noble and elegant Lady Xiang, nor the gentle and courteous Xiang Bieyun.
She was the demon that everyone wanted to kill a hundred years ago; she was Hua Liuyan, who suffered all kinds of pain and fell into the mire.
She thought, it's okay, this time, she will.
As long as the little immortal lord wants it.
She would get anything for her.
A note from the author:
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Unforgivable: [Still on the road.gif]
Fragrant Melody, also known as "Fragrant Mother-Type Indulgence, Younger Brother Requires Beatings, Younger Sister Requires Pampering, Only One Bright Moon Shines Throughout the Ancient World - Fragrant Melody".
Well, if Sheng Ningyu needed Xiang Bieyun to kill Yuan Bushu, Xiang Bieyun would really go. At worst, she would die with Yuan Bushu after fulfilling Sheng Ningyu's request (of course, our Brother Yuan is an innocent good person, I wouldn't write such a cruel plot, hahaha).
And, our Sister Yan is already one of the more rational ones among our old friends [doge emoji]
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