The carriage traveled for nearly twenty days, stopping and starting along the way, before finally arriving near Youfang Town.
As soon as Jiang Fei approached Youfang Town, he noticed that it was completely different from the last time he came.
The town of Youfang is surrounded by demonic energy, so powerful that it is terrifying. The camphor forest used to be filled with the roars of wild beasts, but now it is replaced by a deathly silence.
Even the sky above was gloomy, as if it were forever shrouded in layers of dark clouds.
But this eeriness vanished the moment they stepped into Youfang Town.
The sky over Youfang Town was clear and the sun was shining brightly. The streets were even more bustling than before.
Upon inquiring, Jiang Fei learned that a demon with unfathomable magical power had turned both the immortal and demon realms upside down, seemingly searching for someone, causing unrest in both realms.
But only Youfang Town has never been affected by any demonic energy.
Especially when those with ill intentions attempted to seize this place, a bright red light shone in the sky. No one could see clearly who the newcomers were. In the blink of an eye, everyone who broke into Youfang Town was beheaded.
Everyone says that a divine being is secretly protecting Youfang Town. Therefore, many families from the surrounding area have moved to Youfang Town to live in peace and security.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Fei simply nodded, asking in his mind, "Is it Xin Qi?"
[System: Yes.]
Jiang Fei smiled and said nothing more.
In camphor forests, fairy grass often grows on cliffs and precipices.
Jiang Fei wasn't in a hurry. He found the Youfang Inn where he had stayed before and checked in. Unexpectedly, the waiter was the same one from before.
Upon seeing Jiang Fei, the waiter glanced at her repeatedly. Finally, as he led Jiang Fei to her room upstairs, he couldn't help but say, "To be honest, I think you look very familiar."
Jiang Fei smiled: "Hmm?"
The waiter scratched his head sheepishly: "The young lady looks like a previous customer, except that customer had an ethereal aura, while the young lady..."
Jiang Fei realized that her spiritual root was now destroyed, and apart from her spiritual body, she was just a mortal inside and out.
"The young lady is in this room." Realizing he had talked too much, the waiter smiled and opened the door to lead her inside.
Jiang Fei nodded in agreement, her eyes glancing at the wooden sign that read "Guests Available" hanging on the door of the guest room diagonally opposite. That was the guest room where she and Xin Qi had stayed.
The waiter followed her gaze and explained, "That room has been booked by a guest."
Jiang Fei smiled understandingly and went into the guest room.
Having been swayed by the carriage all the way, Jiang Fei finally got to sleep on a comfortable bed and went to rest early.
She slept until the sun was high in the sky the next day before slowly walking alone towards the camphor forest.
When she first met Xin Qi, he tricked her in the camphor forest, causing her to be bitten by a horned beast. Xin Qi then found a magical herb to heal her wounds and even used a self-inflicted injury ruse on a cliff edge.
Jiang Fei remembered the location of the cliff and headed straight for it.
There really were magical herbs on the cliff, but they grew in the crevices of the overhanging rocks, with clouds and mist churning below and jagged rocks, making it look extremely dangerous.
Just as Jiang Fei was about to go down the mountain to collect herbs with the help of the system, a sudden heat rose in his chest.
She frowned slightly.
[System: This is a curse mark that Rong Shu planted within the host's body.]
Jiang Fei understood. It was probably that the owner of Qianjin Tower was eyeing her body. The incantation was activated, and it was likely that he was watching her through his broken mirror.
It's no longer possible to simply fly down and retrieve the immortal herb...
A moment later, Jiang Fei tied the vines together, one end to a tree trunk on the cliff and the other end around her waist. She carefully untied the vines little by little along the cliff and climbed down the precipice.
Inside the Thousand Gold Tower.
Rong Shu looked at the woman in the water mirror with great interest.
Today, having nothing better to do, I wanted to see how his "medicinal herb" was doing. Unexpectedly, I saw her leaning on a vine to climb down the cliff to retrieve the fairy herb.
In the past, she possessed magical powers, so climbing down the cliff, though not easy, was never in mortal danger.
Now, she is nothing more than a mortal, yet she dares to do such a dangerous thing; she really has a death wish.
The next moment, Rong Shu narrowed his eyes and glanced at her hand that was gripping the vine. It was covered with tiny cuts from the vine, which were particularly noticeable on her snow-white skin.
But she was oblivious and continued to descend the cliff until she fell to the ground beneath a protruding boulder. The vines rubbed against the sharp rocks as she struggled to reach for the fairy herb hidden in the crevice beneath the boulder.
Perhaps after several unsuccessful attempts, the woman in the mirror paused, looked down at the churning clouds below, took a deep breath, braced herself against the cliff face with her feet, swung her body, and crashed heavily against the cliff again.
Then, using the force of her impact as she crashed into the cliff, she reached out and grabbed the fairy grass.
Her body slammed heavily against the sharp rocks, her face turned pale, she gasped for breath, and her forehead was covered in cold sweat.
Rong Shu frowned. Was she really courting death?
She probably forgot that she herself had saved her life with extremely precious spiritual herbs. Her death was a small matter, but losing both the spiritual herbs and this fine body was a big deal.
In the mirror, Jiang Fei was already climbing upwards, her hands, covered in tiny wounds, gripping the vines, with beads of blood sliding down her fingers.
Rong Shu glanced at it and was about to close the water mirror when her peripheral vision caught sight of the vines, and her expression changed slightly.
The vines, rubbed against the boulder, were about to break.
Sure enough, the rattan snapped with a "crack".
Rong Shu frowned, pondering whether it was worth wasting another spiritual herb to save her life. The next moment, when she saw Jiang Fei in the mirror again, the playful smile on Rong Shu's lips paused slightly.
Jiang Fei did not fall off the cliff. Her hands were gripping the cracks in the rocks tightly, and the blood between her fingers was flowing faster and faster. Only then did Rong Shu realize that her back, which had just crashed into the cliff, was also stained red with blood.
Just like when she sought medicine for Xin Qi, she used her own body to block the heavenly lightning on the nine-tiered steps and walked barefoot across the red-hot copper pillar.
Now, she was covered in blood, her fingertips gripping the cracks in the rocks were mangled, yet she still struggled to climb, then grabbed a broken vine, climbed to the top of the cliff, and lay helplessly on the cliff.
He always held that immortal herb in his hand.
After a long while, she slowly stood up, looked at the blood-stained fairy herb in her hand, and smiled, her eyes sparkling.
Rong Shu frowned even more as she looked at her smile.
She seems... to never know what "lifeless" looks like.
Before, she was Xin Qi; now, she's just an ordinary person. How could she possibly risk her life?
He was raised in this building since birth, and many people from all over the world sought his help. In return, he would take their limbs, lives, and treasures. But if there were too many, it would become too boring.
What does it feel like to have someone who would give everything for you?
Rong Shu suddenly became curious.
"Master," a guard quietly entered from outside the door, "would you like to summon the person who came to make the request outside?"
Rong Shu remained silent for a long time: "No need."
As he spoke, he glanced at the water mirror. He had saved her life, so it wasn't unreasonable for him to accept a small share of the profits.
Rong Shu smiled knowingly and stood up: "I'm going to the human realm."
...
Rong Shu's favorability rating has reached 10.
Upon hearing this news, Jiang Fei rolled his eyes inwardly. He actually felt a surge in affection for her just because she was suffering? He must be crazy.
She didn't think much of it and rested in Youfang Town for two more days. On the evening of the third day, she finally took the fairy grass and boarded the carriage for the return journey.
The moment the carriage left Youfang Town, red clouds surged over the town, then turned into a wisp of green smoke.
Xin Qi, dressed as a scholar, walked slowly down the street in Youfang Town, the silver hairpin in his hair quite simple.
It's another full moon night.
The next moment, he paused slightly and turned to look behind him. He only had time to see a simple human carriage disappear at the crossroads, exuding the aura of mortals.
Xin Qi gave a self-deprecating laugh and looked away.
Would Jiang Fei, nowadays, ever return to Youfang Town?
He walked slowly forward. If she were here, she would surely find that this place was more prosperous than the last time she came.
But he couldn't find her. She was still alive, and the human realm was not conducive to her healing, but he couldn't find any trace of her in either the immortal or demonic realms.
As night fell, Youfang Town became even more lively.
Xin Qi walked among the mixed crowd, still loathing the presence of mortals, but... Jiang Fei always seemed to like going to crowded places, and then looking at him with a smile in her eyes, her eyebrows curving.
Xin couldn't help but smile.
"Licorice plum juice..." came the shouts of a vendor from the side.
Xin Qi paused, turned around, and saw the woman standing in front of a stall with bamboo tubes in front of her.
Noticing Xin Qi's gaze, the woman's eyes lit up: "Would this young master like a bamboo tube?"
Xin Qi's gaze flickered for a moment, as if one night, also a full moon, she held a bamboo tube to his lips and smiled at him, saying how delicious it was.
The woman had already handed him the plum juice.
Xin Qi looked at the bamboo tube, and as if possessed, took it and then took a small sip.
He still loathed worldly things, yet he wanted to drink this plum juice.
The bittersweet taste filled his mouth, and Xin Qi tightened his grip on the bamboo tube.
It wasn't as sweet as that night.
Xin Qi also saw a fire dragon dance and a stall selling noodles...
Suddenly someone patted my shoulder.
Xin Qi froze, as if he were back to that night when Jiang Fei patted his shoulder and then approached him with the half-face mask of the blue beast, trying to scare him. It was clear that when he was silent, she was the one who was afraid of frightening him.
"Young master, here is your change from earlier." A woman's voice came, and a money bag was handed to him.
Xin Qi snapped out of his daze, glanced at the money pouch, and the light in his eyes gradually dimmed, turning into complete darkness.
He returned to the Youfang Inn, where the room he had stayed in before was the only place where he could rest.
She could never return to the Demon Palace. Every time she went back there, all she could think of was the image of the long sword piercing her chest, her cold lips gently kissing him, her eyes filled with despair…
As he closed the guest room door, Xin Qi was enveloped in crimson light, and his scholar's robes transformed into a red garment.
On their wedding night, she said he looked good in red.
Xin Qi sat on the bed, his fingernails gradually turning a terrifying black, sharp as a beast, his long hair cascading down, his pupils bloodshot.
He ultimately failed to cultivate into a demon, and instead became a complete and utter monster.
Will she look down on him?
It's definitely not going to happen.
Of all the people in this world, only she wouldn't do that.
She had seen the gruesome sight of him being punished by heaven, his flesh and bones turning into a pile of mud. She hadn't despised him then, and she certainly wouldn't despise him now.
But where is she?
That night, Xin Qi had a dream. In the dream, he was enduring divine punishment, and Jiang Fei was beside him, curled up in his arms, repeatedly telling him, "It doesn't hurt anymore, it doesn't hurt anymore..."
The next day.
The full moon night has passed.
Xin Qi walked out of the inn, intending to leave again.
The waiter, as usual, respectfully saw off the distinguished guest, when he noticed something the next moment: "Sir, your hairpin looks familiar."
Xin Qi froze, looking at the waiter: "What?"
"No," the waiter hurriedly explained, "It's just that I saw a young lady wearing it a few days ago, but upon closer inspection, it's slightly different from your hairpin..."
"Miss?" Xin Qi's voice was hoarse, as if he could only repeat the waiter's words.
The waiter pointed upstairs: "That girl was staying in the room diagonally opposite yours a few days ago, but she's already left..."
Before he could finish speaking, Xin Qi suddenly turned around and walked upstairs. He pushed open the door to the opposite guest room, which was already empty, but a few drops of dark red, dried blood were dripping onto the floor.
Xin Qi's fingertips trembled as he reached out and touched the blood, smelling its familiar scent.
Did she come to Youfang Town?
Now that you're here, why...why not stay? Why not wait for him?
Xin Qi's eyes were bloodshot, with a faint demonic light flickering within them. The waiter who followed him trembled, "Sir, sir?"
"Where did she go?" Xin Qi suddenly asked.
The waiter pointed to the west: "The human realm."
Xin Qi was stunned. Yes, her spiritual root was destroyed, and she was now a mortal.
"Sir..." The waiter was about to say something when a flash of red light appeared before his eyes, and there was no one in front of him.
...
The human realm.
Liu'an City.
In the dead of winter, the wind howls.
In the courtyard, the elm tree was already bare, with only desolate, withered branches remaining.
Yun Wunian stood calmly in the courtyard. His small body was much taller than before. He was wearing only a thin white robe and began to practice martial arts according to the book left by Jiang Fei.
After finishing his practice, he went into the woodshed and started a fire to cook.
Smoke rose slowly from the chimney as Yun Wunian added rice for two people and cooked a meal for two.
After finishing his meal, he sat at the table for a long time, staring straight at the door. Only after a long while did he get up, put the remaining food in a food box, and take it to the beggars on the street.
He went directly to the home of Master Liu in the city to attend his lessons.
The school can no longer teach him anything. Master Liu was once a top scholar and served as an official in the court. Now he is old and retired. Once, when he was delivering food to a beggar, he met Master Liu and told him that if he had any questions about his studies, he could go to Master Liu's residence to listen to his teachings.
Hearing that it was getting late at Master Liu's house, Yun Wunian braved the cold wind and returned to his residence.
This winter is exceptionally cold and dry.
Yun Wunian sat in his room, watching the flickering candlelight. His thin shadow was cast on the windowpane. As night deepened, the figure returned to his room to rest.
If you do the math, Jiang Fei has been gone for over a year.
Given her carefree nature, perhaps she has already found her soulmate and forgotten that she once bought a house here and adopted a "childhood sweetheart".
And he, too, should be free.
However, he lives here alone and is very busy every day, but at the end of the day, he can never remember what he is busy with.
He was like a useless person who was no longer needed. He spent Jiang Fei's money, lived in her courtyard, learned the martial arts manual she left behind, and used the money she left behind to find a teacher, but he could not repay her in any way.
The next day, when Yun Wunian woke up, he found that the sky was even colder and more gloomy.
He still got up early in the morning and went to the woodshed to start a fire and boil water for two people, and then practiced martial arts in the courtyard.
Even though the moves and techniques were obvious and easy to learn, he always felt like there was a heavy stone in his chest, making it difficult to understand them.
At that moment, Yun Wunian felt a chill on his face.
He paused, looked up, and saw snowflakes gradually falling from the sky.
The first snow of this winter.
The sound of horses' hooves came from outside the door, followed by a long "Whoa!"
Yun Wunian froze.
The carriage was probably just passing by.
Yun Wunian forced himself to continue practicing martial arts.
But the door was pushed open from the outside.
Yun Wunian suddenly looked towards the door.
A woman dressed in white stood amidst the swirling snowflakes, a casual smile playing on her lips, but her face was deathly pale; her usually vibrant red lips were now devoid of color. She looked at him with an air of nonchalance.
Jiang Fei.
Yun Wunian froze, standing motionless, as if the woman who was about to merge with the flying snow was just an illusion.
The next moment, the woman walked towards him, stood in front of him, looked at the boy who had grown to be as tall as her nose, and lifted his chin with her hand: "It's been a few days, Xiao Wunian has grown taller."
Yun Wunian's mind went blank, his breath caught in his throat, and before he could speak, Jiang Fei suddenly fainted to the ground.
Yun Wunian quickly supported her shoulders and braced her back with one hand, but his hand trembled violently. He slowly withdrew his hand from her back, his fingertips covered in blood.
She's injured!
Yun Wunian looked down and only then realized that the tips of her fingers, which had brushed across her chin, were covered with wounds of various sizes.
He paused for a moment before hesitantly reaching out to check her breath. Once he realized she was still breathing, his unease subsided.
Yun Wunian bent down and carried Jiang Fei back to the room, where he made the fire in the stove burn even brighter, and then hurriedly went to fetch a doctor.
Upon learning that she had only suffered minor injuries, Yun Wunian finally felt relieved.
Back in the woodshed, he scooped out hot water, looked at her pale face, paused, and carefully wiped the blood from her fingers. However, he struggled when treating the wound on her back. Finally, he gritted his teeth, covered it with a white cloth, and wiped away the excess blood by relying on the faint dark color of her back visible through the white cloth, and applied the medicine.
After everything was taken care of, Yun Wunian finally breathed a sigh of relief. He sat on the edge of the bed and quietly watched her. After a long while, he unconsciously curved his lips into a smile. She hadn't abandoned him; she had come back.
Then she frowned.
She said "it's been a few days since I last saw you," so casually.
But the "several days" she mentioned refers to one year and one hundred and twenty-three days.
The snow was heavy and lasted for a long time, for three days and three nights, as if it were trying to make up for the drought of the past year.
When Jiang Fei woke up, it was the third day. The snow was still falling, but the fire in the stove inside the house was burning brightly.
A small head was resting on the side of the bed, seemingly exhausted, and was asleep, leaning against the other person's arm.
Jiang Fei moved his hand slightly, and Yun Wunian suddenly woke up, straightened up, his eyes were dark and swollen. When he met Jiang Fei's open eyes, he was stunned for a moment, and then stood up: "You're awake?" His voice was hoarse and unpleasant, but it was filled with a faint joy.
As he spoke, his gaze fell on her fingers. The medicine she had left him was of good quality, and there was still quite a bit left, so he gave it to her.
In just a few days, new flesh had grown back from her wound.
Jiang Fei looked at Yun Wunian; his voice was hoarse, just like when he first spoke to her.
"How long has it been since you last spoke?" Jiang Fei sat up and asked slowly.
Yun Wunian pursed his lips and did not respond. In fact, he had rarely spoken since she left.
After a moment of silence, she finally couldn't hold back: "Why are you injured?"
Jiang Fei smiled and didn't reply, only glancing around: "Where's the bundle I brought back?"
Yun Wunian looked at her, turned around and walked to the outer room. When he came back, he was carrying her bundle in his hand.
Jiang Fei took out the Immortal Spirit Grass, handed it to him, and said calmly, "Eat it."
Yun Wunian was taken aback.
"You think I would harm you?" Jiang Fei said, half-jokingly, then smiled with narrowed eyes and said again, "I ate it."
This time, Yun Wunian did not hesitate. He took the Immortal Spirit Grass and put it in his mouth, which was full of bitterness.
"Alright, leave the roots." Jiang Fei stopped him from eating it all. "This is a celestial herb, a spiritual herb from the cultivation world. It can unlock your sealed dantian."
As soon as he finished speaking, Yun Wunian felt a surge of heat in his chest, and his dantian was throbbing and aching.
After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the pain gradually subsided. Instead, the martial arts techniques and incantations he had practiced earlier began to take effect. It was as if, in an instant, his body was able to absorb all those martial arts techniques, accumulating a burgeoning power ready to be unleashed.
He turned his head and looked at Jiang Fei with bright eyes.
"You felt it?" Jiang Fei raised an eyebrow. "I told you I'm a fairy, didn't I?"
Yun Wunian looked at her matter-of-fact expression, her eyelashes trembling slightly, and then whispered, "You left because of this?"
Did she go to find her sweetheart?
Jiang Fei raised an eyebrow: "What does Xiao Wunian think?"
Yun Wunian panicked, and the favorability rating above his head fluctuated rapidly. He looked down at the roots of the Immortal Spirit Grass in a daze, and then felt a pain in his temple. He unconsciously reached out and picked up the roots of the Immortal Spirit Grass, feeling that... he was very familiar with this Immortal Spirit Grass.
It seems... there is another mountain, and on the mountain is a palace, and someone is calling him in a clear voice, "Immortal Venerable, Immortal Venerable".
"Yun Wunian." Jiang Fei's voice suddenly came.
Yun Wunian snapped out of his daze, his expression slightly taken aback. This was the first time Jiang Fei had called him by his full name.
Jiang Fei glanced at him: "You seem quite interested in the Immortal Herb. What, do you want to become an immortal?"
Yun Wunian looked at her, neither nodding nor shaking her head.
Jiang Fei chuckled, "A heartless and desireless immortal is no better than a wanton demon." She glanced at the immortal herb in his hand, "If you ever become that kind of cold-blooded immortal, I won't want you."
Yun Wunian was stunned, staring at her for a long while before turning around and throwing the roots of the Immortal Spirit Grass into the blazing furnace without hesitation.
The flames quickly burned the roots to ashes.
Jiang Fei was amused by his action and raised an eyebrow, looking out the window: "It's still snowing."
Yun Wunian nodded.
“It just so happens,” Jiang Fei said, looking at the increasingly composed young man, “that he came back to accompany Xiao Wunian to enjoy the first snow.”
Yun Wunian met her teasing gaze, lowered his head after a long while, his ears slightly burning, then turned and walked quickly toward the woodshed.
Yun Wunian found the entire process of preparing dinner incredibly easy. His culinary skills were already quite good, and she would be astonished if she were to taste it.
That evening, Yun Wunian prepared five dishes and a soup, which he carefully placed on the dining table.
Outside, the heavy snow fell silently, while inside, the fire crackled and popped as the wood burned in the stove, filling the room with a comfortable warmth.
In high spirits, Jiang Fei took out a jar of wine, but under Yun Wunian's disapproving gaze, he finally compromised and poured himself only a small jar.
This was the most substantial dinner Yun Wunian had eaten in over a year.
Jiang Fei drank a few glasses of wine, her cheeks flushed with a slight intoxication.
Seeing this, Yun Wunian took the wine pot from her hand and offered to help her to rest.
Jiang Fei didn't say much and let him support her. But when they returned to the bedside in the room, Jiang Fei suddenly fell forward.
Yun Wunian hurriedly tried to help her up, but he also tripped and fell under her.
Jiang Fei rested her head on his chest, hearing the boy's rapid heartbeat. She curled her lips, then, as if remembering something, smiled mischievously and slowly stroked the boy's cheek.
Yun Wunian's body froze, motionless, only feeling her hand slowly moving across his cheek, with a soft and gentle touch.
Jiang Fei always referred to him as her "childhood sweetheart," so although she was clearly his older sister in terms of age, he found it difficult to truly regard her as such.
After all, who would consider a woman who always makes them call her "wife" as their elder sister?
I suddenly remembered Master Liu's words: Wu Nian will be of marriageable age in a few years.
But the next moment, Jiang Fei murmured softly, "Xin Qi..."
Yun Wunian froze, feeling the heat on his cheeks gradually fade and his body gradually grow cold.
She has someone she likes.
He already knew.
He, too, wanted to surpass her and no longer be burdened by the shackles of being a "childhood sweetheart."
Yun Wunian got up. Because his dantian had been released, he easily placed Jiang Fei on the bed, covered her with the blanket, and turned to leave, though his steps were unsteady and disordered.
Jiang Fei lay on the bed, watching his retreating figure and chuckled softly.
Yun Wunian's favorability rating: 55.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com