"You are already by my side."...
The Mingdezong Punishment Hall was built on a prominent hillside rock in the entire sect, which was also the birthplace of the original Sky Patrol Division.
Several iron chains hanging from the stone thrown from the execution chamber resembled graceful willow branches, swaying gently in the wind.
On the iron chain, the words "pacify the interior" and "kill the foreigners" are engraved on the stone tablets on the east and west sides respectively.
Many years ago, beneath the iron chains lay a sheer cliff, used to string together the remains of human traitors, demons, and scourges of the world.
Although time has passed and the elements have worn away the chains, traces of blood can still be found on them.
After the last Human Demon Lord overthrew Hongren Peak of Emperor Mingdezong, Hongren Peak fell halfway down Shafa Peak, completely changing the situation where Shafa and Hongren were isolated from each other, forming the current situation where Emperor Mingdezong supports Hongren through Shafa.
Many palaces and pavilions were moved to the half-collapsed Hongren Hengfeng, and the sect now has much more flat land available than before.
Even the once formidable iron chains of the Cold Cliff are now covered in rust.
On the vines beside the iron chains were several disciples who had made mistakes. There were men and women, all dressed in blue with black hair. Their clothes fluttered, and their faces were covered with white veils, making them look like immortals.
Unfortunately, a long banner hung at their feet, clearly stating their mistakes.
Some misused other people's spirit stones, some engaged in gang fights, some disliked their masters' excessive pampering of spirit beasts, so they betrayed their masters and stole the pills from the spirit beasts' feeding troughs, and some even burned down their dwellings because they didn't like the food.
Some of them are simply unheard of.
Yan Huanyue looked at the mistakes made by the Mingde Sect disciples, and they were quite a mess.
However, the Tianyan Sect punished people in a secluded place, while the Mingde Sect hung them in the most conspicuous place.
Therefore, they prepared these veils themselves, and if the patrolling officials came later, they would inevitably have to deal with them.
Even though they knew they would get in trouble, they were too embarrassed to hang there on the swings with pale faces.
As Yan Huanyue walked across the cold cliff and iron chains with her eyes downcast and her mind at ease, she heard Ji Linsong say in a deep voice to the people following behind him, "Go, tear off their veils."
A mournful cry rang out from mid-air, "Senior Brother Ji..."
Ji Linsong didn't pay much attention to it, but he didn't deliberately stand still and wait for their veils to be torn off.
Instead, they strode forward without stopping.
Yan Huanyue followed behind him, not noticing whether the person who had stopped had pulled off his veil.
There weren't many people inside the punishment hall: Feng Ye, Si Hong, Yu Jisong, Tan Guiyi, and an elder from the Ming Dezong punishment hall.
Tan Guiyi's face was also covered by a white veil, but her once bright and spirited eyes were now bloodshot. She knelt stiffly in front of her master, Elder Sihong's chair.
As soon as Yan Huanyue entered, she was met with two angry glares.
One is Yu Jisong, and the other is Tan Guiyi.
Yan Huanyue hesitated and stopped, her face showing a hint of disappointment and embarrassment. She took a step forward and then pulled back, looking as if she wanted to leave but hesitated.
After she cautiously took half a step, Tan Guiyi gave her a cold glare with deep eyes.
Elder Sihong slammed the teacup in his hand onto the square table beside him with a loud bang. He looked very young and handsome, but his face was ashen with anger. He glared at Tan Guiyi and said:
"What? You drank someone else's blood without permission, and now that something's happened, you want to blame others?"
Tan Guiyi bowed his head and said, "This disciple knows his mistake."
Feng Ye, blowing away the tea leaves, said coldly, "Whether it is related to the blood of my sect's disciples is already a settled matter. Fellow Daoist, please be clear in your words to avoid causing offense."
Before Si Hong could speak, Yu Jisong laughed three times, his eyes red, and said, "So it seems my son isn't a disciple of the Tianyan Sect, or is it that just because he's from the Pei Sect Leader's family, he can escape the judgment?"
Feng Ye sipped his hot tea and said coolly, "Just now, Steward Ji explained what happened that day. Patriarch Yu, you decided on the spur of the moment to ask her to take your blood, and you even took her treasure pouch. You even made her taste a mouthful of blood in front of you. How did she know that you wanted her blood, that you prepared poison in advance and did not put it in your treasure pouch, and that you even knew that you wanted her to test the medicine?"
He couldn't help but sneer, "Patriarch Yu, you've bullied people to this extent. Let's not even talk about repaying kindness with enmity. If you could take responsibility for this matter according to your own written agreement, you wouldn't have asked me such a question."
Yan Huanyue gripped her sleeve tightly, secretly wiping away her tears, remaining silent the entire time.
The elder of the Punishment Hall looked at her, and a jade mirror floated in front of her. The elder asked:
"Yan Huanyue of Tianyan Sect, place your hand on the Qingming Mirror. Did you just happen to hear that the Yu family wanted to use your blood to cure their illness?" Yan Huanyue placed her hand on the Qingming Mirror and said sullenly, "That's right. I am willing to have my soul searched to prove it."
If she wanted to search a soul, she wouldn't impose any restrictions to limit the search time, revealing everything.
It's just unknown whether, when her past and present lives are revealed to the world, there will be more condemnation and accusations of her for being vindictive, or more sighs of pity for what she has endured.
The warm light reflected in the mirror remained unchanged.
The elder of the Punishment Hall continued to ask, "Yan Huanyue, did you truly and sincerely offer your heart's blood?"
Yan Huanyue said without hesitation, "After hearing about its purpose, I did not hesitate for a moment, and after drawing blood and making him drink it, I did not regret it for a moment."
"Because of past events, I only hope that he will live a peaceful and healthy life, free from worries and troubles, and not be ravaged by illness. I am willing to give him my heart's blood, without asking for anything in return."
The mirror of Qingming remains calm.
The people in the punishment hall had different expressions, and even Yu Jisong's expression softened somewhat.
The Qingming Mirror reveals no lies before it. To some extent, this jade mirror can be considered a soul-searching method that will not harm a person's soul.
So Yan Huanyue was truly sincere towards Twelve Lang. What was the reason for Twelve Lang's festering skin...?
Yu Jisong suddenly looked at Tan Guiyi and asked, "Miss Tan, would you like to look in the mirror during the Qingming Festival and tell me if you have ever eaten or ingested anything with Shierlang?"
Tan Guiyi was stunned. She and Yu Zhao had consumed some unknown substances, such as the demonic essence they had stolen from Han Shuangying's formation. In order to obtain that demonic essence, they had caused the demonic energy to leak out.
It even thwarted Han Shuangying's intention to nourish the mountain with demonic energy.
At that time, they told the outside world that it was because the formation had loosened. Originally, she wanted to keep that demonic essence for herself at a crucial moment, but the treasures in the Suihan Secret Realm might be more valuable.
Senior Sister's cultivation level is already very high. If she and Yu Zhao can both advance even a little further, the chances of the three of them finding the treasure, the Azure Moon Lamp, will be even higher.
But who would have thought it would end like this...
Tan Guiyi hesitated to speak, and Yu Jisong's expression grew increasingly grim.
Feng Ye stood up and said, "The spirit stones and pills that Sect Leader Pei and several elders of Tianyan Sect prepared for Yu Zhao yesterday have arrived. I will have someone deliver them to his courtyard. Patriarch Yu, the sect leader's intention is that Yu Zhao will always be a disciple of Tianyan Sect. I hope this matter can be investigated thoroughly so that he will not suffer this misfortune innocently."
Having said that, he ignored everyone else in the hall and spoke only to Yan Huanyue:
"Let's go. Remember this lesson. When you help others in the future, don't let yourself be manipulated and used as a tool. There are always people in this world who swear to be a gossip, who can't take any risks but want to gain all the benefits. If something goes wrong, they'll turn around and bite you. Don't learn from them."
Yan Huanyue nodded sullenly, raised her hand and placed it on the Qingming Mirror, "I hope that Senior Brother Yu will live forever."
It would be best to live longer, dragging along a body half-rotted with blood and pus, to enjoy this life more real than being cooked in a raging fire.
Tan Guiyi turned to look at her. Could it be that the blood of the pure spirit body was driving the demonic energy gathered in their bodies, causing it to backfire faster?
Perhaps the blood of a pure spirit is what causes this disease.
It's not impossible...
The festering sores beneath Tan Guiyi's veil throbbed with excruciating pain.
She couldn't help but feel extremely regretful. Why did she insist on accepting the blood that Yu Zhao left her that day?
Is it Yu Zhao's fault?
Actually, Yu Zhao shouldn't be blamed. He only gave her some blood to help ease her chest pain...
But if she can't blame Yu Zhao, if she can't blame Yan Huanyue, then who can she blame? Should she blame herself?
No, she was unaware of the consequences, yet she bore the brunt of the harm. She was utterly innocent, so why blame her?
.
As Yan Huanyue passed by the cold cliff and iron chains, the setting sun hung in the western sky like a bright pearl, with golden-edged rosy clouds spreading across the sky.
For some unknown reason, the wind flag tied to the vines in mid-air was blown off by the wind and landed right at her feet.
She bent down and picked up the long flag fluttering in the wind, seeing the words "Shifting blame eastward, distorting the truth..." written on it.
Before she could finish reading the remaining words, a figure floated down from the sky, took the wind flag from her hand, tightly covered the white veil on her face, and said, "Thank you, fellow Daoist. My time for enduring is up. I'm leaving now."
Yan Huanyue stood in the cool evening breeze, calmly watching that figure, robes fluttering, run freely towards the golden sunset, where a mountain peak lay at the end of the sunset.
Feng Ye walked up behind her, handed her a small brocade pouch, and said, "These are some medicines for your injuries. Don't delay taking care of your wounds."
Yan Huanyue took the brocade pouch and said softly, "Elder Feng, this disciple has something to ask you."
Feng Ye asked, "What is it?"
She looked at the magnolia tree trembling in the wind not far away, and through the magnolia branches, she could see the solitary Junzi Peak nestled among the clouds in the distance.
"I have been practicing at the Heart-Character Studio since childhood and have received much instruction from you, but unfortunately my comprehension is lacking... I would like to ask you, what is the most difficult thing for a person to reach such a peak?"
Feng Ye's expression was solemn, and he said succinctly, "See it."
"What about climbing?"
Feng Ye stood with his hands behind his back in the wind, a rare smile appearing on his face. "Do you think the hardest thing is climbing? People can only climb the peaks they see and walk the paths they have seen. Many mountains are shrouded in clouds and mist, half-hidden, and difficult to find, unseen by many people. The fact that you can see it clearly is already a blessing, so don't let it go to waste."
Yan Huanyue nodded. "This disciple understands."
.
Yan Huanyue lifted the curtain, and the twilight light slanted into the tent, casting shadows on the brocade quilt covering Pei Xuanzhi.
He blinked as he rested his head on the soft pillow, his black hair spread out on the pillow, and the gold hair tie she had untied was neatly pressed down beside the pillow.
Yan Huanyue, dressed in a light gold-pink outfit reminiscent of dusk, stood by the bed, her fingers loosely gripping the gauze curtains, her gaze sweeping over the red marks on his neck and face.
After a moment, she lifted the gauze curtain onto the copper hook, sat on the edge of the bed, and wiped his face and neck with a warm, plain handkerchief.
Then he took out a small medicine box, picked out a little ointment, and applied it in circles on the finger marks on his cheek.
Pei Xuanzhi looked at her face, which was bathed in the soft glow of the setting sun, and remained silent as she applied the medicine. She had warmed the ointment with her spiritual power, so it wasn't cold at all.
Yan Huanyue asked, "Does it still hurt?"
He looked at her and nodded slightly. "Some."
She couldn't hold back any longer and snapped, "Serves you right."
She withdrew her hand and stood up. The boy coughed, his right hand sliding out from under the quilt and slowly reaching towards her skirt. "Where have you been?"
His snow-white embroidered gold sleeves slipped down, and a black jade bracelet hung loosely on his pale, jade-white forearm with its prominent veins. His hand barely grasped the hem of her skirt, tightening its grip little by little.
She ignored him, and he didn't take it away either, leaving it to linger in the slightly cool air, displaying an unusual stubbornness.
Helpless, Yan Huanyue finally bent down, took his wrist, and put it back under the quilt.
He pressed his thin lips together, staring intently at her, and under the quilt, he gripped her hand tightly with his other hand.
Yan Huanyue felt another bout of headache, but said without changing her expression, "Let go, I brought you some food."
Pei Xuanzhi took her hand and pulled it into his arms, whispering, "I feel that my demonic energy is unusually abundant today, and the coldness in my spiritual veins has been mostly warmed up. I wonder why... but you helped me?"
Yan Huanyue looked down at him and said, "Really? That's wonderful, but I don't know why."
Pei Xuanzhi had a faint smile in his eyes, and his whole demeanor exuded a sense of leisurely enjoyment.
He only thought that she had made a huge sacrifice just to kill Yu Zhao with blood poison.
If it weren't for the gentleman's words about his demonic soul being imbued with blood, he probably wouldn't have been able to guess so quickly that she had given him her heart's blood last night.
He simply held her hand tightly and placed a round bead into her palm.
Then he took her hands in his own, lowered his eyes, and softly chanted a long incantation.
He had originally planned to give her the makeup tonight after she had rested, since she wouldn't refuse him then.
But who could have predicted that she would take his hand at that very moment?
Although she was trying to push him away, she took the initiative to touch him and put his hand under the blanket, afraid that he would catch a cold.
Yan Huanyue felt a cool breeze brush into her body from her palm, swirling around her heart like a refreshing stream, easing the pain of her wounds.
After a long while, the chill gradually subsided. Pei Xuanzhi looked up at her and said in a low voice, "I can't leave the room. Are you trying to lock me up?"
In short, he was the one who had given her her heart's blood. Since he insisted on helping her heal her injury, she said nothing more, simply withdrawing her hand and turning to say:
"Of course not, don't overthink it. There are finger marks on your face and neck. Stay in your room for the next few days and don't go out. Get up and have your meal."
Pei Xuanzhi lifted the brocade quilt and got out of bed, catching up to her in a few steps and grabbing her sleeve.
Two figures were reflected on the white wall bathed in the golden twilight, while outside the window, the leaves swayed gently in the cool breeze.
Yan Huanyue turned his head to look at the golden-edged shadows of the leaves on the north wall of the room. Amidst the lingering fragrance, his tone was slightly low.
"I can stay within your confinement forever, but where did you go just now?"
"The Hall of Punishments".
"oh."
He was still clutching her sleeve, and Yan Huanyue couldn't help but turn around and ask, "What else do you want to ask?"
Pei Xuanzhi looked into her eyes and said with a smile, "No, you're already by my side."
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Author's Note: Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 2:12:02 AM on January 2, 2024 and 1:52:00 AM on January 5, 2024!
Thank you to the little angel who threw the landmine: 1 jujube and pear;
Thank you to the little angels who irrigated the nutrient solution: You Shan, Curry 20 bottles; Cute Cheese, Touch the Little Cat's Butt, WrightHuges, Smiling Face, Wan, One Step Loses Ten Billion 10 bottles; Y. 8 bottles; Invincible Bomb, Cangshan Bears Snow 5 bottles; Zhu Yu 4 bottles; Fatty Doesn't Pan 3 bottles; Little Cotton Planting Big Household 2 bottles; Yi Wei, Shan You Mu Xi, Let Me Eat Sweet Cookies!, Nian Qing, Shineyale, Hula La Lu, Momo, Good Mental State, Today's Year, Red Clay Little Stove, Er Wu Zai, Zhou Man's Sword Bone 1 bottle;
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
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