Chapter 33: The Lover
This change happened in an instant. Before Sang Ying could even finish speaking, Xu Baishen's sword was knocked away and fell to the ground.
She was thrown off balance by the sword energy and fell backward, her back hitting a warm embrace, the scent of sandalwood rich yet refreshing.
When she came to her senses, Sang Ying couldn't help but scoff inwardly. So what if she became so aloof and didn't recognize her? She still couldn't sit still when she heard about the divorce.
"Xie Lingyu... Ugh!"
Just as she was about to grab his arm to steady herself, the young man in white suddenly dodged backward, and Sang Ying fell to the ground on the grass.
Sang Ying: "..."
Xie Lingyu, you're finished!
A look of disgust flashed across the young man's face. His dark eyes narrowed slightly, and his voice was icy: "Who exactly are you?"
He stood before her, looking down at her, the sharp tip of his sword lifting the dragon scale pendant around her neck. "And why do you have this?"
Judging from his expression, he clearly didn't remember her at all. Although she knew this was obviously a strange thing done by the Yaochi Forbidden Zone, Sang Ying was still angry.
Sang Ying ground her molars, mentally planning how he would die.
Xu Baishen, who had walked over at some point, perhaps knowing that he was no match for Xie Lingyu, did not make a move this time. Instead, he frowned and asked, "Fellow Daoist, do you know this woman?"
Xie Lingyu said calmly, "I don't know him."
He raised his eyes: "Is this your enemy?"
Xu Baishen nodded: "I don't know why my memory has completely disappeared. I can't remember anything in my mind, but as soon as I see this woman, I feel a strong hatred in my heart. I think it must be her doing."
Xie Lingyu frowned slightly, having lost all his memories, just like him. He too had absolutely no memories, only three words imprinted in a hidden location in his consciousness.
The Thousand-Turned Tree.
He thought this must have been left by his past self before he lost his memory. The root of the problem of amnesia was in this tree. Just now, on his way to find the Thousand-Turned Tree, he suddenly felt a pain in his heart. His protective scales had been attacked.
When he arrived, he saw this scene: the unknown youth was attacking the woman with low cultivation, and this woman, whom he found utterly repulsive, was actually wearing his protective scale.
The dragon's heart-protecting scale is the scale closest to the heart, and it is given only to the one you love most in this life.
Xu Baishen naturally sensed that the scale that had been protecting Sang Ying belonged to this young man. He said in a deep voice, "Fellow Daoist, you are a complete stranger to her, yet she has your protective scale on her body. It must have been stolen."
Sang Ying grew angrier as she listened. Xu Baishen really liked to go against her; even though she had lost her memory, he still wanted to smear her.
She retorted angrily, "How do you know I stole it? Did you see it with your own eyes?"
Xu Bai frowned deeply: "Then who exactly are you?"
Sang Ying initially wanted to tell him the truth, but then she thought that if she really told him about the rivalry between the two princes, she wouldn't have any peace in the secret realm. Who knows what kind of trouble this kid might cause? Her main purpose for coming here would be disturbed by him.
So she changed the subject, saying, "I'm your senior sister!"
Xu Baishen was clearly taken aback. "Senior Sister?"
The next second, he frowned and looked her over. "How could my senior sister be so weak? She can't even come up with a better reason for lying."
"..."
Sang Ying took out the Wuwen Sect identity jade token from her storage ring and threw it at him, saying irritably, "Check your own person. You have a jade token like this too. As for whether it's real or fake, just put some spiritual energy into it and you'll know."
Xu Baishen indeed found the same jade tablet on his own body. He channeled his spiritual power into it, and the sect's mark appeared.
The identity jade tokens of the major sects are all made through a series of processes, with each token being set up by powerful figures within the sect and senior disciples, making forgery impossible.
Xie Lingyu, who was standing to the side, was also looking at the two jade pendants with a deep gaze. Sang Ying glanced at him and said, "Stop looking, you have one too."
He glanced at her indifferently, and the spirit of the Fallen Azure Sword had already started searching. The little fat dragon phantom was holding a jade token. "Boss, what this pretty but wicked woman said is true, it really exists."
Sang Ying narrowed her eyes slightly, like a cunning little fox, and slowly uttered, "Do you believe me now, junior brothers?"
Xu Baishen remained skeptical: "It's just a jade token. How can you prove you're my senior sister?"
Sang Ying immediately began to say, "You are at the peak of the Golden Core stage, have a younger sister, practice the Moonlit Sword Technique, like spicy food but dislike sweet food, are accustomed to holding a sword with your right hand but can also hold it with your left, prefer to use your left hand to hold chopsticks, have a knife wound on your shoulder blade, and a little below that, you have two moles..."
Xu Baishen was taken aback. He felt a slight pang when his sister was mentioned, an emotion that indicated she did indeed exist. And these habits were things only close friends would know, suggesting their relationship was indeed quite close.
Seeing the wavering look on his face, Sang Ying sneered inwardly. As a qualified opponent, one should naturally have a comprehensive understanding of all the information about one's competitors.
She's serious about the competition for the crown prince position.
"This is a forbidden area of the Yaochi Secret Realm. My junior brothers disappeared after they came in. I was worried that something had happened to them, so I came in to look for you."
"But as soon as we met, Junior Brother Xu attacked me and completely forgot about me. He must have encountered something in the forbidden area."
All three of them possessed sect identity jade tokens, which added considerable credibility to Sang Ying's words. Xu Baishen temporarily sheathed his sword and refrained from attacking again, but he did not completely believe her and remained skeptical.
After getting rid of Xu Baishen, Sang Ying breathed a slight sigh of relief, looked at Xie Lingyu, and raised her chin, "Didn't you want to know why I have your heart-protecting scale? Come closer, and I'll tell you."
Xie Lingyu glanced at her but didn't move. "Speak."
Sang Ying looked away. "Fine, don't listen then."
The young man frowned slightly, paused for a few seconds, and then knelt down on one knee in front of her.
Just as he was about to speak, a slender hand suddenly grabbed his collar and pulled him down hard, instantly closing the distance between them.
The girl's slender, delicate neck was revealed before him, bearing a deep, crimson hickey.
A little higher up, there were her fair earlobes and a few wisps of hair, which had been loosened by the fight and looked languid and fluffy.
As they got closer, his gaze involuntarily revealed disgust, but his body tensed up because of the sweet fragrance emanating from her.
He loathed the feeling and immediately stepped back, escaping the trap of the intertwined scents of herbs and flowers.
The girl didn't mind, raised her crescent-shaped amber eyes to look at him, and smiled.
"Can you smell it? I smell like you."
The hand that had just grabbed his collar, leaving a slightly unpleasant scent, raised itself and pointed to the hickey on its own neck.
"This is also something you left behind not long ago. There are others in other places, but it's not convenient to show it to you since there are people around."
Xu Baishen, who was standing to the side, also saw the hickey. Seeing her smiling at Xie Lingyu, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his heart.
He frowned deeply. Could what she said be true? Was she really his senior sister?
Dragons are very sensitive to smells, and Xie Lingyu naturally noticed that she was covered in his scent, so strong it was almost pungent.
But staring at the hickey, he still couldn't believe he would get so close to a woman he disliked.
But the evidence was laid bare before him, even his protective shield was on her.
Xie Lingyu pursed his lips slightly, his dark eyes fixed on her: "You just said you wanted a divorce, but we're still husband and wife?"
"Husband and wife? How could you think that?"
The girl seemed a little surprised, then smiled and softly hooked her fingers around his belt. "Of course you're my lover, junior brother."
Xie Lingyu: ?
Xu Baishen: ?
Sang Ying made up a story: "I got married three years ago, but my junior brother is deeply in love with me. Not long ago, he confessed his love to me. But I already have a husband, so how could I agree to be with my junior brother? My junior brother said that he could be without a title and just wanted to stay by my side. Seeing how devoted my junior brother was, I agreed to be his lover."
She dangled the pendant between her fingers and said, "Look, this heart-protecting scale was given to me by my junior brother when he confessed his feelings."
Xie Lingyu's expression turned cold, her eyes darkening. "How could I possibly..."
Sang Ying interrupted him: "Otherwise, where did this heart-protecting scale come from? Do you think that with my cultivation level, I can pluck the dragon scale off your body?"
Luo Qing Sword Spirit hugged its tail and nodded: "Boss, what that annoying, pretty, bad woman said makes sense."
Sang Ying raised her hand and pinched the tip of its tail, then snorted softly, "I'll forgive you for talking bad about me, you silly little dragon, since you praised me for being beautiful."
"Who gave you permission to touch me?!"
Luo Qing bristled, jerked her tail back as if electrocuted, and hid behind the sword, clutching her tail. Damn it, that wicked woman's hands are so soft, and they even smell sweet.
Xu Baishen, who was watching from the sidelines, was surprised by the relationship between the two, but he also felt that what they said made a lot of sense.
That sword strike was enough to demonstrate Xie Lingyu's strength. With this woman's cultivation level, it was absolutely impossible for her to remove the Heart Scale, so it must have been Xie Lingyu who willingly gave it up.
He remained silent for a long time, never expecting that this seemingly upright and aloof young cultivator would be such a person.
Sang Ying diligently played the role of a wicked woman who was cheating on her husband. She brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and deliberately showed Xie Lingyu the hickey. "Junior brother, you were so affectionate with me under the moon not long ago, and now you've turned your back on me?"
Xu Baishen spoke with difficulty: "Sang... Senior Sister, what you are doing is wrong. What about your married partner?"
Sang Ying glanced at him. He spoke so seriously, but why didn't he stop his sister from giving Xie Lingyu a sword tassel? Isn't that hypocrisy?
She ignored him and reached out to Xie Lingyu: "Junior brother, are you really willing to let your sweetheart sit on the ground for half a day? Aren't you going to help me up?"
Xie Lingyu stared at her with his dark eyes, making no move or gesture, his gaze deep and unreadable.
Sang Ying felt a little uneasy under his gaze, but she tried to calm herself down, raised her small face, and adopted the demeanor of a young lady, "What, Junior Brother, don't you want me to get a divorce?"
Upon hearing the word "divorce," the young man visibly frowned.
However, he didn't say anything and handed her the scabbard.
Sang Ying was a little annoyed. She had been clinging to her and wouldn't let go before, but now she was avoiding her like the plague, running far away at the slightest touch.
But considering that he has no memory and doesn't recognize her, it's understandable that he would do this. She suppressed these emotions slightly, raised her hand to grab the jade scabbard, and used it to stand up from the ground.
The young man spoke indifferently: "You'd better make sure you're telling the truth, otherwise..."
He didn't continue, but Sang Ying felt a chill run down her spine. However, she quickly regained her confidence. He had dared to treat her like that, so what was wrong with her lying to him?
Xu Baishen, who was standing nearby, spoke up: "Since you've come looking for us, do you know anything about this place?"
Unfortunately, Shen Ying didn't tell her anything before sending her in.
Sang Ying truthfully replied, "I only know that you two came here to look for something, but I don't know exactly what you're looking for."
When Xu Baishen heard what she said, he did recall some vague memories of what he had come here to look for, and he seemed to be in a hurry.
He believed Sang Ying's explanation a little more: "Does Senior Sister Sang know a way out?"
Sang Ying shook her head.
Xu Bai pondered for a moment: "Since it's a secret realm, it must have an exit. Let's look for clues everywhere."
Sang Ying had no objections and wholeheartedly supported it. She had long wanted Xu Baishen to stay away from her. "Then let's split up and search. You go one way, and I'll go with him."
Unexpectedly, Xu Baishen said, "No."
He glanced at the two of them. "What if this is a scam you two set up together? It's safest for the three of us to leave together."
Sang Ying: "..."
Do we really need to be this cautious?
Sang Ying gritted her teeth: "So, if I'm whispering sweet nothings to him, does my junior brother have to join in too?"
Xu Baishen: "I can choose not to listen."
Sang Ying: "What about kissing? I'm not used to having other people around at times like this."
Xu Baishen calmly replied, "Senior sister, you can pretend I don't exist."
"..."
Sang Ying was at her wit's end. Xu Baishen was determined to follow them no matter what, so Sang Ying had to think of another way. Just as she was frowning in distress, she caught sight of Xie Lingyu.
He looked at her indifferently, his tone icy: "How come I didn't know I would do something like this with you?"
"Yeah?"
Sang Ying glanced at him, and from an angle where Xu Baishen couldn't see, she pulled open her collar to reveal more red marks. "You make it sound so nice, but I bet you've done just that."
The young man's aura grew even colder; he coldly turned his eyes away and ignored her again.
Sang Ying couldn't understand why his attitude towards her had changed so drastically after he lost his memory. His eyes were filled with disgust when he looked at her. Even if he had amnesia, shouldn't he treat strangers the same way?
He acted like that, and she felt like he was her enemy.
She could understand Xu Bai's dislike for her; after all, they were rivals, and she didn't particularly like him either. But Xie Lingyu truly didn't understand. Could this forbidden zone not only cause amnesia but also alter a person's emotions?
Swords cannot be used within the restricted area, so the three of them had to walk quietly.
Sang Ying was physically weak, not to mention that fighting with Xu Baishen had exhausted most of her strength, and she was out of breath and had no strength after walking for a while.
She instinctively spoke to the white figure in front of her, "Xie Lingyu, I can't walk anymore."
The young man in white paused, his indifferent gaze sweeping over her.
Sang Ying blinked: "You used to carry me on your back."
Upon hearing this, the young man coldly withdrew his gaze and continued walking forward.
Sang Ying was furious at the sight. That wretched Xie Lingyu, after losing his memory he's become arrogant and doesn't listen to her anymore.
Xu Baishen glanced at her sickly appearance and said, "You don't know how long you'll walk like this. Let me carry you."
Sang Ying frowned suspiciously and muttered, "You just hit me, are you planning to stab me when I'm not paying attention?"
"..."
Xu Baishen paused for two seconds, then his tone became somewhat restrained: "That was before I hadn't figured out their identities, but I won't now. Besides, now is not the time for internal strife. If you don't believe me, here's your sword."
Sang Ying thought for a moment. She really didn't have the strength to walk anymore, and there was no need to make things difficult for herself. Hmph, it's all Xie Lingyu's fault, that bastard dragon.
She nodded. "Okay then."
Just as he reached out to take the sword from him, the young man in front of him suddenly spoke up.
"come over."
Sang Ying looked up and saw the young man standing in front of her, his figure as elegant as bamboo, looking at her coldly.
If Xu Baishen hadn't also looked at him, she would have almost thought she had misheard.
Sang Ying felt a little annoyed. He was the one who refused to carry her earlier, and now he was asking her to come over. How could she lose face if he just told her to come over like that?
She snorted, pretending not to hear, and spoke to Xu Baishen: "Junior Brother Xu, weren't you going to carry me? Why are you standing so straight? Squat down a little."
Xu Baishen hummed in agreement and squatted down in front of her.
Sang Ying leaned over, about to lean against his back, when suddenly her wrist was tightened and she was pulled away.
Her long fingers clenched tightly around her wrist. Sang Ying staggered after him, annoyed, "Xie Lingyu, what are you doing?"
The young man stopped and turned to look at her with his dark eyes, which were very deep. "Didn't you say that I was your lover? Then how could your lover be indifferent to you hugging and kissing another man in front of him?"
Sang Ying looked at him and suddenly blinked her big, watery eyes.
"Xie Lingyu, are you jealous?"
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It's just some playful banter. I'll write about myself being jealous and competitive with myself, like kissing my little sister and asking if it's more comfortable for her to be kissed by her husband or me, and coaxing her to divorce her husband and be with him [shy].
The next chapter will cover all of this! Little Xie simply can't resist falling for Mei Bao! [pity]
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