Luo Luo was utterly stunned.
She still held a grilled chicken wing in her hand, unable to discreetly tug at Li Zhaoye or dare to speak up to stop him. All she could do was listen helplessly as he spouted nonsense.
This is it…
We’re really done for now.
Sure enough, a senior brother from Qingyu Peak leaped up with a shout: "Ah—I knew it!"
Luo Luo squeezed her eyes shut, wishing she could block her ears too.
"No wonder the chickens my master raised kept disappearing!" the brother exclaimed in sudden realization. "The junior disciples guarding them kept getting knocked out! The traps we set were always dismantled! Ha, so it was you! You just confessed!"
Another senior sister sniffed the jug of spiritual wine bearing the emblem of the Heavenly Dao Sect by the windowsill: "No wonder Elder Fuling kept losing his wine!"
Xu Junzhu also caught on: "Master’s jade chive sprouts!"
Luo Luo: "..."
If you walk by the river often, how can you not slip?
She wished she could bury her head under the blankets.
A chorus of furious glares turned toward Li Zhaoye as everyone shouted in unison: "So this is the kind of senior brother you are! Oh, you’re something else, Senior Brother!"
Li Zhaoye: "..."
Luo Luo mustered her courage to defend him: "He doesn’t remember anything from before."
If they wanted to settle accounts, they’d have to wait until he regained his memories… right?
"Wait—" She belatedly realized something and gasped. "How do you all know he’s Li Zhaoye?"
At this, the self-proclaimed geniuses all chimed in with hindsight wisdom.
Zhao Yu declared: "Back then, even a fish reminded me of him. Now that he’s right in front of me, how could I not recognize him?"
Xu Junlan cooed smugly: "Hmph, I’d recognize Senior Brother even if he turned to ashes."
The non-Yang brother added: "When Senior Brother fought Chen Xuanyi, I was the one cheering the loudest! Look at Chen Xuanyi’s demeanor, his aura—how could he ever compare to our noble and virtuous Senior Broth—hic."
On second thought, the man himself didn’t quite fit that description either.
Xu Junzhu recited sternly: "According to Sect Rule Seventeen—"
"Hold it—hold it right there." Li Zhaoye raised a hand, leaving only his index finger wagging. "The rules of the Tai Xuan Sect—do they govern the Heavenly Dao Sect’s chickens?"
"As for your missing medicinal wine, or your chive stir-fry—" He clicked his tongue and slapped Luo Luo’s Qiankun Bag with a flourish. "Open your eyes wide and see what this is!"
A blur flashed before everyone’s eyes.
They expected him to pull out a mountain of spirit stones as compensation.
Instead, when their vision cleared, they saw him proudly produce his own corpse, eyebrows raised in triumph. "Debts vanish upon death!"
Was he dead or not?
Everyone: "..."
Finally, someone snapped: "Come on, Senior Brother, let’s duel!"
Li Zhaoye feigned surprise: "Duel? You sure?"
The crowd bared their teeth, unsheathing their swords in unison: "You—against all of us!"
Amid roaring laughter, figures leaped through windows, kicked down doors, and charged into the courtyard, blades clashing as they surrounded Li Zhaoye.
Xu Junlan silently wheeled out a chair from her Qiankun Bag, helped Luo Luo into it, and pushed her outside.
"Don’t mistake this for kindness," Xu Junlan said icily. "I just want you to watch him get beaten to a pulp—let’s see how you like it!"
Outside the room, the corridor was already a battlefield.
Li Zhaoye laughed and called over his shoulder: "Changtian!"
"Clang—"
A sword shot out from Luo Luo’s sword chamber and flew into his grip, vibrating excitedly.
Luo Luo: "?"
When had this thing slipped back onto her? She hadn’t even noticed.
Xu Junlan, face stony, flung a blanket over Luo Luo and sniffed. "Don’t misunderstand. I’m just lenient toward the disabled. Don’t think I’m grateful just because you beat up Gu Meng for me."
"...Oh."
Luo Luo blinked, suppressing a smile.
As the sun dipped, the brawl swept through the courtyard—north to south, east to west—punctuated by occasional yelps.
Disciple A groaned from the railing: "Agh—that’s the right force! Just like old times!"
Disciple B sprawled on the ground: "Didn’t you see I’m wearing a skirt? How could you let me fall like this?!"
Disciple C, drenched, popped his head over the well’s edge: "Senior Brother, put more effort into tossing those from Lao Jun Peak down here—they kept siding with Gu Meng and badmouthing Luo Luo!"
Lao Jun Peak disciples roared: "You shameless worm!"
Disciple D rallied: "Form the sword formation! Everyone, charge!"
The crowd wheezed: "No energy left… can’t even lift a finger…"
Finally, aside from Xu Junzhu (who hadn’t lifted a hand), everyone lay strewn across the ground, utterly spent.
Li Zhaoye laughed heartily, twirled his sword, and sheathed it before hauling each disciple up one by one.
"Thank you, Senior Brother!"
"Many thanks, Senior Brother!"
To her surprise, Luo Luo felt no resentment at seeing the joy she’d once hoarded like a secret now shared among everyone. Instead, warmth bloomed in her chest.
Happiness, it turned out, could indeed be multiplied.
The wind grew colder, but her heart burned bright.
Li Zhaoye slung an arm around a few juniors, lazily critiquing their swordplay as they walked over. Within minutes, they’d conspired to sneak out after dark to steal some Heavenly Dao Sect phoenixes.
Xu Junzhu gritted her teeth: "Enough is enough."
Zhao Yu grinned: "Senior Sister! Tai Xuan Sect rules don’t apply to Heavenly Dao Sect’s chickens!"
The Qingyu Peak brother declared righteously: "The Heavenly Dao Sect is our enemy. Their loss is our gain. I’ll take some eggs back for Master to raise."
Xu Junzhu: "..."
What would people think when Tai Xuan Sect’s thirteen peaks ended up overrun with Heavenly Dao Sect phoenixes?
Zhao Yu egged them on: "And their Frost Jade Orchids—perfect for our Sect Master’s temperament! Should I grab some seeds?"
Xu Junzhu: "..."
She glowered. "I know nothing. If anyone gets caught, bear the consequences yourselves."
"Yay!" Cheers erupted.
Li Zhaoye left his huddle and crouched before Luo Luo, studying her. After a moment, he ruffled her hair approvingly. "Not hurting anymore? Grinning like a fool."
Luo Luo beamed: "Hehehe."
Tasks were swiftly assigned—some chopped wood, others lit fires, while the most skilled masked up and slipped into the night.
"Lucky that Yue Wugou isn’t around," one brother mused, hefting a bag of seeds. "He’d be trouble."
Another puffed up proudly: "With Senior Brother here, what trouble could there be?"
Li Zhaoye: "Tch."
His face remained calm, but inwardly, he was deeply pleased.
Yue Wugou, who was being remembered by someone, felt his ears grow slightly warm.
Gazing at the violently fluctuating magic array before him, he spoke softly, "I still find this... improper."
With nothing urgent at hand, Saint Maiden Zhentu idly chatted with him, "What’s improper about it?"
Yue Wugou pressed his lips together. "I dare not question the affairs of the Divine Palace. However, a fugitive who warrants such a grand mobilization from the Divine Palace must be no ordinary figure."
Zhentu waved her hand dismissively. "That’s none of your concern. If the Young Sect Leader has no further business, you may leave."
Yue Wugou explained, "This minor forbidden realm was originally prepared by my father as a trial ground for Qing Yunzi—to test both strength and character. But after my younger brother’s grave mistake, the demons of the Sealed God Temple escaped, and it had to be abandoned."
Zhentu remained indifferent. "Demons are of no consequence."
Yue Wugou grew serious. "My concern is that the disturbances might trigger the foundational array below, leading to unpredictable consequences."
Zhentu smiled. "The Young Sect Leader worries too much. You may go."
Seeing no point in further persuasion, Yue Wugou tightened his lips slightly, clasped his hands in farewell, and turned to leave.
At the door, he glanced back casually and asked, "The disciples of the Tai Xuan Sect will depart together at dawn. Should any additional arrangements be made?"
Zhentu’s expression didn’t flicker. "Do not meddle."
Yue Wugou nodded and left.
That year, outside the peach blossoms, there lay a large slab of bluestone.
At sunset, the glow of twilight would soak into the stone, revealing layers of rich, overlapping hues.
Vibrant colors dyed the bluish base, gradients shifting from purple to pink, and when one’s reflection fell upon it, it was as if they stood in a realm of crimson and azure.
By the time Lingxue arrived, Qing Xu was already seated on the bluestone, waiting for her.
He sat at the edge, legs dangling over the cliff, swinging idly.
Lingxue froze in place, her gaze flickering with complexity.
She and Qing Xu had often practiced swordplay and shared conversations here in the past.
Back then, she was just his senior sister, and he was merely her junior brother.
Though immensely talented, he was lazy and mischievous. Every time she sought him out, it was to urge him to take his studies seriously. After her lectures, he would put in some effort—for a while. She had thought it wasn’t so bad.
But how had things between them ended up like this?
He was the one who first confessed his feelings, the one who insisted on forming a bond, and yet, in the blink of an eye, he was also the one who changed his heart.
Stepping onto the stone, Qing Xu turned to look at her.
His expression was as teasing as ever, but the sunset was too kind, effortlessly revealing his peerless grace.
"Ask whatever you want," Qing Xu said generously.
Lingxue was silent for a moment.
"Was it you?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Why..." He rolled the word on his tongue, then patted the space beside him. "Sit."
Lingxue sat down next to him.
"Ever heard this saying?" Qing Xu gazed into the abyss untouched by the sunset. "'Those who merge with the Dao merge their very selves with it.'"
Lingxue remained expressionless.
This was a platitude every disciple had recited countless times.
"Ah, merging with the Dao," Qing Xu sighed, pulling something from his robes and tossing it into the abyss. "Like this—plunging into the depths, beyond retrieval."
Lingxue’s brows furrowed slightly. "What are you saying?"
Qing Xu smiled. "The Grandmaster was terrified by your devotion. He probably never dared to confide in you. But he told me. After merging with the Dao... there is great terror."
Lingxue had no patience for sophistry. "What does that mean?"
Qing Xu: "Simply put, once a person merges with the Dao, they begin their march toward destruction."
Lingxue frowned. "But that doesn’t justify him possessing a disciple."
Qing Xu chuckled. "What if refusing to do so would bring calamity upon the world? Sacrifice one Li Zhaoye to save countless lives—if it were you, what would you choose?"
"...That’s impossible."
"But if it were true?" He grinned. "See? Even you hesitate."
Pushing himself up from the cooling stone, he tilted his head at her. "Come with me. The answers you seek may lie within that year’s peach blossoms."
Lingxue rose silently.
As they teleported, she pinched her fingers and asked, "You were the first to arrive on that beach that night. Did you erase the Grandmaster’s traces?"
On the night Yu Fusheng was stolen, Luo Luo had lingered by her side, chatting aimlessly.
Luo Luo had asked—was there truly no trace of the culprit left behind?
The child must have already guessed that among Lingxue, Qing Xu, and Yuan, one of them had conspired with the possessor.
How heartbreaking.
The thought had barely formed when they appeared at the entrance to "that year’s peach blossoms."
Lingxue stopped, waiting for his answer.
Qing Xu lowered his head, then suddenly burst into laughter, louder and louder.
Lingxue frowned.
"You," Qing Xu said, amused, "always pinch your thumb when you’re hiding something."
Lingxue instinctively released her hand.
"No need to test me. You’ve already guessed, haven’t you?" Qing Xu sighed. "Yes, I was the one who targeted Li Zhaoye. In his final moments, he grasped that sword technique and ran me through."
His blunt admission left Lingxue momentarily speechless.
"Stop—" He leaned back hastily. "Don’t you dare quote those damned sect rules at me."
Lingxue shook her head softly. "How could you?"
Li Zhaoye was a child he had watched grow up.
Qing Xu smiled bitterly. "I didn’t want to. But this time, Senior Sister, I truly had no choice. Come inside, and you’ll understand everything."
He stepped forward, leading the way into "that year’s peach blossoms."
Lingxue exhaled silently, dispelling her spells, and followed him into the forbidden realm.
Before her, the light and shadows shifted, flooding her vision with red.
Silver and gold shimmered, mist-like veils of smoke dispersed, and the air was thick with the scent of spring—like a dazzling, decadent rain of peach blossoms.
This was Lingxue’s first time setting foot here.
Then she realized something was wrong.
The peach hues only stretched so far. Extending her divine sense, she collided with walls of icy darkness.
A prison of bronze and iron—no escape above or below.
Lingxue’s eyes sharpened. "This is..."
Qing Xu’s laughter echoed from every direction. "Indeed. This is the Sealed God Temple. A trap I prepared just for you."
Shock and fury choked Lingxue’s voice.
Countless questions surged, clogging her throat.
"Ah-Xue," Qing Xu murmured tenderly, as he had during their brief time together, "I’ve thought it over. For someone like you, who gives everything until the very end, dying in battle is the most fitting conclusion."
"Qing Xu!"
"Forgive me. Since I can’t defeat you fairly, I had to resort to deceit." Qing Xu’s voice grew distant. "You know how precarious the world is now. For the sake of all living beings... die here."
Lingxue sensed several terrifying presences closing in rapidly.
"I’m leaving," Qing Xu’s voice faded further. "Ah-Xue, if there’s a next life... it’s best if you don’t remember me."
True Monarch Lingxue tightened her grip on her sword and slowly closed her eyes.
Luo Luo stared at the flames gradually rising in the courtyard, lost in thought.
For some reason, her heart had been slightly unsettled, feeling adrift and unmoored.
Li Zhaoye had only gone to steal a flying luan.
Nothing could go wrong… right?
Yang Shixiong sidled up with a grin, feigning concern. "Little Shimei, uh, with all of us making such a ruckus here with this bonfire, we’re not disturbing your rest, are we? Should we pack it up?"
Luo Luo quickly replied, "No, no, not at all."
Xu Junlan huffed, "The bonfire’s already roaring—bit late for that, don’t you think?"
Luo Luo smiled, her eyes crinkling.
Her hands fidgeted beneath the blanket, nervously clutching its fuzzy edge.
Suddenly, the courtyard gate creaked open as several black-clad figures slipped inside.
One carried the luan by its legs, another lugged a wine jar, and Zhao Yu stuffed a flowerpot under his robe, his already six-months-pregnant-looking belly now appearing ready to deliver.
Li Zhaoye tugged off his face covering, and Luo Luo exhaled softly, her heart settling just a little.
"Come on, come on," he directed the group as he strode forward. "Pluck the feathers, gut it, wash it clean."
"Got it!"
The firelight flickered brightly, casting a warm glow over the disciples’ flushed, lively faces.
Soon, the aroma of roasting meat wafted through the courtyard.
The group reveled like a troop of mountain monkeys.
Luo Luo sat on the veranda, glancing from one person to another. It was an utterly ordinary scene, yet her heart felt overwhelmingly full.
The meat began to sizzle, fat dripping into the flames, sending up waves of mouthwatering fragrance.
Someone asked, "Is it done yet?"
"Move aside, let me check." Li Zhaoye seized the moment to swipe seven wings and eight legs, drawing a chorus of jeers.
With his usual irreverence, he vaulted up the steps to the veranda.
He marched straight to Luo Luo and handed her the wings and legs.
Luo Luo: "…"
Normally, he fought tooth and nail for food, yet now that she was injured and supposedly avoiding greasy dishes, he turned generous.
"Don’t listen to them," he said, shoving a drumstick into her mouth. "Eat more, heal faster!"
Luo Luo: "Mmph!"
She burst into laughter around the mouthful of chicken.
Xu Junzhu, refusing to fully join the debauchery, abstained from the meat and sat on the railing with her sword. "Don’t stay up too late. We leave at dawn tomorrow."
Luo Luo mumbled around her food, "We’re leaving that early?"
Xu Junzhu nodded. "Shifu and Qing Xu Shishu went ahead. By the time we arrive, they should have reached a decision."
Luo Luo murmured, "Oh."
The look in Da Shijie’s eyes told her Lingxue Zhenjun already had an idea of the outcome.
"You needn’t worry," Xu Junzhu reassured her. "Shizun is fair and principled. She would never show favoritism, even if Daojun is her own master. She’ll uphold justice without bias."
"Mm," Luo Luo nodded. "I know."
Xu Junzhu cleared her throat and added sternly, "And once we’re back—no more stealing chickens!"
Luo Luo flushed. "...Got it."
Seeing her embarrassment, Xu Junzhu coughed lightly and wandered off to mingle.
Luo Luo tugged the blanket tighter around herself, leaning against the wheelchair as she watched the lively scene in the courtyard.
Gradually, drowsiness crept in.
Her head bobbed, and in her peripheral vision, she noticed several shixiong and shijie pressing fingers to their lips, whispering, "Shh! Shh! Little Shimei’s asleep!"
Luo Luo stirred, wanting to say she didn’t mind—that their voices actually lulled her to sleep—but only managed a soft hum as her eyelids grew too heavy to lift.
Truthfully, she didn’t want to sleep.
This ordinary, unremarkable night felt immeasurably precious.
