But Cangshu Bai could not see Mu Ran's presence, nor could he hear her voice. Even if he had heard her say "Don't go," he would probably still insist on going to the Qingtian Sect.
Because there lay the hope for Mu Ran's recovery.
Cangshu Bai left the small world and walked through the secluded, deserted bamboo forest, calculating in his mind how he should disguise his identity to infiltrate the Qingtian Sect.
Suddenly, his gaze shifted slightly.
A figure as bright red as blood tore through the air from deep within the bamboo shadows.
It was Hongfu.
Her red dress was like fire, further accentuating her snow-white skin, but her eyes and brows were frozen with an unresolvable resentment and infatuation.
She didn't hesitate for a moment. Her long whip struck out like a spirit snake leaving its cave, bringing with it a fierce sound of tearing through the air. The tip of the whip gleamed with a cold light, every move ruthless.
"Cangshu Bai—"
She spoke, her voice trembling and cold, like jade cracked by the freezing wind.
"I am going to kill you!"
The long whip flew, the red shadow weaving back and forth. Her moves were absolute and ruthless, yet her gaze was dead set on him, unable to hide her surging emotions.
Within that overwhelming killing intent was a madness born of unwillingness.
She was unwilling to accept it.
Unwilling that her Dao heart was shaken, yet he had never cast a second glance at her.
Unwilling that he appeared heartless, yet he could use forbidden arts and sever an arm for that woman with such low cultivation!
What she was even more unwilling to accept was that, burdened by him for the past five hundred years, she could never return to the realm of ruthlessness.
Thus, she thought, she could only kill him.
Only by killing him could she return to being her original self!
Unexpectedly, a light pink figure suddenly darted out from the bamboo shadows. Without dodging or evading, she stood directly in front of Cangshu Bai.
It was Luo Qingniao.
She arrived in a rush, with no time to form a defensive array. Relying solely on a stubborn desire to protect him, she raised her hand to forcibly block Hongfu's hateful whip. The tip of the whip, carrying fierce malice and burning resentment, lashed viciously against her forearm.
"Hiss—"
Her light pink sleeve instantly tore open, and a glaring bloody gash immediately split apart. Blood dripped down her fingertips onto the green bamboo leaves, dotting them with scarlet.
Luo Qingniao let out a muffled groan, her body jolted into a half-step stumble, but she gritted her teeth and refused to retreat, remaining firmly positioned in front of Cangshu Bai.
She raised her eyes to look at Hongfu, her gaze soft yet stubborn: "You are not allowed to hurt him!"
The long whip, wrapped in the power of raging flames, struck again. Just as it was about to land on Luo Qingniao's face, the whip was caught in the man's hand.
Cangshu Bai didn't even use his full strength. With a casual lift of his hand, he effortlessly and firmly caught the fiery tip of the whip between his fingers. The fierce flames were instantly extinguished beneath the spiritual energy at his fingertips. The long whip trembled violently, but could not advance another inch.
His posture was calm and indifferent, but the oppressive aura seeping out from him already made it difficult for Hongfu to breathe.
Luo Qingniao clutched her agonizingly painful wound, yet she still emboldened herself and mustered the courage to say, "Big guy, don't be afraid, I will protect you well!"
Cangshu Bai glanced at her indifferently, slowly took two steps forward, and finally looked straight at Hongfu. "You want to kill me."
Hongfu's veil fell to the ground. The pink peach blossom pattern beneath the corner of her eye had now turned a bright red, further enhancing her exquisite beauty.
She gritted her teeth, her beautiful eyes filled with resentment. "Yes, I want to kill you!"
Luo Qingniao was also a woman; looking at Hongfu's demeanor, she vaguely sensed a different underlying meaning.
Although everyone said Luo Qingniao was beautiful, she had to admit that the woman in red before her was incredibly stunning. The way she now had tears in her eyes while spouting ruthless words made her look even more captivating.
She couldn't help but lift her face, nervously observing Cangshu Bai's expression.
But to her delight, Cangshu Bai remained entirely expressionless, showing no signs of wavering.
Hongfu also noticed Luo Qingniao, whom Cangshu Bai was protecting. She sneered, "Cangshu Bai, to think I believed you were someone of unwavering devotion. It turns out you have found a new love as well."
Luo Qingniao's face flushed red. "No... I... I..."
She was flustered and could not form a complete sentence.
Only Mu Ran quietly followed beside Cangshu Bai. Sensing the killing intent in Cangshu Bai's eyes, she looked at Hongfu. "Stop talking!"
Unfortunately, Hongfu could not hear her and continued, "Then again, that woman surnamed Mu has been dead for five hundred years. It's only right that you seek a new love. All men in the world are fickle and heartless. That woman surnamed Mu was truly foo—"
Before she could finish her sentence, the next moment, the long whip held by Cangshu Bai was rebounded by an invisible force. The whip's body, like a blade tempered with frost, slashed across the air.
It was so fast that not even an afterimage could be seen.
The rest of Hongfu's words were abruptly caught in her throat.
Her pupils shrank sharply, her face still frozen in venomous resentment and unwillingness.
Thud.
A head casually rolled onto the ground.
Black hair spread out, and the red dress remained fiercely vibrant, but those eyes, once brimming with love, hate, and madness, would never blink again.
A beauty of her generation had perished just like that.
Cangshu Bai slowly withdrew his hand. His sleeve drooped gently, devoid of a single speck of blood.
His eyes were bottomless, like a frozen dark pool, without a single ripple.
"You are not worthy to mention my wife."
Luo Qingniao trembled all over and couldn't help but take a step back. She only felt the wound she was clutching ache even more intensely, but looking at Cangshu Bai's lonely figure again, she couldn't help but think—
His wife has been dead for so many years, yet he still can't forget her?
"Miss!" Wumu finally found Luo Qingniao, who had intentionally shaken him off to sneak away. Seeing the blood on Luo Qingniao's arm, he became extremely anxious. "Miss, you're hurt!"
Luo Qingniao said, "I'm fine, don't make a fuss. This woman hurt me, and then the big guy killed her."
Wumu looked over at the aloof young man, his eyes filled with even more jealousy.
Why was it that he never showed any warmth to the Miss, yet the Miss exclusively favored him?
After taking a healing spiritual pill, Luo Qingniao felt much better. She noticed that this time Cangshu Bai was not in a hurry to leave, and joy burst forth in her eyes.
"Big guy, where are you planning to go?"
Cangshu Bai said, "I am homeless and have nowhere to go."
"Then... then do you want to be a guest at my home!"
Wumu frowned tightly, "Miss."
"The big guy saved me, what's wrong with inviting him to our home as a guest?" Luo Qingniao pushed Wumu away and, like a little bird relying on a person, grabbed the corner of Cangshu Bai's clothes. Her upturned little face had a brilliant smile. "Big guy, just come to my home as a guest. I will definitely treat you well!"
Mu Ran looked at Cangshu Bai nervously.
A moment later, Cangshu Bai said, "Alright."
Luo Qingniao cheered with joy.
Mu Ran disappointedly let go of the hand holding Cangshu Bai, drifted to the other side with the wind, squatted down, and hugged herself.
Sure enough, it was just like the development in the original text.
He saw the innocent and cute little girl not hesitating to use her petite body to protect him, so he was no longer so repulsed by the little girl's approach.
She didn't want to follow him anymore, but that force dragged her back to his side again, forcing her to listen to their lively commotion.
"Big guy, my home is absolutely beautiful. There are floating mountains and gorgeous immortal cranes. Ethereal mist curls through the air every day, you will definitely love it. Oh, right, and my dad..."
Luo Qingniao skipped along, chattering endlessly like an adorable little lark.
Cangshu Bai remained silent, slowly following behind her.
With his hand resting behind his back, a cold, sharp surge of energy swept past, cleanly slicing off the corner of his robe that she had touched earlier.
The wind blew, and the severed black fabric fluttered to the ground, only to be carelessly trampled into the dirt beneath his boot.
