80 - Confession (Ying Cheng)

Chapter 80: Night Conversations Yan Jue had encountered the sorcery of the demon cult in the original book long ago. However, the storyline now diverged significantly from the original, so she wasn't sure whether the male lead had used his dark arts on Qi Xianqing as before. That was why, on that day by the cold pool, Yan Jue had asked Qi Xianqing if she'd been feeling dizzy lately. Qi Xianqing had said no at the time, which had put Yan Jue at ease. Unexpectedly, the male lead had still resorted to sorcery. Thinking that, Yan Jue felt her face darken, a shadowy anger welling up from within her heart. Yan Jue knew that Qi Xianqing had fallen prey to Chu Fu's dark arts, and today's energy expenditure must have been significant. The Spirit Candle Fruit, abundant in spiritual energy, would be perfect for replenishing Qi Xianqing's strength. Yan Jue watched as Qi Xianqing ate the candied preserves she had prepared, then turned to fetch hot water. Since Qi Xianqing was at her place, she had to adhere to the basic tenets of hospitality. Qi Xianqing turned her head, watching the busy figure of the girl, her gaze flickering subtly. With Qi Xianqing in her room, Yan Jue went to tidy up Du Ming's place first. They soon finished cleaning up. ... The sound of rain continued incessantly outside the window, occasionally accompanied by the howling of strong winds. Yan Jue had set up a simple floor mat beside the bed, lying atop it. Qi Xianqing lay on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. Yan Jue truly was a very neat person; there wasn't even a trace of any particular scent in the room. The pillow carried the faint fragrance of the girl, mingling with the occasional rush of water vapor coming through the window. With the scent of the Immortal Spirit Body lingering at the tip of her nose, Yan Jue found it hard to endure, closing her eyes and clenching her fists unconsciously. She couldn't help wanting to be close to Qi Xianqing, longing to burrow into her embrace and savor her scent. As a little fox, she could snuggle into Qi Xianqing’s arms freely, but now, she was limited to a mere two paces of distance. It had been a long time since she was close to Qi Xianqing. In this situation, the allure of that scent was only growing stronger. Yan Jue tried to fall asleep but couldn't, casting a sidelong glance at Qi Xianqing. Qi Xianqing lay on the bed with her eyes closed, her breathing light. Qi Xianqing always slept soundly, and though it wasn't entirely clear if she was asleep, Yan Jue, understanding Qi Xianqing, knew she likely wasn't. Just as Yan Jue was about to close her eyes and continue trying to sleep, she suddenly heard Qi Xianqing’s voice emanating from the bed, "Today at the martial stage, it seemed you noticed Chu Fu's actions quite early." Yan Jue's heart skipped a beat. "Yes, while you all might not have noticed him, my attention was always on him." Once the male lead descended into madness, she and he would have no further intersections. With the male lead's premature descent today, it meant that the initial turmoil she'd walked through was now complete. The reason Yan Jue boldly stepped onto the martial stage, even knowing the Demon Lord and the male lead had plotted against her, was her certainty that, if fate demanded her confrontation with the male lead, there was no escape. Since she couldn't avoid it, she might as well meet it head-on. If it allowed the storyline to progress faster, she could also test what the heavenly law truly intended. Was the heavenly law's intent to ensure her demise? Or simply to catalyze the male lead's descent into madness? Now, it seemed that the heavenly law's threshold for her, this minor antagonist, was rather lenient. But the troubles ahead... Yan Jue was lying on the mat when she suddenly sat up, pretending to speak nonchalantly, "Senior Sister, that cave we went to before, there's a demonic cultivator living there—I stumbled upon this accidentally." Yan Jue started to fabricate, "One night, while out for a walk, I saw Chu Fu enter that cave. After that, every night, I saw him carrying things into it. Before he descended into madness, he maintained very close contact with the person inside." Qi Xianqing's brow furrowed slightly. "Hmm." It was a detail Qi Xianqing had been suspicious of before. She'd noticed how many magical artifacts Chu Fu possessed—a number far beyond what someone in his position as a pre-apprentice disciple might have. Someone was providing Chu Fu with a steady supply of artifacts. Yan Jue continued, "But the death of that demonic cultivator is very strange, even though Chu Fu supplied him with water and food daily, he still died." "Do you think he might have taken over the body of someone high up in our sect?" Yan Jue hesitated a long time before sharing this with Qi Xianqing. Firstly, it seemed excessively far-fetched, unsure if Qi Xianqing would even believe her. Secondly, Qi Xianqing had always held great respect for her teachers and elders—would she doubt the head of the sect just based on Yan Jue's words? Yan Jue decided to just raise the point and let it rest. Qi Xianqing was smart enough to stay vigilant because of what she'd said. In the darkness, Qi Xianqing’s voice was a little hoarse, "Are you suggesting I keep an eye on the higher-ups of Five Dragon Gate?" Yan Jue swallowed hard. "It's just my suspicion." After a long silence, Qi Xianqing said, "I haven't directly informed the sect leader about the cave. Instead, I told my master and asked her to pass on the message." Yan Jue finally relaxed. It seemed Qi Xianqing did possess a basic sense of caution. The magical artifacts in Chu Fu's possession changed daily—should the demonic cultivator in the cave truly be dead, no one would supply him with artifacts anymore. It’s natural someone would grow suspicious. Raindrops tapped against the window, one after another, like the trembling strings of a zither. Yan Jue couldn't help but ask, "What sort of person is the sect leader usually?" Qi Xianqing replied, "The sect leader despises evil. During the great battle between immortals and demons, she slew thousands of beings, achieving great deeds for Five Dragon Mountain." Yan Jue asked, "And Chu Fu with you..." Qi Xianqing's voice remained even, "I'm used to it. From the age of eight, when I first came to the mountain, I was branded as having the ideal physique for cultivation. Many prestigious cultivator families proposed marriage, seeking dual cultivation with me, but the sect leader refused them all." "But the sect leader seems to have a favorable view of my relationship with Chu Fu." Yan Jue was slightly taken aback. Qi Xianqing continued, "Chu Fu has connections with the Chu family." Despite having read the novel before, Yan Jue had never paid much attention to the distasteful male lead's family. Which family was the male lead from, and what was the story of the Chu family? It was as if Qi Xianqing realized Yan Jue's bewilderment, explaining indifferently, "During that great battle, all six immortal sects were involved, aided by five prominent families." Yan Jue remarked, "But there are only four major cultivator families now." Yan Jue often visited the Sutras Library, once reading records of these prestigious cultivator families—a lineage of venerable status, collectively known as the Four Major Families. Qi Xianqing continued, "The Chu family was entirely obliterated in the immortal-demon war. Chu Fu is considered a descendant of loyalty and valor." "For that reason, the sect leader has always favored Chu Fu, allowing him to become a pre-apprentice disciple as soon as he joined." In the silent night, with the drizzle tapping gently outside, Yan Jue tentatively asked, "What are your thoughts on demons?" Qi Xianqing continued gazing at the ceiling, saying slowly, "If I see one, I will destroy it immediately." Yan Jue felt a chill in her heart. "And what about monsters?" The darkness hid Qi Xianqing’s brief pause. The night she entered the room, she'd vaguely seen several large, fiery tails floating in the air. But it was a fleeting glimpse. Qi Xianqing held a vague notion in her mind. Though she was only mildly suspicious, never having confirmed it. She adored the little fox. Toward Yan Jue, there seemed to be a peculiar, unnamed emotion as well. The more she probed into her feelings for the little fox and Yan Jue, the more everything aligned with what she faintly envisioned. Each time Qi Xianqing pondered this, her emotions grew complex, leaving her to temporarily table the issue, avoiding thinking about it further. In this matter, Qi Xianqing surprisingly found herself evading the truth, stopping just in time before confronting the reality, and shutting her eyes to it. The thought of Yan Jue and the little fox being the same entity—Qi Xianqing was not yet sure, so she chose to act as if nothing had transpired. Initially, whenever she hunted down monsters, Qi Xianqing had never hesitated, dispatching countless. She bore the weight of many lives lost to her actions. Qi Xianqing was acutely aware: she was no hero. Someone like her, how could she...? Qi Xianqing frowned, shaking her head. "I don't know." "It's best I never see it." Yan Jue: "..." - Dawn arrived swiftly. Warm morning sunlight filtered into the room; the gale that had roared all night had stilled. Perhaps because of Qi Xianqing's presence, Yan Jue awoke early. When she woke, Qi Xianqing was still asleep. The girl's almond-shaped eyes were gently closed, her exposed arm a porcelain white, sleeping lightly. Clearly, the dark arts from the previous night had affected Qi Xianqing, though Qi Xianqing, in her usual resilience, never showed it. Yan Jue quietly got up, placing two Spirit Candle Fruits on the table. When Qi Xianqing woke, she saw Yan Jue entering with a tray. Yan Jue had prepared a surprisingly sumptuous breakfast. The small square cakes were a pale pink, their appearance less appealing, but wonderfully tasty. Beside the plates sat two round Spirit Candle Fruits. Qi Xianqing was somewhat surprised. "That Spirit Candle Fruit, how did you..." When she tasted the spirit fruit preserves last night, Qi Xianqing thought that Yan Jue had used her only Spirit Candle Fruit as an ingredient. Now it seemed Yan Jue had somehow obtained more Spirit Candle Fruits. Yan Jue explained, "I found a patch of empty land behind the Water Cloud Sect and planted them after eating the Spirit Candle Fruit." "…" Qi Xianqing smiled and slowly began to eat. - Due to the incident with Chu Fu entering madness yesterday, the Five Dragon Tournament was on hiatus for ten days. After all, when the male lead descended into madness, it took him five years to truly rise, during which she had no idea where she might end up. Yan Jue wasn't overly anxious. There was no rush at the moment. Panicking would do no good. She considered whether she should go down to the foot of Five Dragon Mountain one of these days, to see if she could escape now, which was of utmost importance. Yan Jue actually didn't want a break in the tournament. During the competition, Yan Jue's mind was always tense. She'd rather finish early and be done with it. After all, her purpose in entering the tournament was solely for the thousand top-grade spirit stones... Du Ming said, "But the schedule for the matches in ten days is already out; we should go check it out at Five Dragon Plaza." Seeing Du Ming race over in a flash, Yan Jue tugged her lips. "You're even more enthusiastic than I am." Du Ming responded, "I've never felt so involved in the Five Dragon Tournament as I do now. Watching you compete makes me very happy as well." Having narrowly won several matches before, Yan Jue had at least basic confidence in herself. She smiled, walking over to the match listings and looking up, "In ten days, I'll—" ? In ten days. Yan Jue vs. Qi Xianqing. ??? She was to face Qi Xianqing. In ten days, she would face Qi Xianqing. Others soon noticed this pairing, and a murmur swept across the large plaza. Everyone was discussing the match-up between Yan Jue and Qi Xianqing. After all, Yan Jue, the newly famous outer sect disciple, was a big name in the sect, with everyone watching her every move. Du Ming was astounded, "Wow, you're really going up against Meng Hengjun." Yan Jue: "..." "Senior Sister is great at surprise attacks and swift kills, ending every match in less than half a cup of tea's time," Du Ming earnestly patted Yan Jue's shoulder. "Good luck." - When Yan Jue returned to the Water Cloud Sect, Du Ming, as they parted, handed her the latest issue of the "Five Dragon Chronicles." During the Five Dragon Tournament, the chronicles were updated almost daily. Sitting on the bed with a troubled face, Yan Jue began flipping through the first page. Outlining past events between Yan Jue and Meng Hengjun (A Thousand Ways Yan Jue Has Underhanded Qi Xianqing): First, she tampered with Meng Hengjun's talismans, forcing Qi Xianqing to kneel beneath a cold waterfall for an hour. She once took Meng Hengjun's clothes while he bathed. Then, at Five Dragon Plaza, she issued a life-and-death challenge (emphasize). Attention, Yan Jue had long challenged Meng Hengjun! We thought Yan Jue would never hold out against Qi Xianqing, yet she has reached this stage. Yan Jue collapsed onto her bed: "…" - Even on the first day of the break, the Emerald Pavilion was bustling. The tent housed several betting tables, around which people clustered. The largest and most crowded—naturally the table concerning the match between Yan Jue and Qi Xianqing. Although the Five Dragon Tournament wouldn’t resume for ten days, the latest match schedule was already out. Thus, the betting for the sensational match between Yan Jue and Qi Xianqing had already begun. Yun Rang watched the betting table with a stern face. Being of similar social circles, Bai Chuli and Yun Rang often spent their time together. Bai Chuli wore a worried expression, "Sister Yun Rang, Meng Hengjun tricked all my money away, this time we have to win big." Yun Rang nodded, retrieving over a thousand top-grade spirit stones from her pouch. After observing, Bai Chuli was now certain. Yan Jue was indeed riding a wave of sheer luck. From the start of the competition until now, Yan Jue had been unstoppable, with a seemingly invincible streak. So Bai Chuli decided to wager everything on Yan Jue this time. Although she disliked Yan Jue and would have preferred not to bet on her, she was penniless. Yan Jue had won match after match previously with unexpected strategies. She's sure not to lose to Meng Hengjun this time. No matter how formidable Meng Hengjun is, Yan Jue will find a new way. In an instant, the area under "Yan" filled with gleaming spirit stones. - After putting down the paper, Yan Jue lay motionless on her bed. She felt immense pressure. Even though people seemed to have confidence in her in this match. Her abilities were limited. The Northern Sea Mystic Iron’s spiritual incantation, the Ten Thousand Swords Technique... How could they compare to Qi Xianqing's divine sword Candle Shadow? Before she knew it, darkness had fallen outside the window. Yan Jue lay on her bed, eyes closed, trying to calm her racing heartbeat, her body gradually shrinking. Soon, she transformed back into her red fox form. Yawning, Yan Jue sat up, lifting a paw to groom her fur, her four large tails swaying as she leaped out the window. The last traces of sunset lingered along the horizon as the little fox moved through the dense grass. Soon, Yan Jue reached the Peach Blossom Vale. The moon had risen without her noticing, its gentle light covering the peach trees; tranquil and breathtaking. As Yan Jue stepped over the fence into the Peach Blossom Vale, she saw the woman with unparalleled beauty sitting by a window, leisurely supporting her chin as she read. Under the flickering candlelight, Qi Xianqing’s fair skin seemed ethereal; she was a living painting. Yan Jue trotted over, her paws making soft noises on the grass. Seeing the little fox approach, Qi Xianqing closed her book, stepped outside, and squatted down, "There you are." In the moonlight, Qi Xianqing's voice was soft. "What were you busy with recently? It's been so long since you last came." It indeed had been a while since they last met. Yan Jue emitted a coquettish murmur, her four fluffy tails wagging uncontrollably, her black ears folding back, sticking close to her head as she burrowed into Qi Xianqing's arms. The scent of the Immortal Spirit Body lingered at her nose. Comfortable... Qi Xianqing gently kneaded its limbs, helping it relax, then rubbed its ears. Whatever she did felt amazing to Yan Jue, her eyes narrowing to slits, a purring sound vibrating from her throat. This was bound to be an restless night, for her mind still lingered on the approaching match. Qi Xianqing suddenly noticed something, pausing slightly, placing her cool palm against the fox's furry chest. "What's happening? Your heart is racing." Yan Jue lay in Qi Xianqing's embrace, opening her mouth, nibbling on the girl's hand, restless and uneasy. Her gaze suddenly landed upon the object on the table. Yan Jue blinked in mild surprise. They were a dozen little animals woven from Ura grass. A calf, a horse, a lamb... All crafted by Qi Xianqing. Yan Jue let out a hopeful whine, placing her forepaws on the table, tilting her head to grab the little bunny. Qi Xianqing smiled gently, handing it over. Yan Jue’s heart was in turmoil, filled with vexation. She knew that if she truly faced Qi Xianqing in ten days, the spectacle would not be pleasant. Nibbling on the bunny for a while, she soon lost interest, resting her chin on Qi Xianqing's leg, causing playful commotion, her four large tails flailing restlessly, knocking things over. Qi Xianqing observed her for a long while, suddenly pushing back her chair to stand. Retrieving a book from the shelf, she sat lazily, opening it. Yan Jue blinked. It was a notebook. Qi Xianqing's martial arts notes, which Yan Jue had admired before. The notes of an academic prodigy were invaluable; Yan Jue learned so much each time she read them. Yan Jue immediately ceased all movement, resting her chin quietly on Qi Xianqing's lap. Qi Xianqing flipped to the first page, her voice soft, "Here, the Five Elemental Sword Technique." Perhaps Qi Xianqing needed to review as well; it was something she'd learned previously, and she read the notes with particular thoroughness. The night was silent, candles flickering, the room suffused with a faint peach blossom fragrance. Yan Jue didn’t know why Qi Xianqing suddenly wanted to review, but she listened intently, ears perked, this was a particularly tranquil night, Qi Xianqing's voice slow and deliberate, each word knocking gently at Yan Jue's ears. Yan Jue’s eyes narrowed, her large black ears twitching. "The Five Elemental Sword Technique integrates the sword with spiritual roots." "What does it mean to integrate the sword with spiritual roots?" Qi Xianqing twirled her pen slowly, speaking softly, "For example, if you have thunder spiritual roots, how do you merge your elemental attributes with the sword?" As she read the notes, Qi Xianqing's cool palm lightly stroked its fur, idly continuing. The little fox listened intently for a while, gazing up at Qi Xianqing, suddenly struck by a realization. Yet it wasn't for herself that she seemed to be learning... It seemed as if she was reading aloud for Yan Jue.