#58: Candidness

By the riverside, Bian Qingxuan sat in a green robe on the pleasure boat, her eyes lowered as she gazed at the flowing water. The life tablet in her hand flickered intermittently.

Not long after, the disciples accompanying her retrieved Qian Jingyi and his group from the river.

Qian Jingyi looked rather battered.

He had taken that blow head-on, and his bones had been shattered by Shi Luoyi’s strike. Several ribs were broken, and his hair, cut unevenly by the force of her blade qi, was in disarray.

Seeing the dire state of the young master of Shengyang Sect, several disciples from Hengwu Sect exchanged glances. “Junior Sister…” This person still needed to be saved, especially since Shengyang Sect was not to be trifled with.

Bian Qingxuan didn’t say anything but casually tossed a porcelain bottle from her sleeve.

The disciples quickly administered the pills to Qian Jingyi and his companions.

When Qian Jingyi regained consciousness, his face was twisted with pain.

His injuries were severe, and his lackeys—despite their own wounds—hurriedly fawned over him, asking if he was alright.

Qian Jingyi clutched his chest, seething. “If I ever get my hands on that wench…”

The disciples of Shengyang Sect were used to his vengeful nature and weren’t surprised. But this time, he had been beaten so badly in just a few moves that he had barely escaped using a magical artifact given to him by Lord Su Li. It was humiliating.

The Hengwu Sect disciples exchanged another glance but remained silent.

“All of you, go find her for me! I want to know who she is, daring to injure me like this!” Qian Jingyi barked.

“But… but she’s already gone. How are we supposed to find her?” one disciple stammered.

“Useless fools! You’re asking me? She wielded a sword, didn’t she? Draw the sword and ask around!” Qian Jingyi snapped.

Bian Qingxuan, who had been listening indifferently, grew colder with every word. Before Qian Jingyi realized what was happening, a sharp pain shot through his chest as he was kicked flying. He tried to struggle and scream, but a foot pressed down hard on him.

“Bian Qingxuan, have you lost your mind? Let me go!” he snarled, his face contorted in agony.

Bian Qingxuan looked down at him condescendingly, a faint smile playing on her lips. “I see that Master Qian is severely injured, with two broken ribs. Pills alone won’t suffice—I’ll set your bones for you.”

Qian Jingyi’s followers wanted to rush to their master’s aid but froze in place under Bian Qingxuan’s icy glare.

Bian Qingxuan crouched down, her cold gaze fixed on Qian Jingyi.

“You really dare…” She swallowed the rest of her sentence, her brows furrowing as something crossed her mind. She wasn’t sure where her rising anger was coming from.

Slowly, Bian Qingxuan lifted her foot.

Qian Jingyi’s face turned black with fury. “Bian Qingxuan, you’re nothing but a dog under Lord Su Li, yet you dare treat me like this. I will tell Lord Su Li about this. Just wait and see!”

Bian Qingxuan was annoyed but paid no heed to his threats. With a sneer, she said, “Do as you please.”

She turned and walked away, followed by the Hengwu Sect disciples, who kept their heads down and didn’t spare Qian Jingyi a second glance.

In recent days, these inexperienced junior disciples had grown rapidly while accompanying Bian Qingxuan to greet someone. They now understood clearly that Shengyang Sect and this so-called Lord Su Li were nothing but trouble.

A few days ago, when that lord injured their junior sister, they were furious and wanted to confront him. But Bian Qingxuan, with a cold expression, simply wiped the corner of her mouth and said, “No one is to interfere. I’m fine.”

During these days, Qian Jingyi had been bullying men and harassing women everywhere. That “gentle and benevolent” lord merely offered soft-spoken admonishments, appearing perfectly composed.

The Hengwu Sect disciples couldn’t stand it and felt utterly stifled in his presence.

Now, seeing Qian Jingyi struggling even to walk, the disciples secretly felt a sense of satisfaction. They wondered which righteous cultivator had stepped in to teach this beast a lesson.

When Bian Qingxuan acted, they too felt a sense of relief, though some were still worried. “Junior Sister, will Lord Su Li punish you when we return?”

“No. His purpose doesn’t lie with Qian Jingyi. He won’t care.”

The others breathed a sigh of relief, but Bian Qingxuan remained silent.

Upon returning to the mansion where they were temporarily staying, a nine-headed bird-drawn carriage stood in the courtyard.

A white-robed man faced away from her, amusing himself with a parrot. Without turning his head, he asked, “Did you find him?”

“Yes. He’s injured.”

“Make sure he behaves and doesn’t delay my search.”

Bian Qingxuan said nothing.

Su Li turned around and smiled. “Qingxuan, are you dissatisfied with me? You initially followed that person, and now you’ve come to my side. Do you feel reluctant? Or do you look down on me?”

He had an innocent and gentle face, one that anyone would call handsome. His speech was soft and soothing, easily endearing him to others.

“No.”

As he spoke, the parrot, under intense pressure, pecked at Su Li’s hand. He frowned slightly, twisting his wrist and snapping the bird’s neck.

Su Li said meaningfully, “Much more obedient now. Qingxuan, the safety of your entire clan rests on your shoulders. Whatever you desire, he can give you, and so can I. Since you’ve chosen to follow me, put your heart into finding him. Once we deal with him, I will naturally take you back.”

Bian Qingxuan forced a smile. “Yes.”

Su Li extended his hand toward her and smiled. “Come.”

Bian Qingxuan remained silent for a moment, unmoving. Su Li shook his head slightly and said gently, “Qingxuan, it seems you still haven’t adapted to your identity as a woman. If you’ve chosen to become a woman, you must learn to be close to men. Otherwise… how can you justify your sacrifices?”

There was no trace of mockery in his tone, but it chilled Bian Qingxuan to the bone. “I will help you find him quickly and kill him.”

She still didn’t move. Su Li smiled tolerantly and didn’t press her further.

Her older brother had never seen Bian Qingxuan before. In the divine realm, however, he had seen her. Young Qingxuan, clad in fiery red robes, had delicate and aloof features. Though born a bastard, he possessed extraordinary talent and immense divine power.

Not only were Qingxuan’s useless brothers and half-brothers no match for him, but even Su Li himself… had once been no match for Qingxuan.

This was what Su Li hated most.

But outwardly, he appeared calm and indifferent. What did it matter? No matter how strong Bian Qingxuan was, she was weighed down by her weak and enslaved clan. She couldn’t secure a place in the divine realm, nor could she preserve her male identity.

Qingxuan had come to the mortal realm with his elder brother, risking everything. But under the suppression of the Heavenly Dao, he had become so weak that he was less than a ten-thousandth of his peak strength.

Su Li took out a handkerchief and lowered his eyes to wipe the hand that had crushed the parrot. With Qingxuan’s failure as an example, Su Li knew he needed to find his troublesome older brother quickly.

The longer they stayed, the more unpredictable the nights became.

He pondered where his noble-blooded brother might be.

The music finally ceased in the middle of the night.

Shi Luoyi hadn’t expected the Flower Festival to end so imperfectly. She was drenched and carried back by Bian Lingyu, whose face was pale, his gaze icy and tinged with indifferent killing intent.

It was the first time Shi Luoyi had seen him like this. On the way, she noticed Bian Lingyu’s abnormal behavior. She tried to comfort him, saying, “I’m not in pain anymore. It’s fine. I used puppetry to block the damage when the scale struck.”

But it made no difference.

Even upon returning to the courtyard, when A’Xiu hurried over to care for Shi Luoyi, she was frightened back by Bian Lingyu’s piercing gaze.

Shi Luoyi had lied somewhat. Earlier, unable to bear seeing Bian Lingyu in such anguish, she had prematurely broken free from the puppetry. Now, her dantian throbbed painfully, but fearing further agitation, she dared not show it. She could only allow herself to be held, and as they passed A’Xiu, she weakly said, “Please, Miss A’Xiu, prepare some hot water. We need to change our clothes.”

She didn’t dare use any magic for the next few days.

A’Xiu was deeply worried and quickly complied, rushing off to boil water with Grandma Zhao.

They worked swiftly, and soon the water was ready.

Since returning, Bian Lingyu hadn’t spoken a word. Shi Luoyi felt as if he had gone mad until she said, “Bian Lingyu, I need to bathe.”

Only then did his eyes shift, and he responded softly, carrying her to the edge of the bath.

Seeing him set her down but remain motionless, she instinctively wanted to ask why he hadn’t left yet. But recalling something, she swallowed her words.

They had never truly consummated their marriage.

Bian Lingyu was now in an extremely terrifying state. Whether it was her earlier lack of breath that had driven him to this frenzied madness or something else entirely, at least one thing was certain—it was a blessing in disguise. At least Bian Lingyu wasn’t avoiding her anymore.

She steeled her resolve, making a decision that even she found frightening. Looking at the youth’s cold, jade-like face, his reddened eyelids, and his silent, desolate eyes, Shi Luoyi untied her sash without turning away.

In front of Bian Lingyu, amidst the steamy mist, she curled her bare toes, feeling his gaze fixed on her.

Bian Lingyu remained still, saying nothing.

Shi Luoyi took a deep breath. As she stepped into the bath and sank beneath the water, her flushed face finally cooled.

This was the first time they were so candid with each other—though it was only on her part. Bian Lingyu hadn’t even loosened his sash. Shi Luoyi couldn’t help but feel both shame and awkwardness.

But she forced herself to stay calm. Something was wrong with Bian Lingyu, and she needed to do something—not only to distract him but also to break the ice that had formed between them during these days.

So she raised her eyes to observe his reaction.

The youth’s long black lashes drooped, his fingers pale. His gaze rested on Shi Luoyi’s face, somewhat dazed, but thankfully devoid of the earlier terrifying killing intent and deathly aura. Her bold move had shattered the tension, and the moisture dampened his lashes. Slowly, Bian Lingyu lifted his cold, aloof eyes.

After a delayed moment, he seemed to recall what he had seen.

Shi Luoyi slowly drew up her legs to cover herself.

It wouldn’t work. If they were both naked, it might have been easier, but being the only one exposed made her too self-conscious to look at Bian Lingyu.

Shi Luoyi was much bolder than Bian Lingyu, and this was her first time revealing herself to him. By now, thoughts of the scale had faded, replaced by a whirlwind of emotions pounding in her chest.

For instance, Shi Luoyi couldn’t help but wonder: Did Bian Lingyu see? How much did he see? What did he think?

Realizing what she was thinking, she lowered her head, her cheeks crimson beneath the water. The surge of embarrassment was overwhelming. She even regretted her actions, wondering if she should have been more subtle. Bian Lingyu’s continued cool gaze wasn’t helping.

Clearing her throat to stop her wandering thoughts, she said, “Let me check your wound?”

Bian Lingyu offered no resistance. She took his hand and examined the injury. Fortunately, it wasn’t deep and had already stopped bleeding.

Shi Luoyi knew her magic wouldn’t help him, and with her dantian injured, she shouldn’t use magic for the next few days.

There was a clean cloth nearby, which she quickly grabbed to bandage his hand.

“Don’t do this again. Don’t be afraid; I can protect myself. The damage was transferred to the puppet, which is why I temporarily lost consciousness. I’m fine now. I wasn’t reckless when fighting Qian Jingyi—I saw that he couldn’t match me and acted accordingly. But I didn’t expect… that he would have such a powerful artifact.”

Indeed, it was formidable. The scale’s residual divine power had overwhelmed her, leaving her no chance to evade.

Perhaps it was the warmth of the bathhouse lamps or the heat of the steam. Finally, warmth returned to Bian Lingyu’s pale fingertips. Shi Luoyi felt a hand touch her face as his hoarse voice murmured, “I’m sorry.”

Surprised and delighted, she looked up to find Bian Lingyu much improved.

His tone carried a trace of sorrow. “That scale… originally belonged to me.”

It was one of the twelve tails he had severed in the past, and it nearly killed Shi Luoyi. He had almost witnessed her death at the hands of the lingering divine power from his severed tail.

Shi Luoyi finally understood why Bian Lingyu had been so troubled throughout their journey.

If she had known that she nearly caused his death, she wouldn’t have recovered so quickly either.

Though Shi Luoyi didn’t know how one of Bian Lingyu’s former possessions ended up in Qian Jingyi’s hands, she knew how to comfort him. “So you were this powerful before!”

Her tone held no reproach or resentment, just admiring praise. Though she intended to seize the opportunity to clarify everything, she knew Bian Lingyu’s current emotional state was fragile.

Now that the ice was broken, it would be easier to ask later. For now, she hoped Bian Lingyu wouldn’t blame himself.

When Bian Lingyu spoke those words, he braced himself for Shi Luoyi’s hatred. In his memory, her closeness to him had only lasted these few days. Her sporadic affection for him was like morning dew, perhaps not even lasting until dusk.

Bian Lingyu knew how much Shi Luoyi valued her life, striving to survive even when descending into madness. Yet, it was his fault that she had nearly died.

For the first time, a murderous rage toward his mother and Su Li stirred within him.

But Shi Luoyi didn’t blame him. His palm was warm, and she allowed it to rest against her cheek. The maiden’s eyes were clear and bright, her face flushed with heat.

Shi Luoyi said, “Don’t think about that anymore. Even if it was something of yours, I know you didn’t mean it. Besides, I’m completely fine. Someday, we’ll investigate together and figure out what happened. Right now… um…”

Her voice softened. “Is there anything else you want to say?”

Bian Lingyu’s palm grew hotter.

He wasn’t sure if it was her warmth or his own. Because of this unexpected turn of events, he truly couldn’t remain cold and distant as he had planned when trying to drive Shi Luoyi away.

No matter what he said now, she wouldn’t believe him.

Only after pulling himself fully out of that terrifying emotional state did Bian Lingyu realize what Shi Luoyi was referring to.

He pressed his lips together. “I…”

The atmosphere shifted into an entirely different kind of intensity.

Shi Luoyi spoke up. “I once said I wasn’t ready, do you remember?”

Bian Lingyu: “Mm.”

“Now…” she whispered softly, “I think it’s okay. I’m not afraid anymore.”

Ever since the day she came looking for him, she couldn’t explain why, but she suddenly felt no fear.

Even though the pain still lingered, Shi Luoyi found it bearable. It might not have been as comfortable as others described, but for some inexplicable reason, she felt it was right. This moment felt like enough.