The weather today was unexpectedly good.
It had rained lightly the night before, and the air was filled with the scent of damp soil and green grass. While it wasn’t exactly a fragrant perfume, it made one feel full of vitality.
Sunlight pierced through the thick layer of clouds, draping a golden veil over the courtyard.
There were no cheers from an audience, no roar of clashing steel, and no noisy, troublesome Demon Venerable causing a ruckus.
Wu Yan managed to get a rare, good night’s sleep.
By the time the sun was high in the sky, harsh rays of light spilled through the cracks in the window frames and onto her bedding.
This was the best she had slept since arriving in this world.
It was so good that she didn’t even want to get out of bed.
The injuries she sustained during yesterday’s match had already recovered with the help of the organizers and Su Qianqian, but the mental exhaustion had yet to fully dissipate.
Ever since she arrived in Tianyuan City, she had been under constant high pressure. If she wasn’t fighting, she was preparing to fight.
Even a person made of iron could not maintain a peak mental state for such a long duration.
“Little Wu Yan, hurry up and get out of bed.”
The voice of a certain Demon Venerable buzzed in her ear like the incessant chirping of cicadas outside the window.
‘So noisy…’ Wu Yan murmured as she rolled over under the covers.
“You actually think this venerable one is noisy?!” Wu Yan’s voice suddenly rose in pitch, forcing Wu Yan to open her eyes and look at the figure lying beside her.
The woman was as beautiful and moving as ever, but the anger on her face spoiled the aesthetic.
—
By the time Wu Yan reached the dining table, the group had already gathered in a circle and begun their lunch.
The food on the table wasn’t particularly lavish, but the members of the Piaomiao Sect were already quite satisfied.
Yu Qingyao sat next to Wu Yan, holding a freshly peeled egg in her hand.
She gently placed the egg into Wu Yan’s bowl and said softly, “Senior Sister.”
“Thank you, Qingyao.”
From the side came the muffled voice of Su Qianqian. She was holding a bowl of noodles while looking down at a book, her noodles nearly brushing against the pages.
Seeing this, Zhao Wuji helplessly reached out and pulled the book a bit further away. “Don’t read while you’re eating, or you’ll get the book dirty.”
“Ah! Oh, okay.”
Upon hearing this, Su Qianqian swallowed a mouthful of noodles with a loud *slurp* and hurried to close the book.
Gu Jian and Lin Xiao discussed cultivation techniques and moves while they ate. Even the usually stern and rigid Sun Elder was eating quietly.
Even Xia Lingshuang, a Soul Transformation Stage cultivator, joined the meal today.
“Ha, how boring—”
Wu Yan rested both hands on top of Wu Yan’s head, drawling her words in a careless complaint.
“This venerable one wants to see blood flow like a river!”
“Behave yourself, or don’t even think about using the Soul-Nourishing Jade tonight.”
After the meal, the group dispersed.
Xia Lingshuang mentioned she was going to visit the Elders of the Five Great Sects; Sun Elder went for a stroll in the city; and Lin Xiao wanted to see if there were any suitable spirit tools. Zhao Wuji, Gu Jian, and Lin Wan’er planned to pick out gifts for their fellow disciples back at their respective peaks, while Yu Qingyao also left the courtyard.
Before long, Wu Yan was the only one left in the courtyard.
She sat on the rockery, found a comfortable position, and laid Wu Nian across her knees.
The blade trembled slightly, and an invisible breeze brushed against her cheek.
She could feel that it was happy.
Wu Yan drew fresh water from the rockery, letting it splash onto the blade with a *clatter* before taking out a moon-white handkerchief to wipe it carefully.
The movement was monotonous and dull, but she was extremely focused.
She didn’t even notice when Yu Qingyao returned to the courtyard.
At this moment, as Wu Yan lowered her head to wipe the sword, she treated it like a rare treasure. A few strands of hair fell beside her ear, outlining its delicate shape. The sunlight hit her face, lending a hint of softness to her usually cold features.
Yu Qingyao instinctively tightened her grip on the plum soup she had just bought, her heart rate accelerating uncontrollably.
Looking at Wu Yan, whose temperament was completely different from usual, she felt her cheeks flush.
‘What is this feeling?’
“Se-Senior Sister…”
Having lived two lives, she never expected she would actually stutter.
Hearing the voice, Wu Yan stopped what she was doing and looked over.
At that moment, the sunlight fell perfectly across her face. Yu Qingyao felt as if she were seeing a fairy descending to the mortal realm.
‘Dammit, what is wrong with me today?’
She froze for 2 seconds before quickly snapping out of it, pressing the iced plum soup against her face to cool down.
“I saw that this plum soup was selling very well, so I bought a cup to try. I brought one for you as well.”
She wiped the cup and handed the plum soup over.
Wu Yan leaped down from the rockery and caught it with one hand.
The cup was ice-cold. Upon opening it, the chill and the sweet-and-sour aroma of smoked plums wafted toward her.
Yu Qingyao watched her slightly moistened lips after she finished drinking, and the heat in her heart grew even more intense.
“Senior Sister, I still have things to do. I’ll be going now!”
She spoke rapidly and turned to leave before Wu Yan could even thank her.
Back in her room, Yu Qingyao patted her face and circulated the Spirit Mastery art, attempting to suppress her chaotic thoughts.
‘What’s going on? Why did I suddenly act like that…?’
‘Why does Senior Sister seem more and more attractive? And she seems a bit different from before?’
‘Is it because the weather is getting hotter and I’ve entered a restless period?’
—
The sun set behind the western mountains.
Wu Yan had finished sharpening her sword long ago. She was now half-reclining on the rockery, watching the last streak of orange in the sky be swallowed by the night.
For once, she didn’t think about anything.
She didn’t think about how to deal with Ji Xuerou tomorrow, she didn’t think about how to atone for her and Wu Yan’s sins, and she didn’t think about what the future would hold.
She just quietly appreciated the hard-won scenery.
At this moment, she wasn’t the Eldest Senior Sister of the Piaomiao Sect, nor was she some dark horse in the competition.
She was just an ordinary person.
“…Hey.”
In the silence, Wu Yan suddenly appeared by her side, her left hand pressing down on Wu Yan’s right.
Her voice had lost some of its playfulness and seductiveness, replaced by an inexplicable emotion.
“Little Wu Yan, if you hadn’t appeared in this venerable one’s body, you wouldn’t need to carry my infamy or atone for my sins. If you were just an ordinary cultivator, playing and chatting with your fellow disciples every day…”
She stopped halfway through and only continued after a moment. “Would you like a life like that?”
Wu Yan did not answer immediately.
The night sky grew deeper, and a few stars quietly emerged.
“Perhaps.”
Her voice was as calm as still water.
“Tch, I knew—”
“However, there is no such possibility.”
Wu Yan’s words were interrupted.
Without noticing when it happened, the two of them had their ten fingers interlocked.
Wu Yan’s tone remained flat, yet it carried a warmth that could not be ignored.
“I will not leave your body, nor will I become an ordinary person. Until I have atoned for all our sins with you and made you turn over a new leaf, I will stay by your side.”
Even though she couldn’t feel temperature, Wu Yan felt as if a warm current had rushed from her palm straight into her heart.
“Ha!”
She suddenly laughed loudly and abruptly let go of their interlocked hands.
“This venerable one is the supreme Demon Venerable. How could I ever turn over a new leaf? You should just give up on that idea!”