The moment Bai Zhiqiu’s question was asked, the atmosphere instantly grew heavy, and the air seemed to freeze.
Although Yu Qingyao remained calm, a searching look flickered in her eyes. She also wanted to know why the Wu Yan of this life was so vastly different from the Wu Yan of her past life.
Wu Yan, however, did not panic. Her gaze moved past Bai Zhiqiu, landing directly in the direction of Zhuqu Peak.
“People change. Especially after experiencing certain things.” Wu Yan’s voice was terrifyingly calm. “Those words might not have been false for the past me, but it is precisely because of that that I wanted to change.”
Bai Zhiqiu naturally knew what incident Wu Yan was referring to. After all, it was a sensational event when a Soul Transformation Stage Elder of a Righteous Path sect nearly met her end.
“Fine, then I will treat you as a prodigal whose return is worth more than gold.” Bai Zhiqiu shrugged and stopped prying. “Anyway, I only believe what I see. I quite admire you.”
“I expect to return to my sect with the Elders tomorrow. I look forward to seeing you at the Five Sects Tournament in one month.”
After saying that, Bai Zhiqiu took her leave. Before departing, she did not forget to leave her communication jade plate and some healing pills for Wu Yan.
‘Do people only change after experiencing certain things?’
In her previous life, the same things had clearly happened, so why did events unfold the way they did back then?
Yu Qingyao vaguely felt there was a deeper reason behind all of this. But since Wu Yan did not want to speak of it, she naturally would not force her.
In this life, since Wu Yan was willing to risk her life to protect her, she would not betray that kindness.
The dim candlelight flickered in the night breeze, looking as if it might go out at any moment.
Outside the window, it was already pitch black. Yu Qingyao sat cross-legged on her bed, her eyes tightly shut. Her breathing was steady and deep.
Several strands of grayish-white aura circled around her, occasionally charging into her Sea of Consciousness to launch brutal attacks.
Deep within Yu Qingyao’s Sea of Consciousness, an ancient, simple gray mark rotated as it floated. With every rotation, it produced a grayish-white current of energy that washed over her consciousness.
Accompanied by intense pain, Yu Qingyao could feel her soul steadily growing.
The Soul Governance Art.
‘I clearly already passed the core mark to Wu Yan. Why is there still one in my Sea of Consciousness?’
‘Could it be because I obtained the Soul Governance Art in my past life as well? Even though I gave the one I obtained in this life to Wu Yan, did the lingering aura of the technique activate the mark I acquired in my previous life?’
Regardless, this was an opportunity. After all, the Soul Governance Art was her strongest trump card.
“Whew—”
Yu Qingyao slowly opened her eyes. A grayish-white, eerie light flickered in her brown pupils, looking ancient and mysterious.
***
In the early morning, a thin mist rose in the courtyard of Tingquan Cottage. The wind blew through the small bamboo grove beside the rockery, making a rustling sound.
In the clearing, a figure in plain white stood quietly.
One week had passed since Bai Zhiqiu’s departure.
Over the course of that week, her injuries had mostly healed, so Wu Yan decided to start practicing her sword.
Severing Delusion had been completely destroyed during the battle with the Demonic Ape, and her spare sect longsword was also gone. For now, she could only use a bamboo branch she had snapped off.
Taking a deep breath, Wu Yan swung the bamboo branch, attempting the opening stance of the first style of the Piaomiao Sword Arts: Clear Breeze.
But reality was often disappointing.
Her right hand could move freely, but midway through the stance, her left hand suddenly began to tremble, causing her movement to deform.
To use a medical term from Wu Yan’s previous world, she looked like a patient suffering from Parkinson’s disease.
“Tsk, tsk, tsk. Truly a pathetic sight.”
The inner Wu Yan stood beside her, her red eyes full of mockery. “Little Wu Yan, look at you now. You can’t even pick up a tiny twig?”
“Back in the day, when I broke through the encirclement of those ox-nosed old Daoists from the Taiqing Sect single-handedly, I didn’t even blink.”
“If you beg me now and return this body to me, I might consider helping you recover.”
Wu Yan naturally ignored the inner Wu Yan’s taunts.
She had encountered this situation before. During the first few days after her broken arm had healed in her previous life, it had felt the same way. She only needed to endure.
To her, explanations were useless and complaints were cheap. There was no obstacle in the world that could not be overcome; it only depended on whether she wanted to walk through it.
Expressionless, she lowered her arm. Once her left hand calmed down, she began practicing the first style of the Piaomiao Sword Arts again.
Once, twice, ten times.
As the number of repetitions increased, her left arm stopped trembling.
Just as Wu Yan was about to continue, a bone-chilling wind blew from nearby without warning. A layer of thin frost formed on the green bamboo leaves at a speed visible to the naked eye, and everything around her was shrouded in a murderous frost aura.
She was all too familiar with this aura.
“Disciple Wu Yan greets Master.”
Xia Lingshuang was still dressed in white, her silver hair flowing behind her, her expression cold.
Her gaze paused for a moment as it swept over Wu Yan’s left arm. She spoke, “Do you plan to keep practicing like this?”
“Yes, Master.”
“Hmph. You struggle just to hold a bamboo branch. Are you planning to scratch people’s itches at the Five Sects Tournament in one month?”
Xia Lingshuang let out a cold snort. With a flash of her silhouette, she appeared in front of Wu Yan.
Immediately after, Wu Yan felt a cold hand rest on her left wrist.
‘Dammit, little Wu Yan! Give me back the body right now! I really want to stab this woman and suck all her spiritual energy dry!’
“Master—”
“Be quiet.”
Xia Lingshuang coldly interrupted Wu Yan. A burst of pure, overbearing ice-attributed spiritual energy surged in from Wu Yan’s left wrist, subsequently charging recklessly through Wu Yan’s meridians.
“Ungh—” Wu Yan’s body trembled slightly. Her knees felt weak, and she nearly collapsed to the ground.
“This is only the beginning. Endure it!”
The spiritual energy gradually spread from Wu Yan’s arm to her limbs, finally concentrating in her chest.
Wu Yan could feel a surge of heat being expelled from her body.
‘Was the demonic flame of that Demonic Ape still lingering in my body?’
The pain caused by the conflict between the ice-attributed spiritual energy and the residual demonic flame was difficult even for Wu Yan to bear. She gritted her teeth hard, struggling not to make a sound.
For some reason, an nameless fire rose in Xia Lingshuang’s heart.
‘It’s like this again. That pitiful appearance.’
The version of her that betrayed her and the sect in the previous life had been so hateful. Why did she find herself unconsciously feeling heartache and guilt when she saw this demon showing such a side of herself in this life?
Was it because she really was different in this life? Not only had she healed Xia Lingshuang’s injuries, but she had also taken on the responsibilities of the Eldest Senior Sister in the Secret Realm.
Xia Lingshuang’s fingers unconsciously relaxed, only to tighten again suddenly. At the same time, the output of spiritual energy increased.
After about fifteen minutes, Wu Yan suddenly spat out a mouthful of black, congested blood. Only then did Xia Lingshuang release her hand.
“From tomorrow on, you will head to the Sword Washing Pool.”