Chapter 48 Part 1

Zhai Yi was injured. No. 6 originally wanted her to return to her room to rest, but Zhai Yi wanted to sit alone downstairs for a while, so she told No. 6 to go back to the second-floor room and rest.

Zhai Yi looked at the handkerchief in her palm, where blood had seeped out.

The golden wound medicine that No. 6 gave her was very effective; the bleeding had already stopped. Although it still hurt after applying it, she could endure the pain.

She hadn’t used the golden wound medicine from Qiaoqiao, planning to return it the next time they met. After all, given the entanglement between the male and female leads, they should meet again soon.

However—

Zhai Yi turned her head and looked toward the second floor. The door-closing sound from earlier had been faint but not hard to notice.

Judging by the direction of the door-closing sound, it came from Lin Langyi’s room.

The Female Lead’s changes gave Zhai Yi a headache and some distress. This feeling of powerlessness and being caught off guard felt somewhat familiar to her.

It also reminded Zhai Yi of some unpleasant things.

Zhai Yi rubbed her brow and let out a soft sigh. “What sins.”

As sunlight bathed the entire Jiangzhou, the Bath-Pouring Festival officially began.

The streets were filled with people everywhere. They carried wooden buckets and basins, fetched clean water from wells, added fresh flowers to give it a fragrance, and splashed the aromatic water on passing pedestrians to make them feel refreshed. The custom symbolized prayers for a bountiful harvest and warding off evil and disasters.

If they encountered a man, they would splash an entire basin of water slowly over him. If it was a woman, they would dip a willow branch in the water and gently sprinkle it on her.

No. 2, No. 4, and No. 6 had already gone ahead to the Pure Abode. Lin Langyi didn’t want their group to be too conspicuous and attract attention from other sects or the Pure Abode, so she had the three of them go first to settle in at the Pure Abode. When the Nine Dragons Auspicious Flower bloomed, they would immediately make their move to take it.

Lin Langyi and Zhai Yi, on the other hand, strolled leisurely toward the Pure Abode. Zhai Yi held some incense that was meant to serve as cover, making them look like ordinary visitors going to burn incense and pray.

Along the way, people sprinkled water on both of them using willow branches. Although they weren’t as drenched as the men, their outer clothes were already damp.

Though it was a festive and joyful holiday custom, neither of them was in the mood to participate in the Bath-Pouring Festival traditions at this moment.

One was sullen and unhappy, the other gloomy and cold.

Lin Langyi kept glancing at Zhai Yi out of the corner of her eye the whole way. She watched as Zhai Yi silently accepted the sprinklings from others and even smiled as she gently sent away any children who bumped into her.

She was an extremely competent and responsible bodyguard, always staying vigilant at Lin Langyi’s side and wary of any movements around them.

Zhai Yi was a very good, very responsible guard, but Lin Langyi didn’t want her to be such a rigidly proper guard.

She didn’t know when this thought had first arisen in her.

Or when it had intensified, growing stronger and stronger.

She didn’t want their relationship to be just that of master and servant. She wanted to get closer, close enough that Zhai Yi might smile at her more, be a little gentler with her—like she was with Qiaoqiao. That would be fine too.

Lin Langyi could feel her own changes; her thoughts and emotions were so easily swayed by Zhai Yi.

Just like now. She saw a child carrying a full basin of water splashing toward Zhai Yi. From that angle, it would definitely drench Zhai Yi and get water on her injured right hand.

With that thought, Lin Langyi moved.

She grabbed Zhai Yi’s hand, pulled her over into an embrace, and turned around, letting the basin of water splash all over her instead.

The child was stunned, not expecting a woman to block water for a “man.”

The child’s mother ran over, apologized a few times, and took the child away.

Zhai Yi had noticed the child’s splashing attempt early on and had planned to protect her right hand, but she hadn’t expected Lin Langyi to block the water for her, leaving herself soaked like a drowned rat.

Lin Langyi acted as if nothing had happened, calmly releasing Zhai Yi with an awkward tone. “Your hand… is your hand okay?”

Zhai Yi looked at the water dripping from her hair, making those shy and embarrassed eyes sparkle brightly.

She raised her right hand. “It’s fine. Thank you, Young Master, for protecting me.”

Lin Langyi forced her mouth straight. “Be careful. Those kids are really mischievous.”

She pulled Zhai Yi to her left side. “Stay closer to me like this, so if they splash water again, it won’t hit your right hand.”

Zhai Yi paused slightly. “Thank you, Young Master.”

Lin Langyi wiped her face with her hand. “It’s nothing. Let’s go.”

“Wait a moment.”

Lin Langyi was puzzled. “What’s wrong?”

Zhai Yi had no handkerchief, so she tugged at her sleeve and wiped the remaining water from Lin Langyi’s hair until it no longer dripped.

“Young Master is of noble status. There’s no need to block water for a subordinate next time.”

Lin Langyi watched Zhai Yi’s closeness and touch, her lips curving slightly. “It’s just blocking some water. If it were blocking blades or arrows for you, I wouldn’t be so willing.”

Zhai Yi said, “Young Master is joking. How could a subordinate let you block blades or arrows?”

Lin Langyi didn’t take it to heart and pursed her lips. “Let’s go, to the Pure Abode.”

“Yes.”

The Pure Abode was one of the most famous temples in Jiangzhou.

Its name came from being “a dwelling for those who practice purity, a resting place for the mind.”

On the Bath-Pouring Festival, the Pure Abode specially opened its doors to welcome pilgrims, accommodating all who came.

The Pure Abode was located on the eastern side of Jiangzhou, built at the top of Fragrant Mountain, where the slopes were covered in all sorts of flowers—peonies, magnolias, crabapples, mountain apricots, roses, lilacs, and more—forming a beautiful scenic vista.

Lin Langyi and Zhai Yi followed the stone steps up to the Pure Abode. As No. 4 and No. 6 had said, it was already packed when the doors opened. Now, with the temple gates wide open, pilgrims surged in, squeezing through densely without a gap.

Lin Langyi was bumped again by a nearby man. Her expression grew darker; just as she was about to lose her temper, the man bumped her even harder, directly shoving her into Zhai Yi’s arms.

Zhai Yi caught her. “Careful.”

Lin Langyi: “….”

She pursed her lips but couldn’t suppress the upward tug at the corners of her mouth.

“There… there are too many people.” Lin Langyi’s words sounded guilty yet delighted. “Let’s head to the rear mountain.”

“Okay.”

Zhai Yi protected her as they moved toward the rear mountain. Her ghostly phantom step was exceptional; Lin Langyi only felt the figures around her blur into afterimages. By the time her vision cleared, they had already arrived at the rear mountain.

The Pure Abode Rear Mountain saw few visitors because the path there was treacherous. Over the cliff hung a single rickety iron-chain suspension bridge swaying in the mountain winds, creaking with ominous sounds as if it might collapse at any moment.

Lin Langyi looked at the suspension bridge and then toward the other side. “No. 2 and the others should have crossed already.”

“It’s probably not just the three of them,” Zhai Yi said, positioning herself in front of Lin Langyi. “Young Master, please stay close to me.”

Lin Langyi nodded. “Okay.”

Zhai Yi suddenly felt a cool softness press into her palm.

She turned back to look. Lin Langyi’s cheeks were slightly flushed, her gaze evasive, but her tone was arrogantly unrestrained. “You told me to stay close. Only… only like this can I really stay close, and you can properly protect me.”

Tuantuan grumbled: 【This female lead really knows how to take a yard when given an inch.】

Seeing Zhai Yi say nothing, Lin Langyi feared she was unwilling and immediately gripped her hand tighter, defiantly saying, “Why can Qiaoqiao hold your hand, but I can’t?”

Zhai Yi was helpless. “Young Master, I didn’t say anything.”

Lin Langyi narrowed her eyes. “Your expression says three big words loud and clear.”

“What?”

Lin Langyi enunciated each word: “Unwilling.”

“You’re unwilling, aren’t you?”

Zhai Yi gave a wry smile. “Young Master, after we get the Nine Dragons Auspicious Flower, shall we find a good doctor in Jiangzhou to take a look?”

“Look at what?” Lin Langyi knew Zhai Yi was mocking her. “My eyes are fine; I see it crystal clear.”

“Not your eyes,” Zhai Yi said, pointing to her own head. “This.”

Lin Langyi: “…”

She put on a fierce front. “You’ve gotten bold, daring to snap at me?”

Zhai Yi raised a brow. “Young Master has always treated me as a subordinate. Why bother addressing a subordinate as a friend?”

Lin Langyi paused.

“Don’t you find it contradictory, Young Master?”

Lin Langyi lowered her gaze, looking at their clasped hands.

Zhai Yi said no more, allowing Lin Langyi to lead her onto the suspension bridge.

The bridge was unsteady, swaying with every step.

Zhai Yi checked each wooden plank ahead to ensure it was intact and sturdy before stepping forward.

The two safely reached the other side.

Suddenly, a jarring flute sound echoed from the mountain. Aside from the flute, the rear mountain fell eerily silent, as if everyone had vanished into thin air.

Zhai Yi and Lin Langyi exchanged a glance, swallowed their formless pills, and dashed up the mountain.

By the time they arrived at the summit, the fragrance of the Nine Dragons Auspicious Flower had already spread everywhere. Yet no one on the mountain rushed to snatch it; they all stood quietly in place.

The entire scene was too bizarre, utterly terrifying.

Lin Langyi spotted No. 2, No. 4, and No. 6 amid the crowd. They too were standing motionless, staring at where the Nine Dragons Auspicious Flower was blooming.

“What’s going on here?” Lin Langyi was baffled. “Did they get poisoned?”

“It shouldn’t be. I gave them formless pills, which can temporarily resist the Nine Dragons Auspicious Flower’s toxic fragrance.”

Zhai Yi’s gaze pierced through the crowd to the cliff wall where the Nine Dragons Auspicious Flower grew. “The Nine Dragons Auspicious Flower has bloomed. And there are more than one.”

“What?” Lin Langyi looked over and saw three Nine Dragons Auspicious Flowers blooming brilliantly on the cliff wall. Their golden petals, surrounded by sunlight and mist, resembled coiling golden dragons on the verge of ascending to the heavens, dazzling all onlookers.

She was stunned. “How can there be three Nine Dragons Auspicious Flowers?”

Xuanji Pavilion’s intelligence couldn’t be wrong; the Pure Abode Rear Mountain should only bloom with one. Yet the three flowers blooming before her eyes firmly captured her attention.