Chapter 11: Liu Baizi Bend

Jiang Chenbi mimicked her earlier wink. “Of course, I also asked him some things about myself that you weren’t convenient to hear. I’ll tell you when the time is right.”

Cui Wangshu was suspicious but couldn’t bring herself to press the issue. Seeing that Liu Xuan had already set up the God-Protecting Array over there, she had no choice but to set aside her doubts for now.

Liu Xuan was the only one from Liu Baizi Bend in a thousand years who had reached that level. Even at his weakest during the full moon, he was still someone who had stepped into the Divine Realm with one foot. With the array he set up, bolstered by their heart’s blood, it naturally wouldn’t be weak.

Liu Xuan sat at the eye of the array. After the two dripped their heart’s blood onto the talisman paper, they prepared to leave. Just as they were about to go, Liu Xuan called out to them without turning his head.

“Take the Xuanji Strategy and the Onyx Iron Fan with you. You’re considered my grand-disciple, so it’s a kind of karmic fate. When you need me, I’ll know.”

With that, a powerful gust of air lifted the two of them off the cliff.

Jiang Chenbi cursed inwardly. This old man’s temper is so weird. But before she could finish her mental complaint, as soon as she hit the water, she sensed a dangerous gaze locking onto her. Remembering the aura she’d felt before, Jiang Chenbi knew something was wrong.

The next second, a familiar embrace scooped her out of the water. Knowing it was Cui Wangshu, Jiang Chenbi felt a bit steadier. But when she looked down and saw what they were riding, she nearly cried out.

They were riding a massive fish over a hundred meters long. The fish was entirely red, like a carp, but the single horn on its head and the fangs in its mouth were definitely not features of a carp.

Cui Wangshu pressed her into her arms and chuckled softly. “This is the ao from ‘Seizing the Ao’s Head’ [signifying coming in first]—it’s one of the dragon species. It should be my ancestral master’s pet, sent to take us out.”

Hearing that it was Liu Xuan’s pet, Jiang Chenbi finally relaxed and leaned into Cui Wangshu’s embrace.

Gazing at the fireflies dotting the pitch-black cave—creatures that lived but a day, tiny yet striving to live their brief, brilliant lives to the fullest—Jiang Chenbi sighed. “How did you know the person in the coffin was Liu Xuan and not the Xuan Shang Emperor?”

Cui Wangshu smiled. “Maybe Liu Xuan is the Xuan Shang Emperor?”

Jiang Chenbi whipped her head around. “What?”

Cui Wangshu explained leisurely, “My master once told me that several hundred years ago, he was of imperial blood. But my master was unreliable, so I always thought he was exaggerating.

“Once, when he was drunk, he knelt before my ancestral master’s portrait and cried, saying that if he’d known their parting would be forever, he absolutely wouldn’t have acted so willfully and left. He’d rather have died with him in service to the country than live on in cowardice.

“At the imperial mausoleum, I just found it odd. According to the murals, Pre-Shang worshipped the Vermilion Bird, yet the mausoleum was filled with carvings of the Twin-Born Daughters.

“You know where else worships the Twin-Born Daughters besides the mausoleum? The Untiring Sect—my master’s sect.

“When I saw the text on the ice coffin and the later hound totem, I guessed it might have been trapped by a God-Trapping Array.

“I’ve only glimpsed the God-Trapping Array once in my master’s study scrolls, so I wasn’t entirely sure. But when I saw his hand seals upon emerging, I was even more certain—he’s from the same lineage as me.

“The only one who could lie in the imperial mausoleum and be so closely tied to my master is Liu Xuan.”

Jiang Chenbi pondered. “So the one who jumped from the city tower back then was a body double?”

Cui Wangshu shook her head. “No, he was the Xuan Shang Emperor in the eyes of the world. But the real Xuan Shang Emperor had long since been swapped out via the cat-for-prince ploy and become Liu Xuan.”

Jiang Chenbi rubbed her brow. “At first, I could only sense that the person on the stone pillar was extremely powerful. I never imagined he’d have such deep ties to you, or that we’d make it out alive.”

Cui Wangshu’s lips curved. “Yeah. Maybe that’s the will of heaven that even you and I couldn’t divine.”

Jiang Chenbi continued, “What do you plan to do with the Xuanji Strategy? And how are you going to explain this Onyx Iron Fan that appeared out of nowhere?”

Cui Wangshu frowned. “You’re still worried about me? Is your Cold Palace really free of visitors?”

Jiang Chenbi’s expression grew a bit awkward. “To be honest, I’ve always had someone who takes my place to draw attention after I leave.”

Cui Wangshu narrowed her eyes, a hint of danger flashing through them. “Miss Jiang really is the type to let friends die while saving oneself. Let me count how many times you’ve screwed me over since we went down the well.”

Jiang Chenbi tried to quietly slip out of Cui Wangshu’s arms, but Cui Wangshu held her tightly, and she couldn’t escape.

Before Cui Wangshu could act, the giant ao beneath them finally seemed fed up with the weird pair on its back. It rolled over, dumping them into the water, flicked its massive tail, turned around, and swam away grandly.

It left, but Jiang Chenbi in the water wasn’t faring so well. She wasn’t a strong swimmer, and after the sudden plunge, by the time she adjusted and tried to swim up, someone grabbed her.

Jiang Chenbi turned back, not even having a chance to make out the face, before she was pulled into a familiar embrace.

This was an embrace unlike any before.

It was as if it poured every ounce of strength in this lifetime into holding her tight, as though she might vanish the next moment.

Even underwater, Jiang Chenbi could feel the soft touch brushing her neck—fleeting yet tender.

Her racing heart didn’t know if it was from lack of oxygen or the person before her.

After what felt like an eternity, Cui Wangshu finally brought her to the surface. There was something off in Cui Wangshu’s eyes—more confusion than desire, all suppressed by reason, yet unwillingly leaking from the corners.

Jiang Chenbi was clever, and far more experienced in that regard than Cui Wangshu. She naturally understood what had caused Cui Wangshu’s change.

She hurriedly pressed her hand against Cui Wangshu’s shoulder, gasping, “You…”

What she didn’t know was that her eyes were strikingly red, bewitching, and heart-shakingly beautiful. Her trembling voice carried no intimidation—instead, it only stirred certain wicked thoughts in some people.

Feeling Cui Wangshu’s burning gaze, even the usually carefree Jiang Chenbi flushed to her ears. Who could imagine it? The immortal-like beauty, the moonlit elegance of Lady Cui, had such a gap in matters of desire.

It seemed the face she bore was merely a facade to deceive others.

Cui Wangshu averted her gaze, refusing to look at her face. Now that the wind had cooled her head, she reflected on her earlier impropriety and felt a bit embarrassed.

With a light cough, she turned her head aside in a masking gesture.

Taking stock, they were at a cave mouth. With the light from outside, they could vaguely see that this river ran through a village.

Willows lined both banks of the river. Walking further out, they should find villagers to ask for help.

…

Aunt Liu spat and muttered, “What kind of little brat dares resemble my daughter.”

As she washed clothes, her peripheral vision caught two figures. Turning to look closely, two people had actually emerged from the Immortal Cave.

Aunt Liu’s eyes widened. That Immortal Cave was where immortals lived, and the river had man-eating monsters.

In the past, the village threw wrongdoers into the cave. Yet now, two people walked out perfectly fine.

Aunt Liu ignored the soaking clothes and hurriedly shouted for nearby villagers.

Cui Wangshu heard the woman’s yells from the riverbank before they even approached. A bad premonition rose in her heart as she glanced down at her clothes.

They weren’t just tattered—they barely covered her body. Not to mention the wounds and bloodstains soaked through. Forget villagers; even in the Capital City, she’d be stopped for questioning.

To think Jiang Chenbi could still flirt while looking like a beggar—it truly spoke to their bond through life and death.

Cui Wangshu sighed almost imperceptibly and asked softly, “Do you have any hallucinogenic drugs to fool people?”

Jiang Chenbi gave her a strange look. “Do you think I’m a wish-granting tree? As if I have everything.”

After taking an eye-roll from Jiang Chenbi, Cui Wangshu touched her nose awkwardly, then patted herself down to see if she had any valuable jade pendants.

Jiang Chenbi cut her off. “Don’t bother. Would I have brought valuables before going down the well? Worst case, we run. After all the elixirs you’ve eaten from me, Lady Cui, surely you won’t let a few villagers catch us?”

Cui Wangshu caught the hint of her wanting payment and smiled. “Don’t worry, I won’t owe you. I’ll settle up when we get back to the Capital City.”

Jiang Chenbi muttered, “That’s more like it.”

In the time it took to exchange those words, the villagers Aunt Liu had called gathered around—some with sickles, others with hoes, eyes full of wariness.

Aunt Liu asked, “Where are you two from? How did you come out of that Immortal Cave?”

Jiang Chenbi smiled. “Auntie, we’re from the suburbs of the Capital City. We were out playing and ran into bandits on the road, accidentally fell off a cliff, and got swept here by the current.”

The villagers whispered among themselves:

“They look like daughters from a wealthy family.”

“How come they have no jewelry?”

“You’re dumb—they said they ran into bandits. Probably robbed.”

“There are bloodstains all over them. They must’ve really encountered bandits, right?”

“…”

Cui Wangshu mimicked Jiang Chenbi’s expression, smiling pitifully. “Auntie, we really did run into bad people. Could we borrow a place to rest? We won’t trouble you—we’ll leave soon.”

The two already had stunning looks, and with those pitiable expressions, Aunt Liu, as a mother, thought of how helpless her own daughter would be in such a situation without help.

“Alright, alright, you two young ladies. Everyone should help in a case like this. Come on, girls, to my house.”

With that, the auntie eagerly pulled Cui Wangshu along. Jiang Chenbi followed, keeping an eye on the other villagers’ expressions.

“Old Liu calls us out and then takes them home herself. Is she toying with us?”

“These Capital City girls are so pretty… wonder how they’d feel… heh heh…”

Jiang Chenbi’s eyes sharpened. She glanced back at the speaker—not tall, skinny, with dark circles under his eyes.

Zhang Sanshui shuddered instinctively upon meeting Jiang Chenbi’s cold, murderous gaze.

Back at Aunt Liu’s house, she fetched two sets of clean clothes. “These are my daughter’s. Your figures are similar; they should fit.”

Through Aunt Liu’s introduction, they learned this place was Liu Baizi Bend Village, ten kilometers from the Capital City. Named for the willows planted along the river and the massive bend the Immortal Cave’s river made downstream.

While they drank some water, a person entered, face covered with white gauze. But the exposed brows and eyes showed clear handsomeness, with a slender figure.

Seeing the newcomer, Aunt Liu hurried over, eyes full of heartache. “Xiao Yi, you haven’t been bullied, have you?”

Cui Wangshu shot Jiang Chenbi a look. Understanding, Jiang Chenbi took a sip of water and asked carefully, “Auntie, who’s this?”

Aunt Liu seemed to remember the guests and introduced, “This is my daughter, Xiao Yi. These are Miss Cui and Miss Jiang.”

Xiao Yi said nothing, lowering her eyes and nodding in greeting. Her gaze lingered on their outstanding looks with a touch of desolation.

Cui Wangshu turned to Aunt Liu. “Does your daughter have some unspeakable difficulty?”

Aunt Liu sighed. “Half a year ago, Xiao Yi went up the mountain to gather herbs and got bitten by some bug. A strange swelling appeared on her face.”

As she spoke, Aunt Liu urged Xiao Yi with her eyes to remove the veil. She thought these Capital City girls had seen much of the world and might know what illness it was.

No sooner had Aunt Liu finished than Cui Wangshu, using her teacup for cover, curved her lips.

When it came to bugs, the Jiang girl beside her was all too familiar.

Feeling Cui Wangshu’s teasing glance, Jiang Chenbi smiled without mirth. “Is that so? This Miss Cui is skilled in medicine. Have her take a look at your daughter.”