Help, I’m Being Forced to Marry a Frail and Sickly Immortal Doctor! 104

Chapter 104: The Path of the Dao is Nameless

“Ranran, can you… give me a quick one?”

After a deathly silence, someone stood up with a clatter, knocking over the table.

“Ning… Ruoque? You’re not dead?!” Someone’s face was full of disbelief, trying to find evidence to verify her identity.

“Impossible… the soul lamp has been extinguished. How could she—” Someone went from being extremely excited to being speechless.

Only when their gaze fell on that sharp sword did everyone finally confirm the most impossible guess.

That was indeed the Dao is Hidden and Nameless sword. Countless demons and evil people had been killed under its blade.

A hundred years later, its blade was still as bright as snow, and not a single crack or rust could be seen.

Just like its master.

The old Daoist, whose neck was held by the blade, was stunned for a moment, his lips trembling slightly. “You’re not dead… or is it that…”

Ning Ruoque swung her long sword, and the wind from the sword seemed to have inadvertently swept across the ground, leaving a deep mark.

At the same time, she silently crushed the fragments of Chu Xuan’s hidden weapon into dust.

She replied with a calm and composed air, “I just didn’t die completely.”

Most people had an extraordinary obsession with immortality. Once the art of life and death was exposed, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Ning Ruoque had already thought it through. She could not let anyone know that her “resurrection” was related to Yin Buran.

She quietly accepted the scrutiny of the crowd, placing herself in the midst of countless cautious, or even slightly malicious gazes.

These people would guess her cultivation level, how much she had recovered, and whether there were any flaws or hidden injuries.

They would guess why she had returned like this, and what kind of waves she would stir up.

But Ning Ruoque didn’t care.

All the consequences that came with it, whether it was being targeted and questioned, or being flattered, she didn’t care.

Perhaps the “great transformation of a living person” was too shocking. The old Daoist was stunned for a long while.

Then, just as he had reacted, he snorted heavily, as if he had already forgotten that his neck had been held by a sword.

He stared at Ning Ruoque like a hawk, his voice as if it were squeezed out from his throat.

“For a fellow Daoist to have such a great opportunity, I should have congratulated you. But the stain on my Taiyi Sect has not yet been washed away—”

Ning Ruoque interrupted directly, “Speak properly. Don’t make a move.”

It was said that the major sects all paid attention to pomp and circumstance, but there were still many who would directly resort to weapons like them.

Even in the magnificent glazed hall, once interests were involved, it was no different from the yamen and markets of the human world.

It was just that fighting wasted time and would affect Ning Ruoque and the others’ future plans.

As soon as her voice fell, the woman retorted indignantly, “It was clearly he who had ill intentions first and wanted to destroy the evidence!”

“You’re just being unreasonable. My heart is as clear as a mirror. Why would I need to do such a thing? It’s you who have a guilty conscience!”

Ning Ruoque: “…”

She tilted her head slightly and glanced in Si Mingyue’s direction.

The latter quickly pulled down her purple gauze hood and shrank into a large ball, guiltily.

Chu Xuan, who was beside her, was sitting in a relaxed manner, just short of putting her feet on the table and whistling as if it were none of her business.

And the two of them were about to fight again at the slightest disagreement, completely ignoring Ning Ruoque’s existence.

Ning Ruoque frowned, and just as she was about to strike again, a sigh suddenly sounded beside her.

A strong spiritual energy separated the two of them, and at the same time, Jiang Ai also stood up. “Let’s calm down first.”

From her expression, one could not see any stance. It seemed that it was just out of her own identity and duty, and she wanted to resolve this matter as much as possible.

She turned her head to ask for the opinions of the others. “What do you all think of the smoke just now?”

The main hall began to rustle with discussion. Upon closer listening, half of it was about Ning Ruoque.

Ning Ruoque just pretended not to notice and sat back down beside Yin Buran.

The latter was clearly bored. Her eyes were lowered, and she was slowly sipping from her teacup.

A short sword was also placed by her hand, as if she were ready to strike someone at any time.

After all, the people who could sit here were not of low cultivation, and they quickly came to a rough conclusion.

“This… has no spiritual energy fluctuation. It doesn’t look like a spell.”

“But there are no traces of any mechanisms or hidden weapons on the scene. The evidence disappeared without a reason just as it was taken out. How can there be such a coincidence?”

Someone also suggested, “Fellow Daoist Si, how about a divination?”

Si Mingyue’s eyes widened, and she quickly waved her hands in refusal. “No… no.”

She cleared her throat and tried to pretend to be serious. “The time is not right.”

This was also very normal. Not everything could be divined.

Therefore, the others did not care much, nodded, and went to discuss other possibilities.

“Let’s check that wisp of fog first. Perhaps Azurefall Creek can find out its components?”

“The Taiyi Sect has no reason to make a move. It’s too obvious. Maybe it was a self-directed play.”

“Fellow Daoist Zhou, is there any other evidence?”

Only Si Mingyue’s gaze was evasive, and she kept stuffing the things in her sleeve.

After a long while, there was no result.

As Ning Ruoque listened, most people’s meaning was to let the matter rest.

In the end, the woman was just a cultivator with good talent and an ordinary sect.

The cultivation world was not short of such people. Instead of going against the Taiyi Sect when the situation was unclear, it was better to keep silent so as not to get burned.

No one was willing to put in the effort to solve it, and Jiang Ai sighed again.

She promised the woman, “For the sake of fairness, the Immortal Alliance will investigate both the Taiyi Sect and your sect.”

But it was clear that the woman was not satisfied with this arrangement.

She wanted to argue again, but before she could speak, she was pulled by her companion.

That person persuaded her with an uneasy expression, “Senior Sister Zhou, don’t say it… don’t argue…”

Upon hearing this, the woman’s whole body stiffened for a few breaths.

She seemed to be in disbelief, and her hand suddenly clenched into a fist, so hard that her knuckles turned white.

Soon, she shook off her companion, did not say a word, and just left without looking back.

The old Daoist snorted coldly, his tone contemptuous. “In that case, I will also take my leave first.”

The people of the Taiyi Sect quickly followed, and the representatives of the few sects that were attached to it looked at each other, and after a moment, they also packed up their things and chased after them.

The main hall was suddenly empty in several places.

Jiang Ai lowered her eyes, still with that expression of no joy or sorrow, her aura so peaceful and proper that she did not look like a sword cultivator who fought and killed.

“Then let’s continue.”

She briefly explained the results of the recent arrests and interrogations.

Finally, she added, “It’s just that the source of the demonic art has not yet been found. I ask all fellow Daoists to act calmly and be very careful, so as not to fall into the trap of the monsters.”

“Second, is Sect Master Chu’s proposal.”

Jiang Ai waved her sleeve, and a piece of golden sand was scattered, turning into a continuous mountain range and city wall, so that everyone could see it clearly.

This was clearly a map of the ancient battlefield’s border.

Without waiting for anyone to discuss, she announced in a loud voice, “For the safety of the border, the protective grand formation will be rebuilt by Sect Master Chu.”

To build a grand formation of this level often required an extremely large sum of money.

Although the sect in charge of maintaining the grand formation would collect a toll from the cultivators, but if they only relied on this, it was unknown how many hundreds or thousands of years it would take to get their money back.

So some people were not happy and slammed the table in opposition. “I don’t agree. The grand formation is not completely damaged. Can’t it still be used after some repairs?”

Chu Xuan lifted her eyelids, as if she were sizing up some strange thing, not anxious or angry.

She was even amused and grinned, and replied lightly.

“I have already reached an agreement with the Sword Pavilion and Azurefall Creek. This is a notification, not a request for an opinion.”

“Who cares if you agree or not?”

The person who had objected opened his mouth, and his words were all stuck in his throat. His flushed face looked even more ferocious.

It sounded very domineering, but Chu Xuan just had this capital.

More than half of the top sects were on her side, and the rest were not important.

He could only question sarcastically, “Sect Master Chu is fully responsible?”

It would have been better if he hadn’t asked. As soon as he did, Chu Xuan immediately clutched her chest and made an exaggerated look of heartache.

“That’s not right. The border is so large. Even if I want to take it all on, I really don’t have the strength.”

“This money is a big problem.”

While she was sighing, her eyes were darting around, and her muttering was so rhythmic.

“All of you are great people who care about the world and have compassion for all living beings! The pillars of the human world!”

It made one sigh. What a big pot, enough to cover the entire glazed hall!

Not only did she say it, she also poked Ning Ruoque with her elbow. “Fellow Daoist Ning, don’t you think so?”

Ning Ruoque: “…”

“Mm,” Ning Ruoque’s hand was on her sword, and she affirmed slowly, “They are all good people.”

She could say so, but some people did not dare to believe it, and even their faces changed at once.

The “not good people” that Ning Ruoque had identified had mostly become the ghosts under her sword. Who dared to deny it?

Chu Xuan turned her head and asked Si Mingyue, “Palace Master Si, what do you think?”

Si Mingyue responded actively, “Mm, they are accumulating merits!”

Chu Xuan laughed. “Yin—”

Yin Buran glanced at her coldly, her whole body exuding “I don’t want to talk.”

A certain person immediately changed her tune and raised her voice by several degrees.

“I believe that all of you will definitely help me. This is a good thing that will benefit the world!”

Since she had already said so, no matter how unwilling people were, they did not dare to refuse in public.

They were like ducks being driven onto a shelf. Even though their hearts were bleeding with pain, they could only hold it in with a fake smile.

“Sect Master Chu is right. Since it concerns the safety of the world, how can we refuse?”

Now Chu Xuan was satisfied.

She suppressed the curve of her lips and cupped her fists with sincere feeling. “This is a great help. In the future, I will set up a monument on the border and will definitely record all of your good deeds one by one!”

To put it bluntly, it was to see who had contributed the most money and effort. If a large sect gave less spirit stones than a small sect, wouldn’t they be unable to hold their heads up in the future?

Ning Ruoque caught a glimpse of several “big figures” with distorted faces. Their teacups were about to be crushed, but they still had to smile and agree.

Seeing that the matter was over, the ancient bell on the glazed hall rang three times.

Jiang Ai walked down the stage unhurriedly. “Let’s call it a day for now. Please feel free to do as you please.”

Yin Buran yawned and went to pull Ning Ruoque’s hand.

“Wait a moment, I have one more question.”

A clear and cold voice suddenly sounded. Yin Buran followed the sound and happened to meet Jiang Ai’s gaze.

“Fellow Daoist Ning, are you planning to—”

Yin Buran frowned and interrupted crisply, “She’s coming back to Azurefall Creek with me.”

These words were said with perfect justification, with a hint of declaring sovereignty.

Qin Jiangli was speechless with laughter, and the people who were always paying attention to the movements here instantly pricked up their ears.

Noticing the change in the atmosphere, Yin Buran’s expression became even colder.

But as if she hadn’t seen it, Jiang Ai naturally bowed to Ning Ruoque. “The Sword Pavilion still recognizes her position as Sword Venerable.”

She said solemnly, “The fact that the venerable one killed the Demon God with her own strength and turned the tide is an undeniable fact.”

“For such a kindness, the Sword Pavilion will remember it for generations.”

This was something that Ning Ruoque had not expected.

She had no sect, and she thought that her interaction with the Sword Pavilion was probably just a few competitions and the position of Sword Venerable that she had gotten from the competitions. She had spent more time at Azurefall Creek than at the Sword Pavilion.

“Now that the demon race is showing signs of making a comeback…”

At this point, Jiang Ai actually showed a rare smile, and the contours of her brows and eyes softened a lot.

She seemed to be sighing from the bottom of her heart, slowly and leisurely, “With Fellow Daoist Ning here, it’s really for the best.”

Ning Ruoque touched her own sword, a strange feeling in her heart.

She nodded in acknowledgment, then directly pulled Yin Buran and left. Chu Xuan and Si Mingyue quickly followed.

Until she was far from the glazed hall, Ning Ruoque suddenly turned her head for no reason.

Of course, there was nothing in the vast white clouds and mist.

She temporarily suppressed the doubts in her heart. On the other side, Chu Xuan was holding the scroll that Si Mingyue had stolen and was studying it carefully.

The two heads were close together, like a flock of chattering sparrows.

“Why did you suddenly pull such a stunt?”

Before Si Mingyue could answer, Yin Buran raised her eyes and asked in return, “You didn’t know her intention and you dared to make a move?”

Chu Xuan laughed awkwardly, knowing that she was in the wrong. She quickly stuffed the scroll to Yin Buran, trying to change the subject.

These few scrolls were quite old, and the edges were fragile and yellowed. They would crumble with a light touch.

On them were densely written some transaction records, and even the seal of the Taiyi Sect.

At first glance, it seemed to be the case.

Yin Buran lowered her eyes and sized it up for a long while, then suddenly wiped her hand, and the originally old pages, as if they had faded, gradually became as white as new.

It was obvious that this was its true appearance.

Even someone as slow as Ning Ruoque could instantly figure out the cause and effect.

She said with certainty, “This is forged evidence.”

And although the technique was exquisite, it was not brilliant.

They could see it with a little effort, and of course, the rest of the people in the glazed hall could also.

If it had been exposed on the spot in the main hall, the woman could be said to be unable to defend herself.

The Taiyi Sect would definitely not let her go easily.

Si Mingyue put away the fake scroll, folded it again and again, and stuffed it into her pouch. “Yes, this is fake. Fellow Daoist Zhou must have been deceived. The situation was urgent at that time, so I had no choice but to resort to this.”

She bit her lip in distress. “I’ll go and tell her the truth now. I hope she won’t be angry.”

Yin Buran tilted her head slightly, and a strand of silvery white hair slipped from behind her ear.

She had been listless all day, and Ning Ruoque could see it in her eyes. She always felt that she had something on her mind.

Until now, Yin Buran’s voice was still lazy:

“To interfere with a person’s cause and effect at will, this is not like you.”

The Heavenly Dao has its course. If the art of divination is not done well, one will suffer a backlash. Si Mingyue knew this best.

But she still took the risk for a stranger, and it was in the form of direct participation.

Yin Buran asked again, “What if you couldn’t save her?”

Si Mingyue pressed her lips together, and then bit them a few times, before she reluctantly muttered two words.

“Great misfortune.”

Si Mingyue refused to say any more information. When asked, she would say that she couldn’t explain it clearly either.

Ning Ruoque put her hand on her sword. This answer sounded very unsettling.

She subconsciously went to look at Yin Buran, but the latter’s expression was blank. Instead of thinking, she was more like she was daydreaming.

Chu Xuan squinted her eyes and said directly, “I’ll go with you.”

Si Mingyue quickly waved her hands. “No need. Aren’t you still busy? I can handle it myself.”

Chu Xuan: “You really don’t need our help?”

“Mm,” Si Mingyue covered her veil, then showed a soft smile, and bid farewell to her friends. “See you later!”

Watching Si Mingyue’s flying boat leave, Chu Xuan stretched her back. “Alright, then I’ll go back first. Contact me if you need anything.”

Ning Ruoque looked at Yin Buran again. She was still standing silently in the same spot, her robes thin, and in the sunlight, she was so white that she was transparent.

It was just that the moment Ning Ruoque extended her hand, Yin Buran, as if she had a telepathic connection, grabbed Ning Ruoque’s wrist at the same time.

And she spoke first, “What are you standing there for? Come back with me.”

The words that Ning Ruoque wanted to say were suddenly stuck in her throat.

She hesitated for a few breaths and nodded sullenly in agreement. “Alright.”

*

They all had serious things to do. Among the four of them, only Ning Ruoque was the most idle.

So from the Immortal Alliance to Suwen Peak, she had carefully observed Yin Buran all the way and had finally come to a conclusion—

Yin Buran was in a bad mood.

She did not show it obviously.

She read her books as usual, and ate her pastries as usual. When Qin Jiangli teased her, she could even say a few strange words.

But Ning Ruoque just felt that Yin Buran had something on her mind.

Perhaps it was Si Mingyue’s prophecy, or perhaps it was the recent frequent turmoil at the border. No matter what the influence was, Ning Ruoque was eager to make her happy.

This was much more difficult for Ning Ruoque than fighting.

If Yin Buran was not proactive, she would only dare to stare at her, not daring to hug her, and her heart was in a mess.

Perhaps a certain sword cultivator’s gaze was too direct. Yin Buran put the book aside and propped up her cheek. “Ning Ruoque, I want to soak in the hot spring.”

Ning Ruoque looked at the sky outside. The sun had already set, and the night was gradually closing in from all directions.

The weather grand formation that had been repaired by Chu Xuan had resumed its function, and the temperature was controlled just right, so there was no need to worry about Yin Buran catching a cold because of this.

Ning Ruoque nodded and turned to prepare the things needed for the hot spring.

A bathrobe, soap beans, an incense burner, and then she sat obediently outside the screen in the covered corridor.

She wanted to chat with Yin Buran, and it would be best if she could make her happy.

The wind blew through the bare trees, and the warm light of the night lamp was reflected in the water on the floor.

Normally, there should be peach blossoms here, but unfortunately, the weather grand formation had been destroyed a while ago, and the flowers had all withered.

Ning Ruoque quickly went through a few topics in her mind, and in the end, she buried her face in her arms in frustration.

A three-foot green-edged sword could not solve everything. To pick a delicate flower, she had to first put away the sword in her hand.

She listened to the faint sound of water and said tentatively, “Ranran, my spiritual soul is a little not right.”

It seemed to have been a long time before a lazy echo came from behind the screen.

“Let me see.”

Ning Ruoque walked in slowly, her head lowered to stare at her own toes.

Then her peripheral vision unconsciously slid, and she caught a glimpse of a snow-white arm resting on the shore.

The steam rose, and it was quickly obscured.

So Ning Ruoque knelt down by the shore and closed her eyes.

She felt a wet, warm hand grab her wrist, and water droplets fell on the floor, as chaotic as her heartbeat.

Ning Ruoque had waited for a long, long time. Being in the thick steam, it seemed that one could also drown.

Until the person in front of her said nonchalantly, “It’s not serious. Take the medicine first.”

Ning Ruoque’s heart suddenly stopped.

No need to touch her forehead?

She almost didn’t open her eyes, and at the same time as she gritted her teeth, she anxiously clutched the hem of her clothes.

Yin Buran sized her up carefully. “Why is your face so red?”

“Uh… mmph…”

How could Ning Ruoque admit that she was having wild thoughts?

She was anxious to find a reasonable excuse, but her mind was a blank.

She even forgot to breathe, like a fish flopping on the shore, about to die of lack of oxygen.

Yin Buran tilted her head and asked out of the blue, “If the Dao is Hidden and Nameless and I both fell into the furnace, who would you save first?”

A question that was completely irrelevant.

Ning Ruoque silently adjusted her breathing and answered as calmly as possible, “…You.”

She couldn’t see her own appearance, but she just felt that this attempt was a failure, and she pressed her lips together in frustration.

“The truth?” Yin Buran seemed not to believe it.

Ning Ruoque had no choice but to explain honestly, “The Dao is Hidden and Nameless is not so easy to break. An ordinary sword furnace can’t even forge it.”

“Of course I know.”

Ning Ruoque heard a few more low chuckles.

A cool water droplet fell on the back of her hand, like being brushed by a spring breeze and a flower petal, and the itching spread to the bottom of her heart.

The hem of the sword cultivator’s clothes was all wet. Yin Buran even deliberately propped herself up and leaned over to look.

“You’ve been reading every night recently. What are you reading? Tell me.”

The sweet fragrance mixed with the steam, and Ning Ruoque now understood.

Yin Buran was doing it on purpose. This was really too bad.

She had clearly mentioned dual cultivation several times, and it was on the tip of her tongue, and she had even come to knock on her. In the end, she did nothing, and her nonchalant look was like a leisurely cat.

Full of bad intentions, and only aimed at her.

Ning Ruoque could even imagine Yin Buran’s smile. Her warm and moist eyes in the steam must be very beautiful.

For a moment, her heart pounded, and she forgot everything.

She couldn’t bear to blame her, so she could only blame herself.

So stupid. Why couldn’t she say that she liked her?

Ning Ruoque gave up on herself.

She lowered her head, more dejected than ever before, but her voice trembled, “Ranran…”

“Can you… can you give me a quick one?”