Help, I’m Being Forced to Marry a Frail and Sickly Immortal Doctor! 9

Chapter 9: A Sword’s Startling Appearance

Giving her flowers.

Qingtong moved quickly, disappearing in a flash.

Recalling Yin Buran’s cold expression when she was kicked out just now, Ning Ruoque stiffened.

She had been too impulsive, her mind had blanked, and she had blurted out what she was thinking.

With a heavy heart, she broke off a branch of wintersweet plum blossoms and walked to a more open area.

When in doubt, practice the sword. Perhaps she would feel better after she was done.

The courtyard was filled with precious flowers, plants, and exquisite scenery, so she practiced only the sword forms, without using any spiritual energy.

The sword cultivator in black stood amidst the plum grove, the flower branch in her hand hanging diagonally, tapping lightly.

Then she began, and with one move of the sword, she was as graceful as a swimming dragon. She broke through the oncoming wind, startling a flurry of scattered falling flowers.

She drew back her sword, gently brushing past the petals without harming them in the slightest.

The sword cultivator’s movements were not fast, but they were as smooth as flowing clouds and water, without any stagnation, a pleasing sight to behold.

After a round of the sword dance, the flower branch in her hand was still a flower branch, not even the buds on it were damaged.

The fallen flowers that had originally piled up at her feet had been carried away by the wind.

Ning Ruoque calmed her breathing and contemplated her sword forms from just now.

A hundred years was but the blink of an eye to her, so her feel for the sword was no different from before.

However, affected by her cultivation level, there was still room for improvement.

She subconsciously performed a dashing sword flourish. When she turned around, she found that the room’s window was open.

Yin Buran was sitting on the cool couch, her chin propped up, having watched for who knows how long.

For a moment, Ning Ruoque felt that Yin Buran’s gaze had passed through her and landed on a more distant place.

But when she came back to her senses, the other person had already averted her gaze and said faintly, “Come in.”

Before she could ask, Yin Buran had closed the window.

Ning Ruoque had no choice but to clutch the flower branch and walk into the room with trepidation.

She had already decided that if Yin Buran showed the slightest tendency to bristle, she would give her the flowers as an apology.

After turning past a screen, she stopped, her hands behind her back.

The person before her had already changed into a set of intricate, wide-sleeved robes, her white hair tied up with an ebony cloud-patterned hairpin.

She sat primly, drinking tea, quiet and aloof.

Ning Ruoque couldn’t tell if she was angry and asked dryly, “Are you going out?”

Qingtong was draping a cloak over Yin Buran. “Brightlight Pavilion has moved the Grand Immortal Selection forward to today. Little Senior Sister wants to go and have a look.”

“Oh.”

Ning Ruoque immediately thought of Yan Lingge. The young girl must have been frightened last night. She wondered if she had rested well.

Once everything was in order, Yin Buran started to walk, and Ning Ruoque naturally followed.

Yin Buran didn’t speak, and she couldn’t find a reason to get closer, so she could only trail behind the two of them.

As soon as they left, someone waiting outside the courtyard inquired about the situation and hurried off to report.

By the time they arrived at the venue for the Grand Immortal Selection, a simple, wind-sheltered pavilion had already been set up on a high platform.

The pavilion was fully equipped with fruits, tea, soft couches, and warm stoves, for fear of wronging Yin Buran in the slightest.

Xu Chuo saw them from afar and immediately came forward to bow, then diligently arranged for Yin Buran to be seated.

“Why did the venerable one think to come and watch this?” She poured a cup of tea with a beaming smile and personally brought it to Yin Buran.

Yin Buran didn’t touch the tea, answering with a proper posture, “I’ve never seen it.”

The medical cultivators of Azurefall Creek were either picked up from outside or came of their own accord. They were not screened and ranked according to talent, nor was there a distinction between inner and outer sects.

Xu Chuo smiled, taking it as a perfunctory reply.

“The venerable one also saw the situation last night, with the demonic cultivator causing trouble. For your safety, it would be best to leave as soon as possible.”

“Improper. What if I am attacked by the demonic cultivator on the road?”

Yin Buran tapped the teacup with her fingertip. “Besides, Qingtong has not yet seen the patient. As a doctor, how can I just go back?”

Her refusal was very reasonable. Xu Chuo’s expression didn’t change, and she even joked, “In that case, I hope the venerable one won’t mind Brightlight Pavilion’s poor hospitality.”

After speaking, she consciously excused herself and summoned a group of people to stand guard, under the pretext of worrying about the esteemed guest’s safety.

Ning Ruoque had been quietly acting as a background character all this time.

She could see it now. Due to Yin Buran’s status, Brightlight Pavilion couldn’t send her away or offend her, so they could only treat her like an ancestor.

And they were afraid that she would discover the secrets within the pavilion, so they monitored and guarded against her at every turn.

Perhaps in Brightlight Pavilion, the ones who invited the medical cultivator and the ones who wished Yin Buran would leave quickly were not the same group of people.

As soon as Xu Chuo left, Yin Buran leaned directly against the soft pillow, not bothering to pretend for a second longer.

Qingtong went to light the incense, then took out the tea set and tea leaves that Yin Buran usually used from her storage bracelet and brewed a new pot.

She was as busy as a little bee, and the Grand Immortal Selection had not yet officially begun. Ning Ruoque was restless, wishing she could hide herself in the shadows.

It seemed she was always at a loss as to how to interact naturally with Yin Buran.

After a long while, Yin Buran spoke slowly, “What are you holding?”

It took Ning Ruoque a moment to realize that Yin Buran was talking to her.

“Flowers.” Ning Ruoque honestly opened her hand to show Yin Buran.

Light green plum blossoms, their petals as translucent as jade, with a pleasant fragrance.

Ning Ruoque remembered her original purpose and, steeling herself, placed the flower branch in front of Yin Buran.

Ning Ruoque usually just stuffed food into people’s hands, and of course, occasionally gifted them a sword.

This was the first time she had given something as soft and fragile as “flowers,” which had little practical value.

If she weren’t so poor right now, with nothing to her name, she would never have given this to Yin Buran.

She didn’t say a word, her gaze shifting to the venue outside the pavilion. People had already started to arrive, but she didn’t see Yan Lingge.

Yin Buran propped up her head and leisurely admired the blush on Ning Ruoque’s earlobes.

She suddenly asked, “Are the flowers prettier, or am I?”

“…”

Ning Ruoque quickly glanced at the flower branch, not daring to look at Yin Buran.

From her limited experience, if she didn’t answer this kind of question well, Yin Buran would definitely get angry.

Her lips moved, and she quickly spat out a single word, “You.”

Yin Buran’s eyes narrowed slightly, and the corners of her mouth also had a tendency to curve upwards.

But her tone was icy, as if questioning, “Then why do you only look at the flowers and not at me?”

Ning Ruoque was stunned for a moment.

Before she could react, her body had already moved.

She looked up and met Yin Buran’s eyes.

They were radiant and gentle, the smile and the stars in her eyes about to overflow.

Ning Ruoque only felt something crackling in her mind, and then there was only a blank space.

Even that bit of shame was completely forgotten.

This time, she was extremely serious. “You are much prettier than the flowers.”

She could say with all selfishness that, even in the entire cultivation world, Yin Buran was the most beautiful person she had ever seen.

This compliment clearly pleased a certain someone. She fiddled with the flower branch and patted the spot beside her.

“Come and sit.”

The chaise lounge that Xu Chuo had specially prepared was very large, enough for two or three people to sit.

Ning Ruoque hesitated for a moment, then chose the spot furthest from Yin Buran.

Even so, she sat extremely upright, as if ready to escape at any moment, a stark contrast to Yin Buran.

Yin Buran was the picture of laziness, leaning against the couch as if she had no bones. “What you just said, can you say it again?”

Ning Ruoque was bewildered. “Why?”

“I have hysteria. It’s normal for me to forget.”

Ning Ruoque: “…”

Well, well. She thought the matter was over, but she didn’t expect Yin Buran to be waiting for her here!

She was now filled with regret.

How could she have forgotten that this person had inherited the “fine tradition” of Azurefall Creek, especially the love of holding grudges.

In the past, Yin Buran used to stuff strange medicinal powders into her medicine pouch, such as one that would make people bark like a dog after smelling it, or one that would directly cause facial paralysis, and so on.

Those who provoked her would end up being tortured until they cried bitterly and regretted their actions.

Ning Ruoque sat as still as a mountain. If she complied today, she would definitely be teased repeatedly in the future.

She forcefully changed the subject. “Actually, Xu Chuo is right. In your current condition, you shouldn’t stay here any longer. It’s best to have someone come and take you back, and then have the Immortal Alliance investigate Brightlight Pavilion.”

This was also what she had wanted to say all along.

She frowned. “My cultivation has dropped drastically. If we really encounter danger, I might not be able to protect you.”

After all, things were not as they were before. A sword cultivator without their life-bound sword only had seventy percent of their normal strength.

Therefore, even though she knew that Yin Buran might possess a heaven-tier artifact capable of leveling the entire Brightlight Pavilion, she would still choose the safest option.

“Oh?”

Yin Buran twirled the flower branch in her hand, seeming to pay no heed to Ning Ruoque’s words.

A few plum blossoms that were originally in bud suddenly bloomed.

She let out a soft chuckle and said meaningfully:

“I don’t believe you.”