Chapter 39: Borrowing a Name Part 2

“I’m not giving it to you.” Sang Chencao tucked the snake back into her sleeve and stood up, looking down at the other woman. “You don’t know how to raise it. What if you kill it? I don’t want to go back to Yellow Sand Cliff a second time.”

Feng Yun’ai had assumed it was the only one left. Stunned, she asked, “There are more at Yellow Sand Cliff?”

“Perhaps. Though if you don’t use the Bug Whistle, they won’t necessarily show their heads.” Sang Chencao’s wet clothes clung to her body, outlining her graceful silhouette—tall but not fragile, quite beautiful to behold.

Feng Yun’ai looked away and gave a light cough. Her breathing was smooth now, but the aftereffects hadn’t faded, and her body still didn’t feel quite right.

Sang Chencao lifted her dripping hair and arched an eyebrow. “Going to Cloud City this time, we shouldn’t run into them again.”

“Why?” Feng Yun’ai didn’t believe it. Since Guanfeng Gate had managed to find them here, they surely had other clever tracking methods.

Sang Chencao sneered. “After I broke the Nine Palaces Formation, they searched everywhere for me. I beat them at their own game—I caught one of them and used the Disguise Art to make them look like me. That art was passed down from the Moonlight Sect; one must either endure it for a set period or use fire to break the seal. Ordinary people wouldn’t think of that.”

“Isn’t that just…” Feng Yun’ai pursed her lips.

Isn’t that just harming an innocent?

Sang Chencao leaned down, reaching out to brush away the messy hair on the other’s forehead. She smiled and said, “Xiuxiu, they were the ones who attacked us first. I merely used a small trick to escape. Why are you only worried about others?”

Feng Yun’ai closed her eyes, feigning ignorance as if she hadn’t heard a word.

“With that disguise on, no matter how clearly that person explains, not everyone will believe them. That person might even be used as an example to warn others.” Sang Chencao drew out her words. “If they don’t want to be killed, they’ll have to run for their lives.”

Feng Yun’ai had known long ago that this woman was no saint. Hearing this now, she couldn’t help but criticize her inwardly—she truly was poisonous.

“Running away is good. It buys us plenty of time to enter the city.” Sang Chencao was quite pleased.

Feng Yun’ai only hoped that person could survive this period and wouldn’t be killed for no reason while being mistaken for Wen Lanxin.

“You…” Feng Yun’ai changed the subject. “You still haven’t said how you found me.”

She feared that this woman might have planted something other than Gu insects on her.

Sang Chencao laughed softly. “Rest easy, Xiuxiu. I didn’t drug you. The Subordinate Gu are dead, but their scent remains. The Mother Gu only needs a single sniff to find its way here.”

Feng Yun’ai turned her head suspiciously and sniffed her own shoulder. She asked guardedly, “What scent?”

The woman in indigo suddenly leaned in, sniffing Feng Yun’ai’s hair. “Hmm… how to put it? It’s a bit like Epiphyllum fragrance. So crisp and cool, it suits you well.”

“A lie?” Feng Yun’ai would no longer fall for her tricks.

“Xiuxiu, you’re a killjoy.” Sang Chencao pulled back and wrung the water from her hair. Only then did she use her internal power to steam her clothes dry. As she did, she said, “I’ve said what I’ve said. Just take it as the truth for now, alright?”

The way she used such an intimate nickname was enough to grow calluses on Feng Yun’ai’s ears. She no longer wished to argue over it.

Watching the woman’s wet clothes begin to flutter in the wind again, Feng Yun’ai stood up. “Since things have come to this, let us head to Cloud City early.”

“Yes, us.” Sang Chencao’s tone was cheerful.

Feng Yun’ai gave her a cold sideways glance, only to see the woman nonchalantly pull out a human-skin mask and slowly press it onto her face.

Sang Chencao said, “Even though someone is disguised as me, I should still be careful.”

Feng Yun’ai unconsciously touched her own face.

“With your eye veil, others won’t recognize your true appearance. It’s fine.” Sang Chencao paused, then added with deep meaning, “Sui Jianxue of Qiushui Pavilion also uses a blindfold. However, unlike you, she was born blind.”

Feng Yun’ai didn’t understand her point.

Sang Chencao continued, “Sui Jianxue is kind-hearted, so Qiushui Pavilion has taken in many with poor eyesight. People in the Jianghu respect Qiushui Pavilion to some degree. They might not necessarily try to trip you up in Cloud City.”

The Jianghu Records also contained entries regarding Qiushui Pavilion. It was indeed a sect full of goodwill, mostly taking in children who had been disabled and orphaned since childhood.

“You want me to deceive others?” Feng Yun’ai frowned.

Sang Chencao scoffed. “It’s not like I’m asking you to go around lying. What others think is their business. If you step forward to explain, you might just make things worse.”

Feng Yun’ai felt uneasy and didn’t want to speak further. She turned away. “If we’re going to Cloud City, let’s hurry. If we’re fast, we might arrive before sunset.”

“Don’t be in such a rush. I’ve just changed my face; you should look at me a few more times so you don’t recognize the wrong person later.” Sang Chencao pulled on Feng Yun’ai, forcing her to turn back.

Utterly annoyed, Feng Yun’ai was forced to look. She was immediately stunned.

The Disguise Art was truly exquisite. Even after staring for a while, she couldn’t find a single flaw. It was as if the woman had been born with this face.

At first glance, the face appeared plain and dull, but the moment those sharp, snake-like eyes shifted slightly, the sense of danger returned.

“How is it?” Sang Chencao asked.

“Is there anything you can’t do?” Feng Yun’ai couldn’t help but ask.

Sang Chencao said joyfully, “Xiuxiu, is that praise? I love hearing it.”

Feng Yun’ai was unwilling to say more.

This place was about three miles from the desolate forest, just enough to bypass it.

However, since their horses were gone, the two could only rely on their Lightness Skills to travel. Fortunately, the closer they got to Cloud City, the more resting places there were.

The two took a brief break at a tea stall. They saw several people dressed in practical, light clothing, seemingly fellow Jianghu travelers heading to Cloud City.

Feng Yun’ai didn’t know if there were any Guanfeng Gate spies among them. She sat quietly, not even taking more than a sip of tea.

Sang Chencao, on the other hand, was natural. She picked up a cup and brought it to Feng Yun’ai’s lips, saying, “Xiuxiu, moisten your throat.”

Feng Yun’ai had no desire to refuse. She knew that if she moved away, the cup would just follow her. Pushing back and forth like that would only arouse more suspicion.

She took a shallow sip and said softly, “That’s enough.”

Sang Chencao lowered her hand, secretly scanning everyone in the stall.

Suddenly, someone spoke up. “Have you heard? The Hero Recruitment Meet has been moved up!”