Chapter 14: Like

“Thank you, I’ve finished looking.” Lu Shiyuan snapped out of her immersion almost instantly. With a flip of her hand, she closed the scroll and handed it back to Hua Qiu.

The latter was puffing out her cheeks as she munched on the osmanthus cake in her hand. Her round eyes were half-closed in a look of utter contentment, though her tone carried a touch of pity. “Lu Shiyuan, after seeing that, you’re not going to lie awake tonight overthinking things, are you?”

“How could I?” Lu Shiyuan arched an eyebrow and took a sip of the tea beside her. “Hua Qiu, you’re seriously underestimating me.”

She was merely curious, after all.

“But you’re right about one thing. I’ve grown quite accustomed to life in Yedu. After spending so much time with all of you, the thought of eventually parting ways does make me a little sad.”

Hua Qiu rolled her eyes at that. “Who exactly are you going to miss? It can’t be me and Nan Jin, can it?”

Lu Shiyuan curved her eyes in a smile but said nothing.

Three years hadn’t passed without leaving some mark on her.

With Shang Si’s unwavering support over these years—drawing on countless precious medicinal herbs from Yedu—half of the spirit veins in Lu Shiyuan’s body had now been fully repaired.

At this point, the medicinal baths had served their purpose.

The final step was also the most critical. Difficult as it was difficult, simple as it was simple: refine a Soul-Protecting Pill using Ten-Thousand-Year He Shou Wu and Fire Spirit Spike as the catalysts to safeguard the soul. Then, find a cultivator who had reached the pinnacle of their realm to unleash a torrent of potent spiritual energy against her ruined spirit veins—death and rebirth—achieving complete success.

But Ten-Thousand-Year He Shou Wu wasn’t so easy to come by.

Shang Si had once possessed a specimen, but she had used it the previous time to save Shang Luo from the brink of death.

As for the known remaining ten-thousand-year lingzhi in the world, the Fire Phoenix Clan in the Demon Realm had one. However, since Shang Si would still need to take Lu Shiyuan there later to request the Fire Spirit Spike, the Fire Phoenix Clan was temporarily off the table. That left the Kunlun Sect.

A few days earlier, Lu Shiyuan had overheard Shang Si mention in passing that she would soon set aside her current affairs and personally escort Lu Shiyuan to Kunlun to obtain the spiritual medicine.

But that was all talk for the future. The moment Lu Shiyuan thought of the mountain of daily trivial matters piling up in Yedu, Shang Si’s promised “soon” felt as distant as the modern “someday” from her life before transmigrating.

At Wangxian Tower, the lavish feast of rare seafood delicacies ended with Hua Qiu devouring one portion on the spot and packing another to take away. She hadn’t stood on ceremony at all.

Over the course of the meal, Lu Shiyuan’s Sound Transmission Talisman lit up several times. Shang Si’s voice came through, instructing her to head straight to the Cave Heaven Secret Realm upon returning.

Leaving Wangxian Tower, Lu Shiyuan flew directly to the Rear Mountain of the Imperial City. Yedu’s Imperial City encompassed a vast area—not just the central palace complex, but also the grand prison in the northeast corner and a lush expanse of mountains stretching out behind it, home to many spiritual beasts that had awakened to intelligence.

She was no longer the frail little waste who had panted for breath after merely channeling spiritual energy to fly a short distance three years ago. As a sword cultivator, her sword was her instrument, allowing her to soar through the heavens and plunge into the earth with perfect freedom. The whistling wind filled her ears as the buildings and palaces below sped past.

This wasn’t her first time here. Lu Shiyuan knew the way well and soon located that familiar aura at the secret realm’s entrance midway up the mountain.

“A Si.” She transformed into a streak of light and landed behind the woman. The spiritual ornaments and jade pendants at her waist clinked crisply together. Her voice brimmed with laughter—no need for the other to turn; she had already sensed it.

“You’re here.” Shang Si turned sideways, her gaze settling on Lu Shiyuan’s smiling face. She hooked the corner of her lips. “You went to see the painting with Hua Qiu?”

“Mm… You knew?” Lu Shiyuan was a bit surprised.

“Nan Jin stopped by this morning and let it slip.” As Shang Si spoke to the person at her side, her hands moved through the air, forming seals. In a few breaths, several sealing incantations took shape, which she pressed onto the stone wall at the secret realm’s entrance.

Lu Shiyuan didn’t understand what she was doing. “What’s this for?”

“The spiritual energy in the secret realm has been leaking out lately. I figure Shang Luo’s been inside for three years—given her talent, she should be breaking the seal and emerging soon, probably within the next month or two. The seal’s loosening now, so I’m reinforcing it.”

“Hm?” Lu Shiyuan fell silent for two seconds after hearing Shang Si’s explanation, then let out a puzzled hum.

“It’ll add a bit of challenge to her cultivation path. She’s had it too easy. Back in the day, neither Eldest Sister nor I had it anywhere near as carefree as her.” With the final sealing incantation complete, Shang Si turned fully, brushing a stray lock of hair from her temple. Her beautiful phoenix eyes curved slightly as she looked at Lu Shiyuan, filled with utter conviction.

“…” Lu Shiyuan was speechless.

Truly, a blood aunt through and through.

Shang Luo—the little girl Lu Shiyuan had saved by chance three years ago—still lingered in her memory as soft, adorable, and tiny.

It was unimaginable: such a young child, and Shang Si had simply tossed her alone into the Secret Realm, sealing her away for three full years.

But Shang Si wasn’t finished. She continued in a leisurely tone, “Once she emerges, as the Young Sovereign, she’ll need to get properly acquainted with all the myriad duties in Yedu.”

“So we’re waiting for Little Luo to come out before heading to Kunlun?” Lu Shiyuan caught the hint in Shang Si’s words.

“No, we leave in two days.” Shang Si gave the departure date abruptly—a detail she hadn’t discussed with Lu Shiyuan beforehand, and one she’d weighed carefully for a long time. “Three years of summer and winter have passed. Only the final step remains to fully restore them. You’ve waited a long time already, haven’t you?”

Lu Shiyuan froze, her fingertips curling slightly.

Shang Si had lightly pierced the thoughts buried in Lu Shiyuan’s heart. Her ink-black pupils shimmered with a faint smile as she lowered her gaze. With slender fingers, she hooked the jade pendant hanging at the other’s waist, her fingertip gently caressing its smooth, cool surface.

“Shiyuan, have you thought about what you’ll do once the Spirit Veins are fully repaired?” Shang Si’s vermilion lips parted slightly.

“Go traveling, see the sights?”

“Or return to the sect?”

“Or wander the Mortal Realm through its four seasons, slaying demons and upholding the righteous path as you always have?”

Shang Si ventured guesses at Lu Shiyuan’s possible choices—everything except “stay in Yedu.”

In truth, both women knew it full well: Lu Shiyuan could never stay in Yedu forever.

“I might head back to the sect first, to see Master and all my fellow disciples,” Lu Shiyuan said after a moment of silence, her voice tinged with reluctance as she offered the safe, predictable answer.

Shang Si was still toying with the jade pendant at her waist.

It wasn’t anything valuable, yet Shang Si was particularly taken with it. Lu Shiyuan couldn’t fathom what had caught her eye about that shabby old thing.

Restoring the Spirit Veins was something she’d longed for, desperately. But the thought of leaving Yedu—leaving Shang Si—suddenly filled her with unease.

“A Si.” She furrowed her brow, lowered her eyes, and pressed down on Shang Si’s hand as it played with the pendant. “Do you like this jade pendant?”

“Mm.” Shang Si’s voice held a hint of coolness, her expression giving nothing away. But in the next instant, she gripped the pendant and yanked it forward, pulling Lu Shiyuan right into her embrace. A smile blossomed across her face. “I like every single thing on you.”

It was probably because Lu Shiyuan, from head to toe, was now steeped in her scent.

The two were nearly face-to-face, their breaths tangling together in a rush. Lu Shiyuan’s heart skipped a beat.

Unlike her own preference for muted, simple colors, Shang Si’s gowns and accessories were always vibrant and captivating.

Uncertain of her intent, Lu Shiyuan’s almond-shaped eyes widened slightly. She held her breath as they locked gazes from mere inches apart—so close that the slightest blink would send her lashes brushing Shang Si’s cheek.

Yet Shang Si released the jade pendant at her waist and spoke abruptly. “Lu Shiyuan, I’ve suddenly decided I don’t want to let you go back to Sword Spirit Sect.”