Chapter 67

Chapter 67: Epilogue – Never to be Apart

Fengyuan City had grown uneasy lately. Rumor claimed that shortly after midnight, alluring voices echoed from certain alleyways—wild and unrestrained.

Nearby residents initially dismissed it as illicit encounters, enduring the disturbance. But after nights of disruption, one finally snapped. Throwing open his window shutters, he squinted into the darkness, ready to shout curses… only to find emptiness.

He rubbed his eyes, peered harder—still nothing. Assuming he’d imagined it, he shut the window. Yet the instant it closed, the sounds resumed. Gritting his teeth, he yanked the shutters open again.

Emptiness.

After several repetitions, dread replaced sleepiness. He fled to the government offices like a man possessed. In his panic, he sought mortal authorities instead of immortal sects, disturbing officials deep into the night. After deliberation, they sent a plea to Frostbite Sect.

When the letter arrived, Ye Qingshang sat in the meeting hall, toying with a Yunshan Sect whistle. She glanced up, cool gaze sweeping the room. “Alluring voices?”

Sect Leader Yu Songshang coughed, privately noting how Ye Qingshang’s demeanor had relaxed since becoming an elder. Asking such things openly! He swiftly changed tack. “What of the complainant?”

The messenger—a government runner—recalled the man’s hysterics at the office and answered dismissively, “Perfectly fine.”

“Hmm…” Yu Songshang stroked his beard, turning to Ye Qingshang. “What’s your view, Qingshang?”

He’d circled back to burdening her. As Frostbite Sect’s sole grandmaster since Ning Jiwei’s death, she’d inherited his elder seat. A grandmaster and elder before twenty—her standing now rivaled his own.

Yu Songshang sighed inwardly. Ning Jiwei had thrown away his title as foremost grandmaster, committing the unforgivable sin of stealing a disciple’s golden core. His death left Frostbite Sect ostracized by immortal sects for days.

Without Ye Qingshang’s marriage to Mu Huaiyun—and Qiao Zhu saving her at the ceremony—Ye Qingshang’s revitalized return might have cost Yu Songshang his leadership.

“Hmm…” Ye Qingshang pondered, the situation naggingly familiar. Suddenly her eyes lit with realization. “Charm monsters.”

“Charm monsters?” Yu Songshang doubted. The cultivation world knew charm monsters were scarce, the few survivors locked in Sparrow Prison Tower. How could one wreak havoc now?

Ye Qingshang explained patiently, “The Charm Flower’s emergence once heralded Sparrow Prison Tower’s breach. Everyone was preoccupied with reinforcing the wards and repairing the spire. A charm monster likely escaped unnoticed then.”

Yu Songshang remained unconvinced. “But Fengyuan City shows no Charm Flower signs. Why assume it’s charm monsters?”

Ye Qingshang saw how stubborn he was and was too lazy for lengthy explanations. She selected key points: "Charm monsters with lower cultivation, or those deliberately hiding their traces, won’t trigger the Charm Flower’s appearance." Finally, she waved her hand impatiently. "Leave this matter to me. The sect leader needn’t worry."

With that, she rose and exited the meeting hall, disregarding Yu Songshang and the others’ expressions. Truly, as long as this matter was resolved properly, the rest was insignificant.

Clutching the sound-transmitting whistle, she gazed skyward, her vision piercing the clouds as she thought of someone from Yunshan Sect. An unconscious smile touched her lips, warmth filling her eyes.

Were it not for Frostbite Sect’s upbringing and her own attachment to it, her current status as Yunshan Sect’s young master’s wife should have her inseparable from Mu Huaiyun. How had she ended up separated?

Ultimately, it was a choice.

Yet, only three days back at Frostbite Sect, her thoughts had flown far away. Each day apart felt like three years; the longing was intense…

Far away at Yunshan Sect, Mu Huaiyun fell into deep thought upon receiving the whistle’s message. Since Ye Qingshang had lost her inner core and her spiritual power had dissipated, halting her cultivation, he had prepared treasures requiring no spiritual power for her. This whistle was one, enabling communication like a sound-transmission spell.

His contemplation stemmed solely from Qiao Zhu’s gaze, which troubled him deeply.

Qiao Zhu narrowed her eyes, resentment plain on her face. "Young Master, you surely don’t intend to go to Fengyuan City?"

Since Mu Huaiyun’s wedding, Mu Shezhi had considered passing the Yunshan Sect leadership to him, gradually involving him in sect affairs like management.

But during his newlywed days, when Ye Qingshang was still at Yunshan Sect, the couple had been inseparable. Aside from crucial matters, they’d dumped almost all chores onto Qiao Zhu. As the Medicine Hall’s top disciple, buried in trivial tasks and endlessly busy, her resentment ran deep.

Finally, after Ye Qingshang returned to Frostbite Sect, Mu Huaiyun focused on sect affairs, freeing Qiao Zhu. Yet within days, a transmission arrived: charm monsters had appeared in Fengyuan City, requiring Mu Huaiyun’s aid.

"Aid" was a flimsy excuse—merely the lovers’ playfulness. Qiao Zhu understood perfectly. Reasoning with him, she advised, "Young Master, though Sister Ye lacks spiritual power now, Qianyu remains steadfastly by her side. That spiritual weapon’s power has surged, nearly unmatched. A mere charm monster couldn’t withstand one strike from Qianyu. Why does the Young Master need to aid her?"

The implication: *Stay and handle sect affairs, or I’ll collapse under the workload!*

Mu Huaiyun pretended deep thought. After a long pause, under Qiao Zhu’s hopeful gaze, he spoke: "My thanks for your trouble."

*Thanks?!* Qiao Zhu thought she misheard. But the next instant, his fading afterimage confirmed she hadn’t. She stared blankly at the spot. A moment later, an outraged cry shook heaven and earth: "Mu! Huai! Yun!"

Qiao Ren, passing by, saw his sister’s foul mood and guessed the cause. Leaning in, he shook his head ruefully. *Great. Immortal partners being sweet. Skip dinner—I’m full already.*

Mu Huaiyun reached Fengyuan City the following night. The usual three-day journey halved spoke of his urgency, though they’d parted mere days ago.

Ye Qingshang leaned by the window, watching Mu Huaiyun draw near. Mischief flashed in her eyes. As he approached, she turned away, deliberately creating distance. "Ah Yun, my earlier call for aid wasn’t for other reasons. It truly was about the monsters in Fengyuan City."

Her teasing tone was unmistakable. Mu Huaiyun shook his head helplessly. With a flick of spiritual power, he pulled her into his embrace. Breathing in her scent, he rested his chin on her hair, contentment washing over him. "Qingshang, I missed you terribly."

A light laugh escaped her. She teased further, "Ah Yun, that’s your fault. How can you miss me so after just days apart? Could it be… you harbor other thoughts?"

Since regaining her pre-ten-year-old memories, a childhood wildness surfaced in Ye Qingshang. Shedding her usual coolness, she teased unknowingly, effortlessly charming.

Defenseless before her, Mu Huaiyun found the smallest spark easily ignited by her, making him feel rather beastly. Holding her tighter, he murmured by her ear, low and enticing, "Then, Qingshang, tell me what other thoughts I harbor?"

"Naturally…" She pulled back slightly, turning to speak with a smile, but the words died in her throat. Blue-purple hues bloomed on the windowsill, flower buds unfurling, releasing an intoxicating fragrance.

Ye Qingshang had underestimated the charm monster, thinking it weak and trusting Qianyu’s protection. She forgot: charm monsters adore handsome youths. Mu Huaiyun’s arrival provoked the monster, drawing it straight to them.

Her pre-core-loss cultivation method fostered clarity. Years of habit rendered such charm spells useless against her. But Mu Huaiyun…

Powerless and too slow to summon Qianyu, she could only watch as the purple smoke enveloped Mu Huaiyun, his gaze turning clouded and dark…

*Trouble!* She hastily summoned Qianyu. The sword blazed, cleansing the Charm Flower from the sill and pursuing outside—likely sensing the monster’s location to slay it.

But… it was far too late.

Watching Mu Huaiyun draw closer, Ye Qingshang wanted to strangle the charm monster. Legends said the Charm Flower’s smoke induced potent charm spells on men, fueling relentless energy all night. Mu Huaiyun was already insatiable; enchanted, he’d be…

She tried to struggle, pushing against him. "Ah Yun, look at me. I’ve lost my core. My stamina is truly weak. Perhaps tonight we should just…"

The final word was cut off as Mu Huaiyun swept her up and onto the bed. Giving her no chance to speak, he kissed her.

Hot, fierce, the kiss felt eternal. Ye Qingshang closed her eyes helplessly, wanting to cry. She’d heard of demon-slayers fleeing when outmatched, but never of winning yet still paying the price herself.

A soft whimper escaped her, full of grievance. The man above her, displeased by her distraction, bit her lightly in punishment and pressed forward without warning.

Stifled cries of pain and low sobs drifted through the undrawn window curtain as moonlight spilled onto the sill.

Simultaneously, a strange shriek echoed from a distant alley end. Qianyu’s blade flashed, a crimson hue vanishing instantly. It considered returning but hesitated. Given its master’s current state, returning seemed… inappropriate.

Thus, the spiritual weapon ranked third, the esteemed Qianyu, deliberated carefully before deciding to float idly upon a nearby white wall.

It floated there for three full days, thoroughly startling passersby.

Of course, that was a tale for later.

—Epilogue End—