Chapter 72
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Chapter 72: Title
"Why ship me off? Think I’m useless?" Lu Ciyou protested during their return to Linfeng Courtyard.
Suiyin tugged her sleeve, sending voice transmission: *"Consider A Li."*
Lu Ciyou stiffened, swallowing further complaints.
Truthfully, she’d contemplated sending A Li to Liujin Pavilion. The Golden Core loss was her fault – rebuilding required not just time but continuous rare Spiritual Plants. A Li’s minor sect couldn’t sustain that, but to Liujin Pavilion? Trifling.
With A Li’s talent, core restoration would take mere years there.
Yet when proposed last night, A Li refused:
"Don’t make me leave. The Golden Core – I’ll handle it. Let me protect you."
Pleading shimmered beneath her earnest gaze.
She needed to stay.
"Trust me."
"Okay."
Lu Ciyou snapped back to reality, watching Xia Shi and Suiyin walking ahead side by side. She turned to see A Li lingering a step behind and grabbed her wrist, pulling her close.
A Li should stand right beside her – not half a step ahead or behind.
Their hands naturally intertwined, fingers gradually locking together as they walked.
Lu Ciyou playfully rubbed the base of Yan Li’s fingers in repeated circles. When she felt the hand tense and try to pull away, she tightened her grip and blinked innocently. "Ticklish, A Li? Why’s your neck turning pink?"
Yan Li averted her gaze, murmuring, "No."
Seeing the blush creep up to her companion’s ears, Lu Ciyou chuckled low in her throat, eyes crinkling with mischief.
Yan Li sighed through her nose but let Lu Ciyou keep toying with her hand, well accustomed to these antics.
The repaired stone table in Linfeng Courtyard now bore reinforcement formations where Xia Shi had shattered its predecessor. Four women sat around it in heavy silence until-
*Ting!*
All eyes dropped to the source beneath the table.
Xia Shi’s jade bell glowed faintly. She tapped the artifact at her waist, recognizing the spiritual signature. "Another message from Senior Sister Sect Leader."
Spiritual power streamed from the bell, weaving shimmering characters in the air:
*The Book of All Knowledge holds answers about the past. Wen Zhishu comes to Canghai via teleportation formation. My sword energy protects her – investigate freely.*
Xia Shi’s brow furrowed. "Why would she send Wen Zhishu? The girl can barely channel spiritual power, yet carries our sect’s greatest artifact…"
"Can she even survive the journey?" Lu Ciyou blurted. "Fragile girl hauling precious treasure through wolf country? What was Sect Leader of Sanqing thinki-" She caught herself mid-rant, remembering two Sanqing disciples at the table.
Yan Li quietly defended, "Master… the sect leader must have her reasons."
"I’ll retrieve her." Xia Shi stood, spiritual power flaring in the jade bell as a compass.
Suiyin rose too. "I’ll-"
"Find Huashang." Xia Shi cut her off with a glance toward the eastern gates. Before protests formed, she dissolved into a streak of light.
The jade bell led her to jagged cliffs where wolf cries echoed. Broken stones littered the ground, still vibrating from recent teleportation magic.
This was already the outskirts of Si Hai City, where encountering wild beasts wasn’t unusual.
As wolf howls intensified, a sword light pierced the sky. Xia Shi’s eyes narrowed as she disappeared in a flash.
The air reeked of blood, the ground covered with gray wolf corpses – clear evidence of a wolf pack’s gathering spot.
Amidst the carnage stood a blue-clad figure. The woman trembled slightly, eyes rimmed red, though her pale face brightened upon seeing Xia Shi.
"Xia Shi."
Wen Zhishu looked frail enough to be blown over by a breeze.
She moved past the wolf corpses toward Xia Shi, gaze downcast as she murmured, "I came without consulting you first. Does this interfere with your affairs?"
Xia Shi remained silent, studying her until Wen Zhishu fidgeted under the scrutiny. Finally came the terse reply: "No."
Wen Zhishu’s smile returned. "Good."
Her eyes drifted behind Xia Shi. "Where’s Suiyin? Didn’t she come?"
"No." Xia Shi summoned her Long Sword and stepped on, leaving room behind.
"Board."
As Wen Zhishu stepped onto the blade, the Heartless Sword shuddered violently. Both women staggered, Wen Zhishu desperately clutching Xia Shi’s waistband.
"What’s wrong?"
Xia Shi frowned. The normally placid sword shouldn’t act this way without Suiyin nearby.
She channeled spiritual power through her sword fingers into the blade, soothing the agitated weapon until its tremors ceased.
Preparing to depart, Xia Shi noticed the hand still gripping her waist.
"Stable now."
"I…I’m frightened." Wen Zhishu loosened her grip slightly, transferring her hold to Xia Shi’s outer garment.
Xia Shi lifted her arm, meaning to offer her sleeve. Wen Zhishu misinterpreted the gesture, seizing Xia Shi’s hand with both of hers.
The frail woman’s palms felt unnaturally warm – different from Suiyin’s cool grasp.
Xia Shi turned her face away, noticing Wen Zhishu’s trembling shoulders. "Close your eyes if scared."
"Mm."
Xia Shi accelerated faster than usual. Wind whipped past them until sudden warmth enveloped them, carrying cherry blossom fragrance.
Their feet touched ground before a courtyard where two figures conversed.
Xia Shi tugged her trapped hand. "Release me."
Wen Zhishu jerked back, revealing red pressure marks on Xia Shi’s pale skin from her desperate grip.
"I’m sorry."
She reached out apologetically to touch the deepest red mark but was met with avoidance.
"It’s nothing."
Xia Shi turned her hand over, pale golden spiritual power swirling around her palm. The energy coiled along the mark, restoring the skin instantly.
"Healed."
They emerged from the cherry blossom grove to find Lu Ciyou glancing their way. The young master rose upon seeing Xia Shi’s return.
Wen Zhishu dipped her head respectfully. "Young Master Lu."
Lu Ciyou acknowledged with a polite nod before addressing Xia Shi, her brow tightening. "Young Master Yu visited earlier."
"What did he want?"
"Just circled the area before leaving." Lu Ciyou’s eyes followed distant ripples in the air. "He departed toward where Suiyin went."
"Wait—! I never said where Suiyin—"
The streak of light vanished before she finished. Lu Ciyou clicked her tongue. "Impatient, isn’t she?"
Remembering their guest, she turned. "Miss Wen, please sit. They’ll return soon."
Wen Zhishu lowered her eyes. "My thanks."
Xia Shi recognized the pavilion immediately—its formations mirrored those Jiang Fenghe had designed for Jiang Yun’s Yunze residence. The Sea Devouring Tower stood defiant on jagged rocks, its gaze fixed on the restless East Sea.
Few Canghai disciples patrolled here. Xia Shi swept downward on her sword, skirting the tower’s edge until she spotted a figure on wave-battered rocks.
Suiyin crouched precariously, fingers stretching toward something in the crevices. Behind her, a wall of seawater towered thrice the rock’s height, frothing with spiritual energy that could drag even seasoned cultivators to the depths. Xia Shi’s throat tightened—she’d seen that hungry sea claim a sword cultivator years ago, vanishing them before companions could blink.
The girl didn’t flinch as the wave crested. Xia Shi dove, breath trapped in her chest. Saltwater crashed as she yanked Suiyin sideways through the narrowing gap between rock and fury, their robes drenched.
On safer ground, Xia Shi’s reprimand died unspoken. A blossom quivered before her—crimson petals unfurling like tidal ripples, sea-salted breeze teasing its fragile form.
"For you." Suiyin emerged from behind the flower, damp bangs plastered to her forehead. Joy shimmered in her gaze like sunlight through seawater.
"Why?" Xia Shi’s voice caught. She knew this bloom—the East Sea’s lonely sentinel, forever facing the horizon. The Sea Viewing Flower.
Because this flower was extremely rare, the legends passed down in Si Hai City spoke of the Sea Viewing Flower representing unspoken affections – a love token.
Did Suiyin understand its meaning when giving it now?
"I picked it because it looked pretty."
Clearly, she didn’t.
Xia Shi lowered her eyes, refusing to take the blossom.
"Keep it. When you truly comprehend its meaning someday, give it to your chosen person."
"Chosen person? There’s no one else." Suiyin tilted her head. "I only want to give it to you."
Unaware of her own reaction, Xia Shi felt the corners of her lips lift into a faint smile.
She brushed a fingertip across the petals, encasing the flower in shimmering spiritual power.
"You hold it for now."
Did this mean acceptance?
Suiyin’s eyes curved like crescent moons as she carefully stored the blossom away.
"Why did you come?"
Xia Shi’s expression hardened, recalling the earlier transgression.
"Had I not arrived, you’d be wave-food now. Do you grasp the danger?"
Suiyin’s bright grin faded. "I’d have escaped," she mumbled at her feet.
Peeking through her lashes, she saw Xia Shi sigh. The girl had only meant to gift her the flower, after all.
"Did Young Master Yu seek you?"
"Why would he?"
"You haven’t seen him?"
Xia Shi had rushed here fearing Suiyin might encounter him after Lu Ciyou mentioned the Glazed Purification Brush in Sea Devouring Tower.
Apparently needlessly.
"No." Suiyin shook her head. "Why?"
"…Nothing."
She’d been tricked.
