After Being Certified by the Immortal Lord on the Path of Ruthlessness - Chapter 22

Green Wine.

Jiang Mianhao stood frozen in place as if struck by lightning.

When the rooms were assigned yesterday, she had clearly been placed with Ling Lan. So why was Green Wine lying beside her now?

The sun hung high outside the window, its unstoppable rays filtering through the paper panes and scattering flecks of golden light across the face of the person beside her. The sunlight danced upon Ye Qingge’s eyelashes and the bridge of her nose.

Gradually, the startled young woman began to regain her composure.

After all this time they had known each other, this was the first time Jiang Mianhao had seen the immortal lord asleep.

She looked vastly different from when she was awake. In slumber, the sharpness in Ye Qingge’s brows and eyes had softened considerably. The frost that usually gathered between her brows seemed to be melting away under the sun’s warmth, revealing the fragility hidden beneath the icy layers.

For a moment, Jiang Mianhao found herself entranced.

The ever-cold and aloof immortal lord was like the stern spring snow, yet at this moment, that spring snow appeared to be quietly thawing right before her eyes.

Stripped of its frost and indifference, her features appeared exceptionally gentle. Jiang Mianhao couldn’t tell if it was her imagination, but she felt as though the immortal lord before her might shatter at any moment.

Her pale cheeks were dotted with specks of blood, a stark contrast to their pallor. The slender, delicate frame of the young woman trembled faintly, like a restless little creature.

The sight of blood jolted Jiang Mianhao fully awake. She sat up slightly and surveyed the room’s layout.

Not only was Ling Lan absent, but this wasn’t even the room she and Ling Lan had been assigned.

As she sat up, Jiang Mianhao got a clearer view of the sleeping figure.

Flecks of blood were splattered on the hem of her clothes, the back of her hands, and the pillow.

For some reason, a sudden sense of dread welled up in Jiang Mianhao’s heart.

Whether it was the strange dream from last night, waking up in an unfamiliar place, or the blood-stained person beside her. Everything felt unsettling.

Blood-stained person.

Forcing herself to stay calm, Jiang Mianhao moved closer quietly to check on Ye Qingge’s condition.

The closer proximity allowed her to see the state of the sleeping figure more clearly.

Fine beads of sweat dotted her temples, and her body, curled into a ball, trembled slightly. Her silver eyelashes fluttered incessantly, and as they did, two clear trails of tears streamed down.

Yet Ye Qingge remained trapped in her nightmare. The searing pain from the blazing furnace in her dream began to fade as a cool presence drew near.

Unable to resist, she reached out to grasp it.

Jiang Mianhao felt a tug at her collar and looked down to find a blood-stained hand clutching it.

The blood on those pale, slender fingers had already dried, resembling red plum blossoms scattered across snow.

Jiang Mianhao awkwardly moved her outstretched hand to the side, making room for Ye Qingge’s reaching grasp.

As if sensing that the source of coolness had paused for her, the hand gripping the collar trembled uncontrollably.

“It hurts!”

A faint, barely audible murmur sounded by her ear.

It sounded like both a complaint and a plea.

The hand clutching her collar tightened, and Ye Qingge instinctively leaned closer.

The person in her arms fell silent again, only the tears at the corners of her eyes continuing to fall without end.

Jiang Mianhao’s stiffened hand, resting at her side, paused for a moment before gently closing around the figure in her embrace.

……

After embellishing last night’s events with considerable flair, Mi Xiu finished her tale.

Ling Lan listened intently, her brows gradually furrowing. “So, you’re saying you were attacked last night?”

“Yes,” Mi Xiu covered her chest, coughing repeatedly, then leaned against the door and said, “Didn’t you encounter it yesterday?”

Ling Lan shook her head, her heart instantly filling with worry for Jiang Mianhao. She immediately asked, “And then? Did you see what the monster looked like? After it attacked you, where did it go?”

“That monster…” Mi Xiu frowned, glancing backward as she spoke, “had a human face and a snake’s body, wielding a red whip that could captivate the soul.”

While spinning her tale, Mi Xiu tried to push the door open, but even with her entire back pressed against it, the door wouldn’t budge.

Her subtle movements did not escape Ling Lan’s notice. Ling Lan asked in a low voice, “Why are you so fixated on Lu Jiu’s door? Do you know something?”

Mi Xiu was startled and instantly flustered: “No, no, no. Actually, I just saw the demon flash by and it seemed to enter this room. Could it be that the Immortal Lord is in this room?”

Ling Lan’s mind instantly jumped to a troubling thought. Back in the banyan cave, Rong Qi had been unable to determine Ye Qingge’s true form.

The Immortal Lord was an immortal whose true identity had never been verified.

Could it be…

Ling Lan could no longer hold back and snapped, “Step aside.”

The young girl gripped her wooden sword, gritted her teeth, and charged forward with determination. The force of her sprint stirred up a gust of wind.

As Mi Xiu moved aside, her fingertips flicked subtly.

The previously solid barrier at the door had already been cracked open. As Ling Lan’s foot landed, the door collapsed with a crash.

“Mianhao—” Bursting into the room, Ling Lan caught a whiff of blood and was horrified. She channeled her spiritual energy into the wooden sword in her hand.

But in the next moment, her movements froze in place.

Jiang Mianhao, whom she had been desperately searching for, was sitting on the bed, still in the same clothes and hairstyle from the night before except now, she was holding someone in her arms.

Ye Qingge, dressed in white, was curled up in Jiang Mianhao’s embrace, her face hidden, only her slender back visible.

The Immortal Lord, stripped of her usual icy demeanor, now appeared no different from an ordinary plant spirit.

Hearing the commotion, Jiang Mianhao looked up. Unable to speak with Ye Qingge in her arms, she could only communicate with her eyes.

“Well? Did you find the monster?” Mi Xiu pushed the door open and deliberately raised her voice. Seeing Ling Lan frozen in place, she couldn’t help but ask, “Has the monster appeared Mian Mian?”

Noticing the unexpected presence on the bed, Mi Xiu blinked.

The lie she had just spun now felt awkward, and what was even stranger was that Jiang Mianhao was tightening her arms, holding the person in her embrace securely.

“Weren’t you with Ling Lan last night? How…” Mi Xiu swallowed her words, her gaze involuntarily drifting to Ye Qingge, who was being held by Jiang Mianhao.

The door, once pushed open, remained ajar, and the clamor from downstairs drifted in through the opening.

Amid the cacophony of voices, the person in Jiang Mianhao’s arms stirred awake.

“Lu Jiu?” Jiang Mianhao reached out to gently smooth her hair and asked softly, “Are you feeling alright?”

Having been abruptly awakened, Ye Qingge’s expression was far from pleasant. She frowned slightly, her mind still foggy.

“You…” Ling Lan noticed the blood on Ye Qingge’s clothes and glanced at Jiang Mianhao, who remained unharmed.

Her earlier suspicion that Ye Qingge might be the monster now began to shift.

It was Jiang Mianhao who first caught the key point and asked, “Xiu Xiu, what was that monster you mentioned earlier? Could it be related to why I appeared here and the blood on Lu Jiu?”

Mi Xiu was momentarily stunned by the question, but after a quick mental scramble, she pieced together a response.

“It’s like this, Mian Mian. Last night, I saw you and Ling Lan on the veranda. I was about to go over and greet you both, but just as I approached, a monster with a snake’s face and a human body emerged from the darkness and attacked me!” Mi Xiu blurted it all out in one breath, not even pausing for air.

Jiang Mianhao listened in a daze, struggling to process the information.

Ling Lan, who had already heard this once before, furrowed her brows, sensing something amiss.

“You mean the monster was originally near us but attacked you when you approached?” Jiang Mianhao asked with concern. “How are you feeling now? Were you injured anywhere?”

Mi Xiu shook her head, clutching her chest as she coughed lightly. “I’m fine, just a bit weak.”

Ye Qingge, gradually regaining her composure, frowned. The long nightmare had left her weary, but she caught every word of Mi Xiu’s story.

Why is this demon lying?

Ye Qingge shifted slightly and realized she wasn’t sleeping in a bed. Tilting her head slightly, she met a pair of emerald-green eyes.

In the next instant, Ye Qingge abruptly sat up and pulled away from Jiang Mianhao’s embrace.

Why was she sleeping in this grass’s arms again?

Seeing her guarded expression, Jiang Mianhao didn’t mind and gently tucked the quilt around Ye Qingge.

“Are you alright, Lu Jiu?” Jiang Mianhao asked softly. “Last night, Xiu Xiu was attacked by a monster. Did you encounter it too?”

After speaking, Jiang Mianhao looked up at Ling Lan and asked quietly, “Weren’t you and I together when we fell asleep last night?”

Ling Lan nodded and replied, “But when I opened my eyes, you were gone.”

“How strange is that?” Mi Xiu clicked her tongue twice, as if casually remarking, “Why is there blood on the Immortal Lord?”

The question was directed at the newly awakened Ye Qingge, but it was like a tiny pebble tossed into the ocean not even a ripple of response.

Receiving no reply, Mi Xiu awkwardly rubbed her nose and said, “Could it be that the Immortal Lord encountered that monster last night?”

Ling Lan and Jiang Mianhao remained silent, finding the situation far too peculiar.

“Alright, alright,” Mi Xiu said, breaking the silence. “We won’t figure it out right away. Why don’t we eat something first and think it over later?”

Jiang Mianhao nodded and straightened up, preparing to get out of bed.

The bloodstains on her clothes and the faint metallic smell made her uncomfortable.

Seeing her rise, Ling Lan immediately came over to support her.

As the group dispersed, the doors of the three side rooms opened and closed one after another.

Back in her own room, Jiang Mianhao slowly unclenched the hand she had been holding tightly.

Her smooth fingertips glowed with a healthy blush under the sunlight, and in her palm were traces of moisture that had not yet dried.

They were also the marks of Ye Qingge’s tears.

“Mian Mian? Weren’t you hungry?” Ling Lan called softly, seeing her lost in thought. “Hurry and change your clothes. I’ll take you to eat.”

Jiang Mianhao closed her hand and nodded. “Okay.”

……

By the time the four of them went downstairs, it was already lunchtime.

The waiter bustled through the crowd with trays, announcing at every table he passed, “Honored guests, your food is served.”

Mi Xiu had just stepped off the final stair onto the ground when the worn, discolored floorboards let out a muffled creak under her foot.

“Xiu Xiu, it seems there are no seats left here,” Jiang Mianhao whispered softly behind her. “Shall we find another place?”

Ling Lan detected the worry in her voice and hooked her pinky finger around Jiang Mianhao’s, giving it a gentle shake. Back when they were still plants, they had always loved intertwining their leaves like this. It was their own unique way of comforting each other.

Ye Qingge, standing behind them, caught every detail of their subtle interaction. Her eyelashes fluttered briefly before she averted her gaze.

Mi Xiu let out an “Ah!” and raised her hand, waving it enthusiastically. “Over here!”

The innkeeper, who had been checking accounts at the counter, instinctively looked up at the sound of the bell. Spotting Mi Xiu, she drifted over in a daze.

In no time, the four of them were led to a premium private room.

After the waiter took their orders, he quietly closed the door.

Jiang Mianhao cautiously glanced around and couldn’t help but ask, “Xiu Xiu, are you very close with the innkeeper? With just one word from you, she actually cleared out other guests to give us the best room?”

Ling Lan also felt puzzled; something about the innkeeper’s behavior struck her as odd.

“Hahaha, yes, we’re bosom friends! She considers me her closest companion,” Mi Xiu replied without batting an eye, then swiftly changed the subject. “Mian Mian, Xiu Xiu, Immortal Lord, now that we’re at the foot of the mountain, we must eat and drink like humans. Mian Mian, did you get to taste the most delicious treat yesterday?”

Jiang Mianhao, still weighed down by last night’s nightmare and the unidentified monster, responded listlessly with a quiet “Mm,” adding, “The sugar figurine, it was sweet.”

“Enough with the evasions,” Ling Lan interjected, unable to hold back. “Mi Xiu, what exactly was that monster you saw last night? Was it a human face on a snake’s body, or a snake’s head on a human form?”

Mi Xiu hadn’t expected to dodge the topic so easily and forced a dry laugh. “It was too dark last night; I couldn’t see clearly. All I know is that it was a snake demon.”

As she spoke, Mi Xiu couldn’t help but glance guiltily at the person seated across from her.

Ye Qingge, who had remained silent since entering, looked even paler in her newly changed white robes. She sat upright beside Jiang Mianhao, not even casting a glance their way.

Mi Xiu held her breath discreetly, afraid Ye Qingge might expose her, and didn’t wish to elaborate further.

But Ling Lan pressed on relentlessly, “That’s strange. Though my spiritual power is weak, I’m not a heavy sleeper. If a snake demon came in and stole Mianhao away, why didn’t I hear anything at all?”

Mi Xiu froze for a moment before explaining, “Perhaps the snake demon cast a spell on you? Mianhao, do you remember anything?”

Jiang Mianhao shook her head.

“How odd,” Mi Xiu clicked her tongue and dropped the subject.

Jiang Mianhao turned and asked, “Lu Jiu, did you hear anything last night? And did you properly tend to your injuries?”

Mi Xiu’s heart leaped into her throat as she silently prayed Ye Qingge would ignore the question.

“Mm,” a calm, unemotional female voice responded. Ye Qingge spoke coolly, “I did hear something.”

At her words, everyone immediately looked up at Ye Qingge.

Mi Xiu’s eyelashes trembled unnaturally, and even her breathing grew cautious.

Everything from last night was fabricated by her. The so-called demon was merely a lie constructed around Ye Qingge, with the sole purpose of sowing discord between Ling Lan and her.

Ling Lan immediately pressed, “Why was Mianhao in your room last night?”

Ye Qingge cast a faint glance at the nervous Mi Xiu but remained silent.

“Was it also related to that monster?” Jiang Mianhao blinked her eyes. “Did the demon first move me away and then harm you?”

Ye Qingge looked at Jiang Mianhao’s earnest expression, her clear, jade-green eyes like a tranquil spring.

Under such a gaze, Ye Qingge hummed in agreement and said, “No, the demon harmed you first. I came out after hearing the noise.”

“So, you came out to save me.” Jiang Mianhao instinctively touched her neck and sighed. “So last night wasn’t a dream after all.”

Ling Lan caught the confusion in her words. “What dream?”

Jiang Mianhao shook her head gently. “I was puzzled too. Last night, I had a long nightmare where someone was choking my throat, trying to kill me, but the person in the dream had Lu Jiu’s face.”

Ling Lan sprang to her feet, her sword pointing directly at the seated Ye Qingge.

“Lanlan, don’t!” Jiang Mianhao immediately stood up to block Ling Lan. “The one who tried to kill me last night must have been that demon.”

Ling Lan’s sword remained aimed at Ye Qingge, her gaze sharp as fire. “Goodnight Grass doesn’t have nightmares. It’s either a premonition of the future or a record of erased memories from the present. Since the one choking you in the dream was Lu Jiu, she must be involved in this.”

Jiang Mianhao wrapped her arms around Ling Lan, soothing her. “It’s because my true form is damaged, and my powers are surely limited. The reason it was Lu Jiu’s face is likely because when she saved me from the demon, my memories got mixed up.”

“Who can guarantee that what she says is true?” Ling Lan paid no heed to the reassurance, wanting to step forward but afraid of hurting Jiang Mianhao with brute force.

Faced with her doubts, Ye Qingge didn’t even lift an eyelid. “Believe it or not, as you wish.”

This attitude only fueled Ling Lan’s anger further. She didn’t trust Ye Qingge, nor did she trust Mi Xiu. For some reason, she felt that both of them were of dubious origins and questionable identities.

Patiently, Jiang Mianhao pulled Ling Lan back a little and said softly, “If Lu Jiu had intended to kill me from the start, why would she save me? Lanlan, don’t get worked up.”

As she struggled, Jiang Mianhao’s face pressed against Ling Lan’s back, listening to the beat of her heart, her thoughts drifting back to earlier.

In her sleep, Ye Qingge had curled up anxiously in her arms, doing nothing more than tightly clutching the front of her robe. No other inappropriate actions.

They were so close that not only could they hear each other’s breathing, but even the sound of their heartbeats was crystal clear.

That suppressed, painful moan echoed in her ears once more, and the dampness returned to Jiang Mianhao’s palm. The sensation of tears streaming down her cheeks and into her hand became vivid again.

It was as if those tears had flowed from her palm into her heart, stirring an overwhelming sense of compassion in Jiang Mianhao at that moment.

For some reason, when Ye Qingge’s breath brushed against her chest, the dormant fawn in her heart began to beat even more fiercely.

Yet the person in her arms had done nothing at all.

She was merely asleep.

Seeing that the two were about to come to blows, Mi Xiu hurried over to mediate.

“Lanlan, don’t be impulsive.” Mi Xiu stood beside Jiang Mianhao and also grabbed Ling Lan’s shoulder to persuade her: “Listen to Lu Jiu’s explanation!”

Mi Xiu poked Jiang Mianhao and gave her a meaningful look.

“Lu Jiu has already explained clearly, Lanlan,” Jiang Mianhao softly persuaded. “Let’s sort this out properly, okay? Put the sword down first.”

Under her reassurance, Ling Lan finally lowered her sword.

“Let me start from my side,” Mi Xiu sighed. “Last night, I encountered a demon that attacked me. After injuring me, the demon fled to the upper rooms, probably intending to harm Mianhao. But Lu Jiu heard it and saved Mian Mian when the demon nearly strangled her to death.”

She sighed and finished the story, gently wiping sweat from her brow.

“Didn’t you say the demon went directly into Lu Jiu’s room?” Ling Lan frowned. “Is there any truth in your words at all?”

Mi Xiu never expected Ling Lan to become so aggressive the moment Jiang Mianhao was involved. She suddenly regretted the loopholes in her story.

Watching Mi Xiu stammer and fail to respond,

Jiang Mianhao couldn’t bear it and interceded, “Lanlan, it’s normal for Xiu Xiu to be confused after being injured.”

“You were with me in my room, so why did the monster only hurt you?” Ling Lan’s face was dark, refusing to yield.

Just as the situation reached a stalemate, the door was pushed open by the waiter.

A stream of exquisite dishes flowed in, breaking the tense atmosphere.

“Enjoy your meal, honored guests!” The waiter flicked the towel over his shoulder, bowed repeatedly, and closed the door.

But Ling Lan showed no intention of sitting down to eat together. She abruptly stood up and grabbed Jiang Mianhao: “Since your hearts aren’t sincere, there’s no need to continue traveling together. Let’s part ways here!”

With that, she dragged Jiang Mianhao out.

Jiang Mianhao, who had been sitting, didn’t react in time and was pulled to her feet unsteadily.

The private room door was yanked open and then slammed shut.

The previously noisy room instantly fell silent.

Mi Xiu, who had been composed moments before, suddenly panicked. She nervously clenched her hands, not daring to look up.

The pain from last night’s injuries still lingered; just one glance at Ye Qingge made her whole-body ache unbearably.

“Immortal Lord…” Mi Xiu stammered, not daring to look at Ye Qingge. “I didn’t mean to fabricate stories.”

Ye Qingge’s expression remained calm.

This demon had impure intentions, but had unexpectedly helped her out of a tight spot.

Mi Xiu glanced up to gauge Ye Qingge’s reaction and ventured to ask, “But Immortal Lord, did you really see a demon last night?”

As her words fell, the person sitting before her lifted her head, her gaze steadily fixed on Mi Xiu.

Mi Xiu’s heart skipped a beat under that stare, and she coughed uncomfortably. “But why didn’t you expose me?”

“Tell me,” Ye Qingge’s voice was icy and devoid of inflection. “Your purpose.”

……

Jiang Mianhao was dragged all the way out of the inn by Ling Lan.

It was noon, and the streets were bustling with people coming and going.

But Ling Lan kept her eyes straight ahead, pulling Jiang Mianhao along as she marched forward.

“Lanlan,” Jiang Mianhao called softly, trying to pull her hand back.

However, her movement didn’t make Ling Lan stop; the person holding her hand continued striding forward.

Jiang Mianhao sighed softly. She couldn’t bring herself to be harsh with Ling Lan, and she knew there were suspicious aspects to this matter.

But she found it hard to completely ignore the injuries Ye Qingge had suffered for her sake. It had all happened too quickly. She hadn’t even seen where the wounds were.

Ling Lan wandered aimlessly through the streets and alleys, all the while keeping a wary eye out for anyone following behind.

Jiang Mianhao, unable to break free from being dragged along, whispered softly, “It hurts, I can’t walk anymore, Lanlan.”

Sure enough, as soon as the word “hurt” was spoken, Ling Lan immediately stopped in her tracks. “Where does it hurt?”

Seeing her halt, Jiang Mianhao took her hand and sighed, saying, “I can’t walk anymore.”

Ling Lan looked helplessly at Jiang Mianhao, knowing exactly what she was thinking, and sighed, “But Mianhao, their origins are unclear. We can’t let them follow us anymore.”

Her worries were written all over her face, and the concern in her eyes was almost overflowing.

Jiang Mianhao let out a soft sigh and said, “But Lanlan, we never gave Lu Jiu a chance to explain her background.”

“Why are you so partial to her?” Ling Lan’s tone was somewhat sullen. Ever since she saw Jiang Mianhao holding Ye Qingge in her arms, a heavy stone seemed to press down on her heart.

It couldn’t be moved or shifted, leaving her breathless and unsettled.

Jiang Mianhao didn’t quite grasp the meaning and asked with a confused “Huh?”

Ling Lan looked at her and said, word by word, “I said, you seem to favor Lu Jiu especially.”

“Last night, it wasn’t just Lu Jiu who was attacked. Why did you only care about her?” Ling Lan’s voice was muffled. “And you held her like that.”

Finally understanding, Jiang Mianhao immediately replied, “I’m sorry. I didn’t check on you first. Is it too late now?”

Ling Lan nodded.

“Then let me see,” Jiang Mianhao tilted her head. “Are you hurt?”

Feeling a bit happier at being asked, Ling Lan obediently answered, “No, but I’m unhappy.”

“You didn’t ask if I was injured, and you didn’t care about me,” Ling Lan said, enunciating each word. “Unhappy.”

“I’m sorry,” Jiang Mianhao gently hooked Ling Lan’s pinky and swayed it. “I’m sorry. Next time, I’ll check on you first.”

Ling Lan nodded softly and said, “Okay.”

With the misunderstanding resolved, the two were no longer dragging each other but walked side by side, hand in hand.

“I’m hungry,” Jiang Mianhao patted her stomach and murmured. “So hungry.”

Ling Lan immediately pulled a gold ingot from her pocket and said, “Let’s go!”

The streets were bustling with people, vendors hawking their goods, and crowds moving about.

In the shadows, a pair of eyes watched the two closely as they walked arm in arm.

As plant spirits who had just descended the mountain and gained human senses, their way of replenishing energy had shifted from basking in the sun and drinking dew to eating meals and drinking water.

Ling Lan accompanied Jiang Mianhao to buy plenty of food, all while planning where to settle down.

Their main purpose for descending the mountain was cultivation: first, to continuously slay demons and gather spiritual energy, and second, to understand the path they should follow and acquire their own weapons.

At this point, the two were still ordinary plant spirits, with the lowest levels of spiritual energy and rank.

They could only accumulate spiritual power by doing good deeds and slaying minor demons.

Leaving the noisy market alley, they entered a winding, dimly lit lane.

At first, there were still passersby, but gradually, only the sound of Jiang Mianhao and Ling Lan’s footsteps echoed on the cobblestone path.

Ling Lan grew wary and held Jiang Mianhao’s hand, saying, “I think there’s something strange about this place.”

“I feel a bit eerie too,” Jiang Mianhao cautiously scanned their surroundings, feeling uneasy about the unfamiliar setting.

Ling Lan swallowed hard and, holding Jiang Mianhao’s hand firmly, said calmly, “Don’t be afraid. We can just turn back the way we came.”

But as soon as they turned around, a mass of black energy rushed straight toward them.

“Turn back?” a rough male voice echoed, followed by a sinister laugh.

Seeing the black energy charging at them, Ling Lan immediately covered her nose and mouth and said, “Mianhao, hold your breath!”

Their movements were ultimately a step too slow. The black mist surged toward them, choking both of them until tears streamed down their faces and they coughed uncontrollably.

Mixed with the black mist were particles of dust and sand. Ling Lan struggled to blink, gripping her wooden sword with one hand while holding Jiang Mianhao’s hand with the other.

“All who enter my dark alley are prey,” the black mist solidified behind them, stirring up a gust of wind. “How can prey ever turn back?”

The whirlwind kicked up by the black mist as it landed brought even more dust and sand. Ling Lan, who had just managed to open her eyes, found her vision blurred once again.

Ling Lan raised her wooden sword, judging the direction by sound. A pink light flashed as she swung the blade, striking out.

But the next moment, what reached her ears was Jiang Mianhao’s cry of pain.

A powerful gust of wind rushed over, and the hand she had been holding tightly was suddenly released.

Ling Lan held only the wooden sword. Eyes shut, she cried out anxiously, “Mianhao!!!”