After Being Certified by the Immortal Lord on the Path of Ruthlessness - Chapter 30

Jiang Mianhao had no idea what Ye Qingge was thinking at that moment, still holding the candied hawthorn skewer high in her hand without lowering it.

 

Passersby brushed past them on either side. Some in groups of three or five, others walking alone.

 

Jiang Mianhao brazenly crouched by the roadside, tugging at Ye Qingge’s sleeve and refusing to let go.

 

“Get up,” Ye Qingge frowned, clearly displeased at the person stubbornly squatting on the ground.

 

“No! I’ll only get up if you take a bite!” Jiang Mianhao, filled with inexplicable courage, kept the candied hawthorn raised and refused to back down.

 

The sunlight was just right at that moment, casting its rays over Ye Qingge’s shoulders.

 

From her crouching position, looking up, the person before her seemed to be glowing all over.

 

Jiang Mianhao couldn’t clearly see Ye Qingge’s face. The sunlight was dazzlingly bright but she stubbornly kept her head tilted upward, refusing to stand.

“Just one bite!” Jiang Mianhao desperately thrust the candied hawthorn forward. “Just one bite!”

 

The bustling crowd jostled them, and someone accidentally bumped into them from behind.

 

Caught off guard, Ye Qingge stumbled forward.

 

Seeing her lose her balance, Jiang Mianhao grew anxious and stood up abruptly, still holding the candied hawthorn.

 

They were so close that, as she rose, the candied hawthorn brushed past Ye Qingge’s lips.

 

“You!” Ye Qingge felt a sudden pressure on her lips, the cloyingly sweet scent flooding her nostrils.

 

Before she could even get angry, the culprit had already crouched back down.

 

“Sorry, sorry,” Jiang Mianhao mumbled, sticking out her tongue a little, embarrassed.

The shift in position meant Ye Qingge’s back was no longer directly facing the sun.

 

This time, Jiang Mianhao could clearly see Ye Qingge’s face.

Her gaze fell upon Ye Qingge’s lips—pale pink and thin, now dusted with red sugar frost, which made her already fair complexion appear even paler.

 

It was like plum blossoms falling onto fresh snow; this touch of vivid color on such a cool, aloof person carried an indescribable charm.

 

Jiang Mianhao stared, somewhat entranced, feeling an inexplicable thirst.

 

She had always known how beautiful the person before her was, but she couldn’t understand where the sudden desire rising in her heart had come from.

 

Perhaps it was the perfect sunlight, or maybe the overly sweet sugar coating.

 

In that instant, she felt an urge to kiss this handful of snow.

 

Ye Qingge, who had been frowning and refusing the candied hawthorn, sensed the shift in her own emotions. In her momentary daze, she forgot about the sugar frost pressed against her lips by this little weed.

 

Her lively mood quieted, and a strange feeling welled up in her heart.

 

It was hard to put into words like a parched person finding water, a withered tree sprouting new buds, the first ray of light in an endless night.

 

 

It was a sense of “life,” a brand-new kind of vitality that Ye Qingge had never experienced before.

 

Different from the spring revival of all things, this was a sudden burst of liveliness.

 

A tiny, newly sprouted branch emerging from a withered tree.

 

As if possessing some kind of life force, it grew at an astonishing speed with every exchanged glance.

 

Ye Qingge raised her hand and pressed it over her heart. Beneath her palm, her heart was racing wildly.

 

Why had this little weed’s emotions become so strange?

 

Before Ye Qingge could make sense of these peculiar feelings, her lips suddenly felt warm.

 

The person who had been crouching opposite her moments ago had stood up, and the distance between them narrowed instantly. So close that they could hear each other’s breathing.

 

Jiang Mianhao’s fingers were slender and delicate, carrying the softness unique to a young girl. “There’s something on your lips.”

 

Her fingertip gently brushed over Ye Qingge’s lips, wiping away the smear of red sugar frosting.

 

Fresh snow fell again, covering the plum branch.

 

“You.” Ye Qingge was momentarily stunned. After snapping back to reality, she quickly stepped back. “What are you doing?”

 

She had meant to sound fierce, but her tone came out unintentionally soft.

 

The spot where Jiang Mianhao had just touched was faintly warm, and a bit of that strange red substance had seeped into her mouth.

 

It was actually sweet.

 

Ye Qingge wasn’t used to this touch. Her heart churned with emotions that didn’t feel like her own.

 

At that moment, everything around them seemed to fall silent. She could hear the beating of her own heart and could only see the girl’s gradually reddening cheeks.

 

Ye Qingge coughed lightly and turned her head away.

 

Yet the undeniable warmth at the tip of her ear didn’t seem to come from the person before her.

Struggling with the strange feelings swirling inside, Ye Qingge closed her eyes, removed the Heart-Link Bracelet from her wrist, and tossed it into her pocket.

 

With the bracelet off, the emotional connection was severed.

 

Unaware, Jiang Mianhao still lowered her gaze, staring at the red sugar frosting on her fingertip.

 

The tiny sugar fragment, no bigger than a bean, had melted from the warmth of her finger and now clung to her skin, slowly oozing outward.

 

For no reason, she felt the sugar on her fingertip would taste even sweeter.

 

She wanted to taste it.

 

But what surfaced in her mind was that pale pink pair of lips.

 

Jiang Mianhao was startled by her own thoughts. Flustered, she wiped her fingertip and tucked her hand away.

 

“You.” Ye Qingge had returned to her usual self. Freed from the Heart-Link Bracelet’s influence, her expression was calm again. “You eat it.”

 

Her gaze fell on the candied hawthorn in Jiang Mianhao’s hand. Though she now knew it was sweet, she still instinctively recoiled from it.

Jiang Mianhao didn’t press further and obediently hummed in agreement.

 

She picked up the candied hawthorn that had just brushed against Ye Qingge’s lips and took a bite.

 

The hawthorn berry, encased in its sugar coating, split open, and its sourness should have spread through her mouth.

 

Yet Jiang Mianhao beamed brightly. “The candied hawthorn today seems a bit sweeter than usual.”

 

Her radiant smile bloomed under the sunlight, outshining even the flower stall beside them.

 

Ye Qingge coughed lightly and was the first to turn away, offering only a faint hum in response.

 

The girl in white moved ahead, standing out vividly amidst the bustling crowd.

 

Jiang Mianhao paused for a moment, then, holding the candied hawthorn, hurried after her. “Lu Jiu, wait for me!”

 

“Lanlan! I’m back!” Jiang Mianhao chirped, clutching the candied hawthorn as she bounced up the stairs to the second floor.

 

Ye Qingge followed closely behind, watching the girl hike up her skirt and dash ahead excitedly.

 

This little one had been frolicking outside all day, yet still seemed to have boundless energy.

 

This trip down the mountain was also Ye Qingge’s first time in the human world, a crowded, noisy place.

 

To this little plant, every corner seemed like a playground, though Ye Qingge found it unbearably clamorous.

 

And yet, she had spent the entire day accompanying this noisy little creature.

 

Ye Qingge shook her head and slipped the Heart-Link Bracelet she had removed back onto her wrist.

 

The girl, already upstairs, pushed open the room door while holding the candied hawthorn but froze for a moment.

 

“Xiu Xiu?”

 

Hearing the call, Ling Lan turned around, her anxious heart finally settling.

 

Her gaze swept over Jiang Mianhao, confirming she was unharmed, before lingering on the tanghulu in her hand.

“Mianhao, why are you back so late?” Ling Lan had already spotted the white figure slowly ascending the wooden stairs, and an inexplicable pang of sourness stirred in her heart. “Were you with Lu Jiu all day?”

 

Jiang Mianhao approached cheerfully, holding up the tanghulu. “Yes, Lanlan! I dragged Lu Jiu around the area today. There are so many delicious treats nearby!”

 

“Didn’t you promise to go with me?” Ling Lan’s tone carried a hint of displeasure, and she subtly hid her hand behind her back.

 

Feeling guilty, Jiang Mianhao offered an apologetic smile and handed over the bag she was holding. “Sorry, Lanlan. Here, I brought you some tanghulu!”

 

Then she added, “Xiu Xiu! I got some for you too!”

 

Mi Xiu was taken aback. “How did you know?”

 

Ling Lan hesitated, her gaze lingering on the tanghulu before her.

 

“But this is your favorite tanghulu,” Jiang Mianhao said anxiously. “Did you run into any bad people at the temple? Are you hurt?”

 

A sudden sense of alertness prompted Jiang Mianhao to shift the tanghulu to one hand and tug nervously at Ling Lan’s sleeve.

 

“Let me see,” Jiang Mianhao insisted, tugging at the fabric. “Is it your hand?”

 

Ling Lan froze for a moment, instinctively pulling back the hand Jiang Mianhao was holding even further.

 

Jiang Mianhao’s guess had been correct. The hand she had grabbed was the very one that had been bitten by the snake.

 

Sitting on the bed, Mi Xiu watched the two of them tugging at each other.

 

When they had parted ways at the inn earlier, she had concluded that obtaining Lu Jiu’s immortal bone was beyond her reach, forcing her to change her target.

 

But upon returning to her lair, her master informed her that among the flowers and plants near the immortal lord, there was indeed an immortal bone.

 

Moreover, it was a rare, once-in-a-millennium Beacon of Righteousness. Once this immortal bone achieved enlightenment, it would pose a significant threat to the demon realm.

 

Thus, Mi Xiu had returned, convinced that the immortal bone belonged to the plant beside the immortal lord, the very grass before her.

 

She had initially assumed that this flower and grass would confess their feelings and be together.

 

Yet today, the grass had gone out alone with the immortal lord.

 

The relationship between the three was truly perplexing.

 

But this only strengthened Mi Xiu’s conviction: Jiang Mianhao was the rare immortal bone her master had spoken of.

 

As Mi Xiu pondered how to make her move, a chill ran down her spine. She abruptly lifted her gaze and locked eyes with someone standing at the doorway.

 

The immortal lord was there, her eyes fixed directly on Mi Xiu.

 

Having been wounded twice by Ye Qingge, Mi Xiu instinctively feared the figure before her. She swallowed hard and quickly averted her eyes.

 

Meanwhile, the little grass who had been all smiles moments ago was now shedding tears, drop by drop.

 

Standing at the door, Ye Qingge felt her heart soften, and her own eyes grew moist. Startled, she quickly removed the Heart-Link Locket.

 

Originally intending to return to her room, Ye Qingge changed direction and stepped inside.

 

This silly grass crying again.

“D-don’t cry, Mianhao,” Ling Lan stammered, flustered by her tears. The hidden injury was now exposed as Jiang Mianhao pulled her hand out.

 

Seeing the heavily bandaged, swollen wound, Jiang Mianhao was filled with guilt.

 

She had promised to go to the temple with Ling Lan but ended up leaving her to go alone and now Ling Lan was hurt.

 

“I’m sorry, Lanlan,” Jiang Mianhao murmured softly. “I won’t ever leave you to go have fun by yourself again.”

 

Ling Lan, flustered by her tears, hurriedly comforted her. “It’s alright, Mianhao. I’m not angry. Please don’t cry.”

 

“You’re hurt,” Jiang Mianhao sobbed. “Are you injured anywhere else?”

 

As she spoke, she reached to check, but Ling Lan quickly grabbed her hand. “No, no, it’s nothing. Everything went smoothly when I went to the temple to retrieve the compass. I wasn’t hurt. This injury is from that snake! And I’ve already taken care of it, so don’t worry.”

 

Jiang Mianhao blinked, her eyelashes still wet with tears.

 

Her youthful cheeks were streaked with clear teardrops, and her emerald eyes washed by tears shimmered brightly under the lamplight.

 

Ling Lan’s heart softened, and she lifted her thumb to gently wipe away the tear stains on Jiang Mianhao’s cheeks.

 

“Be good now, don’t cry,” Ling Lan said softly, her tone coaxing. “Why don’t we ask about Mi Xiu’s injuries instead?”

 

Mi Xiu clicked her tongue quietly, taking in their intimacy.

 

But she wasn’t the only one watching, Ye Qingge observed everything too.

 

With the Heart-Link Pendant removed, Ye Qingge could no longer sense Jiang Mianhao’s emotions. What would she feel this time when Ling Lan wiped away her tears?

 

Her eyes darkened, and she turned to sit quietly in a chair in the room.

 

After confirming once more that Ling Lan’s fingers were fine, Jiang Mianhao sighed in relief, sniffled, and turned to ask, “Xiu Xiu, where have you been all this time while you were gone? Did you run into any bad people?”

 

Mi Xiu, whose hand she was holding, let out a soft “ah.”

 

Though her tone carried concern, Mi Xiu could tell that this worry was entirely different from the concern Jiang Mianhao had shown Ling Lan.

 

Mulling over how to get Jiang Mianhao alone with her, Mi Xiu’s gaze drifted toward the figure in white.

 

“I found her in an alley outside the inn,” Ling Lan explained. “When I picked her up, she wasn’t in good shape covered in injuries, especially on her arms.”

 

In an alley.

 

Jiang Mianhao recalled the dark whirlwind from earlier that day and felt a pang of worry. “Besides your arms, are you hurt anywhere else? Have your wounds been bandaged?”

 

“Yes, Lanlan has already bandaged me up. It’s just there’s one more thing.” Mi Xiu blushed slightly, batting her eyelashes as she spoke. “I’m injured so badly, and my whole body aches so much I can’t sleep.”

 

As she spoke, the girl on the bed subtly reddened at the tips of her ears, her tone tinged with embarrassment.

 

Ling Lan didn’t catch the meaning and asked innocently, “Do you need me to find a doctor? I’ll go ask the inn attendant.”

 

With that, Ling Lan actually stood up and left.

 

The spot where she had been standing was now empty, the hazy candlelight illuminating the space. The girl on the bed and the one seated at the table locked eyes.

The shy expression from moments ago instantly stiffened, and Mi Xiu’s face paled slightly.

 

The gaze of the person at the table, usually expressionless, was now fixed on her. Ye Qingge’s stare was like a judgmental light, exposing Mi Xiu’s flimsy excuse.

 

Jiang Mianhao didn’t notice, simply taking Ling Lan’s place by the bed and staying close to Mi Xiu’s side.

 

“Xiu Xiu,” Jiang Mianhao asked with concern, “have the wounds on your arms been properly treated?”

 

Mi Xiu shifted the hand hidden beneath the quilt. Earlier, she had found the bandages too stifling and had torn them off in a few swift motions. Using her internal energy, she had even healed the wounds as she removed the bandages.

 

Caught off guard by Jiang Mianhao’s question, Mi Xiu let out a nervous, dry laugh and kept her hands hidden under the covers, not daring to show them.

 

“Is it not handled properly?” Jiang Mianhao grew anxious at the lack of response and lifted the corner of the quilt.

 

The quilt pressed down firmly the moment she tried.

 

 

Mi Xiu laughed awkwardly. “It’s handled, it’s handled. Lily of the Valley helped me with great care.”

 

The kerosene lamp burned quietly on the table. Ye Qingge, sitting beside it, rested her head on her hand, her fingers tapping rhythmically on the surface.

 

Listening to the incessant tapping, Mi Xiu swallowed nervously.

 

She had been waiting for Ye Qingge to leave, but the usually indifferent immortal now sat there unmoving.

 

Wasn’t this immortal always fond of solitude? Why was she staying here so steadfastly now?

 

Jiang Mianhao noticed Mi Xiu’s unease.

 

“Is Xiu Xiu still uncomfortable somewhere?” Jiang Mianhao asked, her concern evident. “Should I check if you have any other injuries?”

 

Mi Xiu shook her head vigorously. “Really, there’s no need.”

 

As the two continued their back-and-forth, the long night stretched on, making everything feel unbearably dull.

 

“Enough with the nonsense.” Ye Qingge abruptly stood up, flicking her sleeve. “Let’s go.”

Jiang Mianhao let out a soft, “Ah,” then turned to Mi Xiu. “Then, Xiu Xiu, you should rest well, right?”

 

Seeing Jiang Mianhao about to leave, Mi Xiu anxiously reached for her wrist.

 

Her original plan had been to trick Jiang Mianhao into staying with her for the night, but Ye Qingge’s presence made her hesitate, unable to speak.

 

So, she raised her hand and tapped Jiang Mianhao’s wrist firmly.

 

A sharp, warning gaze shot straight at her.

 

Mi Xiu hastily withdrew her hand.

 

Back on the mountain, this immortal had always treated the grass with special care. But why, even after taking human form in the mortal realm, did she still guard this grass so closely?

 

Could it be that the immortal knew the grass possessed a rare immortal bone? A treasure encountered once in a thousand years?

 

The desire for the immortal bone eventually overcame her fear. Mi Xiu swallowed and tentatively said, “Mian Mian, there’s something I want to ask of you.”

 

“Of course,” Jiang Mianhao stopped and turned back. “What is it?”

“It’s just…” Mi Xiu mustered her courage. “I’m in so much pain. Your true form is the Good Sleep Grass, right? It should have calming and sleep-inducing effects. Could you stay here and sleep with me tonight? I’m really in too much pain and need your help.”

 

After blurting out her request in a rush, Mi Xiu let out a long sigh.

 

She looked up nervously and added, “Mian Mian, you won’t refuse, right? You’ll help me, won’t you?”

 

Jiang Mianhao was taken aback by the plea. Just as she was about to agree immediately, an image of Lu Jiu’s sleeping face flashed before her eyes.

 

Lu Jiu had been sleeping restlessly these days, and it seemed that only in her embrace would her furrowed brows relax slightly.

 

But Mi Xiu, before her, was also in great pain.

 

Jiang Mianhao hesitated for a long moment before turning to Ye Qingge. “Lu Jiu…”

 

As she turned, Mi Xiu forced a smile.

 

But Mi Xiu had underestimated Ye Qingge’s vigilance.

 

Yet she had underestimated Ye Qingge’s vigilance. From the very moment she made her request, Ye Qingge had seen right through her intentions.

 

Ye Qingge disdained exposing her, yet this foolish grass actually believed it.

 

What a foolish grass.

 

Growing impatient, Ye Qingge flicked her sleeve. “Enough chatter.”

 

A silver light shot from her sleeve, striking the center of the forehead of the person on the bed.

 

Because the height while sitting differs from lying down, Mi Xiu had just bumped the back of her head solidly.

 

With a dull thud, the person who had claimed she couldn’t sleep well closed her eyes and collapsed stiffly.

 

Everything happened so suddenly that Jiang Mianhao swallowed her words, holding back what she had intended to say.

 

Ye Qingge tilted her head to look at her. “Did you want to say something?”

 

Jiang Mianhao shook her head rapidly, stammering, “No, no, nothing at all.”

 

Ye Qingge hummed in acknowledgment, flicked her sleeve, and walked away.

 

Following behind her, Jiang Mianhao let out a long sigh, somewhat relieved that she hadn’t managed to mention her wish to sleep with Ling Lan today. She certainly didn’t want Ling Lan to be “forcibly put to sleep” like that. Turning to close the door, her gaze fell on the bed. That bump to Mi Xiu’s head must have hurt a lot.

 

“Hurry back,” Ye Qingge’s voice drifted from behind.

 

Startled, Jiang Mianhao quickly shut the door and replied, “Coming!”

 

After the two of them returned to their room and closed the door, Ling Lan, who had gone to fetch a doctor, arrived with the physician in tow, carrying a medical kit.

 

But upon pushing the door open, the person who had earlier complained of unbearable pain was already asleep.

 

The physician, panting from exhaustion, turned and said, “The patient is able to fall asleep on her own; it shouldn’t be as critical as you described.”

 

Staring at the person lying crookedly on the bed, Ling Lan was puzzled but still turned to thank the physician.

 

“Then, shall I prescribe some calming medicine?” the physician asked.

 

Ling Lan glanced inside once more. Though Mi Xiu’s sleeping posture was odd, she was, after all, already asleep.

 

“Probably not necessary,” Ling Lan said, cupping her hands in gratitude. “Thank you for your trouble. Let me escort you back.”

 

Back in her room, Jiang Mianhao closed the door and let out a huge yawn. Her eyelids were already half-drooping, and her eyes felt moist.

 

Sensing the drowsiness transmitted through the Heart-Link Knot, Ye Qingge also yawned.

 

“Sleepy?” Ye Qingge, who had entered first, was facing the window. Hearing the sound, she turned around as she spoke.

 

But before her words fully left her mouth, a flash of emerald green swayed and then toppled straight toward her.

 

Ye Qingge had no time to dodge and was caught full in the embrace.

 

Staggering back a few steps, the unprepared woman barely managed to steady herself.

 

Frowning, Ye Qingge clicked her tongue and pushed at the person in her arms. “What are you doing?”

 

“Sleepy.” Jiang Mianhao had already closed her eyes. The depletion of her spiritual power and a whole day of fun had drained every ounce of her energy.

 

With her eyes shut, she felt as if she had fallen into a soft, comfortable embrace. She lifted her face, nuzzling against that warmth, and wrapped her arms tightly around the other person.

 

“So sleepy.”

 

Held firmly, Ye Qingge struggled but couldn’t break free. The relentless wave of drowsiness from the Heart-Link Knot kept her on high alert.

 

She stopped trying to push Jiang Mianhao away and instead gently raised a hand to stroke the back of the little one in her arms.

 

Sure enough, a dark stain had latched onto the true form of the person before her, the black energy steadily devouring the grass’s already weakened spiritual power.

 

Using some effort, Ye Qingge pulled herself slightly free from the embrace to get a clear look at Jiang Mianhao’s face.

 

The once lively and energetic little plant was now extremely feeble, her complexion rapidly paling.

 

Ye Qingge placed her fingertips on Jiang Mianhao, channeling a continuous flow of spiritual power into her.

“Sleepy.” Jiang Mianhao was already somewhat disoriented. She opened her arms and hugged Ye Qingge tightly once again.

 

This time, she used even more strength, pulling the other person firmly into her embrace.

 

Jiang Mianhao was a few inches shorter than Ye Qingge, forcing her to stand on her tiptoes just to rest her head on the other’s shoulder.

 

Scalding breaths continuously brushed against Ye Qingge’s neck, the searing warmth spreading across her earlobe.

 

Ye Qingge’s fingers paused, her concentration faltering for the first time in a long while.

 

But Jiang Mianhao remained blissfully unaware of anything amiss, simply finding the coolness in front of her comforting.

 

As Ye Qingge’s earlobe grew warm, the spiritual light at her fingertips flickered and vanished.

 

The tip of her ear was enveloped in soft warmth, accompanied by a faint murmur: “Sleepy.”