After Being Certified by the Immortal Lord on the Path of Ruthlessness - Chapter 38

The crisp, melodious chime of the bell seemed almost like a form of temptation.

 

Ling Lan’s eyes flickered with a brief spark of anticipation, only to vanish the next second.

 

“I don’t need it,” she said, shaking her head, her tone icy. “I don’t need to win Mianhao’s heart.”

 

Misou blinked, taken aback by her resolute words. She stared at the bell in her hand, then shifted her gaze back to the figure before her.

 

Unconvinced, she gave her wrist another shake. The bell rang clearly, its sound a subtle lure.

 

Yet the person before her remained unmoved. A fleeting flicker of desire, stirred by the bell, crossed her eyes but it was only momentary.

 

Moments later, clarity returned, steady and unyielding.

 

“What are you talking about? Don’t you like Mian Mian?” Misou’s laugh carried an awkward edge. “No, you’ve misunderstood me. I meant, I can make Mian Mian fall for you!”

 

Ling Lan’s gaze sharpened, icy and unwavering. “Do you want Mian Mian’s love?”

 

As she spoke, Misou shook her bracelet again.

 

A sudden wave of dizziness washed over Ling Lan. Thoughts and desires not her own surged into her mind: I want Mianhao’s love. I want Mianhao’s heart.

 

Seeing the dazed expression return to Ling Lan’s eyes, Misou’s lips curved in triumph. She leaned closer, her voice dripping with coaxing intent.

 

“To make Mian Mian fall for you, you must keep her away from Lu Jiu and spend more time alone with us,” she whispered, letting the Soul-Snaring Bell sway slowly in her hand.

 

“Mian Mian will only love one person,” Misou continued, her words deliberate and intoxicating.

 

“Love and friendship are not the same, Ling Lan.”

 

Hailing from Miaojiang, Misou was a master of gu sorcery, and the Soul-Snaring Bell she wielded was a direct inheritance from her master, an instrument capable of subtly twisting desires and perceptions.

 

Ling Lan’s mind swirled, the edges of her resolve fraying under the bell’s subtle influence.

Misou froze, startled by the sudden clarity in Ling Lan’s eyes. The haze of her Soul-Snaring Bell’s influence dissipated entirely, leaving only sharp, unwavering determination.

 

Ling Lan’s chest heaved, her fingers trembling from the pain, but her gaze was unwavering. “I said no,” she repeated firmly, her voice carrying a weight that left no room for argument. “I don’t need Mianhao’s love. I only want her to be happy.”

 

The blood on the wooden sword glimmered faintly in the morning light, the scent sharp in the air, a testament to Ling Lan’s resolve and the lengths she would go to protect what she valued.

 

Misou’s lips parted in disbelief, her bell swaying uselessly by her side. Every whisper of temptation, every coaxing plea, had been shattered by Ling Lan’s sheer willpower.

 

For a moment, the room was utterly silent, the only sound the faint drip of blood from Ling Lan’s fingertips.

 

Then Ling Lan straightened, stepping back, her posture defensive but resolute. The wooden sword at her side was not just a weapon, it was a declaration.

 

“I will not be swayed,” she said, her voice cold and steady. “Do not try to interfere with Mianhao or her happiness. I will stop anyone who does.”

 

Misou’s eyes flickered, a mixture of frustration and awe crossing her face. She realized, for the first time, that this small figure before her was no ordinary spirit or human. Ling Lan’s resolve was a force to be reckoned with.

 

The air between them thickened, tension crackling like lightning, as if the room itself awaited the next move.

 

Pointing the tip directly at Misou, she said coldly, “Just who are you?”

 

 

 

Seeing her coaxing fail, Misou felt a surge of irritation, though she maintained a smile. “Who could I be, Lanlan?”

 

 

 

Her tone was utterly innocent as she blinked and added, “Ah, just treat it as me spouting nonsense! I just felt sorry seeing the childhood bond between you two being disrupted by someone else.”

 

 

 

Ling Lan didn’t believe a single word. She shot Misou a cold glare and warned, “I’m warning you! Don’t harbor any intentions toward Mianhao. Leave on your own once you’ve recovered!”

 

 

 

With that, Ling Lan turned and walked out without a backward glance.

 

 

 

Watching the door open and close, Misou’s eyes darkened.

 

 

 

To withstand my Soul-Snaring Bell through sheer willpower…

 

 

 

It seems her feelings for that grass run deep indeed.

 

 

 

This matter will require careful planning.

The quiet room’s door creaked open.

 

A young girl tiptoed to the back of the person seated at the table and suddenly peeked over her shoulder.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

The person at the table froze, unable to retract her hand in time.

 

The small pouch in her grasp was swiftly taken away.

 

“So, it’s my pouch!” Jiang Mianhao held up the bag, examining the clumsily stitched tear.

 

The stiff, awkward needlework clearly revealed the owner’s inexperience.

 

Jiang Mianhao hadn’t expected Lu Jiu to mend it herself. Last time, in her haste to leave, she had forced Ling Lan to tear the strap.

 

She had no idea when or by whom the pouch had been retrieved.

 

Ye Qingge, caught red-handed, felt a wave of embarrassment. She cleared her throat and admitted, “Yes.”

 

Truthfully, she had completely forgotten about the pouch until the Matchmaker mentioned that this grass spirit was easily moved.

 

All she needed to do was perform a few small gestures to win her over.

 

The pouch had somehow found its way back, neatly placed on the desk.

 

With nothing better to do, Ye Qingge had casually picked it up. The stitching, however, was far too tidy, so she unraveled it, deliberately making it look messier.

 

And now, the grass spirit before her was clearly touched.

 

Ye Qingge said indifferently, “We’ll soon depart for Mount Hua. The journey is perilous, so it’s safer to keep you by my side.”

 

“The pouch was torn, so I mended it.”

 

Though her expression remained impassive, Jiang Mianhao felt her heart soak in honey. She bit her lip, her cheeks flushing slightly, and whispered, “Actually, I’ve mastered my human form now. I can take care of myself.”

 

“No, you can’t,” Ye Qingge replied without a second thought.

 

Only when she saw the other’s stunned expression did she realize how harsh she had sounded.

She cleared her throat again, softening her tone. “I don’t want you facing even the slightest risk.”

 

“This journey is dangerous,” Ye Qingge added. “As long as I’m here, I won’t let you get hurt.”

 

Jiang Mianhao blushed deeply at her words, hugging the pouch as joy bubbled in her heart.

 

Her fingers brushed against the crumpled knot, and a thought struck her. Holding the pouch in one hand, she reached out with the other to take Ye Qingge’s hand.

 

Ye Qingge instinctively pulled back.

 

The reaction only solidified Jiang Mianhao’s suspicion.

 

“Did I hurt you?” Jiang Mianhao asked anxiously. “I knew it. The needle must have pricked you!”

 

Her tone was scolding, but her expression was full of concern. “Let me see. Are you injured?”

 

Ye Qingge hadn’t expected Jiang Mianhao to misunderstand. She simply disliked being touched by her.

 

Yet Jiang Mianhao’s concern was so overwhelming that it flooded her senses.

Reluctantly, Ye Qingge waved her hand, causing tiny needle pricks and blood spots to appear on her fingertips.

 

After a brief struggle, Jiang Mianhao finally managed to hold her hand.

 

Seeing the smooth fingertips now dotted with needle marks and blood, Jiang Mianhao’s heart ached.

 

She hurriedly rummaged through the room for the medical kit.

 

“Does it hurt badly?” she asked, holding the medicinal alcohol in one hand while cradling Ye Qingge’s hand in the other.

 

She puffed out her cheeks, gently blowing on the wounds.

 

Her movements were tender and focused.

 

Ye Qingge watched the top of the other’s head, a wave of confusion washing over her.

 

So even pretending to be injured could elicit such concern?

 

A few tiny blood spots on her fingertips were enough to make this person worry so much.

Back when she had nearly died in battle, she hadn’t even earned a glance from her mother.

 

This person really was prone to overreacting.

 

Meanwhile, Jiang Mianhao, fully absorbed in tending to the “wounds,” had no room for such thoughts.

 

After applying the medicinal alcohol, she didn’t let go immediately but continued to blow softly and carefully.

 

Green Wine was clearly accustomed to a life of ease, and now she had injured her hand for his sake.

 

Her heart was half sweet, half aching.

 

“That’s right.” Ye Qingge snapped out of her thoughts. Seeing the top of the person’s head before her, she asked, “Did you have something to tell me?”

 

The person blowing on her fingertip paused, somewhat reluctant to continue.

 

Feeling the anticipation she had forcibly suppressed in her heart, Ye Qingge couldn’t help but press further. “You have to tell me, okay? Don’t hide anything from me.”

 

Hearing this gentle tone, Jiang Mianhao looked up and said, “No, I just wanted to ask you to go out and play with me, but your hand is injured.”

 

“Of course,” Ye Qingge immediately agreed. “Where do you want to go? I’ll go with you anywhere.”

 

Jiang Mianhao pursed her lips, her gaze falling on Ye Qingge’s fingertip. “But…”

 

Ye Qingge had intended to lift her hand and expose the pretense, but after a moment’s thought, she raised her head instead.

 

“Is your hand injured?” Ye Qingge smiled. “Then, could I ask you to help me heal it?”

 

“Me?” Jiang Mianhao pointed at herself in surprise.

 

Ye Qingge nodded. “Yes, you.”

 

Jiang Mianhao lowered her eyelashes, timidly saying, “But my cultivation isn’t strong enough, and I don’t know healing techniques. I’m afraid.”

 

“It’s alright,” Ye Qingge said gently. “You can give it a try.”

 

Jiang Mianhao hesitated for a moment before finally nodding.

She held Ye Qingge’s hand with her left hand and raised the index and middle fingers of her right, pressing them together.

 

A faint green glow shimmered between her fingers.

 

But as soon as she lifted her hand, she lowered it again. “No, no, I’m afraid I might hurt you.”

 

“It’s fine,” Ye Qingge said, sensing the shift in her own emotions. She suppressed her feelings and reassured her, “I believe in you. Try again, okay?”

 

The anxiety and timidity in her heart were soothed, and Jiang Mianhao nodded, summoning her courage once more.

 

Her fingers pressed together again, and the faint green glow shimmered between them.

 

Timidity washed over her once more, and just as she was about to lower her hand…

 

The back of her hand grew warm, and her entire hand was enveloped by another.

 

A powerful surge of spiritual energy flowed from the back of her hand, converging at her fingertips.

 

The faint green glow between her fingers grew brighter and brighter, and a soft, radiant light poured forth.

 

The previously battered fingertip returned to its original state—smooth and rosy.

 

Jiang Mianhao looked joyfully at the healed fingertip, then raised her head to gaze at the person before her.

 

Green Wine’s hand still rested on hers; she had guided her through the healing process.

 

This was not only the first time Jiang Mianhao had successfully performed a healing technique, but also the first time she had ever wielded spiritual energy.

 

It was as if a door to a new world had opened before her, her eyes brimming with delight.

 

Her heart swelled with joy and a sense of accomplishment, while Ye Qingge merely smiled faintly.

 

“Green Wine!” Jiang Mianhao exclaimed, looking at the perfectly healed fingertip in her hand, overjoyed. “Green Wine!”

 

Ye Qingge smiled gently and praised her, “See? You did it.”

 

Jiang Mianhao’s eyes sparkled like clear, shimmering springs.

As she looked at the person before her, her gaze couldn’t help but reveal affection and admiration.

 

Filled with the joy of using spiritual energy for the first time and the happiness of Green Wine taking her hand, Jiang Mianhao didn’t even notice that the fingertips resting on the back of her hand which hadn’t been treated with spiritual energy had also returned to their original state.

 

“You really did wonderfully,” Ye Qingge said with a smile. “Alright, now can you tell me? Don’t hide anything. I like your honesty.”

 

Like. Me.

 

These three words filled Jiang Mianhao’s mind, her cheeks flushing softly.

 

“Lu Jiu~”

 

Boldly, she took the hand resting on hers and stepped forward to link arms with the person beside her.

 

“I heard there will be fireworks in the north of the city tonight.”

 

“Can you take me?”