After Infusing Love Poison to the Cold Sword Sovereign - Chapter 18

The sky was overcast, the morning light obscured by clouds, leaving only a few faint rays of light barely seeping into the room.

Wu Ruo had long grown accustomed to waking up alone in her small bed. Rubbing her bleary eyes, she turned over, only for her elbow to brush against something unexpectedly soft in an instant.

Luo Qingyi opened her drowsy eyes and murmured, “Awake, A’Ruo?”

Memories from the previous day flooded back in a flash, and Wu Ruo let out a flustered “Mhm,” hurriedly pulling up the covers…

“Mhm?!”

Her palm touched something, an indescribable softness, sending a tingling sensation through her fingertips as if she had brushed against the most delicate cotton in the fields.

So soft, Mhm, this was something she could never, Mhm?!

She suddenly realized what it was, and her face flushed crimson in an instant, redder than the apples on the table.

“I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to!”

This was Luo Qingyi, the one she revered, the one she dared not defile in her heart!

Wu Ruo recoiled in panic, clasping her hands together at her sides, not daring to move another inch as she stammered apologies.

But all she heard was a soft chuckle before a slightly cool touch wrapped around her wrist.

Luo Qingyi took her hand, slender fingers slowly intertwining with hers, pressing them against the bed as their fingers laced together.

Then, abruptly, the back of her head was gently held Luo Qingyi’s other hand cradled her, and then, ever so lightly.

A cloud seemed to land upon her lips, soft and tender, a sensation she had never experienced before. Though Luo Qingyi’s body temperature was usually cooler than hers, the touch of their lips burned with an intensity that sent shivers coursing through her veins, electrifying every inch of her.

Just as quickly as it came, it ended.

“Why apologize?” Luo Qingyi released her after the kiss, though their faces remained close. “You can touch me anytime.”

The lingering warmth on her lips sent waves of sensation spiraling through her. The morning breeze slipped through the door crack, the light dimmer than usual, casting a soft glow that outlined Luo Qingyi’s face in a hazy, intimate silhouette so breathtaking, so impossibly fortunate.

Wu Ruo stared straight at Luo Qingyi, unwilling to let go of her hand. “Qingyi.”

“Mhm, I’m here.”

Her mind, once again, was stripped of reason by affection, her words reduced to childish babble, as if she had regressed into a little girl, cooing to her beloved. “Hug me.”

The woman smiled indulgently and pulled her close.

The faint fragrance in the air enveloped her, and Wu Ruo felt herself drowning in this unparalleled tenderness. On this winter morning, she lay entwined with the one she loved, their eyes holding no one else but each other.

Was this the love gu’s doing?

From now on, Luo Qingyi would be her partner. They could spend their days together, gazing at the stars, sipping the morning dew, basking in the dawn’s light. She would never have to fear her leaving again, nor worry about demonic cultivators slaughtering the village because she had Luo Qingyi.

But there was still one question she needed answered.

“Why do you love me?” she asked.

Luo Qingyi paused, her dark eyes flickering with a momentary haze.

For a brief second, confusion clouded her gaze before clarity returned, her expression smoothing back into its usual calm.

“Because in the time I’ve lost my memories, you never asked about my past, never demanded anything in return. You cared for me purely, wholeheartedly. How could I not be moved?”

The woman’s expression was gentle, but Wu Ruo suddenly realized that the Luo Qingyi before her bore no resemblance to the sword cultivator she had first encountered cold and aloof, wielding a gleaming longsword with an aura of transcendent detachment.

She could no longer find even a trace of that icy yet faintly tender woman…

“Then…” A sudden resolve flared in Wu Ruo as she gazed intently into the other’s eyes. “Is being moved the same as liking someone?”

“…”

The words lingered in the air, and Luo Qingyi remained silent for a long while. The light in her eyes seemed to flicker within her pupils before finally steadying. “They are connected.”

Enough.

The obsession in Wu Ruo’s heart dissipated in an instant. This was the partner she had gained through the love charm, the one she cherished most. As long as Luo Qingyi stayed by her side, why dwell on where the affection had begun?

“Then, would you accompany me down the mountain to fulfill a vow?”

Luo Qingyi nodded. “Alright.”

This time, there was no chattering little disciple by her side only Luo Qingyi, fingers intertwined with hers. Dressed in matching light silk robes with only a short dagger at her waist, Luo Qingyi exuded a dashing, heroic air.

This was her Dao companion.

Once she embraced the beauty of reality, all the lingering doubts and stubbornness in her heart vanished like illusions in the face of true happiness.

Even if the love she had obtained was through less-than-honorable means… she had it now.

The one she loved was right beside her.

Wu Ruo was so entranced that she stumbled over a small pebble, only to be steadied by Luo Qingyi’s firm grip.

“Be careful,” Luo Qingyi said.

Wu Ruo naturally leaned into her embrace, but out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a scorched tree split down the middle in the distance strangely familiar.

It seemed…

Luo Qingyi suddenly spoke. “Do you remember this place?”

“It’s…” A spark of recognition flashed in Wu Ruo’s eyes, and she gasped in excitement. “I remember now! This is where you saved me back then!”

“Yes. Who would have thought we’d later share such an extraordinary bond?” Luo Qingyi smiled. “Many in the sect fear me at first sight. Yet you weren’t afraid, you even spoke to me willingly, desperate to save your friend. At the time, I thought… I might as well help her…”

The woman’s voice lingered in her ears, no longer carrying the frosty sternness of their first meeting but instead the warmth of shared intimacy, the tender affection between lovers.

So, back then Luo Qingyi had remembered her.

A sweet sensation blossomed in her heart, like the syrup of a penny candy from a mortal town’s streets, melting into an unprecedented sweetness.

She clung to Luo Qingyi’s arm, coquettish as a lovestruck maiden. “Then, what was your first impression of me?”

“Adorable, yet resilient,” Luo Qingyi replied. “That was also the first time I ever took someone outside the sect on a sword flight. Even though you weren’t a sword cultivator, you adapted quickly, quite remarkable.”

Adorable, resilient, Hehe.

Wu Ruo nearly melted into a pink bubble of delight, repeating the latter half of the words dreamily before her eyes suddenly widened in shock. “Wait, your first time taking a stranger on a sword flight?”

Luo Qingyi, who usually carried an air of unapproachable detachment, was not one for gallant heroics. Yet when Wu Ruo had pleaded for help, she had agreed without hesitation offering aid without expecting anything in return, even letting her step onto her sword!

“Yes, that’s right.” Luo Qingyi looked at her and smiled gently. “So I remembered you, looking forward to our next meeting.”

Wu Ruo suddenly froze.

Remembering her, anticipating her… This state of mind was exactly how she had felt in the past, the very longing she had harbored countless times in her dreams for that person.

“If only they could remember me too.”

“If only I could be the first to stand on my sister’s sword.”

“Perhaps, my sister also looks forward to the day we meet again, just like I do.”

Countless sleepless nights tossing and turning, countless midnight fantasies that seemed too good to be true. The girl’s wishes had transformed into intense, fervent emotions, becoming the nourishment for the love gu crafted from her very bones and blood.

So… were Luo Qingyi’s words now truly her own thoughts, or had they been influenced by the love gu, turning her into the Luo Qingyi that only existed in Wu Ruo’s heart?

She gazed at the woman beside her, so considerate and attentive, yet she dared not ask, dared not think.

One thought circled in her mind: She is no longer Luo Qingyi. She is your puppet, a puppet you, this demon, personally ensnared with the gu!

But another thought arose like a devil’s whisper: This is Luo Qingyi, how could it be fake? The gu was just a minor episode, this is the Luo Qingyi you love, the one who loves you. She is your partner, so why feel guilty? Why let go?

The two conflicting thoughts intertwined, tormenting her mind. Her head ached, as if it might explode. Yet she couldn’t bring herself to release Luo Qingyi’s hand, sinking deeper into the madness of her own thoughts.

Luo Qingyi said nothing, simply holding her in her arms, the faint fragrance enveloping her, seeping into her chaotic heart.

Within the woman’s embrace, Wu Ruo’s heart gradually calmed, settling like dust in a quiet field. She blinked and led the other down the mountain path.

Her steps were slow, and Luo Qingyi matched her pace, deliberately slowing her own. Along the way, they passed wild Bodhisattva statues, incense temples, or oddly shaped ancient trees in the dense forest. Wu Ruo acted as the guide, their journey filled with laughter.

Luo Qingyi was an excellent listener, attentively absorbing her explanations and responding to her every word. Everything was just right, perfectly aligned with her desires.

The unease in her heart was forcibly suppressed.

By the time they reached the small town at the foot of the mountain, the temple at the edge still stood amidst the yellow earth. Its walls were mottled, patches of faded green paint revealing vague outlines. The crimson bricks and tiles were haphazardly arranged, red as dripping blood.

When she had come here at midnight before, she hadn’t noticed how eerily the temple had been maintained…

She tightened her grip on a leaf-shaped wooden token hidden in her sleeve. A red string was tied to it, its back covered in strange patterns, while the front was smooth and clean, bearing only a single, starkly carved character: “Love.”

“This is the Wishing Temple.” Wu Ruo explained softly to Luo Qingyi before bowing respectfully toward the temple gate. “This is my dao companion, Luo Qingyi.”

Luo Qingyi bowed with her, and the two stepped silently into the temple’s entrance hall. The courtyard’s bell and drum towers stood old and worn, seemingly coated in a thick layer of dust.

She stepped into the grand hall at the center. The redwood low table before the offering altar remained unchanged, though the candles that once sat upon it had vanished without a trace. A layer of dust had settled on the meditation cushion, as if no one had come to pay their respects in a long time.

Yet she distinctly remembered kneeling on this very cushion just days ago, making a wish…

Before she could ponder further, she caught sight of Luo Qingyi lowering her head, gathering her sleeves, and pressing her palms together in silent prayer. Then, opening her eyes, she gazed at her intently.

The wooden token bearing the character for “love” hidden in her sleeve burned hot against her skin.

The towering bronze statue before them remained majestic and solemn, its features indistinct yet exuding a benevolent gaze, as if all the illusions of the world could be redeemed and liberated through the trials of reincarnation.

Her heart seemed to find peace, yet the memory of that night in the temple flared up anew, scorching her soul. Wu Ruo held Luo Qingyi’s hand and knelt before the cushion, speaking softly under the witness of heaven and earth.

“In our tribe’s tradition, those whose hearts are aligned must form a covenant with one another,” she said. “Will you?”

Her hand was squeezed tightly by Luo Qingyi, whose gentle voice floated into her ear: “I will.”

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