After Infusing Love Poison to the Cold Sword Sovereign - Chapter 23.1

“Ah Xiang, how have you been lately?”

On the winding path descending from Luoxue Peak, two figures walked side by side or rather, one was practically being dragged along by the other.

Wu Ruo looked around cheerfully, while Jiang Qingbei trailed behind her with a scowl, clearly displeased.

What a joke! Not only had she apologized to Wu Ruo, but she was also being mistaken for someone else!

The pampered young lady had never endured such frustration before, her mind a whirlwind of irritation. “Wu Ruo, aren’t you tired? I’m exhausted from training every day, I don’t have the energy to wander around with you.”

But Wu Ruo, instead of taking the hint, only grew more familiar with her. “Alright, then take me to see the dormitories? Since we’re both guest disciples from Miaojiang, shouldn’t we be staying together?”

Jiang Qingbei’s brain short-circuited. She hadn’t yet adjusted to her new identity and stammered for a long moment before finally managing to spit out, “Uh, we don’t stay together. My talent is better than yours, so of course I have my own quarters. Senior Sister took pity on you and let you stay with her.”

Wu Ruo said, “Then take me to see yours?”

What the since when was Wu Ruo this talkative and persistent?!

Jiang Qingbei threw up her hands, her temper flaring instantly. With a dark expression, she snapped, “It’s too late today. I still have to go back to my grotto-heaven to train, I don’t have time to waste with you! Ask Senior Sister to show you around!”

The spoiled young lady, used to being indulged, didn’t even take another step. She simply planted herself where she stood, her face as dark as if someone had trampled on her new dress. Forget Senior Sister’s instructions pretending to be someone else was exhausting! She was done!

But Wu Ruo seemed oblivious to her stormy expression. After walking ahead a few steps and noticing Jiang Qingbei wasn’t following, she actually turned back and jogged over, affectionately looping her arm through the young lady’s.

“Come on, you’re the only person I know here…” Wu Ruo shook Jiang Qingbei’s arm lightly. The latter’s expression changed drastically in an instant, her face heating up as a deep flush spread across her cheeks. Her previously downturned lips had long since relaxed, now nervously bitten instead.

The girl laughed playfully, her serene smile unconsciously disarming. “I don’t know anyone here, and it’s so unfamiliar. I feel so lonely all by myself. Stay with me a little longer, okay?”

The warmth of their arms pressed together sent an involuntary tingle through their touching skin. Jiang Qingbei wasn’t used to such intimate contact and stiffened, her words stumbling. “D-don’t just cling to me like that!”

When Wu Ruo let go but continued to gaze at her expectantly, Jiang Qingbei’s heart softened despite herself. She lifted her chin haughtily and huffed, “Fine, I’ll humor you just this once! But don’t expect me to sacrifice my training time for something this pointless ever again!”

“You’re the best!”

Wu Ruo cheered, skipping ahead. Where Jiang Qingbei couldn’t see, a sly smile curled at her lips.

Of course, she knew the finely dressed girl before her wasn’t Ah Xiang.

Ah Xiang was her dearest friend. They had grown up together, how could she not recognize her personality and temperament? Ah Xiang was gentle and refined by nature, a bit more talkative around close friends but always proper and respectful toward elders and senior sisters. She would never raise her voice or act so brashly.

Moreover, the other person had the best temper among all the people she knew, never losing their temper with anyone, simply offering quiet companionship, even at the cost of their own interests.

At the sight of Jiang Qingbei’s face and the silver bracelet, she was momentarily overwhelmed with excitement and joyfully called out A-Xiang’s name only to have her hopes dashed by the first words out of the young lady’s mouth. This person was not the familiar friend she remembered.

Yet, the other party didn’t deny it, which at least presented an opportunity to slip away. The oppressive atmosphere in the room made it hard for her to breathe, and she instinctively wanted to put as much distance as possible between herself and the woman she had seen upon waking.

Thinking this, Wu Ruo’s eyes flickered as she deliberately mused, “I don’t remember much of what happened before. A-Xiang, what do we do here every day?”

“What we do?” Jiang Qingbei rolled her eyes, tilting her head as she began counting off on her fingers. “Cultivation, attending classes… formations, alchemy, artifact forging even if you’re a sword cultivator, these are all mandatory subjects. You have to master every foundational skill though, of course, I’m an all-rounder.”

“Aside from that, there’s taking on missions from the bounty board, going on journeys down the mountain, sword debate tournaments, minor competitions every three months, and major ones every six months. That’s about it. Occasionally, there are other opportunities like secret realms.”

Wu Ruo nodded, absorbing the general information before probing further. “Secret realms? I’ve heard they’re extremely dangerous. Did something happen to me when I lost my memory?”

Jiang Qingbei faltered again, hesitating for a long moment before inspiration struck. “How would I know? I wasn’t with you. You went with Senior Sister Luo, I was assigned to a different elder.”

“Oh, I see. What’s Senior Sister Luo’s full name?” Wu Ruo blinked, emphasizing the next two words. “She said she’s my dao companion. Is that true?”

Finally, an easy question, one that even gave her a chance to help her senior sister out!

Jiang Qingbei exhaled in relief and answered without hesitation, “Her full name is Luo Qingyi, and of course she’s your dao companion!”

Seeing the lingering disbelief on Wu Ruo’s face, Jiang Qingbei grew anxious. “Don’t doubt it! She loves you so, so much, I’ve never seen her act so crazily before! After you well, she nearly lost her mind, almost razed the three sub-peaks of Snowfall Peak in her fury! She sat in front of the Mirror of Reflection every single day, wasting away!”

“After I died?”

Wu Ruo suddenly turned back, her expression one of pure, innocent curiosity, tinged with a thirst for knowledge. “I actually died?”

A shiver ran down Jiang Qingbei’s spine as she realized her blunder she had just revealed something she shouldn’t have.

What now?! What exactly had Senior Sister told her sister-in-law? She was completely in the dark here!

She scrambled to backtrack, but the confusion on the other’s face only deepened, making her retreat in panic. “N-no, you misheard! You should ask her yourself, ah!”

Just as Jiang Qingbei was stammering helplessly, her eyes darted around in desperation until they landed on a tall figure in flowing white robes in the distance.

The figure moved with extraordinary lightness, soaring through the air without a sword, a feat only possible for a supremely powerful Great Ascension cultivator. The woman’s sleeves fluttered as she hurried forward, the hem of her robes adorned with intricate cloud patterns, marking her status as a peak master.

“Senior Sister!” Jiang Qingbei’s face lit up with relief as she called out urgently. “Senior Sister, hurry over here!”

Luo Qingyi descended slowly and landed beside the two of them.

Jiang Qingbei, who had just been looking pale and sickly, had now returned to normal. She let out a sigh of relief and once again puffed up her chest like a proud peacock. “Senior Sister, hurry up and take her back. I still need to go cultivate, I’m aiming for first place in this year’s grand competition!”

Seeing that Luo Qingyi didn’t respond to her, Jiang Qingbei snorted. “I’m leaving!”

“Alright,” Luo Qingyi replied, her gaze sweeping over Jiang Qingbei’s retreating figure. The other woman seemed to be in a hurry, as if a pack of dogs were chasing her, and in the blink of an eye, she was gone.

She fled just like that?

Luo Qingyi paused. She knew this junior sister had a proud temperament perhaps this impromptu task she’d assigned had inadvertently touched a nerve. But Jiang Qingbei didn’t seem angry; rather, it was more like.

She had said something she shouldn’t have and fled out of guilt.

Luo Qingyi pressed her lips together, regretting that she hadn’t placed a sound-transmitting talisman on Wu Nuo earlier to hear what the two had discussed.

Wu Nuo remained silent as well. The snow on the path had been deliberately cleared by the retainers, revealing the smooth, polished cobblestones beneath.

That fake A-Xiang was far too easy to trick.

With just a few casual questions, information had poured out of her mouth. But just as Wu Nuo was about to ask more, that swordswoman who claimed to be her Dao companion had arrived.

Luo Qingyi had clearly said she was only injured, yet the fake A-Xiang had blurted out that she had already died even mentioning how that woman had acted like a terrifying madwoman.

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