After Infusing Love Poison to the Cold Sword Sovereign - Chapter 35.2

Every time Jiang Qingbei saw her, the injuries on her body had worsened. At first, it was just strands of hair cut off, then her face grew pale as if drained of blood, and later she limped, her knees marred by festering wounds.

From the shifting perspectives, it wasn’t hard to see how severely she had been hurt in this wretched place, the Zhiyuan Immortal Sect, by a group of idle, hostile disciples!

Jiang Qingbei had her reasons, and aside from her harsh words, she hadn’t done much. But Wu Ruo her past self, a girl whose heart and eyes were filled only with her Dao companion, had been treated like the most wretched and ill-omened demonic cultivator. Not only was she forcibly barred from the sect, but once inside, she was verbally torn apart, demeaned as worthless, and treated like the lowest of servants, her body covered in wounds.

Yet she didn’t even dare shed tears, instead groveling and fawning, terrified of causing trouble for her Dao companion, terrified that her very presence was a mistake.

Was she truly Luo Qingyi, the Dao companion of a peak lord?

Why could anyone humiliate her? Why did everyone trample over her?

Was this how the Zhiyuan Immortal Sect had treated her in the past?

Rage burned fiercely in her chest, grief and indignation spreading through her mind, threatening to consume her reason and turn the entire world into nothingness.

Yet, amid this overwhelming fury, she regained her composure. Her nails dug into her palms, leaving marks as she forced herself to step back from the anger, to cool her emotions once more.

The Luo Qingyi of now treated her well gently guiding her, teaching her swordsmanship, rebuilding her Dao bones, even willing to drink with her, resting her head in her lap as rare tears fell.

She was moved, truly. But why was Luo Qingyi so kind to her now, a thousand times kinder than she had ever been in the Zhiyuan Immortal Sect? Was it guilt?

Was it regret? A belated realization of the immense suffering she had endured, that as her Dao companion, she had failed to protect her, only awakening to it after she had been broken beyond repair?

Since their past back when she was still with Luo Qingyi, her life had been so miserable, so desolate, why would she continue to meet with Luo Qingyi and repeat the same mistakes?

She scoffed, though it was unclear whether she was mocking Zhiyuan Immortal Sect or her past self.

Fortunately, she had left that wretched place now.

She would have a fresh start, a new beginning. As for Luo Qingyi once she made things clear and returned the sword, she could leave for good.

Almost the instant the thought of a “new beginning” crossed her mind, the world before Wu Ruo’s eyes collapsed once more. Her body felt as though it were plummeting from the sky into an abyss before abruptly regaining the sensation of solid ground beneath her feet.

“Wu Ruo!”

Wu Ruo opened her eyes to see Jiang Qingbei standing before her, looking at her awkwardly. “Th-thanks, I mean, not that I couldn’t have broken free from the illusion myself, but since you were willing to help wake me up, I should still say thanks. But why did you fall asleep again? I almost thought you’d made a wish too…”

“I didn’t.” Wu Ruo stood up, glanced at the grimy meditation cushion, dusted herself off, and strode straight toward the temple door.

“Then, Wu Ruo, let’s go.” Jiang Qingbei surveyed the altar with lingering fear, glancing around before turning back only to find Wu Ruo already walking away on her own.

“Wait, Wu Ruo! What’s wrong with you?”

Unable to maintain her usual tsundere act, Jiang Qingbei scrambled unsteadily to her feet, trying to catch up. But her legs, numb from kneeling all night, refused to cooperate, nearly sending her crashing to the ground.

She quickly picked herself up, her prideful nature dreading the thought of Wu Ruo witnessing her clumsiness. Yet when she looked at Wu Ruo, all she saw was a solitary figure standing at the doorway, her sleeves fluttering in the wind like a butterfly struggling free from its cocoon beautiful yet fragile.

Even at the sound of such a commotion, Wu Ruo didn’t turn back.

For some reason, Jiang Qingbei felt a pang of sadness. Her intuition told her that the Wu Ruo who had awakened from that illusion was no longer the familiar friend she once knew.

Or perhaps, in Wu Ruo’s eyes, she no longer held the title of “friend” at all.

Jiang Qingbei, ever straightforward, rushed forward determined to get an answer. “Wu Ruo, what’s wrong? Did you see something in your dream? Why are you acting like you don’t even know me?”

When Wu Ruo saw Jiang Qingbei approaching, she merely gave a slight nod, sidestepping the question by pointing toward the front hall. “Yue Qinglan is waiting there. She should be awake by now.”

“Oh, so she hasn’t had her soul snatched by this cursed temple yet.” Jiang Qingbei’s attention was diverted as she kicked a small pebble on the ground, grumbling, “This damn temple is such a pain. Who knows how Senior Sister is doing? What if she’s trapped in the same kind of soul-snatching illusion?”

Wu Ruo replied flatly, “Maybe.”

Jiang Qingbei grabbed Wu Ruo’s sleeve in frustration. “Wu Ruo! What’s gotten into you? Ever since you woke up, you’ve been acting so distant! Did you see something you shouldn’t have? Yesterday, you weren’t this cold toward me.”

Wu Ruo subtly shook her off.

She froze for a moment, staring at Wu Ruo’s figure ahead before quickening her pace to catch up. The two had already reached the front hall, where Yue Qinglan and the black serpent still lay on the ground, motionless in light slumber.

As Wu Ruo approached, the small snake seemed to catch a scent and slowly stirred awake. Its black eyes, no larger than soybeans, gradually opened before it slithered up Wu Ruo’s body in an instant, flicking its tiny forked tongue and clinging tightly to its master.

Wu Ruo turned her head and responded to Jiang Qingbei’s earlier words, “What do you mean by ‘things you shouldn’t have seen’?”

Jiang Qingbei’s face instantly paled as she realized the misstep in her phrasing. Unwilling to admit it, she stiffened her expression, wrinkled her nose, and huffed, “I mean things that stir up conflict, right? Have you been bewitched or something?”

“Yes,” Wu Ruo replied, glancing at Yue Qinglan, who seemed to twitch slightly on the ground likely also beginning to wake.

“What shouldn’t I have seen?” she murmured softly, her voice eerily calm yet carrying the weight of a brewing storm. “That I was treated like a rat in the Zhiyuan Immortal Sect?”

She didn’t truly mean to take her anger out on Jiang Qingbei. She knew the humiliation she had endured wasn’t the girl’s doing but the collective cruelty of countless sect disciples. Yet, since everything had unfolded from Jiang Qingbei’s perspective, it was inevitable that resentment festered in her heart.

“…”

Jiang Qingbei gaped, her lips trembling as she whispered, “You remember?”

“Mhm.” Wu Ruo smiled faintly.

Beside them, Yue Qinglan rubbed her eyes and sat up abruptly. “Where are we? I slept for ages!”

The groggy girl finally took in the scene Wu Ruo standing with arms crossed, Jiang Qingbei looking deeply uncomfortable. Yue Qinglan blinked in disbelief. “Why do you two look like that? Did something happen?”

“Xiao Lanzi, you help me talk some sense into her, ” Jiang Qingbei blurted, only to falter mid-sentence, unsure how to continue. “Just think about it!”

“No need.” Wu Ruo chuckled softly, raising a hand to summon a blade as sharp and fluid as water into her grasp.

Luo Qingyi’s lifebound sword, Jinghong Descends.

“What are you?” Yue Qinglan was still processing when, in the next instant, the hilt of the sword was abruptly thrust into her hands.

“I don’t know why she left this sword to me, but—”

Wu Ruo spoke slowly, “I’m sorry. I won’t be joining you to find Luo Qingyi. Let’s part ways here.”

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