After Infusing Love Poison to the Cold Sword Sovereign - Chapter 36

The sword gleamed coldly under the harsh sunlight, its blade still sharp and icy. Yue Qinglan awoke from her slumber, still disoriented and unaware of the situation. Clutching the longsword in her arms, she nearly cut her fingers in her daze.

“Senior Sister Wu Ruo, what are you? Why are you giving this to me?”

Wu Ruo didn’t answer. Without a trace of hesitation, she turned and strode away. The small black snake coiled around her wrist slithered down her sleeve, unnoticed by the other two.

Jiang Qingbei was frantic. “Hurry and give it back to her! Don’t let her leave Wu Ruo is leaving! Return Senior Sister’s sword to her, it must be important.”

As she spoke, she reached out to grab Wu Ruo’s sleeve. But just as her fingers were about to make contact, she stepped on something strange beneath her feet and tumbled to the ground with a thud.

“Ah! What the, ah! A snake!!”

In an instant, the black snake swelled to ten times its original size, now as thick as a grown man’s forearm. Its scales bristled, and the eerie spikes on its head made it look ferocious enough to nearly scare Jiang Qingbei out of her wits.

Her attention immediately shifted. Furious, she summoned her lifebound sword, ready to strike down the inexplicable serpent. But the black snake shrank back to its original slender size in the blink of an eye and darted back into Wu Ruo’s sleeve.

“Wu Ruo, control your snake!” Jiang Qingbei scrambled to her feet, flushed with embarrassment and anger, momentarily forgetting her mission to stop Wu Ruo from leaving.

Wu Ruo ignored her. Instead, she gently stroked the snake’s head and strode resolutely toward the front hall’s exit.

“Senior Sister Wu Ruo!” Yue Qinglan snapped out of her daze and quickly leaped over Jiang Qingbei, rushing toward the door. “Don’t be angry! Was it Qingbei who upset you? I’ll go with you to report her to Senior Sister later! Please don’t leave!”

Thud.

She, too, tripped and fell flat on her face. The sword she had been holding, Jinghong Jiangshi, slipped from her grasp and skidded forward, slamming hard against the ground.

A pitch-black scorpion, massive in size, extended its stinger near her feet, waving its pincers threateningly before shrinking back to the size of a palm. Like a whirlwind, it retreated into Wu Ruo’s sleeve and vanished.

“Senior Sister Wu Ruo, wait! Do you have some misunderstanding about Senior Sister?”

Yue Qinglan ignored the pain and scrambled up, but she was slower than Wu Ruo. Helpless, she could only watch as Wu Ruo stepped out of the front hall.

Just one courtyard away, and Wu Ruo would be gone!

At that moment, Jinghong Jiangshi, which had fallen to the ground, suddenly emitted a dazzling light, as if infused with spiritual energy. With a sharp zing, it shot up from the ground like an arrow loosed from a bow, streaking toward Wu Ruo’s retreating figure!

Wu Ruo didn’t turn around, but her keen hearing told her exactly what was happening behind her. Frowning, she quickened her pace, heading straight for the temple gate.

“Ah! That snake again!” Jiang Qingbei shrieked from behind.

Just as Jinghong Jiangshi was about to catch up to Wu Ruo, another sudden twist occurred! The black snake, fiercely loyal to its master, reared up with all its scales bristling and slammed headlong into the hilt of the sword!

Crack!

Wu Ruo had not controlled the minds of the gu insects she commanded, nor had she anticipated the black snake’s reaction.

With one foot already stepping out of the temple door, she turned back in alarm, but it was too late to catch the little serpent that had accompanied her for so long.

The black snake crashed heavily to the ground like a frayed rope, its body shrinking back to the thickness of a finger. Meanwhile, the descending sword, despite its abundant spiritual energy, was also struck down by the black snake, both falling to the ground in mutual defeat.

“Little Black!”

The next second, the world spun.

The moment her foot crossed the temple threshold, the surrounding environment had completely changed. It was no longer the backyard wall of the inn where they had rested the night before, but a serene mountain path.

“Where’s Little Black?”

Wu Ruo focused her gaze and saw behind her a wide-open temple gate. The vermilion walls and the imposing temple door stood in stark contrast, the scene inside identical to where she had just been except now, there was no trace of the frantic pursuit by Jiang and Yue, nor of her little snake.

“Esteemed visitor, have you come to make a wish?”

A soft, eerie voice suddenly reached her ears, light yet devoid of any footsteps. Wu Ruo whirled around to see a nun dressed in plain white robes, her hands pressed together in prayer, nodding slightly.

The moment she saw the nun, Wu Ruo felt an indescribable eeriness. The nun’s expression, though seemingly a smile, was unnaturally stiff, almost like a puppet’s.

“Not exactly,” Wu Ruo returned the gesture curtly. Having just witnessed the strange power of the Wishing Temple in Jiang Qingbei’s dream, she was wary of the nun’s sudden appearance and the unfamiliar surroundings. Though puzzled, she remained cautious and said little.

The nun said, “This is the temple of the Five Continents. Could it be that the visitor was heading to a side temple to make a wish?”

The Five Continents?

Wu Ruo instantly realized where she was. The day before, Jiang Qingbei had repeatedly mentioned the Five Continents, the mission location for investigating the Red Temple, and also.

The place where Luo Qingyi should be right now.

“Something like that,” Wu Ruo replied vaguely. “Reverend, have you seen a woman with snow-white hair, wearing moon-white robes with cloud patterns, likely at the Great Ascension stage?”

“I have,” the nun replied with a smile. “But that visitor left without making a wish.”

Wu Ruo unconsciously let out a sigh of relief. Though she had resolved to sever ties with Luo Qingyi, she still didn’t want her to fall victim to the temple’s trap and end up trapped in a life-threatening situation.

“Reverend, could you tell me when she arrived and how long ago she left?”

“I can’t quite remember,” The nun smiled gently, her hands still pressed together. In fact, she hadn’t moved an inch the entire time they had been speaking.

“Thank you,” Wu Ruo said, mimicking the gesture and bowing slightly. Then, recalling something, she asked, “My fellow disciples and I went to the side hall to make wishes. Will they also arrive at this temple?”

“If they entered the temple but did not make a wish, no,” the nun replied. “If they did make a wish, they would come to the main temple, just like you.”

Wu Ruo thanked her again, understanding now. Yue Qinglan and her black snake hadn’t made any wishes they would likely return the way they came. Jiang Qingbei, however, had made a wish and was probably on his way here.

“Hmm, a new visitor’s presence, a child with quite a connection to you.”

Jiang Qingbei was about to arrive!

Wu Ruo quickly thanked the Abbess and instinctively reached to stroke her little black snake, only to find it missing. The black scorpion, newly acquired, had not yet grown accustomed to her and remained lazily curled up inside her Qiankun pouch, refusing to budge.

She cast a nostalgic glance back at the temple, knowing full well that Yue Qinglan would never vent her anger on the injured little snake. With that thought, she abruptly turned away, recited an incantation to conceal her aura, and swiftly made her way down the mountain.

From a distance, she could hear the nun’s voice, repeating the same words she had heard earlier: “Esteemed patron, have you come to make a wish?”

Jiang Qingbei’s voice was even more frantic than before: “Huh? Where is this?! I was just in, what was that place called again? Some town where the hell is this?!”

“Esteemed patron, have you come to make a wish?”

The nun did not answer Jiang Qingbei’s question. Instead, like a lifeless puppet, she mechanically repeated the same phrase. Perhaps the nun was merely a construct that only responded once the visitor answered her question.

Jiang Qingbei’s voice grew shriller. Having grown familiar with the young noblewoman’s temperament, Wu Ruo could tell she wasn’t truly furious just putting on a brave front out of fear. “Are you deaf or something?”

It seemed she wanted to lash out but was too intimidated by the Wish Temple to act rashly.

“Where’s Wu Ruo? And why hasn’t that snail Yue Qinglan come out yet? Don’t tell me I’m the only one stuck in this godforsaken place?!”

Wu Ruo couldn’t help but smile, relieved that Jiang Qingbei hadn’t resorted to violence.

She summoned the black scorpion from her Qiankun pouch and dripped a single drop of blood onto it. Instantly, the creature swelled in size, growing as large as the golden toad that once guarded the entrance to Miaojiang just big enough to carry her alone.

Since she had already returned the borrowed Jinghong Jiangshi, she no longer had a sword to ride. She would need to find a place to purchase a suitable blade. Moreover, the robe she wore, the signature attire of Luoxue Peak from Zhiyuan Immortal Sect had to go. Now that she had left for good, she needed to ensure no one could recognize her.

The black scorpion was clearly reluctant but, bound by Wu Ruo’s blood pact, had no choice but to obediently carry her down the mountain. However, before they even reached the foot, it refused to go any further and shrank back into the Qiankun pouch.

“Come out, come out.”

When the scorpion refused to budge, Wu Ruo sighed and resigned herself to walking the rest of the way. But when she finally reached the base of the mountain, the sight before her left her utterly stunned.

The Five Provinces Continent, as described in the texts, was said to host several cities where powerful rogue cultivators gathered. Yet witnessing it firsthand, she had never imagined it would be this prosperous.

Beside a desolate mountain stood an unexpectedly bustling marketplace lanterns glowing, wine flowing, cultivators and merchants crowding the streets, carriages and horses weaving through the throng. The scene was one of thriving commerce and vitality.

It was far livelier than the little town beneath the Black Mountain back in Miaojiang.

Wu Ruo casually entered a teahouse and struck up a conversation with the waiter. With a single spirit stone as payment, she quickly learned of a well-known black market in the city where goods could be bartered or purchased with spirit stones, silver, or other currencies. Located at the intersection of the cultivation world and the mortal realm, it welcomed both cultivators and commoners alike, a place where only transactions mattered, and origins were never questioned. Perfect for someone in her current situation.

“Bai Shang Street,” she murmured the name of the black market, finding it oddly familiar.

After bidding the waiter farewell, she exchanged a fragment of a spirit stone for an entry token and stepped through the gates of the black market.

Before her lay the bustling Bai Shang Street, a lively marketplace that seemed to have reopened after a long hiatus. Amidst the revival of all trades, stalls were packed tightly together, their owners shouting incessantly to attract customers.

“Low-grade tonic pills! Mortals who take them will be cured of all ailments and enjoy longevity! Cultivators can use them to calm their minds and nourish their qi, just one tael of silver or five spirit stone fragments!”

“Imitation Forget-Dust Powder! Whether you’re a mortal or a cultivator, taking this will make you forget all your troubles! The authentic version from Xinglin Sect costs three high-grade spirit stones, but mine only costs three ordinary ones! Limited stock, first come, first served.”

“I’ve got something even better! Spirit-velvet handkerchiefs from Zhiyuan Immortal Sect, exclusively exchanged by disciples of the top sect with their merit points rare beyond compare! This belonged to none other than the daughter of Sect Leader Jiang, the young Mistress Jiang! Its rarity speaks for itself!”

Wu Ruo glanced around as she walked but found no longsword that caught her eye. Her gaze lingered briefly on the spirit-velvet handkerchief, feeling an odd sense of familiarity.

The stall owner noticed her staring and, spotting the moon-white cloud patterns on her sleeves, panicked. He stuffed the handkerchief into his pocket and bolted, shouting as he ran, “Heavens, a noble lady from a major sect! Spare me! I didn’t steal it!”

Alright, she needed to change her clothes first, otherwise, she stood out too much.

Wu Ruo wandered around and randomly picked a mortal stall owner who showed no signs of spiritual energy. She grabbed a few dresses from the auntie’s stall and changed in a makeshift fitting area. Deliberately suppressing her aura, she now appeared no different from an ordinary mortal newcomer.

Admittedly, though these dresses were merely mortal-made, their fine stitching and elegant lines made them fit better and look more beautiful than her previous immortal sect robes.

“Thank you,” she said, examining herself in the ordinary mirror the woman had set out, quite satisfied. She then handed over a few bottles of low-grade tonic pills from her Qiankun pouch. These pills, discovered in her pouch, were of poor quality barely beneficial to cultivators above the Foundation Establishment stage but perfect for the fragile bodies of mortals.

She didn’t know why she had such medicine, but bartering them now, their value far exceeded that of the clothes. It was a way to repay the auntie’s kindness.

Yet the moment she offered them, the woman’s expression turned incredulous.

“You, is it really you?”

Tears welled up in the auntie’s eyes as she pushed the pills back. “I can’t take these! Immortal Lord, did you once help me and my daughter?”

“Not that I recall. I’ve never been here before,” Wu Ruo replied hesitantly.

The auntie before her had a healthy glow and moved with brisk efficiency, clearly a diligent and capable woman. Wu Ruo had no memory of Bai Shang Street or any mortals had this woman mistaken her for someone else?

“Then,” The auntie fidgeted, rubbing the hem of her clothes. “Before, an immortal lord from the cultivation world helped many of us and even cured my illness. But for some reason, my daughter and I can’t quite remember. She left, but I wanted to thank her properly, so I’ve kept this stall here ever since. Yet I’ve never seen her again.”

“Don’t be sad!” Wu Ruo couldn’t bear the sight and quickly comforted her. “Perhaps one day she’ll return, and she’ll love the clothes you make. Take these they’ll help you live longer, so you can wait for her.”

The auntie nodded tearfully but still watched Wu Ruo leave with reluctant longing.

Wu Ruo was naturally aware of the other person’s gaze, but she had other matters to attend to. She had wandered nearly the entire length of Hundred Merchants Street, yet hadn’t found a single sword that felt right in her hand.

Her standards were low. Swords were graded into four tiers: Heaven, Earth, Human, and Hair anything below that was considered a mundane blade incapable of channeling spiritual energy. She would have settled for any Hair-tier or above sword that suited her grip, but though she had seen many fine blades along the way, none had felt right.

With another sigh, she set down a longsword, swallowing her disappointment.

Perhaps she shouldn’t have come to this borderland between the cultivators’ and mortals’ worlds. Tomorrow, she would try her luck in other cities across the Five Continents.

Just as she stood up, she felt a small hand tugging at the hem of her robe. The owner of the hand was a girl of about five or six, her hair tied in braids, dressed in coarse but neatly kept clothes clearly made from the same fabric as Wu Ruo’s own robes.

“Big sister!” the little girl whispered, “is it really you.?”

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