After Infusing Love Poison to the Cold Sword Sovereign - Chapter 37.2

Taking a detour, the two soon arrived at the little girl’s mother’s stall. The woman brightened at the sight of Wu Ruo. “Miss, you’re back!”

Wu Ruo exchanged a few pleasantries before the woman noticed her daughter and began apologizing profusely. Wu Ruo waved it off casually. “Auntie, how long have you been running this stall?”

“It’s been a few months, I can’t quite remember. After my benefactor left, I recovered from my illness and picked up some skills to set up this stall. It’s also a way to wait for her return and thank her properly.” The woman was sharp, sensing that Wu Ruo had a request. “Go ahead, ask away. I’m quite good at gathering information.”

Wu Ruo said, “Alright. Do you know if there are any markets in the Five Continents similar to Hundred Merchants Street?”

“I do know a bit about that. I’ve heard there’s a city called Changle near Hundred Merchants Street, where they sell a lot of medicine. Are you looking to buy something, miss?”

“Hmm… anything else?” Wu Ruo thought for a moment. “A weapon smith’s shop would work too. I’d like to buy a sword.”

“A sword?”

The voice didn’t belong to the aunt but to the little girl who had been listening quietly. The child was exceptionally polite, standing obediently to the side, but couldn’t help chiming in when she heard something familiar. “Big sister, we have a sword at home! Would you like to use it?”

“Your home?” Wu Ruo hesitated. Both mother and daughter were ordinary mortals. If the sword was made of mortal steel, it likely wouldn’t be of much use to her.

But the little girl tugged insistently at her sleeve. “Yes! It has a silver snake pattern on the hilt, it’s really pretty, just like your earrings!”

A silver snake!

Wu Ruo took a deep breath. She wasn’t good at refusing innocent children of that age and was about to make an excuse, but the moment she heard those words, she changed her mind.

A silver snake pattern was exceedingly rare in the mortal world. Moreover, snakes were considered ominous in the cultivation world, and swordsmiths never deliberately carved snake motifs. If it truly resembled the snake design of her earrings, then this item might genuinely have some connection to her, perhaps even to the vanished Miaojiang clansmen.

She asked, “What does the sword look like?”

“It’s long.” The little girl gestured with her short arms, waving them in the air. “But I don’t remember the details. It’s on the bookshelf at home, and I can’t reach it.”

Seeing Wu Ruo’s interest, the aunt happily said, “Yu’er, take your big sister home to have a look. If she likes it, she can take it, it’s no use to us anyway.”

Wu Ruo agreed without refusing. Senior Brother Chen’s Qiankun pouch was full of treasures, and now was the perfect time to return them to their rightful owners. If the sword truly had a connection to her, she could pick something from the pouch that mortals could use and give it to Little Yu’er and her mother as an exchange.

“Okay! Big sister, follow me!”

Little Yu’er skipped happily, holding Wu Ruo’s hand, her face beaming with joy. She had been worried the big sister might ask where the sword came from, but since she didn’t, Yu’er wouldn’t tell.

The sword had only come into their possession recently. A very pretty sister had suddenly visited their home, sat in the room where the big sister used to stay for a long time, and then handed the sword to Yu’er, asking her to keep it safe for a while. Though she couldn’t remember the big sister’s exact appearance, she remembered that her friend had taken the big sister away!

Instinct told Little Yu’er that this pretty sister must have been the big sister’s friend back then!

And today, the sister she met had the same aura as that friend so she must be the big sister who had returned to her!

Humming cheerfully, she trotted alongside Wu Ruo, who couldn’t help but smile and pat the little girl’s head. Hand in hand, they left Hundred Merchants Street and arrived at a small village in the mortal world.

“Sister, are you and your friends very close?” Xiao Yu’er’s mouth simply wouldn’t stop. “I’m good friends with Xiaoling from the village, but she’s made a new friend recently, and I’m a bit unhappy about it.”

Wu Ruo was drawn to the latter part of the sentence and didn’t quite catch the meaning of the first half. She comforted the girl, “That’s perfectly normal. Everyone can have many friends. You can make lots and lots of friends too, and be even happier.”

“I think she might be annoyed because I keep nagging her to study. I’ve already memorized two books with the teacher, but she keeps dragging her feet. Whenever I urge her, she gets angry.”

“Hmm… That just shows how outstanding you are. Those who walk different paths cannot make plans together. You could try studying with the top students in your school instead.”

“Okay, but Xiao Cui from the neighboring village copied texts better than I did last time. I’m afraid she might look down on me.”

Xiao Yu’er’s conversation meandered aimlessly to other topics as the two chatted idly, soon arriving at Yu’er’s home.

The front gate wasn’t large, but it was painted with a glossy lacquer. A few steps led into a bright and spacious little courtyard, with several small rooms arranged around it.

Unlike other common homes, the storage room wasn’t filled with messy junk but instead housed a tidy study. The bookshelves held several elementary textbooks, and on the desk lay a sheet of rice paper covered in elegant handwriting copies of delicate and beautiful poetry.

“Such beautiful calligraphy,” Wu Ruo praised.

Xiao Yu’er beamed with joy, giggling. “Sister, before I met you, I didn’t know a single character. You’re the one who taught me to read!”

Wu Ruo didn’t respond, instead changing the subject. “Xiao Yu’er, show me the sword.”

“Okay, Sister, this way!” The little girl pulled Wu Ruo along to her room, which unexpectedly had two beds one large, one small.

The small bed held an ugly cloth doll, its blankets rumpled, while the larger bed was neatly made with sheets and covers, devoid of any signs of life yet seemingly waiting for someone at all times.

Xiao Yu’er pointed to the wall nearby. Hanging there was a magnificent sword, its blade thin, its body smooth and luminous like jade. But what drew the most attention was its hilt, where a silver serpent coiled upward, wrapping around it like a ribbon, loop after loop.

The moment Wu Ruo saw the sword, it was as if her soul had been snatched away. She stood there, entranced.

So familiar. It seemed to resonate with her very soul, stirring waves in her consciousness.

The coiled silver serpent decoration its shape, its habit of winding in circles was uncannily similar to the little black snake she had lost not long ago.

Could it truly be hers?

Hesitantly, she reached out. The instant her fingers touched the sword, an intense burst of light erupted from it before quickly fading back into calm.

“Huh,” Wu Ruo murmured. “Xiao Yu’er, did you see that golden light just now?”

The little girl shook her head, then nodded, answering honestly, “No! Well, maybe. But it was so, so faint, I could barely see it. I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me.”

Xiao Yu’er could actually see it.

Wu Ruo frowned. Her intuition told her this was likely spiritual energy meaning this little girl might also have a talent for cultivation?

She had the intention to nurture her, but she wasn’t sure if the aunt could bear the pain of separation from her flesh and blood. Well, she could offer some guidance, but ultimately, it would be up to Xiao Yu’er herself.

“Would you?” Wu Ruo carefully chose her words, “You likely have a talent for cultivation. Are you interested?”

Xiao Yu’er raised her head and looked at Wu Ruo earnestly. “Sister, you sound just like your friend! She asked me the same thing before.”

“My friend?” Wu Ruo was startled. “What friend? Even if I had one, there’s no way they’d come to the mortal realm. Huh?”

Before her trailing voice could fade, the creak of an old door echoed through the room. There were no footsteps, meaning this person had teleported directly into Xiao Yu’er’s home without any hindrance.

A vast yet familiar presence emanated from behind her. An absurd thought flickered through Wu Ruo’s mind as she turned her head stiffly, each passing second stretching into the slowest of motions.

And then, her gaze met Luo Qingyi’s calm, fathomless dark eyes.

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