After Infusing Love Poison to the Cold Sword Sovereign - Chapter 49

Moonlight streamed quietly through the skylight, casting a bright patch on the floor. Wu Ruo stood in the shadows, while Luo Qingyi, who had suddenly intruded, stood illuminated, a small patch of moonlight resting on her snow-white, fragmented hair.

“Luo Qingyi,” Wu Ruo curled her lips slightly.

Her bleeding right wrist was gripped tightly by Luo Qingyi, and Wu Ruo’s heart tightened, feeling almost suffocated.

The other’s fingers were still familiarly cold, now gently stroking the skin around her wound—softly, hesitantly, like a light snowfall brushing against tree branches, a touch as delicate as a cicada’s wing against her skin.

Luo Qingyi repeated, “Ah Ruo, don’t.”

Her face showed obvious panic, her dark pupils fixed intently on Wu Ruo. The grip on her wrist loosened slightly at first, but upon seeing the wound still bleeding, tightened again firmly.

Their gazes met slowly in the air, like threads of affection spilling into the Milky Way, where magpies had built a bridge across the sky, yet the two on either end hesitated to take a step forward.

“Let go,” Wu Ruo said.

The Miao people raised gu using blood as a medium; she was accustomed to drawing blood and then stopping it. After being exposed to the air for a while, the wound quickly ceased bleeding, leaving only the other’s fingertips lingering on the spot.

Though the other’s body temperature was clearly cold, for some reason, the place where her wrist was held felt scorchingly hot.

“No,” Luo Qingyi said. “Promise me first that you won’t continue.”

The moonlight seemed slightly obscured by clouds, and the light filtering through the skylight grew dimmer. The bright patches of light on Luo Qingyi’s body vanished, and the surroundings grew very dark.

As Luo Qingyi before her sank back into the shadows, Wu Ruo smiled faintly.

The unspoken understanding on the mountain path was now a thing of the past. All that remained was the truth laid bare before them.

When she had returned to see Lan Ting, Luo Qingyi had indeed not followed her instructions to leave but had stayed nearby, listening to the entire conversation from start to finish.

Suddenly, she felt very tired.

Wu Ruo asked, “Do you know what I’m doing?”

“I do.”

“Alright, then tell me, what am I doing now?”

But Luo Qingyi avoided the question, instead tenderly stroking the wound on her wrist. “Ah Ruo, please don’t hurt yourself anymore.”

“Hurt myself.” Wu Ruo sneered coldly. She shook off the other’s hand, unexpectedly meeting no resistance, and casually rolled up her sleeve, revealing her entire snow-white forearm.

On the inner side of her arm was a dark red brand, along with a few faint scars—marks left from the blood-dripping rituals used in Miao gu magic.

“This is the unique cultivation method of our Miao gu—nourishing gu with blood. I’ve fed no less than eight or ten thousand blood gu insects. I’m long used to it, so why bother caring now?”

She glanced down casually but frowned in surprise. She remembered a large cut on her hand from childhood that had healed into a prominent scar, yet now she couldn’t find it.

“I know,” Luo Qingyi said. “But this gu, you must not refine it.”

“This gu,” Wu Ruo emphasized, smiling slightly. “In the end, you don’t even know what it is, do you? How much did you hear of what Lan Ting said earlier?”

As the last words left her mouth, it felt as if she had shed several heavy burdens piled upon her, and her entire body was filled with a sense of exhilarating relief.

Ah, she had said it.

No longer hidden away in the depths of her heart, but with both of them laying all their thoughts bare on the table, speaking openly and honestly.

Luo Qingyi moved her lips slightly, as if pondering how to respond, and finally said softly, “Everything.”

It was everything.

Wu Ruo couldn’t quite describe the feeling—it was as if all her veils of shame had been stripped away, leaving her standing naked before a crowd, or as if she were bound to a gallows before countless watching eyes, awaiting the judge’s verdict.

In the eyes of the crowd, and in the eyes of the judge, there was only Luo Qingyi.

She feigned nonchalance and said with certainty, “Then you know about the love poison.”

“Yes, I know.”

Wu Ruo smiled faintly. “It’s my fault. I gave you the love poison, causing you well, your cultivation must have fallen significantly, and it has hindered your path to enlightenment. The reason you treat me so well now is because of the love poison, not because you actually like—”

“No!”

Luo Qingyi exclaimed anxiously, “I know my own heart! Don’t doubt my feelings for you! I’ve always loved you. It’s not because of the love poison—I can tell the difference!”

“Those caught up in the situation are often blind to the truth—you’re no exception.” Wu Ruo shook her head. “The effects of the love poison are not something ordinary elixirs can compare to. It can make someone who has no feelings for another develop intense affection, a love so deep they become inseparable. That’s how Miao poison works. Those afflicted won’t realize they’ve been poisoned; they’ll mistakenly believe it’s their true nature.”

She glanced down and saw Luo Qingyi’s hand faintly holding hers. Gently, she grasped it, brought it to the other’s side, and slowly released it. “It’s my fault. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have poisoned you. Once I remove the poison, you won’t like me like this anymore.”

Remove the poison, remove the poison.

She repeated the phrase several times. Watching Luo Qingyi gaze at her with persistence, even a hint of pleading, she couldn’t help but let out a bitter smile.

The thought that after the poison was removed, Luo Qingyi wouldn’t look at her this way—that they would be nothing more than strangers—stirred an indescribable emotion within her.

Would she feel reluctant? Perhaps. Her home was gone, her old friends were no longer by her side, only Jin Hua remained as a three-year-old child, and her former apprentices, Lan Ting and Chun Cao, had scattered. The first person she encountered after opening her eyes, and the one she had grown most familiar with during this time, was Luo Qingyi.

But then she remembered that this was a mess she had created by willingly administering the love poison. She owed more, and guilt took precedence. Wu Ruo shook her head and added, “In the future, if there’s anything Peak Lord Luo needs from me, just give the order.”

“A Ruo.”

Luo Qingyi’s voice was serious, carrying the solemn tone she used when discussing important matters. “Everything I said was sincere. Don’t overthink it, don’t apologize, and don’t act so distant with me. My feelings for you are not caused by the love poison—they come from my heart.”

She took Wu Ruo’s hand again. “Believe me.”

Was this person not understanding? With Luo Qingyi like this, she could be sold and still be helping count the money!

Wu Ruo spoke with the frustration of one disappointed by unfulfilled potential, her tone sharp with vexation: “I’ve already said it—those involved are always blind to the truth. I know better than anyone the effects of Miaojiang’s gu sorcery. You should never have fallen for me; these feelings of yours are entirely the work of the love gu—”

She nearly roared the last part, her chest heaving violently, yet her heart pounded fiercely within, as if urging her on, or as if she were burning her bridges.

“No.” Luo Qingyi remained stubborn, her voice tinged with a rare, unidentifiable emotion, a hint of agitation. “I know! I understand better than you, because.” She paused mid-sentence, as if weighing her words, then continued with a sense of relief.

Wu Ruo heard Luo Qingyi’s voice, faint and soft, yet every word drifted clearly into her ears. “Because you already removed the gu for me long ago.”

“Removed it?” Wu Ruo repeated, “Then you.”

“Only after the gu was removed did I realize my true feelings.” Luo Qingyi cautiously watched Wu Ruo’s expression, and seeing no unusual reaction, she went on, “After you removed it, I realized I didn’t want you to leave. I can’t lose you.”

As she spoke slowly, she carefully recalled Wu Ruo’s earlier behavior and demeanor. When the gu removal was mentioned, the other hadn’t shown much emotional fluctuation, nor had she uttered words like “hate.”

So, the current Wu Ruo probably didn’t yet know the side effects of the love gu that once it was removed, love would turn to hatred, rotting to the bone.

Then, for now, it was best not to bring up that most heartbreaking past.

Luo Qingyi felt somewhat reassured. Noticing Wu Ruo’s half-convinced, half-doubtful expression, she said earnestly, “So could you give me this chance again? As you proposed last time, I’ll do anything, whatever you want.”

“Stop.” Wu Ruo waved her hand dismissively. “You make it sound like I’m some demonic cultivator and you’re my loyal henchman. Alright, alright, I believe you. You’re a peak master, an immortal elder—don’t use that demonic cultivator tone with me.”

She smoothed down her sleeves and lifted her chin. “Oh, right. You said you’d listen to me in everything, but just now—” She tilted her head toward the direction of the red temple. “I told you to take Jin Hua back, so why did you sneak back to eavesdrop on me? Points deducted. You’re punished, hmm…”

Before Wu Ruo could decide, Luo Qingyi offered, “Punish me by surrendering all my assets.”

With that, Luo Qingyi untied the sachet from her waist—a surprisingly spacious Qiankun pouch—and handed it over with both hands. “Here.”

Wu Ruo couldn’t help but laugh. “Anything else?”

“Yes, at Luoxue Peak. Once we return, I’ll give you my peak master token.”

“Anything else?”

“…” Luo Qingyi thought for a moment. “No, that’s all.”

“No, there’s more.”

Under Luo Qingyi’s puzzled gaze, Wu Ruo stepped forward, hooked her finger around the small flower tucked in the other’s hair, and gently plucked it free.

“Not this one.” Luo Qingyi looked at her with a hint of resentment. “You’re the one who pinned this on me. Can I keep this? I won’t surrender it.”

Wu Ruo chuckled softly and re-tied the sachet Luo Qingyi had just given her back onto the other’s waist. Her fingers and the air around her filled with a faint, delicate fragrance. She lowered her head, her expression earnest.

“I’ll entrust it to you.” She suppressed a smile and continued, “Keep it safe for me. If you ever hand it over to someone else, I’ll hold you accountable.”

Luo Qingyi also smiled. “Understood, I’ll keep it secure.”

The moon seemed to reappear through the clouds, shrouded in a hazy mist—not as a crescent, but as a perfectly full, round disk.

Early the next morning, Wu Ruo was awakened by a loud, familiar voice. It was particularly grating, and at that moment, the owner of the booming voice was being scolded by Luo Qingyi, shrinking like a quail with all its feathers ruffled, utterly cowed.

Outside the room, Luo Qingyi’s voice rang out, full of authority and vigor: “Where have you been? XX, XX, right? Had a good time?”

“It wasn’t that long. Senior Sister, I got lost right after leaving the Red Temple, wandered for days, and I even brought gifts for all of you!”

Oh, it was Jiang Qingbei.

Wu Ruo stepped out of the inner chamber and saw Jiang Qingbei excitedly pulling out items. She took a closer look and realized he had nearly cleared out the stall of Xiao Yu’er’s mother on Hundred Merchants Street.

“Wu Ruo, you’re awake? This is…”

Jiang Qingbei was enthusiastically showing the items to Luo Qingyi, completely ignoring her icy expression—after spending these days with Luo Qingyi, Wu Ruo had learned that this subtle expression meant disdain.

When Wu Ruo appeared, Jiang Qingbei seemed about to say something but then recalled past events, turning his face away deliberately and letting out a loud “Hmph!”

“Jiang Qingbei?” Wu Ruo found it amusing and walked over, but Jiang Qingbei turned his face the other way, still refusing to look at her, and let out another resounding “Hmph!”

“…?” She scratched her head in confusion.

Seeing Wu Ruo’s lack of reaction, Jiang Qingbei huffed again, crossing his arms. “Made up yet?”

So that was it. Before leaving, she had argued with Jiang Qingbei and Yue Qinglan—a rather awkward situation. She had insisted on keeping her distance from Luo Qingyi, yet they had unexpectedly crossed paths and were now living together.

“Yeah, almost,” Wu Ruo replied with a casual smile.

Luo Qingyi immediately looked over, her eyes lighting up with delight. But Wu Ruo wasn’t paying her any attention, instead teasingly staring at Jiang Qingbei.

Jiang Qingbei, however, remained displeased, crossing his arms and letting out an even louder “Hmph!” with both nostrils flaring.

Was this young lady still holding a grudge?

Wu Ruo circled halfway around Jiang Qingbei, and a thought struck her. Before leaving the temple, Jiang Qingbei had tripped over her snake. Could he still be upset about that?

“Xiao Hei!”

The moment she spoke, Jiang Qingbei jumped in agitation. “You, you, you! Why bring that up? That wretched snake was taken away by Yue Qinglan long ago, don’t ask me!”

So, it really was because of that.

Wu Ruo couldn’t help but laugh. “Does your knee still hurt?”

Jiang Qingbei’s face flushed red, as if he hadn’t expected Wu Ruo to bring it up. He averted his gaze, stubbornly retorting, “I didn’t even fall! Why would it hurt?”

So, it did hurt. Wu Ruo added, “I apologize on behalf of Xiao Hei, even though he tripped you on purpose.”

“What’s with you?!” Jiang Qingbei’s face turned even redder, and he pouted. “I’m not angry anymore! It’s nothing!”

“Alright, alright, it’s nothing.”

Jiang Qingbei’s arrival lifted Wu Ruo’s spirits considerably. She was hesitating over whether to introduce Jiang Qingbei to Jin Hua when the room door suddenly knocked.

Luo Qingyi went to open it. The visitor was Baihua Peak disciple Yang Zhiruo. During this period, she had been steadily organizing scroll clues, yet today she had rushed over early in the morning, clearly in a hurry.

“Peak Master Luo!” Yang Zhiruo said anxiously, “Junior Brother Lu, hehe.”

The Junior Brother Lu she referred to was another Baihua Peak disciple who had taken on the same mission. After leaving a message, he had remained outside with no further news.

Luo Qingyi reassured her, “Don’t panic, what happened to your junior brother?”

Yang Zhiruo sighed, her face bitter, “He’s dead.”

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