After Infusing Love Poison to the Cold Sword Sovereign - Chapter 9

When they returned to the house, Wu Ruo initially wanted to ask how the other was feeling, but the moment she opened her mouth, she realized Luo Qingyi had already fallen asleep on her back.

Glancing at the time, she figured the medicinal effects of the healing gu had taken hold, leaving the woman in a drowsy stupor so much so that she didn’t even stir when Wu Ruo laid her down on the bed.

Sitting by the bedside, Wu Ruo gently pulled the blanket over her, gazing at the serene and peaceful expression on the sleeping woman’s face. Only then did a slow, sweet warmth rise belatedly in her chest.

She had once thought their encounter was nothing more than a passing moment, that they would never meet again in this lifetime. Yet she never imagined that one day, they would reunite with the other grievously injured.

And now, she had even lost her memories. What a perfect opportunity to nurture affection.

Her heart began to pound heavily, like surging waves on an endless sea, stirring up a violent storm.

Could it be, that the love gu actually had the power to grant wishes?

She sat by the bed, her fingers idly toying with a strand of the other’s long hair, winding it around her little finger.

Luo Qingyi. She savored the name.

Listening to the sounds of the Luo River, Qing fitting for Yi. So beautiful. If only she could be the Qing who was meant for Yi.

“Xiao Ruo, where are you?”

The voice-transmitting gu in her pocket chimed in at just the right moment, it was the Witch Envoy summoning her.

At the junction of the Chen and Si hours every seventh day, the Miao girls gathered for collective training and evaluations. As the Holy Maiden, Wu Ruo was one of the judges for this apprentice competition.

As much as taking care of Luo Qingyi mattered, her responsibilities as the Holy Maiden were not something she could shirk.

“Mmm… I’ll be right there.”

Reluctantly, she glanced at the sleeping Luo Qingyi and finally released the strand of hair, only to find that the intricate silver pattern of her bracelet had caught on the silken strands, tangling them hopelessly.

She couldn’t bear to hurt the other by pulling, yet she was in a hurry to free it. After struggling for a while, the strands only knotted tighter, becoming an even worse mess. In the end, she had no choice but to take out a paper knife and carefully snip off the lock of hair with a soft, decisive motion.

Cradling it in her palm, she couldn’t bring herself to discard it, it felt like holding a treasure. Eventually, she tucked it into a small crimson pouch embroidered with mandarin ducks, treating it as something precious.

From now on, this would be her personal keepsake.

She arranged dry rations, water, and medicinal herbs by the bedside for Luo Qingyi, along with written instructions for their use. Only after ensuring everything was prepared did she hurry out the door.

“Ruo-jie!” Someone called out to her from afar, it was a girl named Chuncao. Boisterous by nature, she was one of the new apprentices under Wu Ruo’s guidance, practically her disciple, and always addressed her teacher with enthusiastic familiarity.

The girl waved energetically, and seeing Wu Ruo’s radiant expression today, she immediately guessed something good must have happened. “Teacher, why are you so happy today?”

Wu Ruo flicked the girl’s forehead playfully and laughed. “Of course, it’s because I dreamed you’d win first place for me. So, do you have the confidence?”

“Ah, Ruo-jie, don’t be like that! Your expectations are way too high!”

Wu Ruo bantered with her for a while before leisurely taking her seat. As the Holy Maiden, she carried no airs at all, this year’s batch of apprentices adored her and interacted with her freely.

She announced the contest’s requirements: to refine any type of medical Gu using the provided materials. The girls obediently stayed by their own vessels to refine their Gu. After making a few rounds to observe, she returned to her seat to await the results.

Would Luo Qingyi have woken up by the time she returned? Now that the other woman remembered nothing, would she leave once her memories returned?

Seated at the center of the competition grounds, she maintained her usual stern demeanor, just like during regular grand contests. Outwardly, she appeared to be scrutinizing everything in the arena, but in truth, her mind had long wandered back to her quarters, her heart entirely tethered to the slumbering woman.

Oh, and it seemed Luo Qingyi didn’t like it when she used Gu. Well, she could just hide it from her in the future and try her best to act like an ordinary mortal woman.

The morning passed agonizingly slowly. Finally, the contest concluded. That useless Chuncao hadn’t even managed to refine a single Gu and had the audacity to laugh it off with excuses about being too tired from lack of sleep.

Normally, she would have scolded her right away, but today, she just wanted to hurry back and see if Luo Qingyi had woken up.

Putting on a show of exasperation, she lightly tapped Chuncao’s forehead and shot her a few reproachful glances before leaving.

From a distance, she could still hear Chuncao gossiping with her friends: “Sister Ruo didn’t even yell at me today, something’s definitely up, hehe.”

By the time she reached her quarters, her nervousness had intensified. First, she fetched some clear spring water, boiled it over the stove, and then prepared a meal before finally pushing the door open slowly.

Luo Qingyi was still lying in bed. The medicine and water by the bedside remained untouched, and she hadn’t even shifted her position.

Still asleep, huh!

Whether it was relief or an inexplicable sense of disappointment, Wu Ruo steadied herself, withdrew her gaze from the other woman, and set the meal on the table.

She knew most cultivators had long since transcended the need for food. After comprehending the Love Gu that day, she too had reached the threshold of cultivation, sustaining herself by circulating spiritual energy.

But eating was one of life’s simple pleasures, a way to savor existence. She took joy in it and couldn’t care less about ascetic practices.

Yet today, staring at Luo Qingyi’s still-sleeping face, she had no appetite at all. Her heart felt like it was being clawed at by a restless cat, desperate for the moment the other woman would open her eyes so she could call her name.

What should her first words be?

“Shall we eat?” No, that would make her sound like an idiot, a total fool, and Luo Qingyi might think she was a glutton.

“You’re awake, let me check your pulse.” That was better. It would make her seem reliable and show off her caring, capable side.

Or maybe an introduction? That might be the best approach. If she could fabricate an identity, she could tell Luo Qingyi they were old acquaintances. She’d once read a story where someone claimed to be the other’s fiancée!

Since Luo Qingyi had lost her memory, wouldn’t it be fine to make something up? Hmm… no, she still couldn’t bring herself to do it.

Where should she sit? Sitting by the bed would make her seem like a creep, while sitting at the table would reinforce the glutton image. Maybe standing? No, that would be even sillier.

The dignified aura of the Miaojiang Saintess had completely vanished from Wu Ruo. Anxious and restless, she paced around the room, careful not to make too much noise in case it disturbed Luo Qingyi’s awakening.

On her third nervous lap around the room, her hands unconsciously fidgeted behind her back. Just as she lifted her left foot to take another step, she faintly heard a soft chuckle from behind.

Her mind stumbled. She turned abruptly while trying to step forward, nearly tripping over herself.

That faint chuckle finally broke into a loud, unmistakable “pfft.”

“Ah, you’re awake, I’m Wu—”

The two sentences merged into one in her mouth. She nearly bit her tongue, and the words that tumbled out became a jumbled mess. She desperately wished she could rewind time by two seconds and start over.

But reality was cruel. Luo Qingyi sat up in bed and nodded slightly. “Yes, I’ve been awake for a while.”

Wu Ruo’s brain short-circuited. Her mouth fell open, and she let out an unconscious “Ah,” her brows drooping. “Oh!”

Great. She’d been spinning around like an idiot, how much of that had he seen?

“Something on your mind?” Luo Qingyi asked.

Wu Ruo had been deflated, but hearing him offer her an out, she quickly seized the opportunity to play it cool, hoping to salvage her dignity in his eyes. “Yes, I have a disciple who’s just too foolish and lazy. I’m really worried about her.”

Sorry, Chuncao, for tarnishing your reputation. Well, it’s not like you actually study, so I might as well use you as a cautionary tale.

“If one is naturally slow perseverance and relentless cultivation day and night can make up for shortcomings and surpass mediocrity,” Luo Qingyi mused, resting his chin in thought. “But if one is weary of cultivation and lacks ambition, that’s a sickness of the heart. The mind must be healed first before progress can be made.”

“Mhm, I’ve talked to her, but she still won’t change. I’m very concerned.” Wu Ruo maintained her composed facade, playing the part of the responsible master.

Seeing Luo Qingyi adopt a mentor-like demeanor, fully focused on the topic of education, she quickly shifted gears, eager to divert his attention back to herself. “But let’s not worry about her for now. How are you feeling? Any better?”

“A little better.”

“Then right now, I’ll—”

Mid-sentence, she was interrupted by his movements. He sat up effortlessly, picked up the cup of water and medicine from the bedside, and downed them in one go before smiling at her.

“Hm? This is the medicine you prepared is there something wrong with it?”

“No, no.” Wu Ruo was mortified. She’d forgotten to remind him to take his medicine, how careless and immature of her.

As she watched him tilt his head back to swallow, revealing his elegant, slender neck, her mind seemed to lose control, and she blurted out, “How can you trust me so easily? What if I’m not a good person? You’ve lost your memories, you can’t even tell what’s real.”

Help! What was wrong with her today? First, she couldn’t speak properly, and now she was sabotaging her own likability, dragging down his impression of her for no reason!

“Hm?” Luo Qingyi set down the cup and studied her face for a long moment, his gaze lingering. Just as the girl began nervously wringing her hands again, he finally withdrew his scrutiny and said softly, “No. Your heart is pure.”

“Ah? You can tell that?”

“Indeed.” Luo Qingyi replied. “Though I’ve lost my memories, the essence within my heart remains. I can perceive the truth of all things, right and wrong, good and evil, discerned at a glance. And you…”

The woman actually got out of bed and, with a few light steps, came to Wu Ruo’s side. Holding her slender and graceful wrist, she stood there with the striking elegance of a soaring swan. “Pure as clarity, virtuous as goodness.”

In her hand, she must have held a simple yet elegant white horsetail whisk, complementing her icy, jade-like demeanor. Standing amidst the Kunlun Mountains, she was a beauty beyond the mundane. Even without her long sword, her presence in the wild fields remained peerless.

This was the person Wu Ruo loved, even without memories, she was still so extraordinary.

Wu Ruo gazed at her, unaware that merely looking at her brought an involuntary sweet smile to her face.

“Thanks for that. You’re so good at praising me, I’m almost embarrassed,” she said, scratching her head. She couldn’t muster such refined words herself, but the praise from the other woman left her utterly satisfied.

Yet, even from these few words, one could sense the unfathomable chasm between them.

Her understanding of Luo Qingyi was truly so little.

So little that she grew increasingly reluctant to admit that they were, indeed, not walking the same path.

“Are you going to eat?” she changed the subject, walking to the dining table to check the temperature of the food, only to find it had cooled, losing its appeal.

Well, most cultivators abstained from food anyway. Luo Qingyi surely wouldn’t eat, so there was no need to.

“Alright,” Luo Qingyi said.

Instead of the polite refusal she had expected, the response was almost familiar, like that of a friend. She watched as the woman calmly walked to the table and sat beside her, just half a foot away, picking up her chopsticks with the same graceful poise as always.

Luo Qingyi picked up a cluster of white mushrooms, chewing delicately before adding, “The cooking is excellent. A familiar taste.”

Familiar, taste?

Wu Ruo froze, but then Luo Qingyi pressed on: “Were we like this before?”

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