After My Death, the Immortal Venerable Became a Demon for My Sake - Chapter 13

It wasn’t until the creak of the closing door sounded that Song Wangxiao finally snapped out of her daze. She looked at the room before her, but her mind was entirely filled with the image of Jiang Cishuang standing on the street corner.

Seeing the person she had just been missing appear before her eyes in the next second made Song Wangxiao’s heart beat like a heavy drum. The rhythmic thumping continued even after they entered the inn; no matter how hard she tried to ignore it, it wouldn’t stop.

Jiang Cishuang set the clothes down and looked at the various bundles of all sizes. “May I open them?”

Song Wangxiao snapped back to reality. “I bought them for you to wear to the Grand Sect Assembly tomorrow, so of course you should open them now.”

Jiang Cishuang smiled softly. “Alright then.” She began to unwrap the bundles under Song Wangxiao’s expectant gaze.

The outfits were all chosen to match Jiang Cishuang’s temperament. Since her aura was cool and detached, solid colors suited her best. Jiang Cishuang’s eyes scanned the garments, seemingly considering which one was best. Watching her face, Song Wangxiao felt her heart rate pick up again.

She was afraid the clothes she had chosen wouldn’t suit Jiang Cishuang’s taste.

Fortunately, Jiang Cishuang reached out and picked up a plain white robe. The craftsmanship was exquisite; the cuffs and lapels were embroidered with intricate patterns in silver thread—luxurious yet elegant. The fabric felt comfortable to the touch, and it was clear that the person who chose it had put in a lot of thought.

Song Wangxiao was secretly delighted; that was the one she liked most.

Jiang Cishuang turned to her. “What do you think of this one?”

Song Wangxiao was naturally very satisfied. “It looks great. It suits you perfectly.”

A soft curve appeared on Jiang Cishuang’s lips as she neatly set the robe aside. “In that case, I will wear this one tomorrow.” She then gathered the other clothes and placed them in the wardrobe.

“What were you thinking about just now?” she asked.

Song Wangxiao knew she was referring to her sitting dazed at the congee stall, but since she couldn’t tell Yin Xiao those thoughts, she could only give a vague answer. “Nothing much. Perhaps just because it’s the first time in so long I’ve seen so many people, I felt a bit out of place.” Before Jiang Cishuang could question her further, she continued.

“It’s getting late. You should get some rest; you have to attend the assembly tomorrow. I’ll go prepare some defensive charms and keep watch.”

With that, she left the room under Jiang Cishuang’s gaze, shut the door, and leaned against it with her head down, her eyes full of sorrow.

How was she supposed to tell Yin Xiao that she was going to her death? Just thinking about that scene filled her heart with bitterness.

Inside, Jiang Cishuang watched Song Wangxiao’s silhouette cast against the door. After a long silence, she shifted her gaze to the clothes by the bed and let out a deep sigh, her eyes filled with inner conflict.

After composing herself, Song Wangxiao used her magical tools to set up a boundary around the room. When she opened the door to go back inside, she saw that Jiang Cishuang was already lying peacefully in bed.

Only then did Song Wangxiao realize a massive problem she had forgotten.

There was only one bed in the room. If she wanted to sleep, she would have to share it with Yin Xiao.

The sorrow that had been weighing on her heart vanished, replaced entirely by the shock of the idea of sleeping with Yin Xiao. Her cheeks flushed deep crimson.

While it wasn’t as if they hadn’t slept in the same space back in the ruined temple, those conditions were primitive the “bed” was just a pile of straw. You could say they had the sky as their blanket and the earth as their bed.

But this was an inn. This was, in a very literal sense, sharing a bed.

Song Wangxiao took a deep breath, the tips of her ears turning red beneath her hair.

Yin Xiao said we only needed one room, so she must have known we’d be sharing. If she doesn’t mind, then I shouldn’t be so awkward.

With that thought, she cast aside her shyness. She took off her outer robe and, with trembling hands, lifted the covers and lay down. The warmth of the person beside her was palpable especially since that person was someone who had made her heart race countless times. Song Wangxiao felt all the blood in her body rushing to her heart; she could hear nothing but its loud thumping in the dark.

She only hoped she could actually fall asleep tonight rather than lying there awake until dawn.

Suddenly, a pair of slender arms gently embraced her. A hand reached behind her neck, pulling her into a warm hug. Before Song Wangxiao could react, she was enveloped by the cool, faint fragrance unique to Jiang Cishuang. Her body stiffened instinctively.

“Nothing will happen to me tomorrow,” a tender, lingering voice whispered above her head. Song Wangxiao breathed softly in her embrace, then reached back to hold her, replying in a low voice.

“Mhm. I believe you.”

The next morning, Jiang Cishuang left early for the Grand Sect Assembly. Song Wangxiao stood by the window watching her slender figure, her gaze glued to the woman in white. Even she didn’t realize she looked exactly like a “wife-watching stone.”

Walking down the street, the woman seemed to sense the gaze. She turned and looked up. Their eyes met unexpectedly. Seeing Song Wangxiao’s obvious fluster, Jiang Cishuang’s lips curled into a gentle smile, and she turned back to continue her way.

Song Wangxiao watched until Jiang Cishuang disappeared around the corner. Only then did she snap out of it like waking from a dream. Realizing how much she already missed her, she couldn’t help but mock herself internally.

She got up and pushed open the door, planning to go downstairs to buy some food and some high-quality tea for Yin Xiao.

As her foot hit the final step of the stairs, several figures caught her eye. Her movement froze. She immediately pulled her foot back and retreated up a few steps.

If she wasn’t mistaken, the cultivators who had just entered the inn were wearing the uniform of the Xiyi Sect. They had actually come here.

Frowning deeply, Song Wangxiao hid in the shadows of the staircase and listened to the conversation below.

A cultivator approached the counter to speak to the innkeeper while the others found a place to sit. Song Wangxiao heard the sharp screech of chairs scraping against the floor, which sent a shiver through her.

“Say, we’ve searched all of Guanqi City these past few days and haven’t found that Song Wangxiao. Is she really not here?” one cultivator said after taking a large gulp of wine.

“Who knows? I don’t even know what use this Song Wangxiao is, but the Immortal Master is still thinking about catching her even while attending the assembly. We just need to follow orders. The Immortal Master is at the assembly today; he said we must investigate every inn in the city before he returns.”

“Got it, but let me finish eating first. We’ve been busy all day. We’ll resume the search after this meal. Come on, let’s eat.”

Song Wangxiao had no heart to listen further. She moved quietly back to her room and stared at the door.

She couldn’t stay in this inn. Once those people finished their meal, they would search the rooms. They were numerous and powerful. While they might not dare start an open fight in public, many of them were skilled in hidden weapons. If she were knocked unconscious by a surprise attack, she’d be finished. To be safe, she had to leave.

She quickly packed her things, but then thought of Yin Xiao, who had just left.

What would Yin Xiao do if she came back and couldn’t find her? They had never been apart before, so they didn’t have any transmission talismans, and they had no more teleportation tools left.

Song Wangxiao looked around the room in a panic. She couldn’t use paper and ink if the Xiyi Sect found a note, both of them would be in trouble. Her eyes darted around the room until they landed on the wardrobe.

She took out a slip of paper and cast a spell to write four invisible words: “Airship outside the gates.” She placed the slip inside the wardrobe with one of the outfits Jiang Cishuang had liked, then leaped out the window of the inn.

Yin Xiao’s cultivation was higher than hers. Upon seeing the blank slip of paper, she would surely investigate it with her spiritual power and see the message.

Down on the street, Song Wangxiao looked around cautiously. Seeing no suspicious Xiyi Sect disciples, she strolled through the busy streets like an ordinary shopper until she reached an alleyway. Once she was sure she was alone, she sprinted toward the city gates.

Before long, she saw the guards at the city gate. She breathed a sigh of relief and walked out past the guards. Reaching an unobserved spot, she prepared to use her spiritual power to rush to where they had left the airship. Before she could take a step, a voice called out from behind her.

“Fellow Daoist, please wait.”

Song Wangxiao froze. She turned to face the speaker, her fingers slowly rotating her storage ring, ready to pull out a weapon.

The person behind her seemed to sense her intent and quickly explained, “I mean no harm. I saw you leaving the city in a panic just now. Have you run into some trouble?”

Song Wangxiao thought, You have no idea, but she denied it out loud. “You must be mistaken. I just remembered that the flowers in the village a few miles outside Guanqi City are in full bloom, and I wanted to go have a look.”

Unexpectedly, the person smiled. “I was also thinking that the flowers in Baihua Village are blooming beautifully and wanted to see them. It seems we are of the same mind. Why don’t we go together?”

Song Wangxiao: “…” Her eyes turned cold.

Seeing that Song Wangxiao’s expression hadn’t softened but grew more guarded, the woman took two steps forward. Seeing Song Wangxiao move two steps back in response, she could only cup her hands helplessly.

“My name is Tan Yiqing, and I am the Young City Lord of Guanqi City. I noticed the two of you when you entered the city yesterday. I’ve come this time because I have an important request for you.”

Song Wangxiao remembered the faint, lingering gaze she had felt when entering the city. So it hadn’t been her imagination. This only made her more suspicious—a Young City Lord she had never met asking for a favor was likely a trap.

Ignoring whatever Song Wangxiao was thinking, Tan Yiqing bowed again. Her next words left Song Wangxiao stunned.

“Naturally, it concerns a great matter for me.”

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