After bidding farewell to Xie Tinglan and Cheng Yu, Xie Liufeng took Chu Xinghui back to the Beiyue Sword Sect for the time being.

Xie Liufeng began leaving early and returning late to investigate the whereabouts of the man in the black robe.

Because of the curse, Chu Xinghui was not allowed to follow and could only stay in the sect to train diligently.

That night, Chu Xinghui returned from sword practice and sensed that the light in Xie Liufeng’s room was on.

Xie Liufeng was home.

He hadn’t seen Xie Liufeng in two days.

While looking at Xie Liufeng’s room, Chu Xinghui took off his headband and tried to redo his slightly loosened hair after sword practice.

He fumbled for a while without much success and quietly took the headband to knock on Xie Liufeng’s door.

Hearing the knock, Xie Liufeng opened the door and let him in without asking, casually took the headband, and helped him fix his hair.

Halfway through, Chu Xinghui instructed: “It’s a bit tight, loosen it.”

Xie Liufeng lightened his touch slightly.

Once his hair was tied, Chu Xinghui was finally satisfied.

Xie Liufeng somehow pulled out a pink and white little flower and placed it in Chu Xinghui’s hair.

Chu Xinghui paused, but since he couldn’t see, he just gently shook his head and asked: “What did you put on my head?”

Xie Liufeng patted his head, stepped back to admire his handiwork, and lied with a straight face: “Nothing, just adjusting the position of the headband.”

Chu Xinghui half-believed him and tried to touch his own hair.

Xie Liufeng nonchalantly grabbed his hand before it reached his head and changed the subject: “Seems like it’s about dinner time. How about I cook you some noodles?”

Chu Xinghui was successfully distracted and began thinking about dinner.

Xie Liufeng couldn’t help but laugh.

How was he still this easy to trick after all this time?

The two chatted casually for a while when Fang Yan suddenly sent a message to Xie Liufeng: “Master-Uncle, we’ve found out the situation with Lingxiang Sect.”

Xie Liufeng’s smile disappeared, and he focused on Fang Yan’s report: “I’m listening.”

Fang Yan said: “According to Lingxiang Sect’s official statement, the sect leader’s wife, Qin Xueyi, recently fell seriously ill. The sect leader has been in seclusion caring for her and hasn’t left the sect at all. Instead, their two children were worried about their mother and voluntarily went out to search for medicine.”

These were probably excuses to explain their long-term absence from the sect.

Fang Yan hesitated for a moment, then brought up another strange matter: “Also, there’s something else. Our people saw Mu Lingxuan near Lingxiang Sect.”

Xie Liufeng frowned: “Mu Lingxuan? Wasn’t she missing?”

In fact, based on the current clues, it could almost be confirmed that she was already dead.

Fang Yan continued: “Our people asked some disciples of Lingxiang Sect. Originally, there was no news in the sect that she would return. She suddenly came back, claiming that she accidentally found a spiritual medicine to cure her mother while separated from her brother and rushed back without informing him.”

Xie Liufeng thought for a moment and said: “Keep an eye on Mu Lingxuan. I’ll go to meet her in person.”

Fang Yan responded with an “okay,” and the two ended the transmission.

After ending the transmission, Xie Liufeng looked down at Chu Xinghui, who had been eavesdropping the whole time, and told him his plan: “Now that the clue has appeared, I have to take a trip to Shuixun CIty.”

He sighed and rubbed Chu Xinghui’s head: “I’ll cook noodles for you when I get back.”

Chu Xinghui was silent for a moment, didn’t say anything, and hooked Xie Liufeng’s finger.

Xie Liufeng understood what he meant and reasoned with him: “Mu Lingxuan disappeared and then reappeared. No one knows whether the one who came back is really her or something else. It’s very likely that the one in her body is the man in the black robe. I’m going because of that. You can’t take risks in your condition.”

Chu Xinghui lowered his head, continued playing with his fingers, and clarified: “I didn’t say I wanted to go with you.”

He knew his boundaries and understood he shouldn’t go. He just couldn’t help but want to cling a bit.

After all, once Xie Liufeng left, it might be a long time before he could cling to him again.

Xie Liufeng chuckled and rubbed his head: “Come help me prepare a few things.”

On the other side, a young woman with a strange face found Mu Lingxuan.

The two of them found a secluded place and began to talk.

The stranger spoke with Yue Yao’s voice and went straight to the point: “I’ve done everything you asked. Now, shouldn’t you fulfill your promise and remove the so-called ‘sacrifice’ status from me?”

“Mu Lingxuan” didn’t respond immediately, but instead affectionately called her name: “Yaoyao.”

Hearing that, Yue Yao suddenly looked up.

“Mu Lingxuan” looked at Yue Yao and said gently: “Since you’ve recognized me, don’t be so distant.”

Yue Yao was silent for a moment before finally saying clearly: “…Master.”

“Mu Lingxuan,” or rather, Cultivator Baiyun, paused and said with emotion: “I didn’t intend to see you again as my original self. Maybe it was better for you to think that Cultivator Baiyun was dead. But when you came to me and said you wanted to cooperate, I realized you must have recognized me.”

Yue Yao gave a bitter smile: “You raised me painstakingly. If I couldn’t recognize you, wouldn’t that be useless of me?”

Cultivator Baiyun sighed: “Yaoyao, you are my most outstanding disciple. Since I’m willing to acknowledge you today, it means I see you as someone on the same boat as me.”

She acted with sincerity and frankness and explained to Yue Yao: “I raised you from childhood. You should know and trust me. Choosing you as a sacrifice wasn’t to harm you, but… to let you escape the shackles of fate with me.”

Yue Yao looked at her in silence. Tears shimmered in her eyes, and she seemed a bit shaken: “Master, I don’t understand…”

Cultivator Baiyun interrupted her: “You don’t need to understand everything now. Follow me, and you will eventually know what I want to do.”

Yue Yao closed her eyes and nodded lightly.

Cultivator Baiyun smiled, opened her arms, and spoke gently and compassionately: “Good child. It must’ve been hard for you on Bihai Taohua Island all these years. Come to your master.”

Yue Yao looked at her, and her tears finally fell.

She threw herself into Cultivator Baiyun’s arms and choked: “Master… After you disappeared, I looked for you for a long time.”

Cultivator Baiyun looked at her lovingly and gently stroked her hair: “I know. I won’t let you be alone anymore.”

The two shared a tender moment.

In the next instant, Cultivator Baiyun’s expression suddenly changed.

Yue Yao lifted her head from her embrace. At some point, a dagger had appeared in her hand and stabbed straight into the chest of the body.

Cultivator Baiyun’s face showed blatant surprise. She paused and looked at Yue Yao: “Yaoyao, you…”

Yue Yao’s previous hesitant and weak expression disappeared. She even laughed mockingly: “Master, before you said all that, did you listen to my voice? My throat still isn’t fully healed — all thanks to you.”

She stared at the person in front of her, pushing the dagger deeper into her heart, and spoke slowly and softly: “Why would you think I’d still believe you wouldn’t harm me?”

Cultivator Baiyun was stunned for a moment.

She looked down at the wound on her chest.

She touched it lightly, sighed, and shook her head: “Yaoyao, you should know… this method won’t kill me.”

Yue Yao’s smile grew even sweeter: “Master, you really wronged me. I wouldn’t dare to betray my master. Of course I know this won’t kill you, but I also know you. To possess this body, you must’ve gone to great lengths, right?”

She nodded with satisfaction: “…If I can cause even the tiniest inconvenience to your cause, that’s enough.”

Cultivator Baiyun looked up at her: “Yaoyao… you’re not afraid I’ll really kill you?”

Yue Yao smiled and pulled out the specially made dagger, letting the blood splash on her face: “You still need me, don’t you?”

As if Cultivator Baiyun would’ve spared her if she hadn’t struck first.

From the very beginning, she never believed that Cultivator Baiyun would give up using her as a sacrifice.

All of this… was started by Cultivator Baiyun, so it was only natural for her to fight back.

Cultivator Baiyun stared at Yue Yao in silence for a moment.

She finally realized something.

That dagger of Yue Yao’s… not only could it injure this body, it could also forcibly strip her out of the shell.

Cultivator Baiyun coughed twice, blood spilling from her lips. Her bloodied hand touched Yue Yao’s cheek as she praised her with unclear meaning: “Yao Yao… see, you really are my most outstanding disciple.”

After saying this: “Mu Lingxuan’s” body finally closed its eyes and lost its breath.

A wisp of black mist emerged from the body and quickly left the scene.

Yue Yao didn’t chase after it. She let go of the now lifeless corpse, allowing it to fall to the ground.

Cultivator Baiyun no longer had a human form, this was merely an empty shell that had long since died.

But—she happily wiped the blood from her dagger. Even a shell had its uses. If it could cause trouble for her dear master, all the better.

Yue Yao carefully erased all traces of herself from the surroundings. Thinking it wasn’t quite enough of a provocation, she took an old item of Cultivator Baiyun’s from her storage pouch and tossed it at the scene.

Hiding in the dark all the time—what was the point? As a disciple who respected her master, of course she had to help her master come into the light.

 

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