Rendezvous

The ghost forest was deathly quiet. Through the drifting mist, not a chirp of an insect or the leap of a grasshopper could be heard or seen; the ground, carpeted in decaying leaves, was coated with a thin layer of white frost. Firewood crackled. Through the air distorted by the searing heat of the flames, Xu Yuan watched the glamorous woman wrapped in a felt blanket opposite him. Disheveled strands of hair fell beside her temples. Xia Qing kept her eyes downcast, her long, dense eyelashes trembling slightly. Compared to the dignified noble air she possessed when they first met, she appeared utterly exhausted now, sitting quietly on the ground bundled in the blanket, gazing mutely at the leaping campfire before her. Withdrawing his gaze, Xu Yuan raised a hand and rubbed between his brows. Three days had passed since parting ways with Tang Ruofu. If all went according to the original plan, he should have already made his move against that Overseeing Heaven Pavilion Saintess by now—he just didn't know whether he had succeeded yet. With these thoughts in mind, Xu Yuan gave a soft chuckle, reined in his musings, and shifted his gaze across the withered forest blanketed in frost. These woods were cold—abnormally cold. Outside, it should have been late autumn. Zhujian Valley, shrouded in ghost mist, had temperatures lower than the outside world, but it should by no means be so bitterly cold that water froze into ice. A high-tier yin ghost was likely lurking in this forest; he just didn't know where it was hiding. The thought flashed through his mind, and Xu Yuan let it drop. Although monsters born of corpses like yin ghosts possessed very little intellect, they still retained an instinct to seek benefit and avoid danger. Otherwise, Zhujian Valley could never have grown to such a scale; it would have destroyed itself long ago. Rising from the ground, Xu Yuan looked across at Xia Qing. "Elder Sister, have you rested enough? We're getting ready to head out." "..." The sudden voice caused Xia Qing's body across the fire to tremble slightly. *Thump, thump, thump, thump.* The morbid racing of her heart made Xia Qing dare not turn her eyes to the young man opposite her. Perhaps because of the lingering charm poison in her body, whenever she looked upon this junior, those wanton, sensuous scenes in the lakeside pavilion ceaselessly seized her mind. Neither the Dao Charm nor the charm poison within her affected her memory. And therefore, she clearly remembered how she had flirted and struck suggestive poses, how she had shamelessly and lewdly begged for intimacy before this junior... Feeling her racing heartbeat, Xia Qing hastily bit down hard on her lower lip to check her thoughts, her hands beneath her sleeves clenching involuntarily into fists. Her years of worldly experience told her that something was wrong with her. This ought to be some kind of spirit-controlling technique. Much like the mind-controlling arts of the Bewitching Soul Fiend Physique that made people involuntarily develop affection toward them. Yet even knowing this in her heart, she was powerless to counter it in her current state. Her current state was dreadful. Although they had entered into an alliance, to prevent any backlash from her, this junior had planted over a dozen restrictions inside her body. Some restricted her meridians, some sealed her Source Qi, and some disrupted her intent-soul. These measures had sealed her Source Qi and intent-soul airtight. Aside from her Transcendent Realm physical body remaining powerful, she was currently no different from an ordinary mortal. Forcing herself to steady her mind, Xia Qing lifted her eyes, weariness written across her face. "Jinghe, where exactly are we heading on this journey?" Across the burning campfire, Xu Yuan glanced down at this prisoner of his from on high. "To find Tianyan, naturally." Xia Qing's voice held a trace of hesitation. "You said you two had three hiding spots in total, but the last one we reached yesterday was also destroyed." "..." As the cloudy mist churned, a thoughtful look appeared in Xu Yuan's eyes. A sly hare has three burrows. Aside from that lakeside pavilion nestled against the mountains, Xu Yuan and Tianyan had naturally secured several other hiding spots within Zhujian Valley. When they had fled in separate directions due to Tang Ruofu's overwhelming might, the two of them had agreed to rendezvous at these hideouts. Yet over these past three days, every single one of those hiding spots had been destroyed without exception, and every one of them showed traces of battle. "Aside from those hideouts, I also remember a few caves where we temporarily stayed." Hearing this, Xia Qing blinked her limpid, watery eyes and followed up, "You should be able to tell what kind of creatures left those traces behind, right?" Traces... Xu Yuan frowned involuntarily. The traces Xia Qing referred to probably didn't mean the terrain damage caused by aftershocks of battle, but rather the qi signatures lingering in the air. "Naturally. Those ominous auras were likely left behind by high-tier yin ghosts." "Those hideouts were almost all on the outer rim of Zhujian Valley. Encountering a high-tier yin ghost once could be chalked up to coincidence, but all three bore the lingering scent of yin ghosts..." Xia Qing's voice was weak, yet her words carried absolute earnestness. "Jinghe, based on what my Yaoyue Sect has learned over centuries regarding the habits of yin ghosts, you two must possess something that yin ghosts desire. Only that could explain why high-tier yin ghosts would venture out." Hearing her reminder, a flicker of vigilance crossed Xu Yuan's eyes. He recalled his inexplicable attraction to the ghost-transformed creatures in Zhujian Valley. A moment later, however, Xu Yuan's expression turned somewhat peculiar. He couldn't understand why Xia Qing would warn him. Though he had reached an agreement with Tang Ruofu and Xia Qing, that cooperation was largely built on his coercion. Furthermore, Xia Qing should still remember everything from when her charm poison had flared up. Having been humiliated like that by a junior before the man she loved, she should be longing to drink his blood and eat his flesh. The corner of his mouth curved up. Xu Yuan stepped forward slowly, leaned down, and tilted her chin up. "Elder Sister, why are you so kind as to give me a heads-up?" Xia Qing lifted her swan-like neck and stared at Xu Yuan, her voice trembling slightly. "We... are allies now." With that, she pressed her legs tightly together, and her blanket-wrapped frame shrank back slightly. "Also, there is still charm poison lingering in my body. Don't come too close to me." Xu Yuan watched her actions with calm eyes and shook his head. "That reason won't cut it. You should know full well what our relationship is—rather than an alliance, it's coercion. "Even if this endeavor succeeds, you and Tang Ruofu will be hunted by the Overseeing Heaven Pavilion for the rest of your lives." Looking at the young, handsome face before her, a helpless smile curved Xia Qing's pale lips. "All things in this world have cause and effect. I coveted the Charm God tree seed in your possession, and now that I've failed, it's only natural that I pay the price." "You certainly sound open and candid," Xu Yuan said noncommittally. "Perhaps." The dancing firelight illuminated the desolation in Xia Qing's eyes. "Heh." Seeing her expression, Xu Yuan pressed no further. He turned around and casually instructed, "I won't pry into it then. Pack up, we're getting ready to move—" "Jinghe, in truth, I envy you and Tianyan." The sudden voice gave Xu Yuan pause, but he did not look back. Frost fell amidst the drifting mist; by the campfire sat a beauty. With loneliness in her gentle features, Xia Qing stared at the young man's back, her grip on the felt blanket tightening slightly. "My identity, my talent—they led the elders to place boundless expectations upon me. To answer those expectations, I had no choice but to continually play the part of the Xia Qing they envisioned: from the finest among disciples to a protector upon coming of age, to an elder today, and even sect master in the future. "This is the duty of the Xia family's direct lineage. Over the past centuries, my grandfather, my mother, and my elder brother were all like this, and so, as it ought to be, was I." "..." As the woman spoke, Xu Yuan turned slowly around. Beneath the firelight, his dark eyes reflected the complex emotions in Xia Qing's gaze. After a brief moment of eye contact, Xia Qing lowered her eyelids, folded the blanket wrapped around her, and slowly stood up. "During these three days since being captured by you, I have thought about a great deal. "Jinghe, tell me, is something right just because it is 'as it ought to be'?" Xu Yuan glanced at this "older sister" who was several decades his senior and chuckled. "Taking on responsibilities simply for the sake of responsibility is foolish. Life lasts barely a century; living happily for yourself is what matters most." "Pfft." Hearing this, Xia Qing suddenly let out a gentle, leisurely smile. She looked at him, drew a deep breath, and murmured, "Those words of yours are identical to what he said back then." He—Tang Ruofu. "Tsk, that does sound like something Senior Tang would say." "You speak as though you know him well, yet we have only met you once." "It really has been just that once, but he and I are the same kind of person." "...Mm, your personalities are indeed somewhat alike. Both quite scoundrelly." "..." Xu Yuan was speechless. Her words fell, followed by silence. After a long while, Xia Qing let out a soft laugh. Her red-robed figure swaying gracefully, she walked up to Xu Yuan and handed him the felt blanket. Xu Yuan, however, took the blanket and tossed it straight into the campfire beside them. A flicker of surprise showed in Xia Qing's eyes. Xu Yuan shrugged and explained mildly, "Tianyan has a sharp nose. She doesn't like using things others have used, nor does she like me using them." "Heh..." Xia Qing's eyes curved in a smile. After a few seconds of silence, she suddenly said, "Jinghe, thank you." "What?" Xu Yuan blinked and pointed at himself. "You're thanking me?" A gentle smile on her lips, Xia Qing nodded. "Even though it was forced upon me, you truly gave me a chance to live for myself." Taking a deep breath, the soft swells of Xia Qing's chest heaved once, and her voice softened, her eyes filled with gentle amusement. "Him... he has always wanted to take me along to see all the beauty of this world. If we can survive this ordeal, I suppose I'll have no choice but to accompany him on a journey through the realm." "..." Great, she's already raising death flags. Complaining inwardly, Xu Yuan stared at the heaving of those soft swells, a contemplative look in his eyes. His uninhibited gaze naturally caught Xia Qing's notice. Far from angry, she offered a charming smile. "You junior truly are a lecher. In terms of age, I could probably be your grandmother." "An eternal virgin—Senior Tang truly has had it rough." "..." Xia Qing's gentle, refined cheeks twitched slightly, but the composure cultivated from years in high standing allowed her to quickly regain her calm. "If you want to look, then look. Consider it my thanks to you." "Spoken nicely, but if you were still in peak condition, my head would probably be separated from my shoulders by now, wouldn't it?" "Mm... put that way, you're not wrong." Xia Qing bent down, picked up a twig from the ground, and casually bound her loose long hair, narrowing her lovely eyes. "So you had best be careful, junior. Don't let me regain my strength. Without Tianyan at your side, all it would take is for me to unfold my Dao domain for a single instant, and you'd have more than you could handle." Xu Yuan grinned and waved his hand. "Don't worry, when it comes to my life, I'm always exceedingly cautious. You won't get the chance to recover." With that, Xu Yuan smiled, his eyes narrowing. "Though I really must thank you for the reminder, Sister. As an esteemed Transcendent Realm expert, for the sake of my humble life, I need to add an extra layer of insurance." Xia Qing was taken aback, immediately stepping back half a pace, her gaze guarded. "What do you want to do?" Xu Yuan stepped forward, a jade bottle appearing in his palm, and smiled. "Sister, it's time to take your medicine." "..." Xia Qing stared. "Do you want to take this medicine yourself, or should I feed it to you?" As his words fell, shimmering cherry blossoms drifted down. "..." The moment the Dao Charm manifested, a feverish, sickly blush instantly spread from behind Xia Qing's ears. Pressing her legs tightly together, she unconsciously took half a step back, bit her tongue hard, and snapped sharply: "Stay away from me, junior! I'll take it myself!" Her sharp cry pierced the silence, echoing through the dense woods. Her face flushed, Xia Qing panted as she glared at the junior before her, her teeth clenched tight. "Take it yourself, huh..." Xu Yuan murmured, chuckling as he stepped back half a pace and casually tossed the jade bottle to her. "Then help yourself, Sister." Catching the jade bottle, Xia Qing stared at it for a few breaths, frowning slightly. "Is this powder ground from Charm God branches?" Xu Yuan nodded and said in a low voice, "Don't worry, the dose isn't large. As long as I don't activate my Dao Charm, it won't affect your sanity." The drug resistance of a Transcendent Realm powerhouse was formidable; the charm poison planted three days ago had already been mostly neutralized and broken down by her body, so he needed to top up Xia Qing's dosage. Xia Qing sighed softly, gave Xu Yuan a resigned glance, and briskly unstoppered the bottle, swallowing the powder within. "Satisfied now?" "Satisfied." "Then let's go." "Heh, of course." With that, the two dissolved into afterimages and vanished from the spot, traveling at the raw speed of their physical bodies. Yet after traveling barely a few hundred zhang, Xia Qing suddenly called out to Xu Yuan with a trembling voice: "Wait... wait a moment..." Hearing that something was wrong with her tone, Xu Yuan's leaping figure halted instantly atop a tree branch. "What is it?" Xia Qing's face was flushed red, her lip bitten, her voice unnatural. "The high-tier yin ghost here... seems capable of using bewitching techniques." Xu Yuan pondered for a moment and quickly grasped the principle behind it. Only the Meishen Dao Charm could directly detonate the Charm God cherry poison, but certain bewitching techniques could indirectly stimulate the latent Charm God poison in her body by stoking physical lust. However, the latter had significant limitations. Once afflicted by the Charm God cherry poison, one could not become immune, but ordinary bewitching techniques could be resisted through various means. It was just that currently, Xia Qing's Source Qi and intent-soul were both sealed by Xu Yuan, leaving her with no ability whatsoever to resist bewitching arts. With these thoughts in mind, a glint of bloody light surfaced in Xu Yuan's dark eyes as he surveyed their surroundings. He had thought they could pass through in peace, but since the yin ghost hiding in the dark had made a move against Xia Qing, it seemed it had no intention of letting them leave... He had to locate its true body within this ghost domain first... "Slash." Before his thoughts could settle into action, a crisp female voice rang down from midair. As the voice fell, a slash mark spanning a hundred meters plummeted abruptly from the sky. Wherever the blade of light reached, the dense canopy and thick branches were pulverized and severed like decaying wood. And right at the center of that strike, a humanoid monster made of black mist came into view. A yin ghost! However, Xu Yuan only looked at it for a brief second before shifting his gaze toward the barefoot young girl suspended in midair. The familiar figure brought an involuntary smile to Xu Yuan's lips. "Tianyan—" Before he could finish, Xu Yuan was met with the girl's icy glare. Startled for an instant, he glanced to his side. Only to find that Xia Qing, her charm poison triggered, was already clinging tightly against his arm... *Oh, crap.* Looking down from above at the two of them, the crisp voice of the young girl turned chillingly cold: "Xu Yuan, why are you with this old crone?"