Night Talk

Yan Jue had long since encountered the Demonic Cult’s sorcery and gu-style poison techniques in the original novel.

But the plot had already drifted so far from the source that she couldn’t tell whether the male lead had used sorcery on Qi Xianqing the same way he had in the original.

That was why, at the Cold Pool that day, Yan Jue had asked Qi Xianqing whether she’d felt dizzy or light-headed lately.

Qi Xianqing had said no, and Yan Jue had been relieved.

She never expected the male lead to have used sorcery after all.

The thought had barely surfaced before Yan Jue’s expression darkened, and a murky haze rose from the bottom of her heart.

Yan Jue knew that since Qi Xianqing had fallen prey to Chu Fu’s sorcery, her energy must have been badly depleted today.

And this spirit lantern fruit was rich in spiritual energy; it was well suited to restoring Qi Xianqing’s strength.

After seeing Qi Xianqing eat the preserved fruit she had made herself, Yan Jue turned to fetch hot water.

After all, Qi Xianqing was staying here tonight, so at the very least, she had to do her part as host.

Qi Xianqing turned her head and watched the girl’s busy back, her eyes flickering slightly.

With Qi Xianqing in her room, Yan Jue first went to Du Ying’s side to tidy things up.

The two of them finished quickly.

…

Rain pattered nonstop against the window, occasionally mingling with the howl of the fierce wind.

Yan Jue spread a simple bedding roll on the floor beneath the bed and lay down on it.

Qi Xianqing slept on the bed, staring up at the ceiling in a daze.

Yan Jue really was a very clean person; there wasn’t a trace of odor in the room.

The pillow carried the girl’s faint, clean scent, and beyond that was only the dampness drifting in from outside.

The smell of the Immortal Spirit Physique floated at the tip of her nose. Yan Jue closed her eyes in torment and unconsciously clenched her fist.

She couldn’t stop herself from wanting to get closer to her, from wanting to burrow into her arms and breathe in her scent. When she was a little fox, she could bury herself in Qi Xianqing’s embrace without restraint, but now she could only lie two steps away from her.

It had been a very long time since she’d been close to Qi Xianqing.

Under these circumstances, that scent only grew more tempting, not less.

Yan Jue tried to sleep, but no matter what she did, she couldn’t drift off. She glanced at Qi Xianqing out of the corner of her eye.

Qi Xianqing lay on the bed with her eyes closed, breathing very softly.

Qi Xianqing had always slept soundly, so it was impossible to tell whether she was truly asleep. Based on Yan Jue’s understanding of her, she knew Qi Xianqing probably wasn’t asleep.

Just as Yan Jue was about to close her eyes and try again, she suddenly heard Qi Xianqing’s voice rise from the bed.

“During today’s bout on the martial platform, Junior Sister seemed to have known for a long time what Chu Fu was going to do.”

Yan Jue’s heart thumped. “Mm. None of you noticed him, but my attention was always on him.”

Once the male lead fell into demonhood, there would be no more connection between him and Yan Jue at all.

Today, the male lead had fallen into demonhood ahead of schedule; that meant the danger in the early stage for Yan Jue was finally over.

The reason Yan Jue had still stepped onto the martial platform that day, even knowing the Demon Lord and the male lead were scheming to harm her, was because she understood very clearly that if the Heavenly Dao insisted on making her face off against the male lead, she had no way to avoid it.

Since she couldn’t avoid it, she might as well charge straight at it.

It would both let her finish the plotline faster and give her another chance to test what exactly the Heavenly Dao was trying to do.

Was the Heavenly Dao’s goal to make sure she died? Or was it enough simply to push the male lead into demonhood?

From the looks of it now, the Heavenly Dao’s bottom line for her as a cannon-fodder villain seemed rather lenient.

But the trouble that came next…

Yan Jue had been lying on the bedding roll, but she suddenly sat up and said, as if casually, “Senior Sister, that mountain cave we went to before was occupied by someone from the demonic path. I happened to discover that.”

Yan Jue started making things up on the spot. “Once, when I went out for a walk at night, I saw Chu Fu enter that cave. After that, every night, I saw Chu Fu carrying things into it. Before Chu Fu fell into demonhood, he had an extremely close connection with that person.”

Qi Xianqing’s brow twitched. “Mm.”

She had also once found this suspicious.

Chu Fu had so many magical artifacts before; as a provisional disciple who had not formally entered the inner sect yet, it was impossible for him to have that many.

Someone had been supplying Chu Fu with artifacts without interruption.

Yan Jue: “But that demonic-path cultivator died in a very strange way. Chu Fu clearly gave him water and food every day, and yet he still died.”

“Do you think he might have seized the body of some senior expert in our sect?”

Before bringing this up with Qi Xianqing, Yan Jue had hesitated for a long time.

First, it was simply too bizarre; whether Qi Xianqing would believe her was one issue.

Second, Qi Xianqing had always been the most respectful of teachers and elders. How could she possibly, because of Yan Jue’s words, come to doubt the Sect Master, whom she had always respected?

Yan Jue only needed to go this far.

In any case, Qi Xianqing was so smart she would surely pay attention because of what she said.

In the darkness, Qi Xianqing’s voice was a little hoarse. “Junior Sister Yan means for me to keep an eye on the upper ranks of Five Dragons Sect.”

Yan Jue swallowed. Qi Xianqing’s comprehension really was excellent. “That’s only my guess.”

After a long silence, Qi Xianqing said, “I didn’t tell Master Uncle the cave matter directly. I told my master instead, and asked my master to relay it.”

Only then did Yan Jue finally breathe easy. It seemed Qi Xianqing at least had the most basic vigilance.

The magical artifacts in Chu Fu’s arms changed from one day to the next; if the person in that cave really had died, then no one would be supplying Chu Fu with artifacts anymore. Anyone would grow suspicious, wouldn’t they?

Rain tapped against the window in fine, scattered threads, as though plucking at strings.

Yan Jue couldn’t help asking, “What kind of person is Master Uncle the Sect Master usually?”

Qi Xianqing: “Master Uncle is someone who hates evil as if it were his enemy. During the immortal-demon war back then, he once slew thousands of demons and monsters, accomplishing a great feat for Five Dragons Mountain.”

Yan Jue hesitated. “As for Chu Fu…”

Qi Xianqing’s voice held no discernible fluctuation. “I’ve already gotten used to it. Ever since I came up the mountain at eight years old, people said I was blessed with excellent cultivation talent. Many immortal families came to propose marriage, wanting to dual cultivate with me, but Master Uncle rejected them all.”

“But Master Uncle seems to think highly of me and Chu Fu.”

Yan Jue paused slightly.

Qi Xianqing: “Chu Fu has ties to the Chu family.”

Although she had read the novel before, Yan Jue had never paid much attention to that disgusting male lead’s family.

Which family had the male lead come from, and what story did the Chu family have?

As though knowing what Yan Jue was wondering, Qi Xianqing said indifferently, “During the immortal-demon war, all six immortal sects took part, and the Five Great Families lent their assistance as well.”

Yan Jue: “But now there are only four immortal families.”

Yan Jue often went to the Library Pavilion and had once read records about the immortal families. These were families that had cultivated immortality for generations and held extremely honored status; such families were collectively known as the Four Great Families.

Qi Xianqing: “The Chu family was wiped out completely during the immortal-demon war. Chu Fu can also be considered the descendant of loyal martyrs.”

“Because of that, Master Uncle has always liked Chu Fu very much. He made Chu Fu a provisional disciple as soon as he entered the sect.”

The quiet night was filled with the soft patter of rain outside the window.

Yan Jue tested the waters. “What do you think of demons?”

Qi Xianqing stared at the ceiling and said slowly, “If I see one, I’ll kill it on the spot.”

A chill ran through Yan Jue’s heart. “And what about monsters?”

In the darkness, Qi Xianqing fell silent for a moment.

Actually, that night when she had entered the room, she had vaguely seen a few fiery red tails in the air.

But they had vanished in a flash.

Qi Xianqing had a vague thought in her heart.

But that thought was only a suspicion; it had never been confirmed.

She liked the little fox very much, and toward Yan Jue as well, she seemed to have strange feelings she had never experienced before.

The more she tested the little fox and Yan Jue, the more she felt that everything happening now was drawing closer to the thought hidden in her heart.

Whenever Qi Xianqing thought of this, she felt very conflicted, so she could only set it aside for the time being and not think about it.

On this matter, Qi Xianqing was unexpectedly avoiding it; before the truth, she had stopped in time and closed her eyes, refusing to look.

Whether Yan Jue and the little fox were the same person or not.

Qi Xianqing still couldn’t be certain. She could only treat it as though nothing had happened.

Qi Xianqing had never shown mercy when killing demons outside before; it could even be said that she had killed countless demons and carried the weight of countless demonic lives.

Qi Xianqing knew very well that she was not a good person.

How could someone like her…

Qi Xianqing frowned and shook her head. “I don’t know either.”

“It’s best if I don’t see it.”

Yan Jue: “…”

-

Very soon, the first day arrived.

Warm morning sunlight spilled into the room; the fierce wind that had howled the night before had already died down.

Perhaps because Qi Xianqing was here, Yan Jue woke up very early.

When Yan Jue woke, Qi Xianqing was still asleep.

The girl’s peach-blossom eyes were lightly closed; her exposed arm was porcelain-white, and she slept very soundly.

It seemed the sorcery from yesterday had indeed affected Qi Xianqing, only Qi Xianqing had always been strong and never showed it.

Yan Jue got up as quietly as she could, took out two spirit lantern fruits, and set them on the table.

When Qi Xianqing woke up, she saw Yan Jue coming in carrying a tray.

Yan Jue had actually prepared a very generous breakfast.

There were small square cakes, pale red in color; although they looked a little unremarkable, they tasted very good.

Next to the tray were two plump spirit lantern fruits.

Qi Xianqing was a little surprised. “That spirit lantern fruit, you used it…”

Last night, when she had eaten the fruit preserves, Qi Xianqing had thought Yan Jue had used that one and only spirit lantern fruit as the ingredient.

But now she realized that Yan Jue had somehow gotten many spirit lantern fruits.

Yan Jue explained, “I found an empty patch of land in the back mountain of Watercloud Sect. After I finished eating the spirit lantern fruit, I planted them there.”

“…"

Qi Xianqing smiled and slowly started eating.

-

Because Chu Fu’s demonization incident had only happened yesterday, the Five-Dragon Summit would be suspended for ten days.

After all, once the male lead fell into demonhood, it still took five years before he began to rise in earnest; by then, she had no idea where in the world she would be. Yan Jue wasn’t too nervous.

There was no need to rush yet.

Worrying wouldn’t help anyway.

Yan Jue thought that maybe in a few days she should make another trip to the foot of Five Dragons Mountain and see whether she could run away now. That was the real urgent matter.

Actually, Yan Jue didn’t much want the competition to be suspended.

During the matches, her heart had always been suspended in the air.

It would be better to let her fight quickly and be done with it. In any case, the reason she had entered the competition this time was only for those one thousand top-grade Spirit Stones…

Du Ying: “But the matchups for the competition ten days from now have already come out. We should still go take a look at Five Dragons Square.”

Yan Jue looked at Du Ying’s figure as she dashed off in a flash, and twitched her lips. “Why are you more excited than I am?”

Du Ying: “This Five-Dragon Summit is the first time I’ve ever had a part in something, you know. I’m pretty happy just watching you compete.”

After all, she had already won so many matches in a row by the skin of her teeth that Yan Jue still had the most basic confidence in herself. She smiled and walked up to the matchup board, then looked up.

“Ten days later, I—”

?

Ten days later.

Yan Jue - Qi Xianqing.

???

Her against Qi Xianqing.

Ten days later, she would actually be fighting Qi Xianqing.

The others gradually noticed the arrangement as well, and the huge square instantly filled with murmurs.

Everyone was discussing the match between Yan Jue and Qi Xianqing.

After all, the newly risen outer-sect disciple Yan Jue was now the hottest topic in the sect; everyone was paying attention to her every move.

Du Ying was shocked. “Oh my god, you’re really up against Lord Meng Heng.”

Yan Jue: “…”

“Senior Sister is very good at sudden strikes and instant kills. Every match ends within the span of half a cup of tea,” Du Ying said solemnly, patting Yan Jue on the shoulder. “Good luck.”

-

By the time Yan Jue returned to Watercloud Sect, Du Ying had parted ways with her and, along with the parting, handed her the latest issue of The Five Dragons Encyclopedia.

During the Five-Dragon Summit, The Five Dragons Encyclopedia was updated almost every day.

Yan Jue sat on the bed with a miserable face and opened the first page.

A full account of Yan Jue and Lord Meng Heng’s past entanglements (a thousand ways Yan Jue schemed against Qi Xianqing):

First, she tampered with Lord Meng Heng’s talisman, making Qi Xianqing kneel beneath the cold waterfall for a full hour.

Then, while Lord Meng Heng was bathing, she stole her clothes.

After that, she issued a life-or-death challenge to Lord Meng Heng on Five Dragons Square. [Important point emphasized.]

Everyone, please note that Yan Jue had challenged Lord Meng Heng a long time ago!

We had all thought Yan Jue would never make it to the day she fought Qi Xianqing, but who could have imagined she would actually get this far?

Yan Jue collapsed onto the bed: “…"

-

On the first day of suspension, Jade Terrace was still bustling.

In the tents sat several betting tables of varying sizes, and each one was surrounded by a crowd.

The largest and most crowded betting table was still the one for Yan Jue and Qi Xianqing.

Although the Five-Dragon Summit wouldn’t reopen until ten days later, the latest list of matchups had already come out.

So the betting table for the much-talked-about Yan Jue and Qi Xianqing had also opened in advance.

Yun Jie stood there with a cold expression, staring at the betting platform.

The daughters of the major families always had some connection with one another, so Bai Chuli and Yun Jie often liked to be together.

Bai Chuli said miserably, “Sister Yun Jie, all my money got taken by Lord Meng Heng. This time, we absolutely have to win big.”

Yun Jie nodded and took out more than a thousand top-grade Spirit Stones from her Qiankun bag.

After some observation, Bai Chuli was now certain of it.

Yan Jue really had gotten lucky.

From the start of the matches until now, Yan Jue had been unstoppable, showing a distinct momentum of invincibility.

So Bai Chuli decided to put all her bets on Yan Jue this time.

She hated Yan Jue, so of course she didn’t want to bet on Yan Jue.

But there was nothing she could do; she was broke now.

Yan Jue’s earlier matches had been a series of victories, and she always liked to win by surprise.

This time, she definitely wouldn’t lose to Lord Meng Heng either.

No matter how formidable Lord Meng Heng was, Yan Jue would always come up with a new way.

Very quickly, the side marked with the character for Yan was stacked full of glittering Spirit Stones.

-

After putting down the paper, Yan Jue lay on the bed and played dead.

She felt a great deal of pressure.

Although everyone thought highly of her in this competition, her abilities were only so much.

The circulation technique for Northern Sea black iron, the Myriad Sword Art…

How could any of that compare to Qi Xianqing’s immortal sword, Zhuying?

Unknowingly, the sky outside had gradually darkened.

Yan Jue closed her eyes on the bed, forcing her racing heartbeat to calm, and her body gradually shrank.

Before long, she had turned back into her crimson fox form.

Yan Jue sat up, raised a paw to lick her fur, shook out her four big tails, and leaped out the window.

The last trace of sunset still covered the horizon; the little fox threaded through the dense grass.

Yan Jue soon arrived at Frozen Peach Haven.

The moon had come out at some point, and its bright silver light fell over the peach trees, quiet and beautiful.

Just as Yan Jue stepped through the fence of Frozen Peach Haven, she saw the stunning woman sitting by the window, lazily propping her chin on one hand as she read.

Illuminated by candlelight, Qi Xianqing’s skin was snow-white; standing there, she looked exactly like a figure in a painting.

Yan Jue padded over on tiny steps, her claws making faint rustling sounds on the grass.

When Qi Xianqing saw the little fox arrive, she closed her booklet, stepped out of the room, and crouched down. “You’re here.”

Under the moonlight, Qi Xianqing’s voice was soft. “What were you busy with these past few days? Why haven’t you come for so long?”

It really had been a long time since they’d seen each other.

Yan Jue made a spoiled, whimpering sound through her teeth; all four fluffy tails wagged wildly out of control, and her two black ears folded back tightly against her head as she burrowed into Qi Xianqing’s arms.

The scent of the Immortal Spirit Physique drifted at the tip of her nose.

So comfortable…

Qi Xianqing gently kneaded her limbs to help her relax, then stroked her ears too.

No matter how Qi Xianqing touched her, Yan Jue felt incredibly comfortable. Her long, narrow phoenix eyes narrowed, and a low gurgling sound came from her throat.

It was destined to be an unsettled night, because Yan Jue was still thinking about the match.

Qi Xianqing suddenly noticed something and froze slightly. She pressed her palm against the little fox’s fluffy chest. “What’s going on? Why is your heart beating so fast?”

Yan Jue lay in Qi Xianqing’s arms, opened her mouth, and slowly gnawed on the girl’s hand; she was very restless.

Out of the corner of her eye, she suddenly caught sight of something on the table.

Yan Jue paused.

It was more than ten little animals woven from rush grass.

A calf, a horse, a lamb…

They were all made by Qi Xianqing.

Yan Jue let out a soft “wu-ao—” and placed her two front paws on the table, tilting her head to bite the little rabbit.

Qi Xianqing’s brows and eyes curved, and she handed the rabbit over to her.

Yan Jue’s heart was in complete disarray, and she was irritated too.

She knew that if she really faced Qi Xianqing on the arena ten days from now, the scene definitely wouldn’t be very pretty.

After chewing the little rabbit for a while, Yan Jue no longer wanted to bite it. She rested her chin on Qi Xianqing’s leg, fidgeting badly; her four big tails kept lashing back and forth, unsettled, even knocking things over.

Qi Xianqing looked at her for a long while, then suddenly pushed back her chair and stood up.

She pulled a book from the shelf, sat down lazily, and opened it.

Yan Jue froze.

It was a notebook.

Yan Jue had seen Qi Xianqing’s martial arts notes before.

Top students’ notes were extremely useful; at the very least, every time Yan Jue looked at them, she learned a great deal.

Yan Jue instantly stopped moving and lay quiet with her chin on Qi Xianqing’s thigh.

Qi Xianqing opened to the first page and said softly, “Here, the Five Elements Sword Art.”

Perhaps Qi Xianqing also needed to review things herself. These were all things she had studied before, so she read her notes with unusual care.

The night was quiet, candlelight swaying; the whole room was filled with a faint peach blossom fragrance.

Yan Jue didn’t know why Qi Xianqing had suddenly decided to review her lessons, but she pricked up her ears and listened silently. It was an extremely quiet night; Qi Xianqing’s reading voice was very slow and gentle, each word striking Yan Jue’s ears one by one.

Yan Jue narrowed her eyes, her black ears twitching up and down.

“The Five Elements Sword Art is a sword art that combines the sword with one’s spiritual root.”

“What does it mean to combine the sword with one’s spiritual root?” Qi Xianqing turned her pen and said slowly, “For example, if you have, mm, a thunder spiritual root, how would you merge your own elemental property with the sword?”

Qi Xianqing looked at the notebook, her cool palm resting on its fur as she absentmindedly stroked it now and then.

The little fox listened intently for a while, then looked up at Qi Xianqing and suddenly realized something; her heart lurched.

But it didn’t seem like she was studying for herself…

It looked more like she was reading it to her.