Heavy snow fell with the setting sun, painting the surroundings with a pale whiteness.
As Bian Lingyu left the courtyard, Shi Luoyi stood up, walking around the folding screen to pick up the two items thrown by Bian Lingyu.
If she was still the Shi Luoyi from her past life, proud and naive, she might not understand Bian Lingyu's anger and could have been angered by his apparent lack of gratitude. However, after wandering in the mortal realm for several years, she had learned a lot about the complexities of human relationships.
She remembered once when she was fleeing pursuit by the Immortal Sect, she passed through the bustling mortal street and stayed there for several months.
In the Yihong Pavilion, there was a woman named Jin'er.
Jin'er, originally a talented singer skilled in playing the pipa, earned a living by selling her art but not body. Many rich young masters and officials tried to win her favor with money, but none could capture her attention. Later, a scholar came to the capital for the imperial examination and fell in love with Jiner at first sight. He used to send kites, compose love poems, and do all sorts of romantic gestures.
The scholar was handsome, cultured and talented – Jin'er quickly fell to his gentle charm, surrendering both her body and soul to him.
They made vows of eternal love to each other and fell in love so deeply that the scholar promised to take Jin'er away.
A few months later when the results were posted, he topped the exam, but never returned to Yihong Pavilion. Instead, he sent a box of gold ingots through a messenger.
That night, Jin'er leapt from the balcony, falling into the vast river below.
At that time, Shi Luoyi couldn't understand, but later having seen more of the vicissitudes of the mortal world, she realized what that box of gold ingots symbolized.
Jin'er, who had sold only her talents since the age of eight, had stayed true to her original intentions for a decade, thinking she had finally met her soulmate. However, in the man's eyes, she was nothing more than a courtesan.
A lowly person who only deserves to be sent away with money. Her despair stemmed from how he looked down and despised her, and from the moment the man broke his promise, Jin'er could only be a courtesan in her life.
Shi Luoyi also thought of Bian Lingyu, and vaguely understood why he would be angry.
For some people, loyalty and self-esteem are far more important than life. Insult their integrity and it is as good as demanding their life.
Even though the circumstances might be vastly different, the sense of humiliation felt by those directly involved was remarkably similar.
Although the reality was different.
Shi Luoyi picked up the Ruyi lock from the ground and wiped off the dust.
The Ruyi lock that Bian Lingyu had thrown away and was now in Shi Luoyi's palm was made by Shi Luoyi's mother, Wan Xun, the Princess of Nanyue. Back then, upon learning that her young daughter had been betrothed to the eldest son of the Wei family, the princess knew that she was just a mortal and was frail, so she was afraid that she wouldn't live to see her daughter get married and have children.
She found the best refiner in the mortal realm and had a Ruyi (for protection and good luck) lock crafted.
The Princess told Daojun: "One day in the future, when Young Master Wei gives the spirit jade to Luo'er, this lock will be a gift in return. The high priest will have it worshiped in Nanyue for ten years, receiving blessings from people across the land. May it protect the child of the Wei family, bringing safety and prosperity. I hope my daughter's marriage will be strong and lasting, sticking together through thick and thin, never giving up on each other."
Shi Luoyi always wore the Ruyi lock after the princess died.
Later, Shi Luoyi moved out of Buye Mountain with a stubborn and proud look. She left behind her father's treasure house, only wearing the mysterious black swallow Ruyi Lock on her body. [Xuanniao - mysterious black bird resembling a swallow and linked with phoenix].
When Shi Luoyi was young, she always had the lock with her, so she considered it as something that was truly hers. It was a special token that she would give to her Taoist companion when she grew up, something that she wanted to personally give to Wei Changyuan.
But on that day in the Apricot grove, Wei Changyuan lost the Spirit Jade of the Wei family forever. He had already given his spirit jade to the woman of his heart.
At that moment, in Shi Luoyi's heart, their engagement was already null and void.
The Ruyi lock, empowered by the strength of a nation's blessings, was now useless. Partly due to the influence of the demons in her heart and partly out of poverty, she gave it to Bian Lingyu on a whim.
After all, no one wanted it anymore. At least according to her mother, the lock could protect him and bring him safety and blessings in this lifetime. Back then she was very poor, and this was all she had left.
As for the Blood Lingzhi, Shi Luoyi even remembered its origin.
It was the first time she went on a difficult mission after leaving Buye Mountain. The young girl didn't know the taste of sorrow, but for a Blood Lingzhi, she shed quite a bit of blood and tears behind the scenes. Reluctant to use the Blood Lingzhi for her own injuries, she gave it to Bian Lingyu as well.
Though few would dare to believe, for the Shi Luoyi of those times, these two items were her entire wealth - she was very poor.
Oh no, Shi Luoyi remembered there was also an immature hundred-year-old peony not yet in bloom in the courtyard.
Back when she was a child, her mother planted that peony with her in the courtyard. Later, it was transplanted to the immortal Buye mountain. Shi Luoyi cared for it diligently for a long time, but unfortunately just yesterday it was 'innocently' plucked by Bian Qingxuan who said "This flower blooms so beautifully," and then it was gone.
Shi Luoyi, angered, took action against her.
Now, putting aside past grievances, Shi Luoyi didn't want Bian Lingyu to think that she was humiliating him.
She thought it over and picked up the Blood Lingzhi, putting the lock in her bosom, and planned to chase after him to say a few words. Whether he believed her or not was up to him.
The heavy snow fell continuously. Shi Luoyi was injured and couldn't walk fast. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the lonely back figure of the young man going with difficulty in the snow.
Fortunately, Bian Lingyu hadn't gone far. Just as she was about to call out to him, she saw another girl in orange rushing towards Bian Lingyu.
Shi Luoyi frowned and stopped in her steps.
When Bian Qingxuan received the message from the junior disciple, she was in the middle of treating injuries for sect disciples.
With a blush on her face, she spoke softly, "Senior Brother, the wound on your body needs a good rest of a few days after you return. The claws of the fierce beasts are poisonous, so it's best for the Senior Brother to take some Qingxin Dan (Heart-Fire Clearing Pills) to prevent evil qi (demonic energy) from entering your body."
The male disciple's ears turned slightly red as he hurriedly nodded.
Although cultivators pursued different paths in their cultivation, those who excelled in Dan cultivation often had the best interpersonal relationships.
Bian Qingxuan was indeed an alchemist.
Three years ago, when she ascended the mountain to become a disciple, the elders of the Tianji Pavilion praised her destiny. Even the Sect Master, who usually remained aloof, cast his gaze in her direction. However, she resolutely chose to become an alchemist and had since been treating injuries for her fellow sect members.
The disciples would inevitably get hurt during missions, so almost everyone had benefited from her kindness to some extent, be it big or small injuries.
Plus she was not as aloof and indifferent as her master Shizun Han Shu, the disciples loved to look for Bian Qingxuan when injured for treatment. [Shizun - Master]
Combined with her lively and witty personality, the reputation of this junior sister became more and more obvious.
The little disciple who came to report was named Ding Bai. He whispered something in Bian Qingxuan's ear after which she nodded.
As she rushed towards the Mingyou Mountain, she could already see Shi Luoyi coming out of the courtyard gate from afar.
Shi Luoyi was wearing a tender green silk skirt with a dark goose-yellow cloak hanging on her arm. As she walked against the wind and snow, the only apricot blossom hairpin in her hair jingled in the wind.
In the snow, she was the only vivid splash of color. She was seriously injured, her face was pale, and couldn't walk fast, but it could still be seen that she intended to catch up with the lonely figure ahead.
Bian Qingxuan hurried up and crouched down to hold onto the armrest of Bian Lingyu's wheelchair. From the corner of her eye, she indeed saw Shi Luoyi stop in her tracks.
Then, seemingly reminded of something, Shi Luoyi stepped back and slammed the courtyard gate shut.
As expected, she still had the same stubborn and irritable temper.
Perhaps Bian Qingxuan's gaze was too unusual, Bian Lingyu also turned back following her gaze, only to see a tightly shut vermillion door standing out like a delicate red plum blossom against the snowy field.
He then noticed the shallow footprints of the young girl in front of the courtyard gate, and subtly pursed his lips.
Bian Qingxuan's heart tightened.
Her eyes fell upon the young man's clearly defined, slender fingers which were not only frozen red but also covered in scars. The outer sect disciples lived far from Mingyou Mountain. How long had he walked, and how much hardship had he endured to get here?
"Why is Brother here at Mingyou Mountain?" she told him. "Yesterday, I accidentally broke Shi Luoyi's flower. She's still angry with me, what should I do if she takes it out on you?"
"Takes it out on" were usually like touching a sore spot for Bian Lingyu, but today he seemed to not hear and only stared at the trail of footprints without a word.
Seeing him like this, Bian Qingxuan felt flustered and irritated. The two stood in the snow for a while, but Shi Luoyi didn't open the door again.
The incident three months ago still made Bian Qingxuan flare up when thinking about it. She was sick for two months because of anger, and what frustrated her more was that Bian Lingyu became more and more absent-minded. She would call him several times but he wouldn't respond.
Having recovered, Bian Qingxuan happened to see Shi Luoyi meticulously caring for a peony.
The young girl tended to the peonies with care, loosening the soil and inspecting for insects. Her dress flowed gracefully, and her face looked charming and beautiful.
That evening, Bian Qingxuan picked the pinkish-white peony with her own hands.
"This flower blooms so beautifully." She exclaimed in joy.
She understood best how proud and easily angered that little peacock was.
Thinking of this, her tense mood suddenly relaxed, and the tightly shut vermillion door no longer seemed threatening.
How can that be possible? She thought Shi Luoyi despised her so much; naturally, she would hate Bian Lingyu equally.
When Shi Luoyi chased after him just now, not uttering any humiliating or scolding words was already the limit. How could she say something that Bian Lingyu wanted to hear?
Indeed, not only did she realize it, but Bian Lingyu also began to understand it gradually.
Lowering his gaze, he turned to leave.
Bian Qingxuan hurried to follow. Just as her hand touched the wheelchair, Bian Lingyu coldly said: "Let go."
Bian Qingxuan bit her lip. Although unwilling, she could only let go and didn't dare to touch his things again, following step by step behind him.
The young man's figure was like a sturdy green pine tree. His eyes were as cold as snow, looking as lonely as a lone wolf.
His vitality was obviously fading bit by bit, yet Bian Qingxuan followed him step by step, almost intoxicated. Thinking of him and Shi Luoyi drifting away, Bian Qingxuan curled her lips into a smile.
No worries, as long as Shi Luoyi continues to despise him or the situation worsens, I have a lot of time.
She was patient, waiting for the day when Bian Lingyu gave up completely.
*
Shi Luoyi felt quite unlucky.
When she saw Bian Qingxuan, she felt disgusted and irritated. She was afraid that she would really start a fight with Bian Qingxuan, so she simply stayed behind closed doors and thought of a long-term plan.
She lay in bed for a while. Huixiang added some firewood before leaving, making the room warm and cozy. The places where she was frostbitten also started to ache and itch.
She took out the lock again to examine it, and in her heart she was a little thankful that Bian Lingyu had thrown it back to her. Although Bian Lingyu did not know the meaning of this jade, he still threw it back to her instead of carelessly discarding it.
The longer one lives in the world, the more they cherish things from the past.
This lock, which embodied the blessings of her mother and the entire Nanyue kingdom was something she really should not give to others lightly.
Even if Wei Changyuan and Bian Lingyu didn't want it, she couldn't casually throw it away.
Just as even if no one in the world loved her anymore, she should not become submissive because of them. She should first learn to love and cherish herself.
The returned ruyi lock was still a cherished treasure in her memory, the best gift Princess Wan Xun gave to her daughter. It constantly reminded Shi Luoyi that once someone had also loved her sincerely.
Holding the lock to her bosom, Shi Luoyi's heart grew a bit determined.
This warmth gave her the strength to live well. She thought that no matter how difficult the situation, to have another chance was so rare - she must make up for the regrets of her previous life and live however she wanted to live.
In her previous life, she had accidentally obtained an ancient book containing a spiritual cultivation technique that could temporarily suppress her inner demons. After reciting it a few times, she hurriedly got up and let it circulate through her body.
The method was very effective. After running it for a full cycle, she felt the irritability she had after seeing Bian Qingxuan had dissipated a lot, and she finally breathed a sigh of relief.
As for Bian Lingyu, she thought she would observe the situation first. If he and Bian Qingxuan were not birds of a feather, bent on letting her fall to her death, should she make amends and apologize?
Having been a demon cultivator for sixty years, this was the limit of what she could do. She really can't be expected to be as clear-cut between good and bad as she was when she was young, feeling guilty and restless.
The heavy snow continued until midnight, and it stopped only at dawn the next day.
At the hour of Mao Shi, Huixiang arrived at Shi Luoyi's courtyard. [Mao Shi –- 5-7 am]
Knowing that her appearance might bring trouble to Miss, she came secretly.
Shi Luoyi had been through too much in the past two years, and had wounds all over her body. No one else would care for her except Huixiang.
Huixiang felt sorry for her, and thought of quietly coming to check on her condition. Have the injuries improved? Does it still hurt?
As a spirit transformed from a plant, Huixiang could easily conceal her form. Every plant and tree in the courtyard served as her best cover.
Unexpectedly, Shi Luoyi was already awake.
She was doing her makeup, and through the mirror, Huixiang saw a slightly weary but still beautiful face. The girl's face was covered in fine scars, but it did not diminish her beauty; instead, it added a touch of charm to it.
Huixiang could vaguely glimpse the appearance of the former number one beauty of Nanyue on the girl's face.
Huixiang was somewhat entranced, recalling how splendid the princess used to be back then. Not only did the princes of various countries admire her, but even the powerful beings and immortals in the world found her unforgettable.
However, the beloved little daughter of the princess, after the Daojun fell into a deep slumber, gradually withered under suppression.
Today, Luoyi looked a bit haggard, but the melancholy and gloomy eyes of the past were shining with endless vitality now.
Huixiang, though surprised, felt really happy.
As long as the young miss can cheer up, things can't get any better. She even had a strong feeling that everything would slowly start getting better from this day onwards!