Mingyou Mountain was in the far north, while Qingshui Village was in the extreme south.
The journey was so long that even a cultivator would take four or five days to get there.
After traveling for a day, as the sky darkened, Han Shu decided to let the disciples rest and recover first.
The inn where they stopped to rest often hosted cultivators who were out on missions. The proprietress had a round face with a very joyful appearance. She recognized Han Shu and pushed aside the waiter, and came over to greet them personally, “Immortal masters, your presence brings light to our humble shop.”
Han Shu tossed over a medium-grade spirit stone: “We’ll be staying here for the night."
The proprietress beamed happily: “This way, please. This way.”
Shi Luoyi was assigned a room with the character 'heaven' (Tian) in it's name. It was nearing the mortal world's festival season, and everyone was celebrating with their families. The streets were decorated with colorful lanterns, but the inn itself remained cold and quiet.
Han Shu instructed the disciples not to wander the streets. They would set off at first light the next day.
After returning to her room, Shi Luoyi meditated for a while. She vaguely felt like she had forgotten something but she couldn't remember it at the moment.
It wasn't until a gust of wind brushed against the silk ribbon around her waist that she looked down at her stomach and realized a problem: They had been on the road for a whole day and hadn't eaten anything.
Cultivators could go without food for several days without issue once they reach a certain level of cultivation. When they reach the Harmonization stage, they could even completely abstain from eating.
But mortals would go hungry after missing a meal.
Among their group, only Bian Lingyu was a mortal. Han Shu was used to bringing disciples on missions and was a self-disciplined person who never ate or drank in the human realm. Even the disciples who followed her would not pursue food or drink either.
But what about Bian Lingyu?
In her previous life, Shi Luoyi rarely cared about him and thus never considered such issues. But now that she thought of it, she couldn’t stop worrying.
In fact, she shouldn't have cared, but before entering her room, she accidentally caught a glimpse of Bian Lingyu's extremely pale face.
Bian Qingxuan may have forgotten by mistake, and Bian Lingyu never said anything, showing no signs of existence, as if he wouldn't speak even if he starved to death.
Shi Luoyi grew increasingly restless. After a while, thinking of those lifeless eyes and the sins she had committed, she finally resigned herself to standing up and finding a waiter.
No matter how much she disliked his sibling, she couldn't watch Bian Lingyu starve to death.
"Waiter, could you please bring me a bowl of noodles?"
The waiter had worked at the inn for seven or eight years and seen many cultivators of extraordinary grace and beauty. He thought he had become immune to beauty, but at the sight of Shi Luoyi, he still gawked straight.
Blushing, he stammered, "Sure, sure, I'll go to the kitchen and inform Madam Zhao. Immortal one, please wait here for a while."
After waiting about the time it takes to finish a cup of tea in the lobby, the waiter brought over a bowl of noodles.
Shi Luoyi said, "Take this bowl of noodles to the Heavenly-tiger room." [The character for 'heaven' and the seal for 'tiger'.]
The waiter quickly obeyed.
However, he soon returned with the untouched noodles, looking distressed. He said, "Immortal one, I knocked on the door, but there was no response from inside."
No response? Don't tell me he fainted from hunger!
Shi Luoyi's heart skipped a beat. She took the bowl of noodles from the waiter and paid with the spirit stone before heading to the Heavenly-tiger room. She raised her hand and knocked on the door, but as the waiter said, there was no response from inside.
Worried that something might really have happened to Bian Lingyu, she quickly drew a spell and the door opened in response.
From afar, she saw a bulging figure on the bed.
She placed the noodles on the table and hurried over, pushing him gently. "Bian Lingyu?"
His eyes were closed tightly, his face covered in cold sweat. Remembering that mortals could get sick, Shi Luoyi lightly pressed the back of her hand against his forehead.
It was burning hot.
Shi Luoyi was at a loss for words, he really did have a fever! She was about to go find a doctor for him when she noticed he had opened his eyes at some point.
And her hand was also held.
The boy's hand was wide and hot, tightly wrapping her hand in his palm in a possessive manner.
Shi Luoyi froze for a moment, perplexed as she asked: "Did the fever make you delirious, Bian Lingyu?" He had always avoided her before. After what happened, he probably had psychological trauma and would surely be disgusted at her touch if he was conscious.
Shi Luoyi looked into his somewhat dazed eyes, feeling a headache coming on. Cultivators don't get sick, she had no experience with such matters.
Before setting off for Qingshui Village, Bian Lingyu had asked Bian Qingxuan to refine a lot of Soul-cleansing Pills. After taking these pills, he could freely move about during the day, just like an ordinary person. However, once night fell, the pills would lose their effect, and he would suffer twice as much pain.
His current body was not much different from a mortal. He developed a fever around dusk. Bian Qingxuan didn't pay much attention to it, and Bian Lingyu didn't take it seriously either. They never cared about such trivial matters. Bian Lingyu had grown accustomed to enduring this kind of pain over the years.
In any case, he would be fine again at first light of the sun.
The fever had clouded Bian Lingyu's mind for a moment. Hearing Shi Luoyi's voice vaguely, he initially thought it was just a dream. He sneered, thinking that if it weren't a dream, Shi Luoyi would never be by his side.
In fact, over the past two years, he had come to accept reality and rarely had such ridiculous dreams filled with delusions.
He paused for a moment and, driven by instinct and longing, he grasped the hand that was feeling his forehead.
The palm was soft and slightly cool, carrying the unique softness of a woman.
He woke up almost instantly - this wasn't a dream!
Bian Lingyu stalled for a moment. His thin lips pursed slightly, embarrassed as he tried to let go.
But right then, the girl leaned over him. He heard her slightly puzzled voice, "Did the fever make you delirious, Bian Lingyu?"
These words, like a seed of evil and darkness, caused him to stop his original actions and he raised his eyes to look at her.
She murmured softly, "You're really delirious, huh? Even your gaze has changed."
"..."
Bian Lingyu remained silent.
The girl was a sword cultivator. She cultivated diligently and never slacked off despite her noble birth. So her palm had light calluses, yet her hand was still overly soft and delicate.
Bian Lingyu had never experienced such a peaceful, quiet moment with her. With a hint of embarrassment tinged with deception, he couldn't help but wonder why she had come.
A seed of hope took root and sprouted in his heart. His palm grew slightly damp with sweat and his breathing quickened slightly.
"Do you still recognize who I am?" Her voice blended with the wind blowing in through the window, gentle and sweet. She pushed him again and coaxed like a child, "I'll go find a doctor for you now. Let's make a deal, after I get you cured, you'll forget about what happened four months ago, alright?"
Her eyes shone brightly as she looked at him expectantly, hoping he would nod and agree in his muddled state.
The seed that had just sprouted in Bian Lingyu's heart was mercilessly crushed, and his lips curved into a cold smile.
He naturally understood that Shi Luoyi had been possessed by inner demons before coming to find him. Shi Luoyi was born as the proud daughter of heaven. She was arrogant and proud, yet also contradictorily righteous and innocent, brave and fearless.
Expecting her to feel guilty to the point of death was probably futile. Cultivators never sympathized with mortals like that. It wasn't just her personal belief, but a problem prevalent in the current cultivation world.
If she came, it was likely out of the rare conscience and guilt, but it only served to remind Bian Lingyu of how much she detested and regretted what had happened between them.
But even so, Bian Lingyu could not bring himself to let go and push her away.
He had to admit he was greedy for this bit of false warmth.
Since he came to the mountain three years ago, her gaze had never lingered on him. His body was even worse back then, with almost every bone shattered, yet he still gritted his teeth and went to Mingyou Mountain, finally seeing her again. But Shi Luoyi's eyes were only for Wei Changyuan.
They were childhood sweethearts, trusting and intimate. He watched with his own eyes as she threw herself into Wei Changyuan's arms, and the young man caught her with a smile.
The girl's skirt was flying, she was sweetly smiling, and Bian Lingyu clenched his fists tightly.
Disgusting, utterly disgusting. He wished he could hide his nearly uncontainable jealousy behind the world's most vicious words. In the end, he could only choose to turn a blind eye and pretend not to care!
Later, Bian Qingxuan Shi Luoyi clashed repeatedly. Sometimes Shi Luoyi was so aggrieved she nearly cried, other times she bared her fangs at Bian Qingxuan.
Bian Lingyu could only watch from afar. He knew Shi Luoyi didn't like Bian Qingxuan, yet he couldn't help feeling that it was fine that way too - at least Bian Qingxuan left an indelible mark in her life.
Shi Luoyi continued, "Since you're not speaking, I'll take it as you've agreed."
Agreed? And then three more years of not seeing each other? Waiting until the next time she's angered by Bian Qingxuan and comes to vent on him?
Bian Lingyu really wanted to tear a chunk of flesh from her!
Seeing his gaze turn icy, Shi Luoyi realized something was wrong. "Hey, you..."
She wanted to pull her hand back or maybe pinch his jaw, but was afraid of accidentally injuring the sick patient. Under hesitation, her hand was already placed in his mouth.
Shi Luoyi thought herself to be unlucky. Even delirious, Bian Lingyu hadn't forgotten to take revenge on her! She knew something was off when he refused to let go of her hand - turns out he wanted to bite a chunk of flesh from her!
She pressed her lips tightly and turned her head, bracing herself for the pain. Fine, if he wants then take a bite, one bite was no big deal.
However, after waiting for a while, she didn't feel any pain. All she felt on the back of her hand was the scorching softness of his lips.
Shi Luoyi froze for a moment. She saw Bian Lingyu had already let go of her, and his long cold eyes closed at some point as he fell into deep sleep.
She quickly retracted her hand, thinking it was a close call. She almost got bitten! Fortunately, Bian Lingyu fell asleep just in time.
Not daring to delay further in case he really died of illness, Shi Luoyi planned to go find a doctor for him. However, as soon as she opened the door, she bumped into Bian Qingxuan coming in.
Bian Qingxuan's gaze turned slightly cold as she looked at the opened door, then at Shi Luoyi who had just come out.
Taking a deep breath, she forced a sweet smile and said, "Senior Sister Luoyi, what are you doing with my brother?"
Shi Luoyi thought her acting skills were really poor, making her wonder why so many people still fall for it. But she no longer had the intention of using Bian Lingyu to anger Bian Qingxuan. Keeping her emotions in check, she answered expressionlessly, "Nothing, he's sick. You'd better go check on him."
Bian Qingxuan said, "Don't worry, I understand my brother's health well. He's always been like this since childhood. It'll pass after daybreak. Senior Sister Luoyi doesn't need to bother."
Shi Luoyi nodded and returned to her own room.
She wasn't worried Bian Qingxuan would harm Bian Lingyu. Since Bian Qingxuan said it was fine, there likely wasn't an issue. And Bian Lingyu was conscious earlier, so he probably didn't want her to meddle in his affairs.
Entering the room, Bian Qingxuan's gaze instantly landed on the noodles on the table.
Her brows knitted as unease and displeasure rose in her heart. Lightening her footsteps, she approached the bedside.
The youth on the bed had his eyes closed, his brows and eyes exquisite and handsome enough to intoxicate.
Bian Qingxuan raised her slender hand, wanting to touch his face. But just as she was about to make contact, her hand throbbed with pain.
"Ah!" Bian Qingxuan let out a cry in shock.
At some point, icy white bone spikes had grown out of Bian Lingyu's slender, pale hand, piercing right through Bian Qingxuan's palm! Blood gushed out.
Bian Qing Xuan covered her injured hand, glaring at him with resentment. "What, done pretending to sleep?"
The bone spikes slowly retracted back into Bian Lingyu's body and he said coldly, "Don't ask for trouble."