IVYSCP - Chapter 135
Chapter 135
Outside the gates of the Shangtianqiong Sect.
"What do you mean Ling Qingyue ran off with Pei Yin?!"
Ying Ying froze, then hesitantly pointed in a direction. "Just now. They left together. Ling Qingyue didn't tell you?"
Yue Shouming's face darkened.
They had agreed to travel overseas together. Ling Qingyue had stood them up and probably hadn't dared to mention it at all.
Yu Liuli narrowed her eyes in the direction Ying Ying was pointing. "That direction... is Cangshan, isn't it?"
Yue Shouming paused at that, belatedly realizing that Ling Qingyue had left with Pei Yin, and wasn't Pei Yin from Cangshan?
The two exchanged a glance, and the irritation in their hearts instantly evaporated.
Yue Shouming leaned against Yu Liuli's shoulder, tilted her head, and chuckled softly. "What did I tell you? There's something going on between those two, and you didn't believe me."
Yu Liuli nodded slowly. "I believe it now."
The fact that Ling Qingyue had ditched them without a word to go to Cangshan with Pei Yin was highly suspicious!
"Achoo!"
Ling Qingyue raised a hand to rub her nose and glanced back guiltily.
They had long since left the borders of Shangtianqiong. She had no idea if Yue Shouming and Yu Liuli would come after her and beat her up once they found out.
As she was letting her thoughts run wild, a pale golden barrier suddenly appeared before her, blocking the wind in her face.
Ling Qingyue never used spiritual energy to shield herself when flying on her sword. She liked the feeling of her robes snapping in the wind because she thought it made her look especially dashing.
Inside the windless barrier, the hair ribbon that had been lifted by the breeze slowly settled. Ling Qingyue couldn't help sneaking glances at the person beside her.
She still couldn't figure out why Pei Yin had suddenly invited her to Cangshan, nor did she understand why she had agreed. She had clearly already made plans with Yue Shouming and Yu Liuli to go overseas.
"Um..." Ling Qingyue cleared her throat. "I haven't told Xiao Yue and Liuli yet."
Pei Yin turned to look at her, her pale eyes unreadable. "Do you want to tell them?"
Ling Qingyue hesitated, her hand on the jade token. For some reason, she felt like Pei Yin didn't want her to say anything.
Under Pei Yin's gaze, Ling Qingyue blinked rapidly. She lowered the jade token and stammered, "Th-then I won't."
The corner of Pei Yin's lips lifted slightly. "Alright."
Her ear felt itchy again. Ling Qingyue raised a hand to rub it, her fingertip registering scorching heat.
"Do you remember what happened the night of the full moon?" Pei Yin suddenly asked.
Ling Qingyue looked at her blankly. "Huh?"
The full moon?
She searched her memories carefully, digging through the depths for anything about that day.
There was nothing special about that day. Yue Shouming had invited her for drinks, some kind of wine she didn't recognize. It had a strong aftereffect, and after she got drunk she slept until the afternoon of the next day.
But if nothing had happened, why would Pei Yin ask?
Ling Qingyue asked uncertainly, "Did something happen?"
Pei Yin pressed her lips together and said coolly, "Nothing."
Ling Qingyue was successfully frozen by the tone. She quietly put a little more distance between herself and Pei Yin.
She grumbled inwardly. She was only asking, why get mad about it? Such a temper.
After standing for a while, her legs grew tired. Ling Qingyue simply sat cross-legged on her sword, still racking her brain trying to remember what had happened that day.
Suddenly, scattered fragments flashed through her mind. Ling Qingyue quickly seized them.
She had been drunk, practicing her sword in the peach grove, and then Pei Yin had come...
Ling Qingyue's eyes slowly widened. So something did happen?
Pei Yin had come looking for her, and then what?
But no matter how hard Ling Qingyue tried, she couldn't recall a single thing after that. Looking at Pei Yin's deeply resentful expression, Ling Qingyue couldn't help speculating: had she gotten drunk and attacked Pei Yin?
They said alcohol brought out the truth. It was also very possible that alcohol brought out things you'd thought about but never done. And she had always felt that Pei Yin had some issue with her. With alcohol involved, it would be easy to lose her head...
Ling Qingyue let out a soft hiss and raised her eyes to sneak a look at Pei Yin.
If she really had laid hands on her, then she ought to apologize.
She stood up, performed a crisp salute, and said with utter seriousness, "That day was my fault. I drank too much. I apologize to you. I'm sorry."
Pei Yin's expression softened slightly. "You remembered?"
Before her words could fully land, Ling Qingyue's next sentence followed right on their heels. "If you feel an apology isn't enough, you can hit me too. Don't worry, I definitely won't fight back."
Pei Yin fell silent.
Her face turned darker than it had ever been. She stared at Ling Qingyue, almost losing composure, and enunciated each word. "What do you mean? If you apologize, does that mean it never happened?"
Ling Qingyue knew she was in the wrong, but she was still startled by Pei Yin's demeanor. She said quietly, "I'm not pretending it didn't happen. Didn't I just say you could hit me back? Whatever I did to you that day, just do it back."
Pei Yin looked at her with a complicated expression. "Hit?"
"Isn't that it?" Ling Qingyue asked hesitantly.
Pei Yin laughed softly but didn't answer. Instead, she asked, "You said I could return it? You absolutely won't fight back?"
Ling Qingyue nodded. "Yes."
If she had offended Pei Yin while drunk, then this was only right.
"Fine."
Pei Yin seized Ling Qingyue's wrist and pulled her downward.
The icy temperature pressed against her skin. Ling Qingyue instinctively wanted to pull free, but remembering what they had just said, she forced herself to endure it.
Whether by coincidence or not, there was a peach grove below. It wasn't as lush or spiritually rich as the one in the Shangtianqiong realm, but it was still a scattering of pink and white in bloom.
The moment they landed, Ling Qingyue was pressed against a peach tree by one hand, and immediately after, a finger hooked under her chin and tilted her face up.
Ling Qingyue looked at Pei Yin, so close now, and felt oddly awkward. This position was strange.
It was a little like those storybooks Yue Shouming wrote.
"You..."
Her eyes flew wide open. Ling Qingyue forgot to breathe, all sensation converging on the softness against her lips.
Her lower lip was gently caught and sucked. The tingling spread from her lips to the back of her neck and ran all the way down her spine.
She had been holding her breath too long. Ling Qingyue instinctively opened her mouth to gasp for air, and every breath was filled with Pei Yin's cold fragrance.
When something slick and wet slipped in along the seam of her lips, Ling Qingyue nearly couldn't stand.
In the brief moment they parted, she heard Pei Yin say, "Close your eyes."
She closed her eyes on reflex. Another hand pressed against the back of her neck, and the kiss deepened.
"Mm..."
Ling Qingyue's mind was a complete mess. She had no idea when Pei Yin let her go. Her cheeks were crimson as she leaned against the peach tree, gasping for air, the bottoms of her eyes glistening with moisture.
It took a long time for her to come back to herself. Her face exploded with color. She clapped a hand over her mouth and pointed at the person in front of her with the other. "You, you... I..."
Pei Yin's expression was calm. "What's wrong? You said I could return it."
Ling Qingyue's mind lagged. She said angrily, "I told you to return it, but how could you, how could you just casually kiss..."
Fragmented memories flashed through her mind again, this time of her pressing Pei Yin against a peach tree and kissing her wildly.
Ling Qingyue was speechless.
So she had taken liberties first. In that case, Pei Yin returning it like this didn't seem wrong.
The colors on her face were spectacular for a moment. Ling Qingyue didn't know whether to be mortified or embarrassed first.
"Let's go. It's not far to Cangshan territory from here," Pei Yin said, breaking the silence.
Ling Qingyue's heart was a tangled mess. She could only follow behind her.
This time they flew one behind the other. Ling Qingyue looked at the woman's back ahead of her and couldn't stop her thoughts from wandering again.
She had gotten drunk and kissed Pei Yin. Pei Yin had just kissed her back. Did this mean they were even?
Thinking this, Ling Qingyue felt a dull frustration in her chest. But looking at Pei Yin's calm and collected demeanor, that seemed to be exactly what she thought.
The tip of her tongue ran over her lip, where the other person's presence seemed to still linger. Ling Qingyue raised a hand and scratched at her ear.
Annoying.
Even when they reached the border of Cangshan, this irritation in Ling Qingyue's heart hadn't subsided.
"For the next stretch, we'll have to walk."
Ling Qingyue followed Pei Yin to the ground and saw, in the distance, a group of girls dressed in colorful, mismatched clothes laughing and chatting in the woods.
Though their clothes were different, the ornaments at their waists were identical. They were probably cultivators from a nearby immortal sect.
Seeing her watching, Pei Yin explained, "They're all from the Baili family, here to gather herbs."
Ling Qingyue nodded.
She remembered now. The elder had mentioned in a lecture that there weren't many immortal sects in the Cangshan region. Most were cultivation family clans, and the Baili family was one of the most prominent of the seven great families.
As they passed through the woods, Ling Qingyue saw the Baili family members all smiling brightly as they called out to Pei Yin, "Senior Sister Pei is back!"
Pei Yin nodded to each of them in turn.
"Why do they call you Senior Sister Pei?" Ling Qingyue asked, puzzled.
Pei Yin explained, "The seven Cangshan families were all once disciples of Little Cangshan."
Ling Qingyue nodded. "Oh."
"Senior Sister Pei, is this young lady a cultivator from the Central Plains immortal sects?" a bold and lively Baili family girl called out.
Ling Qingyue gave her a salute and introduced herself. "I am a disciple of Shangtianqiong, Ling Qingyue."
Although the seven Cangshan families didn't pay much attention to the immortal sects of the Central Plains, they still knew of Shangtianqiong.
The girl already had large eyes, but hearing Ling Qingyue's words made her visibly excited, her gaze even more animated. She came right up to Ling Qingyue in two steps. "Shangtianqiong! You have a sword in your hand, you're a sword cultivator! Are you very good?!"
As she spoke, she reached out to take Ling Qingyue's arm. Before she could touch it, a hand hooked around Ling Qingyue's waist even faster, pulling her close.
Pei Yin frowned slightly, displeased. "Baili Sheng."
Baili Sheng was even more shocked. She stared for a long time at Pei Yin's hand fastened around Ling Qingyue's waist, then suddenly realized what was going on and apologized profusely. "Sorry, sorry, Senior Sister Pei, I didn't know she was yours."
The other Baili family members huddled together and started murmuring among themselves. The looks they directed at Pei Yin and Ling Qingyue grew increasingly suggestive.
Ling Qingyue's ears had gone completely red, the color spreading in a faint pink down to her neck. She pushed the hand on her waist away and put some distance between herself and Pei Yin.
Pei Yin rubbed her fingertips together and explained quietly, "You misunderstand. Qingyue is here as a guest at Little Cangshan."
Baili Sheng smiled but said nothing, wearing an expression that said "I get it."
After they said goodbye to the Baili family members, Ling Qingyue kept a fixed distance from Pei Yin the entire way. Pei Yin in front, her behind. When Pei Yin took a step, she took a step. When Pei Yin stopped, she stopped too.
Pei Yin stopped.
Ling Qingyue also stopped hastily and looked at her nervously.
Pei Yin turned around and extended her hand toward her.
Ling Qingyue glanced at the slender, elegant hand before her. "What for?"
Pei Yin explained, "Up ahead is the Cangshan Ten-Thousand Formations. It's very easy to get lost. It would be better if I held your hand and led you."
Ling Qingyue was still feeling awkward and refused to take it. "No need. I'll be right behind you. I won't get lost."
Pei Yin raised an eyebrow. "If you say so."
Ling Qingyue kept a distance of exactly three steps behind Pei Yin. She refused to believe Pei Yin could vanish right in front of her eyes. Even if she flew off, Ling Qingyue could catch up.
As it turned out, she really could vanish.
Ling Qingyue looked at the white expanse surrounding her, her expression sour.
How could she have lost her with just one missed glance?
"Pei Yin?"
Ling Qingyue called out tentatively.
But the sound was muffled as if trapped inside an enclosed space, unable to travel at all.
The formations were ever-shifting. Ling Qingyue didn't understand formation arts and didn't dare wander recklessly.
She reached out and patted Jiuge at her chest. "Can you lead me out?"
"Shiiing!"
Jiuge flew from its sheath, brimming with confidence, and plunged headfirst into the white mist.
A smile appeared on Ling Qingyue's face. At critical moments, she still had to rely on her lifebound sword.
After the time it takes for one stick of incense to burn...
Ling Qingyue sat on the ground, chin propped on her hands, waiting for Jiuge to find an exit and lead her out.
After another stick of incense...
Ling Qingyue frowned, sensing something was wrong. She formed a sword gesture to recall Jiuge, but there was no response at all.
After yet another stick of incense...
Ling Qingyue shot to her feet and started walking back. She didn't know the way forward, but she still remembered the way back!
After walking for who knew how long, it was still the same vast white fog before her eyes. No people, no sound. Ling Qingyue could only hear her own frantic breathing.
Panic crept over her heart. Helplessness and grievance bubbled up together.
The rims of her eyes slowly reddened. Ling Qingyue regretted it. She crouched down, buried her head against her knees, and choked out between sobs, "I knew it. People who study formations are all no good. You invited me here and then left me alone. I've been walking for so long and you never came looking. Pei Yin, I hate you! And I hate Cangshan too!"
"I'm here now, aren't I?"
A helpless sigh sounded from above. Ling Qingyue stiffened for a moment but didn't lift her head.
Pei Yin had no choice but to crouch down as well. Seeing her curled up in a ball, she couldn't resist reaching out to stroke her head. "It was my fault for being late. Let me apologize to you, alright?"
Ling Qingyue heard the sound of her own heartbeat, far too fast to be normal.
Once she had buried her face long enough to dry her tears, Ling Qingyue gave a cold huff and stood up.
Pei Yin looked at her red-rimmed eyes and pressed her lips together, wanting to laugh. She extended her hand once more.
This time, Ling Qingyue didn't refuse. She obediently placed her hand in Pei Yin's.
After walking a couple of steps, Ling Qingyue gave Pei Yin's hand a gentle tug.
Pei Yin stopped and asked softly, "What's wrong?"
Ling Qingyue bit her lip and turned her head away, a little embarrassed. "Could you... help me find Jiuge?"
Pei Yin looked down at the empty sword sheath in her hand.
Ling Qingyue felt mortified, but she couldn't just abandon her sword. She gritted her teeth and said it. "Jiuge seems to have gotten lost too."
Pei Yin was silent.
The sword really did take after its master.
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