Chapter Eighty-One: Life Renewed

"Wait, don't act—it's me."
Hearing the familiar voice, Su He quickly withdrew her spiritual energy.
Yi Qingchen brushed aside the wild grass before her, offered a simple bow, and said, "It's been a long time."
Su He returned the gesture. "Miss Yi, what brings you here?"
"I followed Uncle Qi down the mountain for some business. We're about to head back when I heard some commotion, so I came to check. I didn't expect to run into you." Yi Qingchen tried to suppress her joy, glanced at the scattered garments on the ground, her eyes shifting slightly. "May I ask... did it work?"
"Thank you for your concern. My brother’s soul is now whole. He has returned to where he belongs."
"Then congratulations are in order. By the way, did you also come because you heard the screams?"
"Yes, but I arrived a step too late. Other than these clothes, there was no one here."
"May I take a look?"
Yi Qingchen stepped past Su He and examined the garments. The style was plain, the fabric unremarkable—nothing out of the ordinary could be discerned.
"Well? Did you discover anything?" Su He asked.
"Nothing—just ordinary women’s clothes. Nothing seems amiss."
There was no scent of incense, no sign of poison. Yet in this desolate wild, a woman's sudden scream and the appearance of these garments seemed exceedingly strange.
Just as she finished speaking, Lord Qi’s voice echoed from afar: "Xiao Chen’er? How are things? Anything unusual?"
Yi Qingchen looked nervously toward the forest, then called back, "All is well! I’ll be right there—please wait a moment."
"Alright, but hurry—there are still many waiting for your decision back at the house."
Yi Qingchen replied twice, then, somewhat shyly, turned to Su He. "Well... I must go now. Take care of yourself.
Shuxing House is newly established; it would be inappropriate for me to linger. Farewell."
"Take care."
Her words were gentle and tactful—a maiden’s heart is delicate, hoping he might ask her to stay, to give her feelings a place to rest. But Su He, admirable in every way, was slow to matters of the heart—his ten senses open, yet the gates of love remained closed.
So it was hard for the young lady.
One could not speak, the other was oblivious.
Su He’s farewell was crisp and direct. Even the boldest girl cannot bear much before her beloved, and so, with a bittersweet heart, she forced a smile and took her leave.
As they brushed past each other, she couldn't help but murmur softly: "Fool..."
Once Yi Qingchen left, Su He gathered the clothes into a small bundle and hurried toward the temple street near Liuxin Studio.
Not long after their departure, those lurking in the shadows stepped out, chuckling.
Chang Daizi stroked the speckled snake coiled around his wrist. The snake, pleased, stretched its head out for more attention.
"Letting him go so easily—aren’t we being too lenient?"
The man called 'Worm' summoned a mass of tiny insects from the roots, baring his yellowed teeth. "Let him go. We’ve had our fill—why bother with him?"
The sheer number of insects was enough to make one’s skin crawl, writhing and swarming as they hurried back into his body, sated from their feast, eager to digest.
"Are you done yet? All this fuss over a few measly bugs."
The Red Widow lounged bonelessly on a branch—though slender, the bough did not bend beneath her weight.
"Heh, all done, all done. Red Sister, why so anxious? Even if we’re a few days late, it won’t matter. If the Flower Shadow can’t survive a few days,
then is she really worth our effort?
Better she die at another’s hands.
There are so many capable people in this world—one more or less makes no difference."
Surprisingly, Red Widow did not strike him for once, but seemed to consider it seriously.
Indeed, they had promised the Demon’s Son to help, but for the Three Evils to step in, the rescued must be worth saving.
Chang Daizi suddenly said, "We shouldn’t linger. Someone’s coming. Let’s go."
The Red Widow hooked her foot around a branch and flipped to the ground. She cast a cold, beautiful glance into the distance. "Not slow, are they?"
"Aren’t you leaving?"
"Go, go! If Red Sister says go, I’m off."
"You deserve a beating."
"Don’t—wait until we’re over the mountain, you can beat me all you like."
Moments later, a group arrived.
Gen Ci landed first, waving his hand. "Spread out and search the area—whoever was here must still be close."
"Yes, sir."
Scarblade Three searched several spots but found nothing. "Brother Gen, we’ve checked everywhere. I’m afraid things don’t look good."
"Sigh." Gen Ci punched a nearby tree. With a crack, a tree as thick as a bowl crashed down.
He blamed himself for his inability—he’d passed the masked man without stopping him, leading to another loss for White Gourd Mountain:
another immortal woman lost, another family shattered.
"Do you think Bai Li Su He tricked us, or was it a real frame-up by the culprit?"
Gen Ci withdrew his fist and asked Scarblade Three, "Who do you suspect?"
Scarblade Three shook his head. "Hard to say."
He hesitated, then said, "But if you think he’s trustworthy for now, I’ll trust your judgment."
Just then, Bian Qing appeared with several others.
"Any news?"
Bian Qing sighed and shook his head. "None."
The Tian family's younger sister probably couldn’t escape her elder sister’s fate.
Thinking it over, he felt more and more unwilling. Since Bai Li Su He said Liuxin Studio was behind it, perhaps... he began to form an idea.
"My fault, all my fault."
"Brother Gen, don’t blame yourself. No one wanted this to happen.
If we can’t find my sister, then... it’s her fate." Tian Hannan turned away in pain. He and his brothers had chased the enemy for a hundred miles, but the trail vanished.
They returned empty-handed.
He grieved for his sister but knew Gen Ci was blameless.
No one wanted this outcome, but she was his blood kin all the same...
A heavy silence settled, sorrow tugging at every heart.
Scarblade Three, unwilling to let the mood sink further, spoke up: "No use weeping—better to return and discuss how to guard against this in the future."
Gen Ci suddenly recalled something. "Last time, Fairy Lan from Jade Summit said her sisters had suffered too. Maybe one of you should warn them—
we’re all cultivators, it’s right to watch out for each other."
Scarblade Three quickly waved his hands. "Don’t look at me—I’m not the gentle-talking type. If I go, they’ll probably throw me off the mountain before I even get there.
Let someone else go."
"I... I could go?" Bian Qing volunteered.
In truth, though not especially handsome, he was refined and gentle, and seemed suitable for the task.
Since Jade Summit was all women, sending a fierce-looking man would only cause trouble. Since good will was intended, better not to give offense.
Without further thought, they agreed.
With that, Gen Ci led the others back to White Gourd Mountain, leaving Bian Qing to head alone for Jade Summit.
...
Su He reached Temple Street, intending to find lodging before nightfall to prepare for his task.
Passing a certain alley, he spotted a secret mark—a plump green caterpillar, with several mismatched wings, crudely drawn like a child’s doodle—easily missed.
He glanced at the playing children nearby, thinking whoever made the mark was cunning.
Following the sign, he found a small, secluded courtyard—a good hiding place.
Above the door hung a plaque: "The Pavilion of the Twelfth Month’s Wind."
He raised his hand and knocked thrice with the copper ring.
After a moment, the door cracked open just enough for one to slip inside. After a quick glance around, Su He darted in.
Inside, Huai Yin greeted him. "How did it go? Was it smooth?"
"Well enough. They gave me half a month to find the real murderer.
When did you all arrive?"
"Not long—about when you went up White Gourd Mountain. Come in, the old man’s impatient, keeps saying he’ll go up the mountain to find you."
With that, he led Su He to the main house.
The Pavilion of the Twelfth Month’s Wind was a classic courtyard house.
As they entered, Que Yunzi leapt from his seat and scrutinized Su He. "Good, good—arms and legs all accounted for."
"I told you, no need to worry. This one has a hard life—he won’t die so easily," Huai Yin said, shooting Que Yunzi a glare.
Noticing Jade Fragment Girl was absent, he asked, "Where’s that brat gone now?"
"Oh… let me think. She just said she was going to wash some fruit. She’ll be back soon."
With that, he pulled Su He to sit.
Eagerly, he pressed for details. "Tell us, how was it on the mountain?"
Su He, moved by their concern, recounted everything that had happened.
He also asked whether they had encountered any trouble on the road. Que Yunzi, delighted, waggled his eyebrows. "A few greenhorns—no match for the old man.
They trailed me for five or six miles, but I played a trick and shook them off."
"And you, Brother Huai?" Su He turned to Huai Yin.
Huai Yin lounged in his chair, shot Que Yunzi a look, and replied, "Nothing serious. They tailed me for a while.
After I completed my promise to someone, Yu Girl and I left.
They thought I’d buried some secret in a tomb, and after we left, they opened it to check.
But they didn’t expect me to double back and catch them off guard."
"And then?"
"Once they confirmed there was nothing, they went back to the city. Yu Girl and I quietly followed them in."
As he spoke, Jade Fragment Girl came in, beaming, carrying a large plate of peaches—every one plump and fragrant, making mouths water.
Que Yunzi called out, "Little girl, hurry—Grandpa’s thirsty, and these are just in time!"
"Yes!" she replied sweetly, picking the biggest, reddest peach for him.
Then she brought the plate to Su He, shyly offering, "Big Brother Bai Li, please."
"Thank you!" Su He chose one, and the girl hurried to Huai Yin, offering him the plate. "Uncle, have one!"
Huai Yin bit into one, juice running down his chin. He pointed at her. "You little rascal, always taking advantage—am I really that old?"
"Not old, not old."
"Now, that’s better."
"But you’re not young either." As soon as she said it, she turned away, stuck out her tongue, and muttered, "Not like you’re in your twenties—why pretend to be young?"
"..."
Infuriated, he thrust the peach back at her. "Forget it, you eat it yourself."
She wasn’t bothered, cheerfully biting into the peach he’d just held, eyes squinting with delight. "Delicious!"
"Eat, eat—may you choke on it, you little imp."
She just giggled.
Huai Yin, exasperated, felt that since she’d recovered, Jade Fragment Girl had become a little demon, always finding new ways to tease him.
He turned back to Su He. "What’s your next move?"
"Tonight, I intend to investigate the Shrine of the Divine Maiden again."