Su Wan got up at dawn. Over the past two days, she had discreetly confirmed that today was the day the protagonist team would leave the mountain to begin their training expedition.
As for how she’d “discreetly” found out…
She had asked Luo Qingyuan.
Or rather, she had gone to Ling Chen’s place and secretly eavesdropped.
Why eavesdrop?
Because she was determined to shed the label of “the girl hopelessly in love with Ling Chen.” For the sake of the male and female leads’ romance, she planned to avoid him whenever possible.
As for Xie Yanci, there was no need to ask him. Whatever Luo Qingyuan decided, he would follow.
In the original novel, the protagonist team descended the mountain to enter the Floating Splendor Secret Realm, where they would search for Luo Qingyuan’s destined sword.
Ling Chen had already obtained his own life-bound sword years ago—the Zhengyang Sword.
After Luo Qingyuan found her destined weapon, the Zhishui Sword, the truth behind Xie Yanci’s mysterious background would gradually begin to unfold.
Originally, Su Wan hadn’t been part of this journey at all. But in the novel, she had stubbornly clung to Ling Chen and refused to leave him alone. Coupled with her master’s endless indulgence, the group had no choice but to drag along such a burden.
This time, however…
She had earned the right to accompany them through her kindness, bravery, and perseverance.
…Yeah, right.
She couldn’t even finish that thought without laughing at herself.
The real reason was still her master’s favoritism. On top of that, she had behaved herself recently instead of causing trouble, and her cultivation had improved considerably. Only then had Ling Chen and Luo Qingyuan reluctantly agreed to let her come.
As for Xie Yanci…
Whether he approved or not didn’t matter.
I’m still relying on his antidote every half month to suppress the Eclipse Poison.
Today, Su Wan wore a pale goose-yellow robe made from Cloudlight Silk, a fabric so light it seemed to float on air. The soft material complemented her lively yet gentle appearance perfectly. Her twin looped buns were decorated with matching yellow velvet flowers—pretty without being ostentatious.
By the time she reached the gathering point near the sect gates, Luo Qingyuan and Xie Yanci had already arrived.
To her surprise, Xie Yanci wasn’t dressed in his usual black martial robes today.
Instead, he wore pure white.
Since transmigrating into this world, this was the first time Su Wan had ever seen him dressed in white.
His usual black clothing always lent him a somewhat gloomy, distant aura.
But dressed in white, he suddenly looked much younger. The clean robes softened his sharp features, making his already handsome face even more striking.
Su Wan stared blankly at the handsome young man for a moment.
Luo Qingyuan was the first to speak.
“Good morning, Junior Sister Su.”
“Haha… Good morning, Senior Sister Luo. Good morning, Senior Brother.”
Before Xie Yanci could respond, Ling Chen arrived as well.
Without a word, Xie Yanci flicked his ponytail over his shoulder and strode forward.
Not wanting unnecessary interaction with Ling Chen, Su Wan simply greeted him.
“Senior Brother Ling, you’re here too.”
Then she hurried after Xie Yanci.
Watching the two leave together, Ling Chen looked puzzled.
“When did those two become so close?”
Luo Qingyuan answered calmly,
“Perhaps during the month Junior Sister Su stopped following you around.”
“…”
On the only route leading to the Floating Splendor Secret Realm lay a small village.
The villagers had reported a series of mysterious disappearances, suspecting that some sinister force was responsible, and requested Qingyun Sect to send disciples to investigate.
As the guardian sect of the surrounding region, Qingyun Sect routinely handled cases involving evil spirits, demons, and supernatural disturbances. Their fees were also considered quite reasonable.
This time, the sect simply assigned the village’s commission to the protagonist team, instructing them to solve the mystery before continuing to the secret realm.
Since the village wasn’t especially far away, the four disciples arrived at its entrance after two hours of flying on their swords.
When they asked the locals about what had happened, the villagers immediately recognized them as Qingyun Sect cultivators and respectfully escorted them to the village chief’s home.
Along the way, the villagers explained that vast pear orchards surrounded the settlement, and most families made their living selling pears.
That was why it was called Pear Blossom Village.
The fenced courtyard before them belonged to the village chief.
He was an elderly man of around sixty, still healthy and energetic.
Inviting the four disciples inside, he seated them around a stone table beneath a large pear tree and slowly began recounting everything.
Over the past two months, three couples in the village had gotten married.
Everything had gone smoothly beforehand. Even the brides’ journeys from neighboring villages had been completely uneventful.
Yet after each wedding night…
Both bride and groom vanished without a trace.
Their beds remained perfectly made.
The rooms showed no signs of struggle.
It was as though no one had ever entered them.
The villagers searched every corner of the village and even combed the surrounding mountains.
They found nothing.
Each of the three newlywed couples disappeared entirely overnight.
The local authorities had investigated for days without uncovering a single clue, and eventually the case was abandoned.
Since then, fear had spread throughout Pear Blossom Village.
The once lively community had become eerily quiet.
No one dared mention marriage anymore, terrified that their own children might be the next to disappear.
Ling Chen pondered for a moment before asking,
“Were there any similarities during the wedding ceremonies?”
The village chief scratched his head.
“Not really. Everything followed the same old traditions we’ve always had.”
“Although…”
“Our village has a Matchmaking Temple on the mountain behind us. It’s been there for hundreds of years.”
“Before getting married, every couple goes there to pray to the Matchmaking Goddess. They tell her the date of their wedding and ask for a lifetime of happiness together.”
“‘Disappearing on the wedding night… without warning… leaving no trace…'”
Luo Qingyuan frowned.
She lightly rubbed her fingertips together as spiritual energy quietly flowed from them, probing the surroundings.
Almost immediately, she discovered that a faint yet sinister aura blanketed the village.
The moment her spiritual sense entered it, it was scattered apart.
“This isn’t an ordinary disappearance,” she said gravely. “Something evil is at work.”
Xie Yanci’s expression turned cold.
His dark eyes swept toward the depths of the village.
Because of the demonic energy within him, he was especially sensitive to yin and malicious auras.
He could clearly sense an overwhelming resentment lurking somewhere in the village.
That resentment hid beneath a festive facade, yet underneath lay bone-chilling malice.
“Something is very wrong.”
“We need to investigate that Matchmaking Temple.”
Standing beside them, Su Wan remained silent.
She was desperately trying to recall this part of the novel.
She’d stayed up all night binge-reading it before transmigrating, half asleep by the end. She only remembered the major plot points now.
The details of Pear Blossom Village had long since faded from her memory.
She vaguely recalled that some vengeful spirit was responsible.
And if she remembered correctly…
Luo Qingyuan and Ling Chen had pretended to be newlyweds in order to lure it out.
Back then, she’d skimmed through this entire arc, paying attention only to the romantic development between the male and female leads.
She did remember one thing, though.
Xie Yanci had been furious.
Looking back, that incident had probably planted one of the first seeds of his eventual descent into darkness.
No, no.
I have to talk some sense into Xie Yanci before that happens.
The group decided to head straight for the Matchmaking Temple on the mountain.
Ling Chen, Luo Qingyuan, and Xie Yanci walked in front.
Su Wan deliberately slowed her pace.
Quietly, she reached forward and tugged at Xie Yanci’s sleeve.
He paused slightly.
His dark eyes lowered as he glanced sideways at her.
Su Wan blinked up at him with bright, watery eyes.
It was obvious she wanted to say something.
After a brief hesitation, Xie Yanci slowed down as well, allowing her to pull him several steps behind Ling Chen and Luo Qingyuan.
Only then did Su Wan whisper,
“Could you… stop liking Senior Sister Luo? Senior Sister Luo… her heart—”
Before she could finish—
Xie Yanci’s eyes flew wide open.
He immediately clamped a hand over her mouth and hurriedly pushed her farther back.
Raising his voice, he called ahead,
“Senior Sister, you two go on first. Junior Sister has something she wants to discuss with me.”
At the same time, he shot Su Wan a fierce glare.
Ahead of them, Ling Chen looked over curiously.
“They really have become close.”
Luo Qingyuan smiled faintly.
“What? Are you unhappy about it? Junior Sister Su used to like you very much.”
Ling Chen fell silent for a moment before answering softly,
“I’ve always treated her like a younger sister.”
“My own family had a little sister once. She was spoiled by everyone at home and was quite similar to Junior Sister Su.”
His voice grew quieter.
“But then an epidemic struck.”
“My sister… didn’t survive.”
That was why Ling Chen had tolerated all of Su Wan’s unreasonable antics time and time again.
He had never shared that story with anyone before.