Zhongzhou.
It was a spring day, filled with the songs of birds and the fragrance of flowers.
Inside a certain inn.
At the edge of the table sat a pot of vibrant, colorful flowers, and in the center of the table lay a map. A young woman was sketching and marking on it, circling quite a few places.
“Let’s start from here, then.” The young woman jabbed her brush emphatically at one of the circled spots on a mountaintop.
Lizhu glanced at it and nodded in approval. “Alright, let’s go there.”
Shen Qinghe was very satisfied with his cooperation. She carefully folded the map and tucked it into her Storage Bag.
“Let’s go. We’re setting off.”
The two descended the stairs, only to suddenly hear a dispute.
In the main hall, a woman wearing a veil and a light green dress patterned with spirit herbs stood with the hem of her skirt soaked through. On the ground lay a spilled jar of wine—it was obvious at a glance what had happened.
The shop attendant fell to his knees with a thud, kowtowing repeatedly. “Immortal, please spare me! I truly didn’t mean it!”
The innkeeper came over to mediate. “Forgive us, Immortal. Whatever compensation you require, just name it.”
The woman’s expression was cold and aloof, but the delicate brows visible beneath her veil were furrowed in anger, twisting her otherwise beautiful features into a vicious scowl.
“This is the attire reserved for inner disciples of Spirit Medicine Valley. Even if you pawned this entire inn, you still couldn’t afford it. Your aptitude isn’t bad—how about you become my medicine servant?”
The shop attendant’s face turned deathly pale.
Spirit Medicine Valley’s reputation was known to all—half of the world’s Medicinal Pills came from there. No cultivator dared to offend them, and ordinary mortals considered it an honor just to possess a single pill from Spirit Medicine Valley.
But that didn’t mean they wanted to become medicine servants.
Although those who became medicine servants for Spirit Medicine Valley received a hefty compensation, very few ever survived.
In times of peace, how many people would willingly walk to their deaths?
Just then, a light, melodious laugh rang out. “Has Spirit Medicine Valley run out of money to hire medicine attendants, that they’ve resorted to letting their personal disciples come out and freeload?”
The tense, suffocating atmosphere instantly dissipated.
Everyone turned toward the source of the sound, only to see a young woman in a water-blue flowing immortal dress standing by the staircase, her smile bright and carefree.
Beside her stood a white-haired youth in dark robes, his eyes gloomy and pitch-black. One glance at him made people’s hearts race with unease, and they instinctively averted their gaze, looking back at the seemingly innocent young woman to cleanse their eyes.
“Shen Qinghe, it’s you.” Chu Yueshuang narrowed her eyes and let out a cold snort. “No matter how Spirit Medicine Valley fares, we’re still better than your Azure Profound Sect. A prestigious orthodox sect, yet Demonic Creatures wander in and out as if it were an empty house. How ridiculous.”
Shen Qinghe smiled. “Mending the fold after the sheep are lost is not too late. At least our Azure Profound Sect has now confirmed there are no problems within the sect. But has Spirit Medicine Valley conducted any investigation? Can you say with absolute certainty that you’re clean?”
“You—” Chu Yueshuang gritted her teeth. “Spirit Medicine Valley would never give Demonic Creatures a chance to sneak in!”
“Ten High-grade Spirit Stones, and this matter is settled,” Shen Qinghe said.
“Fine,” Chu Yueshuang agreed readily, afraid that Shen Qinghe might change her mind if she hesitated even a second.
Shen Qinghe: “And you still say you’re not short on money?”
A flicker of embarrassment passed through Chu Yueshuang’s visible eyes. She said crossly, “Only an idiot would turn down free money.”
Shen Qinghe laughed.
Chu Yueshuang laughed too.
The shop attendant scratched his head, looking at the young woman in the water-blue long dress. His exposed skin was flushed bright red, and his hands hung at his sides, tightly clutching his coarse cloth garment. He stammered, “Immortal, thank you for your kindness.”
Suddenly, he felt a piercing cold glare. Lifting his eyes, he met a pair of dark, deep pupils.
His face instantly turned pale, all lingering romantic thoughts vanishing as he timidly lowered his head.
Chu Yueshuang was about to strike up a conversation with Shen Qinghe, who was clad in top-grade magical artifacts, when several young men in smoky-blue robes walked in.
“Senior Sister Chu, come back with us quickly. Something terrible has happened—the Valley Master and several elders were attacked by demonic creatures and are severely injured.”
Chu Yueshuang froze. “How is that possible? Are you sure they were demonic creatures?”
A thousand years ago, demonic creatures had been driven back to the Demon Realm. Apart from certain secret realms, none had been seen in the Central Continent for ages. Even if one appeared, it would be swiftly suppressed by the major sects.
Why would Azure Profound Sect have demonic creatures today, and now Spirit Medicine Valley as well?
Shen Qinghe was not surprised in the least—this was exactly what she had come for.
Her timing was perfect.
In the main hall of Spirit Medicine Valley.
Vice Valley Master Qin Zhongshan had just finished treating the injured Sect Master. Seeing the crowd, he let out a heavy sigh. “The Sect Master is still unconscious and should wake within three days. I have already invited members of other sects to come and jointly investigate this demonic creature incident.
During this time, I ask everyone to remain vigilant.”
He then looked at Shen Qinghe, his lips moving as if to speak, before finally sighing. “Miss Shen, please forgive us if our hospitality falls short. Yueshuang, arrange proper lodging for Miss Shen and her companion.”
Chu Yueshuang pressed her palms together and bowed gracefully. “This disciple will see to it personally.”
Having overexerted his spiritual power, Qin Zhongshan dismissed everyone after giving his instructions.
Once they stepped out of the main hall, Chu Yueshuang shot Shen Qinghe a glare. “Tell me—do you know something? How else would you have heard this news before I did?”
“I guessed. I figured if Azure Profound Sect could have demonic creatures, Spirit Medicine Valley might have them too.”
“I see.” Chu Yueshuang wore a look of sudden realization.
Shen Qinghe had made it up entirely. She knew the news purely because of the plot.
Spirit Medicine Valley was about to see a heavenly treasure emerge. The Demon Realm had sensed it first and dispatched every demonic creature in the Central Continent to converge on this place. If they seized the treasure, the Demon Realm’s power would surge, allowing them to invade the Central Continent once more.
And that treasure, of course, would ultimately be seized by the novel’s male lead—the very treasure that completely transformed his aptitude and made him the Cultivation World’s unrivaled prodigy.
This time, the treasure would belong to her and Lizhu.
When they reached the lodging, Chu Yueshuang stopped in her tracks. “Wait—that thing he’s wearing looks so familiar… It resembles your Xuantian Heart-Protecting Mirror.”
Shen Qinghe: “Is it possible that it is my Xuantian Heart-Protecting Mirror?”
Chu Yueshuang’s almond-shaped eyes flew wide open, her incredulous gaze darting between the two of them.
“You… you two are Dao Companions?!” Then she shook her head, denying herself. “Impossible. Even Dao Companions wouldn’t gift each other such an important magic treasure.”
Shen Qinghe cleared her throat and said without batting an eye, “Brother Qi An is the one I hold in my heart. I gave it to him willingly.”
After all, she had already decided to play the lovesick fool, and it would become public knowledge sooner or later anyway.
Sure enough, she saw Chu Yueshuang look at her like she was an idiot, reaching out to test the temperature of her forehead. “Are you nightmare-bound or something? Talking such nonsense? Want me to take a look? I can give you a ten percent discount.”
Shen Qinghe swatted her hand away, her expression dead serious. “I mean it.”
Chu Yueshuang curled her lip. “Good thing you’re not my friend, or that would be too embarrassing. Don’t tell anyone you know me when you go out.”
Shen Qinghe: “Don’t worry. Once I’m out, I’ll make sure to spread the word everywhere that Chu Yueshuang is my one true, solid friend.”
Chu Yueshuang left with a darkened face.
Shen Qinghe knew what she was thinking. In the world of Immortal Cultivation, even blood relatives couldn’t always be trusted. No one could fully believe in another person, let alone hand over something that protected their own life.
But she couldn’t exactly tell Chu Yueshuang outright that the Xuantian Heart-Protecting Mirror was broken—that would be too humiliating. Better to just solidify her lovesick persona instead.
The courtyard happened to have two rooms, their exteriors wrapped in vines and colorful blossoms.
This was a signature of Alchemy City, and Spirit Medicine Valley brought that characteristic to life to the fullest. Stepping inside felt like entering a house made of flowers.
A faint floral fragrance drifted through the air.
Whether it was just her imagination or not, she felt the flowers in Spirit Medicine Valley were especially vivid and beautiful this year.
Shen Qinghe extinguished the lamp. Thinking of something, she turned over in bed and looked toward the window, testing the waters as she spoke.
“Lizhu-gege, are you there?”
“I’m here.”
The voice came from the direction of the ceiling.
Shen Qinghe clutched her little heart and looked toward the source, straining her eyes wide as if that would help her see the person in the darkness. “Lizhu, I know you’re protecting me, but you need to rest properly too. There’s no need for this.”
A faint snicker echoed from the ceiling.
The next second, the White-haired youth descended from the eaves. Hair as white as snow cascaded softly over his shoulders, his pale complexion taking on an even more eerie quality under the moonlight. His pitch-black eyes stared at Shen Qinghe without blinking.
He tilted his head slightly, pondered for a few seconds, then answered her question: “I can’t sleep.”
“What should I do?”
He asked in return, confusion in his eyes, as if this were a truly monumental problem.