Although her mind hadn’t fully processed the strange words Yun Duan had just uttered, Shang Can quickly realized that Yun Duan’s reputation and status among the cultivators were even higher than she had imagined.
This was most evident in the fact that after Yun Duan made such a willful and shocking statement, the cultivators fell into a collective silence. Not a single person dared to step forward and oppose her.
“But… but…” Only Elder Huang persisted, offering a worried warning, “Yun Zhongjun possesses a unique constitution, after all. Traveling with ‘Can-zhe’ is simply too dangerous…”
“It will not be.”
But this reasonable concern was immediately dismissed by Yun Duan. She shook her head, her tone returning to its usual indifference: “She will not hurt me.”
The absolute certainty in her voice snapped Shang Can back to her senses. She hurriedly pulled her hand back from Yun Duan’s grasp, retreating two steps as if trying to mend a frayed situation.
Yun Duan did not force her to stay; she simply turned her head to look, her eyes shimmering like a deer gazing at the water’s surface.
“…I indeed disdained such petty schemes,” Shang Can began. She paused, then chuckled helplessly. “But there’s more than one issue here. Has it occurred to anyone to ask if I am willing?”
She could only blame Yun Duan’s overwhelming aura for driving the conversation forward so unilaterally. It made Shang Can’s position on the field quite awkward—this was supposed to be a matter between her and Tianwaitian; why did it now seem like a matter between Yun Duan and Tianwaitian?
The cultivators finally remembered there was a dangerous figure standing by and looked toward Shang Can as if waking from a dream. However, their fighting spirit had largely dissipated. At least seventy percent of the crowd wore a bewildered “well, what do you have to say then?” expression, completely devoid of their previous hostility.
This generation of young cultivators truly lacks any sense of urgency, Shang Can thought, both annoyed and amused. Before she could decide how to respond, Yun Duan spoke up beside her.
“It is right to ask.” After saying this, Yun Duan met Shang Can’s gaze candidly and asked point-blank: “Then, are you willing?”
“…”
For some reason, the question sounded a bit… off.
Shang Can furrowed her brow, feeling hesitant.
In truth, looking at the situation, agreeing to Yun Duan’s proposal was the most practical choice. It would allow her to avoid a grueling fight with these cultivators and give her a legitimate reason to hunt down the “Fake Can-zhe.”
There was only one point in this proposal that caused her to hesitate—that Yun Duan intended to go with her.
Suppressing the doubts in her heart, Shang Can countered with a question: “Is Yun Zhongjun very free?”
“Yes.” Despite it being a probe tinged with a subtle rejection, Yun Duan didn’t seem to catch the hint. She nodded without a second thought, confirming: “Very free.”
“…I see.”
Giving up on getting through to her, Shang Can avoided her gaze and waved at Pei Chen instead.
“If a cultivator must accompany me for you to feel at ease, can we switch to someone else? For instance, would Kunyao-jun be willing to go?”
This statement immediately sparked outrage. Cultivators shouted indignantly, “How dare you be picky!” and “Do you think you’re out shopping?” Shang Can ignored them entirely, refusing to look at Yun Duan, hoping Pei Chen would show some discernment. Yet, she saw him shake his head with great sincerity.
“Pei Chen cannot travel with Can-zhe. I am… burdened with many affairs.” He bowed apologetically. “Upon reflection, if Can-zhe is willing, Yun Zhongjun is indeed the best candidate.”
In other words: he was busy; let the “free” one go.
Shang Can rolled her eyes behind her mask. Even Elder Huang knew Yun Duan’s constitution was special and that traveling with the (rumored) dangerous demonic cultivator Can-zhe was unsafe. As the Acting Sect Leader of Tianwaitian, instead of handling his own sect’s mess, he was planning to let Yun Duan do the work? What logic was that!
She chose to selectively ignore the fact that this was Yun Duan’s own suggestion. While she was fuming and trying to think of another way to avoid Yun Duan’s company, the barrier behind her suddenly emitted a thunderous boom, causing Shang Can to jump.
A rift suddenly tore open in the empty air behind her, and a woman in red tumbled out.
Having exhausted her strength to break through the seal Shang Can had placed at the entrance of Biluo Huangquan, Wan Shao landed and stomped forward with her momentum, grabbing Shang Can’s collar.
“Is there something wrong with your head—?!”
Mid-outrage, she remembered the current situation. She had to temporarily set aside her score with Shang Can and turned a murderous, baleful gaze toward the cultivators. Those caught in her sight instinctively recoiled.
“Are we fighting or not? When do we start?”
Shang Can saw her turn that ferocious look back toward her, looking like a fighting bull eager to draw blood before the match had even begun.
She looked at Wan Shao, then at the cultivators who were as silent as cicadas in winter, and finally let her gaze linger on Yun Duan for a few seconds. She finally let out a defeated sigh.
“…Forget the fight. We’re going back.”
From the results, it was actually quite good.
Shang Can watched the cultivators gradually depart. She waved impatiently at Pei Chen, who was actually bowing politely to say goodbye, signaling him to leave quickly. She comforted herself in her heart.
At least the problem was temporarily resolved without bloodshed. As for what comes next—
…Sigh, whatever. At worst, I’ll just pull some all-nighters to find that Fake Can-zhe. Since this matter caused such a stir, it shouldn’t be too hard to investigate.
It will probably only take a week at most—yeah, only one week of dealing with Yun Duan. That’s even shorter than the time I spent at Tianwaitian.
Thinking this, Shang Can’s slightly awkward mood finally improved a little. Her mind wandered to the half-bowl of noodles she hadn’t finished before she left—they must be soggy by now. Just as she was about to head back, she saw Chu Ming, who seemed to have been standing behind her waiting for a while.
Shang Can gave him a glance but had no intention of starting a conversation, walking toward Biluo Huangquan on her own.
“…I spoke with Junior Sister Yun Duan just now. She insists on going with you.”
“I will inform Martial Uncle Wang Yue when I return, but looking at her, even if Martial Uncle came in person, he probably wouldn’t be able to convince her.”
Shang Can’s footsteps faltered at the words. Soon, she heard Chu Ming add in a low voice: “I haven’t told anyone… about your identity. You needn’t worry.”
Shang Can closed her eyes, finally stopped her pace, and turned to look at Chu Ming.
“Yushan-jun.” Her tone was gentle, like a common greeting. “Inner demons arise easily; do not be stubborn.”
“…”
Chu Ming stared at her for a long time, eventually lowering his head, though his face still bore a trace of unwilling resentment.
Having said her piece, Shang Can did not linger. She walked toward the entrance once more. Before entering Biluo Huangquan, she heard Chu Ming’s whisper carried by the wind.
“Junior Sister Yun Duan’s memories are truly sealed. If you don’t want her to remember… then behave yourself.”
Shang Can didn’t stop. She returned to the city gates of Biluo Huangquan. The entrance sealed shut behind her without a gap. The demons guarding the gate bowed to her one after another. Shang Can responded to each in silence and walked toward the city.
Behave yourself.
She reached up and removed the white jade mask, pinching the bridge of her nose with a look of exhaustion.
Easier said than done. When it comes to actually doing it, how am I supposed to stay within that boundary… This is truly a difficult subject for me.
Casting these thoughts aside for a moment, Shang Can strode back into the city.
She planned to go back to her residence and pack her things. After all, starting tomorrow, she would be hunting the Fake Can-zhe with Yun Duan. She needed to have everything ready in advance.
Most of the demons in the city were unaware of what had just happened at the entrance. The streets were still a scene of bustling excitement. Seeing her appear, they all greeted her.
“Lord Can-zhe!”
Among the many greetings, the voice of the Night Raven was the loudest. Shang Can looked over and saw the Night Raven who had called her to the gate earlier. He circled above her head a few times before landing lightly in front of her. He transformed into the appearance of a young boy, though his left arm remained a crow’s wing, failing to fully humanize.
“Lord Demon Sovereign heard that you hadn’t finished your meal when you left. She told me to wait for your return and then ask you to finish it.”
He cleared his throat and mimicked Wan Shao’s tone: “‘Otherwise, she’ll definitely just skip it. That person just isn’t right in the head!'”
“Ah, that was obviously just a joke from Lord Demon Sovereign,” he added immediately after the impression. He respectfully extended his left wing to guide Shang Can. “Lord Can-zhe, please. Irregular eating habits will lead to stomach illness.”
This was the second time she had heard those words today. It seemed this Night Raven boy really prioritized health and wellness.
Since she had been caught, Shang Can gave up the idea of going straight home and followed the Night Raven to the previous stall.
After all, she had taken it upon herself to set a barrier for Biluo Huangquan when the cultivators arrived, preventing Wan Shao and the others from coming out. She figured Wan Shao was currently waiting there to hold her accountable. It was best to go.
Shang Can figured ordering a bowl of beef noodles with an extra chicken leg for Wan Shao would be enough to appease her. But as she walked, things felt more and more unusual.
For some reason, there were exceptionally many people on the street today. The way ahead was even congested. The demons seemed attracted by something and stood still, blocking the path completely.
This was the main city of Biluo Huangquan. While not peak luxury, it was not inferior to a great city like Yanyang. Shang Can had lived here for nine years and had only seen such a blockage once when an elephant-demon family migration caused the main street to be trampled and collapsed.
What was it this time? Was another clan like the Green Bears moving house?
Shang Can grumbled inwardly as she skillfully navigated the crowd. When she finally reached the most congested spot, it suddenly hit her.
…The place where they were blocked was her destination.
A bad feeling surged in her heart. Before she could think, the Night Raven boy leading the way suddenly shifted back to his original form and flew upward. He opened his beak and squawked noisily: “Make way, make way! Let Lord Can-zhe in first!”
Shang Can felt a lump in her throat. The demons in front of her very quickly cleared a path, apologizing to her in a chorus of voices. She could only brace herself and walk forward, the ominous premonition growing heavier.
“A-Can!”
A crisp child’s voice rang out from the crowd. It was the long-horned child who had been the first to greet her when she returned to Biluo Huangquan the other day. He was currently perched on his father’s neck, waving his small hand frantically at Shang Can.
“A-Can’s guest is so pretty! Just as pretty as A-Can!”
…Guest?
Shang Can’s heart skipped a beat. She instinctively looked in the direction the child was urgently pointing.
the crowd of demons were gathered a short distance away from that roadside stall, leaving a large empty circle around one particular table. Wan Shao was sitting there broadly, waving her hand at her with a thoroughly mischievous smile.
And on the other side of the table sat another person who instantly captured Shang Can’s gaze.
That person was clad in white robes like snow. Her surroundings were veiled in a faint glow by the lamps of the stall, softening her usual coldness and making her whole being appear gentle.
It was as if a moon had suddenly risen in the eternal night of Biluo Huangquan—she was that pristine and flawless.
The woman, who looked like fine snow in the mountains, slowly raised her eyes. Her long eyelashes seemed to hold the brilliance of the moon, easily rippling the air.
“So this is what you look like.”
Yun Duan, who was supposed to have left with the Qingyu delegation, was truly sitting there. The opening and closing of her thin lips sent waves of shock through Shang Can’s heart.
Shang Can hurriedly turned her back, fished out the white jade mask, and pressed it onto her face. Her vision grew dark, but the blankness in her mind refused to fade.
“I have already seen it.”
That light voice, like something that could hook one’s soul and pierce the bone, drifted over through the air. Her tone was flat, as if she hadn’t been moved by the previous interlude.
“Why hide now?”
Shang Can’s hand shook, and the mask fell to the ground with a clatter.
Biluo Huangquan rarely had guests.
This was the Demon Realm, and relations with the cultivation world were naturally poor. The current Biluo Huangquan was a “New Biluo Huangquan,” rebuilt seven years ago after purging a rebellion. It was still growing through its own stumbles and naturally wouldn’t have many visiting guests, let alone a cultivator like Yun Duan.
In this world, humans and demons had different races and stances; mutual hostility was perfectly normal. It was likely that since the dawn of Biluo Huangquan, there had never been a case where a Demon Sovereign and a cultivator sat peacefully at a noodle stall in Biluo Huangquan to eat. No wonder the street was blocked like this.
Even though she had already shown her face, Shang Can didn’t want to just give up. She tentatively put the white jade mask back on and, with a stiff face, led Wan Shao and Yun Duan away from the street to Wan Shao’s Demon Sovereign Palace.
“Here’s the thing,” Wan Shao explained voluntarily before Shang Can could even ask. “Look, Yun Zhongjun helped us out in a big way, after all. It would be too heartless to just let her leave. Shouldn’t we at least treat her to a meal?”
She sounded quite righteous. Does this flower demon even know what she’s doing?
Shang Can’s head began to ache. She felt that for her to bring up the fact that “letting cultivators into Biluo Huangquan is strictly forbidden” to Wan Shao at this point was absurd. So she barely suppressed her annoyance and muttered: “Then you should have at least told me first.”
“Hmm? Did you ask for my opinion when you put a barrier on the entrance?”
Fine, fine. Let’s just say they both deserve a scolding.
Shang Can didn’t want to settle old scores with her. Seeing Wan Shao’s exceptionally triumphant expression, she turned her face away and looked toward Yun Duan, who was standing quietly to the side.
“…This place is full of demons who haven’t seen many cultivators. They might have been a bit rude just now—”
“Don’t talk nonsense. Did they swarm over because they haven’t seen a cultivator?” Wan Shao chuckled, saying decisively, “It’s obviously because they think Yun Zhongjun is beautiful.”
Shang Can didn’t know how to react to Wan Shao’s utterly irrelevant addition, but Yun Duan nodded seriously and said, “Indeed. I heard someone—some demon—saying that I am as beautiful as A-Can.”
It was just an unintentional repetition, but the name “A-Can” sent a jolt through Shang Can, making half her back go stiff.
…She really didn’t want to continue this topic. Whether it was being forced to politely praise Yun Duan’s beauty or having Yun Duan turn the subject toward her own face, Shang Can was not pleased.
“It’s getting late,” she said, shifting the topic somewhat forcefully. She looked toward Yun Duan. “If Yun Zhongjun doesn’t head back soon, Qingyu will be worried.”
“It’s only the hour of Wei (1-3 PM). Don’t try to trick Yun Zhongjun just because Biluo Huangquan is dark all day.”
“We’re setting out tomorrow. It’s better for Yun Zhongjun to go back early and pack her things.”
Pretending not to notice Wan Shao’s blatant undermining of her efforts, Shang Can maintained a polite demeanor, trying various ways to persuade Yun Duan to leave.
Then she recalled something and added: “Although the demons of Biluo Huangquan are generally mild-tempered, the demons living in the cultivation world are not all like that. Perhaps I should escort Yun Zhongjun part of the way, lest some blind demon… or human, blocks your path.”
“If you care that much about who those cultivators were that attacked Yun Zhongjun, why don’t you just ask her directly?”
…Noisy. Wan Shao was really noisy today.
Shang Can glared at her silently. Instead of reining it in, the other woman put on a very exaggerated performance of “I have a brilliant idea.”
“Indeed, just as Shang—ahem, Can-zhe said.”
She narrowly corrected herself, pretending not to see Shang Can’s gaze that looked ready to strangle her, and continued.
“Yun Zhongjun has a special constitution; traveling alone is indeed dangerous. If something happens and people find out she was injured on the way back from my Biluo Huangquan, I’ll be forced to take the blame for nothing.”
Wan Shao walked gracefully up to Yun Duan and gave a radiant smile.
“Since Yun Zhongjun has to meet up with Can-zhe to set out tomorrow anyway… why don’t you just stay the night in Biluo Huangquan?”
Absurd. Utterly absurd.
Shang Can walked down the street with a cold face, wishing she could pry open Wan Shao’s head to see what she was thinking.
“Stay the night in Biluo Huangquan”—she actually dared to say that! Saying it’s dangerous for Yun Duan to leave alone… does she think Yun Duan would feel safe staying in Biluo Huangquan, a place crawling with demons?!
Besides, setting aside Wan Shao’s hypothetical about Yun Duan getting hurt after leaving, just the fact that people might know Yun Duan had been to Biluo Huangquan was a huge deal!
Gossip is a fearsome thing. Even if it was just a normal overnight stay, who knows what it would turn into in the mouths of those with ulterior motives.
Yun Duan had protected her in front of all the cultivators today. Even if that could be barely explained away by saying “Yun Zhongjun is calm, rational, and considers the bigger picture,” Shang Can still felt it was dangerous.
She didn’t want Yun Duan to have anything to do with rumors of “colluding with demons.”
But she couldn’t lose her temper, because—
“Make way, make way! Clear a path for Lord Can-zhe and Yun Zhongjun!”
The Night Raven boy’s voice echoed in the street. the crowding demons squeezed together once more to clear a path, giving a feeling of a grand welcome.
“It seems ‘humans’ are indeed rare here.”
Yun Duan didn’t show any expression of disgust or discomfort. She simply offered a brief observation of the scene, as objective as a researcher doing a field study.
Shang Can nodded listlessly and replied: “If you find it uncomfortable, perhaps I should take you back to Qingyu?”
“No need to trouble yourself.”
The rejection was followed by no further explanation, nor any movement toward returning to Qingyu alone. Yun Duan simply followed behind Shang Can, step for step, incredibly obedient.
—Because the person involved had, for some reason, agreed without a second thought, how could Shang Can possibly find a reason to lose her temper?
The matter of Yun Duan staying the night was settled right there in the Demon Sovereign Palace. Shang Can had no idea what identity or reason to use to raise an objection. She was immediately saddled with the task of hosting Yun Duan by Wan Shao, who took advantage of her confusion.
…This flower demon is definitely going to be scolded by the elders of Biluo Huangquan later. Definitely. If they don’t scold her, I’ll go and report her to the elders myself.
“Or,” Shang Can was brooding when Yun Duan’s voice suddenly rang out, “is it… inconvenient for me to stay at Can-zhe’s place?”
In terms of convenience, it was indeed inconvenient in every sense of the word.
But looking at the entirety of Biluo Huangquan, the place Shang Can felt most comfortable letting Yun Duan stay was her own residence—thinking this, Shang Can looked at Yun Duan, feeling that her question seemed to imply more than just the literal meaning.
As if seeing through her confusion, Yun Duan looked away and added: “If Can-zhe already has a Dao companion, then it would be inappropriate for me to intrude.”
“…Dao companion?”
Does she look that much like someone with a lover?
Shang Can, who had never even been in a relationship, was stunned for a moment, then chuckled: “I have no such person.”
“I see.” Her expression didn’t change, and Yun Duan nodded calmly. “Then I shall have to trouble you.”
Crap. Should I have just lied and said I had a Dao companion just now?
Shang Can felt some regret, but it was already too late. She had no choice but to lead Yun Duan back to her residence and take her to the guest room.
“It’s not a large place, but I clean it every now and then. It should be clean enough. You can use anything in the room.”
She hesitated for a moment and asked directly: “Are you really staying here tonight?”
Yun Duan turned her head. Her dark eyes reflected the flickering yellow candlelight, still as calm and undisturbed as ever.
“If Can-zhe does not want me to stay, you need only say so.”
At this point, Shang Can didn’t know what to say. After all, her worries couldn’t be brought to light.
She pursed her lips, and in a fit of self-abandonment, she pulled over a stool and sat down, putting on an air of authority.
“You can stay, but you must first answer a few questions truthfully.”
Yun Duan nodded and sat down by the table as well, saying faintly: “Go ahead.”
“Cultivators all view demons as monsters. Why did you agree to stay in Biluo Huangquan today?”
“I am not staying in Biluo Huangquan; I am staying at Can-zhe’s residence.” Yun Duan spoke with a steady expression, quite seriously. “Since I have taken on the responsibility of supervising Can-zhe to ensure no false evidence is produced, it is only natural to start now.”
“…That responsibility was something you took upon yourself; you don’t need to be so dedicated. Speaking of which… why did you speak up for our Biluo Huangquan in front of those cultivators?”
“I was simply speaking of the facts. I was not intentionally speaking for Biluo Huangquan.”
Yun Duan raised her eyebrows slightly as she spoke, her gaze seemingly possessing a power that could see through the human heart.
“Even if we must use that phrasing, it should be said that I was… speaking for Can-zhe.”
Shang Can was left speechless by her words. She choked for a long while before tentatively asking: “Is it because you said… I resemble an old friend of yours, so that’s why you did it?”
Yun Duan tilted her head, pondering for a long while. Her eyes became hazy, as if veiled in mist, as she replied softly: “Perhaps so.”
Tangling with such a question was simply making things hard for herself. Shang Can decisively gave up her questioning and rose to leave. Halfway up, she remembered something and sat back down.
“One more question.”
Her expression became serious, her eyes darkening, and her clear voice turned cold and hard.
“…Those people who attacked you before, where are they now?”
Even if she knew rationally that she shouldn’t ask—what did it have to do with her, “Can-zhe”?—Shang Can couldn’t stop brooding over it and eventually couldn’t help but ask.
She cared far too much.
Even if she could rationally imagine that such petty acts would inevitably occur after the Flawless Immortal Body was exposed, the anger that rose in her upon hearing it from Yun Duan’s own mouth was far greater than she had expected.
Yun Duan didn’t answer immediately. She stared at her for a long while without blinking, making Shang Can feel uneasy.
Just as she was thinking that this question was indeed too strange, Yun Duan suddenly stood up and walked straight toward her. Shang Can instinctively leaned back but was blocked by the back of the chair, unable to create much distance.
“If Can-zhe wants to know, I can tell you.”
Unexpectedly, Yun Duan didn’t immediately refuse to answer. Instead, she gave an ambiguous response and slowly raised her hand. Her slender fingers lightly touched the white jade mask on Shang Can’s face.
“Take this off, and I will tell you.”
Shang Can stood up abruptly. The stool was knocked over by her movement and fell to the floor, but she had no time to worry about it.
“…It’s just a face. What is there to see?”
She hurriedly threw down those words and left the guest room.
In a way, her departing figure looked a bit like she was fleeing in panic.
Yun Duan was left alone in the guest room. She didn’t give chase, only watched quietly as Shang Can ran out of the courtyard in a hurry. Then she picked up the stool Shang Can had knocked over and sat down.
“Just a face,” Yun Duan said softly, lowering her gaze and murmuring to herself. “Why are you so afraid of me seeing it?”
Shang Can fled the room, not even daring to return to her own quarters.
It was still early. she had no choice but to wander around aimlessly to kill time. She felt a bit better when she saw Wan Shao being severely scolded by the elders for letting Yun Duan in, but she quickly returned to her gloom.
…Even if Yun Duan had already seen her face and didn’t remember anything, wandering around in front of her with her true appearance definitely couldn’t be called “behaving herself.”
After all, in the TV dramas she watched before she transmigrated, people with amnesia would always remember something after seeing a familiar face. Even if it didn’t happen right away, it would later. The danger index was sky-high.
Ah, she had to blame Wan Shao for this too. If that woman hadn’t taken it upon herself to bring Yun Duan into Biluo Huangquan without telling her, how could she have been so careless as to appear before Yun Duan without even wearing her mask!
Shang Can soon realized she was just venting her anger on others and let out a listless sigh.
…After all that tossing and turning, she hadn’t even been able to eat her lunch properly. She was getting a bit hungry.
Her stomach didn’t care if she was brooding; it would be hungry when it was time. Shang Can picked a restaurant, but just as she was about to sit down, it suddenly occurred to her that Yun Duan hadn’t had dinner yet either.
She was a newcomer; it would be a bit too much to leave her alone at home.
Shang Can frowned, walked to the counter, and spoke to the waiter.
“I’d like to order some food to go.”
The waiter was likely a monkey demon. His movements were very nimble, and before long, he brought the dishes Shang Can had ordered, packed them up, and handed them to her with an exceptionally mischievous smile.
“Lord Can-zhe… why did you order two portions today?”
“…You’re asking the obvious.”
The fact that she had brought Yun Duan home in front of everyone had likely spread throughout Biluo Huangquan—when it came to liking gossip, demons and humans were exactly the same.
Shang Can muttered a response and, without further delay, turned to head home.
Um… if we eat together later, won’t I have to take off the mask? What should I do…
Worry filled her heart once more. she also worried that her days of traveling with Yun Duan would be filled with constant worry over this issue. But her feet were very honest, quickening their pace, and she soon returned to her residence.
Although it was a bit early for dinner, Biluo Huangquan was perpetually night anyway, so eating now didn’t seem too out of place.
She really had to blame her own unstable temperament just now. Shang Can felt a rare sense of regret; running away just because someone poked her sore spot was really childish. By all rights, she should have taken more care of Yun Duan.
Shang Can felt that her heart was truly a mess of contradictions. She shook her head in frustration and knocked on Yun Duan’s door.
“I bought some food. Do you want to eat?”
There was no response from inside the room, but the door was soon opened.
Yun Duan’s figure appeared behind the door. For some reason, her outer robe had been removed, leaving her in only her snow-white inner garments. The sword Wuyou, which she always wore at her waist, was also nowhere to be seen.
“…Is Yun Zhongjun… going to sleep?”
Shang Can’s eyes widened in surprise. Yun Duan gave her a deep look and stepped aside to let her in.
“There was nothing else to do.” Yun Duan didn’t shy away either. She walked to the table with her long dark hair cascading down her back and poured two cups of tea. “I thought Can-zhe wasn’t coming back.”
“…” Although she knew Yun Duan definitely didn’t mean it that way, Shang Can still felt like a heartless person being accused. Her aura inexplicably shrank by thirty percent. She walked to the table, put down the packed food, and said sheepishly, “I just… went to buy some food.”
Seeing Yun Duan’s lack of reaction, Shang Can paused for a moment and added: “Irregular eating habits will lead to stomach illness—or so I’ve heard.”
She was really putting what she had just learned to use.
Yun Duan nodded without much of a reaction, took the food Shang Can handed her, thanked her, and began to eat obediently. Shang Can was restless for a while before finally hardening her heart and taking off the mask, eating her meal without daring to look up.
…Sigh, she had no way to say she wanted to go back to her room to eat in this situation where she was clearly in the wrong.
Fortunately, after a long while, there was still no reaction from Yun Duan. Shang Can finally felt a bit more at ease, and the two of them finished their meal in silence.
Although she didn’t taste much due to her excessive nervousness, they had managed to finish the meal peacefully. Shang Can breathed a silent sigh of relief, cleared the table, and stood up. With the intention of turning over a new leaf, she spoke to Yun Duan: “It’s still a bit early to sleep. Is there anything Yun Zhongjun would like to do, or is there anything I can help with?”
Yun Duan thought for a moment and, unexpectedly, nodded: “Yes.”
“I would like to bathe.”
Oh right, Yun Duan loves cleanliness. She’s bathed every single day since she was a child.
In the bathroom, Shang Can diligently summoned flames to heat the water, marveling at how Yun Duan had kept that habit for so long.
Yun Duan’s dark hair was long enough to reach her waist, and it took a very long time to dry every time she washed it. Back when she was still in Qingyu, she was the one responsible for drying Yun Duan’s hair every night. she didn’t know who took over that task after she left.
Shang Can’s thoughts wandered, and she almost forgot she was still heating the water. When she came to her senses, she hurriedly retracted the flames and turned toward Yun Duan.
“Yun Zhongjun, please.”
Yun Duan had prepared her own change of clothes. Shang Can thought to herself that she had actually learned a thing or two this time, unlike before when she didn’t even have a change of clothes after being injured.
Yun Duan gave a soft hum, walked to the edge of the tub, and unhesitatingly began to undress. Shang Can gasped in shock and, like a proper gentleman, turned her head away. She threw down a “call me if you need anything” and hurriedly prepared to leave.
“I do need something.”
…She was called to a halt before she could even take a step. Shang Can’s face crumpled into a mess of worry as she turned back hesitantly.
Yun Duan had even removed her inner garments by now, leaving her in only the thin sleeping robe she wore to bed. She was rolling up her sleeves and reaching into the water. Her slender fingertips lightly touched the surface, and she turned to look at Shang Can, her exquisite face appearing exceptionally translucent in the rising steam.
“It’s too hot.”
“Oh, oh.”
She must have overheated it while she was daydreaming. Shang Can hurried to bring some cold water and added it in. This time, she tested the temperature herself, and it was just right.
And throughout the entire process, Yun Duan stood beside her in only a single, thin gauze robe, saying nothing.
The texture of the gauze was quite thin. If Shang Can’s gaze lingered for even a moment, she seemed to see the faint white skin beneath the robe, making her feel short of breath and not daring to look closely.
…How should I put it? They had been martial sisters for those years and were on good terms; it was impossible to say she had never seen her. But Yun Duan had always been of a reserved nature, and such opportunities were few and far between.
Now, she didn’t know if this person hadn’t noticed or what… in front of the “Demonic Cultivator Can-zhe” whose background was unknown, this was truly being too unguarded.
Shang Can was too embarrassed to stare, her gaze darting around. Inadvertently, she swept her eyes across Yun Duan’s waist and abdomen, and her gaze suddenly froze.
She couldn’t see clearly through the gauze robe, but it was obvious that there was an area on Yun Duan’s waist that was slightly darker in color. Its shape and extent appeared quite regular, like a mark. But it was blurry, and she couldn’t tell what the pattern was.
Strange. Is it a birthmark?
Shang Can felt puzzled, trying hard to recall if she had ever seen such a mark on Yun Duan’s waist before, but no matter how she thought, she had no impression of it.
“It’s fine now. Thank you.”
Before she could figure it out, Yun Duan had already tested the water temperature herself and thanked her. Shang Can had no reason to stay, so she simply nodded and left the bathroom.
She couldn’t help but brood over it, still thinking about it even after she returned to her own room.
A birthmark… or a scar?
Just thinking about the latter possibility made Shang Can’s heart tighten, and she couldn’t help but frown.
Speaking of which, Yun Duan was also injured on her waist on the Tianwaitian arena, and the person who struck her hadn’t been found—but that wound wasn’t large, and its position was different from what she had just seen. It shouldn’t have left a scar… it shouldn’t have.
Shang Can frowned with little confidence, thinking to herself that her healing spell couldn’t possibly be that poor.
Whatever. There was no way to confirm it anymore; thinking more would only add to her worries.
Feeling a bit frustrated, she flopped onto her bed and let out a silent sigh.
If she were still Yun Duan’s senior sister, she would have asked directly and unceremoniously the moment she caught a glimpse.
But unfortunately, now…
Shang Can forced herself to stop thinking, pulled over a pillow, and buried her face deep inside.
When Shang Can opened her eyes again, it was pitch black.
She seemed to have fallen asleep unconsciously. The candle in the room had burned out. Shang Can propped herself up and sat up, feeling her whole body ache from the awkward sleeping position.
It was probably because too many things had happened today, making her tired without realizing it. Shang Can sighed, feeling like an elderly person. She waved her hand to summon a ball of fire for light and stood up to look for a new candle in the room.
She didn’t know what time it was. Biluo Huangquan was perpetually night, so there was no way to tell the time by the sky. The demons all seemed to have accurate biological clocks, but Shang Can didn’t have such a convenient function and could only guess.
At this moment, it was quiet outside the window; it was likely late at night. However, she was no longer sleepy, and her body was aching, so she had probably slept for a few hours.
Shang Can was thinking that since she wasn’t sleepy anyway, she might as well get up and do some cultivation. Suddenly, a faint sound came from outside the door, like someone was slowly approaching.
“Who is it?”
Her whole body tensed up instantly, and she asked in a heavy voice, but the door…