The continuous rain kept falling. Standing under the long corridor, Liu Lixue looked up at the dark sky and sighed.
This rain had been going on for many days. He wasn’t sure if the herbs he had planted would bloom after the rain.
Just as he was about to check on his herb garden, a voice suddenly rang by his ear: “Liu Lixue, get over here.”
Liu Lixue clenched his molars and fumed in anger for a moment. But there was no choice—strength determined status. He couldn’t defeat Su Xuan, so he had to endure it and act like a workhorse.
The young master of the Peacock Clan serving as a demon doctor in the Beast Realm—it was indeed a bit disgraceful if word got out.
When Liu Lixue entered the hall, he saw, as expected, a certain demon reclining crookedly on the Beast King’s throne above.
Su Xuan was always casual and unrestrained, neither standing nor sitting properly.
“Sovereign Lord, what is it that you’ve called me for this time?”
Liu Lixue’s smile didn’t reach his eyes.
Su Xuan was toying with a wooden hairpin in his hand. The hairpin was plain, with only a few carved patterns as decoration.
The dark wooden hairpin spun nimbly in his fair hands, making those hands appear even more exquisite.
“How much information have you found about the Immortal Velvet Grass?”
As soon as Liu Lixue heard this, he knew what he was referring to and answered, “There’s no trace of the person who offered it, but the Sword Sect is also investigating the Immortal Velvet Grass. Furthermore…”
“Furthermore, what?”
“The person we sent to scout Bairen sent back news. This time, the competing item seems to be… a spiritual root.”
Su Xuan paused in his movements and lifted his gaze.
Liu Lixue continued, “The grade isn’t low. The Sword Sect has already sent someone to negotiate with Bairen Alley to privately suppress the spiritual root. It’s likely meant to replace Shi Yao’s spiritual root.”
Su Xuan let out a cold laugh. “That trash is actually worthy of being treated as a treasure by the Sword Sect?”
He straightened his posture, his long silver hair loosely tied, and put the wooden hairpin away. “Keep an eye on Bairen Alley.”
Liu Lixue nodded. “Understood.”
Just as he was about to leave, Su Xuan called out to him: “Stop.”
Liu Lixue turned back. “Sovereign Lord, is there anything else?”
Su Xuan was silent for a moment before saying, “When rebuilding her meridians… is there a way to make it painless for her?”
Liu Lixue naturally knew who the “her” referred to.
“There’s no way. She’ll have to endure it. Miss Sang is capable of handling it.”
Sang Dai was indeed capable. No matter how bitter or painful, Sang Dai could endure it.
Su Xuan lowered his eyes, and the hall fell into silence.
After a long while, he spoke. “Take all the clothes from the side hall, have them remade in the original style, and send them to her.”
A sheet of xuan paper, with words written on it, was sent to Liu Lixue through spiritual power.
Surprised, Liu Lixue asked, “Those clothes are brand new. They’ve always been properly cared for, and Miss Sang hasn’t even worn them yet. Why do they need to be replaced?”
Could it really be that he has money to burn?
Su Xuan stood up, step by step descending from the high platform, his dark robe trailing behind him.
He hadn’t said a word. It wasn’t until he passed by Liu Lixue and was about to leave the grand hall that his faint voice suddenly reached him.
“She’s thinner.”
It wasn’t until Su Xuan had left that Liu Lixue unrolled the xuan paper and discovered that what was written on it were measurements.
He suddenly understood the meaning behind Su Xuan’s words.
Sang Dai had grown thinner.
For over a hundred years, the clothes made for her at Su Xuan’s request were all tailored to the memory of what Sang Dai used to look like.
But now, after more than ten years, she had lost weight, and the clothes made for her in the past no longer fit.
Liu Lixue looked at the empty hall, feeling an inexplicable complexity in his heart.
They had both not seen her for over a decade, yet he couldn’t tell whether Sang Dai had gotten thinner or fatter. Su Xuan, however, could tell at a glance that she had lost weight.
Even though she still looked the same as before.
Even the subtlest change was something Su Xuan could always notice.
Because Sang Dai had always existed vividly in his memory. Everything about her was something he never forgot.
—
When Sang Dai woke up, the first thing she saw was a maid standing nearby.
She blinked, recognizing who it was.
It was the demon servant Su Xuan had scolded and dismissed yesterday.
Seeing her awake, the maid knelt down and asked, “Madam, would you like to rise?”
Sang Dai pressed her forehead with her hand. “Don’t call me Madam anymore. You’ve really misunderstood.”
The maid hesitated. “But…”
“Just listen to me.” Sang Dai sat up, feeling much of the exhaustion in her body fade. “What’s your name?”
The maid answered respectfully, “This servant is called Cui Shao.”
Sang Dai nodded. “Alright, Cui Shao, could you help me get some clothes?”
“Yes, Ma—Miss Sang.”
Cui Shao brought over a set of lake-blue garments. The craftsmanship was exquisite, the fabric of the highest quality, and even the gauzy outer layer was intricately detailed.
When she took the clothes, Sang Dai felt a bit dazed. She couldn’t remember the last time she had worn blue. Ever since Ying Heng’s betrayal, the Sword Sect had taken her in and trained her in the disciples’ hall. From then on, she had only worn the sect’s disciple robes.
White as the base, with silver threads embroidered into the pattern of green bamboo—the emblem of the Sword Sect.
But Sang Dai liked blue. The tassels of her Zhiyu Sword were something she had woven herself with blue thread.
Noticing her staring blankly, Cui Shao assumed she didn’t know how to put on the clothes. She instinctively stepped forward to help: “Miss, let this servant assist you.”
Sang Dai avoided her. “There’s no need, I can do it myself. You may leave first.”
Cui Shao hesitated. She had been assigned by Su Xuan to attend to this young lady. If the Sovereign Lord found out that the lady had to dress herself, she would likely be punished.
But Sang Dai said, “He won’t punish you. As long as I’m here, he won’t. Go on now.”
Cui Shao wavered between Miss Sang and her Sovereign Lord for a long moment before ultimately deciding to follow Miss Sang’s instructions. After all, it was Sang Dai who had saved her life yesterday.
“Yes, this servant will take her leave.”
She exited the room, carefully closing the door behind her.
Sang Dai changed out of her clothes and into the garments Cui Shao had brought.
The fabric was of excellent quality, completely different from the Sword Sect disciple robes she usually wore. The material was soft, smooth, and extremely comfortable against her skin.
However, the waist was a bit loose.
She tightened the belt, and now it fit perfectly.
As Sang Dai stepped outside, a tall shadow approached her.
Without looking, she already knew it was a certain fox. His long strides and intimidating aura made him seem as if he was not to be trifled with.
Cui Shao stepped forward to salute. “Greetings, Sovereign Lord.”
“Mm.”
Sang Dai stood still, her gaze fixed on Su Xuan as he walked toward her.
The sword cultivator’s black hair was tied up, and a delicate ornament adorned her forehead. She wore a lake-blue gown that accentuated her graceful figure, completely different from the plain and rigid appearance of a Sword Sect disciple.
In the past, Sang Dai was always dressed in white sword cultivator robes, her black hair tied high in a ponytail, adorned only with a wooden hairpin.
Even though she clearly liked those intricate hairpins and accessories, even though she clearly loved the color blue, often changing her sword tassels to exquisite designs, every one of them was always the same shade of blue.
Su Xuan stopped three steps away from her. Sang Dai, standing on the third step of the staircase, was at eye level with him.
Her appearance was fully taken in by his gaze.
The fox, despite his overflowing delight, pretended to be composed and asked, “What does the eldest miss of the Sword Sect think of the clothing here in the Beast Realm? How does it compare to the garments of the immortal realm?”
In truth: [“This silkworm fabric is truly worth it! Dai Dai looks so beautiful in it! I’ll have Liu Lixue buy ten more bolts right away!”]
Sang Dai twitched the corner of her eye. Silkworm fabric—one bolt took ten years to weave and was priceless.
She nodded helplessly. “It looks good.”
Su Xuan froze in rare surprise.
Then…
[“Dai Dai said it looks good!!! Buy a hundred more bolts!!!”]
Sang Dai frowned slightly, irritated by his inner thoughts. Fearing he might actually buy a hundred bolts, she quickly interjected, “It looks good, but let’s not.”
thanks! hrrm the mystery of who the spiritual root belongs tooo! lol, did she just reply to his inner thoughts?