For Hua Yan, life seemed to have suddenly returned to how she remembered it.
Upon opening her eyes, she found herself in her familiar room, filled with an array of jars and various small items.
In the morning, she could see Qi Xiusi sternly reprimanding the disciples who made mistakes, Ning Yin oiling the barbs on her whip, Jiang Lan directing the disciples of the Cleaning Hall to clean up the remaining bloodstains on the floor, and Elder Qu cursing Yu Ye for three days and nights after being rescued. Passing by his room, one could always hear his shouting.
Before dawn, the sounds of disciples arguing and even fighting could be heard, but when she passed by, they would immediately stop and respectfully greet her as the Holy Maiden. Once she was gone, they would resume their fights.
Yu Ye had taken half of the disciples from the Alchemy Department and left. Those who remained and were obedient to Xie Yingxian were transferred to Hua Yan’s command.
During this period, he had been very busy.
Xie Yingxian was removing Yu Ye’s people from the Demon Sect as if excising a malignant tumor.
Hua Yan was quite amazed. She didn’t know when Yu Ye had started planning this, but he didn’t leave all his people in the sect; some had already fled.
Now, the sect seemed unusually peaceful.
What surprised Hua Yan was that Shui Se was locked in the dungeon; she had thought Shui Se would be living freely.
Xie Yingxian led people to the dungeon to rescue her. The others were all agitated upon seeing Xie Yingxian arrive, except for Shui Se, who sat silently in a dark corner. Xie Yingxian asked Hua Yan how she planned to deal with her. According to the confessions of the defectors, Shui Se had helped Yu Ye with many things over the years. However, she was now of no use to anyone.
Unexpectedly, before they decided how to deal with her, Shui Se sought them out. She had someone convey a message to Xie Yingxian, stating that she was willing to atone for her sins by killing Yu Ye. She proposed pretending to escape and then approaching Yu Ye to kill him when he least expected it.
Xie Yingxian was deeply moved but ultimately refused her.
His voice sounded puzzled: “… How does she think she would have a chance? Since they have already betrayed each other, there can be no trust between them.”
Hua Yan, standing beside him, suddenly felt as if she had been stabbed.
So, she busied herself with finding medicines that could significantly enhance her power, keep her clear-headed, have minimal side effects, and last for a long time. She also searched the martial arts library for techniques that could offer rapid short-term improvement without shortening lifespan—she found nothing.
The only possible option was the incomplete “Tiancan Sword Technique.” It was said that the former leader of the Tiancan Sect was immensely powerful and domineering with this technique, causing chaos for the Zhengyi Sect. Over time, only half of this renowned sword technique remained.
Xie Yingxian had looked through it, stating that only the moves remained, while the mental cultivation method was missing, rendering it unable to fully unleash its power, so it was set aside.
Back then, Xie Yingxian had tried to use this to tempt Ling Tianxiao, but it didn’t work. Desperate times called for desperate measures, so Hua Yan took the half-secret manual from the shrine and looked at it for a while. She had a vague feeling of familiarity.
She suddenly remembered that during the sect war, when she and Lu Chengsha accidentally fell into the underground palace, they had obtained a small booklet. The cover had no writing, and she thought it was just an ordinary martial arts manual, so she didn’t pay much attention to it.
Hua Yan rummaged through her belongings and finally found the increasingly wrinkled booklet. Although her bundle had waterproof properties, after repeatedly getting wet and drying, the pages were a bit damp, and some characters had blurred, making them hard to decipher. However, the recognizable parts seemed to correspond with the Tiancan Sword Technique in her hand.
She immediately took it to Xie Yingxian.
Xie Yingxian, who looked tired and lazy at first, took the yellowed booklet from her hand. After flipping through it, his expression changed slightly.
“Where did you get this?”
Hua Yan recounted their experience in the underground palace in detail.
Xie Yingxian carefully went through the booklet again, reading each line meticulously, and then suddenly smiled. “You are quite lucky. This really is the remaining half of the mental cultivation method. I don’t know how the righteous sect’s war led to that place, but the underground palace clearly belonged to one of our former leaders. The human sacrifice resurrection was a lie; it must have been a burial tomb for a live sacrifice.” He sighed, “Our previous leaders committed too many sins. The Zhengyi Sect has a hard road ahead.”
Hua Yan hesitated and asked, “Can I practice this?”
Xie Yingxian replied, “If you want to practice it, go ahead. But the mental cultivation manual has some unclear characters, so you must carefully ponder them to avoid going astray… Also, although this sword technique is powerful, it is not invincible. You lack experience, so don’t throw your life away carelessly.”
In the days that followed, apart from dealing with other disciples and sect affairs, Hua Yan spent her remaining time practicing swordsmanship in her courtyard.
While practicing, she couldn’t help but think of Lu Chengsha teaching her each move, patiently demonstrating each technique multiple times until she understood. His tireless patience, showing her the moves one, two, three, four times if she didn’t grasp them, was something she now deeply missed.
Holding the hilt of her Chunhua Sword, Hua Yan felt a wave of sorrow.
Seeing the object and thinking of the person, she felt particularly distressed. She considered changing swords but ultimately couldn’t bear to part with it.
At night, she missed him even more. Hua Yan tasted love for the first time in her life, and moreover, the person she loved liked her just as much. They were so deeply in love, and she was even prepared for what might come next… but now, everything was gone.
No kisses, no embraces, and no Lu Chengsha.
She liked him so much, so incredibly much—just thinking of him made her heart feel like it was filled with honey. She found his expressionless face adorable, admired the way he held his sword, and even watching him eat never bored her. For the first time, Hua Yan realized how overwhelming it was to like someone. Her mind and heart were filled with thoughts of him, from the moment she opened her eyes to when she closed them again.
He was not only handsome and skilled, but also had a good temper. How could anyone not like him? Everyone should like him!
However, she remembered Xie Yingxian’s words, realizing that now was not the time—she was not strong enough yet. The Zhengyi Sect was already on guard, and it wouldn’t be so simple to get close to Lu Chengsha and stay by his side again.
Moreover, what if Lu Chengsha refused to listen to her explanation?
At night, Hua Yan dreamt of Lu Chengsha again.
He was still dressed in black, with long hair cascading down his back, standing tall in front of her. His clear eyes were clean and bright, his face accentuated by his loose hair, looking exactly how she liked him the most. Her longing for him surged, almost unbearable.
Lu Chengsha seemed to sense this as well. He gently embraced her, his head slightly lowered, while his other hand rested on her waist. He then pressed her against the wall and softly kissed her, his familiar taste mingling with his careful gentleness. Hua Yan felt tears welling up as she inhaled sharply.
The next moment, a dagger appeared in Lu Chengsha’s hand.
Without hesitation, he plunged the blade into her waist and abdomen. Hua Yan’s body convulsed with intense pain that instantly spread throughout her body.
Lu Chengsha released her lips.
She clutched her ruptured abdomen, looking at him in disbelief as blood soaked her hands. No matter how hard she pressed, she couldn’t stop the blood from flowing. Her body grew colder and weaker, losing its vitality.
However, Lu Chengsha’s gaze was even colder than her dying body. He parted his lips and said, “All people of the Demon Sect must die.”
Hua Yan awoke from her dream, drenched in cold sweat, clutching the quilt and breathing lightly.
The night was eerily silent.
This time, there would be no one to worry and break into her room in the middle of the night, and no one for her to cling to, trembling, while he awkwardly tried to comfort her.
Unable to sleep, she grabbed her Chunhua Sword and went out to practice until she was utterly exhausted and collapsed into sleep.
Seeing her low spirits, a few disciples timidly asked, “Holy Maiden, how about we perform a play for you?”
Hua Yan, who used to be enthusiastic about such performances, hadn’t even looked at a script lately.
When she saw those righteous heroes in the tales of chivalry, every single one of them… made her think of Lu Chengsha!
Hua Yan waved her hand, feeling dispirited, “No need.”
“Then maybe…” The blue-robed disciples exchanged glances, seemingly in discussion, and hesitated, “Then maybe we can find some other entertainment for you?”
It didn’t take long for her to find out what they meant by “entertainment.”
“Holy Maiden, don’t be unhappy!”
“What do you think of this…?”
They sent someone over.
When Hua Yan saw who they had brought, she almost spat out her water.
Dressed in the standard black attire of Tingjian Manor, with a blue hairband tying up his hair, a similarly built figure with a nondescript longsword at his waist, and a deliberately cold expression—he even bore a slight resemblance to Lu Chengsha.
Hua Yan was on the verge of losing it. She pressed her forehead and said, “Get him out of here immediately!”
She had no need for a counterfeit!
“The Holy Maiden doesn’t like this one! Let’s try another!” the disciples mumbled, “We thought the Holy Maiden was unhappy because of that Lu guy…”
Hua Yan immediately looked up, “Where did you hear that?”
The disciple nervously replied, “Everyone is saying it… that the Holy Maiden endured hardships, infiltrated Lu Chengsha’s side, and used her beauty to seduce him, extracting information about the righteous sects from him. Once he was deeply in love with you, you ruthlessly abandoned him. It’s truly impressive…” He spoke more and more passionately, but upon noticing Hua Yan’s increasingly displeased expression, he faltered, “Did I say something wrong…? I thought you were so aggrieved by having to humble yourself around him that you were upset, so we found someone like him for you…”
Hua Yan couldn’t hold back any longer and interrupted him. She bit her lip, took a deep breath, and said, “Get out of my sight for three days.”
The disciple immediately scrambled away, nearly tripping over himself, while the other disciples, who had been watching silently, didn’t know what to do.
Hua Yan massaged her temples, utterly exhausted, “All of you, leave me alone for a while.”
She had barely tasted the sweetness of love before she was confronted with its bitterness.
Hua Yan sat on the steps from dawn till dusk, watching the sun rise high in the sky and then set in the west. As twilight fell, she finally got up slowly and went to find Xie Yingxian.
He seemed to know what she was going to ask. Quickly signing off on the documents submitted by several branches of the Zhengyi Sect, he said, “After they were defeated at Cixin Valley, they all scattered. Lu Chengsha returned to Tingjian Manor and hasn’t come out since.”
Xie Yingxian looked up at her, “Are you planning to go? My advice is not to go now. I know you spent time alone with him on the mountain before, but the Lu family knows about your relationship with him. They won’t leave him alone and will surely place guards around him. If you really want to see him, wait until he comes down the mountain.”
Hua Yan hadn’t even spoken a word, yet Xie Yingxian had already addressed her concerns.
“If you’re really bored and want to go out for a stroll, that’s fine. Just remember to disguise yourself carefully. If you need help, ask Ning Yin or Jiang Lan.” He paused, “If you want to cause trouble for Yu Ye, you can continue to target his Yufeng Hall. It’s the foundation of his influence, and he values it greatly. He previously resisted my attempts to infiltrate it. Now, without the Demon Sect’s support, there are likely many who want to take advantage and seize a share of his resources.”
Hua Yan thought for a moment and then shook her head, “I’ll stay in the sect and practice my swordsmanship.”
She believed she could wait, but she didn’t expect that this wait would last for three months.
Autumn turned cold and then into winter. The Zhengyi Sect was in the grip of a harsh winter, and Hua Yan finally made some progress in her practice of the Tiancan Sword Technique. As the new year approached, Jiang Lan made new clothes for each of the high-ranking members of the Zhengyi Sect. For Hua Yan, she made a red padded skirt, both warm and form-fitting.
Although they had internal energy to keep warm, it was still nice to observe the seasonal traditions.
Ning Yin received a purple velvet jacket, Qi Xiusi got a long robe, and for Xie Yingxian, there was a gray fox fur cloak, crafted with exceptionally fine and meticulous stitching. It was clear to everyone that the others’ gifts were secondary; the one for Xie Yingxian was made with genuine care.
Hua Yan had once asked Jiang Lan if she liked Xie Yingxian, but Jiang Lan had softly smiled and said, “Holy Maiden, you jest. Both Ning Yin and I owe our lives to the Sect Leader. What does liking even mean?”
Jiang Lan and Ning Yin were twins, sold to the market due to poverty, almost ending up in a brothel. It was said that because Ning Yin cried so miserably, Xie Yingxian, annoyed, had someone buy them and send them back to his soft-hearted mother to channel her maternal instincts. The former sect leader’s wife, after raising them, felt her son was becoming more useless, so she had the two girls follow him to spur him on.
At first, Xie Yingxian resisted greatly, but later, he realized they could help with various tasks, saving him a lot of trouble, so he accepted their presence.
Over time, they grew up together.
As Hua Yan admired the fox fur cloak, she suddenly and inexplicably thought of Lu Chengsha. Their time apart had gradually exceeded the time they spent together. She had deliberately tried not to think about him, but she couldn’t help it.
It must be extremely cold in the Meditation Cave now. She wondered if he was still being punished.
Jiang Lan smiled gently, “Holy Maiden, if you like it, I can make one for you next year.”
Hua Yan shook her head. It wasn’t that she wanted one for herself; she just wanted to make one for Lu Chengsha. But, unfortunately, she didn’t know how to sew.
Upon learning this, Jiang Lan laughed, “A cloak is a bit difficult to make. If you don’t mind, I can teach you to embroider something like a handkerchief. That’s much simpler.”
Jiang Lan taught Hua Yan hand-in-hand, but Hua Yan was deeply frustrated as she looked at the crooked handkerchief she had embroidered.
In a low, soothing voice, Jiang Lan asked, “Holy Maiden, are you still thinking about that person?” Her voice, soft and gentle, carried a comforting warmth even in the winter.
Hua Yan didn’t respond.
After a while, Jiang Lan slowly extended her hand and gently patted Hua Yan.
On New Year’s Day, the Zhengyi Sect held a grand feast, slaughtering pigs and cooking lamb. Dish after dish was served, with clinking cups and loud laughter. The disciples soon started playing drinking games and occasionally brawling, marking a lively celebration.
Unfortunately, Hua Yan couldn’t even take the opportunity to drink away her sorrows due to her poor tolerance for alcohol.
Amidst the joyous commotion, she found a secluded snowy spot, sealed her internal energy, and sat for a while until the cold became unbearable. She couldn’t fathom how Lu Chengsha had endured such conditions.
As she walked back alone, she encountered Xie Yingxian.
Xie Yingxian raised the wine flask he was holding and said, “Are you sure you don’t want a drink? It’s okay to get drunk and vent your frustrations.”
Hua Yan hesitated but shook her head again.
Xie Yingxian sighed lightly, “There’s some news: Yin Xiangsi has resurfaced, and some righteous sect disciples have already fallen into her trap.”
Hua Yan knew what he was referring to. Yin Xiangsi, the leader of the Wan Gu Sect, periodically sought out young martial artists to absorb their energy to maintain her own martial prowess and youthful appearance. The stronger the martial artist, the better. This could happen every few years or even a decade, and she often set up elaborate traps to ensnare inexperienced disciples.
Hua Yan nodded listlessly. Xie Yingxian continued, “Another piece of news: Tingjian Manor suspects the Demon Sect’s involvement, and among the dispatched disciples, it seems Lu Chengsha is one of them.”
Hua Yan suddenly looked up.
“Yin Xiangsi is not easy to deal with, but she has a long-standing grudge against our Zhengyi Sect. Are you interested in confronting her?”