The citizens in the city suffered heavy casualties, but the ones who suffered even more were the wandering cultivators.
However, wandering cultivators had no sect to seek justice for them, and now the person in charge, Wu Hanshu, had already passed away. Even the Immortal Alliance didn’t know how to judge this matter.
Nearby sects sent medical cultivators, and also contributed spirit stones to help the citizens of Linglong Town rebuild their homes. The Zen Sect was in the process of choosing a new city lord.
Many sword cultivators stood before Shen Ciyu. His complexion was still somewhat pale as he said, “Rebuilding the houses and the subsequent care for the injured citizens will require spirit stones. Although the Sword Sect is not wealthy, there is still some surplus money in the treasury, feel free to use it.”
“Yes.”
He turned his head and coughed softly, and a disciple quickly stepped forward.
“Sect Master, your state of mind has only been partially repaired. You’ve been fighting for so long without rest these past few days. Shouldn’t you take a break?”
Shen Ciyu wiped away some blood and shook his head, saying, “I won’t stay here for long anyway. I will leave and return to the Sword Sect tomorrow. I will help as much as I can.”
The disciple could only sigh. “Yes, Sect Master.”
Shen Ciyu took a few spiritual pills and was about to use Instant Movement to reach the next heavily affected area. Just as he took a step, a blue figure caught his peripheral vision.
He could tell that Sang Dai’s aura had changed, as she had already entered the Grand Ascension Full Realm. After leaving the Sword Sect, she had been improving more and more.
Shen Ciyu stopped, standing tall, and watched Sang Dai walk over.
She hadn’t actually looked at him. Her gaze remained fixed on the injured disaster victims along both sides of the street.
Ying Heng was not by her side. Currently, only Su Xuan was with Sang Dai. Neither of them noticed Shen Ciyu.
Su Xuan held a sword cultivator’s hand, his body slightly bent, as if listening to her speak.
Sang Dai’s brows and eyes were calm and gentle.
Shen Ciyu didn’t want to disturb them, but when he saw them, he couldn’t help but cough softly. He covered his mouth and turned to leave.
The sword cultivator behind him spoke softly, “Sect Master Shen, please wait.”
Shen Ciyu stopped.
There was the sound of footsteps behind him, and she drew closer.
Shen Ciyu stiffened slightly, turned around to look at her, and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.
His body was quite dirty; after killing for so long, it was inevitable that he appeared disheveled. Sang Dai didn’t look much better, having just crossed through a tribulation. Her clothes were torn and stained with blood.
Su Xuan had not followed but stood off to the side with his hands behind his back, waiting.
Though it was clear from his posture that he didn’t want to be there, it was likely Sang Dai had given him instructions, so he hadn’t followed her.
“Sect Master Shen,” Sang Dai nodded slightly.
Shen Ciyu lowered his gaze and softly said, “Really, you can’t call me Senior Brother anymore?”
Sang Dai fell silent for a moment before speaking in a muffled voice. “It’s not appropriate. I am no longer a disciple of the Sword Sect.”
Shen Ciyu didn’t speak, his dark eyes fixed on her.
Seeing the look in his eyes, Sang Dai sighed.
In the past, she hadn’t wanted to see Shen Ciyu. She didn’t want to see anyone from the Sword Sect. Seeing them would constantly remind her that the sectmates she had protected for over a hundred years had repaid her with bloody betrayal.
But Shen Ciyu was wrong, yet he was not wrong.
Sang Dai said, “The Long family of Longcheng also cultivates the Way of Steadfast Mind. Shen… Shen Ciyu, you are now an elder of the Sword Sect, with so many disciples behind you. Although I no longer wish to involve myself with the Sword Sect, many disciples are unaware of the matters between me and the sect. They never participated, and they’ve always treated me as their senior sister. They came here to cultivate. Now, because of the disciples’ sacrifice, the Sword Sect has been nailed to the pillar of shame. Many of these disciples have been implicated. You must find a way to pull yourself together and create a better cultivation environment for them.”
“You…” Sang Dai glanced at his pale face and dimmed eyes, but she persisted in speaking. “Your state of mind has mostly deteriorated because you couldn’t come to terms with it. As for the disciples’ sacrifice, if you’re so stubborn, does that mean I am also at fault? Wasn’t I, as the eldest daughter, supposed to notice this issue earlier?”
Shen Ciyu hastily rebutted, “No, you have nothing to do with this. How could you be at fault?”
Sang Dai’s lips curled into a faint smile. “Right, you have nothing to do with this. You didn’t know, you weren’t involved, and you justly executed the traitors. You’ve done what you should do, avenging the innocent disciples who were killed. Being deceived isn’t your fault, nor is it mine. We’re not at fault.”
Shen Ciyu stared at her in confusion.
Sang Dai continued, “On the other hand, your state of mind has also been affected because of me…”
She paused for a moment here. She could actually tell that Shen Ciyu felt guilty toward her, and in addition to developing romantic feelings for Sang Dai, he had indirectly harmed the girl he liked. This made it difficult for Shen Ciyu to accept.
Shen Ciyu lowered his eyes, seemingly unwilling to meet her gaze.
Sang Dai organized her words and spoke decisively, “I know your feelings.”
This was said too directly, and Shen Ciyu was initially stunned. After realizing what she meant, he quickly looked up.
He appeared flustered. He had always thought that Sang Dai didn’t know, and he had never considered speaking out and troubling her, but he never expected that she had figured it out. Sang Dai, with her bluntness, he had thought he could hide it for a lifetime.
Perhaps…
It was Su Xuan who had figured it out.
Shen Ciyu opened his mouth but couldn’t produce any sound.
Sang Dai showed no emotion, speaking calmly, “You don’t have to feel guilty about my departure from the Sword Sect. At first, I was indeed resentful toward you, and I resented the Sword Sect as well. But Shen Ciyu, blind loyalty was never your fault. After all, I also once had blind loyalty to the Sword Sect. You have never wronged me.”
“Sang Dai…”
“As for your feelings, all I can say is… you will meet someone better, but we can never be.”
She couldn’t tell if Shen Ciyu still harbored hope, but a certain little fox understood it perfectly and had even specifically reminded her that staying away from Shen Ciyu was the best for him.
Had it not been for seeing Shen Ciyu stay with the citizens for three days, his state of mind deteriorating to such an extent that he looked as though his life was coming to an end, Sang Dai would not have actively gone to confront him and break through this barrier.
Shen Ciyu’s face was nearly ashen.
But Sang Dai continued, “Sometimes, you might think it’s hard to get past something. When I was left behind on the battlefield, I was very sad. When I woke up and saw that my Golden Core was nearly shattered, and my meridians were severed, in that moment, I was in despair. I thought I couldn’t get past it.”
“Along the way, it seemed like I was constantly being deceived. My parents were fake, my sectmates were fake, everything was fake. But when I heard Young Master Liu tell me that the Immortal Velvet Grass appeared in the Bairen, at that moment, my heart was filled with joy.”
“I thought, if I find the Immortal Velvet Grass, I can repair my Golden Core. I can follow this clue to find my master, I can uncover everything that happened back then. I got past it, and I saw many things clearly. I found a destined companion.”
When she reached this point, Sang Dai’s expression softened.
She looked toward the distant little fox, whose back seemed to say:
— Pouting, hurry up and comfort me, or I’ll cause trouble.
The little fox was truly adorable.
Shen Ciyu also looked over with her.
“I am no longer alone. I have many people who care about me, and they are all so kind to me. I have entered the Grand Ascension, found my master, and am gradually getting closer to the truth. I have found my true path.”
Sang Dai curled the corners of her lips, her eyes full of smiles.
“My path is by my side. I must protect them, I must live on. I no longer want to be the one who awakens the Heaven-grade spiritual root; responsibility to me is nothing but vanity. I can’t die for others, I must live for them. This is the path I’ve found.”
“This immortal path is long, very long. Along the way, there will inevitably be bad things. Losing and gaining are equally valuable. If you look ahead, the unknown future may surprise you.”
She had once thought she couldn’t go on living, but Su Xuan had pulled her from the bloodied water.
She had once thought she might become a cripple, but she obtained the Immortal Velvet Grass and, with Ling yin’s help, cleared the toxins. She withstood two tribulations, and in just a few months, her cultivation had advanced a whole realm.
She had once believed she would never find Ying Heng, nor uncover the truth from back then, but now, Ying Heng had appeared, and the truth was gradually coming to light.
Everything seemed so beautiful.
Whenever she thought she might lose her way, she just had to persist a little longer, take a few more steps forward, and the fog would be blown away.
Shen Ciyu lowered his head and suddenly smiled. “Sang Dai, I’ve actually wanted to tell you, I’m truly sorry.”
Sang Dai responded, “I know, it’s alright.”
“Can we still be friends?”
“Yes.”
“When will your union ceremony with Su Xuan be held?”
“It should be soon.”
“Can you invite me? I’ll just give a gift and leave.”
“If you wish to come, of course you can.”
“Sang Dai,” Shen Ciyu smiled and said, “I hope you are safe in the future, living a happy and fulfilled life.”
Sang Dai smiled back and responded, “I also wish you a bright future and a smooth immortal path.”
After all, the future is long.
The journey is still far.
Shen Ciyu watched Sang Dai leave and walk toward the little fox, who was still sulking.
The two of them walked side by side.
A disciple stepped forward and said, “Sect Master, your father is here.”
Shen Ciyu turned around to see Shen Feng, whose eyes were darkened with exhaustion. He looked as though he hadn’t slept well, appearing particularly disheveled and worn.
Shen Ciyu noticed more white hairs in his father’s temples and the deep worry and heartache in his eyes, too heavy for him to bear.
“Ciyu…”
Shen Feng saw Sang Dai leave and thought his child was once again falling into self-inflicted misery.
But Shen Ciyu smiled at him.
“Father, I’ve figured it out.”
“I’ve let go.”
“It was my fault.”
He stepped forward, and the tall sword cultivator bent down to hug his father, who had been worrying about him all this time.
“Father, I should have taken on my responsibilities. I was too weak.”
Shen Feng hugged him and gently patted his back. “Ciyu, your mother and I have never regretted raising you this way.”
Shen Ciyu had been raised to be kind-hearted, to value responsibility too much, and to be so well-protected that he had never faced setbacks in life. He wasn’t as strong as Sang Dai, who could rise again after falling, while Shen Ciyu easily became stuck in his own thoughts.
But Shen Feng felt that his child’s kind-hearted nature wasn’t a mistake, and neither was his strong sense of responsibility.
Shen Ciyu should have been like this.
“My child, have you truly let go?”
“I’ve let go. Actually, from the beginning to the end, it was all me trapping myself.”
“Then your state of mind…”
“Don’t worry, Father.”
Shen Ciyu straightened up and smiled at him, his eyes curving.
“In ten years, I will enter the Grand Ascension.”
He was an awakened Heaven-grade spiritual root, the Sect Master of the Sword Sect, and the future leader of the Immortal Alliance across the Nine Provinces.
Shen Ciyu’s talent had never been lacking.
An awakened Heaven-grade spiritual root would always be tenacious.
—
“The Beast Realm has money, Dai Dai, don’t worry. Although Linglong Town’s houses were seriously damaged, I’ve already sent word to have spirit stones delivered, and the Immortal Realm will send more people. These houses will be rebuilt within seven days.”
Su Xuan explained while holding Sang Dai’s hand.
Sang Dai nodded. “Thank you for your hard work.”
The little fox, holding her hand, continued toward the inn. “Liuxue should be helping Lord Ying Heng with his injuries. He hurt himself on the way here, but it’s just superficial wounds. Don’t worry.”
Sang Dai had already treated Ying Heng’s injuries earlier, and indeed, they were just superficial wounds from all the falls he had suffered during the journey.
She trusted Liuxue, and hearing this, she relaxed. “Alright, I understand.”
The inn had been cleaned, and Su Xuan led her upstairs.
When the vines attacked the inn, they hadn’t been inside. The vines hadn’t entered the empty rooms, so their room was still relatively tidy.
Su Xuan took Sang Dai directly to the water room. After adding water to the tub, he used Hellfire to heat it. Efficiently, he began to undress.
Sang Dai quickly stepped back. “…Let’s wash separately?”
Su Xuan chuckled lightly. “There are only these few buckets of water in the room, and the inn isn’t completely cleaned up yet. No one has brought us more water, and this water was left over from earlier.”
Sang Dai turned her head away. “…I’ll go ask again.”
The little fox kissed her cheek. “I was just teasing you. Go ahead and wash first, I’ll go downstairs to fetch some more water, and then I’ll wash.”
Su Xuan ruffled her fluffy hair and then left the water room.
The room was left with only Sang Dai.
She let out a long breath, pressing down on her slightly racing heart.
After bathing, she changed into new clothes. Just as she was about to tie up her hair, someone walked up behind her.
Sang Dai smelled the fresh fragrance of someone who had just bathed. She turned around to look, and her lips were immediately blocked by his.
The little fox, having washed somewhere, had changed into clean clothes. His dark hair was half tied with a wooden hairpin, and a faint herbal fragrance lingered between his lips and teeth.
When Sang Dai saw it was him, her heart relaxed. She took the initiative to wrap her arms around his neck and return the kiss.
Su Xuan grasped her waist, lifting her to sit on the dressing table. He cupped the back of her head and kissed her, his other hand caressing her side.
After kissing for nearly a quarter of an hour, the little fox’s kisses began trailing down to her neck.
Sang Dai had just finished bathing, her body carrying the fresh fragrance of soapberry. Su Xuan took her soft flesh in his mouth and nibbled it.
Hearing her soft breaths and feeling her feeble cling, he realized he was kissing the girl he had loved for over a hundred years.
Sang Dai, somewhat dazed, asked him, “Su… Su Xuan, what about Master?”
“Immortal Lord Ying Heng has gone to sleep. He’s been traveling for several days,” Su Xuan murmured as he gently took her earlobe between his lips, his voice indistinct. “I want to stay with you for a while. Keep me company and rest with me.”
It was then Sang Dai noticed that he wasn’t wearing an outer robe, only inner garments.
The little fox, held the bottom of the sword cultivator‘s buttocks and walked to the bed while kissing her. Deftly, he removed her shoes and socks, loosened her outer robe, and tossed it to the side.
When Sang Dai realized he was untying the sash of her inner clothing, she slapped him on the shoulder.
“I thought we were just sleeping?”
“A little kiss before sleeping,” Su Xuan replied, kneeling between her legs. His fox-like eyes curved slightly, his mischievous smile carrying a hint of roguishness.
“I just passed my tribulation and feel full of energy. Let me devote it all to my precious one.”
Sang Dai covered his mouth with her hand. “Be quiet!”
“How about you, Dai Dai? Do you feel your spiritual energy surging after the tribulation?”
Sang Dai had to admit she did. It was normal for cultivators to feel a burst of energy after a successful tribulation.
Su Xuan untied the sash of Sang Dai’s inner robe and skillfully pushed aside the delicate fabric, leaning in to kiss her.
The sword cultivator arched her slender waist.