621: Lu Xueqi and Biyao (4)

Lu Xueqi was silent for a moment. She looked at Bi Yao's open and honest gaze, which held a fervor and directness that she could never possess.

"The righteous and the demonic walk different paths." Lu Xueqi slowly uttered those words, her voice as cold as ever, yet seemingly carrying a certain heavy meaning.

The light in Bi Yao's eyes dimmed for an instant, but then brightened again with a hint of stubbornness: "So what? I like him, that's my business. He is a Qingyun Disciple, that's his business. But what does any of that have to do with the fact that 'I like him'?" She paused, her tone lowering with an imperceptible trace of melancholy, "I know the rules of your Qingyun Sect, I know that righteous and evil cannot coexist. But I just fell for him. I can't control it, and I don't want to control it."

Lu Xueqi listened quietly, something deep in her heart being gently touched. Can't control it, and don't want to control it. How simple, yet how difficult. What about herself? Could she admit it so frankly? Even if she did, what then? Her sect, morality, the responsibility on her shoulders... layers of shackles, far more concrete and heavy than the phrase "the righteous and the demonic walk different paths."

"He will be in a very difficult position," Lu Xueqi said, unsure if she was speaking to Bi Yao or to herself.

The light in Bi Yao's eyes wavered. She pursed her lips and looked toward the side door where Su Han had left, whispering, "I know... so, I've never asked anything of him. I didn't before, and in the future... I probably won't either." Her voice held a hint of self-mocking bitterness, "To be as we are now, with him still willing to hold my hand and watch over me, I'm already... very content."

These words were spoken calmly, yet they exuded a deep-seated helplessness and sorrow. She could disregard everything to love, to give, and even to sacrifice, but she could not force a result. Because she knew better than anyone that what lay between them was a chasm more insurmountable than high mountains or deep seas.

Lu Xueqi looked at the pale-faced woman in green who had just escaped from the Ghost Gate Pass. She was the Young Miss of the Ghost King Sect, supposed to be a demon girl, an enemy. But at this moment, she was just an ordinary woman trapped by love, unable to obtain what she desired, her eyes clear and honest, yet filled with a heart-wrenching stubbornness and resignation.

The string in her heart named "Righteous and Evil" seemed to be gently plucked by something, producing a faint, discordant vibration.

"You should rest well." Lu Xueqi looked away, no longer watching Bi Yao, and instead gazed at the mysterious runes on the ceiling of the great hall. "The medicinal power needs a calm mind to dissolve. Su Han is just next door; I will call him if anything happens."

She did not respond to Bi Yao's frankness about "liking" him, nor did she speak further on the topic that had plunged them both into silence. Some things, understood tacitly, are heavier than when spoken aloud.

Bi Yao also tactfully stopped speaking, gave a soft "mm," and closed her eyes again. With Lu Xueqi by her side, although it felt a bit subtle, she strangely did not feel nervous or uneasy. Perhaps it was because the other had saved her, or perhaps it was the cold and upright aura the other emitted that made her subconsciously feel she could be trusted. Or perhaps, it was simply because they both shared a tangled and inseparable connection with the same person.

Fatigue surged again, and Bi Yao soon fell back into a hazy state of being half-asleep and half-awake. She could feel Lu Xueqi standing not far away, her aura cold and stable, like a silent guardian jade statue. She could also vaguely sense Su Han's familiar aura in the adjacent quiet room, slowly becoming steady and long as he worked hard to recover.

This feeling was somewhat strange. She, Bi Yao of the Ghost King Sect, while heavily injured, was actually being guarded—one openly and one secretly—by the two most outstanding Disciples of the Qingyun Sect (though Su Han was already somewhat different) within the Town Yue Tower of the Qingyun Sect.

The strangeness of the world's affairs was nothing more than this.

Time flowed in the silence. Lu Xueqi remained standing there, her posture as upright as a pine, cradling heavenly abyss, her eyes slightly closed, appearing to be regulating her breath or perhaps deep in thought. The light from the moonstones and the soul-stabilizing pearl complemented each other, stretching the two women's shadows onto the ancient floor, clearly demarcated yet creating a subtle, indescribable intersection due to the quiet space and the object of their shared protection. There was no dialogue between them, only the sound of even breathing and the faint, warm fragrance of the jade marrow rejuvenation pill slowly flowing through the air.

Until a certain moment, Lu Xueqi's closed eyes suddenly snapped open, her cold gaze directed toward the entrance of the great hall.

Almost simultaneously, the door to the side room was gently pushed open, and Su Han walked out. He had changed into a clean set of green robes, the fatigue on his face slightly diminished. Although his True Yuan was far from recovered, his spirit and energy were noticeably better. The first thing he did upon coming out was cast his gaze toward Bi Yao on the jade bed. Seeing her sleeping peacefully, he breathed a sigh of relief and then also looked toward the entrance of the great hall.

The sound of light footsteps approached, and Elder Mu's figure appeared at the entrance, carrying an ancient wooden box in his hand.

"Elder Mu," Su Han and Lu Xueqi greeted him simultaneously.

Elder Mu waved his hand and walked in. His gaze first lingered on Bi Yao's face for a moment, nodding slightly, then he said to Su Han, "Your complexion looks better, but your True Yuan is unstable. You still need quiet rest and must not recklessly circulate your True Qi again." He then looked at Lu Xueqi, "Martial Niece Lu's complexion has also improved much. Has the backlash from the Nine Heavens Divine Thunder been calmed?"

"It is no longer a major issue. Thank you for your concern, Elder," Lu Xueqi replied.

Elder Mu nodded, walked to the jade bed, and once again sent out a strand of True Yuan to check the condition inside Bi Yao's body. After a moment, a satisfied expression appeared on his face: "Very good. The medicinal power is being absorbed smoothly, and the repair speed of the Meridians and internal organs is even faster than expected. Miss Bi Yao has a deep Foundation and a determined will; her recovery power is startling." He opened the wooden box and took out a jade bottle. "This is the 'hundred herbs vein nourishing pill,' which gently nourishes the Meridians and assists the medicinal power of the jade marrow rejuvenation pill. Once she wakes up, dissolve half a pill in water for her to take, once a day."

Su Han respectfully took it: "Yes. Thank you, Elder."

Elder Mu then gave some instructions for quiet rest, especially emphasizing that although her Divine Soul had stabilized, the damage this time was no small matter. Within seven days, the soul-stabilizing pearl must not be more than ten feet away from her body and must be constantly nourished with gentle Spiritual Qi. Su Han kept every word in mind.

After finishing his instructions, Elder Mu looked at Su Han and Lu Xueqi standing side by side, then at the sleeping Bi Yao on the bed. His white eyebrows twitched almost imperceptibly, but in the end, he said nothing, only sighing softly and leaving with the words, "This old man will return later." It was better for an old man like him to stay out of the affairs of young people.

After Elder Mu left, the great hall returned to the silence of the three (with one sleeping).

Su Han walked to the jade bed and looked closely at Bi Yao, confirming her breathing was steady and her face had regained some color under the nourishment of the medicinal power. Only then did he turn to Lu Xueqi and solemnly thank her again: "Senior Sister Lu, thank you for looking after her just now."

Lu Xueqi shook her head slightly, her gaze glancing over the jade bottle containing the hundred herbs vein nourishing pill in his hand, and said, "It was my duty. Since you have finished your meditation, I shall..."

Before she could finish, Bi Yao on the bed let out a very soft moan, her long lashes fluttered, and she slowly opened her eyes. This time when she woke up, there was less haziness and more clarity in her eyes.

"Su Han..." Her voice was still weak, but much clearer. (End of Chapter)