Appreciating New Tea with an Inkstone - Chapter 41

Ye Qinming had already made up her mind, though the decision did not bring her any comfort. Instead, a dull ache lingered in her heart.

She stayed awake the entire night, occasionally reaching out to feel Gu Xiyan’s heartbeat. Only when she sensed that faint but steady rhythm did she finally exhale and sit back.

With Ye Qinming’s spiritual energy nurturing her and the demon core within Gu Xiyan taking effect, her condition had stabilized significantly, even though she remained unconscious. Her breathing was still weak, but at least it was much steadier.

As the first ray of morning sunlight slipped through the window, it landed right on Gu Xiyan’s hand, which rested atop the bedding.

Her fingers were long and slender, fair and delicate, with smooth, rounded nails and well-defined joints. Though thin, they did not appear overly bony—just beautiful. Unable to resist, Ye Qinming reached out and gently took Gu Xiyan’s left hand, squeezing it lightly.

The touch was soft and fine. Ye Qinming played with her hand for a long time before realizing she was indulging herself again. Lowering her gaze, she looked at Gu Xiyan’s face.

Gu Xiyan was merely a mortal, yet in both character and appearance, she was the finest Ye Qinming had ever seen—whether among humans, demons, or even celestials. If not for the obligations that bound her, keeping Gu Xiyan by her side would have been like possessing a rare treasure.

Perhaps she was simply too perfect. That was why the heavens had made her blind and thrust her into so many dangers.

Thinking of the entity that had set its sights on Gu Xiyan, Ye Qinming let out a quiet sigh. In truth, fate had indeed tied the two of them together. Ye Qinming had never believed in destiny, dismissing it as nothing more than a fabrication used by the gods to deceive mortals. Yet, at this moment, she found herself beginning to believe in such an elusive notion.

In this vast world, amidst an endless sea of people, she had encountered Gu Xiyan at precisely the right time and place. Ye Qinming could not fathom any reason she would have spared Gu Xiyan that day, yet she had hesitated. She had been unwilling to strike her down. But now, it seemed their fate was a cursed one.

Taking a deep breath, Ye Qinming glanced in the direction where the battle had taken place the previous day. Xingshi and Rizhuo were dead. The Heavenly Realm had likely already caught wind of it. Fortunately, those two had sought to claim credit for the kill and had not had time to send a message before their deaths. Even if the Heavenly Realm knew something had happened, they might not yet know she was responsible. Still, to be safe, she needed to take Gu Xiyan and hide for a while.

Wasting no time, Ye Qinming lifted Gu Xiyan into her arms and erased every trace of their presence from the room. A thick layer of dust settled over the bamboo house, making it look as if it had been abandoned for years.

She had no intention of destroying it. As for why, Ye Qinming did not wish to dwell on the reason. Silently, she concealed her presence and left.

***

When the fire god received the news of Xingshi and Rizhuo’s deaths, his face darkened instantly.

The two had followed him for millennia, and he knew the extent of their cultivation. The demons that had escaped from the Abyssal Prison had been sealed away for thousands of years and were already riddled with wounds. Even if the Demon Emperor of old had returned, she might not have been able to kill them so easily. Who would dare to so boldly eliminate two immortal generals of the Heavenly Realm?

“They left no message at all?” The fire god gritted his teeth, struggling to contain his fury.

Liaokuang, standing uneasily before him, hesitated before responding, “No. We tracked their last traces but only found a battlefield in complete disarray. The demonic energy there was immense, and we also detected the aura of a Ghost Marsh Black Serpent. There was more than one demon present.”

“Useless fools! Keep searching! Since this happened on Mount Gan, then scour every inch of it!” The fire god roared, sweeping the bamboo slips from his desk in a fit of rage.

“Yes! I will give the order immediately.” Liaokuang bowed and turned to leave but was stopped by Yanyang.

Flames flickered in Yanyang’s eyes as he spoke, “Wait. I will report this to the Heavenly Emperor. We’ll have the wind god and water god join the effort.”

***

“You mean… Xingshi and Rizhuo encountered her?”

The Heavenly Emperor abruptly stood up, his expression shifting between shock, anger, and murderous intent.

Yanyang’s face was solemn. “Someone who could silently kill Xingshi and Rizhuo, and whose lingering energy is pure wood-element cultivation… How many in the Demon Realm could have refined wood-based techniques to such a level?”

Taiyi, standing beside the celestial desk, pressed his fingers deep into the surface. The water god, Xuanming, merely cast a glance at Yanyang, but the wind god’s expression visibly changed.

After a long silence, the man wearing a golden crown finally lifted his gaze and said in a low voice, “Wind God, Water God, Fire God—send your most trusted generals to the Mortal Realm immediately. If necessary, lead the celestial troops yourself. Find her, and when you do—kill without mercy.”

“Yes!”

“Your Majesty,” Xuanming stepped forward and looked at Taiyi. “The Immortal and Demon Realms have already begun their war at the Underworld River. The great generals have all led their troops into battle—are you planning to recall them now? Moreover, whether the culprit is truly the Demon Emperor remains uncertain. Even if they are, they were able to kill two heavenly generals without leaving a single trace. Even if our people find them, how could they possibly slay them?”

Taiyi’s expression darkened, his presence exuding authority. “Are you questioning my decision, Water God?”

Xuanming bowed slightly, his tone calm. “I wouldn’t dare—I only urge Your Majesty to reconsider.”

Taiyi’s face remained grim, but he did not lash out. He knew Xuanming’s words were true. However, the Demon Realm was already being thoroughly suppressed by the Immortal Realm and posed no immediate threat. The real disaster would come if Ye Qinming managed to return to the Demon Realm.

After a moment of silence, Taiyi ordered, “Recall Tianshu and Tanlang from the front lines and send them to the Mortal Realm. If they find any trace of her, they are to report to the fire god immediately. If she has truly regained her strength, she will not remain in the Mortal Realm for long. And if it is indeed her, then slaying her will be an easy task for the fire god.”

“Understood,” the wind god and fire god responded in unison. Xuanming said nothing further and only lowered his head in acknowledgment.

“One more thing—send Fengshuo with them. And tell Tianshu to not let her act alone. Every one of her actions must be closely monitored.”

Xuanming’s gaze darkened slightly before he followed the two out of the grand hall. As soon as they stepped outside, Yanyang shot him a sidelong glance and said mockingly, “It seems like the water god doesn’t agree with the decision to kill the Demon Emperor.”

Xuanming smiled gently. “Whether the culprit is the Demon Emperor or not—let’s discuss that after the fire god actually kills them. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

Watching Xuanming leave so nonchalantly, Yanyang felt his irritation grow. He scoffed coldly. “He’s one of the Four Great Heavenly Gods, yet he spends his days idly wandering about, acting as if he has no responsibility for the safety of the Immortal Realm. That hypocritical air of detachment is truly unbearable.”

The wind god chuckled. “The fire god is as hot-tempered and straightforward as ever, but I understand your concern—whether the culprit is the Demon Emperor or not, we must take this matter extremely seriously. If another Demon Emperor were to rise and return to their peak, we wouldn’t have another Divine Lord Zhuoqing to deal with them.”

At the mention of that name, the fire god’s expression shifted slightly. Whatever thought crossed his mind made him momentarily silent—an unusual sight. Without another word, he turned and walked away swiftly.

The wind god watched his retreating figure and sneered. “It’s been a thousand years. What’s done is done—why the guilty conscience?”

***

The Immortal Realm was thrown into turmoil over this matter. Meanwhile, the Demon Realm had received word that the seal on the Abyssal Prison of Demons had been broken, allowing a group of demons to escape—some of whom had successfully returned to the Demon Realm. The rumors they brought back sent shockwaves throughout the realm.

Not only had the former Demon Emperor not perished, but she had also managed to escape after being imprisoned for a thousand years. This was a monumental event for the Demon Realm.

The demons currently had no ruler. Of the Four Great Demon Kings, Baize was in seclusion, and Jiuying had no interest in the matter. However, the remaining two had once served under Ye Qinming. They did not even wait to verify the truth of the rumors before sending people to the Mortal Realm to search for her.

What made the situation even more pressing was that news had arrived from the front lines—the Immortal Realm was also searching for someone. This only made the rumors more credible. As a result, Guiche and Feidan gathered their demon soldiers at the Underworld River once again, launching an attack to keep the Immortal Realm occupied. Meanwhile, two of Ye Qinming’s former subordinates, Menghuai and Liangqu, had already gone to the Mortal Realm.

***

Ye Qinming was unaware of the far-reaching consequences her actions had caused, though she had expected trouble to follow. She now had the power to break through the Demon Realm’s barrier, and time was running out. If she did not return soon, she might lose her chance altogether.

She carried Gu Xiyan to a secluded mountain cave and set up a Spirit-Extinguishing Array around it. Within a ten-mile radius, all fluctuations of spiritual energy were now under her control.

Gu Xiyan remained unconscious. Ye Qinming lowered her gaze to the woman resting on her lap, her expression unreadable. A long silence filled the cave before she finally let out a quiet sigh.

She gathered spiritual energy in her palm and pressed it gently against Gu Xiyan’s abdomen. The demon core inside her dantian had undergone a complete transformation.

What was once a demon core infused with the thousand-year power of the Ghost Marsh Black Serpent was now entirely enveloped by Gu Xiyan’s spiritual energy. The core’s originally dark and violent demonic power was being refined the moment it tried to emerge. At this rate, Gu Xiyan would eventually be able to absorb it completely and make it her own.

At this realization, an unsettling thought crept into Ye Qinming’s mind. Gu Xiyan had defied the natural order to a terrifying extent. If the Immortal Realm ever discovered what she had become, they would undoubtedly claim her as their own.

Although Gu Xiyan’s past life remained a mystery—whether she had been an esteemed immortal or a great god—one thing was certain: the Immortal Realm would never let such a prodigiously gifted reincarnated god slip through their grasp. And when that time came, Gu Xiyan and she would…

Ye Qinming furrowed her brows. She couldn’t bring herself to harm Gu Xiyan, yet she absolutely refused to let the person she had painstakingly nurtured become a weapon for the Immortal Realm, only to one day stand against her in battle. Being betrayed once was more than enough.

Staring at the vast expanse of stars outside the cave, Ye Qinming’s gaze was calm and unfathomable. She had no choice but to make a decision, no choice but to be cautious. Lowering her eyes to the sleeping Gu Xiyan—who had dozed off at dusk and had yet to wake under the starry sky—she gently brushed a strand of hair from her temple and murmured, “I hope we never reach that point. And I hope that in the future, you won’t have to rely on anyone… that you can live as peacefully and leisurely as you did with the Gu family.”

At those final words, a faint ache bloomed in Ye Qinming’s chest. That was probably what Gu Xiyan longed for most—but it felt far too distant.

She sat in silence, her presence so still and subdued that she seemed to merge into the cave itself, as though she didn’t exist at all.

***

When Gu Xiyan finally awoke, the vast, starry sky at the cave entrance was breathtakingly dreamlike.

But Gu Xiyan couldn’t see it.

Winter was approaching, and the nights on Mount Gan were eerily quiet. For a moment, she wondered if she had already crossed into the underworld. Had she been blind in life, only to remain blind in death as well?

Her thoughts ran wild, but as her senses gradually returned, she became aware of the soft, pliant surface beneath her head. Startled, she froze—until a familiar voice, low and steady, reached her ears.

“You’re finally awake?”

Gu Xiyan’s throat was unbearably dry, and her body felt weak. She let out a hoarse cough, trying to ease the discomfort. Just then, a stream of cool water flowed into her mouth, carrying the delicate fragrance of her favorite tea.

“…Qinming?” she called cautiously.

“Mm,” Ye Qinming responded. “Do you feel unwell anywhere?”

Gu Xiyan pressed a hand to the wound on her chest and tried to sit up. Ye Qinming reached out from behind, supporting her shoulders and back to help her rise.

“No, just weak,” Gu Xiyan replied. Then, as if remembering something, she asked, “Where are we? And what about you? Were you hurt?”

Seeing that the first thing Gu Xiyan did upon waking was worry about her—without even realizing how close she had come to dying beneath those arrows—Ye Qinming felt a complicated tangle of emotions. She grasped Gu Xiyan’s hand. “I’m fine. We’re still on Mount Gan, but I moved us to another cave to avoid being found.” She hesitated for a moment before adding, “You were unconscious for six days. From now on, take better care of yourself. Don’t recklessly throw your life away for others—it’s pointless.”

Gu Xiyan said nothing.

The moment she awoke, she had sensed something off about Ye Qinming. The usual bold confidence in her demeanor was missing, replaced by an inexplicable gloom, as if the radiant sun had been obscured by heavy clouds.

Her long lashes fluttered slightly before she spoke, her tone calm. “You’re not ‘others.’”

Ye Qinming turned to look at her but quickly forced herself to look away. The corner of her lips curled in faint derision. “There’s no difference between me and anyone else.”

Gu Xiyan remained silent. 

She sat quietly beside Ye Qinming, the stillness between them so absolute that it felt as if she had never woken at all.

After a long time, she finally asked in a soft voice, “When are we leaving?”

Ye Qinming let out a bitter laugh. This little blind girl truly had a perceptive heart. Even without sight, it was impossible to hide anything from her.

“When you’ve recovered a bit more, I’ll take you to Dongzhou,” Ye Qinming said. “There… you can find a master on your own and focus on cultivation.”

Gu Xiyan didn’t respond.

The two of them simply sat there at the mouth of the cave, enveloped in silence, as though Gu Xiyan had never awakened at all.