Appreciating New Tea with an Inkstone - Chapter 43

The scenery of the Fifth Peak was breathtaking. The pavilions and towers scattered across the mountaintop each had their unique charm. Surrounding one of the lofts were vast fields of medicinal herbs—some still in bloom, while most bore fruit. These fields not only added color to the sea of green but also infused the air with various fragrances.

After landing with the two others, Liancheng carefully reminded, “Shimei, slow down, don’t fall.”

Ye Qinming silently rolled her eyes. Then, seeing Gu Xiyan step onto the stairs without hesitation—and noticing Liancheng’s surprised expression—her mood improved significantly.

“This will be your room, Shimei. If you need anything, just let me know, and I’ll have someone send it over,” Liancheng said. Then, looking somewhat troubled, he glanced at Ye Qinming. “According to the rules, those without spiritual power—if they are family members—must reside in Dongzhou City. They cannot stay on the peak for long periods.”

Gu Xiyan’s steps paused, and her expression visibly darkened. Ye Qinming remained silent for a moment before responding, “I understand. I’ll leave once everything is settled.”

The matter they had both been avoiding was finally brought up. Having already delayed for several days, Ye Qinming had no choice but to leave.

Ye Qinming quietly watched as Gu Xiyan finished tidying up her room. Eventually, it was Gu Xiyan who broke the silence. “After leaving, you’ll go straight back to the Demon Realm, won’t you?”

“Yes. The Immortal Realm has already discovered me. I’m sure they’re preparing to hunt me down. Only by returning to the Demon Realm can I find some peace,” she said lightly. But Gu Xiyan understood just how difficult those words truly were.

“I’ve been holding you back. But now, at least I have a place to stay—one where I won’t have to fear those demons’ covetous eyes. You don’t need to worry about me anymore,” Gu Xiyan said, forcing herself to suppress her emotions.

Ye Qinming said nothing. She stared at Gu Xiyan for a long time before finally speaking. “I hope you can live a life of peace and happiness. And remember—never be without caution.”

As Gu Xiyan placed her clothing into the cabinet, her fingers rested on the edge. After a long pause, as if she had made up her mind, she asked, “Ye Qinming, will we ever meet again?”

Ye Qinming’s expression stiffened as if she had been struck. It took her a long time to answer, her voice dazed. “The Three Realms are not one and the same. A day in the heavens is a year on earth. The Demon Realm is no different.”

Gu Xiyan blinked, then gave a bitter smile. “Mortals only live a few decades. Even if one cultivates successfully, they may at best live a hundred years or so.” In other words, they were unlikely to ever meet again.

Would Ye Qinming even remember her—a mere drop of water in the vast river of her life?

Her chest ached with sorrow, yet she dared not show it. She could only continue rearranging the clothes she had already packed.

Ye Qinming felt as if her heart were being torn apart, but there was nothing she could say. She was destined to be just a passerby in Gu Xiyan’s life—someone who had met her at her worst and now had to leave just as quickly.

At last, Gu Xiyan stopped what she was doing and walked up to Ye Qinming. Just as Ye Qinming looked at her in confusion, Gu Xiyan suddenly raised her hand and cut a wound on her wrist. Blood gushed out.

Ye Qinming’s expression changed instantly. She grabbed Gu Xiyan’s wrist, her face paling. “Gu Xiyan, what are you doing?”

She hurriedly pulled Gu Xiyan’s hand over, intending to use spiritual energy to stop the bleeding. But Gu Xiyan evaded her grip, speaking solemnly. “You’re going to the Demon Realm—they must have already anticipated that. If anyone suspects you are the Demon Emperor, the ones sent after you will be formidable. Your journey back will not be smooth. You once said my blood is useful to you. Before you leave, this is the only thing I can give you.”

Ye Qinming’s brows furrowed tightly. “I don’t need it yet. You don’t have to do this.”

Gu Xiyan lowered her gaze slightly. “Once we part ways, I have no way of knowing what you will face—whether you will be safe or in grave danger. I know you’re powerful, but even you cannot stand alone against the entire Immortal Realm. I worry for you. Yet I cannot escort you, nor can I protect you. This is the only thing I can offer you now—it’s just a small comfort for myself. Will you accept it?”

Her expression dimmed, and the refined beauty of her features was laced with a sense of helplessness and silent pleading. Seeing this, Ye Qinming felt an ache deep in her heart.

After a long silence, Ye Qinming looked at the blood-streaked wrist, then lowered her head and placed her lips over the wound.

Blood always carried a metallic taste—thick and pungent. But Gu Xiyan’s blood had a strangely pleasant flavor, its scent not overpowering but subtly sweet. It was something that would entice any creature of the supernatural. And for Ye Qinming, it was even more irresistibly alluring.

Gu Xiyan’s lips were pressed tightly together. The soft, warm tip of Ye Qinming’s tongue brushed against her wound, bringing a slight sting. As Ye Qinming’s lips gently sucked and drew the blood, Gu Xiyan could feel the slow loss of it, letting out a quiet breath.

But it only lasted for a moment. Soon, Ye Qinming stopped and began to lick the blood that had trickled down her wrist. The sensation, mixed with the lingering pain, brought an indescribable feeling. With each movement of her tongue, a shiver ran down Gu Xiyan’s spine, making her entire back tingle. In the end, Gu Xiyan lowered her head, biting her teeth together in silent restraint, her ears burning red.

Ye Qinming lifted her head and gazed at the person before her. In her eyes was a tenderness she could no longer suppress—but Gu Xiyan remained completely unaware.

The wound on Gu Xiyan’s wrist had already healed. She frowned slightly. “Is that enough? You only drank a little.”

Ye Qinming sighed helplessly. “Do you want me to drain you dry?” Her lips, stained with Gu Xiyan’s blood, were as red as cinnabar, exuding an alluring beauty. After licking the remaining traces of blood from her lips, Ye Qinming lowered her voice and said, “If you think that’s not enough, there’s another way.”

Gu Xiyan froze, and before she could react, she felt a soft touch on her lips. Her back straightened instinctively, her hands clenched tightly at her sides, and her heart pounded wildly in her chest.

A flame flickered in Ye Qinming’s eyes as she pried open Gu Xiyan’s lips and kissed her deeply. This time, she was more awake and aware than ever—clear about exactly why she was kissing her.

Gu Xiyan struggled slightly at first but soon quieted and accepted the kiss. All the emotions buried deep in her memory surged up, and as if realizing this might be their last time together, she cast aside her suppressed feelings and responded with growing passion. Ye Qinming’s eyelashes trembled softly as she wrapped an arm around Gu Xiyan’s waist, pulling her closer.

No one knew how much time passed before they finally parted, breathless. Ye Qinming’s eyes, tinged with red at the corners, shimmered with an irresistible allure. She gently placed a finger against Gu Xiyan’s chest, feeling the uncontrollable pounding of her heart beneath her fingertips. A low, husky laugh escaped her lips—sensual and intoxicating. “Gu Xiyan, you like me, don’t you?”

She felt Gu Xiyan’s body stiffen for a moment, but soon it relaxed again. Gu Xiyan raised her head to meet Ye Qinming’s gaze. The flush from their earlier intimacy still lingered on her face, but her demeanor remained composed and restrained. Only the faint pallor of her tightly pressed lips betrayed her silent adion—and the raw vulnerability she could no longer hide.

Ye Qinming’s eyes grew hot and stung with unshed tears. She turned her head away, curling her fingers to wipe at the corner of her eye, but her voice still carried its usual teasing tone. “You’re so boringly reserved.”

Hearing those words, Gu Xiyan couldn’t hold herself together any longer. A trace of sadness slipped through her expression—a fragile, thread-like sorrow that wound itself tightly around Ye Qinming, as though it had caught in her throat and choked back the harsh words she had meant to say.

She had wanted to sever Gu Xiyan’s feelings completely. Yet now, an inexplicable wave of emotion surged up within her. Fixing her gaze on Gu Xiyan, she bent down and held her close, whispering in a dazed murmur by her ear, “Gu Xiyan… If you really like me, then become an immortal.”

If she became an immortal, maybe—just maybe—they could meet again.

The warmth in her arms vanished suddenly, leaving only an empty chill. Yet the lingering heat at her ear was a stark reminder of everything that had just happened.

A disciple on the Fifth Peak caught a glimpse of a streak of light flashing by. After blinking a few times and seeing nothing else, he scratched his head and went back to his tasks.

Gu Xiyan stood motionless in her room until sunset. Only when a knock sounded at her door did she finally come to her senses. She let out a long breath. From this moment on, she was alone. She would have to get used to being alone. Becoming an immortal—how long would that take? A lifetime probably wouldn’t be enough.

Even though a hollow ache pierced through her heart like a cold wind, she showed no trace of pain on her face. She walked steadily to the door, opened it, and greeted the visitor in a gentle voice. “Which fellow disciple might this be?”

The one who knocked, Liang Jin, was momentarily stunned when the door opened. The person standing there was as warm and refined as jade, as graceful as bamboo. Her delicate face held a faint, serene smile—like a spring breeze—too stunning for words.

***

Meanwhile, Ye Qinming left Mount Gan directly through Dongzhou without a single glance back. She didn’t even know what she was afraid of—or perhaps she did, but refused to acknowledge it.

Spreading her divine sense, she carefully examined her surroundings. The human world was already filled with intertwining demonic and immortal auras, a sign that the Immortal Realm had made significant moves.

Her only path back to the Demon Realm lay through Zhuoguang Mountain in the Northern Wasteland. But it was obvious the Immortal Realm knew this as well. If they failed to capture her in the human world, Zhuoguang Mountain would undoubtedly be a deadly trap.

Concealing her presence, she traveled carefully and finally stopped thirty miles away from Zhuoguang Mountain.

From a distance, she could see the mountain range shrouded in a layer of gray mist, forming a stark contrast to the bright sky beyond.

The barrier between the Demon Realm and the human world had been disturbed, allowing demonic energy to seep through. Though the mountain itself was not barren, years of exposure to the Demon Realm’s malevolent aura had left it cloaked in an eerie gloom. From afar, the faint outline of a swirling vortex could be seen hovering above the mountain’s peak.

Ye Qinming’s gaze darkened as she looked at the vortex. She had no doubt that once she crossed over, the Immortal Realm’s forces would be lying in wait, ready to trap her.

Calming her thoughts, she settled into a seated position in a hidden spot, quietly contemplating her next move.

For seven days, Zhuoguang Mountain remained eerily still. In the human world, birds and beasts are always active—Zhuoguang was no exception, normally—but for seven days, it was as silent as a barren wasteland.

Ye Qinming was waiting for an opportunity. The ones outside wouldn’t break the silence themselves—but the Demon Realm had never been known for keeping the peace. She was waiting for her subjects to create the perfect opening for her.

On the ninth day, the long-dead silence of Zhuoguang Mountain was finally broken. The swirling vortex in the sky above the mountain’s peak suddenly turned pitch black, spinning faster and faster until it churned like boiling water.

Ye Qinming shook her head. Thankfully, Zhuoguang Mountain was located deep in the Northern Wasteland, far removed from the human world—otherwise, with such a commotion, it was as if they wanted the whole world to know a demon was emerging.

A great demon breaking out of the Demon Realm and entering the human world—could those immortals possibly sit still and watch? The gods, who were sworn to eradicate demons and protect the peace between the two realms, would never tolerate a savage demon stepping into the already fragile Mortal Realm.

The vortex abruptly stopped. From within, a man in a loose, dark gray robe emerged halfway. This demon—or rather, this devil—had a bluish tint to his skin and a pair of eerie green eyes. Even among the demon clans, he was clearly considered a repulsive being.

In that instant, Ye Qinming detected a ripple of immortal energy, but it quickly faded into silence. She let out a cold laugh. “They’re really holding back—more self-righteous than ever.”

Without another word, her eyes darkened as she moved. Silent and swift as lightning, she flashed across the peak of Zhuoguang Mountain. At the precise moment the devil fully broke through the barrier, she appeared before the vortex and stepped inside.

Breaking through the boundary to return was no easy feat. The fact that Ye Qinming could slip into the vortex unhindered was a rare occurrence. Instantly, the air around her grew heavy with tension.

Six beams of spiritual light came crashing down on her like a violent storm. As a sword materialized in her hand, she grabbed the startled devil beside her with her left hand. “Immortal Realm agents,” she said coolly.

The devil—known as a Nightmare Fiend—had intended to stir up chaos in the Mortal Realm. He was shocked to be met with such a fierce assault the moment he arrived. Without hesitation, he raised his sleeve to shield himself and joined Ye Qinming in deflecting the six incoming blasts of spiritual power.

The combined strike of six immortals was nothing to scoff at. Without this “meat shield,” Ye Qinming would have struggled to escape injury. But with the Nightmare Fiend absorbing most of the force, she quickly identified the weakest among them. In an instant, her sword—Bixiao—split into eighteen phantom blades that shot toward the weakest immortal in a relentless barrage.

One figure scrambled back in panic, swinging his sword desperately to fend off the rapid assault. But he was no match for Ye Qinming. Forced into retreat, he had no room to counterattack. Finally, two sharp sword beams pierced through his body. With a scream, he fell from the sky as another immortal lunged forward to catch him.

Tianshu and Tanlang, accompanied by two other heavenly generals, immediately charged after Ye Qinming. If they delayed even a moment longer, the Demon Emperor would return to the Demon Realm unscathed. At the same time, Tianshu sent an urgent message to the Heavenly Realm—if it truly was the Demon Emperor, only the highest gods could subdue her.

Ye Qinming’s eyes narrowed—this was the critical moment that would determine her success or failure!