Appreciating New Tea with an Inkstone - Chapter 54

Ye Qinming’s ability to intimidate demons was unquestionable. Although many of them did not know her identity, her sheer strength alone made titles irrelevant. At that moment, all the demons withdrew from Ying City.

Yuheng, despite feeling extremely stifled, was relieved to see the demons retreat. However, the thought of Yuxi brought him unbearable pain. If he had never taken that disciple, he would not have lost his life. But when he turned around and saw that the disciples who had been guarding Yuxi had all fainted on the ground, and that Yuxi’s body had disappeared without a trace, he nearly collapsed from the shock.

Gu Xiyan felt as though she had fallen into endless darkness. Her dreams were chaotic and fragmented—Ah Qi, Ah Da, her shizun, and her parents were all there. But she had no control over the dream, as if she were nailed in place, forced to watch them leave one by one.

The sorrow was overwhelming. She kept calling out to them, but nothing could stop them from walking away. In the end, everything in the dream turned white, leaving only her, alone and desolate.

Gu Xiyan slowly crouched down and sat dazedly on the ground, unsure of what to do. Then, she heard someone calling her name. The voice started soft but grew increasingly urgent, filled with worry.

She was stunned for a long moment before her thoughts gradually cleared. It was Ye Qinming. She immediately stood up, realizing that she could move again, and walked toward the voice.

A dazzling light appeared before her, making her squint. Then, all her senses returned.

Opening her eyes, she was met with darkness once again. The corners of her lips curled into a helpless smile—of course, she was blind. Thinking back to her dream, the figures of those people had already blurred. Aside from her parents, she had never seen what any of them truly looked like. Everything in the dream was merely a product of her imagination.

The realization dampened her mood, and she closed her eyes again.

“You’re awake. Did you have a nightmare?” Ye Qinming asked. She had heard Gu Xiyan calling out several names, all of whom had long since left her.

Reaching out, she took Gu Xiyan’s hand, then used her other hand to support her by the shoulder and helped her up.

Gu Xiyan did not speak immediately. She turned her face toward Ye Qinming. Though her eyes couldn’t focus, Ye Qinming could feel that she was looking at her.

At that moment, Gu Xiyan’s heartbeat was rapid and strong. After surviving a crisis and escaping a painful dream, she could finally process the fact that Ye Qinming was by her side. Even though she couldn’t see Ye Qinming, she was fully focused on sensing her presence.

Her voice, her breathing, her scent—they were all so close. The warmth of her hands was soft and real. Gu Xiyan was not someone who expressed emotions passionately. Even though eight years of longing surged within her, her expression remained as gentle and composed as ever. However, her subtle actions and demeanor revealed the depth of her feelings.

For the first time, Ye Qinming realized that emotions could be conveyed without words, without eye contact or facial expressions. Gu Xiyan simply sat there facing her, yet Ye Qinming could sense everything she felt, as if she were living inside her heart.

And Ye Qinming had to admit—she liked this feeling. To her, their separation had only lasted eight days. But for Gu Xiyan, it had been eight long years.

Eight years was enough to completely change a person, and yet Gu Xiyan had both changed and remained the same. Unlike the maturity she had once tried to imitate, she had now truly grown. Sitting there quietly, she exuded a calmness and depth that required no effort to display—like the moon in the night sky, gentle yet tinged with coldness, not dazzling but impossible to ignore.

At this moment, she was dressed only in a plain white inner robe. Her complexion was pale, making her look somewhat weak, yet she did not appear fragile. Though her clothes were slightly disheveled, her bearing remained dignified and poised.

The two sat in silence for a while before Gu Xiyan finally spoke, her voice soft. “I dreamed of Ah Qi and my shizun.” She lowered her head and said with self-mockery, “Even though I can’t see, in my dream, I clearly watched them walk further and further away. I could even vaguely see their faces. But when I woke up, I couldn’t remember any of it.”

Ye Qinming pressed her lips together, her gaze tender with sympathy as she listened to Gu Xiyan’s quiet words.

Ah Qi and Ah Da’s deaths had been a heavy blow to Gu Xiyan back then, and now, she had lost Yuxi as well. No one could understand her pain better than Ye Qinming. So, she simply listened in silence. Some things were better left unsaid until she was certain of them.

There was no one Gu Xiyan could confide in about her grief. Eight years ago, only Ye Qinming knew. And eight years later, it was still only Ye Qinming.

“They treated me so well, even gave their lives for me. But when they left, I couldn’t see what happened to them. I never even knew what they looked like when they were alive. Even if I were to meet them in the Underworld, I wouldn’t recognize them.” Her voice choked slightly, and she stopped speaking.

Ye Qinming let out a soft laugh, her voice gentle. “How could that be? You forget how sharp your nose and ears are. Even after all this time, you recognized me immediately. You may not have seen them, but I’m certain you’ve remembered them clearly. You would never fail to recognize them.” Seeing Gu Xiyan lift her head slightly, Ye Qinming leaned in and asked, “Do you feel unwell anywhere else? You’ve been asleep for three days.”

Gu Xiyan’s injuries had been severe, nearly shattering both her body and spirit. Even with Ye Qinming transferring spiritual energy to her, she had still remained unconscious for three days.

Gu Xiyan was startled. “Three days?” She suddenly thought of something and asked anxiously, “What about Mujin and the others? And Elder Yuheng…?”

“They’re fine. Mujin and the others are safe. As for the people from Dongzhou, even if they have any ideas, they wouldn’t dare act on them.”

Gu Xiyan fell silent for a moment before saying, “Shizun’s misfortune was indeed because of me. It’s not wrong for Elder Yuheng to blame me.”

Ye Qinming frowned slightly. “If that’s the case, then it was his fault for misjudging people and accepting a traitor, which led to his downfall.”

Her blunt partiality made Gu Xiyan laugh despite herself. But soon, she suppressed her smile and hesitated for a while before asking, “Didn’t you return to the Demon Realm? Why are you suddenly here? How is everything going with what you were working on?”

Ye Qinming’s gaze wavered slightly before she casually replied, “The Demon Realm barrier has opened, and many demons have slipped into the human world without permission. The situation in the Demon Realm is critical, so the barrier needs to be sealed again. Those demons who left should also be recalled to the Demon Realm. That’s why I came. I didn’t expect to find you being bullied like this.”

Gu Xiyan lowered her head and let out a bitter laugh. She was still too weak—without Ye Qinming, she would have died countless times already.

Seeing the bitter smile on her face, Ye Qinming frowned slightly but continued, “It’s only been eight years, and you’ve already become this powerful. You truly are extraordinarily gifted.”

Her tone was so serious that it was clearly deliberate, which made Gu Xiyan want to laugh. And indeed, the corners of her lips had already curved up. “Are you comforting me by flattering me?”

Ye Qinming’s gaze flickered. “I’m only stating the truth. How is that flattery?”

Gu Xiyan lowered her head and chuckled softly. Then, she suddenly lifted her head with a hint of confusion. “Is someone outside the door?”

Ye Qinming, seeing her tilt her head in puzzlement, felt an inexplicable itch in her heart. Ever since she returned, she found herself wanting to keep looking at Gu Xiyan. Although only a few days had passed for her in the Demon Realm, seeing Gu Xiyan again—after the initial worry and heartache faded—left a lingering sense of joy.

Gu Xiyan sensed that Ye Qinming was still staring at her in silence, so she called softly, “Qinming?”

Ye Qinming snapped out of her daze, shifted her gaze away, and unconsciously touched her nose. Then, her expression turned cold as she called out, “What are you sneaking around outside for?”

The person outside froze for a moment before bursting through the door, sounding indignant. “How is checking on my lady sneaking around?”

With that, Mujin rushed over and carefully examined Gu Xiyan, her eyes red. “My lady, you’re finally awake! Are you still feeling unwell anywhere?”

Mujin took Gu Xiyan’s hand, intending to check her condition, but Ye Qinming raised an eyebrow and blocked her hand, effortlessly pushing her aside. “I already treated her injuries—she needs rest. Don’t make a fuss.” Her tone was clearly different from when she spoke to Gu Xiyan, laced with disdain.

Mujin bit her lip and held back her irritation. This person had saved her lady’s life, and besides, she couldn’t defeat her. Remembering Ye Qinming’s overwhelming power and imposing demeanor back then, she didn’t dare to act out.

Gu Xiyan spoke gently, “Ah Jin, I’m fine. How is everyone else?”

Standing beside her, Mujin shot a glance at Ye Qinming before replying, “With her here, no one dared to make a move. Everyone got out safely. It’s just…”

“Just what?”

Mujin hesitated nervously. “When I heard you were in trouble, I went out to search for you. But by then, news about you had already spread everywhere. Sir Gu and the others heard about it too, so…”

Gu Xiyan’s heart sank. Over the years, she hadn’t deliberately concealed her identity, but she never used her real name when traveling. Even when she came to Ying, she had done so quietly to avoid drawing attention and prevent the Gu family from hearing about her.

After all, being blind and carrying the surname “Gu” made her too recognizable. Now that they knew, they were bound to be suspicious—it was likely causing them complete turmoil.

“Then, were you able to find them? How did they react?”

Mujin lowered her head and finally mumbled, “At the time, those cultivators from Dongzhou were all chasing after you, shouting about ‘purging their sect.’ Your parents couldn’t sit still and rushed to Ying City from the place I arranged for them. They’re probably eager to see you now, but… they’re afraid… afraid of her, so they haven’t come.” She shot a quick glance at Ye Qinming as she spoke.

Ye Qinming frowned slightly and shifted her gaze back to Gu Xiyan.

Gu Xiyan remained silent for a long time before finally saying, “They’ve lived peacefully these past years, and that ‘Gu Xiyan’ has stayed by their side for eight years. But I… Even if those cultivators back down now, to the world, my association with demons is already an undeniable fact. They believe I’ve slaughtered my sect members, caused my shizun’s death, and committed countless evil deeds. Right now, they fear Qinming—that’s the only reason they haven’t taken action. But once…”

She left the rest unsaid. Toward her parents, she already felt an unbearable sense of guilt. With her future shrouded in uncertainty—her life or death hanging by a thread—she didn’t want to shatter whatever hope they had left.

Ye Qinming looked at her and recalled the sight of her standing alone, listening to the sound of the departing carriage. Her voice was low as she said, “But even if you refuse to see them, they’ve probably already figured it out. This kind of coincidence is far too suspicious.”

Gu Xiyan said nothing.

Ye Qinming sighed softly. “Maybe they’re stronger than you think. You believe you’re protecting them, but you’ve never given them a choice. Xiyan, that’s not fair to them.”

A trace of confusion crossed Gu Xiyan’s face. She knew what she was doing wasn’t fair—but if she could hide the truth from them forever, wouldn’t that be a kindness in itself?

“Enough, don’t think too much about it for now. Get some rest. I need to go out for a while—take good care of your lady,” Ye Qinming said, rising to her feet and instructing Mujin.

Gu Xiyan straightened up slightly. “Where are you going? No—I mean, is there something else you need to do in the human world?”

Ye Qinming paused at the door and glanced back with a smile. “Mm. It’s best to bring those demons back to the Demon Realm, so I’m going to check on them. Don’t worry—I’ll be back soon.”

As soon as Ye Qinming left, Mujin leaned closer, her face full of grievance. “My lady, she’s so domineering! She didn’t let me take care of you these past three days—she completely monopolized you. Just now, she wouldn’t even let me touch you!”

“Cough, cough.” Gu Xiyan started coughing softly, her ears turning slightly red as she murmured, “Stop talking nonsense.”

“I’m not making this up! She’s been by your side the whole time—she wouldn’t even let me give you medicine,” Mujin insisted.

Suppressing the warmth rising to her face, Gu Xiyan teased, “How did she manage to bully the fearless Mujin?”

Mujin glanced around cautiously and then lowered her voice. “My lady, you don’t know how terrifying she was that day. She single-handedly suppressed everyone—no one even dared to breathe too loudly. Only you, being held in her arms, couldn’t feel it.” Gu Xiyan lowered her head and sipped the water Ye Qinming had poured for her, her ears turning even redder. Mujin, oblivious to her reaction, suddenly remembered something and asked, “My lady, you seem very different around her. That ‘old acquaintance’ you mentioned—was it her?”

Gu Xiyan froze for a moment. After a brief pause, her long eyelashes lowered slightly, and a soft, warm smile appeared on her lips. “Yes, it’s her.”

Author’s Note:
Mujin is truly a treasure.

Green Tea: My wife—of course, I’m going to monopolize her.
Mujin: My lady—I’m the one who should take care of her.
Green Tea: What do you mean ‘your lady’? She’s mine.
Mujin: I’ve been calling her ‘my lady’ for eight years—how is she yours?
Green Tea: You… you… I knew her first!
Mujin: Pfft. She’s not even your wife yet—what are you bragging about?
Green Tea: Hah! Just wait—I’ll be doing all kinds of “photosynthesis” with my wife!
Mujin: Shameless!