Appreciating New Tea with an Inkstone - Chapter 73

After laughing, Ye Qinming suddenly thought of something. Gu Xiyan had merely been reminded of something because of a vague similarity, but Ye Qinming had grasped a crucial detail.

That lingering soul bore hatred toward Gu Xiyan’s past life, in other words, Divine Lord Zhuoqing. For it to harbor such intense resentment and possess such abilities, to even dare covet the Sword of Annihilation—Jimie—within the Demon-Slaying Array; who could it be?

This was not the right time to discuss it. But now that the thought had taken root, urgency surged within her. She had to send someone to investigate immediately. If that person had truly escaped from that battle with Qiongqi, it would explain why they held such animosity toward Gu Xiyan.

Yet something felt strange—Ye Qinming had also participated in that great battle. His fate was, in part, her doing as well. So why was he solely targeting Gu Xiyan?

As these thoughts crossed her mind, her brows knitted tightly. She fixed her gaze on Gu Xiyan, unable to hide the concern in her eyes.

“Your Majesty, what’s wrong?” Guiche asked in a low voice, noticing her unusual expression.

Ye Qinming snapped out of her thoughts and shook her head. After a moment of contemplation, she ordered, “Send people to secretly watch over the area near the Demon-Slaying Array. If anyone suspicious approaches, report immediately. Also, keep an eye on whether anyone from the Immortal Realm is eyeing the Demon-Slaying Array.”

“Understood.”

“Your Majesty, why focus on the Demon-Slaying Array?”

Ye Qinming took a deep breath, her eyes dark and solemn. “If Taiyi dares to open the Four Directions Demon-Slaying Array, then I will take that thing!”

Baize and the others’ expressions shifted slightly, as if they wanted to speak but ultimately remained silent. If the Four Directions Demon-Slaying Array was activated, the Demon Realm would face catastrophe. At that point, the consequences of Jimie’s resurgence would no longer matter.

But Ye Qinming was thinking even further ahead. If that lingering soul was truly Qiongqi, then what he sought was undoubtedly Jimie. Given his current strength, obtaining it would allow him to grow exponentially. And if… She glanced at Gu Xiyan. If he acquired Gu Xiyan’s spiritual body, he could even be reborn.

She stood up and addressed the others. “There’s no need to panic about the Four Directions Demon-Slaying Array for now, but we must monitor the Immortal Realm’s movements. Guiche, return and guard your post—do not let them cross even a step over the Underworld Water. The rest of you are dismissed.”

The Bird Clan chief glanced at Liuli before rising to bid Ye Qinming farewell. Soon, everyone had left—except for Liuli, who remained standing in the tent.

Ye Qinming was about to take Gu Xiyan’s hand when she caught sight of Liuli’s furrowed brows and asked, “Is there something else?”

A trace of bitterness flickered in Liuli’s eyes. Ye Qinming never took her words to heart. Forcing a smile, she said, “Your Majesty, have you forgotten? I mentioned before that I found a treasure in the Desolate Lands. It possesses considerable mystical power, but I’ve only scratched the surface of its capabilities. I came to present it to you, as your knowledge far surpasses mine—you’ll surely recognize its true potential.”

With that, she extended her hand, revealing an ornately carved, hollowed-out stone mirror in her palm. The mirror surface was polished stone, rough and unrefined, while its frame was inlaid with four gemstones of different colors. Despite its antique and imposing appearance, it was clearly no ordinary spirit mirror.

Ye Qinming, intrigued, took the mirror and casually asked, “What does it do?”

No sooner had she spoken than the four round gemstones on the mirror’s frame emitted a dazzling light. The four-colored radiance instantly merged upon the mirror’s surface.

Ye Qinming’s gaze darkened. Just as she moved to throw it away, she felt an invisible force restraining her, forcing her to stop mid-motion. Her eyes became fixated on the mirror, and a wave of dizziness overwhelmed her, making her feel intensely uncomfortable. Clenching her teeth against the disorientation, she rasped, “Liuli… you…”

Gu Xiyan had already sensed the unusual surge of spiritual energy. The moment Ye Qinming spoke, unease gripped her, and she immediately reached out to grab her. “Qinming!”

But Ye Qinming stood frozen, like a statue rooted to the ground. She did not react at all to Gu Xiyan’s touch. In the next instant, Gu Xiyan heard a voice coming from the mirror in Ye Qinming’s hands.

At the same time, she noticed Ye Qinming’s entire body tensing. Her left hand was clenched so tightly that her knuckles audibly cracked.

Gu Xiyan had intended to take action, but the voice from the mirror struck her like a bolt of lightning.

“Where is she?”

The voice was as cold as ice, filled with fury and malice. Yet it was a voice Gu Xiyan knew all too well—it was Ye Qinming’s.

Amid the chaotic sounds of battle, a steady yet faintly mocking male voice followed.

“She will be here soon. But as the ruler of the Demon Realm, you broke the covenant and attacked the Nine Heavens, killing my celestial generals. Ye Qinming, what do you think she will feel? What will she do?”

Who was this man? Breaking the covenant and storming the Nine Heavens—was this… the scheme that shattered Ye Qinming’s demon core a thousand years ago?

Beyond this, Gu Xiyan could no longer process anything. She could only clutch Ye Qinming’s shoulders tightly as they both seemed to sink into an abyss of endless darkness.

The voice was like a sharp blade, slicing through Gu Xiyan with excruciating clarity. Meanwhile, Ye Qinming’s amber eyes had turned completely red, and her entire presence exuded an oppressively dark aura as she fixed her gaze on the image before her.

She saw herself on the Nine Heavens, fighting alongside Xuanshui in a desperate battle against the Immortal Realm deities. She saw that esteemed Divine Lord of the Three Realms appear before her, and as she approached with unguarded joy, a sword pierced straight through her body!

Whether it was her heartache or the pain of Hongmeng Sword impaling her, her body trembled uncontrollably. Scalding tears streamed continuously from Ye Qinming’s wide, unblinking eyes, yet they carried a chilling coldness as they landed on Gu Xiyan’s stiff hand. In the next moment, they felt like molten lava, scorching her to the point of shivering.

Gu Xiyan desperately wanted to speak, but her throat was so constricted that not a single sound could escape. All she could do was watch as Ye Qinming spiraled deeper into despair, dragging her down into complete devastation along with her.

So forgetting couldn’t take away the pain after all. Even if she couldn’t see it, Gu Xiyan felt as though her heart had been stabbed a thousand times over, leaving her in unbearable agony.

Ye Qinming watched helplessly as Divine Lord Zhuoqing—whose face was identical to Gu Xiyan’s—drove the sword in again, shattering her demon core. And then, without the slightest hesitation, the sword was withdrawn. No pause, no reluctance. Even as she collapsed weakly to the ground, Zhuoqing simply stood there, watching her in silence with those eternally calm eyes.

A strangled sound escaped from Ye Qinming’s throat—a mix of resentment and despair, almost like a sob. Her blood-red eyes fixated on the high and mighty Divine Lord in the image, just as they had a thousand years ago in the final moments before her death. She had searched for the faintest hint of hesitation, pain—anything, even a sliver of pity. But there was nothing. Absolutely nothing!

A sudden, guttural scream tore from her throat, her crimson eyes burning like bleeding fire. Her demonic energy exploded outward in a violent surge, sending Gu Xiyan flying, while even Liuli was forced back several steps. The stone mirror was thrown from her hands, shattering against the ground. In an instant, the images vanished.

Liuli’s expectations crumbled completely. She hadn’t anticipated Ye Qinming’s pain would be so unbearable. Seeing the blood-tinged tears at the corners of her eyes, her hatred for Zhuoqing deepened—and with it, her hatred for this blind woman!

Gu Xiyan let out a muffled cough, blood spilling from her lips. The pain in her body dragged her consciousness back to clarity. Struggling forward, she rasped, “Qinming, calm down… don’t… don’t use your demonic energy.” She couldn’t even say the words “calm down” properly. What right did she have to ask Ye Qinming to calm down?

Ye Qinming, nearly consumed by madness, let out a pained groan before suddenly dropping to her knees, clutching her head with both hands and slamming it against the ground.

The pain in her head felt like it would split her apart. And in that moment of complete collapse, something inside her mind seemed to crack open. Countless fragments flooded in, surging chaotically as they pieced themselves together within her memory.

Zhuoqing’s figure, their past—blurred yet relentless—flashed through her mind. From their fierce clashes to their passionate entanglements, from knowing each other to their souls intertwining. But no matter how vividly they resurfaced, they would vanish in an instant, slipping beyond her grasp. The only thing left behind was an overwhelming, undeniable pain, so sharp it made her scream uncontrollably.

“Qinming? Qinming?” Gu Xiyan’s face was ashen. She practically threw herself forward, kneeling as she tried to hold Ye Qinming back.

Liuli’s expression also changed dramatically, and she moved swiftly to intervene—only to be forcefully pushed back by Gu Xiyan’s sudden burst of spiritual energy. In that instant, Liuli felt as if she were facing Zhuoqing herself.

But this gentle woman, usually as serene as white jade, had no trace of her usual warmth. Instead, she nearly spat out two cold, biting words.

“Get lost!”

She was blind, yet at that moment, the pressure in her gaze was suffocating.

She wrapped her arms tightly around Ye Qinming, pressing her head against her chest, holding her trembling body as her own voice quivered uncontrollably. “Don’t do this… please, don’t do this. If you’re in pain, take it out on me—just don’t hurt yourself. Qinming… Qinming…”

There was no sharpness left in her voice, no tranquil composure. Only desperate pleading and barely restrained anguish.

Ye Qinming’s agony was unbearable. She clutched Gu Xiyan’s hands with such force that her trimmed nails dug deeply into her flesh.

No one knew how long it lasted before Ye Qinming finally stopped struggling, yet she still did not let go. Only faint, broken sobs escaped from within Gu Xiyan’s embrace—each one slicing into Gu Xiyan’s heart like a knife.

Liuli, pale-faced, could only stand frozen. She stared at Gu Xiyan with a gaze so filled with hatred that it seemed she wanted to tear her apart.

In the next moment, Ye Qinming clutched Gu Xiyan and slowly lifted her head. Her blood-red eyes, like fogged-over rubies, locked onto Gu Xiyan’s face in a haze of confusion. Light and darkness interwove within them, love and hatred tangled together, making her look almost deranged.

Before Gu Xiyan could say a word, Ye Qinming suddenly grabbed her by the collar, clutching her tightly as she screamed in a hysterical frenzy, “Why? Why?! Why don’t you ask, don’t listen, and just treat me this way? I promised you—I promised I would never do anything to upset you. Why don’t you believe me? Why won’t you trust me?! Zhuoqing! Zhuoqing, I hate you! I hate you!”

Every word of her anguished accusation was drenched in blood and sorrow, leaving Gu Xiyan gasping for breath, unable to respond. The overwhelming hatred in Ye Qinming’s voice felt as if it would be the death of her. Of course, she had always known this day would come. If what they said was true, who could possibly accept being treated so cruelly by the one they loved most?

Gu Xiyan’s face flushed red, and she shut her eyes as if resigning herself to death. Tears fell ceaselessly, streaming down her face. Outside, Mujin sensed that something was wrong and rushed in. When she saw that Ye Qinming was strangling Gu Xiyan to the point of turning blue, she avoided Liuli and lunged forward, shouting angrily, “Ye Qinming, let go of my lady! She can’t breathe! You bastard, what the hell are you doing?!”

She struck out with her palm, one hand reaching to snatch Gu Xiyan away. Ye Qinming turned her head sharply, her blood-red eyes glaring fiercely at Mujin, startling her into hesitation.

In a sudden shift, Ye Qinming released Gu Xiyan and shook her head violently. On the other side, Gu Xiyan finally managed to draw in air, coughing violently.

Mujin had already heard some of the commotion from outside, and now she hurriedly supported Gu Xiyan, her face filled with worry as she cast an uneasy glance at Ye Qinming.

Ye Qinming smacked herself hard several times, her breath ragged. The moment she heard Gu Xiyan’s uncontrollable coughing, she darted a glance at her—but then, as if burned, she quickly averted her eyes. Clutching her head, she furrowed her brows tightly, and blood suddenly spurted from her mouth before she collapsed to the ground.

Mujin froze in shock, and Liuli, caught off guard, cried out in panic, “Your Majesty!”

Gu Xiyan was still struggling with her coughing, but upon hearing the noise, she covered her lips and staggered forward—only to be stopped by the tip of a sword pressing against her chest.

Mujin instantly tensed, shielding Gu Xiyan behind her while glaring daggers at Liuli. Liuli’s eyes were filled with anguish as she looked at Ye Qinming, but when she turned back, her gaze burned with hatred and fury.

“She’s suffering like this because of you! If you had just died and disappeared completely, she wouldn’t be in so much pain. What right do you have to love her? You chose the Immortal Realm—you should have let her go! Why did you reincarnate only to keep clinging to her?” Liuli’s voice was raw, almost screaming.

Gu Xiyan said nothing, but her trembling hands at her sides betrayed her pain.

Mujin was seething with rage, practically ready to tear Liuli apart.

“And what right do you have to judge?! Saying my lady has no right to love her—does that mean you do? With that venomous mouth of yours, always bullying my lady—maybe you’re just jealous that your so-called ‘Majesty’ is so desperately in love with my lady and doesn’t even spare you a glance!”

“Ah Jin.”

“What did you say?!” Liuli lost her composure, her voice cracking. But instead of anger, her face betrayed a deeper wound, as if Mujin’s words had struck right at her heart.

Gu Xiyan stopped Mujin, shaking her head weakly. Her voice was quiet, almost lifeless, drained of all strength and vitality. “Ah Jin, don’t say such things about her.”

Mujin’s heart ached unbearably. What exactly had happened? Ye Qinming had been so kind to her lady before—how had it come to this? And even now, Gu Xiyan was still trying her hardest to protect her, refusing to let a single harsh word be spoken against her.

If that was the case, then why were they tormenting each other like this?

(T/N: Tbh the author has so many typos that I almost went mad correcting it at times. They mentioned the Four Directions Demon-Slaying Array in four, almost completely different terms, that even I wasn’t sure anymore if they were all the same thing or not. But the way they were described seemed like they pointed only to one same thing, so I decided to translate it as such. If you find some oddities, feel free to let me know and give me your reasoning! In any case, there will be some angst here, but it won’t be long! It won’t get to the point where you wish you could throw your point across the room… I promise!)