Chapter 30

“I wonder if Sister Lingyu would be willing to be my Dao companion?”

After the words came out, Qu Panyan realized what she had just said. The smile on the corners of her mouth froze instantly, and her heart leaped to her throat. Her face was filled with regret.

Damn it damn it damn it! What did I just say?!

Qu Panyan, do you have a death wish??

She hasn’t even developed feelings for you, and you have the audacity to say something like this even with the Heavenly Will’s support?!

The atmosphere instantly became awkward, and the silence around them was maddening.

Qu Panyan silently withdrew her gaze, not daring to look at Su Lingyu’s expression.

I have no face to live. I would rather die…

Qu Panyan could only clear her throat and force a smile, trying to break the awkwardness. “Sister Lingyu, I was just joking—”

“It’s possible,” Su Lingyu suddenly said.

Qu Panyan: “I was just kidding…”

Su Lingyu replied, “I can be your Dao companion.”

Su Lingyu didn’t really know why she agreed in the first place.

Perhaps it was because Qu Panyan’s smile was so touching, or maybe it was because Qu Panyan looked so pitiful when she was afraid of thunder, yet faced tribulations fearlessly. 

Possibly, it was for some other reason, the reason hidden deep within her heart, one that she couldn’t fathom.

Qu Panyan: “…”

Following a brief silence, Qu Panyan’s blood suddenly boiled, and her emotions surged like turbulent waves, unable to calm down for a long time. Her cheeks flushed, and her ears felt like burning.

She said she would…

She was willing to be her Dao companion!

Qu Panyan was so excited that she couldn’t contain herself. At the same time, a familiar feeling rose in her heart. She quickly let go of Su Lingyu and kept sneezing repeatedly.

Qu Panyan silently wiped away the tears in her eyes and inwardly complained: Why do I sneeze whenever I get excited? What’s wrong with me?

Suddenly, a shadow fell in front of her, and a slender hand with five fingers rested on her forehead, feeling a bit cool.

The warmth from the palm still lingered, and Su Lingyu frowned as she withdrew her hand. “I’ll have someone prepare some porridge for you. Once you’ve had it, rest early.”

She glanced at the door, looking hesitant. She wondered if it was still thundering outside. Would she be scared if she opened the door now? After all, Qu Panyan was scared to the point of losing color just from hearing thunder, let alone seeing the fierce lightning with her own eyes…

Qu Panyan deduced something from Su Lingyu’s expression. It seemed like she was contemplating whether to open the door and call for the spirit servant.

No way! If it was still thundering outside, wouldn’t it be putting her life at risk?

Qu Panyan hurriedly grabbed Su Lingyu’s arm and said. “I won’t eat anymore, I can just rest!”

Su Lingyu asked, “Are you fasting?”

Qu Panyan shook her head.

Su Lingyu said, “Being sick consumes energy. You still need to eat something to recover your strength.”

A bright idea flashed in Qu Panyan’s mind, and she took out the Qianbao pouch that Qu Muqiu had given her. After rummaging through it, she took out two small, plump, cherry-like fruits with a bright red color.

The two fruits were called Spirit Fruits, nourished by abundant spiritual energy, they possessed a remarkable shelf life of one or two years without spoiling. The taste was similar to cherries, sweet with a hint of sourness, and one fruit was enough to substitute for a meal. They were commonly carried by cultivators when they traveled.

Qu Muqiu had a habit of being prepared for the worst. No matter where she went, she would always have everything prepared and stored in the Qianbao pouch. Spirit Fruits were naturally part of the provisions.

Qu Panyan held the Spirit Fruits in her hand and said, “My sister has prepared Spirit Fruits for me. I’ll eat these, so your spirit servants don’t have to go through the trouble.”

Su Lingyu nodded and told her to eat quickly.

Having Spirit Fruits indeed saved her a lot of trouble. Qu Muqiu’s habit of putting everything into the Qianbao pouch had not changed.

Qu Panyan swallowed one of the Spirit Fruits in one go and immediately felt her strength returning. Su Lingyu poured her a cup of warm water to moisten her throat, and Qu Panyan took the cool white jade cup with a beaming smile, saying, “Thank you, Sister Lingyu.” She then obediently drank the water and planned to put the cup away by herself.

Seeing this, Su Lingyu stopped her by holding her wrist and took the cup from her hand. She placed it back on the table and walked back to the bedside. She took out a blood-red, intricately patterned jade from her sleeve and presented it to Qu Panyan, saying, “Wear this for now.”

Qu Panyan was puzzled as she accepted the jade. At the moment of contact with the jade, a warm and gentle flow spread from her fingertips, enveloping her whole body in a comforting warmth that dispelled any chill. She asked, “What is this?”

Su Lingyu replied calmly, “It’s a protective fire jade I prepared for An Cheng.”

The cold on Tailing Peak is too severe for ordinary cultivators to endure, so the spirit servants and mountain guards there must practice ice-based techniques. However, An Cheng is not proficient in ice-based cultivation, and his cultivation level is not deep enough to withstand the cold on Tailing Peak. Therefore, out of consideration for him becoming her Dao companion, Su Lingyu prepared this fire jade to protect him from the cold and keep him company on Tailing Peak.

However, he is no longer worthy of using this jade, and he doesn’t need it anymore. So, Su Lingyu left it aside and didn’t think much about it until Qu Panyan fell ill, which reminded her of the jade.

Su Lingyu said, “It’s a bit impolite to give you something that was prepared for An Cheng, but currently, I only have one jade, so you’ll have to use it temporarily. I will find a new one for you later.”

Qu Panyan’s fair fingers rubbed the fire jade as she attentively listened to Su Lingyu. When she mentioned An Cheng, she spoke plainly and without any reservation, as if she were talking about a stranger with no connection to her. This made Qu Panyan certain—she truly no longer liked An Cheng, to the point where she didn’t even have the energy to dislike him.

Su Lingyu could pick up and let go of things. Of course, the price of her “letting go” was born entirely by the other party.

Though Qu Panyan still couldn’t understand how such a divine-like sister like Su Lingyu could have been interested in someone like An Cheng, who was not good in any aspect—was it normal for everyone to have moments of blindness?

In that case, she was grateful that her own judgment was so good that she fell in love with this celestial sister who descended to the mortal world at first sight.

Qu Panyan put on the protective fire jade and smiled, saying, “Thank you, Sister Lingyu. Then I’ll wait for my own jade.”

Seeing that she didn’t show any signs of disgust, Su Lingyu felt relieved and said, “Lie down and cover yourself with the quilt.”

Qu Panyan blinked, “Do I really have to cover myself completely?”

Su Lingyu nodded.

After being scorched with heat just a moment ago, Qu Panyan pondered for a moment and asked, “Sister Lingyu, can I just use one layer?”

Su Lingyu’s bedding was comfortable and extremely warm. Even with one layer, Qu Panyan felt overly heated. Adding three layers would undoubtedly make her sweat profusely, no exaggeration.

Su Lingyu heartlessly replied, “No.” She treated the current Qu Panyan as someone who could fall ill just by being blown by a gentle breeze.

Qu Panyan tried to protest, “But it’s really hot… And I’m wearing the fire jade!” If I have to cover myself with three layers, I’ll really go crazy from the heat!

Su Lingyu’s gaze met hers, calm and unmoving, showing no intention to give in. Though the protective fire jade was effective, for someone like Qu Panyan, who was essentially an ordinary person, even one layer of blanket couldn’t be omitted.

Qu Panyan remained silent for three seconds, knowing her protest was futile. She obediently took out the Fire Bell Silk from her sleeve and placed it at the bedside. Then, she turned and retrieved the three layers of quilt she had pushed away earlier, layer by layer, and covered herself with a docile demeanor. She then lay down and turned her head, blinking at Su Lingyu with her bright eyes twinkling like stars in the sky, pleading for praise.

Su Lingyu sat by the bedside, her expression softened with a faint smile, “Panyan is such a good girl. Sleep now.”

Qu Panyan extended a hand and weakly said, “There’s still thunder…”

Her hand was warm due to the fever, and Su Lingyu gently held it in her palm. Ripples of tenderness spread across her calm heart, and the coldness in her eyes and brows softened further, “Don’t be afraid. Sister Lingyu will stay here with you.”

Qu Panyan smiled brightly, and in that moment, all the beauty in the world seemed to melt into her innocent and captivating smile. It made Su Lingyu’s heart skip a beat, leaving her momentarily dazed and trance-like.

With a hint of uncontrollable joy in her voice, Qu Panyan responded, “Mm!” Then she closed her eyes obediently and went to sleep.

Su Lingyu instantly snapped back to reality, looking at the hand she held in her palm, which was as delicate and smooth as a baby’s skin. She fell into silence, pondering why she was in a daze.

What…What happened to her just now?

Su Lingyu furrowed her brows, seemingly lost in thought.

As soon as Qu Panyan closed her eyes, the scene of Su Lingyu agreeing to become her Dao companion would automatically appear in her mind. The memory was fresh, and the words were still echoing in her ears, unforgettable.

Qu Panyan was both delighted and astonished. Su Lingyu was someone who neither joked around nor did she make promises lightly. She didn’t need to accommodate anyone, either. She lived freely and proudly, categorizing her actions into “willing to do” and “not willing to do.”

Since she said “willing,” she must genuinely mean it.

Her willingness filled Qu Panyan with ecstasy as if she was lifted to the clouds. She was so happy that she didn’t dare to ask “why” anymore.

She feared that it might be because of Su Lingyu’s “benevolent” and broad-minded nature, and she didn’t want to hear that answer, so she chose to remain silent.

But for Su Lingyu to bear the Heavenly Thunder Tribulation on her behalf…

Qu Panyan reconsidered and realized that she didn’t want that anymore. Regardless of how powerful Su Lingyu was or whether she could withstand it, Qu Panyan didn’t want Su Lingyu to endure the Heavenly Thunder Tribulation for her—she felt heartache, and she couldn’t bear it.

—Who would willingly let their beloved person be struck by thunder!

Qu Panyan abruptly opened her eyes with a ‘pop’ and tightly held Su Lingyu’s hand, her lips moving, “Sister Lingyu, I was just joking earlier…”

Being pulled back from her myriad of thoughts, Su Lingyu was puzzled, “Hmm?”

Qu Panyan said, “I don’t want Sister Lingyu to be my Dao companion.”

Su Lingyu’s brows furrowed slightly, and she felt a strange emotion—why did she feel a bit unhappy hearing this?

Why not her as the Dao companion?

Then, who did she want as her Dao companion?

Why wasn’t she suitable?

Unconsciously, Su Lingyu asked herself these three soul-searching questions and suddenly realized something was wrong. She silently adjusted her mindset, telling herself to stay calm.

Qu Panyan didn’t notice the turmoil in Su Lingyu’s heart; she only saw that her expression didn’t look too good, appearing a bit displeased.

Does she think I was playing with her?

No, no, this isn’t right. Sister Lingyu would never think like that!

Qu Panyan quickly explained, “It’s because I can’t bear to let sister Lingyu endure the Heavenly Thunder Tribulation on my behalf.”

Seeing a slight relaxation in Su Lingyu’s facial expression, Qu Panyan breathed a sigh of relief, then continued, “Sister Lingyu has already experienced the Thunder Tribulation once, and I can’t bear to let her go through it again just for me. Besides, my sister won’t agree to it either.”

“Just now, I was just making a joke. Sister Lingyu, please don’t take it to heart…”

It’s not that she doesn’t want Su Lingyu, but she can’t bear to see her suffer…

Su Lingyu’s exterior remained as calm as water, but her heart inexplicably felt relieved. She gazed at Qu Panyan without moving, her smile ambiguous as she said, “You’ve become bolder, daring to joke with me?”

Everyone in the world knew that the high and mighty Sect Master Su always had a cold and beautiful face, exuding an aura of pride that made people respect and keep their distance. No one would dare to offend her, let alone joke with her.

Even if the words weren’t fully spoken, lives would be lost.

But Qu Panyan was different. Su Lingyu’s kindness towards her was something others could only dream of. It was a divine guidance destined by the heavens.

Moreover, Su Lingyu’s demeanor was calm, and the surrounding temperature was normal. So when Qu Panyan heard those words, she remained composed. She calmly sat up and embraced Su Lingyu’s arm, her gaze flickering as she coquettishly said, “Sister Lingyu, I was wrong…”

Su Lingyu’s heart rippled slightly.

Then she heard Qu Panyan whisper, “But next time, I still dare do it again.”

Su Lingyu lowered her head to look at her forehead and asked, “Hmm?”

Qu Panyan giggled mischievously, then swiftly lay back down, held the corner of Su Lingyu’s clothes, and closed her eyes, pretending as if nothing had happened.

Su Lingyu shook her head helplessly, and with a flick of her finger, several books flew from behind the folding screen, neatly stacked themselves in front of her.

Since she promised Qu Muqiu that she would take good care of Qu Panyan, she would keep her word. She picked up a book, intending to spend the night reading and guarding over her.

The room soon returned to tranquility, so quiet that one could hear Qu Panyan exhaling.

After a while, Qu Panyan opened her eyes again, “Sister Lingyu.”

Su Lingyu’s gaze shifted from the book to her.

Qu Panyan said, “I’m so hot.” As she spoke, she couldn’t bear the heat and kicked away one layer of the blanket.

Su Lingyu originally wanted to say, “You have the fire attribute, you shouldn’t feel hot,” but then she realized that Qu Panyan’s current physique wasn’t much different from an ordinary person’s, so feeling hot was normal.

Su Lingyu pressed her lips together and asked, “…Is it really that hot?”

Qu Panyan nodded solemnly, a few beads of sweat already forming on her forehead. She kicked away another layer of the blanket, proving that she was about to explode from the heat.

Su Lingyu half-lowered her eyelids, looking at the beads of sweat on Qu Panyan’s forehead. “No more kicking the blanket.”

Taking Su Lingyu’s tone as a concession to only use one layer, Qu Panyan happily replied, “Okay!” and contentedly went back to sleep.

With two fewer layers of heavy blankets pressing on her, she felt much more relaxed and comfortable, feeling that even her stuffy nose wasn’t as bothersome.

Su Lingyu glanced at her once more before shifting her gaze back to the yellowed pages of the book. Her voice was calm as she said. “Feet.”

Qu Panyan’s little feet, which were exposed to the cool air, quickly retreated with a “whoosh,” and then she continued to sleep as if nothing happened.

Finding her small actions adorable, Su Lingyu’s eyes gradually filled with amusement. A faint smile curved on her lips as she silently accompanied Qu Panyan.

However, in the middle of the night, Qu Panyan was so hot that she felt like she was going crazy. She became very irritable in her sleep and kicked the blanket once again as if she were on a blazing mountain of flames.

Su Lingyu looked at the blanket hanging on the book. “…”

Putting down the book, she properly covered Qu Panyan again with the blanket.

“No more kicking the blanket,” she reiterated.

Qu Panyan unconsciously mumbled a response and finally settled down.

Throughout the night, as thunderstorms raged outside, the two of them accompanied each other, undisturbed by the elements, until the sky became clear and the morning light shone brightly.

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In the middle of the night, thunder and rain clashed outside the window, creating a constant commotion. Qu Muqiu sat in her study, reviewing the intelligence reports submitted by her subordinates while listening to Yan Wu’s report.

Although the thunder was deafening, it contrasted with a strange silence, so quiet that Qu Muqiu could only hear Yan Wu’s low voice, clear and distinct with every word.

Qu Muqiu suddenly raised two fingers to signal him to stop and then said, “Repeat what you just said.”

Yan Wu replied, “Liu Yizhi, the newly appointed family head of the Liu Clan in Linshan, has invited the Holy Child of the Skyfire Tribe back.”

Qu Muqiu’s first reaction was: They formed an alliance.

No matter what conditions the Holy Child of the Skyfire Tribe proposed, Liu Yizhi would definitely agree. After all, the Ancestor of Heavenly Fire is a formidable ally, and their alliance was an inevitable outcome.

Qu Muqiu set aside the information in her hand and leaned back slowly in her chair, with deep, bottomless eyes that were unreadable, making it hard to guess her thoughts.

Outside the window, the torrential rain was accompanied by booming thunder pounding on the windows. Despite the noisy commotion, it couldn’t suppress the heavy atmosphere in the room.

In the world of cultivation, noble families and sects stood in great numbers, seemingly harmonious on the surface, but in reality, they were full of dishonesty and schemes. Everyone wanted to be the strongest, and they kept each other in check, creating the current situation.

The current situation was not the best, but it was not the worst either. At least the heads of major families were willing to maintain a superficial harmony—even if it was just pretense.

But Liu Yizhi, who had just taken over the Liu Clan, was eager to target the Qu Clan and hurriedly make some achievements…

Qu Muqiu felt that Liu Yizhi was a reckless young man.

Perhaps he had forgotten that the Yue Clan, the ally of the Liu Clan, was becoming increasingly friendly towards the Qu Clan.

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Translator: Glariosa
Editor: iToon

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