Chapter 20: How Dare You Trust Him?
This novel is translated and hosted on BCatranslation
Quan Ye stumbled back in disbelief, finally collapsing to the ground, tears streaming down his face like rivers. This strong, eagle-like man looked down at his hands in despair, muttering to himself in a broken whisper, “How… how could this have happened?”
He had always pulled his punches. During past spars with Yu Zhao, he never unleashed his full strength, limiting himself to barely half his capacity. At times, carried away in the fervor of the moment, he might have exerted up to seventy percent. Yu Zhao would end up with a few bruises, but nothing serious had ever resulted before. How could he have lost control so disastrously this time?
“Quan Ye! You monster! You’ve ruined Little Six’s path in cultivation! You deserve nothing less than death!” Fang Cheng Lang’s voice thundered in fury.
Hearing this, Su Ming staggered, then charged forward with a rage-filled roar. He grabbed Quan Ye by the collar, his anger manifesting in a barrage of punches. One, two, three powerful strikes landed on Quan Ye’s face.
Quan Ye said nothing, accepting the blows, his expression filled with deep regret.
“Enough, stop it!” Lan Zi Yu attempted to intervene, pulling at Su Ming, but was forcefully shrugged off.
“Second Brother, don’t hold me back! I must avenge Little Zhao!” Su Ming bellowed.
“Enough with the chaos!” Lan Zi Yu snapped coldly. “We need to focus on Sixth Junior Sister’s condition right now. As for Fifth Junior Brother, let Master decide his punishment.”
Begrudgingly, Su Ming ceased his assault and rushed back to Yu Zhao’s side. Cui Jue had just administered some medicinal herbs to her, and her complexion was beginning to recover, her breathing growing steadier.
Su Ming’s heart was heavy with sorrow. Yu Zhao’s cultivation level had plummeted from the initial stages of Foundation Establishment to the mere ninth level of Qi Refining, erasing three years of diligent training. The thought of how devastated Yu Zhao would be upon awakening haunted him.
Cui Jue capped the jade bottle of medicine and turned to Fang Cheng Lang with a grave expression, “Her physical injuries are under control, but the damage to her spiritual foundation is permanent. She’ll have to rebuild from the very beginning.”
Fang Cheng Lang, holding the unconscious Yu Zhao, felt a surge of guilt. Despite warnings from Zhou Jin Yue about Quan Ye’s impulsive nature, he had failed to prevent this catastrophe. He shared as much blame as anyone else present, perhaps with the exception of their youngest junior sister.
Overcome with remorse, Fang Cheng Lang carried Yu Zhao back to her cave residence, the group following in silence.
As they entered Yu Zhao’s stark, almost empty cave, everyone was taken aback. The cold, barren room was unfit for a young woman, starkly contrasting the warmth one might expect. Fang Cheng Lang’s heart sank further as he thought of Ye Cong Xin’s well-appointed, luxurious room. This stark difference underscored the severity of Little Zhao’s ascetic lifestyle.
Even Su Ming, who had never before visited Yu Zhao’s cave, was struck by a wave of guilt at the sight. The simplicity was akin to that of a monk’s abode.
Lan Zi Yu and Cui Jue also pondered over their misunderstandings about Yu Zhao, realizing they knew far less about her than they had thought.
After gently placing Yu Zhao on her stone bed, Fang Cheng Lang softly stroked her hair, his voice cutting through the chilly air, “Junior Sister… Enough. Fourth Junior Brother, stay here and look after Little Six. The rest of you, follow me to meet with the Master.”
His tone left no room for argument.
“Yes,” they all murmured, acutely aware of Fang Cheng Lang’s simmering wrath.
Leaving Cui Jue to care for Yu Zhao, Fang Cheng Lang led the weary Quan Ye, along with Su Ming, Lan Zi Yu, and Ye Cong Xin, up the path toward the peak of Lone Moon Mountain.
…
In the quietude of the cave, Cui Jue sat beside Yu Zhao’s bed, his gaze fixed intently on her tranquil face.
After several moments of silence, he whispered, “Little Zhao, don’t you want to see your Fourth Brother?”
The cave remained enveloped in silence.
Yu Zhao lay there, her expression peaceful, seemingly oblivious to the world around her.
Cui Jue continued, his voice soft yet filled with a hint of uncertainty, “Is it because Fourth Brother did something wrong? Is that why you don’t want to face me?”
“Is it still about the herb garden incident? Was I too harsh when I scolded you? Are you angry with me?”
“Fourth Brother never meant to blame you harshly. I just wanted you to be more cautious and honest.”
Typically reserved and sparing with his words, Cui Jue became more animated and patient when addressing Yu Zhao. Despite his earnest dialogue, the person on the bed gave no response, leaving his words to dissolve into the air as a heavy sigh.
Yu Zhao, who was actually feigning sleep, listened to Cui Jue’s confessions with a detached air, finding them increasingly irksome. She had grown tired of such speeches in her previous life.
Whether it was Cui Jue, Fang Cheng Lang, or Su Ming, they always judged based on appearances and dismissed the need for deeper explanations.
The herb garden incident was a prime example. As an alchemist, Cui Jue had a constant need for fresh herbs, so he established a garden on Lone Moon Peak. These herbs weren’t rare but were vital for his work. Given his frequent retreats for alchemical pursuits, Cui Jue had entrusted Yu Zhao with the garden’s upkeep.
For years, Yu Zhao had tended the garden diligently, even deepening her knowledge about herb care. There had never been an issue until, right before one of Cui Jue’s important alchemy sessions, he found several herbs in poor condition, some even withered.
Upon investigation, he discovered traces of Dragon Tongue Flower roots in the irrigation water. While the flower’s leaves and petals were harmless, its roots contained potent toxins. A small patch of these flowers was part of the garden, and Cui Jue immediately concluded that Yu Zhao had carelessly allowed the roots to contaminate the water while collecting other herbs. He rebuked her severely for this oversight.
This novel is translated and hosted on BCatranslation
Yu Zhao fervently denied these accusations. Having managed the garden more meticulously than anyone, she was confident in her practices and knew she hadn’t harvested any Dragon Tongue Flowers recently. She suspected sabotage.
Despite her explanations, Cui Jue dismissed them as mere excuses, convinced that no one else on Lone Moon Peak would interfere with the garden. Unable to prove her innocence, Yu Zhao had to accept the blame, straining their relationship significantly.
For the reborn Yu Zhao, this incident from her past life was just a distant memory, no longer significant. She had endured far graver and more painful betrayals.
There had been a time when Cui Jue, who once treated her almost like a younger sister, who had soothed her to sleep, who had taught her the intricacies of herbs, would one day administer a poisonous pill to her. He had watched indifferently as she writhed in pain, clawed at her skin, and convulsed violently, only to coldly declare, “This is your punishment for bullying Little Junior Sister.”
How could Yu Zhao ever trust him again after such betrayal? How could she dare to trust him ever again?