Chapter 15: Her Promise, They Don’t Deserve It
This novel is translated and hosted on BCatranslation
Zhou Jin Yue always believed in seeing the good in people. Even when she had disagreements, like with Quan Ye, she handled them with grace and delicacy.
In sharp contrast stood Yu Zhao, whose words today cut through the air like a cold breeze. “A person’s true nature isn’t altered by their surroundings. Even a caged beast remains thirsty for blood.”
The realization struck Zhou Jin Yue forcefully, her pupils widening in shock. She stared at Yu Zhao, disbelief painted across her face.
With a slight smile, Yu Zhao posed a pointed question, “So, Senior Sister Jin Yue, considering this, what do you think Quan Ye is up to on Lone Moon Peak?”
Quan Ye used training sessions as a facade to hurt Yu Zhao. After leaving her bruised, he’d show up with a face full of guilt, tenderly applying ointment to her wounds and begging for forgiveness. Yet, inevitably, the cycle would resume.
Yu Zhao held respect for her eldest senior brother, Fang Cheng Lang, but harbored a deep, unsettling fear of Quan Ye, the fifth.
A storm of shock, disbelief, and anger swirled in Zhou Jin Yue’s eyes. The audacity of Quan Ye to harm Yu Zhao, his own junior sister, was unthinkable.
“And the others on Lone Moon Peak? Why did no one stop him?” Zhou Jin Yue wanted to ask why Yu Zhao hadn’t sought help from the sect leaders, but she checked herself, recognizing she shouldn’t blame Yu Zhao for her suffering.
“They tried, but it was never enough. I was often left alone,” Yu Zhao replied, pausing before adding, “Besides, Quan Ye once saved my life.”
That one act of heroism had bound her to him in gratitude. Yu Zhao recounted how Quan Ye had whisked her away from the sect, only to inadvertently leave her in a perilous forest. With no combat skills, she faced a deadly beast and would have perished if not for Quan Ye’s timely return.
From then on, Yu Zhao felt indebted to him, enduring further harm without complaint.
Reflecting on the past, Yu Zhao recognized her naivety. Quan Ye was only there to save her because he was the one who had placed her in danger initially. Moreover, she had saved his life multiple times since. Any debt she owed him had long been repaid.
“You’re being foolish! Just because he saved you once doesn’t mean he can do whatever he wants to you!” Zhou Jin Yue was seething with anger, her sense of justice deeply offended.
This conversation was a revelation for her. From the outside, the disciples of Lone Moon Peak appeared noble, but beneath that facade, darkness lurked.
“Did Quan Ye also steal your chance to explore the Thorny Secret Realm?”
Yu Zhao’s smile was tinged with sadness as she nodded. Despite her own desires, she couldn’t overcome Quan Ye’s domineering threats.
Zhou Jin Yue’s frustration was palpable; her hands trembled with rage. She had imagined Yu Zhao’s life on Lone Moon Peak as peaceful, unaware of the torment she endured. Had she known the truth, she would have kept Yu Zhao close on the main peak.
Impulsively, she blurted out, “Junior Sister Yu Zhao, come live with me on the main peak!”
Yu Zhao was momentarily stunned before she gently declined. “Senior Sister Jin Yue, I appreciate your offer, but I don’t want to impose on you. Besides, I’m not the same person I used to be. I promise, they won’t hurt me anymore.”
She was thankful for Zhou Jin Yue’s concern but did not want to bring her any trouble. The complexities of dealing with people from Lone Moon Peak were not something she wished upon her friend.
Yu Zhao knew she had debts to settle from her past life, debts that needed resolution in this one. “How can I leave, knowing they might fall deeper into darkness without my presence?”
Seeing the firm resolve in Yu Zhao’s eyes, Zhou Jin Yue relented but made her promise to seek help on the main peak if ever she needed it.
Yu Zhao expressed her gratitude to Zhou Jin Yue and reiterated her commitment to helping her Senior Sister avoid a bleak destiny.
Once they returned to the sect, they parted ways. Yu Zhao retreated to her cave, diving into the task of cataloging her recently acquired treasures. This time, she had managed to claim thirteen items from Su Ming as repayment for past debts. Among these, twelve were poised to stir significant interest in the cultivation world, including a particularly striking vibrant feather.
However, one item stood out from the rest. Yu Zhao reached into her collection and drew out a dull gray pouch. It was crudely made, with an unattractive little bird stitched onto it. As she opened the pouch, a yellowed piece of paper slipped into her hand. Unfolding it, she couldn’t help but smirk at the words written in bold strokes: “With this slip, one wish will be granted.” It was signed simply, “Zhao.”
This pouch had been a birthday present she crafted for Su Ming, imbued with the promise of a wish. She remembered the joy on Su Ming’s face when he received it; he’d declared it too precious and vowed to cherish it forever. Little did he know that years later, he would exploit its sentimental value to demean her, demanding she kneel and repeatedly slap herself until his anger was assuaged.
Yu Zhao’s grip on the paper tightened, her knuckles whitening. When she relaxed her fingers, all that was left was a pulpy mess. Clearly, her promises to him were undeserved.
With that bitter chapter behind her, Yu Zhao felt a surge of relief. Now, she turned her attention to the twelve other items laid out before her. Lacking extra spirit stones, she knew she needed to sell one of these treasures to ease her financial strain. Yet, parting with any of these items, each a rare and significant find, weighed heavily on her heart.
Finding a buyer who could appreciate and pay handsomely for these treasures was essential, but it presented a challenge. As she contemplated her options, the treasures before her seemed both a blessing and a curse.
Meanwhile, Su Ming was in utter disbelief, having just heard the latest sect gossip. “Dammit! Yu Zhao is crazy! She gave away the Purple Cloud Bamboo Flute!” He stood up sharply, his face a mask of shock.
He had been engrossed in preparing a gift for a new junior sister and had lost track of the sect’s affairs. Upon his return, he rushed to catch up with his second senior brother, Lan Zi Yu, who watched him with a cool, detached gaze.
This novel is translated and hosted on BCatranslation
Sitting back down slowly, Su Ming struggled to grasp the news. He knew Yu Zhao’s deep attachment to that flute; when he had borrowed it, her anxiety was palpable, nearly severing their ties. He hadn’t dared to lay a finger on it since.
Muttering to himself, Su Ming said, “She even took back the pouch she gave me. What’s she trying to do?”
His words, though soft, were distinct enough for Lan Zi Yu to overhear. The mention of the pouch shifted Lan Zi Yu’s expression. “She took back that bird pouch too?”
Su Ming nodded sheepishly. Once a source of pride, the pouch now symbolized his humiliation. He felt both shamed and slighted by her reclaiming a personal gift.
Lan Zi Yu scoffed, “Taking back something she gave away, how petty.”
The threads of their past were unraveling, revealing the complex fabric of their present entanglements.
So, she’s gonna take all her gifts back and get rid of them.
Wait, she’s doing the ritual for getting rid of Pennywise.