Chapter 77: The Faithless Brother-in-Law and the Crimson Apricot
(This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation)
Under the boundless night sky, dreams enveloped each slumbering soul, safely resting upon their beds. Yet, the peace was broken for the city gatekeeper, awakened abruptly by a cultivator descending from the heavens. Scrambling to his feet, with one shoe on and the other off, he stumbled in haste to open the city gate.
In the misty veil of the pre-dawn darkness, a procession of carriages and returning cultivators from the ruins emerged. Their expressions were heavy and solemn.
The mountains had collapsed.
Following a strike of heavenly lightning, the three main peaks at the entrance to the Qiling Mountain Range were reduced to rubble, their falling cliffs sealing the mountain path. The lingering killing qi within the mountains was so dense that none dared to traverse the skies, forcing them to retreat to Ningcheng County for refuge.
Only by the hour of the tiger, deep in the night, did the Mountain and Sea Pavilion summon an elder to wield immense power, slicing through the collapsed mountain pass with a divine blade. Gradually, some brave souls resumed their expedition into the mountains.
However, the cacophony of the collapse had jolted the townsfolk awake from their dreams. Trembling with unease, they urged their children to return to sleep quickly.
Young Li, son of the vegetable vendor Old Li, lay restless in bed. Amusing himself by fiddling with the straw protruding from the earthen wall, he glimpsed a fiery glow blazing through the distant mountains.
At the entrance to the ruins, enormous pieces of flesh lay scattered across the mountain slopes. Though described as mere “pieces,” each chunk was larger than a person, its charred blackness a grotesque contrast to its tender pink core.
At that moment, the head of the Shen Clan stumbled into the mountains, collapsing onto his knees before the scene of carnage. Black ash stretched endlessly from the entrance deep into the mountain.
Amidst the mournful sights, the rustling of grass broke the somber stillness.
Weapons drawn, the gathered cultivators turned to the source of the sound with wary eyes.
A bloodied hand emerged from the grass, and a woman, her gaze clouded, crawled out. Pain filled her eyes as she stared at the crowd.
“Father…”
“Yan’er…?”
“Quickly! Help the young mistress out! Hurry!”
…
As the morning sun’s gentle warmth dispelled the remnants of the spring chill, Ji You awoke refreshed. Rising early, he stepped onto the corridor outside his room, stretching leisurely toward the distant sky. The human race, creatures attuned to the light, found solace in the sun’s bright embrace.
He strolled westward along the corridor, stopping upon noticing that Yan Shu Yi’s door was already ajar.
Within, the Mirror Master held a letter detailing news from the mountains. Her brows knit delicately in thought, revealing a rare gravity as she prepared to step down from her bed.
[The proper manners of a gentleman forbid any impropriety. One must observe from afar but never transgress.]
Thus, Ji the gentleman stood at the doorway, watching as the curve of her figure perched at the bedside. Her fair, jade-like feet arched slightly as she delicately slipped on her silk stockings.
Zhuo Wan Qiu, presently fetching water for the Appraiser, noticed Ji You and nodded in greeting but refrained from closing the door.
Yan Shu Yi squinted, flicking her sleeve to shut the door with a decisive motion.
“Wan Qiu, why did you leave the door open?”
Recalling her previous slip-ups, Zhuo Wan Qiu immediately replied, “I wasn’t sure whether to close it or not…”
Yan Shu Yi descended from the bed and glanced out the window. “How can one wash up with a strange man watching?”
“But you were putting on stockings in his presence… besides, isn’t he your future husband?” Zhuo Wan Qiu remarked, her logical tone unwavering.
The ever-perceptive maid reasoned that while her mistress was a woman, her destined path as the master of Spirit Sword Mountain would preclude marrying into another family. With Ji You, a cultivator without a prominent clan background, the only logical outcome was for him to become a live-in son-in-law.
Feigning ignorance, Yan Shu Yi dipped her hands into the basin. Though she had endured having her cheek pinched the previous night, she was in no mood to face him.
[The empress-like resolve and coquettish grievance within her heart clashed incessantly.]
After finishing her preparations, Yan Shu Yi exited the room, followed closely by Zhuo Wan Qiu, who looked visibly drained. Since the group’s return from the Qiling Ruins, Zhuo Wan Qiu had assumed Ding Yao’s duties, attending to her mistress every morning.
Although the Mirror Master’s beauty required no enhancement, today’s careful grooming betrayed her unspoken intention to meet a certain man—whom she claimed to have encountered only twice.
Ji You, meanwhile, was already sipping tea in the courtyard when she emerged. Hearing movement, he turned to see her stepping out.
“I’m heading to the market to buy breakfast. Will you join me?”
Yan Shu Yi cast him a lofty glance before giving a faint nod and following him out. “There was a disturbance in the mountains last night. Did you hear it?”
Ji You turned, studying her for a long moment. “You’re always beautiful, but today you’re even more radiant.”
Her composed demeanor faltered as she squinted at him. “Silence, you ill-mannered stranger.”
“Still pretending you don’t know me? You’re the one who forgets familiarity as soon as you’ve walked a mile.”
“A disciple must maintain dignity in public. News of my visit to the Capital has spread. If they see me with you, they might assume I sought you out. In reality, I merely glanced at you in passing.”
“With a mouth like yours, you should duel with me instead,” Ji You teased.
Following behind, Yan Shu Yi murmured, “It was just a passing glance.”
“And two nights of lodging.”
“For discussions on Dao alone. Tell no one, or the Dao Seeking Sect might beat you to death…”
Ji You paused in his steps. “So, you’re really marrying into the Dao Seeking Sect?”
Yan Shu Yi squared her shoulders. “If I must marry, it’ll be to someone of my choosing—unlike certain individuals with countless fiancées.”
“Baseless rumors! I pummeled Immortal Emperor Ru Long just yesterday and stole his fortune.”
“And how does that concern me, scoundrel?”
The streets teemed with cultivators, all abuzz with chatter about the mountains—the collapse, the grim scenes, and circulating scandals.
Ji You listened idly, eventually stopping at a street stall selling roasted chestnuts and sweet potatoes. The vendor, engrossed in whispered gossip with his neighbor, straightened upon seeing customers approach. However, he froze in surprise upon recognizing Yan Shu Yi.
“Miss, you’ve returned?”
Ji You turned to Yan Shu Yi, who seemed lost in thought. “You know each other?”
Ignoring her warning glare, the vendor smiled. “The young lady came every day for a while, but she always said my roasted goods didn’t match someone else’s. I’ve been dying to meet this competitor of mine.”
“…What?”
Yan Shu Yi’s cold and distant demeanor made her appear both beautiful and venomous as she purchased a few roasted sweet potatoes. The vendor scratched his head in confusion, muttering under his breath, “Why does the young lady seem so harsh today?” His gaze then dropped to his stall, astonished. “Why did she give me such a generous tip?”
Later in the day, as the sun inched closer to the horizon, Yuan Cai Wei finally rose from her bed. She stepped out into the courtyard, intending to discuss plans with her younger brother, Yuan Chen, about when they would return to the Pill Sect. Having been missing for several days, she knew the sect would be in an uproar over her absence. Now, with Yuan Chen, her father was likely beside himself with worry.
The events in the Qiling Mountain Range had far-reaching implications. The tragedy of so many lives lost meant someone would undoubtedly bear the Immortal Sect’s wrath. In such uncertain times, remaining outside the sect was perilous for someone like her, a Pill Alchemist with little combat ability.
Then there was Ji You. Yuan Chen had spared no effort trying to matchmake her with Ji You. Initially, she had rejected the idea due to Ji You’s lack of noble lineage and his lower cultivation level. However, yesterday, he had abruptly broken into the Profound Comprehension Stage, and not just the early stage—he had reached the mid-stage. While a young man mastering the lower stages at his age might be considered mediocre within the Pill Sect, someone his age reaching mid-Profound Comprehension was noteworthy.
Seeing this potential, Yuan Cai Wei decided Ji You was worth considering. Yuan Chen’s idea of hiring Ji You as their escort seemed reasonable now. Additionally, since she and Yan Shu Yi were like sisters, it felt improper to leave Ji You behind here alone. As the Spirit-Mirror Mountain sect’s Mirror Master, Yan Shu Yi held a noble status and carried herself with decorum. If Ji You stayed, she might not express displeasure, but Yuan Cai Wei suspected she wouldn’t be entirely happy either.
However, as Yuan Cai Wei stepped into the courtyard, she noticed Ji You and Yan Shu Yi sitting closely together, sharing roasted sweet potatoes and discussing the latest rumors from the streets.
“The sect master of the Chen Clan of Immortals, Chen Ru Hai, was gravely injured. Is that true?” Yan Shu Yi’s voice carried a hint of curiosity.
“The details seem precise, so it’s likely true,” Ji You replied. “That crimson heavenly radiance hit him, and everyone saw it. There’s no hiding it.”
Ji You sighed deeply, silently reflecting. [Most people watch such events from a safe distance. I, on the other hand, dive right in, risking my life.]
He suddenly recalled a casual conversation from yesterday when Yan Shu Yi had mentioned that the Zheng Clan’s ancestral elder had once trained under the Chen Clan but was ultimately denied the Daoist legacy. His expression turned serious. “So, the monstrous figure with chaotic flesh and blood was the Zheng Clan’s elder? Even after failing his ascension, he still sought revenge?”
Yan Shu Yi mused softly, sipping tea. “Even the keepers of sacred artifacts are human. They have selfish desires, too. Unless they truly ascend, they can’t completely abandon worldly thoughts. But if they ascend, how can they pass down their teachings? This creates an endless cycle. That’s why the Seven Great Immortal Sects always pass their sacred artifacts to their direct descendants.”
Yan Shu Yi’s tone grew colder. “The Zheng Clan’s elder must have harbored immense resentment toward the Chen Clan. Perhaps that’s why his final attack was directed at Chen Ru Hai.”
Ji You frowned. “Still, it seems odd.”
“Too coincidental?” Yan Shu Yi’s soft eyes studied him.
He nodded thoughtfully. “The whole series of events feels driven by coincidences. It’s unnatural.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Will you pass your Spirit Mirror to your future heir?”
Her calm demeanor wavered as her cheeks flushed. “That’s none of your business.”
“Really?”
“I want to kill you,” she muttered, her eyes narrowing.
Yuan Cai Wei stood silently in the background, observing the interaction. Her gaze faltered. As the eldest daughter of the Pill Sect, she had known Yan Shu Yi since childhood. Yet, she had never seen her act so much like an ordinary young woman.
[Perhaps leaving Ji You here wouldn’t displease her after all.] Yuan Cai Wei quickly dismissed the thought, unwilling to indulge further. She hesitated, noticing Yuan Chen had arrived in the courtyard. His expression was one of heartbreak.
[Isn’t the Mirror Master supposed to be cold and aloof? Why does she always gravitate toward my brother-in-law? And why has my brother-in-law, who was loyal to me yesterday, suddenly become so unfaithful?]
Yuan Cai Wei interrupted their conversation, her voice calm yet purposeful. “What are you two discussing?”
The air grew heavy. Yan Shu Yi’s demeanor remained unchanged as she explained, “Many disciples from the Mountain and Sea Pavilion, the Chen Clan of Immortals, and the Shen Clan were slain. Even our Heavenly Sword Peak suffered heavy losses.”
Yuan Cai Wei’s brow furrowed. “Is it true everyone in the mountains has perished?”
Ji You took over, his tone grave. “When the Immortal Sect’s reinforcements arrived last night, three survivors were still clinging to life. They soon perished as well.”
“Why?” Yuan Cai Wei’s voice trembled. “If they were alive, how could they still die?”
Ji You replied, “Do you recall the Vermilion Fruit we saw turning to ash as we left the mountain? Those survivors experienced the same fate. Stepping out of the mountain, they turned to dust, rejected by the Heavenly Dao.”
Yan Shu Yi’s eyes met Ji You’s. “If that’s the case, there’s something that doesn’t add up.”
“What is it?”
“If those blessed by the celestial fortunes within the ruins couldn’t leave, how did those intelligent Malignant Beings previously appear in Shengjing?”
Yuan Cai Wei’s expression darkened. [This is too strange. We need to leave soon.]
Her gaze shifted back to Ji You and Yan Shu Yi. She paused. [Is it my imagination, or do they seem oddly in sync?]
Yan Shu Yi, unaware of such thoughts, felt satisfied with her poised exterior. Even Ding Yao hadn’t noticed anything unusual. Yet, she failed to see how her closeness to Ji You might appear to others. The two of them leaned toward Yuan Cai Wei as they spoke, as if sharing an unspoken bond.